Performance of Electrical Velocimetry for Noninvasive Cardiac Output Measurements in Perioperative Patients After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Background: Fluid therapy guided by cardiac output measurements is of particular importance for adequate cerebral perfusion and oxygenation in neurosurgical patients. We examined the usefulness of a noninvasive electrical velocimetry (EV) device based on the thoracic bioimpedance method for perioperative hemodynamic monitoring in patients after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Patients and Methods: In total, 18 patients who underwent surgical clipping or endovascular coiling for ruptured aneurysms were examined prospectively. Simultaneous cardiac index (CI) measurements obtained with EV (CIEV) and reference transpulmonary thermodilution (CITPTD) were compared. A total of 223 pairs of data were collected. Results: A significant correlation was found between CIEV and CITPTD (r=0.86; P

https://ift.tt/2MTM48A

Dilated Pupil as a Diagnostic Component of Brain Death—Does it Really Matter?

No abstract available

https://ift.tt/2KcleXn

Dorsal and ventral visual stream contributions to preserved reading ability in patients with central alexia

Publication date: Available online 23 June 2018
Source:Cortex
Author(s): Oscar M. Aguilar, Sheila J. Kerry, Jennifer T. Crinion, Martina F. Callaghan, Zoe VJ. Woodhead, Alexander P. Leff
We investigated the role of the left temporo-parietal regions in supporting reading abilities of 23 patients with central alexia (CA). For the behavioural data, we employed principal components analysis (PCA), which identified two components: 'reading aloud' and 'reading for meaning'. Voxel-based morphometry of the PCA results showed an association between reading aloud and grey matter density in the left supramarginal gyrus, part of the dorsal visual stream. By contrast, reading for meaning was associated with a large cluster in the left ventral visual stream, from the collateral sulcus to the anterior temporal pole.Most of the peaks were within the group lesion map, indicating that sparing of these areas results in better preservation of reading ability. However, one white matter (WM) cluster in the medial occipitotemporal lobe was outside the lesioned area. A post-hoc test demonstrated that WM density here was equivalent to controls, suggesting that this was not driven by lesion effects. The two likeliest explanations for this correlation are: 1) that pre-morbid, inter-individual differences in brain structure mitigate the effects of CA; 2) that post-morbid practice-based with reading caused compensatory plasticity. We hope to adjudicate between these explanations with longitudinal therapy data collected in this cohort.



https://ift.tt/2Inr3Q1

Relationship between mold exposure, specific IgE sensitization and clinical asthma: a case-control study

Publication date: Available online 23 June 2018
Source:Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
Author(s): Muriel Vincent, Francis Corazza, Camille Chasseur, Sandrine Bladt, Marta Romano, Kris Huygen, Olivier Denis, Olivier Michel




https://ift.tt/2tym1uK

Risk Factors for Multiple Epinephrine Doses in Food-Triggered Anaphylaxis in Children

Publication date: Available online 23 June 2018
Source:Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
Author(s): Angela Tsuang, Nikhil R. Menon, Natasha Bahri, Lawrence S. Geyman, Anna Nowak-Węgrzyn
BackgroundFood-related anaphylactic reactions may require treatment with more than one dose of epinephrine. Current guidelines advise patients at risk of anaphylaxis to carry two epinephrine autoinjectors.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to determine risk factors of multiple dose epinephrine treatment in pediatric food-related anaphylaxis.MethodsParents of children with physician-confirmed diagnosis of food allergy were administered a standardized questionnaire at the time of their clinic visit. These patients were then followed-up prospectively by phone.ResultsSix hundred forty-two subjects had allergic reactions. Twentysix percent of patients reported at least one reaction treated with epinephrine for a total of 221 reactions. Among reactions treated with epinephrine, twenty-four reactions (11%) received two or more doses of epinephrine. The most common triggers were milk (30%) and peanut (18%). Milk-triggered allergic reactions (odds ratio (OR) 3.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-8.4) and treatment with oxygen (OR 5.0, 95% CI 2.0- 12.4) were significant risk factors for requiring multiple doses of epinephrine to treat an allergic reaction.ConclusionThis study demonstrates that treatment of anaphylaxis may require more than one epinephrine injection. Reactions triggered by milk or requiring treatment with oxygen are at higher risk for needing more than one dose of epinephrine. Families of food-allergic children should be counseled on the importance of carrying two epinephrine auto-injectors.



