Protocols and Video Articles Authored by Victoria W. K. Tung (Translated to Arabic)

A Case Report of Small Bowel Perforation at Colonoscopy Asian Journal of Endoscopic Surgery. Nov, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 22776302 The most dreaded complication of a colonoscopy is colonic perforation. Perforation of the small bowel following colonoscopy is extremely rare, especially if the procedure was performed without any therapeutic intervention. Herein we report a case of jejunal perforation following a routine surveillance colonoscopy. A literature review focusing on the proposed mechanism of perforation is included.

A Novel Model for Evaluating Nerve Regeneration in the Composite Tissue Transplant: the Murine Heterotopic Limb Transplant Hand (New York, N.Y.). Sep, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 22942855 For individuals who have experienced debilitating upper extremity injury or amputation, hand transplantation holds the potential for drastic quality of life improvement. This potential depends on adequate nerve regeneration into the transplant and reanimation of graft musculature. In this study, we demonstrate the use of a murine heterotopic limb transplant model for evaluation of nerve regeneration in a composite tissue allograft (CTA). We also compare the effects of various immunosuppressive regimens on nerve regeneration in this model.

An Exploration of Prevalence and Associated Factors of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in the Taiwanese Police Service Iranian Journal of Public Health. Dec, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 23113103 The purpose of this study was to explore any gender-related differences in prevalence of and condition-associated factors related to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) amongst police population in Taipei, Taiwan.

Genetic Variants Associated with Breast Size Also Influence Breast Cancer Risk BMC Medical Genetics. 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22747683 While some factors of breast morphology, such as density, are directly implicated in breast cancer, the relationship between breast size and cancer is less clear. Breast size is moderately heritable, yet the genetic variants leading to differences in breast size have not been identified.

Optimal Conditions for Preparation of Banana Peels, Sugarcane Bagasse and Watermelon Rind in Removing Copper from Water Bioresource Technology. Sep, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22750502 In this study, three agro-waste materials were used as biosorbents for removal of copper (Cu) from water. This work aims to optimise conditions for preparation of these materials to obtain maximum Cu adsorption capacity. The optimal conditions were determined in terms of Cu removal efficiency and/or energy consumption. The results indicate that banana peels dried at 120Â°C for 2h and ground into powder form led to a better performance in terms of both copper removal efficiency and energy consumption. For sugarcane bagasse and watermelon rind, 120Â°C was the suitable drying temperature. However, the best drying time was 1h for sugarcane bagasse and 3h for watermelon rind. The powder form with size of

High-throughput Assessment of MicroRNA Activity and Function Using MicroRNA Sensor and Decoy Libraries Nature Methods. Aug, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22751203 We introduce two large-scale resources for functional analysis of microRNA (miRNA): a decoy library for inhibiting miRNA function and a sensor library for monitoring microRNA activity. To take advantage of the sensor library, we developed a high-throughput assay called Sensor-seq to simultaneously quantify the activity of hundreds of miRNAs. Using this approach, we show that only the most abundant miRNAs in a cell mediate target suppression. Over 60% of detected miRNAs had no discernible activity, which indicated that the functional 'miRNome' of a cell is considerably smaller than currently inferred from profiling studies. Moreover, some highly expressed miRNAs exhibited relatively weak activity, which in some cases correlated with a high target-to-miRNA ratio or increased nuclear localization of the miRNA. Finally, we show that the miRNA decoy library can be used for pooled loss-of-function studies. These tools are valuable resources for studying miRNA biology and for miRNA-based therapeutics.

Tunable Fabrication of Two-dimensional Arrays of Polymer Nanobowls for Biomimic Growth of Amorphous Calcium Carbonate Macromolecular Rapid Communications. Sep, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22753380 Two-dimensional arrays of polymer nanobowls can be fabricated by an oxygen plasma etching technique. The 2D colloidal crystals made of SiO(2) @PMMA particles are fabricated by a convective self-assembly method. The oxygen plasma treatment is applied to the colloidal crystals to selectively etch the PMMA shells. Because the oxygen plasma etching proceeds in a layer-by-layer manner from top to bottom, the top parts of the PMMA shells are etched first, and the silica cores are exposed to the atmosphere, which can be removed with HF, leaving the bowl-shaped PMMA shells to form 2D arrays of polymer nanobowls. The size and packing density of the nanobowl arrays can be tuned with tightly controlled etching time. The polymer nanobowl arrays can also serve as a template to direct the growth of calcium carbonate within the interstice of the nanobowls.

A Summary Catalogue of Microbial Drinking Water Tests for Low and Medium Resource Settings International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. May, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22754460 Microbial drinking-water quality testing plays an essential role in measures to protect public health. However, such testing remains a significant challenge where resources are limited. With a wide variety of tests available, researchers and practitioners have expressed difficulties in selecting the most appropriate test(s) for a particular budget, application and setting. To assist the selection process we identified the characteristics associated with low and medium resource settings and we specified the basic information that is needed for different forms of water quality monitoring. We then searched for available faecal indicator bacteria tests and collated this information. In total 44 tests have been identified, 18 of which yield a presence/absence result and 26 of which provide enumeration of bacterial concentration. The suitability of each test is assessed for use in the three settings. The cost per test was found to vary from $0.60 to $5.00 for a presence/absence test and from $0.50 to $7.50 for a quantitative format, though it is likely to be only a small component of the overall costs of testing. This article presents the first comprehensive catalogue of the characteristics of available and emerging low-cost tests for faecal indicator bacteria. It will be of value to organizations responsible for monitoring national water quality, water service providers, researchers and policy makers in selecting water quality tests appropriate for a given setting and application.

Single Channel Layer, Single Sheath-flow Inlet Microfluidic Flow Cytometer with Three-dimensional Hydrodynamic Focusing Lab on a Chip. Sep, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22763751 Flow cytometry is a technique capable of optically characterizing biological particles in a high-throughput manner. In flow cytometry, three dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic focusing is critical for accurate and consistent measurements. Due to the advantages of microfluidic techniques, a number of microfluidic flow cytometers with 3D hydrodynamic focusing have been developed in recent decades. However, the existing devices consist of multiple layers of microfluidic channels and tedious fluidic interconnections. As a result, these devices often require complicated fabrication and professional operation. Consequently, the development of a robust and reliable microfluidic flow cytometer for practical biological applications is desired. This paper develops a microfluidic device with a single channel layer and single sheath-flow inlet capable of achieving 3D hydrodynamic focusing for flow cytometry. The sheath-flow stream is introduced perpendicular to the microfluidic channel to encircle the sample flow. In this paper, the flow fields are simulated using a computational fluidic dynamic (CFD) software, and the results show that the 3D hydrodynamic focusing can be successfully formed in the designed microfluidic device under proper flow conditions. The developed device is further characterized experimentally. First, confocal microscopy is exploited to investigate the flow fields. The resultant Z-stack confocal images show the cross-sectional view of 3D hydrodynamic with flow conditions that agree with the simulated ones. Furthermore, the flow cytometric detections of fluorescence beads are performed using the developed device with various flow rate combinations. The measurement results demonstrate that the device can achieve great detection performances, which are comparable to the conventional flow cytometer. In addition, the enumeration of fluorescence-labelled cells is also performed to show its practicality for biological applications. Consequently, the microfluidic flow cytometer developed in this paper provides a practical platform that can be used for routine analysis in biological laboratories. Additionally, the 3D hydrodynamic focusing channel design can also be applied to various applications that can advance the lab on a chip research.

An Evaluation of Dried Blood Spots and Oral Swabs As Alternative Specimens for the Diagnosis of Dengue and Screening for Past Dengue Virus Exposure The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Jul, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22764309 Non-invasive specimens for dengue diagnosis may be preferable where venous blood is difficult to collect and/or process, such as community-based or remote settings or when sampling from young children. We evaluated the performance of oral swabs and dried blood spots (DBS), compared with plasma, in diagnosing acute dengue and screening for past dengue virus (DENV) exposure. DENV-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) M, IgG, and NS1 antigen were detected both in oral swabs and DBS from acute patients. Oral swabs were less sensitive (IgM: 68.7%, IgG: 91.9%, NS1: 64.7%), but retained good specificity (100%, 92.3%, 95.8%, respectively) compared with plasma. DBS displayed high sensitivity (IgM: 100%, IgG: 96%, NS1: 100%) and specificity (IgM: 75%, IgG: 93%). DENV RNA was amplified from DBS (sensitivity 95.6%) but not from oral swabs. DENV-IgG (indicative of past flavivirus exposure) were detected with moderate sensitivity (61.1%) but poor specificity (50%) in oral swabs from healthy volunteers. Dried blood spots allow sensitive and specific diagnosis of acute dengue by serological, molecular, and antigen detection methods. Oral swabs may be an adequate alternative where blood cannot be collected.

Single-injection Femoral Nerve Block Lacks Preemptive Effect on Postoperative Pain and Morphine Consumption in Total Knee Arthroplasty Acta Anaesthesiologica Taiwanica : Official Journal of the Taiwan Society of Anesthesiologists. Jun, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22769858 Postoperative pain is severe after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Therefore, femoral nerve block (FNB) is commonly used as an adjuvant to spinal anesthesia for TKA. Some anesthesia providers perform this preoperatively, while others perform it postoperatively. To our knowledge, no study has compared the relative benefits of the timing of performing the procedure. In this study, we investigated whether preoperative FNB would provide better analgesic effects than postoperative FNB in patients undergoing unilateral TKA.

Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production from a Simple Water-soluble [FeFe]-hydrogenase Model System Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England). Aug, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22772838 Combined with a simple water soluble [FeFe]-hydrogenase mimic 1, Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) and ascorbic acid enable hydrogen production photocatalytically. More than 88 equivalents of H(2) were achieved in water, which is much better than that obtained in an organic solvent or a mixture of organic solvent and water.

In Vitro Suppression of Growth of Murine WEHI-3 Leukemia Cells and in Vivo Promotion of Phagocytosis in a Leukemia Mice Model by Indole-3-carbinol Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Aug, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22775144 Indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a potential anticancer substance, can be found in cruciferous (cabbage family) vegetables, mainly cauliflower and Chinese cabbage. However, the bioactivity of I3C on the apoptotic effects of murine leukemia WEHI-3 cells and promotion of immune responses in leukemia mice model are unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of I3C on cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis in vitro and immunomodulation in vivo. I3C decreased the viable WEHI-3 cells and caused morphological changes in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. I3C also led to G0/G1 phase arrest, decreased the levels of cyclin A, cyclin D, and CDK2, and increased the level of p21(WAF1/CIP1). Flow cytometric analyses further proved that I3C promoted ROS and intracellular Ca(2+) production and decreased the levels of Î”Î¨(m) in WEHI-3 cells. Cells after exposure to I3C for 24 h showed DNA fragmentation and chromatin condensation. Comet assay also indicated that I3C induced DNA damage in examined cells. I3C increased the levels of cytochrome c, FADD, GADD153, GRP78, and caspase-12 as well as induced activities of caspase-3, -8, and -9. Moreover, I3C attenuated NF-ÎºB DNA binding activity in I3C-treated WEHI-3 cells as shown by EMSA and Western blotting analyses. In the in vivo study, we examined the effects of I3C on WEHI-3 leukemia mice. Results showed that I3C increased the level of T cells and decreased the level of macrophages. I3C also reduced the weights of liver and spleen, and it promoted phagocytosis by macrophages as compared to the nontreated leukemia mice group. On the basis of our results, I3C affects murine leukemia WEHI-3 cells both in vitro and in vivo.

Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation Circulation. Jul, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22777665

The Hypouricemic Effect of Balanophora Laxiflora Extracts and Derived Phytochemicals in Hyperuricemic Mice Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : ECAM. 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22778779 The objective of this study is to evaluate the lowering of uric acid using Balanophora laxiflora extracts and derived phytochemicals on potassium-oxonate-(PO-) induced hyperuricemia in mice. The results revealed that ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction of B. laxiflora extracts exhibited strong xanthine-oxidase-(XOD-) inhibitory activity. In addition, among the 10 subfractions (EA1-10) derived from EtOAc fraction, subfraction 8 (EA8) exhibited the best XOD-inhibitory activity. Four specific phytochemicals, 1-O-(E)-caffeoyl-Î²-D-glucopyranose (1), 1-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl-Î²-D-glucopyranose (2), 1,3-di-O-galloyl-4,6-(S)-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-Î²-D-glucopyranose (3), and 1-O-(E)-caffeoyl-4,6-(S)-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-Î²-D-glucopyranose (4), were further isolated and identified from this subfraction. Compounds 3 and 4 exhibited the strongest XOD-inhibitory activity compared with other compounds, and both hydrolyzable tannins were determined to be noncompetitive inhibitors according to the Lineweaver-Burk plot. On the other hand, the in vivo hypouricemic effect in hyperuricemic mice was consistent with XOD-inhibitory activity, indicating that B. laxiflora extracts and derived phytochemicals could be potential candidates as new hypouricemic agents.

An Unusual Presentation of Carney Complex with Diffuse Primary Pigmented Nodular Adrenocortical Disease on One Adrenal Gland and a Nonpigmented Adrenocortical Adenoma and Focal Primary Pigmented Nodular Adrenocortical Disease on the Other Endocrine Journal. Sep, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22785148 A 24-year-old female patient with cushingoid appearance was admitted in May 2000. The endocrine studies showed ACTH-independent Cushing's syndrome. A 2-day high-dose dexamethasone suppression test (HDDST) revealed paradoxical increase of 24 h urinary free cortisol (UFC). Abdominal computed tomography demonstrated a left adrenal nodule (3 x 2 cm in diameter). An adrenal scintigram with Â¹Â³Â¹I-6Î²-iodomethyl-19-norcholesterol showed uptake of the isotope in the left adrenal gland and non-visualization in the right adrenal gland throughout the examination course. A retroperitoneoscopic left total adrenalectomy was performed in July 2000. The cut surface of the left adrenal was yellow-tan grossly. Microscopically, the left adrenal nodule contained a nonpigmented adrenocortical adenoma (NP) and another focal primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease (PPNAD, FP) mixed lesion. The immunohistochemical studies of CYP17 demonstrate positive in NP and FP of the left adrenal gland. Very low baseline morning plasma cortisol (0.97 Î¼g/dL) and subnormal ACTH (8.16 pg/mL) levels were measured 1.5 months after left adrenalectomy. Right adrenal gland recovered its function 6 months after left adrenalectomy. Plasma cortisol could be suppressed to 3.47 Î¼g/dL by overnight low-dose dexamethasone suppression test 65 months after left adrenalectomy. Cushingoid features still did not appear 122 months after left adrenalectomy. In May 2011, this patient was readmitted due to cushingoid characteristics. Paradoxical rise of 24-h UFC to 2-day HDDST was demonstrated. Ultrasonography of thyroid showed bilateral thyroid cysts. Subtotal right adrenalectomy about 80% of right adrenal was performed. Diffuse PPNAD of the right adrenal was proved pathologically. Immunohischemical stain for CYP17 is positive in the right adrenal gland but weaker positive than that in the left adrenal gland. The genetic study of the peripheral blood, left adrenocortical nodule, and right PPNAD all showed p.R16X (c.46C>T) mutation of the PRKAR1A gene.

Oscillation in Cycle Length Induces Transient Discordant and Steady-state Concordant Alternans in the Heart PloS One. 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22792346 Alternans is a beat-to-beat alternation of the cardiac action potential duration (APD) or intracellular calcium (Ca(i)) transient. In cardiac tissue, alternans can be spatially concordant or discordant, of which the latter has been shown to increase dispersion of repolarization and promote a substrate for initiation of ventricular fibrillation. Alternans has been studied almost exclusively under constant cycle length pacing conditions. However, heart rate varies greatly on a beat-by-beat basis in normal and pathological conditions. The purpose of this study was to determine if applying a repetitive but non-constant pacing pattern, specifically cycle length oscillation (CLO), promotes or suppresses a proarrhythmic substrate. We performed computational simulations and optical mapping experiments to investigate the potential consequences of CLO. In a single cell computational model, CLO induced APD and Ca(i) alternans, which became "phase-matched" with the applied oscillation. As a consequence of the phase-matching, in one-dimensional cable simulations, neonatal rat ventricular myocyte monolayers, and isolated adult guinea pig hearts CLO could transiently induce spatial and electromechanical discordant alternans followed by a steady-state of concordance. Our results demonstrated that under certain conditions, CLO can initiate ventricular fibrillation in the isolated hearts. On the other hand, CLO can also exert an antiarrhythmic effect by converting an existing state of discordant alternans to concordant alternans.

Mirtazapine Inhibits Tumor Growth Via Immune Response and Serotonergic System PloS One. 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22808019 To study the tumor inhibition effect of mirtazapine, a drug for patients with depression, CT26/luc colon carcinoma-bearing animal model was used. BALB/c mice were randomly divided into six groups: two groups without tumors, i.e. wild-type (no drug) and drug (mirtazapine), and four groups with tumors, i.e. never (no drug), always (pre-drug, i.e. drug treatment before tumor inoculation and throughout the experiment), concurrent (simultaneously tumor inoculation and drug treatment throughout the experiment), and after (post-drug, i.e. drug treatment after tumor inoculation and throughout the experiment). The "psychiatric" conditions of mice were observed from the immobility time with tail suspension and spontaneous motor activity post tumor inoculation. Significant increase of serum interleukin-12 (sIL-12) and the inhibition of tumor growth were found in mirtazapine-treated mice (always, concurrent, and after) as compared with that of never. In addition, interferon-Î³ level and immunocompetent infiltrating CD4+/CD8+ T cells in the tumors of mirtazapine-treated, tumor-bearing mice were significantly higher as compared with that of never. Tumor necrosis factor-Î± (TNF-Î±) expressions, on the contrary, are decreased in the mirtazapine-treated, tumor-bearing mice as compared with that of never. Ex vivo autoradiography with [(123)I]ADAM, a radiopharmaceutical for serotonin transporter, also confirms the similar results. Notably, better survival rates and intervals were also found in mirtazapine-treated mice. These findings, however, were not observed in the immunodeficient mice. Our results suggest that tumor growth inhibition by mirtazapine in CT26/luc colon carcinoma-bearing mice may be due to the alteration of the tumor microenvironment, which involves the activation of the immune response and the recovery of serotonin level.

Levels and Values of Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells, Soluble Angiogenic Factors, and Mononuclear Cell Apoptosis in Liver Cirrhosis Patients Journal of Biomedical Science. 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22809449 The roles of circulating endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) and mononuclear cell apoptosis (MCA) in liver cirrhosis (LC) patients are unknown. Moreover, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1Î± are powerful endogenous substances enhancing EPC migration into circulation. We assessed the level and function of EPCs [CD31/CD34 (E(1)), KDR/CD34 (E(2)), CXCR4/CD34 (E(3))], levels of MCA, VEGF and SDF-1Î± in circulation of LC patients.

A Cardiac Tissue-specific Binding Agent of Troponin I Molecular BioSystems. Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22828728 A fluorescently labeled, biphenylalanine-rich peptide was identified as a should be cardiac troponin I-specific binding agent with preferential staining affinity to myocardium tissues and extremely low staining to other stromal components. Fluorescence images demonstrate that this new peptide is an excellent contrast agent useful for examining troponin I structural distribution and expression density within heart tissue sections. It provides a clear contrast between myocardial cells and the surrounding collagen matrix.

Multielectrode Contact Mapping to Assess Scar Modification in Post-myocardial Infarction Ventricular Tachycardia Patients Europace : European Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Electrophysiology : Journal of the Working Groups on Cardiac Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Cellular Electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology. Aug, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22832917 Substrate-based approaches for ablation of unmappable ventricular tachycardia (VT) are strictly dependent on high-density mapping of the scar. Ultra-high-density mapping with multielectrode catheters facilitates an accurate and faster definition of sites critical for re-entry, due to the possibility of simultaneous recordings of local potential from different pairs of electrodes. Multipolar catheters can be advanced to map the endocardial or the epicardial surface. A strong correlation between the scar area determined by electroanatomical mapping and the histopathological scar size has been demonstrated. A double-transeptal technique allows for an accurate definition of target sites. The complex scar architecture has been investigated by ultra-high-density mapping, let the identification of islets of heterogeneity where electrograms adjacent to the preserved myocardium have an higher incidence of late potentials. Pacing manoeuvres can easily be performed from any pair of electrode, to demonstrate the involvement of late potentials into the VT circuit. This strategy allows for a clear-cut validation of late potential abolishment, and may offer advantages to shorten procedural and fluoroscopy times. Large series are necessary to definitively assess the potential role of multielectrode mapping as a guide for the substrate ablation approach in post-myocardial infarction VT patients.

Clustered DNA Methylation Changes in Polycomb Target Genes in Early-stage Liver Cancer Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. Aug, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22842566 Polycomb-group proteins mark specific chromatin conformations in embryonic and somatic stem cells that are critical for maintenance of their "stemness". These proteins also mark altered chromatin modifications identified in various cancers. In normal differentiated cells or advanced cancerous cells, these polycomb-associated loci are frequently associated with increased DNA methylation. It has thus been hypothesized that changes in DNA methylation status within polycomb-associated loci may dictate cell fate and that abnormal methylation within these loci may be associated with tumor development. To assess this, we examined the methylation states of four polycomb target loci -Trip10, Casp8AP2, ENSA, and ZNF484 - in liver cancer. These four targets were selected because their methylation levels are increased during mesenchymal stem cell-to-liver differentiation. We found that these four loci were hypomethylated in most early-stage liver cancer specimens. For comparison, two non-polycomb tumor suppressor genes, HIC1 and RassF1A, were also examined. Whereas the methylation level of HIC1 did not differ significantly between normal and tumor samples, RassF1A was significantly hypermethylated in liver tumor samples. Unsupervised clustering analysis classified the methylation changes within polycomb and non-polycomb targets to be independent, indicating independent epigenetic evolution. Thus, pre-deposited polycomb marks within somatic stem cells may contribute to the determination of methylation changes during hepatic tumorigenesis.

Integrated Electrofluidic Circuits: Pressure Sensing with Analog and Digital Operation Functionalities for Microfluidics Lab on a Chip. Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22842773 Microfluidic technology plays an essential role in various lab on a chip devices due to its desired advantages. An automated microfluidic system integrated with actuators and sensors can further achieve better controllability. A number of microfluidic actuation schemes have been well developed. In contrast, most of the existing sensing methods still heavily rely on optical observations and external transducers, which have drawbacks including: costly instrumentation, professional operation, tedious interfacing, and difficulties of scaling up and further signal processing. This paper reports the concept of electrofluidic circuits - electrical circuits which are constructed using ionic liquid (IL)-filled fluidic channels. The developed electrofluidic circuits can be fabricated using a well-developed multi-layer soft lithography (MSL) process with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic channels. Electrofluidic circuits allow seamless integration of pressure sensors with analog and digital operation functions into microfluidic systems and provide electrical readouts for further signal processing. In the experiments, the analog operation device is constructed based on electrofluidic Wheatstone bridge circuits with electrical outputs of the addition and subtraction results of the applied pressures. The digital operation (AND, OR, and XOR) devices are constructed using the electrofluidic pressure controlled switches, and output electrical signals of digital operations of the applied pressures. The experimental results demonstrate the designed functions for analog and digital operations of applied pressures are successfully achieved using the developed electrofluidic circuits, making them promising to develop integrated microfluidic systems with capabilities of precise pressure monitoring and further feedback control for advanced lab on a chip applications.

Advances in Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia in Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy Current Cardiology Reports. Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22843484 Management of patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) and ventricular tachycardia (VT) remains challenging. The role of catheter ablation for VT continues to evolve for these patients. Prior reports have described the location of the arrhythmogenic substrate for patients with NICM to be frequently located along the basal left ventricle, with an epicardial predilection. Furthermore, predictors for identifying whether mapping the endocardium or epicardial surface of the heart have been identified for improved success of VT ablation in this patient population. This chapter will review the latest advances in catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia in patients with NICM.

[Preventing Common Enteral Feeding Complications in Critically Ill Adult Patients] Hu Li Za Zhi The Journal of Nursing. Aug, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22851390 Nutritional support provides critically ill patients with energy and nutrients required to face the demands of their illness and stress. For those unable to ingest orally, enteral feeding rather than parenteral feeding is recommended, as the former better preserves gut integrity, reduces risk of infection, and costs less. Early enteral feeding in critically ill patients is also associated with decreased disease severity, reduced complications, and shortened length of stay. Risks associated with enteral feeding include aspiration, diarrhea, vomiting, hyponatremia, and hyperglycemia. This article reviews current knowledge on enteral feeding and addresses correct feeding tube placement, proper feeding sites, assessing and managing gastric residual volume, and preventing feeding tube occultation. We also review information related to identifying and controlling risk factors for enteral feeding complications such as aspiration, diarrhea, vomiting, hyponatremia, and hyperglycemia. Nurses can use this information to provide high quality care for enteral feeding patients and develop institutional protocols, guidelines, and standards of care for such patients in intensive care units.

Optofluidic Detection for Cellular Phenotyping Lab on a Chip. Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22854915 Quantitative analysis of the output of processes and molecular interactions within a single cell is highly critical to the advancement of accurate disease screening and personalized medicine. Optical detection is one of the most broadly adapted measurement methods in biological and clinical assays and serves cellular phenotyping. Recently, microfluidics has obtained increasing attention due to several advantages, such as small sample and reagent volumes, very high throughput, and accurate flow control in the spatial and temporal domains. Optofluidics, which is the attempt to integrate optics with microfluidics, shows great promise to enable on-chip phenotypic measurements with high precision, sensitivity, specificity, and simplicity. This paper reviews the most recent developments of optofluidic technologies for cellular phenotyping optical detection.

Bufalin Increases Sensitivity to AKT/mTOR-induced Autophagic Cell Death in SK-HEP-1 Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells International Journal of Oncology. Jul, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22858649 Bufalin is the major component of Chan-Su (a traditional Chinese medicine, TCM) extracts from the venom of Bufo bufo gargarizan. In the present study, we investigated the pharmacological mechanisms of cell cycle arrest and autophagic cell death induced by bufalin in SK-HEP-1 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells inÂ vitro. Bufalin inhibited cell survival by MTT assay and increased cell death by trypan blue exclusion assay in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, bufalin induced G2/M phase arrest by reducing CDK1 activity. Bufalin triggered DNA fragmentation and apoptotic cell death in SK-HEP-1 cells by DNA gel electrophoresis, TUNEL and caspase-3 activity assay, while bufalin induced autophagic cell death by double-membrane vacuoles (transmission electron microscopy, TEM), acidic vesicular organelles (acridine orange staining) and cleavage of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3Â (LC3). Protein expression levels of cyclinÂ A and B, CDK1, phospho-CDK1Â (Thr161), Cdc25c, phospho-Cdc25c (Ser198), phospho-AKTÂ (Thr308), phospho-AKTÂ (Ser473), phosphoâ€‘mTORÂ (Ser2481) were downregulated. In contrast, protein expression levels of the Chk1, Wee1, LC3-II, Beclin-1, AtgÂ 5, AtgÂ 7 and AtgÂ 12 were upregulated in SK-HEP-1 cells after bufalin treatment. Inhibition of autophagy by 3-methyladenine (an inhibitor of class III phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase; 3-MA) or bafilomycin A1 (an inhibitor of the vacuolar proton pump of lysosomes and endosomes) reduced the effect of bufalin on cell viability and enhanced the effect of bufalin on apoptosis. In conclusion, bufalin triggered autophagic cell death and G2/M phase arrest through the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in SK-HEP-1 cells. Our findings showed that bufalin may be potentially efficacious in the treatment of human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Eastern Blotting Analysis and Isolation of Two New Dammarane-type Saponins from American Ginseng Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin. 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22863873 Ginsenosides, the major active component of American ginseng, were analyzed using eastern blotting with anti-ginsenoside Rb(1) and Rg(1) monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). Immunoassay-guided fractionation of the methanol extract of American ginseng and column chromatography led to the isolation of two new minor dammarane-type saponins, named quinquenosides Ja (1) and Jb (2). Their structures were elucidated to be 6-O-[Î±-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1â†’2)-Î²-D-glucopyranosyl]-20-O-[Î²-D-glucopyranosyl(1â†’4)-Î²-D-glucopyranosyl]-3Î²,6Î±,12Î²,20Î²-tetrahydroxydammar-24-ene (1) and 3-O-[Î²-D-glucopyranosyl(1â†’2)-Î²-D-glucopyranosyl]-20-O-{[Î±-L-arabinofuranosyl(1â†’6)-Î²-D-glucopyranosyl](1â†’6)-Î²-D-glucopyranosyl}-3Î²,12Î²,20Î²-trihydroxydammar-24-ene (2) on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic methods.

Detection of Hydroxyapatite in Calcified Cardiovascular Tissues Atherosclerosis. Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22877867 The objective of this study is to develop a method for selective detection of the calcific (hydroxyapatite) component in human aortic smooth muscle cells in vitro and in calcified cardiovascular tissues ex vivo. This method uses a novel optical molecular imaging contrast dye, Cy-HABP-19, to target calcified cells and tissues.

C-myc in Kaposi's Sarcoma: Analyses by Fluorescent in Situ Hybridization and Immunohistochemistry Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV. Aug, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22882520 Backgroundâ€‚ The c-myc proto-oncogene plays a central role in the regulation of cellular transcription, differentiation, and apoptosis, and has been shown to be deregulated in many types of human cancer. Recent findings have demonstrated its amplification in select vascular neoplasms, such as secondary angiosarcomas, suggesting a role in angiogenesis as well. In vitro studies have shown that the c-Myc protein is an important regulatory molecule of spindle cell proliferation and migration in Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). Objectivesâ€‚ In light of these findings, our primary aim was to ascertain whether c-myc, by promoting proliferation and angiogenesis, is an essential co-factor in the aetiopathogenesis of KS. We also attempted to determine a correlation between immunohistochemical expression of the c-Myc protein and c-myc gene copy amplification using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Methodsâ€‚ Samples analyzed included archival tissue of KS (nâ€ƒ=â€ƒ24). PCR for detection of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus DNA was performed on all samples of KS. For FISH analyses, a dual-labelled technique was employed and probes for the c-myc gene and chromosome 8 were used. The monoclonal anti-c-myc antibody, 9E10, was used for immunohistochemical analyses. Resultsâ€‚ While FISH analyses revealed no amplification of c-myc in any of the cases of KS, immunohistochemical analyses revealed positive staining for c-Myc in 13/24 cases (54%). Conclusionsâ€‚ Amplification of the c-myc gene was not witnessed in this preliminary study of 24 cases and thus cannot be correlated with the expression of the c-Myc protein.

Home Dampness, Beta-2 Adrenergic Receptor Genetic Polymorphisms, and Asthma Phenotypes in Children Environmental Research. Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22883364 Dampness in the home is a strong risk factor for respiratory symptoms and constitutes a significant public health issue in subtropical areas. However, little is known about the effects of dampness and genetic polymorphisms on asthma.

Factors Affecting Herpes Simplex Virus Reactivation from the Explanted Mouse Brain Virology. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22884293 The majority of encephalitis induced by herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-1) is due to viral reactivation from latency, but few studies have investigated the factors influencing viral reactivation in the brain due to the lack of a sensitive assay. We have established an ex vivo explant assay, which induced efficient viral reactivation in the dissociated mouse brain. Applying this assay, we investigated the infection of four HSV-1 strains with varying degrees of neurovirulence in three mouse strains with different levels of susceptibility to HSV-1 infection. We found that virulent HSV-1 strains and susceptible mouse strains exhibited prolonged viral growth during acute infection, increased latent viral genomes, and efficient explant reactivation in the brain stem. Collectively, both viral neurovirulence and host susceptibility positively correlate with HSV-1 reactivation from the explanted mouse brain.

Layered Nanoprobe for Long-lasting Fluorescent Cell Label Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany). Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22888056 A long-lasting particle-based fluorescent label is designed for extended cell imaging studies. This onion-like nanoprobe is constructed through layer-by-layer fabrication technology. The nanoprobes are assembled with multiple layers of optically quenched polyelectrolytes, the fluorescence signal of which can be released later by intracellular proteolysis. Upon incubation with cells, the assembled nanoprobes are taken up efficiently. The tight packing and layered assembly of the quenched polyelectrolytes slow subsequent intracellular degradation, and then result in a prolonged intracellular fluorescence signal for up to 3 weeks with no noticeable toxicity.

Correlation of Recognition Visual Acuity with Posterior Retinal Structure in Advanced Retinopathy of Prematurity Archives of Ophthalmology. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22892757 OBJECTIVE To compare Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study visual acuity outcome with retinal structural outcome at the 6-year follow-up examination of infants randomized in the Early Treatment for Retinopathy of Prematurity study. METHODS We compared the results in 606 eyes of subjects in whom both functional (visual acuity) and retinal structural assessments were obtained at age 6 years. Visual acuity assessments were performed by masked testers, and retinal examinations were performed by certified ophthalmologists. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Visual acuity and retinal structure at age 6 years. RESULTS Concordant outcomes occurred in 462 eyes (76.2%): 402 eyes had favorable functional and structural outcomes and 60 eyes had unfavorable functional and structural outcomes. Discordant outcomes occurred in 92 eyes (15.2%): 86 eyes had unfavorable functional and favorable structural outcomes and 6 eyes had favorable functional and unfavorable structural outcomes. Of the 86 eyes with unfavorable functional and favorable structural outcomes, 43 had optic atrophy (23 eyes) and/or retinal abnormalities that were less severe than those considered to be unfavorable (32 eyes). In 52 eyes (8.6%), retinal structure could not be assessed or the visual acuity was untestable. CONCLUSION Posterior pole appearance correlates well with visual acuity in 6-year-old infants with a history of advanced retinopathy of prematurity. APPLICATION TO CLINICAL PRACTICE When the retinal structure is normal but visual acuity is poor in infants with a history of severe retinopathy of prematurity, other diagnoses such as optic atrophy and cortical visual impairment could at least partially account for the discrepancy. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00027222.

Unipolar and Bipolar Electrogram Characteristics Predict Exit Block During Pulmonary Vein Antral Isolation Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology : PACE. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22897649 â€‚The usefulness of unipolar electrograms (EGMs) has been reported in assessing lesion transmurality and conduction block along ablation lines. It is unknown whether unipolar and bipolar EGM characteristics predict exit block during pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) procedures.

