The treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected pregnant women is one of the most effective HIV-prevention interventions known. With prenatal testing, antiviral therapy, scheduled cesarean section when indicated, and formula feeding when feasible, rates of neonatal and perinatal HIV infection can diminish significantly. Although significant prevention is achievable, new cases ...

Because pregnant women were recognized to be at increased risk for influenza-associated complications, special considerations for this population were included as part of preparedness efforts before the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. We review data available before the pandemic on influenza and its treatment and prevention during pregnancy. We also review pandemic ...

Time and spectrally resolved measurements of autofluorescence have the potential to monitor metabolism at the cellular level. Fluorophores that emit with the same fluorescence intensity can be discriminated from each other by decay time of fluorescence intensity after pulsed excitation. We performed time-resolved autofluorescence measurements on fundus samples from a ...

Surgery remains an acceptable, and sometimes necessary, modality for the treatment of ectopic pregnancy. Laparoscopy is the preferred method of access, yet controversy remains regarding the optimal procedure and postoperative management. Generally, salpingostomy is employed with the goal of maintaining fertility, although data to support this tenet are lacking. In ...

Although Niban is highly expressed in human cancer cells, the cellular functions of Niban remain largely unknown. We demonstrate here that ultraviolet irradiation induces phosphorylation of Niban at S602 by AKT, which increases the association of Niban with nucleophosmin and disassociation of nucleophosmin from the MDM2 complex. This leads to ...

Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is an important cause of hearing impairment, mental retardation, and cerebral palsy. Principal sources of infection during pregnancy are young children and intimate contacts. Prevention of maternal and congenital CMV infection depends on counseling women regarding the sources of infection and hygienic measures that might prevent ...

Hymeglusin (1233A, F244, L-659-699) is established as a specific β-lactone inhibitor of eukaryotic hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase (HMGCS). Inhibition results from formation of a thioester adduct to the active site cysteine. In contrast, the effects of hymeglusin on bacterial HMG-CoA synthase, mvaS, have been minimally characterized. Hymeglusin blocks growth of Enterococcus faecalis. ...

Heat shock response (HSR) that protects cells from proteotoxic stresses is downregulated in aging, as well as upon replicative senescence of cells in culture. Here we demonstrate that HSR is suppressed in fibroblasts from the patients with segmental progerioid Werner Syndrome, which undergo premature senescence. Similar suppression of HSR was ...

Caloric restriction (CR) retards aging in laboratory rodents. No information is available on the effects of long-term CR on physiologic markers of aging and longevity in humans. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a marker for cardiac autonomic functioning. The progressive decline in HRV with aging and the association of higher ...

A major obstacle in the successful treatment of cancer is the occurrence of chemoresistance. Cancer cells surviving chemotherapy and giving rise to a recurrence of the tumor are termed cancer stem cells and can be identified by elevated levels of certain stem cell markers. Eradication of this cell population is ...

This Feature will introduce the strategies of therapeutic antibodies (mAbs) in-depth characterization by mass spectrometry (MS) and discuss analytical comparison of biosimilar to originator mAbs, with the cases of trastuzumab and cetuximab. In addition, the structural and functional insights gained both by state-of-the art and emerging MS methods used for ...

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a highly aggressive neoplasm arising from the mesothelial cells lining the parietal pleura and it exhibits poor prognosis. Although there has been significant progress in MPM treatment, development of more efficient therapeutic approaches is needed. BMAL1 is a core component of the circadian clock machinery ...

Lifestyle modification, consisting of exercise and weight loss, delays the progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, no study has determined the efficacy of exercise training on glucose metabolism in the different prediabetes subtypes. Seventy-six older (65.1 ± 0.6 years) obese adults with impaired fasting glucose (IFG; n ...

In biomedical research, one key stage of translating basic science knowledge to clinical practice is the reconciliation of phenotypes employed for laboratory animal studies with those important for the clinical condition. Alcohol dependence (AD) is a prototypic complex genetic trait. There is a long history of behaviour-genetic studies of AD ...

In enterocytes of the small intestine, endocytic trafficking of CFTR channels from the brush border membrane (BBM) to the subapical endosomes requires the minus-end motor, myosin VI (Myo6). The subapical localization of Myo6 is dependent on myosin Ia (Myo1a) the major plus-end motor associated with the BBM, suggestive of functional ...

We describe a computational analysis method to evaluate the efficacy of immunomagnetic rare cell separation from non-Newtonian particulate blood flow. The core procedure proposed here is calculation of local viscosity distributions induced by red blood cell (RBC) sedimentation. Numerical calculation methods have previously been introduced to simulate particulate behavior of ...

Top-down mass spectrometry has been used to investigate structural diversity within some abundant salivary protein families. In this study, we report the identification of two isoforms of protein II-2 which differed in mass by less than 1 Da, the determination of a sequence for protein IB8a that was best satisfied ...