https://ift.tt/2lyRSHP

LSECs express functional NOD1 receptors: A role for NOD1 in LSEC maturation-induced T cell immunity in vitro

Publication date: September 2018
Source:Molecular Immunology, Volume 101
Author(s): Shunmei Huang, Jun Wu, Xiaoyan Gao, Shi Zou, Liwen Chen, Xilang Yang, Chan Sun, Yanqin Du, Bin Zhu, Jia Li, Xuecheng Yang, Xuemei Feng, Chunchen Wu, Chunwei Shi, Baoju Wang, Yinping Lu, Jia Liu, Xin Zheng, Feili Gong, Mengji Lu, Dongliang Yang
Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) are organ resident APCs capable of antigen presentation and subsequent tolerization of T cells under physiological conditions. In this study, we investigated whether LSEC pretreatment with NOD-like receptor (NLR) agonists can switch the cells from a tolerogenic to an immunogenic state and promote the development of T cell immunity. LSECs constitutively express NOD1, NOD2 and RIPK2. Stimulation of LSECs with DAP induced the activation of NF-κB and MAP kinases and upregulated the expression of chemokines (CXCL2/9, CCL2/7/8) and cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-2). Pretreatment of LSECs with DAP induced significantly increased IFN-γ and IL-2-production by HBV-stimulated CD8⁺ T cells primed by DAP-treated LSECs. Consistently, a significant reduction in the HBV DNA and HBsAg level occurred in mice receiving T cells primed by DAP-treated LSECs. MDP stimulation had no impact on LSECs or HBV-stimulated CD8⁺ T cells primed with MDP-treated LSECs except for the upregulation of PD-L1. DAP stimulation in vitro could promote LSEC maturation and activate HBV-specific T cell responses. These results are of particular relevance for the regulation of the local innate immune response against HBV infections.



https://ift.tt/2MQ5YkB

LSECs express functional NOD1 receptors: A role for NOD1 in LSEC maturation-induced T cell immunity in vitro

Publication date: September 2018
Source:Molecular Immunology, Volume 101
Author(s): Shunmei Huang, Jun Wu, Xiaoyan Gao, Shi Zou, Liwen Chen, Xilang Yang, Chan Sun, Yanqin Du, Bin Zhu, Jia Li, Xuecheng Yang, Xuemei Feng, Chunchen Wu, Chunwei Shi, Baoju Wang, Yinping Lu, Jia Liu, Xin Zheng, Feili Gong, Mengji Lu, Dongliang Yang
Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) are organ resident APCs capable of antigen presentation and subsequent tolerization of T cells under physiological conditions. In this study, we investigated whether LSEC pretreatment with NOD-like receptor (NLR) agonists can switch the cells from a tolerogenic to an immunogenic state and promote the development of T cell immunity. LSECs constitutively express NOD1, NOD2 and RIPK2. Stimulation of LSECs with DAP induced the activation of NF-κB and MAP kinases and upregulated the expression of chemokines (CXCL2/9, CCL2/7/8) and cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-2). Pretreatment of LSECs with DAP induced significantly increased IFN-γ and IL-2-production by HBV-stimulated CD8⁺ T cells primed by DAP-treated LSECs. Consistently, a significant reduction in the HBV DNA and HBsAg level occurred in mice receiving T cells primed by DAP-treated LSECs. MDP stimulation had no impact on LSECs or HBV-stimulated CD8⁺ T cells primed with MDP-treated LSECs except for the upregulation of PD-L1. DAP stimulation in vitro could promote LSEC maturation and activate HBV-specific T cell responses. These results are of particular relevance for the regulation of the local innate immune response against HBV infections.



