The objective of this study was to assess the radiological presentations of different types of viral pneumonia in children. Nasopharyngeal swab specimens and bronchial aspirate samples from children with acute respiratory infections were obtained and tested for influenza B, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus and parainfluenza (Types 1, 2 and 3) ...

Background  Aquagenic keratoderma is an uncommon condition that occurs after brief water exposure. An association with cystic fibrosis has been suggested. Histopathology is considered to be non specific. Objective  While reporting 12 new cases, we describe the microscopic findings in 7 of them and compare the histopathologic results of the ...

Failures of self-regulation are common, leading to many of the most vexing problems facing contemporary society, from overeating and obesity to impulsive sexual behavior and STDs. One reason that people may be prone to engaging in unwanted behaviors is heightened sensitivity to cues related to those behaviors; people may overeat ...

Sequential regioselective periodate-chlorite oxidation was employed as a new and efficient pretreatment to enhance the nanofibrillation of hardwood cellulose pulp through homogenization. The oxidized celluloses with carboxyl contents ranging from 0.38 to 1.75 mmol/g could nanofibrillate to highly viscous and transparent gels with yields of 100-85% without clogging the homogenizer ...

The secondary amphipathic peptide CADY forms stable positively charged nanoparticles with short interfering RNA (siRNA), which involves both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. CADY/siRNA self-assembling nanoparticles adopt a "raspberry"-like architecture cemented together by a matrix of free peptides. These nanoparticles are nontoxic and promote efficient delivery of siRNA in challenging primary ...

A facile and rapid synthesis of isocoumarin derivatives using a copper catalyzed tandem C-C / C-O coupling strategy from readily available substrates is described. The reactions of a wide range of 2-iodo-N-phenyl benzamides and acyclic diketones as starting materials were investigated.

An efficient and straightforward three-component synthetic protocol was developed to synthesize 1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyridine derivatives or thiochromeno[2,3-b]pyridine derivatives from beta-aroylthioacetanilides or beta-(2-haloaroyl)thioacetanilides, aldehydes, and aroyl acetonitriles via DABCO-catalyzed tandem [3 + 2 + 1] annulation and SNAr reaction. This synthetic approach has the prominent features of high chemo-, stereo- (or enantio-), and ...

Background: While radioiodine (RAI) therapy remains the most effective treatment modality for RAI avid distant metastatic follicular cell derived thyroid cancer, the therapeutic utility of empiric RAI therapy in patients with structurally identifiable distant metastases that demonstrate RAI avidity only on the post therapy scan (negative diagnostic scan (dxwbs)) remains ...

OBJECTIVE: Preeclampsia a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy that mainly manifests as high blood pressure and proteinuria. Angiotensinogen (AGT) plays important roles in the regulation of blood pressure. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between AGT M235T polymorphism and risk of preeclampsia using a meta-analysis. METHODS: In ...

The diversity of the mechanisms and factors causing or influencing degenerative diseases requires the tailor-made solutions. Natural polysaccharides are among the most versatile building units of the novel drug delivery systems. Their properties can be easily tailored to the specific needs because they depend not only on their first-order structure, ...

Mechanistic understanding of consumer-resource dynamics is critical to predicting the effects of global change on ecosystem structure, function and services. Such understanding is severely limited by mechanistic models' inability to reproduce the dynamics of multiple populations interacting in the field. We surpass this limitation here by extending general consumer-resource network ...

Systemic antibiotics are the group of drugs most commonly used in children. Off-label antibiotic use in children is still common in the community and in hospitals, mostly because of young age, dosage, or frequency of drug application. There is an important incentive gap that hinders paediatric drug development resulting from ...

Background. Secondary skin infection with Staphylococcus aureus is a significant problem in atopic dermatitis (AD) patients. Objective. This study evaluated antimicrobial resistance patterns of S aureus isolates from skin lesions in AD patients and empiric antimicrobial prescribing patterns. Methods. Resistance patterns from positive skin cultures obtained from AD patients in ...

Formaldehyde-a rapid and reversible inhibitor of hydrogen evolution by [FeFe]-hydrogenases-binds with a strong potential dependence that is almost complementary to that of CO. Whereas exogenous CO binds tightly to the oxidized state known as H(ox) but very weakly to a state two electrons more reduced, formaldehyde interacts most strongly with ...

Background  Primary cutaneous B-cell lymphomas (PCBCL) are subdivided into the aggressive form primary cutaneous diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, leg type (PCLBCL, LT) and two subtypes of indolent behavior (primary cutaneous follicle center lymphoma, primary cutaneous marginal zone B-cell lymphoma). The difference in clinical behavior can be explained by the tumor ...

A potential application of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is the generation of retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common but incurable retinal disease. RPE cells derived from hESCs (hESC-RPEs) and iPSCs (iPSC-RPEs) express essential RPE markers and can ...

We have demonstrated the presence of magneto-chiral dichroism (MChD) of chiral J-aggregates of zinc chlorins. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first observation of MChD in artificial light-harvesting antennas.

