During endoscopic trans-sphenoidal treatment of petrous apex cholesterol granuloma, the challenge for the surgeon is to drill the posterior wall of the sphenoid sinus to reach the lesion while attempting to avoid the internal carotid artery (ICA). A refined neuronavigation technique is presented that diminishes bonework needed for exposure and ...

ABSTRACT: Intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICUAW) has been recognized as an important and persistent complication in survivors of critical illness. The absence of a consistent nomenclature and diagnostic criteria for ICUAW has made research in this area challenging. Although many risk factors have been identified, the data supporting their direct ...

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are major post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression, yet their origins and functional evolution in mammals remain little understood due to the lack of appropriate comparative data. Using RNA sequencing, we have generated extensive and comparable miRNA data for five organs in six species that represent all main mammalian ...

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was evaluation of the regression patterns after 3, 6, and 8 months of treatment. METHODS: A total of 100 retinoblastoma tumors (57 eyes of 35 patients) were treated with 6 (n = 8) or 8 (n = 92) cycles of systemic chemoreduction and tumor consolidation (transpupillary thermotherapy [TTT] ...

ISCU myopathy is a disease caused by muscle-specific deficiency of the Fe-S cluster scaffold protein ISCU. MyoD expression enhanced ISCU mRNA mis-splicing, and oxidative stress exacerbated ISCU depletion in patient cells. ISCU protein deficiency in patients results from muscle-specific mis-splicing as well as oxidative stress. Oxidative stress negatively influences the ...

Fingolimod, a sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor modulator, is highly effective in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS).(1,2) However, fatal cases of herpes infection have occurred in 2 patients on fingolimod therapy, 1 of whom presented with a primary disseminated varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection (no history of chicken pox, negative baseline serology).(2) ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reliability and accuracy of skeletal muscle CT to correctly identify different muscular dystrophies manifesting with limb-girdle weakness. METHODS: Four evaluators assessed scans from 118 patients with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) caused by mutations in 7 different genes and from 32 controls. The conditions studied were scans ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: One of the best-characterized causative factors of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the generation of amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta). AD subjects are at high risk of epileptic seizures accompanied by aberrant neuronal excitability, which in itself enhances Abeta generation. However, the molecular linkage between epileptic seizures and Abeta generation in ...

Night work might influence cancer risk, possibly via suppression of melatonin release. In a population-based case-control study conducted in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, between 1979 and 1985, job histories, including work hours, were elicited from 3,137 males with incident cancer at one of 11 anatomic sites and from 512 controls. Compared ...

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine adolescent patients' perspectives on their understanding and decision making about a pediatric Phase I cancer study. PROCEDURE: Participants included adolescents ages 14-21 years with cancer (N = 20), all of whom attended a Phase I study consent conference. Participants responded to closed- and ...

Studies suggest that dystonia is associated with increased motor cortex excitability. Cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation can temporarily reduce motor cortex excitability. To test whether stimulation of the motor cortex can reduce dystonic symptoms in children, we measured tracking performance and muscle overflow using an electromyogram tracking task before and ...

Associations between demographic-socioeconomic characteristics and childhood obesity are complex in the United States. We examined associations between demographic-socioeconomic characteristics (age, sex, race-ethnicity, family income, household size, and birthplace) and adiposity measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in US children. Data were from 8-19-y-old US children enrolled in NHANES 2001-2004 (n = ...

Nornicotine is formed from nicotine by nicotine N-demethylase, a CYP82E family monooxygenase, and accumulates to high levels in some tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) cultivars and many wild Nicotiana species. N. langsdorffii does not form nornicotine, whereas the closely related species N. alata accumulates this alkaloid abundantly. We show here that the ...

The causes of intellectual disability remain largely unknown because of extensive clinical and genetic heterogeneity. We evaluated patients with intellectual disability to exclude known causes of the disorder. We then sequenced the coding regions of more than 21,000 genes obtained from 100 patients with an IQ below 50 and their ...

Primary cilia are present on most cell types including chondrocytes. Dysfunction of primary cilia results in pleiotropic symptoms including skeletal dysplasia. Previously, we showed that deletion of Ift88 and subsequent depletion of primary cilia from chondrocytes resulted in disorganized columnar structure and early loss of growth plate. To understand underlying ...

Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) is widely used in immunology to detect cell division, and several mathematical models have been proposed to estimate proliferation and death rates of lymphocytes from BrdU labelling and de-labelling curves. One problem in interpreting BrdU data is explaining the de-labelling curves. Because shortly after label withdrawal, BrdU(+) cells ...

BACKGROUND: /st>In assessing a patient's risk for postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), it is important to know which risk factors are independent predictors, and which factors are not relevant for predicting PONV. METHODS: /st>We conducted a systematic review of prospective studies (n>500 patients) that applied multivariate logistic regression analyses to ...

