Σφακιανάκης Αλέξανδρος
ΩτοΡινοΛαρυγγολόγος
Αναπαύσεως 5 Άγιος Νικόλαος
Κρήτη 72100
00302841026182
00306932607174
alsfakia@gmail.com

Αρχειοθήκη ιστολογίου

! # Ola via Alexandros G.Sfakianakis on Inoreader

Η λίστα ιστολογίων μου

Παρασκευή 23 Μαρτίου 2018

Primary male factor infertility due to asthenospermia in maturity-onset diabetes of the young type 5 (MODY 5): uncommon presentation of an uncommon disease

Mutations in hepatocyte nuclear factor-1β gene result in a multisystemic syndrome where a monogenic form of diabetes (maturity-onset diabetes of young type 5; MODY 5) and renal anomalies, usually bilateral multiple cysts are the most characteristic findings. Many of them have pancreatic structural abnormalities as well. A plethora of extrapancreatic manifestations like altered liver function tests, hypomagnesaemia, hyperuricaemia with/without gout and urogenital malformations, particularly in females are also components of the syndrome. Structural malformation of male urogenital tract is rare in MODY 5, even rarer is asthenospermia. We encountered a young non-obese individual having insulin-requiring diabetes following secondary oral agent failure with primary male factor infertility secondary to asthenospermia. A suggestive family history, lack of acanthosis, negative pancreatic autoimmunity, hypomagnesaemia, bilateral renal and epididymal cysts, and absence of body and tail of pancreas pointed towards underlying MODY 5.



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Superficial temporal artery pseudoaneurysm following facial trauma

A 68-year-old man presented with rapid swelling of the right forehead 11 days after sustaining a laceration secondary to a fall. Presumed to be an abscess due to retained foreign body, needle aspiration was performed and arterial blood obtained. Doppler ultrasound revealed a 3 cm mixed echogenicity lesion with 'see-sawing' internal Doppler flow arising from the superficial temporal artery (STA), in keeping with a pseudoaneurysm. Treatment options including interventional radiology and open surgery were considered. Open operative intervention with direct surgical ligation provided an excellent outcome. Delayed pseudoaneurysm of the STA is a rare complication of trauma but should be considered in the differential of a traumatic lateral forehead swelling to prevent complications and inappropriate investigations and management.



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Septic presentation of a giant fibroepithelial polyp of the vulva

Fibroepithelial stromal polyps are mesenchymal lesions occurring typically in reproductive age women with a predilection for the vulvo-vaginal region. Malignancy may mimic this polyp in morphology, rendering further investigations including detailed histopathology mandatory. Histologically its characteristic features are stellate and multinucleate stromal cells identified near the epithelial–stromal interface. This case report discusses incidental finding of largest fibroepithelial polyp presented in a 31-year-old nulliparous woman. She was initially admitted with sepsis and detailed physical examination revealed a right-sided infected pedunculated labial mass measuring 20x21 cm. After initial resuscitation for sepsis, she was further investigated for the mass. Transabdominal ultrasound was essentially normal apart from a small fibroid 3x2 cm in the anterior wall of the uterus. The vulval mass was removed under local and regional anaesthesia and was confirmed to be a giant fibroepithelial stromal polyp on histopathology. The woman recovered well and was followed up until 1 year.



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Herpes zoster ophthalmicus evolving into headache characterised as hemicrania continua

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common chronic complication of herpes zoster infection. However, a few patients may develop different types of pain after herpetic lesions. We are reporting two patients who developed postherpetic hemicrania continua (HC). Case 1: a 54-year-old woman had a 10-month history of continuous left-sided pain with superimposed exacerbations. The pain started with the onset of herpetic lesions in the ophthalmic division. The lesions subsided in a few weeks. However, the pain persisted and it responded exclusively to indomethacin. Case 2: a 61-year-old woman developed clinical features pertinent to PHN. However, later on, the pattern and associated clinical features changed. The patient fulfilled the criteria of HC and showed a complete response to indomethacin. We suggest that every patient with PHN should be asked for cranial autonomic features and a trial of indomethacin should be given in refractory herpes zoster neuropathy.



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Thyrotoxic crisis as an acute clinical presentation in a child

A previously well, 4-year-old girl presented with a 4–6 weeks' history of increased appetite, weight loss, tiredness, sleep difficulty, excessive sweating, swelling in the neck and new-onset 'prominent, protruding eyes.' Family history revealed paternal grandmother receiving treatment for hyperthyroidism. Clinical assessment demonstrated features of thyrotoxicosis (tachycardia, warm peripheries, small smooth goitre with no nodules, exophthalmos). TFT (Free T4=101 pmol/L, thyroid-stimulating hormone <0.05 mIU/L) with raised thyroid peroxidase antibody levels (TPO=541 IU/mL) confirmed autoimmune hyperthyroidism. Observation on the ward showed features of thyrotoxic crisis with persistent severe tachycardia on ECG (sinus tachycardia with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH)) and hypertension. Ultrasound thyroid showed diffuse thyroiditis with no focal lesion. Echocardiogram confirmed the above findings. A diagnosis of Graves' disease with thyrotoxic crisis was made. Antithyroid treatment (carbimazole) and beta-blocker (propranolol) was commenced. Thyrotoxic crisis resolved over 2 weeks and the child has continued to respond to carbimazole treatment at 1-year follow-up.



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Worm in anterior chamber of the eye

We report a case of a 42-year-old female patient who presented to the ophthalmology outpatient department with painful red eye for 1 month. Slit-lamp microscopy showed a live worm in the anterior chamber of left eye. The worm was surgically removed under topical anaesthesia. It was sent to the microbiology department for further identification and was found to be adult female Loaloa.



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Rapidly expanding venous intracerebral haemorrhage with spot sign

A 79-year-old woman was brought to the hospital with an acute-onset left haemiparesis. On initial examination, she had a pure sensorimotor syndrome with left-sided weakness and sensory disturbance. Her mental status was normal. She had normal visual fields to confrontation and no neglect. Her initial CT and CT angiogram revealed cerebral venous thrombosis with associated haemorrhage. A 'spot sign' was visible on CT angiogram. Immediately following the CT scan, the patient had a rapidly progressive decline in level of consciousness, requiring endotracheal intubation. A follow-up CT scan 70 min later showed the haemorrhage had expanded dramatically, with mass effect, midline shift and herniation. After a discussion with the family, the patient was extubated and died the following day. This is the first case of a cerebral venous thrombosis with associated spot sign-positive haemorrhage and published clinical details that the authors are aware of.



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Autoimmune pancreatitis with concomitant autoimmune haemolytic anaemia

Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is an infrequent cause of acute pancreatitis, being more commonly associated with chronic pancreatitis. AIP can be associated with other autoimmune manifestations, including Sjögren's, inflammatory bowel disease, primary biliary cirrhosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hypothyroidism and sarcoidosis. Rarely, concurrent autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA) is observed, as seen in our case report of a 33-year-old postpartum woman.



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Pneumatosis intestinalis in small bowel obstruction

Description

We present a case of a 42-year-old woman with a history of acute myeloid leukaemia treated with bone marrow transplant. Her case was complicated by graft versus host disease involving the gastrointestinal tract, necessitating partial colectomy with ileostomy. She presented to the hospital with recurrent partial small bowel obstruction (SBO). Abdominal CT scan was consistent with partial SBO, and the patient was admitted for conservative treatment. She was deemed a poor surgical candidate given her multiple comorbidities and immunosuppressed state. Her clinical condition waxed and waned over the next week, and on hospital day 10 the patient developed decreased ileostomy output, increased nausea and vomiting. Abdominal radiographs revealed dilated bowel with increased intramural radiolucency (figure 1), and subsequent CT scan was confirmatory for extensive pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) (figure 2). The patient was treated conservatively with bowel rest and nasogastric suction with favourable outcome.



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Delayed neurological deficits after endovascular placement of a pipeline embolisation device: clinical manifestation and treatment

Endovascular treatment has been the mainstay of therapy for repair of both ruptured and unruptured cerebral aneurysms. Flow diverter devices offer a new option for the treatment of complex aneurysms that were previously not amenable to coiling. Procedural adverse effects include intracranial haemorrhage and ischaemic stroke, which usually occur on the same day. Delayed complications are rare. We report a case of a patient who underwent placement of a pipeline embolisation device and developed delayed neurological deficits, which were thought to be an inflammatory reaction to the hydrophilic coating used in guidewires and microcatheters. Our patient was treated with a course of steroids, with improvement of her neurological deficits and resolution of MRI findings. As the use of flow diverter devices has increased, variable and delayed complications of such therapy are increasingly being reported in the literature.



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Inferior turbinectomy: what is the best technique?

Renato Roithmann
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol.2018;84:133-4

Texto Completo - PDF

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Tinnitus and sound intolerance: evidence and experience of a Brazilian group

Ektor Tsuneo Onishi, Cláudia Couto de Barros Coelho, Jeanne Oiticica, Ricardo Rodrigues Figueiredo, Rita de Cassia Cassou Guimarães, Tanit Ganz Sanchez, Adriana Lima Gürtler, Alessandra Ramos Venosa, André Luiz Lopes Sampaio, Andreia Aparecida Azevedo, Anna Paula Batista de Ávila Pires, Bruno Borges de Carvalho Barros, Carlos Augusto Costa Pires de Oliveira, Clarice Saba, Fernando Kaoru Yonamine, Ítalo Roberto Torres de Medeiros, Letícia Petersen Schmidt Rosito, Marcelo José Abras Rates, Márcia Akemi Kii, Mariana Lopes Fávero, Mônica Alcantara de Oliveira Santos, Osmar Clayton Person, Patrícia Ciminelli, Renata de Almeida Marcondes, Ronaldo Kennedy de Paula Moreira, Sandro de Menezes Santos Torres
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol.2018;84:135-49

Resume - Texto Completo - PDF

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Pinna synthetic mold for otoplasty techniques application

Mariah Guieiro Alves dos Reis, Ricardo Guimarães Marim, Luis Ricardo Martinhão Souto
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol.2018;84:159-65

Resume - Texto Completo - PDF

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Role of preoperative air‐bone gap in tinnitus outcome after tympanoplasty for chronic otitis media with tinnitus

Hong Chan Kim, Chul Ho Jang, Young Yoon Kim, Jong Yuap Seong, Sung Hoon Kang, Yong Beom Cho
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol.2018;84:173-7

