Ischemic Heart Disease, CHF Mortality Vary Across VA Systems

FRIDAY, May 18, 2018 -- Risk-standardized mortality rates for ischemic heart disease (IHD) and chronic heart failure vary across Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs), according to a study published online May 16 in JAMA Cardiology. Peter W....

https://ift.tt/2kdDhRN

Most Teens, Young Women Satisfied With IUD Insertion

FRIDAY, May 18, 2018 -- Most adolescent and young adult women report high satisfaction with intrauterine device (IUD) insertion, according to a study published online May 7 in Obstetrics & Gynecology. Aletha Y. Akers, M.D., M.P.H., from the...

https://ift.tt/2s0pdOP

V600E BRAF Mutation Tied to Worse Survival in CRC Liver Mets

FRIDAY, May 18, 2018 -- For patients undergoing resection of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM), the presence of the V600E BRAF mutation is associated with worse prognosis, according to a study published online May 16 in JAMA Surgery. Georgios...

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Molecular Basis for Varied Presentations of ETEC Explored

FRIDAY, May 18, 2018 -- The EtpA adhesion molecule, which is secreted by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strain H10407, is a dominant ETEC blood group A-specific lectin/hemagglutinin, according to a study published online May 17 in the...

https://ift.tt/2s0p9i3

Proportion of Drug-Intoxicated Organ Donors on the Rise in U.S.

FRIDAY, May 18, 2018 -- The drug abuse epidemic in the United States has been associated with an increase in the recovery of organs from brain-dead donors, according to a research letter published in the May 17 issue of the New England Journal of...

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Adding Chiropractic to Usual Care Beneficial for Low Back Pain

FRIDAY, May 18, 2018 -- For active-duty military personnel, the addition of chiropractic care to usual medical care is associated with improvements in low back pain intensity and disability, according to a study published online May 18 in JAMA...

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Higher Adiposity Increases Odds of Smoking

FRIDAY, May 18, 2018 -- Obesity is linked to an increased risk of smoking and an increase in the number of cigarettes smoked daily, according to a study published online May 16 in The BMJ. Robert Carreras-Torres, Ph.D., from the International Agency...

https://ift.tt/2kbM4nd

Chemicals in Hair Products for Black Women Raise Concerns

FRIDAY, May 18, 2018 -- Multiple chemicals associated with endocrine disruption and asthma are contained in hair products used by black women and children, according to a study published online April 25 in Environmental Research. Jessica S. Helm,...

https://ift.tt/2rZXQEH

Two Novel Immune-Response Clusters Identified to RSV

FRIDAY, May 18, 2018 -- Two novel immune-response clusters have been identified to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and they are associated with first- and second-year recurrent wheeze, according to a study published online May 7 in the American...

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Breath Test Shows Promise for Diagnosis of Esophagogastric CA

FRIDAY, May 18, 2018 -- Breath analysis shows potential for noninvasive diagnosis of esophagogastric cancer (OGC), according to a study published online May 17 in JAMA Oncology. Sheraz R. Markar, Ph.D., from Imperial College London, and colleagues...

https://ift.tt/2rZ0B98

Aging related cognitive changes associated with Alzheimer's disease in Down syndrome

Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2IEANpR

Considerations in Qualitative Research Reporting: A Guide for Authors Preparing Articles for Sex Roles

Abstract

Qualitative inquiry is frequently used to deepen understanding, improve empathy, and inspire social change, making it particularly appropriate for researchers using feminist, critical or other frameworks that encourage readers to consider issues of power and privilege. Gender researchers using qualitative inquiry are able to select from within a multitude of qualitative approaches to address the purpose of any given research study. The availability of so many approaches makes it challenging to provide one set of "best practices" for qualitative inquiry. The purpose of the present paper is to address this challenge by providing a combination of general and approach-specific guidelines for authors who aspire to write qualitative original research articles for publication in Sex Roles. I begin by providing broad guidelines, follow with approach-specific considerations, and finish the paper with advice related to common practices in qualitative research reporting. I also provide a sample of authoritative sources authors might wish to consult and cite in their research papers.

https://ift.tt/2wXXdkL

Feminist ≠ Feminine? Feminist Women Are Visually Masculinized Whereas Feminist Men Are Feminized

Abstract

Many people hold negative stereotypes about feminists. Verbally, feminist women are often described in masculine terms whereas feminist men tend to be described in feminine terms. Here, we demonstrate that these effects extend to a fundamental perceptual level, more specifically, to the domain of face perception even in Norway, the most gender-egalitarian country of the world. Four studies were conducted using a data-driven reverse-correlation technique to test how feminist women and men are visually represented. In Studies 1 (n = 123) and 2 (n = 61), Norwegians had more masculine-looking and less feminine-looking visual representations of feminist women as compared to women with moderate gender-related beliefs or other activist identities (i.e., the control conditions). These effects, which were particularly pronounced among male participants and those with stronger hostile sexist beliefs, further explained why feminist women were perceived as threatening. In Studies 3 (n = 131) and 4 (n = 74), participants had a less masculine-looking visual representation of feminist men as compared to the control condition. This effect was especially pronounced among female participants. In addition, effects were again moderated by hostile sexism, such that participants with stronger hostile sexist beliefs visualized the feminist man as less masculine than the man in the control condition. In sum, the results suggest that people have asymmetrically gendered visual representations of feminist women and men. Feminist women are visually represented as more masculine whereas the opposite is true for feminist men. We discuss our findings in light of women's and men's reluctance to identify as feminists and suggest potential interventions to change biased visual representations of feminists.

https://ift.tt/2Iy6m8V

Good Evidence That HPV Vaccines Protect Against Cervical Precancer

THURSDAY, May 17, 2018 -- Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines protect against cervical precancer in adolescent girls and young women, according to a review published online May 9 in the Cochrane Library. Marc Arbyn, M.D., from the Belgian Cancer...

https://ift.tt/2rXp7Ix

FDA Approves Non-Opioid Treatment for Opioid Withdrawal

THURSDAY, May 17, 2018 -- Lucemyra (lofexidine hydrochloride) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat symptoms of opioid withdrawal. Lucemyra, an oral selective alpha 2-adrenergic receptor agonist, limits the body's...

https://ift.tt/2GzFqA1

Acute Kidney Injury in Hospital Ups Risk of Later Heart Failure

THURSDAY, May 17, 2018 -- Acute kidney injury (AKI) is independently associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular events, especially heart failure, after hospital discharge, according to a study published online May 17 in the Clinical Journal of...

