As the demand for renewable energy resource is growing rapidly worldwide, a variety of energy materials and technologies are being developed. In this review, we aim to summarize recent developments in the state-of-the-art research on energy harvesting technologies such as thin-film Si or Ge, CdTe, GaAs, organic, hybrid, and dye-sensitized ...

A 2.5 yr old sexually intact male vizsla was admitted to the Iowa State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital for persistent diarrhea, weight loss, and panhypoproteinemia. Examination revealed an emaciated condition and melena. Two masses were palpated in the cranial abdomen. Hematology and serum biochemistry exhibited a regenerative anemia and confirmed ...

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is postulated to modulate insulin action by dephosphorylating the insulin receptor signaling proteins and attenuating insulin signaling. We sought to determine the relationship of skeletal muscle PTP1B to whole-body insulin sensitivity. We studied 17 African Americans with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and 16 without ...

Background: Differences in electrical properties between left and right atria (LA and RA) after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for atrial fibrillation (AF) are currently poorly understood. Magnetocardiograms were used to investigate the effect of PVI on bi-atrial magnetic field changes and their relationship to clinical outcomes. Methods and Results: This ...

The macrocyclic urea 2, a byproduct in the synthesis of benzoxaborole 1, was identified to be a novel and potent HCV protease inhibitor. We further explored this motif by synthesizing additional urea-based inhibitors and by characterizing them in replicase HCV protease-resistant mutants assay. Several compounds, exemplified by 12, were found ...

We report a type of infrared switchable plasmonic quantum cascade laser, in which far field light in the mid-wave infrared (MWIR, 6.1 μm) is modulated by a near field interaction of light in the telecommunications wavelength (1.55 μm). To achieve this all-optical switch, we used cross-polarized bow-tie antennas and a ...

The combination of a chiral phosphate anion with a silver ion has been demonstrated as a powerful and synergistic ion pair catalyst for the aza-Mannich reaction. A series of valuable quaternary α,β-diamino acid derivatives was obtained in high yield, and with excellent diastereo- (up to 25:1 dr) and enantioselectivity (up ...

Background: Three cases of genetically related hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection that were unattributable to infection control breaches were identified at a health care facility. Objective: To investigate HCV transmission from an HCV-infected health care worker to patients through drug diversion. Design: Cluster and look-back investigations. Setting: Acute care hospital ...

OBJECTIVES:Most chronic and recurrent gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in the community are caused by functional GI disorders, such as functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It is not known, however, whether these conditions affect mortality. We present the results of a large community-based prospective study that examines this issue.METHODS:This was ...

When mice are subjected to 7-day calorie restriction (40% of normal food intake), body fat disappears, but blood glucose is maintained as long as the animals produce ghrelin, an octanoylated peptide that stimulates growth hormone secretion. Mice can be rendered ghrelin-deficient by knock-out of the gene encoding either ghrelin O-acyltransferase, ...

In this study, we hypothesized that athletes involved in 5-6 months of sprint-type training would display higher levels of proteins and processes involved in muscle energy supply and utilization. Tissue was sampled from the vastus lateralis of 13 elite ice hockey players (peak oxygen consumption = 51.8 ± 1.3 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1); mean ± standard error) ...

Context:To our knowledge, no previous studies examined the longitudinal relationship between vitamin D status and pulmonary function in a population-based sample of older persons.Objective:Our objective was to examine the cross-sectional as well as the longitudinal relationship between vitamin D status and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) in a representative sample ...

We have previously reported that the absence of leptin signaling in β-cells enhances glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and improves glucose tolerance in vivo. To investigate the relevance of β-cell leptin signaling in the context of postprandial or therapeutic insulin secretion, we examined the cross talk between leptin and glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 ...

Ticks are among the most important vectors of disease in the Northern Hemisphere, and a better understanding of their feeding behaviour and life cycle is critical to the management and control of tick-borne zoonoses. DNA-based tools for the identification of residual bloodmeals in hematophagous arthropods have proven useful in the ...

Scrub typhus and leptospirosis are both zoonosis and systemic febrile illnesses with diverse clinical manifestations and they may present with similar signs and symptoms. We present a case of co-infection of scrub typhus and leptospirosis from Himachal Pradesh in the Himalayan region of India.

A letter sent in 1982 by a group of scientists to the president of Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico appealed for a policy of preservation of Brazilian scientific culture. The name of Carlos Chagas Filho topped the list of signatures thereby proving his commitment to that proposal, the ...

The reaction of allyltitanocenes with five- to seven-membered cyclic enones proceeded with good to high diastereoselectivity depending on the ring size of enones. The stereochemistry of the major isomers produced by the reaction of cinnamyltitanocene was opposite to that of crotyltitanocene.

