Gene therapy is a field which offers hope and promise for treatment of diseases and traumas both of a genetic nature and otherwise. However, progress towards the clinic has been delayed due to concerns over the safety of viral vectors and the efficacy of safer non-viral systems, which have low ...

A series of univalent cation forms of zeolite Rho (M9.8Al9.8Si38.2O96, M = H, Li, Na, K, NH4, Cs) and ultrastabilised zeolite Rho (US-Rho) have been prepared. Their CO2 adsorption behaviour has been measured at 298 K and up to 1 bar, and related to the structures of the dehydrated forms ...

Development of scaffolds to load and deliver therapeutic molecules like growth factors greatly enhances tissue regenerative capacity. Here, we report the core-shell design of fibrous scaffolds made of alginate and α-tricalcium phosphate (Alg/α-TCP) for in situ protein loading and controllable delivery. Direct deposition of Alg/α-TCP solution through designed coconcentric nozzle ...

PURPOSE: In this first-in-human study of AEE788, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), HER-2, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFR-2), a comprehensive pharmacodynamic program was implemented in addition to the evaluation of safety, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary efficacy of AEE788 in cancer patients. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Patients with ...

Zooids of the asexual strain of Polyandrocarpa misakiensis have a lifespan of 4-5 months; before dying, they produce many buds, enabling continuation of the strain. This study was designed to investigate the nature of gene inactivation and reactivation during this continuous process of senescence and budding. During senescence, the zooidal ...

Two high-molecular-weight double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) of approximately 14 and 15 kbp were isolated from the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) cultivar Black Turtle Soup. These dsRNAs did not appear to cause obvious disease symptoms, and were transmitted through seeds at nearly 100% efficiency. Sequence information indicates that they are the genomes ...

OBJECTIVE: The use of sensory rooms (also known as comfort rooms) to reduce seclusion rates has generated a great deal of interest. This study examined the outcomes associated with the introduction of a sensory room in an acute inpatient psychiatric unit. METHOD: Consumers rated distress and staff rated a variety ...

BACKGROUND: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) gram-negative bacilli pose a serious and rapidly emerging threat to recipients of solid organ transplants (SOTs). However, extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), as one of the cardinal mechanisms of resistance to antimicrobial agents in SOT recipients, remain obscure. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of ...

Tropical fruit residues consisting of seeds, peels and residual pulp generated as by-products of fruit processing industry were investigated for bioactive compounds, the in vitro antioxidant capacity as well as alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase inhibitory activities. Cyanidin, quercetin, ellagic acid (EA) and proanthocyanidins were found in acerola, jambolan, pitanga and cajá-umbu ...

Many children are surviving prematurity and serious childhood illnesses due to advances in technology and medical care. As a result, more children are entering public school systems with complex health care needs and intellectual and developmental disabilities. School nurses are responsible for caring for these children; however, many nurses feel ...

Background: Surgical management of symptomatic benign thyroid nodules in patients with previous lobectomy poses a dilemma for physicians. Radiofrequency (RF) ablation may provide a treatment option that avoids surgery and preserves thyroid function. We evaluated whether RF ablation of benign thyroid nodules affects thyroid functions in patients with previous lobectomy. ...

We demonstrate series-integrated multijunction organic photovoltaics fabricated monolithically by vapor-deposition in a transposed subcell order with the near-infrared-absorbing subcell in front of the green-absorbing subcell. This transposed subcell order is enabled by the highly complementary absorption spectra of a near-infrared-absorbing visibly-transparent subcell and a visible-absorbing subcell and motivated by the ...

To assess the contributions of the vestibular system to whole-body motion discrimination in the dark, we measured direction recognition thresholds as a function of frequency for yaw rotation, superior-inferior translation ("z-translation"), interaural translation ("y-translation"), and roll tilt for 14 normal subjects and for 3 patients following total bilateral vestibular ablation. ...

A119 peptide (LSNIDYILIKAS), derived from the mouse laminin α1 chain sequence (1321--1332) promotes cell attachment, neurite outgrowth, and amyloid-like fibril formation. In this study, we evaluated the structural requirements of A119 for the biological activities and amyloid-like fibril formation. The cell attachment to A119 was inhibited by heparin and using ...

OBJECTIVE: This paper examines the notions that psychiatry can be greatly influenced by what society considers as 'normal', and that psychiatric thoughts and beliefs ebb and flow according to history and the social and cultural values of the time. CONCLUSIONS: As part of the medical profession, psychiatrists have much power ...

Background: Pregnancy in patients with kidney grafts is considered high-risk. Objectives: Determine perinatal complications in women with kidney transplants treated by our hospital and compare them with complications reported in national and international literature. Material and Method: We studied perinatal complications in 18 patients with renal transplantation who delivered 19 newborns ...