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U.S. Nursing Home Costs Due to Diabetes Vary Greatly by State

THURSDAY, May 17, 2018 -- Diabetes-attributable nursing home costs are substantial, but vary greatly across the nation, according to a study published online May 14 in Diabetes Care. Simon J. Neuwahl, M.S.P.H., from RTI International in Research...

https://ift.tt/2GE6OwM

Clopidogrel + Aspirin Cuts Ischemic Events in Stroke, TIA

THURSDAY, May 17, 2018 -- The combination of clopidogrel and aspirin is associated with reduced risk of major ischemic events but increased risk of major hemorrhage among patients with minor ischemic stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack...

https://ift.tt/2IxuNn0

Non‐adjacent Dependencies Processing in Human and Non‐human Primates

Cognitive Science, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2wWLvGS

Historical overview of lymphangiogenesis

Domenico Ribatti

https://ift.tt/2x1cHVa

Induced endometrial trauma (endometrial scratch) in the mid-luteal menstrual cycle phase preceding first cycle IVF/ICSI versus usual IVF/ICSI therapy: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Introduction

Endometrial trauma commonly known as endometrial scratch (ES) has been shown to improve pregnancy rates in women with a history of repeated implantation failure undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF), with or without intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). However, the procedure has not yet been fully explored in women having IVF/ICSI for the first time. This study aims to examine the effect of performing an ES in the mid-luteal phase prior to a first-time IVF/ICSI cycle on the chances of achieving a clinical pregnancy and live birth. If ES can influence this success rate, there would be a significant cost saving to the National Health Service through decreasing the number of IVF/ICSI cycles necessary to achieve a pregnancy, increase the practice of single embryo transfer and consequently have a large impact on risks and costs associated with multiple pregnancies.

Methods and analysis

This 30-month, UK, multicentre, parallel group, randomised controlled trial includes a 9-month internal pilot and health economic analysis recruiting 1044 women from 16 fertility units. It will follow up participants to identify if IVF/ICSI has been successful and live birth has occurred up to 6 weeks post partum. Primary analysis will be on an intention-to-treat basis. A substudy of endometrial samples obtained during the ES will assess the role of immune factors in embryo implantation. Main trial recruitment commenced on January 2017 and is ongoing.

Participants randomised to the intervention group will receive the ES procedure in the mid-luteal phase of the preceding cycle prior to first-time IVF/ICSI treatment versus usual IVF/ICSI treatment in the control group, with 1:1 randomisation. The primary outcome is live birth rate after completed 24 weeks gestation.

Ethics and dissemination

South Central—Berkshire Research Ethics Committee approved the protocol. Findings will be submitted to peer-reviewed journals and abstracts to relevant national and international conferences.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN23800982; Pre-results.

https://ift.tt/2k9F6in

Teaching the relationship between health and climate change: a systematic scoping review protocol

Introduction

The observed and projected impacts of climate change on human health are significant. While climate change has gathered global momentum and is taught frequently, the extent to which the relationships between climate change and health are taught remains uncertain. Education provides an opportunity to create public engagement on these issues, but the extent to which historical implementation of climate health education could be leveraged is not well understood. To address this gap, we propose to conduct a scoping review of all forms of teaching that have been used to illustrate the health effects of climate change between 2005 and 2017, coinciding with a turning point in the public health and climate change agendas following the 2005 Group of 7/8 (G7/8) Summit.

Methods and analysis

Using Arksey/O'Malley's and Levac's methodological framework, MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Education Resource Information Centre, Web of Science, Global Health, Health Management Information Consortium, Georef, Ebsco and PROSPERO will be systematically searched. Predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria will be applied by two independent reviewers to determine study eligibility. Studies published in English and after 2005 only will be examined. Following selection of studies, data will be extracted and analysed.

Ethics and dissemination

No ethical approval is required as exclusively secondary data will be used. Our findings will be communicated to the European Institute of Innovation & Technology Health-Knowledge and Innovation Communities to assist in the development of a FutureLearn Massive Open Online Course on the health effects of climate change.

https://ift.tt/2s4JhQn

Effect of multimorbidity on survival of patients diagnosed with heart failure: a retrospective cohort study in Singapore

Objective

Multimorbidity in patients with heart failure (HF) results in poor prognosis and is an increasing public health concern. We aim to examine the effect of multimorbidity focusing on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) on all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-specific mortality among patients diagnosed with HF in Singapore.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Primary and tertiary care in three (out of six) Regional Health Systems in Singapore.

Participants

Patients diagnosed with HF between 2003 and 2016 from three restructured hospitals and nine primary care polyclinics were included in this retrospective cohort study.

Primary outcomes

All-cause mortality and CVD-specific mortality.

Results

A total of 34 460 patients diagnosed with HF from 2003 to 2016 were included in this study and were followed up until 31 December 2016. The median follow-up time was 2.1 years. Comorbidities prior to HF diagnosis were considered. Patients were categorised as (1) HF only, (2) T2DM+HF, (3) CKD+HF and (4) T2DM+CKD+HF. Cox regression model was used to determine the effect of multimorbidity on (1) all-cause mortality and (2) CVD-specific mortality. Adjusting for demographics, other comorbidities, baseline treatment and duration of T2DM prior to HF diagnosis, 'T2DM+CKD+HF' patients had a 56% higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR: 1.56, 95% CI 1.48 to 1.63) and a 44% higher risk of CVD-specific mortality (HR: 1.44, 95% CI 1.32 to 1.56) compared with patients diagnosed with HF only.

Conclusion

All-cause and CVD-specific mortality risks increased with increasing multimorbidity. This study highlights the need for a new model of care that focuses on holistic patient management rather than disease management alone to improve survival among patients with HF with multimorbidity.

https://ift.tt/2k9EPMn

Relationships between functional fitness and cognitive impairment in Chinese community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between each functional fitness (FF) domain and cognitive impairment (CI) in Chinese community-dwelling older adults.

Design

A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted.

Setting

Participants were selected by multistage stratified random sampling in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, Central China, during December 2015–May 2016.

Participants

A total of 2096 (1031 male and 1065 female) adults older than 65 years were included in our study. Exclusion criteria were age <65 years, losing self-living ability, previously diagnosed with dementia by a neurological physician, severe physical pain, congestive heart failure, dizziness and uncontrolled hypertension (exceeding 160/100 mm Hg).

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The Senior Fitness Test and the Mini-Mental State Examination were used to measure FF (including 30 s chair stand, 30 s arm curl, 2 min step, 8 foot up-and-go, chair sit-and-reach and back scratch) and screen CI, respectively. Activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living questionnaires were administered to evaluate functional status (FS).

Results

32.16% were classified as the CI group. The results showed that the CI group had significantly lower frequency of 30 s chair stand, 30 s arm curl and 2 min step, and longer time to complete the 8 foot up-and-go, shorter chair sit-and-reach and back scratch distance than the non-CI adults (p<0.05). Except for back scratch, older adults with moderate and high levels of FF were less likely to have CI than those with low levels, adjusted by sociodemographics, chronic disease, health condition, health behaviour and FS (p<0.05).

Conclusions

The relationship between FF and CI was independent of FS decline in Chinese community-dwelling older people.

https://ift.tt/2rXDT1b

Evaluation of an intervention programme addressing ability to perform activities of daily living among persons with chronic conditions: study protocol for a feasibility trial (ABLE)

Introduction

The number of persons living with a chronic condition is increasing worldwide. Conditions are considered chronic when lasting 1 year or more and requiring ongoing medical attention and/or limiting activities of daily living (ADL). Besides medical treatment, physical exercise to improve body functions is recommended and prescribed. However, improvements in body functions do not necessarily improve ability to perform ADL. Thus, it is necessary to develop interventions aiming directly at enhancing ADL ability. As a part of the research programme 'A Better Everyday Life', the first version of the ABLE intervention programme was developed.

