Δευτέρα 3 Ιουλίου 2017

Metastatic sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma manifesting as a subcutaneous soft tissue mass

Abstract

Spindle cell lesions of the superficial soft tissues often pose a diagnostic challenge due to frequently non-specific clinico-radiologic presentation and overlapping microscopic features, therefore immunohistochemistry remains a favored approach in separating them.



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Experimental Simulation of Clinical Borderline Situations in Temporal Bone Specimens After Ossiculoplasty.

Objectives: One reason for insufficient hearing improvement with a distinct air-bone gap after ossiculoplasty with implantation of partial or total ossicular replacement prostheses can be the dislocation or minimal shifting of the prosthesis. The aim of this study was the simulation of common clinical borderline situations with minimal shifting of the prosthesis in temporal bone specimens after ossiculoplasty. It was furthermore the goal to identify these specific situations through imaging by cone beam computed tomography (cbCT) and direct visual inspection using the operation microscope. Additionally, the functional status was evaluated using laser-Doppler vibrometry (LDV). Design: We used a total of four temporal bone specimens for this study. A reconstruction with a partial ossicular replacement prostheses was performed in three specimens and with a total ossicular replacement prostheses in one specimen, with good initial acoustic properties. Subsequently, one specific type of prosthesis failure was simulated in each specimen, respectively, by minimally shifting, tilting, or bending the prostheses from their initial positions. These changes were introduced step-by-step until a borderline situation just short of complete acoustic decoupling was reached. Each step was examined using both LDV and cbCT and observed through the operation microscope. Results: LDV was able to quantify the mechanic function of the ossicular chain after most of the manipulation steps by demonstrating the effect of any shifting of the prosthesis on the middle ear transfer function. However, in some situations, the middle ear transfer function was better with a visually more advanced failure of the prosthesis. In addition, cbCT showed most of the steps with excellent resolution and was able to delineate changes in soft tissue (e.g., cartilage covering). Conclusion: cbCT seems to be a promising imaging technique for middle ear problems. As cbCT and LDV exhibited slightly different advantages and disadvantages regarding the demonstration of borderline situations, the combination of both techniques allowed for a more precise evaluation of middle ear reconstructions. Knowledge of the specific characteristics of these methods and their possible combination might help otologists and otosurgeons to refine indications for revision surgery and improve their personal patient counseling. Copyright (C) 2017 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Stepwise Light-Induced Dual Compaction of Single-Chain Nanoparticles

A photochemical strategy for the sequential dual compaction of single polymer chains is introduced. Two photoreactive methacrylates, with side chains bearing either a phenacyl sulfide (PS) or an α-methylbenzaldehyde (photoenol, PE) moiety, are selectively incorporated by one-pot iterative reversible-addition fragmentation chain transfer copolymerization into the outer blocks of a well-defined poly(methyl methacrylate) based ABC triblock copolymer possessing a nonfunctional spacer block (Mn = 23 400 g mol−1, Đ = 1.2; ≈15 units of each photoreactive moieties of each type) as well as in model statistical copolymers bearing only one type of photoreactive unit. Upon UVA irradiation, PS and PE lead to highly reactive thioaldehydes and o-quinodimethanes, which rapidly react with dithiol and diacrylate linkers, respectively. The monomerfunctional copolymers are employed to establish the conditions for controlled intramolecular photo-crosslinking, which are subsequently applied to the bifunctional triblock copolymer. All compaction/folding experiments are monitored by size-exclusion chromatography and dynamic light scattering. The dual compaction consists of two events of dissimilar amplitude: the first folding step reveals a large reduction in hydrodynamic diameters, while the second compaction lead to a far less pronounced reduction of the single-chain nanoparticles size, consistent with the reduced degrees of freedom available after the first covalent compaction step.

Thumbnail image of graphical abstract

Photochemical stepwise compaction of single polymer strands becomes possible by the design of photoreactive polymers based on photoenol and phenacyl sulfide chemistry, enabling the dual sequential reduction in polymer coil size by two independent photochemical events.



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Investigation of Electrical Stimulation Levels Over 8 to 10 Years Postimplantation for a Large Cohort of Adults Using Cochlear Implants.

Objectives: This study examined electrical stimulation levels over 8 to 10 years postimplantation in adult Nucleus implant users. The first aim was to investigate long-term trends and amount of change in electrical stimulation levels for each of four electrode array segments. The second aim was to determine long-term trends and amount of change for particular participants who previously showed greater change (i.e., >20% of dynamic range [DR]) in each of the threshold (T) and comfort (C) levels within the first 3 to 6 months postimplantation. The third aim was to determine whether demographic characteristics were predictive of the long-term trends and amount of change in each of the T and C levels. Design: For 128 adults implanted with Nucleus implants, T levels, C levels, and DR were extracted for the following postimplant time points: 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 months. For each time point, the mean T levels, C levels, and DR were calculated for each of four electrode array segments. For each participant, regression analyses were conducted for each of the levels and DR, separately for each of the four electrode array segments. Proportions of participants with and without statistically significant trends were identified, and the amount of change was determined for all participants. Results: No significant differences in trends and amount of change were evident across segments for either of the T or C levels. On average across the four segments, 42% of participants showed nonsignificant trends in each of the T and C levels; 24% and 18% of the participants showed a significant trend only in C levels or only in T levels, respectively. Only 16% of the participants showed a significant trend in both T and C levels. Separately, 73% of the participants showed a nonsignificant trend in DR. In terms of current levels (CLs), the mean amount of change over 10 years for all participants was 10.4 (SD = 8.2) and 10.8 (SD = 9.8) for T and C levels, respectively. For both T and C levels, approximately 95% of the participants showed 20% change in levels as a function of DR in the first 3 to 6 months postimplantation, nonsignificant long-term trend in levels was shown for 70% of these participants over the first 8 to 10 years postimplantation. Etiology, onset of hearing loss, and age at implantation were not significant factors in predicting change in levels. Duration of hearing loss and hearing aid use before implantation were both predictive of long-term change in T and C levels, respectively. In terms of the amount of change in CLs, both these factors showed a very small amount of change in CLs. Conclusions: The majority of adults using Nucleus implants showed a nonsignificant trend in T levels, C levels, and DR over 8 to 10 years postimplantation. The present study provides strong evidence that only a small amount of change in levels should be expected for most adults from 6 months out to 10 years postimplantation. A large proportion of the subgroup of participants who previously showed more change in the first 3 to 6 months showed consistent long-term results with the overall group. The trends in levels and the amount of change in levels in the long term were not significantly associated with the demographic characteristics investigated. For implant users with consistent levels over a number of sessions after the first 6 months postimplantation, the frequency of programming in the long term can be reduced. The translation of the findings from the present study into clinical practice will enable more efficient programming services to be provided to implant users in the long term. Copyright (C) 2017 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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A Comparison of Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission Properties in Meniere's Disease Patients and Normal-Hearing Participants.

Objectives: Postmortem examination of temporal bones of Meniere's disease patients consistently show dilated endolymphatic spaces of the inner ear, for which the term endolymphatic hydrops has been coined. During the past decade, magnetic resonance imaging techniques for the inner ear appeared, advancing the diagnosis of Meniere's disease. They require, however, a field-strength of at least 3 T, are costly and not universally available. Alternative, noninvasive, cost-effective tests with high sensitivity and specifity for endolymphatic hydrops are desirable. In this study, we test the suitability of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) for endolymphatic hydrops detection. Previous measurements of the commonly recorded cubic DPOAEs mainly register cochlear hearing loss and are not specific for Meniere's disease. Simultaneous recordings of cubic and quadratic DPOAEs might be more suitable to detect endolymphatic hydrops, because both DPOAE orders react differently to changes of the cochlear operating point as they might occur in Meniere's disease patients. Design: Cubic and quadratic DPOAEs were recorded in normal-hearing participants (N = 45) and in the affected and unaffected ears of patients with a diagnosis of definite Meniere's disease (N = 32). First, to assess the integrity of DPOAE-generating mechanisms, cubic DPOAE-grams were obtained with primary tone frequencies f2 between 1 and 8 kHz with primary tone levels l1 = 60 dB SPL and l2 = 50 dB SPL, and a fixed primary tone frequency ratio of 1.22. Then, cubic and quadratic DPOAEs were simultaneously recorded with primary tone levels l1 = l2 = 65 dB SPL and at primary tone frequencies f2 = 4 and 5 kHz, where f1 was successively varied such that the ratio f2/f1 ranged between 1.1 and 1.6 in 0.04 steps while quadratic and cubic DPOAE levels were extracted from the same recording. Results: Cubic DPOAEs were significantly reduced in the affected ears of Meniere's disease patients, and slightly reduced in the unaffected ears of Meniere's disease patients, relative to the ears of normal-hearing participants. In contrast, no significant changes could be seen in quadratic DPOAEs across the ears of normal-hearing participants and Meniere's disease patients. Conclusions: We could identify a relatively good preservation of quadratic DPOAE levels in relation to a reduction of cubic DPOAE levels as a potential noninvasive diagnostic approach in the early stage of suspected Meniere's disease. Future studies validating the differential diagnostic power of this parameter in control groups with nonhydropic forms of hearing loss are warranted. Copyright (C) 2017 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Biomarkers for visceral hypersensitivity in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

Abstract

Background

Increased visceral sensitivity is observed in up to 60% of patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Mucosal inflammation, altered neuroendocrine activity and intraluminal metabolic processes may contribute to the development of visceral hypersensitivity. Previously, we demonstrated that biomarkers, indicative for these biological processes, were altered in IBS patients compared to healthy controls. However, how these processes relate to visceral hypersensitivity is unknown.

Aim

The aim of this study was to provide insight in biological processes associated with visceral hypersensitivity. Fecal and plasma biomarkers were measured in normosensitive and hypersensitive IBS patients.