https://ift.tt/2MQ5YkB

Clinical and circulating biomarkers of survival and recurrence after radiofrequency ablation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Publication date: Available online 23 June 2018
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): Matteo Canale, Paola Ulivi, Francesco Giuseppe Foschi, Emanuela Scarpi, Serena De Matteis, Gabriele Donati, Giorgio Ercolani, Mario Scartozzi, Luca Faloppi, Alessandro Passardi, Emiliano Tamburini, Martina Valgiusti, Giorgia Marisi, Giovanni Luca Frassineti, Andrea Casadei Gardini
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an effective local treatment for curative intent in patients with cirrhosis of the liver and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with diameter < 3 cm. Several meta-analyses have shown that RFA and surgical resection are comparable in terms of their impact on overall survival. The only clinical data available on markers that are predictive of recurrence and survival after RFA treatment are based on retrospective observational studies. Prospective randomized trials are thus needed to further research in this area.In the present review we analyzed a number of clinical factors that are considered to predict recurrence or survival in HCC patients treated with RFA. We also discussed in detail the circulating biomarkers investigated to date, together with their potential to predict prognosis and recurrence after RFA therapy.Overall survival rates of patients with HCC are significantly affected by liver function, defined as Child-Pugh class, high baseline serum alpha-fetoprotein levels, and the presence of portosystemic collaterals. However, the development of local tumor progression does not significantly affect overall survival. This result is achieved by the effective therapies in patients who relapse after treatment with RFA. For this reason there is an urgent need to identify new circulating biomarkers.



https://ift.tt/2MSkrN5

Do SABR-related toxicities for lung cancer depend on treatment delivery?

Publication date: Available online 23 June 2018
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): Stamati Morias, Loredana Gabriela Marcu, Michala Short, Eileen Giles, Eva Bezak
Stereotactic ablative radiation therapy for lung cancer is an advanced technique where tumours are ablated with hypofractionated radiation doses, with a high degree of accuracy. The aim of this paper is to review the available literature and to discuss the SABR-induced toxicities for lung malignancies as a function of radiation delivery technique.A Medline search was conducted to identify the appropriate literature to fulfil the aim of this review and data from all applicable papers were collated and analysed.The most common techniques of SABR delivery employ linear accelerators, CyberKnife robotic radiosurgery system, TomoTherapy and the Novalis beam surgery system. Linear accelerator-based treatments give rise to a variety of toxicities that are strongly dependent on both patient-related factors and planning/dosimetry-related factors. The limited number of studies using CyberKnife reported low grade toxicities. Grade three toxicities mainly include fatigue and chest pain, usually in less than 10% of patients.All treatment techniques presented show efficiency in SABR delivery with various toxicities which, at this stage, cannot render one technique better than the other. For more conclusive results, well-designed phase three randomised clinical trials are required with better patient selection criteria, including dose and fractionation, treatment machine and technique, along with the consistent selection of a common toxicity grading criterion.

Graphical abstract

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Critical review of axillary recurrence in early breast cancer

Publication date: Available online 23 June 2018
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): Carlos A. Castaneda, Pamela Rebaza, Miluska Castillo, Henry H. Gomez, Miguel de La Cruz, Gabriela Calderon, Jorge Dunstan, Jose Manuel Cotrina, Julio Abugattas, Tatiana Vidaurre
Around 2% of early breast cancer cases treated with axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) underwent axillary recurrence (AR) and it has a deleterious effect in prognosis. Different scenarios have incorporated Sentinel Lymph Node (SLN) Biopsy (SLNB) instead of ALND as part of the standard treatment and more effective systemic treatment has also been incorporated in routine management after first curative surgery and after regional recurrence. However, there is concern about the effect of SLNB alone over AR risk and how to predict and treat AR. SLN biopsy (SLNB) has been largely accepted as a valid option for SLN-negative cases, and recent prospective studies have demonstrated that it is also safe for some SLN-positive cases and both scenarios carry low AR rates. Different studies have identified clinicopathological factors related to aggressiveness as well as high-risk molecular signatures can predict the development of locoregional recurrence. Other publications have evaluated factors affecting prognosis after AR and find that time between initial treatment and AR as well as tumor aggressive behavior influence patient survival. Retrospective and prospective studies indicate that treatment of AR should include local and systemic treatment for a limited time.