Resume - Texto Completo - PDF

https://ift.tt/2ufMXTr

Sleep disorders in children with moderate to severe persistent allergic rhinitis

Jessica Loekmanwidjaja, Ana Cláudia F. Carneiro, Maria Lúcia T. Nishinaka, Daniela A. Munhoes, Gabriela Benezoli, Gustavo F. Wandalsen, Dirceu Solé
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol.2018;84:178-84

Resume - Texto Completo - PDF

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The effect of different nasal irrigation solutions following septoplasty and concha radiofrequency: a prospective randomized study

Hanifi Kurtaran, K. Serife Ugur, Ceyda Sel Yilmaz, Mesut Kaya, Alper Yuksel, Nebil Ark, Mehmet Gunduz
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol.2018;84:185-90

Resume - Texto Completo - PDF

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Influence of dietary and physical activity restriction on pediatric adenotonsillectomy postoperative care in Brazil: a randomized clinical trial

Denise Manica, Leo Sekine, Larissa S. Abreu, Michelle Manzini, Luísi Rabaioli, Marcel M. Valério, Manoela P. Oliveira, João A. Bergamaschi, Luciano A. Fernandes, Gabriel Kuhl, Cláudia Schweiger
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol.2018;84:191-5

Resume - Texto Completo - PDF

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Rapid maxillary expansion in mouth breathers: a short‐term skeletal and soft‐tissue effect on the nose

Fauze Ramez Badreddine, Reginaldo R. Fujita, Fabio Eduardo Maiello Monteiro Alves, Mario Cappellette Jr
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol.2018;84:196-205

Resume - Texto Completo - PDF

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Anti‐inflammatory effects of hyperbaric oxygen on irradiated laryngeal tissues

Mitat Arıcıgil, Mehmet Akif Dündar, Abitter Yücel, Hamdi Arbağ, Abdullah Arslan, Meryem Aktan, Sıdıka Fındık, İbrahim Kılınç
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol.2018;84:206-11

Resume - Texto Completo - PDF

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Digital design of functional surgery for odontogenic cyst intruding into maxillary sinus

Ying Kai Hu, Chi Yang, Guang Zhou Xu, Qian Yang Xie
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol.2018;84:212-9

Resume - Texto Completo - PDF

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Impact of body mass index on survival outcome in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer

Yousif Al‐Ammar, Bader Al‐Mansour, Omar Al‐Rashood, Mutahir A. Tunio, Tahera Islam, Mushabbab Al‐Asiri, Khalid Hussain Al‐Qahtani
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol.2018;84:220-6

Resume - Texto Completo - PDF

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A novel method to evaluate salivary flow rates of head and neck cancer patients after radiotherapy: a pilot study

Luiz Felipe Palma, Fernanda Aurora Stabile Gonnelli, Marcelo Marcucci, Adelmo José Giordani, Rodrigo Souza Dias, Roberto Araújo Segreto, Helena Regina Comodo Segreto
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol.2018;84:227-31

Resume - Texto Completo - PDF

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A Systematic Evaluation of the Two-Component Systems Network Reveals That ArlRS Is a Key Regulator of Catheter Colonization by Staphylococcus aureus.

Related Articles

A Systematic Evaluation of the Two-Component Systems Network Reveals That ArlRS Is a Key Regulator of Catheter Colonization by Staphylococcus aureus.

Front Microbiol. 2018;9:342

Authors: Burgui S, Gil C, Solano C, Lasa I, Valle J

Abstract
Two-component systems (TCS) are modular signal transduction pathways that allow cells to adapt to prevailing environmental conditions by modifying cellular physiology. Staphylococcus aureus has 16 TCSs to adapt to the diverse microenvironments encountered during its life cycle, including host tissues and implanted medical devices. S. aureus is particularly prone to cause infections associated to medical devices, whose surfaces coated by serum proteins constitute a particular environment. Identification of the TCSs involved in the adaptation of S. aureus to colonize and survive on the surface of implanted devices remains largely unexplored. Here, using an in vivo catheter infection model and a collection of mutants in each non-essential TCS of S. aureus, we investigated the requirement of each TCS for colonizing the implanted catheter. Among the 15 mutants in non-essential TCSs, the arl mutant exhibited the strongest deficiency in the capacity to colonize implanted catheters. Moreover, the arl mutant was the only one presenting a major deficit in PNAG production, the main exopolysaccharide of the S. aureus biofilm matrix whose synthesis is mediated by the icaADBC locus. Regulation of PNAG synthesis by ArlRS occurred through repression of IcaR, a transcriptional repressor of icaADBC operon expression. Deficiency in catheter colonization was restored when the arl mutant was complemented with the icaADBC operon. MgrA, a global transcriptional regulator downstream ArlRS that accounts for a large part of the arlRS regulon, was unable to restore PNAG expression and catheter colonization deficiency of the arlRS mutant. These findings indicate that ArlRS is the key TCS to biofilm formation on the surface of implanted catheters and that activation of PNAG exopolysaccharide production is, among the many traits controlled by the ArlRS system, a major contributor to catheter colonization.

PMID: 29563900 [PubMed]



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Infective Endocarditis Associated with Atopic Dermatitis.

Related Articles

Infective Endocarditis Associated with Atopic Dermatitis.

Int Heart J. 2018 Mar 20;:

Authors: Aoyagi S, Oda T, Wada K, Nakamura E, Kosuga T, Yasunaga H

Abstract
We report a case of aortic valve infective endocarditis (IE) in a 24-year-old man with atopic dermatitis (AD). He had a history of balloon valvuloplasty for a stenotic bicuspid aortic valve, and had dental caries but no invasive dental procedure before the onset of IE. On admission, skin lesions of AD with itching and scratches were found on the neck, trunk, and extremities. Echocardiography showed a vegetation on the aortic valve with mild steno-regurgitation, but extension of IE to the annulus was not detected. Magnetic resonance imaging identified fresh cerebral infarction without neurological dysfunction, leading us to suspect an embolism. Blood cultures grew methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. During emergency surgery, a vegetation attached to the conjoined cusp was observed, and the aortic valve was replaced with a mechanical valve. The patient recovered uneventfully without any complications such as recurrent IE or mediastinitis. We also review previously reported cases of IE associated with AD.

PMID: 29563378 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]



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Acquired stenosis of external auditory canal secondary to paraneoplastic manifestation of renal cancer

Loraine Entringer Falqueto, Marcos Lyra Kaddoum, Marcio Maia Lamy de Miranda, Henrique Faria Ramos
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol.2018;84:249-51

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Chorda tympani schwannoma: one new case revealed during malignant otitis externa and review of the literature

Marion Montava, Sophie Giusiano, Marianne Jolibert, Jean‐Pierre Lavieille
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol.2018;84:252-6

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Prevention of neck infection by endoscopic suture closure of pyriform sinus fistulae: a report of two cases

Hiroumi Matsuzaki, Kiyoshi Makiyama, Hirotaka Suzuki, Takeshi Ohshima
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol.2018;84:257-9

Texto Completo - PDF

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Endoscopic surgery of the frontoethmoidal osteomas

Tomasz Gotlib
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol.2018;84:260-1

Texto Completo - PDF

https://ift.tt/2uioYTP

Effect of chin tuck against resistance exercise on patients with dysphagia following stroke: A randomized pilot study.

Related Articles

Effect of chin tuck against resistance exercise on patients with dysphagia following stroke: A randomized pilot study.

NeuroRehabilitation. 2018;42(2):191-197

Authors: Park JS, An DH, Oh DH, Chang MY

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Recently, chin tuck against resistance exercise (CTAR) has been reported as a remedial treatment for pharyngeal dysphagia. However, the clinical evidence of the effect is still lacking.
OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effect of CTAR on the swallowing function in patients with dysphagia following subacute stroke.
METHODS: The patients were randomly assigned to an experimental (n = 11) or a control group (n = 11). The experimental group performed CTAR using the CTAR device. The control group received only conventional dysphagia treatment. Both groups received training on five days a week, for four weeks. The swallowing function was measured using functional dysphagia scale (FDS) and penetration-aspiration scale (PAS), based on a videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS).
RESULTS: The experimental group showed more improvements in the oral cavity, laryngeal elevation/epiglottic closure, residue in valleculae, and residue in pyriform sinuses of FDS and PAS compared to the control group (p < 0.05, all).
CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that CTAR is effective in improving the pharyngeal swallowing function in patients with dysphagia after stroke. Therefore, we recommend CTAR as a new remedial training alternative to HLE.

PMID: 29562558 [PubMed - in process]



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Highly Sensitive Thyroglobulin Assays Are Reliable Indicators of Persistent Disease in Thyroid Cancer Patients with Thyroglobulin Antibody

Clinical Thyroidology, Volume 30, Issue 3, Page 122-125, March 2018.


https://ift.tt/2GnmEPY

Methimazole Has a Dose-Dependent Association With Congenital Malformations, but Switching to PTU in the First Trimester Seems Too Late

Clinical Thyroidology, Volume 30, Issue 3, Page 104-107, March 2018.


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Thyroid Status Has Measurable Effects on Gene Expression in Whole Blood

Clinical Thyroidology, Volume 30, Issue 3, Page 129-131, March 2018.


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Most “Recurrences” of Thyroid Cancer Represent Persistent Rather Than Recurrent Disease

Clinical Thyroidology, Volume 30, Issue 3, Page 108-111, March 2018.


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Thyroseq v3 Molecular Test for Indeterminate Thyroid Nodules Has Improved Sensitivity and Specificity

Clinical Thyroidology, Volume 30, Issue 3, Page 112-114, March 2018.


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The Baseline Survey of the 294,905 Fukushima Children and Adolescents Reveals a Panorama of Thyroid Ultrasound Features

Clinical Thyroidology, Volume 30, Issue 3, Page 115-118, March 2018.


https://ift.tt/2GiLwIA

Patients with Advanced Lung Cancer in Whom Thyroid Dysfunction Develops During Programmed Death-1 Protein Blockade May Have a Good Prognosis

Clinical Thyroidology, Volume 30, Issue 3, Page 132-134, March 2018.


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Preoperative Ultrasonography Guides the Extent of Thyroidectomy for Papillary Thyroid Cancer

Clinical Thyroidology, Volume 30, Issue 3, Page 119-121, March 2018.