PURPOSE: Modeling studies that evaluate statin treatment for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) use different methods to model the effect of statins. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of using different modeling methods on the optimal decision found in such studies. METHODS: We used a ...

Astrocytes are electrically nonexcitable cells that display increases in cytosolic calcium ion (Ca²+) in response to various neurotransmitters and neuromodulators. However, the physiological role of astrocytic Ca²+ signaling remains controversial. We show here that astrocytic Ca²+ signaling ex vivo and in vivo stimulated the Na+,K+-ATPase (Na+- and K+-dependent adenosine triphosphatase), ...

BACKGROUND: Consumer awareness regarding the intake of beef of organic origin is strongly associated with the beneficial outcomes to human health, the environment and animal welfare. In this paper the effects of slaughter season and muscle type on the fatty acid composition, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomeric profile, total cholesterol, ...

This work evaluates the transcutaneous in vitro and in vivo immunization efficacy of five commercially available 5% imiquimod containing formulations. Parameters include microscopic analysis, rheological properties, drug permeation across synthetic membranes of molecular weight cutoff 10kDa and ablated murine skin with both, 0.1M HCl and a phthalate buffer pH 3.6 ...

Background. Diagnosis and timely treatment of tuberculosis in children is hampered by the absence of fast and reliable tests, especially in the era of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay (Xpert) in children with suspected tuberculosis in ...

BACKGROUND: This phase II study assessed the safety and efficacy of everolimus, an oral mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor in advanced transitional carcinoma cell (TCC) after failure of platinum-based therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with advanced TCC received everolimus 10 mg/day until progressive disease (PD) or unacceptable toxicity. The ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Desmoteplase is a novel and highly fibrin-specific thrombolytic agent. Evidence of safety and efficacy was obtained in 2 phase II trials (Desmoteplase In Acute Ischemic Stroke [DIAS] and Desmoteplase for Acute Ischemic Stroke [DEDAS]). The DIAS-2 phase III trial did not replicate the positive phase II efficacy ...

A 2 yr old dog presented for dysphagia and coughing secondary to a 4 cm × 4 cm turgid subepiglottic mass. Cervical radiographs, an esophagram, and computed tomography confirmed the presence of a cystic mass that was not intimately associated with any surrounding structures. An incisional biopsy confirmed the cystic ...

Background:Psychotic disorders are associated with widespread reductions in white matter (WM) integrity. However, the stage at which these abnormalities first appear and whether they are correlates of psychotic illness, as opposed to an increased vulnerability to psychosis, is unclear. We addressed these issues by using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to ...

Context: The adventitious roots of Ficus religiosa L. (Moraceae) have been extensively used in traditional medicine for treatment of several disorders, including epilepsy. Objective: To investigate the possible anticonvulsant effect of the adventitious roots of Ficus religiosa, and to find the biologically active fraction, to substantiate its traditional use in ...

Background: Interindividual variability in response to aspirin has been popularized as "resistance". We hypothesized that faster recovery of platelet cyclooxygenase-1 activity may explain incomplete thromboxane (TX) inhibition during the 24-hour dosing interval. Objective: Characterize the kinetics and determinants of platelet cyclooxygenase-1 recovery in aspirin-treated diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Patients/Methods: One-hundred ...

Objective: To assess whether Chinese manipulation improves pain, function/disability and global perceived effect in adults with acute/subacute/chronic neck pain.Data sources: CAJ Full-text Database (Chinese), Wanfang Database (Chinese), Cochrane Database (English) and Medline (English).Review methods: Literature searching was performed with the following keywords and their combination: 'manual therapy/bone setting/Chinese manipulation', 'neck/cervical ...

The mechanism by which voltage-gated sodium channels are trafficked to the surface of neurons is not well understood. Our previous work implicated the cytoplasmic N terminus of the sodium channel Na(v)1.6 in this process. We report that the N terminus plus the first transmembrane segment (residues 1-153) is sufficient to ...

Context:Turner syndrome (TS), in which there is loss of all or part of one sex chromosome, occurs in one in 2500 live-born females and is associated with characteristic findings. Detailed healthcare checklists and screening guidelines are commonly used to detect known complications affecting individuals with TS. Even with the use ...

We demonstrate a straightforward method to enlarge the spectral window for broadband interaction with light, by creating a plasmonic nanostructure composed of closely spaced multiple Au nano-disks. The vertically stacked, Au nano-disks of three different sizes make it possible to merge the individual spectral windows of the internal nano-disks into ...

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are the chief cause of urinary tract infections. Although neutrophilic inflammation is a hallmark of disease, previous data indicate that UPEC promotes local dampening of host innate immune responses. Here, we show that UPEC attenuates innate responses to epithelial infection by inducing expression of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase ...

