Introduction: Global protein expression profiling between healthy vs diseased states helps identifying differential expression and post-translational modifications of proteins, thereby providing better insights into the molecular changes of disease diagnosis and prognosis. In addition, analytical separation and identification of proteins from complex mixtures can provide insight into targeted drug therapy ...

Since 2008, West Nile Virus (WNV) has expanded its range in several Italian regions, and its yearly recurrence suggests the virus may have become endemic in some areas. In 2011, a new plan based also on the detection of IgM antibodies was implemented in the north-eastern Italian regions of Veneto ...

Manganese (Mn) is an essential element and it acts as a cofactor for a number of enzymatic reactions, including those involved in amino acid, lipid, protein, and carbohydrate metabolism. Excessive exposure to Mn can lead to poisoning, characterized by psychiatric disturbances and an extrapyramidal disorder. Mn-induced neuronal degeneration is associated ...

Recent research into the role of microRNA (miR) in the immune system has identified the miR-29 family as critical regulators of key processes in adaptive immunity. The miR-29 family consists of four members with shared regulatory capacity, namely miR-29a, miR-29b-1, miR-29b-2 and miR-29c. Being expressed in both T and B ...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess psychosocial changes at two particular moments: at cancer diagnosis and 2-4 weeks after having finished treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 67 cancer outpatients were assessed in this study. The inclusion/exclusion criteria were as follows: ambulatory cancer patients aged 18 years or ...

AIM: To determine the potential of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) soak-loaded on to an absorbable collagen sponge (ACS) to induce local bone formation compared with the clinical reference demineralized bone matrix (DBM) and to investigate potential additive/synergistic effects of exogenous parathyroid hormone (PTH). METHODS: Critical-size (8 mm), through-through calvaria ...

Introduction: Curcumin is a safe, affordable and natural bioactive molecule of turmeric (Curcuma longa). It has gained considerable attention in recent years for its multiple pharmacological activities. However, its optimum pharmaceutical potential has been limited by its lack of aqueous solubility and poor bioavailability. To mitigate the above limitations, recently ...

During everyday life, healthy adults occasionally trip over an obstacle that they knew was there. These 'spontaneous' trips can provide insight into the circumstances leading to trips and falls. The goal of this study was to describe the errors in foot placement and/or foot elevation that resulted in a spontaneous ...

Angiotensin II (ANG II)-induced inflammatory and oxidative stress responses contribute to the pathogenesis of hypertension. In this study, we determined whether renin-angiotensin system (RAS) activation in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) contributes to the ANG II-induced hypertensive response via interaction with neurotransmitters in the PVN. Rats underwent subcutaneous infusion of ...

OBJECTIVE: Serpins (serine protease inhibitors) are associated with protection against HIV infection. Here, we characterized mucosal serpin expression in the genital tract of HIV highly exposed sero-negative (HESN) women meeting our epidemiological definition of HIV resistance in relation to epidemiological variables. METHODS: Cervicovaginal lavage (CVL) fluid and plasma were collected ...

BACKGROUND: Rabbits have a longer inter-blink time (approximately 10 minutes) compared with humans (five to eight seconds), suggesting that rabbits have a much more stable tear film. Using fluorescein, the tear break-up time of rabbits has been reported to be similar to that of humans. This study set out to ...

The aim of this study was to retrospectively examine adrenal venous catecholamine concentrations and related indices in non-pheochromocytoma patients and to estimate from the obtained results whether measurements of adrenal venous catecholamine concentrations by adrenal venous sampling (AVS) are useful for localizing adrenal pheochromocytoma. The study population comprised 15 patients ...

Introduction: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by dysfunction in cognition, behavior, and physical functioning, and is associated with a chronic clinical course. There are barriers to successful treatment, which often result in early discontinuation and relapse. Adverse effects (AEs) remain the most commonly cited reason for discontinuation of treatment ...

Fungal development and secondary metabolism is intimately associated via activities of the fungi-specific velvet family proteins. Here we characterize the four velvet regulators in the opportunistic human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. The deletion of AfuvosA, AfuveA and AfuvelB causes hyper-active asexual development (conidiation) and precocious and elevated accumulation of AfubrlA during ...

Golgi phosphoprotein-3 (GOLPH3), an important protein in mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, is overexpressed in and correlates with the pathological grade of glioma. However, the potential correlation between GOLPH3 and clinical outcome in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) remains unknown. In this study, we examined GOLPH3 expression in GBM ...

Human N-myc downstream-regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) is a metastasis suppressor gene with several potential functions, including cell differentiation, cell cycle regulation and response to hormones, nickel and stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the immunoexpression of NDRG1 in oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas searching for its ...

The chondrocranium is a cartilaginous structure that forms around and protects the brain and sensory organs of the head. Through ontogeny, this skeletal structure may become more elaborate, remodeled and reabsorbed, and/or ossified. Though considerable attention has been given to the formation of the chondrocranium and a great amount of ...