ICF-CY Based Assessment Tool for Children with Autism Disability and Rehabilitation. Aug, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22897818 Purpose: The objectives of this study was to develop an International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health-Children and Youth (ICF-CY) based questionnaire for children with autism, investigate the inter-rater reliability of the questionnaire and assess functional performance in children with autism. Method: The ICF-CY based questionnaire for children with autism comprised 118 items was designed with reference the ICF-CY structure. The study protocol was divided into two parts. In the first part, the inter-rater reliability of the questionnaire was investigated using information from 26 children (aged 3-6 years) with autism and using the intra-class correlation coefficients to estimate reliability. The second part of the study aimed to assess functional performance of another independent sample (136 children, aged 3-6 years) utilizing the questionnaire. Mean scores were compared by nonparametric statistic. Results: The inter-rater reliability for each domains of the questionnaire was found to be moderate to high (intra-class correlation coefficients ranged from 0.72 to 0.97). Children with autism had major problems in voice and speech functions. They had high dependency when executing individual activities of learning and applied knowledge. They also required maximal assistance while engaging in social activities related to conversation and major life categories. Conclusions: This preliminary study shows that ICF-CY based questionnaire has good reliability and can reflect the functional profile of preschool children with autism. However, further study is needed to confirm other psychometric characteristics. [Box: see text].

Transarterial Treatment of Acute Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Prediction of Treatment Failure by Clinical and Angiographic Parameters Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA. Aug, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22901721 Acute gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) is a life-threatening abdominal emergency and can be treated by transarterial embolization (TAE). Rehemorrhage and poor outcome are associated with several clinical factors. This study investigated the clinical and angiographic parameters associated with treatment failure for patients with acute GIB undergoing TAE.

Electrospinning of Amphipathic Chitosan Nanofibers for Surgical Implants Application Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. Jun, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22905578 Novel amphipathic derivative of chitosan (carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan, CHC) was made into mats of nanofibers (approximately 100 nm) via electrospinning. The resulting mats were further cross-linked with genipin. The morphology of CHC nanofibers was examined using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). The optimum parameters of CHC nanofiber was achieved when the CHC concentration was 4 wt% and electrospinning was conducted with a voltage of 20 kV over a distance of 10 cm. The characterizations of biocompatibility, hemocompatibility, and anti-bacterial activity of the nanofibers were also investigated. The results show that CHC nanofibers still preserved antibacterial activity and thrombogeneicity owing to those residual amino groups of chitosan and exhibit high biocompatibility for L929 fibroblast test. Thus CHC exhibited the potential to serve as a novel wound dressing and surgical implants application by these advanced features.

Getting Underâ€”and Throughâ€”the Skin: Ecological Genomics of Chytridiomycosis Infection in Frogs Molecular Ecology. Jul, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22916344 Amphibian species around the world are currently becoming endangered or lost at a rate that outstrips other vertebratesâ€”victims of a combination of habitat loss, climate change and susceptibility to emerging infectious disease (Stuart et al. 2004). One of the most devastating such diseases is caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which infects hundreds of amphibian species on multiple continents. While Bd itself has been characterized for some time, we still know little about the mechanisms that make it so deadly. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Rosenblum et al. describe a genomic approach to this question, reporting the results of a genome-wide analysis of the transcriptional response to Bd in the liver, skin and spleen of mountain yellow-legged frogs (Rana mucosa and R. sierrae: Fig. 1) (Rosenblum et al. 2012). Their results indicate that the skin is not only the first, but likely the most important, line of defence in these animals. Strikingly, they describe a surprisingly modest immune response to infection in Rana, a result that may help explain variable Bd susceptibility across populations and species.

Twenty-four-hour Effects of Bimatoprost 0.01% Monotherapy on Intraocular Pressure and Ocular Perfusion Pressure BMJ Open. 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22918671 To investigate the 24 h effects of bimatoprost 0.01% monotherapy on intraocular pressure (IOP) and ocular perfusion pressure (OPP).

Serotonin (5-HT) Activation of Immortalized Hypothalamic Neuronal Cells Through the 5-HT1B Serotonin Receptor Endocrinology. Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22919062 Serotonin [or 5-hydroxytryptamine or (5-HT)] has been implicated as a key modulator in energy homeostasis and a primary focus in the treatment of obesity. There is growing evidence that 5-HT, acting through the 5-HT 1B receptor (5-HT(1B)R) in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), is important to this regulation. However, there is some contention as to whether 5-HT(1B)R action occurs directly on PVN neurons or indirectly via inhibitory inputs into the PVN. To address these questions, we used a novel clonal, hypothalamic neuronal cell model, adult mouse hypothalamic-2/30 (mHypoA-2/30), expressing a PVN-specific marker, single-minded homolog 1, as well as a complement of PVN neuropeptides, including TRH, vasopressin, ghrelin, nucleobindin-2, and galanin. Adult mouse hypothalamic-2/30 neurons were also found to express the 5-HT(1B)R and 5-HT 6 receptor, but not 2C, all previously linked to feeding regulation. Direct serotonergic stimulation (100 nm to 10 Î¼m) of these neurons resulted in dose-dependent cFos activation. 5-HT (10 Î¼m) suppressed forskolin-induced cAMP levels and induced a rise in intracellular Ca(2+) through ER Ca(2+) release, effects that were mimicked by the 5-HT(1B)R agonists, CGS12066B and CP93129, and that were attenuated in the presence of the 5-HT(1B)R-specific inhibitors, GR55562 and isamoltane hemifumarate. Modest transcriptional changes in ghrelin and nucleobindin-2 were also observed in response to 100 nm and 10 Î¼m 5-HT, respectively. These findings support the model wherein 5-HT action through the 1B receptor subtype occurs directly on PVN neurons, leading to potential modification of neuronal transcriptional and secretory machinery.

Studies Comparing the Efficacy of Constraint-induced Movement Therapy and Bimanual Training in Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review Developmental Neurorehabilitation. Sep, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22946588 Objective: To review studies comparing the efficacy of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) and bimanual training (BIT) in improving the hemiplegic arm functioning and overall functional performance for children with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: Systematic searches of electronic databases, reference lists and journals identified seven studies that met pre-determined inclusion criteria. These studies were analysed in terms of participants, treatment activities and regime, outcome measures and results of intervention. Results: Both CIMT and BIT produced similar improvements in the bimanual and unimanual capacities of the affected arm and overall functional performance. Conclusions: CIMT yields more improvements in the unimanual capacity of the impaired arm compared with BIT. A potential benefit of BIT is that participants may see more improvement in both bimanual performance and self-determined overall life goals. A combination of CIMT and BIT could be an option on improving arm function for children with unilateral CP in future.

Electrophysiological and Contractile Function of Cardiomyocytes Derived from Human Embryonic Stem Cells Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology. Oct-Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22958937 Human embryonic stem cells have emerged as the prototypical source from which cardiomyocytes can be derived for use in drug discovery and cell therapy. However, such applications require that these cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) faithfully recapitulate the physiology of adult cells, especially in relation to their electrophysiological and contractile function. We review what is known about the electrophysiology of hESC-CMs in terms of beating rate, action potential characteristics, ionic currents, and cellular coupling as well as their contractility in terms of calcium cycling and contraction. We also discuss the heterogeneity in cellular phenotypes that arises from variability in cardiac differentiation, maturation, and culture conditions, and summarize present strategies that have been implemented to reduce this heterogeneity. Finally, we present original electrophysiological data from optical maps of hESC-CM clusters.

Magnetically Recyclable Nanocatalysts (MRNCs): a Versatile Integration of High Catalytic Activity and Facile Recovery Nanoscale. Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22965398 Recent advances in wet chemical synthesis of magnetically recyclable nanocatalysts (MRNCs), a versatile integration of high catalytic activity and facile recovery, have led to a dramatic expansion of their potential applications. This review focuses on the recent work in the development of metal and metal oxide based MRNCs for catalytic conversion of organic compounds in solution phase. This will be discussed in detail, according to the two main synthesis methods of MRNCs as classified by us. The two methods are: template-assisted synthetic strategy and direct synthetic strategy. And the template-assisted synthesis is further divided into three subcategories, synthetic strategies assisted by hard-, soft-, and mixed hard-soft coupling layers. At the end, we outline future trends and perspectives in these research areas.

HIV/AIDS Knowledge and Attitudes Among Chinese College Students in the US Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health / Center for Minority Public Health. Sep, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22965498 This study assessed knowledge and attitudes about HIV/AIDS and sources of HIV/STI information among Chinese college students living in the USA and explored specific factors associated with knowledge levels and types of sources of information. We surveyed 133 Chinese students enrolled in three US universities. About 41.4Â % believed that HIV could be contracted through mosquito bites, and 22.6Â % were unaware that condoms could prevent HIV. Sources of HIV/STI information were the mass media. Males were more likely to demonstrate a higher HIV/AIDS knowledge level than females. Graduate students were more likely to cite television as a source of information, and less likely to mention school teachers, than were undergraduate students. These ethnic minority immigrant students held misconceptions about HIV transmission and prevention, and possibly utilized information of varying quality. Accordingly this study identifies specific objectives for education, including basic biology and diversity issues from evidence-based sources.

Synergistic Effects in the Gas Sensitivity of Polypyrrole/single Wall Carbon Nanotube Composites Sensors (Basel, Switzerland). 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22969381 Polypyrrole/single wall carbon nanotube composites were synthesized by in-situ chemical polymerization using pyrrole (PPy) as precursor and single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) as additive component. Electron microscope images reveal that SWNTs component acts as nucleation sites for PPy growth in the form of spherical and cylindrical core-shell structures. The SWNTs/PPy core-shell results in thin n-p junctions which modify the PPy bandgap and reduce the work function of electrons. As a result of the strong coupling, Raman and IR spectra show that the PPy undergoes a transition from polaron to bipolaron state, i.e., indicating an increase in the conductivity. In the UV-Vis spectra, the 340 nm adsorption band (Ï€*-Ï€ transition) exhibits a red shift, while the 460 nm adsorption band (bipolaron transition) experiences a blue shift indicating a change in electronic structure and a relocation of polaron levels in the band gap of PPy. The modification in PPy electronic structure brings in a synergistic effect in sensing feature. Upon exposure to oxygen (an oxidizing agent) and NH(3) gas (a reducing agent), the PPy/SWNTs nanocomposite shows an enhancement in sensitivity exceeding ten folds in comparison with those of PPy or SWNTs.

Cardiomyocytes Derived from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells As Models for Normal and Diseased Cardiac Electrophysiology and Contractility Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology. Oct-Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22971665 Since the first description of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs), these cells have garnered tremendous interest for their potential use in patient-specific analysis and therapy. Additionally, hiPSC-CMs can be derived from donor cells from patients with specific cardiac disorders, enabling inÂ vitro human disease models for mechanistic study and therapeutic drug assessment. However, a full understanding of their electrophysiological and contractile function is necessary before this potential can be realized. Here, we review this emerging field from a functional perspective, with particular emphasis on beating rate, action potential, ionic currents, multicellular conduction, calcium handling and contraction. We further review extant hiPSC-CM disease models that recapitulate genetic myocardial disease.

'Many People Know the Law, but Also Many People Violate It': Discrimination Experienced by People Living with HIV/AIDS in Vietnam - Results of a National Study Global Public Health. Sep, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22974225 Abstract In Vietnam, discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) is defined within and prohibited by the 2007 national HIV/AIDS law. Despite the law, PLHIV face discrimination in health care, employment, education and other spheres. This study presents the first national estimates of the levels and types of discrimination that are defined in Vietnamese law and experienced by PLHIV in Vietnam. A nationally representative sample of 1200 PLHIV was surveyed, and 129 PLHIV participated in focus group discussions (FGDs). In the last 12 months, nearly half of the survey population experienced at least one form of discrimination and many experienced up to six different types of discrimination. The most common forms of discrimination included disclosure of HIV status without consent; denial of access to education for children; loss of employment; advice, primarily from health care providers, to abstain from sex; and physical and emotional harm. In logistic regression analysis, the experience of discrimination differed by gender, region of residence and membership status in a PLHIV support group. The logistic regression and FGD results indicate that disclosure of HIV status without consent was associated with experiencing other forms of discrimination. Key programme and policy recommendations are discussed.

Lymphatic Endothelial Cells Induce Tolerance Via PD-L1 and Lack of Costimulation Leading to High-level PD-1 Expression on CD8 T Cells Blood. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 22993390 Lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) induce peripheral tolerance by direct presentation to CD8 T cells (T(CD8)). We demonstrate that LECs mediate deletion only via programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) ligand 1, despite expressing ligands for the CD160, B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator, and lymphocyte activation gene-3 inhibitory pathways. LECs induce activation and proliferation of T(CD8), but lack of costimulation through 4-1BB leads to rapid high-level expression of PD-1, which in turn inhibits up-regulation of the high-affinity IL-2 receptor that is necessary for T(CD8) survival. Rescue of tyrosinase-specific T(CD8) by interference with PD-1 or provision of costimulation results in autoimmune vitiligo, demonstrating that LECs are significant, albeit suboptimal, antigen-presenting cells. Because LECs express numerous peripheral tissue antigens, lack of costimulation coupled to rapid high-level up-regulation of inhibitory receptors may be generally important in systemic peripheral tolerance.

Universal Protein Fluctuations in Populations of Microorganisms Physical Review Letters. Jun, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23003996 The copy number of any protein fluctuates among cells in a population; characterizing and understanding these fluctuations is a fundamental problem in biophysics. We show here that protein distributions measured under a broad range of biological realizations collapse to a single non-gaussian curve under scaling by the first two moments. Moreover, in all experiments the variance is found to depend quadratically on the mean, showing that a single degree of freedom determines the entire distribution. Our results imply that protein fluctuations do not reflect any specific molecular or cellular mechanism, and suggest that some buffering process masks these details and induces universality.

A (13)C and (1)H NMR Spectroscopic Investigation of the Structure of the Iminium Ion with a Dipolar Form in Metal Complexes of 2-N-substituted N-confused Porphyrins Dalton Transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003). Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23010770 The crystal structures of chloro(2-aza-2-ethoxycarbonylmethyl-5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-21-carbaporphyrinato-N,N'N'') zinc(ii) [Zn(2-NCH(2)COOC(2)H(5)NCTPP)Cl; ], (2-aza-2-ethoxycarbonylmethyl-5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-21-carbaporphyrinato-N,N'N'') palladium(ii) [Pd(2-NCH(2)COOC(2)H(5)NCTPP); ], bromo(2-aza-2-ethoxycarbonylmethyl-5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-21-carbaporphyrinato-N,N'N'') manganese(iii) [Mn(2-NCH(2)COOC(2)H(5)NCTPP)Br; ], [2-aza-(3'-phenoxypropyl)-5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-21-carbaporphyrinato-N,N'N''] nickel(ii) [Ni(2-NCH(2)CH(2)CH(2)OC(6)H(5)NCTPP); ] and chloro(2-aza-2-methoxycarbonylmethyl-5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-21-carbaporphyrinato-N,N'N'') zinc(ii) [Zn(2-NCH(2)COOCH(3)NCTPP)Cl; ] have been established. The g value of 9.54, which was measured from the parallel polarization of the X-band EPR spectra in CHCl(3) at 4 K, is consistent with the high spin mononuclear manganese(iii) centre (S = 2) in . The magnitude of the axial (D) zero-field splitting (ZFS) for the mononuclear Mn(iii) centre in was determined approximately to be 1.63 cm(-1) by paramagnetic susceptibility measurements. The NMR spectroscopic investigation of the iminium ion with a dipolar canonical contribution to the metal complexes , Pd(2-NCH(2)C(6)H(5)NCTPP) () and Ni(2-NCH(2)C(6)H(5)NCTPP) () in CDCl(3) is reported. A resonance between the dipolar canonical form and covalent canonical form exists for complexes , and in CDCl(3). To develop the correlations between Î´(13)C [C(3)], Î´(1)H [H(3)] and the canonical form in , and , this work thoroughly examines the (13)C and (1)H NMR of N(+)[double bond, length as m-dash]CH(Ar) fragment on seven metal complexes of 2-N substituted N-confused porphyrin. According to these results, the (13)C [C(3)] and (1)H [H(3)] chemical shifts of the N(+)[double bond, length as m-dash]CH(Ar) fragment at 20 Â°C in CDCl(3) are separately located at 152.6 Â± 0.5 and 8.30 Â± 0.15 ppm respectively for the iminium ion. This exists as a dipolar canonical form for complexes , and , and the N-CH(Ar) group appears at 121.1 Â± 0.1 ppm and 6.35 Â± 0.01 ppm, which is in a covalent canonical form contribution to complexes and . X-Ray diffraction data indicate that N(2)-C(3) = 1.315 Â± 0.011 Ã… for the dipolar contribution of , , while N(2)-C(3) = 1.331 Â± 0.008 Ã… for the covalent contribution of and .

Effect of Specialty and Recent Experience on Perioperative Decision-making for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23016733 To determine whether recent experience and specialty choice would affect physician adherence to evidence-based guidelines.

Increased Placental Nutrient Transporter Expression at Midgestation After Maternal Growth Hormone Treatment in Pigs: a Placental Mechanism for Increased Fetal Growth Biology of Reproduction. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23018188 Growth hormone (GH) is important in maternal adaptation to pregnancy, and maternal circulating GH concentrations are reduced in human growth-restricted pregnancies. In the pig, maternal GH treatment throughout early to mid pregnancy increases fetal growth, despite constraining effects of adolescent and primiparous pregnancy, high litter size, and restricted maternal nutrition. Because GH cannot cross the placenta and does not increase placental weight, we hypothesized that its effects on fetal growth might be via improved placental structure or function. We therefore investigated effects of maternal GH treatment in pigs on structural correlates of placental function and placental expression of nutrient transporters important to fetal growth. Multiparous (sows) and primiparous pregnant pigs (gilts) were treated with GH (~15 Î¼g kg(-1) day(-1)) or vehicle from Days 25-50 of gestation (n = 7-8 per group, term ~115 days). Placentas were collected at Day 50 of gestation, and we measured structural correlates of function and expression of SLC2A1 (previously known as GLUT1) and SLC38A2 (previously known as SNAT2) nutrient transporters. Maternal GH treatment did not alter placental size or structure, increased protein expression of SLC2A1 in trophoblast (+35%; P = 0.037) and on its basal membrane (+44%; P = 0.011), and increased SLC38A2 protein expression in the basal (+44%; P = 0.001) but not the apical cytoplasm of trophoblast. Our findings suggest that maternal GH treatment increases fetal growth, in part, by enhancing placental nutrient transporter protein expression and hence fetal nutrient supply as well as trophoblast proliferation and differentiation and may have the potential to ameliorate intrauterine growth restriction.

Sources Older People Draw on to Nurture, Strengthen and Improve Self-efficacy in Managing Home Rehabilitation Following Orthopaedic Surgery Journal of Clinical Nursing. Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23020872 Aims and objectives.â€‚ To explore how older people maintained and improved their self-efficacy in managing home rehabilitation and their adherence to rehabilitation exercise programmes following orthopaedic surgery. Background.â€‚ Successful postoperative orthopaedic rehabilitation for older people depends on building their confidence about adherence to exercise programmes designed to improve their functional performance. Many older people, however, do not reach a satisfactory level of functional ability before discharge and some fail to adhere to their rehabilitation exercise programme at home. This contributes to a reduced quality of life. Although many studies report the influences of self-efficacy, little is known about the factors that help rebuild self-efficacy beliefs towards postdischarge exercise following orthopaedic surgery. Design.â€‚ A descriptive exploratory qualitative study. Methods.â€‚ Semi-structured interviews were used with 15 older people who had returned to their homes following orthopaedic surgery. Results.â€‚ Findings emphasise the importance of social support from family, friends and community to nurture self-efficacy. Accessing personal beliefs and attitudes, adaptive strategies and goal setting were all sources and ways participants rebuilt their confidence and motivation in regard to adhering to a rehabilitation programme. Conclusion.â€‚ Facilitating self-efficacy assists older people to manage home rehabilitation and planning care with family and friends to create a support system in early discharge planning allows a safer and smoother recovery. Relevance to clinical practice.â€‚ Rehabilitation programmes and education should encourage an understanding of self-efficacy as a means to improve individual functional performance.

Low-lying Spinal Cord and Tethered Cord Syndrome in Children with Anorectal Malformations Singapore Medical Journal. Sep, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23023896 Anorectal malformations (ARMs) and low-lying spinal cord (LLC) are commonly associated owing to their common embryonic origin. LLC may lead to tethered cord syndromes (TCS), requiring surgery. This study aimed to review the incidence of LLC in children with ARMs using ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, the incidence of TCS and the surgical outcomes of these patients after detethering.

Legislator Voting and Behavioral Science Theory: a Systematic Review American Journal of Health Behavior. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23026040 To examine the application of behavioral science theories to explain the voting behavior of legislators for public health policies.

Blue Light Acts As a Double-edged Sword in Regulating Sexual Development of Hypocrea Jecorina (Trichoderma Reesei) PloS One. 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23028710 The industrially important cellulolytic filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei is the anamorph of the pantropical ascomycete Hypocrea jecorina. H. jecorina CBS999.97 strain undergoes a heterothallic reproductive cycle, and the mating yields fertilized perithecia imbedded in stromata. Asci in the perithecia contain 16 linearly arranged ascospores. Here, we investigated H. jecorina sexual development under different light regimes, and found that visible light was dispensable for sexual development (stroma formation and ascospore discharge). By contrast, constant illumination inhibited stroma formation, and an interruption of the darkness facilitated timely stroma formation in a 12 h/12 h light-dark photoperiod. The results of genetic analyses further revealed that H. jecorina blue-light photoreceptors (BLR1, BLR2) and the photoadaptation protein ENV1 were not essential for sexual development in general. BLR1, BLR2 and ENV1 are orthologues of the conserved Neurospora crassa WC-1, WC-2 and VVD, respectively. Moreover, BLR1 and BLR2 mediate both positive and negative light-dependent regulation on sexual development, whereas ENV1 is required for dampening the light-dependent inhibitory effect in response to changes in illumination. Comparative genome-wide microarray analysis demonstrated an overview of light-dependent gene expression versus sexual potency in CBS999.97 (MAT1-2) haploid cells. Constant illumination promotes abundant asexual conidiation and high levels of hpp1 transcripts. hpp1 encodes a h (hybrid)-type propheromone that exhibits features of both yeast a and a pheromone precursors. Deletion of hpp1 could rescue stroma formation but not ascospore generation under constant illumination. We inferred that the HPP1-dependent pheromone signaling system might directly prevent stroma formation or simply disallow the haploid cells to acquire sexual potency due to abundant asexual conidiation upon constant illumination.

Reversible Multistimuli-responsive Vesicles Formed by an Amphiphilic Cationic Platinum(II) Terpyridyl Complex with a Ferrocene Unit in Water Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England). Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23032803 An amphiphilic cationic platinum(II) terpyridyl complex 1 with a redox ferrocene unit has been demonstrated to form well-defined vesicular architectures that could be disrupted and regenerated reversibly by multi-stimuli in water. The hydrophobic and hydrophilic alternation of 1 was achieved via modulating its intramolecular ILCT state to MLCT state.

Association of Left Ventricular Motion and Central Augmentation Index in Healthy Young Men Journal of Hypertension. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23041752 Central blood pressure is a determinant of cardiovascular outcome; however, it can be described by parameters other than systolic and diastolic pressure with central augmentation index (AIx) often utilized. Although generally considered as determined by peripheral pressure wave reflection, not all data are consistent with this interpretation of AIx. We hypothesized that the motion of the heart during systole may influence central pressure waveform morphology, including the AIx.

Differential Legionella Spp. Survival Between Intracellular and Extracellular Forms in Thermal Spring Environments Environmental Science and Pollution Research International. Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23054762 Legionella are commonly found in natural and man-made aquatic environments and are able to inhabit various species of protozoa. The relationship between the occurrence of Legionella spp. within protozoa and human legionellosis has been demonstrated; however, the proportions of intracellular and extracellular Legionella spp. in the aquatic environment were rarely reported. In this study, we developed a new method to differentiate intracellular and extracellular Legionella spp. in the aquatic environment. Water samples from three thermal spring recreational areas in southeastern Taiwan were collected and analyzed. For each water sample, concurrent measurements were performed for Legionella spp. and their free-living amoebae hosts. The overall detection rate was 32Â % (16/50) for intracellular Legionella spp. and 12Â % (6/50) for extracellular Legionella spp. The most prevalent host of Legionella spp. was Hartmannella vermiformis. The identified Legionella spp. differed substantially between intracellular and extracellular forms. The results showed that it may be necessary to differentiate intracellular and extracellular forms of Legionella spp.

Heteromeric P97/p97R155C Complexes Induce Dominant Negative Changes in Wild-type and Autophagy 9-deficient Dictyostelium Strains PloS One. 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23056506 Heterozygous mutations in the human VCP (p97) gene cause autosomal-dominant IBMPFD (inclusion body myopathy with early onset Paget's disease of bone and frontotemporal dementia), ALS14 (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with or without frontotemporal dementia) and HSP (hereditary spastic paraplegia). Most prevalent is the R155C point mutation. We studied the function of p97 in the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum and have generated strains that ectopically express wild-type (p97) or mutant p97 (p97(R155C)) fused to RFP in AX2 wild-type and autophagy 9 knock-out (ATG9(KO)) cells. Native gel electrophoresis showed that both p97 and p97(R155C) assemble into hexamers. Co-immunoprecipitation studies revealed that endogenous p97 and p97(R155C)-RFP form heteromers. The mutant strains displayed changes in cell growth, phototaxis, development, proteasomal activity, ubiquitinylated proteins, and ATG8(LC3) indicating mis-regulation of multiple essential cellular processes. Additionally, immunofluorescence analysis revealed an increase of protein aggregates in ATG9(KO)/p97(R155C)-RFP and ATG9(KO) cells. They were positive for ubiquitin in both strains, however, solely immunoreactive for p97 in the ATG9(KO) mutant. A major finding is that the expression of p97(R155C)-RFP in the ATG9(KO) strain partially or fully rescued the pleiotropic phenotype. We also observed dose-dependent effects of p97 on several cellular processes. Based on findings in the single versus the double mutants we propose a novel mode of p97 interaction with the core autophagy protein ATG9 which is based on mutual inhibition.

Ablation of Post Transplant Atrial Flutter and Pseudo-fibrillation Using Magnetic Navigation Via a Superior Approach Indian Pacing and Electrophysiology Journal. Sep, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23071385 Ablation of cavotricuspid ishtmus flutter and atrial tachycardia in a complex substrate has never been reported using remote navigation via superior approach. Venous access was obtained via right internal jugular for ablation and left subclavian for duodecapolar catheter placement into the coronary sinus. In a posttransplant patient presenting with both regular and irregular tachycardia, both cavotricuspid isthmus flutter in the donor and atrial tachycardia in the recipient was mapped using a two catheter approach. Successful ablation of typical atrial flutter and anastomotic block was achieved. This is the first report of successful ablation of cavotricuspid isthmus flutter and posttransplant atrial tachycardia using magnetic navigation via superior approach. Using only two catheters, this approach is logical and feasible in complex substrates with interrupted inferior venous access.

Shape-controlled Synthesis of Silver Nanocrystals by X-ray Irradiation for Inkjet Printing ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23072314 A suite of silver (Ag) nanocrystals have been synthesized using a rapid water radiolysis approach via X-ray irradiation. Various shapes including spheroidal, prism, rod, and multifaceted nanoparticles can be produced by varying the initial concentration of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) relative to silver nitrate (AgNOâ‚ƒ). UV-visible spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) coupled with selected area electron diffraction (SAED) have been used to characterize these Ag products. At an optimized reagent ratio, a mixture of high-aspect-ratio rods (tunable to âˆ¼50) and spheroidal particles result. Such a mixture is proven to have highly beneficial melting point and dispersive properties suited to inkjet printing of conductive Ag lines. The resistivity of the printed lines decreases to 77.7 Î¼Î© and 33.1 Î¼Î© after heating to 200 and 350 Â°C.

Acute Blood Glucose Fluctuations Can Decrease Blood Glutathione and Adiponectin Levels in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23084042 Glutathione appears to have apparent antioxidant activity to counter regulate hyperglycemia induced oxidative stress. Adiponectin also plays a role in the suppression of the metabolic derangements in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). The aim of this study was to determine whether blood glucose fluctuations can alter blood levels of glutathione and adiponectin.

Glaucoma in the Early Treatment for Retinopathy of Prematurity (ETROP) Study Journal of AAPOS : the Official Publication of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus / American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23084383 To report the clinical characteristics of infants with severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and glaucoma-based on review of the Early Treatment for Retinopathy of Prematurity (ETROP) study.

Process Benchmarking Appraisal of Early Surgical Decompression of Spinal Cord Following Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: Opportunities to Enhance the Time to Definitive Treatment Journal of Neurotrauma. Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23088489 Prior preclinical and clinical studies indicate that early decompression of spinal cord decompression (â‰¤24 hours post-trauma) may have benefits regarding clinical outcomes and neurological recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI). This study examines the process benchmarking of management of patients with acute traumatic cervical SCI in order to determine the potential barriers and ideal timelines for each step to early surgical decompression. We reviewed patient charts and the Surgical Trial in Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study (STASCIS) forms regarding the time and reasons for delay of each step in the management of patients with SCI. The reasons for delays were classified into: (a) healthcare-related ("extrinsic") factors and (b) patient-related ("intrinsic") factors. The cases were grouped into patients who underwent early surgical decompression of spinal cord (early-surgery group) and individuals who underwent later decompression (later-surgery group). While both groups showed comparable time periods related to intrinsic factors, patients in the early-surgery group had a significantly shorter time period associated with extrinsic factors when compared with later-surgery group. Both groups were comparable regarding pre-hospital time, time in a second general hospital prior to transfer to spine center and time in the trauma emergency department Patients in the early-surgery group had significantly shorter waiting time, shorter waiting time for assessment by spine surgeon and shorter waiting time for surgical decision than later-surgery group. Our benchmarking analysis suggests that health-related factors are key determinants of the timing from SCI to spinal cord decompression. Time in the general hospital and time of waiting for surgical decision were the most important causes of delays for surgical spinal cord decompression. Early surgery is possible in the vast majority of the cases.

Frequency of Triple-negative Breast Cancer in BRCA1 Mutation Carriers: Comparison Between Common Ashkenazi Jewish and Other Mutations Journal of Clinical Oncology : Official Journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23091104

Obturator Nerve Transfer for Femoral Nerve Reconstruction: Anatomic Study and Clinical Application Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23096607 Femoral nerve lesion causes significant disability. In many cases, the availability of the proximal stump is in question and further complicates surgical management by severely limiting reconstructive options and precluding nerve graft reconstruction. The purpose of this report is to describe the successful restoration of quadriceps function by distal nerve transfer at the level of the thigh without functional donor morbidity and the findings of cadaveric dissections of the obturator and femoral nerve branches.

CXC Chemokine Ligand 12/stromal Cell-derived Factor-1 Regulates Cell Adhesion in Human Colon Cancer Cells by Induction of Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 Journal of Biomedical Science. 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23098564 The CXC chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12)/stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and CXC receptor 4 (CXCR4) axis is involved in human colorectal cancer (CRC) carcinogenesis and can promote the progression of CRC. Interaction between CRC cells and endothelium is a key event in tumor progression. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of SDF-1 on the adhesion of CRC cells.

The Incidence of Pancreatic Cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutation Carriers British Journal of Cancer. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23099806 Germline mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 predispose to pancreatic cancer. We estimated the incidence of pancreatic cancer in a cohort of female carriers of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation. We also estimated survival rates in pancreatic cancer cases from families with a BRCA mutation.

Temporal Horizons in Pain Management: Understanding the Perspectives of Physicians, Physical Therapists, and Their Middle-Aged and Older Adult Patients The Gerontologist. Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23103522 PURPOSE: The management of chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) involves trade-offs between immediate and delayed consequences of various treatments. Temporal trade-offs may be particularly salient for older adults because of age-related differences in prognosis and perceptions of future time. This study examined how perceptions of time influence the management of CNCP among patients and providers with particular emphasis on age differences. DESIGN AND METHODS: Focus groups were conducted with 28 CNCP patients (5 groups), 21 physicians (4 groups), and 23 physical therapists (3 groups). Audiotapes were transcribed and analyzed using standard qualitative methods. RESULTS: Analyses identified multiple aspects of time perceptions that are relevant to the management of CNCP: the long-term prognosis, the time horizon used for concrete treatment planning, and concerns about future side effects. Although there was some overlap, these aspects showed divergent patterns across age groups and between patients and providers. Patients and providers agreed that pain is more stable and chronic in older adults. Time horizons in treatment planning differed between patients who were present-focused and providers who were focused on longer term effects, but treatment horizons did not differ by patient age. Finally, although providers were more concerned about future side effects in older people, patients' concerns did not differ by age. IMPLICATIONS: Time horizons have practical implications for the quality of the patient-provider relationship and self-management of CNCP. A better understanding of the underlying mechanisms could inform interventions to reduce age disparities in pain care.

Influences of Microbubble Diameter and Ultrasonic Parameters on in Vitro Sonothrombolysis Efficacy Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology : JVIR. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23106936 To quantify the effects of microbubble (MB) size, elasticity, and pulsed ultrasonic parameters on in vitro sonothrombolysis (ultrasound [US]-mediated thrombolysis) efficacy.

The Relationship Between Dioxins and Salivary Steroid Hormones in Vietnamese Primiparae Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23114996 OBJECTIVE: Nearly 40Â years after Agent Orange was last sprayed, we conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate the impact of dioxin exposure on salivary hormones in Vietnamese primiparae. Our previous studies found higher levels of salivary cortisol and cortisone in one of the most highly dioxin-contaminated areas, known as a "hot-spot", than in a non-exposed area. As a result, we suggested that further research with a larger number of participants would be needed to confirm whether dioxin affects steroid hormone levels in Vietnamese primiparae. METHODS: The concentration of steroid hormones in saliva was determined by liquid chromatography (electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry), whereas the concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in breast milk were determined by gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry, for a sample of the population from a "hot-spot" (nÂ =Â 16) and a non-exposed area (nÂ =Â 10). All subjects were aged between 20 and 30Â years and had children aged between 4 and 16Â weeks. RESULTS: The mean toxic equivalence of PCDDs, PCDFs and PCDDsÂ +Â PCDFs in breast milk in the hot-spot area was found to be significantly higher than in the non-exposed area (pÂ

BODIPY-based Ratiometric Fluorescent Sensor for Highly Selective Detection of Glutathione over Cysteine and Homocysteine Journal of the American Chemical Society. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23121092 We report a ratiometric fluorescent sensor based on monochlorinated BODIPY for highly selective detection of glutathione (GSH) over cysteine (Cys)/homocysteine (Hcy). The chlorine of the monochlorinated BODIPY can be rapidly replaced by thiolates of biothiols through thiol-halogen nucleophilic substitution. The amino groups of Cys/Hcy but not GSH further replace the thiolate to form amino-substituted BODIPY. The significantly different photophysical properties of sulfur- and amino-substituted BODIPY enable the discrimination of GSH over Cys and Hcy. The sensor was applied for detection of GSH in living cells.

