Although many genes that lead to different types of cancer when mutated have been identified, the cells that initiate tumour formation following accumulation of these mutations have, until recently, remained elusive. This review explores how mouse genetic lineage-tracing experiments that allow the expression of oncogenes and/or the deletion of tumour ...

PURPOSE: The presence of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) may have predictive and diagnostic value for cerebrovascular diseases. The purpose of our study was to measure the phase values (PVs) of CMBs by phase maps. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 75 patients with hypertension who had CMBs using enhanced T2*-weighted angiography (ESWAN). The ...

Inefficient gene transfer and low virion concentrations are common limitations of retroviral transduction. We and others have previously shown that peptides derived from human semen form amyloid fibrils that boost retroviral gene delivery by promoting virion attachment to the target cells. However, application of these natural fibril-forming peptides is limited ...

D. Demirel, N. Akyürek and I. Ramzy Diagnostic and prognostic significance of image cytometric DNA ploidy measurement in cytological samples of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions Objective:  To study the DNA ploidy pattern of uterine cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs) and its diagnostic and prognostic significance. Methods:  The study included 31 ...

The past 20 years have witnessed a dramatic resurgence of interest in a hitherto obscure neurodegenerative disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). This was driven partly by the novelty of the prion hypothesis, which sought to provide an explanation for the pathogenesis of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, involving a unique epigenetic mechanism, and ...

The surgical microscope has revolutionized the practice of modern spine surgery. The major advantages of the microscope include better illumination, magnification and coaxial vision. It has also contributed to the welfare of the surgeon through improved ergonomics and opportunities to demonstrate surgical nuances to a training resident. However, there are ...

Falls in geriatry are associated with important morbidity, mortality and high healthcare costs. Because of the large number of variables related to the risk of falling, determining patients at risk is a difficult challenge. The aim of this work was to validate a tool to detect patients with high risk ...

Rapidly changing dietary practices accompanied by an increasingly sedentary lifestyle predispose to nutrition-related non-communicable diseases, including childhood obesity. Over the last 5 y, reports from several developing countries indicate prevalence rates of obesity (inclusive of overweight) >15 % in children and adolescents aged 5-19 y; Mexico 41.8 %, Brazil 22.1 %, India 22.0 % and Argentina ...

The present investigation is focused on the development of a comprehensive two-dimensional GC (GC × GC) method, with dual MS/FID detection, for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the entire unsaponifiable fraction of vegetable oils. The unsaponifiable fraction forms a minor, highly specific part of a vegetable oil, and can be used ...

The efficacy of treatment for glioblastoma multiforme is currently limited by the development of resistance, particularly, but not exclusively, due to the expression of the DNA repair enzyme O6-methylguanine methyltransferase (MGMT) in a significant proportion of astrocytic tumors. MGMT is post-translationally regulated by the 26S proteasome, a multi-subunit organelle responsible ...

We introduce a biophysical model of miRNA-target interaction and infer its parameters from Argonaute 2 cross-linking and immunoprecipitation data. We show that a substantial fraction of human miRNA target sites are noncanonical and that predicted target-site affinity correlates well with the extent of target destabilization. Our model provides a rigorous ...

An all-PDMS on-line microdialysis-microchip electrophoresis system (MCE) with on-chip derivatization and electrophoretic separation for near real-time monitoring of primary amine-containing analytes is described. Each part of the chip was optimized separately, and the effect of each of the components on temporal resolution, lag time and separation efficiency of the device ...

The counterintuitive phenomenon of negative linear compressibility (NLC) is a highly desirable but rare property exploitable in the development of artificial muscles, actuators and next-generation pressure sensors. In all cases, material performance is directly related to the magnitude of intrinsic NLC response. Here we show the molecular framework material zinc(II) ...

A preimplantation genetic test to discriminate between severe and mild autism spectrum disorder might be developed in the foreseeable future. Recently, the philosophers Julian Savulescu and Guy Kahane claimed that there are strong reasons for prospective parents to make use of such a test to prevent the birth of children ...

Using data obtained from a statutory health insurance (AOK) in the federal state of Lower Saxony, this study examined whether there were differences between the insured population compared with that of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) and of Germany with respect to social structural characteristics. Data for the comparisons were provided by ...

OBJECTIVES: Etravirine has high affinity for plasma drug-binding proteins, such as albumin and α(1)-acid glycoprotein, which limits the amount of unbound etravirine available to enter the CNS. The objective of this study was to compare total and unbound etravirine concentrations in CSF with plasma concentrations and the in vitro median ...

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of 810-nm (DMC Equipamentos, Sao Carlos, Brazil) continuous wave low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on the pain caused by orthodontic elastomeric separators. Thirty-seven orthodontic patients (12 male and 25 female, aged 11-32 years, mean age = 24.97 years) participated in the study, including 20 subjects ...