Intestinal ischemic events, which are followed by reperfusion, induce significant tissue damage and frequently result in multiple organ failure, with >70% mortality. Upon reperfusion, excessive inflammation leads to exacerbated tissue damage. Previous studies indicated that binding of the serum protein, β2-glycoprotein I, to the endothelium initiates a cascade of inflammatory ...

p21 (Cip1/CDKN1A) and p27 (Kip1/CDKN1B) are members of the Cip/Kip family of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, which can arrest cell proliferation and serve as tumor suppressors. We hypothesized that genetic variants in p21 and p27 may modify individual susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the associations ...

ObjectiveTo compare short- and long-term hearing results following stapedectomy using 3 different oval window grafting materials with the same stapes prosthesis.Study DesignDatabase review.SettingTertiary referral private practice.Subjects and MethodsSubjects were ears that underwent stapedectomy for otosclerosis, with placement of fat, fascia, or vein as an oval window seal and reconstruction with ...

Human rhinovirus species C (HRV-C) was recently discovered using molecular diagnostic techniques and is associated with lower respiratory tract disease, particularly in children. HRV-C cannot be propagated in immortalized cell lines, and currently sinus organ culture is the only system described that is permissive to HRV-C infection ex vivo. However, ...

Transition metal oxide and phosphate materials, commonly used for lithium battery devices, are active as oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts under alkaline and neutral solution conditions. Electrodes comprised of LiCoO(2) and LiCoPO(4) exhibit progressive deactivation and activation for OER catalysis, respectively, upon potential cycling at neutral pH. Deactivation of LiCoO(2) ...

To document the initial management of hypothyroidism in France with respect to diagnostic setting, investigations, and therapeutic approach. Observational study of the management by primary care practitioners (PCPs) and endocrinologists of patients diagnosed with, and treated for, hypothyroidism during the enrollment period or the previous 6 months. A representative sample ...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the short-term stability of free fluoride ion concentrations and acidity (pH values) of three commercially available SDF solutions over time. METHODS: Three SDF products for caries control were studied: Cariestop-12%, Cariestop-30% and Saforide-38%. Their expected fluoride ion concentrations were 14,200, 35,400 and 44,800 ppm, respectively. The fluoride ion ...

The therapeutic benefits of adrenocorticotropic hormone in multiple sclerosis are usually ascribed to its corticotropic actions. Evidence is presented that adrenocorticotropic hormone, approved for multiple sclerosis relapses, acts via corticosteroid-independent melanocortin pathways to engender down-modulating actions on immune-system cells and the cytokines they synthesize. Immune response-dampening effects are also brought ...

This study aimed to compare multiaspect characteristics in cancer and noncancer patients who received palliative care. Totally, 226 patients with cancer and 115 noncancer patients received palliative care consultation service in Taiwan from September 2007 through December 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. Noncancer patients were older (81 vs 67 years, P ...

Objective: The objective of this paper is to evaluate the diagnostic role of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in detecting myocardial inflammation in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and its differentiation from viral myocarditis.Patients and methods: Fifty patients with suspected infective myocarditis (IM), with chest pain, dyspnoea or altered ECG, increase ...

Individuals often show consistent behavioural differences where behaviours can form integrated units across functionally different contexts. However, the factors causing and maintaining behavioural syndromes in natural populations remain poorly understood. In this study, we provide evidence for the emergence of a behavioural syndrome during the first months of life in ...

The kinetics and intricate interactions governing the growth of 3D single NP superlattices (SLs, SNSLs) and binary NP SLs (BNSLs) in solution are understood by combining controlled solvent evaporation and in situ, real-time small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). For the iron oxide (magnetite) NP SLs studied here, the larger the ...

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-mediated liver disease progression may reflect distinct molecular mechanisms for increased hepatocyte growth and hepatic stellate cell activation. In this study, we have observed that primary human hepatocytes, when infected in vitro with cell culture-grown HCV genotype 1a or 2a, display viral RNA and protein expression. Infected ...

Canine parvovirus (CPV) infection leads to reorganization of nuclear proteinaceous subcompartments. Our studies showed that virus infection causes a time-dependent increase in the amount of viral nonstructural protein NS1 mRNA. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching showed that the recovery kinetics of nuclear transcription-associated proteins, TATA binding protein (TBP), transcription factor IIB ...

Monomicrobial necrotizing fasciitis (Type II) is typically caused by Group-A-streptococcus alone or in combination with Staphylococcus aureus. E. coli has been isolated from polymicrobial or Fournier's gangrene, but has rarely been reported in monomicrobial necrotizing fasciitis. We describe clinical characteristics and outcomes of seven cases of monomicrobial E. coli necrotizing ...

Both abrupt and gradually imposed perturbations produce adaptive changes in motor output, but the neural basis of adaptation may be distinct. Here, we measured the state of the motor cortex (M1) and the corticospinal network during adaptation by measuring motor evoked potentials (MEPs) before reach onset using transcranial magnetic stimulation ...

