BACKGROUND: Skin prick testing (SPT) is an important step in the diagnosis of IgE-mediated occupational allergic diseases. The outcome of SPT is related to the quality of allergen extracts. Thus, the aim of the study was to assess different commercially available SPT solutions for selected occupational allergens. METHODS: SPT was ...

Agrochemical spray formulations applied to plants are often mixed with surfactants that facilitate delivery of the active ingredient. However, surfactants cause phytotoxicity and off-target effects in the environment. We propose the use of nanostructured liquid crystalline particles (NLCP) as an alternative to surfactant-based agrochemical delivery. For this we have compared ...

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the results of hallux valgus surgery between feet fixed with Kirschner wires and those fixed with a plate and screws. METHODS: Between December 2008 and November 2009, 53 patients (62 feet) were treated with proximal chevron osteotomy and distal soft tissue procedure ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: CD8(+) cell infiltration and apoptosis of airway epithelial cells is increased in COPD. CD8(+) T cells induce apoptosis by releasing granzymes, which can also cause extracellular matrix degradation and remodeling. Granzyme B levels and T cells expressing granzyme B are increased in BAL fluid of COPD patients, ...

This study expanded the citizen participation literature by examining the dynamic nature of citizen participation and the extent to which the factors associated with citizen participation may be moderated by resident leadership status. Longitudinal survey data collected from 542 residents in one small Midwestern city implementing a community change initiative ...

Several groups of bacteria such as Dehalococcoides spp., Dehalobacter spp., Desulfomonile spp., Desulfuromonas spp., or Desulfitobacterium spp. are able to dehalogenate chlorinated pollutants such as chloroethenes, chlorobenzenes, or polychlorinated biphenyls under anaerobic conditions. In order to assess the dechlorination potential in Yangtze sediment samples, the presence and activity of the ...

Self-cutting as a form of self-harm is a common and multifaceted phenomenon among adolescents. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the location of self-cutting (arms or other areas of the body) could help to assess the severity of the underlying psychiatric problems. A sample of adolescents who ...

Airway smooth muscle (ASM) cell phenotypic switching played an important role in airway remodeling in asthma. In vitro platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) induced ASM cell phenotypic switching from a mature to pro-remodeling phenotype, but the mechanism remained incompletely understood. This study was to explore the effect of DNA methyltransferase inhibitor ...

Background There is little evidence on benzodiazepine misuse and associated factorsin transitional countries of the Western Balkans. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the level and socioeconomic correlates of misuse of benzodiazepine drugs in the Albanian adult population. Method We conducted a cross-sectional study including a representative ...

The aim of our study was to assess the nature and importance of claudin expression in grade I-III ependymomas. The expression of claudins 2-5, 7, 10, TWIST, and ZEB1 were investigated in a series of 61 ependymomas using immunohistochemistry. All the claudins were expressed in ependymomas, except for CLDN4. CLDN5 ...

We propose a route to largely decrease the transition temperature for the insulator-metal transition of VO(2) by doping with beryllium atoms. Our first-principles calculations show that the doped beryllium atoms can unprecedentedly decrease the phase transition temperature by 58 K per at% Be, which exceeds any doping attempts reported for ...

The survival after renal transplantation of patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated to systemic vasculitis is as good as in other diseases, although most of the reports are based on small numbers of patients. Furthermore, it is not known whether comorbidities (cardiovascular [CV] disease and cancer) are more frequent than ...

Reducing sugar (RS) accumulation in cold-stored potato tubers, known as cold-induced sweetening (CIS), is a crucial factor causing unacceptable colour changes and acrylamide formation of fried products. The activity of vacuolar invertase (StvacINV1) is proved important for the CIS process, and invertase inhibitors are speculated to play roles in the ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Hemorrhage continues to be a leading cause of maternal death in developing countries. The 2012 World Health Organization guidelines for the prevention and management of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) recommend oral administration of misoprostol by community health workers (CHWs). However, there are several outstanding questions about distribution of misoprostol ...

In order to understand precise biological roles of sulfur dioxide (SO(2)), reliable SO(2) donors, compounds that produce SO(2) under physiological conditions, are necessary. The design and development of 1-phenyl-benzosultine as an efficient SO(2) donor is reported. This compound undergoes cycloreversion to generate SO(2) upon dissolution in aqueous buffer at 37 ...

The photocatalytic degradation of a series of six acid dyes (Direct Red 80, Direct Red 81, Direct Red 23, Direct Violet 51, Direct Yellow 27, and Direct Yellow 50) has been tested compared in terms of color removal, mineralization, and toxicity (Lactuca sativa L. test) after photocatalysis on immobilized titanium ...

We sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on ischemia and reperfusion in a pig model focusing on cardio-renal protection. High doses of NAC may provide protection from contrast induced nephropathy (CIN). NAC has also been demonstrated to reduce myocardial infarction size and improve left ventricular function ...

