Abstract Dysfunction of the circadian clock genes is involved in the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Since gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and T2D share common genetic and phenotypic features, in the present study, we investigated the status of the circadian clock in a cohort of 40 Greek ...

PURPOSE: Concentration of carotenoids in the serum is a biomarker of mainly vegetable and fruit consumption. However, the levels of carotenoids in humans may decline with age and can also depend on body fat, alcohol consumption, and cigarette smoking. METHOD: Food intake and characteristics of 159 randomly chosen women aged ...

Members of the fibroblast growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase family (FGFR1-4) play an important role in many signalling cascades. Although tightly regulated, aberrant activity of these enzymes may lead to, or become features of, disease pathologies including cancer. FGFR isoforms have been the subject of drug discovery programmes, with a ...

What evolutionary events led to the emergence of human cognition? Although the genetic differences separating modern humans from both non-human primates (for example, chimpanzees) and archaic hominins (Neanderthals and Denisovans) are known, linking human-specific mutations to the cognitive phenotype remains a challenge. One strategy is to focus on human-specific changes ...

The aim of this study was to valorise a deciduous tree called Pistacia atlantica. Cell wall polysaccharides (cellulose and hemicelluloses) were isolated and dosed from mature and young pistachio leaves. The samples were collected from six different locations in the Sidi Bel Abbes region (western Algeria). The wall residue yield ...

The human adult brain possesses intriguing plasticity, including neurogenesis and angiogenesis, which may be mediated by the activated sonic hedgehog (Shh). By employing a coculture system, brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) cocultured with astrocytes, which were incubated under oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) condition, we tested the hypothesis that Shh secreted by ...

Proteome analysis of Enterobacter ludwigii PAS1 provide a powerful set of tool to study the cold shock proteins along with that combination of bioinformatics is useful for interpretation of comparative results from many species. There is a considerable interest in the use of psychrotrophic bacteria for nitrogen fixation, especially at ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Knowledge about symptoms and transmission of tuberculosis determines health seeking behavior and helps in prevention of tuberculosis transmission in the community. Such data is useful for policy makers to formulate information, education and communication strategies for tuberculosis control. METHODS: A secondary data analysis of India demographic and health ...

This article presents the mental health aspects of 'touch' associated with a funded research project: Avoiding 'high tech' through 'high touch' in end-stage dementia: Protocol for care at the end-of-life. These mental health aspects highlight the human need for touch that continues up until and inclusive of the final stages ...

BACKGROUND: Advancements over the past generation have yielded several new treatment options for the management of brain metastases. However, surgical resection (SR) still remains the mainstay of treatment and is performed especially if decompression is required. The goal of this study was to evaluate the role of surgical resection for ...

Nicorandil is a nitric oxide (NO) donor used in the treatment of angina symptoms. It has also been reported to protect cells and affect the proliferation and death of cells in some tissues. The molecules that interfere with these processes can cause dysfunction in healthy tissues but can also assist ...

Varroa destructor is a major pest in world beekeeping. It was first detected in Madagascar in 2010 on the endemic honeybee Apis mellifera unicolor. To evaluate V. destructor spread dynamics in Madagascar a global survey was conducted in 2011-2012. A total of 695 colonies from 30 districts were inspected for ...

The biological environment in which a protein performs its function is a crowded milieu containing millions of molecules that can potentially lead to a great many transient, non-specific interactions. NMR spectroscopy is especially well suited to study these weak molecular contacts. Here, non-specific interactions between the Ca(2+)-bound form of calmodulin ...

A simple, colorimetric 'turn on' sensor for ultrasensitive detection of thrombin has been developed using fibrinogen-modified gold nanoparticles (Fib-Au NPs). The assay was based on the thrombin-fibrinogen interaction which is part of the physiological process of blood clotting. The fibrinogen was immobilized on the surface of 96-well plate offering reactive ...

On-line measurement of respiration plays an important role in monitoring human physical activities. Such measurement commonly employs sensing belts secured around the rib cage and abdomen of the test object. Affected by the movement of body tissues, respiratory signals typically have a low signal-to-noise ratio. Removing tissue artifacts therefore is ...

A supersaturating self-emulsifying drug delivery system (S-SEDDS) was prepared and evaluated for enhanced dissolution of celecoxib (CXB), a poorly water-soluble drug. The selected CXB-dissolved SEDDS formulation consisting 10 % Capryol 90 (oil), 45 % Tween 20 (surfactant), and 45 % Tetraglycol (cosurfactant) had the characteristics of small droplet size and great solubility as ...

This paper highlights the results of a consensus meeting regarding best practices for the assessment and treatment of co-occurring traumatic brain injury (TBI) and mental health (MH) problems among Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn Veterans seeking care in non-Veterans Affairs Colorado community MH settings. Twenty individuals with expertise ...