https://ift.tt/2MRpTQc

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer: a tool to improve patients’ selection

Publication date: Available online 23 June 2018
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): Giuseppe Luigi Banna, Francesco Passiglia, Francesca Colonese, Stefania Canova, Jessica Menis, Alfredo Addeo, Antonio Russo, Diego Luigi Cortinovis
The identification of reliable predictive biomarkers of efficacy or resistance to immune-oncology (I-O) agents is a major issue for translational research and clinical practice. However, along with PDL1 and molecular features other clinical, radiological and laboratory factors can be considered for the selection of those patients who would not be the best candidate for immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs). We examined these factors, emerging from the results of currently available studies in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), aiming to provide a useful and manageable tool which can help Oncologists in their everyday clinical practice.A thorough patient evaluation and close clinical monitoring, due to limited, early or inconclusive currently available data, should be deserved for patients with a pre-existing symptomatic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, age >75 years, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) ≥ 1, a time to progression (TTP) < three months and progressive disease (PD) as the best response to the previous treatment, hepatitis or HIV-infections, high neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), or on treatment with high-dose steroids, when the use of ICPIs is considered. Limited data are available to consider that ICPIs are safe in patients with interstitial lung disease, bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia and autommune diseases. Early evidence on steroids, vaccinations and antibiotics suggest their possible interaction with ICPIs and need to be more investigated in clinical trials. Oncogene-addicted NSCLC harboring EGFR-mutations and low tumor-infiltrating T-lymphocytes (TILs) seems not to gain benefit from I-O.



https://ift.tt/2yIP190

Phasic alertness cues modulate visual processing speed in healthy aging

Publication date: October 2018
Source:Neurobiology of Aging, Volume 70
Author(s): Marleen Haupt, Christian Sorg, Natan Napiórkowski, Kathrin Finke
Warning signals temporarily increase the rate of visual information in younger participants and thus optimize perception in critical situations. It is unclear whether such important preparatory processes are preserved in healthy aging. We parametrically assessed the effects of auditory alertness cues on visual processing speed and their time course using a whole report paradigm based on the computational Theory of Visual Attention. We replicated prior findings of significant alerting benefits in younger adults. In conditions with short cue-target onset asynchronies, this effect was baseline-dependent. As younger participants with high baseline speed did not show a profit, an inverted U-shaped function of phasic alerting and visual processing speed was implied. Older adults also showed a significant cue-induced benefit. Bayesian analyses indicated that the cueing benefit on visual processing speed was comparably strong across age groups. Our results indicate that in aging individuals, comparable to younger ones, perception is active and increased expectancy of the appearance of a relevant stimulus can increase the rate of visual information uptake.



https://ift.tt/2yCxSNZ

Neuronal O-GlcNAc transferase regulates appetite, body weight, and peripheral insulin resistance

Publication date: October 2018
Source:Neurobiology of Aging, Volume 70
Author(s): Chun-ling Dai, Jin-hua Gu, Fei Liu, Khalid Iqbal, Cheng-Xin Gong
The ogt gene encodes O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase (O-GlcNAc transferase [OGT]) that catalyzes the transfer of β-N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) from the uridine-diphosphate-GlcNAc to the hydroxyl group of serine or threonine residues of nucleocytoplasmic proteins. This process is a common protein posttranslational modification, called protein O-GlcNAcylation, which is a known intracellular sensor of glucose metabolism and plays an important role in regulating cellular signaling, transcription, and metabolism. However, little is known about the function of OGT in the brain. Here, we report that the CaMKIIα promoter-dependent neuronal knockout (KO) of OGT in adult mice led to short-term overeating, body weight gain, and peripheral insulin resistance. These phenotype changes were accompanied by marked elevation of serum insulin and leptin levels and neuronal cell death, including the loss of leptin receptor−expressing neurons, in the hypothalamus. The neuronal OGT KO exacerbated obesity and insulin resistance induced by high-fat diet. Surprisingly, the peripheral insulin resistance induced by neuronal OGT KO was reversed at its own 2–3 months after OGT KO, and the mice even showed increased insulin sensitivity several months later. These findings reveal an important role of neuronal OGT in the regulation of feeding behavior, body weight, and peripheral insulin sensitivity.