Methods and analysis

This feasibility study examine the perceived value and acceptability of the ABLE programme by evaluating the fidelity, reach, dose and potential outcomes using a pretest and post-test design involving 30 persons living with chronic conditions. Qualitative interviews among occupational therapists delivering and participants receiving the ABLE programme will be conducted to explore aspects affecting the intervention.

Ethics and dissemination

The results will form the base for refinement of the ABLE programme and planning of a large-scale randomised controlled trial investigating the effect of the programme on self-reported and observed ADL ability. Dissemination will include peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national and international conferences.

Protocol version

7 November 2017: v ersion 1.0. 19 February 2018: v ersion 2.0.

Trial registration number

NCT03335709; Pre-results.

https://ift.tt/2k9XnvW

Adolescent self-consent for vaccinations: protocol for a mixed methods systematic review

Introduction

The recent global expansion of routine adolescent vaccination programmes has the potential to protect young people against the acquisition of infectious disease and improve their health. Although in many countries the legal framework supports young people to provide consent for medical interventions if they are considered competent, written parental consent can act as a barrier to uptake as it is frequently a condition of adolescent vaccination programmes. The aim of this systematic review protocol is to document the methods which will be used to identify, appraise and synthesise the available qualitative and quantitative evidence to address: (1) whether implementation of adolescent self-consent procedures can increase vaccination uptake and (2) the barriers and facilitators to implementation of adolescent self-consent procedures.

Methods and analysis

Comprehensive search strategy of all relevant electronic databases for both qualitative and quantitative studies using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. At least two authors will independently review titles and abstracts, extract data and assess the methodological quality of eligible primary studies, resolving disagreements by consensus. Quantitative studies will be reported narratively and where possible pooled in a meta-analysis using a random-effects model. The findings of qualitative primary studies will be extracted, interpreted and synthesised to identify overarching themes as well as similarities and differences within those themes.

Ethics and dissemination

As this systematic review involves analysis of secondary data, the study does not require ethical approvals. We will use our findings to assess whether the evidence supports the hypothesis that self-consent procedures can increase coverage of adolescent vaccination programmes. We will identify barriers and facilitators to the implementation of adolescent self-consent for vaccination and make recommendations for policy makers and practitioners in relation to consent procedures within vaccination programmes for young people.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42017084509.

https://ift.tt/2s0fKHr

Public attitudes in England towards the sharing of personal data following a mass casualty incident: a cross-sectional study

Objectives

To assess public attitudes towards data sharing to facilitate a mental health screening programme for people caught up in a mass casualty incident.

Design

Two, identical, cross-sectional, online surveys, using quotas to ensure demographic representativeness of people aged 18–65 years in England. Participants were randomly allocated to consider a scenario in which they witness a terrorism-related radiation incident or mass shooting, after which a police officer records their contact details.

Setting

Participants were drawn from an online panel maintained by a market research company. Surveys were conducted before and immediately after a series of terrorist attacks and a large tower block fire occurred in England.

Participants

One thousand people aged 18–65 years participated in each survey.

Main outcome measures

Three questions asking participants if it would be acceptable for police to share their contact details, without asking first, with 'a health-related government organisation, so they can send you a questionnaire to find out if you might benefit from extra care or support', 'a specialist NHS team, to provide you with information about ways to get support for any physical or mental health issues' and 'your GP, so they can check how you are doing'.

Results

A minority of participants reported that it would be definitely not acceptable for their details to be shared with the government organisation (n=259, 13.0%), the National Health Service (NHS) (n=141, 7.1%) and their general practitioner (GP) (n=166, 8.3%). There was a small, but significant increase in acceptability for the radiation incident compared with the mass shooting. No major differences were observed between the preincident and postincident surveys.

Conclusions

Although most people believe it is acceptable for their details to be shared in order to facilitate a mental health response to a major incident, care must be taken to communicate with those affected about how their information will be used.

https://ift.tt/2kdmHBx

Severe outcomes associated with respiratory viruses in newborns and infants: a prospective viral surveillance study in Jordan

Objective

To assess virus-specific hospitalisation rates, risk factors for illness severity and seasonal trends in children hospitalised with acute respiratory infections (ARI).

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

A government hospital serving low-income and middle-income population in Amman, Jordan.

Participants

Children under 2 years of age hospitalised with fever and/or respiratory symptoms (n=3168) from 16 March 2010 to 31 March 2013. Children with chemotherapy-associated neutropenia and newborns who had never been discharged after birth were excluded from the study.

Outcome measures

Hospitalisation rates and markers of illness severity: admission to intensive care unit (ICU), mechanical ventilation (MV), oxygen therapy, length of stay (LOS) and death.

Results

Of the 3168 subjects, 2581 (82%) had at least one respiratory virus detected, with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) being the most predominant pathogen isolated. During admission, 1013 (32%) received oxygen therapy, 284 (9%) were admitted to ICU, 111 (4%) were placed on MV and 31 (1%) children died. Oxygen therapy was higher in RSV-only subjects compared with human rhinovirus-only (42%vs29%, p<0.001), adenovirus-only (42%vs21%, p<0.001) and human parainfluenza virus-only (42%vs23%, p<0.001) subjects. The presence of an underlying medical condition was associated with oxygen therapy (adjusted OR (aOR) 1.95, 95% CI 1.49 to 2.56), ICU admission (aOR 2.51, 95% CI 1.71 to 3.68), MV (aOR 1.91, 95% CI 1.11 to 3.28) and longer LOS (aOR1.71, 95% CI 1.37 to 2.13). Similarly, younger age was associated with oxygen therapy (0.23, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.31), ICU admission (aOR 0.47, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.74), MV (0.28, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.53) and longer LOS (aOR 0.47, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.59). Pneumonia was strongly associated with longer LOS (aOR 2.07, 95% CI 1.65 to 2.60), oxygen therapy (aOR 2.94, 95% CI 2.22 to 3.89), ICU admission (aOR 3.12, 95% CI 2.16 to 4.50) and MV (aOR 3.33, 95% CI 1.85 to 6.00). Virus-specific hospitalisation rates ranged from 0.5 to 10.5 per 1000 children.

Conclusion

Respiratory viruses are associated with severe illness in Jordanian children hospitalised with ARI. Prevention strategies such as extended breast feeding, increased access to palivizumab and RSV vaccine development could help decrease hospitalisation rates and illness severity, particularly in young children with underlying medical conditions.

https://ift.tt/2rWN81G

Improving predictive asthma algorithms with modelled environment data for Scotland: an observational cohort study protocol

Introduction

Asthma has a considerable, but potentially, avoidable burden on many populations globally. Scotland has some of the poorest health outcomes from asthma. Although ambient pollution, weather changes and sociodemographic factors have been associated with asthma attacks, it remains unclear whether modelled environment data and geospatial information can improve population-based asthma predictive algorithms. We aim to create the afferent loop of a national learning health system for asthma in Scotland. We will investigate the associations between ambient pollution, meteorological, geospatial and sociodemographic factors and asthma attacks.

