We examined daytime salivary cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) secretion levels and variability in preschool-aged children with autism (AUT) and typically developing children (TYP). Fifty-two subjects (26 AUT and 26 TYP) were enrolled. Salivary samples were obtained at waking, midday, and bedtime on two consecutive days at three phases (baseline, ...

Mature B cells generate protective immunity by undergoing immunoglobulin (Ig) class switching and somatic hypermutation, two Ig gene-diversifying processes that usually require cognate interactions with T cells that express CD40 ligand. This T-cell-dependent pathway provides immunological memory but is relatively slow to occur. Thus, it must be integrated with a ...

While primary immune defects are generally considered to lead to severe and easily recognized disease in infants and children, a number of genetic defects impairing B cell function may not be clinically apparent or diagnosed until adult life. The commonest of these is common variable immune deficiency, the genetic origins ...

The mechanisms regulating cell survival and thus its corollary, cell death, have been intensively studied over the last two decades. Recent studies have shed new light into how non-degradative ubiquitination of the kinase RIPK1 is critical in determining this cell fate. In this review, we summarize recent findings on how ...

P-glycoprotein (Pgp) is an efflux transporter involved in transport of several compounds across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Loss of Pgp function with increasing age may be involved in the development of age-related disorders, but this may differ between males and females. Pgp function can be quantified in vivo using (R)-[(11)C]verapamil ...

In many Western countries, a vast amount of interventions exist that aim to facilitate return to work (RTW) after sickness absence. These interventions are usually focused on specific target populations such as employees with low back pain, stress-related complaints or adjustment disorders. The aim of the present study is to ...

Working memory (WM) is considered a core deficit in Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), with numerous studies demonstrating impaired WM among children with ADHD. We tested the degree to which WM in children with ADHD was improved by performance-based incentives, an analog of behavioral intervention. In two studies, WM performance was ...

The Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) is the standard for encoding and communicating medical imaging information. It is used in radiology as well as in many other imaging domains such as ophthalmology, dentistry, and pathology. DICOM information objects are used to encode medical images or information about the ...

We describe a case of critical hand ischaemia after transradial cardiac catheterisation. The patient presented with hand ischaemia 5 days after transradial coronary angiography. Urgent angiography demonstrated radial artery occlusion with embolisation to the palmar arch and digital arteries. The ischaemia was refractory to an extensive thrombolytic regimen, and subsequently, the ...

Researchers often hypothesize that a causal variable, whether randomly assigned or not, has an effect on an outcome behavior and that this effect may vary across levels of initial risk of engaging in the outcome behavior. In this paper, we propose a method for quantifying initial risk status. We then ...

Early Onset Scoliosis (EOS) may be associated with long-term pulmonary morbidity, which is not commonly seen in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis. Initial evaluation is based on determining any underlying etiology related to congenital or syndromic conditions. Assessing the impact of scoliosis on thoracic development may help guide treatment, which is often ...

This review summarizes recent reports on nonallergen-specific therapies for food allergy. These therapies are especially appealing for food allergy because unlike allergen-specific immunotherapy, they would allow the treatment of multiple food allergies in a single patient with one therapy. Chinese herbal therapy, anti-IgE, probiotics, engineered lactic acid bacteria, and helminth ...

Vascular calcification can occur in nearly all arterial beds and in both the medial and intimal layers. The initiating factors and clinical consequences depend on the underlying disease state and location of the calcification. The best studied manifestation is coronary artery calcification, in part because of the obvious clinical consequences, ...

Several studies have examined levels of proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6. This meta-analysis was conducted to examine the association between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and plasma serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines. Twelve studies met inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in IL-1β ...

Atherosclerosis is a peculiar form of inflammation triggered by cholesterol-rich lipoproteins and other noxious factors such as cigarette smoke, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. Genetics also play an important role in the disease, accounting for about 40% of the risk. Of surprise in recent years of post-human genome sequencing, atherosclerosis-relevant genes ...

The success of liver transplantation has increased over the past 20 years due to improved immunosuppressive medications, surgical technique and donor-recipient selection. To date, the number of patients waiting for a liver transplant exceeds the number of transplants performed yearly by over a 2 : 1 ratio. Despite efforts to expand the ...

We assessed the safety and efficacy of sorafenib with cryotherapy (cryoRx) in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). One hundred four HCC patients were enrolled, who met the following criteria: (i) Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C; (ii) HCC without distant metastasis; (iii) the presence of portal vein thrombosis (PVT); (iv) Child-Pugh ...