Background/Aim: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an increasing major public health problem worldwide. The sympathetic nervous system and nitric oxide play an important role in the pathogenesis of CKD. Traditional Chinese medicine has accumulated thousands of years of therapeutic experiences. Electroacupuncture (EA) and moxibustion (MO) are two such therapeutic strategies. ...

• This study uses phylogenetic analysis of the Sclerodermatineae to reconstruct the evolution of ectomycorrhizal host associations in the group using divergence dating, ancestral range and ancestral state reconstructions. • Supermatrix and supertree analysis were used to create the most inclusive phylogeny for the Sclerodermatineae. Divergence dates were estimated in ...

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Endoscopic management of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) using either ureteroscopy and laser ablation, or percutaneous resection, is a management option for treating selected low-grade tumours with favourable characteristics. However, the evidence base for such practice is relatively weak, ...

This paper studies the period considered the 'prehistory' of the Instituto de Biofísica, namely between November 1937 and October 1945, during which Carlos Chagas Filho championed the inclusion of scientific research at Universidade do Brasil (UB), despite facing multiple and complex obstacles. The lack of successful precedents at UB isolated ...

BACKGROUNDThis study evaluated the predictive value of serum and follicular fluid (FF) concentrations of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) with respect to treatment outcome variables in an IVF cycle.METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed with data from 731 normogonadotrophic women undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation after stimulation with highly purified menotrophin (HP-hMG) or rFSH ...

Left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony is often seen in patients with hypertension, even without heart failure. Arterial stiffness is well accepted as an important factor of increasing blood pressure and influencing ventricular function. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between aortic stiffness and LV dyssynchrony in hypertensive ...

We report our experience with a 34-year-old patient with schizophrenia, paranoid subtype, who demonstrated an elevation of clozapine serum levels subsequent to pregabalin comedication used for the treatment of schizophrenic anxiety. This observation turned to be dose-dependent. Although the pharmacokinetic profile of pregabalin suggests an exclusive renal elimination, our report ...

Among the 23 different fibril proteins described in human amyloidosis, transthyretin is associated with the most common hereditary form of the disease and its knowledge is corroborated through about 150 crystal structures in addition to thousands of small ligands tested as fibril formation inhibitors. In spite of the large amount ...

For about a decade, team-based learning (TBL), as an educational strategy, has been growing in use in the US and in several other international medical schools. It is a learner-centered, small group instructional strategy with good academic outcomes and considerable potential to address many of the professional competencies that are ...

We demonstrate a 15-fold enhancement of solid-state NMR signals via dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) based on a stable, naturally occurring radical in a protein: the flavin mononucleotide (FMN) semiquinone of flavodoxin. The linewidth of flavodoxin's EPR signal suggests that the dominant DNP mechanism is the solid effect, consistent with the ...

1. Breeding with kin can reduce individual fitness through the deleterious effects of inbreeding depression. Inbreeding avoidance mechanisms are expected to have developed in most species, and especially in cooperatively breeding species where individuals may delay dispersal until long after sexual maturity. Such potential mechanisms include sex-biased dispersal and avoidance of ...

During the past decade, skeletal muscle has been identified as a secretory organ. Accordingly, we have suggested that cytokines and other peptides that are produced, expressed and released by muscle fibres and exert either autocrine, paracrine or endocrine effects should be classified as myokines. The finding that the muscle secretome ...

The aim of this study was to describe the translation and the cross-cultural adaptation process of questionnaire about intimate partner violence (IPV). IPV is a serious threat to women's health. There is a need for instruments to measure the results of educational interventions. The Violence Against Women Health Care Provider ...

Transthyretin is a homotetrameric protein that carries thyroxine and retinol binding protein in plasma and is associated with a variety of amyloid diseases. One approach to the potential treatment of TTR amyloidosis is the stabilization of the native tetramer, over the dissociative transition state, through the binding of small molecules; ...

OBJECTIVE:To explore the impact of statin use on cognition.DATA SOURCES:A literature search was performed using MEDLINE (1950-November 2011), EMBASE (1980-November 2011), and the Cochrane Library(1960-November 2011) using the search terms "cognition/drug effects," "delirium, dementia, amnestic, cognitive disorders/chemically induced," "memory disorders/chemically induced," "hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors/adverseeffects," and "hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors." A bibliographic ...

Background: The opportunity for students to learn whilst in a clinical placement is a central component of undergraduate medical education and an educationally conducive clinical environment is essential if the student is to optimise learning opportunities. Aim: This study, which was conducted by medical students, and amongst medical students aims ...

Recently, enzymatic quorum quenching has proven its potential as an innovative approach for biofouling control in the membrane bioreactor (MBR) for advanced wastewater treatment. However, practical issues on the cost and stability of enzymes are yet to be solved, which requires more effective quorum quenching methods. In this study, a ...