Methods

A total of 167 IBS patients underwent a rectal barostat procedure to assess visceral sensitivity to pain. Based on the outcome, patients were classified into a normosensitive or hypersensitive group. Calprotectin, human β-defensin 2 (HBD2), chromogranin A (CgA), and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were measured in feces, citrulline in plasma, and serotonin and its main metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in platelet-poor plasma.

Key Results

Fecal markers and plasma citrulline were measured in 83 hypersensitive and 84 normosensitive patients, while platelet-poor plasma for the assessment of serotonin and 5-HIAA was available for a subgroup, i.e. 53 hypersensitive and 42 normosensitive patients. No statistically significant differences were found in concentrations of biomarkers between groups. Adjustment of the analyses for potential confounders, such as medication use, did not alter this conclusion.

Conclusions & Inferences

Our findings do not support a role for the biological processes as ascertained by biomarkers in visceral hypersensitivity in IBS patients. This study is registered in the US National Library of Medicine (clinicaltrials.gov, NCT00775060).



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Production of Functional Inulin-Type Fructooligosaccharides by an Enzyme from Penicillium citrinum

Abstract

We report the production of functional inulin-type fructooligosaccharides such as trisaccharide 1-kestose, O–β-d-fructofuranosyl-(2→1)-β-d-fructofuranosyl α-d-glucopyranoside, and tetrasaccharide nystose, O-β-d-fructofuranosyl-(2→1)–β-d-fructofuranosyl-(2→1)–β-d-fructofuranosyl α-d-glucopyranoside, from sucrose by an enzyme from Penicillium citrinum. Sucrose acted as a fructosyl donor and acceptor for the enzyme. The optimum pH and temperature for the enzymatic reaction were 5 and 50 °C, respectively. The enzyme was stable in the pH range of 4.5–7 and at 50 °C. The maximum concentration of 1-kestose obtained was 110 mg/ml, and the maximum production efficiency was 37.3% after a 48-h reaction. The maximum efficiency of combined fructooligosaccharide (1-kestose and nystose) production was 47.1% after a 72-h reaction. Fructooligosaccharides were therefore successfully produced via a fructosyl transfer reaction catalyzed by an enzyme from P. citrinum.



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Activation of serotonergic neurons in the medullary caudal raphe shortens the laryngeal chemoreflex in anaesthetized neonatal rats

New Findings

  • What is the central question of this study?

    Does activation of serotonergic neurons in the caudal medullary raphe, some of which project to the nucleus of the solitary tract, shorten the laryngeal chemoreflex?

  • What is the main finding and its importance?

    We found that serotonin originating from neurons in the caudal raphe acts through a 5-HT3 receptor located in the nucleus of the solitary tract to terminate reflex apnoea. Failure or deficiency of this arousal-related process is likely to be relevant to the pathogenesis of sudden infant death syndrome.

Failure to terminate apnoea and arouse is likely to contribute to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Serotonin is deficient in the brainstems of babies who have died of SIDS. We tested the hypothesis that activation of serotoninergic neurons in the caudal medullary raphe, some of which project to the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), would shorten the laryngeal chemoreflex (LCR). We studied anaesthetized neonatal rat pups between postnatal days 9 and 17. We injected 5–40 μl of water into the larynx to elicit the LCR and measured the duration of respiratory disruption. Microinjection of 50 nl of 100 μm AMPA into the caudal medullary raphe shortened the apnoeas (P < 0.001) and respiratory inhibition (P < 0.005) associated with the LCR. When 50 nl of 30 mm ondansetron, a 5-HT3 antagonist, was microinjected bilaterally into the NTS, AMPA microinjected into the caudal raphe no longer shortened the LCR. After bilateral microinjection of vehicle into the NTS, AMPA microinjection into the caudal raphe significantly shortened the LCR. AMPA, a glutamate receptor agonist, may activate many neurons within the caudal raphe, but blocking the 5-HT3 receptor-dependent responses in the NTS prevented the shortening of the LCR associated with AMPA microinjections into the caudal raphe. Thus, serotonin originating from neurons in the caudal raphe acts through a 5-HT3 receptor located in the NTS to terminate or shorten the LCR. Serotonin is deficient in the brainstems of babies who have died of SIDS, and deficient serotonergic termination of apnoea is likely to be relevant to the pathogenesis of SIDS.

Thumbnail image of graphical abstract

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Sustainable growth rate 2013: time for definitive intervention

Joshua A Hirsch<br />Jul 1, 2013; 5:382-386<br />Socioeconomic

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Genetic study of the PAH locus in the Iranian population: familial gene mutations and minihaplotypes

Abstract

Phenylketonuria (PKU), one of the most common inborn errors of amino acid metabolism, is caused by mutations in the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene (PAH). PKU has wide allelic heterogeneity, and over 600 different disease-causing mutations in PAH have been detected to date. Up to now, there have been no reports on the minihaplotype (VNTR/STR) analysis of PAH locus in the Iranian population. The aims of the present study were to determine PAH mutations and minihaplotypes in Iranian families with PAH deficiency and to investigate the correlation between them. A total of 81 Iranian families with PAH deficiency were examined using PCR-sequencing of all 13 PAH exons and their flanking intron regions to identify sequence variations. Fragment analysis of the PAH minihaplotypes was performed by capillary electrophoresis for 59 families. In our study, 33 different mutations were found accounting for 95% of the total mutant alleles. The majority of these mutations (72%) were distributed across exons 7, 11, 2 and their flanking intronic regions. Mutation c.1066-11G > A was the most common with a frequency of 20.37%. The less frequent mutations, p.Arg261Gln (8%), p.Arg243Ter (7.4%), p.Leu48Ser (7.4%), p.Lys363Asnfs*37 (6.79%), c.969 + 5G > A (6.17%), p.Pro281Leu (5.56), c.168 + 5G > C (5.56), and p.Arg261Ter (4.94) together comprised about 52% of all mutant alleles. In this study, a total of seventeen PAH gene minihaplotypes were detected, six of which associated exclusively with particular mutations. Our findings indicate a broad PAH mutation spectrum in the Iranian population, which is consistent with previous studies reporting a wide range of PAH mutations, most likely due to ethnic heterogeneity. High prevalence of c.1066-11G > A mutation linked to minihaplotype 7/250 among both Iranian and Mediterranean populations is indicative of historical and geographical links between them. Also, strong association between particular mutations and minihaplotypes could be useful for prenatal diagnosis (PND) and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) in affected families.



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The mTOR inhibition in concurrence with ERK1/2 activation is involved in excessive autophagy induced by glycyrrhizin in hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Autophagy is a life phenomenon in which autophagosomes remove damaged or aging organelles and long-lived circulating proteins to maintain the cell's stability. However, disorders of excessive autophagy are a response of cancer cells to a variety of anticancer treatments which lead to cancer cell death. The Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) pathways are both involved in nutrient-induced autophagic phenomenon and exhibit vital relevance to oncogenesis in various cancer cell types, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the influence of autophagy for cancer cell death remains controversial and few scientists have investigated the variation of these two signaling pathways in cancer cell autophagic phenomenon induced by anticancer treatment simultaneously. Here, we explored the anticancer efficacy and mechanisms of glycyrrhizin (GL), a bioactive compound of licorice with little toxicity in normal cells. It is interesting that inhibition of Akt/mTOR signaling in concurrence with enhanced ERK1/2 activity exists in GL-induced autophagy and cytotoxicity in HepG2 and MHCC97-H hepatocellular carcinoma cells. These results imply that the GL-related anticancer ability might correlate with the induction of autophagy. The influence of induced autophagic phenomenon on cell viability might depend on the severity of autophagy and be pathway specific. In the subsequent subcutaneous xenograft experiment in vivo with MHCC97-H cells, GL obviously exhibited its inhibitory efficacy in tumor growth via inducing excess autophagy in MHCC97-H cells (P < 0.05). Our data prompt that GL possesses a property of excess autophagic phenomenon induction in HCC and exerts high anticancer efficacy in vitro and in vivo. This warrants further investigation toward possible clinical applications in patients with HCC.

Thumbnail image of graphical abstract

Glycyrrhizin can induce excessive autophagic phenomenon in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. Autophagy-mediated cell death is also a credible route of tumor suppression pathway.



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Meta-analysis of first-line therapies with maintenance regimens for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in molecularly and clinically selected populations

Abstract

Evidence has suggested survival benefits of maintenance for advanced NSCLC patients not progressing after first-line chemotherapy. Additionally, particular first-line targeted therapies have shown survival improvements in selected populations. Optimal first-line and maintenance therapies remain unclear. Here, currently available evidence was synthesized to elucidate optimal first-line and maintenance therapy within patient groups. Literature was searched for randomized trials evaluating first-line and maintenance regimens in advanced NSCLC patients. Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed within molecularly and clinically selected groups. The primary outcome was combined clinically meaningful OS and PFS benefits. A total of 87 records on 56 trials evaluating first-line treatments with maintenance were included. Results showed combined clinically meaningful OS and PFS benefits with particular first-line with maintenance treatments, (1) first-line intercalated chemotherapy+erlotinib, maintenance erlotinib in patients with EGFR mutations, (2) first-line afatinib, maintenance afatinib in patients with EGFR deletion 19, (3) first-line chemotherapy + bevacizumab, maintenance bevacizumab in EGFR wild-type patients, (4) chemotherapy+conatumumab, maintenance conatumumab in patients with squamous histology, (5) chemotherapy+cetuximab, maintenance cetuximab or chemotherapy + necitumumab, maintenance necitumumab in EGFR FISH-positive patients with squamous histology, and (6) first-line chemotherapy+bevacizumab, maintenance bevacizumab or first-line sequential chemotherapy+gefitinib, maintenance gefitinib in patients clinically enriched for EGFR mutations with nonsquamous histology. No treatment showed combined clinically meaningful OS and PFS benefits in patients with EGFR L858R or nonsquamous histology. Particular first-line with maintenance treatments show meaningful OS and PFS benefits in patients selected by EGFR mutation or histology. Further research is needed to achieve effective therapy for patients with EGFR mutation L858R or nonsquamous histology.

