Abstract Background: Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) is used to treat cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases. However, it displays a short half-life that restricts clinical applications. 2-Hydroxymethyl-3,5,6-trimethylpyrazine (HTMP) is the principal active metabolite of TMP, with similar activity of TMP. Therefore, it makes sense to improve the biopharmaceutical characteristics via HTMP bypassing TMP. Purpose: ...

AimsA significant proportion of cardiac surgical patients develop critical post-operative complications. We aimed to investigate the association of pre-operative 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels with major cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) in cardiac surgical patients.Methods and resultsFrom January 2010 to August 2011, we consecutively measured circulating 25(OH)D in 4418 operated patients. ...

PURPOSE: Indocyanine green videoangiography (IGV) has proven its effectiveness in the field of exovascular neurosurgery, both in the intracranial and spinal compartment, but is necessary to define a systematic process for the performance of the IGV to facilitate its interpretation during the procedure. We have defined and applied the concept ...

CatSper channels are essential for hyperactivity of sperm flagellum, progesterone-mediated chemotaxis and oocyte fertilisation. Catsper genes are exclusively expressed in the testis during spermatogenesis, but the function and regulation of the corresponding promoter regions are unknown. Here, we report the cloning and characterization of the promoter regions in the human ...

Brief periods of unconscious thought have been shown to improve decision-making compared to making an immediate decision. We reveal a neural mechanism for unconscious thought in decision making using BOLD contrast fMRI. Participants (N=33) encoded information on a set of consumer products (e.g., 48 attributes describing 4 different cars), and ...

A 51-year-old Japanese male underwent on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. After weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass (348 min), sudden bradycardia and hypotension occurred, followed by ventricular fibrillation. Although defibrillation and infusion of catecholamine restored sinus rhythm, transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated severely reduced contraction of both ventricles, and perioperative vascular spasm was suspected. ...

Polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases, including several types of spinocerebellar ataxias and Huntington's disease (HD), are dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorders caused by the expansion of the glutamine-coding CAG repeat in the open reading frame of the disease gene. Apart from being translated to produce toxic elongated polyQ domain-containing disease proteins, transcribed expanded ...

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of the particle size and surface coating on the cellular uptake of the polymeric nanoparticles for drug delivery across the physiological drug barrier with emphasis on the gastrointestinal (GI) barrier for oral chemotherapy and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) for imaging and therapy of brain cancer. ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Parasitic infections have been shown to have deleterious effects on host nutritional status. In addition, although helmintic infection can modulate the host inflammatory response directed against the parasite, a causal association between helminths and allergy remains uncertain. The present study was therefore designed to evaluate the relationship between ...

Background:Although dustiness and viscosity are potential determinants of dermal exposure, their effect on exposure is poorly understood. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of dustiness and viscosity on dermal exposure by each of three dermal exposure pathways (deposition, surface contact, and immersion). METHODS: The hands of ...

This study aimed to assess infraocclusion, root resorption and restorations and their importance for the prognosis of retained primary mandibular molars lacking successors. The sample comprised 188 persisting primary mandibular second molars in 111 subjects, 48 males and 63 females, with a mean age of 12.6 years. The patients had ...

In this work we report on the multifunctional character of neodymium doped LaF3 core/shell nanoparticles. Because of the spectral overlap of the Neodymium emission bands with the transparency windows of human tissues, these nanoparticles emerge as relevant sub-tissue optical probes. For Neodymium contents optimizing the luminescence brightness of Nd3+:LaF3 nanoparticles, ...

Skeletal muscle regeneration is the process that ensures tissue repair after damage by injury or in degenerative diseases such as muscular dystrophy. Satellite cells, the adult skeletal muscle progenitor cells, are commonly considered to be the main cell type involved in skeletal muscle regeneration. Their mechanism of action in this ...

Although altruistic and selfish behaviors seem fundamentally incommensurate, humans regularly choose between them. One model of such choices suggests that individuals ascribe a common form of subjective value to their own outcomes and those of others. To test this person invariance hypothesis, we asked individuals to choose between allocating varying ...

Bud dormancy is of ecological and economical interest due to its impact on tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) plant growth and yield. Growth regulation associated with dormancy is an essential element in plant's life cycle that leads to changes in expression of large number of genes. In order to ...

Experimental determination of oil-water partition coefficients often poses difficulties associated with emulsion formation. The aim of this work was to find an appropriate technique for determination of oil-water partition coefficients of polar, nonvolatile compounds. Two different methods were tested. The first method used a "silicone membrane equilibrator." For the second ...