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TSH Has Effects on Peripheral Thyroid Hormone Metabolism That Are Mild but Run Counter to Its Direct Effects on Thyroid Hormone Secretion

Clinical Thyroidology, Volume 30, Issue 3, Page 138-141, March 2018.


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Numerical and experimental investigation on thermal shock failure of Y2O3-coated CVD ZnS infrared windows

Publication date: September 2018
Source:International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Volume 124
Author(s): Xing Liu, Jiaqi Zhu, Jiecai Han
Infrared transparent windows on aircraft and missiles can be subjected to extreme aerothermodynamics, which can cause thermal shock failure. Finite element analysis and oxygen–propane flame jet impingement tests were performed to investigate the thermal shock failure of an yttrium oxide-coated chemical vapor deposition (CVD) ZnS infrared window. Good agreement was achieved between the simulation and experimental results, which indicated that thermal shock failure occurs under high temperature differences and thermal stresses. The temperature and stress in the samples increased rapidly in a few seconds and then trended to be stable. The center area of the window surface failed most easily because the maximum temperature and stress both occurred in this area. No delamination of the Y2O3 films occurred during the thermal shock, which indicated good adhesion between the Y2O3 films and CVD ZnS substrate. In the experiment, the center area of the specimen surface was damaged in the form of pits and line cracks.



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Synthesis, characterization, nucleic acid interactions and photoluminescent properties of methaniminium hydrazone Schiff base and its Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) complexes

Publication date: 15 July 2018
Source:Journal of Molecular Structure, Volume 1164
Author(s): M. Sennappan, P. Murali Krishna, Amar A. Hosamani, R. Hari Krishna
An environmental benign and efficient reaction was carried out via amine exchange and condensation reaction in water and methanol mixture (3:1) and absence of catalyst between 1-[3-(2-hydroxy benzylidene)amine)phenyl]ethanone and benzhydrazide yields methaniminium hydrazone Schiff base in high yield. The prepared ligand was structurally characterized by using single crystal XRD, elemental analysis and spectroscopy (UV–Vis, FT-IR, LC-MS and NMR) techniques. The crystal data indicates the ligand crystallizes in orthorhombic system with Pna21 space group. Further, the ligand was used in synthesis of mononuclear Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) complexes and were characterized by elemental analysis, magnetic moment and spectroscopy (UV–Vis, FT-IR and ESR) studies. The spectral data showed that ligand is coordinated to the metal ion through azomethine nitrogen and methaniminium nitrogen. The DNA binding absorption titrations reveals that, ligand, L and its metal complexes, 1–6 are avid binders to CT- DNA. The apparent binding constant values of compounds are in the order of 106 M−1. The nuclease activity of ligand, L and its metal complexes, 1–6 were investigated by gel electrophoresis method using pUC18 DNA. The photoluminescent properties of the methaniminium hydrazone ligand, L and its various metal complexes, 1–6 were investigated. The emission spectra of both ligand (L) and metal complexes (1-6) exhibits emission in the range of blue to red.

Graphical abstract

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Effect of ultraprecision polishing techniques on coherence times of shallow nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond

Publication date: Available online 23 March 2018
Source:Diamond and Related Materials
Author(s): G. Braunbeck, S. Mandal, M. Touge, O.A. Williams, F. Reinhard
We investigate the correlation between surface roughness and corresponding T2 times of near-surface nitrogen-vacancy centers (~10 nm/5 keV implantation energy) in diamond. For this purpose we compare five different polishing techniques, including both purely mechanical as well as chemical mechanical approaches, two different substrate sources (Diam2tec and Element Six) and two different surface terminations (O- and H-termination) during nitrogen-vacancy forming. All coherence times are measured and compared before and after an oxygen surface treatment at 520 °C.We find that the coherence times of shallow nitrogen-vacancy centers are surprisingly independent of surface roughness.

Graphical abstract

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The effect of wildfire on population dynamics for two native small mammal species in a coastal heathland in Queensland, Australia

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Publication date: April 2018
Source:Acta Oecologica, Volume 88
Author(s): Adam C. Liedloff, John C. Wilson, Richard M. Engeman
The influences of wildfire through population dynamics and life history for two species of small mammals in a south-east Queensland heathland on Bribie Island are presented. Trapping results provided information on breeding, immigration and movement of Melomys burtoni (Grassland melomys) and Rattus lutreolus (Swamp rat). We first investigated and optimized the design of trapping methodology for producing mark-recapture population estimates to compare two adjacent populations, one of which was subjected to an extensive wildfire during the two year study. We consider how well rodents survive wildfire and whether the immediate impacts of fire or altered habitat have the greatest impact on each species. We found the R. lutreolus population was far more influenced by the fire than the M. burtoni population both immediately after the fire and over 18 months of vegetation recovery.



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To Evaluate the Role of H. pylori in Patients with Chronic Recurrent Tonsillitis

Abstract

The usual indication for surgical resection of tonsils is chronic recurrent tonsillitis. Literature also does not indicate the reason behind the fact that only part of the population suffers from recurrent chronic tonsillitis in spite being exposed to similar conditions. This was a prospective study, in which 50 tonsil biopsy samples obtained from chronic tonsillitis patients. Specimens were analysed with rapid urease broth test, HelicotecUT PLUS assay and Toluidine blue staining for presence of Helicobacter pylori. The age ranged from 4 to 34 years. The median age for patients with chronic recurrent tonsillitis was 9.5, 23 (46%) patients were male while 27 (54%) were female, presence of H. pylori by rapid urease broth test, HelicotecUT PLUS assay and Histopathology was 4%. Our analysis revealed that H. pylori did not significantly colonize the tonsils and does not play a role in the pathogenesis or development of chronic tonsillitis. The heterogeneity in study population and methodology may have contributed to the non significant results.



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Multidetector CT Imaging of Bowel and Mesenteric Injury: Review of Key Signs

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Publication date: Available online 23 March 2018
Source:Seminars in Ultrasound, CT and MRI
Author(s): Andrew E. Bennett, Robin B. Levenson, Jon D. Dorfman
In contemporary practice, multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) plays a critical role in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with suspected acute mesenteric and bowel trauma. Although less common than solid organ injuries, it may be seen in up to 5% of blunt trauma patients. Evaluation with CT remains challenging even with improvements in technology. The major imaging signs of mesenteric and bowel trauma and what is known about their applicability in clinical practice are reviewed here. Examples illustrate both the subtlety and variable significance of many of the key signs as well as how these are typically integrated into clinical practice.



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Reduction of Marek's Disease Virus Infection by Toll-Like Receptor Ligands in Chicken Embryo Fibroblast Cells

Viral Immunology, Ahead of Print.


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Impact of tigecycline versus imipenem-cilastatin on fibrinogen levels following cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC): a randomized-controlled study.

Related Articles

Impact of tigecycline versus imipenem-cilastatin on fibrinogen levels following cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC): a randomized-controlled study.

J Chemother. 2018 Mar 22;:1-9

Authors: Hakeam HA, Al Duhailib Z, Salahuddin N, Amin T

Abstract
The aim of this prospective, randomized study was to compare the effects of tigecycline and imipenem-cilastatin on fibrinogen levels in patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). Patients were empirically randomized to receive tigecycline or imipenem-cilastatin. Fibrinogen levels were measured in both patient groups on days 1, 3, 5 and 8 of antibiotic therapy and 3 days after antibiotic therapy completion. Twenty patients received tigecycline and 22 patients received imipenem-cilastatin . Patients in the tigecycline group had lower mean fibrinogen levels compared to those in the imipenem-cilastatin group on day 3 (4.1 ± 1.2 vs. 5.9 ± 1.3 g/L; p < 0.001), day 5 (3.7 ± 1.2 vs. 6.5 ± 1.1 g/L; p < 0.001), day 8 (3.5 ± 1.3 vs. 5.8 ± 1.6 g/L; p < 0.001), and day 3 after antibiotic completion (4.1 ± 1.4 vs. 6.1 ± 1.6 g/L; p < 0.001). In conclusion, compared to imipenem-cilastatin, tigecycline was associated with a significant decrease in fibrinogen levels, following CRS and HIPEC.

PMID: 29565228 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]



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ESR2 regulates granulosa cell genes essential for follicle maturation and ovulation

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Publication date: Available online 24 March 2018
Source:Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
Author(s): Vincentaben Khristi, V. Praveen Chakravarthi, Prabhakar Singh, Subhra Ghosh, Archit Pramanik, Anamika Ratri, Shaon Borosha, Katherine F. Roby, Michael W. Wolfe, M.A. Karim Rumi
Estrogen receptor 2 (ESR2) plays a critical role in folliculogenesis and ovulation. Disruption of ESR2-function in the rats results in female infertility due to failure of ovulation. Ovulation failure occurred in two distinct rat models, a null mutant and a DNA binding domain (DBD) mutant of ESR2, indicating that transcriptional regulation by ESR2 is indispensable for ovulation. To define the regulatory role of ESR2 in preovulatory follicular maturation and ovulation, we investigated ovarian responsiveness to exogenous gonadotropins in prepubertal females. Granulosa cells (GCs) play a vital role in follicle maturation and ovulation, and ESR2-dependent estrogen signaling is predominant in GCs, therefore, we examined the differential expression of gonadotropin-induced genes in GCs. Of 32,623 genes detected by RNA-sequencing, 1696 were differentially expressed in Esr2-mutant rats (789 downregulated, and 907 upregulated, absolute fold change 2, FDR p < 0.05). Molecular pathway analyses indicated that these differentially expressed genes are involved in steroidogenesis, follicle maturation, and ovulation. Many of these genes are known regulators of ovarian function and a subset were also disrupted in Esr2-mutant mice. Interestingly, Kiss1 was identified as one of the differentially expressed genes implicating a potential role within the follicle and its regulation by ESR2. Our findings indicate that ESR2 regulates key genes in GCs that are essential for follicle maturation and ovulation in the rat.



