We describe a computational method that infers tumor purity and malignant cell ploidy directly from analysis of somatic DNA alterations. The method, named ABSOLUTE, can detect subclonal heterogeneity and somatic homozygosity, and it can calculate statistical sensitivity for detection of specific aberrations. We used ABSOLUTE to analyze exome sequencing data ...

To obtain experiential data regarding African American older adult survivors' perceptions of and recommendations on the role of community health workers (CHWs) in providing a cancer navigation intervention. Focus groups. Rural Virginia and urban Maryland. 48 African American solid-tumor cancer survivors, aged 65 years or older, with Medicare insurance. Analysis ...

We investigate the stability and thermal motion of optically trapped nanowires, with aspect ratios in the range 10-100. A simple analytical model is used to determine qualitative features of the system, assuming that the nanowire is weakly scattering and the incident beam is paraxial. As expected, the model predicts that ...

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? The interaction between the TRPV1 and NGF systems has been addressed only in the context of acute somatic pain. The present study expands this view and indicates that this interaction remains operative and is important as a mechanism for ...

Aim:To investigate the role of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway in the invasion and metastasis of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods:Eighty six HCC tissues samples and HCC cell line Bel-7402 were examined. The protein expression of sonic hedgehog (Shh), nuclear glioma-associated oncogene-1 (Gli1), MMP-9 and p-ERK1/2 in HCC was analyzed using immunohistochemistry ...

Study Type - Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4 What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? With the increased use of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) and robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP), a growing number of publications have sought to compare these more advanced techniques to retropubic RP ...

The water-soluble poly(methyl vinyl ether-co-maleic anhydride) copolymer-bovine serum albumin bioconjugates were synthesized in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimetilamino-propyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride as cross-linking agents via microwave-assisted and conventional methods and characterized by size-exclusion chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. According to size-exclusion chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography results, the bioconjugates synthesized in the ...

This work designs a new strategy for the direct synthesis of different zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures at low temperatures. Micelles of dodecylamine (DDA) assembled in an ethanol-water system have been explored as a template to direct the growth of the ZnO nanostructures. The key species for the formation of the ...

A family of water/oil interfaces is introduced to provide effective platforms for rapid fabrication of large-area self-assembled nanofilms composed of various nanosized building blocks, including nanoparticles (NPs), nanocubes (NC), nanowires (NWs), and nanosheets, at room temperature. As a general interfacial assembly method, NWs and NPs are co-assembled at the liquid/liquid ...

Proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC) within bone marrow (BM) niches are regulated by adhesion molecules and cytokines produced by mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (MPC) and osteoblasts (OB). HSPCs that egresses to peripheral blood are widely used for transplant and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is used clinically to induce ...

High-quality InP/ZnS core-shell nanocrystals with luminescence tunable over the entire visible spectrum have been achieved by a facile one-pot solvothermal method. These nanocrystals exhibit high quantum yields (above 60%), wide emission spectrum tunability and excellent photostability. The FWHM can be as narrow as 38 nm, which is close to that ...

In this study, a novel amperometric glucose biosensor was developed by immobilizing glucose oxidase (GOX) by cross-linking via glutaraldehyde on electrochemically polymerized polypyrrole-poly(vinyl sulphonate) (PPy-PVS) films on the surface of a platinum (Pt) electrode. Electropolymerization of pyrrole and poly(vinyl sulphonate) on the Pt surface was carried out with an electrochemical ...

Defensive toxins are widely used by animals, plants and micro-organisms to deter natural enemies. An important characteristic of such defences is diversity both in the quantity of toxins and the profile of specific defensive chemicals present. Here we evaluate evolutionary and ecological explanations for the persistence of toxin diversity within ...

We report on a fast, sensitive, label-free, and general dye-sensor platform for synthetic organic dyes detection by competitive adsorption on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) against a fluorescent dye (FD). Fluorescein (Fl) as fluorescence indicator and a cationic dye methylene blue (MB) as model analyte were employed to investigate the analytical ...

High dietary Na(+) is associated with an impaired function of the vascular endothelium. The underlying mechanisms, however, are not completely understood. We investigated whether endothelial hyperpolarization induced by acetylcholine exhibits abnormalities in Wistar rats fed a high Na(+) diet (HSD) for one month, and, if so, whether chronic treatment with ...

Aim:  Menopause is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disorders, which are accompanied by oxidative stress. Our study was undertaken to determine whether oxidative stress in menopausal women could be reduced after six months of oral or transdermal hormonal therapy. Material and Methods:  Carbonyl groups of proteins in blood ...

Objectives. The aim of this study is to define the kinetics of the pulmonary inflammatory response in cockroach allergen (CRA) sensitized and challenged outbred mice. Methods. Asthma-like pulmonary inflammation was induced with three pulmonary exposures to CRA, without the use of adjuvants. Mice were sacrificed at multiple time points and ...