Inflammatory joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, as well as other rheumatic conditions, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and ankylosing spondylitis, comprise a heterogeneous group of joint disorders that are all associated with extra-articular side effects, including bone loss and fractures. The concept of osteoimmunology is based on growing ...

Mucus is a porous biopolymer matrix that coats all wet epithelia in the human body and serves as the first line of defense against many pathogenic bacteria and viruses. However, under certain conditions viruses are able to penetrate this infection barrier, which compromises the protective function of native mucus. Here, ...

Historically, the physical chemistry of isotope effects and precise measurements in samples from nature have provided information on processes that could not have been obtained otherwise. With the discovery of a mass-independent isotopic fractionation during the formation of ozone, a new physical chemical basis for isotope effects required development. Combined ...

This review describes how conical intersections affect measured molecular spectra and simple photofragmentation processes. We consider excitations that result in electron ejection, that is, photoionization or photodetachment, as well as photoinduced H-atom elimination. Section 1 presents a brief overview of the history of conical intersections and their rise from an ...

Recent advances in the growing field of nanoemulsions are opening up new applications in many areas such as pharmaceuticals, foods, and cosmetics. Moreover, highly controlled nanoemulsions can also serve as excellent model systems for investigating basic scientific questions about soft matter. Here, we highlight some of the most recent developments ...

The behavior of water confined on nanometer length scales is important in a diverse set of technical and scientific contexts, ranging from the performance of fuel cells and biological molecular machines to the design of self-assembling nanoscale materials. Here, we review recent insights into the structure and thermodynamics of confined ...

Since 1981, meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG), labeled with (131)I and later (123)I, has become a valuable agent in the diagnosis and therapy of a number of endocrine tumors. Initially, the agent located pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PGLs), both sporadic and familial, in multiple anatomic sites; surgeons were thereby guided to excisional therapies, which ...

This article describes the unique practice of nurse-driven titration of continuous insulin infusion in post-cardiac surgery patients in the intensive care unit at a tertiary care teaching hospital. A prospective quality assurance study was conducted to support our innovative practice.

PURPOSE:: To compare primary tumor F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) obtained in the same patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) to clarify the prognostic significance of both indexes. MATERIALS AND METHODS:: The study population comprised 26 patients ...

Squamous papilloma is one of the most common benign neoplasms of the oral cavity and oropharynx. The F-FDG PET/CT metabolic phenotype of this entity has not been described. We document the incidental finding of a hypermetabolic lesion at the right base of the tongue on an FDG PET/CT that proved ...

Parasitic infestation is common in developing countries especially in Africa. Children are often more vulnerable to these infections. Many health problems result from these infestations, including malnutrition, iron-deficiency anemia, surgical morbidities, and even impaired cognitive function and educational achievement. Surgical intervention may be needed to treat serious complications caused by ...

A 38-year-old pregnant woman at 26-week gestation with left breast cancer requested an FDG PET/CT scan for more detailed staging of her breast cancer before treatment. After discussing the potential radiation-related risk and estimating possible absorbed dose to fetus, she consented for examination. By using a low-radiation-dose CT protocol and ...

The causal inference literature has provided definitions of direct and indirect effects based on counterfactuals that generalize the approach found in the social science literature. However, these definitions presuppose well-defined hypothetical interventions on the mediator. In many settings, there may be multiple ways to fix the mediator to a particular ...

Acute respiratory distress syndrome is considered the most severe form of acute lung injury resulting in high morbidity and mortality. This syndrome is characterized by noncardiogenic pulmonary edema, diffuse pulmonary infiltrates, and hypoxemia refractory to oxygen delivery. Critical care nurses should be aware of newer treatment modalities available for patients ...

: Metastatic involvement of the inguinal lymph nodes is associated with decreased survival and is a strong prognostic factor in penile squamous cell carcinoma. The aim of the current systematic review was to evaluate the accuracy of F-FDG PET/CT for inguinal lymph node staging in penile squamous cell carcinoma and ...

Bone scintigraphy using TC MDP (technetium-99m methylene diphosphonate) is a routine procedure for evaluation of osteoblastic metastases; however, its sensitivity compared with FDG PET/CT in a variety of malignancies remains to be established. We report a case of multiple osseous metastases revealed by FDG PET/CT in an 8-year-old girl with ...

Image-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive therapy option in the treatment of primary and secondary hepatic malignancies, which are not suitable for surgery/chemotherapy, and more recently, for tumors with limited hepatic involvement and solitary liver metastasis. Accurate assessment of treatment response after RFA remains a concern. Conventional imaging ...

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious complication for the critically ill patient. The term has been increasingly adopted over recent years as efforts have been made to capture and better define mild to severe renal dysfunction. Persistent AKI can lead to the subsequent development of renal failure recognized as ...