Thumbnail image of graphical abstract

First-line with maintenance therapies have shown benefits in selected advanced NSCLC populations. Here, first-line with maintenance treatments are compared within patient groups and clinically meaningful benefits are shown for particular first-line with maintenance therapies in selected patients.



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Investigating pH based evaluation of fetal heart rate (FHR) recordings

Abstract

Cardiotocography (CTG) is a standard tool for the assessment of fetal well-being during pregnancy and delivery. However, its interpretation is associated with high inter- and intra-observer variability. Since its introduction there have been numerous attempts to develop computerized systems assisting the evaluation of the CTG recording. Nevertheless these systems are still hardly used in a delivery ward. Two main approaches to computerized evaluation are encountered in the literature; the first one emulates existing guidelines, while the second one is more of a data-driven approach using signal processing and computational methods. The latter employs preprocessing, feature extraction/selection and a classifier that discriminates between two or more classes/conditions. These classes are often formed using the umbilical cord artery pH value measured after delivery. In this work an approach to Fetal Heart Rate (FHR) classification using pH is presented that could serve as a benchmark for reporting results on the unique open-access CTU-UHB CTG database, the largest and the only freely available database of this kind. The overall results using a very small number of features and a Least Squares Support Vector Machine (LS-SVM) classifier, are in accordance to the ones encountered in the literature and outperform the results of a baseline classification scheme proving the utility of using advanced data processing methods. Therefore the achieved results can be used as a benchmark for future research involving more informative features and/or better classification algorithms.



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Development and application of a perioral force measurement system for infants with cleft lip and palate

As muscles converge or intermingle around the perioral area, and it change by the sequential therapy for cleft lip and palate (CLP) infants. The force of perioral muscles has a great influence on maxillary development and morphology. Perioral force in CLP infants has not been well studied, and accurate and reliable measurement of perioral force in infants remains a challenge. The aim of this study was to investigate a new way to accurately and reliably measure perioral force in UCLP infants and explore the change before and after cheiloplasty.

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A fully automated simultaneous single-stage separation of Sr, Pb, and Nd using DGA Resin for the isotopic analysis of marine sediments

Abstract

A novel, fast and reliable sample preparation procedure for the simultaneous separation of Sr, Pb, and Nd has been developed for subsequent isotope ratio analysis of sediment digests. The method applying a fully automated, low-pressure chromatographic system separates all three analytes in a single-stage extraction step using self-packed columns filled with DGA Resin. The fully automated set-up allows the unattended processing of three isotopic systems from one sediment digest every 2 h, offering high sample throughput of up to 12 samples per day and reducing substantially laboratory manpower as compared to conventional manual methods. The developed separation method was validated using the marine sediment GBW-07313 as matrix-matched certified reference material and combines quantitative recoveries (>90% for Sr, >93% for Pb, and >91% for Nd) with low procedural blank levels following the sample separation (0.07 μg L−1 Sr, 0.03 μg L−1 Pb, and 0.57 μg L−1 Nd). The average δ values for Sr, Pb, and Nd of the separated reference standards were within the certified ranges (δ (87Sr/86Sr)NIST SRM 987 of −0.05(28) ‰, δ(208Pb/206Pb)NIST SRM 981 of −0.21(14) ‰, and δ(143Nd/144Nd)JNdi-1 of 0.00(7) ‰). The DGA Resin proved to be reusable for the separation of >10 sediment digests with no significant carry-over or memory effects, as well as no significant on-column fractionation of Sr, Pb, and Nd isotope ratios. Additional spike experiments of NIST SRM 987 with Pb, NIST SRM 981 with Sr, and JNdi-1 with Ce revealed no significant impact on the measured isotopic ratios, caused by potential small analyte peak overlaps during the separation of Sr and Pb, as well as Ce and Nd.



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Genetic study of the PAH locus in the Iranian population: familial gene mutations and minihaplotypes

Abstract

Phenylketonuria (PKU), one of the most common inborn errors of amino acid metabolism, is caused by mutations in the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene (PAH). PKU has wide allelic heterogeneity, and over 600 different disease-causing mutations in PAH have been detected to date. Up to now, there have been no reports on the minihaplotype (VNTR/STR) analysis of PAH locus in the Iranian population. The aims of the present study were to determine PAH mutations and minihaplotypes in Iranian families with PAH deficiency and to investigate the correlation between them. A total of 81 Iranian families with PAH deficiency were examined using PCR-sequencing of all 13 PAH exons and their flanking intron regions to identify sequence variations. Fragment analysis of the PAH minihaplotypes was performed by capillary electrophoresis for 59 families. In our study, 33 different mutations were found accounting for 95% of the total mutant alleles. The majority of these mutations (72%) were distributed across exons 7, 11, 2 and their flanking intronic regions. Mutation c.1066-11G > A was the most common with a frequency of 20.37%. The less frequent mutations, p.Arg261Gln (8%), p.Arg243Ter (7.4%), p.Leu48Ser (7.4%), p.Lys363Asnfs*37 (6.79%), c.969 + 5G > A (6.17%), p.Pro281Leu (5.56), c.168 + 5G > C (5.56), and p.Arg261Ter (4.94) together comprised about 52% of all mutant alleles. In this study, a total of seventeen PAH gene minihaplotypes were detected, six of which associated exclusively with particular mutations. Our findings indicate a broad PAH mutation spectrum in the Iranian population, which is consistent with previous studies reporting a wide range of PAH mutations, most likely due to ethnic heterogeneity. High prevalence of c.1066-11G > A mutation linked to minihaplotype 7/250 among both Iranian and Mediterranean populations is indicative of historical and geographical links between them. Also, strong association between particular mutations and minihaplotypes could be useful for prenatal diagnosis (PND) and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) in affected families.



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Is oestrogen associated with mandibular condylar resorption? A systematic review

A systematic review of the literature was performed regarding the influence of oestrogen on the occurrence of mandibular condylar resorption. Search terms for oestrogen were used in combination with terms related to the effect on condylar remodelling. A search of the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases yielded 419 articles published between October 1993 and March 2017. An additional 48 articles were retrieved through manual searching of the reference lists.

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Impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy on the prevalence of oral lesions in HIV-positive patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The aim of this study was to determine whether highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is associated with the prevalence of oral lesions in HIV-positive patients. This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). The search was conducted in seven electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, SciELO, LILACS, Embase, Web of Science, and OpenGrey), without restriction on publication period or language.

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Assessment of obstructive sleep apnoea treatment success or failure after maxillomandibular advancement

Maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) is an alternative therapeutic option that is highly effective for treating obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). MMA provides a solution for OSA patients that have difficulty accepting lifelong treatments with continuous positive airway pressure or mandibular advancement devices. The goal of this study was to investigate the different characteristics that determine OSA treatment success/failure after MMA. The apnoea–hypopnoea index (AHI) was used to determine the success or failure of OSA treatment after MMA.

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The mTOR inhibition in concurrence with ERK1/2 activation is involved in excessive autophagy induced by glycyrrhizin in hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Autophagy is a life phenomenon in which autophagosomes remove damaged or aging organelles and long-lived circulating proteins to maintain the cell's stability. However, disorders of excessive autophagy are a response of cancer cells to a variety of anticancer treatments which lead to cancer cell death. The Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) pathways are both involved in nutrient-induced autophagic phenomenon and exhibit vital relevance to oncogenesis in various cancer cell types, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the influence of autophagy for cancer cell death remains controversial and few scientists have investigated the variation of these two signaling pathways in cancer cell autophagic phenomenon induced by anticancer treatment simultaneously. Here, we explored the anticancer efficacy and mechanisms of glycyrrhizin (GL), a bioactive compound of licorice with little toxicity in normal cells. It is interesting that inhibition of Akt/mTOR signaling in concurrence with enhanced ERK1/2 activity exists in GL-induced autophagy and cytotoxicity in HepG2 and MHCC97-H hepatocellular carcinoma cells. These results imply that the GL-related anticancer ability might correlate with the induction of autophagy. The influence of induced autophagic phenomenon on cell viability might depend on the severity of autophagy and be pathway specific. In the subsequent subcutaneous xenograft experiment in vivo with MHCC97-H cells, GL obviously exhibited its inhibitory efficacy in tumor growth via inducing excess autophagy in MHCC97-H cells (P < 0.05). Our data prompt that GL possesses a property of excess autophagic phenomenon induction in HCC and exerts high anticancer efficacy in vitro and in vivo. This warrants further investigation toward possible clinical applications in patients with HCC.

Thumbnail image of graphical abstract

Glycyrrhizin can induce excessive autophagic phenomenon in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. Autophagy-mediated cell death is also a credible route of tumor suppression pathway.



