Background/Aims: This study aims to summarize the diagnosis and management experience of adult choledochal cyst (CC) patients and highlights our experience of reoperation cases. Methodology: The clinical data of 65 adult patients with CCs at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between 2007 and 2011 were analyzed retrospectively. ...

We compare diffusion activation energy measurements in a hydrated perfluorosulfonate ionomer and aqueous solutions of triflic acid. These measurements provide insight into water transport dynamics on sub-nm length scales, and gauge the contribution of the polymer sidechain terminal group. Future membrane materials design will hinge on detailed understanding of transport ...

Injury to nerve tissue in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) results in long-term impairment of limb function, dysaesthesia and pain, often with associated psychological effects. Whilst minor injuries can be left to regenerate without intervention and short gaps up to 2 cm can be sutured, larger or more severe injuries commonly ...

Background There is a need for interferon-free treatment regimens for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The goal of this study was to evaluate ABT-450, a potent HCV NS3 protease inhibitor, combined with low-dose ritonavir (ABT-450/r), in addition to ABT-333, a nonnucleoside NS5B polymerase inhibitor, and ribavirin, for the treatment of ...

To the Editor: Redelmeier et al. (Sept. 27 issue)(1) report the association between physicians' warnings to unfit drivers and a significant increase in patients' depression, as measured by the rate of emergency department visits for depression. Driving cessation has been correlated with increased depressive symptoms(2) and social isolation(3) and a ...

East Africa (EA) has witnessed pivotal steps in the history of human evolution. Due to its high environmental and cultural variability, and to the long-term human presence there, the genetic structure of modern EA populations is one of the most complicated puzzles in human diversity worldwide. Similarly, the widespread Afro-Asiatic ...

The structural asymmetry of bilateral hippocampus in mammals has been well recognized. Recent findings highlighted the accompanying functional asymmetries, as well as the molecular differences of the hippocampus. The present paper summarized these recent advances in understanding the hippocampal asymmetries at molecular, circuit and functional levels. Additionally, the addition of ...

Introduction: A number of anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been recently developed for the treatment of refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). These mAbs, blocking ligand/receptor interactions, exert their biological activity via multiple mechanisms, including inhibition of cell cycle progression, potentiation of cell apoptosis, inhibition of angiogenesis, tumor cell invasion and ...

Objective. To study whether the physician's evaluation of the consultation correlates to patient outcome one month later concerning symptom relief, sick leave, and drug compliance as perceived by the patient. The study also investigated whether the patient's evaluation of the consultation correlated to patient outcome. Design. A longitudinal study using ...

We evaluate the safety, efficacy, and oncological outcomes of early palliative photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP) by GreenLight high-performance system (HPS) 120-W laser in patients with acute urinary retention (AUR) induced by advanced prostate cancer (PCa). A total of 39 advanced PCa patients with AUR who underwent PVP were ...

The study was carried out to determine the levels of organochlorine pesticide residue in five fish species Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus, Hepsetus odoe, Tilapia zilli, Heterotis niloticus and Oreochromis niloticus from the Densu river basin (Weija) in Ghana. The fishes sampled from the Weija fish landing site were selected on the basis ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: In recent years, maintenance chemotherapy is increasingly being recognized as a new treatment strategy to improve the outcome of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the optimal maintenance strategy is still controversial. Gemcitabine is a promising candidate for single-agent maintenance therapy because of little toxicity and good ...

A simple and rapid method is described for the determination of veterinary drug (VD) residues in honey samples using turbulent flow chromatography coupled to ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (TFC-UHPLC-Orbitrap-MS). Honey samples were diluted with an aqueous solution of Na2EDTA (0.1 M). Then, they were injected into the chromatographic ...

PURPOSE: We sought whether serum total testosterone (tT), estradiol (E(2)), tT/E(2) ratio, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) significantly fluctuate throughout time in men with prostate cancer (PCa). METHODS: Circulating hormones were measured in a cohort of 631 candidates for radical prostatectomy. Hormone levels were analyzed according to either patient age, ...

The standard treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is interferon, which is administered subcutaneously and can have troublesome side effects. We evaluated sofosbuvir, an oral nucleotide inhibitor of HCV polymerase, in interferon-sparing and interferon-free regimens for the treatment of HCV infection. We provided open-label treatment to eight groups of ...

The cortico-basal ganglia network has been proposed to consist of parallel loops serving distinct functions. However, it is still uncertain how the content of processed information varies across different loops and how it is related to the functions of each loop. We investigated this issue by comparing neuronal activity in ...

The transcription factor FoxP2 has been associated with the development of human speech but the underlying cellular function of FoxP2 is still unclear. Here we provide evidence that FoxP2 regulates genesis of some intermediate progenitors and neurons in the mammalian cortex, one of the key centers for human speech. Specifically, ...