The major function of disulfide bonds is not only the stabilization of protein structures. Over the last 30 years, a change in perspective took place driven by groundbreaking experiments, which promoted disulfide bonds to central players in essential thiol disulfide exchange reactions involved in signal transduction, thiol protection and redox ...

OBJECTIVE: To provide appropriate evidence for treatment planning of patients with an impacted proximal ureteral stones ≥1.5 cm in size, by analyzing the therapeutic outcomes for those undergoing minimally invasive percutaneous antegrade ureterolithotripsy and retrograde ureterolithotripsy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From September 2010 to November 2011, eligible patients with impacted proximal ureteral ...

The burden of stroke is increasing in developing countries that struggle to manage it efficiently. We identified determinants of early case-fatality among stroke patients in Maputo, Mozambique, to assess the impact of in-hospital complications. Patients admitted to any hospital in Maputo with a new stroke event were prospectively registered (n = 651) ...

Adapting to hypoxic stress is pivotal in tumor progression and determining tumor malignancy. The transcriptional factor hypoxia inducing factor (HIF) is crucial in modulating tumorous hypoxic responses through altering cell energy metabolism, which includes the modification on glucose and lipid metabolism associated gene expression. Stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1) is the main ...

The goal of this paper is to describe the baseline characteristics of Live Well (intervention to prevent weight gain in recent immigrant mother-child dyads from Brazil, Haiti, and Latin America) participants, and to explore self-reported changes in diet and physical activity post-immigration. Baseline data from 383 mothers were used for ...

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) and Sweet's syndrome (SS) are skin diseases usually presenting with recurrent ulcers and erythematous plaques, respectively. The accumulation of neutrophils in the skin, characteristic of these conditions, led to coin the term of neutrophilic dermatoses to define them. Recently, neutrophilic dermatoses have been included in the group ...

Meningiomas are the most common primary nervous system tumor. The tumor suppressor NF2 is disrupted in approximately half of all meningiomas, but the complete spectrum of genetic changes remains undefined. We performed whole-genome or whole-exome sequencing on 17 meningiomas and focused sequencing on an additional 48 tumors to identify and ...

AIMS: The aim of this research was production of polyphosphate (poly P) and study on its antibacterial effects. METHODS AND RESULTS: Poly P granules in the cells were observed with the help of Albert staining and extracted by Mussig-Zufika method. TLC and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((31) P NMR) used ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of serum procalcitonin (PCT) in diagnosis of septic meningitis in children and its efficacy in differential diagnosis. METHODS: The study included 40 children of septic meningitis admitted in pediatric ward with fever, headache, vomiting and seizure, up to 14 y of age. The diagnosis of septic ...

Rhodococci are highly adaptable bacteria, capable to degrade or transform a large number of organic compounds, including recalcitrant or toxic products. However, little information is available on the lipases of the genus Rhodococcus, except for LipR, the first lipase isolated and described from strain Rhodococcus CR-53. Taking into consideration the ...

We aimed to investigate the factors contributing to poor recruitment to the EaStER trial "Early Stage glottic cancer: Endoscopic excision or Radiotherapy" feasibility study. We performed a prospective qualitative assessment of the EaStER trial at three centres to investigate barriers to recruitment and implement changes. Methods used included semi-structured interviews, ...

Twin studies are becoming popular to investigate risk factors for low back pain (LBP) because they consider the genetic factor and allow for more precise estimates of risks. We aimed to identify and summarize the results of studies based on twin samples investigating risk factors for LBP. The MEDLINE, CINAHL, ...

Glioma-infiltrating microglia/macrophages are referred to as tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Transgenic (TG) rats expressing v-erbB, which is a viral form of the epidermal growth factor receptor, under transcriptional regulation by the S100-β promoter, develop brain tumors. This study was designed to clarify the pathological characteristics of TAMs in these experimental tumors. ...

The production of highly efficient, recyclable and cost-effective enzymes is one of the most important goals in industrial biotechnology. Bacterial spores are highly resistant to harsh environmental conditions, easy to produce and are suitable for manipulation of genetic materials. These features make them a very efficient tool for biotechnology. Here, ...

We describe in this report a case of a 6-years-old female who presented at the age of 1 month with a mucocutaneous bleeding and suspected thrombocytopenia. The patient's condition was refractory to the known idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura treatments and congenital form of Thrombocytopenia was suspected following the delivery of a male ...

We report the prevalence of osteoporosis, osteopenia, and fractures in a cohort of Italian women randomly recruited among the general population and validate the use of clinical guidelines in referring women for bone density testing. We enrolled in the study 995 healthy women (age range 45-92 years). A bone density test ...

PURPOSE: The present study investigated the higher-order summary factor structure of the Child Health Questionnaire Parent Form-50 (CHQ) in a sample of children with new-onset epilepsy. The secondary aim was to identify risk factors predicting health-related quality of life (HRQL) 24 months post-diagnosis. METHODS: Data came from the Health-related Quality of ...