Maintaining high transcriptional fidelity is essential to life. For all eukaryotic organisms, RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is responsible for messenger RNA synthesis from the DNA template. Three key checkpoint steps are important in controlling Pol II transcriptional fidelity: nucleotide selection and incorporation, RNA transcript extension, and proofreading. Some types ...

We apply optical manipulation to prepare lipid bilayers between pairs of water droplets immersed in an oil matrix. These droplet pairs have a well-defined geometry allowing the use of droplet shape analysis to perform quantitative studies of the dynamics during bilayer formation and to determine time-dependent values for the droplet ...

Methane emissions have been previously detected from orangutans, but characterization of the diversity of methanogens in this species has yet to be completed. This preliminary study identified methanogen producing microorganims, also called methanogens, present in the feces from a colony of captive Sumatran orangutans at the Perth Zoo. All animals ...

Anopheles darlingi Root is the major vector of human malaria in the Neotropics and has been considered to be the sole malaria vector in French Guiana. The presence of other potential vectors suggests that malaria may be transmitted by other species under certain conditions. From 2006-2011, all anopheline specimens collected ...

  Cutaneous wound repair is a highly ordered and well-coordinated process involving various cell lineages and many molecular effectors. Cell-matrix interactions through integrin molecules provide key signals important for wound repair. Periostin is a matricellular protein that may provide signals important during tissue development and remodelling by interacting with several ...

In Canada, there is a paucity of research aimed at understanding Black gay men and the antecedents to risk factors for HIV. This study is an attempt to move beyond risk factor analysis and explore the role of sexual and ethnic communities in the lives of these men. The study ...

Malignant melanoma is a tumor characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of melanocytes, mainly in skin, but also in eyes. Its incidence is rising each year. To improve the diagnosis and treatment of the tumor, it is essential to develop new effective methods to early detect and characterize melanoma. Previously, we ...

Tyrosinemia type 1, which is caused by a deficiency in fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase, is successfully treatable with nitisone (NTBC), an inhibitor of 4-hydroxyphenyl pyruvate dioxygenase. The recommended average dose of NTBC is 1 mg/kg per day. A rapid liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with negative electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry method was ...

Ketoconazole is a clinically safe antifungal agent that also inhibits the growth of Leishmania spp. A study was undertaken to determine whether Leishmania parasites are prone to becoming resistant to ketoconazole by upregulating C14-demethylase after stepwise pharmacological pressure. Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes [inhibitory concentration (IC)50 = 2 µM] were subjected to ...

Objective  Review 103 cases of presumed tick envenomation in horses. Design  Retrospective study. Method  Variables, including date of presentation, age, breed, weight, presence of ticks, gait and respiration scores, duration of recumbency, treatment, outcome and complications were recorded. A series of univariable screening tests were performed and used in a ...

The spleen plays a crucial role in the development of immunity to malaria, but the role of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) in splenic effector cells during malaria infection is poorly understood. In the present study, we analysed the expression of selected PRRs in splenic effector cells from BALB/c mice infected ...

Countercurrent centrifugal elutriation (CCE) is a cell separation technique that separates particles predominantly according to their size, and to some degree according to their specific density, without a need for antibodies or ligands tagging cell surfaces. The principles of this technique have been known for half a century. Still, numerous ...

The red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) has a well-developed natural tolerance for oxygen deprivation that derives from biochemical adaptations, including anoxia-induced suppression of metabolic rate. We hypothesized that mechanisms that suppress ATP-expensive cell cycle activity would contribute significantly to establishing the hypometabolic state during anaerobiosis. Cyclin D1 is a ...

The extensive use of azole antifungal agents has promoted the resistance of Candida spp to these drugs. Candida glabrata is a problematic yeast because it presents a high degree of primary or secondary resistance to fluconazole. In Brazil, C. glabrata has been less studied than other species. In this paper, ...

Methadone is used to treat moderate to severe pain in patients not responsive to non-narcotic analgesics and for maintenance treatment of opioid addiction. Methadone is primarily metabolized by N-demethylation to an inactive metabolite 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidene (EDDP) by CYP3A4 and CYP2B6. Establishing expected concentrations for metabolism of methadone to EDDP using urine ...

  Antibodies, specific to murine DEC205, can be used to target antigens to dendritic cells. The immunodominant domain of human type XVII collagen, hNC16A, was fused to this antibody (DEC-hNC16A) and was administered as expression plasmid by gene gun transfection with the aim of inducing tolerance to human type XVII ...

Epidermal keratinocytes produce and secrete antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that subsequently form a chemical shield on the skin surface. Cathelicidins are one family of AMPs in skin with various further immune functions. Consequently, dysfunction of these peptides has been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory skin disease. In particular, the cathelicidin ...