Accurate Potential Energy Curves for HeH+ Isotopologues The Journal of Chemical Physics. Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23126708 New accurate ground-state potential energy curves (PEC) for the (4)HeH(+), (4)HeD(+), (3)HeH(+), and (3)HeD(+) isotopologues are calculated with 600 explicitly correlated Gaussian (ECG) functions with shifted centers in the range between R = 0.35 a(0) and 145 a(0). The calculations include the adiabatic corrections (AC). The absolute accuracy of all Born-Oppenheimer (BO) PEC points is better than 0.0018 cm(-1) and it is better than 0.0005 cm(-1) for the ACs. With respect to the very recent BO PEC calculations performed by Pachucki with 20 000 generalized Heitler-London explicitly correlated functions [K. Pachucki, Phys. Rev. A 85, 042511 (2012)], the present energy calculated at R = 1.46 a(0) (a point near the BO equilibrium distance) lies above by only 0.0012 cm(-1). Using Pachucki's BO energy at the equilibrium distance of R = 1.463 283 a(0), and the adiabatic corrections calculated in this work for the (4)HeH(+), (4)HeD(+), (3)HeH(+), and (3)HeD(+) isotopologues, the following values are obtained for their PEC depths: 16 448.99893 cm(-1), 16 456.86246 cm(-1), 16 451.50635 cm(-1), and 16 459.36988 cm(-1), respectively. We also calculate the rovibrational (rovib) frequencies for the four isotopologues using the BO PEC of Pachucki augmented with the present ACs. The improvements over the BO+AC PEC of Bishop and Cheung (BC) [J. Mol. Spectrosc. 75, 462 (1979)] are 1.522 cm(-1) at R = 4.5 a(0) and 0.322 cm(-1) at R = âˆž. To partially account for the nonadiabatic effects in the rovib calculations an effective reduced-mass approach is used. With that, the present (4)HeH(+) rovibrational transitions are considerably improved over the BC transitions as compared with the experimental values. Now the rovibrational transitions near the dissociation limit are as well reproduced by the present calculations as the lower transitions. For example, for the (4)HeD(+) transitions corresponding to the Î½ = 13-9 hot bands the results are off from the experimental values by less than 0.023 cm(-1). This confirms high accuracy of the present PECs at larger internuclear separations.

Efficient Separation and Sensitive Detection of Listeria Monocytogenes Using an Impedance Immunosensor Based on Magnetic Nanoparticles, a Microfluidic Chip, and an Interdigitated Microelectrode Journal of Food Protection. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23127703 Listeria monocytogenes continues to be a major foodborne pathogen that causes food poisoning, and sometimes death, among immunosuppressed people and abortion among pregnant women. In this study, magnetic nanoparticles with a diameter of 30 nm were functionalized with anti-L. monocytogenes antibodies via biotin-streptavidin bonds to become immunomagnetic nanoparticles (IMNPs) to capture L. monocytogenes in a sample during a 2-h immunoreaction. A magnetic separator was used to collect and hold the IMNPs-L. monocytogenes complex while the supernatants were removed. After the washing step, the nanoparticle-L. monocytogenes complex was separated from the sample and injected into a microfluidic chip. The impedance change caused by L. monocytogenes was measured by an impedance analyzer through the interdigitated microelectrode in the microfluidic chip. For L. monocytogenes in phosphate-buffered saline solution, up to 75% of the cells in the sample could be separated, and as few as three to five cells in the microfluidic chip could be detected, which is equivalent to 10(3) CFU/ml of cells in the original sample. The detection of L. monocytogenes was not interfered with by other major foodborne bacteria, including E. coli O157:H7, E. coli K-12, L. innocua, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus. A linear correlation (R(2) = 0.86) was found between the impedance change and the number of L. monocytogenes in a range of 10(3) to 10(7) CFU/ml. Equivalent circuit analysis indicated that the impedance change was mainly due to the decrease in medium resistance when the IMNPs-L. monocytogenes complexes existed in mannitol solution. Finally, the immunosensor was evaluated with food sample tests; the results showed that, without preenrichment and labeling, 10(4) and 10(5) CFU/ml L. monocytogenes in lettuce, milk, and ground beef samples could be detected in 3 h.

A Shift in Microglial Î²-Amyloid Binding in Alzheimer's Disease Is Associated with Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy Brain Pathology (Zurich, Switzerland). Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23134465 Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) are two common pathologies associated with Î²-amyloid (AÎ²) accumulation and inflammation in the brain; neither is well understood. The objective of this study was to evaluate human post-mortem brains from AD subjects with purely parenchymal pathology, and those with concomitant CAA (and age-matched controls) for differential expression of microglia-associated AÎ² ligands thought to mediate AÎ² clearance and the association of these receptors with complement activation. Homogenates of brain parenchyma and enriched microvessel fractions from occipital cortex were probed for levels of C3b, membrane attack complex (MAC), CD11b and Î±-2-macroglobulin and immunoprecipitation was used to immunoprecipitate (IP) CD11b complexed with C3b and AÎ². Both C3b and MAC were significantly increased in CAA compared to AD-only and controls and IP showed significantly increased CD11b/C3b complexes with AÎ² in AD/CAA subjects. Confocal microscopy was used to visualize these interactions. MAC was remarkably associated with CAA-affected blood vessels compared to AD-only and control vessels. These findings are consistent with an AÎ² clearance mechanism via microglial CD11b that delivers AÎ² and C3b to blood vessels in AD/CAA, which leads to AÎ² deposition and propagation of complement to the cytolytic MAC, possibly leading to vascular fragility.

Brighter Eyes: Combined Upper Cheek and Tear Trough Augmentation: a Systematic Approach Utilizing Two Complementary Hyaluronic Acid Fillers Journal of Drugs in Dermatology : JDD. Sep, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23135653 Non-surgical rejuvenation of the periorbital-cheek complex can be effectively and safely accomplished using a combination of two hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers with distinct viscosities. We present a series of 21 patients with mild to moderate tear trough deformities who were treated with concomitant injection of two dermal fillers (RestylaneÂ® and PerlaneÂ®). Procedural technique entailed micro-depot injections of the finer viscosity HA into the sub-muscular plane along the orbital rim followed by manual massage. Secondly, injections of the thicker, more firm HA were placed in the sub-muscular and/or deep dermal spaces in the upper malar and lateral zygomatic areas and in the medial aspect of the temporal fossa. On average 0.5 mL Restylane and 0.5 mL Perlane were used per side. Statistically significant improvement in modified Wrinkle Severity Rating Scale scores was seen at 20 weeks. Overall improvement in modified Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale scores occurred in 20 out of 21 patients. Mean patient satisfaction scores increased by 2 grades relative to baseline. Patients' self-reported overall mean improvement was 2.23, indicating moderate (26% to 50%) to good (51% to 75%) improvement. Side effects were limited to transient bruising and swelling. No patients required dissolution of injectant with hyaluronidase. Overall, this combination filler procedure was found to produce both statistically significant and clinically apparent improvement and was associated with an extremely high degree of patient satisfaction.

Molecular Dynamics Study on the Growth of Structure I Methane Hydrate in Aqueous Solution of Sodium Chloride The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23137227 The structure, thermodynamic, and kinetic properties of methane hydrates formed from the aqueous solution of sodium chloride are investigated based on molecular dynamics simulations. A three-phase molecular model consisting of a slab of methane hydrate phase, a slab of liquid water containing sodium chloride, and a gas phase of methane molecules is used. The decrease in the three-phase coexisting temperatures (by 2-3 K) at different pressures (10-100 MPa) for aqueous NaCl solutions (about 2 mol %) confirms the thermodynamic inhibition of NaCl. The growth rate of methane hydrates in NaCl solution is found to be half to one-third of that in pure water. The kinetic inhibition of NaCl is found to be a result of the reduced water repelling at the growing interface due to the strong hydration of ions. Individual ions or NaCl ion pairs can replace water molecules to participate in the formation of the cage structures. The distortion of water cages due to the presence of ions may result in a reduced fraction of occupation of methane in the cage cavities. Our results provide useful insights into the mechanism of growth of methane hydrates in seawater and the desalination.

Insights from the Genome Sequence of Quorum-quenching Staphylococcus Sp. Strain AL1, Isolated from Traditional Chinese Soy Sauce Brine Fermentation Journal of Bacteriology. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23144375 We report the draft genome sequence of Staphylococcus sp. strain AL1, which degrades quorum-sensing molecules (namely, N-acyl homoserine lactones). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documentation that reports the whole genome sequence and quorum-quenching activity of Staphylococcus sp. strain AL1.

Modified Tenodesis Method for Treatment of Mallet Fractures Annals of Plastic Surgery. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23154332 Mallet fractures are avulsions of the terminal extensor tendon from the base of the distal phalangeal bone with a bony fragment. Surgical treatment, which provides accurate anatomical reduction and rigid fixation, is recommended for mallet fractures with involvement of more than one third of the base of the distal phalangeal bone. Various surgical methods have been reported, but there is still no standard treatment modality. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the results of our modified tenodesis method for mallet fractures.

PPAR-alpha is a Therapeutic Target for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Leukemia : Official Journal of the Leukemia Society of America, Leukemia Research Fund, U.K. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23160450 Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells with aggressive clinical properties express lipoprotein lipase (LPL), which generates activating ligands for the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR)Î± and allows fatty acids to be used as fuel. However, the role of PPARÎ± in CLL is unclear. PPARÎ± was found to be expressed by circulating CLL cells and highly associated with advanced stage disease. Consistent with this observation, palmitate oxidation rates in circulating CLL cells were similar to more conventional fat-burning cells such as muscle. Transgenic expression of PPARÎ± in CD5(+) Daudi cells increased both their expression of immunosuppressive factors (that is, interleukin (IL)10 and phospho-STAT3) and resistance to metabolic and cytotoxic stressors. In contrast, marked downregulation of PPARÎ± expression accompanied immunogenic death of proliferating CLL cells. The PPARÎ± antagonist MK886 killed circulating CLL cells directly, caused proliferating CLL cells to enter an immunogenic death pathway and cleared CLL xenografts from immunodeficient mice. These results suggest that PPARÎ± is a biological mediator of CLL and MK886 is a clinically relevant agent with activity against CLL.Leukemia advance online publication, 7 December 2012; doi:10.1038/leu.2012.329.

Exploring the Spatio-temporal Dynamics of an Optically Pumped Semiconductor Laser with Intracavity Second Harmonic Generation Optics Letters. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23164854 We experimentally observe an intriguing phenomenon of complex spatio-temporal dynamics in a commercial optically pumped semiconductor laser with intracavity second harmonic generation. We numerically verify that the experimental results come from the total mode locking of transverse electromagnetic modes (TEM00) and higher-order modes with significant astigmatism. The scenarios of the spatio-temporal dynamics are quite similar to the phenomena in soft-aperture Kerr-lens mode locked Ti:sapphire lasers.

The Creation and Verification of Cranial Models Using Three-dimensional Rapid Prototyping Technology in Field of Transnasal Sphenoid Endoscopy American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy. Sep-Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23168144 Surgical navigation systems have been used increasingly in guiding complex ear, nose, and throat surgery. Although these are helpful, they are only beneficial intraoperatively; thus, the novice surgeon will not have the preoperative training or exposure that can be vital in complex procedures. In addition, there is a lack of reliable models to give surgeons hands-on training in performing such procedures.

Endoscopic and Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) Features of Annular Pancreas: Duodenal Ulceration and a Dilated Bile Duct Endoscopy. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23169044

New Minor Glycoside Components from Saffron Journal of Natural Medicines. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23179314 Phytochemical investigation of the stigmas of Crocus sativus resulted in the isolation of eight glycosides (1-8) including a new safranal glycoside (2) and a new carotenoid pigment (6). The structures of the new compounds were identified as (4R)-4-hydroxy-2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-1-enecarbaldehyde 4-O-[Î²-D-glucopyranosyl(1Â â†’Â 3)-Î²-D-glucopyranoside] (2) and trans-crocetin-1-al 1-O-Î²-gentiobiosyl ester (6) on the basis of extensive chemical and spectroscopic evidence.

Anti-citrullinated Protein Antibodies Activated ERK1/2 and JNK Mitogen-activated Protein Kinases Via Binding to Surface-expressed Citrullinated GRP78 on Mononuclear Cells Journal of Clinical Immunology. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23188524 In a previous study, we found that anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs) enhance nuclear factor (NF)-ÎºB activity and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-Î± production by normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and U937 cells via binding to surface-expressed citrullinated glucose-regulated protein 78 (cit-GRP78). However, the downstream signaling pathways remain unclear after binding. In the present study, we firstly measured the effects of different kinase inhibitors on ACPA-mediated TNF-Î± production from normal PBMCs and monocytes. Then, the native and phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were detected in ACPA-activated U937 cells by Western blotting. We also explored the role of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt pathway in activating IÎºB kinase alpha (IKK-Î±) in ACPA-stimulated U937 cells. Finally, we measured the amount of cit-GRP78 from PBMC membrane extracts in RA patients and controls. We found that MAPK and Akt inhibitors, but not PI3K inhibitor, remarkably suppressed ACPA-mediated TNF-Î± production. Interestingly, ACPAs selectively activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), but not p38 MAPK, in U937 cells. This activation was suppressed by cit-GRP78, but not GRP78. The JNK activation further enhanced the phosphorylation of Akt and IKK-Î±. The expression of cit-GRP78 on cell membrane was higher in RA than normal PBMCs. Taken together; these results suggest that through binding to surface, over-expressed cit-GRP78 on RA PBMCs, ACPAs selectively activate ERK1/2 and JNK signaling pathways to enhance IKK-Î± phosphorylation, which leads to the activation of NF-ÎºB and the production of TNF-Î± .

Radiotherapy Concurrently with Weekly Cisplatin, Followed by Adjuvant Chemotherapy, for N2-3 Nasopharyngeal Cancer: a Multicenter Trial of the Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia Journal of Radiation Research. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23192700 The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of radiotherapy concurrently with weekly cisplatin, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, for the treatment of N2-3 nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) in Asian countries, especially regions of South and Southeast Asian countries where NPC is endemic. Between 2005 and 2009, 121 patients with NPC (T1-4 N2-3 M0) were registered from Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, The Philippines, China and Bangladesh. Patients were treated with 2D radiotherapy concurrently with weekly cisplatin (30Â mg/m (2)), followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, consisting of cisplatin (80Â mg/m(2) on Day 1) and fluorouracil (800Â mg/m(2) on Days 1-5) for 3 cycles. Of the 121 patients, 56 patients (46%) required interruption of RT. The reasons for interruption of RT were acute non-hematological toxicities such as mucositis, pain and dermatitis in 35 patients, hematological toxicities in 11 patients, machine break-down in 3 patients, poor general condition in 2 patients, and others in 8 patients. Of the patients, 93% completed at least 4 cycles of weekly cisplatin during radiotherapy, and 82% completed at least 2 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. With a median follow-up time of 46 months for the surviving 77 patients, the 3-year locoregional control, distant metastasis-free survival and overall survival rates were 89%, 74% and 66%, respectively. No treatment-related deaths occurred. Grade 3-4 toxicities of mucositis, nausea/vomiting and leukopenia were observed in 34%, 4% and 4% of the patients, respectively. In conclusion, further improvement in survival and locoregional control is necessary, although our regimen showed acceptable toxicities.

Establishment of a Bioluminescence-based Bioassay for the Detection of Dioxin-like Compounds Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23193992 Abstract Dioxin and dioxin-like compounds are among the most prevalent and toxic environmental pollutants. At present, analytical chemical techniques are considered the gold standard for detection of dioxins. Here, we describe a highly sensitive and cost-effective alternative, based on bioluminescence and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET). Upon binding to dioxin, Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) dissociates from HSP90 and subsequently translocates to the nucleus, where it interacts with AHR nuclear translocator (ARNT). We generated cell lines that stably co-express a fusion protein of AHR and Renilla luciferase (AHR-RL) and either HSP90 or ARNT tagged with yellow fluorescent protein (HSP90-YFP or ARNT-YFP). The fluorescent signals of YFP are activated by the emission of RL while the interactions between AHR and HSP90 (or ARNT) were monitored. Application of 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC), the AHR agonist, enhances BRET signals in cells co-expressing AHR-RL, AIP-HIS, P23-HIS and ARNT-YFP (AAPA cells), while suppressing BRET signals in cells co-expressing AHR-RL, AIP-HIS, P23-HIS and HSP90-YFP (AAPH cells). In addition, dioxin treatment reduced Renilla luminescence in AAPH cells in a concentration-dependent manner, due to degradation of AHR. Intriguingly, the detection limit for dioxin in our AHR degradation assay was as low as 10(-17) M. This work highlights the potential of AHR-RL degradation assays to detect dioxin-like pollutants.

Graphene-supported RuO2 Nanoparticles for Efficient Aerobic Cross-dehydrogenative Coupling Reaction in Water Organic Letters. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23194402 A cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) reaction between tertiary amines and nitroalkanes has been realized under an oxygen atmosphere in water simply by using graphene-supported RuO(2) as the catalyst, which was made from water-soluble graphene with sulfonic groups and RuCl(3)Â·nH(2)O to form RuO(2)Â·nH(2)O nanocomposites in situ. In contrast to RuCl(3)Â·nH(2)O and RuO(2)Â·nH(2)O, the graphene-supported RuO(2) nanoparticles exhibited higher activity and stability for the aerobic CDC reaction in water.

Bonding of Dental Porcelain to Non-cast Titanium with Different Surface Treatments Dental Materials Journal. 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23207197 This study investigated the bonding of dental porcelain to non-cast Ti surface with different treatments. Mechanically ground non-cast Ti strips, simulating surface conditions produced by CAD/CAM, were Al(2)O(3)-sandblasted, then subjected to different surface treatments, including immersion in HNO(3)-containing acid, NaOH-containing alkaline, and NaOH-containing alkaline then HNO(3)-containing acid. Ti-porcelain specimens preparations and their bend strength measurements were based on ISO 9693. Ti surface treatment changed not only surface roughness but also surface chemistry, leading to influence on bond strength. Bond strengths of all Ti-porcelain groups were higher than ISO 9693 minimum requirement. The sandblasted/acid-treated Ti surface showed the highest bond strength (34.60 MPa) with porcelain; no significant difference in bond strength (27.92-29.63 MPa) was found among other Tiporcelain groups. All Ti-porcelain specimens showed adhesive bond failure. Bonding between non-cast Ti and dental porcelain was strengthened by a simple and practical sandblasting/acid-etching treatment of the Ti surface prior to porcelain sintering.

Diterpenoids from the Soft Coral Sinularia Maxima and Their Inhibitory Effects on Lipopolysaccharide-stimulated Production of Pro-inflammatory Cytokines in Bone Marrow-derived Dendritic Cells Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin. 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23207638 Nine new diterpenoids, termed sinumaximols A-I (1-3, 5-9, 12), together with three known compounds (4, 10, 11), were isolated from the methanol extract of the soft coral Sinularia maxima. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic methods, including one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS). The isolated compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs). Among them, compounds 2, 3, and 11 were potent inhibitors of LPS-stimulated interleukin-12 (IL-12) p40 with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) values ranging from 4.35Â±0.12 to 18.04Â±0.21â€‰ÂµM. Compounds 2, 3, and 11 showed moderate inhibitory activity on IL-6 production with IC(50) values ranging from 17.72Â±0.31 to 59.77Â±2.34â€‰ÂµM.

The Utilization of a Commercial Soil Nucleic Acid Extraction Kit and PCR for the Detection of Clostridium Tetanus and Clostridium Chauvoei on Farms After Flooding in Taiwan The Journal of Veterinary Medical Science / the Japanese Society of Veterinary Science. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23208321 Clostridial diseases are zoonoses and are classified as soil-borne diseases. Clostridium chauvoei and Clostridium tetani cause blackleg disease and tetanus, respectively. Since bacteria and spores are re-distributed by floods and then, subsequently, contaminate soils, pastures, and water; the case numbers associated with clostridial diseases usually increase after floods. Because Taiwan is often affected by flood damage during the typhoon season, possible threats from these diseases are present. Thus, this study's aim is to apply a combination of a commercial nucleic acid extraction kit and PCR to assess the prevalence of Clostridia spp. in soil and to compare the positivity rates for farms before and after floods. The minimum amounts of Clostridium tetanus and Clostridium chauvoei that could be extracted from soils and detected by PCR were 10 and 50 colony forming units (cfu), respectively. In total, 76 samples were collected from the central and southern regions of Taiwan, which are the areas that are most frequently damaged by typhoons. Noteworthy, the positive rates for Clostridium tetanus and Clostridium chauvoei in Pingtung county after the severe floods caused by a typhoon increased significantly from 13.73 and 7.84% to 53.85 and 50.00%, respectively. This study for the first time provides the evidence from surveillance data that there are changes in the environmental distribution of Clostridium spp. after floods. This study indicates that screening for soil-related zoonotic pathogens is a potential strategy that may help to control these diseases.

Aliskiren Add-on Therapy Effectively Reduces Proteinuria in Chronic Kidney Disease: An Open-label Prospective Trial Journal of the Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone System : JRAAS. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23223162 INTRODUCTION: The combination therapy of aliskiren and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) blocker in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is controversial. Whether such dual blockade can effectively apply to patients with CKD irrespective of stage and amount of proteinuria remains uncertain. METHODS: We added aliskiren at a dosage of 150 mg/day for six months in 103 Chinese CKD patients who had been treated with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and still had significant proteinuria or uncontrolled hypertension. Blood pressure, serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), potassium, and spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPCR) were measured at three and six months after aliskiren add-on therapy and compared with baseline. RESULTS: The combination of aliskiren and ACEi or ARB significantly reduced UPCR by 23% (p=0.001) and mean arterial pressure by 7.9 Â± 13.8 mmHg (p

Exploring MicroRNA Biomarkers for Disease Monitoring and Response to Therapy Bioanalysis. Sep, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23227472

Significance of Serum DKK1 As a Diagnostic Biomarker in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Future Oncology (London, England). Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23231514 Hyperactivation of the Wnt/Î²-catenin signaling pathway has been implicated in cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) is a secretory antagonist of the Wnt/Î²-catenin signaling pathway and has been found to be upregulated in many cancer types. The functional role of DKK1 in cancer progression has been revealed in several studies but there is controversy with regard to its antitumor function; its oncogenic role seems to be context-dependent. Nevertheless, DKK1 has been proposed to be a potential new biomarker in several types of cancers. The paper by Shen et al. revealed the diagnostic accuracy of DKK1 as a serum biomarker for HCC in a large-scale, multicenter study. Their study demonstrated that serum DKK1 was high in both sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing HCC, especially early-stage HCC and Î±-fetoprotein-negative HCCs. The authors also demonstrated that combination of serum Î±-fetoprotein with serum DKK1 could further improve the diagnostic accuracy. Overall, their findings revealed the importance and significance of DKK1 in HCC diagnosis.

Epicardial Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia: An Institutional Experience of Safety and Efficacy Heart Rhythm : the Official Journal of the Heart Rhythm Society. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23246598 BACKGROUND: Epicardial ablation has been shown to be a useful adjunct for treatment of ventricular tachycardia (VT). OBJECTIVE: To report the trends, safety, and efficacy of epicardial mapping and ablation at a single center over an 8-year period. METHODS: Patients referred for VT ablation (June 2004 to July 2011) were divided into 3 groups: ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM), and idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias (VA). Patients with scar-mediated VT who underwent combined epicardial and endocardial (epi-endo) mapping and ablation were compared with those who underwent endocardial-only (endo-only) ablation with regard to patient characteristics, acute procedural success, 6- and 12-month clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Among 144 patients referred for VT ablation, 95 patients underwent 109 epicardial procedures (94% access rate). Major complications were seen in 8 patients (8.8%) with pericardial bleeding (>80 cm(3)) in 6 cases (6.7%), although no tamponade, surgical intervention, or procedural mortality was seen. Patients with ICM who underwent a combined epi-endo ablation had improved freedom from VT compared with those who underwent endo-only ablation at 12 months (85% vs 56%; P = .03). In patients with NICM, no differences were seen between those who underwent epi-endo ablation and those who underwent endo-only ablation at 12 months (36% vs 33%; P = 1.0). In idiopathic VA, only 2 of 17 patients were successfully ablated from the epicardium. CONCLUSIONS: In this large tertiary single-center experience, complication rates are acceptably low and improved clinical outcomes were associated with epi-endo ablation in patients with ICM. Patients with NICM represent a growing referred population, although clinical recurrence remains high despite epicardial ablation. Epicardial ablation has a low yield in idiopathic VA.

The Association of Drooling and Health-related Quality of Life in Children with Cerebral Palsy Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23251093 To investigate the association between drooling in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and their health-related quality of life (HRQOL), as well as the possible variables that predict their HRQOL.

Genmab Signs Cancer Deal with Janssen Bioanalysis. Oct, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23251918

A Theoretical Model of Efficacy Beliefs, Functional Status and Quality of Life for Older People During Rehabilitation: Testing Causal Relationships Journal of Advanced Nursing. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23278105 AIMS: Structural equation modelling tested hypothesized causal relationships between age, gender, pain, depression, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, functional status and quality of life in older Australians postorthopaedics surgery across three stages of their rehabilitation. BACKGROUND: Self-efficacy is important in forming personal beliefs about capabilities to perform functional activities, which is believed to maintain individual's quality of life. Research examining how efficacy beliefs influence functional status in older people following orthopaedic events is limited. DESIGN: A descriptive, longitudinal method was used for this study. METHODS: A convenience sample of 101 older people with orthopaedic surgery to lower extremities was recruited from private rehabilitation units in Brisbane, Australia. Data were collected from September 2008-November 2009. Standardized questionnaires were used to measure efficacy beliefs, functional status, and quality of life. RESULTS: Structural equation modelling revealed that depression, efficacy beliefs, age, and gender significantly influenced quality of life, as self-efficacy and gender have a direct relationship on functional status. Across three stages in the model, outcome expectation at stage 2 was the most significant predictor of functional recovery after discharge. Older men with higher quality of life at admission was positively related to self-efficacy and negatively associated with depression at stage 2: quality of life influenced outcome expectations and pain positively at stage 3. CONCLUSION: Rehabilitation programmes play a significant role in assisting older people in resuming functional activities and quality of life following orthopaedic surgery. Enhancing self-efficacy may facilitate older people's participation and adher-ence to rehabilitation programmes during hospitalization and following discharge.

Self-Management Intervention to Improve Self-Care and Quality of Life in Heart Failure Patients Congestive Heart Failure (Greenwich, Conn.). Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23279120 Self-management intervention is a good method to improve self-care ability, as such, to promote quality of life. However, the research focused on self-management intervention in heart failure patients in Taiwan is very limited. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to test the effectiveness of self-management intervention in patients with heart failure in Taiwan and examine the relationship between self-care ability and quality of life. A quasi-experimental design was used in this study with convenience sampling. Of the 82 subjects participating in this study, 40 of them chose to join the experimental (self-management intervention plus usual care) and 42 of them chose to join control (usual care) group. Three questionnaires were used to collect the data, which were the demographic questionnaire, the self-care questionnaire (Self-Care of HF Index V 6), and the quality of life questionnaire (Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire). To examine the effectiveness of the intervention, self-care ability and quality of life were measured, using a pretest, 1- and 2-month follow-up assessment. Generalized estimation equations (GEE) were used to compare changes over time among groups for outcomes to ensure the effectiveness of the intervention. This study confirmed the effectiveness of the self-management intervention. The clinical provider should increase the awareness of the importance of self-management skills and self-care ability especially for heart failure patients. The designated disease-specific self-management patient book and individualize intervention should be dispensing and implementing.

Our Approach to Minimize Risk of Epicardial Access: Standard Techniques with the Addition of Electroanatomic Mapping Guidance Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23279311 Epicardial Access Techniques.â€‚Epicardial mapping and ablation is increasingly being performed for the treatment of complex arrhythmias. Right ventricular (RV) puncture remains the most common complication, with damage to surrounding non-cardiac structures also a concern. We describe the standard techniques used in our lab essential for safe epicardial access, as well as a novel technique incorporating electroanatomic mapping (EAM) guidance. In a series of 8 patients referred for ventricular tachycardia ablation, an RV endocardial voltage map was created using EAM systems. EAM images were fused with preprocedure CT scans when available. A 17G Tuohy needle was integrated with the EAM system by attaching the needle to sterile electrode clamps. EAM location points were used in conjunction with standard access techniques until epicardial access was obtained. Epicardial access was successfully obtained in 8/8 (100%) patients. Successful access without RV puncture was achieved in 7/8 (88%) cases. This proof of concept study demonstrates that EAM systems can be used as an adjunct to standard access techniques to visualize and facilitate pericardial access. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. pp. 1-4).

Treponema Pallidum Infection in the Wild Baboons of East Africa: Distribution and Genetic Characterization of the Strains Responsible PloS One. 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23284649 It has been known for decades that wild baboons are naturally infected with Treponema pallidum, the bacterium that causes the diseases syphilis (subsp. pallidum), yaws (subsp. pertenue), and bejel (subsp. endemicum) in humans. Recently, a form of T. pallidum infection associated with severe genital lesions has been described in wild baboons at Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania. In this study, we investigated ten additional sites in Tanzania and Kenya using a combination of macroscopic observation and serology, in order to determine whether the infection was present in each area. In addition, we obtained genetic sequence data from six polymorphic regions using T. pallidum strains collected from baboons at two different Tanzanian sites. We report that lesions consistent with T. pallidum infection were present at four of the five Tanzanian sites examined, and serology was used to confirm treponemal infection at three of these. By contrast, no signs of treponemal infection were observed at the six Kenyan sites, and serology indicated T. pallidum was present at only one of them. A survey of sexually mature baboons at Lake Manyara National Park in 2006 carried out as part of this study indicated that roughly ten percent displayed T. pallidum-associated lesions severe enough to cause major structural damage to the genitalia. Finally, we found that T. pallidum strains from Lake Manyara National Park and Serengeti National Park were genetically distinct, and a phylogeny suggested that baboon strains may have diverged prior to the clade containing human strains. We conclude that T. pallidum infection associated with genital lesions appears to be common in the wild baboons of the regions studied in Tanzania. Further study is needed to elucidate the infection's transmission mode, its associated morbidity and mortality, and the relationship between baboon and human strains.

Registration Using Sparse Free-form Deformations Medical Image Computing and Computer-assisted Intervention : MICCAI ... International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention. 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23286105 Non-rigid image registration using free-form deformations (FFD) is a widely used technique in medical image registration. The balance between robustness and accuracy is controlled by the control point grid spacing and the amount of regularization. In this paper, we revisit the classic FFD registration approach and propose a sparse representation for FFDs using the principles of compressed sensing. The sparse free-form deformation model (SFFD) can capture fine local details such as motion discontinuities without sacrificing robustness. We demonstrate the capabilities of the proposed framework to accurately estimate smooth as well as discontinuous deformations in 2D and 3D image sequences. Compared to the classic FFD approach, a significant increase in registration accuracy can be observed in natural images (61%) as well as in cardiac MR images (53%) with discontinuous motions.

Identification of Orch3, a Locus Controlling Dominant Resistance to Autoimmune Orchitis, As Kinesin Family Member 1C PLoS Genetics. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23300462 Experimental autoimmune orchitis (EAO), the principal model of non-infectious testicular inflammatory disease, can be induced in susceptible mouse strains by immunization with autologous testicular homogenate and appropriate adjuvants. As previously established, the genome of DBA/2J mice encodes genes that are capable of conferring dominant resistance to EAO, while the genome of BALB/cByJ mice does not and they are therefore susceptible to EAO. In a genome scan, we previously identified Orch3 as the major quantitative trait locus controlling dominant resistance to EAO and mapped it to chromosome 11. Here, by utilizing a forward genetic approach, we identified kinesin family member 1C (Kif1c) as a positional candidate for Orch3 and, using a transgenic approach, demonstrated that Kif1c is Orch3. Mechanistically, we showed that the resistant Kif1c(D2) allele leads to a reduced antigen-specific T cell proliferative response as a consequence of decreased MHC class II expression by antigen presenting cells, and that the L(578) â†’ P(578) and S(1027) â†’ P(1027) polymorphisms distinguishing the BALB/cByJ and DBA/2J alleles, respectively, can play a role in transcriptional regulation. These findings may provide mechanistic insight into how polymorphism in other kinesins such as KIF21B and KIF5A influence susceptibility and resistance to human autoimmune diseases.

Dietary Crocin Inhibits Colitis and Colitis-Associated Colorectal Carcinogenesis in Male ICR Mice Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : ECAM. 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23326291 A natural carotenoid crocin is contained in saffron and gardenia flowers (crocuses and gardenias) and is used as a food colorant. This study reports the potential inhibitory effects of crocin against inflammation-associated mouse colon carcinogenesis and chemically induced colitis in male ICR mice. In the first experiment, dietary crocin significantly inhibited the development of colonic adenocarcinomas induced by azoxymethane (AOM) and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in mice by week 18. Crocin feeding also suppressed the proliferation and immunohistochemical expression of nuclear factor- (NF-) ÎºB but increased the NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression, in adenocarcinoma cells. In the second experiment, dietary feeding with crocin for 4 weeks was able to inhibit DSS-induced colitis and decrease the mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor Î±, interleukin- (IL-) 1Î², IL-6, interferon Î³, NF-ÎºB, cyclooxygenase-2, and inducible nitric oxide synthase in the colorectal mucosa and increased the Nrf2 mRNA expression. Our results suggest that dietary crocin suppresses chemically induced colitis and colitis-related colon carcinogenesis in mice, at least partly by inhibiting inflammation and the mRNA expression of certain proinflammatory cytokines and inducible inflammatory enzymes. Therefore, crocin is a candidate for the prevention of colitis and inflammation-associated colon carcinogenesis.

Exploring the Structural Requirements of Collagen-binding Peptides Biopolymers. Nov, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23436394 Collagen synthesis and tissue remodeling are involved in many diseases; therefore collagen specific binding agents have been developed to study collagen changes in various tissues. Based on a recently reported collagen binding peptide, which contains unnatural Biphenylalanine (Bip) amino acid residue, constructs with various structure variations were synthesized to explore the contributions of unnatural Bip residue, conformational restrain, and amino acid sequence in collagen recognition. Their binding efficiency to collagens was evaluated in vitro using pure collagens. The results indicate that the C-terminal unnatural Bip residue, rather than the peptide sequence or conformational restrain, dominated the collagen I binding. Subsequent tissue binding study showed that the selected peptide didn't offer preferential selectivity over collagen I in tissue, suggesting that a simple in vitro binding assay cannot adequately model the complex biological environment. Â© 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers, 2012.

Enhancing the Cellular Delivery of Nanoparticles Using Lipo-Oligoarginine Peptides Advanced Functional Materials. Dec, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23538989 Nanoparticles have great potential as nanotherapeutics, delivery vectors, and molecular imaging agents due to their flexible properties. Although intracellular and nuclear delivery of nanoparticles is desirable for therapeutic applications, it remains a challenge. Cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) are a powerful tool for the intracellular delivery of various cargoes. Here we report that functionalization of nanoparticles with a myristoylated oligoarginine CPP promoted cellular uptake without increased toxicity. It was evidenced that the myristoylated CPP is much more effective in transporting nanoparticles than the unmodified CPPs.