https://ift.tt/2lwgfGa

Restaurant oil and grease management in Hong Kong

Abstract

Oil and grease (O&G) in wastewater can be considered as two parts or proportion contained in emulsion which exceeded O&G standard. Most of oil becomes emulsified with water when they pass through grease trap and discharged in the effluents. Thus, it may indicate that either treatment of grease traps or standards for O&G content stipulated in technical memorandum of Water Pollution Control Ordinance (WPCO) do not reflect the actual situation. Existing grease traps should be upgraded to meet the requirements of WPCO. Alternative technologies need to be developed to tackle this unsolved problem. Good management and practices are also important to ensure proper collection and waste recycling rather than just disposing effluent into drains. Collected O&G content can be recycled as valuable products such as biofuel, flotation agent, or other derivatives. This approach not only protects the environment by improving water quality, it also encourages large flow restaurant operators to recycle oil and grease content towards cleaner production.

https://ift.tt/2txYjyN

Characterization of As-polluted soils by laboratory X-ray-based techniques coupled with sequential extractions and electron microscopy: the case of Crocette gold mine in the Monte Rosa mining district (Italy)

Abstract

Arsenic concentration and distribution were studied by combining laboratory X-ray-based techniques (wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF), micro X-ray fluorescence (μXRF), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD)), field emission scanning electron microscopy equipped with microanalysis (FE-SEM-EDX), and sequential extraction procedure (SEP) coupled to total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) analysis. This approach was applied to three contaminated soils and one mine tailing collected near the gold extraction plant at the Crocette gold mine (Macugnaga, VB) in the Monte Rosa mining district (Piedmont, Italy). Arsenic (As) concentration, measured with WDXRF, ranged from 145 to 40,200 mg/kg. XRPD analysis evidenced the presence of jarosite and the absence of any As-bearing mineral, suggesting a high weathering grade and strong oxidative conditions. However, small domains of Fe arsenate were identified by combining μXRF with FE-SEM-EDX. SEP results revealed that As was mainly associated to amorphous Fe oxides/hydroxides or hydroxysulfates (50–80%) and the combination of XRPD and FE-SEM-EDX suggested that this phase could be attributed to schwertmannite. On the basis of the reported results, As is scarcely mobile, even if a consistent As fraction (1–3 g As/kg of soil) is still potentially mobilizable. In general, the proposed combination of laboratory X-ray techniques could be successfully employed to unravel environmental issues related to metal(loid) pollution in soil and sediments.

https://ift.tt/2ltChcB

Nanodiamond-filled chitosan as an efficient adsorbent for anionic dye removal from aqueous solutions

Publication date: April 2018
Source:Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, Volume 6, Issue 2
Author(s): Milad Raeiszadeh, Alireza Hakimian, Akbar Shojaei, Hossein Molavi
A series of novel chitosan/nanodiamond (CTS/ND) composites containing NDs with variable surface carboxyl groups and various concentrations were prepared using solution casting method. Powdery CTS/ND composites were employed as the adsorbent of a model anionic dye (methyl orange, MO). Experimental results showed that the incorporation of NDs with high carboxylic content (ND-H) in to CTS increased substantially the maximum adsorption capacity of neat CTS from 167 mg/g to 454 mg/g. The remarkable adsorption capacity of dye on CTS/ND composites was associated to the oxygen-containing groups on the outer surface of NDs which would be beneficial to interact with the dye molecules through hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. NDs with higher carboxylic content could improve the degree of dispersion in the CTS which in turn improved the accessible surface area of NDs and adsorption affinity of CTS/ND. The adsorption kinetics of CTS/ND adsorbent was well described by pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm model showed very good fit with adsorption data.