BACKGROUND: Auriculocondylar syndrome (ACS) is a rare craniofacial disorder consisting of micrognathia, mandibular condyle hypoplasia and a specific malformation of the ear at the junction between the lobe and helix. Missense heterozygous mutations in the phospholipase C, β 4 (PLCB4) and guanine nucleotide binding protein (G protein), α inhibiting activity ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Diabetes is an important reason for end-stage renal failure and diabetic foot wounds worsen the life qualities of these patients. Protein and amino acid support accelerates the wound healing. The purpose of this retrospective study is to examine the effect of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate, arginine and glutamine (Abound(R)) supplementation on ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Cranial reirradiation is clinically appropriate in some cases but cumulative radiation dose to critical normal structures remains a practical concern. The authors developed a simple technique in 3D conformal proton craniospinal irradiation (CSI) to block organs at risk (OAR) while minimizing underdosing of adjacent target brain tissue. METHODS: ...

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) increases with the severity of liver disease. Development of PVT is often accompanied by increased rate of morbidity and mortality and may affect patient candidacy for liver transplant. There is limited data regarding the role of anticoagulation therapy in patients with PVT ...

BACKGROUND: Autonomic and vagal neuromodulation has been suggested for the treatment of morbid obesity. Occipital nerves remain in close anatomical relation to vagal nerve roots at the entrance to medulla oblongata. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of C1-C2 occipital neuromodulation on autonomic activity, body mass, ...

STUDY QUESTION: Do women with the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) differ from those with the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in markers of insulin resistance (IR) and circulating androgens? SUMMARY ANSWER: Women with MetS have more pronounced IR than those with PCOS whereas only the latter have elevated circulating androgens. WHAT IS ...

BACKGROUND: The value of a preoperative lymphoscintigraphy in melanoma patients with clinically evident regional lymph node metastases has not been studied. Therapeutic lymph node dissection (TLND) is regarded as the clinical standard, but the appropriate extent of TLND is controversial in all lymphatic basins. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Of the 115 ...

A series of thiazoline-incorporated chalconoids, designed based on natural product scaffold, were efficiently synthesized via the reaction of 3-methyl-4-arylthiazole-2(3[Formula: see text])-thiones and appropriate phenacyl halides, and subsequent desulfurization. The starting 3-methyl-4- arylthiazole-2(3[Formula: see text])-thiones were also prepared from phenacyl halides. The structural aspects and ([Formula: see text])-geometry of compounds were ...

Mortality due to septic-shock-induced respiratory failure remains high. A recent meta-analysis suggested that IgM-enriched immunoglobulin treatment may be beneficial in these patients. In this prospective randomised controlled pilot study we investigated the effects of IgM-enriched immunoglobulin treatment in patients with early septic shock accompanied by severe respiratory failure. 33 patients ...

Laser-based ion mobility (IM) spectrometry was used for the detection of neuroleptics and PAH. A gas chromatograph was connected to the IM spectrometer in order to investigate compounds with low vapour pressure. The substances were ionized by resonant two-photon ionization at the wavelengths λ = 213 and 266 nm and pulse energies between ...

Recent evidence indicates that cancer-associated mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play a pivotal role in modulating tumor progression. However, the interactions between liver cancer-associated MSCs (LC-MSCs) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unreported. Here, for the first time, we identified the presence of MSCs in HCC tissues. We also showed that LC-MSCs ...

A biomarker is an indicator of a particular disease. It is generally used to define the presence (diagnostic biomarker), severity, progression (prognostic biomarker) of a condition and/or its response to a specific treatment (predictive biomarker). Biomarkers can be specific cells, enzymes, hormones, genes or gene products, which can be detected ...

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To develop and test strategies to reduce interruptions to enteral feeding to improve practice and promote attainment of nutritional goals. BACKGROUND: Enteral nutrition is preferred for feeding patients in the intensive care unit who are unable to have oral nutrition. Interruption to feeding is likely to be ...

INTRODUCTION: Management of fistula-in-ano requires understanding of both perianal and rectal anatomy, as well as the surgical approaches available to ensure the highest possible postoperative continence and wound healing. Further, high rates of recurrence with medical management commonly bring these patients under the care of the colorectal surgeon after variable ...

Directional cell migration is required for proper embryogenesis, immunity, and healing, and its underpinning regulatory mechanisms are often hijacked during diseases such as chronic inflammations and cancer metastasis. Studies on migratory epithelial tissues have revealed that cells can move as a collective group with shared responsibilities. First thought to be ...

Tinnitus is an auditory phantom percept with a tone, hissing, or buzzing sound in the absence of any objective physical sound source. Two forms of low-intensity cranial electrical stimulation exist for clinical and research purposes: transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS). In a recent study, ...

The levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the water, suspended solids, and sediments from Lake Chaohu during the high water level period were measured by a solid-phase extraction gas chromatograph-electron capture detector. The spatial distributions of the three phases and the water/suspended solids and sediment/water partition coefficients were analyzed. The ...