Enthesopathy is pathology of bony insertions of tendons, ligaments or joint capsules. It is a frequent finding in rheumatic diseases, like ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and Behçet's disease. Musculoskeletal complaints are common in patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), and these could be a clinical manifestation of enthesopathy. Hence, we investigated ...

BACKGROUND: Speech and language delay is a common developmental disorder. Persistent delay may lead to adverse effects on literacy, educational achievement and psychosocial development. Affected children are commonly referred to the Otolaryngologist, hence a structured management approach is required to facilitate diagnosis and allow for early intervention and improved outcomes. ...

Store-operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE) is a common and ubiquitous mechanism regulating Ca(2+) influx into cells and participates in numerous biological processes including cell proliferation. Glomerular mesangial cells (GMCs) play a role in the regulation of the glomerular filtration rate. From a clinical point of view, many physiological functions alter with ...

Microglia are crucial for immune responses in the brain. Although their origin from the yolk sac has been recognized for some time, their precise precursors and the transcription program that is used are not known. We found that mouse microglia were derived from primitive c-kit(+) erythromyeloid precursors that were detected ...

Three putative promoter regions were identified preceding the nisZ gene in Lactococcus lactis HSM-22. To investigate their function in the control of nisZ biosynthesis, green fluorescence protein (GFP) was adopted as probe to determine activities of the three promoters. The results showed that PnisZ-0 containing two sets of the -35 ...

Cohesion between sister chromatids, mediated by the chromosomal cohesin complex, is a prerequisite for their alignment on the spindle apparatus and segregation in mitosis. Budding yeast cohesin first associates with chromosomes in G1. Then, during DNA replication in S-phase, the replication fork-associated acetyltransferase Eco1 acetylates the cohesin subunit Smc3 to ...

The Gram-negative bacterium Flavobacterium columunare is the cause of colmunaris disease in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). In a previous study, the betaine-type alkaloid ungeremine, 1 obtained from Pancratium maritimum L. was found to have strong antibacterial activity against F. columnare. In this study, analogues of 1 were evaluated using a ...

Regulatory T cells (T(reg) cells) develop from progenitor thymocytes after the engagement of T cell antigen receptors (TCRs) with high-affinity ligands, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are still unclear. Here we show that the Nr4a nuclear receptors, which are encoded by immediate-early genes upregulated by TCR stimulation in thymocytes, have ...

We conducted a greenhouse study to assess the effects of cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) rhizochemicals on a suite of plants native to southeastern US pine savanna ecosystems. Our results indicated a possible allelopathic effect, although it varied by species. A ruderal grass (Andropogon arctatus) and ericaceous shrub (Lyonia ferruginea) were unaffected ...

This study aims to determine the potential origin of Olea pollen recorded in Badajoz in the Southwest of the Iberian Peninsula during 2009-2011. This was achieved using a combination of daily average and diurnal (hourly) airborne Olea pollen counts recorded at Badajoz (south-western Spain) and Évora (south-eastern Portugal), an inventory ...

OBJECTIVES: To characterize viro-immunological outcomes following long-term combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) initiated during primary HIV infection (PHI) or chronic HIV infection (CHI) and to identify factors predictive of optimal viro-immunological responder (OVIR) status. METHODS: This was a prospective, single-centre cohort study of HIV-1-infected patients on effective cART. Total cell-associated HIV ...

A one-step, eco-friendly ultrasound-assisted process is established for the rapid synthesis of sulfur-carbon composite cathode materials, avoiding the widely used, energy inefficient "melt-down" process for Li-S batteries. It is demonstrated that, without inserting sulfur into pores of carbon, the coulombic efficiency of SC/Li cell in the new DOL/D2 electrolyte is ...

Veterinary medicines are widely administered to farm animals since they keep animals healthy at overcrowded conditions. Nevertheless the continuous administration of medicines to farm animals can frequently lead to the presence of residues of veterinary drugs in consumption products. Amprolium is a quaternary ammonium compound used in the treatment of ...

There is a high co-morbidity between chronic inflammatory disorders and depression. Proinflammatory cytokines like TNF-α seem to play a central role in the pathogenesis of these disorders, and its neutralization provides a potent treatment for inflammatory disorders. Few studies showed that TNF-α blockers also caused an improvement in depressive symptoms ...

It is of both theoretical and practical importance to develop a universally applicable approach for the fractionation and sensitive lignin characterisation of Lignin-Carbohydrate Complexes (LCCs) from all types of lignocellulosic biomass, both natively and after different types of processing. In the present study, the previously reported fractionation approach that is ...

BACKGROUND: To analyze and compare the relationship between anterior and posterior corneal shape evaluated by a tomographic system combining the Scheimpflug photography and Placido-disc in keratoconus and normal healthy eyes, as well as to evaluate its potential diagnostic value. METHODS: Comparative case series including a sample of 161 eyes of ...