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Meta-analysis of first-line therapies with maintenance regimens for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in molecularly and clinically selected populations

Abstract

Evidence has suggested survival benefits of maintenance for advanced NSCLC patients not progressing after first-line chemotherapy. Additionally, particular first-line targeted therapies have shown survival improvements in selected populations. Optimal first-line and maintenance therapies remain unclear. Here, currently available evidence was synthesized to elucidate optimal first-line and maintenance therapy within patient groups. Literature was searched for randomized trials evaluating first-line and maintenance regimens in advanced NSCLC patients. Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed within molecularly and clinically selected groups. The primary outcome was combined clinically meaningful OS and PFS benefits. A total of 87 records on 56 trials evaluating first-line treatments with maintenance were included. Results showed combined clinically meaningful OS and PFS benefits with particular first-line with maintenance treatments, (1) first-line intercalated chemotherapy+erlotinib, maintenance erlotinib in patients with EGFR mutations, (2) first-line afatinib, maintenance afatinib in patients with EGFR deletion 19, (3) first-line chemotherapy + bevacizumab, maintenance bevacizumab in EGFR wild-type patients, (4) chemotherapy+conatumumab, maintenance conatumumab in patients with squamous histology, (5) chemotherapy+cetuximab, maintenance cetuximab or chemotherapy + necitumumab, maintenance necitumumab in EGFR FISH-positive patients with squamous histology, and (6) first-line chemotherapy+bevacizumab, maintenance bevacizumab or first-line sequential chemotherapy+gefitinib, maintenance gefitinib in patients clinically enriched for EGFR mutations with nonsquamous histology. No treatment showed combined clinically meaningful OS and PFS benefits in patients with EGFR L858R or nonsquamous histology. Particular first-line with maintenance treatments show meaningful OS and PFS benefits in patients selected by EGFR mutation or histology. Further research is needed to achieve effective therapy for patients with EGFR mutation L858R or nonsquamous histology.

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First-line with maintenance therapies have shown benefits in selected advanced NSCLC populations. Here, first-line with maintenance treatments are compared within patient groups and clinically meaningful benefits are shown for particular first-line with maintenance therapies in selected patients.



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Development and application of a perioral force measurement system for infants with cleft lip and palate

As muscles converge or intermingle around the perioral area, and it change by the sequential therapy for cleft lip and palate (CLP) infants. The force of perioral muscles has a great influence on maxillary development and morphology. Perioral force in CLP infants has not been well studied, and accurate and reliable measurement of perioral force in infants remains a challenge. The aim of this study was to investigate a new way to accurately and reliably measure perioral force in UCLP infants and explore the change before and after cheiloplasty.

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Innate function of house dust mite allergens: robust enzymatic degradation of extracellular matrix at elevated pH

Exposure to the house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (D.p.) increases the risk for developing allergic diseases in humans and their best friends, the dogs. Here, we explored whether this allergenic mite...

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Quantitative Analysis of Hepatic Microcirculation in Rabbits After Liver Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Using Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound

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Publication date: Available online 3 July 2017
Source:Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology
Author(s): Haiyuan Li, Jingning Lu, Xiaofeng Zhou, Denghua Pan, Dequan Guo, Haiying Ling, Hong Yang, Yun He, Gang Chen
Previous studies have shown that contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) can be used quantitatively to analyze microcirculation blood perfusion in hepatocellular carcinoma patients. However, limited data have described the application of CEUS in hepatic microcirculation after liver ischemic-reperfusion injury (IRI). The purpose of this study was to explore the use of CEUS quantitatively to assess liver microcirculation after liver IRI. We randomly sorted 45 New Zealand rabbits into 3 groups (15 in each). Group A was a control group in which the rabbits underwent laparotomy alone. In groups B and C, hepatic blood was blocked for 30 min. Simultaneously, rabbits in group C underwent left lateral lobe resection. After 30 min of ischemia, CEUS was conducted after 0 h, 1 h, 6 h and 24 h of reperfusion in the 3 groups. Time-intensity curves (TICs) for CEUS were constructed and quantitative parameters (maximum intensity [IMAX], rise time [RT], time to peak [TTP] and mean transit time [mTT]) were obtained. In addition, serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were computed to estimate liver function before the operation and at 0 h, 1 h, 6 h and 24 h after reperfusion, respectively. Pathologic changes in the liver after reperfusion were also observed. Simultaneously, the correlations between serum transaminase and a variety of quantitative analysis parameters were analyzed. In groups B and C, the IMAX value decreased; whereas RT, TTP, mTT and serum ALT and AST levels increased significantly in comparison with those in group A after 0 h and 1 h of reperfusion. The pathology revealed that erythrocytes were destroyed and microcirculation was disturbed. Then, at 6 h of reperfusion, the IMAX continued to decrease. Additionally, the levels of RT, TTP, mTT and serum ALT and AST increased in comparison with those at 1 h of reperfusion. The pathologic analysis revealed inflammatory cell aggregation and leukocyte infiltration. After 24 h of reperfusion, the IMAX was reduced in comparison with that of the 6-h group. The levels of RT, TTP, mTT and serum ALT and serum AST were increased in comparison with that of the 6-h group. These findings were in accordance with the pathologic analysis. In addition, serum transaminase had a negative correlation with IMAX (p < 0.001) and a positive correlation with RT, TTP and mTT (all p < 0.001). So, in conclusion, the quantitative analysis of CEUS can be used to assess hepatic microcirculation after liver IRI.



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Alterations in nociception and morphine antinociception in mice fed a high-fat diet

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Publication date: Available online 4 July 2017
Source:Brain Research Bulletin
Author(s): Caitlin M. Nealon, Chandni Patel, Beth L. Worley, Angela N. Henderson-Redmond, Daniel J. Morgan, Traci A. Czyzyk
Currently, more than 78.6 million adults in the United States are obese. A majority of the patient population receiving treatment for pain symptoms is derived from this subpopulation. Environmental factors, including the increased availability of food high in fat and sugar, contribute to the continued rise in the rates of obesity. The focus of this study was to investigate whether long-term exposure to a high-fat, energy-dense diet enhances baseline thermal and inflammatory nociception while reducing sensitivity to morphine-induced antinociception. Antinociceptive and hypothermic responses to morphine were determined in male and female C57BL/6N mice fed either a “western-style” diet high in fat and sucrose (HED) or a standard low-fat chow diet for 15 weeks. Antinociception was assessed using both the hot plate and tail flick tests of acute thermal pain and the formalin test of inflammatory pain. Acute administration of morphine dose-dependently increased antinociception in the hot plate and tail flick assays for mice of both sexes fed chow and HED. However, female mice displayed lower antinociceptive response to morphine compared to males in the tail-flick test. Hypothermic responses to acute morphine were also assessed in mice fed chow or HED. Male and female mice fed chow, and female mice fed HED displayed similar hypothermic responses to morphine. However, males fed HED did not exhibit morphine-induced hypothermia. Tolerance to the antinociceptive and hypothermic effects of morphine was assessed after ten days of repeated daily administration (10mg/kg morphine). Male mice fed chow or HED developed tolerance to morphine in the hot plate test. However, females fed HED did not. In the tail flick assay, only mice fed HED developed tolerance to morphine. All groups showed tolerance to morphine-induced hypothermia. In the formalin test, we found that both male and female mice fed HED had reduced sensitivity to the antinociceptive effects of morphine (6mg/kg). Collectively, these data suggest that sensitivity and tolerance to the antinociceptive effects of morphine may be dependent on diet and sex in the hot plate and tail flick thermal pain models, and that the acute antinociceptive effects of morphine in the formalin inflammatory pain model may also be dependent on these two factors. In addition, diet and sex can influence morphine-induced hypothermia. Exposure to an HED may lead to changes in neuronal signaling pathways that alter nociceptive responses to noxious stimuli in a sex-specific manner. Thus, dietary modifications might be a useful way to impact pain therapy.



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Inhibition of platelet-derived growth factor receptor β reduces reactive glia and scar formation after traumatic brain injury in mice

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Publication date: Available online 4 July 2017
Source:Brain Research Bulletin
Author(s): Dan Pei, Nan Liu, Dan Li, Hongjing Yan, Qiu-bo Wang, Yan Fang, Ling Xie, Hong-Peng Li
Brain injury leads to complex cellular and molecular interactions within the central nervous system. As the glial scar was a mechanical barrier to regeneration, inhibitory molecules in the forming scar and methods to overcome them have suggested molecular modification strategies to allow neuronal growth and functional regeneration. Here we investigated the roles of PDGFRβ signaling in regulating astrocyte reactivity and scar formation in mice following traumatic brain injury (TBI). The expression and distribution of phosphorylated PDGFRβ was analyzed, and its cell type-specific expression was verified with double labeling of astrocytes (GFAP), microglia (IBA1), oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPC) (NG2) and leukocytes (CD45). We found PDGFRβ was activated around the injury site after TBI, and primarily expressed in astrocytes, microglia, OPC and leukocytes in the boundary of the lesion site, suggesting PDGFRβ was involved in glial scar formation. Then the PDGFR inhibitor (AG1296) was administered following TBI. Reactive astrocytes were significantly inhibited in AG1296-treated mice. Furthermore, AG1296-treatment attenuated reactive leukocytes, OPC and astrocytes and pronouncedly disrupted of glial scar formation after TBI. These findings prove that PDGFRβ signaling inhibited reactive astrocytes-mediated scar formation after TBI in mice.



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“Archers lip”: a lesion on the upper lip

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Publication date: Available online 3 July 2017
Source:British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Author(s): N.T. Neale, A. Sayan, V. Ilankovan




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Service evaluation of patients’ views on the Patients’ Concerns Inventory (at diagnosis)

Publication date: Available online 3 July 2017
Source:British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Author(s): M.J. Byrne, S.N. Rogers
The amount of information wanted by patients after the diagnosis of cancer of the head and neck varies, and valid consent is not possible without information. The Patients’ Concerns Inventory (diagnosis) (PCI-D) is a list intended to prompt patients to ask about aspects of their diagnosis and its potential treatments and outcomes. It has not previously been evaluated in clinical practice. Our aim was to assess how often patients recall using it and their satisfaction with both it and the information they received. New patients with oral cancer who attended one consultant’s clinic between 2014 and 2015 were evaluated and the response rate was 20/48. A total of 16/18 reported that they were very satisfied or satisfied with it. The Satisfaction with Cancer Information Profile Part B (SCIP-B) showed that the inventory seemed to improve patients’ satisfaction with the information that they were given. Further evaluation is required.



