A bioassay-guided fractionation and chemical investigation of a MeOH extract of the Korean wild mushroom Boletus pseudocalopus resulted in the identification of three new fatty acid esters, named calopusins A-C (1-3), along with two known fatty acid methyl esters (4-5). These new compounds are structurally unique fatty acid esters with ...

Extra-abdominal abscesses of gastrointestinal origin developing within the lumbar subcutaneous tissues are extremely rare. We report two cases of retroperitoneal bowel perforation presenting spontaneously at admission with a lumbar abscess trespassing the lumbar triangle of Petit, a classical "locus of minus resistencia" of the posterior abdominal wall. The first case ...

γ-Tocotrienol (γ-T3), a member of the vitamin E family, has been reported to possess an anticancer activity. γ-T3 is a lipophilic compound with low oral bioavailability. Previous studies showed that γ-T3 has low intestinal permeability. Thus, we have hypothesized that enhancing γ-T3 intestinal permeability will increase its oral bioavailability. Solid ...

Unlike other industrialised countries, the UK deferred the routine introduction of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for multiple sclerosis (MS) in favour of an experiment. Between 2002 and 2005, MS sufferers were identified, were offered DMTs only if deemed suitable by their physicians, and were monitored thereafter to assess long-term outcomes. It ...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to appraise and summarize the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of worksite physical activity and/or nutrition programs. METHODS: We searched EMBASE, MEDLINE, SportDiscus, PsycInfo, NIOSHTIC-2, NHSEED, HTA, and Econlit for studies published up to 14 January 2011. Additionally, we searched for articles by reviewing ...

Betalains are water-soluble pigments with high antiradical capacity which bestow bright colors to flowers, fruits and other parts of most plants of the order Caryophyllales. The formation of the structural unit of all betalains, betalamic acid from the precursor amino acid 4,5-dihydroxyphenylalanine is catalyzed by the enzyme 4,5-DOPA-extradiol-dioxygenase followed by ...

Phospholipids where both fatty acids are polyunsaturated are very rare. Most organisms prefer to couple their polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) with either a saturated (SAT) or a monounsaturated (MUFA) fatty acid. This study examined if these natural couplings are there to protect PUFA from themselves. Specifically, does the coupling of ...

Subitaneous eggs from an euryhaline calanoid copepod Acartia tonsa were challenged by changes in salinity within the range from full strength salinity, down to zero and up to >70 psu. Egg volume changed immediately, increasing from 2.8 × 10(5) μm(3) at full strength salinity (35 psu) to 3.8 × 10(5) μm(3) at 0 psu and back to its initial ...

BACKGROUND: Deep sedation is increasingly used for endoscopy. The impact of sedation level on hemodynamic status, oxygenation, and aspiration risk is incompletely described. AIMS: To describe the incidence of intraprocedural cough, hemodynamic changes, oxygen desaturation, and their relationship to clinical factors and sedation level. METHODS: Detailed prospective recordings of hemodynamic ...

BACKGROUND: Acute liver failure (ALF) is characterized by impaired regeneration of hepatocytes, partially resulting from the defective signaling between elevated levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and the downregulation of its receptor, c-met. AIMS: In this study, we assess the therapeutic efficacy of in vivo c-met gene transfer in ALF. ...

BACKGROUND: Embryonic ectoderm development (EED) protein is involved in multiple cellular protein complexes. EED mediates the repression of gene activity through histone deacetylation, and it may act as a specific regulator of integrin's function. This gene was identified as a candidate gene for the susceptibility to IBD by our previous ...

Protein kinase CK2 is a ubiquitously expressed serine/threonine kinase which is composed of two catalytic α- or α'-subunits and two non-catalytic β-subunits. CK2 has been shown to be implicated in embryogenesis, spermatogenesis, and the development of certain organs but its role in basal differentiation processes is only sparsely analyzed. 3T3-L1 ...

BACKGROUND: We previously reported that preoperative chemolipiodolization of the whole liver is effective for reducing the incidence of postoperative recurrence and prolonging survival in patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present randomized controlled trial was performed to evaluate the influence of preoperative transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) on survival after ...

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the clinical presentation, diagnostic and therapeutic management and outcome of 27 cases of post-traumatic thoracic outlet syndrome (PT TOS). METHODS: Retrospective chart analysis. RESULTS: Nineteen women and eight men were included in this study. Involvement in a traffic accident was the most common scenario. Fracture of either ...

BACKGROUND: Navigated brain stimulation (NBS) is a newly evolving technique. In addition to its supposed purpose, e.g., preoperative mapping of the central region, little is known about its further use in neurosurgery. We evaluated the usefulness of diffusion tensor imaging fiber tracking (DTI-FT) based on NBS compared to conventional characterization ...

