Impaired immune function in children and adults with Fanconi anemia

Abstract

Background

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by genome instability, bone marrow failure, and cancer predisposition. Previously, small studies have reported heterogeneous immune dysfunction in FA.

Procedure

We performed a detailed immunologic assessment in a large FA cohort who have not undergone bone marrow transplantation or developed malignancies. Comprehensive quantitative and functional immunologic assessment of 29 FA individuals was compared to healthy age-matched controls.

Results

Compared to non-FA persons of similar ages, FA individuals showed lower absolute total B cells (P < 0.001), lower memory B cells (P < 0.001), and decreased IgM (P < 0.001) but normal IgG. NK cells (P < 0.001) and NK cytotoxicity (P < 0.001) were decreased. CD4⁺ T cells were decreased (P = 0.022), while CD8⁺ T cell and absolute T-cell numbers were comparable. Cytotoxic T cells (P < 0.003), and antigen proliferation response to tetanus (P = 0.019) and candida (P = 0.019), were diminished in FA. Phytohemagglutinin responses and plasma cytokines were normal. Within FA subjects, adults and older children (≥10 years) exhibited higher CD8⁺ T cells than younger children (P = 0.004). Documented atypical infections were infrequent, although oral human papilloma virus (HPV) prevalence was higher (31% positive) in FA.

Conclusions

Overall, these results demonstrate a high rate of significant humoral and cellular immune dysfunction. Continued longitudinal study of immune function is critical to understand evolution with age, bone marrow failure, and cancer development.

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Identifying metrics of success for transitional care practices in childhood cancer survivorship: A qualitative study of survivorship providers

Abstract

Background

Long-term survival in childhood cancer is excellent. Most survivors will have a therapy-related chronic condition, yet very few receive survivor-focused care as they transition from adolescence to young adulthood. The purpose of this study is to identify indicators of success in current transitional care practices for young adult survivors of childhood cancer as defined by all members of survivorship care teams.

Procedure

An exploratory, phenomenologic qualitative study was conducted with key informants from medical teams involved in transitional care of childhood cancer survivors. Data were collected through phone interviews with providers from both pediatric and adult care settings.

Results

A multidisciplinary study sample of 29 participants from three institutions identified two major themes with multiple subthemes. The first major theme was that providers must be good communicators, and it emphasized the importance of having good relationships throughout the transition of care to optimize effective communication. The second major theme was that models of care must include well-established partners throughout the healthcare system that promote accessible subspecialty care with streamlined referrals and patient navigation services.

Conclusions

From the perspective of experienced pediatric- and adult-centered providers at three different institutions delivering life-long transitional care for childhood cancer survivors, the optimal model of care must be built around facilitating communication among all key stakeholders and emphasizing patient-friendly services that minimize patient stressors.

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Random Modeling and Control of Nonlinear Active Suspension

For a quarter car with nonlinear active suspension in rough road, the problem of random modeling and control is considered. According to the relative motion principle, the influence of rough road can be seen as that force is disturbed by the noise and a random model is constructed. By an appropriate transform, the model is transformed into a lower triangular system, which can be used as backstepping method. Then a controller is designed such that the mean square of the state converges to an arbitrarily small neighborhood of zero by tuning design parameters. The simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. Therefore, the active suspension system offers better riding comfort and vehicle handing to the passengers.

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Giant cell tumor in the sphenoid sinus and ethmoid sinus during childhood, and it is thought that optic atrophy was caused by compressive optic neuropathy.

http://orlhealth.blogspot.com/2017/05/giant-cell-tumor-in-sphenoid-sinus-and.html

Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182

6948891480

alsfakia@gmail.com

Structural and activity variability of fractions with different charge density and chain length from pharmaceutical heparins

Abstract

Heparin is a structurally complex polysaccharide used as a clinical anticoagulant. It is comprised of a heterogeneous mixture of polysaccharide chains having a variety of sequences and lengths. The production methods and regulatory controls of pharmaceutical heparins have changed over the years. This study assesses the structural and activity uniformity of the polysaccharide chains comprising two contemporary heparin products. The heparin fractions with different sizes and charges were separated with size exclusion and ion exchange chromatography. The fractions were analyzed for their molecular weight properties, di- and tetrasaccharide compositions, and anti-factor IIa and anti-factor-Xa activities. The distribution of these properties through chains of different lengths and ones with different charge density were compared. The results demonstrate that with the increase in heparin purity, activity and molecular weight required by the current pharmacopeia, the uniformity of pharmaceutical heparin products have increased.

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Antibiotic doxycycline may offer hope for treatment of Parkinson's disease - Science Daily

Antibiotic doxycycline may offer hope for treatment of Parkinson's disease Science Daily ... conducted in collaboration with the group led by Rosana Chehin, a researcher at the University of Tucumán in Argentina, as well as Rita Raisman-Vozari and Julia Sepulveda-Diaz, researchers at the Brain & Bone Marrow Institute (ICM) in Paris, France. and more »

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Editorial Board

Publication date: August 2017
Source:Cellular Signalling, Volume 36





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Retraction notice to" Modification of TAK1 by O-linked N-acetylglucosamine facilitates TAK1 activation and promotes M1 macrophage polarization" Cellular Signalling 28 (2016) 1742–1752

Publication date: August 2017
Source:Cellular Signalling, Volume 36
Author(s): Dongmei Zhang, Zhiwei Xu, Tao Tao, Xiaojuan Liu, Xiaolei Sun, Yuhong Ji, Lijian Han, Huiyuan Qiu, Guizhou Zhu, Yifen Shen, Liang Zhu, Aiguo Shen




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Inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of autophagy by KDM2B/FBXL10 knockdown in gastric cancer cells

Publication date: August 2017
Source:Cellular Signalling, Volume 36
Author(s): Erhu Zhao, Chunling Tang, Xiaolan Jiang, Xiong Weng, Xiaoxia Zhong, Dunke Zhang, Jianbing Hou, Feng Wang, Mengying Huang, Hongjuan Cui
Gastric cancer is difficult to cure due to its clinical heterogeneity and the complexity of its molecular mechanisms. KDM2B, a member of the JHDM family, functions as a histone lysine demethylase. However, the role and mechanisms of KDM2B in gastric cancer have not been elucidated. Here, we showed that KDM2B is commonly expressed in gastric cancer cells. The downregulation of KDM2B immediately induces autophagy, followed by the inhibition of proliferation. The compound 3-methyladenine (3-MA), an inhibitor of autophagy, largely rescues autophagy and the inhibition of cell proliferation induced by KDM2B knockdown. In this process, we observed a downregulation of the phosphorylation of Akt and its downstream effectors mTOR and p70S6K and an upregulation of Erk phosphorylation after KDM2B knockdown. In a xenograft model, the downregulation of KDM2B can inhibit tumour growth. The conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II also decreased concomitantly in vivo, which is a hallmark of autophagy. Taken together, our study was the first to demonstrate a novel regulatory role of KDM2B in autophagy and cell growth in gastric cancer cells. Our findings suggest that KDM2B may serve as a novel therapeutic target for gastric cancer therapy.



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Flavonoid Production, Growth and Differentiation of Stelechocarpus burahol (Bl.) Hook. F. and Th. Cell Suspension Culture

Background and Objective: Stelechocarpus burahol is a plant containing flavonoid compounds that have the potential for use as an antihyperuricemic for gout medication. This study was performed to assess flavonoid production, growth and cell differentiation of S. burahol in cell suspension culture. Methodology: Mesocarp was planted in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 7.5 mg L¹ picloram for the induction of callus. Non-embryonic callus obtained was used in the formation of cell suspension cultures. Growth of cells was determined by fresh and dry weights. During the culturing, the fresh weight, dry weight and flavonoid content were determined as a result of culture status. Results: The growth of the S. burahol cell suspension was slow, the stationary phase occurred at 30 days. The production of flavonoids was not in line with the growth of cells and the maximum production occurred on the 15th day of the log phase. The globular-shaped cells dominated the cell suspension culture at all ages. Fluorescein diacetate (FDA) staining of cells derived from cell cultures aged for 36 days showed that some cells were still viable. Conclusion: The results show that flavonoid production, growth and cell differentiation of a S. burahol cell suspension culture differed according to the culture age.

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Bacterial Quality of Urinary Tract Infections in Diabetic and Non Diabetics of the Population of Maan Province, Jordan

Background and Objective: The patients with Diabetes Mellitus (DM) have malfunction in bladder which prompt urine accumulation in its pool which serves a decent situation to the microbes to be develop and cause Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). The UTI is the most infectious disease that affects both males and females. This study was designed to detect the bacterial species responsible for UTI in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients in Maan province, Jordan. Materials and Methods: One hundred sixteen urine samples were investigated to determine UTI-causing bacteria. These samples distributed unequally between diabetic male (12) and diabetic female (25) and also non-diabetic male (13) and non-diabetic female (66). Results: It was observed that E. coli is responsible for large proportion (44.8%) of UTI in both diabetic (15.5%) and non-diabetic (29.3%) patients. This study showed inequality in the bacterial species that were isolated from both diabetic and non-diabetic samples. However, five bacterial species including E. aerogenes, E. cloacae, C. freundii, A. baumannii and B. subtilis did not exist in all diabetic samples. Treatment of UTI in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients with chloramphenicol (30 μg), ciprofloxacin (5 μg) and vancomycin (30 μg) resulted in more favorability than other antibiotics. At the same time cephalothin (30 μg) was not recommended. Conclusion: Escherichia coli was the prevailing bacterial infections among those which were isolated from patients with UTI. Certain forms of bacterial infections inclined to be extra common in diabetic patients than others and other infections may be more severe in people with diabetics than in non diabetics.