Methods and Analysis

We will develop and implement a secured data governance and linkage framework to incorporate primary care health data, modelled environment data, geospatial population and sociodemographic data. Data from 75 recruited primary care practices (n=500 000 patients) in Scotland will be used. Modelled environment data on key air pollutants at a horizontal resolution of 5 kmx5 km at hourly time steps will be generated using the EMEP4UK atmospheric chemistry transport modelling system for the datazones of the primary care practices' populations. Scottish population census and education databases will be incorporated into the linkage framework for analysis. We will then undertake a longitudinal retrospective observational analysis. Asthma outcomes include asthma hospitalisations and oral steroid prescriptions. Using a nested case–control study design, associations between all covariates will be measured using conditional logistic regression to account for the matched design and to identify suitable predictors and potential candidate algorithms for an asthma learning health system in Scotland.

Findings from this study will contribute to the development of predictive algorithms for asthma outcomes and be used to form the basis for our learning health system prototype.

Ethics and dissemination

The study received National Health Service Research Ethics Committee approval (16/SS/0130) and also obtained permissions via the Public Benefit and Privacy Panel for Health and Social Care in Scotland to access, collate and use the following data sets: population and housing census for Scotland; Scottish education data via the Scottish Exchange of Data and primary care data from general practice Data Custodians. Analytic code will be made available in the open source GitHub website. The results of this study will be published in international peer reviewed journals.

https://ift.tt/2kd4pAk

Neighbourhood socioeconomic position and risks of major chronic diseases and all-cause mortality: a quasi-experimental study

Objectives

This study estimated the health impacts of neighbourhood socioeconomic position (SEP) among public housing residents. Because applicants to public housing were assigned to housing projects primarily based on factors other than personal choice, we capitalised on a quasirandom source of variation in neighbourhood of residence to obtain more valid estimates of the health impacts of neighbourhood SEP.

Design

Quasiexperimental study.

Setting

Greater Metropolitan Toronto area, Canada.

Participants

Residents (24 019–28 858 adults age ≥30 years in 1994 for all outcomes except for asthma, for which the sample was expanded to 66 627 individuals age ≥4 years) of public housing on 1 January 1994.

Outcome measures

Incident hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and acute myocardial infarction (MI) and all-cause mortality between 1 January 1994 and 31 December 2006. We used multivariate Cox proportional hazards models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for the associations between the quartile of census tract-level SEP and the risk of diagnosis of each health outcome as well as death from any cause.

Results

Living in a public housing project in the second highest neighbourhood SEP quartile (Q3) was associated with lower hazards of acute MI (HR=0.76, 95% CI 0.54 to 1.07; P=0.11), incident asthma (HR=0.80, 95% CI 0.67 to 0.96; P=0.02) and all-cause mortality (HR=0.86, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.01; P=0.06) compared to living in the lowest neighbourhood SEP quartile (Q1), although only the trend for incident asthma reached statistical significance (P for trend=0.04). By contrast, the associations corresponding to living in the highest versus lowest quartile of median household income (Q4 vs Q1) were neither consistent in direction nor significant. The inconsistent associations may partly be attributed to selection and status incongruity.

Conclusion

This study provides new evidence compatible with protective influences of higher neighbourhood SEP on health outcomes, particularly asthma.

https://ift.tt/2rWMQrC

CDC: Number of U.S. Births Dropped to 30-Year Low in 2017

THURSDAY, May 17, 2018 -- The number of U.S. births decreased in 2017, reaching a 30-year low, according to a report published online May 17 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. Brady E....

https://ift.tt/2IBlYc1

Healthful Diet Linked to Reduced Risk of Hearing Loss in Women

THURSDAY, May 17, 2018 -- For women, adherence to healthful dietary patterns is associated with reduced risk of hearing loss, according to a study published online May 11 in the Journal of Nutrition. Sharon G. Curhan, M.D., from Brigham and Women's...

https://ift.tt/2GE0ZPW

Sustained Use of Oxymetazoline Cream Efficacious for Rosacea

THURSDAY, May 17, 2018 -- Oxymetazoline is safe and effective for the treatment of moderate-to-severe persistent erythema of rosacea, according to a study published in the June issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Zoe Diana...

https://ift.tt/2rXxy6A

Budesonide-Formoterol Used As Needed Beneficial in Mild Asthma

THURSDAY, May 17, 2018 -- Inhaled combined budesonide-formoterol used as needed is beneficial for mild asthma, according to two studies published in the May 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Paul M. O'Byrne, from McMaster University...

https://ift.tt/2wWI5E2

ASCO: Few Eligible Smokers Had CT Screen for Lung CA in 2016

THURSDAY, May 17, 2018 -- In 2016, only 1.9 percent of the 7.6 million eligible smokers were screened for lung cancer, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, held from June 1 to 5 in...

https://ift.tt/2IxLHln

Aerobic + Strength Exercise Doesn't Slow Cognitive Decline

THURSDAY, May 17, 2018 -- An aerobic and strength exercise program does not slow cognitive impairment among people with mild-to-moderate dementia, according to a study published online May 16 in The BMJ. Sarah E. Lamb, D.Phil., from the University...

https://ift.tt/2GCsdGn

More Variants in DCM-Tied Genes in Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy

THURSDAY, May 17, 2018 -- Patients with alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM) have more variants in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)-associated genes than those without ACM, according to a study published in the May 22 issue of the Journal of the American...

https://ift.tt/2rVpRxN

Confirmatory Testing Follows ER Use of Ultrasound

THURSDAY, May 17, 2018 -- Emergency room physicians report that their use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is usually followed by confirmatory testing, according to a study published online May 8 in the Journal of Clinical Ultrasound. Mohamad...

https://ift.tt/2GBjtAf

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Efficacy Varies by Sex

THURSDAY, May 17, 2018 -- For patients with advanced cancers, treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors is associated with improved overall survival, with the magnitude of the benefit sex-dependent, according to research published online May 16 in...

https://ift.tt/2rW5EIa

Seafood Recommended 1 to 2 Times/Week for Cardiac Benefit

THURSDAY, May 17, 2018 -- One to two servings of seafood per week is recommended for cardiovascular benefits, according to an American Heart Association science advisory published online May 17 in Circulation. Eric B. Rimm, Sc.D., from the Harvard...

https://ift.tt/2wV0VM4

Dietary antioxidant intake and the risk of developing Barrett’s oesophagus and oesophageal adenocarcinoma

Dietary antioxidant intake and the risk of developing Barrett's oesophagus and oesophageal adenocarcinoma

Dietary antioxidant intake and the risk of developing Barrett's oesophagus and oesophageal adenocarcinoma, Published online: 21 May 2018; doi:10.1038/s41416-018-0113-y

