Although it is known that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a critical role in neuronal survival and differentiation, its effect on lipid homeostasis is poorly understood. To understand them, we here investigated the effect of BDNF on the fatty acid composition of primary neurons. A detailed analysis of the fatty ...

Spinal osteochondromas constitute a small percentage of all intraspinal tumours, and are a rare cause of neurological symptoms. We describe a patient with a vertebral artery occlusion secondary to an osteochondroma of the C1 vertebra presenting with symptoms of cerebral ischaemia. This case is reported because of its extreme rarity.

The effects of cold acclimation and long-term elevated CO(2) on photosynthetic performance of wild-type (WT) and BnCBF17-over-expressing line of Brassica napus cv. Westar (BnCBF17-OE) grown at either 20/16 °C (non-acclimated) or 5/5 °C (cold acclimated) and at either ambient (380 μmol C mol(-1)) or elevated (700 μmol C mol(-1)) CO(2) were studied. Compared with non-acclimated WT, the BnCBF17-OE ...

Scale-down of bioreactors is currently done based on matching one or more measurable parameters such as k(L) a, P/V, which could result in insufficient process comparability. Currently there is a lack of genomic translational studies in cell culture scale-down, which could help delineate measurable cellular attributes for improved scale-down. In ...

Identity-based conceptualizations of sexual orientation may not account adequately for variation in young women's sexuality. Sexual minorities fare worse in psychosocial markers of wellbeing (i.e., depressive symptoms, anxiety, self esteem, social support) than heterosexual youth; however, it remains unclear whether these health disparities exclusively affect individuals who adopt a sexual ...

BACKGROUND: Epsilon aminocaproic acid (EACA) has been used in the past to prevent cerebral aneurysm rerupture. Recent studies have indicated that short-term treatment with EACA can lower rebleeding rates without significantly increasing ischemic or thrombotic complications or permanent shunt rates. The goal of this study is to determine the efficacy ...

The default mode network (DMN) is a reliably elicited functional neural network with potential clinical implications. Its discriminant and prognostic utility following traumatic axonal injury (TAI) have not been previously investigated. The present study used three approaches to analyze DMN functional connectedness, including a whole-brain analysis [A1], network-specific analysis [A2], ...

Abstract Background and aims. To investigate the risk factors for primary surgery and postoperative recurrence in a cohort of Chinese Crohn's disease (CD) patients. Methods. Medical notes of consecutive diagnosed patients from 2003 until 2010 were reviewed. Fifty-seven postoperative patients - finished regular follow-up - were recruited for postoperative recurrence ...

This combined experimental (STM, XPS) and molecular dynamics simulation study highlights the complex and subtle interplay of solvent effects and surface interactions on the 2-D self-assembly pattern of a Schiff-base macrocycle containing catechol moieties at the liquid-solid interface. STM imaging reveals a hexagonal ordering of the macrocycles at the n-tetradecane/Au(111) ...

The ability to detect and quantify proteins of individual cells in high throughput is of enormous biological and clinical relevance. Most methods currently in use either require the measurement of large cell populations or are limited to the investigation of few cells at a time. In this report, we present ...

Sexual identity development is a central task of adolescence and young adulthood and can be especially challenging for sexual minority youth. Recent research has moved from a stage model of identity development in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth to examining identity in a non-linear, multidimensional manner. In addition, although ...

Four new myrsinol diterpenes, euphorbialoids K-N (1-4), have been isolated from the roots of Euphorbia prolifera. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive 1D and 2D NMR (COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY) and mass (ESI-MS and HR-ESI-MS) spectroscopic data analyses.

In response to the growing public health problem of drug overdose, community-based organizations have initiated overdose prevention programs (OPPs), which distribute naloxone, an opioid antagonist, and teach overdose response techniques. Injection drug users (IDUs) have been targeted for this intervention due to their high risk for drug overdose. Limited research ...

Mixed polymer micelles with hydrophobic polystyrene (PS) core and ionic amphiphilic poly(4-vinylpyridine)/poly(N-ethyl-4-vinylpyridinium bromide) corona (P4VP/PEVP) spontaneously self-assembled from mixtures of PS-b-PEVP and PS-b-P4VP macromolecules in dimethylformamide/methanol/water selective solvent. The fraction of PEVP units in corona was b = [PEVP]/([PEVP]+[P4VP]) = 0.05 - 1.0. Micelles were transferred into pure water via ...

The aim of this study was to detect cross infections by Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma spp. using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Thus, 408 blood samples were collected from dogs domiciled in Araçatuba Municipality, São Paulo State, Brazil; the dogs were ...

Mequindox is used as an antibiotic drug in livestock; however, its toxicity remains largely unclear. Previously, we investigated metabolic responses of mice to mequindox exposure. In order to evaluate dependences of animal species in response to mequindox insult, we present the metabolic consequences of mequindox exposure in a rat model, ...

The discovery of large amounts of D: -serine in the brain challenged the dogma that only L: -amino acids are relevant for eukaryotes. The levels of D: -serine in the brain are higher than many L: -amino acids and account for as much as one-third of L: -serine levels. Several ...

