Objective: Using retrospective prescription analysis, this study aimed to investigate the risk factors for renal impairment among adult solid tumor and multiple myeloma patients who have received zoledronic acid injections in a teaching hospital over the last 4 years. Methods: We examined solid tumor and multiple myeloma patients who had ...

Abstract Objective: This study engaged in investigation of optimal formulation, characteristics analysis of Brucea javanica oil microemulsion (BJOM) in order to address safety concerns and make recommendations for improvements in BJOM safety during clinical use in vivo. Methods: Pseudo-ternary phase diagram techniques were used to determine the appropriate ratio of ...

Docetaxel, pemetrexed and epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (gefitinib and erlotinib) are recommended second-line therapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with disease progression. Although erlotinib is the only recommended third-line therapy, several drugs are being used in the clinic. Recent studies have focused on combining ...

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) in a selected population of diabetic patients with below-the-knee (BTK) disease and to analyze the reliability of the angiosome model. METHODS: We made a retrospective analysis of the results of PTA performed in 201 diabetic patients with BTK-only disease treated ...

PURPOSE: Pediatric cardiac malignancies are exceedingly rare. We sought to examine demographics, presentation, and outcomes for this pathology. METHODS: The SEER registry from 1973 to 2008 was queried for all patients <20 years of age with cardiac malignancies. RESULTS: A total of 25 pediatric patients were identified with primary cardiac malignancies, ...

Recent research has highlighted how parental narratives can be important in the resistance against disabling processes. This article contains analyses of enabling language in narratives published by Scandinavian disability rights organizations. First, drawing on the work of Fisher and Goodley, I point out that the material constitute a threefold: normality ...

Aim: Using mice deficient in the Ca(V) 3.1 T-type Ca(2+) channel, the aim of the present study was to elucidate the molecular identity of non-L-type channels involved in vascular tone regulation in mesenteric arteries and arterioles. Methods: We used immunofluorescence microscopy to localize Ca(V) 3.1 channels, patch clamp electrophysiology to ...

Invasion of the brain parenchyma by a meningioma classified by histological criteria as World Health Organization (WHO) Grade I meningioma, implies that the tumor has greater likelihood of recurrence and a biological behavior similar to the more aggressive WHO Grade II meningiomas. It is therefore important to detect microscopic foci ...

Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a common complication in hemodialysis (HD) patients and its pathogenesis is not explained clearly. Arterio-venous fistulas (AVFs) creation may contribute to the development of PAH because of increased pulmonary artery blood flow. However, it was not prospectively evaluated that effect of AVF on the ...

The use of intravitreal ranibizumab in exudative age-related macular degeneration (eAMD) has become commonplace. We aim to investigate the early predictors of this treatment outcome. Seventy-one treatment-naive eyes of 71 patients with eAMD of all lesion subtypes who received intravitreal ranibizumab treatment and completed 12 months of follow-up were included. All ...

The study examined the question of who should make decisions for a National Health Scheme about the allocation of health resources when the health states of beneficiaries could change because of adaptation. Eight semi-structured small group discussions were conducted. Following focus group theory, interviews commenced with general questions followed by ...

The aetiology of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is multifactorial, and numerous studies have addressed that occlusion may be of great importance. However, whether occlusion plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of TMD remains controversial. Study designs utilising animal models have been used to study the effects of artificial occlusal alterations. ...

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to examine the organizational and psychosocial risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in workers exposed to various levels of work-related constraints, with a special focus on factors related to the work organization. METHODS: From 3,710 workers, representative of a French region's working ...

Because there are more elderly people than ever before and because they are living for longer periods of time, it is essential to understand the determinants of healthy ageing. This study examined changes in oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among Japanese elderly over a 7-year period. A sample of ...

A hydroponic experiment was carried out to investigate possible hormetic response induced by cadmium (Cd) in a potential hyperaccumulator-Lonicera japonica Thunb. The results showed that Cd at low concentrations induced a significant increase in plant growth, leaf water content and content of photosynthetic pigments in L. japonica, but decreased them ...

The vast majority of the mouse and human genomes consist of repetitive elements (REs), while protein-coding sequences occupy only ∼3 %. It has been reported that the Y chromosomes of both species are highly populated with REs although at present, their complete sequences are not available in any public database. The ...

The light responsiveness of mitochondrial function was investigated through changes in mitochondrial composition and metabolism in rice (Oryza sativa) shoots. The mitochondrial proteome and metabolite abundances under low light, (LL, 100 μmol m(-2)  s(-1) ), and high light (HL, 700 μmol m(-2)  s(-1) ) were measured along with information on shoot photosynthetic, respiratory and ...

