PURPOSE: Although the predictive value of Böhler's angle on outcome remains subject of debate, the initial angle at the time of trauma still guides treatment. Changes in Böhler's angle during follow-up are frequently reported following surgical treatment of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures (DIACF). The aim of the present study was ...

In this study, we analyzed the influence of CYP1A2 genetic variation and enzyme activity on lung cancer risk in a high-incidence area. A total of 95 lung cancer patients and 196 controls were genotyped for the -3860G/A, -3113A/G, -2467T/delT, -739T/G, and -163C/A polymorphisms in the 5'-untranslated region of the gene. ...

Concern has been raised about an increased risk of lymphoma and skin cancers in patients with rheumatoid arthritis due to administration of anti-TNF-α drugs. Meta-analysis of observational data from registries as well as from randomized controlled trials has failed to show a significant increase in the risk of lymphoma when ...

Previous findings show an advantage in response speed when stimulus and response correspond spatially (i.e., the Simon effect). Chronic unilateral amputees show altered spatial perception near their affected hand, providing an opportunity to investigate whether experience also affects the visuomotor stimulus-response (S-R) mapping that underlies the Simon effect. We used ...

Body size is directly related to the productive and reproductive performance of beef cattle raised under free-range conditions. In an attempt to better plan selection criteria, avoiding extremes in body size, this study estimated the heritabilities and genetic correlations of yearling hip height (YH) and mature hip height (MH) with ...

Autophagy is a degradation system in which cellular components are digested via vacuoles/lysosomes. In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the induction of autophagy results from inactivation of Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 (TORC1), promoting formation of the serine/threonine kinase Atg1, which is one of the key autophagy-related (Atg) proteins required ...

The effect of platinum loading on cathode performance in hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells was investigated using perfluorosulfonic acid (Nafion), sulfonated polyimide (SPI-8) and sulfonated poly(phenylene ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) ionomers as the electrode binder. By lowering the platinum loading, the cathode polarization decreased for MEAs using SPI-8 and SPEEK binders at ...

The ultrastructure and functional adaptations of male chelicerae in Hattena cometis Domrow are discussed. In particular, as in many other gamasid mites, males of Hattena use the chelicerae, modified as gonopods, to transfer the sperm into the female. For such purpose, a slender process extending from the movable digit, the ...

The Gram-positive soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis uses glucose and malate as the preferred carbon sources. In the presence of either glucose or malate, the expression of genes and operons for the utilization of secondary carbon sources is subject to carbon catabolite repression. While glucose is a preferred substrate in many ...

Covalently grafting reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets with sulfophenyl or ethylenediamine groups can produce chemically modified graphene (CMG) for fabricating high-performance gas sensors. The NO(2) sensors based on these CMGs exhibit sensitivities 4 to 16 times higher than that of a sensor based on rGO. They also show excellent selectivity ...

The preservation of macromolecules is at best haphazard. Modern techniques have improved the detection of ancient DNA and proteins, but there is little information on the preservation of RNA. Fifty-year-old dried leaf material showing symptoms of peach calico disease was used successfully in RT-PCRs to amplify peach latent mosaic viroid ...

Iron lies at the center of a battle for nutritional resource between higher organisms and their microbial pathogens. The iron status of the human host affects the pathogenicity of numerous infections including malaria, HIV-1, and tuberculosis. Hepcidin, an antimicrobial-like peptide hormone, has emerged as the master regulator of iron metabolism. ...

AIM: To investigate the effect of luminance variations, as well as the oral administration of a food supplement, on the visual bioelectric response while using of Night Vision Goggles (NVG). METHODS: Two trials were performed, both enrolling healthy male aircrew members wearing NVG, and recording Visual Evoked Potentials (VEPs) from ...

Kornell and Bjork (Psychological Science 19:585-592, 2008) found that interleaving exemplars of different categories enhanced inductive learning of the concepts based on those exemplars. They hypothesized that the benefit of mixing exemplars from different categories is that doing so highlights differences between the categories. Kang and Pashler (Applied Cognitive Psychology ...

BACKGROUND: Seizures are common after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) but their impact on outcome is uncertain and prophylactic anti-convulsant use is controversial. We hypothesized that seizures would not increase the risk of in-hospital mortality in a large administrative database. METHODS: The study population included patients in the 2006 Nationwide Inpatient Sample ...

Chromatography has become an indispensable tool for the purification of proteins. Since the regulatory demands on protein purity are expected to become stricter, the need for generating improved resins for chromatographic separations has increased. More advanced scientific investigations of protein structure/function relationships, in particular, have also been a driving force ...

Effective interventions are needed to address the growing epidemic of childhood obesity. In the past 35 years, family-based approach has gradually developed as a preferred intervention. This review aimed to examine the methodological rigour and treatment effectiveness of family-based interventions according to intervention types and theoretical orientations. A total of ...