https://ift.tt/2Mf4Hm7

Dual-emissive ratiometric fluorescent probe based on Eu3+/C-dots@MOF hybrids for the biomarker diaminotoluene sensing

Publication date: 1 November 2018
Source:Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, Volume 272
Author(s): Si-Jia Qin, Bing Yan
A novel ratiometric fluorescence hybrid probe Eu³⁺/C-dots@MIL-53 (1a) has been synthesized by encapsulating the luminescent carbon dots and lanthanide ions Eu³⁺ into the metal-organic framework to yield the dual-emitting composite. The as-prepared fluorescent probe exhibited excellent optical properties and water-tolerance, with the potential to serve as a chemical sensor. Furthermore, the as-prepared fluorescent probe is a promising dual functional sensor with high selectivity and sensitivity for the detection and recognition of diaminotoluene (TDA), a metabolite of toluene diisocyanates (TDI) that has been associated with an increased risk of occupational asthma. Herein, we developed a sensitive, selective, and non-destructive method for early diagnosis of occupational asthma through the detection of exposure biomarker of TDI. The ratio of (IC-dots/IEu) ascended with the increased TDA concentrations. Thus, the reported TDA sensing system may be a potential candidate for further development of occupational diagnostic tool.

Graphical abstract

https://ift.tt/2M7pVDa

Versatile graphene biosensors for enhancing human cell therapy

Publication date: 15 October 2018
Source:Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Volume 117
Author(s): George M. Vlăsceanu, Roxana-Maria Amărandi, Mariana Ioniță, Teddy Tite, Horia Iovu, Luisa Pilan, Jorge S. Burns
Technological advances in engineering and cell biology stimulate novel approaches for medical treatment, in particular cell-based therapy. The first cell-based gene therapy against cancer was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Progress in cancer diagnosis includes a blood test detecting five cancer types. Numerous stem cell phase I/II clinical trials showing safety and efficacy will soon pursue qualifying criteria for advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMP), aspiring to join the first stem-cell therapy approved by the European Medicines Agency. Cell based therapy requires extensive preclinical characterisation of biomarkers indicating mechanisms of action crucial to the desired therapeutic effect. Quantitative analyses monitoring critical functions for the manufacture of optimal cell and tissue-based clinical products include successful potency assays for implementation. The challenge to achieve high quality measurement is increasingly met by progress in biosensor design. We adopt a cell therapy perspective to highlight recent examples of graphene-enhanced biointerfaces for measurement of biomarkers relevant to cancer treatment, diagnosis and tissue regeneration. Graphene based biosensor design problems can thwart their use for health care transformative point of care testing and real-time applications. We discuss concerns to be addressed and emerging solutions for establishing clinical grade biosensors to accelerate human cell therapy.



https://ift.tt/2yiRPJA

Silver nanoparticle-induced hormesis of astroglioma cells: A Mu-2-related death-inducing protein-orchestrated modus operandi

Publication date: 1 October 2018
Source:International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, Volume 117
Author(s): Jun-Ha Choi, Wan-Kwon Min, Judy Gopal, Yoon-Mi Lee, Manikandan Muthu, Sechul Chun, Jae-Wook Oh
Hormesis is a dose-response phenomenon that, when applied to nanomaterial-biological interactions, refers to growth stimulation at low doses and growth inhibition at high doses. MUDENG (Mu-2-related death-inducing gene, MuD) is involved in cell death signaling. Astrocytes, the major glial cell type in the central nervous system, are a major source of brain tumors. In this study, we investigated whether silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) induce hormesis in astroglioma cells and the possible involvement of MuD in AgNP-induced hormesis. AgNPs exhibited cytotoxic effects on cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner and increased MuD expression was observed during AgNP-induced astroglioma hormesis. Studies using MuD-knockout cells and MuD siRNA transfection showed that MuD might influence cell viability upon AgNP treatment. In addition, apoptotic cell population and production of reactive oxygen species in the absence of MuD were significantly increased. The phosphorylation of two mitogen-activated protein kinases, p38 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), but not c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), was observed upon AgNP stimulation. In summary, AgNPs at low doses induced hormesis of human astroglioma cells, and MuD and p38/ERK mediators are involved in AgNP-induced astroglioma hormesis, resulting in beneficial effects from the cellular point of view.