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Emodin protects hyperglycemia-induced injury in PC-12 cells by up-regulation of miR-9

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Publication date: Available online 23 March 2018
Source:Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
Author(s): Lei Fan, Huifeng Zhang, Xiaobin Li, Guang Yang, Jingtao Ru, Tao Liu
BackgroundDiabetic foot is a severe complication of diabetes mellitus, mainly caused by diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The objective of this study was to investigate the function of emodin (a neuroprotective agent reported previously) in diabetic peripheral neuropathy.MethodsA neuron-like cell line PC-12 was subjected with high level glucose, before which emodin was applied to treat cells. The expression of miR-9 in cell was overexpressed or suppressed by miRNA transfection. Thereafter, cell viability, apoptosis and autophagy were assessed, respectively.ResultsHigh glucose exhibited cytotoxicity in PC-12 cells. Emodin protected PC-12 cells against high glucose-induced apoptosis and viability impairment. These observations were coupled with the down-regulations of p21, p16, Bax, cleaved caspase-3 and -9, and the up-regulations of CyclinD1 and Bcl-2. Additionally, high glucose-induced autophagy was alleviated by emodin, as Beclin-1 was down-regulated, p62 was up-regulated, and the conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II was decreased. miR-9 was highly expressed in response to emodin treatment. More interestingly, the protective actions of emodin on high glucose-induced injury were reversed by miR-9 suppression. Also, the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling and deactivation of NF-κB signaling induced by emodin were recovered by miR-9 suppression.ConclusionEmodin protected PC-12 cells against high glucose-induced apoptosis and autophagy. The neuroprotective activities might be realized by up-regulation of miR-9, and modulation of PI3K/AKT and NF-κB signaling pathways.



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GW0742 (PPAR-beta agonist) attenuates hepatic endoplasmic reticulum stress by improving hepatic energy metabolism in high-fat diet fed mice

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Publication date: Available online 23 March 2018
Source:Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
Author(s): Flavia Maria Silva-Veiga, Tamiris Lima Rachid, Letícia de Oliveira, Francielle Graus-Nunes, Carlos Alberto Mandarim-de-Lacerda, Vanessa Souza-Mello
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and hepatic steatosis are intertwined with insulin resistance. PPARs are at the crossroads of these pathways. This study aimed to investigate the effects of GW0742 (PPAR-beta agonist) on hepatic energy metabolism and ER stress in a murine diet-induced obesity model. HF diet caused overweight, hyperinsulinemia, hepatic inflammation (increased NF-kB, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 protein expression) and favored hepatic lipogenesis, leading to ER stress, with ultrastructural and molecular alterations, ending up in proapoptotic stimulus. GW0742 rescued the overweight and the glucose tolerance, tackled hepatic inflammation and favored hepatic beta-oxidation over lipogenesis. These results comply with ER ultrastructure improvement, reducing ER stress and apoptosis in treated animals. Our results indicate that the PPAR-beta/delta activation alleviated the ER stress by improving the insulin sensitivity and maximizing the hepatic energy metabolism with a shift towards beta-oxidation. PPAR-beta/delta activation could be an essential tool to avoid the NAFLD progression and other obesity constraints.



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Multi-locus transcranial magnetic stimulation—theory and implementation

Publication date: Available online 23 March 2018
Source:Brain Stimulation
Author(s): Lari M. Koponen, Jaakko O. Nieminen, Risto J. Ilmoniemi
BackgroundTranscranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation method: a magnetic field pulse from a TMS coil can excite neurons in a desired location of the cortex. Conventional TMS coils cause focal stimulation underneath the coil centre; to change the location of the stimulated spot, the coil must be moved over the new target. This physical movement is inherently slow, which limits, for example, feedback-controlled stimulation.ObjectiveTo overcome the limitations of physical TMS coil movement by introducing electronic targeting.MethodsWe propose electronic stimulation targeting using a set of large overlapping coils and introduce a matrix-factorisation-based method to design such sets of coils. We built one such device and demonstrated the electronic stimulation targeting in vivo.ResultsThe demonstrated two-coil transducer allows translating the stimulated spot along a 30-mm line segment in the cortex; with five coils, a target can be selected from within a region of the cortex and stimulated in any direction. Thus, far fewer coils are required by our approach than by previously suggested ones, none of which have resulted in practical devices.ConclusionAlready with two coils, we can adjust the location of the induced electric field maximum along one dimension, which is sufficient to study, for example, the primary motor cortex.



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To Evaluate the Role of H. pylori in Patients with Chronic Recurrent Tonsillitis

Abstract

The usual indication for surgical resection of tonsils is chronic recurrent tonsillitis. Literature also does not indicate the reason behind the fact that only part of the population suffers from recurrent chronic tonsillitis in spite being exposed to similar conditions. This was a prospective study, in which 50 tonsil biopsy samples obtained from chronic tonsillitis patients. Specimens were analysed with rapid urease broth test, HelicotecUT PLUS assay and Toluidine blue staining for presence of Helicobacter pylori. The age ranged from 4 to 34 years. The median age for patients with chronic recurrent tonsillitis was 9.5, 23 (46%) patients were male while 27 (54%) were female, presence of H. pylori by rapid urease broth test, HelicotecUT PLUS assay and Histopathology was 4%. Our analysis revealed that H. pylori did not significantly colonize the tonsils and does not play a role in the pathogenesis or development of chronic tonsillitis. The heterogeneity in study population and methodology may have contributed to the non significant results.



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Editorial Board and Contents

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Publication date: April 2018
Source:Trends in Cell Biology, Volume 28, Issue 4





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Modulating ion channel function with antibodies and nanobodies

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Publication date: June 2018
Source:Current Opinion in Immunology, Volume 52
Author(s): Catelijne Stortelers, Carolina Pinto-Espinoza, Diane Van Hoorick, Friedrich Koch-Nolte
Immune cells express various voltage-gated and ligand-gated ion channels that mediate the influx and efflux of charged ions across the plasma membrane, thereby controlling the membrane potential and mediating intracellular signal transduction pathways. These channels thus present potential targets for experimental modulation of immune responses and for therapeutic interventions in immune disease. Small molecule drugs and natural toxins acting on ion channels have illustrated the potential therapeutic benefit of targeting ion channels on immune cells. Unwanted side effects and immunogenicity have however hampered the application of these molecules. Owing to their high specificity, low immunogenicity and beneficial pharmacodynamics, antibodies targeting membrane and secretory proteins have emerged as potent therapeutics in oncology and inflammation. Nanobodies—single domain fragments derived from heavy chain antibodies naturally occurring in camelids—offer additional benefits versus antibodies, including protrusion into cryptic epitopes and easy formatting of multi-specific reagents. Here we review recent progress in the development and application of antibodies and Nanobodies targeting ion channels on immune cells.



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A Phase I Trial of the IGF‐1R Antibody Ganitumab (AMG 479) in Combination with Everolimus (RAD001) and Panitumumab in Patients with Advanced Cancer

AbstractPurpose.This study evaluated the maximum tolerated dose or recommended phase II dose (RPTD) and safety and tolerability of the ganitumab and everolimus doublet regimen followed by the ganitumab, everolimus, and panitumumab triplet regimen.Materials and Methods.This was a standard 3 + 3 dose escalation trial. Doublet therapy consisted of ganitumab at 12 mg/kg every 2 weeks; doses of everolimus were adjusted according to dose‐limiting toxicities (DLTs). Panitumumab at 4.8 mg/kg every 2 weeks was added to the RPTD of ganitumab and everolimus. DLTs were assessed in cycle 1; toxicity evaluation was closely monitored throughout treatment. Treatment continued until disease progression or undesirable toxicity. Pretreatment and on‐treatment skin biopsies were collected to assess insulin‐like growth factor 1 receptor and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) target modulation.Results.Forty‐three subjects were enrolled. In the doublet regimen, two DLTs were observed in cohort 1, no DLTs in cohort −1, and one in cohort −1B. The triplet combination was discontinued because of unacceptable toxicity. Common adverse events were thrombocytopenia/neutropenia, skin rash, mucositis, fatigue, and hyperglycemia. In the doublet regimen, two patients with refractory non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) achieved prolonged complete responses ranging from 18 to >60 months; one treatment‐naïve patient with chondrosarcoma achieved prolonged stable disease >24 months. In dermal granulation tissue, the insulin‐like growth factor receptor and mTOR pathways were potently and specifically inhibited by ganitumab and everolimus, respectively.Conclusion.The triplet regimen of ganitumab, everolimus, and panitumumab was associated with unacceptable toxicity. However, the doublet of ganitumab at 12 mg/kg every 2 weeks and everolimus five times weekly had an acceptable safety profile and demonstrated notable clinical activity in patients with refractory NSCLC and sarcoma.Implications for Practice.This trial evaluated the maximum tolerated dose or recommended phase II dose and safety and tolerability of the ganitumab and everolimus doublet regimen followed by the ganitumab, everolimus, and panitumumab triplet regimen. Although the triplet regimen of ganitumab, everolimus, and panitumumab was associated with unacceptable toxicity, the doublet of ganitumab at 12 mg/kg every 2 weeks and everolimus at five times weekly had an acceptable safety profile and demonstrated notable clinical activity in patients with refractory non‐small cell lung cancer and sarcoma.

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Thyroid abscess: A rare case report and review of literature

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Balram Sharma, Vijay Kumar Bhavi, Hardeva Ram Nehra, Anshul Kumar, Sanjay Saran, Sandeep Kumar Mathur

Thyroid Research and Practice 2018 15(1):49-51

Acute suppurative thyroiditis (AST) leading to thyroid abscess is a quite uncommon clinical entity. Both thyroid abscess and AST represent only 0.1%–0.7% of thyroid pathologies which may require surgical management. AST especially affects patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis or thyroid cancer. In children, AST is associated with the persistence of a canal originating from the 3rd or 4th bronchial pouch that may lead to recurrent thyroid abscess. The left lobe of thyroid gland is more frequently involved. AST can be life threatening if left untreated, resulting in mortality of 12% or higher.

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Clinicopathological features of differentiated thyroid carcinoma referred to radioiodine therapy at Tripoli Medical Center

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Hawa Juma El-Shareif

Thyroid Research and Practice 2018 15(1):3-9

Objectives: The objective of this study is to study the demographic, clinicopathological features, and geographical distribution of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) among Libyan patients referred from all parts of the country to the nuclear medicine department, for radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy. Materials and Methods: Retrospective review of medical records of 265 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) referred to RAI therapy in the Nuclear Medicine Branch-Tripoli Medical Center, in the period from May 2005 to October 2010. The data analyzed included sex, age at the time of diagnosis, the city of residence, pathological diagnosis, the extent of disease, and types of treatment. Results: There were 225 (84.9%) females and 40 (15.1%) males giving a sex ratio of 5.6:1. The mean age of males at diagnosis was 51.2 ± 14.8 (range 24–78) years and the mean age of the females was 44.6 ± 15.6 (range 10–95) years. Two hundred and twenty-three (84.2%) had papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), 31 (11.7%) had follicular thyroid cancer, 3 (1.1%) had Hurthle cell thyroid cancer, and 2 (0.8%) had follicular-insular thyroid cancer. About 43 (16.2%) had a history of multinodular goiter, and 3 (1.1%) Hashimoto's thyroiditis. From data collected, cervical lymph node metastases were found in 45 (17.0%), and distal metastases in 27 (10.2%). Conclusions: PTC was the most common type of DTC. DTC was more common among females. The current study showed that the disease tends to occur at an older age, and with less cervical lymph node metastases than previously reported.