Birth and early life stages are critical periods characterized by severe alterations of the redox balance and by "physiological" genomic changes in lung cells, which may be responsible for cancer and other diseases in adulthood. Oxidative stress is a major mechanism accounting for the carcinogenicity of cigarette smoke (CS), which ...

Based on specific chemical reactions carried out at ambient temperature, an ultrasensitive and chemoselective measurement of both acyclic and cyclic ketone gases, such as acetone (a disease biomarker) and cyclohexanone (a signature chemical emanating from C-4 plastic explosives), in real time was efficiently achieved on QCM chips thin-coated with sensing ...

Background The primary goal of reducing medication errors is to eliminate those that reach the patient. Objective We aimed to study the pattern of interceptions to tackle medication errors along the medication use processes. Setting Tertiary care hospital in Hong Kong. Method The 'Swiss Cheese Model' was used to explain ...

The strong inhibitor effect of aryl iodides on the quasi-homogenous gold-catalyzed oxidation reaction was described. Aryl iodides were adsorbed on the exposed surface of Au clusters, which affected the accessibility of the nanoclusters to the reacting species and acted as strong inhibitors in catalysis.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) provides high diagnostic accuracy with a low incidence of procedural complications. However, it occasionally causes serious complications, and factors that increase the susceptibility to such adverse events remain unknown. AIMS: We aimed to examine post-procedural events and determine risk factors associated with EUS-FNA ...

Avian botulism, a paralytic disease of birds, often occurs on a yearly cycle and is increasingly becoming more common in the Great Lakes. Outbreaks are caused by bird ingestion of neurotoxins produced by Clostridium botulinum, a spore-forming, gram-positive, anaerobe. The nuisance, macrophytic, green alga Cladophora (Chlorophyta; mostly Cladophora glomerata L.) ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effectiveness of a multifaceted intervention in improving emergency department (ED) patient privacy and satisfaction in the crowded ED setting. METHODS: A pre- and post-intervention study was conducted. A multifaceted intervention was implemented in a university-affiliated hospital ED. The intervention developed strategies to improve ED patient ...

To test the hypothesis that drought predisposes trees to insect attacks, we quantified the effects of water availability on insect attacks, tree resistance mechanisms, and mortality of mature piñon pine (Pinus edulis) and one-seed juniper (Juniperus monosperma) using an experimental drought study in New Mexico, USA. The study had four ...

AIMS: To review the recreational use of ketamine ("Special K"; KET) and explore the recent diffusion of its new derivative methoxetamine ("Special M"; MXE). METHODS: The literature search on the nonclinical/recreational use of KET and MXE was carried out in a range of medical databases. Considering the limitations of peer-reviewed ...

Context. With regard to biological effects, the increasing number of early failure of metal-on-metal (MoM) hip arthroplasties and possible parenteral exposure to orthopedic metal alloys have caused concern for patients and providers alike. Objective. We sought to characterize our outpatient clinical experience of patients with MoM and other forms of ...

Introduction: Excitotoxicity plays an important role in the pathogenesis of the preferential motor neuron death observed in ALS. Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation (cTBS) by transcranial magnetic stimulation has an inhibitory effect on corticospinal excitability (CSE). We characterized the neurophysiological changes induced by cTBS in ALS. Methods: The patients received 5 ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Stink bugs represent a major agricultural pest complex attacking more than 200 wild and cultivated plants, including cotton in the southeastern US. Stink bug feeding on developing cotton bolls will cause boll abortion or lint staining and thus reduced yield and lint value. Current methods for stink bug ...

The purpose of the study was to compare the effects of sensory manipulations on postural control for subjects of different ages. A young group of subjects (n = 17; 20.0 ± 1.3 years) and an old group of subjects (n = 17; 74.7 ± 6.3 years) were compared in 14 postural conditions [2 reference conditions and 12 sensory manipulation conditions: ...

In patients with respiratory tract infection, is measurement of procalcitonin to guide antibiotic prescriptions associated with reduced antibiotic exposure without increases in all-cause mortality or treatment failure? BOTTOM LINE: The measurement of procalcitonin to guide initiation and duration of antibiotic treatment in patients with respiratory tract infections of varying severity ...

Somatic embryogenesis (SE) represents a useful experimental system for studying the regulatory mechanisms of embryo development. In this study, the effect of carbohydrates and osmoticum on storage reserve accumulation and germination of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst) somatic embryos were investigated. Using time lapse photography, we monitored development from ...

The aim of this study was to describe perceived abuse in adult Spanish and Ecuadorian women and men and to assess its association with mental health.A population-based survey was conducted in Spain in 2006. Data were taken from a probabilistic sample allowing for an equal number of men and women, ...