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx) is a biocompatible and bioresorbable copolymer that has generated research interest as a bone scaffold material. However, its brittleness and degradation characteristics can be improved upon. We hypothesized that blending with medical-grade polycaprolactone (PCL) can improve degradation and mechanical characteristics. Here, we report the development of solvent-blended PHBHHx/PCL ...

WHAT'S KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT? AND WHAT DOES THE STUDY ADD?: The occurence of lymphoceles in patients after radical prostatectomy is well known (2-10%). It appears that patients undergoing open extraperitoneal radical prostatectomy develop more lymphoceles than patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy with transperitoneal access. The present study investigates in ...

The present study evaluated the use of this self-activated shape memory alloy (SMA) device, with a focus on its effects in the region under the periosteum. Twelve Japanese white rabbits were used in this study. The device was inserted under the periosteum at the forehead. In the experimental group, the ...

Purpose:  To compare the optic nerve head appearance in glaucomatous eyes before and after marked reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP). Methods:  The hospital-based observational case-series study included selected glaucoma patients for whom optic disc photographs taken before and 1 week to 5 months after surgical reduction of IOP were morphometrically examined. Results:  ...

A single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the α5 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit gene, rs16969968, has been repeatedly associated with both smoking and respiratory health phenotypes. However, there remains considerable debate as to whether associations with lung cancer are mediated through effects on smoking behavior. Preclinical studies suggest that α5 receptor subunit ...

BACKGROUND: There is growing interest in realist synthesis as an alternative systematic review method. This approach offers the potential to expand the knowledge base in policy-relevant areas - for example, by explaining the success, failure or mixed fortunes of complex interventions. No previous publication standards exist for reporting realist syntheses. ...

Abstract Objective To asses the relation between echogenicity changes in the fetal brain and neurodevelopmental outcome until 6 years of age. Methods Fetuses (n=124) from pregnancies affected by hypertensive disorders (n=64) or preterm labor (n=60) at risk for preterm birth (26-34 weeks gestation) were studied. Moderate echogenicity changes (periventricular grade ...

Digital pathology has grown dramatically in the last 10 years and has created opportunities to not only support the triaging of difficult cases among specialists within an organization, but also enable remote pathology consultations with external organizations across the world. This study investigated one organization's need for a vendor agnostic ...

Given the poor outcomes of relapsed aggressive lymphomas and preclinical data suggesting that ≥2·5 μmol/l concentrations of vorinostat synergize with both etoposide and platinums, we hypothesized that pulse high-dose vorinostat could safely augment the anti-tumour activity of (R)ICE [(rituximab), ifosphamide, carboplatin, etoposide] chemotherapy. We conducted a phase I dose escalation study ...

The rapidly increasing prevalence of obesity confers a huge health burden globally. The hypothalamus plays a central role in the regulation of energy homeostasis by integrating multiple metabolic signals from peripheral organs and modulating feeding behavior and energy metabolism. Leptin, a key appetite-regulating hormone derived from the white adipose tissue, ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, with pain being its most common symptom. Little is known about the psychological aspects of knee osteoarthritis pain. There is an emerging consensus among osteoarthritis specialists about the importance of addressing not only biological but also psychosocial factors in ...

Objective: To evaluate the bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of orally administered tapentadol immediate release (IR) compared with tapentadol prolonged release (PR). Methods: Three randomized, open-label, crossover studies were conducted in subjects under fasted conditions. Studies 1 and 2 determined the absolute bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of oral tapentadol IR 86 mg and ...

PURPOSE: Resveratrol could induce basal autophagy through the activation of sirtuin. In this study, we investigated the effect of resveratrol on oxidative injury of human umbilical endothelial vein cells (HUVECs) induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and the role of autophagy in this effect. METHODS: HUVECs were exposed to 100 mg/L ...

Advances in management of non-cardiac issues in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) have improved such that DMD-associated cardiac disease has become the leading cause of death for such patients. Cardiac dysfunction measured by standard transthoracic echocardiographic methods, e.g., fractional shortening (FS) and ejection fraction (EF), is rarely present during the first ...

High low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (L/H) ratio is associated with progressions of coronary arteriosclerosis and chronic kidney disease. On the other hand, renal function markedly declined after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The aims of the present study were (1) to identify what type of patients with AMI would have ...

This work aims to provide simple and accurate closed-form approximations to predict the scattering and absorption spectra of metallic nanospheres and nanoshells supporting localised surface plasmon resonances. Particular attention is given to the validity and accuracy of these expressions in the range of nanoparticle sizes relevant to plasmonics, typically limited ...

Stem-loop oligonucleotides tagged with organic dyes are employed as capture and reporter probes in a molecular beacon-based signal-off surface- enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) strategy. DNA strands are immobilized on a gold nanoparticle-decorated silicon nanowire array (AuNPs@SiNWAr). DNA with a concentration down to ≈10 fM is detected under irradiation from a ...

