The development of drugs that inhibit platelets has been driven by a combination of clinical insights, fundamental science, and sheer luck. The process has evolved as the days of stumbling on therapeutic gems, such as aspirin, have long passed and have been replaced by an arduous process in which a ...

We examined measures of locomotor and anxiety-like behavior in male and female mice of 15 inbred strains on the elevated-plus maze, light/dark transition box and open field. Strain differences were found on all measures of locomotor activity and anxiety. Strain means for measures of locomotor activity on the three apparatus ...

The purpose of this study was to compare pain frequency in early and late stages of ALS and to describe the relationship between pain intensity and functional status. Sixty-four patients in different stages of ALS were asked to complete the Neuropathic Pain Scale and to draw the localization of their ...

PurposeTo assess the change in subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) in central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) following spontaneous resolution and low-fluence photodynamic therapy (PDT) using the enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT).MethodsA total of 36 consecutive eyes of 36 patients were included in this retrospective study: 16 eyes with spontaneously resolved ...

The preen gland is a holocrine sebaceous gland of the avian integument which produces an oily secretion that is spread on the plumage during preening. It has been suggested that birds may defend themselves against feather-degrading bacteria (FDB) and other potential pathogens using preen gland secretions. However, besides some in ...

The Anaphase Promoting Complex/Cyclosome (APC/C) in complex with its co-activator Cdc20 is responsible for targeting proteins for ubiquitin-mediated degradation during mitosis. The activity of APC/C-Cdc20 is inhibited during prometaphase by the Spindle Assembly Checkpoint (SAC) yet certain substrates escape this inhibition. Nek2A degradation during prometaphase depends on direct binding of ...

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a major regulator of angiogenesis in the process of tumor growth and metastasis. Different VEGF gene polymorphisms have been shown to result in different VEGF protein expression in cancer cells and tumor angiogenic activity. We conducted a case-control study to evaluate the genetic effects ...

Thermoelectric figures of merit, ZT > 0.5, have been obtained in arc-melted TiNiSn-based ingots. This promising conversion efficiency is due to a low lattice thermal conductivity, which is attributed to excess nickel in the half-Heusler structure.

The present descriptive study investigated the impact of socio-economic status in meeting the human rights needs among randomly selected recovered psychiatric patients (n = 100) at a tertiary care center. Data was collected through face to face interview, using structured Needs Assessment Questionnaire. The findings revealed that the participants from below poverty ...

Physical exercise has an important influence on brain plasticity, which affects the neuron-glia interaction. Astrocytes are susceptible to plasticity, and induce and stabilize synapses, regulate the concentration of various molecules, and support neuronal energy metabolism. The aim of our study was to investigate whether physical exercise is capable of altering ...

The reversible dehydrogenation properties of the 2LiBH(4)-MgH(2) composite can be effectively improved by incorporating heterogeneous nucleation agents, typically transition metal borides. A careful study of the 2LiBH(4)-MgH(2) composite with a titanium trifluoride (TiF(3)) additive finds that using the conventional one-step milling method renders only a partial conversion from TiF(3) to ...

In this paper, the fabrication, characterization and application in oxygen sensing are reported for a novel multifunctional nanomaterial of [Ru(bpy)2phen-MMS] (bpy: 2,2'-bipyridyl, phen: phenathrolin) which was simply prepared by covalently grafting the ruthenium(II) polypyridyl compounds into the channels of magnetic mesoporous silica nanocomposites (MMS). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron ...

A novel hierarchical ZnO nanostructure array composed of nanosheet branched (NB) ZnO nanorods (NRs) has been fabricated using a two-step solution reaction. The obtained nanosheet branched (NB) ZnO nanorods (NRs) exhibited considerably enhanced light capturing compared with ZnO thin films and ZnO nanorods. This combined 2D (nanosheet) and 1D (nanorod) ...

The generation of induced neuronal cells from human bone marrow stromal stem cells (hBMSCs) provides new avenues for basic research and potential transplantation therapies for nerve injury and neurological disorders. However, clinical application must seriously consider the risk of tumor formation by hBMSCs, neural differentiation efficiency and biofunctions resembling neurons. ...

We developed a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method for the rapid detection of Proteus spp. in urine, using a novel peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probe. Testing on 137 urine samples from patients with urinary tract infections has shown specificity and sensitivity values of 98 % (95 % CI, 93.2-99.7) and 100 % ...

Several recent anti-obesity campaigns appear to embrace stigmatization of obese individuals as a public health strategy. These approaches seem to be based on the fundamental assumptions that (1) obesity is largely under an individual's control and (2) stigmatizing obese individuals will motivate them to change their behavior and will also ...

