Light-chain (AL) amyloidosis has the worst prognosis out of the different forms of cardiac amyloidosis, However, data are not available about the incidence of the disease-related psychological impact of AL amyloidosis in this population. In particular, no data are available about the impact of diagnosis communication or about the impact ...

To evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and dose-limiting toxicities of a single intravitreal (IVT) injection of PF-04523655, a 19-nucleotide, O-methyl stabilized, double-stranded small interfering ribonucleic acid targeting the RTP801 gene in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Prospective, phase 1, clinical multicentre trial, enrolled 27 patients with neovascular AMD ...

Crystal structure analyses for biological macromolecules without known structural relatives entail solving the crystallographic phase problem. Typical de novo phase evaluations depend on incorporating heavier atoms than those found natively; most commonly, multi- or single-wavelength anomalous diffraction (MAD or SAD) experiments exploit selenomethionyl proteins. Here, we realize routine structure determination ...

Aims and objectives.  The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of a structured educational programme on the patient-controlled analgesia device in terms of postoperative pain, dose of analgesics used, adverse reactions, patient knowledge and attitudes of patient-controlled analgesia and patient satisfaction with postoperative pain management among gynaecological ...

The spontaneous spreading of non-volatile liquid droplets on solid substrates poses a classic problem in the context of wetting phenomena. It is well known that the spreading of a macroscopic droplet is in many cases accompanied by a thin film of macroscopic lateral extent, the so-called precursor film, which emanates ...

Background aims. Acute cardiac injury results in the activation and recruitment of resident and non-cardiac stem cells. In this study we sought to define the pattern of peripheral stem cells and resident cardiac stem cell (CSC) activation induced acutely by cardiac pressure overload (PO). Methods. PO was induced in mice ...

The influence of massive crude oil contamination on the microbial population of coastal sediments was investigated in the Cíes Islands 18 and 53 months after the tanker Prestige sank off the NW coast of Spain. Communities were studied by means of culturable and non-culturable methods at three horizons in the ...

3-M syndrome is an autosomal recessive primordial growth disorder characterised by small birth size and post-natal growth restriction associated with a spectrum of minor anomalies (including a triangular shaped face, flat cheeks, full lips, short chest, and prominent fleshy heels). Unlike many other primordial short stature syndromes, intelligence is normal ...

Re-expansion pulmonary edema (REPE) is a rare complication of treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax or large pleural effusions. As a complication of spontaneous pneumothorax treatment, only few cases are documented, and even fewer document the role of non-invasive continuous positive airway pressure mechanical ventilation for treatment of this rare entity. We ...

In this study, we employed TiO(2) enrichment and high accuracy liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry to identify the phosphoproteome of Clostridium acetobutyicum ATCC824 in acidogenesis and solventogenesis. As many as 82 phosphopeptides in 61 proteins, with 107 phosphorylated sites on serine, threonine, or tyrosine, were identified with high confidence. We detected ...

A new porous organic-inorganic hybrid tin phosphonate material has been synthesized hydrothermally, which shows a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of 723 m(2) g(-1) and it adsorbs 4.8 mmol g(-1) CO(2) at 273 K and 5 bar pressure. The material also shows remarkable catalytic activity in one-pot liquid phase oxidation of cyclohexanone ...

We report a strategy to expand the pore aperture of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) into a previously unattained size regime (>32 angstroms). Specifically, the systematic expansion of a well-known MOF structure, MOF-74, from its original link of one phenylene ring (I) to two, three, four, five, six, seven, nine, and eleven ...

Endochondral bone growth in young growing mammals or adult mammals with persistent growth plates progresses from proliferation, maturation and hypertrophy of growth plate chondrocytes to mineralization of cartilaginous matrix to form an osseous tissue. This complex process is tightly regulated by a number of factors with different impacts, such as ...

BACKGROUND: Hemifacial spasm usually results from compression of facial nerve by offending vessels. During microvascular decompression, offending vessels at pontomedullary sulcus are obscured by the lower cranial nerve roots, making exposure and surgery difficult. This study discusses the techniques for decompression of offending vessels in this area. METHODS: Of 213 ...

Excessive dietary intake of Na (i.e., NaCl) contributes to hypertension, which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Normally, NaOH and HCl are used to dissolve and precipitate, respectively, fish muscle proteins in isoelectric solubilization/precipitation (ISP); therefore contributing to increased Na content in the recovered fish protein isolates (FPI). ...

The dengue virus (DENV) belongs to the flavivirus family. Each of the four distinct serotypes of this virus is capable of causing human disease, especially in the tropical and subtropical areas. Majority of people infected with DENV manifest asymptomatic or dengue fever with flu-like self-limited symptoms. However, a small portion ...

