Insulin resistance is common in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Muscle is the major tissue utilizing glucose while excess adipose tissue relates to insulin resistance. Thus, body composition is likely to be an important regulator of insulin sensitivity. Thirty-nine PCOS patients (age: 29.9±1.0 years; BMI: 33.8±1.2 kg/m(2)) participated in a ...

INTRODUCTION: Dose-limiting neurotoxicity is a major side effect of oxaliplatin treatment, producing initial acute neurotoxicity and chronic neuropathy with increasing exposure. The improvement in survival for patients with early-stage colorectal cancer treated with oxaliplatin has highlighted the need for valid and reliable assessment of peripheral neuropathy. OBJECTIVES: The objective of ...

Little is known about the effects of successful treatment on brain function in chronic pain. This study examined changes in pain-evoked brain activation following behavioral extinction training in fibromyalgia patients. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, brain activation to painful mechanical stimuli applied to the 2nd phalanx of the left 2nd ...

Many vestibular schwannomas (VS) manifest intratumoral microhemorrhages whose underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Thrombomodulin (TM) is an endothelial anticoagulant cofactor that promotes the thrombin-mediated formation of activated protein C that inhibits thrombus formation. We investigated the existence of TM in VS and its potential role in the development of ...

The all-trans-β-carotene is a natural pigment used in various industrial fields (food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, etc) and possesses the higher provitamin A activity, in respect to other carotenoids. All-trans-β-carotene is produced industrially by chemical and biotechnological means. For β-carotene biotechnological production in industrial scale mated cultures of Blakeslea trispora, a heterothallic ...

Prostanoids regulate angiogenesis in carcinoma and chronic inflammatory disease progression. Although prostanoid biosynthetic enzymes and signaling have been extensively analyzed in inflammation, little is known about how prostanoids mediate tumor-induced angiogenesis. Targeted cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibition in tumor, stromal and endothelial cells is an attractive antiangiogenic strategy; however, the associated cardiovascular ...

Visual dependency is a condition where spatial orientation is mainly dependent on visual information. It can be affected in conditions such as vestibular disorders, brain injuries and neck pain including whiplash. Visual dependency can be assessed with a computer-based, dot version, Rod-Frame test (C-RFT(dot)) by measuring the deviation of a ...

Two novel aromatic glucosides, named marylaurecinosides B (1) and C (2), were isolated from Cymbidium Great Flower Marie Laurencin, together with six known aromatic compounds (3-8). These structures were determined on the basis of NMR experiments as well as chemical evidence. All of the isolated compounds (1-8) were tested for ...

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. We therefore investigated whether serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] would predict the development of prediabetes (impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance or the two combined) and type 2 diabetes, either on their own or when combined with ...

In the last few years several cases of headache as sole manifestation of an epileptic seizure have been reported and the term "ictal epileptic headache" has been recently proposed to identify an EEG-recorded epileptic seizure with migraine/headache-like features. Among the potential practical implications arising from these clinical observations, there is ...

The purpose of this study is to assess awareness, knowledge and beliefs about HPV, cervical cancer HPV vaccine and willingness to vaccinate among adolescent females aged 12-26 years at clinics and schools in the North West Region of Cameroon where the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services (CBCHS) conducted a sensitization and ...

Tissue banks around the world store human cartilage obtained from cadaveric donors for use in diverse reconstructive surgical procedures. To ensure this tissue is sterile at the time of distribution, tissues may be sterilized by ionizing radiation. In this work, we evaluate the physical changes in deep frozen costal cartilage ...

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) constitutes more than 90 % of the thyroid cancers. MAP kinase/ERK pathway plays an important role in the development of several cancers. BRAF which is a member of Raf-kinase family activates this way. BRAF gene activating mutations lead to neoplastic transformation in thyroid follicle cells. In PTC, ...

The sorption capacity parameters obtained for batch studies provide useful information about biosorption system. However, such data fail to explain the process under continuous-flow conditions. The present study is an attempt to explore the biosorption of Pb(II) and Cr(III) by straw from local wheat (Triticum aestivum). The biosorbent has been ...

There is a lack of information concerning adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), especially with regards to their access to health care. A paper and electronic survey was sent to 1,580 primary care physicians in Connecticut. 346 respondents returned a survey and provided care to adults with an ASD. This ...

Increasing evidence suggest that epigenetic mechanisms (e.g. histone modification by histone deacetylases) play a major role in the pathogenesis of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). We treated HL cell lines with the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat and investigated the gene expression profile of these cells by using DNA microarrays. Vorinostat inhibited cell ...

Collagen fibres play an important role in the mechanical behaviour of many soft tissues. Modelling of such tissues now often incorporates a collagen fibre distribution. However, the availability of accurate structural data has so far lagged behind the progress of anisotropic constitutive modelling. Here, an automated process is developed to ...