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Cytodiagnosis of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma of thyroid gland: An extremely rare presentation in a young female

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Indranil Chakrabarti, Nirmalesh Mahata, Vaswati Das, Piyali Mitra

Thyroid Research and Practice 2018 15(1):42-45

Thyroid lymphoma, a rare tumor, constitutes about 1%–5% of all thyroid malignancies and 1%–2% of all extranodal lymphomas. The thyroid gland contains no native lymphoid tissue and is seen only in various pathological conditions such as primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL). PTL is more common in women than men (3:1 predominance) with a peak incidence in the sixth and seventh decades. Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma of thyroid is one of the rare variants. Chronic autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's disease) has been associated with an increased risk of lymphoma, including MALT lymphoma. Here, we report a case of a 38-year-old female who presented with rapidly progressive swelling on the right side of the neck for previous 3 months. No history suggestive of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism was present. Ultrasonography showed enlarged thyroid gland with hypoechoic echotexture and multiple echogenic septations. Fine-needle aspiration cytology revealed features suggestive of MALT lymphoma. The swelling was operated, and subsequent histopathology and immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis. Thereafter, the patient was treated by radiotherapy. However, after 6 months' follow-up, there was a recurrence of the tumor. Then, combination of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone regime and rituximab was started, and the patient was free of recurrence at the next 12-month follow-up. Here, we report a very rare case of MALT lymphoma of Thyroid occurring in a young female with no known history of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The tumor recurred after radiotherapy treatment and was successfully treated with subsequent chemotherapy.

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Depression, anxiety, and somatization in patients with clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism: An exploratory study

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Kavita Sanjiv Kale, Bharati Baviskar

Thyroid Research and Practice 2018 15(1):10-14

Background: Hypothyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism (SCHT) are common disorders seen in clinical practice. A large proportion of patients with these disorders show psychiatric comorbidity. The current study was carried out to assess the prevalence and proportion of depression, anxiety, and somatization symptoms and compare the same between these two groups of patients. Methodology: Patients attending a medical outpatient department were screened for thyroid dysfunction using laboratory parameters, and patients detected with clinical and SCHT were included in the study. The sample consisted of 34 patients with CHT and 36 patients with SCHT. The patients were administered the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Questionnaire, and PHQ-15 for somatization. The data were analyzed statistically using computerized software. Results: The study groups were well matched on sociodemographic profile and basic data. On assessing the severity of depression and anxiety, more cases of mild depression were reported in the subclinical hypothyroid group compared to moderate and severe depression being higher in the clinical hypothyroid group (P = 0.0001). Anxiety was well matched in both groups while somatization was higher in the subclinical hypothyroid group (P = 0.0001). Scores on depression scales were higher in the clinical group (P = 0.0001) and anxiety and somatization scores were higher in the subclinical group (P = 0.0001). Conclusions: Depression is usually seen in CHT while anxiety and somatization may be greater in SCHT. Further studies in larger populations are needed to validate the findings.

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The Bethesda system for reporting thyroid cytopathology: A relook

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Kaushik Pandit, Ipsita Ghosh

Thyroid Research and Practice 2018 15(1):1-2



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A cross-sectional survey to assess knowledge, attitude, and practices in patients with hypothyroidism in India

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Bipin Sethi, Deepak Khandelwal, Upal Vyas

Thyroid Research and Practice 2018 15(1):15-22

Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) in patients with hypothyroidism in India. Methods: This was a questionnaire-based, cross-sectional KAP study conducted in patients with hypothyroidism across 16 centers in India. The questionnaire was validated initially by a panel of experts, followed by 120 patients with primary hypothyroidism. Results: Out of 500 patients enrolled, about three-fourths (72.4%) were women. Most patients had low levels of knowledge (66.6%), were quite concerned (46.6%), and practiced a moderate level of precaution (77.8%). Around 18.4%, 26.2%, 27.8%, and 37.6% of patients had incorrect/no knowledge that weight gain, fatigue, muscle aches/pain, and dry skin were effects of hypothyroidism, respectively. Patients had poor knowledge regarding various risks associated with hypothyroidism such as abnormal menstruation (41.6%), depression (47%), hypercholesterolemia (65.6%), and medications causing hypothyroidism (74.2%). Most patients (91.4%) affirmed the need to consult a physician for or seek medical advice before treatment initiation. However, a small percentage did not agree on testing pregnant women (20.2%) and family members (26.2%) for hypothyroidism. Most patients (93.2% and 92.6%) practiced compliance to frequency and timings for medications; however, one-thirds reported missing doses. There was lack of knowledge-seeking behavior both from online sources (57.4%) and treating doctors (24.2%). Significant associations were found between education and the levels of knowledge, concern, and precautions taken. Conclusion: This study identified significant gaps in the knowledge about the risks associated with hypothyroidism, importance of laboratory investigation, and dietary precautions.

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Vitamin D levels in children with Hashimoto's thyroiditis: Before and after L-thyroxine therapy

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Navendu Chaudhary, Rakesh Kumar, Naresh Sachdeva, Devi Dayal

Thyroid Research and Practice 2018 15(1):23-28

Background: Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). Hypothyroidism per se can cause poor absorption and metabolism of Vitamin D leading to Vitamin D deficiency. It is unknown that Vitamin D deficiency in HT is a cause or effect of HT. Objectives: To study Vitamin D level in children with newly diagnosed HT and to follow the changes in Vitamin D level after L-thyroxine therapy. Material and Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted on 35 children recently diagnosed with HT who had not received Vitamin D supplementation in the past 6 months. Serum 25 hydroxy Vitamin D levels along with serum calcium profile were estimated before starting L-thyroxine and on follow-up after 3 months. Results: The mean Vitamin D level at diagnosis of HT was significantly low as compared to controls (33.34 ± 16.93 nmol/L vs. 65.13 ± 30.57 nmol/L; P < 0.0001). Out of 22 Vitamin D-deficient patients who were treated, seven (31.8%) remained deficient at follow-up. Thirteen patients (sufficient/insufficient Vitamin D levels) who were not supplemented with Vitamin D had fall in Vitamin D levels in follow-up. Conclusions: Children with HT have low Vitamin D levels at diagnosis, and L-thyroxine therapy can further compromise Vitamin D status. Children with recent diagnosis of HT should be screened and treated or supplemented with Vitamin D.

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Case report: An unusual variation in the course of recurrent laryngeal nerve in relation to the thyroid gland

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Anjali Venugopal, Akanksha A Saberwal, Yogesh G Dabholkar

Thyroid Research and Practice 2018 15(1):46-48

A complete understanding of the anatomic variations of the thyroid gland is necessary for a safe thyroid surgery. Injury to recurrent laryngeal nerve during thyroid surgery remains a significant source of morbidity. We present an uncommon variation in the position of right recurrent laryngeal nerve with the Tubercle of Zuckerkandl in a 40-year-old female who underwent thyroidectomy for a benign multinodular goiter. Identification and meticulous dissection of the Tubercle of Zuckerkandl and recognition of its association with the recurrent laryngeal nerve are essential to maintain the integrity of the nerve and prevent complications during thyroid surgery.

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Spectrum of clinical symptomatology and its resolution following levothyroxine supplementation in primary and subclinical hypothyroidism: An Indian perspective

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Sachin Chittawar, Apeksha Nagdeote, Abhinav Nair, Krishna Kumar Kawre, Deep Dutta

Thyroid Research and Practice 2018 15(1):29-33

Background: Data are scant on the spectrum of features associated with subclinical hypothyroidism (ScH) and overt primary hypothyroidism (OPH). This study aimed was to determine the burden as well as predictors of the lack of resolution of symptoms of hypothyroidism in patients of ScH and OPH following levothyroxine supplementation. Methods: A total of 505 patients were screened, of which 411 consecutive patients with ScH and 94 with OPH were evaluated. Data from 347 patients with ScH and 76 patients with overt OPH, who completed the study, were analyzed. Thyroid symptomatology was evaluated using standardized questionnaire. Results: The median age of participants was 35 (28–41) years; 95.04% being females. Common symptoms in OPH were shortness of breath (72.36%), depression (57.89%), irritability (57.89%), periorbital edema (53.94%), "feeling tired" (51.31%), and swelling of limbs (48.68%). Common symptoms in ScH were "feeling tired" (62.82%), "unhappy with routine" (44.95%), depression (40.92%), irritability (38.90%), and "weight gain with a poor appetite" (36.31%). Goiter was documented in 31.58% OPH and 3.17% in ScH (P < 0.001). Hair loss was observed 31.57% OPH and 29.68% ScH. Median (interquartile range) dose of levothyroxine supplemented was 37.5 (12.5–50) and 100 (75–112.5) mcg, respectively. Resolution of hypothyroidism symptoms was lesser in ScH. Persisting features included goiter, irregular menstruation, "weight gain with poor appetite," irritability, depression, "feeling tired," body aches, and depression. Binary logistic regression revealed thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) to be an independent predictor of symptoms resolution. Every unit increase in TSH was associated with 0.7% greater resolution. Conclusion: Symptoms associated with hypothyroidism are diverse and nonspecific. Resolution of symptoms following levothyroxine supplementation and achieving biochemical euthyroidism is more likely in OPH that ScH.

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Steroid-responsive encephalopathy in autoimmune thyroiditis: A diagnostic enigma?