PURPOSE: This review paper aimed to draw together the findings of qualitative research into the symptom experience of adult cancer patients in order to develop a better understanding of symptom experiences following cancer treatment. METHODS: Systematic review and meta-synthesis techniques were used to identify, appraise and synthesise the relevant literature. ...

The complex milieu of inflammatory mediators associated with many diseases is often too dilute to directly measure in the periphery, necessitating development of more sensitive measurements suitable for mechanistic studies, earlier diagnosis, guiding therapeutic decisions and monitoring interventions. We previously demonstrated that plasma samples from recent-onset type 1 diabetes (RO ...

Moment equations for the motion of trace amounts of charged particles through dilute gases are developed from the Boltzmann equation. A new method for truncating the coupled moment equations is used to develop differential equations governing the moments in successive approximations. The first approximation equations are shown to agree completely ...

Novel types of electro- and photoactive quantum dot-doped cholesteric materials have been engineered. UV-irradiation or electric field application allows one to control degree of circular polarization and intensity of fluorescence emission by prepared quantum dot-doped liquid crystal films.

BACKGROUND: The association between expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and the long-term outcomes in treated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) was studied. METHODS: Expression of COX-2, VEGF, and EGFR by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining was assessed in 128 patients with NPC. Overall survival (OS), ...

We show double smectic-like self-assemblies in the solid-state involving alternating layers of different polypeptide α-helices. We employed rod-coil poly(γ-benzyl L-glutamate)-block-poly(L-lysine) (PBLG-b-PLL) as the polymeric scaffold, where the PLL amino residues were ionically complexed to di-n-butyl phosphate (diC4P), di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (diC2/6P), di(2-octyldodecyl) phosphate (diC8/12P), or di-n-dodecyl phosphate (diC12P), forming PBLG-b-PLL(diC4P), PBLG-b-PLL(diC2/6P), ...

Salvia lachnostachys Benth., Lamiaceae, is a endemic species from southern Brazil. The essential oil of its leaves and flowers is mainly constituted by aliphatic compounds, such as dodecanoic acid, with sesquiterpenes as minor constituents. This work evaluated the morphology, anatomy, microchemistry, and phytochemistry of S. lachnostachys to provide advanced knowledge ...

BACKGROUND: The totally implantable venous access port (TIVAP) is an important device for patients receiving chemotherapy. We have reported, to our knowledge, the first case of a metastatic tumor over a TIVAP implanted via the Seldinger technique with a subclavian vein puncture. METHODS: Our patient, a 48-year-old man with hard ...

Phospholamban (PLN) is the endogenous inhibitor of the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA), the integral membrane enzyme responsible for 70 % of the removal of Ca(2+) from the cytosol, inducing cardiac muscle relaxation in humans. Dysfunctions in SERCA:PLN interactions have been implicated as having a critical role in cardiac disease, and targeting ...

In this work, the bioelectrocatalytical properties and kinetic characteristics of new oxidase amperometric biosensors based on two different ferrocene functionalized carbosilane polymers, polydiallylmethylsilane (PDAMS) and polymethyldiundecenylsilane (PMDUS) are described. In the development of these biodevices, glucose oxidase has been used as example of oxidase enzyme, and two different immobilization procedures ...

BACKGROUND: Postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) following bariatric surgery has not been well studied. The aim of this study is to identify factors associated with risk of AKI. METHODS: The medical records of adult patients who underwent bariatric surgery between March 1, 2005 and March 31, 2011 at the Mayo ...

Multiple myeloma (MM) represents the malignant proliferation of terminally differentiated B cells, which, in many cases, is associated with the maintenance of high levels of the oncoprotein c-MYC. Overexpression of the histone methyltransferase MMSET (WHSC1/NSD2), due to t(4;14) chromosomal translocation, promotes the proliferation of MM cells along with global changes ...

Introduction: Treatment of psychiatric and neurological diseases represents a substantial unmet medical need, but the development of novel, effective and safe drugs is proving difficult. While substantial improvement over existing pharmacological agents is expected from new molecular targets emerging in the genomic era, the validation and exploitation of novel mechanisms ...

The present case report refers to the percutaneous treatment of severe left main stem stenosis as a consequence of proliferative in-stent restenosis of left circumflex coronary with retrograde involvement. A reverse mini-crush technique with 2 stents was described. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in lymphocyte and neutrophil selected functions before and after a marathon race. Fifteen professional athletes were recruited, and the following parameters were measured: plasma concentrations of IL-1ra, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α and C-reactive protein (CRP); neutrophil phagocytic capacity; cytokine production ...

Introduction: Quinoxaline scaffold is included in a large number of therapeutic agents because of its physicochemical properties that make the difference between them and the carbono analogue, naphthalene. Areas covered: This review of patented products presents the quinoxaline heterocycle as part of the structural patent claims from a medicinal chemistry ...