We investigated whether one subconjunctival injection of connexin43 antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (Cx43 AsODN) modulates postoperative scarring in a rabbit model of glaucoma trabeculectomy surgery. In a randomised, controlled, masked-observer study, 39 rabbits underwent trabeculectomy surgery with insertion of a 22-gauge cannula in the right eyes and were randomly divided into three ...

We analyzed the innate immunity markers, C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid P component (SAP) and pentraxin-3 (PTX-3), and metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in coronary atherectomy tissues obtained from patients with acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) (n = 27) or stable angina (n = 15). The relative areas immunopositive for CRP and SAP were similar in ...

INTRODUCTION: Primary venous aneurysm is a rare, but essential consideration in the differential diagnosis of an inguinal and femoral hernia. METHODS: We report a case of a 43-year-old man who was referred for evaluation and treatment of a femoral hernia. RESULTS: The patient presented with a 3-month history of an ...

Breast cancer treatment has been increasingly successful over the last 20 years due in large part to targeted therapies directed against different subtypes. However, basal-like breast cancers still represent a considerable challenge to clinicians and scientists alike since the pathogenesis underlying the disease and the target cell for transformation of this ...

Zeaxanthin epoxidase (ZE) is an enzyme operating in the violaxanthin cycle, which is involved in photoprotective mechanisms. In this work model systems to study zeaxanthin (Zx) epoxidation were developed. Two assay systems are presented in which epoxidation of Zx was observed. In these assays two mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana which ...

This review focuses on a now well-established model for generating cells of the trophoblast (TB) lineage by treating human embryonic stem cells (ESC) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) with the growth factor BMP4. We first discuss the opposing roles of FGF2 and BMP4 in directing TB formation and the ...

Pituitary autoimmune disease is considered an autoimmune organ-specific disorder, characterized by a pituitary infiltration of lymphocytes, macrophages, and plasma cells that could lead to loss of pituitary function. Hypophysitis may be secondary to systemic diseases or infections. Primary pituitary hypophysitis is classified into lymphocytic, granulomatous, xanthomatous, mixed forms (lymphogranulomatous, xanthogranulomatous), ...

To determine the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) before, during and after pregnancy in a national sample of women enrolled in the Nurse Family Partnership (NFP); and, to determine correlates of IPV exposure. Clients enrolled in the NFP between 2002 and 2005 were selected. Data were extracted from NFP ...

Pump-probe spectroscopy after selective excitation of all-trans Cars (n = 9-13) in nonpolar solvent identified a symmetry selection rule of diabatic electronic mixing and diabatic internal conversion, i.e., '1B(u)(+)-to-1B(u)(-) is allowed but 1B(u)(+)-to-3A(g)(-) is forbidden'. Kerr-gate fluorescence spectroscopy showed that this selection rule breaks down, due to the symmetry degradation ...

The aim of the present study was to compare carotenoid extracts of Rose hips (Rosa canina L.) with regard to their phytochemical profiles and their in vitro anti-Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), cytotoxic, multidrug resistance (MDR) reversal and radical scavenging activity. Carotenoid composition was investigated in the different fractionation of rose ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The mammalian inner ear contains the organ of Corti which is responsible for the conversion of sound into neuronal signals. This specialised epithelial tissue is the product of a complex developmental process where a common precursor cell type differentiates into the sound transducing hair cells and the non-innervated ...

The discovery of discontiguous tRNA genes triggered studies dissecting the process of tRNA splicing. As a result, we have gained detailed mechanistic knowledge on enzymatic removal of tRNA introns catalyzed by endonuclease and ligase proteins. In addition to the elucidation of tRNA processing, these studies facilitated the discovery of additional ...

We recently described ovarian genotypes and sub-genotypes of the FMR1 gene with distinctly associated ovarian aging patterns, which in infertile women follow a typical X-linked distribution pattern. Whether normally fertile women, however, also demonstrate the same distribution, is unknown. We, therefore, investigated ovarian FMR1 genotype and sub-genotype distribution in 182 ...

In patients with surgically repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), reported peak oxygen consumption (VO(2)) is decreased compared with control subjects. The measurement of exercise cardiac output (CO) could be a useful adjunct for assessing cardiovascular fitness. There are few data assessing noninvasive CO, cardiac index (CI), and stroke volume (SV) ...

The bud-to-cap stage transition during early tooth development is a time when the tooth-inducing potential becomes restricted to the mesenchyme. Several key genes, expressed in the mesenchyme at this stage, are an absolute requirement for the progression of tooth development. These include the transcription factors Msx1 and Pax9. The inductive ...

The objective of this study was to analyse sociodemographic differences in medication use, health-care contacts and sickness absence among individuals with medication-overuse headache (MOH). A cross-sectional, population survey was conducted, in which 44,300 Swedes (≥15 years old) were interviewed over telephone. In total, 799 individuals had MOH. Of these, 47 % (n = 370) ...