Heavy chain antibodies differ in structure to conventional antibodies lacking both the light chain and the first heavy chain constant domain (CH1). Characteristics of the antigen-binding variable heavy domain of the heavy chain antibody (VHH) including the smaller size, high solubility and stability make them an attractive alternative to more ...

We previously documented the lowest frequency of CYP2C9*2 in Mexican indigenous Tepehuanos followed by Mestizos and Mexican-Americans populations, suggesting a negative correlation between the CYP2C9*2 frequency and the degree of Asian ancestry in indigenous Americans. We determined the influence of ethnic admixture components on the CYP2C9 allele distribution in 505 ...

PURPOSE: Immunotherapy (IL-2 and INF-α) was the treatment of choice for advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) until antiangiogenic therapy with tyrosin kinase inhibitors was developed in the early 2000s. This clinical trial explored the efficacy and toxicity of sequential treatment of IL-2 plus INF-α followed by sorafenib. METHODS: Eligibility criteria ...

Spinal cord injury frequently results in permanent loss of neurological function. It includes many complex molecular and biochemical mechanisms. G-protein-coupled receptor kinase 6 (GRK6) is an intracellular kinase that regulates the sensitivity of certain G-protein-coupled receptors. Some studies reported GRK2 and GRK5 modulate the NFκB pathway in macrophages. Additionally, GRK2 ...

The need for tools to monitor imaging-related radiation has grown dramatically in recent years. RADIANCE, a freely available open-source dose-monitoring tool, was developed in response to the need for an informatics solution in this realm. A number of open-source as well as commercial solutions have since been developed to enable ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: We sought to improve prostate cancer (PC) detection through developing a prostate biopsy clinical decision rule (PBCDR), based on an elevated PSA and laboratory biomarkers. This decision rule could be used after initial PC screening, providing the patient and clinician information to consider prior to biopsy. METHODS: This ...

Objective Asthma is one of the commonest causes of morbidity and mortality in childhood. The goals of the present study were to design a valid medication assessment tool for evaluating the quality of medication use according to recommendations of updated asthma guidelines for children aged from 5 to 12 years, and ...

OBJECTIVE: Standard triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication is no longer effective as an empiric choice in most areas. Even in low clarithromycin resistance areas, results ≥95% are infrequently achieved. This study was designed to search for a version of standard triple therapy for use low prevalence areas or as ...

Drawing on perspectives from the governmentality literature and the sociology of risk, this article explores the strategies, tools and mechanisms for managing risk in acute hospital trusts in the United Kingdom. The article uses qualitative material from an ethnographic study of four acute hospital trusts undertaken between 2008 and 2010 ...

Colonoscopy is the most sensitive and specific means for detection of colon cancers and polyps. To make colonoscopy more effective several problems must be overcome including: pain associated with the procedure, the risk of perforation, and incomplete intubation colonoscopy. Technically, these problems are the result of loop formation during colonoscopy. ...

A new strategy to improve silicon-based endodontic treatment tightness by dentine hydrophobization is presented in this work: root dentine was silanized to obtain a hydrophobic dentine-sealer interface that limits fluid penetration. This strategy was based on the grafting of aliphatic carbon chains on the dentine through a silanization with the ...

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to acquire CT images of the celiac artery by 64-multi-slice spiral CT angiography (64-MSCTA) in gastric cancer patients to facilitate gastric cancer surgery. METHODS: Preoperative 64-MSCTA was performed to observe the origin, course and anatomical variations of the celiac artery and vascular calcifications ...

PURPOSE: Morphologic evaluation of the cornea is based on the slit-lamp examination. In human ophthalmology, optical coherence tomography (OCT) has opened a new field in the clinical approach to anterior segment disorders and more specifically the cornea. The aim of our study is to describe spectral domain OCT examination of ...

PURPOSE: A biomechanical study was performed to test the hypothesis that a new anatomically preformed, thinner, soft-tissue protecting plate system for distal humeral fractures (Tifix®-hybridplate [HP]) would show comparable results in the quasi-static and dynamic testings compared to two conventional implants: The 3.5-mm reconstruction plate (RP) providing primary stability with ...

Orexin A and orexin B are hypothalamic neuropeptides initially identified as endogenous ligands for two orphan G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). They play critical roles in the maintenance of wakefulness by regulating function of monoaminergic and cholinergic neurons that are implicated in the regulation of wakefulness. Loss of orexin neurons in ...

In this Review, after a brief historical introduction, we first provide an overview of epidemiological studies that demonstrate an association between functional dyspepsia and psychological traits, states or psychiatric disorders. These studies suggest an important intrinsic role for psychosocial factors and psychiatric disorders, especially anxiety and depression, in the aetiopathogenesis ...