https://ift.tt/2Kh4jTD

Rediscovering Bacteria through Single-Molecule Imaging in Living Cells

Publication date: Available online 18 April 2018
Source:Biophysical Journal
Author(s): Achillefs N. Kapanidis, Alessia Lepore, Meriem El Karoui
Bacteria are microorganisms central to health and disease, serving as important model systems for our understanding of molecular mechanisms and for developing new methodologies and vehicles for biotechnology. In the past few years, our understanding of bacterial cell functions has been enhanced substantially by powerful single-molecule imaging techniques. Using single fluorescent molecules as a means of breaking the optical microscopy limit, we can now reach resolutions of ∼20 nm inside single living cells, a spatial domain previously accessible only by electron microscopy. One can follow a single bacterial protein complex as it performs its functions and directly observe intricate cellular structures as they move and reorganize during the cell cycle. This toolbox enables the use of in vivo quantitative biology by counting molecules, characterizing their intracellular location and mobility, and identifying functionally distinct molecular distributions. Crucially, this can all be achieved while imaging large populations of cells, thus offering detailed views of the heterogeneity in bacterial communities. Here, we examine how this new scientific domain was born and discuss examples of applications to bacterial cellular mechanisms as well as emerging trends and applications.



https://ift.tt/2MRMbkY

A comparative study on finding an effective root for the introduction of hydrogen into microplasma during diamond growth

Publication date: November 2018
Source:Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids, Volume 122
Author(s): Saman Iqbal, Muhammad Shahid Rafique, Sultan Akhtar, Nida Liaqat, Nida Iqbal, Rabia Ahmad
Nanodiamonds (NDs) have been synthesized by using microplasma facility. Ethanol is chosen as a Carbon precursor. A mixture of Ethanol and Argon has been dissociated in microplasma to fabricate NDs. In order to quench, etch and stabilize the NDs, Hydrogen has been used as a stabilizing agent. The motivation behind this project is to find an effective root for the introduction of Hydrogen into microplasma. The experiments are performed by introducing the Hydrogen either directly or indirectly into the microplasma. The results obtained from Raman, TEM and XRD confirmed that the highest quality (in terms of smallest size and near stress free) diamonds have been obtained in the case of indirect dilution. The decreased PL peak intensity with indirect dilution indicates the decreased defect density in the diamond. It is possible to produce and control the defect center only by controlling the Hydrogen introduction way in to the microplasma. The indirect dilution decreases the amount of Hydrogen bonded to trans-polyacetylene and enhances the Hydrogen termination to the surface of diamond grains.



https://ift.tt/2tnuRMn

Nanodiamonds as “artificial proteins”: Regulation of a cell signalling system using low nanomolar solutions of inorganic nanocrystals

Publication date: September 2018
Source:Biomaterials, Volume 176
Author(s): Lukas Balek, Marcela Buchtova, Michaela Kunova Bosakova, Miroslav Varecha, Silvie Foldynova-Trantirkova, Iva Gudernova, Iva Vesela, Jan Havlik, Jitka Neburkova, Stuart Turner, Mateusz Adam Krzyscik, Malgorzata Zakrzewska, Lars Klimaschewski, Peter Claus, Lukas Trantirek, Petr Cigler, Pavel Krejci
The blocking of specific protein-protein interactions using nanoparticles is an emerging alternative to small molecule-based therapeutic interventions. However, the nanoparticles designed as "artificial proteins" generally require modification of their surface with (bio)organic molecules and/or polymers to ensure their selectivity and specificity of action. Here, we show that nanosized diamond crystals (nanodiamonds, NDs) without any synthetically installed (bio)organic interface enable the specific and efficient targeting of the family of extracellular signalling molecules known as fibroblast growth factors (FGFs). We found that low nanomolar solutions of detonation NDs with positive ζ-potential strongly associate with multiple FGF ligands present at sub-nanomolar concentrations and effectively neutralize the effects of FGF signalling in cells without interfering with other growth factor systems and serum proteins unrelated to FGFs. We identified an evolutionarily conserved FGF recognition motif, ∼17 amino acids long, that contributes to the selectivity of the ND-FGF interaction. In addition, we inserted this motif into a de novo constructed chimeric protein, which significantly improved its interaction with NDs. We demonstrated that the interaction of NDs, as purely inorganic nanoparticles, with proteins can mitigate pathological FGF signalling and promote the restoration of cartilage growth in a mouse limb explant model. Based on our observations, we foresee that NDs may potentially be applied as nanotherapeutics to neutralize disease-related activities of FGFs in vivo.