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Telephone consultations for general practice: a systematic review

The use of information technology, including internet- and telephone-based resources, is becoming an alternative and supporting method of providing many forms of services in a healthcare and health management ...

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Editorial: REM sleep behavior disorder and obstructive sleep apnea: does one “evil” make the other less or more “evil”?

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Publication date: Available online 3 July 2017
Source:Sleep Medicine
Author(s): Jihui Zhang, S.X. Li, S.P. Lam, Y.K. Wing




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Back to sleep- or not: The impact of the supine position in pediatric OSA

Publication date: Available online 3 July 2017
Source:Sleep Medicine
Author(s): Lisa M. Walter, Daranagama UN. Dassanayake, Aidan J. Weichard, Margot J. Davey, Gillian M. Nixon, Rosemary SC. Horne
BackgroundIn both adults and children obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has significant adverse cardiovascular consequences. In adults, sleeping position has a marked effect on the severity of OSA, however the limited number of studies conducted in children have reported conflicting findings. We aimed to evaluate the effect of sleeping position on OSA severity and the cardiovascular consequences in preschool-aged children.MethodsThis was a retrospective analysis of children (3-5 y) diagnosed with OSA (n=75) and non-snoring controls (n=25). Sleeping position was classified as supine, semi-supine, left lateral, right lateral, prone and semi-prone using video recordings during one night of attended polysomnography. OSA severity and cardiovascular parameters were compared between positions.ResultsAll children spent significantly more sleep time supine than in any other position. The obstructive apnea hypopnea index was higher in the supine position compared with the other sleeping positions during NREM (p<0.05), and higher in the moderate/severe OSA group when sleeping supine compared with left and right lateral (p<0.05 for both), and prone (p=0.007) during REM. Sympathovagal balance was decreased in children with OSA when in the supine and lateral positions (p<0.05).ConclusionsThis study identified that preschool-aged children, whether non-snoring controls or children with OSA, sleep predominately in the supine position, and that OSA was more severe in the supine position. We suggest that to avoid the supine sleep position, positional therapy has the potential to ameliorate OSA severity and the known cardiovascular consequences.

Graphical abstract

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Is oestrogen associated with mandibular condylar resorption? A systematic review

A systematic review of the literature was performed regarding the influence of oestrogen on the occurrence of mandibular condylar resorption. Search terms for oestrogen were used in combination with terms related to the effect on condylar remodelling. A search of the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases yielded 419 articles published between October 1993 and March 2017. An additional 48 articles were retrieved through manual searching of the reference lists.

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Impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy on the prevalence of oral lesions in HIV-positive patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The aim of this study was to determine whether highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is associated with the prevalence of oral lesions in HIV-positive patients. This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). The search was conducted in seven electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, SciELO, LILACS, Embase, Web of Science, and OpenGrey), without restriction on publication period or language.

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Differential effect of the overexpression of Rad2/XPG family endonucleases on genome integrity in yeast and human cells

Publication date: Available online 3 July 2017
Source:DNA Repair
Author(s): Sonia Jimeno, Emilia Herrera-Moyano, Pedro Ortega, Andrés Aguilera
Eukaryotic cells possess several DNA endonucleases that are necessary to complete different steps in DNA metabolism. Rad2/XPG and Rad27/FEN1 belong to a group of evolutionary conserved proteins that constitute the Rad2 family. Given the important roles carried out by these nucleases in DNA repair and their capacity to create DNA breaks, we have investigated the effect that in vivo imbalance of these nucleases and others of the family have on genome integrity and cell proliferation. We show that overexpression of these nucleases causes genetic instability in both yeast and human cells. Interestingly, the type of recombination event and DNA damage induced suggest specific modes and timing of action of each nuclease that are beyond their known DNA repair function and are critical to preserve genome integrity. In addition to identifying new sources of genome instability, a hallmark of cancer cells, this study provides new genetic tools for studies of genome dynamics.

Graphical abstract

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Assessment of obstructive sleep apnoea treatment success or failure after maxillomandibular advancement

Maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) is an alternative therapeutic option that is highly effective for treating obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). MMA provides a solution for OSA patients that have difficulty accepting lifelong treatments with continuous positive airway pressure or mandibular advancement devices. The goal of this study was to investigate the different characteristics that determine OSA treatment success/failure after MMA. The apnoea–hypopnoea index (AHI) was used to determine the success or failure of OSA treatment after MMA.

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Back to sleep- or not: The impact of the supine position in pediatric OSA

In both adults and children obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has significant adverse cardiovascular consequences. In adults, sleeping position has a marked effect on the severity of OSA, however the limited number of studies conducted in children have reported conflicting findings. We aimed to evaluate the effect of sleeping position on OSA severity and the cardiovascular consequences in preschool-aged children.

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“Archers lip”: a lesion on the upper lip

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Publication date: Available online 3 July 2017
Source:British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Author(s): N.T. Neale, A. Sayan, V. Ilankovan




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Service evaluation of patients’ views on the Patients’ Concerns Inventory (at diagnosis)

Publication date: Available online 3 July 2017
Source:British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Author(s): M.J. Byrne, S.N. Rogers
The amount of information wanted by patients after the diagnosis of cancer of the head and neck varies, and valid consent is not possible without information. The Patients’ Concerns Inventory (diagnosis) (PCI-D) is a list intended to prompt patients to ask about aspects of their diagnosis and its potential treatments and outcomes. It has not previously been evaluated in clinical practice. Our aim was to assess how often patients recall using it and their satisfaction with both it and the information they received. New patients with oral cancer who attended one consultant’s clinic between 2014 and 2015 were evaluated and the response rate was 20/48. A total of 16/18 reported that they were very satisfied or satisfied with it. The Satisfaction with Cancer Information Profile Part B (SCIP-B) showed that the inventory seemed to improve patients’ satisfaction with the information that they were given. Further evaluation is required.



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Flow cytometry-based diagnosis of primary immunodeficiency diseases

Publication date: Available online 3 July 2017
Source:Allergology International
Author(s): Hirokazu Kanegane, Akihiro Hoshino, Tsubasa Okano, Takahiro Yasumi, Taizo Wada, Hidetoshi Takada, Satoshi Okada, Motoi Yamashita, Tzu-wen Yeh, Ryuta Nishikomori, Masatoshi Takagi, Kohsuke Imai, Hans D. Ochs, Tomohiro Morio
Primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) are a heterogeneous group of inherited diseases of the immune system. The definite diagnosis of PID is ascertained by genetic analysis; however, this takes time and is costly. Flow cytometry provides a rapid and highly sensitive tool for diagnosis of PIDs.Flow cytometry can evaluate specific cell populations and subpopulations, cell surface, intracellular and intranuclear proteins, biologic effects associated with specific immune defects, and certain functional immune characteristics, each being useful for the diagnosis and evaluation of PIDs. Flow cytometry effectively identifies major forms of PIDs, including severe combined immunodeficiency, X-linked agammaglobulinemia, hyper IgM syndromes, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome, familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome, IPEX syndrome, CTLA 4 haploinsufficiency and LRBA deficiency, IRAK4 and MyD88 deficiencies, Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial disease, chronic mucocuneous candidiasis, and chronic granulomatous disease. While genetic analysis is the definitive approach to establish specific diagnoses of PIDs, flow cytometry provides a tool to effectively evaluate patients with PIDs at relatively low cost.



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A decision support system for electrode shaping in multi-pad FES foot drop correction

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) can be applied as an assistive and therapeutic aid in the rehabilitation of foot drop. Transcutaneous multi-pad electrodes can increase the selectivity of stimulation; h...

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Decompressive craniectomy for malignant middle cerebral artery infarctions: a meta-analysis

Abstract

Background

Decompressive craniectomy (DC) has been the classical management for malignant middle cerebral artery infarctions (mMCAI) in clinical practice. However, the association between DC and mMCAI remains unclear. This review went to evaluate the efficacy of DC in treating mMCAI patients.

Methods

Studies were entirely searched since the foundation dates of multiple databases to June 2016. All major databases were involved, including Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and other sources. the bias risk of studies involved were evaluated. Modified Rankin Scale was defined as Primary outcome, Odds Ratio and 95% confidence intervals was taken as measurements. T2 (tau-squared) test, I2 test, and chi-square tests were used for statistical heterogeneity evaluation for each meta-analysis result, followed by fixed-effect model. Mantel-haenszel method was used in the process of summary estimations. All of the meta-analysis was conducted by Review Manager 5.3.

Results & Conclusion

One thousand one hundred forty-five records of data were critically identified and collected through databases and 14 studies were finally involved. Result suggested that DC can ameliorate the suboptimal outcome of mMCAI patients.



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Editorial: REM sleep behavior disorder and obstructive sleep apnea: does one “evil” make the other less or more “evil”?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is commonly found in patients with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), partially due to common risk factors shared by these two conditions (ie, age and male gender). Indeed, 34-60% of patients with RBD were reported to have an AHI > 10/hour.1,2 Recently, a few studies have tried to clarify the close relationship between OSA and RBD. In this issue, Bugalho et al. conducted a case-control study to further explore the reciprocal relationship between OSA and RBD. Albeit being hampered by a few limitations, such as small sample size, a lack of follow-up confirmation of potential pseudo-RBD induced by severe OSA, and a mixed group of idiopathic and symptomatic RBD (associated with Parkinson’s disease), this study has taken a great step towards understanding the complex relationship between OSA and RBD.

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Back to sleep- or not: The impact of the supine position in pediatric OSA

In both adults and children obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has significant adverse cardiovascular consequences. In adults, sleeping position has a marked effect on the severity of OSA, however the limited number of studies conducted in children have reported conflicting findings. We aimed to evaluate the effect of sleeping position on OSA severity and the cardiovascular consequences in preschool-aged children.