Microbial mats are coastal ecosystems that consist mainly of cyanobacteria, primary producers in these habitats that play an important role in stabilising delta sediments. However, these ecosystems are subject to various kinds of pollution, including metal contamination, placing their survival at risk. Among heavy metals, copper is an essential metal ...

The potential of UV imaging as a new small scale flow-through dissolution testing platform and its ability to incorporate biorelevant media was tested. Furosemide was utilized as a model poorly soluble drug, and dissolution media simulating conditions in the small intestine (5/1.25 mM and 40/10 mM bile salt/phospholipid, pH 6.5) together with ...

The t(10;11)(p12;q23) translocation and the t(10;11)(p12;q14) translocation, which encode the MLL-AF10 and CALM-AF10 fusion oncoproteins respectively, are two recurrent chromosomal rearrangements observed in patients with acute myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Here we demonstrate that MLL-AF10 and CALM-AF10 mediated transformation is dependent on the H3K79 methyltransferase Dot1l using genetic ...

The use of a porous coating on prosthetic components to encourage bone ingrowth is an important way of improving uncemented implant fixation. Enhanced fixation may be achieved by the use of porous magneto-active layers on the surface of prosthetic implants, which would deform elastically on application of a magnetic field, ...

The efficacy and safety of taspoglutide, a long-acting human glucagon-like peptide-1 analog, were compared with sitagliptin or placebo, as adjunct to metformin, in patients with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes. In this randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group trial, patients were randomized to taspoglutide 10 mg once weekly (QW), 20 mg QW, 100 mg sitagliptin ...

Ethynyl-linked porphyrin hetero-dimers substituted by a series of electron donors, namely, bis(4-methoxyphenyl)amino (), bis(4-tert-butylphenyl)amino () and 3,6-di-tert-butylcarbazol-9-yl () as well as a reference dimer with a non-donor moiety (3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl, ) have been synthesized to systematically investigate the influence of donor introduction on the photovoltaic performances of near-IR dye-sensitized solar cells ...

Introduction. The importance of early intervention strategies has recently been recognised in the field of psychiatry. Although early intervention strategies in schizophrenia have been extensively studied, recent efforts to identify individuals who are at increased risk for other disorders, such as bipolar disorder, have gained significant interest. There is some ...

We have studied the dependence of metal oxide properties in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on the polarizability of oxygen ions. We present studies of both liquid and crystalline structures of silica (SiO(2)), magnesia (MgO) and alumina (Al(2)O(3)). For each of the three oxides, two separately optimized sets of force fields ...

Schistosomiasis is caused by infection with parasitic flatworms of the genus Schistosoma. It is characterized by the development of strong CD4(+) T cell and B cell responses that, during primary infection, fail to eliminate the parasites, but in collaboration with cells of the innate immune system allow survival in the ...

AIMS: The aim of the current study was to examine the mediating role of alcohol-related memory associations in the relation between perceived parental drinking and the onset of adolescents' alcohol use. Gender and grade were also included in the analyses. DESIGN: We tested a mediation model within a structural path ...

Sound production that is mediated by intrinsic or extrinsic swim bladder musculature has evolved multiple times in teleost fishes. Sonic muscles must contract rapidly and synchronously to compress the gas-filled bladder with sufficient velocity to produce sound. Muscle modifications that may promote rapid contraction include small fiber diameter, elaborate sarcoplasmic ...

Tissue repair is a complex process, which may be favoured or inhibited by different factors. Potassium apigenin (AP) and other flavonoids present in verbena extract (PLX®) possess powerful anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of topical treatment with AP and PLX gels on wounds ...

Aim of the study was to determine the influence of classic altitude training on hemoglobin mass (Hb-mass) in elite swimmers under the following aspects: (1) normal oscillation of Hb-mass at sea level; (2) time course of adaptation and de-adaptation; (3) sex influences; (4) influences of illness and injury; (5) interaction ...

BACKGROUND: Anxiety disorders are very common and increase risk for suicide attempts. Little is known about predictors of increased risk specifically among individuals with anxiety disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether specific anxiety disorders and other co-morbid psychiatric disorders, physical health, or work or social functioning ...

Muscle hypertonia following upper motor neurone lesions (referred to here as 'spasticity') is a common problem in patients with neurological disease, and its management is one of the major challenges in clinical practice. Understanding the pathogenesis and clinical course of spasticity is essential for the effective management of this condition. ...

Corals in the genus Acropora generate much of the structural complexity upon which coral reefs depend, but they are susceptible to damage from toxic seaweeds. Acropora nasuta minimizes this damage by chemically cuing symbiotic goby fishes (Gobiodon histrio or Paragobiodon echinocephalus) to remove the toxic seaweed Chlorodesmis fastigiata. Within minutes ...