OBJECTIVE: We examined cognitive function in older hospitalised patients with chronic atrial fibrillation (AF). DESIGN: A prospective substudy of a multicentre randomised trial of an AF-specific disease management intervention (the Standard versus Atrial Fibrillation spEcific managmenT studY; SAFETY). SETTING: Three tertiary referral hospitals within Australia. PATIENTS: A total of 260 ...

PURPOSE: Myocardial ischaemia is frequently silent in patients with type 2 diabetes. Although it has been proposed as a potential screening tool, the role of myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (MPS) has recently been questioned, due to the low prevalence of positive scans and the low rate of ...

A reaction scheme was derived for the thermal degradation of thyroxine in the solid state using data obtained from ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). For studying the reaction mechanism and kinetics of the thermal degradation of the pharmaceutical in the solid state, a workflow was developed by ...

We have previously described a statistical model capable of distinguishing young (age<65yrs) from old (age≥75yrs) individuals. Here we studied the performance of a modified model in three populations and determined whether individuals predicted to be biologically younger than their chronological age had biochemical and functional measures consistent with a younger ...

The purpose of this study was to determine the daily dietary intake of uranium (U) by the general population of Catalonia, Spain. Uranium concentrations were measured in foods widely consumed by the population living in that autonomous community. Food samples were randomly acquired in 12 representative cities of Catalonia. The ...

Family and youth violence are increasingly recognized as key public health issues in developing countries. Parenting interventions form an important evidence-based strategy for preventing violence, both against and by children, yet most rigorous trials of parenting interventions have been conducted in high-income countries, with far fewer in low- and middle-income ...

PURPOSE: Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) is a rare and aggressive tumour that is usually sensitive to chemotherapy. The usefulness of conventional imaging modalities in evaluating treatment response is limited, mainly due to the difficulty in differentiating between residual tumour tissue and necrosis. The aim of the present study was to ...

INTRODUCTION: Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors (DNET) are classically considered as benign, cortically based tumors that are stable. However, there were case reports that suggested DNET may not be as benign as previously thought. The purpose of our study was to identify atypical location, characteristics, and behavior of DNET in children. METHODS: ...

BACKGROUND: FTY720 is an immunomodulatory agent that reduces lymphocytes in peripheral tissues and circulation. Such agents may be effective as vaginal microbicides for HIV prevention. Systemic or vaginal application of FTY720 may reduce lymphocyte concentrations in genital tissues, reducing HIV target cell numbers. METHODS: Five female pigtail macaques received topical ...

Sparing sensitive healthy tissue from chemotherapy exposure is a critical challenge in the treatment of cancer. The work described here demonstrates the localized in vivo photo-activation of a new chemotherapy prodrug of doxorubicin (DOX). The DOX prodrug (DOX-PCB) was 200 times less toxic to cells, but released pure DOX when ...

OBJECTIVE: Phagocyte-derived myeloperoxidase (MPO) and pro-inflammatory high density lipoprotein (HDL) associate with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but the link between MPO and HDL has not been systematically examined. In this study, we investigated whether MPO can oxidise HDL and determined MPO-specific oxidative signature by apoA-1 by peptide mapping in RA subjects ...

STUDY QUESTION: What are the age-specific incident rates of clinically recorded fertility problems in women aged 15-49 years and how do they vary by socioeconomic group and geographic area. SUMMARY ANSWER: The incident rate of recorded fertility problems was highest in women age 30-34 years: about 1% of women per ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the changes in health-related and vision-related quality of life (HR-QoL and VR-QoL) in patients with Behçet uveitis (BU) receiving infliximab therapy. METHODS: Twenty patients with recurrent BU attacks were enrolled. All patients were treated with infliximab. We evaluated the mean number of uveitis attacks and the mean ...

BACKGROUND: The Nanos gene is a key translational regulator of specific mRNAs involved in Drosophila germ cell development. Disruption of mammalian homologues, Nanos2 or Nanos3, causes male infertility in mice. In humans, however, no evidence of NANOS2 or NANOS3 mutations causing male infertility has been reported. Although Nanos1 seems dispensable ...

INTRODUCTION: Legislation systems of most countries prohibited using the handheld mobile phone while driving due to the fact that it disturbs concentration and causes hand involvement. Every phone owner is accustomed to the ringtone of his phone and almost involuntarily endeavors to pick it up or check who calls. This ...

BACKGROUND: Full-body CT scanning is increasingly being used in the initial evaluation of severely injured patients. We sought to analyse the literature to determine the benefits of full-body scanning in terms of mortality and length of time spent in the emergency department (ED). METHODS: A systematic search of the Pubmed ...

Angiogenesis has been considered an important target for cancer therapy. The inhibition of angiogenesis represents a promising strategy for anti-cancer treatment, tumor growth inhibition, and metastasis. Vasostatin 30 (Vs30), and the 14.1 kDa vasoinhibin (Vi-II-14.1) are two peptides with remarkable anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic effect. The aim of this study was to ...