Left ventricular apex to descending aorta conduits may be used as a last resort treatment of severe left ventricular outflow tract obstruction in cases in which alternative therapies are contraindicated. Although this technique is rarely used in current practice for congenital cases, its use in the elderly population is increasing, ...

The wood frog (Rana sylvatica) is one of only a few vertebrate species that can survive extensive freezing of its body fluids during the winter. The mechanisms of natural freeze tolerance include metabolic rate depression to conserve energy and the implementation of cryoprotective strategies, especially the synthesis of huge amounts ...

For many years, prokaryotic cells were distinguished from eukaryotic cells based on the simplicity of their cytoplasm, in which the presence of organelles and cytoskeletal structures had not been discovered. Based on current knowledge, this review describes the complex components of the prokaryotic cell cytoskeleton, including (i) tubulin homologues composed ...

Ventilator-associated pneumonia is one of the most common infections in the intensive care unit and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has emerged as a common cause of ventilator-associated pneumonia. We sought to study the performance characteristics of once weekly active surveillance culture of methicillin-resistant S. aureus colonization in predicting the development of ...

Background: We sought to determine whether corneal biomechanical parameters are predictive of reduction in axial length after anti-metabolite trabeculectomy. Methods: Chinese subjects undergoing trabeculectomy with mitomycin C by a single experienced surgeon underwent the following measurements: Corneal hysteresis (CH, Ocular Response Analyzer, Reichert Ophthalmic Instruments), Goldmann intra-ocular pressure (IOP), central ...

Keloid disease (KD) is a common fibroproliferative disorder of unknown aetiopathogenesis, with highly unsatisfactory treatment. Therefore, it is crucial to have a robust and clinically relevant model for studying KD pathobiology as well as preclinical testing of potential KD therapeutics. However, the unique occurrence of KD in human skin and ...

In the present study, Biomphalaria snails collected from five Egyptian governorates (Giza, Fayoum, Kafr El-Sheikh, Ismailia and Damietta), as well as reference control Biomphalaria alexandrina snails from the Schistosome Biological Supply Center (SBSC) (Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Egypt), were subjected to species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays to identify the ...

Purpose: Evaluation of changes in anterior chamber parameters with the Pentacam rotating Scheimpflug and axial length measurements (Alx) by ultrasound in patients who use isotretinoin for the treatment of acne vulgaris. Methods: Twenty-nine eyes of 29 patients (15 men, 14 women) were evaluated with the Pentacam before the treatment, and ...

Morphine is one of several opioids used to treat chronic pain. Because of its high abuse potential, urine drug tests can confirm "consistency with prescribed medications." Hydromorphone is a recently described minor metabolite of morphine, but few data exist on the characteristics of this metabolic pathway or the relationship of ...

Veterinary drugs are widely and legally used to treat and prevent disease in livestock. However, drugs are also used illegally as growth-promoting agents. To protect the health of consumers, maximum residue limits (MRL) in food of animal origin have been established and are listed in Regulation 37/2010. According to this ...

Vegetable edible oils and fats are mainly used for frying purposes in households and the food industry. The oil undergoes degradation during frying and hence has to be replaced from time to time. Rhamnolipids are produced by microbial cultivation using refined vegetable oils as a carbon source and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ...

Anti-silencing factor 1 (ASF1) is a histone chaperone that contributes to the histone deposition during nucleosome assembly in newly replicated DNA. It is involved in chromatin disassembly, transcription activation and in the cellular response to DNA damage. In Leishmania major the ASF1 gene (LmASF1) is located in chromosome 20 and ...

  In this study, QUE, but not the structurally related chemical, rutin, enhanced the cytotoxicity of arsenic trioxide (As(+3) ) against the viability of normal human HaCaT keratinocytes via induction of apoptosis. QUE enhancement of As(+3) -mediated apoptosis was accompanied by increased intracellular peroxide production according to a DCFH-DA analysis, ...

We used a prototype gas esthesiometer to measure corneal threshold sensitivity values for mechanical, chemical, and thermal stimuli. We also evaluated the reproducibility of the esthesiometer measurements, the influence of previous corneal symptoms, and the safety of this technique. Forty healthy subjects participated in the study. Mechanical, chemical, and thermal ...

Breech-strike in Merinos in south-eastern Australia · Risk factors for clinical mastitis in dairy cows · Tick (Ixodes holocyclus) envenomation in horses · Attitudes to and use of analgesia by Queensland veterinarians · Treatment of anoestrus in bitches · Risk of arboviruses following waterbird movement.

The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the main focus of dengue control campaigns. Because of widespread resistance against conventional chemical insecticides, chitin synthesis inhibitors (CSIs) are considered control alternatives. We evaluated the resistance status of four Brazilian Ae. aegypti populations to both the organophosphate temephos and the pyrethroid deltamethrin, which are ...