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Leg pain from periostitis as the first clinical manifestation of large vessel vasculitis: A case report

We report a case of a 47-year-old woman with isolated periostitis of the lower leg as a first manifestation of large vessel vasculitis. The diagnosis was first suspected when a second MRI of the lower leg approximately 4 months after onset of shin pain showed edema near intramuscular vessels. Isolated periostitis is a very rare skeletal manifestation of systemic vasculitis and could easily be misdiagnosed. This case demonstrates that maintaining a broad differential diagnosis for a common presenting complaint such as localized leg pain is imperative.

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Medialization Laryngoplasty After Injection Augmentation

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Publication date: Available online 3 July 2017
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Valeria Silva Merea, Solomon Husain, Lucian Sulica
ObjectivesThis study aims to assess the effect of vocal fold injection augmentation (IA) on subsequent medialization laryngoplasty (ML).Study DesignA retrospective cohort study with follow-up telephone survey was carried out.MethodsClinical records of patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis or paresis (VFP) who underwent ML between April 2006 and March 2015 were reviewed. Patients who underwent IA before ML were compared with patients who did not, with respect to demographic information, symptoms, Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10), etiology of VFP, and revision rate. Among patients undergoing IA, the effects of injection material and of interval from IA to ML on revision rate were assessed. Follow-up telephone surveys were conducted to evaluate long-term outcomes using VHI-10 and a condition-specific questionnaire.ResultsOne hundred thirty-five patients (70 male:65 female) with vocal fold paralysis (125) or paresis (10) underwent ML (96 left:39 right). Sixty-six (48.9%) patients underwent concurrent arytenoid adduction. Fourteen (10.4%) patients required revision. Fifty-six (41.5%) patients had prior IA; five (8.9%) patients underwent revision. Seventy-nine (58.5%) patients did not have IA; nine (11.4%) patients required revision (P = 0.78). Neither augmentation material nor length of interval between last IA and ML affected the revision rate (P = 1.00; P ≥ 0.11 for all tested intervals, respectively). No difference in follow-up VHI-10 score was found between patients who had IA before ML and patients who had not (P = 0.73).ConclusionsIA does not appear to affect the revision rate or long-term outcome of subsequent ML.



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Pharmacy, Vol. 5, Pages 37: Assessment of Drug Information Service in Public and Private Sector Tertiary Care Hospitals in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

Drug information service is a dedicated and specialized service provided by pharmacists to enhance knowledge of medicines use, promote rational prescribing among prescribers, and reduce medication errors. Saudi Arabia has a National Drug and Poison Information Center (NDPIC) responsible for answering drug queries. There is a lack of literature that reports the current scenario of drug information services in the country, especially the Eastern Province. This study reported the current status of drug information services being provided among tertiary care hospitals of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. All hospitals provided drug information services. The qualification of personnel was mostly bachelor’s level (46.2%) and without proper training (54.8%). The most common queries received in a day were related to drug alternatives, dosage, and administration, as well as the availability of drugs. Physicians were the main users of the service. The most common health resources employed for the service was Lexi-Comp (76.9%) and Micromedex (69.2%). The use of Saudi National Formulary was not reported by any hospital, which highlights a potential research gap to address i.e., to investigate the lack of use of SNF by practitioners.

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Sarcoidosis Presenting as Bilateral Vocal Fold Immobility

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Publication date: Available online 3 July 2017
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Justin M. Hintze, Sharon H. Gnagi, David G. Lott
Bilateral true vocal fold paralysis is rarely attributable to inflammatory diseases. Sarcoidosis is a rare but important etiology of bilateral true vocal fold paralysis by compressive lymphadenopathy, granulomatous infiltration, and neural involvement. We describe the first reported case of sarcoidosis presenting as bilateral vocal fold immobility caused by direct fixation by granulomatous infiltration severe enough to necessitate tracheostomy insertion. In addition, we discuss the presentation, the pathophysiology, and the treatment of this disease with a review of the literature of previously reported cases of sarcoidosis-related vocal fold immobility. Sarcoidosis should therefore be an important consideration for the otolaryngologist's differential diagnosis of true vocal fold immobility.



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“Prologues to a Bad Voice”: Effect of Vocal Hygiene Knowledge and Training on Voice Quality Following Stage Performance

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Publication date: Available online 3 July 2017
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Balaji Rangarathnam, Towino Paramby, Gary H. McCullough
PurposeThe purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of intensive stage rehearsal and performance on perceptual, acoustic, and aerodynamic measures of voice, and to determine the impact of knowledge and practice of vocal hygiene on measures of voice during intensive vocal performance.MethodsNineteen stage actors who were participating in the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre festival took part in the study. Each participant completed auditory-perceptual, acoustic, aerodynamic, and quality of life measures before and after 1 month of intensive rehearsals and stage performances. They also completed a questionnaire documenting their vocal use, vocal hygiene, and previous vocal training, if any.ResultsSubjects demonstrated statistically significant deterioration in auditory-perceptual measures and mean expiratory airflow. Other acoustic measures trended toward poorer outcomes after the performances; however, these were not statistically significant. Knowledge of vocal hygiene and vocal training did not have an impact on the change in vocal measures.ConclusionsStage performances do impact vocal outcomes with reduction in quality and efficient use of airflow for voice production. Knowledge and practice of vocal hygiene have some impact on these changes; however, vocal hygiene may not be the best preventive strategy of potential phonotrauma in this subject population.



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Medialization Laryngoplasty After Injection Augmentation

Publication date: Available online 3 July 2017
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Valeria Silva Merea, Solomon Husain, Lucian Sulica
ObjectivesThis study aims to assess the effect of vocal fold injection augmentation (IA) on subsequent medialization laryngoplasty (ML).Study DesignA retrospective cohort study with follow-up telephone survey was carried out.MethodsClinical records of patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis or paresis (VFP) who underwent ML between April 2006 and March 2015 were reviewed. Patients who underwent IA before ML were compared with patients who did not, with respect to demographic information, symptoms, Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10), etiology of VFP, and revision rate. Among patients undergoing IA, the effects of injection material and of interval from IA to ML on revision rate were assessed. Follow-up telephone surveys were conducted to evaluate long-term outcomes using VHI-10 and a condition-specific questionnaire.ResultsOne hundred thirty-five patients (70 male:65 female) with vocal fold paralysis (125) or paresis (10) underwent ML (96 left:39 right). Sixty-six (48.9%) patients underwent concurrent arytenoid adduction. Fourteen (10.4%) patients required revision. Fifty-six (41.5%) patients had prior IA; five (8.9%) patients underwent revision. Seventy-nine (58.5%) patients did not have IA; nine (11.4%) patients required revision (P = 0.78). Neither augmentation material nor length of interval between last IA and ML affected the revision rate (P = 1.00; P ≥ 0.11 for all tested intervals, respectively). No difference in follow-up VHI-10 score was found between patients who had IA before ML and patients who had not (P = 0.73).ConclusionsIA does not appear to affect the revision rate or long-term outcome of subsequent ML.



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Sarcoidosis Presenting as Bilateral Vocal Fold Immobility

Publication date: Available online 3 July 2017
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Justin M. Hintze, Sharon H. Gnagi, David G. Lott
Bilateral true vocal fold paralysis is rarely attributable to inflammatory diseases. Sarcoidosis is a rare but important etiology of bilateral true vocal fold paralysis by compressive lymphadenopathy, granulomatous infiltration, and neural involvement. We describe the first reported case of sarcoidosis presenting as bilateral vocal fold immobility caused by direct fixation by granulomatous infiltration severe enough to necessitate tracheostomy insertion. In addition, we discuss the presentation, the pathophysiology, and the treatment of this disease with a review of the literature of previously reported cases of sarcoidosis-related vocal fold immobility. Sarcoidosis should therefore be an important consideration for the otolaryngologist's differential diagnosis of true vocal fold immobility.



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“Prologues to a Bad Voice”: Effect of Vocal Hygiene Knowledge and Training on Voice Quality Following Stage Performance

Publication date: Available online 3 July 2017
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Balaji Rangarathnam, Towino Paramby, Gary H. McCullough
PurposeThe purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of intensive stage rehearsal and performance on perceptual, acoustic, and aerodynamic measures of voice, and to determine the impact of knowledge and practice of vocal hygiene on measures of voice during intensive vocal performance.MethodsNineteen stage actors who were participating in the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre festival took part in the study. Each participant completed auditory-perceptual, acoustic, aerodynamic, and quality of life measures before and after 1 month of intensive rehearsals and stage performances. They also completed a questionnaire documenting their vocal use, vocal hygiene, and previous vocal training, if any.ResultsSubjects demonstrated statistically significant deterioration in auditory-perceptual measures and mean expiratory airflow. Other acoustic measures trended toward poorer outcomes after the performances; however, these were not statistically significant. Knowledge of vocal hygiene and vocal training did not have an impact on the change in vocal measures.ConclusionsStage performances do impact vocal outcomes with reduction in quality and efficient use of airflow for voice production. Knowledge and practice of vocal hygiene have some impact on these changes; however, vocal hygiene may not be the best preventive strategy of potential phonotrauma in this subject population.



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TP53INP1 down-regulation activates a p73-dependent DUSP10/ERK signaling pathway to promote metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Identifying critical factors involved in the metastatic progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may offer important therapeutic opportunities. Here we report that the pro-apoptotic stress response factor TP53INP1 is often selectively down-regulated in advanced stage IV and metastatic human HCC tumors. Mechanistic investigations revealed that TP53INP1 down-regulation in early stage HCC cells promoted metastasis via DUSP10 phosphatase-mediated activation of the ERK pathway. The DUSP10 promoter included putative binding sites for p73 directly implicated in modulation by TP53INP1. Overall, our findings showed how TP53INP1 plays a critical in limiting progression of early stage HCC, with implications for developing new therapeutic strategies to attack metastatic HCC.