This study investigated the role of adult islet-derived stem cells in repairing islet damage. Using intraperitoneal injection of cerulein, a rat model of acute pancreatitis was induced in an experimental group. The expression of the protein c-kit, a pancreatic stem cell marker, was observed using immunohistochemistry at set intervals following ...

The current study presents a finite element model of mitral leaflet tissue, which incorporates the anisotropic material response and approximates the layered structure. First, continuum mechanics and the theory of layered composites are used to develop an analytical representation of membrane stress in the leaflet material. This is done with ...

One new flavanocoumarin, flemicoumarin A (1) was isolated from the EtOAc-soluble partition of the root of Flemingia philippinensis, along with three known compounds, namely 4,2'-epoxy-4',5-dihydroxy-7,5'-dimethoxy-3-phenylcoumarin (2), kaempferol 6-C-glucoside (3) and dracocephaloside (4). The structure of compound 1 was elucidated on the basis of its 1D, 2D NMR, CD and MS ...

Passive air samplers (PAS) are cost-efficient tools suitable for spatial mapping of atmospheric concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The objective of this study was to use PAS to (i) determine atmospheric concentrations of selected POPs in Norwegian coastal zones with consumption advisories on seafood (N = 22), and (ii) ...

BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of quality data on the effects of chronic kidney disease in abdominal surgery. The aim of this study was to define the risk and outcome predictors of bowel resection in stage 5 chronic kidney disease using a large national clinical database. METHODS: The American College ...

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have a Janus quality as they look back whence they came in developing CKD and, in some cases, also look forwards to a potential kidney transplant with the attendant promise of improvement in quality and often quantity of life. Making the most of this ...

OBJECTIVE: To identify clinical and electrical factors predicting delayed high degree atrio-ventricular block (AVB) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). BACKGROUND: TAVI is a new technique for treating severe aortic valve stenosis in patients at high surgical risk but can be followed by high grade AVB requiring permanent pacing. METHODS ...

NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is a cytosolic flavoprotein that catalyzes the two-electron reduction of quinoid compounds into hydroquinones, thus protecting cells from oxidative damage. A single base substitution (C→T) polymorphism at 609 in the NQO1 gene reduces quinone reductase activity. Thus, the lack of enzymatic activity in the homozygous C609T ...

Urine is one of the diagnostically important bio fluids, as it has different metabolites in it, where many of them are native fluorophores. Native fluorescence characteristics of human urine samples were studied using excitation-emission matrices (EEMs) over a range of excitation and emission wavelengths, and emission spectra at 405 nm ...

Primary extramedullary plasmacytomas of the eyelid are rare with only five other cases reported in the literature. A 43-year-old Chinese man presented with painless swelling of the left lower eyelid that developed over the past two years. An incisional biopsy and histopathological analysis of the lesion revealed a primary extramedullary ...

PURPOSE: To compare Hong's grading method with anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT), gonioscopy, and the dark-room prone-position test (DRPT) for evaluating anterior chamber width. METHODS: The anterior chamber angle was graded using Hong's grading method, and Hong's angle width was calculated from the arctangent of Hong's grades. The correlation ...

Active reactions of embryonic tissues to mechanical forces play an important role in morphogenesis. To study these reactions, experimental models that enable to evaluate the applied forces and the deformations of the tissues are required. A model based upon the active intrusion of a living early gastrula Xenopus embryo into ...

A novel strategy for the synthesis of fully conjugated donor-acceptor block copolymers, in a single reaction step employing Stille coupling polymerization of end-functional polythiophene and AA + BB monomers, is presented. The unique donor-acceptor structure of these block copolymers provides a rich self-assembly behavior, with the first example of a ...

It is well known that biological systems respond to chemical signals as well as physical stimuli. The workhorses of high throughput screening, microplates and pipetting robots, are well suited for screening chemical stimuli; however, there are fewer options for screening physical stimuli, particularly those which involve temporal patterns. This paper ...

Abstract Introduction. Previous studies have shown that a single sub-anesthetic dose of ketamine exerts fast-acting antidepressant effects in patients and in animal models of depression. However, the underlying mechanisms are not totally understood. This study aims to investigate the effects of acute administration of different doses of ketamine on the ...

OBJECTIVE: To examine socio-economic inequalities in malnutrition among Colombian children and adolescents, and to assess the contribution of individual-, household- and community-level factors to those inequalities. DESIGN: Cross-sectional data were used from two sources: 2005 Colombian Demographic and Health Survey and 2005 Colombian census. Malnutrition outcomes included stunting and overweight. ...

Background  Actigraphy, which uses accelerometers to record movement, has been proposed as an objective method of itch assessment in eczema. Previous studies have found strong correlations with actigraphy and video surveillance, disease severity and biological markers in patients with eczema. Objectives  To assess the validity of accelerometer data, its responsiveness ...