Dietary antioxidant intake and the risk of developing Barrett's oesophagus and oesophageal adenocarcinoma

https://ift.tt/2IB2LD9

Author Correction: Telomere length and genetics are independent colorectal tumour risk factors in an evaluation of biomarkers in normal bowel

Author Correction: Telomere length and genetics are independent colorectal tumour risk factors in an evaluation of biomarkers in normal bowel

Author Correction: Telomere length and genetics are independent colorectal tumour risk factors in an evaluation of biomarkers in normal bowel, Published online: 21 May 2018; doi:10.1038/s41416-018-0111-0

Author Correction: Telomere length and genetics are independent colorectal tumour risk factors in an evaluation of biomarkers in normal bowel

https://ift.tt/2rWitCx

Author Correction: The predictive and prognostic potential of plasma telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) RNA in rectal cancer patients

Author Correction: The predictive and prognostic potential of plasma telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) RNA in rectal cancer patients

Author Correction: The predictive and prognostic potential of plasma telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) RNA in rectal cancer patients, Published online: 21 May 2018; doi:10.1038/s41416-018-0067-0

Author Correction: The predictive and prognostic potential of plasma telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) RNA in rectal cancer patients

https://ift.tt/2IVoc4Z

Comprehensive Quality Control of the Regenerative Therapy Using Platelet Concentrates: The Current Situation and Prospects in Japan

Platelet concentrates (PCs), represented by platelet-rich plasma (PRP), have been widely applied in the fields of regenerative and aesthetic therapies. PCs' mechanisms of action, however, are too complicated, and it is not easy to present the whole picture; besides, clinical outcomes are hardly reproducible in many cases. Therefore, several medically advanced countries seemingly intend to regulate PC therapies weakly or strictly because of the increasing popularity. Japan established laws and regulations for PC therapy in the "Act on the Safety of Regenerative Medicine" along with the "Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices and Other Therapeutic Products Act" in 2014, which, to our knowledge, represent the strictest regulatory framework for production and therapeutic use of PCs in the world. According to these laws and regulations, PCs produced for topical use should be prepared as cell-based medicinal products, essentially as should stem cells, in accordance with their registered ("licensed" under actual conditions) standard operating procedures. Nonetheless, criteria for their quality are not standardized. In this review, we discuss the quality of PC preparations by focusing on the basic concept and regulatory framework of regenerative medicine in Japan. Within the new framework, PC therapy is regulated by a specific notification and registration system, as is stem cell therapy. In comparison with the latter, however, risk factors that hamper successful PC therapy are much fewer. Via appropriate evaluation of patients' conditions and whole-blood samples by simple and sensitive but not yet fully standardized assays, it is theoretically possible that PC quality will be controlled nearly completely. In addition to or instead of standardization of preparation protocols, standardization of preoperative examination of individual PC preparations is an urgent task for improving and guaranteeing the safety and efficacy of PC therapy.

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Author Correction: The predictive and prognostic potential of plasma telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) RNA in rectal cancer patients

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Dietary antioxidant intake and the risk of developing Barrett’s oesophagus and oesophageal adenocarcinoma

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Author Correction: Telomere length and genetics are independent colorectal tumour risk factors in an evaluation of biomarkers in normal bowel

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Procalcitonin-Guided Use of Antibiotics for Lower Respiratory Tract Infection

New England Journal of Medicine, Ahead of Print.


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Procalcitonin-Guided Use of Antibiotics for Lower Respiratory Tract Infection

New England Journal of Medicine, Ahead of Print.


https://ift.tt/2KGJuAQ

Determination of Protein Expression Level in Cultured Cells by Immunocytochemistry on Paraffin-embedded Cell Blocks

Currently, immunofluorescent staining on fixed cells is the method of choice for determination of protein expression levels when morphological information is also necessary. This protocol presented herein provides for an alternative method of immunocytochemistry on paraffin-embedded cell blocks.

https://ift.tt/2GwTXMJ

Emergency Undocking in Robotic Surgery: A Simulation Curriculum

This training platform is designed to allow robotic surgeons to develop the skills necessary to lead an interprofessional team in emergency undocking of the robotic system. Training includes the utilization of the technology and equipment to perform an emergency undocking, as well as delineation of roles for such a scenario.

https://ift.tt/2rVSURb

Methodology for Accurate Detection of Mitochondrial DNA Methylation

Here, we present a protocol to allow accurate quantification of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) methylation. In this protocol, we describe an enzymatic digestion of DNA with BamHI coupled with a bioinformatic analysis pipeline which can be used to avoid overestimation of mtDNA methylation levels caused by the secondary structure of mtDNA.

https://ift.tt/2kaiNcv

Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators

This article describes the microfluidic process and parameters to prepare actuating particles from liquid crystalline elastomers. This process allows the preparation of actuating particles and the variation of their size and shape (from oblate to strongly prolate, core-shell, and Janus morphologies) as well as the magnitude of actuation.

https://ift.tt/2x6N3yr

Stress Distribution During Cold Compression of Rocks and Mineral Aggregates Using Synchrotron-based X-Ray Diffraction

We report detailed procedures for compression experiments on rocks and mineral aggregates within a multi-anvil deformation apparatus coupled with synchrotron X-radiation. Such experiments allow quantification of the stress distribution within samples, that ultimately sheds light on compaction processes in geomaterials.

https://ift.tt/2rVUKSZ

Diagnostic Accuracy of Magnifying Endoscopy with Narrow Band Imaging and Its Diagnostic Value for Invasion Depth Staging in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background and Goals. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of magnifying endoscopy with narrow band imaging (ME-NBI) and determine its value for invasion depth staging in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Methods. We searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases and found relevant studies published up to December 2016. Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 was used to evaluate the quality of the studies. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood values from forest plots and determined summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC) curves for ME-NBI diagnostic accuracy analysis. Results. Ten studies met our criteria and were selected for this meta-analysis. A total of 1,033 patients underwent ME-NBI, and 207 of these patients received a diagnosis of staging mucosal or submucosal invasion. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood values of ME-NBI for the diagnostic rate were 0.90 (95% CI, 0.71–0.97), 0.90 (95% CI, 0.80–0.95), 6.74 (95% CI, 3.52–712.89), and 0.20 (95% CI, 0.10–0.42), respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.95 for all studies. Conclusions. ME-NBI provides a high diagnostic rate in evaluating the esophagus to diagnose squamous cell carcinoma. In the differentiation for invasion depth staging, ME-NBI was demonstrated to be superior to white light endoscopy and had a similar diagnostic rate compared with HF-EUS. However, HF-EUS had high positive likelihood values for invasion depth staging, suggesting that HF-EUS is a reliable method for confirming invasion depth staging.