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Reproductive Biology of Sardinella sp. (Sardinella aurita and Sardinella maderensis) in the South of Morocco

Background and Objective: Sardinella sp. has gained much attention lately because of its biomass increase, which might be the result of climatic changes occurring across the Atlantic sea. Little information is known about reproduction of these species particularly in the Moroccan Atlantic area. The objective of the this study was to explore some aspects of the reproductive biology of Sardinella in the South of Atlantic Moroccan coast. Materials and Methods: Monthly samples were collected during the period between February, 2015 and January, 2016 in the area between Cape Boujdor and Cape Blanc. The data collected concerned the measure of the total length, the weight, the gonad weight as well as the sex and maturity stages. The χ² test was used to compare the differences between both sexes and the ANOVA test was adopted to analyze the data variation. Results: Sardinella sp. is a gonochoristic fish. The overall female to male ratio was not statistically different for both species (χ² = 0.68 for Sardinella aurita and χ² = 1.04 for Sardinella maderensis), although it varied seasonally and according to the length of the fish. The monthly changes in the gonadosomatic index and the macroscopic characteristics of gonads showed that round Sardinella in the South of Morocco spawns between February and July and between November and December with a spawning peak on April. For the flat Sardinella, it spawns between February and March and in July with a spawning peak on July. Females round Sardinella reach first sexual maturity at a smaller size than males (26.17 and 26.78 cm, respectively). Concerning the flat Sardinella, it was the opposite. Males reaching sexual maturity are smaller than females (20.75 and 21.76 cm, respectively). Conclusion: It is concluded that the size at first maturity revealed that mature females in the South of Moroccan Atlantic Ocean were smaller than males for the round Sardinella and the opposite was observed for the flat Sardinella. The spawning of S. aurita presented a pick in April and for S. maderensis in July. As a shared stock these findings will be used for stock assessment in the North West Africa area.

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Evaluation of MiR-21 and MiR-10b Expression of Human Breast Cancer in West Sumatera

Background: Abnormal expression of several microRNAs (miRNAs) has been demonstrated in many types of cancer tumor tissue. The miR-10b and miR-21 are an oncogenic miRNAs which play role in proliferation and invasion of Breast Cancer (BC) tumorigenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the miR-21 and miR-10b expression in BC in West Sumatran women, Indonesia. Materials and Methods: A total of 40 samples, consisting of 30 samples of breast cancer tissues (BC) and 10 samples of fibroadenoma tissues (FATs) as control and non-cancerous were analyzed. The miR-21 and miR-10b expression of each sample were investigated by using realtime PCR, followed by universal Reverse Transcription (RT) then real-time PCR amplification with specific primers. Hsa-miR-16-5p LNA PCR primer was used as an endogenous control. Results: The results showed that the expression level of miR-21 was more than 4 times higher in BC than in FATs. The expression level of miR-10b was lower in BC than FATs, by a factor of 3.34 fold. Both these differences were statistically different (p = 0.001). Conclusion: In this study it was concluded that for this sample of West Sumatran Women miR-21 expression in BC was higher than in FATs, whereas miR-10b was lower in BC than in FATs.

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Spermatogenic and Phylo-molecular Characterizations of Isolated Fasciola Spp. From Cattle, North West Iran

Background and Objective: Fascioliasis is economically important to the livestock industry that caused with Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica. The objective of this study was to identify these two species F. hepatica and F. gigantica by using nuclear and mitochondrial markers (ITS1, ND1 and CO1) and have been employed to analyze intraspecific phylogenetic relations of Fasciola spp. Materials and Methods: Approximately 150 Fasciola specimens were collected, then stained with haematoxylin-carmine dye and observed under an optical microscope to examine for the existence of sperm. The ITS1 marker was used to identify different Fasciola and phylogenetic analysis based on ND1 and CO1 sequence data were conducted by maximum likelihood algorithm. Results: Fasciola samples were separated into 2 groups. Almost all specimens had many sperms in the seminal vesicle (spermic fluke) and one fluke did not contain any sperm in the seminal vesicle. The aspermic sample had F. gigantica RFLP pattern with ITS1 gene. Phylogenetic analysis based on NDI and COI sequence data were conducted by maximum likelihood showed a similar topology of the trees obtained particularly for F. hepatica and F. gigantica. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that aspermic Fasciola found in this region of Iran has same genetic structures through the spermic F. gigantica populations in accordance to phylogenetic tree.

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Radio-protective and antioxidative activities of astaxanthin from newly isolated radio-resistant bacterium Deinococcus sp. strain WMA-LM9

Abstract

A radio-resistant bacterium, designated as strain WMA-LM9, was isolated from desert soil. 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicated that the bacterium belongs to genus Deinococcus with maximum similarity to Deinococcus radiopugnans. Deinococcus sp. strain WMA-LM9 was found to be resistant to a ultraviolet (UV) dose of 5 × 10³ J/m², hydrogen peroxide (50 mM) and mitomycin C (10 μg/ml). A carotenoid pigment was extracted using chloroform/methanol/acetone (7:5:3) and purified by high-performance liquid chromatography on a C₁₈ analytical column. The compound was characterised as mono-esterified astaxanthin by ¹H, ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. It was tested for antioxidant activity, total flavonoids and phenolic content, radioprotective potential in correlation to the prevention of protein oxidation and DNA strand breaks in vitro. The carotenoid pigment showed a very potent antioxidant activity and significantly stronger scavenging ability against superoxides, with an IC₅₀ (concentration causing 50% inhibition of the desired activity) of 41.6 μg/ml. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were 12.1 and 7.4 μg in terms of gallic acid and quercetin equivalents per milligram of dried mass, respectively. astaxanthin also showed a higher inhibitory action against oxidative damage to collagen, elastin and bovine serum albumin than did β-carotene. The carotenoid also inhibited breaks to DNA strands, as indicated by the results of the DNA damage prevention assay. We conclude that astaxanthin from Deinococcus sp. strain WMA-LM9 has protective effects against radiation-mediated cell damage, and it also protects cellular protein and DNA against oxidative stress and other anti-oxidant activities.

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Shark Tank's Daymond John Reveals Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis - Us Weekly

Us Weekly

Shark Tank's Daymond John Reveals Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis Us Weekly Daymond John revealed during an interview on Good Morning America on Wednesday, May 10, that he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer last year and has since undergone treatment. Celebrity Health Scares. "I had an extensive physical and they ... 'Shark Tank's' Daymond John reveals thyroid cancer diagnosisFox News Longtime 'Shark Tank' star Daymond John diagnosed with thyroid cancerAOL 'Shark Tank' Investor Daymond John Shares Successful Battle Against Thyroid CancerAtlanta Black Star Newsmax -Entertainment Tonight -YouTube all 27 news articles »

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Erin Moran's death puts spotlight on squamous cell cancers - Palm Beach Post

Palm Beach Post

Erin Moran's death puts spotlight on squamous cell cancers Palm Beach Post “The entire inner lining of your mouth and throat — including your tongue, tonsils and voice box — are comprised of squamous cells,” said Cleveland Clinic Florida head and neck surgeon Dr. Michael Medina. “When cancers in these areas are detected ... and more »

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Hepatitis

Hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver, irrespective of the cause. Hepatitis is caused by a number of conditions, including drug toxicity, immune diseases, and viruses.

MedTerms (TM) is the Medical Dictionary of MedicineNet.com.
We Bring Doctors' Knowledge To You

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Prenatal nicotine exposure induces HPA axis-hypersensitivity in offspring rats via the intrauterine programming of up-regulation of hippocampal GAD67

Abstract

The intrauterine programming of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis hypersensitivity is associated with chronic adult diseases. Our previous studies demonstrated the HPA-axis hypersensitivity in offspring rats induced by prenatal nicotine exposure. The goal of the present study is to further investigate the intrauterine programming mechanism. Pregnant Wistar rats were subcutaneously administered with 2.0 mg/kg day of nicotine from gestational day (GD) 9–20. A group of the pregnant rats was euthanized at GD20, and the fetal rats were extracted. The remaining rats were left to come to term, and the adult offspring were exposed to chronic stress. For adult offspring rats, prenatal nicotine exposure induced HPA-axis hypersensitivity after chronic stress, accompanied by imbalanced glutamatergic/GABAergic afferent inputs. Moreover, prenatal nicotine exposure enhanced the expression of hippocampal glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD67), accompanied by a decreased methylation ratio within nt −1019 to −689 of the GAD67 promoter, decreased expression of Dnmt1, and an increased GABA content and density of GABAergic neurons. The fetal rats exhibited changes consistent with the adult rats. Similar effects were also observed by treating the fetal hippocampal cell line H19-7 with 1−100 μM nicotine, while dihydro-β-erythroidine hydrobromide (DHβE), the specific inhibitor of α4β2nAChR, can reverse the effects caused by nicotine. These results indicate that prenatal nicotine exposure can enhance the potential excitability of the hypothalamus via the intrauterine programming of up-regulation of hippocampal GAD67. All of these results contribute to the HPA-axis hypersensitivity in adult offspring.