Linear and miktoarm star-shaped diblock copolymers consisting of single-stranded DNA and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) with various compositions were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization and click chemistry. The temperature-responsive phase transition behavior, micellization, was systematically examined using UV-vis spectrometry, high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic light scattering, and small-angle X-ray scattering. The ...

The link between root growth, H(2) O(2) , auxin signaling, and the cell cycle in cadmium (Cd)-stressed rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Zhonghua No. 11) was analyzed in this study. Exposure to Cd induced a significant accumulation of Cd, but caused a decrease in Zn content which resulted from the ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Severe TBI, defined as a Glasgow Coma Scale <= 8, increases intracranial pressure and activates the sympathetic nervous system. Sympathetic hyperactivity after TBI manifests as catecholamine excess, hypertension, abnormal heart rate variability, and agitation, and is associated with poor neuropsychological outcome. Propranolol and clonidine are centrally acting drugs ...

Chemotherapy products in hospitals include a reconstitution step of manufactured drugs providing an adapted dosage to each patient. The administration of highly iatrogenic drugs raises the question of patients' safety and treatment efficiency. In order to reduce administration errors due to faulty preparations, we introduced a new qualitative and quantitative ...

Abstract I summarize the early developments of the more quantitative aspects of exoplanet detection. After a brief overview of the observational methods currently applied to exoplanet searches and a summary of the first true exoplanet detections resulting from these various techniques, the more relevant historical background is organized according to ...

Here, we test the hypothesis that virulent malaria parasites are less susceptible to drug treatment than less virulent parasites. If true, drug treatment might promote the evolution of more virulent parasites (defined here as those doing more harm to hosts). Drug-resistance mechanisms that protect parasites through interactions with drug molecules ...

Abstract Objectives: Toanalyze the scientific literature and compare in the results of conventional orthopedic appliances with those obtained from recent bone-anchored orthopedics for Class III malocclusion. Materials and Methods: The literature was systematically reviewed using PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Scirus databases up to January 2012. Articles were selected by two different ...

ABSTRACT: Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries is a complex congenital cardiac anomaly with a wide spectrum of morphologic features and clinical profiles. Most patients are diagnosed late in their life, undergoes surgical repairs, eventually leading to systemic ventricular failure needing heart transplant or mechanical circulatory assistance. As, aorta ...

In this study ab initio Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations, extended transition state (ETS)-natural orbitals for chemical valence (NOCV) and QTAIM bonding analyses, were performed to characterize the ansa-bridged molybdocene complexes [(C(5) H(4) )(2) XMe(2) MoH(3) ](+) for X = C, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, and nonbridged Cp(2) MoH 3+ system. The ...

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a vital molecule for life since it contains genetic information. However, DNA has recently been reported to have unique properties that make it suitable for bionanoelectronic applications, such as the possibility of electrical conductivity and self-organisation. Self-assembled DNA network structures have been observed on several substrates, ...

Cilia are necessary for sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling, which is required to pattern the neural tube. We know that ventral neural cell fates are defined by a specific cohort of transcription factors that are induced by distinct thresholds of Shh activity mediated by opposing gradients of Gli activator (GliA) and ...

Wilms tumour is a relatively common and curable paediatric tumour. Known challenges to cure in low income countries are late presentation with advanced disease, malnutrition, failure to complete treatment and limited facilities. In this article, management recommendations are given for a low income setting where only the minimal requirements for ...

Objectives: Many patients benefit from interventions performed by the psychiatric liaison service.Methods: Prospective longitudinal study of community dwelling elderly patients supplemented by a questionnaire answered by family members, as well as expert interviews with the members of the consultation-liaison team and semi-structured interviews with family members.Results: The majority of patients ...

OBJECTIVE: In order to give an alternative explanation for the phenomena described by 'theory of mind', this topic is approached firstly by an examination of literary productions and then by reference to psychoanalysis. CONCLUSIONS: In literature there are many references to the apprehension of the other in terms of a ...

Lack of a universal vaccine against all serotypes of influenza A viruses and recent progress on T cell-related vaccines against influenza A virus illuminate the important role of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in anti-influenza virus immunity. However, the diverse HLA alleles among humans complicate virus-specific cellular ...

Despite advances in the pharmacological treatment of arterial hypertension (AHT) and the use of multiple antihypertensive drugs, a small but significant percentage of true severe refractory arterial hypertension patients are still not reaching their target blood pressure. In these cases, renal sympathetic denervation (RSD) seems to be a safe and ...

The polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinol natural product garcibracteatone has been synthesized in four steps from phloroglucinol, using a strategy based on biosynthetic speculation. The key biomimetic transformation is a cascade of 7-endo-trig and 5-exo-trig radical cyclizations followed by a terminating aromatic substitution reaction.

ObjectiveTo conduct a systematic review of published articles that describe simulators that could be used in otolaryngology for education, skill acquisition, and/or skill improvement.Data SourcesOvid and Embase databases searched July 14, 2011.Review MethodsThree hundred fifty-three abstracts were independently reviewed by both authors, then 154 eligible articles were reviewed by both ...