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Acupuncture Therapy for Functional Effects and Quality of Life in COPD Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapy (AT) for improving functional effects and quality of life in COPD patients. Methods. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chongqing VIP (CQVIP), and Wanfang Data were searched. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effect of AT on COPD patients were included. Primary outcome measures included six-minute walk distance (6MWD) and St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were independently conducted, respectively. Statistical analysis was conducted by RevMan software (version 5.3) and Stata software (version 12.0). Results. Nineteen studies (1298 participants) were included. 6MWD improved more (MD: 47.84; 95% CI: 23.33 to 72.35; = 3.83, ) and effective rate was higher (OR: 2.26; 95% CI: 1.43 to 3.58; = 3.48, ) in the experimental group compared to the control group. Symptom domain scores (MD: −24.86; 95% CI: −32.17 to −17.55; = 6.66, ), activity domain scores (MD: −16.52; 95% CI: −22.57 to −10.47; = 5.36, ) and impact domain scores (MD: −13.07; 95% CI: −17.23 to −8.92; = 6.16, ) of SGRQ in the experimental group improved more compared to the control group. There was no significant improvement in SGRQ total scores between two groups. The improvement of FEV1 was not significant between two groups, yet subgroup analysis showed that patients treated with AT adjunctive to other treatments improved more in FEV1 (MD: 0.41; 95% CI: 0.28 to 0.54; = 6.01, ) compared to those treated with other treatments alone. Conclusion. AT may be effective in improving functional effects and quality of life in COPD patients. Besides, AT may also improve pulmonary function of patients with COPD. However, further high-quality RCTs are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of AT for COPD patients.

https://ift.tt/2wVnu33

HSP90: A Novel Target Gene of miRNA-628-3p in A549 Cells

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in the world. MicroRNA- (miR-) 628-3p plays critical roles in many cancers, including lung cancer. We investigated how miR-628-3p affected migration and apoptosis in A549 cells. We used bioinformatics algorithms to predict the miR-628-3p target gene to study the molecular mechanism by which miR-628-3p contributes to lung cancer. Then, we used the luciferase reporter assay to identify whether heat shock protein 90a (HSP90) is a direct target of miR-628-3p. Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR showed that miR-628-3p downregulated HSP90a protein expression via a posttranscriptional mechanism. We confirm that miR-628-3p promotes apoptosis and inhibits migration in A549 cells by negatively regulating HSP90. Our results may reveal a novel strategy for lung cancer treatment.

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Chronic Pulmonary Histoplasmosis Identified in a Young Patient with Selective Immunoglobulin M Deficiency

Chronic histoplasmosis is typically diagnosed in patients who are immunocompromised or severely debilitated and who either live in or who have travelled to endemic areas. We report the case of a young, otherwise immunocompetent male patient who presented to a New York hospital with lobar consolidation and was found to have chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis. He described no history of travel to an endemic area. Immunological workup later revealed selective immunoglobulin M (IgM) deficiency. The literature has suggested a link between IgM deficiency and fungal infections. Recent research has also proposed a link between autoimmunity and IgM deficiency. Our clinical vignette describes the case of a patient with selective IgM deficiency who was diagnosed with pulmonary histoplasmosis without any clinical evidence of autoimmune disease.

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Risk Factors for the Completion of the Cold Loop Hysteroscopic Myomectomy in a One-Step Procedure: A Post Hoc Analysis

Introduction. The aim of the study was to analyze which variables influenced the completion of a cold loop hysteroscopic myomectomy in a one-step procedure in a large cohort of patients. Materials and Methods. A retrospective cohort study of 1434 cold loop resectoscopic myomectomies consecutively performed. The study population was divided into two groups according to the number of procedures needed to accomplish the treatment. Variables influencing the completion of hysteroscopic myomectomy in a one-step procedure were investigated. Results. A total of 1434 resections were performed and 1690 myomas in total were removed. The procedure was accomplished in a one-step procedure in 1017 patients (83.7%), whereas 198 women (16.3%) needed a multiple-step procedure. The multivariate analysis showed that the size, the number of myomas, and the age of patients were significantly correlated with the risk of a multiple-step procedure. No correlation was revealed with the grading of myomas, parity, and the use of presurgical GnRH-agonist therapy. Conclusions. In case of multiple fibroids, the intramural development of submucous myomas did not influence the completion of cold loop hysteroscopic myomectomy in a one-step procedure. The size of myomas and the age of patients were significantly correlated with the need to complete the myomectomy in a multiple-step procedure.

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High Intraspecific Genetic Diversity of Nocardia brasiliensis, a Pathogen Responsible for Cutaneous Nocardiosis Found in France: Phylogenetic Relationships by Using sod and hsp65 Genes

This study aims at genetic characterization and phylogenetic relationships of Nocardia brasiliensis focusing by using housekeeping rrs, hsp65, and sodA genes. N. brasiliensis is the species responsible for 80% of cases of actinomycetoma, one form of cutaneous nocardiosis which occurs mainly in tropical regions reaching immunocompetent patients in which the disease can lead to amputation. We analyze 36 indigenous cases of N. brasiliensis that happened in France. Phylogenetic analysis targeting rrs gene showed no robustness at phylogenetic nodes level. However, the use of a concatenation of hsp65 and sodA genes showed that the tested strains surprisingly ranked in 3 well-defined genotypes. Genotypes 2 and 3 were phylogenetically closer to each other and both diverged from genotype 1 sustained by a high bootstrap of 81%. This last genotype hosts all the cases of pulmonary forms (3), the sole cerebral form, and almost all the cases of immunocompromised patients (3 out of 4). Moreover, excepting one of them, all the strains belonging to this group present a susceptibility to imipenem which is not the case in the other genotypes that rarely count among them strains being susceptible to this drug. The haplotype diversity (Hd) of hsp65 (0.927) and sodA (0.885) genes was higher than that of rrs (0.824). For this gene, we obtained 16 polymorphic sites whereas, for hsp65 and sodA genes, up to 27 and 29 were identified, respectively. This study reveals that these two genes have an important genetic discriminatory power for the evaluation of the intraspecies genetic variability of N. brasiliensis and they may be useful for identification purposes at species level. This study also reveals the possible existence of a new species harbored by genotype 1.

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Fermented Citrus Lemon Reduces Liver Injury Induced by Carbon Tetrachloride in Rats

Fermented lemon juice displays a variety of important biological activities, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capabilities. The aim of the present study is to investigate hepatic-protective effects of no-sugar-added fermented lemon juice (FLJ) for liver inflammation caused by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in rats. Rats are divided into six groups: H2O, CCl4 + H2O, CCl4 + silymarin, and CCl4 plus three different FLJ doses by oral administration, respectively. The results show that the contents of plasma ALT and AST, hepatic lipid peroxidation, splenomegaly, and liver water are reduced significantly in rats under FLJ treatment, and pathological examination of liver fibrosis is improved. The reduced hepatic injury by increasing liver soluble protein and glutathione and albumin is observed in FLJ treated groups, and FLJ has comparable efficacies to medicine silymarin in liver therapies. The no-sugar-added FLJ differs from traditional fermentation by adding lots of sugar and prevents any hidden sugar intake while taking it as a complimentary treatment for liver inflammation. The green color and the taste of sourness are both associated with treating and healing the liver based on the five-element theory in traditional Chinese medicine, and the green and sour FLJ may be applied to the ancient theory in preventing hepatic injury accordingly.