Rationale: The leukocyte response in acute inflammation is characterized by an initial recruitment of neutrophils preceding a second wave of monocytes. Neutrophil-derived granule proteins were suggested to hold an important role in this cellular switch. The exact mechanisms by which neutrophils mediate these processes are only partially understood. Objective: To ...

AIMS: Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is found in 0.3-2% of the population. Pacemaker implant in PLSVC can be technically challenging. Most operators have hitherto manipulated ventricular leads through the coronary sinus (CS) into the right ventricle (RV). In this case series, we describe the use of standard passive ...

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prognostic value of an EEG grading scale and clinical outcome of treated seizures detected with continuous EEG (cEEG) during therapeutic hypothermia (TH) and rewarming post cardiac arrest (CA). METHODS: Our cohort study retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records and cEEGs of all patients undergoing TH after ...

BACKGROUND: Cognitive models have postulated that auditory hallucinations arise from the misattribution of internally generated cognitive events to external sources. Several experimental paradigms have been developed to assess this externalizing bias in clinical and non-clinical hallucination-prone samples, including source-monitoring, verbal self-monitoring and auditory signal detection tasks. This meta-analysis aims to ...

Impairments in Aβ removal are increasingly being considered as a possible cause for the abnormal Aβ build-up typical of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Of particular interest is a pool of Aβ that accumulates intraneuronally and may contribute to neuronal toxicity. The mechanism for intraneuronal accumulation, however, is not well understood and ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Thailand faces a significant burden in terms of treating and managing degenerative and chronic diseases. Moreover, incidences of rare diseases are rising. Many of these---such as diabetes, cancer, and inherited inborn metabolic diseases---have no definite treatments or cure. Meanwhile, advanced health biotechnology has been found, in principle, to ...

Industry Day Symposium -Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society World Congress: Summary Report: Vienna, Austria/ September 5-8, 2012.

Purpose:  To investigate the relationship between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). We hypothesized that PNES with TBI would be associated with more psychiatric comorbidities and disability than PNES without TBI. Methods:  In this cross-sectional study comparing patients with PNES with TBI to patients with PNES without ...

A cloned transgenic minipig model of hypercholesterolemia and accelerated atherosclerosis could accelerate discovery of new therapies for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (Al-Mashhadi et al., this issue).

Investigations have suggested degradation of native hyaluronan (HA) into small oligosaccharides as being involved in the development and progression of inflammatory diseases, particularly rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Inflammatory responses occur by modulating the TLR4 and 2, and the CD44 natural HA receptor. As reported recently, the adenosine A2 receptor (A(2A)R) plays ...

The BDADs (Bis-(dichloroacetyl)-diamines) are compounds that can inhibit spermatogenesis via blocking the metabolism of vitamin A. We utilized one specific BDAD, WIN 18,446, to manipulate the endogenous production of retinoic acid (RA) in the testis to further investigate the action of this compound on mammalian sperm production. Transient treatment of ...

A 57-year-old woman with common variable immune deficiency and liver failure of unknown etiology presented with recurrent fevers over a five-month period. She was found to have Helicobacter canis bacteremia. Immunocompromised hosts with exposure to cats or dogs may be at risk for infection with this organism, which may be ...

Aims: The purpose of this study is to assess the relationships between trips in nature, gathering of wild plants, fishing and hunting and weight status. Methods: Data from a cross-sectional questionnaire survey of 996 parents of sixth- and seventh-graders from 38 randomly chosen schools in two Norwegian counties. All data ...

ABSTRACT: Many factors are involved in determining the latitudinal and altitudinal spread of the important tick vector Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) in Europe, as well as in changes in the distribution within its prior endemic zones. This paper builds on published literature and unpublished expert opinion from the VBORNET network ...

<p>Ceramide is a key intermediate in the pathway of sphingolipid biosynthesis and is an important intracellular messenger. We recently generated a ceramide synthase 2 (CerS2) null mouse, which cannot synthesize very-long acyl chain (C22-C24) ceramides. This mouse displays severe and progressive hepatopathy. Significant changes were observed in the sphingolipid profile ...

BACKGROUND: The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system plays a role in physiological and pathological responses of the heart to both static and dynamic exercise. Previous studies showed that the level of angiotensin II is determined by the angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion (ACE I/D) polymorphism.Aim:We aimed in this study to determine the effect of ACE ...

Neural activity in the gamma frequency range ("gamma") is elevated during active cognitive states. Gamma has been proposed to play an important role in cortical function, although this is debated. Understanding what function gamma might fulfill requires a better understanding of its properties and the mechanisms that generate it. Gamma ...