  Warts are common and are a challenge to treat in some children, especially immunocompromised children and those who fail or cannot tolerate salicylic acid preparations and cryotherapy. Cidofovir, a nucleotide analogue with antiviral activity, has demonstrated promising results when compounded into a topical form to treat refractory warts. We ...

This commentary discusses the important contributions of the article published in this journal by Huang and colleagues, titled, "Acute ethanol exposure increases firing and induces oscillations in cerebellar Golgi cells of freely moving rats." In this manuscript, Huang and colleagues present a number of interesting and important findings. While it ...

Background: Epidemiologists and toxicologists face similar problems when assessing interactions between exposures, yet they approach the question very differently. The epidemiologic definition of interaction leads to the additivity of risk differences (RDA) as the fundamental criterion for causal inference about biological interactions. Toxicologists define interaction as departure from a model ...

In this work, we investigate the ability to tune the quantity of surface amine functional groups in the interfacial region of epoxy-diamine composites using NEXAFS, a technique that is extremely sensitive to surface composition. Thereby, we employ a model surface (silicon wafer with the native oxide present) and, after deposition ...

The activity of auditory afferent fibers depends strongly on the frequency of stimulation. Although the bullfrog's amphibian papilla lacks the flexible basilar membrane that effects tuning in mammals, its afferents display comparable frequency selectivity. Seeking additional mechanisms of tuning in this organ, we monitored the synaptic output of hair cells ...

Rhodococcus equi is a pathogen that mainly causes infection in immunocompromised hosts. We report a case of relapsing R. equi pulmonary infection in a 57-year-old male renal transplant recipient who was treated with 12 months of antibiotics, adjunctive surgery, and a reduction in his immunosuppression. He suffered from relapsing disease, treatment-related ...

Early-warning surveillance provides an essential component of the evidence required to protect animal health. Assessing the proportion of the population included in surveillance systems (coverage) provides a measure of the effectiveness of early-warning surveillance, and contributes to ensuring that these systems are efficient. This paper describes an investigation of methods ...

Background:  Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with methyl-aminolevulinate (MAL) is an approved non-invasive treatment option for basal cell carcinoma (BCC). In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a non-invasive imaging technique that proved useful for in vivo real-time cyto-morphologic analysis of cells of BCC infiltrating the epidermis. Objectives:  The aim of the ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Swirl sign has previously been described in epidural hematomas as areas of low attenuation, radiolucency or irregular density. The aims of this study were to describe swirl sign in ICH, study its prevalence, study the reliability of the subjective evaluation on computed tomography (CT), and to explore its ...

The constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) not only displays a high basal transcriptional activity, but also acts as a ligand-dependent transcriptional factor. It is known that CAR exhibits different ligand profiles across species. However, the mechanisms underlying CAR activation by chemicals and the species-specific responses are not fully understood. The objectives ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in adults with Pompe disease, a progressive neuromuscular disorder, is of promising but variable efficacy. We investigated whether it alters the course of disease, and also identified potential prognostic factors. METHODS: Patients in this open-label single-center study were treated biweekly with 20 mg/kg alglucosidase ...

Temporal integration was examined using a missing element task, in which task performance depends on the ability to integrate brief successive stimulus displays. Previous studies have suggested that temporal integration is under endogenous control and that integration is more likely when stimuli match the observer's temporal expectancies. Beta oscillations have ...

Cren7, a novel chromatin protein highly conserved among crenarchaea, plays an important role in genome packaging and gene regulation. However, the detail dynamical structural characteristic of the Cren7-DNA complex and the detail study of the DNA in the complex have not been done. Focused on two specific Cren7-DNA complexes (PDB ...

This study was conducted to determine whether dietary Se deficiency precluded overproduction of glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPX1) activity in mice overexpressing (OE) this gene and thus rescued their type 2 diabetes-like phenotypes. A total of 20 male OE and wild-type (WT) mice were fed an Se-deficient (<0.02 mg/kg) diet or an ...

The development of multimodal nanoparticle platforms is desirable for cancer nanotechnology applications. Creating single nanoplatforms with both plasmonic and photoluminescent optical properties has remained a challenge, because combining discrete entities each having one of these unique properties typically results in the attenuation of one of the desirable properties. Here, we ...

A series of (E)-2-(4-cinnamylpiperazin-1-yl)-N-(1-substituted-4,5-dihydro-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]quinolin-7-yl)acetamides were synthesized and evaluated for their positive inotropic activity by measuring the left atrium stroke volume on isolated rabbit heart preparations. This class of compounds presented favorable in vitro activity compared with the standard drug, milrinone, among which N-(1-(3-chlorophenyl)-4,5-dihydro-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]quinolin-7-yl)-2-(4-cinnamylpiperazin-1-yl)acetamide 5e was found to be the most ...