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Balram Sharma, Vijay Kumar Bhavi, Hardeva Ram Nehra, Anshul Goyal, Sanjay Saran, Sandeep Kumar Mathur

Thyroid Research and Practice 2018 15(1):52-55

Hashimoto's encephalopathy or steroid-responsive encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroiditis is a neuroendocrine disorder of unknown cause associated with thyroid autoimmunity. We report case of a 61-year-old male, previously healthy, who developed a subacute onset of declining higher mental functions. Serologic studies demonstrated the high levels of antithyroid antibodies. Electroencephalographic, cerebrospinal fluid, and magnetic resonance image findings were normal, consistent with Hashimoto's encephalopathy. It is a diagnosis of exclusion once the detailed neurology evaluations were done. This unusual disorder is often underrecognized because of the multiple and protracted neurocognitive manifestations; therefore, it is important to be aware of this clinical manifestations to make a correct diagnosis and favorable outcome.

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Alamandine injected into the paraventricular nucleus increases blood pressure and sympathetic activation in spontaneously hypertensive rats

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Publication date: Available online 23 March 2018
Source:Peptides
Author(s): Yi-Hui Shen, Xi-Ru Chen, Chun-Xi Yang, Bo-Xun Liu, Peng Li
Alamandine is a newly discovered new component of the renin-angiotensin (Ang) system (RAS) that has been shown to exert vasoactive effects in some areas of the nervous system. The present study investigated whether administration of alamandine to the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) modulates blood pressure and sympathetic activity. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) were recorded in anaesthetized rats. PVN microinjection of alamandine increased MAP and RSNA both in Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), but to a greater extent in SHRs. Moreover, these effects were blocked by pretreatment with alamandine receptor Mas-related G-protein–coupled receptor, member D (MrgD) antagonist D-Pro7-Ang-(1-7), adenylyl cyclase (AC) inhibitor SQ22536, and protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor rp-adenosine-3′,5′-cyclic monophosphorothionate (Rp-cAMP). Treatment with D-Pro7-Ang-(1-7), SQ22536, or Rp-cAMP alone in PVN decreased MAP and RSNA in the SHRs. Conversely cAMP alone increased MAP and RSNA, and pretreatment with cAMP enhanced alamandine's effects. These results indicate that microinjection of alamandine into the PVN increases blood pressure and sympathetic outflow via MrgD and the cAMP-PKA pathway.



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Regulation of human dendritic cell immune functions by ion channels

Christophe Vandier | Florence Velge-Roussel

https://ift.tt/2DR7Fsf

Periodontal and endodontic infectious/inflammatory profile in primary periodontal lesions with secondary endodontic involvement after a calcium hydroxide-based intracanal medication

Abstract

Objective

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a calcium hydroxide-based intracanal medication (ICM) on periodontal and endodontic infectious/inflammatory contents and on periodontal clinical parameters in teeth with primary periodontal lesion and secondary endodontic involvement.

Materials and methods

Ten patients with abnormal pulp test results and deep probing depth derived from primary periodontal disease with secondary endodontic involvement were included. Samples were collected from root canals (RC) and periodontal pockets (PP) in order to investigate the microbiological status, levels of endotoxin (LPS), cytokines, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), before and after ICM. PCR was used for microbiological assessment. The kinetic-chromogenic LAL assay was used for LPS quantification. Quantikine ELISA kits were used for measurement of IL-1 α, IL-1 β, TNF-α, PGE2, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-8, MMP-9, and MMP-13 levels. The statistical analyses were made using the Friedman and Wilcoxon tests (p < 0.05). T test was used to compare data on periodontal characteristics.

Results

ICM did not reduce the number of microorganisms in PP and RC, except for Fusobacterium nucleatum in RC. There was a significant reduction in LPS, MMPs, IL-1 β, and TNF-α levels in PP after ICM. In RC, LPS, MMP13, PGE2, and IL-1β levels remained unaltered (p > 0.05); however, the levels of the other MMPs and cytokines were reduced (p < 0.05). After 1 year of the root canal treatment, tooth mobility was significantly reduced (p ≤ 0.05).

Conclusions

The use of a calcium hydroxide-based ICM showed positive effects for periodontal treatment prognosis, as it reduced LPS, cytokine, and MMP levels in periodontal pockets.

Clinical significance

Patients presenting deep probing depth and undergoing periodontal treatment for at least 6 months, with no positive response to periodontal therapy, might benefit with the endodontic treatment.



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Vascular liver diseases on the clinical side: definitions and diagnosis, new concepts

Abstract

The components of the hepatic vascular system (hepatic arteries, portal and hepatic veins, sinusoids, and lymphatics) can be damaged by various types of injury. Each of the resulting conditions is rare, which has limited knowledge and awareness. In the last two decades, international collaborations have allowed to reach critical masses of data, which has driven significant progresses in understanding and management of vascular disorders of the liver. The present paper discusses definitions, denominations, and diagnosis of such vascular disorders with the exception of those affecting hepatic arteries. Evolving pathogenic or pathophysiologic views relevant to the clinical aspects are also overviewed.



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Probabilistic Guidance for Catheter Tip Motion in Cardiac Ablation Procedures

Publication date: Available online 23 March 2018
Source:Medical Image Analysis
Author(s): Mihaela AM Constantinescu, Su-Lin Lee, Sabine Ernst, Apit Hemakom, Danilo Mandic, Guang-Zhong Yang
Radiofrequency catheter ablation is one of the commonly available therapeutic methods for patients suffering from cardiac arrhythmias. The prerequisite of successful ablation is sufficient energy delivery at the target site. However, cardiac and respiratory motion, coupled with endocardial irregularities, can cause catheter drift and dispersion of the radiofrequency energy, thus prolonging procedure time, damaging adjacent tissue, and leading to electrical reconnection of temporarily ablated regions. Therefore, positional accuracy and stability of the catheter tip during energy delivery is of great importance for the outcome of the procedure. This paper presents an analytical scheme for assessing catheter tip stability, whereby a sequence of catheter tip motion recorded at sparse locations on the endocardium is decomposed. The spatial sliding component along the endocardial wall is extracted from the recording and maximal slippage and its associated probability are computed at each mapping point. Finally, a global map is generated, allowing the assessment of potential areas that are compromised by tip slippage. The proposed framework was applied to 40 retrospective studies of congenital heart disease patients and further validated on phantom data and simulations. The results show a good correlation with other intraoperative factors, such as catheter tip contact force amplitude and orientation, and with clinically documented anatomical areas of high catheter tip instability.

Graphical abstract

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EMA Committee Backs Remicade Biosimilar Zessly

The committee favors marketing the infliximab biosimilar product Zessly for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and psoriasis.
International Approvals

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A tumor-activatable particle with antimetastatic potential in breast cancer via inhibiting the autophagy-dependent disassembly of focal adhesion

Publication date: June 2018
Source:Biomaterials, Volume 168
Author(s): Yang Wang, Sheng Yin, Li Zhang, Kairong Shi, Jiajing Tang, Zhirong Zhang, Qin He
In attempts to explore the role of autophagy in breast cancer metastasis, we here report a tumor-activatable particle (named as "D/PSP@CQ/CaP") with the ability of efficient autophagy inhibition. D/PSP@CQ/CaP was prepared by coprecipitating chloroquine phosphate (CQ) with calcium chloride, in the form of chloroquine-calcium phosphate coprecipitate (CQ/CaP), onto the surface of a deep-tumor-penetrating doxorubicine (DOX)-loading core particle (named as "D/PSP"). CQ/CaP could partly disintegrate and release CQ within tumor microenvironment and totally be dissolved within lysosomes. Paxillin is a key component of focal adhesion which functions to anchor tumors cells within the primary tumor for limiting cancer cells' detachment from the primary tumor. We tested that autophagy inhibition caused by CQ released from CQ/CaP could reduce the degradation of paxillin by 2.9 folds in vitro and 2.5 folds in vivo (vs. Control), respectively. Thus metastasis could be influenced by exploiting autophagy-dependent paxillin degradation. Data analysis together proved that D/PSP@CQ/CaP decreased the cancer metastatic extent by 7.5 folds (vs. Control) on mice model via inhibiting the autophagy-dependent disassembly of focal adhesion. At the same time, the growth rate of tumors treated by D/PSP@CQ/CaP was inhibited by 9.1 folds (vs. Control), which could be attributed to its effective tumor drug delivery.

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Picky eating and food neophobia: Resemblance and agreement in parent/young adult dyads

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Publication date: 1 July 2018
Source:Appetite, Volume 126
Author(s): Anjeli Elkins, Hana F. Zickgraf
ObjectiveTo explore selective eating in two samples: young adults and their middle aged parents, including the relationship between food neophobia and picky eating in each, resemblance between children and parents in these eating behaviors, agreement between child self-report and parent report on children's eating, and the relationship between parent eating behavior and parent-report on children's eating. We also explored the relationship between socioeconomic status and picky eating and food neophobia in each sample.MethodUniversity students responded to questionnaires assessing picky eating and food neophobia. Their parents were contacted and asked to complete the same measure about their own picky- and food neophobic behaviors and to report on their child's current picky eating and food neophobia. The final sample included 109 biological parent-child pairs.ResultsThere were large positive correlations between food neophobia and picky eating in both samples. There were positive associations between parents' and children's self-reported selective eating behaviors. There was evidence of parent-child agreement in reporting on the child's selective eating, but also considerable variability between raters. This variability between child self-report and parent report was partially accounted for by parental selective eating. Finally, young adults from a lower-SES background (e.g., lower parent educational attainment and income) reported higher levels of pickiness and food neophobia.ConclusionsYoung adult children and their parents resemble each other in pickiness and food neophobia.



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A literature scoping review of eating practices and food environments in 1 and 2-person households in the UK, Australia and USA

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Publication date: 1 July 2018
Source:Appetite, Volume 126
Author(s): Fidelma Breen, John Coveney, Carol Anne Hartwick Pflaum
The purpose of this article is to map the data currently available on the subject of eating practices and food environments in small (i.e. one- and two-person) households. Specifically, the enquiry is focused on commensality; the act of eating together. Research dates from the late 1980s, however, there are few recent publications on this subject. Searching Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest and Google Scholar, 2949 papers were found, but only 457 discussed any element of the research questions. These were further distilled to a count of 117, by abstract reading to 53 at which point, quality, location and study focus eliminated a further 34 articles leaving 19 articles. After full reading, it was clear that only seven of these focused on the research question in detail and these are marked as four-star articles by bold text. The 19 articles are analysed for quality and their aspects of relevance to the central research question is discussed.