In the current study, we examined how short-term memory for location-identity feature bindings is influenced by subsequent cognitive and perceptual processing demands. Previous work has shown that memory performance for feature bindings can be disrupted by the presentation of subsequent visual information, particularly when this information is similar to that ...

Prophylactic mastectomies have increased during the last 10 years. Breast reconstructions with free flaps are performed because they provide natural and long-lasting results. In bilateral mastectomy, a simultaneous bilateral superior gluteal artery perforator (SGAP) flap can provide good reconstruction with autologous tissue and low donor-site morbidity. This report describes the case ...

The scientific literature contains evidence suggesting that women who have been treated for breast cancer may, as a result of their diagnosis, increase their phyto-oestrogen (PE) intake. In the present paper, we describe the creation of a dietary analysis database (based on Dietplan6) for the determination of dietary intakes of ...

OBJECTIVE: By analyzing bone scans we aimed to determine whether the assessment of the central skeleton is sufficient for osseous staging in breast cancer patients. This might be of interest for future staging modalities, especially positron emission tomography/computed tomography, usually sparing the peripheral extremities, as well as the skull. MATERIALS ...

Liver vascularization is known to present with several different variations. Generally, a normal vascular anatomy is reported in up to 50-80 % of cases. For this reason, a precise preoperative mapping of the hepatic vascularization prior to pancreatic surgery is essential to avoid injuries and subsequent complications. We report here ...

PURPOSE: Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) remains a life-threatening disease with classic etiology of systemic inflammatory response and mortality between 30 and 50 %. The aim of the present study is to compare two different treatment strategies of goal-directed hemodynamic management and evaluate their impact on survival, microcirculation, tissue oxygenation, and histopathologic ...

Resource-conserving irrigation and fertilizer management practices have been developed for rice systems which may help address water quality concerns by reducing N and P losses via surface runoff. Field experiments under three treatments, i.e., farmers' conventional practice (FCP), alternate wetting and drying (AWD), and AWD integrated with site-specific nutrient management ...

Absolute temperature is usually bound to be positive. Under special conditions, however, negative temperatures-in which high-energy states are more occupied than low-energy states-are also possible. Such states have been demonstrated in localized systems with finite, discrete spectra. Here, we prepared a negative temperature state for motional degrees of freedom. By ...

SUMMARY Actin depolymerizing factors regulate actin dynamics involved in cellular processes such as morphogenesis, motility, development and infection. Here, a novel actin depolymerizing factor gene (CiADF 2 ) was cloned from the cDNA library of Cryptocaryon irritans, a parasitic ciliate causing cryptocaryonosis. The full-length cDNA of CiADF 2 was 531 bp. ...

The different low index surface terminations of lithium tetraborate, Li(2)B(4)O(7), are dominated by electronic states that fall within the band gap of the projection of the bulk states. As a pyroelectric material, lithium tetraborate, Li(2)B(4)O(7), is a wide band gap dielectric, yet the (110) surface has a much smaller band ...

Young and older adults demonstrate differences in action when passing through confined spaces (Warren and Whang in J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform 13:371-383, 1987; Hackney and Cinelli in Gait Posture 33:733-736, 2011). However, it is unknown whether or not these differences in actions exist during non-confined multiple obstacle avoidance ...

The major language pathways such as superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) pathways have been outlined by experimental and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies. The SLF I and some of the superior parietal lobule connections of the SLF pathways have not been depicted by prior DTI studies due to the lack of ...

In this work, we propose a new approach for three-dimensional registration of MR fractional anisotropy images with T1-weighted anatomy images of human brain. From the clinical point of view, this accurate coregistration allows precise detection of nerve fibers that is essential in neuroscience. A template matching algorithm combined with normalized ...

PurposeTo describe two cases of retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP)-like lesion following radiation therapy for primary tumor.Patients and methodsRetrospective evaluation of two patients with previous irradiation treatment for a pleomorphic adenoma of the lacrimal gland and a vocal cord carcinoma, respectively. Visual acuity (VA), fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography were ...

By introducing a third arm with two anionic carboxylate groups, a water-soluble bis(m-phenylene)-32-crown-10-based cryptand was synthesized. Its pH-controlled host-guest complexation with a paraquat derivative in water was studied.

Air samples were collected in 12 randomly selected commercial nail salons in Salt Lake County, Utah. Measurements of salon physical/chemical parameters (room volume, CO(2) levels) were obtained. Volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations were collected using summa air canisters and sorbent media tubes for an 8-h period. Multivariate analyses were used ...

The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) drives large changes in global climate patterns from year to year, yet its sensitivity to continued anthropogenic greenhouse forcing is uncertain. We analyzed fossil coral reconstructions of ENSO spanning the past 7000 years from the Northern Line Islands, located in the center of action for ...

