Parental food allocation in birds has long been a focal point for life history and parent-offspring conflict theories. In asynchronously hatching species, parents are thought to either adjust brood size through death of marginal offspring (brood reduction), or feed the disadvantaged chicks to reduce the competitive hierarchy (parental compensation). Here, ...

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lung with airflow obstruction and bronchospasm, characterized by pulmonary eosinophilia, airway remodeling, increased airway hyperresponsiveness to environmental stimuli, and excessive Th2-type cytokine production. Recent studies indicate that crosstalk between the innate and adaptive immune systems is crucial for this disease. We and ...

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between degenerative bone changes of the head of the mandible and the presence of joint effusion (JE). This study was based on sagittal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reports of 148 temporomandibular joints (TMJs) of 74 patients complaining of pain ...

The validation of a molecular organic structure on the basis of 1D and 2D HSQC, COSY and HMBC NMR spectra is proposed as an alternative to the methods that are mainly based on chemical shift prediction. The CCASA software was written for this purpose. It provides an updated and improved ...

This study aimed to determine the mechanism of uterine activation during labour, both term (TL) and preterm (PTL). We hypothesized that the peripheral leucocytes are recruited to uterine tissues by locally produced cytokines where they contribute to the initiation of parturition. Mouse uteri were collected (i) during gestation, TL and ...

We report resistivity, magnetization and (19)F NMR results in a polycrystalline sample of SmFeAsO(0.86)F(0.14). The resistivity and magnetization data show a sharp drop at 48 K indicating a superconducting transition. The nuclear spin-lattice rate (1/T(1)) and spin-spin relaxation rate (1/T(2)) clearly show the existence of a structural phase transition near 163 K ...

BACKGROUND: The prognostic and predictive value of KRAS mutations in patients with lung cancer is controversial. Biases in disease stage, treatment regimen, small-scale patient studies, and biomarker status have led to inconsistent results in previous reports. METHODS: The KRAS and EGFR genes were examined in 1935 consecutive patients with non-small ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: With advances in modern radiotherapy (RT), many patients with head and neck (HN) cancer can be effectively cured. However, xerostomia is a common complication in patients after RT for HN cancer. The purpose of this study was to use the Lyman--Kutcher--Burman (LKB) model to derive parameters for the ...

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to evaluate the significance of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level as a predictor for tumor response to chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and a prognosticator for survival in Asian patients with advanced rectal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 345 patients with primary rectal cancer who had undergone preoperative ...

Background: It is unclear whether weight change since young adulthood affects the risk of mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this study was to investigate weight change since age 20 in relation to the risk of CVD mortality. Methods and Results: A total of 41,364 eligible Japanese men and ...

We investigate the unusual magnetic, thermodynamic and transport properties of nearly-critical, weakly-itinerant ferromagnets with the general formula UTX, where T=Rh, Co and X=Ge, Si. As a unique feature of these systems, we show how changes in the V(df) hybridization, which controls their proximity to a ferromagnetic instability, determine the evolution ...

Cancer cachexia is a metabolic syndrome that can be present even in the absence of weight loss ('precachexia'). Cachexia is often compounded by pre-existing muscle loss, and is exacerbated by cancer therapy. Furthermore, cachexia is frequently obscured by obesity, leading to under-diagnosis and excess mortality. Muscle wasting (the signal event ...

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous A1 pulley release surgery for trigger digit (finger or thumb) has gained popularity in recent decades. Although many studies have reported the failure rate and complications of percutaneous release for trigger digit, the best treatment for trigger digit remains unclear. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: Our aim was to identify the relative ...

Previous work has demonstrated the feasibility of in vivo biodiesel synthesis in Escherichia coli, however, ethyl ester formation was dependent on an external fatty acid feedstock. In contrast to E. coli, actinomycetes may be ideal organisms for direct biodiesel synthesis because of their capacity to synthesize high levels of triacylglcerides ...

PURPOSE: Descriptive studies have indicated a rising trend in Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) incidence in young adults, especially females. Increasing evidence has suggested that some risk factors associated with HL may vary by age or gender. Recent studies have reported an increased risk of HL associated with increasing body mass index ...

Murraya koenigii (Mk) leaves possess a hypoglycemic effect. Activity of paraoxonase 1 (PON1), a HDL-associated antioxidant enzyme, was found to be decreased during hyperglycemia. The present study explored the effect of Murraya koenigii leaves (MkL) on paraoxonase 1 activity in order to control the oxidative stress in diabetes. Hyperglycemia was ...

 : Bioprocess engineering is an application-oriented science in an interdisciplinary environment, and a meaningful combination of different scientific disciplines is the only way to meet the challenges of bioprocess complexity. Setting up a reasoned process monitoring platform is the first step in an iterative procedure aiming at process and systems ...

The pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) involves demise of the retinal pigment epithelium and death of photoreceptors. In this article, we investigated the response of human adult retinal pigmented epithelial (ARPE-19) cells to 5-(N,N-hexamethylene)amiloride (HMA), an inhibitor of Na(+) /H(+) exchangers. We observed that ARPE-19 cells treated with HMA ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The contribution of cell proliferation to regeneration varies greatly between different metazoan models. Planarians rely on pluripotent neoblasts and amphibian limb regeneration depends upon formation of a proliferative blastema, while regeneration in Hydra can occur in the absence of cell proliferation. Recently, the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis has shown ...

Historically, α(1) -adrenoceptors have been classified into three subtypes (α(1) (A) , α(1) (B) and α(1) (D) ) that are widely distributed in various organs. Research on the α(1) (D) -adrenoceptors in the bladder, urethra and prostate has focused on the relationship between expression levels and symptoms of bladder outlet ...

Extensor tendon triggering is a rare disease entity. Even less common is a case of extensor digiti minimi (EDM) double triggering caused by impingement on the extensor retinaculum. Herein, we describe one patient with EDM double triggering developed at the extensor retinaculum and over the metacarpal head caused by its ...

Daily quality assurance procedures are an essential part of radiotherapy medical physics. Devices such as the Sun Nuclear, DQA3 are effective tools for analysis of daily dosimetry including flatness, symmetry, energy, field size and central axis radiation dose measurement. The DQA3 can be used on the treatment couch of the ...

Recently, cardiac telocytes were found in the myocardium. However, the functional role of cardiac telocytes and possible changes in the cardiac telocyte population during myocardial infarction in the myocardium are not known. In this study, the role of the recently identified cardiac telocytes in myocardial infarction (MI) was investigated. Cardiac ...

Study Design:Retrospective radiographic study.Objective:To investigate the pincers effect on cervical spinal cord in the development of traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) without major fracture or dislocation.Setting:The Japan LHWO Spinal Injuries CenterMethods:Two hundred and twenty cases of traumatic CSCI without major fracture or dislocation were examined. The pinched diameters of ...

We report on a patient who was treated with several antiarrhythmic drugs as well as different ablation strategies. Nevertheless, symptomatic atrial fibrillation always recurred until an off label use with ranolazine was started. We could demonstrate potent effects of ranolazine on atrial fibrillation in a "wash-in wash-out" situation. Although promising ...

PURPOSE: To compare two-dimensional ultrasonography (2DUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for assessing brain and spine parameters in fetuses with spina bifida. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 15 fetuses with spina bifida (one with encephalocele, four with rachischisis and 10 with myelomeningocele). The size of the atrium of ...

BACKGROUND: Our previous findings showed the importance of analysing the peripheral markers of acute phase response (APR) activation, C-reactive protein (CRP) and IL-6 in the context of urticaria activity and severity. However, these biomarkers do not reliably differentiate between APR to infectious and the disease severity. AIM: In order to ...

The aim of the present study was to examine whether interindividual differences in the coupling or decoupling of prefrontal and posterior cortices during the exposure to social-emotional information may predict an individual's positive emotional responsiveness. Susceptibility to humor was assessed in a behavioral paradigm several weeks after the EEG recordings. ...

In the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF), 18.5 % of incident hip fractures identified in Medicare Fee-for-Service claims data were not reported to or confirmed by the cohort. Cognitive impairment was a modest risk factor for false-negative hip fracture ascertainment via self-report. INTRODUCTION: Prospective cohort studies of fractures that rely on ...

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Little is known about women's experience with conservative management of pelvic organ prolapse. We sought to understand the experiences of Spanish-speaking women who choose a pessary. METHODS: Spanish-speaking women from a urogynecological pessary clinic were recruited for this study. Interviews were conducted and the women were asked ...

BACKGROUND: Few HIV prevention interventions focus on sexual risk reduction as mutual process determined by couple members, though risk behaviors are inter-dependent. PURPOSE: This trial examined the impact of substance use, history of sexual trauma, and intimate partner violence on sexual risk associated with participation in a risk reduction intervention. ...

A small number of stress-responsive genes, such as those of the mitochondrial F(1)F(0)-ATP synthase complex, are encoded by both the nucleus and mitochondria. The regulatory mechanism of these joint products is mysterious. The expression of 6-kDa subunit (MtATP6), a relatively uncharacterized nucleus-encoded subunit of F(0) part, was measured during salinity ...

Abstract Although the link between exercise and body image is well documented, the considerable inter-individual variability in this relationship has been largely ignored. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to test the contributions of key body image and exercise-related moderators (age, body mass index (BMI), exercise frequency, trait ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Couroupita guianensis Aubl. (Lecythidaceae) is commonly called Ayahuma and the Cannonball tree. It is distributed in the tropical regions of northern South America and Southern Caribbean. It has several medicinal properties. It is used to treat hypertension, tumours, pain, inflammatory processes, cold, stomach ache, skin diseases, malaria, wounds ...