Inhibition of TNF-Î±-mediated NF-ÎºB Transcriptional Activity in HepG2 Cells by Dammarane-type Saponins from Panax Ginseng Leaves Journal of Ginseng Research. Apr, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 23717114 Panax ginseng (PG) is a globally utilized medicinal herb. The medicinal effects of PG are primarily attributable to ginsenosides located in the root and leaf. The leaves of PG are known to be rich in various bioactive ginsenosides, and the therapeutic effects of ginseng extract and ginsenosides have been associated with immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activities. We examined the effect of PG leaf extract and the isolated ginsenosides, on nuclear factor (NF)-ÎºB transcriptional activity and target gene expression by applying a luciferase assay and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-Î±-treated hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells. Air-dried PG leaf extract inhibited TNF-Î±-induced NF-ÎºB transcription activity and NF-ÎºB-dependent cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene expression more efficiently than the steamed extract. Of the 10 ginsenosides isolated from PG leaves, Rd and Km most significantly inhibited activity in a dose-dependent manner, with IC50 values of 12.05Â±0.82 and 8.84Â±0.99 Î¼M, respectively. Furthermore, the ginsenosides Rd and Km inhibited the TNF-Î±-induced expression levels of the COX-2 and iNOS gene in HepG2 cells. Air-dried leaf extracts and their chemical components, ginsenoside Rd and Km, are involved in the suppression of TNF-Î±-induced NF-ÎºB activation and NF-ÎºB-dependent iNOS and COX-2 gene expression. Consequently, air-dried leaf extract from PG, and the purified ginsenosides, have therapeutic potential as anti-inflammatory.

Unusual Device Function: at a Loss Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology : PACE. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 22788712

BPDE-like DNA Adduct Level in Oral Tissue May Act As a Risk Biomarker of Oral Cancer Archives of Oral Biology. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 22809837 Most reports have shown that PAH-related DNA adducts are positively correlated with the smoking status of oral cancer patients. However, these reports did not focus on a specific carcinogen in cigarette smoke. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the role of the BPDE (7,8-dihydroxy-anti-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene)-DNA adduct in the development of oral cancer in Taiwanese patients.

RhoE is Frequently Down-regulated in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) and Suppresses HCC Invasion Through Antagonizing the Rho/Rho-kinase/myosin Phosphatase Target Pathway Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.). Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 22829315 Deregulation of Rho guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) pathways plays an important role in tumorigenesis and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). RhoE/Rnd3 belongs to an atypical subfamily of the RhoGTPase, the Rnd family, as it lacks the intrinsic GTPase activity and remains always in its active GTP-bound form. In this study we investigated the role of RhoE in HCC. We examined the expression of RhoE in primary HCC samples from patients predominantly infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and found that the RhoE messenger RNA (mRNA) level was frequently down-regulated (83.1%, 59/71) in HCCs. Low expression of RhoE in the tumors was significantly associated with shorter disease-free survival (P = 0.020) of the patients. Knockdown of RhoE by short-hairpin RNA using a lentiviral approach led to increased cell motility and invasiveness in SMMC7721 and BEL7402 HCC cells. Moreover, in vivo an orthotopic liver injection model in nude mice further demonstrated that knockdown of RhoE enhanced local invasion of HCC cells in the livers, with more invasive tumor front and increased incidence of venous invasion. Mechanistically, stable knockdown of RhoE in HCC cells significantly enhanced the phosphorylation of myosin phosphatase, promoted assembly of stress fibers, and increased the formation of plasma membrane blebbings, all these changes and activities being associated with activation of the Rho/Rho-kinase (ROCK) pathway. CONCLUSION: RhoE was frequently down-regulated in predominantly HBV-associated HCCs and this down-regulation was associated with a more aggressive HCC phenotype. RhoE regulated the cytoskeleton remodeling and suppressed HCC motility and invasiveness by way of inhibiting the Rho/ROCK axis.

Use of Mobility Aids Reduces Attentional Demand in Challenging Walking Conditions Gait & Posture. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 22840321 While mobility aids (e.g., four-wheeled walkers) are designed to facilitate walking and prevent falls in individuals with gait and balance impairments, there is evidence indicating that walkers may increase attentional demands during walking. We propose that walkers may reduce attentional demands under conditions that challenge balance control. This study investigated the effect of walker use on walking performance and attentional demand under a challenged walking condition. Young healthy subjects walked along a straight pathway, or a narrow beam. Attentional demand was assessed with a concurrent voice reaction time (RT) task. Slower RTs, reduced gait speed, and increased number of missteps (>92% of all missteps) were observed during beam-walking. However, walker use reduced attentional demand (faster RTs) and was linked to improved walking performance (increased gait speed, reduced missteps). Data from two healthy older adult cases reveal similar trends. In conclusion, mobility aids can be beneficial by reducing attentional demands and increasing gait stability when balance is challenged. This finding has implications on the potential benefit of mobility aids for persons who rely on walkers to address balance impairments.

Using Left-ventricular-only Pacing to Eliminate T-wave Oversensing in a Biventricular Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator The Canadian Journal of Cardiology. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 22902157 A man aged 75 years and with nonischemic cardiomyopathy had implantation of a biventricular implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD). Consistent biventricular pacing was limited by intermittent T-wave oversensing (TWOS). A strategy of left-ventricular-only pacing was used to eliminate TWOS. This strategy obviates the need to reduce ventricular sensitivity and thus may be an effective alternative to biventricular pacing complicated by TWOS.

Effect of Recreational Noise Exposure on Hearing Impairment Among Teenage Students Research in Developmental Disabilities. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 22940166 Several studies have focused on the potential impact of children's hearing loss on learning and development. Recently, numerous teenage students have been found to be fond of listening to music on personal devices and participating in recreational music activities. The objective of this study was to investigate teenage students' hearing impairment, their experience with recreational noise exposure, and their self-reported hearing. The participants were 1878 first-year students at a university in Taiwan. The result of the pure tone audiometry test showed that 11.9% of the participants had one or two ears with a hearing threshold over 25 dB. Over the past year, approximately 80.9% of the participants had taken part in at least one loud-noise recreational activity, and 90.9% of the participants were in the habit of using earphones. Among the participants, 190 students with a high level of recreational noise exposure were assigned to the exposure group, and 191 students with a low level of recreational noise exposure constituted the control group. The exposure group had more hearing problems than the control group, but no significant difference existed between the two groups in the pure tone audiometry test (p=0.857). It is suggested that the schools should reinforce hearing health education and proactively provide intervention measures, such as hearing tests, evaluation of noise exposure, and hearing protection.

Vagus Nerve Stimulation Modulates Visceral Pain-related Affective Memory Behavioural Brain Research. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 22940455 Within a biopsychosocial model of pain, pain is seen as a conscious experience modulated by mental, emotional and sensory mechanisms. Recently, using a rodent visceral pain assay that combines the colorectal distension (CRD) model with the conditioned place avoidance (CPA) paradigms, we measured a learned behavior that directly reflects the affective component of visceral pain, and showed that perigenual anterior cingulate cortex (pACC) activation is critical for memory processing involved in long-term visceral affective state and prediction of aversive stimuli by contextual cue. Electrical vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has become an established therapy for treatment-resistant epilepsy. VNS has also been shown to enhance memory performance in rats and humans. High-intensity VNS (400 Î¼A) immediately following conditional training significantly increases the CRD-induced CPA scores, and enhanced the pain affective memory retention. In contrast, VNS (400 Î¼A) had no effect on CPA induced by non-nociceptive aversive stimulus (U69,593). Low-intensity VNS (40 Î¼A) had no effect on CRD-induced CPA. Electrophysiological recording showed that VNS (400 Î¼A) had no effect on basal and CRD-induced ACC neuronal firing. Further, VNS did not alter CRD-induced visceral pain responses suggesting high intensity VNS facilitates visceral pain aversive memory independent of sensory discriminative aspects of visceral pain processing. The findings that vagus nerve stimulation facilities visceral pain-related affective memory underscore the importance of memory in visceral pain perception, and support the theory that postprandial factors may act on vagal afferents to modulate ongoing nature of visceral pain-induced affective disorder observed in the clinic, such as irritable bowel syndrome.

Anterior-posterior Compression Pelvic Fracture Increases the Probability of Requirement of Bilateral Embolization The American Journal of Emergency Medicine. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 22944536 Transarterial embolization has become an effective method in the management of pelvic fracture-related retroperitoneal hemorrhage. However, the selection of bilateral embolization or selective unilateral embolization remains controversial. The anterior-posterior compression (APC) pelvic fracture creates a complete diastasis of the anterior pelvis, which might be associated with bilateral sacroiliac joint injuries and further bilateral arterial injuries. In the current study, we evaluated the correlation between APC pelvic fracture and the need for bilateral internal iliac artery (IIA) embolization.

Nanoparticles for Improved Local Retention After Intra-articular Injection into the Knee Joint Pharmaceutical Research. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 22996566 To evaluate using cationic polymeric nanoparticles that interact with hyaluronate to form ionically cross-linked hydrogels to increase the intra-articular retention time of osteoarthritis drugs in the synovial cavity.

Born-Oppenheimer and Non-Born-Oppenheimer, Atomic and Molecular Calculations with Explicitly Correlated Gaussians Chemical Reviews. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23020161

Occurrence and Distribution of Naegleria Species from Thermal Spring Environments in Taiwan Letters in Applied Microbiology. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23020241 Naegleria spp. is a free-living amoeba that can be found in the natural environment. A number of Naegleria spp. can cause fatal infections in the central nervous system in humans and animals, and the most important source of infection is through direct water contact. In this study, water samples from various thermal springs were taken from four thermal spring areas. Naegleria spp. was detected via culture confirmation and molecular taxonomic identification. Among the 60 samples obtained, Naegleria spp. was identified in 26 (43Â·3%) samples. The identified species included Naegleria australiensis, Naegleria gruberi, Naegleria lovaniensis and Naegleria mexicana. The presence of living Naegleria spp. was significantly associated with elevated pH value in the water sample. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY: In this study, we examined the presence of living Naegleria spp. in thermal spring waters in south-eastern Taiwan. Naegleria spp. was isolated and culture-confirmed from thermal spring water. Naegleria fowleri was not found in all water samples, and Naegleria australiensis was the most common Naegleria genotype.

Evidence of Intracellular Stages in Trypanosoma (Megatrypanum) Theileri in Non-phagocytic Mammalian Cells Veterinary Parasitology. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23021263 Trypanosoma (subgenus Megatrypanum) theileri was first identified over one hundred years ago, and is a widespread parasite in cattle. Its life cycle within the mammalian host has rarely been reported. Whether there is an intracellular stage in tissues is unknown and such a stage has not been demonstrated experimentally. Intriguingly, using Giemsa staining with light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy examination, we found that the parasite was able not only to attach to cells but also to invade several phagocytic and non-phagocytic mammalian cells. Based on these findings, we conducted further investigations using a special antibody in immunofluorescence confocal images. Moreover, we examined a series of possible events of cell invasion in T. theileri. The results revealed that GM1, a marker of membrane rafts, was implicated in the mechanism of entry by this parasite. After incubation with tissue culture trypomastigotes, the gelatinolytic activity was significantly increased and accumulated at the attachment sites. Using ultrastructural localization detection by CytoTracker live imaging and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy, we found that lysosome fusion and the autophagy pathway were engaged in invaginating processes. T. theileri amastigotes also invaded cells and were enclosed by the lysosomes. Furthermore, tissue-cultured trypomastigotes were found to be capable of triggering intracellular free Ca(2+) transients and TGF-Î²-signaling. Our findings that intracellular amastigote stages exist in mammalian cells infected with T. theileri and that the invasion processes involved various host cell components and cell signalings were extremely surprising and warrant further investigation.

Acute Renal Failure in Cirrhotic Patients with Severe Sepsis: Value of Urinary Interleukin-18 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23034155 Acute renal failure (ARF) is a common complication of liver cirrhosis and severe sepsis. Differentiating functional renal failure from acute tubular necrosis (ATN) has been difficult in this clinical setting. It has been shown that urinary interleukin 18 (IL-18) can serve as a sensitive marker for ARF and ATN. This study was aimed to investigate the diagnostic and prognostic values of urinary IL-18 in ARF associated with liver cirrhosis and severe sepsis.

Educational Intervention in CKD Retards Disease Progression and Reduces Medical Costs for Patients with Stage 5 CKD Renal Failure. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23088354 Nephrologist-based multidisciplinary care (MDC) has a positive impact on slowing chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression. However, the benefits of MDC in patients with stage 5 CKD remain unclear.

Change in Flatfoot of Preschool-aged Children: a 1-year Follow-up Study European Journal of Pediatrics. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23132641 The main purpose of this study is to investigate the changes in the signs of flatfoot of preschool-aged children in a 1-year follow-up study. This study performed follow-up on a total of 580 preschool-aged children (boys, 297 children; girls, 283 children) with a median age of 54 (range 36-71Â months), and the average follow-up period was 11.8Â months. This study used the Chippaux-Smirak index (CSI) of footprint as the assessment tool, and CSIâ€‰>â€‰62.70Â % was used as the standard for determining whether preschool-aged children suffered from flatfoot. The results showed that the signs of flatfoot of preschool-aged children improved with increasing age. At the 1-year follow-up, the average CSI was 5.1Â % lower, and the proportion of children with flatfoot was 14Â % lower. The follow-up on the change in the signs of flatfoot showed that 37.6Â % of the children originally with flatfoot had improved to normal, verifying that flatfoot indeed improves with increasing age. However, the results also showed that 9.9Â % of the children who originally had normal feet had developed flatfoot with increasing age, which deserves subsequent investigation. The results of the follow-up also showed that children who were relatively younger, male, obese, and experiencing excessive joint laxity were more likely to experience the signs of flatfoot. Conclusion: The 1-year follow-up found that some preschool-aged children with flatfoot may develop normal feet, while children with normal feet may begin to experience the signs. Relevant factors affecting flatfoot in preschool-aged children continue to require further clarification.

The Effect of Initial Graft Tension After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: a Randomized Clinical Trial with 36-month Follow-up The American Journal of Sports Medicine. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23144370 The initial graft tension applied at the time of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction alters joint contact and may influence cartilage health. The objective was to compare outcomes between 2 commonly used "laxity-based" initial graft tension protocols.

Novel Anti-inflammatory Effects of Doxazosin in Rodent Models of Inflammation Pharmacology. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23146878 Background: Doxazosin is an Î±(1)-adrenergic receptor antagonist for the treatment of high blood pressure and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Peripheral Î±-adrenergic receptors have been implicated in inflammation. Aim: To examine the anti-inflammatory effects of doxazosin in rodent models of inflammation. Method: The anti-inflammatory properties of doxazosin were investigated in 4 models. In all studies, drug treatment was administered 15 min prior to challenge. In the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced systemic inflammation model, LPS was injected systemically at 0.25 mg/kg. At 90 min after challenge, blood samples were collected for analysis. In the LPS-induced pulmonary inflammation model, LPS was instilled intranasally. Four hours after challenge, the lungs were harvested for monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) analysis. In a delayed-type hypersensitivity model, the mice were injected intravenously with sheep red blood cells, and rechallenged in the left footpad 7 days later. Drug treatment was given on day 6 and 7 just prior to the rechallenge. The thickness of hind footpads was measured at 15 min after rechallenge. In the thioglycollate-induced peritoneal monocyte infiltration model, mice were challenged with 3% thioglycollate, and 2 h later peritoneal lavage fluid was collected for MCP-1 analysis. Results: In animals challenged systemically and intranasally with LPS, doxazosin inhibited TNF-Î± and MCP-1 production, respectively. In the delayed-type hypersensitivity model, footpad swelling was inhibited by doxazosin. Doxazosin decreased the level of MCP-1 release in the peritoneal cavity of thioglycollate-stimulated animals, though this effect was not statistically significant. Conclusion: This is the first set of studies that reports the novel anti-inflammatory effects of doxazosin.

Diagnosis of Silicotuberculosis by Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) Respirology (Carlton, Vic.). Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23167540

Decreased MicroRNA(miR)-145 and Increased MiR-224 Expression in T Cells from Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Involved in Lupus Immunopathogenesis Clinical and Experimental Immunology. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23199328 Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease with abnormal T cell immune responses. We hypothesized that aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) in T cells may contribute to the pathogenesis of SLE. First, we analysed the expression profiles of 270 human miRNAs in T cells from five SLE patients and five healthy controls and then validated those potentially aberrant-expressed miRNAs using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Then, the expression of mRNAs regulated by these aberrant-expressed miRNAs was detected using real-time PCR. Finally, miRNA transfection into Jurkat T cells was conducted for confirming further the biological functions of these miRNAs. The initial analysis indicated that seven miRNAs, including miR-145, miR-224, miR-513-5p, miR-150, miR-516a-5p, miR-483-5p and miR-629, were found to be potentially abnormally expressed in SLE T cells. After validation, under-expressed miR-145 and over-expressed miR-224 were noted. We further found that STAT1 mRNA targeted by miR-145 was over-expressed and apoptosis inhibitory protein 5 (API5) mRNA targeted by miR-224 was under-expressed in SLE T cells. Transfection of Jurkat cells with miR-145 suppressed STAT1 and miR-224 transfection suppressed API5 protein expression. Over-expression of miR-224 facilitates activation-induced cell death in Jurkat cells. In the clinical setting, the increased transcript levels of STAT1 were associated significantly with lupus nephritis. In conclusion, we first demonstrated that miR-145 and miR-224 were expressed aberrantly in SLE T cells that modulated the protein expression of their target genes, STAT1 and API5, respectively. These miRNA aberrations accelerated T cell activation-induced cell death by suppressing API5 expression and associated with lupus nephritis by enhancing signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 (STAT)-1 expression in patients with SLE.

Anti-inflammatory Norditerpenoids from the Soft Coral Sinularia Maxima Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23200246 Chemical investigation of the soft coral Sinularia maxima resulted in the isolation of seven norditerpenoids, including two new compounds, 12-hydroxy-scabrolide A (2) and 13-epi-scabrolide C (6). The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic evidence including Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) and both one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (1D and 2D NMR, respectively), in comparison with reported data. Compound 6 potently inhibited IL-12 and IL-6 production in LPS-stimulated bone marrow derived dendritic (BMDCs) with IC(50) values of 5.30 Â± 0.21 and 13.12 Â± 0.64 Î¼M, respectively. Compound 1 exhibited moderate inhibitory activity against IL-12 and IL-6 production with IC(50) values of 23.52 Â± 1.37 and 69.85 Â± 4.11 Î¼M, respectively.

Photoinduced Triplet-triplet Energy Transfer in a 2-ureido-4(1H)-pyrimidinone-bridged, Quadruply Hydrogen-bonded Ferrocene-fullerene Assembly Chemphyschem : a European Journal of Chemical Physics and Physical Chemistry. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23203973 2-Ureido-4(1H)-pyrimidinone-bridged ferrocene-fullerene assembly I is designed and synthesized for elaborating the photoinduced electron-transfer processes in self-complementary quadruply hydrogen-bonded modules. Unexpectedly, steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopy reveal an inefficient electron-transfer process from the ferrocene to the singlet or triplet excited state of the fullerene, although the electron-transfer reactions are thermodynamically feasible. Instead, an effective intra-assembly triplet-triplet energy-transfer process is found to be operative in assembly I with a rate constant of 9.2Ã—10(5) s(-1) and an efficiency of 73% in CH(2)Cl(2) at room temperature.

Combination of Factor H Mutation and Properdin Deficiency Causes Severe C3 Glomerulonephritis Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : JASN. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23204401 Factor H (fH) and properdin both modulate complement; however, fH inhibits activation, and properdin promotes activation of the alternative pathway of complement. Mutations in fH associate with several human kidney diseases, but whether inhibiting properdin would be beneficial in these diseases is unknown. Here, we found that either genetic or pharmacological blockade of properdin, which we expected to be therapeutic, converted the mild C3 GN of an fH-mutant mouse to a lethal C3 GN with features of human dense deposit disease. We attributed this phenotypic change to a differential effect of properdin on the dynamics of alternative pathway complement activation in the fluid phase and the cell surface in the fH-mutant mice. Thus, in fH mutation-related C3 glomerulopathy, additional factors that impact the activation of the alternative pathway of complement critically determine the nature and severity of kidney pathology. These results show that therapeutic manipulation of the complement system requires rigorous disease-specific target validation.

Antiproliferative and Apoptotic Effects of Compounds from the Flower of Mammea Siamensis (Miq.) T. Anders. on Human Cancer Cell Lines Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23206866 On the search for anti-cancer compounds from Thai traditional herb medicines, a bioassay-guided fractionation and chemical investigation of the methanol extract of Mammea siamensis flower resulted in the isolation and identification of eight compounds (1-8) including a novel geranylated coumarin, namely mammeanoyl (2), and seven known compounds (1 and 3-8). The structure of new compound 2 was elucidated based on the extensive spectroscopic and chemical methods. Among the isolated compounds, three structurally related coumarins 3, 4, and 5 showed significant antiproliferative activities against human leukemia and stomach cancer cell lines. However, these compounds did not affect the cell viabilities of colon cancer, hepatoma, and normal skin fibroblast cell lines. Further analysis demonstrated that the morphological features of apoptosis including DNA fragmentation and chromatin condensation were observed in human leukemia HL-60 cells treated with compounds 3, 4, and 5. In addition, compound 3 led to caspase-3 activation and cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and compound 3-induced DNA fragmentation was inhibited by caspase-specific inhibitors. These results suggest that compound 3, 4, and 5 exert antiproliferative actions through apoptotic cell death in leukemia cells and these compounds may have the potential to be developed into new anti-cancer drug candidates.

Perioperative Anticoagulation in Device Implantation: Benefitting the Uninterrupted Thrombosis and Haemostasis. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23224231

A Novel Treatment Approach for Extensive, Eruptive, Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinomas in a Patient Receiving BRAF Inhibitor Therapy for Metastatic Melanoma Dermatologic Surgery : Official Publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et Al.]. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23227856

CHC Promotes Tumor Growth and Angiogenesis Through Regulation of HIF-1Î± and VEGF Signaling Cancer Letters. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23228632 Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is an aggressive disease with a high mortality rate. In this study, we have newly generated a monoclonal antibody (mAb), Pa65-2, which specifically binds to pancreatic cancer cells and tumor blood vessels. The target protein of Pa65-2 is identified as human clathrin heavy chain (CHC). In vitro and In vivo study showed that suppression of CHC either by shRNA or by Pa65-2 inhibited tumor growth and angiogenesis. One of the key functions of CHC was to bind with the hypoxia-inducing factor (HIF)-1Î± protein, increasing the stability of this protein and facilitating its nuclear translocation, thereby regulating the expression of VEGF. Taken together, our findings indicate that CHC plays a role in the processes of tumorigenesis and angiogenesis. Pa65-2 antibody or CHC shRNA can potentially be used for pancreatic cancer therapy.

Spontaneous Resolution of Optic Perineuritis Journal of Neuro-ophthalmology : the Official Journal of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23247562

Transfer of the Extensor Digiti Minimi and Extensor Carpi Ulnaris Branches of the Posterior Interosseous Nerve to Restore Intrinsic Hand Function: Case Report and Anatomic Study The Journal of Hand Surgery. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23261192 To present a technique for restoration of ulnar intrinsic function using a nerve transfer of the extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) and extensor digiti minimi (EDM) nerve branches of the posterior interosseous nerve (PIN) to the deep branch of the ulnar nerve in the forearm when the anterior interosseous nerve is unavailable.

Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Pain, Agitation, and Delirium in Adult Patients in the Intensive Care Unit: Executive Summary American Journal of Health-system Pharmacy : AJHP : Official Journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23261901 To revise the "Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Sustained Use of Sedatives and Analgesics in the Critically Ill Adult" published in Critical Care Medicine in 2002.

Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Pain, Agitation, and Delirium in Adult Patients in the Intensive Care Unit Critical Care Medicine. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23269131 To revise the "Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Sustained Use of Sedatives and Analgesics in the Critically Ill Adult" published in Critical Care Medicine in 2002.

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Used to Reveal Drug Actions in a Long QT Syndrome Family with Complex Genetics The Journal of General Physiology. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23277474 Understanding the basis for differential responses to drug therapies remains a challenge despite advances in genetics and genomics. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) offer an unprecedented opportunity to investigate the pharmacology of disease processes in therapeutically and genetically relevant primary cell types in vitro and to interweave clinical and basic molecular data. We report here the derivation of iPSCs from a long QT syndrome patient with complex genetics. The proband was found to have a de novo SCN5A LQT-3 mutation (F1473C) and a polymorphism (K897T) in KCNH2, the gene for LQT-2. Analysis of the biophysics and molecular pharmacology of ion channels expressed in cardiomyocytes (CMs) differentiated from these iPSCs (iPSC-CMs) demonstrates a primary LQT-3 (Na(+) channel) defect responsible for the arrhythmias not influenced by the KCNH2 polymorphism. The F1473C mutation occurs in the channel inactivation gate and enhances late Na(+) channel current (I(NaL)) that is carried by channels that fail to inactivate completely and conduct increased inward current during prolonged depolarization, resulting in delayed repolarization, a prolonged QT interval, and increased risk of fatal arrhythmia. We find a very pronounced rate dependence of I(NaL) such that increasing the pacing rate markedly reduces I(NaL) and, in addition, increases its inhibition by the Na(+) channel blocker mexiletine. These rate-dependent properties and drug interactions, unique to the proband's iPSC-CMs, correlate with improved management of arrhythmias in the patient and provide support for this approach in developing patient-specific clinical regimens.

Hyperglycemia is Associated with Enhanced Gluconeogenesis in a Rat Model of Permanent Cerebral Ischemia Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23279876 Hyperglycemia is common after acute stroke. In the acute phase of stroke (within 24h), rats with permanent cerebral ischemia developed higher fasting blood glucose and insulin levels in association with up-regulation of hepatic gluconeogenic gene expression, including phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, glucose-6-phosphatase, and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase. In addition, hepatic gluconeogenesis-associated positive regulators, such as FoxO1, CAATT/enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBPs), and cAMP responsive element-binding protein (CREB), were up-regulated. For insulin signaling transduction, phosphorylation of insulin receptor (IR), insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS1) at the tyrosine residue, Akt, and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), were attenuated in the liver, while negative regulators of insulin action, including phosphorylation of p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS1) at the serine residue, were increased. In addition, the brains of rats with stroke exhibited a reduction in phosphorylation of IRS1 at the tyrosine residue and Akt. Circulating cortisol, glucagon, C-reactive protein (CRP), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), and resistin levels were elevated, but adiponectin was reduced. Our data suggest that cerebral ischemic insults might modify intracellular and extracellular environments, favoring hepatic gluconeogenesis and the consequences of hyperglycemia.

Best Practices for Central Line Insertion International Anesthesiology Clinics. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23282722

The Contribution of Dissolved Organic Nitrogen and Chloramines to Nitrogenous Disinfection Byproduct Formation from Natural Organic Matter Water Research. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23286987 The direct incorporation of chloramines and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) may provide the nitrogen for nitrogenous disinfection byproducts (N-DBPs). This study explores the contributions of natural DON and chloramine incorporation to the formation of N-DBPs during chloramination. This study also evaluates the relationship between N-DBPs and carbonaceous DBPs by investigating four sources of dissolved organic matter with different DON-to-dissolved organic carbon (DOC) ratios. During chloramination, dihaloacetonitrile (DXAN) formation is correlated with the summation of trihalomethanes (THMs) and dichloroacetic acids (DXAAs) yield in molar basis at pHÂ >Â 6. This study tests the formation kinetics of THMs, DXAAs, and DXANs during chloramination, explores the changes in DBP formation potential before and after a sequence of ozonation and chloramination, and tracks the nitrogen source of dichloroacetonitrile. The results support the hypothesis that THMs, DXAAs, and DXANs mainly derive from similar precursors upon chloramination. In addition, the precursor of HANs was approximately 10% (on a molar basis) of that of THMs and HAAs combined. The N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) formation potential is correlated with DON/DOC in hydrophilic and transphilic fractions. Isotope (15)N-labeled monochloramine coupled with LC-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry was used to explore the nitrogen source of NDMA formed in chloraminated organic fractions. The results indicate that the nitroso group of the formed NDMA originates mainly from chloramines.

Enterovirus 71 Infection Increases Expression of Interferon-gamma-inducible Protein 10 Which Protects Mice by Reducing Viral Burden in Multiple Tissues The Journal of General Virology. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23288420 Enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection has induced fatal encephalitis in thousands of young children in the Asia-Pacific region since the last decade. EV71 infection continues to cause serious problems in areas with outbreaks, because vaccines and antiviral therapies are not available. Lymphocytes are present in brains of infected patients and mice and protect mice from infection by decreasing viral burden. The chemokines responsible for recruiting lymphocytes to infected organs remain to be identified. Among the lymphocyte chemokines detected, high levels of interferon-gamma-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) are found in the plasma and cerebral spinal fluid of patient with brainstem encephalitis as compared with monokine induced by gamma interferon (Mig). Using a murine model to address the induction of IP-10 by EV71 infection, we observed that EV71 infection significantly enhanced IP-10 protein expression in the serum and brain with kinetics similar to viral titers in the blood and brain. Brain neurons of infected mice expressed IP-10. Using wild-type mice and IP-10 gene knock-out mice to investigate the role of IP-10 in EV71 infection, we found that IP-10 deficiency significantly reduced levels of Mig in the serum and gamma interferon as well as CD8 T cells in the mouse brain. Absence of IP-10 significantly increased the mortality of infected mice by 45% with a slow virus clearance in several vital tissues. Our observations are consistent with a model where EV71 infection boosts IP-10 expression to increase gamma interferon and Mig levels, infiltration of CD8 T cells, virus clearance in tissues, and survival of mice.

A Turn-on Fluorescent Sensor for the Discrimination of Cystein from Homocystein and Glutathione Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England). Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23295243 We report a turn-on fluorescent sensor based on nitrothiophenolate boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) derivatives for the discrimination of cystein (Cys) from homocystein (Hcy) and glutathione (GSH). The sensor was applied for detection of Cys in living cells.

Adult Onset Global Loss of the Fto Gene Alters Body Composition and Metabolism in the Mouse PLoS Genetics. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23300482 The strongest BMI-associated GWAS locus in humans is the FTO gene. Rodent studies demonstrate a role for FTO in energy homeostasis and body composition. The phenotypes observed in loss of expression studies are complex with perinatal lethality, stunted growth from weaning, and significant alterations in body composition. Thus understanding how and where Fto regulates food intake, energy expenditure, and body composition is a challenge. To address this we generated a series of mice with distinct temporal and spatial loss of Fto expression. Global germline loss of Fto resulted in high perinatal lethality and a reduction in body length, fat mass, and lean mass. When ratio corrected for lean mass, mice had a significant increase in energy expenditure, but more appropriate multiple linear regression normalisation showed no difference in energy expenditure. Global deletion of Fto after the in utero and perinatal period, at 6 weeks of age, removed the high lethality of germline loss. However, there was a reduction in weight by 9 weeks, primarily as loss of lean mass. Over the subsequent 10 weeks, weight converged, driven by an increase in fat mass. There was a switch to a lower RER with no overall change in food intake or energy expenditure. To test if the phenotype can be explained by loss of Fto in the mediobasal hypothalamus, we sterotactically injected adeno-associated viral vectors encoding Cre recombinase to cause regional deletion. We observed a small reduction in food intake and weight gain with no effect on energy expenditure or body composition. Thus, although hypothalamic Fto can impact feeding, the effect of loss of Fto on body composition is brought about by its actions at sites elsewhere. Our data suggest that Fto may have a critical role in the control of lean mass, independent of its effect on food intake.

Self-efficacy, Self-care Behavior, Anxiety, and Depression in Taiwanese with Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-sectional Survey Nursing & Health Sciences. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23301516 The relationships between self-efficacy, self-care behavior, anxiety, and depression for Taiwanese individuals with type 2 diabetes were determined in this study. Depression and anxiety are common symptoms that can contribute toward adverse medical outcomes. A descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational design was used. The sample comprised 201 patients with type 2 diabetes from diabetes outpatient clinics at three teaching hospitals in Taiwan. The results of this study revealed that people with diabetes who had received diabetes health education, regularly made clinical visits, underwent treatment, and did not smoke demonstrated a high self-efficacy score (Pâ€‰

Synthetic Cysteine Surrogates Used in Native Chemical Ligation Molecular BioSystems. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23302767 Native chemical ligation (NCL) has become the method of choice in synthesizing large or cyclic peptides/proteins. To overcome the limitation of NCL requiring N-terminal cysteine to mediate ligation, a strategy involving thiol-mediated ligation followed by desulfurization has been developed and advanced to realize peptide ligation at other amino acid sites, including Phe, Val, Leu, Thr, Lys, Pro and Gln. The syntheses of these mercapto-containing unnatural amino acids used as cysteine surrogates will be discussed in this review article.

Real-time PCR Method for the Detection and Quantification of Acanthamoeba Species in Various Types of Water Samples Parasitology Research. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23306384 In this study, a quantitative real-time PCR was developed to detect and quantify Acanthamoeba spp. in various environmental water samples. The water samples were taken from watershed, water treatment plant, and three thermal spring recreation areas. The overall detection rate was 14.2Â % (25/176) for Acanthamoeba spp. The percentages of samples containing Acanthamoeba spp. from river water, raw drinking water, and thermal spring water were 13Â % (13/100), 25Â % (7/28), and 10.4Â % (5/48), respectively. Acanthamoeba spp. concentrations were determined according to SYBR Green quantitative real-time PCR. A plasmid-based standard curve was constructed to determine the Acanthamoeba concentration using dilution factors for achieving 1.36â€‰Ã—â€‰10(9) gene copies per PCR for 18S rRNA gene in Acanthamoeba spp. The resulting concentrations varied by the type of water, in the range of 46-2.6â€‰Ã—â€‰10(2) cells/l in positive raw drinking water, 2.7â€‰Ã—â€‰10(2)-1.5â€‰Ã—â€‰10(4) cells/l in river water, and 54-1.7â€‰Ã—â€‰10(3) cells/l in thermal spring water. The presence of Acanthamoeba spp. in the raw drinking water samples was also found to have a significant difference with heterotrophic plate count. The presence of Acanthamoeba spp. in various aquatic environments may be a potential health hazard and must be further evaluated.