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Traumatic diaphragmatic hernia—17 years experience

Abstract

Background

Objective of this study is to review our experience in the management of traumatic diaphragmatic hernias over 17 years.

Methods

Following Ethical Committee clearance, records of all patients who underwent traumatic diaphragmatic hernia surgery at Shanthabai Devarao Shivaram (SDS) Tuberculosis Research Centre and Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases, Bengaluru, India from January 1998 to December 2015 were reviewed. Data collected and analyzed were clinical presentation, mode of diagnosis, intraoperative findings and the postoperative clinical outcomes.

Results

Sixty patients underwent traumatic diaphragmatic hernia repair during this period. Age ranged between 10 and 80 years. The most common presentation was dyspnea. Blunt trauma was the cause in 52 (86.67%) cases and penetrating trauma in 8 (13.33%) cases. The diagnosis was within 24 h in 45 (75%) cases and in 15 (25%) cases the diagnosis was made after 24 h. Thoracotomy was the preferred approach for the repair in the absence of associated abdominal injuries. The most common site of rupture was the central tendon. The perioperative mortality was 8.33%. The hospital stay ranged between 5 and 84 days (mean 22 days).

Conclusion

Right-sided diaphragmatic hernias are notorious to be missed on initial evaluation. Despite advances in diagnostic modalities, chest X-ray still continues to be useful in the diagnosis of traumatic ruptures. A high index of suspicion, together with the knowledge of mechanism of trauma is the key factor for the correct diagnosis.

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Inhibition of Neddylation Modification Sensitizes Pancreatic Cancer Cells to Gemcitabine

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the USA with a 5-year survival rate less than 3% to 5%. Gemcitabine remains as a standard care for PDAC patients. Although protein neddylation is abnormally activated in many human cancers, whether neddylation dysregulation is involved in PDAC and whether targeting neddylation would sensitize pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine remain elusive. Here we report that high expression of neddylation components, NEDD8 and NAE1, are associated with poor survival of PDAC patients.

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Stromal PDGFR-α Activation Enhances Matrix Stiffness, Impedes Mammary Ductal Development, and Accelerates Tumor Growth

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is critical for mammary ductal development and differentiation, but how mammary fibroblasts regulate ECM remodeling remains to be elucidated. Herein, we used a mouse genetic model to activate platelet derived growth factor receptor-alpha (PDGFRα) specifically in the stroma. Hyperactivation of PDGFRα in the mammary stroma severely hindered pubertal mammary ductal morphogenesis, but did not interrupt the lobuloalveolar differentiation program. Increased stromal PDGFRα signaling induced mammary fat pad fibrosis with a corresponding increase in interstitial hyaluronic acid (HA) and collagen deposition.

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A MicroRNA/Ubiquitin Ligase Feedback Loop Regulates Slug-Mediated Invasion in Breast Cancer

The transformation of a normal cell to cancer requires the derail of multiple pathways. Normal signaling in a cell is regulated at multiple stages by the presence of feedback loops, calibration of levels of proteins by their regulated turnover, and posttranscriptional regulation, to name a few. The tumor suppressor protein FBXO31 is a component of the SCF E3 ubiquitin ligase and is required to arrest cells at G1 following genotoxic stresses. Due to its growth-suppression activity, it is underexpressed in many cancers.

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Control of Tumor Initiation by NKG2D Naturally Expressed on Ovarian Cancer Cells

Cancer cells may co-opt the NKG2D lymphocyte receptor to complement the presence of its ligands for autonomous stimulation of oncogenic signaling. Previous studies raise the possibility that cancer cell NKG2D may induce high malignancy traits, but its full oncogenic impact is unknown. Using epithelial ovarian cancer as model setting, we show here that ex vivo NKG2D+ cancer cells have stem-like capacities, and provide formal in vivo evidence linking NKG2D stimulation with the development and maintenance of these functional states.

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Trabectedin and Campthotecin Synergistically Eliminate Cancer Stem Cells in Cell-of-Origin Sarcoma Models

Trabectedin has been approved for second-line treatment of soft tissue sarcomas. However, its efficacy to target sarcoma initiating cells has not been addressed yet. Here, we used pioneer models of myxoid/round cell liposarcoma (MRCLS) and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) developed from transformed human mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) to evaluate the effect of trabectedin in the cell type responsible for initiating sarcomagenesis and their derived cancer stem cells (CSC) subpopulations.

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Withaferin A Inhibits Prostate Carcinogenesis in a PTEN-deficient Mouse Model of Prostate Cancer

We recently demonstrated that AKT activation plays a role in prostate cancer progression and inhibits the pro-apoptotic function of FOXO3a and Par-4. AKT inhibition and Par-4 induction suppressed prostate cancer progression in preclinical models. Here, we investigate the chemopreventive effect of the phytonutrient Withaferin A (WA) on AKT-driven prostate tumorigenesis in a Pten conditional knockout (Pten-KO) mouse model of prostate cancer. Oral WA treatment was carried out at two different doses (3 and 5 mg/kg) and compared to vehicle over 45 weeks.

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Longitudinal study of quality of life in advanced cancer patients on home parenteral nutrition

Abstract

Since there is little knowledge regarding the quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients on home parenteral nutrition (HPN), we planned a prospective, longitudinal, double-center study to investigate the changes of QoL in these patients. One hundred and eleven adult cancer patients who were candidates for HPN following the indications of the European guidelines were consecutively enrolled. For QoL analysis, EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaires were filled at the HPN start and after 1, 2, 3, and 4 months, and scores changes over time were analyzed according to the univariate mixed-effects linear model for repeated measures. Most patients had gastrointestinal cancers, were severely malnourished, and were in stage IV; two-thirds were still receiving oncologic treatments. Median weight loss over 3 months and body mass index were 11.7% and 20.7, respectively. Median survival was 4.7 (1–42) months; 67 and 34% of patients survived 3 and 6 months, respectively. Global QoL, physical functioning, role functioning, emotional functioning, appetite loss, and fatigue scores had a statistically significant trend over time (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.007, P < 0.001, P = 0.004, P = 0.022, respectively). At the univariate analyses, the determinants significantly associated with changes in trend over time for physical, role, and emotional functioning were oncologic treatments (P < 0.001, P = 0.014, P = 0.040, respectively) and for appetite loss they were weight loss and Karnofsky performance status (P = 0.003, P = 0.023, respectively). Global QoL, physical, role, and emotional functioning improved during HPN even in advanced cancer patients on oncologic treatments.

In this prospective, longitudinal study that included 111 adults advanced cancer patients, global quality of life, physical functioning, role functioning, and emotional functioning had a statistically significant trend over time. At the univariate analyses, the determinants significantly associated with changes in trend over time for physical, role, and emotional functioning were oncologic treatments. Global quality of life improved during home parenteral nutrition even in advanced cancer patients on oncologic treatments.

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Phytoremediation of Nitrogen as Green Chemistry for Wastewater Treatment System

It is noteworthy that ammoniacal nitrogen contamination in wastewater has reportedly posed a great threat to the environment. Although there are several conventional technologies being employed to remediate ammoniacal nitrogen contamination in wastewater, they are not sustainable and cost-effective. Along this line, the present study aims to highlight the significance of green chemistry characteristics of phytoremediation in nitrogen for wastewater treatment. Notably, ammoniacal nitrogen can be found in many types of sources and it brings harmful effects to the environment. Hence, the present study also reviews the phytoremediation of nitrogen and describes its green chemistry characteristics. Additionally, the different types of wastewater contaminants and their effects on phytoremediation and the phytoremediation consideration in wastewater treatment application and sustainable waste management of harvested aquatic macrophytes were reviewed. Finally, the present study explicates the future perspectives of phytoremediation. Based on the reviews, it can be concluded that green chemistry characteristics of phytoremediation in nitrogen have proved that it is sustainable and cost-effective in relation to other existing ammoniacal nitrogen remediation technologies. Therefore, it can be deduced that a cheaper and more environmental friendly ammoniacal nitrogen technology can be achieved with the utilization of phytoremediation in wastewater treatment.

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Efficacy and Tolerability of Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate Based Regimen as Compared to Zidovudine Based Regimens: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background. Although tenofovir (TDF)/emtricitabine (FTC)/efavirenz (EFV) and zidovudine (ZDV)/lamivudine (3TC)/efavirenz (EFV) are used as preferred first line regimen, their head-to-head comparison in terms of their efficacy and tolerability was limited. This review aimed to synthesize the best available evidence on the comparative efficacy and tolerability of the two regimens. Methods. Seven sites and databases in addition to Google search until August 20, 2016, were searched. Only randomized clinical trials conducted on adult population were included in this study. Our primary outcome was viral load suppression while secondary outcomes were death and tolerability. Undetectable viral load is defined as

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Fast Switching 4H-SiC P-i-n Structures Fabricated by Low Temperature Diffusion of Al

P-i-n 4H-SiC diode structures are fabricated by a new approach which is low temperature diffusion of aluminium (Al) in SiC using flow of vacancy defects from surface into volume of crystal. In conventional diffusion in SiC, the operating temperature is usually >2050°C while, in this approach, the diffusion temperature is between 1150 and 1300°C. As the conditions of formation of junction in this method essentially differ from conventional diffusion (low temperature and process of diffusion are accompanied by forming structure defects), it is interesting to identify the advantages and disadvantages of a new method of diffusion. Fabricated p-i-n structures have low breakdown voltage between 80 and 140 V (due to the influence of dislocations and micropipes) and are capable of operating at temperatures up to 300°C. Structure has fast switching time and duration of the reverse recovery current less than 10 ns. We believe that because of low diffusion temperature, the concentration of nitrogen related trapping levels is relatively low and as a result the fast switching time is observed in our samples. It has been shown that this low temperature diffusion technology can be used to fabricate -region and high resistive -region of SiC diode in single-step process.