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Assessment of neurohepatic DNA damage in male Sprague–Dawley rats exposed to organophosphates and pyrethroid insecticides

Abstract

The current work was undertaken to test the genotoxic potential of chlorpyrifos (CPF), dimethoate, and lambda cyhalothrin (LCT) insecticides in rat brain and liver using the single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay). Three groups of adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed orally to one third LD50of CPF, dimethoate, or LCT for 24 and 48 h while the control group received corn oil. Serum samples were collected for estimation of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx); the brain and liver samples were used for comet assay and for histopathological examination. Results showed that signs of neurotoxicity appeared clinically as backward stretching of hind limb and splayed gait in dimethoate and LCT groups, respectively. CPF, LCT, and dimethoate induced oxidative stress indicated by increased MDA and decreased GPx levels. CPF and LCT caused severe DNA damage in the brain and liver at 24 and 48 h indicated by increased percentage of DNA in tail, tail length, tail moment, and olive tail moment. Dimethoate induced mild DNA damage in the brain and liver at 48 h. Histopathological changes were observed in the cerebrum, cerebellum, and liver of exposed rats. The results concluded that CPF, LCT, and dimethoate insecticides induced oxidative stress and DNA damage associated with histological changes in the brain and liver of exposed rats.



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An Evolving Understanding of the S-Glutathionylation Cycle in Pathways of Redox Regulation

Publication date: Available online 23 March 2018
Source:Free Radical Biology and Medicine
Author(s): Jie Zhang, Zhi-wei Ye, Shweta Singh, Danyelle M. Townsend, Kenneth D. Tew
By nature of the reversibility of the addition of glutathione to low pKa cysteine residues, the post-translational modification of S-glutathionylation sanctions a cycle that can create a conduit for cell signaling events linked with cellular exposure to oxidative or nitrosative stress. The modification can also avert proteolysis by protection from over-oxidation of those clusters of target proteins that are substrates. Altered functions are associated with S-glutathionylation of proteins within the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum compartments, and these impact energy production and protein folding pathways. The existence of human polymorphisms of enzymes involved in the cycle (particularly glutathione S-transferase P) create a scenario for inter-individual variance in response to oxidative stress and a number of human diseases with associated aberrant S-glutathionylation have now been identified.

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Endoscopic Skull Base Reconstruction: An Evolution of Materials and Methods.

https:--linkinghub.elsevier.com-ihub-ima http:--www3.us.elsevierhealth.com-extrac Related Articles

Endoscopic Skull Base Reconstruction: An Evolution of Materials and Methods.

Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2017 Jun;50(3):643-653

Authors: Sigler AC, D'Anza B, Lobo BC, Woodard TD, Recinos PF, Sindwani R

Abstract
Endoscopic skull base surgery has developed rapidly over the last decade, in large part because of the expanding armamentarium of endoscopic repair techniques. This article reviews the available technologies and techniques, including vascularized and nonvascularized flaps, synthetic grafts, sealants and glues, and multilayer reconstruction. Understanding which of these repair methods is appropriate and under what circumstances is paramount to achieving success in this challenging but rewarding field. A graduated approach to skull base reconstruction is presented to provide a systematic framework to guide selection of repair technique to ensure a successful outcome while minimizing morbidity for the patient.

PMID: 28372814 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]



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Optimizing text for an individual’s visual system: The contribution of visual crowding to reading difficulties

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Publication date: Available online 23 March 2018
Source:Cortex
Author(s): Sung Jun Joo, Alex L. White, Douglas J. Strodtman, Jason D. Yeatman
Reading is a complex process that involves low-level visual processing, phonological processing, and higher-level semantic processing. Given that skilled reading requires integrating information among these different systems, it is likely that reading difficulty—known as dyslexia—can emerge from impairments at any stage of the reading circuitry. To understand contributing factors to reading difficulties within individuals, it is necessary to diagnose the function of each component of the reading circuitry. Here, we investigated whether adults with dyslexia who have impairments in visual processing respond to a visual manipulation specifically targeting their impairment. We collected psychophysical measures of visual crowding and tested how each individual's reading performance was affected by increased text-spacing, a manipulation designed to alleviate severe crowding. Critically, we identified a sub-group of individuals with dyslexia showing elevated crowding and found that these individuals read faster when text was rendered with increased letter-, word- and line-spacing. Our findings point to a subtype of dyslexia involving elevated crowding and demonstrate that individuals benefit from interventions personalized to their specific impairments.



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Patterns Of Neural Response In Face Regions Are Predicted By Low-Level Image Properties

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Publication date: Available online 23 March 2018
Source:Cortex
Author(s): Katja Weibert, Tessa R. Flack, Andrew W. Young, Timothy J. Andrews
Models of face processing suggest that the neural response in different face regions is selective for higher-level attributes of the face, such as identity and expression. However, it remains unclear to what extent the response in these regions can also be explained by more basic organizing principles. Here, we used fMRI-MVPA to ask whether spatial patterns of response in the core face regions (OFA, FFA, STS) can be predicted across different participants by lower level properties of the stimulus. First, we compared the neural response to face identity and viewpoint, by showing images of different identities from different viewpoints. The patterns of neural response in the core face regions were predicted by the viewpoint, but not the identity of the face. Next, we compared the neural response to viewpoint and expression, by showing images with different expressions from different viewpoints. Again, viewpoint, but not expression, predicted patterns of response in face regions. Finally, we show that the effect of viewpoint in both experiments could be explained by changes in low-level image properties. Our results suggest that a key determinant of the neural representation in these core face regions involves lower-level image properties rather than an explicit representation of higher-level attributes in the face. The advantage of a relatively image-based representation is that it can be used flexibly in the perception of faces.



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Supramodal agnosia for oblique mirror orientation in patients with periventricular leukomalacia

Publication date: Available online 22 March 2018
Source:Cortex
Author(s): E. Castaldi, F. Tinelli, M. Cicchini, M.C. Morrone
Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is characterized by focal necrosis at the level of the periventricular white matter, often observed in preterm infants. PVL is frequently associated with motor impairment and with visual deficits affecting primary stages of visual processes as well as higher visual cognitive abilities. Here we describe six PVL subjects, with normal verbal IQ, showing orientation perception deficits in both the haptic and visual domains. Subjects were asked to compare the orientation of two stimuli presented simultaneously or sequentially, using both a two alternative forced choice (2AFC) orientation-discrimination and a matching procedure. Visual stimuli were oriented gratings or bars or collinear short lines embedded within a random pattern. Haptic stimuli comprised two rotatable wooden sticks. PVL patients performed at chance in discriminating the oblique orientation, both for visual and haptic stimuli. Moreover when asked to reproduce the oblique orientation, they often oriented the stimulus along the symmetric mirror orientation. The deficit generalized to stimuli varying in many low level features, was invariant for spatiotopic object orientation, and also occurred for sequential presentations. The deficit was specific to oblique orientations, and not for horizontal or vertical stimuli. These findings show that PVL can affect a specific network involved with the supramodal perception of mirror symmetry orientation.



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Learning for Pitch and Melody Discrimination in Congenital Amusia

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Publication date: Available online 23 March 2018
Source:Cortex
Author(s): Kelly L. Whiteford, Andrew J. Oxenham
Congenital amusia is currently thought to be a life-long neurogenetic disorder in music perception, impervious to training in pitch or melody discrimination. This study provides an explicit test of whether amusic deficits can be reduced with training. Twenty amusics and 20 matched controls participated in four sessions of psychophysical training involving either pure-tone (500 Hz) pitch discrimination or a control task of lateralization (interaural level differences for bandpass white noise). Pure-tone pitch discrimination at low, medium, and high frequencies (500, 2000, and 8000 Hz) was measured before and after training (pretest and posttest) to determine the specificity of learning. Melody discrimination was also assessed before and after training using the full Montreal Battery of Evaluation of Amusia, the most widely used standardized test to diagnose amusia. Amusics performed more poorly than controls in pitch but not localization discrimination, but both groups improved with practice on the trained stimulus. Learning was broad, occurring across all three frequencies and melody discrimination for all groups, including those who trained on the non-pitch control task. Following training, 11 of 20 amusics no longer met the global diagnostic criteria for amusia. A separate group of untrained controls (n=20), who also completed melody discrimination and pretest, improved by an equal amount as trained controls on all measures, suggesting that the bulk of learning for the control group occurred very rapidly from the pretest. Thirty-one trained participants (13 amusics) returned to the lab one year later to assess long-term maintenance of pitch and melody discrimination. On average, there was no change in performance between posttest and one-year follow-up, demonstrating that improvements on pitch- and melody-related tasks in amusics and controls can be maintained. The findings indicate that amusia is not always a life-long deficit when using the current standard diagnostic criteria.



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Not all errors are the same: ERP sensitivity to error typicality in foreign accented speech perception

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Publication date: Available online 22 March 2018
Source:Cortex
Author(s): Sendy Caffarra, Clara D. Martin
Intercultural communication has become more and more frequent in the recent globalized society. When native listeners try to understand non-native speakers, they have to deal with different types of grammatical errors, some being frequently encountered and others being less common. The present ERP study investigated how native listeners process different types of morphosyntactic errors in foreign accented speech and whether they are sensitive to error typicality. Spanish natives listened to Spanish sentences in native and foreign (English) accent. ERPs were recorded in response to morphosyntactic violations that were commonly (gender errors) encountered in English accented Spanish or not (number errors). Although sentence comprehension accuracy did not differ across accents, the ERP responses changed as a function of accent and error type. In line with previous studies, gender and number violations in native accented speech elicited LAN-P600 responses. When speech was uttered by foreign speakers, number violations (uncommon errors) showed a P600 effect, while gender violations (common errors) did not elicit late repair processes (reflected by the P600) but an N400 effect. The present results provide evidence that the neural time course of parsing depends not only on speaker's accent, but also on input error typicality.



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Influence of Task Instructions and Stimuli on the Neural Network of Face Processing: An ALE Meta-analysis

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Publication date: Available online 22 March 2018
Source:Cortex
Author(s): Veronika I. Müller, Yvonne Höhner, Simon B. Eickhoff
Many neuroimaging studies have investigated the neural correlates of face processing. However, the location of face-preferential regions differs considerably between studies, possibly due to the use of different stimuli or tasks. By using Activation likelihood estimation meta-analyses, we aimed to a) delineate regions consistently involved in face processing and b) to assess the influence of stimuli and task on convergence of activation patterns. In total, we included 77 neuroimaging experiments in healthy subjects comparing face processing to a control condition. Results revealed a core face-processing network encompassing bilateral fusiform gyrus (FFG), inferior occipital (IOG) gyrus, superior temporal sulcus/middle temporal gyrus (STS/MTG), amygdala, inferior frontal junction (IFJ) and gyrus (IFG), left anterior insula as well as pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA). Furthermore, separate meta-analyses showed, that while significant convergence across all task and stimuli conditions was found in bilateral amygdala, right IOG, right mid-FFG, and right IFG, convergence in IFJ, STS/MTG, right posterior FFG, left FFG and pre-SMA differed between conditions. Thus, our results point to an occipito-frontal-amygdalae system that is involved regardless of stimulus and attention, whereas the remaining regions of the face-processing network are influenced by the task-dependent focus on specific facial characteristics as well as the type of stimuli processed.