This study describes the first isolation of H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV) from commercial bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) in Egypt. Infected birds showed neither clinical signs nor mortality. Virus isolation and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction confirmed the presence of the H9N2 virus in cloacal swab samples collected at ...

It has been suggested that lycopene, the major carotenoid found in tomato, exhibits health-beneficial effects by virtue of its antioxidant activity. However, recent literature suggests that lycopene can actually "perform" roles independent of such capacity and involving a direct modulation of redox signalling. Reactive oxygen species are known to act ...

Angiomotin (Amot) is one of several identified angiostatin receptors expressed by the endothelia of angiogenic tissues. We have shown that a DNA vaccine targeting Amot overcome immune tolerance and induce an antibody response that hampers the progression of incipient tumors. Following our observation of increased Amot expression on tumor endothelia ...

The current study dissociated and examined the two primary components of the phonological working memory subsystem-the short-term store and articulatory rehearsal mechanism-in boys with ADHD (n = 18) relative to typically developing boys (n = 15). Word lists of increasing length (2, 4, and 6 words per trial) were presented to and recalled by ...

Parkinson's disease (PD) is generally considered as a neurodegenerative disorder commonly characterized by bradykinesia, resting tremor, rigidity and postural instability. However, increasing evidence demonstrates that serial non-motor symptoms (NMSs), including sensory symptoms, dysautonomia, neurobehavioral disorders and sleep disturbances frequently occur prior to motor signs and invariably emerge with the disease ...

The exposure of charged microdroplets containing organic ions to solid-phase reagents at ambient surfaces results in heterogeneous ion/surface reactions. The electrosprayed droplets were driven pneumatically in ambient air and then electrically directed onto a surface coated with reagent. Using this reactive soft landing approach, acid-catalyzed Girard condensation was achieved at ...

Relatively little is known about rates of comorbid drug and alcohol problems in people with schizophrenia outside the USA. Most studies have recruited from single countries. Newly available data provided an unmatched opportunity to investigate the prevalence of comorbid dependence on alcohol and other psychoactive substances in people with schizophrenia ...

Nipah (NiV) and Hendra (HeV) viruses cause cell-cell fusion (syncytia) in brain, lung, heart, and kidney tissues, leading to encephalitis, pneumonia, and often death. Membrane fusion is essential to both viral entry and virus-induced cell-cell fusion, a hallmark of henipavirus infections. Elucidiation of the mechanism(s) of membrane fusion is critical ...

Stroke incidence rates have decreased in developed countries over the past 40 years, but trends vary across populations. We investigated whether age-and-sex-specific stroke incidence rates and associated risk factors as well as preventive medication use have changed in Rotterdam in the Netherlands during the last two decades. The study was ...

To understand how stem cells benefit native cardiomyocytes is crucial for cell-based therapies to rescue cardiomyocytes (CMCs) damaged during heart infarction and other cardiac diseases. However, the current conclusions on the protective effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were obtained by analyzing the overall amount of protein and factor secretion ...

The idea that social motivation deficits play a central role in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) has recently gained increased interest. This constitutes a shift in autism research, which has traditionally focused more intensely on cognitive impairments, such as theory-of-mind deficits or executive dysfunction, and has granted comparatively less attention to ...

Although it has been known for almost two decades that the ternary complex of N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) constitutes the functional unit driving membrane fusion, our knowledge about the dynamical arrangement and organization of SNARE proteins and their complexes before and during vesicle exocytosis is still limited. Here, ...

Inspired by the localization, on 15q21.2 of the CYP19A1 gene in the linkage region of speech and language disorders, and a rare translocation in a dyslexic individual that was brought to our attention, we conducted a series of studies on the properties of CYP19A1 as a candidate gene for dyslexia ...

Common etiology of vascular diseases and later-life depression may provide important synergies for prevention. We examined whether standard clinical risk profiles developed for vascular diseases also predict depressive symptoms in older adults. Data were drawn from the Whitehall II study with baseline examination in 1991; follow-up screenings in 1997, 2003, ...

Five human polo-like kinases (PLKs) have been identified, and PLK1 - 4 seem to interact with Aurora kinases and act as cell cycle regulators in both normal and malignant human cells. AREAS COVERED: The present review describes i) experimental evidence for a role for PLKs and Aurora kinases in human ...

Most patients who harbor a genetic mutation for hereditary breast cancer have not been identified, despite the availability of genetic testing. Developing an effective approach to the identification of high-risk individuals is the key to preventing and/or providing early diagnosis of cancer in this patient population. This educational review addresses ...

In this paper a simplified method based on analytical pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) for the detection and quantification of bisphenol A and bisphenol S in paper samples is presented. The method enables a direct analysis of the samples without tedious sample preparation. As the analytes are thermally desorbed, ...