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Mechanical Stimulation of the HT7 Acupuncture Point to Reduce Ethanol Self-Administration in Rats

Background. Alcoholism, which is a disabling addiction disorder, is a major public health problem worldwide. The present study was designed to determine whether the application of acupuncture at the Shenmen (HT7) point suppresses voluntary alcohol consumption in addicted rats and whether this suppressive effect is potentiated by the administration of naltrexone. Methods. Rats were initially trained to self-administer a sucrose solution by operating a lever. A mechanical acupuncture instrument (MAI) for objective mechanical stimulation was used on rats whose baseline response had been determined. In addition, the effect of HT7 acupuncture on beta-endorphin concentration and ethanol intake via naltrexone were investigated in different groups. Results. We found that ethanol intake and beta-endorphin level in rats being treated with the MAI at the HT7 point reduced significantly. The treatment of naltrexone at high doses reduced the ethanol intake and low-dose injection of naltrexone in conjunction with the MAI also suppressed ethanol intake. Conclusions. The results of the current study indicate that using the MAI at the HT7 point effectively reduces ethanol consumption in rats. Furthermore, the coadministration of the MAI and a low dose of naltrexone can produce some more potent reducing effect of ethanol intake than can acupuncture alone.

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A Combined One-Class SVM and Template-Matching Approach for User-Aided Human Fall Detection by Means of Floor Acoustic Features

The primary cause of injury-related death for the elders is represented by falls. The scientific community devoted them particular attention, since injuries can be limited by an early detection of the event. The solution proposed in this paper is based on a combined One-Class SVM (OCSVM) and template-matching classifier that discriminate human falls from nonfalls in a semisupervised framework. Acoustic signals are captured by means of a Floor Acoustic Sensor; then Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients and Gaussian Mean Supervectors (GMSs) are extracted for the fall/nonfall discrimination. Here we propose a single-sensor two-stage user-aided approach: in the first stage, the OCSVM detects abnormal acoustic events. In the second, the template-matching classifier produces the final decision exploiting a set of template GMSs related to the events marked as false positives by the user. The performance of the algorithm has been evaluated on a corpus containing human falls and nonfall sounds. Compared to the OCSVM only approach, the proposed algorithm improves the performance by 10.14% in clean conditions and 4.84% in noisy conditions. Compared to Popescu and Mahnot (2009) the performance improvement is 19.96% in clean conditions and 8.08% in noisy conditions.

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Personalized Consent Flow in Contemporary Data Sharing for Medical Research: A Viewpoint

Background. Health data personally collected by individuals with wearable devices and smartphones is becoming an important data source for healthcare, but also for medical research. Objective. To describe a new consent model that allows people to control their personally collected health data and determine to what extent they want to share these for research purposes. Methods. We developed, in close collaboration with patients, researchers, healthcare professionals, privacy experts, and an accredited Medical Ethical Review Committee, an innovative concept called “personalized consent flow” within a research platform connected to a personal health record. The development was an iterative process with informal meetings, semistructured interviews, and surveys. The final concept of the personalized consent flow was reviewed by patients and improved and approved by the same patients in a focus group. Results. This concept could result in optimal control for individual users, since they will answer questions about how they will share data. Furthermore, it enables users to collect data for specific studies and add expiration dates to their data. This work facilitates further discussion about dynamic and personalized consent. A pilot study with the personalized consent model is currently being carried out.

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Arthroscopic Treatment of 2 Consecutive Cases of Dysplasia Epiphysealis Hemimelica of the Ankle: A 5-Year Follow-Up Report

The dysplasia epiphysealis hemimelica (DEH) is a rare disease of unknown etiology consisting in an abnormal osteocartilaginous growth at the epiphysis, usually hemimelic with histological findings similar to benign osteochondroma. In this case series, we described the results of the arthroscopic treatment of 2 consecutive cases of intra-articular ankle localization of DEH in 2 patients aged 9 and 10 years. The good result obtained, persistent at the 5-year follow-up, leads us to consider the arthroscopic approach as a reliable treatment in patient affected by intra-articular ankle DEH.

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Hyperchaotic Chameleon: Fractional Order FPGA Implementation

There are many recent investigations on chaotic hidden attractors although hyperchaotic hidden attractor systems and their relationships have been less investigated. In this paper, we introduce a hyperchaotic system which can change between hidden attractor and self-excited attractor depending on the values of parameters. Dynamic properties of these systems are investigated. Fractional order models of these systems are derived and their bifurcation with fractional orders is discussed. Field programmable gate array (FPGA) implementations of the systems with their power and resource utilization are presented.

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A novel mutation in the MYO7A gene is associated with Usher syndrome type 1 in a Chinese family

We aimed to investigate the genetic causes of hearing loss in a Chinese proband with autosomal recessive congenital deafness.

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Acute pediatric neck infections: Outcomes in a seven-year series

The aim of this study was to analyse the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic clues, as biochemical parameters and imaging studies, of children with acute neck infections (ANI) to identify possible independent prognostic factors leading to complications and prolonged hospitalization. Methods: Records of children admitted to a tertiary university hospital from January 2008 to December 2014 with a diagnosis of ANIs were reviewed retrospectively. Diseases were categorized according to the site of infection and patients were divided into two groups: children (aged<10 years) and adolescents (aged 10–18 years).

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Assessment of the feeding Swallowing Impact Survey as a quality of life measure in children with laryngeal cleft before and after repair

To cross-validate the Feeding Swallowing Impact Survey (FSIS), a quality of life instrument, specifically to a subpopulation of children who aspirate due to laryngeal cleft.

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Evaluation of speech in noise abilities in school children

Communicative situations in our daily lives often occur in noise environments, competing with speech, especially in the school environment, inside and outside the classroom. The perception of speech in noise is one of the most complex tasks faced by listeners, being influenced by hearing thresholds and also the analysis of the temporal characteristics such as pitch, time and timbre of speech sounds1. Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of noise in speech perception, yet little is known about the relationship mechanism between core processes and the perception of speech in noise2.

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Validation of the Lithuanian Version of the Speech Handicap Index

The objective is to study the cultural adaptation and validation of the Speech Handicap Index (SHI) questionnaire to the Lithuanian language.

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Recovery From Heavy Vocal Loading in Women With Different Degrees of Functional Voice Problems

This is a longitudinal, case-control clinical trial.

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The Exploration of an Objective Model for Roughness With Several Acoustic Markers

In voice assessment, the evaluation of voice quality is a major component in which roughness has received wide acceptance as a major subtype of abnormal voice quality. The aim of the present study was to develop a new multivariate acoustic model for the evaluation of roughness.

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A guest editorial: special issue on search based software engineering and data mining

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An exploratory study for software change prediction in object-oriented systems using hybridized techniques

Abstract

Variation in software requirements, technological upgrade and occurrence of defects necessitate change in software for its effective use. Early detection of those classes of a software which are prone to change is critical for software developers and project managers as it can aid in efficient resource allocation of limited resources. Moreover, change prone classes should be efficiently restructured and designed to prevent introduction of defects. Recently, use of search based techniques and their hybridized counter-parts have been advocated in the field of software engineering predictive modeling as these techniques help in identification of optimal solutions for a specific problem by testing the goodness of a number of possible solutions. In this paper, we propose a novel approach for change prediction using search-based techniques and hybridized techniques. Further, we address the following issues: (i) low repeatability of empirical studies, (ii) less use of statistical tests for comparing the effectiveness of models, and (iii) non-assessment of trade-off between runtime and predictive performance of various techniques. This paper presents an empirical validation of search-based techniques and their hybridized versions, which yields unbiased, accurate and repeatable results. The study analyzes and compares the predictive performance of five search-based, five hybridized techniques and four widely used machine learning techniques and a statistical technique for predicting change prone classes in six application packages of a popular operating system for mobile—Android. The results of the study advocate the use of hybridized techniques for developing models to identify change prone classes.

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Which models of the past are relevant to the present? A software effort estimation approach to exploiting useful past models

Abstract

Software Effort Estimation (SEE) models can be used for decision-support by software managers to determine the effort required to develop a software project. They are created based on data describing projects completed in the past. Such data could include past projects from within the company that we are interested in (WC projects) and/or from other companies (cross-company, i.e., CC projects). In particular, the use of CC data has been investigated in an attempt to overcome limitations caused by the typically small size of WC datasets. However, software companies operate in non-stationary environments, where changes may affect the typical effort required to develop software projects. Our previous work showed that both WC and CC models of the past can become more or less useful over time, i.e., they can sometimes be helpful and sometimes misleading. So, how can we know if and when a model created based on past data represents well the current projects being estimated? We propose an approach called Dynamic Cross-company Learning (DCL) to dynamically identify which WC or CC past models are most useful for making predictions to a given company at the present. DCL automatically emphasizes the predictions given by these models in order to improve predictive performance. Our experiments comparing DCL against existing WC and CC approaches show that DCL is successful in improving SEE by emphasizing the most useful past models. A thorough analysis of DCL’s behaviour is provided, strengthening its external validity.