The northern reef of Yongxing Island, the largest reef island of the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea, was in good condition with significant cover of scleractinian corals until 2002. Surveys in 2008 and 2010, however, found that coral coverage had declined rapidly and severely, implying that catastrophic coral ...

Environmental change in the Sudan-Sahel region of West Africa (SSWA) has been much debated since the droughts of the 1970s. In this article we assess climate variability and environmental stress in the region. Households in Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria were asked about climatic changes and their perceptions ...

BACKGROUND: Drilling is used in the medical field, especially in oral surgery and orthopaedics. In recent years, oral surgery involving dental implants has become more common. However, the risky drilling process causes serious accidents. To prevent these accidents, supporting systems such as robotic drilling systems are required. METHODS: A telerobotic-assisted ...

OBJECTIVE: To assess current beverage consumption patterns and anticipated reaction to an added 20 % tax on these products. DESIGN: A random-digit dialled telephone interview lasting 20 min was administered to assess demographics, beverage consumption behaviours and intentions regarding consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in the event of an additional tax ...

Aims:  To examine the temporal trends in the frequency of diabetic ketoacidosis at onset compared to other modalities of diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes in Brazil. Methods:  This was a retrospective, cross-sectional and multicenter study conducted between December 2008 and December 2010 in 27 public clinics at secondary and tertiary ...

Changes in demographical and clinical features of treatment-seeking pathological gamblers, and their gambling preferences before and after the ban of slot machines in Norway from 1 July 2007. Is there an emergence of a new group of gamblers seeking treatment after the ban? The participants were 99 patients, 16 women ...

Pyrene fluorophores of pyrene-functionalized CdSe quantum dots (QD@Py), as well as alkylpyrene and pyrene itself (Py), undergo fast degradation in aerated chloroform under ultraviolet-A (UV-A, 316<λ<400 nm) illumination. Steady-state fluorescence studies of irradiated chloroform solutions of QD@Py show formation of new bands, red-shifted compared to that of the pyrene moiety. Similar ...

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma has a poor prognosis and surgery remains the only curative option. However, few patients are diagnosed at a curable stage and palliative therapies are, therefore, mandatory. Endoscopy could have a useful role in the work-up of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma who are unsuitable for surgery. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography ...

Chronic pancreatitis is typically a painful condition and it can be associated with a severe burden of disease. The pathogenesis of pain in this disorder is poorly understood and its treatment has been largely empirical, often consisting of surgical or other invasive methods, with an outcome that is variable and ...

The formation mechanism of a nanoscale gas state is studied on inorganic clay surfaces modified with hexamethyldisilazane, which show different contact angles in ethanol-water solutions. As the dissolved oxygen becomes oversaturated due to the decrease in ethanol-water ratio, oxygen nanoscale gas state are formed and stabilized on the hydrophobic surfaces ...

The evolutionary struggles from which mutants arise have been documented in almost every living system. In this issue of the JCI, Varela and colleagues extend this list of systems to include neural derivatives of human embryonic stem cells, which they show exhibit a repeated gain of material from chromosome 1q. ...

Concentrations of selenium (Se) in food from local markets of Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) were measured and daily intake calculated based on information from a questionnaire of foods eaten by healthy Saudis. The daily intake of Se was then compared to concentrations of Se in blood serum. Primary ...

MicroRNAs (miRs) regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level and play crucial roles in vascular integrity. As such, they may have a role in modifying abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) expansion, the pathophysiological mechanisms of which remain incompletely explored. Here, we investigate the role of miRs in 2 murine models of ...

OBJECTIVE: The utility of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) is imperfectly defined. Furthermore, any advantage accrued by BIA with vector analysis (BIVA) is unknown. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 57 women with AN admitted to our service who underwent BIA and BIVA. Twenty-seven ...

Human pluripotent stem cells offer a limitless source of cells for regenerative medicine. Neural derivatives of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are currently being used for cell therapy in 3 clinical trials. However, hESCs are prone to genomic instability, which could limit their clinical utility. Here, we report that neural ...

A complex biologic network regulates kidney perfusion under physiologic conditions. This system is profoundly perturbed following renal ischemia, a leading cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) - a life-threatening condition that frequently complicates the care of hospitalized patients. Therapeutic approaches to prevent and treat AKI are extremely limited. Better understanding ...

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is vital for proper thermogenesis during cold exposure in rodents, but until recently its presence in adult humans and its contribution to human metabolism were thought to be minimal or insignificant. Recent studies using PET with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18FDG) have shown the presence of BAT in adult ...

Aerobic exercise performance is seriously compromised in the heat. Possibly, a high skin temperature causes a rating of perceived exertion (RPE)-mediated decrease in exercise intensity. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of skin temperature on power output during a 7.5-km cycling time trial. Thirteen well-trained male ...