Tuning Optical Properties of Si Quantum Dots by Ï€-Conjugated Capping Molecules Chemistry, an Asian Journal. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23307703 The absorption and photoluminescence (PL) properties of silicon quantum dots (QDs) are greatly influenced by their size and surface chemistry. Herein, we examined the optical properties of three Si QDs with increasing Ïƒ-Ï€ conjugation length: octyl-, (trimethylsilyl)vinyl-, and 2-phenylvinyl-capped Si QDs. The PL photon energy obtained from as-prepared samples decreased by 0.1-0.3â€…eV, while the PL excitation (PLE) extended from 360â€…nm (octyl-capped Si QDs) to 400â€…nm (2-phenylvinyl-capped Si QDs). A vibrational PL feature was observed in all samples with an energy separation of about 0.192Â±0.013â€…eV, which was explained based on electron-phonon coupling. After soft oxidization through drying, all samples showed blue PL with maxima at approximately 410â€…nm. A similar high-energy peak was observed with the bare Si QD sample. The changes in the optical properties of Si QDs were mainly explained by the formation of additional states arising from the strong Ïƒ-Ï€ conjugation and QD oxidation.

Prediction and Analysis of Antibody Amyloidogenesis from Sequences PloS One. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23308169 Antibody amyloidogenesis is the aggregation of soluble proteins into amyloid fibrils that is one of major causes of the failures of humanized antibodies. The prediction and prevention of antibody amyloidogenesis are helpful for restoring and enhancing therapeutic effects. Due to a large number of possible germlines, the existing method is not practical to predict sequences of novel germlines, which establishes individual models for each known germline. This study proposes a first automatic and across-germline prediction method (named AbAmyloid) capable of predicting antibody amyloidogenesis from sequences. Since the amyloidogenesis is determined by a whole sequence of an antibody rather than germline-dependent properties such as mutated residues, this study assess three types of germline-independent sequence features (amino acid composition, dipeptide composition and physicochemical properties). AbAmyloid using a Random Forests classifier with dipeptide composition performs well on a data set of 12 germlines. The within- and across-germline prediction accuracies are 83.10% and 83.33% using Jackknife tests, respectively, and the novel-germline prediction accuracy using a leave-one-germline-out test is 72.22%. A thorough analysis of sequence features is conducted to identify informative properties for further providing insights to antibody amyloidogenesis. Some identified informative physicochemical properties are amphiphilicity, hydrophobicity, reverse turn, helical structure, isoelectric point, net charge, mutability, coil, turn, linker, nuclear protein, etc. Additionally, the numbers of ubiquitylation sites in amyloidogenic and non-amyloidogenic antibodies are found to be significantly different. It reveals that antibodies less likely to be ubiquitylated tend to be amyloidogenic. The method AbAmyloid capable of automatically predicting antibody amyloidogenesis of novel germlines is implemented as a publicly available web server at http://iclab.life.nctu.edu.tw/abamyloid.

Serum Polyfluoroalkyl Concentrations, Asthma Outcomes, and Immunological Markers in a Case-Control Study of Taiwanese Children Environmental Health Perspectives. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23309686 BACKGROUND: Perï¬‚uorinated compounds (PFCs) are ubiquitous pollutants. Experimental data suggest that they may be associated with adverse health outcomes, including asthma. However, there is little supporting epidemiological evidence. METHODS: A total of 231 asthmatic children and 225 non-asthmatic controls, all from Northern Taiwan, were recruited in the Genetic and Biomarker study for Childhood Asthma. Structure questionnaires were administered by face-to-face interview. Serum concentrations of 11 PFCs and levels of immunological markers were also measured. Associations of PFC quartiles with concentrations of immunological markers and asthma outcomes were estimated using multivariable regression models. RESULTS: Nine PFCs were detectable in most children (â‰¥84.4%), of which perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was the most abundant (median serum concentration of 33.9 ng/mL in asthmatics and 28.9 ng/mL in controls). Adjusted odds ratios for asthma among those with the highest versus lowest quartile of PFC exposure ranged from 1.81 (95%CI: 1.02, 3.23) for the perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA) to 4.05 (95%CI: 2.21, 7.42) for perfluorooctanic acid (PFOA). PFOS, PFOA, and subsets of the other PFCs were positively associated with serum IgE concentrations, absolute eosinophil counts (AEC), eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) concentrations, and asthma severity scores among asthmatics. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests an association between PFC exposure and juvenile asthma. Due to widespread exposure to these chemicals, these findings may be of potential public health concern.

Factors Influencing Peritoneal Dialysis Patients' Psychosocial Adjustment Journal of Clinical Nursing. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23311545 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The specific aims of this study were as follows: (1) to describe psychosocial adjustment in adults with end-stage renal disease who underwent maintenance peritoneal dialysis; (2) to explore the influence of demographics, clinical variables, symptom distress and social support on psychosocial adjustment and (3) to determine predictive factors of psychosocial adjustment. BACKGROUND: Proper psychosocial adjustment is important for patients with end-stage renal disease to cope with multiple stressors of their disease and to balance their lives within the restrictions imposed by peritoneal dialysis treatment. Knowledge on psychosocial adjustment in patients receiving long-term peritoneal dialysis has been limited. DESIGN: The study was based on a predictive correlational design. METHOD: One hundred peritoneal dialysis patients were recruited from outpatient peritoneal dialysis clinics of a general hospital in Taipei, Taiwan. Data were collected with the study questionnaires, including the Physical Symptom Distress Scale, the Social Support Scale and the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale - self-report. RESULTS: The mean score on the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale was 359Â·7 (SDÂ =Â 40Â·0), indicating that these participants were moderately struggling in adjusting to their illness. Symptom distress, family social support and financial status explained 38Â·3% of the variance in psychosocial adjustment (F(3,96) Â =Â 21Â·5, pÂ

Proteomics-based Identification of Plasma Biomarkers in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23312379 Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is an aggressive cancer and its occurrence is closely related to betel nut chewing in Taiwan. However, there are few prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers for this disease especially for its association with betel nut chewing. Recent progresses in quantitative proteomics have offered opportunities to discover plasma proteins as biomarkers for tracking the progression and for understanding the molecular mechanisms of OSCC. In present study, plasma samples from OSCC patients with at least 5-year history of betel nut chewing and healthy donors were analyzed by fluorescence 2D-DIGE-based proteomic analysis. Totally, 38 proteins have been firmly identified representing 13 unique gene products. These proteins mainly function in inflammatory responses (such as fibrinogen gamma chain) and transport (Apolipoprotein A-I). Additionally, the current quantitative proteomic approach has identified numerous OSCC biomarkers including fibrinogen (alpha/beta/gamma) chain, haptoglobin, leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein and ribosomal protein S6 kinase alpha-3 (RSK2) which have not been reported and may be associated with the progression and development of the disease. In summary, this study reports a comprehensive patient-based proteomic approach for the identification of potential plasma biomarkers in OSCC. The potential of utilizing these markers for screening and treating OSCC warrants further investigations.

Comparison Between Sequential and Simultaneous Application of Activated Carbon with Membrane Bioreactor for Trace Organic Contaminant Removal Bioresource Technology. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23313687 The removal efficiency of 22 selected trace organic contaminants by sequential application of granular activated carbon (GAC) and simultaneous application of powdered activated carbon (PAC) with membrane bioreactor (MBR) was compared in this study. Both sequential application of GAC following MBR treatment (MBR-GAC) and simultaneous application of PAC within MBR (PAC-MBR) achieved improved removal (over 95%) of seven hydrophilic and biologically persistent compounds, which were less efficiently removed by MBR-only treatment (negligible to 70%). However, gradual breakthrough of these compounds occurred over an extended operation period. Charged compounds, particularly, fenoprop and diclofenac, demonstrated the fastest breakthrough (complete and 50-70%, in MBR-GAC and PAC-MBR, respectively). Based on a simple comparison from the long-term performance stability and activated carbon usage points of view, PAC-MBR appears to be a better option than MBR-GAC treatment.

Easy Expression of the C-terminal Heavy Chain Domain of Botulinum Neurotoxin Serotype A As a Vaccine Candidate Using a Bi-cistronic Baculovirus System Journal of Virological Methods. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23313783 Clostridial botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) is one of the most toxic proteins causing the food borne disease, botulism. In previous studies, recombinant BoNT production by Escherichia coli and yeast Pichia pastoris has been hampered by high AT content and codon bias in the gene encoding BoNT and required a synthetic gene to resolve this intrinsic bottleneck. This paper reports the simultaneous expression of the C-terminal heavy chain domain of BoNT (rBoNT/A-HC-6h) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) using a bi-cistronic baculovirus-insect cell expression system. The expression of EGFP facilitated the monitoring of viral infection, virus titer determination, and isolation of the recombinant virus. Protein fusion with hexa-His-tag and one-step immobilized metal-ion affinity chromatography (IMAC) purification produced a homogenous, stable, and immunologically active 55-kDa rBoNT/A-HC-6h (about 3mg/L) with >90% purity. Furthermore, measured levels of serum titers were 8-folds for mice vaccinated with the purified rBoNT/A-HC-6h (2Î¼g) than for mice administered with botulinum toxoid after initial immunization. Challenge experiment with botulinum A toxin demonstrated the immunoprotective activity of purified rBoNT/A-HC-6h providing the mice full protection against 102 LD50 botulinum A toxin with a dose as low as 0.2Î¼g. This study provided supportive evidence for the use of a bi-cistronic baculovirus-Sf21 insect cell expression system in the facile expression of an immunogenically active rBoNT/A-HC.

The Utilization of Cranial Models Created Using Rapid Prototyping Techniques in the Development of Models for Navigation Training Journal of Neurological Surgery. Part A, Central European Neurosurgery. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23315670 Introductionâ€ƒNavigation in neurosurgery has expanded rapidly; however, suitable models to train end users to use the myriad software and hardware that come with these systems are lacking. Utilizing three-dimensional (3D) industrial rapid prototyping processes, we have been able to create models using actual computed tomography (CT) data from patients with pathology and use these models to simulate a variety of commonly performed neurosurgical procedures with navigation systems.Aimâ€ƒTo assess the possibility of utilizing models created from CT scan dataset obtained from patients with cranial pathology to simulate common neurosurgical procedures using navigation systems.Methodologyâ€ƒThree patients with pathology were selected (hydrocephalus, right frontal cortical lesion, and midline clival meningioma). CT scan data following an image-guidance surgery protocol in DIACOM format and a Rapid Prototyping Machine were taken to create the necessary printed model with the corresponding pathology embedded. The ability in registration, planning, and navigation of two navigation systems using a variety of software and hardware provided by these platforms was assessed.Resultsâ€ƒWe were able to register all models accurately using both navigation systems and perform the necessary simulations as planned.Conclusionâ€ƒModels with pathology utilizing 3D rapid prototyping techniques accurately reflect data of actual patients and can be used in the simulation of neurosurgical operations using navigation systems.

Ultra Pseudo-Stokes Shift Near Infrared Dyes Based on Energy Transfer Tetrahedron Letters. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23316093 Novel fluorescent dyes with ultra pseudo-Stokes Shift were prepared based on intramolecular energy transfer between a fluorescent donor and a Cyanine-7 acceptor. The prepared dyes could be excited at ~ 320 nm and emit fluorescence at ~ 780 nm. The energy transfer efficiencies of the system are found to be > 94 %.

Aortic Injury Is Common Following Pulmonary Vein Isolation Heart Rhythm : the Official Journal of the Heart Rhythm Society. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23318348 BACKGROUND: Esophageal injuryhas been documented following pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), but damage to other mediastinal structures such as the aorta is seldom reported. Hyperenhancement of the aorta is occasionally seen oncardiac magnetic resonance imaging with late gadolinium enhancement (CMR LGE)in patientsundergoing PVI. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the frequency of aortic wall LGE following PVI. METHODS: Patients undergoing PVI with pre- and post-CMR LGE at our institution between January 2009 and September 2011 were retrospectively identified. Studies were assessed for hyperenhancement, defined as LGE of the aorta or left atrium(LA) at 10 standard deviations greater than the mean signal intensity of the aortic blood pool. RESULTS: Forty-seven PVI and 14 MiniMaze patients were included in this analysis. A significant increase in the number of patients with aortic wall LGE was found post-PVI compared to pre-PVI (28/47 versus 14/47, p= 0.018). Ninety-six percent (26/27) of those with aortic wall enhancement post-PVI also had post-PVI LA enhancement. Eighty-six percent (24/28) of patients with aortic wall LGE post-PVI had direct contact of the LA and aorta on the pre-PVI CMR. Patients undergoing MiniMaze did not exhibit a significant increase in LA or aortic enhancement following surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of aortic wall LGE were increased among patients undergoing PVI but not MiniMaze, despite a trend toward larger LA in the latter group. The clinical implications of aortic LGE remain undefined.However, these data suggest that hyperenhancementof the aorta post-PVI is common.

Sustained Hcv Clearance and Increased HBsAg Seroclearance in Patients with Dual Chronic Hepatitis C and B During Post-treatment Follow-up Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.). Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23322699 Patients dually infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV)/hepatitis B virus (HBV) have a higher risk of developing advanced liver disease or hepatocellular carcinoma compared to monoinfected patients. Our previous study showed a similar rate of sustained virologic response (SVR) after peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin combination therapy in these patients compared to HCV monoinfected patients, and a high hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance rate. The durability of hepatitis C and B clearance in dually infected patients was investigated by a 5-year follow-up study. Patients with active HCV genotype 1, both HBV coinfected (n=97) and monoinfected (n=110), received a 48-week combination therapy with peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin. Patients with active HCV genotype 2/3, both HBV coinfected (n=64) and monoinfected (n=50) patients received a 24-week combination therapy. A total of 295 (91.9%) patients completed treatment and 24 weeks post-treatment follow-up; 264 (89.5%) agreed to receive additional follow-up for up to 5 years after the end of treatment. After a median follow-up of 4.6 + 1.0 years, 6 of the 232 patients achieving SVR developed HCV RNA reappearance, including 5 HCV genotype 1/HBV coinfected patients and 1 HCV genotype 2/3 monoinfected patient. Subgenomic analysis of the HCV core gene suggested that 5 patients developed delayed recurrence of HCV infection. Overall, the cumulative recurrence rate of HCV infection was 2.3% (0.4%/year; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.9%âˆ¼5.5%). The cumulative HBsAg seroclearance rate was 30.0% (95% CI=21.5%âˆ¼42.0%); with 33.1% (95% CI=21.8%âˆ¼50.1%) in 48-week combination therapy group and 24.3% (95% CI=13.7%âˆ¼42.9%) in 24-week therapy group. Conclusion: Peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin therapy provides a good durability of HCV SVR and a high accumulative HBsAg seroclearance rate in patients dually infected with HCV and HBV. (HEPATOLOGY 2013.).

The Value of Image Integration for Epicardial Catheter Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia JACC. Cardiovascular Imaging. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23328561

Parenting Style and Child-feeding Behaviour in Predicting Children's Weight Status Change in Taiwan Public Health Nutrition. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23332023 OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children is on the rise worldwide. Prior studies find that parents' child-feeding practices are associated with child weight status and the efficacy of specific parental child-feeding practices can be moderated by parenting styles. In the current longitudinal study, we examined the associations between child-feeding practices and weight status changes over 1 year among a sample of school-aged children in Taiwan. DESIGN: In autumn 2008, a child-feeding questionnaire and parenting-style questionnaire were administered to parents of the second and fourth graders in an elementary school in Taiwan. The weight and height of the students were measured by a trained school nurse in 2008 and again in 2009. SETTING: An elementary school in central Taiwan. SUBJECTS: A total of 465 parent-child pairs were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Using a gender- and age-adjusted BMI classification scheme issued by the Taiwan Department of Health, 29Â·2 % of the students were considered overweight at the 2009 measurement. Controlling for 2008 weight status revealed moderating effects of parenting style on the relationship between child-feeding practices and child weight status. Both authoritative and authoritarian mothers might monitor their children's dietary intake; however, the effectiveness of this practice was better, in terms of weight status control, among the authoritative mothers. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that parenting styles have a moderating effect on specific parental child-feeding practices. Parenting styles and parent's feeding practices could be an important focus for future public health interventions addressing the rising childhood obesity epidemic.

Real-time Transmission to Real-time Patient Care: A Tale of 4 Devices The Canadian Journal of Cardiology. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23333167 We report a case in which a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy presented with syncope, terminated by a shock from his implantable cardioverter defibrillator. However, subsequent interrogation of the device revealed no tachycardia detection or treatment parameters. The mystifying details of the case were unravelled by remote consultation with the staff electrophysiologist and the use of smart phone-transmitted live images. This case highlights the use of mobile phone-facilitated video conferencing in urgent management of intracardiac device therapy. Judicious use of this technology has the potential to deliver effective and cost-effective solutions for many device-related emergencies in patients at remote settings.

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Type of Steroid Impact the Functional Response of the Human Glucocorticoid Receptor The Journal of Surgical Research. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23333190 Clinical trials evaluating the use of steroids in septic shock have shown variable outcomes. Our previous studies have implicated human glucocorticoid receptor (hGR) polymorphisms as a possible cause of altered steroid response. To further evaluate this variability, we hypothesized that hGR polymorphisms along with type of steroid influence the functional response.

Failure Rate of the Riata Lead Under Advisory: A Report from the CHRS Device Committee Heart Rhythm : the Official Journal of the Heart Rhythm Society. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23333722 BACKGROUND: A unique form of lead failure has been described in the Riata (8Fr) and Riata ST (7Fr) silicone defibrillation lead; degradation of the outer insulation resulting in externalization of conductor cables. OBJECTIVE: To assess rates of lead revision due to lead failure in Riata leads affected by the Riata advisory. METHODS: Nineteen ICD implant and follow up centers were surveyed RESULTS: As of March 1, 2012, there were 5043 known affected leads implanted in Canada. Data on 4358 (86.4%) leads were obtained; 65.3% of these were Riata (8Fr), 32.4% Riata ST (7Fr). The median time from implant to last follow-up was 5 years. Electrical abnormalities were reported in 4.6% of affected leads; 8.0% of these were found to have concomitant radiographic evidence of externalization. The rate of electrical failure was higher in the 8 French (5.2%) versus 7 French (3.3%) leads (p=0.007). Over-sensing with or without inappropriate shocks was reported in 39.8% of leads with confirmed failure. Abnormally high or low impedance values (29.9%) and elevated pacing capture thresholds (43.8%) were frequently reported. One death (0.5%) attributed to lead failure was reported. Among the leads that were replaced, 21% were extracted. Two major complications (1.0%) were attributed to extraction of these leads. CONCLUSION: The overall rate of lead failure in the Riata (8Fr) and Riata ST (7Fr) lead is higher than previously reported using passive surveillance data. The impact of recent advisories related to these leads is not yet apparent.

Application of Scan Statistics to Detect Suicide Clusters in Australia PloS One. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23342098 Suicide clustering occurs when multiple suicide incidents take place in a small area or/and within a short period of time. In spite of the multi-national research attention and particular efforts in preparing guidelines for tackling suicide clusters, the broader picture of epidemiology of suicide clustering remains unclear. This study aimed to develop techniques in using scan statistics to detect clusters, with the detection of suicide clusters in Australia as example.

Using Data to Attribute Episodes of Warming and Cooling in Instrumental Records Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23345448 The observed global-warming rate has been nonuniform, and the cause of each episode of slowing in the expected warming rate is the subject of intense debate. To explain this, nonrecurrent events have commonly been invoked for each episode separately. After reviewing evidence in both the latest global data (HadCRUT4) and the longest instrumental record, Central England Temperature, a revised picture is emerging that gives a consistent attribution for each multidecadal episode of warming and cooling in recent history, and suggests that the anthropogenic global warming trends might have been overestimated by a factor of two in the second half of the 20th century. A recurrent multidecadal oscillation is found to extend to the preindustrial era in the 353-y Central England Temperature and is likely an internal variability related to the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), possibly caused by the thermohaline circulation variability. The perspective of a long record helps in quantifying the contribution from internal variability, especially one with a period so long that it is often confused with secular trends in shorter records. Solar contribution is found to be minimal for the second half of the 20th century and less than 10% for the first half. The underlying net anthropogenic warming rate in the industrial era is found to have been steady since 1910 at 0.07-0.08 Â°C/decade, with superimposed AMO-related ups and downs that included the early 20th century warming, the cooling of the 1960s and 1970s, the accelerated warming of the 1980s and 1990s, and the recent slowing of the warming rates. Quantitatively, the recurrent multidecadal internal variability, often underestimated in attribution studies, accounts for 40% of the observed recent 50-y warming trend.

Interaction Between Lung Cancer Cell and Myofibroblast Influenced by Cyclic Tensile Strain Lab on a Chip. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23348149 Using a cell culture chip with a deformable substrate driven by a hydraulic force, we investigated the motility of cancer cells affected by myofibroblasts undergoing cyclic tensile strain (CTS). CTS reduced both the expression of Î±-smooth muscle actin in the myofibroblast and the ability of the myofibroblast to accelerate cancer cell migration. However, with the treatment of a pro-inflammatory factor interleukin-1Î² on the myofibroblasts, the effects of CTS on the myofibroblast were diminished. This result suggests an antagonism between mechanical and chemical stimulations on mediating cancer metastasis by the stromal myofibroblast.

Incidence of Cataract Development by 6 Months' Corrected Age in the Early Treatment for Retinopathy of Prematurity Study Journal of AAPOS : the Official Publication of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus / American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23352719 To report the incidence of cataract development by 6 months' corrected age in preterm children who participated in the Early Treatment for Retinopathy of Prematurity study.

Defibrillation Success with High Frequency Electric Fields is Related to Degree and Location of Conduction Block Heart Rhythm : the Official Journal of the Heart Rhythm Society. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23354078 BACKGROUND: We recently demonstrated that high frequency alternating current (HFAC) electric fields can reversibly block propagation in the heart by inducing an oscillating, elevated transmembrane potential (V(m)) which maintains myocytes in a refractory state for the field duration, and can terminate arrhythmias, including ventricular fibrillation (VF). OBJECTIVE: In this study, we sought to quantify and characterize conduction block (CB) induced by HFAC fields and to determine whether the degree of CB can be used to predict defibrillation success. METHODS: Optical mapping was performed in adult guinea pig hearts (n = 14), and simulations were performed in an anatomically accurate rabbit ventricular model. HFAC fields (50-500 Hz) were applied to the ventricles. A novel power spectrum metric of CB - the loss of spectral power in the 1-30 Hz range, termed loss of conduction power (LCP) - was assessed during the HFAC field and compared with defibrillation success and VF vulnerability. RESULTS: LCP increased with field strength and decreased with frequency. Optical mapping experiments conducted on the epicardial surface showed that LCP and the size of CB regions were significantly correlated with VF initiation and termination. In simulations, sub-surface myocardial LCP and CB size were more closely correlated with VF termination than surface values. Multilinear regression analysis of simulation results revealed that while CB on both the surface and sub-surface myocardium were predictive, sub-surface myocardial CB was the better predictor of defibrillation success. CONCLUSION: HFAC fields induce a field-dependent state of conduction block, and defibrillation success is related to the degree and location of the conduction block.

Huge Bilateral Renal Angiomyolipoma BMJ Case Reports. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23355566

Sensory Integration Dysfunction Affects Efficacy of Speech Therapy on Children with Functional Articulation Disorders Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23355780 Articulation disorders in young children are due to defects occurring at a certain stage in sensory and motor development. Some children with functional articulation disorders may also have sensory integration dysfunction (SID). We hypothesized that speech therapy would be less efficacious in children with SID than in those without SID. Hence, the purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of speech therapy in two groups of children with functional articulation disorders: those without and those with SID.

Inhibitory Effect on NO Production of Triterpenes from the Fruiting Bodies of Ganoderma Lucidum Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23357630 Four new lanostane triterpenes, butyl lucidenate P (1), butyl lucidenate D(2) (2), butyl lucidenate E(2) (3) and butyl lucidenate Q (4) along with 11 known compounds (5-15) were isolated from the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma lucidum. Their chemical structures were established mainly by 1D and 2D NMR techniques and mass spectrometry. Their anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated against LPS-induced NO production in macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. Compounds 1, 3, 4, 9, 10 and 15 showed inhibitory potency with IC(50) values of 7.4, 6.4, 4.3, 9.4, 9.2 and 4.5Î¼M, respectively. Compounds 1, 3 and 15 dose-dependently reduced the LPS-induced iNOS expressions. Preincubation of cell with 1, 3 and 15 significantly suppressed LPS-induced expression of COX-2 protein.

Fine Particle, Ozone Exposure, and Asthma/Wheezing: Effect Modification by Glutathione S-transferase P1 Polymorphisms PloS One. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23357926 There are limited studies on the role of interaction between exposure to ambient air pollution and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) P1 on the risk of asthma/wheezing among children, which provided suggestive, but inconclusive results.

Androgenetic Alopecia: Identification of Four Genetic Risk Loci and Evidence for the Contribution of WNT-signaling to Its Etiology The Journal of Investigative Dermatology. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23358095 The pathogenesis of androgenetic alopecia (AGA, male-pattern baldness) is driven by androgens, and genetic predisposition is the major prerequisite. Candidate gene and genome-wide association studies have reported that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at eight different genomic loci are associated with AGA-development. However a significant fraction of the overall heritable risk still awaits identification. Furthermore, understanding of the pathophysiology of AGA is incomplete, and each newly associated locus may provide novel insights into contributing biological pathways. The aim of this study was to identify unknown AGA risk loci by replicating SNPs at the twelve genomic loci that showed suggestive association (5 Ã— 10(-8)

Causes and Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death in the Elderly Nature Reviews. Cardiology. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23358267 Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a major cause of mortality in elderly individuals owing to a high prevalence of coronary heart disease, systolic dysfunction, and congestive heart failure (CHF). Although the incidence of SCD increases with age, the proportion of cardiac deaths that are sudden decreases owing to high numbers of other cardiac causes of death in elderly individuals. Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy has been demonstrated to improve survival and prevent SCD in selected patients with systolic dysfunction and CHF. However, ICD therapy in elderly patients might not be effective because of a greater rate of pulseless electrical activity underlying SCD and other competing nonarrhythmic causes of death in this population. Although under-represented in randomized trials of ICD use, elderly patients comprise a substantial proportion of the population that qualifies for and receives an ICD for primary prevention under current guidelines. Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), which has been demonstrated to reduce mortality in selected populations with heart failure, is also more commonly used in this group of patients than in younger individuals. In this Review, we examine the causes of SCD in elderly individuals, and discuss the existing evidence for effectiveness of ICD therapy and CRT in this growing population.

Dynamic Large-scale Chromosomal Rearrangements Fuel Rapid Adaptation in Yeast Populations PLoS Genetics. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23358723 Large-scale genome rearrangements have been observed in cells adapting to various selective conditions during laboratory evolution experiments. However, it remains unclear whether these types of mutations can be stably maintained in populations and how they impact the evolutionary trajectories. Here we show that chromosomal rearrangements contribute to extremely high copper tolerance in a set of natural yeast strains isolated from Evolution Canyon (EC), Israel. The chromosomal rearrangements in EC strains result in segmental duplications in chromosomes 7 and 8, which increase the copy number of genes involved in copper regulation, including the crucial transcriptional activator CUP2 and the metallothionein CUP1. The copy number of CUP2 is correlated with the level of copper tolerance, indicating that increasing dosages of a single transcriptional activator by chromosomal rearrangements has a profound effect on a regulatory pathway. By gene expression analysis and functional assays, we identified three previously unknown downstream targets of CUP2: PHO84, SCM4, and CIN2, all of which contributed to copper tolerance in EC strains. Finally, we conducted an evolution experiment to examine how cells maintained these changes in a fluctuating environment. Interestingly, the rearranged chromosomes were reverted back to the wild-type configuration at a high frequency and the recovered chromosome became fixed in less selective conditions. Our results suggest that transposon-mediated chromosomal rearrangements can be highly dynamic and can serve as a reversible mechanism during early stages of adaptive evolution.

What Is the Optimal Endocrine Therapy for Postmenopausal Women With Hormone Receptor-Positive Early Breast Cancer? Journal of Clinical Oncology : Official Journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23358978

Role for the Obesity-related FTO Gene in the Cellular Sensing of Amino Acids Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23359686 SNPs in the first intron of FTO (fat mass and obesity associated) are strongly associated with human obesity. While it is not yet formally established that this effect is mediated through the actions of the FTO protein itself, loss of function mutations in FTO or its murine homologue Fto result in severe growth retardation, and mice globally overexpressing FTO are obese. The mechanisms through which FTO influences growth and body composition are unknown. We describe a role for FTO in the coupling of amino acid levels to mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 signaling. These findings suggest that FTO may influence body composition through playing a role in cellular nutrient sensing.

Sustaining a Regional Emerging Infectious Disease Research Network: a Trust-based Approach Emerging Health Threats Journal. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23362419 The Asia Partnership on Emerging Infectious Diseases Research (APEIR) was initiated in 2006 to promote regional collaboration in avian influenza research. In 2009, the partnership expanded its scope to include all emerging infectious diseases. APEIR partners include public health and animal researchers, officials and practitioners from Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. APEIR has accomplished several major achievements in three key areas of activity: (i) knowledge generation (i.e., through research); (ii) research capacity building (e.g., by developing high-quality research proposals, by planning and conducting joint research projects, by adopting a broader Ecohealth/OneHealth approach); and (iii) policy advocacy (e.g., by disseminating research results to policy makers). This paper describes these achievements, with a focus on the partnership's five major areas of emerging infectious disease research: wild migratory birds, backyard poultry systems, socio-economic impact, policy analysis, and control measures. We highlight two case studies illustrating how the partnership's research results are being used to inform policy. We also highlight lessons learned after five years of working hard to build our partnership and the value added by a multi-country, multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary research partnership like APEIR.

Should All BRCA1 Mutation Carriers with Stage I Breast Cancer Receive Chemotherapy? Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23381743 To estimate the 15-year survival following a diagnosis of stage I breast cancer among women who carry a BRCA1 mutation and to determine predictors of mortality, including the use of chemotherapy. Patients were 379 women with stage I breast cancer for whom a BRCA1 mutation had been identified, in herself or in a close family member. Patients were followed for up to 15Â years from the initial diagnosis of breast cancer. Survival rates were estimated for women by age, tumor size (â‰¤1Â cm; >1Â cm), ER status (Â±), and by chemotherapy (yes/no). 42 women died of breast cancer in the follow-up period (11.2Â %). Survival rates were similar for women with cancers of size 0-1.0Â cm and size 1.1-2.0Â cm. Of the 267 women in the study who used chemotherapy, 21 had died (7.9Â %) compared to 21 deaths among 112 women who did not receive chemotherapy (18.8Â %; pÂ =Â 0.002). The 15-year survival was 89.4Â % for women who received chemotherapy and was 73.1Â % for women who did not receive chemotherapy (pÂ =Â 0.08; log rank). The adjusted hazard ratio for death following a diagnosis of stage I breast cancer associated with chemotherapy was 0.53 (95Â % CI 0.28-1.07; p value 0.06) after adjusting for age of diagnosis, tumor size, and estrogen receptor status. This was statistically significant only among women with ER-negative breast cancers (HRÂ =Â 0.28; 95Â % CI 0.10-0.79; pÂ =Â 0.02). BRCA1 positive women who are treated for stage I breast cancer with chemotherapy have better survival than those who do not receive chemotherapy. The difference cannot be explained by other prognostic factors. All women with invasive breast cancer and a BRCA1 mutation should be considered to be candidates for chemotherapy.

Lower Body Negative Pressure-induced Vagal Reaction: Role for the Osmopressor Response? American Journal of Hypertension. Jan, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23382321 BACKGROUND Water ingestion elicits an osmopressor response in patients with impaired baroreflexes. In young, healthy subjects, water elicits sympathetic vasoconstriction. This study investigated the effect of water on the lower body negative pressure (LBNP)-induced vasovagal reaction and also analyzed its effect on the change of regional cerebral blood flow during LBNP. METHODS Twelve young healthy subjects underwent LBNP (40mm Hg) tolerance testing for 45 minutes or until presyncopal symptoms occurred. Subjects received either LBNP or no LBNP with or without prior water ingestion. The severity of vasovagal reaction was determined by participant self-report rating of orthostatic symptoms during the LBNP test. Changes of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) between LBNP and water ingestion with LBNP groups were assessed using statistical parametrical mapping analyses. RESULTS Water ingestion attenuated the severity of symptomatic scores during LBNP (P = 0.004). Water ingestion increased Total peripheral vascular resistance (P < 0.001) and attenuated the blood pressure drop (P < 0.001) at the cessation of study. LBNP decreased rCBF over the left superior prefrontal gyrus, limbic-parahippocampal gyrus, left sublobar-caudate body, and hypothalamus (P < 0.001). Water increased rCBF significantly over the right frontal lobe, including the inferior and medial prefrontal gyrus, subcallosal, and sublobar insula, during LBNP stimulation (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Water ingestion strongly reduces symptomatic burden of the vasovagal reaction induced by LBNP stimulation. The cortical activation of limbic and prefrontal cortex likely indicates the involvement of osmopressor response in central autonomic cardiovascular physiology. The central cortical activation of osmopressor response might provide insight into the mechanisms by which water ingestion reduces the vasovagal reaction.

Interleukin-13 Genetic Variants, Household Carpet Use and Childhood Asthma PloS One. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23382814 Interleukin (IL)-13 genetic polymorphisms have shown adverse effects on respiratory health. However, few studies have explored the interactive effects between IL-13 haplotypes and environmental exposures on childhood asthma. The aims of our study are to evaluate the effects of IL-13 genetic variants on asthma phenotypes, and explore the potential interaction between IL-13 and household environmental exposures among Taiwanese children. We investigated 3,577 children in the Taiwan Children Health Study from 14 Taiwanese communities. Data regarding children's exposure and disease status were obtained from parents using a structured questionnaire. Four SNPs were tagged accounting for 100% of the variations in IL-13. Multiple logistic regression models with false-discovery rate (FDR) adjustments were fitted to estimate the effects of IL-13 variants on asthma phenotypes. SNP rs1800925, SNP rs20541 and SNP rs848 were significantly associated with increased risks on childhood wheeze with FDR of 0.03, 0.04 and 0.04, respectively. Children carrying two copies of h1011 haplotype showed increased susceptibility to wheeze. Compared to those without carpet use and h1011 haplotype, children carrying h1011 haplotype and using carpet at home had significantly synergistic risks of wheeze (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.4-4.4; p for interaction, 0.01) and late-onset asthma (OR, 4.7; 95% CI, 2.0-10.9; p for interaction, 0.02). In conclusions, IL-13 genetic variants showed significant adverse effects on asthma phenotypes among children. The results also suggested that asthma pathogenesis might be mediated by household carpet use.

Robot-assisted Laparoscopic Approach of Management for Mirizzi Syndrome Surgical Laparoscopy, Endoscopy & Percutaneous Techniques. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23386165 Mirizzi syndrome is an uncommon cause of common hepatic duct obstruction resulting from gallstone impaction in the cystic duct or gallbladder neck. Mirizzi syndrome is traditionally considered as a contraindication to laparoscopic surgery mainly due to risk of bile duct injury during dissection. We present the surgical experience of 5 patients with Mirizzi syndrome who were diagnosed preoperatively and managed using minimally access surgical technique, either total laparoscopic or robotic-assisted laparoscopic approach. All patients had successful operations and recovered without complications. We concluded that with a correct preoperative diagnosis, careful operative strategy, increasing expertise with laparoscopic technique, and introduction of robotic surgical system, minimally invasive approach of management of Mirizzi syndrome becomes safe and feasible.