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Vienna, la Cattolica protagonista al Congresso Europeo di Radioterapia - CBLive

CBLive

Vienna, la Cattolica protagonista al Congresso Europeo di Radioterapia CBLive ... l'utilizzo della radioterapia stereotassica per le metastasi extracraniche e di tecniche di radioterapia sempre più evolute per il trattamento delle neoplasie cerebrali, del distretto testa-collo, della mammella, dei tumori gastro-intestinali e per ...

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Prognostic role of pretreatment blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in advanced cancer survivors: A systematic review and meta-Analysis of 66 cohort studies

Surgery remains the main option of curative therapy for most of the solid tumors. Nevertheless, there remain significant challenges for oncologists to stratify risk before giving any treatment preoperatively. In clinics, we mainly rely on the clinical and pathological staging based on preoperative imaging or biopsy to predict the outcomes of cancer patients, instead of considering the patient level data [1–6]. In addition, current staging system cannot always accurately predict the risk of disease recurrence and benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy in advanced cancer patients [7,8].

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Prognostic role of pretreatment blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in advanced cancer survivors: A systematic review and meta-Analysis of 66 cohort studies

Surgery remains the main option of curative therapy for most of the solid tumors. Nevertheless, there remain significant challenges for oncologists to stratify risk before giving any treatment preoperatively. In clinics, we mainly rely on the clinical and pathological staging based on preoperative imaging or biopsy to predict the outcomes of cancer patients, instead of considering the patient level data [1–6]. In addition, current staging system cannot always accurately predict the risk of disease recurrence and benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy in advanced cancer patients [7,8].

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Unexpected link between cancer and autism - Science Daily

Science Daily

Unexpected link between cancer and autism Science Daily Image taken by Dr Guillaume Jacquemet reveals the distinct morphologies of neurons and cancer cells. On the right: Primary Rat hippocampal neuron stained for actin (green) Dapi (blue) and MAP2 (purple). On the left a bone cancer cell stained for Actin ... and more »

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Novel highly porous magnetic hydrogel beads composed of chitosan and sodium citrate: an effective adsorbent for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions

Abstract

This research focuses on the removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions using magnetic chitosan hydrogel beads as a potential sorbent. Highly porous magnetic chitosan hydrogel (PMCH) beads were prepared by a combination of in situ co-precipitation and sodium citrate cross-linking. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that the high sorption efficiency of metal cations is attributable to the hydroxyl, amino, and carboxyl groups in PMCH beads. Thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated that introducing Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles increases the thermal stability of the adsorbent. Laser confocal microscopy revealed highly uniform porous structure of the resultant PMCH beads, which contained a high moisture content (93%). Transmission electron microscopy micrographs showed that the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles, with a mean diameter of 5 ± 2 nm, were well dispersed inside the chitosan beads. Batch adsorption experiments and adsorption kinetic analysis revealed that the adsorption process obeys a pseudo-second-order model. Isotherm data were satisfactorily described by the Langmuir equation, and the maximum adsorption capacity of the adsorbent was 84.02 mg/g. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectra analyses were performed to confirm the adsorption of Pb²⁺ and to identify the adsorption mechanism.

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Human health impact assessment of exposure to particulate matter: an AirQ software modeling

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the health impacts related to particulate matter less than 10 μm (PM₁₀) exposure in the city of Yazd, Iran. For this aim, AirQ 2.2.3 software was used to model relationship between short-term exposure to PM₁₀ and disease cases proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The annual mean concentration of PM₁₀ was 97 μg/m³. The maximum concentration value of PM₁₀ was measured during the summer (731 μg/m³). 4.988% (95%CI: 3.381–6.542%) of the total mortality, 7.3% (95%CI; 4.19–10.21%) of cardiovascular mortality, and 10.21% (95%CI; 4.19–14.89%) of respiratory mortality were related to the PM₁₀ concentrations. Consequently, the AirQ software can provide valuable information about the importance of air pollution and the substantial impacts of PM₁₀ on the society for policymakers.

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Heavy metals in soils from a typical industrial area in Sichuan, China: spatial distribution, source identification, and ecological risk assessment

Abstract

Anthropogenic activities could result in increasing concentrations of heavy metals in soil and deteriorating in soil environmental quality. Topsoil samples from a typical industrial area, Shiting River Valley, Sichuan, Southwest China, were collected and determined for the concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cr, Cd, As, and Hg. The mean concentrations of these metals were lower than the national threshold values, but were slightly higher than their corresponding background values, indicating enrichment of these metals in soils in the valley, especially for Cu, Zn, and Hg. The topsoils in this area demonstrated moderate pollution and low potential ecological risk. Principal component analysis coupled with cluster analysis was applied to analyze the data and identified possible sources of these heavy metals; the results showed that soil Cd, Hg, As, Cu, and Zn were predominantly controlled by human activities, whereas Cr was mainly from the parent material. The spatial distribution of the heavy metals varied distinctly and was closely correlated to local anthropogenic activities. Furthermore, the concentrations of heavy metals in the industrial land demonstrated relatively higher levels than those of other land use patterns. Soil metal concentrations decreased with the distance increase from the traffic highway (0–1.0 km) and water system (0–2.0 km). Additionally, soil properties, especially pH and soil organic matter, were found to be important factors in the distribution and composition of metals.

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Sorption of thiabendazole in sub-tropical Brazilian soils

Abstract

Thiabendazole (TBZ) is an ionizable anthelmintic agent that belongs to the class of benzimidazoles. It is widely used in veterinary medicine and as a fungicide in agriculture. Sorption and desorption are important processes influencing transport, transformation, and bioavailability of xenobiotic compounds in soils; data related to sorption capacity are therefore needed for environmental risk assessments. The aim of this work was to assess the sorption potential of TBZ in four Brazilians soils (sandy, sandy-clay, and clay soils), using batch equilibrium experiments at three pH ranges (2.3–3.0, 3.8–4.2, and 5.5–5.7). The Freundlich sorption coefficient (K _F) ranged from 9.0 to 58 μg^1–1/n  (mL)^1/n  g⁻¹, with higher values generally observed at the lower pH ranges (2.3–3.0 and 3.8–4.2) and for clay soils. The highest organic carbon-normalized sorption coefficients (K_OC) obtained at pH 3.8–5.7 (around the natural pH range of 4.1–5.0) for both clay soils and sandy-clay soil were 3255 and 2015 mL g⁻¹, respectively. The highest correlations K _F vs SOM (r = 0.70) and K _F vs clay content (r = 0.91) were observed at pH 3.8–4.2. Our results suggest that TBZ sorption/desorption is strongly pH dependent and that its mobility could be higher in the studied soils than previously reported in soils from temperate regions.

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Assessing demineralization treatments for PVC effluent reuse in the resin polymerization step

Abstract

To reduce fresh water consumption in a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plant, the effluent from a biological treatment must be demineralized to be re-used in the resin polymerization process. Demineralization is a critical process, since the quality and the stability of the PVC resins are highly influenced by the water quality used in the process. The main target values for water parameters are the following: conductivity <10 μScm⁻¹, TOC < 10 mg L⁻¹, and Al < 0.1 mg L⁻¹. To achieve this quality, several reverse osmosis membranes from different materials and suppliers were tested and compared in the demineralization treatment. Polyamide membranes showed higher salt rejection compared to cellulose acetate membranes yielding both types similar flux and permeability. Two-pass reverse osmosis treatment was necessary to reach conductivities lower than 10 μS cm⁻¹. On the other hand, a good quality effluent for reuse was obtained by combining RO and ionic exchange resins. Results showed that good quality PVC resins in terms of color, granulometry, porosity, and bulk density were obtained when demineralized water from two-pass reverse osmosis was used as fresh water, proving the feasibility of the effluent reuse in the PVC industry.

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The use of wastewater in livestock production and its socioeconomic and welfare implications

Abstract

Although epidemiological studies have found a significant amount of toxins in surface water, a complex link between animals’ access to wastewater and associated animal and human welfare losses needs to be explored. The scarcity of safe water has put stress on the utilization of wastewater for crops and livestock production. The access of animals to wastewater is related to the emergence of dangerous animal’s diseases, hampering productivity, increasing economic losses, and risking human health along the food chain. This review explores use of wastewater for agriculture, epidemiological evidence of microbial contamination in wastewater, and animal and human welfare disruption due to the use of wastewater for crop and livestock production. More specifically, the review delves into animals exposure to wastewater for bathing, drinking, or grazing on a pasture irrigated with contaminated water and related animal and human welfare losses. We included some scientific articles and reviews published from 1970 to 2017 to support our rational discussions. The selected articles dealt exclusively with animals direct access to wastewater via bathing and indirect access via grazing on pasture irrigated with contaminated wastewater and their implication for animal and human welfare losses. The study also identified that some policy options such as wastewater treatments, constructing wastewater stabilization ponds, controlling animal access to wastewater, and dissemination of necessary information to ultimate consumers related to the source of agricultural produce and wastewater use in animal and crop production are required to protect the human and animal health and welfare.