OBJECTIVE: Lycopene is a potent antioxidant, and it has been suggested that intake of tomatoes and tomato products containing lycopene is associated with a decreased risk of various chronic diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the distribution of dietary lycopene intake in the Belgian population and ...

Abstract Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Amyloid-β (Aβ) is widely recognized as a key factor in the pathogenesis of AD. Aβ(1-42,) a major component of amyloid plaques, has shown synaptotoxicity associated with impaired long-term potentiation and cognitive deficits. ...

PURPOSE: Association of serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels and cardiovascular disorders has been shown previously. The aim of this observational study was to investigate the relationship between parity, OPG and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in premenopausal women. METHODS: A total of 128 women (mean age ± SD, 37.8 ± 4.7 years) were divided into three group ...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Auditory, Tactile, Visual and Vestibular stimulus (ATVV) on neuromotor development in preterm infants. METHODS: Fifty preterm infants born at 28-36 wk with a birth weight ranging from 1,000-2,000 g were recruited for the study. They were block randomized into a control group (n = 25) and study group ...

Acute tyrosine administration is associated with increased exercise capacity in the heat. To explore whether reduced plasma tyrosine and phenylalanine (tyrosine precursor) is associated with impaired exercise capacity in the heat, eight healthy, moderately trained male volunteers, unacclimated to exercise in the heat, performed two tests in a crossover design ...

Two novel β-glucosidases (BGHG1 and BGHG2) were purified from the enzyme extract of Aspergillus oryzae HML366 through nondenaturing gel electrophoresis and anion-exchange chromatography. The molecular weights for BGHG1 and BGHG2 were 93 and 138 kDa, respectively. The amino acid sequences were determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization tandem time of flight. The ...

Theoretical understanding of the surface modification of Cl-passivated silicon nanocrystals (Si NCs) is rather limited, in stark contrast to that for H-passivated Si NCs. We now investigate four surface-modification schemes (silanization, alkylation, alkoxylation and aminization) that have been experimentally adopted for Cl-passivated Si NCs in the framework of density functional ...

Reports of toxic harmful algal blooms (HABs) attributed to the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia spp. have been increasing in California during the last several decades. Whether this increase can be attributed to enhanced awareness and monitoring or to a dramatic upswing in the development of HAB events remains unresolved. Given these uncertainties, ...

Legionella pneumophila is an intracellularly surviving pathogen that releases about 270 different proteins into the host cell during infection. A set of secreted proteins takes control of the vesicular trafficking regulator Rab1. Legionella LepB inactivates Rab1 by acting as a GTPase-activating protein (GAP). We present the crystal structure of the ...

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to determine whether glucose uptake in viable myocardium of ischemic cardiomyopathy patients depends on rest myocardial blood flow (MBF) and the residual myocardial flow reserve (MFR). METHODS: Thirty-six patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (left ventricular ejection fraction 25 ± 10 %) were studied with (13)N-ammonia and (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose ...

A direct and scalable approach for the synthesis of iron sulfide (FeS(2)) films on flexible iron (Fe) foil in aqueous solution has been developed.

This research involved the use of response surface methodology (RSM) to investigate the adsorption of Disperse Red 167 dye onto the bamboo-based activated carbon activated with H(3)PO(4) (PBAC) in a batch process. F400, a commercially available activated carbon, was used in parallel for comparison. Analysis of variance showed that input ...

Luciferase reporter assays are commonly used in high-throughput screening methods. Here, we report new firefly luciferase (FLuc) inhibitors based on 5-benzyl-3-phenyl-4,5-dihydroisoxazoles and 5-benzyl-3-phenyl-1,4,2-dioxazoles, which showed up as "false positives" in a luciferase reporter gene-based assay for nuclear receptor antagonists. The inhibition was shown to be non-competitive for both natural enzyme ...

Abstract The herbicide glyphosate has undergone multiple safety tests for developmental toxicity in rats and rabbits. The European Commission's 2002 review of available glyphosate data discusses specific heart defects observed in several individual rabbit developmental toxicity studies, but describes the evidence for a potential causal relationship as equivocal. The present ...

Abstract The purpose of this report is to inform medical professionals of a case in which brachiocephalic vein thrombosis caused a transient ischemic attack (TIA). A brain computerized tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), digital subtraction angiography (DSA), head and lung CT angiography (CTA), jugular venography, cardiac color Doppler ...

Acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver damage is one of the most common problems among the population. Therefore, the study was aimed to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of celery leaves on APAP-induced toxicity in a freshwater fish, Pangasius sutchi. Fish were divided into four experimental groups of 6 fish each. Group 1 served ...

BACKGROUND: There is continuous debate to the use of biomarkers in the general practitioners office and to what degree the established biomarkers N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) might contribute to improved prediction of incident cardiovascular events. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the utility and 5-year predictive value ...