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Anatomical Thin Titanium Mesh Plate Structural Optimization for Zygomatic-Maxillary Complex Fracture under Fatigue Testing

This study performs a structural optimization of anatomical thin titanium mesh (ATTM) plate and optimal designed ATTM plate fabricated using additive manufacturing (AM) to verify its stabilization under fatigue testing. Finite element (FE) analysis was used to simulate the structural bending resistance of a regular ATTM plate. The Taguchi method was employed to identify the significance of each design factor in controlling the deflection and determine an optimal combination of designed factors. The optimal designed ATTM plate with patient-matched facial contour was fabricated using AM and applied to a ZMC comminuted fracture to evaluate the resting maxillary micromotion/strain under fatigue testing. The Taguchi analysis found that the ATTM plate required a designed internal hole distance to be 0.9 mm, internal hole diameter to be 1 mm, plate thickness to be 0.8 mm, and plate height to be 10 mm. The designed plate thickness factor primarily dominated the bending resistance up to 78% importance. The averaged micromotion (displacement) and strain of the maxillary bone showed that ZMC fracture fixation using the miniplate was significantly higher than those using the AM optimal designed ATTM plate. This study concluded that the optimal designed ATTM plate with enough strength to resist the bending effect can be obtained by combining FE and Taguchi analyses. The optimal designed ATTM plate with patient-matched facial contour fabricated using AM provides superior stabilization for ZMC comminuted fractured bone segments.

https://ift.tt/2kbY9sw

Hepatitis C Virus-Infected Responders and Relapsers to Treatment Show Similar Genetic Profiles of IL28B and IL10 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms

Genotype 1 of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most prevalent worldwide. Pegylated-interferon and ribavirin therapy is still used in the developing world but has less efficiency in this genotype. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs12979860 and rs8099917 (IL28B) and rs1800896, rs1800871, and rs1800872 (IL10) are related to treatment outcome, but previous studies clustered nonresponse and relapse patients. The aim of this study is to analyze the frequency of those SNPs in HCV genotype 1 for response, nonresponse, or relapse. Patients were classified according to treatment outcome. Genomic DNA was extracted by blood samples and SNPs were defined by PCR and sequencing. Data analysis was performed with R project. The frequency of rs12979860 CC was similar among responders (0.48) and relapsers (0.46) and lower among nonresponders (0.18). The same trend was observed for rs8099917 TT. rs12979860 CC showed a protective effect for relapsers compared to nonresponders (OR = 0.25) as it occurs with responders (OR = 0.17). Haplotypes 12979860/C rs8099917/T were associated with protection against the nonresponder phenotype compared to responders (OR = 0.27) or relapsers (OR = 0.37). Frequency of rs12979860 and rs8099917 is different between relapsers and nonresponders, but similar between relapsers and responders.

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Aminophylline and Ephedrine, but Not Flumazenil, Inhibit the Activity of the Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 3 Expressed in Xenopus Oocytes and Reverse the Increased Activity by Propofol

We investigated the effects of flumazenil, aminophylline, and ephedrine on the excitatory amino acid transporter type 3 (EAAT3) activity and the interaction with propofol. EAAT3 was expressed in the Xenopus oocytes. L-Glutamate-induced membrane currents were measured using the two-electrode voltage clamp at various drug concentrations. Oocytes were preincubated with protein kinase C- (PKC-) activator, or inhibitor, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor. To study the interaction with propofol, oocytes were exposed to propofol, propofol + aminophylline, or ephedrine. Aminophylline and ephedrine significantly decreased EAAT3 activity. Aminophylline (95 μM) and ephedrine (1.19 μM) significantly decreased max, but not Km of EAAT3, for glutamate. The phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate-induced increase in EAAT3 activity was abolished by aminophylline or ephedrine. The decreased EAAT3 activities by PKC inhibitors (staurosporine, chelerythrine) and PI3K inhibitor (wortmannin) were not significantly different from those by aminophylline or ephedrine, as well as those by PKC inhibitors or PI3K inhibitor + aminophylline or ephedrine. The enhanced EAAT3 activities induced by propofol were significantly abolished by aminophylline or ephedrine. Aminophylline and ephedrine inhibit EAAT3 activity via PKC and PI3K pathways and abolish the increased EAAT3 activity by propofol. Our results indicate a novel site of action for aminophylline and ephedrine.

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MEGF10, a Glioma Survival-Associated Molecular Signature, Predicts IDH Mutation Status

Glioma is the most common primary brain tumor with various genetic alterations; among which, IDH mutation is the most common mutation and plays an important role in glioma early development, especially in lower grade glioma (LGG, WHO II-III). Previous studies have found that IDH mutation is tightly associated with extensive methylation across whole genome in glioma. To further investigate the role of IDH, we obtained methylation data of 777 samples from CGGA (Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas) and TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) with IDH mutation status available. A package compiled under R language called Tspair was used as the main analytic tool to find potential probes that were significantly affected by IDH mutation. As a result, we found one pair of probes, cg06940792 and cg26025891, which was capable of predicting IDH mutation status precisely. The hypermethylated probe was cg06940792, designed in the promoter region of MEGF10, while the hypomethylated probe was cg26025891, designed in the promoter region of PSTPIP1. Survival analysis proved that hypermethylation or low expression of MEGF10 indicated a favorable prognosis in 983 glioma samples. Moreover, gene ontology analysis demonstrated that MEGF10 was associated with cell migration, cell proliferation, and regulation of apoptosis in glioma. All findings above can be validated in three other independent cohorts. In a word, our results suggested that methylation level and mRNA expression of MEGF10 in glioma were not only correlated with IDH mutation but also associated with clinical outcome of patients, providing potential guide for future dissection of IDH role in glioma.

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Using Drosophila Models of Amyloid Toxicity to Study Autophagy in the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease

Autophagy is a conserved catabolic pathway that involves the engulfment of cytoplasmic components such as large protein aggregates and organelles that are delivered to the lysosome for degradation. This process is important in maintaining neuronal function and raises the possibility of a role for autophagy in neurodegenerative diseases. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of these diseases and is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid plaques in the brain which arise due to the misfolding and aggregation of toxic peptides, including amyloid beta (A). There is substantial evidence from both AD patients and animal models that autophagy is dysregulated in this disease. However, it remains to be determined whether this is protective or pathogenic as there is evidence that autophagy can act to promote the degradation as well as function in the generation of toxic A peptides. Understanding the molecular details of the extensive crosstalk that occurs between the autophagic and endolysosomal cellular pathways is essential for identifying the molecular details of amyloid toxicity. Drosophila models that express the toxic proteins that aggregate in AD have been generated and have been shown to recapitulate hallmarks of the disease. Here we focus on what is known about the role of autophagy in amyloid toxicity in AD from mammalian models and how Drosophila models can be used to further investigate AD pathogenesis.