Mechanism-based Facilitated Maturation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Cardiomyocytes Circulation. Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23392582 Background- Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) can be efficiently and reproducibly directed into cardiomyocytes (CMs) using stage-specific induction protocols. However, their functional properties and suitability for clinical and other applications have not been evaluated. Methods and Results- Here we showed that CMs derived from multiple pluripotent human stem cell lines (hESC: H1, HES2) and types (induced pluripotent stem cell) using different in vitro differentiation protocols (embryoid body formation, endodermal induction, directed differentiation) commonly displayed immature, proarrhythmic action potential properties such as high degree of automaticity, depolarized resting membrane potential, Phase 4- depolarization, and delayed after-depolarization. Among the panoply of sarcolemmal ionic currents investigated (I(Na)(+)/I(CaL)(+)/I(Kr)(+)/I(NCX)(+)/I(f)(+)/I(to)(+)/I(K1)(-)/I(Ks)(-)), we pinpointed the lack of the Kir2.1-encoded inwardly rectifying K(+) current (I(K1)) as the single mechanistic contributor to the observed immature electrophysiological properties in hESC-CMs. Forced expression of Kir2.1 in hESC-CMs led to robust expression of Ba(2+)-sensitive I(K1) and, more importantly, completely ablated all the proarrhythmic action potential traits, rendering the electrophysiological phenotype indistinguishable from the adult counterparts. These results provided the first link of a complex developmentally arrested phenotype to a major effector gene, and importantly, further led us to develop a bio-mimetic culturing strategy for enhancing maturation. Conclusions- By providing the environmental cues that are missing in conventional culturing method, this approach did not require any genetic or pharmacological interventions. Our findings can facilitate clinical applications, drug discovery, and cardiotoxicity screening by improving the yield, safety, and efficacy of derived CMs.

Concurrent Celecoxib with 5-fluorouracil/epirubicin/cyclophosphamide Followed by Docetaxel for Stages II - III Invasive Breast Cancer: the OOTR-N001 Study Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23394482 Objectives: This prospective study aimed at investigating the efficacy and safety of the concurrent use of celecoxib (CXB) with 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide (FEC), followed by docetaxel (T) in the neoadjuvant setting. Patients and methods: A total of 64 invasive breast cancer patients were recruited in the N001 Phase II, multicenter, open-label, single-arm study to receive four cycles of FEC (500, 100, 500 mg/m(2)) followed by four cycles of T (100 mg/m(2)) with concurrent CXB (200 mg b.i.d.) as neoadjuvant therapy (NAT). The combined chemotherapies were administered on day 1 of each cycle every 3 weeks. Primary endpoints were pathologic complete response (pCR) rate and objective response rate (ORR). Quasi-pCR (QpCR), pCR and near pCR (npCR) were discussed considering their similar survival outcomes. ORR included clinical complete response (cCR) and clinical partial response (cPR). Secondary endpoints included safety, breast conservation rate and disease-free survival. Results: Between February 2006 and January 2010, 57 of 64 evaluable patients with luminal A (n = 35, 61.4%), luminal B (n = 12, 21.1%), HER-2 positive (n = 8, 14%) and triple-negative (n = 2, 3.5%) breast cancer completed NAT and surgery. QpCR rate was observed in 18 (31.6%) patients. Exclusive of triple-negative subtype, pCR (p = 0.761) did not differ compared to other subtypes, while npCR (p = 0.043) exhibited a difference. Patients with HER-2 overexpression had a significantly higher QpCR than those of the disease attribute (10/20 vs 8/37, p = 0.029). After NAT, 43 (75.4%) and 13 (22.8%) patients achieved cCR and cPR, respectively. Patients responding to FEC were more likely to achieve a better ORR after subsequent T (p = 0.004). Over 80% of all patients received breast-conserving therapy (BCT) after receiving NAT, and 11 of 14 (78.6%) patients with T3 tumor at diagnosis became eligible for BCT after NAT. A total of 60 patients completed â‰¥ 6 cycles of NAT, followed by surgery; at a median follow-up of 50 months, 80% of the patients are disease-free. Neither drug-induced life-threatening toxicity nor cardiotoxicity was observed. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant use of FEC-T with concurrent CXB is active and safe for treatment of operable invasive breast cancer. The ORR was higher, but QpCR was comparable to other studies. Most patients are still disease-free, and BCT became an option for the females. Further clinical and translational studies on the use of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors with neoadjuvant chemotherapy are warranted.

Reversible Sol-to-Gel Transformation of Uracil Gelators: Specific Colorimetric and Fluorimetric Sensor for Fluoride Ions Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23394550 A new type of anthracene organogelator based on uracil was obtained using organic aromatic solvents, cyclohexane, DMSO, ethanol, and ethyl acetate. It was further characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Specifically, the resulting organogels were demonstrated to be promising colorimetric and fluorescent sensors toward fluoride ions with high sensitivity and selectivity, accompanying the disruption of the gelators. Spectroscopic study and (1)H NMR titration experiment revealed that the deprotonation of the hydrogen atom on the N position of uracil moiety by fluoride ions is responsible for the recognition events, evidenced by immediate transformation from the sol phase to the gel state upon adding a small amount of a proton solvent, methanol. The process is reversible, with zero loss in sensing activity and sol-to-gel transformation ability even after five runs.

Cost of Treatment for Breast Cancer in Central Vietnam Global Health Action. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23394855 Background: In recent years, cases of breast cancer have been on the rise in Vietnam. To date, there has been no study on the financial burden of the disease. This study estimates the direct medical cost of a 5-year treatment course for women with primary breast cancer in central Vietnam. Methods: Retrospective patient-level data from medical records at the Hue Central Hospital between 2001 and 2006 were analyzed. Cost analysis was conducted from the health care payers' perspective. Various direct medical cost categories were computed for a 5-year treatment course for patients with breast cancer. Costs, in US dollars, discounted at a 3% rate, were converted to 2010 after adjusting for inflation. For each cost category, the mean, standard deviation, median, and cost range were estimated. Median regression was used to investigate the relationship between costs and the stage, age at diagnosis, and the health insurance coverage of the patients. Results: The total direct medical cost for a 5-year treatment course for breast cancer in central Vietnam was estimated at $975 per patient (range: $11.7-$3,955). The initial treatment cost, particularly the cost of chemotherapy, was found to account for the greatest proportion of total costs (64.9%). Among the patient characteristics studied, stage at diagnosis was significantly associated with total treatment costs. Patients at later stages of breast cancer did not differ significantly in their total costs from those at earlier stages however, but their survival time was much shorter. The absence of health insurance was the main factor limiting service uptake. Conclusion: From the health care payers' perspective, the Government subsidization of public hospital charges lowered the direct medical costs of a 5-year treatment course for primary breast cancer in central Vietnam. However, the long treatment course was significantly influenced by out-of-pocket payments for patients without health insurance.

A Highly Selective and Sensitive Luminescent Chemosensor for Zn(2+) Ions Based on Cyclometalated Platinum(ii) Complexes Dalton Transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003). Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23396567 A novel luminescent Zn(2+) ions chemosensor, a cyclometalated platinum(ii) bipyridyl acetylide complex, was designed. Of particular significance is that it shows a high sensitivity towards Zn(2+) ions without interference from other biologically important cations in acetonitrile. The tautomerization of amide favors detecting Zn(2+) ions among other HTM (heavy and transition metal) ions in aqueous systems.

Clinical and Microbiological Features of Shewanella Bacteremia in Patients with Hepatobiliary Disease Internal Medicine (Tokyo, Japan). 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23411697 Objective Shewanella bacteremia is an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Although hepatobiliary diseases have been proposed to be risk factors for various Shewanella infections, little is known about the features of Shewanella bacteremia in patients with hepatobiliary diseases. This study aims to characterize the presentation and risk factors of Shewanella bacteremia in patients with hepatobiliary diseases. Methods We retrospectively investigated the clinical features, microbiology and outcomes of patients with Shewanella bacteremia who were admitted to a tertiary medical center between January 2001 and December 2010. All isolates were confirmed to the species level using 16S rRNA sequencing analyses. The English language medical literature was searched for previously published reports. Results Fifty-nine cases of Shewanella bacteremia, including nine at the hospital, were identified, 28 (47.4%) of which involved underlying hepatobiliary diseases, representing an important risk factor. In 12 of the 28 cases, the infections involved the hepatobiliary system; with a tendency towards an Asian origin. In our case series of nine patients, Shewanella haliotis was isolated in five patients. The majority of our patients lived in coastal areas, consumed seafood regularly and developed bacteremia during the summer season. Conclusion It is recommended that the possibility for Shewanella infection be considered in patients with bacteremia and also underlying hepatobiliary diseases, particularly if patients present with hepatobiliary infections, a history of seafood, or development of the disease during the summer.

Frequency of Premature Menopause in Women Who Carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 Mutation Fertility and Sterility. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23414920 OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of carrying a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation on the probability of experiencing premature natural menopause. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: Patients in an academic research environment. PATIENT(S): Women who carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation (case subjects) and women who do not carry a mutation (control subjects). INTERVENTION(S): Survey about reproductive history administered on study entry and every 2 years thereafter. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The impact of carrying a BRCA mutation on age at menopause and other factors, including parity, age at first birth, age at last birth, and self-reported fertility. RESULT(S): A total of 908 matched pairs were identified. The mean age at natural menopause was 48.8 years for BRCA1 carriers, 49.2 years for BRCA2 carriers, and 50.3 years for control subjects. Women who carried a BRCA mutation had parity similar to noncarriers and were as likely as noncarriers to have a child after age 35 years. Similar proportions reported a history of fertility problems (12.5% vs. 13.7%) and use of fertility medication (6.0% vs. 7.0%). CONCLUSION(S): Women who carry a BRCA mutation experience menopause earlier, on average, than women who do not have a mutation, but the difference is small and does not appear to affect fertility.

Young Adult Daughters of BRCA1/2 Positive Mothers: What Do They Know About Hereditary Cancer and How Much Do They Worry? Psycho-oncology. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23417902 OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study are to determine (i) what daughters, ages 18-24â€‰years, of BRCA1/2 mutation carriers understand about their 50% chance of carrying a BRCA1/2 mutation and about risk reduction or management options for mutation carriers, (ii) the extent and nature of daughters' cancer-related distress, and (iii) the effects of knowing mother's mutation status on daughters' future plans. METHODS: A total of 40 daughters, currently aged 18-24â€‰years, of mothers who tested positive for a mutation in BRCA1/2 were invited by mail to participate (with contact information supplied by their mothers). Daughters participated in a qualitative telephone interview about the impact of learning their mother's mutation status on their understanding of their own cancer risks and their cancer-related distress, and their knowledge of screening strategies, risk-reducing surgery, current health status, and future plans. Participants also completed study-specific demographic and family history questionnaires, the Brief Symptom Inventory-18, Impact of Event Scale (with hereditary predisposition to breast/ovarian cancer as the event), and the Breast Cancer Genetic Counseling Knowledge Questionnaire. RESULTS: Daughters' genetic knowledge is suboptimal; gaps and misconceptions were common. Over 1/3 of the daughters reported high cancer-related distress, despite normal levels of general distress. Disclosed genetic information raised future concerns, especially regarding childbearing. CONCLUSION: Targeted professional attention to this high-risk cohort of young women is critical to inform the next generation of daughters of BRCA1/2 mutation carriers and encourage recommended screening by age 25â€‰years. Improved uptake of screening and risk reduction options could improve survival, and psychoeducation could reduce cancer-related distress. Copyright Â© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mesoporous Fluorocarbon-Modified Silica Aerogel Membranes Enabling Long-Term Continuous CO(2) Capture with Large Absorption Flux Enhancements ChemSusChem. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23417984 The use of a membrane contactor combined with a hydrophobic porous membrane and an amine absorbent has attracted considerable attention for the capture of CO(2) because of its extensive use, low operational costs, and low energy consumption. The hydrophobic porous membrane interface prevents the passage of the amine absorbent but allows the penetration of CO(2) molecules that are captured by the amine absorbent. Herein, highly porous SiO(2) aerogels modified with hydrophobic fluorocarbon functional groups (ï£¿CF(3) ) were successfully coated onto a macroporous Al(2) O(3) membrane; their performance in a membrane contactor for CO(2) absorption is discussed. The SiO(2) aerogel membrane modified with ï£¿CF(3) functional groups exhibits the highest CO(2) absorption flux and can be continuously operated for CO(2) absorption for extended periods of time. This study suggests that a SiO(2) aerogel membrane modified with ï£¿CF(3) functional groups could potentially be used in a membrane contactor for CO(2) absorption. Also, the resulting hydrophobic SiO(2) aerogel membrane contactor is a promising technology for large-scale CO(2) absorption during the post-combustion process in power plants.

Phosphatidylserine Recognition and Induction of Apoptotic Cell Clearance by Drosophila Engulfment Receptor Draper Journal of Biochemistry. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23420848 The membrane phospholipid phosphatidylserine is exposed on the cell surface during apoptosis and acts as an eat-me signal in the phagocytosis of apoptotic cells in mammals and nematodes. However, whether this is also true in insects was unclear. When milk fat globule-EGF-factor 8, a phosphatidylserine-binding protein of mammals, was ectopically expressed in Drosophila, the level of phagocytosis was reduced whereas this was not the case for the same protein lacking a domain responsible for the binding to phosphatidylserine. We found that the extracellular region of Draper, an engulfment receptor of Drosophila, binds to phosphatidylserine in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-like solid-phase assay as well as in an assay for surface plasmon resonance. A portion of Draper containing domains EMI and NIM located close to the N-terminus was required for the binding to phosphatidylserine, and a Draper protein lacking this region was not active in Drosophila. Finally, the level of tyrosine-phosphorylated Draper, indicative of the activation of Draper, in a hemocyte-derived cell line was increased after treatment with phosphatidylserine-containing liposome. These results indicated that phosphatidylserine serves as an eat-me signal in the phagocytic removal of apoptotic cells in Drosophila, and that Draper is a phosphatidylserine-binding receptor for phagocytosis.

Disease Mutations in the Ryanodine Receptor N-terminal Region Couple to a Mobile Intersubunit Interface Nature Communications. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23422674 Ryanodine receptors are large channels that release Ca(2+) from the endoplasmic and sarcoplasmic reticulum. Hundreds of RyR mutations can cause cardiac and skeletal muscle disorders, yet detailed mechanisms explaining their effects have been lacking. Here we compare pseudo-atomic models and propose that channel opening coincides with widening of a cytoplasmic vestibule formed by the N-terminal region, thus altering an interface targeted by 20 disease mutations. We solve crystal structures of several disease mutants that affect intrasubunit domain-domain interfaces. Mutations affecting intrasubunit ionic pairs alter relative domain orientations, and thus couple to surrounding interfaces. Buried disease mutations cause structural changes that also connect to the intersubunit contact area. These results suggest that the intersubunit contact region between N-terminal domains is a prime target for disease mutations, direct or indirect, and we present a model whereby ryanodine receptors and inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors are activated by altering domain arrangements in the N-terminal region.

Pancreatic Cancer-Associated Cathepsin E As a Drug Activator Journal of Controlled Release : Official Journal of the Controlled Release Society. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23422726 Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is challenging to treat, and better means to detect and/or treat pancreatic cancer are urgently needed to save lives. Cathepsin E (Cath E) is a proteolytic enzyme highly expressed in PDAC. In this study, a novel approach using Cath E activation of a Cath E-specific prodrug was demonstrated. Specific activation of the prodrug is expected to kill pancreatic cancer cells without harming normal pancreatic cells. A novel 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) prodrug was custom-designed to be activated selectively by endogenous Cath E within the PDAC cells. The 5-ALA prodrug was incubated with Cath E-positive and -negative tumor cells and illuminated with various doses of light. In addition, mice genetically engineered to develop PDAC were injected intravenously with the 5-ALA prodrug, and the pancreas was treated with light irradiation. One day after treatment, PDAC tissue was assessed for apoptosis. The 5-ALA prodrug was activated within the Cath E-positive tumor but not in the normal pancreatic tissue. When used in combination with light treatment, it allowed delivery of selective photodynamic therapy (PDT) to the cancerous tissues, with minimal harm to the adjacent normal tissues. With this novel Cath E activation approach, it is possible to detect pancreatic cancer cells accurately and specifically impair their viability, while sparing normal cells. This treatment could result in fewer side effects than the non-specific treatments currently in use. Cath E is a specific and effective drug activator for PDAC treatment.

Anti-Proliferative Activities and Apoptosis Induction by Triterpenes Derived from Eriobotrya Japonica in Human Leukemia Cell Lines International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23429195 Eriobotrya japonica leaf is a traditional herbal medicine that contains numerous triterpenes, which have various pharmacological properties. In this study, we investigated the anti-proliferative activity of four triterpenes derived from E. japonica, including corosolic acid (CA), ursolic acid (UA), maslinic acid (MA) and oleanolic acid (OA), in human leukemia cell lines. CA showed the strongest anti-proliferative activity in all of the leukemia cell lines tested, but not in normal human skin fibroblast cell lines. To determine the mechanism underlying the anti-proliferative effect of CA, we examined the effect of CA on molecular events known as apoptosis induction. CA induced chromatin condensation, DNA fragmentation, sub-G(1) phase DNA, activation of caspase-3, -8 and -9 and the cleavage of PARP in HL-60. CA also activated Bid and Bax, leading to the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (âˆ†Ïˆ(m)) and cytochrome c release into the cytosol, whereas Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL were unaffected by CA. These results suggest that CA has an anti-proliferative effect on leukemia cells via the induction of apoptosis mediated by mitochondrial dysfunction and caspase activation. CA may be a potential chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of human leukemia.

Quantitative Detection and Identification of Naegleria Spp. in Various Environmental Water Samples Using Real-time Quantitative PCR Assay Parasitology Research. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23430358 Naegleria spp. is a free-living amoeba that can be found in various aquatic environments. There are some Naegleria spp. that can cause fatal infections in animals and humans, and the most important source of infection is through direct water contact. In this study, a real-time quantitative PCR was developed to detect and quantify the Naegleria spp. in various environmental water samples. The water samples were taken from rivershed, water treatment plants, and thermal spring recreation areas. The total detection rate was 4.0Â % (7/176) for Naegleria spp. The percentages of samples containing Naegleria spp. from river water, raw drinking water, and thermal spring water were 0Â % (0/100), 10.7Â % (3/28) and 8.3Â % (4/48), respectively. The concentration of Naegleria spp. in detected positive raw drinking water and thermal spring water samples was in the range of 3.9-12.6 and 1.1-24.2Â cells/L, respectively. The identified species included Naegleria australiensis, Naegleria lovaniensis, and Naegleria spitzbergeniensis. The presence of Naegleria spp. in various aquatic environments is considered a potential public health threat.

TISSUE VOLTAGE DISCORDANCE DURING TACHYCARDIA VERSUS SINUS RHYTHM: IMPLICATIONS FOR CATHETER ABLATION Heart Rhythm : the Official Journal of the Heart Rhythm Society. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23434619 BACKGROUND: Electroanatomic mapping (EAM) systems are an important tool to identify cardiac chamber voltage and assess channels of slow conduction. OBJECTIVE: To assess the correlation between EAM voltage maps obtained during macro-reentrant tachycardia compared to sinus rhythm (SR) with a contact mapping system. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated patients with atrial flutter (AFL) referred for radiofrequency ablation with electroanatomic voltage maps obtained during AFL and SR. The atrium was divided into predetermined segments. Overall atrial and segmental peak-to-peak bipolar voltages in AFL and SR were assessed. To directly compare a region within the same patient, tissue voltage differences during AFL and SR was assessed based on mean voltage difference. RESULTS: Sixteen patients (87% male) had available voltage maps. Eighty-one percent had typical cavo-tricuspid isthmus-dependent right AFL. A mean of 441.7Â±153.9 vs 398.1Â±125.4 total points (p=0.22) were sampled during AFL and SR; with a mean of 99.5Â±58.9 vs. 91.2Â±60.4 points (p=0.45) sampled per region. Overall RA mean voltage was significantly higher during AFL than SR, (0.554Â±0.092 mV vs 0.473Â±0.079 mV, p=0.25 mV mean voltage difference. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that voltage maps performed during macro-reentrant atrial arrhythmias often vary significantly from maps obtained during SR.

Molecular Interactions Between Lecithin and Bile Salts/Acids in Oils and Their Effects on Reverse Micellization Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23441904 It has been known that the addition of bile salts into lecithin organosols induces the formation of reverse wormlike micelles and the worms are similar to long polymer chains which entangle each other to form viscoelastic solutions. In this study, we further investigated the effects of different bile salts and bile acids on the growth of lecithin reverse worms in cyclohexane and n-decane. We utilized rheological and small-angle scattering techniques to analyze the properties and structures of the reverse micelles. All the bile salts can transform the originally spherical lecithin reverse micelles into wormlike micelles and their rheological behaviors can be described by the single-relaxation time Maxwell model. However, their efficiencies to induce the worms are different. On the other hand, bile acids can only induce short cylindrical micelles before phase separation that are not long enough to impart viscoelasticity. We used Fourier transform infrared spectrometry to investigate the interactions between lecithin and bile salts/acids and found that different bile salts/acids employ different functional groups to form hydrogen bonds with lecithin. Such effects determine the relative positions of the bile salts/acids in the headgroups of lecithin and thus results in varying efficiencies to alter the effective critical packing parameter for the formation of wormlike micelles. This work highlights the importance of intermolecular interactions in molecular self-assembly.

Increased Risk of Ischemic Stroke in Cervical Cancer Patients: a Nationwide Population-based Study Radiation Oncology (London, England). Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23448602 BACKGROUND: Increased risk of ischemic stroke has been validated for several cancers, but limited study evaluated this risk in cervical cancer patients. Our study aimed to evaluate the risk of ischemic stroke in cervical cancer patients. METHODS: The study analyzed data from the 2003 to 2008 National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) provided by the National Health Research Institutes in Taiwan. Totally, 893 cervical cancer patients after radiotherapy and 1786 appendectomy patients were eligible. The Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox proportional hazards model were used to assess the risk of ischemic stroke. RESULTS: The 5-year cumulative risk of ischemic stroke was significantly higher for the cervical cancer group than for the control group (7.8% vs 5.1%; p

Functions of the DExD/H-box Proteins in Nuclear Pre-mRNA Splicing Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23454554 In eukaryotes, many genes are transcribed as precursor messenger RNAs (pre-mRNAs) that contain exons and introns, the latter of which must be removed and exons ligated to form the mature mRNAs. This process is called pre-mRNA splicing, which occurs in the nucleus. Although the chemistry of pre-mRNA splicing is identical to that of the self-splicing Group II introns, hundreds of proteins and five small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs), U1, U2, U4, U5, and U6, are essential for executing pre-mRNA splicing. Spliceosome, arguably the most complex cellular machine made up of all those proteins and snRNAs, is responsible for carrying out pre-mRNA splicing. In contrast to the transcription and the translation machineries, spliceosome is formed anew onto each pre-mRNA and undergoes a series of highly coordinated reconfigurations to form the catalytic center. This amazing process is orchestrated by a number of DExD/H-proteins that are the focus of this article, which aims to review the field in general and to project the exciting challenges and opportunities ahead. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: The Biology of RNA helicases - Modulation for life.

Stored Blood Transfusion Induces Transient Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Without Impairing Coagulation in an Ovine Model of Nontraumatic Haemorrhage Vox Sanguinis. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23458181 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Transfusion of blood products in particular older products is associated with patient morbidity. Previously, we demonstrated a higher incidence of acute lung injury in lipopolysaccharide-treated sheep transfused with stored blood products. As transfusion following haemorrhage is more common, we aimed to determine whether a 'first hit' of isolated haemorrhage would precipitate similar detrimental effects following transfusion and also disrupt haemostasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Anaesthetized sheep had 33% of their total blood volume collected into Leukotrap bags (Pall Medical), which were processed into packed red blood cells and cross-matched for transfusion into other sheep. After 30Â mins, the sheep were resuscitated with either: fresh (

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Controls Murine Mast Cell Homeostasis Blood. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23462117 We propose that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a unique chemical sensor, is critical in controlling mast cell differentiation, growth, and function in vitro and in vivo. In antigen-stimulated mast cells, exposure to AhR ligands resulted in a calcium- and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent increase of reversible oxidation in and reduced activity of SHP-2 phosphatase, leading to enhanced mast cell signaling, degranulation, and mediator and cytokine release, as well as the in vivo anaphylactic response. Surprisingly, significant mast cell deficiency was noted in AhR-null mice due to defective calcium signaling and mitochondrial function, concomitant with reduced expression of c-kit and cytosolic STAT proteins, as well as enhanced intracellular ROS and apoptosis. Consequently, AhR-null mast cells responded poorly to stimulation, demonstrating a critical role of AhR signaling in maintaining mast cell homeostasis.

Bovine Lactoferrin Inhibits Lung Cancer Growth Through Suppression of Both Inflammation and Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Journal of Dairy Science. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23462173 Lung cancers are among the most common cancers in the world, and the search for effective and safe drugs for the chemoprevention and therapy of pulmonary cancer has become important. In this study, bovine lactoferrin (bLF) was used in both in vitro and in vivo approaches to investigate its activity against lung cancer. A human lung cancer cell line, A549, which expresses a high level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) under hypoxia, was used as an in vitro system for bLF treatment. A strain of transgenic mice carrying the human VEGF-A165 (hVEGF-A165) gene, which induces pulmonary tumors, was used as an in vivo lung cancer therapy model. We found that bLF significantly decreased proliferation of A549 cells by decreasing the expression of VEGF protein in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, oral administration of bLF at 300 mg/kg of body weight 3 times a week for 1.5 mo to the transgenic mice overexpressing hVEGF-A165 significantly eliminated expression of hVEGF-A165 and suppressed the formation of tumors. Additionally, treatment with bLF significantly decreased the levels of proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-Î±, and antiinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-4 and IL-10. Levels of IL-6, which is both a proinflammatory and an antiinflammatory cytokine, were also reduced. Treatment with bLF decreased levels of tumor necrosis factor-Î±, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 cytokines, resulting in limited inflammation, which then restricted growth of the lung cancer. Our results revealed that bLF is an inhibitor of angiogenesis and blocks lung cell inflammation; as such, it has considerable potential for therapeutic use in the treatment of lung cancer.

Wave Reflection and Central Pressure Augmentation Journal of Hypertension. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23466897

Rise of the RNA Machines: Exploring the Structure of Long Non-Coding RNAs Journal of Molecular Biology. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23467124 Novel, profound and unexpected roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging in critical aspects of gene regulation. Thousands of lncRNAs have been recently discovered in a wide range of mammalian systems, related to development, epigenetics, cancer, brain function and hereditary disease. The structural biology of these lncRNAs presents a brave new RNA world, which may contain a diverse zoo of new architectures and mechanisms. While structural studies of lncRNAs are in their infancy, we describe existing structural data for lncRNAs, as well as crystallographic studies of other RNA machines and their implications for lncRNAs. We also discuss the importance of dynamics in RNA machine mechanism. Determining commonalities between lncRNA systems will help elucidate the evolution and mechanistic role of lncRNAs in disease, creating a structural framework necessary to pursue lncRNA-based therapeutics.

Prognostic Impact of Inappropriate Defibrillator Shocks in a Population Cohort Heart (British Cardiac Society). Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23468515 BACKGROUND: There is a relative paucity of data linking inappropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) shocks to adverse clinical outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between inappropriate ICD shocks and mortality or heart transplantation in a large population cohort. DESIGN, SETTING, PATIENTS: A cohort study which included all subjects who underwent ICD implantation between 1998 and 2008 and were followed up at our institution. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Multivariable Cox regression analyses were conducted to investigate the effect of inappropriate shocks on the risk of death and heart transplantation. Appropriate and inappropriate ICD therapies were modelled as time-dependent covariates. RESULTS: A total of 1698 patients were included. During a median follow-up of 30 months, there were 246 (14.5%) deaths and 42 (2.5%) heart transplants. The incidence of inappropriate shocks was 10% at 1 year and 14% at 2 years. In the adjusted model, inappropriate shocks were not associated with death or transplantation (HR=0.97, 95% CI 0.70 to 1.36, p value=0.873). In contrast, appropriate shocks were associated with adverse outcomes (HR=3.11, 95% CI 2.41 to 4.02, p value

Genome-wide Analysis Points to Roles for Extracellular Matrix Remodeling, the Visual Cycle, and Neuronal Development in Myopia PLoS Genetics. Feb, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23468642 Myopia, or nearsightedness, is the most common eye disorder, resulting primarily from excess elongation of the eye. The etiology of myopia, although known to be complex, is poorly understood. Here we report the largest ever genome-wide association study (45,771 participants) on myopia in Europeans. We performed a survival analysis on age of myopia onset and identified 22 significant associations ([Formula: see text]), two of which are replications of earlier associations with refractive error. Ten of the 20 novel associations identified replicate in a separate cohort of 8,323 participants who reported if they had developed myopia before age 10. These 22 associations in total explain 2.9% of the variance in myopia age of onset and point toward a number of different mechanisms behind the development of myopia. One association is in the gene PRSS56, which has previously been linked to abnormally small eyes; one is in a gene that forms part of the extracellular matrix (LAMA2); two are in or near genes involved in the regeneration of 11-cis-retinal (RGR and RDH5); two are near genes known to be involved in the growth and guidance of retinal ganglion cells (ZIC2, SFRP1); and five are in or near genes involved in neuronal signaling or development. These novel findings point toward multiple genetic factors involved in the development of myopia and suggest that complex interactions between extracellular matrix remodeling, neuronal development, and visual signals from the retina may underlie the development of myopia in humans.

Electrofluidic Pressure Sensor Embedded Microfluidic Device: a Study of Endothelial Cells Under Hydrostatic Pressure and Shear Stress Combinations Lab on a Chip. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23475014 Various microfluidic cell culture devices have been developed for in vitro cell studies because of their capabilities to reconstitute in vivo microenvironments. However, controlling flows in microfluidic devices is not straightforward due to the wide varieties of fluidic properties of biological samples. Currently, flow observations mainly depend on optical imaging and macro scale transducers, which usually require sophisticated instrumentation and are difficult to scale up. Without real time monitoring, the control of flows can only rely on theoretical calculations and numerical simulations. Consequently, these devices have difficulty in being broadly exploited in biological research. This paper reports a microfluidic device with embedded pressure sensors constructed using electrofluidic circuits, which are electrical circuits built by fluidic channels filled with ionic liquid. A microfluidic device culturing endothelial cells under various shear stress and hydrostatic pressure combinations is developed to demonstrate this concept. The device combines the concepts of electrofluidic circuits for pressure sensing, and an equivalent circuit model to design the cell culture channels. In the experiments, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) are cultured in the device with a continuous medium perfusion, which provides the combinatory mechanical stimulations, while the hydrostatic pressures are monitored in real time to ensure the desired culture conditions. The experimental results demonstrate the importance of real time pressure monitoring, and how both mechanical stimulations affect the HUVEC culture. This developed microfluidic device is simple, robust, and can be easily scaled up for high-throughput experiments. Furthermore, the device provides a practical platform for an in vitro cell culture under well-controlled and dynamic microenvironments.

Neurotoxicity and Reactive Astrogliosis in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex in Acute Ciguatera Poisoning Neuromolecular Medicine. Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23494292 Ciguatoxins (CTXs) cause long-term disturbance of cerebral functions. The primary mechanism of neurotoxicity is related to their interaction with voltage-gated sodium channels. However, until now, the neurological targets for CTXs in the brain of intact animals have not been described. In our study, 1Â day following oral exposure to 0.26Â ng/g of Pacific ciguatoxin 1 (P-CTX-1), we performed in vivo electrophysiological recordings in the rat anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and identified the increase in spontaneous firings and enhanced responses to visceral noxious stimulation. Local field recordings characterized the P-CTX-1-induced synaptic potentiation and blockage of the induction of electrical stimulation-induced long-term potentiation in the medial thalamus (MT)-ACC pathway. Furthermore, intracerebroventricular administration of P-CTX-1 at doses of 1.0, 5.0, and 10Â nM produced a dose-dependent increase in ACC neuronal firings and MT-ACC synaptic transmission. Further studies showed upregulated Na(+) channel expression in astrocytes under pathological conditions. We hypothesized that the astrocytes might have been activated in the ciguatera poisoning in vivo. Increases in glial fibrillary acid protein expression were detected in reactive astrocytes in the rat ACC. The activation of astroglia was further indicated by activation of the gap junction protein connexin 43 and upregulation of excitatory amino acid transporter 2 expression suggesting that glutamate was normally rapidly cleared from the synaptic cleft during acute ciguatera poisoning. However, neurotoxicity and reactive astrogliosis were not detected in the ACC after 7Â days of P-CTX-1 exposure. The present results are the first characterization of P-CTX-1-invoked brain cortex neuronal excitotoxicity in vivo and supported the theme that neuron and astroglia signals might play roles in acute ciguatera poisoning.

Effect of Lyso-phosphatidylcholine and Schnurri-3 on Osteogenic Transdifferentiation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells to Calcifying Vascular Cells in 3D Culture Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta. Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23500015 In vitro cell culture is a widely used technique for investigating a range of processes such as stem cell behavior, regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and drug discovery. Conventional cell culture is performed in Petri dishes or flasks where cells typically attach to a flat glass or plastic surface as a cell monolayer. However, 2D cell monolayers do not provide a satisfactory representation of in vivo conditions. A 3D culture could be a much better system for representing the conditions that prevail in vivo.

PAX2 Expression in Ovarian Cancer International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23502471 PAX2 is one of nine PAX genes that regulate tissue development and cellular differentiation in embryos. However, the functional role of PAX2 in ovarian cancer is not known. Twenty-six ovarian cancer cell lines with different histology origins were screened for PAX2 expression. Two ovarian cancer cell lines: RMUGL (mucinous) and TOV21G (clear cell), with high PAX2 expression were chosen for further study. Knockdown PAX2 expression in these cell lines was achieved by lentiviral shRNAs targeting the PAX2 gene. PAX2 stable knockdown cells were characterized for cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis, protein profiles, and gene expression profiles. The result indicated that these stable PAX2 knockdown cells had reduced cell proliferation and migration. Microarray analysis indicated that several genes involved in growth inhibition and motility, such as G0S2, GREM1, and WFDC1, were up-regulated in PAX2 knockdown cells. On the other hand, over-expressing PAX2 in PAX2-negative ovarian cell lines suppressed their cell proliferation. In summary, PAX2 could have both oncogenic and tumor suppression functions, which might depend on the genetic content of the ovarian cancer cells. Further investigation of PAX2 in tumor suppression and mortality is warranty.