PURPOSE: To report findings of optic disc melanocytoma (ODM) obtained using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT), with special reference to the central retinal artery and vein surrounded by hyperreflective dots. METHODS: Retrospective review of five eyes of five patients with ODM. Demographic information, ophthalmic examination including best-corrected visual ...

The synthesis and characterisation of a series of new gold- and palladium-containing symmetrical imidazolium salts are described which display significant cation-dependent effects determined by the structure of the alkyl chains of the imidazolium motifs. Whereas direct reduction of the Pd salts can produce stable nanoparticles (NPs) coated by imidazolium salts, ...

Mussels have been shown to attach to virtually all types of inorganic and organic surfaces via their adhesive proteins. The adhesive proteins secreted by mussels contain high concentrations of catechol and amine functional groups, which have similar functional groups with polydopamine (PDA). Inspired by mussels, a mild and environmentally friendly ...

OBJECTIVE: To describe and evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of CT-guided radiofrequency neurolysis (RFN) vs. local blockade of the stellate ganglion in the management of chronic refractory type I complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) of the upper limb. METHODS: Sixty-seven patients were included in this retrospective study between 2000 and ...

Iron is essential to plants for chlorophyll formation as well as for the functioning of various iron-containing enzymes. Iron deficiency chlorosis is a wide-spread disorder of plants, in particular, of those growing on calcareous soils. Among the different ways to control iron deficiency problems for crops, plant material and especially ...

Objective: To investigate whether lipid and protein oxidation products are elevated and correlated with routine clinical markers of hepatic and renal function in patients anesthetized with halothane, isoflurane, or sevoflurane. Methods: Urine and blood samples were collected from patient groups. Excretion of aldehydes, acetone, and o,o'-dityrosine was measured before and ...

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes after unilateral orbital fat decompression in patients with thyroid eye disease. DESIGN: Retrospective, comparative, cross-sectional study PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-three orbits of 33 patients were included in this study. Of the 33 patients, 13 underwent fat decompression (group A), and ...

Children with Down syndrome (DS) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have an inferior prognosis compared to non-DS ALL patients. We reviewed Methotrexate (MTX)/Mercaptopurine (6MP) maintenance therapy data for children with DS treated according to the NOPHO ALL92 or the NOPHO ALL2000 protocols between 1992 and 2007. The five year event-free ...

BACKGROUND: Long-term sickness absence (LTSA) is most commonly due to common mental disorders and symptom-based conditions. Relatively little research has examined individual, as opposed to occupational, risk factors for LTSA. Individual appraisal of the workplace has been considered in several studies but self-rated health has more often been examined as ...

OBJECTIVE The primary objective of this study was to determine whether contingency management was associated with increased abstinence from stimulant drug use in stimulant-dependent patients with serious mental illness treated in a community mental health center. Secondary objectives were to determine whether contingency management was associated with reductions in use ...

MgFe(2)O(4) nanoparticles with sizes around 20 nm have been prepared by a combustion method and functionalized with dextran for their possible applications in magnetic particle hyperthermia. The induction heating study of these nanoparticles at different magnetic field amplitudes, from 6.7 kA m(-1) to 26.7 kA m(-1), showed self-heating temperature rise ...

We report on several new basic properties of a parabolic dot in the presence of a magnetic field. The ratio between the potential strength and the Landau level (LL) energy spacing serves as the coupling constant of this problem. In the weak coupling limit the energy spectrum in each Hilbert ...

Diminished social attention is often considered to be a central deficit in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). We further investigate this hypothesis by measuring the distracting power of social and non-social stimuli in the context of a Stroop task among children with ASD and typically developing controls (TDCs). Our results show ...

Background: Monocytes and factor Xa (FXa) are procoagulant agents implicated in the physio-pathological processes of atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Objective: we evaluated the anticoagulant effect of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 on an FXa-activated human monocyte (Hu-monocyte) procoagulant phenotype. Methods: Hu-monocytes were purified by elutriation and activated by FXa. The effect of ...

Background: When applying the recommended standard doses of recombinant human TSH (rhTSH) in the diagnostic / therapeutic course of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) the resulting peak TSH levels vary extensively. Previous studies applying multivariate statistics identified patient-inherent variables influencing the rhTSH / peak TSH relation. However, those results ...

ACTG-toxin H (AH) originates from Alternaria sp. In this study, we explored the molecular mechanism underlying the anti-inflammatory properties of AH. Treatment with AH inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced interleukin-6, IL-1β, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and cyclooxygenase-2 expression and nitric oxide production. Furthermore, AH inhibited LPS-induced P38 MAPK and Akt activation in ...

The reduction of singlet oxygen to hydrogen peroxide via the antibody catalyzed water oxidation pathway (ACWOP) has been reported (Nieva and Wentworth, Trends in Biochem. Sci, 2004, 29, 274-278). While conserved and buried tryptophans in the antibody are thought to play a major role in this pathway, our studies with ...