A 56-year-old woman with breast cancer underwent FDG PET/CT at follow-up. The PET images showed increased FDG uptake along right sacroiliac joint. The coregistered CT images showed diffuse sclerosis around the sacroiliac joints, but no bony destruction, periarticular erosion, or joint space narrowing. She had been complaining of intermittent lower ...

Pediatric HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a pandemic predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa. Approximately 2.2 million children aged less than 15 years are infected with HIV, representing almost 95% of the total number of children globally infected with HIV. Therefore, increasing numbers of HIVi or -exposed but uninfected children can be ...

An 82-year-old woman was followed up for an uterine cervical adenocarcinoma treated by surgery. A whole-body fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography study revealed a pathologic fluorodeoxyglucose uptake located in the umbilicus associated to peritoneal carcinomatosis. Biopsy of the umbilical nodule demonstrated an umbilical metastasis from the uterine adenocarcinoma, the so-called "Sister ...

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is an inflammatory disease with macrophage infiltration and CD4 T-lymphocytes-related mild synovitis commonly causing neck, shoulder, and hip stiffness in patients older than 50 years. Closely related to giant cell arthritis (GCA), PMR symptoms can be similar to rheumatoid arthritis. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein levels ...

In order to promote siRNA transfer in tumour cells, we used an original cationic lipid, synthesized in our laboratory, dimethyl-hydroxyethyl-aminopropane-carbamoyl-cholesterol (DMHAPC-Chol). Liposomes were prepared from this lipid and dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) in equimolar proportion. Its transfecting capacity was evaluated using ELISA, cell cytometry, and RT-PCR in estimating the silencing effect of ...

This is a case of a 48-year-old man treated with surgery and I for papillary thyroid carcinoma: a follow-up F-FDG PET/CT incidentally evidenced pituitary uptake, also seen in In-octreoscan as increased uptake in the sellar area. MRI confirmed a pituitary mass. The patient did not show any signs or symptoms ...

(18)F-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-d-glucose ((18)F-FDG, later referred to as (19)FDG) has been extensively used in diagnostic positron emission tomography (PET) in oncology for many years. FDG is a glucose analog that is taken by cells in a similar fashion as glucose and is phosphorylated by hexokinase to (18)F-FDG-6-phosphate but cannot undergo further glycolysis, ...

Phagocytosis or endocytosis by macrophages is critical to the uptake of fine particles, including nanoparticles, in order to initiate toxic effects in cells. Here, our data enhance the understanding of the process of internalization of silver nanoparticles by macrophages. When macrophages were pre-treated with inhibitors to phagocytosis, caveolin-mediated endocytosis, or ...

The second largest and most populous continent, with an exploding pediatric population, Africa has an overwhelming burden on its very limited pediatric surgical services. In an international environment of progressively advancing endoscopic and robotic surgical techniques, the authors focus on the current role of endoscopic surgery on the continent and ...

A 39-year-old man who had a history of surgical excision of left adrenal pheochromocytoma 3 years ago underwent an FDG PET/CT scan to evaluate possible metastatic/recurrent disease. In addition to multiple FDG-avid lesions typical of hypermetabolic malignant disease and the FDG uptake in regions rich in brown adipose tissue, there ...

There is a need for more innovative learning designs in nursing education. For optimal learning to occur, students need to take a more active part in their education. This article describes one institution's effort to design a critical-care seminar class in a baccalaureate program. Students presented content in small groups ...

: To describe a technique for CT-guided biopsy based on PET/CT findings and to evaluate the indications and results of the technique in cancer patients. : We evaluated all patients receiving CT-guided percutaneous biopsies whose indication was based on PET/CT findings at an oncology reference center from October 2009 to ...

The care of children with malignant solid tumors in sub-Saharan Africa is compromised by resource deficiencies that range from inadequate healthcare budgets and a paucity of appropriately trained personnel, to scarce laboratory facilities and inconsistent drug supplies. Patients face difficulties accessing healthcare, affording investigational and treatment protocols, and attending follow-up. ...

A 50-year-old man presented with a mass in the transverse colon diagnosed by colonoscopy. He underwent a left hemicolectomy and was diagnosed with a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma penetrating into the pericolic adipose but no lymph node metastases. His course was uneventful with enrollment in a monoclonal antibody research treatment protocol. ...

Radioiodine has the distinction of being the first theranostic agent in our armamentarium. Millennia were required to discover that the agent in orally administered seaweed and its extracts, which had been shown to cure neck swelling due to thyromegaly, was iodine, first demonstrated to be a new element in 1813. ...