BackgroundIn early estrogen receptor (ER)-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer, the decision to administer chemotherapy is largely based on prognostic criteria. The combined molecular/clinical EndoPredict test (EPclin) has been validated to accurately assess prognosis in this population. In this study, the clinical relevance of EPclin in relation to well-established clinical guidelines is assessed.Patients ...

Recent clinical studies have demonstrated that a single subpsychotomimetic dose of ketamine, an ionotropic glutamatergic N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, produces a rapid antidepressant response in patients with major depressive disorder, with effects lasting up to 2 weeks. Despite enthusiasm about this unexpected efficacy of ketamine, its widespread use as a ...

Objective:To investigate the effects of a single session of whole body vibration training on ankle plantarflexion spasticity and gait performance in chronic stroke patients.Design:Randomized controlled trial.Setting:Rehabilitation unit in university hospital.Participants:Thirty subjects with chronic stroke were randomized into either a control group (n = 15) or a group receiving a single ...

Abnormal activation of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling leads to basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the skin, the most common human cancer. Gli2, the major transcriptional activator of Hh signaling, is essential for hair follicle development and its overexpression in epidermis induces BCC formation and maintains tumor growth. Despite its importance in ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Diarrheal diseases and dengue fever are major global health problems. Where provision of clean water is inadequate, water storage is crucial. Fecal contamination of stored water is a common source of diarrheal illness, but stored water also provides breeding sites for dengue vector mosquitoes. Poor household water management ...

EmrE, a multidrug antiporter from Escherichia coli, has presented biochemists with unusual surprises. Here we describe the transformation of EmrE, a drug/H(+) antiporter to a polyamine importer by a single mutation. Antibiotic resistance in microorganisms may arise by mutations at certain chromosomal loci. To investigate this phenomenon, we used directed ...

Copper is an essential trace element that is involved in a number of important enzymatic processes throughout the body. Recent single case reports and small studies have shown that deficiency of copper can cause reversible haematological changes and irreversible neurological injury. We chose to undertake a national study, looking at ...

Virus infection activates host cellular signaling pathways, including the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway, which regulates diverse cellular activities related to cell growth, survival, and apoptosis. The present study demonstrated for the first time that porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), a major causative agent of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome, which is ...

Using a multimeasure longitudinal research design, we measured psychopathy with the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI) and the Psychopathy Checklist-Youth Version (PCL-YV) among 122 offending girls. We examined the psychometric properties of the YPI, investigated the association between the YPI and the PCL-YV, and assessed their concurrent and longitudinal association ...

Behavioral, psychological, and physiological experiments often require the ability to present sensory stimuli, monitor and record subjects' responses, interface with a wide range of devices, and precisely control the timing of events within a behavioral task. Here we describe our recent progress developing an accessible and full-featured software system for ...

A 39-year-old woman born from consanguineous parents was referred to our department for a second opinion regarding a left lenticular nucleus hemorrhage resulting in right hemiparesis, which occurred 1 year before in absence of history of hypertension, diabetes, smoking, or substance abuse. A clinical diagnosis of lipoid proteinosis (LP) was ...

PURPOSE:: The aim of this article was to describe positive sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) findings in patients with periocular invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). METHODS:: This was a retrospective chart review of 5 patients with invasive SCC of the periocular region who underwent SLNB and were found to have ...

BACKGROUND:The promise of targeted therapies in molecularly defined subsets of cancer has led to a transformation of the process of drug development in oncology. To target cancer successfully and precisely requires high-quality translational data. Such data can be generated by the use of biomarkers that answer key questions in drug ...

Base excision repair (BER) is a highly conserved DNA repair pathway throughout all kingdoms from bacteria to humans. Whereas several enzymes are required to complete the multistep repair process of damaged bases, apurinic-apyrimidic (AP) endonucleases play an essential role in enabling the repair process by recognizing intermediary abasic sites cleaving ...

Aneurysmal circumflex coronary artery fistula connected to the coronary sinus is a rare clinical entity that usually remains asymptomatic until later in life. The timing of surgical treatment for asymptomatic patients is crucial. The decision to leave or exclude the aneurysmatic coronary artery following ligation of the fistula is controversial. ...

Heartsease, also known as wild pansy (Viola tricolor L.), contains considerable amounts of polyphenols: 109.32 ± 1.29 mg of Gallic acid equivalent/g of extract. This study investigates their phytoconstituents and antioxidant capacity and validates a method for the quantification of rutin in the crude extract of the flowers of V. ...

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic studies have reported that frequent consumption of quercetin-rich foods is inversely associated with lung cancer incidence. A quercetin-rich diet might modulate microRNA (miR) expression; however, this mechanism has not been fully examined. METHODS: miR expression data were measured by a custom-made array in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples from ...