Macrophages are central regulators of disease progression in both atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction (MI). In atherosclerosis, macrophages are the dominant leukocyte population that influences lesional development. In MI, which is caused by atherosclerosis, macrophages accumulate readily and have important roles in inflammation and healing. Molecular imaging has grown considerably as ...

Introduction: There is a continuing need for an immunosuppressive therapy that offers a high benefit-risk profile for renal transplant recipients, supporting long-term patient and graft survival while minimizing cumulative nephrotoxicity and other side effects. Belatacept , the first biological agent developed for primary maintenance immunosuppression, was recently approved for use ...

Vegetable samples of brinjal, okra, green chilli, crucifers, and cucurbits collected from farmers' field were tested for the presence of organochlorine (OC), organophosphorus (OP), and synthetic pyrethroid (SP) compounds using a gas chromatograph equipped with electron capture and flame thermionic detectors. Of the samples tested, 34.0 % were found to have ...

Since the 1990s, blood donors have been scanned for anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) antibodies, which can be defined by enzyme immunoassay as a screening test. In this population, false-reactive ratios have been high. Recently, some authors have aimed to find a cutoff value for anti-HCV different from those established by ...

BACKGROUND: Rivastigmine is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor; the genotype data seen alongside the phenotype data explain the mutation or the molecular genetics involved and also help to relate the phenotype of an individual with their genotype. AIM: To determine the clinical effectiveness of CYP2D6, CYP3A4, CYP2C9/19, and UGT polymorphism on the ...

PURPOSE: Pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) is a common pediatric glioma that is generally characterized by indolent growth. However, there are reports of PA disseminating throughout the central nervous system. Given the rarity of dissemination, the appropriate treatment for these patients is poorly defined. In this case series, we describe the clinical ...

BACKGROUND: Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is currently under investigation as a highly sensitive and specific marker of alcohol misuse. As its stability in blood samples has not systematically been investigated, a study was performed to determine the stability of major PEth species in spiked and authentic whole blood and also in matching ...

Mangrove fungi are vastly unexplored for enzymes with industrial application. This study aimed to assess the biocatalytic activity of mangrove fungal xylanases on recycled paper pulp. Forty-four mangrove fungal (MF) isolates were initially screened for xylanolytic activity in minimal medium with corn cob xylan as the sole carbon source. Eight ...

Study design:Retrospective study at a rehabilitation center.Objectives:Patients with spinal cord injury, even if they are wheelchair users, sometimes suffer from fractures of the lower limb bones. As their bones are too weak to have surgery, and because a precise reduction is not required for restoration, such patients are often indicated ...

New technical approaches involving biologically derived products have been applied in the treatment for anal fistulas in order to avoid the risk of fecal incontinence. The aim of this review was to evaluate the scientific evidence present in the literature regarding these techniques. Trials comparing surgery (fistulotomy, advancement mucosal flap ...

Keratin is an important protein used for wound healing and tissue recovery. In this study, keratin was first extracted from raw materials and chemically modified to obtain stable keratin (m-keratin). The raw and m-keratin were examined by Raman spectroscopy. The molecular weight of the m-keratin was analysed by SDS-PAGE. The ...

The rate of evolution of the human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16) genome is low. However, the ability of the E6 oncoprotein to interact with distinct p53 variants causes selective pressure on the E6 gene. In addition, intratypic recombination events in the HPV16 E6 and E7 genes have been characterized as extraordinary ...

PURPOSE:Inferior oblique (IO) myectomy can result in self-adjustment; the greater the preoperative hyperdeviation, the larger the postoperative correction. This study estimated the effect of IO recession in primary position and in contralateral gaze. METHODS:Records of 43 patients with IO muscle overaction associated with congenital unilateral superior oblique palsy were reviewed ...

Many haemodialysis patients have problems limiting their fluid intake, and this might be influenced by their self-efficacy. Thus interventions to improve patients' self-efficacy might lead to an improvement in their adherence to fluid restriction. The fluid intake appraisal inventory (FIAI) evaluates patients' self-efficacy with regard to fluid intake. The aim ...

PURPOSE: The morbidity rate of arteriosclerosis becomes clinically manifested as acute cardiovascular events. In the progress of atherosclerosis, the carotid artery calcifies and sometimes appears as a calcified mass on a cephalometric radiograph. This study was designed to evaluate cardiovascular risks according to the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) between subjects ...

This study examined postconcussion symptom reporting within the first 5 years following mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). Participants were 167 U.S. military service members (Mean Age = 27.6 years; 74.3% blast; 96.4% male) who were evaluated following injuries sustained in theater during Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom (92.8%), or from ...