The structural and dynamical aspects of alkylammonium salts of a silicodecatungstate [(CH(3))(4)N](4)[γ-SiW(10)O(34)(H(2)O)(2)] [], [(n-C(3)H(7))(4)N](4)[γ-SiW(10)O(34)(H(2)O)(2)] [], [(n-C(4)H(9))(4)N](4)[γ-SiW(10)O(34)(H(2)O)(2)] [], and [(n-C(5)H(11))(4)N](4)[γ-SiW(10)O(34)(H(2)O)(2)] [] were investigated. The results of sorption isotherms, XRD analyses, and solid-state NMR spectroscopy show that facile sorption of solvent molecules, flexibility of structures, and high mobility of alkylammonium cations are ...

A simple, rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) assay method has been developed and validated for simultaneous quantification of sitagliptin and simvastatin in human plasma. Carbamazepine was used as an internal standard (IS). The analytes and IS were extracted from the human plasma by liquid-liquid extraction technique. The ...

To examine the effects of flavokawain B (FKB), a novel kava chalcone, on the growth of uterine leiomyosarcoma (LMS) cells and investigated its utility in the treatment of uterine LMS. Uterine leiomyosarcoma (SK-LMS-1), endometrial adenocarcinoma (ECC-1) and the non-malignant, human endometrium fibroblast-like (T-HESC) cell lines were cultured and treated with ...

A new class of chiral sulfoxide-Schiff base ligands has been developed by the rational combination of two privileged chiral backbones. These sulfoxide-Schiff base ligands were found to be highly efficient for Cu-catalyzed asymmetric Henry reactions (up to 98% yield and 96% ee).

Aim:To investigate the effects of nitric oxide (NO) donors on the function and expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in Caco-2 cells.Methods:Caco-2 cells were exposed to NO donors for designated times. P-gp function and expression were assessed using Rhodamine123 uptake assay and Western blotting, respectively. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (iROS) and intracellular ...

We performed a randomised trial comparing the CEL-100 videolaryngoscope(TM) with the Macintosh laryngoscope blade in 170 patients undergoing double-lumen tube placement for thoracic surgery. Compared with the Macintosh laryngoscope blade, use of the CEL-100 resulted in significantly more patients with a Cormack and Lehane Grade-1 laryngeal view (90.4% vs 61.0%, ...

Alcohol misuse is a prevalent problem in New Zealand society, and one that exacts a considerable cost in terms of health, social cohesion, and economic productivity. Despite the burden of alcohol misuse, screening, brief assessment, and interventions for alcohol problems are frequently poorly performed within general health services. In this ...

Mixtures of gold-platinum nanoparticles (Au-PtNPs) are fabricated consecutively on a multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) coated glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by the electrodeposition method. The surface morphology and nature of the hybrid film (Au-PtNPs/MWCNT) deposited on glassy carbon electrodes is characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), ...

Abstract Currently, a lack of sufficient tools has limited the understanding of the relationship between neuropsychiatric disorders and the nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) peptide (NOP) receptor. Herein, we describe the discovery and development of an antagonist NOP receptor occupancy (RO) tracer and a novel positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand suitable to ...

Background: Among the novel classes of synthetic "designer" drugs that have become increasingly popular among recreational drug users are synthetic cathinones. There is limited information on exposures to these substances. Objective: The objective of this investigation was to describe the pattern of synthetic cathinone exposures reported to a statewide poison ...

Abstract OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the distribution of scavenger receptor for hemoglobin positive (CD163(+)) cells in the placenta and fetal membranes from pregnancies complicated by preterm prelabor rupture of membranes with respect to the presence and absence of histological chorioamnionitis. METHODS: Sixty-two women with singleton pregnancies with a gestational ...

Phospholipids (PLs) in 57 varieties of soybeans were profiled by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry and principal component analysis (PCA) to discriminate PL-rich soybeans. The PL calibration curves showed linearity with correlation coefficients >0.9964. The recoveries at 5 mg/L spiked level ranged from 72.8 to 86.7% and those at ...

BACKGROUND: This study examined whether changes in self-efficacy explain the effects of a mailed print intervention on long-term dietary practices of breast and prostate cancer survivors. The relationship between change in self-efficacy and long-term physical activity (PA) also was examined. METHODS: Breast and prostate cancer survivors (N = 543) from 39 US ...

Graphene-based nanocomposites have proven to be very promising materials for gas sensing applications. In this paper, we present a general approach for the preparation of graphene-WO(3) nanocomposites. Graphene-WO(3) nanocomposite thin-layer sensors were prepared by drop coating the dispersed solution onto the alumina substrate. These nanocomposites were used for the detection ...

A biocompatible moist system was developed for effective and complete wound healing. Optimized PLGA microspheres of gentamicin (GM) and serratiopeptidase (STP) were incorporated into PVA-gelatin slurry and casted into films to prepare multiphase hydrogel. The prepared system was characterized by in vitro and in vivo studies. Results revealed the uniform ...