Monitoring of marine microalgae is important to predict and manage harmful algal blooms. Microarray Detection of Toxic ALgae (MIDTAL) is an FP7-funded EU project aiming to establish a multi-species microarray as a tool to aid monitoring agencies. We tested the suitability of different prototype versions of the MIDTAL microarray for ...

Earwax type and axillary odor are genetically determined by rs17822931, a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) located in the ABCC11 gene. The literature has been concerned with the Mendelian trait of earwax, although axillary odor is also Mendelian. Ethnic diversity in rs17822931 exists, with higher frequency of allele A in east Asians. ...

Fasciospyrinadine (1), a novel sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloid with a previously unreported skeleton featuring a monocyclicfarnesane moiety attached to a 3-methylenepyridine residue, was isolated from the sponge Fasciospongia sp. from Weizhou Island, Guangxi Autonomous Region. The structure and the relative stereochemistry of 1 were elucidated on the basis of extensive analysis ...

This case report highlights an unusually prolonged, asymptomatic, disease-free interval in an aged male Labrador retriever that underwent partial pancreatectomy for a functionally active pancreatic insulinoma with histologically confirmed hepatic metastasis. The patient developed pancreatitis and nonseptic suppurative peritonitis 24 hr after surgical resection of the insulinoma and was managed ...

OBJECTIVE: To identify the role of longitudinal measurements of fetal aortic isthmus blood flow using Doppler ultrasonography in the prediction of perinatal morbidity and mortality. SETTING: Obstetrics department of a university POPULATION AND DESIGN: This prospective study includes women with fetal growth restriction and abnormal umbilical artery Doppler results, seen ...

Diagnosis of dysglycemic states is likely delayed as current diagnostic criteria apply absolute threshold values to a process that is continuous. The importance of this relates to forestalling opportunities for earlier diagnosis when prevention and reversibility are more likely to occur by preventing further β cell dysfunction. Although the optimal ...

BACKGROUND: Most NSAIDs are thought to be able to cause hepatic injury and acute liver failure (ALF), but the event rates of those leading to transplantation (ALFT) remain uncertain. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to estimate population event rates for NSAID-associated ALFT METHODS: This was a case-population study ...

The aim of this study was to determine heavy metal content (As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Cd, Pb, and Zn) in oysters transplanted in Ebro Delta bays (Alfacs and Fangar) where oysters are traditionally cultured for human consumption. Metal body burdens were monitored weekly during the period of maximal agriculture activity ...

The anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion gene is a key oncogenic driver in a subset of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Oncogenic fusion genes, including echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4) and ALK, have been detected in approximately 2-7 % of NSCLC patients. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is ...

Zymolyase (lyticase) is used for cell wall digestion in yeast experiments and is needed for incubation processes under moderate experimental conditions. This has been thought to cause unfavorable effects, and many researchers are aware that the enzyme method is unsuitable for RNA preparation following several reports of stress responses to ...

Although the natural history of H1N1 has been found to vary among patients, little is known about the factors that affect these variations. Infected patients with an extended infection history may shed virus longer and spread infection. To further clarify these variations, we evaluated the natural history of H1N1 infection ...

Metabolic changes in cells that participate in inflammation, such as activated macrophages and T-helper 17 cells, include a shift towards enhanced glucose uptake, glycolysis and increased activity of the pentose phosphate pathway. Opposing roles in these changes for hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and AMP-activated protein kinase have been proposed. By contrast, ...

In the environment, the methylation of metal(loid)s is a widespread phenomenon, which enhances both biomobility as well as mostly the toxicity of the precursory metal(loid)s. Different reaction mechanisms have been proposed for arsenic, but not really proven yet. Here, carbon isotope analysis can foster our understanding of these processes, as ...

Abstract Background: Active travel has a potential to increase children's physical activity (PA). Pedometers offer a valid option to measure PA, but do not capture cycling activity. Children's self-reported cycling distances can be analyzed by the Geografic Information System (GIS). Aim: To combine pedometry and GIS mapping to identify the ...

To examine the psychometric properties of the 20-item Centre for Epidemiological Studies - Depression scale (CES-D). Data were collected from 400 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and above, residing in Chennai, India. The instruments including the CES-D scale were translated into Tamil language. The sample was randomly split for ...

Oxidative stress and apoptosis play key role in the pathogenesis of acute kidney injury (AKI). We hypothesize that Astragaloside IV(AS-IV) prevents AKI through inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis. The rats were divided into sham control, saline-,vehicle-, or AS-IV-treated groups. AS-IV (20 mg/kg) was orally administered once daily to the rats for ...

A new 2,5-diketopiperazine, (R)-2-(2-(furan-2-yl)-oxoethyl)-octahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine-1,4-dione, and seven known compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of liquid fermentation broth of Armillaria mellea. The structures of the isolated compounds were established from NMR and HR-MS data. The absolute configuration of the new compound was established by comparing the experimental electronic circular ...