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Health-Related Effects of the Elderly Care Program

Objectives. This study aimed to determine the health-related effects of elderly care through the elderly program (ECEP) compared to those who were put on standby. Methods. Analysis was conducted concerning the demographic characteristics and chronic disease prevalence status of 108,803 ECEP participants from 2007 to 2013 and 33,932 recipients of elderly care by the elderly (ECE) in 2013. A survey was conducted to determine the effects of emotional support on 508 elders who received ECE in 2014. To determine the effect of elderly care by participation, a comparative analysis was performed using the propensity score method and a differences-in-differences model. Statistical tests were performed on these study subjects' medical expenses and utilization of medical care, while they participated in the ECEP. Results. ECEP participants incurred a lower total medical expense increase by US$431.94, US$75.54 lower copayment, US$357.60 lower insurance payment, and US$403.04 lower hospitalization costs, compared to the elders who were on standby. Furthermore, a significant decrease was observed in the number of days of hospitalization, even in the case of medical care utilization. Those who were receiving elderly care scored an average of 7.70 points on the Short Geriatric Depression Scale. 51% of these individuals showed a significantly high level of depression, with a score of 8 points or higher, which is a criterion for screening for depression. Conclusions. The present study showed differences in medical expenses and the utilization of medical care associated with ECEP.

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Saliva as a Future Field in Psoriasis Research

Psoriasis is a skin inflammatory disease characterized by an increased body of comorbidities, including parodontopathy. Despite the visibility of skin lesions, prognostic biomarkers, related to disease monitoring and therapeutic effectiveness, are still missing. Although several markers have been studied, none of them has been identified as an independent prognostic factor. This concise review aims to summarize the current knowledge and results in saliva research applied to psoriasis. Combination of different markers could improve the prognostic prediction in patients with psoriasis. Future studies are needed to implement research on salivary biomarkers and their prognostic/therapeutic effects in the management of patients with psoriasis.

https://ift.tt/2IwkH5O

Observations of the Effects of Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker on Angiotensin II-Induced Morphological and Mechanical Changes in Renal Tubular Epithelial Cells Using Atomic Force Microscopy

Objective. Angiotensin II (Ang II) plays a profibrotic role in the kidneys. Although many pathways of Ang II have been discovered, the morphological and mechanical aspects have not been well investigated. We observed the changes in tubular epithelial cells (TECs) after Ang II treatment with or without Ang II receptor blockers (ARBs) using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Methods. TECs were stimulated with Ang II with or without telmisartan, PD123319, and blebbistatin. AFM was performed to measure the cellular stiffness, cell volume, and cell surface roughness. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition markers were determined via immunocytochemistry. Results. After Ang II stimulation, cells transformed to a flattened and elongated mesenchymal morphology. Cell surface roughness and volume significantly increased in Ang II treated TECs. Ang II also induced an increase in phospho-myosin light chain and F-actin and a decrease in E-cadherin. Ang II coincubation with either telmisartan or blebbistatin attenuated these Ang II-induced changes. Conclusion. We report, for the first time, the use of AFM in directly observing the changes in TECs after Ang II treatment with or without ARBs. Simultaneously, we successfully measured the selective effect of PD123319 or blebbistatin. AFM could be a noninvasive evaluating strategy for cellular processes in TECs.

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Neuromotor Development of Children Aged 6 and 7 Years Born before the 30th Week Gestation

Introduction. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the level of neuromotor function and somatic development in 6- and 7-year-old children born before the 30th week gestation with that in full-term children at the same age, as well as the correlation between prematurity and motor development. Material and Methods. The study group consisted of prematurely born 40 children. Their mean gestational age at birth was weeks (range 24–30 weeks). The control group consisted of 40 healthy children born with normal birth weight (>2500 g). The neuromotor function was assessed using Touwen neurological examination criteria. During the examination, the attention was focused on the hand preference, laterality, synkinesis, and asymmetry. In addition, children's weight, height, and BMI index were measured. Results. Premature children showed much worse results than full-term ones in hand function (). They obtained the best results in paper tearing while crossing the body midline turned out to be the most difficult. Considering the quality of walking, the biggest difficulty for the premature children was to walk backwards along the straight line while during normal walking they showed the best results. The results for the muscle tone subcategory in the study group were also significantly worse than those in control group (), as well as the total outcome for the movement coordination and diadochokinesis subcategories (). Conclusion. The nondisabled, prematurely born children have significantly lower average outcomes regarding hand function, quality of walking, muscle tone, coordination, and diadochokinesis at age of six to seven, compared to the full-term peers.

https://ift.tt/2rV7MA8

Purification and Characterization of Antibodies in Single-Chain Format against the E6 Oncoprotein of Human Papillomavirus Type 16

In Human Papillomaviruses- (HPV-) associated carcinogenesis, continuous expression of the E6 oncoprotein supports its value as a potential target for the development of diagnostics and therapeutics for HPV cancer. We previously reported that the I7 single-chain antibody fragment (scFv) specific for HPV16 E6, expressed as an intrabody by retroviral system, could inhibit significantly the growth of cervical cancer cells in vitro and was even able to reduce tumor development in experimental HPV-related cancer models. Nevertheless, for the development of therapeutic tools to be employed in humans, it is important to achieve maximum safety guarantee, which can be provided by the protein format. In the current study, two anti-16E6 scFvs derived from I7 were expressed in E. coli and purified in soluble form by affinity chromatography. Specificity, sensitivity and stability in physiologic environment of the purified scFvs were demonstrated by binding studies using recombinant 16E6 as an antigen. The scFvs functionality was confirmed by immunofluorescence in cervical cancer cells, where the scFvs were able to recognize the nuclear E6. Furthermore, an antiproliferative activity of the scFvI7nuc delivered in protein format to HPV16-positive cell lines was observed. Our results demonstrate that functional anti-16E6 scFvs can be produced in E. coli, suggesting that such purified antibodies could be used in the diagnosis and treatment of HPV-induced malignancies.

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Design of Embedded System for Multivariate Classification of Finger and Thumb Movements Using EEG Signals for Control of Upper Limb Prosthesis

Brain Computer Interface (BCI) determines the intent of the user from a variety of electrophysiological signals. These signals, Slow Cortical Potentials, are recorded from scalp, and cortical neuronal activity is recorded by implanted electrodes. This paper is focused on design of an embedded system that is used to control the finger movements of an upper limb prosthesis using Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. This is a follow-up of our previous research which explored the best method to classify three movements of fingers (thumb movement, index finger movement, and first movement). Two-stage logistic regression classifier exhibited the highest classification accuracy while Power Spectral Density (PSD) was used as a feature of the filtered signal. The EEG signal data set was recorded using a 14-channel electrode headset (a noninvasive BCI system) from right-handed, neurologically intact volunteers. Mu (commonly known as alpha waves) and Beta Rhythms (8–30 Hz) containing most of the movement data were retained through filtering using "Arduino Uno" microcontroller followed by 2-stage logistic regression to obtain a mean classification accuracy of 70%.

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