The synthesis and operation of a light-operated nanovalve that controls the pore openings of mesoporous silica nanoparticles containing gold nanoparticle cores is described. The nanoparticles, consisting of 20 nm gold cores inside ~150 nm mesoporous silica spheres, were synthesized using a unique one-pot method. The nanovalves consist of cucurbit[6]uril rings ...

We report a cost effective and facile way to synthesize flexible, uniform, and large area surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates using an oblique angle deposition (OAD) technique. The flexible SERS substrates consist of 1 μm long, tilted silver nanocolumnar films deposited on flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) ...

Aim  To quantify how much exenatide added to metformin improves β-cell function, and to evaluate the impact on glycaemic control, insulin resistance and inflammation compared with metformin alone. Methods  A total of 174 patients with Type 2 diabetes with poor glycaemic control were instructed to take metformin for 8 ± 2 months, then ...

Flos Chrysanthemi (Gongju), a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anti-hypercholesterolemia properties. Its pharmacological properties are closely related to its antioxidant activity, yet its antioxidant material basis of activity is not well understood. This report describes a method developed to detect and rapidly isolate the antioxidant(s) ...

The surface layer of a direct ionic micelle with explicit solvent was simulated by the molecular dynamics method. Local properties of the system were calculated in the spherical micellar cell. The results for the local electric potential show that the contribution of a polar solvent makes the potential short-ranged, in ...

The coupled transport of heat and electrical current, or thermoelectric phenomena, can strongly influence the temperature distribution and figures of merit for phase-change memory (PCM). This paper simulates PCM devices with careful attention to thermoelectric transport and the resulting impact on programming current during the reset operation. The electrothermal simulations ...

Objective. To investigate the efficacy and safety of aripiprazole in Asian patients with manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder. Methods. Subjects were randomised to aripiprazole (24 mg/day; reduced to 12 mg/day if needed for tolerability; n = 128) or placebo (n = 130) for 3 weeks in ...

Aims  To investigate the association between glycaemic control and patient socio-demographics, activation level, diabetes-related distress, assessment of care, knowledge of target HbA(1c) , and self-management behaviours, and to determine to what extent these factors explain the variance in HbA(1c) in a large Danish population of patients with Type 2 diabetes. ...

OBJECTIVE: To analyze hard tissue reactions to immediate functionally loaded single implants that were installed either with a conventional drill preparation procedure or with an osteotome preparation technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen subjects with two sites requiring single tooth rehabilitation by means of implants volunteered for the study. Each subject ...

Study Type - Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4 What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Approximately 200 cases of persistent Müllerian duct syndrome have been reported over the last 50 years and most authors suggest leaving the Müllerian remnant in situ because of the difficulty ...

Study Type - Diagnostic (validating cohort) Level of Evidence 2a What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Previously, it has been reported that PSA may not perform as accurately as PSA density (PSAD) in predicting outcomes after radical prostatectomy among patients with Gleason score 6 prostate cancer. ...

Cost-effectiveness analysis is well established for pharmaceuticals and medical technologies but not for evaluating variations in clinical practice. This paper describes a novel methodology-risk adjusted cost-effectiveness (RAC-E)-that facilitates the comparative evaluation of applied clinical practice processes. In this application, risk adjustment is undertaken with a multivariate matching algorithm that balances ...

The absolute configuration and solution-state conformers of three peperomin-type secolignans isolated from Peperomia blanda (Piperaceae) are unambiguously determined by using vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopy associated with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Advantages of VCD over the electronic form of CD for the analysis of diastereomers are also discussed. This ...

Aim:  To investigate the cytotoxicity of three flowable resin composites that potentially useful as retrograde filling materials, compared with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA). Methods:  Ten standard cylinder discs were used for each of the tested materials: Tetric Flow, Filtex Flow, Aeliteflo, and MTA, which were prepared under aseptic conditions. Cytotoxicity ...

The combined effect of high solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and nutrient supply in a phytoplankton community of a high mountain lake is analyzed in a in situ experiment for 6 days with 2 × 2 factorial design. Interactive UVR × nutrient effects on structural and functional variables (algal biomass, chlorophyll ...

Reversible electro-optical switching is achieved in a facile manner by dispersing a small amount of ZnS nanoparticles into blue phase I (BPI). The hysteresis is so small that it can be considered as hysteresis-free at a 0.5-0.7 wt% doping level, and the on-state voltage is much lower than that of ...

A smart mesoporous silica nanocarrier with intracellular controlled release is fabricated, with folic acid as dual-functional targeting and capping agent. The folate not only improves the efficiency of the nanocarrier internalized by the cancer cells, but also blocks the pores of the mesoporous silica to eliminate premature leakage of the ...

We describe the construction of an aptazyme-based molecular device that converts, through a cascade of reactions, a small-molecule input into output RNA strands. This device is applicable as an interface between a small molecule and a molecular system that accepts only nucleic acid input.