The relationship between the timing of the initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) after infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and the recovery of CD4+ T-cell counts is unknown. In a prospective, observational cohort of persons with acute or early HIV-1 infection, we determined the trajectory of CD4+ counts ...

Variations in the origin and distribution of Berrettini anastomosis between the digital branches of the ulnar and median nerves exist and are well described in the literature. During regular dissections by medical students, we encountered a rare variation in the left hand of an approximately 50-year-old male cadaver. Berrettini anastomosis ...

The infrared spectrum of the disilane cation, Si(2)H(6)(+), in its (2)A(1g) ground state is inferred from photodissociation of cold Si(2)H(6)(+)-Ar(n) complexes (n = 1, 2). Vibrational analysis is consistent with a D(3d) symmetric structure of H(3)SiSiH(3)(+) generated by ionization from the bonding σ(SiSi) orbital. Structural, vibrational, and electronic properties of ...

Healthy Choices, a four-session motivational interviewing-based intervention, reduces risk behaviors among US youth living with HIV (YLWH). We randomized 110 Thai YLWH (16-25 years) to receive either Healthy Choices or time-matched health education (Control) over 12 weeks. Risk behaviors were assessed at baseline, 1, and 6 months post-session. The pilot study was not ...

Purpose:  To determine whether retinal vessel oxygen saturation in patients with glaucoma is associated with structural optic disc and retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) changes and visual field (VF) defects. Methods:  Fifty-nine patients with confirmed glaucoma were recruited at University Hospitals Leuven. Retinal oxygen saturation in patients with glaucoma was ...

Parecoxib, a novel COX-2 inhibitor, functions as a neuroprotective agent and rescues neurons from cerebral ischemic reperfusion injury-induced apoptosis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying parecoxib neuroprotection remain to be elucidated. There is growing evidence that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays an important role in neuronal death caused by brain ischemia. ...

OPINION STATEMENT: Post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) refers to chronic manifestations of venous insufficiency following a deep-vein thrombosis (DVT). It is a frequent, chronic, burdensome and costly disease for which therapeutic options are limited. Above all, the optimal management of PTS consists of preventing its occurrence: first, by preventing DVT, and second, ...

This work estimates the economic losses due to Neospora abortions in the humid pampa region of Argentina. The total dairy and beef cattle population at risk of abortion is 1,771,326 and 9,726,684 head, respectively. In dairy cattle, there was an 8 % risk of experiencing abortion due to a variety of causes, ...

Context. Ingestion of toxic liquids is common, and the volume ingested is often important for clinical decision-making. However, the accuracy and interpretation of volume estimates in the context of toxicological exposures is poorly characterised in adult practice. Objective. To inform the interpretation of volume estimates when expressed in forms commonly ...

For previously untreated children with severe hemophilia A, it is unclear whether the type of factor VIII product administered and switching among products are associated with the development of clinically relevant inhibitory antibodies (inhibitor development). We evaluated 574 consecutive patients with severe hemophilia A (factor VIII activity, <0.01 IU per ...

We have shown that two multidomain adaptor proteins, p140Cap and vinexin, interact with each other and are likely to be involved in neurotransmitter release. Because the basic molecular mechanism governing neurotransmitter and insulin secretion is conserved, these two proteins may also to play pivotal roles in insulin secretion. We therefore ...

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are of particular interest in the nutritional therapy for diabetes, given their potential role in several pathophysiological processes related to cardiovascular disease. Both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are beneficial for improving lipid profiles in healthy individuals and among type 2 diabetic patients: Supplementation with omega-3 fatty ...

Aglinin A (1) is a mixture of C(24)-epimeric 20S,24-epoxy-24,25-dihydroxy-3,4-secodammar-4(28)-en-3-oic acid and present in plants of the family Meliaceae. The two epimers of 1 were resolved through an acetonide reaction, and the absolute configurations of two derivatives were deduced by the analysis of their (13)C NMR differences induced by γ-gauche or ...

A series of 3-[(4-substituted-benzylidene)-amino]-2-phenyl-3H-quinazolin-4-ones (5a-k) were synthesized by reacting 3-amino-2-phenyl-1H-quinazolin-4-one with p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, and then further with various alkyl/benzyl halides or substituted phenacyl bromides. The structures of the compounds were confirmed on the basis of IR, NMR, MS and elemental analysis. Anticonvulsant activities were evaluated using the MES and scPTZ tests. ...

BACKGROUND: Bone mineral density (BMD) in the proximal tibia decreases after TKA and is believed to be a factor in implant migration and loosening. Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is a less invasive procedure preserving knee compartments unaffected by degeneration. Finite element studies have suggested UKA may preserve BMD and that ...

Single molecule assays were performed on streptavidin-β-galactosidase using a capillary electrophoresis-based protocol in order to assess the suitability of single molecule β-galactosidase assays for adaptation to the detection of single copies of target DNA. The conjugate was found to have a heterogeneous catalytic rate, showing an average rate of 44,000 ± 24,000 min(-1), ...