We present a novel technology for the simultaneous and simple impedimetric screening of multiple microfluidic channels with only one electrode pair. We have exploited the frequency dimension to distinguish between up to three channels. Each 'sub-sensor' possesses its corresponding measurement frequency where the sample-specific dielectric properties can be probed. We ...

Improved knowledge of the HCV life cycle and of structural features of HCV proteins have led to the discovery of numerous potential targets for antiviral therapy. Viral replication and polyprotein processing have been tagged as promising viral targets. Clathrin-mediated endocytosis, fusion of HCV with cellular membranes, translation of viral RNA, ...

Introduction:Struma ovarii is a rare, monodermal, ovarian teratoma. The common presentation is abdominal, with pelvic mass and pain, traditionally managed by gynaecologists. The malignant form is extremely rare and consists of differentiated thyroid cancer. It is rare for struma ovarii to present with features of hyperthyroidism. We present two unusual ...

Complete (1) H, (13) C, and (125) Te NMR spectral data for some vinyl tellurides are described. The (1) H-(125) Te gHMBC experiment was used for the complete chemical shift assignment and structure elucidation of a mixture of regioisomers. The assignment ((125) Te NMR) and coupling constants (J(H,H) ) for ...

Since its isolation, the human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) has been proposed as a new class of therapeutic biological products in the treatment of various diseases. However, the toxicity of this cytokine towards its expression host constitutes a major obstacle to bioprocess development for large-scale production. In this work, the ...

In recent years, bismuth has been promoted as a "green element" and is used as a substitute for the toxic lead in ammunition and other applications. However, the bioavailability and toxicity of bismuth is still not very well described. Following a hunting accident with bismuth-containing shots, a bioavailability study of ...

Deficiencies of natural anticoagulant proteins including antithrombin (AT), protein C (PC) and protein S (PS) are important causes of inherited thrombophilia. This study aimed to report on the practical experience gained in performing genetic analyses of a large cohort of patients with AT, PC and PS deficiencies and to relate ...

Plants use day-length information to coordinate flowering time with the appropriate season to maximize reproduction. In Arabidopsis, the long day-specific expression of CONSTANS (CO) protein is crucial for flowering induction. Although light signaling regulates CO protein stability, the mechanism by which CO is stabilized in the long-day afternoon has remained ...

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are mainly intended for people unable to perform any muscular movement, such as patients in a complete locked-in state. The majority of BCIs interact visually with the user, either in the form of stimulation or biofeedback. However, visual BCIs challenge their ultimate use because they require the ...

In this study, an ultra-sensitive and highly selective, rapid flow-injection spectrophotometric method for the determination of iron (II) and total iron has been proposed. The method was based on the reaction between iron (II) and 2', 3, 4', 5, 7-pentahydroxyflavone in slightly acidic solution with a strong absorption at 415 nm. ...

Fumonisins are produced by the fungus Fusarium verticillioides, which are known to cause fatal diseases in some animals and humans. Here, we describe a sensitive, reproducible and reliable analytical method for the quantitative determination of fumonisins B(1) (FB(1)) and B(2) (FB(2)) in 112 spices and aromatic and medicinal herbs marketed ...

The purpose is to determine the accuracy of chest radiography for evaluating significantly abnormal pulmonary vascularity in children with congenital heart disease. This retrospective study included 120 children. Forty pediatric congenital heart disease patients with a ratio of pulmonary to systemic blood flow (Qp:Qs) lower than 0.8 by cardiac catheterization ...

Impaired glucose tolerant (IGT) adults are at elevated risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Exercise or metformin reduce CVD risk, but the efficacy of combining treatments is unclear. To determine the effects of exercise training plus metformin, compared to each treatment alone, on CVD risk factors in IGT adults. Subjects were ...

PURPOSE: Since 2009 the new FIGO Staging System of endometrial cancer, which changed the previous FIGO 1988 Staging System, has been in use. The aim of the study was to compare prognosis in patients with endometrioid endometrial cancer at stage IB of the 2009 FIGO Staging System and of the ...

Brachial artery aneurysm (BAA) following long-standing arteriovenous fistula ligation after renal transplantation is uncommon. Herein, we describe the case of a 64-year-old man who developed a giant symptomatic BAA 21 years after ligation of the fistula. He was submitted to surgical excision of the aneurysm followed by interposition prosthetic graft.

Camalexin (3-thiazol-2'-yl-indole) is the major phytoalexin found in Arabidopsis thaliana. Several key intermediates and corresponding enzymes have been identified in camalexin biosynthesis through mutant screening and biochemical experiments. Camalexin is formed when indole-3-acetonitrile (IAN) is catalyzed by the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase CYP71A13. Here, we demonstrate that the Arabidopsis GH3.5 protein, ...

A method for engineering thin (<100 nm) layers of homoepitaxial diamond containing high quality, spectrally stable, isolated nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centres is reported. The photoluminescence excitation linewidth of the engineered NVs are as low as 140 MHz, at temperatures below 12 K, while the spin properties are at a level suitable ...