HCPro, the RNA silencing suppressor (RSS) of viruses belonging to the Potyvirus genus in the Potyviridae family, is a multifunctional protein presumably involved in all essential steps of the viral infection cycle. Recent studies have shown that Plum pox potyvirus (PPV) HCPro can be successfully replaced by Cucumber vein yellowing ...

Ten new isoprenylated flavonol derivatives, dodoviscins A-J (1-10), and seven known compounds (11-17) were isolated from the aerial parts of Dodonaea viscosa. Compounds 1, 2, 4, 5, 7-9, 5,7,4'-trihydroxy-3',5'-bis(3-methyl-2-buten-1-yl)-3-methoxyflavone (11), 5,7,4'-trihydroxy-3',5'-bis(3-methyl-2-buten-1-yl)-3,6-dimethoxyflavone (12), 5,7,4'-trihydroxy-3'-(4-hydroxy-3-methylbutyl)-5'-(3-methyl-2-buten-1-yl)-3,6-dimethyoxyflavone (13), sakuranetin (14), and blumeatin (15) promoted adipocyte differentiation as characterized by increased triglyceride levels in 3T3L1 ...

ABSTRACT: In the Methods section of our original manuscript [J.R.Beach et al. BMC.Cell Biol. 12, (2011) 52] under the subheading "Creation of RLC mutants" the third sentence reads "MRLC2 cDNA (gene MYL12B; gene ID 103910) was purchased from ATCC". This sentence is incorrect. The manuscript should read "MRLC1 cDNA (gene ...

This study compared body image concerns among adolescents from different geographic locations in Brazil, and the influence of sex and nutritional status. Seven hundred eighty-eight adolescents completed the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and had their weight and height measured. There were significant cross-regional differences in BSQ scores. Also, body image ...

Background: DDT's (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) association with breast cancer is controversial, but animal studies directly linking DDT to risk are lacking. Concerns with DDT reside in its environmental persistence, bioaccumulation in breast adipose tissue, and endocrine disrupting actions. Although most attention has been focused on estrogenic congeners, our study tested the cancer-inducing ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Recent studies have confirmed the presence of viable Chlamydia in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid of pediatric patients with airway hyperresponsiveness. While specific IgG and IgM responses to C. pneumoniae are well described, the response and potential contribution of Ag-specific IgE are not known. The current study sought ...

Abstract The last 10 years witnessed a considerable increase in our knowledge of brain function in survivors to severe brain injuries with disorders of consciousness (DOC). At the same time, a growing interest developed for the use of functional neuroimaging as a new diagnostic tool in these patients. In this ...

Aims  To propose a universal workflow of sample preparation method for identification of highly pathogenic bacteria by MALDI-TOF MS. Methods and Results  Fifteen bacterial species, including highly virulent Gram-positive (Bacillus anthracis, Clostridium botulinum) and Gram-negative bacteria (Brucella melitensis, Burkholderia mallei, Francisella tularensis, Shigella dysenteriae, Vibrio cholerae, Yersinia pestis and Legionella ...

Blood doping, through the increase of red cells, induces changes of hematological parameters. The aim of the Biological Passport is first to analyse individual longitudinal profiles in order to identify, through variations of the specific parameters, doping manipulations. Additionally, on the basis of abnormal values or profiles, athletes can be ...

The biology and the genetics of Hürthle cell tumors are reviewed starting from the characterization and differential diagnosis of the numerous benign and malignant, neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions of the thyroid in which Hürthle cell transformation is frequently observed. The clinico-pathologic and molecular evidence obtained from the comparative study of ...

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to compare the epidemiology, risk factors, severity and outcome of two types of intensive care unit (ICU) treated candidemias; namely, ICU-acquired candidemia (acquired after 48-hour ICU stay) ( ICUAC group), and those needing ICU treatment for candidemia acquired before ICU admission or ...

Objective: Interaction of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) with their receptors (RAGE) plays an important role in inflammation in auto-immune diseases. Several functional polymorphisms of RAGE have been described. In this study we analysed the role of RAGE polymorphisms in disease susceptibility for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In addition, we ...

The objectives of present work was to design and characterize the rabeprazole sodium loaded microcapsules prepared by solvent evaporation technique using ethyl cellulose (EC) based various mucoadhesive polymer, followed by a triple coating with Eudragit L100. The Box-behnken design (BBD) was applied for optimization of formulations containing EC, HPMCK100M and ...

Whether exotic species invade new habitats successfully depends on (i) a change in the invaded habitat that makes it suitable for the invader and (ii) a genetic change in the invading taxon that enhances its fitness in the new habitat, or both. We dissect the causes of invasions of Swiss ...

The aim of the present study was to characterize the function of resistance arteries, and the aorta, in rats with adenine-induced chronic renal failure (A-CRF). Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to chow with or without adenine supplementation. After 6-10 weeks mesenteric arteries and thoracic aortas were analyzed ex-vivo by wire myography. ...