The p53-related protein p63 has pleiotropic functions, including cell proliferation, survival, apoptosis, differentiation, senescence, and aging. The p63 gene is expressed as multiple isoforms that either contain an N-terminal p53-homologous transactivation domain (TAp63) or that lack this domain (ΔNp63). Multiple studies have demonstrated that p63 plays a crucial role in ...

OBJECTIVE: A general method was developed to analyze and describe tree-like structures needed for evaluation of complex morphology, such as the cerebral vascular tree. Clinical application of the method in neurosurgery includes planning of the surgeon's intraoperative gestures. METHOD: We have developed a 3D skeletonization method adapted to tubular forms ...

The objective of the study is to elucidate the interplay between fibronectin-metal hybrid surfaces and osteoblast function. The practical relevance is that a significant initial step in the process of prosthetic integration within a physiological system is the rapid adsorption of proteins, including fibronectin, on the surface of biomedical device. ...

Basal metabolic rate (BMR) provides a widely accepted benchmark of metabolic expenditure for endotherms under laboratory and natural conditions. While most studies examining BMR have concentrated on inter-specific variation, relatively less attention has been paid to the determinants of within-species variation. Even fewer studies have analysed the determinants of within-species ...

The uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) is a mitochondrial protein that carries protons across the inner mitochondrial membrane. It has an important role in non-shivering thermogenesis, and recent evidence suggests its role in human adult metabolism. Using rapid solution exchange on solid supported membranes, we succeeded in measuring electrical currents generated ...

Adult stem cells are considered to be multipotent.Especially,human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) have the potential to differentiate into nerve type cells. Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are widely distributed in the environment, and recently there have been many reports on the biological effects of EMFs. hBM-MSCs are weak and sensitive ...

A highly enantio- and diastereoselective sulfa-Michael addition of thioacetic acid to α,β-disubstituted nitroalkenes catalysed by a chiral squaramide organocatalyst has been described. This organocatalytic reaction at an extremely low catalyst loading (0.2 mol%) furnished synthetically useful β-nitro sulfides in excellent yields with good diastereoselectivities and high enantioselectivities (up to 94 : 6 ...

Photosynthetic activity and temperature regulation of microalgal cultures (Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus obliquus) under different irradiances controlled by a solar tracker and different cell densities were studied in outdoor flat panel photobioreactors. An automated process control unit regulated light and temperature as well as pH value and nutrient concentration in ...

Objectives To assess sexual function in a clinical sample of Lithuanian postmenopausal women and identify the most important determinants of sexual function, including the use of hormone replacement therapy (HT), emotional status and menopausal symptoms. Methods Three hundred postmenopausal women who were referred to a gynecologist for a routine yearly ...

The (1) H, (13) C and (15) N spectra of aryl-substituted 1,3,4-thiadiazoles were recorded. The results obtained were correlated with Hammett coefficients. The experimental results were compared with DFT-calculated chemical shifts. The results obtained were compared with those for 1,3,4-oxadiazoles and 1,3,4-selenadiazoles. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The functional layer of the human endometrium is a highly regenerative tissue undergoing monthly cycles of growth, differentiation and shedding during a woman's reproductive years. Fluctuating levels of circulating estrogen and progesterone orchestrate this dramatic remodeling of human endometrium. The thin inactive endometrium of postmenopausal women which resembles the permanent ...

Lead chronic intoxication under hypoxic conditions revealed growth retardation in growing rats and damages on femoral and mandibular bones that predispose to fractures. These findings aimed us to investigate if bone material and geometric properties, bone mass in terms of histomorphometry or antioxidant capacity are also impaired in such experimental ...

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the factors that determine the retentiveness of copings made of cobalt-chromium (CoCr)-alloy or zirconia luted with permanent (solid-body like) and provisional (viscous, elastic-body-like) luting agents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We manufactured titanium implant analogs with four-, six-, and eight-taper degrees and copings of CoCr-alloy and zirconia and luted ...

The Australian sleepy lizard (Tiliqua rugosa) is a large day-active skink which occupies stable overlapping home ranges and maintains long-term monogamous relationships. Its behavioral ecology has been extensively studied, making the sleepy lizard an ideal model for investigation of the lizard visual system and its specializations, for which relatively little ...

Polypyrrole nanoparticles (PPy NPs) exhibit strong absorption in the near infrared (NIR) region. With an excellent photothermal efficiency of ∼45% at 808 nm, sub-100 nm PPy NPs are demonstrated to be a promising photothermal agent for in vivo cancer therapy using NIR irradiation.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to assess survival, prognostic indicators, and pattern of failure for advanced oropharyngeal cancer treated by induction chemotherapy followed by concomitant chemoradiation (sequential CRT). METHODS: A retrospective review of 80 consecutive patients who underwent chemoradiation [doublet cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (PF)] for local advanced oropharyngeal carcinoma at a ...