A Highly Efficient and Selective Aerobic Cross-Dehydrogenative-Coupling Reaction Photocatalyzed by a Platinum(II) Terpyridyl Complex Chemistry (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany). May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23504986 Thanks to the superior redox potential of platinum(II) complex compared with that of Ru(bpy)3 (2+) in the excited state, an efficient and selective visible-light-induced CDC reaction has been developed by using a catalytic amount (0.25â€‰%) of 1. With the aid of FeSO4 (2â€…equiv), the corresponding amide could not be detected under visible-light irradiation (Î»=450â€…nm), but the desired cross-coupling product was exclusively obtained under ambient air conditions. A spectroscopic study and product analysis revealed that the CDC reaction is initiated by photoinduced electron-transfer from N-phenyltetrahydroisoquinoline to the complex. An EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance) experiment provides direct evidence on the generation of superoxide radical anion (O2 (-) (.) ) rather than singlet oxygen ((1) O2 ) under irradiation of the reaction system, in contrast to that reported in the literature. Combined, the photoinduced electron-transfer and subsequent formation of superoxide radical anion (O2 (-) (.) ) results in a clean and facile transformation.

Semiautomated Quantification of Î²-zone Parapapillary Atrophy Using Blue Light Fundus Autofluorescence Acta Ophthalmologica. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23506312 Purpose:â€‚ To evaluate the reproducibility of measurements of area of Î²-zone parapapillary atrophy (Î²-PPA) using blue laser fundus autofluorescence (FAF) and confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy reflectance (CSLO) measurements and to assess agreement between the two imaging modalities. Methods:â€‚ Sixty-five eyes of 45 patients (mean age, 68.2â€ƒÂ±â€ƒ11.3â€ƒyears) with established or suspected glaucoma from the Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study (DIGS) were prospectively included. FAF scans were obtained with the Spectralis HRA+OCT and CSLO reflectance images with the HRTII (both from Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). Two masked graders independently measured Î²-PPA area on 3 consecutive scans using the semi-automated BluePeak RegionFinder software (BPRF) and on CSLO reflectance images using the optic disc contour line. Reproducibility of Î²-PPA area measurements was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Results:â€‚ Intragrader reproducibility was 0.997 (95% CI, 0.996-0.998) and 0.995 (95% CI, 0.992-0.996) for grader 1 and 2, respectively, using FAF-BPRF, and by CSLO, it was 0.991 (95% CI, 0.986-0.994) and 0.988 (95% CI, 0.982-0.992). Intergrader agreement (ICC) was 0.53 (95% CI, 0.331-0.685) for FAF-BPRF and 0.404 (95% CI, 0.149-0.601) for CSLO (comparison between ICC, pâ€ƒ=â€ƒ0.368). Agreement (ICC) between the two devices was worse for grader 1 (0.356; 95% CI, 0.129-0.549) than grader 2 (0.856; 95% CI, 0.774-0.910) (pâ€ƒ

Diagnosis of 5Î±-reductase 2 Deficiency: is Measurement of Dihydrotestosterone Essential? Clinical Chemistry. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23513070 5Î±-Reductase 2 deficiency (5ARD) is a known cause of 46,XY disorders of sex development (DSD). Traditionally, the diagnosis relies on dihydrotestosterone (DHT) measurement, but the results are often equivocal, potentially leading to misdiagnosis. We reviewed alternative approaches for diagnosis of 5ARD.

Lipid Profiles in Children with and Without Asthma: Interaction of Asthma and Obesity on Hyperlipidemia Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome. Jan-Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23517791 The joint effect of obesity and asthma on hyperlipidemia has never been explored. We aim to examine (1) the association of dyslipidemia and asthma, (2) the interaction effect of asthma and obesity on hyperlipidemia, and (3) whether a gender difference existed in the above relationships.

New Benzothiazole/thiazole-Containing Hydroxamic Acids As Potent Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors and Antitumor Agents Medicinal Chemistry (Shariqah (United Arab Emirates)). Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23521008 Results from clinical studies have demonstrated that inhibitors of histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes possess promise for the treatment of several types of cancer. ZolinzaÂ® (widely known as SAHA) has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of T-cell lymphoma. As a continuity of our ongoing research to find novel small molecules to target these important enzymes, we synthesizedÂ a series of benzothiazole-containing analogues of SAHA and found several compounds with very potent anticancer cytotoxicity. In this study, three more compounds of this type, including N1-(6-chlorobenzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-N8-hydroxyoctanediamide (3a), N1-[6-(trifluoromethyl)benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl]-N8-hydroxyoctanediamide (3b) and N1-(thiazol-2-yl)-N8-hydroxyoctanediamide (6) were synthesized and evaluated for HDAC inhibition and cytotoxic activities. All three compounds showed very potent HDAC inhibitory effects. Docking revealed that both two compounds 3a, 3b showed higher affinities towards HDAC8 compared to SAHA. In vitro, compound 3a exhibited cytotoxicity equipotent to SAHA against five human cancer cell lines. In term of in vivo activity, compound 3a demonstrated equivalent efficacy to SAHA in mouse xenograft model.

Glutamine Modulates CD8Î±Î±(+) TCRÎ±Î²(+) Intestinal Intraepithelial Lymphocyte Expression in Mice with Polymicrobial Sepsis Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.). Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23522839 CD8Î±Î±(+) T-cell receptor (TCR) Î±Î²(+) intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) were found to have a regulatory function in the mucosal immune system. Glutamine (GLN) is an amino acid with immunomodulatory effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the influences of GLN on the proportion of CD8Î±Î±(+) TCRÎ±Î²(+) IELs and associated inflammatory mediator gene expression in polymicrobial sepsis.

Clinical Characteristics of Children with Severe Visual Impairment but Favorable Retinal Structural Outcomes from the Early Treatment for Retinopathy of Prematurity (ETROP) Study Journal of AAPOS : the Official Publication of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus / American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23522948 To describe visual function and associated characteristics at the 6-year examination in children enrolled in the Early Treatment for Retinopathy of Prematurity Study who had unfavorable visual outcomes despite favorable structural outcomes in one or both eyes.

Surveyed Data for Structural Shielding Calculations of Radiographic X-ray Installations in Taiwan Health Physics. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23528275 The use of surveyed data on the x-ray tube workloads and clinical exposure parameters was suggested in NCRP Report No. 147 for the structural shielding design of medical x-ray installations. To guide the shielding design of radiographic x-ray rooms in Taiwan, a large-scale survey was conducted to collect information required for the computations of the transmissions from broad x-ray beams through shielding materials. Surveyed data were collected during one week from 10,750 projections of 6,657 examinations in 13 radiographic rooms from nine hospitals. This survey was the first time that this type of clinical data has been collected in Taiwan on a large scale. The surveyed total workload was divided into separate contributions from x-ray projections directed at the floor, the wall bucky, and all barriers (used for secondary barriers). Based on the surveyed workload distributions, the unshielded air kerma per patient at 1 m from the source was calculated by the PCXMC program using surveyed x-ray tube parameters on the generator waveform, anode material, target angle, and filtration. Subsequently, the transmissions of x-rays through different barrier materials were computed by considering the average workloads and the average workloads plus one standard deviations. The latter computations were for a sensitivity study to find the influence of workload variations in different hospitals on the shielding requirements. All surveyed data and calculated results were compared with corresponding values given in NCRP 147 to analyze the radiographic imaging differences between Taiwan and U.S.

Incidence, Clinical Characteristics, and Natural History of Pediatric IBD in Wisconsin: a Population-based Epidemiological Study Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23528339 BACKGROUND:: Epidemiological studies of pediatric inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are needed to generate etiological hypotheses and inform public policy; yet, rigorous population-based studies of the incidence and natural history of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) in the United States are limited. METHODS:: We developed a field-tested prospective system for identifying all new cases of IBD among Wisconsin children over an 8-year period (2000-2007). Subsequently, at the end of the study period, we retrospectively reconfirmed each case and characterized the clinical course of this incident cohort. RESULTS:: The annual incidence of IBD among Wisconsin children was 9.5 per 100,000 (6.6 per 100,000 for CD and 2.4 per 100,000 for UC). Approximately 19% of incident cases occurred in the first decade of life. Over the 8-year study period, the incidence of both CD and UC remained relatively stable. Additionally, (1) childhood IBD affected all racial groups equally, (2) over a follow-up of 4 years, 17% of patients with CD and 13% of patients with patients with UC required surgery, and (3) 85% and 40% of children with CD were treated with immunosuppressives and biologics, respectively, compared with 62% and 30% of patients with UC. CONCLUSIONS:: As in other North American populations, these data confirm a high incidence of pediatric-onset IBD. Importantly, in this Midwestern U.S. population, the incidence of CD and UC seems to be relatively stable over the last decade. The proportions of children requiring surgery and undergoing treatment with immunosuppressive and biological medications underscore the burden of these conditions.

A Selective Turn-on Fluorescent Probe for Cd(2+) Based on a Boron Difluoride Î²-dibenzoyl Dye and Its Application in Living Cells Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23532210 Herein we report the first example of a difluoroboron dibenzoyl based fluorescent probe for Cd(2+) detection. The probe displays high selectivity and sensitivity toward Cd(2+) over Zn(2+) in aqueous solution under physiological conditions. Fluorescence imaging experiments demonstrate its potential application for detecting Cd(2+) in living cells.

Identification and Quantitative Detection of Legionella Spp. in Various Aquatic Environments by Real-time PCR Assay Environmental Science and Pollution Research International. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23536272 In this study, a SYBR green quantitative real-time PCR was developed to quantify and detect the Legionella spp. in various environmental water samples. The water samples were taken from watershed, water treatment plant, and thermal spring area in Taiwan. Legionella was detected in 13.6Â % (24/176), and the detection rate for river water, raw drinking water, and thermal spring water was 10, 21.4, and 16.6Â %, respectively. Using real-time PCR, concentration of Legionella spp. in detected samples ranged between 9.75â€‰Ã—â€‰10(4) and 3.47â€‰Ã—â€‰10(5)â€‰cells/L in river water, 6.92â€‰Ã—â€‰10(4) and 4.29â€‰Ã—â€‰10(5)â€‰cells/L in raw drinking water, and 5.71â€‰Ã—â€‰10(4) and 2.12â€‰Ã—â€‰10(6)â€‰cells/L for thermal spring water samples. The identified species included Legionella pneumophila (20.8Â %), Legionella jordanis (4.2Â %), Legionella nautarum (4.2Â %), Legionella sp. (4.2Â %), and uncultured Legionella sp. (66.6Â %). The presence of L. pneumophila in aquatic environments suggested a potential public health threat that must be further examined.

Nerve Regeneration in Rat Limb Allografts: Evaluation of Acute Rejection Rescue Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23542267 Successful nerve regeneration is critical to the functional success of composite tissue allografts. The present study was designed to characterize the effect of acute rejection on nerve regeneration and functional recovery in the setting of orthotopic limb transplantation.

Genome-wide Association Study in BRCA1 Mutation Carriers Identifies Novel Loci Associated with Breast and Ovarian Cancer Risk PLoS Genetics. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23544013 BRCA1-associated breast and ovarian cancer risks can be modified by common genetic variants. To identify further cancer risk-modifying loci, we performed a multi-stage GWAS of 11,705 BRCA1 carriers (of whom 5,920 were diagnosed with breast and 1,839 were diagnosed with ovarian cancer), with a further replication in an additional sample of 2,646 BRCA1 carriers. We identified a novel breast cancer risk modifier locus at 1q32 for BRCA1 carriers (rs2290854, P = 2.7 Ã— 10(-8), HR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.09-1.20). In addition, we identified two novel ovarian cancer risk modifier loci: 17q21.31 (rs17631303, P = 1.4 Ã— 10(-8), HR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.17-1.38) and 4q32.3 (rs4691139, P = 3.4 Ã— 10(-8), HR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.17-1.38). The 4q32.3 locus was not associated with ovarian cancer risk in the general population or BRCA2 carriers, suggesting a BRCA1-specific association. The 17q21.31 locus was also associated with ovarian cancer risk in 8,211 BRCA2 carriers (P = 2Ã—10(-4)). These loci may lead to an improved understanding of the etiology of breast and ovarian tumors in BRCA1 carriers. Based on the joint distribution of the known BRCA1 breast cancer risk-modifying loci, we estimated that the breast cancer lifetime risks for the 5% of BRCA1 carriers at lowest risk are 28%-50% compared to 81%-100% for the 5% at highest risk. Similarly, based on the known ovarian cancer risk-modifying loci, the 5% of BRCA1 carriers at lowest risk have an estimated lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer of 28% or lower, whereas the 5% at highest risk will have a risk of 63% or higher. Such differences in risk may have important implications for risk prediction and clinical management for BRCA1 carriers.

Lipo-oligoarginine-based Intracellular Delivery Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.). 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23546678 Efficient cellular delivery, including plasma membrane permeability and intracellular metabolic stability, is a crucial factor determining the success of therapeutic agents. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) have been widely used for the intracellular delivery of various bioactive molecules into cells to modify cellular functions. We have developed an improved CPP-based cellular delivery vector, named lipo-oligoarginine peptide (LOAP), by conjugating an oligoarginine peptide with a fatty acid moiety. The prepared LOAPs were further stabilized by introducing different combinations of D-Arg residues into the peptide backbone and were systematically evaluated for their membrane-penetrating properties and metabolic stabilities in cells.

Fifteen-year Experience in Managing Obturator Hernia: from Open to Laparoscopic Approach Hernia : the Journal of Hernias and Abdominal Wall Surgery. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23546862 PURPOSE: Obturator hernia is a rare disease and preoperative diagnosis is always difficult. There are increasing reports employing laparoscopic approach in the recent literature. Our aim was to review and compare the open and laparoscopic approach in repairing obturator hernia. METHODS: All patients with obturator hernia from 1997 to 2011 were recruited. Patient's demographics, presentation, operative details, morbidity, and mortality were retrospectively collected and reviewed. RESULTS: There were 36 patients during the 15-year period. All of them were elderly ladies (median 83). Nineteen underwent open surgery while 16 received laparoscopic surgery. Both age and ASA were comparable. The median operative time was 68 and 65Â min for laparoscopic and open group, respectively (pÂ =Â 0.690). The median hospital stay was significantly longer in the open group (19 vs 5Â days, pÂ =Â 0.007). There were less major complications (pÂ =Â 0.004) and mortality (pÂ =Â 0.049) in the laparoscopic group. Two recurrences were reported in the laparoscopic group, although statistically not significant (pÂ =Â 0.202). CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic repair can achieve a shorter hospital stay and has lesser major complications and mortality in selected patients.

Integrated Care for Management of Ventricular Arrhythmias: Can a Specialized Unit and Catheter Ablation Improve Mortality? Circulation. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23547176

Anti-symmetric Flexural Modes for the Detection of Humidity Variation IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23549537 Antisymmetric flexural (ASF) modes are guided acoustic modes propagating along the apex line of a wedge with particle motion that is antisymmetric about the midplane bisecting the apex angle. This paper describes experimental observations in applying ASF modes for the detection of moisture variation. In our setup, the wedge tip is coated with a thin layer of hygroscopic film for the absorption of moisture, so the phase velocity of the ASF mode is influenced by the changing humidity of the surrounding air. Enhanced by the wedge tip geometry, mass-loading effects on the ASF velocity resulting from the absorption of humidity are pronounced in a low-frequency regime of 0.2 to 2.0 MHz. Numerical models based on finite element analysis are constructed to explain the humidity sensing mechanism.

Hepatitis B Vaccine in IBD The American Journal of Gastroenterology. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23552314

Low Body Mass Index and Jaw Movement Are Protective of Hearing in Users of Personal Listening Devices The Laryngoscope. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23553325 OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Sound pressure level delivered through personal listening devices (PLDs) and reaching the ear drum might be affected by body size and jaw movements. This study aimed to investigate whether jaw movement and/or smaller body mass index (BMI) resulted in decrease of sound pressure level within the ear canals of PLD users via an earbud earphone. STUDY DESIGN: Case series. METHODS: Forty-five normal-hearing subjects (16 males; mean age, 23.3 years) participated in this study. A probe-microphone system was used to measure sound pressure level in the external ear canal with music delivered from a media player via an earbud earphone. Test materials consisted of two 20-second excerpts from a heavy metal music piece. Subjects were instructed to adjust the volume of the media player to conform to three conditions for sound pressure measurement: comfortable, loud, and maximum. Measurements were then repeated while subjects mimicked chewing action under the same listening conditions. RESULTS: Sound pressure levels were significantly lower when measured with jaw movement than without jaw movement (P < .05). Sound pressure levels monitored with/without jaw movement were generally lower in subjects with a BMI

Quantifying Catch-and-release: The Extensor Tendon Force Needed to Overcome the Catching Flexors in Trigger Fingers Journal of Orthopaedic Research : Official Publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society. Jul, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23553720 The extensor tendon forces required to overcome the catching flexors in trigger fingers are unknown. A biomechanical model with moment equilibrium equations and method of least squares was developed for estimating the tendon force at triggering in trigger fingers. Trigger fingers that exhibited significant catching and sudden release during finger extension were tested. A customized "pulling tester" was used to pull the finger from flexion to extension and provide synchronic measurement of the pulling force. The displacement of the tested finger was measured by a motion capture system. This preliminary study presents kinematic and kinetic data at triggering of 10 trigger fingers. The distal and proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints presented sudden release while the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint started extension in the early phase of finger extension. The tendon tension of flexor digitorum profundus was greater than that of flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) in six fingers, and less than that of FDS in three fingers. The tension of two flexor tendons was almost equal in one finger. At the PIP and MCP joints, 1.54 times the force of flexors was needed for the extensors to overcome the catching flexors in trigger fingers. This biomechanical model provides clinicians with a clearer idea of the tendon force at triggering. The quantitative results may help in the understanding of movement characteristics of trigger fingers. These findings are useful to better understand the etiology and nature of trigger finger development, and thus aid in further development of better assessments and treatments related to this. Â© 2013 Orthopaedic Research Society Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 31:1130-1135, 2013.

Analytical Energy Gradient Used in Variational Born-Oppenheimer Calculations with All-electron Explicitly Correlated Gaussian Functions for Molecules Containing One Ï€ Electron The Journal of Chemical Physics. Mar, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23556703 An algorithm for variational calculations of molecules with one Ï€ electron performed with all-electron explicitly correlated gaussian (ECG) functions with floating centers is derived and implemented. The algorithm includes the analytic gradient of the Born-Oppenheimer electronic energy determined with respect to the ECG exponential parameters and the coordinates of the gaussian centers. The availability of the gradient greatly accelerates the variational energy minimization. The algorithm is tested in calculations of four electronic excited states, c(3)Î (u), C(1)Î (u), i(3)Î (g), and I(1)Î (g), of the hydrogen molecule at a single internuclear distance specific to each state. With the use of the analytical energy gradient, the present calculations yield new, lowest-to-date, variational energy upper bounds for all four states.

The Incidence of Endometrial Cancer in Women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutations: An International Prospective Cohort Study Gynecologic Oncology. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23562522 OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk of endometrial cancer in women who carry a mutation in the BRCA1 or the BRCA2 gene. METHODS: We followed 4456 women with a BRCA1 or a BRCA2 mutation for incident cases of endometrial cancer. The incidence of endometrial cancer was estimated per 100,000women per year. The hazard ratios for endometrial cancer were estimated by calculating standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) according to age group and country of residence. We estimated the impact of tamoxifen and hormone replacement therapy on the incidence of endometrial cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 5.7years, we identified 17 endometrial cancers (13 cases in BRCA1 and 4 cases in BRCA2). The SIR for BRCA1 carriers was 1.91 (95% CI: 1.06-3.19, p=0.03) and for BRCA2 carriers was 1.75 (95% CI: 0.55-4.23, p=0.2). The SIR was 4.14 (95% CI: 1.92 to 7.87) for women who received tamoxifen and was 1.67 (95% CI: 0.81 to 3.07) for women who did not receive tamoxifen. The ten-year cumulative risk of endometrial cancer in women who were treated with tamoxifen was 2.0%. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of endometrial cancer is higher in BRCA1 mutation carriers than in the general population. The excessive risk is largely attributable to a history of tamoxifen use, but the actual risk of endometrial cancer associated with tamoxifen is small. It is important to discuss hysterectomy at the time of prophylactic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy if tamoxifen is to be considered.

Social Environment Influences the Relationship Between Genotype and Gene Expression in Wild Baboons Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23569293 Variation in the social environment can have profound effects on survival and reproduction in wild social mammals. However, we know little about the degree to which these effects are influenced by genetic differences among individuals, and conversely, the degree to which social environmental variation mediates genetic reaction norms. To better understand these relationships, we investigated the potential for dominance rank, social connectedness and group size to modify the effects of genetic variation on gene expression in the wild baboons of the Amboseli basin. We found evidence for a number of gene-environment interactions (GEIs) associated with variation in the social environment, encompassing social environments experienced in adulthood as well as persistent effects of early life social environment. Social connectedness, maternal dominance rank and group size all interacted with genotype to influence gene expression in at least one sex, and either in early life or in adulthood. These results suggest that social and behavioural variation, akin to other factors such as age and sex, can impact the genotype-phenotype relationship. We conclude that GEIs mediated by the social environment are important in the evolution and maintenance of individual differences in wild social mammals, including individual differences in responses to social stressors.

Response to Stress in Early Tumor Colonization Modulates Switching of CD133-positive and CD133-negative Subpopulations in a Human Metastatic Colon Cancer Cell Line, SW620 PloS One. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23577199 According to the cancer stem cell (CSC) model, higher CD133 expression in tumor tissue is associated with metastasis and poor prognosis in colon cancer. As such, the CD133-positive (CD133(+)) subpopulation of cancer cells is believed to play a central role in tumor development and metastatic progression. Although CD133(+) cells are believed to display more CSC-like behavior and be solely responsible for tumor colonization, recent research indicates that CD133(-) cells from metastatic colon tumors not only also possess colonization capacity but also promote the growth of larger tumors in a mouse model than CD133(+) cells, suggesting that an alternative mechanism of metastasis exists. This study investigated this possibility by examining the cell viability, tumorigenicity, and proliferation and growth capacity of the CD133(+) and CD133(-) subpopulations of the SW620 cell line, a human metastatic colon cancer cell line, in both an in vitro cell model and an in vivo mouse model. While both SW620 (CD133-) and SW620(CD133+) cells were found to engage in bidirectional cell-type switching in reaction to exposure to environmental stressors, including hypoxia, a cell adhesion-free environment, and extracellular matrix stimulation, both in vitro and in vivo, CD133(-) cells were found to have a growth advantage during early colonization due to their greater resistance to proliferation inhibition. Based on these findings, a hypothetical model in which colon cancer cells engage in cell-type switching in reaction to exposure to environmental stressors is proposed. Such switching may provide a survival advantage during early colonization, as well as that explain previous conflicting observations.

Alterations in Resting Functional Connectivity Due to Recent Motor Task NeuroImage. Sep, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23583747 The impact of recent experiences of task performance on resting functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI) has important implications for the design of many neuroimaging studies, because, if an effect is present, the fcMRI scan then must be performed before any evoked fMRI or after a time gap to allow it to dissipate. The present study aims to determine the effect of simple button presses, which are used in many cognitive fMRI tasks as a response recording method, on later acquired fcMRI data. Human volunteers were subject to a 23-minute button press motor task. Their resting-state brain activity before and after the task was assessed with fcMRI. It was found that, compared to the pre-task resting period, the post-task resting fcMRI revealed a significantly higher (p=0.002, N=24) cross correlation coefficient (CC) between left and right motor cortices. These changes were not present in sham control studies that matched the paradigm timing but had no actual task. The amplitude of fcMRI signal fluctuation (AF) also demonstrated an increase in the post-task period compared to pre-task. These changes were observed using both the right-hand-only task and the two-hand task. Study of the recovery time course of these effects revealed that the CC changes lasted for about 5min while the AF change lasted for at least 15min. Finally, voxelwise analysis revealed that the pre/post-task differences were also observed in several other brain regions, including the auditory cortex, visual areas, and the thalamus. Our data suggest that the recent performance of the simple button press task can result in elevated fcMRI CC and AF in relevant brain networks and that fcMRI scan should be performed either before evoked fMRI or after a sufficient time gap following fMRI.

Improved Resident Physician Confidence With Advance Care Planning After an Ambulatory Clinic Intervention The American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23588577 Many primary care providers feel uncomfortable discussing end-of-life care. The aim of this intervention was to assess internal medicine residents' advance care planning (ACP) practices and improve residents' ACP confidence. Residents participated in a facilitated ACP quality improvement workshop, which included an interactive presentation and chart audit of their own patients. Pre- and postintervention surveys assessed resident ACP-related confidence. Only 24% of the audited patients had an advance directive (AD), and 28% of the ACP-documentation was of no clinical utility. Terminally ill patients (odds ratio 2.8, P < .001) were more likely to have an AD. Patients requiring an interpreter were less likely to have participated in ACP. Residents reported significantly improved confidence with ACP and identified important training gaps. Future studies examining the impact on ACP quality are needed.

Molecular Epidemiology of Measles Virus in Taiwan in 2010-2011: the Common Genotype Changed from H1 to D9 and the First Appearance of D4 Journal of Medical Virology. Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23588738 Measles has been controlled effectively in some countries because of high coverage rates with an effective vaccine. However, measles outbreaks still occasionally occur in areas with high vaccine coverage as a result of imported transmission. To identify the sources of measles infection and to determine whether measles cases are part of a single outbreak or due to multiple importations, measles virus (MV) genotyping is required and plays an important role in MV elimination. In Taiwan, genotype H1 of MV was detected most frequently before 2009. From 2006 to 2011, 47 of 48 genotype H1 cases were associated with the imported cases, indicating that genotype H1 was not an endemic genotype in Taiwan after 2006. The distribution of the other genotypes (D3, D4, D5, D8, D9, and G3) detected during 2006-2011 varied by year. Taiwan has a pattern of measles genotypes that is consistent with the elimination of MV and with the absence of endemic genotypes. In this study, the genotypes of 40 cases of MV detected during 2010-2011 were investigated and analyzed. In 2010, the most common genotype changed from H1 (3/40) to D9 (35/40). In 2011, genotype H1 was not detected, and genotype D4 first appeared and was imported from Europe. The dynamic change of detected genotypes of MV in Taiwan is influenced by the activity of a measles control program in WHO regions. This study emphasizes that global synchronous elimination is important for an individual country or area to maintain free from MV.

The Clinical Investigation of Disparity of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in a Chinese Occupational Population in Taipei, Taiwan: Experience at a Teaching Hospital Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health / Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23596266 The authors sought to explore the prevalence and factors related to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among occupational population in Taipei, Taiwan. A total of 8347 healthy adults voluntarily admitted to annual physical check-up. Blood samples and ultrasound-proved fatty liver sonography results were collected. The results showed that the prevalence of NAFLD was 48.4% and revealed a statistically significant increase with increasing population age. Males exhibited a greater prevalence of NAFLD than did females (57.8% vs 32.4%, P < .001). Using multiple logistic regression analysis, in addition to male gender, older age, higher body mass index, higher aspartate aminotransferase level, higher alanine aminotransferase level, presence of hypertension, presence of hyperuricemia, presence of hypercholesterolemia, higher fasting plasma glucose, and presence of hypertriglyceridemia were the significant factors associated with NAFLD. The differences in occupational professions were revealed. In conclusion, occupational populations are asymptomatic, and the diagnosis of NAFLD should be considered with older age, hyperuricemia, higher aspartate aminotransferase level, higher alanine aminotransferase level, and metabolic risk factors.

A Fluorometric Paper-based Sensor Array for the Discrimination of Heavy-metal Ions Talanta. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23601876 A fluorometric paper-based sensor array has been developed for the sensitive and convenient determination of seven heavy-metal ions at their wastewater discharge standard concentrations. Combining with nine cross-reactive BODIPY fluorescent indicators and array technologies-based pattern-recognition, we have obtained the discrimination capability of seven different heavy-metal ions at their wastewater discharge standard concentrations. After the immobilization of indicators and the enrichment of analytes, identification of the heavy-metal ions was readily acquired using a standard chemometric approach. Clear differentiation among heavy-metal ions as a function of concentration was also achieved, even down to 10(-7)M. A semi-quantitative estimation of the heavy-metal ion concentration was obtained by comparing color changes with a set of known concentrations. The sensor array was tentatively investigated in spiked tap water and sea water, and showed possible feasibility for real sample testing.

BODIPY-based Fluorometric Sensor Array for the Highly Sensitive Identification of Heavy-metal Ions Analytica Chimica Acta. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23601979 A BODIPY(4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene)-based fluorometric sensor array has been developed for the highly sensitive detection of eight heavy-metal ions at micromolar concentration. The di-2-picolyamine (DPA) derivatives combine high affinities for a variety of heavy-metal ions with the capacity to perturb the fluorescence properties of BODIPY, making them perfectly suitable for the design of fluorometric sensor arrays for heavy-metal ions. 12 cross-reactive BODIPY fluorescent indicators provide facile identification of the heavy-metal ions using a standard chemometric approach (hierarchical clustering analysis); no misclassifications were found over 45 trials. Clear differentiation among heavy-metal ions as a function of concentration was also achieved, even down to 10(-7)M. A semi-quantitative interpolation of the heavy-metal concentration is obtained by comparing the total Euclidean distance of the measurement with a set of known concentrations in the library.

Endo-laparoscopic Approach Versus Conventional Open Surgery in the Treatment of Obstructing Left-sided Colon Cancer: Long-term Follow-up of a Randomized Trial Asian Journal of Endoscopic Surgery. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23601995 We previously conducted a randomized trial comparing the endo-laparoscopic approach (i.e. placing self-expanding metallic stents followed by laparoscopic resection) and conventional open surgery in the treatment of obstructing left-sided colon cancer. This study is a follow-up of the previous randomized trial and aims to report the long-term outcomes of the two groups.

Education Research: Changing Practice. Residents' Adoption of the Atraumatic Lumbar Puncture Needle Neurology. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23610152 The atraumatic needle is recommended over the cutting needle to prevent complications related to lumbar puncture and to reduce costs to the health care system. However, very few practicing neurologists use the atraumatic needle, which in turn limits the teaching of its use to neurology residents. Despite this, neurology residents may be able to adopt the atraumatic needle for lumbar punctures.

Invasive Thymoma in Ocular Myasthenia Gravis: Diagnostic and Prognostic Implications Journal of Neuro-ophthalmology : the Official Journal of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23612238

HIV Knowledge and Behavior Among Chinese College Students in China and the United States Western Journal of Nursing Research. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23618822 Disease prevention can be improved with a better understanding of student-environment interactions. The purposes of the study were (a) to compare HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, sexual behaviors, and sources of HIV/STI information and (b) to investigate the association between sources of HIV/STI information and HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, and sexual behaviors among Chinese college students in China and the United States. Comparative, correlational analysis of survey data from 608 students in two countries was conducted. Chinese students in the United States scored higher on knowledge questions. More students in the United States received HIV/STI information from the Internet and family members than did students in China. Traditional media and schoolteachers had a stronger association with participants' HIV-related knowledge, age at first intercourse, and number of sexual partners in both samples than did other sources. The survey revealed incomplete knowledge within both groups. Prevention programs should focus on risky misconceptions and should teach about strategic utilization of media.

Relationship Between Belief About Analgesics, Analgesic Adherence and Pain Experience in Taiwanese Cancer Outpatients Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention : APJCP. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23621224 Social and behavioral scientists have proposed that a person's belief system crucially influences his or her behaviour, and therefore may affect outcomes of pain management. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between analgesic beliefs, analgesic adherence and pain experience amongst Taiwanese cancer outpatients. The cross-sectional study included 92 oncology outpatients in two teaching hospitals in the Taipei area of Taiwan. The research instruments included the Pain Opioid Analgesic Beliefs Scale-Cancer (POABS- CA), opioid adherence, and the Brief Pain Inventory-Chinese (BPI-Chinese). Beliefs about pain and opioids demonstrated a significant relationship with patients' opioid adherence (r = -0.30, p < 0.01). The more negative beliefs regarding opioids and pain the patient had, the worse their adherence to around the clock (ATC) analgesic regimen. However, there was no significant correlation between opioid belief and pain experience. As well, there were no significant relationships between adherence to opioid regimen and any of the measures of pain experience. The study highlights the potential importance of a patient's pain and opioid beliefs in adherence to pain medication.

Progression of Myopia and High Myopia in the Early Treatment for Retinopathy of Prematurity Study: Findings at 4 to 6 Years of Age Journal of AAPOS : the Official Publication of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus / American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23622444 To report the prevalence of myopia and high myopia in children

Association of Time-location Patterns with Urinary Cotinine Among Asthmatic Children Under Household Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure Environmental Research. Jul, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23623351 Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is a hazardous component of indoor air, and may increase the risk of respiratory diseases, atherosclerosis and otitis media in children. In this study, we explored the relationship between time inside the house, ETS exposure and urinary cotinine level, and also determined the association of time inside the house on asthma phenotypes when children exposed to ETS.

Genome-Wide Association Analysis Implicates Elastic Microfibrils in the Development of Non-Syndromic Striae Distensae The Journal of Investigative Dermatology. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23633020

Hyperuricemia is an Independent Risk Factor for New Onset Micro-albuminuria in a Middle-aged and Elderly Population: a Prospective Cohort Study in Taiwan PloS One. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23637835 Hyperuricemia is now regarded as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Micro-albuminuria is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease. We hypothesized that elevated serum uric acid (UA) is associated with development of micro-albuminuria in the general population. METHODOLOGYPRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We conducted a community-based prospective cohort study. A total of 1862 subjects from southern Taiwan, all older than 40 years, were screened and 993 of these participants without micro-albuminuria were followed for 4 years. Urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio was measured two times per year. A multiple linear regression model indicated that serum UA was independently associated with ln(ACR) after adjustment for 8 factors (age, sex, and 6 metabolic metrics) (Î²â€Š=â€Š0.194, p

Dealing with the Unexpected: Consumer Responses to Direct-access BRCA Mutation Testing PeerJ. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23638402 Background. Inherited BRCA gene mutations convey a high risk for breast and ovarian cancer, but current guidelines limit BRCA mutation testing to women with early-onset cancer and relatives of mutation-positive cases. Benefits and risks of providing this information directly to consumers are unknown. Methods. To assess and quantify emotional and behavioral reactions of consumers to their 23andMe Personal Genome Service(Â®) report of three BRCA mutations that are common in Ashkenazi Jews, we invited all 136 BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation-positive individuals in the 23andMe customer database who had chosen to view their BRCA reports to participate in this IRB-approved study. We also invited 160 mutation-negative customers who were matched for age, sex and ancestry. Semi-structured phone interviews were completed for 32 mutation carriers, 16 women and 16 men, and 31 non-carriers. Questions addressed personal and family history of cancer, decision and timing of viewing the BRCA report, recollection of the result, emotional responses, perception of personal cancer risk, information sharing, and actions taken or planned. Results. Eleven women and 14 men had received the unexpected result that they are carriers of a BRCA1 185delAG or 5382insC, or BRCA2 6174delT mutation. None of them reported extreme anxiety and four experienced moderate anxiety that was transitory. Remarkably, five women and six men described their response as neutral. Most carrier women sought medical advice and four underwent risk-reducing procedures after confirmatory mutation testing. Male carriers realized that their test results implied genetic risk for female relatives, and several of them felt considerably burdened by this fact. Sharing mutation information with family members led to screening of at least 30 relatives and identification of 13 additional carriers. Non-carriers did not report inappropriate actions, such as foregoing cancer screening. All but one of the 32 mutation-positive participants appreciated learning their BRCA mutation status. Conclusions. Direct access to BRCA mutation tests, considered a model for high-risk actionable genetic tests of proven clinical utility, provided clear benefits to participants. The unexpected information demonstrated a cascade effect as relatives of newly identified carriers also sought testing and more mutation carriers were identified. Given the absence of evidence for serious emotional distress or inappropriate actions in this subset of mutation-positive customers who agreed to be interviewed for this study, broader screening of Ashkenazi Jewish women for these three BRCA mutations should be considered.