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Groundwater quality assessment and pollution source apportionment in an intensely exploited region of northern China

Abstract

Deterioration in groundwater quality has attracted wide social interest in China. In this study, groundwater quality was monitored during December 2014 at 115 sites in the Hutuo River alluvial-pluvial fan region of northern China. Results showed that 21.7% of NO₃⁻ and 51.3% of total hardness samples exceeded grade III of the national quality standards for Chinese groundwater. In addition, results of gray relationship analysis (GRA) show that 64.3, 10.4, 21.7, and 3.6% of samples were within the I, II, IV, and V grades of groundwater in the Hutuo River region, respectively. The poor water quality in the study region is due to intense anthropogenic activities as well as aquifer vulnerability to contamination. Results of principal component analysis (PCA) revealed three major factors: (1) domestic wastewater and agricultural runoff pollution (anthropogenic activities), (2) water-rock interactions (natural processes), and (3) industrial wastewater pollution (anthropogenic activities). Using PCA and absolute principal component scores-multivariate linear regression (APCS-MLR), results show that domestic wastewater and agricultural runoff are the main sources of groundwater pollution in the Hutuo River alluvial-pluvial fan area. Thus, the most appropriate methods to prevent groundwater quality degradation are to improve capacities for wastewater treatment and to optimize fertilization strategies.

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Vaccine may cut HPV infections, an oral cancer risk, in men - News 12 Long Island

News 12 Long Island

Vaccine may cut HPV infections, an oral cancer risk, in men News 12 Long Island (AP Photo/ John L. Mone). Tom Jackson, 65, of Houston, shows where he first noticed a tumor related to his HPV-related tonsil cancer, found in 2013. Jackson spoke from his home on Wednesday, May 17, 2017. He said doctors told him the cancer could ... HPV Vaccination Reduced Oral HPV InfectionsCancer Network all 37 news articles »

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Local effects of epidermal growth factor on the wound healing in esophageal anastomosis: An experimental study

Publication date: August 2017
Source:International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, Volume 99
Author(s): Ayşe Bülbül Adam, Mustafa Yaşar Özdamar, Hacı Hasan Esen, Engin Günel
ObjectiveIn this study with the experimental model of primary repair of esophageal atresia(EA), we investigated the effects of the epidermal growth factor(EGF) on wound healing in the anastomosis of EA.Materials and methodsForty rabbits that were performed a resection of a 1-cm segment of the cervical esophagus followed by the end-to-end anastomosis were divided into four groups. Group I (7-day group) and III (21-day group), the control groups, had no EGF applied to the anastomosis. In group II (7-day group) and group III (21-day group), all around the anastomoses were locally covered with 100 μg/kg EGF. Group 1, 2 and 3, 4 were sacrificed on the 7th and 21st day, respectively. We investigated and compared with bursting pressure, vascularization around the anastomotic line by histopathology, inflammation, and fibroblast granulation as well as hydroxyproline level by biochemical.ResultsNo significant difference was found at vascularization and inflammation between all of the groups (p > 0.05). Considering the critical parameters of the groups, at bursting pressure difference was found between group 1 and 2 as well as 3 and (p < 0.05). At fibroblast granulation and hydroxyproline level, no difference was found between group 1 and 2 (p > 0.05) but the difference between group 3 and 4 (p < 0.05).ConclusionEGF might be useful in preventing anastomotic leakage of esophageal atresia in primary anastomosis of esophageal atresia by accelerating wound healing process and increasing the stability of the anastomotic line.



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An evaluation of oxidative and nitrosative stress in children-who-stutter and its relationship to severity

Publication date: August 2017
Source:International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, Volume 99
Author(s): Nagihan Bilal, Selman Sarica, Ergül Belge Kurutas, Ebru Findikli, İsrafil Orhan, Erkan Oner, Adem Doganer, Saime Sagiroglu, Mehmet Akif Kilic
ObjectivesAlthough there has been much research into the cause of stuttering, it has not yet been fully clarified. There is known to be a close relationship between stress severity and stuttering. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of oxidative and nitrosative stress by comparing a stuttering group and a control group. It was also aimed to evaluate the relationship between the oxidative and nitrosative stress levels and the severity of the stutter.MethodsThe study included a total of 80 individuals, comprising a study group of 40 and a control group of 40. The severity of the stutter in the patient group was evaluated with the Stuttering Severity Instrument 3 (SSI). Blood samples were taken from both the patient and control groups and malondialdehyde (MDA), 3 nitrotyrosine (3-NT), nitric oxide (NO), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) concentrations were examined.ResultsIn the stuttering patients, MDA, 3-NT, NO, CAT, and SOD activity were determined to be statistically significantly higher than those of the control group (all p:0.001). In the ROC analysis, there was good diagnostic value for NO, with the area under the curve as 1.0. A direct, positive, statistically significant correlation was determined between SSI points and MDA values (r = 0.317, p = 0.046).ConclusionThe results of the study showed that the oxidative and nitrosative stress levels of the stuttering patients were higher than those of the control group. With 100% sensitivity and specificity, it is thought that NO in particular could be important for the diagnosis and treatment of these patients. As the severity of the stutter increased, so there was an increase in MDA, suggesting that MDA is important in stuttering.



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Airway stenting in a child with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita: 13-Year survival

Publication date: August 2017
Source:International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, Volume 99
Author(s): Raffaella Nenna, Fabio Midulla, Laura Masi, Giacomo Maria Bacci, Antonella Frassanito, Roberto Baggi, Maria Luisa Brandi, Stefano Avenali, Lorenzo Mirabile, Paola Serio
We describe the case of a boy with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita. At birth, he experienced severe respiratory distress necessitating tracheotomy. Endoscopy done because mechanical ventilation failed to resolve desaturations disclosed severe tracheo-bronchomalacia. A Polyflex silicone stent was placed in the trachea (replaced by Y-Dumon stent) and 2 Palmaz metallic stents in the mainstem bronchi (overlapped with 2 Jomed stents 5 years later). Airway stenting guaranteed a suitable respiratory status and allowed a child who was expected to die at birth, to reach 13.5 years old in good conditions.



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Tiny bubbles help heal broken bones, in pigs - Science Daily

Science Daily

Tiny bubbles help heal broken bones, in pigs Science Daily Unlike other gene therapies that rely on viral vectors to deliver their cargo -- risky because viruses can permanently integrate into the genome and later promote cancer or set off lethal immune responses -- the ultrasound and microbubbles didn't ... and more »

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What those diesel fumes are REALLY doing to your health - Daily Mail

Daily Mail

What those diesel fumes are REALLY doing to your health Daily Mail 'Your nose, sinuses and the back of your throat can all be irritated by those pollutants, so that can cause some sleep disruption,' says Martha Billings, a professor at the University of Washington, who led the research. Study volunteers with raised ...

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A Visit to the Dentist can Save Your Life – Oral Cancer - The Costa Rica Star

A Visit to the Dentist can Save Your Life – Oral Cancer The Costa Rica Star Oral Cancer is part of the head and neck cancers and it can affect the lips, tongue, cheeks, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses and throat. This form of cancer is associated with unhealthy lifestyles, and it many times goes unnoticed ...

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A Visit to the Dentist can Save Your Life – Oral Cancer - The Costa Rica Star

A Visit to the Dentist can Save Your Life – Oral Cancer The Costa Rica Star Oral Cancer is part of the head and neck cancers and it can affect the lips, tongue, cheeks, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses and throat. This form of cancer is associated with unhealthy lifestyles, and it many times goes unnoticed ...

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Boron Nitride Nanotubes for Gene Silencing

Publication date: Available online 29 May 2017
Source:Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - General Subjects
Author(s): Özlem Şen, Zehra Çobandede, Melis Emanet, Ömer Faruk Bayrak, Mustafa Çulha
BackgroundNon-viral gene delivery is increasingly investigated as an alternative to viral vectors due to low toxicity and immunogenicity, easy preparation, tissue specificity, and ability to transfer larger sizes of genes.MethodsIn this study, boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are functionalized with oligonucleotides (Oligo-BNNTs). The morpholinos complementary to the oligonucleotides attached to the BNNTs (morpholino/oligo-BNNTs) are hybridized to silence the luciferase gene. The morpholino/oligo-BNNTs conjugates are administered to luciferase-expressing cells (MDA-MB-231-luc2) and the luciferase activity is monitored.ResultsThe luciferase activity is decreased when MDA-MB-231-luc2 cells were treated with morpholino/oligo-BNNTs.ConclusionsThe study suggests that BNNTs can be used as a potential vector to transfect cells.General SignificanceBNNTs are potential new nanocarriers for gene delivery applications.