Two recent papers identify KRAS activation as a mechanism of acquired resistance to EGFR blockade in colorectal cancer. In doing so, they suggest that resistance to single-agent EGFR blockade will be unavoidable because these alterations exist as latent subclones within the tumor even prior to the initiation of therapy.

The classical twin study has been a powerful heuristic in biomedical, psychiatric and behavioural research for decades. Twin registries worldwide have collected biological material and longitudinal phenotypic data on tens of thousands of twins, providing a valuable resource for studying complex phenotypes and their underlying biology. In this Review, we ...

The Copaifera species (Leguminoseae) are popularly known as 'copaíba' or 'copaíva' and are grown in the states of Amazonas, Pará and Ceará in northern Brazil. The oleoresins obtained from these species have been extensively used owing to their pharmacological potential and their application in cosmetic and pharmaceutical preparations. In the ...

Fetal growth restriction is a serious, still poorly understood pregnancy-related pathology often associated with preeclampsia. Recent studies speculate on the role of human transthyretin, a carrier protein for thyroxin and retinol binding protein, in the etiology of both pregnancy pathologies. Objective was to investigate the localization and abundance of transthyretin ...

Cellular uptake of a protein microsphere was investigated in vitro. Fibroin microspheres with an average diameter of approximately 1 µm were prepared with Fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran for the fluorescent core. Tomography, performed using confocal laser scanning microscopy, confirmed microsphere uptake into the cytoplasmic area of 3T3 cells. Flow cytometry showed that cellular uptake ...

PURPOSE: Sindbis virus (SINV) infect tumor cells specifically and systemically throughout the body. Sindbis vectors are capable of expressing high levels of transduced suicide genes and thus efficiently produce enzymes for prodrug conversion in infected tumor cells. The ability to monitor suicide gene expression levels and viral load in patients, ...

Perihilar cholangiocarcinomas are defined anatomically as "tumors that are located in the extrahepatic biliary tree proximal to the origin of the cystic duct". However, as the boundary between the extrahepatic and intrahepatic bile ducts is not well defined, perihilar cholangiocarcinomas potentially include two types of tumors: one is the "extrahepatic" ...

How does the number of motor neurons in the brain correlate with the muscle mass to be controlled in the body? Numbers of motor neurons are known to be adjusted during development by cell death, but the change in the percentage of surviving motor neurons in response to experimental changes ...

BACKGROUND: Ex vivo expansion of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells has become a priority in the experimental hematology arena. In this study we have obtained different hematopoietic cell populations from umbilical cord blood and simultaneously assessed their proliferation and expansion kinetics. Our main goal was to determine which one of ...

PRRT2 is the gene recently associated with paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD), benign familial infantile epilepsy, and choreoathetosis infantile convulsions. We report four family members with PRRT2 mutations who had heterogeneous paroxysmal disorders. The index patient had transient infantile paroxysmal torticollis, then benign infantile epilepsy that responded to carbamazepine. The index ...

Sydenham's chorea is a cardinal feature of rheumatic fever. It is known by its dyskinesia and susceptibility to carditis, but associated psychiatric disorder is being recognised. This has included tics and obsessive compulsive disorder, but we report hallucinations in an indigenous girl, suffering her third bout of chorea.

Chinese wild grapevine Vitis pseudoreticulata accession 'Baihe-35-1' is identified as the precious resource with multiple resistances to pathogens. A directional cDNA library was constructed from the young leaves inoculated with Erysiphe necator. A total of 3,500 clones were sequenced, yielding 1,727 unigenes. Among them, 762 unigenes were annotated and classified ...

AGC kinases are important regulators of cell growth, metabolism, division, and survival in mammalian systems. Mutation or deregulation of members of this family of protein kinases contribute to the pathogenesis of many human diseases, including cancer and diabetes. Although AGC kinases are conserved in the plant kingdom, little is known ...

PURPOSE: The authors intended to test their hypothesis that a low blood selenium level is associated with higher mortality, morbidity, and increased inflammatory response following cardiac surgery. METHODS: A single-center clinical survey was conducted on 197 consecutive patients undergoing on-pump operation in Debrecen, Hungary. Blood samples for whole blood selenium ...

INTRODUCTION: Diagnosis of arterial ischemic stroke in pediatric patients is often delayed due to the uncertainty and variability of clinical symptoms. Early diagnosis of arterial ischemic stroke can bring a favorable prognosis with prompt thrombolytic therapy or stent insertion, via transfemoral cerebral arteriogram. Acute thrombolytic therapy is rarely attempted in ...

This paper will present and discuss our conclusions about the ethics of living donation for liver transplant (LDLT) after 8 year of collaboration between our clinical ethics consultation service and liver transplant teams, in the course of which we met with all donor-candidates. We will focus on the results of a ...

Here we describe the application of a recently developed high-resolution microcantilever biosensor resonating at the air-liquid interface for the continuous detection of antigen-antibody and enzyme-substrate interactions. The cantilever at the air-liquid interface demonstrated 50% higher quality factor and a 5.7-fold increase in signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) compared with one immersed in the ...