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Oral administration of azithromycin ameliorates trypanosomosis in Trypanosoma congolense -infected mice

Abstract

Animal trypanosomosis is a devastating parasitic disease that is of economic importance to livestock production. The infection includes animal African trypanosomosis, surra, and dourine. The treatment is based solely on few compounds that were discovered decades ago and which are associated with severe toxicity. Furthermore, it is likely that the parasite has developed resistance towards them. Thus, there is an urgent need for new, accessible, and less toxic drugs. Azithromycin is an antibiotic with documented efficacy against Toxoplasma, Babesia, and Plasmodium. The current study investigated its effects against animal trypanosomes. An in vitro system was used to determine the trypanocidal effects of azithromycin against Trypanosoma congolense, Trypanosoma brucei brucei, and Trypanosoma evansi, and cytotoxicity in Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) and NIH 3T3 cells. Furthermore, the trypanocidal effects of azithromycin were investigated in T. congolense-infected mice. In vitro, azithromycin had an IC50 of 0.19 ± 0.17; 3.69 ± 2.26; 1.81 ± 1.82 μg/mL against T. congolense, T. b. brucei, and T. evansi, respectively. No cytotoxic effects were observed in MDBK and NIH 3T3 cells. The efficacy of orally administered azithromycin was investigated in short-term and long-term treatment protocols. Although the short-term treatment protocol showed no curative effects, the survival rate of the mice was significantly prolonged (p < 0.001) in comparison to the control group. The long-term treatment yielded satisfying curative effects with doses of 300 and 400 mg/kg achieving 80 and 100% survival, respectively. In conclusion, long-term oral azithromycin treatment has trypanocidal effects against T. congolense.



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Absence of Relationship between Mitochondrial DNA Haplogroups and Cisplatin-Induced Hearing Loss

Background. Many drugs used for cancer chemotherapy produce reactive oxygen species, thus leading to various complications including nephrotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, and ototoxicity. Objective. We have provided a haplogroup analysis of a cohort of cancer patients treated with chemotherapy and compared factors associated with associated hearing loss. Study Design and Methods. This observational cohort study includes a pure-tone audiometry of the patients who underwent chemotherapeutic treatment. Medical history, presence of risk factors for hearing loss, toxic habits, and association with haplogroups have been determined. Results. 40% of patients developed hearing loss after administration of cisplatin, which was bilateral and symmetrical and of high frequencies. The most frequent haplogroup was H with a slight overexpression of groups V and K and a low frequency of groups J and T. No association of the haplogroup types with the hearing loss has been found; however age was revealed as an important determining factor. Conclusions. Ototoxicity caused by cisplatin is manifested as bilateral, symmetrical, and predominantly high frequency hearing loss. Although we did not find a strong correlation of haplogroups with ototoxicity, our results revealed the existence of a risk group of elderly patients over 60, which are more susceptible to hearing loss induced by cisplatin, than young adults, regardless of preexisting hearing loss.

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Clinical outcomes of retrograde intra-arterial chemotherapy concurrent with radiotherapy for elderly oral squamous cell carcinoma patients aged over 80 years old

The aim of this retrospective observational study was to evaluate toxicities, overall survival, and locoregional control in elderly oral squamous cell carcinoma patients who had undergone retrograde intra-arte...

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Hyperbaric oxygen treatment of spinal cord injury in rat model

The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment on rats following spinal cord injury (SCI).

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Difference in the relative biological effectiveness and DNA damage repair processes in response to proton beam therapy according to the positions of the spread out Bragg peak

Cellular responses to proton beam irradiation are not yet clearly understood, especially differences in the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of high-energy proton beams depending on the position on the ...

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Nuclear CD24 drives tumor growth and is predictive of poor patient prognosis

Elevated tumor expression of the cell surface GPI-linked CD24 protein signals poor patient prognosis in many tumor types. However, some cancer cells selected to be negative for surface CD24 (surCD24-) still retain aggressive phenotypes in vitro and in vivo. Here we resolve this apparent paradox with the discovery of biologically active, nuclear CD24 (nucCD24) and finding that its levels are unchanged in surCD24- cells. Using the complementary techniques of biochemical cellular fractionation and immunofluorescence, we demonstrate a signal for CD24 in the nucleus in cells from various histological types of cancer. Nuclear-specific expression of CD24 (NLS-CD24) increased anchorage independent growth in vitro and tumor formation in vivo. Immunohistochemistry of patient tumor samples revealed the presence of nucCD24, whose signal intensity correlated positively with the presence of metastatic disease. Analysis of gene expression between cells expressing CD24 and NLS-CD24 revealed a unique nucCD24 transcriptional signature. The median score derived from this signature was able to stratify overall survival in 4 patient datasets from bladder cancer and 5 patient datasets from colorectal cancer. Patients with high scores (more nucCD24-like) had reduced survival. These findings define a novel and functionally important intracellular location of CD24, they explain why surCD24- cells can remain aggressive, and they highlight the need to consider nucCD24 in both fundamental research and therapeutic development.

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TP53INP1 down-regulation activates a p73-dependent DUSP10/ERK signaling pathway to promote metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Identifying critical factors involved in the metastatic progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may offer important therapeutic opportunities. Here we report that the pro-apoptotic stress response factor TP53INP1 is often selectively down-regulated in advanced stage IV and metastatic human HCC tumors. Mechanistic investigations revealed that TP53INP1 down-regulation in early stage HCC cells promoted metastasis via DUSP10 phosphatase-mediated activation of the ERK pathway. The DUSP10 promoter included putative binding sites for p73 directly implicated in modulation by TP53INP1. Overall, our findings showed how TP53INP1 plays a critical in limiting progression of early stage HCC, with implications for developing new therapeutic strategies to attack metastatic HCC.

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Absence of Relationship between Mitochondrial DNA Haplogroups and Cisplatin-Induced Hearing Loss

Background. Many drugs used for cancer chemotherapy produce reactive oxygen species, thus leading to various complications including nephrotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, and ototoxicity. Objective. We have provided a haplogroup analysis of a cohort of cancer patients treated with chemotherapy and compared factors associated with associated hearing loss. Study Design and Methods. This observational cohort study includes a pure-tone audiometry of the patients who underwent chemotherapeutic treatment. Medical history, presence of risk factors for hearing loss, toxic habits, and association with haplogroups have been determined. Results. 40% of patients developed hearing loss after administration of cisplatin, which was bilateral and symmetrical and of high frequencies. The most frequent haplogroup was H with a slight overexpression of groups V and K and a low frequency of groups J and T. No association of the haplogroup types with the hearing loss has been found; however age was revealed as an important determining factor. Conclusions. Ototoxicity caused by cisplatin is manifested as bilateral, symmetrical, and predominantly high frequency hearing loss. Although we did not find a strong correlation of haplogroups with ototoxicity, our results revealed the existence of a risk group of elderly patients over 60, which are more susceptible to hearing loss induced by cisplatin, than young adults, regardless of preexisting hearing loss.

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Clinical outcomes of retrograde intra-arterial chemotherapy concurrent with radiotherapy for elderly oral squamous cell carcinoma patients aged over 80 years old

The aim of this retrospective observational study was to evaluate toxicities, overall survival, and locoregional control in elderly oral squamous cell carcinoma patients who had undergone retrograde intra-arte...

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Prevalence and Genetic Characterization of Cryptosporidium Infection in Java Sparrows (Lonchura oryzivora) in Northern China

Cryptosporidiosis is a cosmopolitan parasitosis that affects a wide range of hosts including birds. As information concerning Cryptosporidium in birds is limited, the present study examined the prevalence and genotypes of Cryptosporidium in Java sparrows in Beijing and Shangqiu, northern China. Three hundred and fifty fecal samples were collected from Java sparrows (Lonchura oryzivora, 225 white Java sparrows and 125 gray Java sparrows) in Beijing and Shangqiu in October 2015, and the samples were examined by PCR amplification of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene. The overall Cryptosporidium prevalence is 13.42% (47/350), with 16.44% (37/225) in white Java sparrows and 8.00% (10/125) in gray Java sparrows. Cryptosporidium prevalence was 9.82% (16/163) in Java sparrows from Beijing and 16.58% (31/187) in Java sparrows from Shangqiu. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium in females and males was 40.63% (26/64) and 7.34% (21/286), respectively. The Cryptosporidium prevalence in Java sparrows of different ages varied from 10.47% to 16.33%. Sequence analysis of the SSU rRNA gene revealed that all the samples represented C. baileyi. This is the first report of Cryptosporidium in gray Java sparrows in China, which extend the host range for C. baileyi. These results provide baseline information for further studies of molecular epidemiology and control of Cryptosporidium infection in poultry in China.

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Difference in the relative biological effectiveness and DNA damage repair processes in response to proton beam therapy according to the positions of the spread out Bragg peak

Cellular responses to proton beam irradiation are not yet clearly understood, especially differences in the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of high-energy proton beams depending on the position on the ...

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“Archers lip”: a lesion on the upper lip

A 65-year-old man was referred to us by his general practitioner with a persistent, scabbed lesion on his right upper lip. The lesion was red and had an irregular outline with a central scab that crossed the vermilion border (Fig. 1). On palpation it was indurated. The patient was a factory worker and had been regularly exposed to the sun. His medical history was unremarkable.

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Service evaluation of patients’ views on the Patients’ Concerns Inventory (at diagnosis)

The amount of information wanted by patients after the diagnosis of cancer of the head and neck varies, and valid consent is not possible without information. The Patients’ Concerns Inventory (diagnosis) (PCI-D) is a list intended to prompt patients to ask about aspects of their diagnosis and its potential treatments and outcomes. It has not previously been evaluated in clinical practice. Our aim was to assess how often patients recall using it and their satisfaction with both it and the information they received.