Activation of Asparaginyl Endopeptidase Leads to Tau Hyperphosphorylation in Alzheimer's Disease The Journal of Biological Chemistry. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23640887 Neurofibrillary pathology of abnormally hyperphosphorylated tau is a key lesion of Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies and its density in the brain directly correlates with dementia. The phosphorylation of tau is regulated by protein phosphatase -2A, which in turn is regulated by inhibitor-2, I2(PP2A). In acidic conditions such as generated by brain ischemia and hypoxia, especially in association with hyperglycemia as in diabetes, I2(PP2A) is cleaved by asparaginyl endopeptidase at N175 into N-terminal fragment (I2NTF) and C-terminal fragment (I2CTF). Both I2NTF and I2CTF are known to bind to the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase-2A and inhibit its activity. Here we show that the level of activated asparaginyl endopeptidase is significantly increased, and this enzyme and I2(PP2A) translocate, respectively, from neuronal lysosomes and nucleus to the cytoplasm where they interact and are associated with hyperphosphorylated tau in Alzheimer's disease brain. Asparaginyl endopeptidase from Alzheimer's disease brain could cleave GST-I2(PP2A) except when I2(PP2A) was mutated at the cleavage site N 175 to Q. Finally, an induction of acidosis by treatment with kainic acid or pH 6.0 medium activated asparaginyl endopeptidase and consequently produced the cleavage of I2(PP2A), inhibition of protein phosphatase-2A, and hyperphosphorylation of tau, and the knockdown of asparaginyl endopeptidase with siRNA abolished this pathway in SH-SY5Y cells. These findings suggest the involvement of brain acidosis in the etiopathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, and asparaginyl endopeptidase-I2(PP2A)-protein phosphatase-2A-tau hyperphosphorylation pathway as a therapeutic target.

Legal Issues Affecting Children with Preexisting Conditions During Public Health Emergencies Biosecurity and Bioterrorism : Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23641730 Among the millions of children in the United States exposed to public health emergencies in recent years, those with preexisting health conditions face particular challenges. A public health emergency may, for example, disrupt treatment regimens or cause children to be separated from caregivers. Ongoing shortages of pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists may further exacerbate the risks that children with preexisting conditions face in disaster circumstances. The US Department of Homeland Security recently called for better integration of children's needs into all preparedness activities. To aid in this process, multiple legal concerns relevant to pediatricians and pediatric policymakers must be identified and addressed. Obtaining informed consent from children and parents may be particularly challenging during certain public health emergencies. States may need to invoke legal protections for children who are separated from caregivers during emergencies. Maintaining access to prescription medications may also require pediatricians to use specific legal mechanisms. In addition to practitioners, recommendations are given for policymakers to promote effective pediatric response to public health emergencies.

Percutaneous Interventricular Septal Access in a Patient with Aortic and Mitral Mechanical Valves: A Novel Technique for Catheter Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia Heart Rhythm : the Official Journal of the Heart Rhythm Society. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23643678

Special Issue on the Challenges in Environmental Science and Engineering, CESE-2012: 9-13, September, Melbourne, Australia Bioresource Technology. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23648138

Cu(In1-xGax)S2 Nanocrystals and Films: Low-temperature Synthesis with Size and Composition Control Nanoscale. Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23652384 We demonstrate a single-step X-ray irradiation process that yields high-quality Cu(In1-xGax)S2 nanocrystals in colloidal solutions, with complete control of size and composition. Thin films produced by drop-casting exhibit high-quality photoresponse, confirming that our process is suitable for microelectronics applications.

Active Component of Danshen (Salvia Miltiorrhiza Bunge), Tanshinone I, Attenuates Lung Tumorigenesis Via Inhibitions of VEGF, Cyclin A, and Cyclin B Expressions Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : ECAM. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23662128 Tanshinone I (T1) and tanshinone II (T2) are the major diterpenes isolated from Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge). Three human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines, A549, CL1-0, and CL1-5, were treated with T1 and T2 for the in vitro antitumor test. Results showed that T1 was more effective than T2 in inhibiting the growth of lung cancer cells via suppressing the expression of VEGF, Cyclin A, and Cyclin B proteins in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, a transgenic mice model of the human vascular endothelial growth factor-A165 (hVEGF-A 165) gene-induced pulmonary tumor was further treated with T1 for the in vivo lung cancer therapy test. T1 significantly attenuated hVEGF-A165 overexpression to normal levels of the transgenic mice (Tg) that were pretreated with human monocytic leukemia THP-1 cell-derived conditioned medium (CM). It also suppressed the formation of lung adenocarcinoma tumors (16.7%) compared with two placebo groups (50% for Tg/Placebo and 83.3% for Tg/CM/Placebo; P < 0.01). This antitumor effect is likely to slow the progression of cells through the S and G2/M phases of the cell cycle. Blocking of the tumor-activated cell cycle pathway may be a critical mechanism for the observed antitumorigenic effects of T1 treatment on vasculogenesis and angiogenesis.

Identification and Significance of Naegleria Fowleri Isolated from the Hot Spring Which Related to the First Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) Patient in Taiwan International Journal for Parasitology. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23665128 Naegleria fowleri can cause primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rapidly developing and highly lethal infectious disease. The first confirmed case of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis in Taiwan was reported in November 2011, in which the patient visited a thermal spring recreational area 1week prior to hospitalisation. Water sampling was performed to verify the presence of Naegleria at the facility. According to our results, 32% and 20% of recreational water samples were contaminated with Naegleria spp. and Acanthamoeba spp., respectively. The genotypes of Naegleria identified at the hot spring included N. fowleri, Naegleria australiensis and Naegleria lovaniensis. Using PCR, it was determined that the strain of N. fowleri in one sample possessed the same genotype 2 as the clinical isolate. Thus, the thermal spring was suggested to be the likely source of infection. This is the first known instance of simultaneously isolating N. fowleri from both a patient as well as from a hot spring in Taiwan. Following this initial study, the pools at the thermal spring recreational area were drained, scrubbed and disinfected, and a follow-up study was performed 1month later. Naegleria fowleri was not detected in follow-up testing; however, other Naegleria spp. were identified. We postulate that the biofilm in the waterlines may have provided a reservoir for free-living amoebae. The presence/absence of Acanthamoeba and Naegleria spp. did not differ significantly with any measured parameters related to water quality; however, a high percentage of the thermal water pool samples were contaminated with Naegleria or Acanthamoeba. Thus, amoebic contamination may present a serious threat to the health of humans who engage in leisure activities at thermal springs.

Addressing the Human Resources Crisis: a Case Study of Cambodia's Efforts to Reduce Maternal Mortality (1980-2012) BMJ Open. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23674446 To identify factors that have contributed to the systematic development of the Cambodian human resources for health (HRH) system with a focus on midwifery services in response to high maternal mortality in fragile resource-constrained countries.

Creating Smoke-Free Places Through the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities American Journal of Public Health. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23678896 In some high-, middle-, and low-income countries, law has been employed to limit individuals' secondhand smoke exposure. Innovative legal tools are still needed, especially in low- and middle-income countries where smoking prevalence continues to rise. For some persons with severe respiratory conditions, the presence of secondhand smoke is intolerable and prevents their entrance into restaurants and other venues. With its adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2006, the United Nations gave countries a new way to promote the rights of disabled individuals and simultaneously address secondhand smoke exposure. We analyze the CRPD's potential to advance tobacco control goals and offer recommendations for advocates, policymakers, and others seeking to apply this approach. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print May 16, 2013: e1-e6. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2012.301174).

Molecular Characterization of a H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus Clade 2.3.2.1b Circulating in Vietnam in 2011 Veterinary Microbiology. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23683998 The emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 viruses and the risk of a human pandemic have highlighted the need for advance stockpiling of vaccine. Current vaccines may be sub-optimally matched to the actual pandemic virus due to the rapid dissemination and ongoing evolution of avian H5N1 viruses. We report here the evaluation of efficacy of NIBRG-14 vaccine (clade 1 A/Vietnam/1194/2004) against the H5N1 HPAI virus strains circulating in Vietnam. The birds were either vaccinated with a single or booster dose of vaccine by subcutaneous injection; then challenged with three H5N1 HPAI viruses (clade 1, clade 2.3.2.1a and clade 2.3.2.1b) at day 21 post-vaccination (p. v.). The results showed that NIBRG-14 vaccine protected birds from clade 1 and clade 2.3.2.1a infections. Notably, we observed that NIGRG-14 vaccine did not confer protection against clade 2.3.2.1b challenge virus. To get new insights of how H5N1 clade 2.3.2.1b (A/Duck/QuangNgai/1037/11) virus can escape from the host immune response induced by the vaccine, we further analyzed the HA gene - a key virulence determinant of the virus. Amino acid sequence analysis indicated that this virus contained the sequence SPQRERRRK-R/G at the cleavage site in the HA molecule, indicating its high virulence. Additionally, we identified numerous mutations with amino acid substitutions in the hemagglutinin: M226I, I239S located at N-link glycosylation site and 2H, 45N, 53K 120D, 133A and 14N mutations at antigenic site, which can affect receptor specificity as well as viral pathogenicity. Notably, I239S and S133A mutations are unique to A/Duck/QuangNgai/1037/2011, suggesting that it may involve in the virus' ability to evade the host immune system. Taken together, phylogenetic analysis showed that continual mutations in the HA gene may have generated a novel antigenic strain and that probably changed the virulence of the virus and made the H5N1 clade 2.3.2.1b resistant to NIBRG-14 vaccine.

Social Environmental Effects on Gene Regulation Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23685902 Social environmental conditions, particularly the experience of social adversity, have long been connected with health and mortality in humans and other social mammals. Efforts to identify the physiological basis for these effects have historically focused on their neurological, endocrinological, and immunological consequences. Recently, this search has been extended to understanding the role of gene regulation in sensing, mediating, and determining susceptibility to social environmental variation. Studies in laboratory rodents, captive primates, and human populations have revealed correlations between social conditions and the regulation of a large number of genes, some of which are likely causal. Gene expression responses to the social environment are, in turn, mediated by a set of underlying regulatory mechanisms, of which epigenetic marks are the best studied to date. Importantly, a number of genes involved in the response to the social environment are also associated with susceptibility to other external stressors, as well as certain diseases. Hence, gene regulatory studies are a promising avenue for understanding, and potentially developing strategies to address, the effects of social adversity on health.

Extremely High Prevalence of Helicobacter Pylori Infection in Bhutan World Journal of Gastroenterology : WJG. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23687418 To revealed the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in the Bhutanese population.

Osteotropic Cancer Diagnosis by an Osteocalcin Inspired Molecular Imaging Mimetic Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23688398 BACKGROUND: Although microcalcifications of hydroxyapatite can be found in both benign and malignant osteotropic tumors, they are mostly seen in proliferative lesions, including carcinoma. The aim of this present study is to develop a molecular imaging contrast agent for selective identification of hydroxyapatite calcification in human osteotropic tumor tissues ex vivo and in human osteosarcoma cells in vitro. METHODS: A bioinspired biomarker, hydroxyapatite binding peptide (HABP), was designed to mimic natural protein osteocalcin property in vivo. A fluorescein isothiocyanate dye conjugated HABP (HABP-19) was utilized to characterize hydroxyapatite on human osteotropic tumor tissue sections ex vivo and to selectively image hydroxyapatite calcifications in human osteosarcoma cells in vitro. RESULTS: Using a HABP-19 molecular imaging probe, we have shown that it is possible to selectively image hydroxyapatite calcifications in osteotropic cancers ex vivo and in human SaOS-2 osteosarcoma cells in vitro. CONCLUSION: Hydroxyapatite calcifications were selectively detected in osteotropic tissues ex vivo and in the early stage of the calcification process of SaOS-2 human osteosarcoma in vitro using our HABP-19 molecular imaging probe. This new target-selective molecular imaging probe makes it possible to study the earliest events associated with hydroxyapatite deposition in various osteotropic cancers at the cellular and molecular levels. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: It potentially could be used to diagnose and treat osteotropic cancer or to anchor therapeutic agents directing the local distribution of desired therapy at calcified sites.

The Osmopressor Response Is Linked to Upregulation of Aquaporin-1 Tyrosine Phosphorylation on Red Blood Cell Membranes Hypertension. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23690341 Studies in patients with an impaired efferent baroreflex led us to discover that ingesting water induces a robust increase in blood pressure and vascular resistance. This response was also present in healthy subjects with intact baroreflexes, described as osmopressor response. This study was to discover the physiology of the osmopressor response by determining functional activation of the aquaporin-1 water channel receptor on red blood cell membranes in young healthy subjects. In a randomized, controlled, crossover fashion, 22 young healthy subjects (age, 19-27 years) ingested either 500 or 50 mL of water. Heart rate, blood pressure, cardiac index, and total peripheral vascular resistance were measured using a Finometer hemodynamic monitor. Blood sampling was performed at 5 minutes before and at 25 and 50 minutes after either the water ingestion or control session. Immunoblotting for aquaporin-1 tyrosine phosphorylation was performed before and after subjects ingested either 500 or 50 mL of water. At 25 minutes after the ingestion of 500 mL of water, total peripheral resistance increased significantly, and plasma osmolality decreased. Functional expression of aquaporin-1 tyrosine phosphorylation on red blood cell membranes increased significantly at 25 and 50 minutes after subjects ingested 500 mL of water compared with that before water ingestion. This study concludes that water ingestion produces upregulation of aquaporin-1 tyrosine phosphorylation on red blood cell, which presents as a novel biological marker that occurs simultaneously with the osmopressor response.

Water-soluble, Membrane-permeable Organic Fluorescent Nanoparticles with Large Tunability in Emission Wavelengths and Stokes Shifts Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England). Jul, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23703464 Entrapment within surface-crosslinked micelles (SCMs) enhanced the emission of conventional hydrophobic fluorescent dyes, endowed them with excellent water solubility and membrane permeability, and greatly expanded the Stokes shifts without any covalent structural modification of the dyes.

Incorporation of Poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] into Cationic Copolymers Based on Poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl Methacrylate) to Improve Gene Delivery Macromolecular Bioscience. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23703863 The synthesis and gene transfection efficiency of a series of novel amphiphilic triblock copolymers with two hydrophilic poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (DMAEMA) blocks flanking a central hydrophobic poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] (PHB) block is reported. These copolymers have significantly lower toxicity compared to the polyethyleneimine (PEI) and PDMAEMA homopolymer. Unexpectedly, the incorporation of PHB significantly improves the gene transfection efficiency as compared to PEI or PDMAEMA homopolymers.

Critical Care of the Cardiac Patient Anesthesiology Clinics. Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23711651 As the spectrum of cardiac surgeries has grown, the diversity and complexity of postoperative cardiac surgical care has also increased. This article examines 4 areas in critical care where clinical practice is evolving rapidly. Among these are management of mechanical ventilation, thresholds for blood transfusion, strategies for hemodynamic monitoring, and processes for central line insertion. Also reviewed are current approaches to common dilemmas in postoperative cardiac care: diagnosis of tamponade, and the diagnosis and management of low cardiac output states in patients with a ventricular assist device.

Reflecting on Use of the GRADE Process for Development of the 2013 PAD Guidelines Seminars in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Apr, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23716316 This article evaluates the methodology used to develop the updated American College of Critical Care Medicine/Society of Critical Care Medicine Pain Agitation and Delirium (PAD) Guidelines in terms of (1) evaluating the role of a medical librarian in the guidelines development process; (2) summarizing the impressions of the guideline task force members on the use of Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation and anonymous voting to develop guideline questions, statements, and recommendations; and (3) analyzing the impact of this approach to developing clinical practice guidelines on interrater reliability in evaluating evidence, statements, and recommendations.

The Drosophila GOLPH3 Homolog Regulates the Biosynthesis of Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans by Modulating the Retrograde Trafficking of Exostosins Development (Cambridge, England). Jul, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23720043 The exostosin (EXT) genes encode glycosyltransferases required for glycosaminoglycan chain polymerization in the biosynthesis of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). Mutations in the tumor suppressor genes EXT1 and EXT2 disturb HSPG biosynthesis and cause multiple osteochondroma (MO). How EXT1 and EXT2 traffic within the Golgi complex is not clear. Here, we show that Rotini (Rti), the Drosophila GOLPH3, regulates the retrograde trafficking of EXTs. A reduction in Rti shifts the steady-state distribution of EXTs to the trans-Golgi. These accumulated EXTs tend to be degraded and their re-entrance towards the route for polymerizing GAG chains is disengaged. Conversely, EXTs are mislocalized towards the transitional endoplasmic reticulum/cis-Golgi when Rti is overexpressed. Both loss of function and overexpression of rti result in incomplete HSPGs and perturb Hedgehog signaling. Consistent with Drosophila, GOLPH3 modulates the dynamic retention and protein stability of EXT1/2 in mammalian species. Our data demonstrate that GOLPH3 modulates the activities of EXTs, thus implicating a putative role for GOLPH3 in the formation of MO.

Absence of CXCL10 Aggravates Herpes Stromal Keratitis with Reduced Primary Neutrophil Influx in Mice Journal of Virology. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23720717 Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) replication initiates inflammation and angiogenesis responses in the cornea to result in herpetic stromal keratitis (HSK), which is a leading cause of infection-induced vision impairment. Chemokines are secreted to modulate HSK by recruiting leukocytes which affect viral growth and by influencing angiogenesis. The present study used a murine infection model to investigate the significance of the chemokine, CXC chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10; gamma interferon-inducible protein10 [IP-10]), in HSK. Here we show that HSV-1 infection of the cornea induced CXCL10 protein expression in epithelial cells. The corneas of mice with a targeted disruption of the gene encoding CXCL10 displayed decreases in levels of neutrophil-attracting cytokine (interleukin-6), primary neutrophil influx, and viral clearance 2 or 3 days post-infection. Subsequently, absence of CXCL10 aggravated HSK with elevated levels of interleukin-6, chemokines for CD4(+) T cells and/or neutrophils (macrophage inflammatory protein-1Î± and macrophage inflammatory protein-2), angiogenic factor (vascular endothelial growth factor A), secondary neutrophil influx, as well as infiltration of CD4(+) T cells to exacerbate opacity and angiogenesis in the cornea 14 or/to 28 days post-infection. Our results collectively show that endogenous CXCL10 contributes to recruit the primary neutrophil influx, affect the expression of cytokines, chemokines, and angiogenic factors, as well as reduce the viral titer and HSK severity.

Identification and Structural Elucidation of in Vitro Metabolites of Atazanavir by HPLC and Tandem Mass Spectrometry Journal of Mass Spectrometry : JMS. Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23722954 Atazanavir (marketed as ReyatazÂ®) is an important member of the human immunodeficiency virus protease inhibitor class. LC-UV-MS(n) experiments were designed to identify metabolites of atazanavir after incubations in human hepatocytes. Five major (M1-M5) and seven minor (M7-M12) metabolites were identified. The most abundant metabolite, M1, was formed by a mono-oxidation on the t-butyl group at the non-prime side. The second most abundant metabolite, M2, was also a mono-oxidation product, which has not yet been definitively identified. Metabolites, M3 and M4, were structural isomers, which were apparently formed by oxidative carbamate hydrolysis. The structure of M5 comprises the non-prime side of atazanavir which contains a pyridinyl-benzyl group. Metabolite M6a was formed by the cleavage of the pyridinyl-benzyl side chain, as evidenced by the formation of the corresponding metabolic product, the pyridinyl-benzoic acid (M6b). Mono-oxidation also occurred on the pyridinyl-benzyl group to produce the low abundance metabolite M8. Oxidation of the terminal methyl groups produced M9 and M10, respectively, which have low chemical stability. Trace-level metabolites of di-oxidations, M11 and M12, were also detected, but the complexity of the molecule precluded identification of the second oxidation site. To our knowledge, metabolites M6b and M8 have not been reported. Copyright Â© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Selective Overexpression of Human SIRT1 in Adipose Tissue Enhances Energy Homeostasis and Prevents the Deterioration of Insulin Sensitivity with Ageing in Mice American Journal of Translational Research. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23724165 SIRT1, a longevity regulator and NAD(+)-dependent deacetylase, plays a critical role in promoting metabolic fitness associated with calorie restriction and healthy ageing. Using a tissue-specific transgenic approach, the present study demonstrates that over-expression of human SIRT1 selectively in adipose tissue of mice prevents ageing-induced deterioration of insulin sensitivity and ectopic lipid distribution, reduces whole body fat mass and enhances locomotor activity. During ageing, the water-soluble vitamin biotin is progressively accumulated in adipose tissue. Over-expression of SIRT1 alleviates ageing-associated biotin accumulation and reduces the amount of biotinylated proteins, including acetyl CoA carboxylase, a major reservoir of biotin in adipose tissues. Chronic biotin supplementation increases adipose biotin contents and abolishes adipose SIRT1-mediated beneficial effects on insulin sensitivity, lipid metabolism and locomotor activity. Biochemical, spectrometric and chromatographic analysis revealed that biotin and its metabolites act as competitive inhibitors of SIRT1-mediated deacetylation. In summary, these results demonstrate that adipose SIRT1 is a key player in maintaining systemic energy homeostasis and insulin sensitivity; enhancing its activity solely in adipose tissue can prevent ageing-associated metabolic disorders.

Common Curbsides and Conundrums in Geriatric Medicine Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Mayo Clinic. Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23726402 Within the next 15 years, the population of adults 65 years and older in the United States will double to approximately 70 million. Physicians must be well prepared to care for this rapidly growing population. Senior adults comprise a large proportion of most primary care practices in the United States, and the unique needs of this population cannot be overstated. Although traditional preventive screening modalities and disease-specific care models are of great utility, these processes may not be appropriate or consistent with the health goals of many older patients with multiple chronic conditions and reduced functional capacity. This Concise Review highlights commonly encountered clinical scenarios important to the care of these older patients. The topics include diagnosis and management of mild cognitive impairment, assessment of the cognitively impaired driver, cancer screening in the older patient, and sarcopenia.

Acute Failure of Catheter Ablation for Ventricular Tachycardia Due to Structural Heart Disease: Causes and Significance Journal of the American Heart Association. 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23727700 Acute end points of catheter ablation for ventricular tachycardia (VT) remain incompletely defined. The aim of this study is to identify causes for failure in patients with structural heart disease and to assess the relation of this acute outcome to longer-term management and outcomes.

Role of Serum Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate Level on the Clearance of Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection Journal of Gastroenterology. Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23728318 BACKGROUND: The natural course of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and relevant host factors remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the impact of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) on the clearance of chronic HBV infection. METHODS: Two hundred and one hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic HBV-infected children (101 females) were recruited. Serum DHEAS levels were determined in all subjects at 15Â years of age. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, DHEAS levels, HBV seromarkers, genotypes, and viral loads were included for analysis. RESULTS: Subjects with serum DHEAS levels >3.6Â Î¼mol/L at midpuberty had earlier HBeAg seroconversion (median age, 14.7 vs. 18.2Â years; HR, 1.9; PÂ =Â 0.03), and the impact persisted even after adjusting for gender, HBV genotype, peak ALT levels, and viral load. Subjects with DHEAS levels >3.6Â Î¼mol/L at 15Â years of age had more HBV viral titers decrement from 15 to 20Â years of age (meanÂ Â±Â SD, 3.5Â Â±Â 2.5 vs. 1.2Â Â±Â 2.2Â log10Â copies/mL; PÂ =Â 0.05) and shorter duration for HBeAg seroconversion than others (meanÂ Â±Â SD, 5.6Â Â±Â 4.4 vs. 9.2Â Â±Â 4.9Â years; PÂ =Â 0.02). Higher serum DHEAS levels at 15Â years of age are also associated with greater hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) titer decrement from 15 to 20Â years of age (correlation coefficientÂ =Â 0.45, PÂ =Â 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Higher serum DHEAS levels at midpuberty predicts more HBV viral load and HBsAg titer decrement from midpuberty to young adulthood. Higher serum DHEAS levels at midpuberty also correlate with younger age of spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion in chronic genotype B and C HBV-infected patients.

A Survey of a Small Sample of Emergency Department and Admitted Patients Asking Whether They Expect to Be Tested for HIV Routinely Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care. Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23735853 Objectives:Many US HIV-positive patients are unaware of their infection. Although there are multiple studies assessing the acceptance of testing, there are none that assess the patient's expectations of routine HIV testing.Methods:Through a prospective, cross-sectional, unfunded, convenience sample survey, we assessed the patient's expectation of testing at a regional medical center serving an indigent population. Also, we compared the providers' predictions of the proportion of patients expecting a test.Results:Of the 69 patients, 23% expected a test. The only factor that correlated with this was their desire to be tested (P = .004). Providers' (N = 59) mean prediction was that 21% of the patients expected a test (range: 0%-100%). The proportion of emergency department (ED) patients wanting a test was 52% (of 30) and internal medicine inpatients were 44% (of 39).Conclusions:Nearly a quarter of patients expected routine HIV testing. This finding should encourage a review of policies promoting HIV testing, especially within the ED.

Coupling of Surface Plasmon with InGaAs/GaAs Quantum Well Emission by Gold Nanodisk Arrays Applied Optics. Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23736322 Enhancement of photoluminescence (PL) intensity from InGaAs/GaAs quantum well (QW) is achieved experimentally by coupling surface plasmon (SP) resonance with QW emission. The SP resonance is generated by fabricating a periodic Au nanodisk array on top of InGaAs/GaAs QW structure. A thin layer of SiO2 between Au nanodisk and GaAs surface has been employed to achieve easy adjustment of the SP resonance. A 4.16Â fold enhancement of PL intensity was observed. Theoretical simulation results match well with the experimental results and confirm that the PL emission is enhanced by SP coupling with the fabricated structure.

Visualization of Rodent Brain Tumor Angiogenesis and Effects of Antiangiogenic Treatment Using 3D Î”R2-Î¼MRA Angiogenesis. Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23736837 Understanding of structural and functional characteristics of the vascular microenvironment in gliomas and the impact of antiangiogenic treatments is essential for developing better therapeutic strategies. Although a number of methods exist in which this process can be studied experimentally, no single noninvasive test has the capacity to provide information concerning both microvascular function and morphology. The purpose of present study is to demonstrate the feasibility of using a novel three-dimensional Î”R2-based microscopic magnetic resonance angiography (3D Î”R2-Î¼MRA) technique for longitudinal imaging of tumor angiogenesis and monitoring the effects of antiangiogenic treatment in rodent brain tumor models. Using 3D Î”R2-Î¼MRA, a generally consistent early pattern of vascular development in gliomas was revealed, in which a single feeding vessel was visualized first (arteriogenesis), followed by sprouting angiogenesis. Considerable variability of the tumor-associated vasculature was then noted at later stages of tumor evolution. Î”R2-Î¼MRA revealed that anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment induced a rapid and significant alteration of the intratumoral angiogenic phenotype. In summary, 3D Î”R2-Î¼MRA enables high-resolution visualization of tumor-associated vessels while simultaneously providing functional information on the tumor microvasculature. It can serve as a useful tool for monitoring both the temporal evolution of tumor angiogenesis and the impact of antiangiogenic therapies.

International Rates of Breast Reconstruction After Prophylactic Mastectomy in BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutation Carriers Annals of Surgical Oncology. Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23740344 BACKGROUND: Breast reconstruction is an option for women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations who elect to undergo prophylactic mastectomy to prevent breast cancer. We report on the uptake of breast reconstruction after prophylactic mastectomy in women with BRCA mutations from eight countries. METHODS: Women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation were questioned regarding their cancer preventive practices. Information was recorded on prophylactic mastectomy and breast reconstruction. RESULTS: A total of 1,635 women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation who elected to undergo prophylactic mastectomy from eight countries were included. A total of 1,137 women (69.5Â %) had breast reconstruction after prophylactic mastectomy. A total of 58.7Â % of women over the age of 45Â years at the time of prophylactic mastectomy had breast reconstruction compared to 77.6Â % of women 35Â years of age or younger [odds ratio (OR) 0.36, 95Â % confidence interval (CI) 0.26-0.50, pÂ

Modified Fabry-Perot Interferometer for Displacement Measurement in Ultra Large Measuring Range The Review of Scientific Instruments. May, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23742530 Laser interferometers have demonstrated outstanding measuring performances for high precision positioning or dimensional measurements in the precision industry, especially in the length measurement. Due to the non-common-optical-path structure, appreciable measurement errors can be easily induced under ordinary measurement conditions. That will lead to the limitation and inconvenience for in situ industrial applications. To minimize the environmental and mechanical effects, a new interferometric displacement measuring system with the common-optical-path structure and the resistance to tilt-angle is proposed. With the integration of optomechatronic modules in the novel interferometric system, the resolution up to picometer order, high precision, and ultra large measuring range have been realized. For the signal stabilization of displacement measurement, an automatic gain control module has been proposed. A self-developed interpolation model has been employed for enhancing the resolution. The novel interferometer can hold the advantage of high resolution and large measuring range simultaneously. By the experimental verifications, it has been proven that the actual resolution of 2.5 nm can be achieved in the measuring range of 500 mm. According to the comparison experiments, the maximal standard deviation of the difference between the self-developed Fabry-Perot interferometer and the reference commercial Michelson interferometer is 0.146 Î¼m in the traveling range of 500 mm. With the prominent measuring characteristics, this should be the largest dynamic measurement range of a Fabry-Perot interferometer up till now.

Healthcare Utilization and Expenditure Analysis Between Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and the General Population in Taiwan: A Population-based Nationwide Child and Adolescent Study Research in Developmental Disabilities. Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23751294 This study examines differences in outpatient-visit frequency and medical expenditures between (1) children and adolescents in Taiwan with intellectual disabilities and (2) children and adolescents in Taiwan's general population. A cross-sectional study was conducted to analyze data from 2007 provided by Taiwan's National Health Insurance program. A total of 236,045 beneficiaries younger than 19 years made use of outpatient services; among them, 35,802 had a principal diagnosis of mental retardation (intellectual disability). The average number of ambulatory visits was 14.9Â±12.4, which is much higher than in the United States and other developed countries. The mean number of annual visits of the individuals with intellectual disabilities was significantly higher than that of the general population in Taiwan (20.1Â±20.0 vs. 14.0Â±12.2); age, gender, urbanization level of residential area, and copayment status affected outpatient visit frequency. The mean annual outpatient costs were NTD6371.3Â±NTD11989.1 for the general population and NTD19724.9Â±NTD40469.9 for those with intellectual disabilities (US $1 equals approximately NTD30). Age, gender, urbanization level of residential area, and copayment status were the determinants that accounted for this difference in cost. Children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities had higher use rates of rehabilitative and psychiatric services than the general population. We conclude that individuals with intellectual disabilities had higher demands than the general population for healthcare services, especially for rehabilitative and psychiatric services.

A Low Sample Volume Particle Separation Device with Electrokinetic Pumping Based on Circular Travelling-wave Electroosmosis Lab on a Chip. Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23753015 Particle separation is a crucial step in sample preparation processes. The preparation of low volume samples is especially important for clinical diagnosis and chemical analysis. The advantages of microfluidic techniques have lead them to become potential candidates for particle separation. However, existing microfluidic devices require external pumping sources and extensive geometric patterns to attain high separation efficiency, which is disadvantageous when handling low volume samples. This paper presents a low sample volume particle separation microfluidic device with low voltage electrokinetic pumping based on circular travelling-wave electroosmosis (TWEO). Computational numerical software was utilized to simulate two electrokinetic mechanisms: circular TWEO and dielectrophoresis (DEP). The circular TWEO shear flow generates a velocity gradient in the radial direction which causes a shear stress-induced force to drag particles into the center region of the device. In contrast, the non-parallel electrodes induce negative DEP forces which push polystyrene beads towards the peripheral regions; the magnitude of the DEP forces are dependent on the sizes of the polystyrene beads. We used particles of various sizes to experimentally prove the concept of particle separation. Our experiments show that 15 Î¼m beads are dragged into the center region due to the shear stress-induced force, and 1 Î¼m beads move towards the outer region because of the large negative DEP force. The results show a separation purity of 94.4% and 80.0% for 15 Î¼m and 1 Î¼m beads respectively. We further demonstrated particle isolation from a sample of containing a small proportion of 6 Î¼m beads mixed with 1 Î¼m beads at a concentration ratio of 1â€‰:â€‰300. Therefore, the innovative device developed in this paper provides a promising solution to allow particle separation in sample volumes as low as 50 nL.

Program Specificity for Ptf1a in Pancreas Versus Neural Tube Development Correlates with Distinct Collaborating Cofactors and Chromatin Accessibility Molecular and Cellular Biology. Jun, 2013 | Pubmed ID: 23754747 The lineage-specific basic-helix-loop-helix transcription factor Ptf1a is a critical driver for development of both the pancreas and nervous system. How one transcription factor controls diverse programs of gene expression is a fundamental question in developmental biology. To uncover molecular strategies for the program-specific functions of Ptf1a, we identified bound genomic regions in vivo during development of both tissues. Most regions bound by Ptf1a are specific to each tissue, lie near genes needed for proper formation of each tissue, and coincide with regions of open chromatin. The specificity of Ptf1a binding is encoded in the DNA surrounding the Ptf1a-bound sites, because these regions are sufficient to direct tissue-restricted reporter expression in transgenic mice. Fox and Sox factors were identified as potential lineage-specific modifiers of Ptf1a binding, since binding motifs for these factors are enriched in Ptf1a-bound regions in pancreas and neural tube, respectively. Of the Fox factors expressed during pancreatic development, Foxa2 plays a major role. Indeed, Ptf1a and Foxa2 co-localize in embryonic pancreatic chromatin and can act synergistically in cell transfection assays. Together, these findings indicate that lineage-specific chromatin landscapes likely constrain the DNA-binding of Ptf1a, and identify Fox and Sox gene families as part of this process.

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Biology

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