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Vibration and buckling analysis of nanotubes (nanofibers) embedded in an elastic medium using Doublet Mechanics

Abstract

In the present study, vibration and buckling of nanotubes (nanofibers) embedded in an elastic medium are studied. A length scale-dependent theory called Doublet Mechanics (DM) is used in the formulation. In this theory, discrete microstructure of solids is considered in the formulation and using a bottom-up approach macro level strains and stresses are obtained from microlevel strains and stresses. Taylor series expansion of the microlevel displacement is used in the definition of the micro strains. The number of terms in the Taylor series describes the microstructure of the considered solids. In this study, nanotube fibers are assumed as an Euler–Bernoulli beam embedded in an elastic medium. Simply supported and clamped boundary conditions are considered at the edges of the beams. Free vibration frequencies and critical buckling loads are obtained and compared with the classical elasticity results. It is shown that scale-dependent DM can be used at the nanolength scale.

http://ift.tt/2qvlpTR

A correlation between long-term in vitro dynamic calcification and abnormal flow patterns past bioprosthetic heart valves

Abstract

In this paper, a long-term in vitro dynamic calcification of three porcine aortic heart valves was investigated using a combined approach that involved accelerated wear testing of the valves in the rapid calcification solution, hydrodynamic assessment of the progressive change of effective orifice area (EOA) along with the transaortic pressure gradient, and quantitative visualization of the flow. The motivation for this study was developing a standardized, economical, and feasible in vitro testing methodology for bioprosthetic heart valve calcification, which would address both the hydrodynamic performance of the valves as well as the subsequent changes in the flow field. The results revealed the failure of the test valves at 40 million cycles mark, associated with the critical decrease in the EOA, followed by the increase in the maximum value of viscous shear stress of up to 52%, compared to the values measured at the beginning of the study. The decrease in the EOA was subsequently followed by the rapid increase in the maximum streamwise velocity of the central orifice jet up to the value of about 2.8 m/s, compared to the initial value of 2 m/s, and to the value of 2.2 m/s in the case of a control valve along with progressive narrowing of the velocity profile for two test valves. The significance of the current work is in demonstrating a correlation between calcification of the aortic valve and spatial as well as the temporal development of abnormal flow features.

http://ift.tt/2rP5ILa

Rho-associated protein kinase 2 (ROCK2): a new target of autoimmunity in paraneoplastic encephalitis

Abstract

Onconeural antibodies are associated with cancer and paraneoplastic encephalitis. While their pathogenic role is still largely unknown, their high diagnostic value is undisputed. In this study we describe the discovery of a novel target of autoimmunity in an index case of paraneoplastic encephalitis associated with urogenital cancer.

A 75-year-old man with a history of invasive bladder carcinoma 6 years ago with multiple recurrences and a newly discovered renal cell carcinoma presented with seizures and progressive cognitive decline followed by super-refractory status epilepticus. Clinical and ancillary findings including brain biopsy suggested paraneoplastic encephalitis. Immunohistochemistry of the brain biopsy was used to characterize the inflammatory response. Indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) was used for autoantibody screening. The autoantigen was identified by histo-immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry and was validated by expressing the recombinant antigen in HEK293 cells and neutralization tests. Sera from 125 control patients were screened using IFA to test for the novel autoantibodies.

IFA analysis of serum revealed a novel autoantibody against brain tissue. An intracellular enzyme, Rho-associated protein kinase 2 (ROCK2), was identified as target-antigen. ROCK2 was expressed in affected brain tissue and archival bladder tumor samples of this patient. Brain histopathology revealed appositions of cytotoxic CD8⁺ T cells on ROCK2-positive neurons. ROCK2 antibodies were not found in the sera of 20 patients with bladder cancer and 17 with renal cancer, both without neurological symptoms, 49 healthy controls, and 39 patients with other antineuronal autoantibodies. In conclusion, novel onconeural antibodies targeting ROCK2 are associated with paraneoplastic encephalitis and should be screened for when paraneoplastic neurological syndromes, especially in patients with urogenital cancers, occur.

http://ift.tt/2ryaxsq

Evolving Concepts in Atopic Dermatitis

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Tremendous advances have been made in the field of atopic dermatitis in the past 5 years. We will explore developments in burden of disease, co-morbidities, pathogenesis, prevention, and management.

Recent Findings

The tremendous burden moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) places on families from a medical, psychosocial, and financial perspective has been characterized. Epidemiologic studies have identified intriguing new associations beyond the well-characterized “atopic march” of food allergies, asthma, and hay fever. Studies of primary prevention have gained traction including the remarkable impacts of early emollient therapy. Basic advances have simultaneously elucidated the nature of atopic inflammation, setting the stage for an explosion of new potential therapeutic targets. After a fallow period of nearly 15 years without a substantial therapeutic advance, this year has already seen two new FDA-approved treatments for AD.

Summary

AD has a tremendous impact on quality of life with an underappreciated burden of disease; there are important newly described co-morbidities including ADHD and anemia; new insights into etio-pathogenesis have paved the way for novel topical therapies like crisaborole, and new systemic interventions like dupilumab.

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T Cells in Allergic Asthma: Key Players Beyond the Th2 Pathway

Abstract

Asthma is a common chronic lung disease that affects 300 million people worldwide. It causes the airways of the lungs to swell and narrow due to inflammation (swelling and excess mucus build-up in the airways) and airway constriction (tightening of the muscles surrounding the airways). Atopic asthma is the most common form of asthma, and is triggered by inhaled allergens that ultimately promote the activation of the Th2-like T cells and the development of Th2-mediated chronic inflammation. Different subsets of T cells, including T follicular helper cells, tissue-resident T, cells and Th2 effector cells, play different functions during allergic immune response. Dendritic cells (DCs) are known to play a central role in initiating allergic Th2-type immune responses and in the development of the T cell phenotype. However, this function depends on the complex interaction with other cells of the immune system and determines whether the response to environmental allergens will be one of tolerance or allergic inflammation. This review discusses cell interactions leading to the initiation and maintenance of allergic Th2-type immune responses, particularly those associated with allergic asthma.

from #AlexandrosSfakianakis via Alexandros G.Sfakianakis on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2rNRr15
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Evolving Concepts in Atopic Dermatitis

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Tremendous advances have been made in the field of atopic dermatitis in the past 5 years. We will explore developments in burden of disease, co-morbidities, pathogenesis, prevention, and management.

Recent Findings

The tremendous burden moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) places on families from a medical, psychosocial, and financial perspective has been characterized. Epidemiologic studies have identified intriguing new associations beyond the well-characterized "atopic march" of food allergies, asthma, and hay fever. Studies of primary prevention have gained traction including the remarkable impacts of early emollient therapy. Basic advances have simultaneously elucidated the nature of atopic inflammation, setting the stage for an explosion of new potential therapeutic targets. After a fallow period of nearly 15 years without a substantial therapeutic advance, this year has already seen two new FDA-approved treatments for AD.

Summary

AD has a tremendous impact on quality of life with an underappreciated burden of disease; there are important newly described co-morbidities including ADHD and anemia; new insights into etio-pathogenesis have paved the way for novel topical therapies like crisaborole, and new systemic interventions like dupilumab.

http://ift.tt/2qu0j8t

T Cells in Allergic Asthma: Key Players Beyond the Th2 Pathway

Abstract

Asthma is a common chronic lung disease that affects 300 million people worldwide. It causes the airways of the lungs to swell and narrow due to inflammation (swelling and excess mucus build-up in the airways) and airway constriction (tightening of the muscles surrounding the airways). Atopic asthma is the most common form of asthma, and is triggered by inhaled allergens that ultimately promote the activation of the Th2-like T cells and the development of Th2-mediated chronic inflammation. Different subsets of T cells, including T follicular helper cells, tissue-resident T, cells and Th2 effector cells, play different functions during allergic immune response. Dendritic cells (DCs) are known to play a central role in initiating allergic Th2-type immune responses and in the development of the T cell phenotype. However, this function depends on the complex interaction with other cells of the immune system and determines whether the response to environmental allergens will be one of tolerance or allergic inflammation. This review discusses cell interactions leading to the initiation and maintenance of allergic Th2-type immune responses, particularly those associated with allergic asthma.

http://ift.tt/2rNRr15

Oxidative imbalance in low/intermediate-1-risk myelodysplastic syndrome patients: The influence of iron overload

Publication date: Available online 29 May 2017
Source:Clinical Biochemistry
Author(s): David Ivars, Maria Teresa Orero, Karla Javier, Laura Díaz-Vico, José Luis García-Giménez, Salvador Mena, Carmen Tormos, Mercedes Egea, Pedro Luis Pérez, Beatriz Arrizabalaga, María Ángeles Ruiz, Nuria Yagüe, Mar Tormo, Reyes Sancho-Tello, Angela Gomes, Carmen Algueró, José Enrique O'Connor, Guillermo T. Sáez, Félix Carbonell, Rosa Collado
ObjectiveTo assess the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the involvement of the main antioxidant pathways in low/intermediate-1-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) with iron overload (IOL).MethodsWe examined the levels of superoxide anion (O2⁻), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), antioxidants (glutathione, GSH; superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT; and glutathione peroxidase, GPx), mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), and by-products of oxidative damage (8-isoprostanes and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine, 8-oxo-dG) in 42 MDS patients (28 without IOL at diagnosis, and 14 who developed IOL) and 20 healthy subjects.ResultsPatients with IOL showed higher O2⁻ levels (39.4 MFI) than normal controls (22.7 MFI, p=0.0356) and patients at diagnosis (19.4 MFI, p=0.0049). Antioxidant systems, except SOD activity, exhibited significant changes in IOL patients with respect to controls (CAT: 7.1 vs 2.7nmol/ml/min, p=0.0023; GPx: 50.9 vs 76.4nmol/ml/min, p=0.0291; GSH: 50.2 vs 24.1 MFI, p=0.0060). Furthermore, mitochondrial dysfunction was only detected in IOL cases compared to controls (ΔΨm: 3.6 vs 6.4 MFI, p=0.0225). Finally, increased levels of 8-oxo-dG were detected in both groups of patients.ConclusionOxidative stress is an important but non-static phenomenon in MDS disease, whose status is influenced by, among other factors, the presence of injurious iron.