To estimate the value of macular pigment optical density (MPOD) in adult south Indian population with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). A total of 33 patients with wet AMD and 29 age-matched controls >50 years of age underwent MPOD measurement with the macular densitometer. The patients were also tested for ...

Antifungal prophylaxis is increasingly used in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants who are at risk for severe fungal infections. Our objective was to assess the effectiveness of targeted fluconazole prophylaxis for high-risk VLBW infants. A retrospective cohort study with historical controls was performed. During the period 2007-2008, all high-risk ...

Abstract The high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome in sub-Saharan Africa has resulted in a dramatic increase in orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) over the past decade. These children typically rely on extended family networks for support, but the magnitude of the crisis has resulted in traditional ...

Cryptococcal-related immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) is frequently seen in immunocompromised patients. A 45-year-old man with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) received intensive antifungal treatment for pulmonary cryptococcosis. Despite negative pleural effusion cultures and declining serum cryptococcal antigen titers, the patient presented with progressive pulmonary infiltration, intermittent fever, and elevated ...

The objective of this investigation is to describe recent changes made in extracorporeal life support (ECLS) technology in the US Postal survey to directors and coordinators of all 125 US ECLS centers identified by Extracorporeal Life Support Organization as of November 2010, with follow-up of nonrespondents. Spearman coefficients were used ...

Adults with facial nerve paresis (FNP) generally develop ectropion, but a recent report of children with syndromatic FNPs implies that entropion may be more common in this setting than ectropion. This study evaluates eyelid position and other periorbital changes in children with isolated, non-syndromatic FNP. Charts were reviewed of 10 ...

The purpose of this study was to characterize the inorganic components and morphology of filler particles of conventional and self-adhesive, dual-curing, resin luting cements. The main components were identified by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy microanalysis (EDX), and filler particles were morphologically analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Four resin cements ...

The growth of colloidal nanocrystal architectures by nanoparticle attachment is frequently reported as an alternative to the conventional growth by monomer attachment. However, the mechanism whereby nanoparticle attachment proceeds microscopically remains unclear. We report real-time transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging of the solution growth of Pt(3)Fe nanorods from nanoparticle building ...

Pulmonary aspergilloma is a fungus ball developed in a pre-existing lung cavity, generally in the superior lobes. Its size remains stable in most cases and it is usually asymptomatic. Herein, we present a case of a 64-year-old male with pulmonary aspergilloma, which was developed in an emphysematous cyst of the ...

Surface sediments collected from the Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria, and three adjoining rivers were analysed for their physicochemical properties and pseudo-total concentration of the potentially toxic metals (PTM) Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn. The concentration of the PTM varied seasonally and spatially. Odo-Iyaalaro was observed to be the most polluted ...

OBJECTIVE: The study sought to compare the clinical performance of two more sensitive cardiac troponin (cTn) assays, a novel high-sensitivity (hs) troponin T assay and a contemporary cTnI assay. METHODS: We measured hs-cTnT (Roche TnThs) and cTnI (Siemens Centaur Ultra) on presentation in 1,384 patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome ...

The obligate intracellular bacterium Chlamydia has an unusual developmental cycle in which there is conversion between two forms that are specialized for either intracellular replication or propagation of the infection to a new host cell. Expression of late chlamydial genes is upregulated during conversion from the replicating to the infectious ...

Our previous studies revealed that ubiquitin and its decapeptide fragment with the LEDGRTLSDY sequence, located on the exposed molecule loop, strongly suppressed the immune response. This suggested that the loop may serve as a functional epitope of ubiquitin molecule and that a possible mechanism of biological action of the synthesized ...

Social behavioral abnormalities are commonly seen in the later stages of dementia. However, there has been only limited empirical study of social functioning in the earlier stages of the disease, or in individuals diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The aim of the present study was to test whether these ...

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of supplementation of DL: -methionine (DLM) and liquid DL: -methionine hydroxy analog free acid (MHA) in diets on productive performance, blood chemical, and hematological profiles in broiler chickens under tropical conditions. In all, 216 commercial male broiler chicks were used to compare ...

Most primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSLs) and primary vitreoretinal lymphomas (PVRLs) are B-cell lymphomas that produce high levels of interleukin (IL)-10, which is linked to rapid disease progression. The IL-10 (-1082) G → A polymorphism (IL-10 SNP) is associated with improved survival in certain non-CNS lymphoma patients. PDCD4 is a tumor suppressor ...

Consumption of pesticides associated foods increased in recent decades in Bangladesh. Most of the pesticides come from paddy, as rice is the main food items here and about 70 % pesticides are used only on paddy fields. Water samples of paddy fields and Kaliganga River of Manikganj district were analyzed to ...