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Editorial Board

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Publication date: 15 June 2018
Source:Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Volume 108





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"Exp Ther Med"[jour]; +17 new citations

17 new pubmed citations were retrieved for your search. Click on the search hyperlink below to display the complete search results:

"Exp Ther Med"[jour]

These pubmed results were generated on 2018/03/23

PubMed comprises more than millions of citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites.



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Ameliorative effects of nano-elemental selenium against hexavalent chromium-induced apoptosis in broiler liver

Abstract

The current study examined the ameliorative effects of nano-elemental selenium (Nano-Se) against chromium-VI (K2Cr2O7)-induced apoptosis in chickens. The expression of apoptosis-related genes was evaluated by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot. A total of 60, one-day-old broiler chickens allotted to six equal groups, i.e., control group (standard diet), Cr(VI)-exposed group (K2Cr2O7 via drinking water), Nano-Se group (Nano-Se at 0.5 mg/kg via diet), protection group (K2Cr2O7 + Nano-Se), cure group (K2Cr2O7 for initial 2 weeks and then Nano-Se), and prevention group (opposite to the cure group) and were detected by the activities of pro-apoptosis (Bax, Caspase-3) and anti-apoptosis (Bcl-2) genes expression at day 35 of the experiment. Intense apoptosis was observed in liver tissues of chickens exposed to K2Cr2O7. The Nano-Se supplementation caused a significant decrease (P < 0.01) in the mRNA expression levels of Bax and Caspase-3 genes, while significantly elevated (P < 0.05) mRNA expression level of Bcl-2 gene was observed in Nano-Se experimental groups as compare to control and Cr(VI)-exposed group. The results quantified by the RT-qPCR were further confirmed by the western blot analysis. Altogether, these results suggest anti-apoptotic effects of Nano-Se in the chicken liver, which is interesting for further study. The present findings suggested that Nano-Se has protective effects against K2Cr2O7-induced apoptosis in broilers liver and can serve a key role as a protective agent against apoptosis.



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Radioiodine Refractory Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Publication date: Available online 22 March 2018
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): Yuchen Jin, Douglas Van Nostrand, Lingxiao Cheng, Min Liu, Libo Chen
Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is usually curable with surgery, radioactive iodine (RAI), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) suppression. However, local recurrence and/or distant metastases occur in approximately 15% of cases during follow-up, and nearly two-thirds of these patients will become RAI-refractory (RR-DTC) with a poor prognosis. This review focuses on the most challenging and rapidly evolving aspects of RR-DTC, and we discuss the considerable improvement in more accurately defining RR-DTC, more effective therapeutic strategies, and describe the diagnosis, pathogenesis, and future prospects of RR-DTC. Along with the detection of serum thyroglobulin and anatomic imaging modalities, such as ultrasound and computer tomography, radionuclide molecular imaging plays a vital role in the evaluation of RR-DTC. In addition, continual progress has been made in the management of RR-DTC, including watchful waiting under appropriate TSH suppression, local treatment approaches, and systemic therapies (molecular targeted therapy, redifferentiation therapy, gene therapy, and cancer immunotherapy). These all hold promise to change the natural history of RR-DTC.



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When and how to treat women with HER2-positive, small (pT1a-b), node-negative breast cancer?

Publication date: Available online 22 March 2018
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): Stefania Gori, Monica Turazza, Alessandra Modena, Simona Duranti, Giuseppe Zamboni, Filippo Alongi, Giovanni Carbognin, Alberto Massocco, Matteo Salgarello, Alessandro Inno
Small (pT1a-b), node-negative (pN0) breast cancer generally has a good prognosis. However, HER2-positive status is associated with an increased risk of relapse and decreased survival even in these tumors. Although there are only few data from prospective randomized trials, results of retrospective studies suggest adjuvant chemotherapy plus trastuzumab may improve outcomes of patients with pT1a-b pN0 HER2-positive breast cancer. On the other hand, trastuzumab is potentially associated with increased cardiac toxicity, especially when combined with anthracycline-based chemotherapy. A valid strategy for improving cardiac safety is the addition of trastuzumab to non-anthracycline chemotherapy, whereas a shorter duration of trastuzumab should be not routinely considered although might represent an option for selected patients at low risk of relapse and very high risk of cardiac events. Therefore, the choice of adjuvant treatment for patients with pT1a-b pN0 HER2-positive breast cancer should be done on individual basis, carefully weighing benefits and risks.



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Biological aspects of chondrosarcoma: leaps and hurdles

Publication date: Available online 22 March 2018
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): Benoîte Mery, Sophie Espenel, Jean-Baptiste Guy, Chloé Rancoule, Alexis Vallard, Marie-Thérèse Aloy, Claire Rodriguez-Lafrasse, Nicolas Magné
Chondrosarcomas are characterized by their chemo- and radioresistance leading to a therapeutic surgical approach which remains the only available treatment with a 10-year survival between 30% and 80% depending on the grade. Non-surgical treatments are under investigation and rely on an accurate biological understanding of drug resistance mechanisms. Novel targeted therapy which represents a new relevant therapeutic approach will open new treatment options by targeting several pathways responsible for processes of proliferation and invasion. Survival pathways such as PI3K, AKT, mTOR and VEGF have been shown to be involved in proliferation of chondrosarcoma cells and antiapoptotic proteins may also play a relevant role. Other proteins such as p53 or COX2 have been identified as potential new targets. This review provides an insight into the biological substantial treatment challenges of CHS and focuses on improving our understanding of CH biology through an overview of major signaling pathways that could represent targets for new therapeutic approaches.



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Long-term evaluation of the effect of middle ear effusion on the vestibular system in children

Publication date: June 2018
Source:International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, Volume 109
Author(s): Katarzyna Pazdro-Zastawny, Lucyna Pośpiech, Tomasz Zatoński
BackgroundOtitis media with effusion (OME) is one of the most common clinical conditions in childhood. Fluid accumulation in the middle ear may impact inner ear.ObjectivesThe purpose of this random sample cohort study was to investigate whether the past history of middle ear effusion has a long-term negative impact on the vestibular system in children.Material and methodsThe study was carried out on 22 children aged 7–15 years who had undergone drainage of the middle ear 5 years before evaluation. The control group consisted of 29 healthy children aged 4–17 years. Vestibular function was examined using sway posturography and electronystagmography (ENG).ResultsThe stabilogram parameters of the study group and the control group were compared. The field of developed area (FDA) and the average body sway velocity (ASV) were analyzed. Elevated stabilogram parameters of FDA and ASV, both with eyes open and eyes closed, were found in the study group. Statistically significant values (p < 0.05) were present for ASV with eyes open and with eyes closed. The ENG recordings were analyzed in both groups. In the study group, spontaneous nystagmus was observed in 40.9% of the children and positional nystagmus occurred in 63.6% of the children. According to tests, eye tracking test was impaired in 27.3% of cases. Rotatory chair testing revealed asymmetry in 18.2% of the children.ConclusionThe presence of effusion in the middle ear in the past has a negative impact on the vestibular part of the inner ear. Clinicians should be aware of the possible negative impact of middle ear effusion on the vestibular function in children with a history of otitis media with effusion. With seeimingly asymptomatic children clinicians should inquire parents about symptoms of dysequlibrium and imbalance.



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Marginal versus segmental mandibulectomy for pediatric desmoid fibromatosis of the mandible – Two case reports and review of the literature

Publication date: June 2018
Source:International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, Volume 109
Author(s): Janet W. Lee, Arnaud F. Bewley, Craig W. Senders
Desmoid fibromatosis (DF) is a rare, benign soft tissue neoplasm with high rate of local recurrence. Surgical management of DF in the head and neck can be challenging given the desire to balance the preservation of form and function with the need to minimize local recurrence by achieving complete resection. We present two contrasting cases which highlight the advantages of marginal mandibulectomy over segmental mandibulectomy in children with DF. We favor marginal mandibulectomy even with limited bone stock given the remarkable ability of children to generate new bone.



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Surgical management of children presenting with surgical-needed tracheal stenosis

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Publication date: May 2018
Source:International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, Volume 108
Author(s): Marie-Eva Rossi, Eric Moreddu, Loïc Macé, Jean-Michel Triglia, Richard Nicollas
ObjectivesThe purpose of this work was to assess epidemiological aspects, surgical approach, morbidity and mortality rates of patients presenting with tracheal stenosis requiring surgery, and the evolution of surgical techniques over the last years.MethodsWe performed a retrospective observational study from 1990 to 2017 in a pediatric tertiary-care center with needing surgery for tracheal stenosis. We analyzed clinical patients' characteristics, type of stenosis, type of surgery and follow-up.ResultsTwenty-eight children presented with tracheal stenosis, half of them with congenital stenosis (complete tracheal rings) and the other half with acquired stenosis (neoplasic or post intubation injury). 39.3% of these stenoses were associated with a vascular ring (61.5% in case of congenital stenosis). Depending on the extent of the stenosis and its origin, the surgery could be performed endoscopically or by an external approach. Enlargement tracheoplasty with an autograft (14.3%) was replaced by slide tracheoplasty with Cardio Pulmonary By-Pass (CPBP, 28.6%) with improved results for the treatment of long segment tracheal stenosis, involving more than 30% of the tracheal length (all were congenital in our study). Slide tracheoplasty has been performed since the late 90's in our institution. 25% of children have had a resection and anastomosis of the trachea because they had a stenosis involving less than 30% of tracheal length. Endoscopic surgery was performed for membranous stenoses, which were often seen after intubation or tracheotomy (32.1% of patients).ConclusionEffective treatment of surgical tracheal stenosis was performed in 28 children between 1990 and 2015. Surgical techniques have evolved over time, leading to a better management of this rare and serious disease.



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