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Biological reproducibility of circulating P-Selectin, Thrombopoietin, GPIIb/IIIa and Thrombomodulin over one year

Publication date: Available online 29 May 2017
Source:Clinical Biochemistry
Author(s): Mirja E. Graf, Disorn Sookthai, Theron Johnson, Ruth Schübel, Verena Katzke, Peter Bugert, Michael Hoffmeister, Rudolf Kaaks, Tilman Kühn
BackgroundEnhanced platelet activation has been implicated in several pathophysiological processes. Here, we evaluated the biological reproducibility of circulating P-Selectin, Thrombomodulin (TM), Thrombopoietin (TPO), and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (GPIIb/IIIa) to assess whether these analytes can be used as reliable biomarkers of platelet activation in epidemiological studies.MethodsWe measured circulating P-Selectin, TM, TPO and GPIIb/IIIa by immunoassays in two blood samples of 78 participants of the EPIC Heidelberg study (47–80years, 50% female) that were collected one year apart. Biological reproducibility of biomarker levels over time and associations with routine biochemistry parameters were assessed by Spearman's correlation coefficients.ResultsStatistical analyses revealed good reproducibility over one year for two of the analyzed markers, with Spearman coefficients of ρ=0.80 (P-Selectin) and ρ=0.73 (TPO) and reasonable reproducibility for TM (ρ=0.63) and GPIIb/IIIa (ρ=0.51). Levels of P-Selectin, TM, TPO and GPIIb/IIIa were not significantly associated with routine biochemistry parameters, such as glucose, HbA1c, LDL, HDL, Triglycerides and CRP.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that a single assessment of P-Selectin, TM, TPO and GPIIb/IIIa at baseline in prospective epidemiological studies is appropriate to investigate associations between platelet activation and risks of chronic diseases.



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Evolving Concepts in Atopic Dermatitis

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Tremendous advances have been made in the field of atopic dermatitis in the past 5 years. We will explore developments in burden of disease, co-morbidities, pathogenesis, prevention, and management.

Recent Findings

The tremendous burden moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) places on families from a medical, psychosocial, and financial perspective has been characterized. Epidemiologic studies have identified intriguing new associations beyond the well-characterized "atopic march" of food allergies, asthma, and hay fever. Studies of primary prevention have gained traction including the remarkable impacts of early emollient therapy. Basic advances have simultaneously elucidated the nature of atopic inflammation, setting the stage for an explosion of new potential therapeutic targets. After a fallow period of nearly 15 years without a substantial therapeutic advance, this year has already seen two new FDA-approved treatments for AD.

Summary

AD has a tremendous impact on quality of life with an underappreciated burden of disease; there are important newly described co-morbidities including ADHD and anemia; new insights into etio-pathogenesis have paved the way for novel topical therapies like crisaborole, and new systemic interventions like dupilumab.

http://ift.tt/2qu0j8t

T Cells in Allergic Asthma: Key Players Beyond the Th2 Pathway

Abstract

Asthma is a common chronic lung disease that affects 300 million people worldwide. It causes the airways of the lungs to swell and narrow due to inflammation (swelling and excess mucus build-up in the airways) and airway constriction (tightening of the muscles surrounding the airways). Atopic asthma is the most common form of asthma, and is triggered by inhaled allergens that ultimately promote the activation of the Th2-like T cells and the development of Th2-mediated chronic inflammation. Different subsets of T cells, including T follicular helper cells, tissue-resident T, cells and Th2 effector cells, play different functions during allergic immune response. Dendritic cells (DCs) are known to play a central role in initiating allergic Th2-type immune responses and in the development of the T cell phenotype. However, this function depends on the complex interaction with other cells of the immune system and determines whether the response to environmental allergens will be one of tolerance or allergic inflammation. This review discusses cell interactions leading to the initiation and maintenance of allergic Th2-type immune responses, particularly those associated with allergic asthma.

http://ift.tt/2rNRr15

Nuances of electrophoresis study of titin/connectin

Abstract

Almost 40 years has passed since the discovery of giant elastic protein titin (also known as connectin) of striated and smooth muscles using gel electrophoresis. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is a major technique for studying the isoform composition and content of titin. This review provides historical insights into the technical aspects of the electrophoresis methods used to identify titin and its isoforms. We particularly focus on the nuances of the technique that improve the preservation of its primary structure so that its high molecular weight isoforms can be visualized.

http://ift.tt/2s7xcJ5

Cognitive tasks promote automatization of postural control in young and older adults

Publication date: September 2017
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 57
Author(s): Alexandra Potvin-Desrochers, Natalie Richer, Yves Lajoie
Researchers looking at the effects of performing a concurrent cognitive task on postural control in young and older adults using traditional center-of-pressure measures and complexity measures found discordant results. Results of experiments showing improvements of stability have suggested the use of strategies such as automatization of postural control or stiffening strategy. This experiment aimed to confirm in healthy young and older adults that performing a cognitive task while standing leads to improvements that are due to automaticity of sway by using sample entropy. Twenty-one young adults and twenty-five older adults were asked to stand on a force platform while performing a cognitive task. There were four cognitive tasks: simple reaction time, go/no-go reaction time, equation and occurrence of a digit in a number sequence. Results demonstrated decreased sway area and variability as well as increased sample entropy for both groups when performing a cognitive task. Results suggest that performing a concurrent cognitive task promotes the adoption of an automatic postural control in young and older adults as evidenced by an increased postural stability and postural sway complexity.



http://ift.tt/2rypkTQ

Contiguous gene deletion of chromosome 2p16.3-p21 as a cause of Lynch syndrome

Abstract

Lynch syndrome is an autosomal dominant condition caused by pathogenic mutations in the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes. Although commonly associated with clinical features such as intellectual disability and congenital anomalies, contiguous gene deletions may also result in cancer predisposition syndromes. We report on a 52-year-old male with Lynch syndrome caused by deletion of chromosome 2p16.3-p21. The patient had intellectual disability and presented with a prostatic adenocarcinoma with an incidentally identified synchronous sigmoid adenocarcinoma that exhibited deficient MMR with an absence of MSH2 and MSH6 protein expression. Family history was unrevealing. Physical exam revealed short stature, brachycephaly with a narrow forehead and short philtrum, brachydactyly of the hands, palmar transverse crease, broad and small feet with hyperpigmentation of the soles. The patient underwent total colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis for a pT3N1 sigmoid adenocarcinoma. Germline genetic testing of the MSH2, MSH6, and EPCAM genes revealed full gene deletions. SNP-array based DNA copy number analysis identified a deletion of 4.8 Mb at 2p16.3-p21. In addition to the three Lynch syndrome associated genes, the deleted chromosomal section encompassed genes including NRXN1, CRIPT, CALM2, FBXO11, LHCGR, MCFD2, TTC7A, EPAS1, PRKCE, and 15 others. Contiguous gene deletions have been described in other inherited cancer predisposition syndromes, such as Familial Adenomatous Polyposis. Our report and review of the literature suggests that contiguous gene deletion within the 2p16-p21 chromosomal region is a rare cause of Lynch syndrome, but presents with distinct phenotypic features, highlighting the need for recognition and awareness of this syndromic entity.

http://ift.tt/2qvC2id

The Role of Localized Acidity Generation in Microbially Influenced Corrosion

Abstract

Microbially influenced corrosion is of great industrial concern. Microbial coupling of metal oxidation to sulfate-, nitrate-, nitrite-, or CO₂-reduction is proton-mediated, and some sulfate-reducing prokaryotes are capable of regulating extracellular pH. The analysis of the corrosive processes catalyzed by nitrate reducing bacteria and methanogenic archaea indicates that these microorganisms may be capable of regulating extracellular pH as well. It is proposed that nutrient limitation at metal–biofilm interfaces may induce activation of enzymatic proton-producing/proton-secreting functions in respiratory and methanogenic microorganisms to make them capable of using Fe⁰ as the electron donor. This can be further verified through experiments involving measurements of ion and gas concentrations at metal–biofilm interfaces, microscopy, and transcriptomics analyses.

http://ift.tt/2ry815x

Expression Changes in Metal-Resistance Genes in Microbacterium liquefaciens Under Nickel and Vanadium Exposure

Abstract

Microbacterium liquefaciens MNSH2-PHGII-2 is a nickel–vanadium-resistant bacterium isolated from mine tailings located in Guanajuato, Mexico. In PHGII liquid media, M. liquefaciens has the ability to remove 29.5 ppm of Ni and 168.3 ppm of V. The present study reports, for the first time in M. liquefaciens, the presence of the genes nccA (Ni–Co–Cd resistance), hant (high-affinity nickel transporter), smtA, a metal-binding protein gene, and VAN2 (V resistance), which showed an increased expression under exposure to 200 ppm of Ni and 200 ppm of V during the logarithmic growth phase of the microorganism in PHGII liquid media. Data about the expression profile of genes conferring metal resistance to M. liquefaciens can improve the knowledge of those mechanisms involved in the processes of Ni–V resistance and probably in Ni–V removal processes. Based on our data, we can suggest that M. liquefaciens has the potential to be used in the biological treatment of toxic wastes with high Ni and V content.

http://ift.tt/2s7tXkU