Making single-walled carbon nanotubes soluble in water is a challenging first step to use their remarkable electronic and optical properties in a variety of applications. We report that acyclic cucurbit[n]uril molecular containers 1 and 2 selectively solubilize small diameter and low chiral angle SWNTs. The selectivity is tunable by increasing ...

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) cause 1.8 million premature (<75 years) death annually in Europe. The majority of these deaths are preventable with the most efficient and cost-effective approach being on the population level. The aim of this position paper is to assist authorities in selecting the most adequate management strategies ...

Background  Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune blistering disorder with a complex etiology involving genetic and environmental factors, most of which remain unknown. It has become more and more evident that aberrant epigenetic modifications are associated with the occurrence and development of autoimmune skin disorders. However, whether epigenetic modifications play ...

Abstract We asessed the diagnostic performance of interim FDG-PET with regard to the final outcome of adult patients, with newly diagnosed Hodgkin Lymphoma(HL). The predefined outcome was treatment failures at the end of follow-up. Bivariate metanalysis of diagnostic data was used to calculate the combined(pooled) estimates. Demographics, quality data and ...

The subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (Cg25) has been reported to be a node of mood-regulatory networks. Using a responder and a non-responder of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for depression, we examined pre/post-treatment cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the Cg25 and treatment-related CBF changes in cortical/subcortical regions. In the responder, ...

Cell fate specification in development requires transcription factors for proper regulation of gene expression. In Arabidopsis, transcription factors encoded by four classes of homeotic genes, A, B, C and E, act in a combinatorial manner to control proper floral organ identity. The A-class gene APETALA2 (AP2) promotes sepal and petal ...

Hyperbranched polymers with multiple alkyl bromide peripheral groups were synthesized by the copolymerization of styrene with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (2.5, 5.0, 7.5, or 10.0 mol% relative to styrene) in the presence of CBr(4) (10-20-fold excess vs. the radical initiator). The latter compound markedly delayed the gelation and served as the ...

High-performance n-type organic single crystal transistors of a naphthalene diimide are demonstrated. The accomplished transistors exhibit electron mobility as high as 0.7 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1). The anisotropic charge transport in the elongated hexagonal crystals of the naphthalene diimide is also explored. The transport anisotropy along different directions is at least ...

Introduction.  The role of estrogens in male sexual function and the pathogenesis of testosterone deficiency remain controversial and poorly understood. Aims.  To review the distribution of estrogens in normal and testosterone deficient men, their potential role in sexual function, and the clinical implications of elevated estrogens during testosterone therapy. Methods.  ...

We report studies of charge injection and transport in ambipolar, predominantly n-type, and unipolar p-type single, strongly quantum confined PbSe nanowire (NW) field effect transistors (FETs). The PbSe NW FETs operate as Schottky barrier FETs in which the Fermi level is pinned near midgap, consistent with the low ionicity of ...

Objective  To evaluate and compare the effects of oral isosorbide and glycerol on intraocular pressure (IOP), serum osmolality (SOSM), and blood glucose (BG) in normal dogs. Methods  Ten normal dogs were administered an oral dose of either isosorbide (1.5 g/kg), glycerol (1.5 g/kg) or control (water, 2 mL/kg) in a double blind protocol. ...

Species range shifts in response to climate and land use change are commonly forecasted with species distribution models based on species occurrence or abundance data. Although appealing, these models ignore the genetic structure of species, and the fact that different populations might respond in different ways because of adaptation to ...

The unparalleled diversity of tropical ecosystems like the Amazon Basin has been traditionally explained using spatial models within the context of climatic and geological history. Yet, it is adaptive genetic diversity that defines how species evolve and interact within an ecosystem. Here, we combine genome scans, population genetics and sequence-based ...

Pycnidial fungi belonging to the genus Ampelomyces are common intracellular mycoparasites of powdery mildews worldwide. Some strains have already been developed as commercial biocontrol agents (BCAs) of Erysiphe necator and other powdery mildew species infecting important crops. One of the basic, and still debated, questions concerning the tritrophic relationships between ...

Aim.- Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is caused by spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks and is known to cause orthostatic headaches. Phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI) is a non-invasive technique that can be used to quantify variation in CSF flow. The aim of this study was to assess CSF flow dynamics ...

Spherical curcumin-incorporated chitin porous beads, with porosity exceeding 98%, were successfully fabricated by combining a coagulation method with freeze-drying. Tween 20 was used to enhance the solubility of curcumin in the chitin beads during the incorporation step. The internal pores and the outer non-porous shell structure of the chitin beads ...

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine whether there is a relationship between the lack of medication knowledge and the self-reported rates of patient medication adherence. METHODS: Patients eligible to participate in the study had been taking oral medication at least once daily over the course of a minimum of three ...

Triple-T trick! Traceless tosylhydrazone-based triazole formation is readily achieved by reacting primary amines with functional α,α-dichlorotosylhydrozones under ambient conditions. This fast and efficient alternative affords exclusively 1,4-substituted triazole "click products" with complete retention of configuration. Primary amines, inherent to many natural products, can be modified in this way without protecting ...