A Missing Gold Link: An Au(III) alkene complex has been prepared and characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. Its bonding features have been analyzed by DFT calculations and natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. In [(cod)AuMe(2) ](+) , the unequal AuC bond lengths result from the domination of the preference ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Co-infection with malaria and intestinal parasites such as Ascaris lumbricoides is common. Malaria parasites induce a pro-inflammatory immune response that contributes to the pathogenic sequelae, such as malarial anaemia, that occur in malaria infection. Ascaris is known to create an anti-inflammatory immune environment which could, in theory, counteract ...

A 63-year old woman diagnosed in September 2001 with a typical bronchial carcinoid of the left upper lobe bronchus extending into the left main stem bronchus is presented. The patient was unsuitable for standard surgical treatment, and the topography was not amenable for a parenchyma-saving bronchoplastic procedure. Two cycles of ...

Context:Serum visfatin is elevated in insulin-resistant states, ie, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and polycystic ovary syndrome, thus linking visfatin with the pathogenesis of insulin resistance.Objective:Our objective was to evaluate the effect of hyperinsulinemia and the acute elevation of free fatty acids (FFAs) on serum visfatin in humans.Design, Setting and ...

This study examined the mechanisms underlying the effects of sacral neuromodulation on reflex bladder activity in chloralose anesthetized cats. Bladder activity was recorded during cystometrograms (CMGs) or under isovolumetric conditions. S1-S3 dorsal (DRT) or ventral root (VRT) were electrically stimulated at a range of frequencies (1-30 Hz) and at intensities ...

In children, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may elicit a suite of health benefits including enhancement of cognitive development. Subsequently, dietary supplements containing omega-3 PUFAs have become increasingly popular. Often, the largest source of beneficial PUFAs in these supplements is fish oil, which may contain significant levels of contaminants such ...

DNA-dependent activator of interferon regulatory factor (DAI) acts as a cytosolic B-form DNA sensor that induces type I interferons. However, DAI is not required for DNA sensing in certain cell types due to redundancy of the DNA sensing system. Here, we investigated the effect of DAI on herpes simplex virus ...

The rarely identified influenza A viruses of H15 hemagglutinin subtype have been isolated exclusively in Australia. Here we report the isolation of an H15N4 influenza A virus (A/teal/Chany/7119/2008) in Western Siberia, Russia. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the internal genes of the A/teal/Chany/7119/2008 belong to the Eurasian clade, and that the ...

ABSTRACT: Background and purpose: Currently, the inhomogeneity of the pulmonary function is not considered when treatment plans are generated in thoracic cancer radiotherapy. This study evaluates the dose of treatment plans on highly-functional volumes and performs functional treatment planning by incorporation of ventilation data from 4D-CT.Materials and methods: Eleven patients ...

The small GTPase RhoA and its associated kinase ROCKII are involved in vascular smooth muscle cell contraction and endothelial NO synthase mRNA destabilization. Overactivation of the RhoA/ROCKII pathway is implicated in several pathologies, including chronic heart failure (CHF), and may contribute to the enhanced sympathetic outflow seen in CHF as ...

Upper-extremity-specific disability correlates with mood and coping strategies. The aim of this study was to determine if two psychological factors, kinesiophobia (fear of movement) and perceived partner support, contribute significantly to variation in upper-extremity-specific disability in a model that included factors known to contribute to variation such as depression, pain ...

Large-area, highly ordered, Ag nanostructured arrays with various geometrical features were prepared for use as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-active substrates by the self-assembly of inorganic particles on an SU-8 surface, followed by particle embedding and Ag vapor deposition. By adjusting the embedding time of the inorganic particles, the size of ...

Signaling through the Rho family of small GTPases has been intensely investigated for its crucial roles in a wide variety of human diseases. Although RhoA and Rac1 signaling pathways are frequently exploited with the aid of effective small molecule modulators, studies of the Cdc42 subclass have lagged because of a ...

Immovable historical relics in some archaeology museums of China suffer deterioration due to their improper preservation environment. The existing environmental control systems used in archaeology museums are often designed for the amenities of visitors; and these manipulated environments are often inappropriate for the conservation of abiotic relics. This paper points ...

Cell aggregation in unicellular organisms, induced by either cell non-sexual adhesion to yield flocs and biofilm, or pheromone-driving sexual conjugation is of great significance in cellular stress response, medicine, and brewing industries. Most current literatures have focused on one form of cell aggregation termed flocculation and its major molecular determinants, ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Mounting evidence has suggested that plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is a candidate for increased risk of diabetic retinopathy. Studies have reported that insertion/deletion polymorphism in the PAI-1 gene may influence the risk of this disease. To comprehensively address this issue, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the association ...