Despite mortality from heart disease has been decreasing, the decline in death in women remains lower than in men. Hypertension (HT) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Therefore, approaches to prevent or delay the onset of HT would be valuable in women. Given this background, we investigated the ...

Aortic aneurysms are a common clinical condition that can cause death due to aortic dissection or rupture. The association between aortic aneurysm pathogenesis and altered TGF-β signaling has been the subject of numerous investigations. Recently, a TGF-β-responsive microRNA (miR), miR-29, has been identified to play a role in cellular phenotypic ...

Several adenosine receptor subtypes on endothelial, epithelial, mesangial, and inflammatory cells have been implicated in ischemic acute kidney injury, a life-threatening condition that frequently complicates the care of hospitalized patients. In this issue of the JCI, Grenz and coworkers provide novel insight into how preservation of postischemic renal perfusion by ...

An RS4-type resistant starch is a chemically modified starch that shows reduced availability in comparison to the corresponding unmodified starch. Hydroxypropylated distarch phosphate (HDP) is an RS4-type resistant starch that increases energy expenditure and prevents high-fat diet-induced obesity through increased hepatic fatty acid oxidation. The aim of this study was ...

BACKGROUND: Poor weight gain is common in infants after Stage I Norwood operation and can negatively impact outcomes. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of feeding strategy on interstage weight gain. METHODS: In a multi-centre study, 158 infants discharged following the Norwood operation were enrolled ...

That adult humans possess brown fat is now accepted - but is the brown fat metabolically active? Does human brown fat actually combust fat to release heat? In this issue of the JCI, Ouellet et al. demonstrate that metabolism in brown fat really is increased when adult humans are exposed ...

Objectives: The study was aimed to investigate the relationship between plasma transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β(1)) expression and the characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Five hundred and seventy-one patients with HCC were subjected. Plasma TGF-β(1) levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at diagnosis and compared in accordance ...

Aims:  To investigate the relationship between retinal nerve fibre layer thickness and peripheral neuropathy in patients with Type 2 diabetes, particularly in those who are at higher risk of foot ulceration. Methods:  Global and sectoral retinal nerve fibre layer thicknesses were measured at 3.45 mm diameter around the optic nerve head ...

BACKGROUND: Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is an evolving treatment for end-stage ankle arthritis, however, there is controversy regarding its longevity. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We determined survival of the Agility™ TAA, the overall reoperation rate, and function in patients who retained their implant. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 64 patients who had 65 TAAs ...

BACKGROUND: Periarticular infiltration of local anesthetic, NSAIDs, and adrenaline have been reported to reduce postoperative pain, improve mobility, and reduce hospital stay for patients having THAs, but available studies have not determined whether local anesthetic infiltration alone achieves similar improvements. QUESTIONS: We therefore asked whether periarticular injection of a local ...

BACKGROUND: The rationale for using bisphosphonate (BP) therapy for Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD) is the potential to prevent substantial femoral head deformity during the fragmentation phase by inhibiting osteoclastic bone resorption. However, it is unclear whether BP therapy decreases femoral head deformity. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: In this systematic review, we answered the following ...

BACKGROUND: Amputation has been the standard surgical treatment for distal tibia osteosarcoma. Advances in surgery and chemotherapy have made limb salvage possible. However, it is unclear whether limb salvage offers any improvement in function without compromising survival. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We therefore compared the survival, local recurrence, function, and complications of patients ...

This Classic Article is a reprint of the original work by J. Ewing, The Bulkley Lecture: The Modern Attitude Toward Traumatic Cancer. An accompanying biographical sketch of J. Ewing is available at DOI 10.1007/s11999-011-2234-y . The Classic Article is ©1935 and is reprinted courtesy of the New York Academy of ...

Obesity prevention efforts in Aboriginal (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit) communities in Canada should focus predominantly on children given their demographic significance and the accelerated time course of occurrence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Aboriginal population. A socioecological model to address childhood obesity in Aboriginal populations would focus ...

This study examined the effects of prior heavy-intensity exercise on the adjustment of pulmonary oxygen uptake (VO(2p)) and muscle deoxygenation Δ[HHb] during the transition to subsequent heavy-intensity cycling (CE) or knee-extension (KE) exercise. Nine young adults (aged 24 ± 5 years) performed 4 repetitions of repeated bouts of heavy-intensity exercise separated by ...

Aboriginal people have experienced elevated rates of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic conditions that are disproportionate to the general Canadian population. We sampled British Columbian Aboriginal populations to determine the current health status of this population. A total of 882 Aboriginal adults ≥16 years of age from 25 locations around ...

Bivalirudin, a direct thrombin inhibitor, is indicated for patients with suspected heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) with anticipated percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Data is limited on dose selection among patients with renal insufficiency, particularly with prolonged infusion durations. The study cohort comprised 73 patients with renal dysfunction who received bivalirudin for suspected ...