The water-soluble ferriheme model FeIII(TPPS) mediates oxygen atom transfer from inorganic nitrite to a water soluble phosphine (tppts), dimethyl sulfide, and the biological thiols cysteine (CysSH) and glutathione (GSH). The products with the latter reductant are the respective sulfenic acids CysS(O)H and GS(O)H, although these reactive intermediates are rapidly trapped ...

PURPOSE: To compare the cellular phenotypes and to study the role of autophagy in the pathogenesis of Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) using two α2 collagen VIII (Col8a2) knock-in mouse models and human FECD tissues. METHODS: In vivo corneal endothelial cell (CEC) counts and morphology were analyzed by clinical confocal ...

The main functional roles attributed to the centrosome, the major microtubule organizing center (MTOC) of metazoans, are related to cell locomotion, sensory perception and division. The role of vesicular trafficking in the regulation of the centrosome cycle has been largely unexplored. Recently, however, several studies have indicated the involvement of ...

The development of spectroscopic and electrochemical devices that can accommodate very small samples is of considerable importance to many areas of science and technology. We report here on the design and characteristics of a simple apparatus for the electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical analysis of submicroliter aqueous samples. The device is easily ...

Aromatic organoarsenicals p-arsanilic acid (pAsA) and roxarsone (ROX) are used as feed additives in developing countries that allow the use of arsenic-containing compounds in their poultry industry. These compounds are introduced to the environment through the application of contaminated poultry litter. Little is known about the surface chemistry of these ...

AIM: To review the qualitative and quantitative evidence of the benefits of peer support for parents of children with disabling conditions in the context of health, well-being, impact on family, and economic and service implications. METHOD: We comprehensively searched multiple databases. Eligible studies evaluated parent-to-parent support and reported on the ...

On-surface synthesis is a promising approach for constructing covalently bound nanostructures. However, the number of reliable chemical reactions suitable for on-surface chemistry is very limited. Arylalkynes can be coupled at various surfaces in a novel 2D Glaser coupling. This approach can be used for constructing conjugated materials directly on surfaces.

Although photodegradation of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) melanin may contribute to the etiology of age-related macular degeneration, the molecular mechanisms of this phenomenon and the structural changes of the modified melanin remain unknown. Recently, we found that the ratio of pyrrole-2,3,4,5-tetracarboxylic acid (PTeCA) to pyrrole-2,3,5-tricarboxylic acid (PTCA) is a ...

BACKGROUND: In modern professional soccer, the ability to recover from official match-play and intense training is often considered a determining factor in subsequent performance. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of playing multiple games with a short recovery time between matches on physical activity, technical performance and injury rates. METHODS: The ...

Background:This study was aimed to detect post-chemotherapeutic circulating tumour cells (CTCs) in stage III colon cancer patients and identify those who were at high risk of relapse.Methods:We used human telomerase reverse transcriptase, cytokeratin-19, cytokeratin-20, and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as the biomarkers to detect CTCs in 90 stage III colon cancer ...

A key modality of non-surgical cancer management is DNA damaging therapy that causes DNA double-strand breaks that are preferentially toxic to rapidly dividing cancer cells. Double-strand break repair capacity is recognized as an important mechanism in drug resistance and is therefore a potential target for adjuvant chemotherapy. Additionally, spontaneous and ...

Herein, we describe the use of thioglycosides as glycosidase inhibitors by employing novel modifications at the reducing end of these glycomimetics. The inhibitors display a basic galactopyranosyl unit (1→4)-bonded to a 3-deoxy-4-thiopentopyranose moiety. The molecular basis of the observed inhibition has been studied by using a combination of NMR spectroscopy ...

Metal-directed supramolecular construction represents one of the most powerful tools to prepare a large variety of structures and functions. The ability of metals to organize different numbers and types of ligands with a variety of geometries (linear, trigonal, octahedral, etc.) expands the supramolecular synthetic architecture. We describe here the precise ...

OBJECTIVEWe evaluated a novel electrochemiluminescent assay for insulin/proinsulin autoantibodies (ECL-IAA) as a new marker of the onset of islet autoimmunity and as a predictor of type 1 diabetes.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSThe Diabetes Autoimmunity Study in the Young (DAISY) prospectively follows children at increased genetic risk for development of islet autoimmunity ...

We studied the protective effect of stromal cell-derived factor-1beta (SDF-1β) on cardiac cells from lipotoxicity in vitro and diabetes in vivo. Exposure of cardiac cells to palmitate increased apoptosis by activating NADPH oxidase-associated nitrosative stress and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, which abolished by pretreatment with SDF-1β via up-regulation of AMPK-mediated ...

Comment on: Latos PA, et al. Science 2012; 338:1469-72.

This paper aims to describe the nature of pediatric cardiology teams (PCTs) based in Sweden through the use of a mixed methods approach. Questionnaires examining issues about the organization/ways of working, functions/tasks and attitudes were answered by 30 PCTs. Focus group interviews were conducted with six PCTs, selected purposefully by ...