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Does a face-bow lead to better occlusion in complete dentures? A randomized controlled trial: part I

Abstract

Objectives

In a double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial, the impact of face-bow registration for remounting complete dentures (CDs) on the occlusal parameters (part I) was evaluated.

Materials and methods

New CDs of 32 patients were duplicated and mounted after intraoral pin registration according to mean settings (group 1) and (group 2) using a face-bow (arbitrary hinge axis). The vertical dimension was reduced to the first occlusal contact point, and a bite record was fabricated in the articulator. The number of contacts and the number of teeth in contact were evaluated by a computer program (laboratory result). After randomization, half of the CDs were adjusted according to protocol of group 1 and group 2 and delivered to the patients. After 3 days (T1) and 84 days (T2), clinical static contact points and teeth in contact were counted. Contact points and teeth in contact of both groups (laboratory results) and at different moments (clinical results) were analyzed statistically with the F test and bootstrapping.

Results

Laboratory: No. 2 (face-bow) showed more occlusal contact points than no. 1 (mean setting), p > 0.05. The number of teeth with at least one occlusal contact was significantly higher in no. 2 (p = 0.027). Clinic: The mean number of teeth with at least one clinical contact point was significantly higher in no. 1 (no. 1 = 7.13, no. 2 = 5.31; p = 0.042). Extent of the vertical shift poorly correlated with number of laboratory occlusal contact points (R 2 = 0.017).

Conclusions

Considering the complex multistep study design, a limited number of participants, and referring to one specific arbitrary face-bow, the following conclusion could be drawn: no substantial difference by the use of the arbitrary face-bow compared to a mean setting could be determined, when changing the vertical dimension in the articulator within a remounting procedure of complete dentures.

Clinical relevance

Further research is necessary to determine the effects of different arbitrary face-bows on the fabrication and adaptation of removable dentures.



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Association of Ozone with 5-Fluorouracil and Cisplatin in Regulation of Human Colon Cancer Cell Viability: In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Ozone in Colon Cancer Cells Exposed to Lipopolysaccharides

Introduction. Ozone therapy is an effective medical treatment for different diseases like mucositis, psoriasis, acute pain, neurovascular diseases, and cancer. The aim of this study is based on the association of different ozone concentration with 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin in human colon cancer cell (HT29 cell line) in order to investigate possible anticancer synergistic effects. Methods. HT29 cells were incubated with ozone at different concentration ranging from 10 up to 50 μg/ml at different incubation time alone or in combination with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil. Cell viability was performed by using a modified MTT method. Anti-inflammatory studies were conducted incubating HT29 with or without 20, 30, or 50 μg/ml of ozone before exposure to lipopolysaccharides. Results. Ozone alone has a time and concentration dependent cytotoxicity against HT29 cells (IC50 at 24 h: 30 μg/ml). Association of ozone with drugs increases cytotoxicity by 15–20%. Preincubation of ozone at 50 μg/ml decreases IL-8, IL-6, and IL-1β production by 50, 56, and 70%, respectively, compared to untreated cells. Conclusion. These results indicated that ozone could be useful in colon cancer management in combination with 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin with significant inhibition of cytokines having a central role in colon cancer cell survival and chemoresistance.

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Does a face-bow lead to better occlusion in complete dentures? A randomized controlled trial: part I

Abstract

Objectives

In a double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial, the impact of face-bow registration for remounting complete dentures (CDs) on the occlusal parameters (part I) was evaluated.

Materials and methods

New CDs of 32 patients were duplicated and mounted after intraoral pin registration according to mean settings (group 1) and (group 2) using a face-bow (arbitrary hinge axis). The vertical dimension was reduced to the first occlusal contact point, and a bite record was fabricated in the articulator. The number of contacts and the number of teeth in contact were evaluated by a computer program (laboratory result). After randomization, half of the CDs were adjusted according to protocol of group 1 and group 2 and delivered to the patients. After 3 days (T1) and 84 days (T2), clinical static contact points and teeth in contact were counted. Contact points and teeth in contact of both groups (laboratory results) and at different moments (clinical results) were analyzed statistically with the F test and bootstrapping.

Results

Laboratory: No. 2 (face-bow) showed more occlusal contact points than no. 1 (mean setting), p > 0.05. The number of teeth with at least one occlusal contact was significantly higher in no. 2 (p = 0.027). Clinic: The mean number of teeth with at least one clinical contact point was significantly higher in no. 1 (no. 1 = 7.13, no. 2 = 5.31; p = 0.042). Extent of the vertical shift poorly correlated with number of laboratory occlusal contact points (R 2 = 0.017).

Conclusions

Considering the complex multistep study design, a limited number of participants, and referring to one specific arbitrary face-bow, the following conclusion could be drawn: no substantial difference by the use of the arbitrary face-bow compared to a mean setting could be determined, when changing the vertical dimension in the articulator within a remounting procedure of complete dentures.

Clinical relevance

Further research is necessary to determine the effects of different arbitrary face-bows on the fabrication and adaptation of removable dentures.



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Major Mont. insurer reaches contract with air ambulance

The legislation was created after residents complained of bills for tens of thousands of dollars for medical flights

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Oxidative potential of PM2.5 during Atlanta rush hour: Measurements of in-vehicle dithiothreitol (DTT) activity

Publication date: September 2017
Source:Atmospheric Environment, Volume 165
Author(s): Heidi Vreeland, Rodney Weber, Michael Bergin, Roby Greenwald, Rachel Golan, Armistead G. Russell, Vishal Verma, Jeremy A. Sarnat
Although exposure to traffic emissions is frequently associated with negative health impacts, few studies have measured air pollution directly in-vehicle, and limited measurements of daily commuter exposure exist. This research, part of the Atlanta Commuter Exposures (ACE) Study, assesses on-roadway in-cabin particulate pollution (PM2.5) collected from scripted rush hour commutes on highways and on non-highway side streets. Water-soluble extracts from PM2.5 filters were analyzed for oxidative potential of water-soluble species using the dithiothreitol (DTT) assay, and results suggest that there may be substantial gas-phase DTT activity in fresh emissions. We measured DTTv activities (i.e., DTT activity normalized to the sampled air volume) that were on average two times higher than comparable measurements collected by stationary roadside monitoring sites. Although some of this difference may be attributable to positive artifacts due to relatively brief (2-h) quartz filter sampling durations, the current findings provide some indication that commuters encounter notably higher exposure to redox-active PM2.5 in the on-road environment. Strong correlations are observed between water-soluble DTT activity and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), specifically for the ‘semivolatile’ WSOC component (measured as the difference between denuded and non-denuded filters). Although potential for artifacts when measuring DTT activity of fresh emissions using filter-based methods is considerable, these results suggest that semivolatile organic species are important contributors to DTT activity, at least in environments where ambient PM2.5 is dominated by vehicular sources.

Graphical abstract

image


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“Prologues to a Bad Voice”: Effect of Vocal Hygiene Knowledge and Training on Voice Quality Following Stage Performance

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of intensive stage rehearsal and performance on perceptual, acoustic, and aerodynamic measures of voice, and to determine the impact of knowledge and practice of vocal hygiene on measures of voice during intensive vocal performance.

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Sarcoidosis Presenting as Bilateral Vocal Fold Immobility

Bilateral true vocal fold paralysis is rarely attributable to inflammatory diseases. Sarcoidosis is a rare but important etiology of bilateral true vocal fold paralysis by compressive lymphadenopathy, granulomatous infiltration, and neural involvement. We describe the first reported case of sarcoidosis presenting as bilateral vocal fold immobility caused by direct fixation by granulomatous infiltration severe enough to necessitate tracheostomy insertion. In addition, we discuss the presentation, the pathophysiology, and the treatment of this disease with a review of the literature of previously reported cases of sarcoidosis-related vocal fold immobility.

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Medialization Laryngoplasty After Injection Augmentation

This study aims to assess the effect of vocal fold injection augmentation (IA) on subsequent medialization laryngoplasty (ML).

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Does a face-bow lead to better occlusion in complete dentures? A randomized controlled trial: part I

Abstract

Objectives

In a double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial, the impact of face-bow registration for remounting complete dentures (CDs) on the occlusal parameters (part I) was evaluated.

Materials and methods

New CDs of 32 patients were duplicated and mounted after intraoral pin registration according to mean settings (group 1) and (group 2) using a face-bow (arbitrary hinge axis). The vertical dimension was reduced to the first occlusal contact point, and a bite record was fabricated in the articulator. The number of contacts and the number of teeth in contact were evaluated by a computer program (laboratory result). After randomization, half of the CDs were adjusted according to protocol of group 1 and group 2 and delivered to the patients. After 3 days (T1) and 84 days (T2), clinical static contact points and teeth in contact were counted. Contact points and teeth in contact of both groups (laboratory results) and at different moments (clinical results) were analyzed statistically with the F test and bootstrapping.

Results

Laboratory: No. 2 (face-bow) showed more occlusal contact points than no. 1 (mean setting), p > 0.05. The number of teeth with at least one occlusal contact was significantly higher in no. 2 (p = 0.027). Clinic: The mean number of teeth with at least one clinical contact point was significantly higher in no. 1 (no. 1 = 7.13, no. 2 = 5.31; p = 0.042). Extent of the vertical shift poorly correlated with number of laboratory occlusal contact points (R 2 = 0.017).

Conclusions

Considering the complex multistep study design, a limited number of participants, and referring to one specific arbitrary face-bow, the following conclusion could be drawn: no substantial difference by the use of the arbitrary face-bow compared to a mean setting could be determined, when changing the vertical dimension in the articulator within a remounting procedure of complete dentures.

Clinical relevance

Further research is necessary to determine the effects of different arbitrary face-bows on the fabrication and adaptation of removable dentures.



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