https://ift.tt/2LphiTb

Size-dependent properties of functional PPV-based conjugated polymer nanoparticles for bioimaging

Publication date: 1 September 2018
Source:Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, Volume 169
Author(s): Martijn Peters, Senne Seneca, Niels Hellings, Tanja Junkers, Anitha Ethirajan
Conjugated polymer nanoparticle systems have gained significant momentum in the bioimaging field on account of their biocompatibility and outstanding spectroscopic properties. Recently, new control procedures have spawned custom-built functional poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV). These facilitate the one-pot synthesis of semiconducting polymer NPs with incorporated surface functional groups, an essential feature for advanced biomedical applications. In this work, nanoparticles (NPs) of different sizes are synthesized consisting of the statistical copolymer CPM-co-MDMO-PPV with monomer units 2-(5′-methoxycarbonylpentyloxy)-5-methoxy-1,4-phenylenevinylene (CPM-PPV) and poly(2-methoxy-5-(3′,7′-dimethoxyoctyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene) (MDMO-PPV). To monitor potential implications of switching from a commonly used homopolymer to copolymer system, MDMO-PPV NPs were prepared as a control. The versatile combination of the miniemulsion and solvent evaporation method allowed for an easy adaptation of the NP size. Decreasing the diameter of functional PPV-based NPs up to 20 nm did not significantly affect their optical properties nor the biocompatibility of the bioimaging probe, as cell viability never dropped below 90%. The quantum yield and molar extinction coefficient remained stable at values of 1–2% and 10⁶ M⁻¹ cm⁻¹ respectively, indicating an excellent fluorescence brightness. However, a threshold was observed to which the size could be lowered without causing irreversible changes to the system. Cell uptake varied drastically depended on size and material choice, as switching from homo- to copolymer system and lowering the size significantly increased NP uptake. These results clearly demonstrate that adjusting the size of functional PPV-based NPs can be achieved easily to a lower limit of 20 nm without adversely affecting their performance in bioimaging applications.

Graphical abstract

https://ift.tt/2MSaP4X

Precise temperature sensing with nanoscale thermal sensors based on diamond NV centers

Publication date: September 2018
Source:Current Applied Physics, Volume 18, Issue 9
Author(s): Sunuk Choe, Jungbae Yoon, Myeongwon Lee, Jooeon Oh, Dongkwon Lee, Heeseong Kang, Chul-Ho Lee, Donghun Lee
Sensing temperature with high precision and high spatial resolution is challenging and requires novel temperature measurement techniques. Recently, an atomic-scale thermal sensor based on a defect center in diamond, i.e., a nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center, has been developed, and successfully demonstrated temperature sensing at the mK level and a few tens of nanometers. Here we discuss a temperature sensing mechanism based on the NV center in both experimental and theoretical aspects. At room temperature, we show temperature sensing over a wide-range of temperatures ∼90 K with a precision of 0.2 K. We also map temperature gradients in a bridge-like device a few hundreds of micrometers long. In addition, we theoretically compare three sensing protocols and analyze temperature sensitivity to find optimal measurement time and NV concentration for the ensemble measurement.



https://ift.tt/2MieCHu

Nanomaterials in fluorescent laser-based immunosensors: Review and applications

Publication date: September 2018
Source:Microchemical Journal, Volume 141
Author(s): Pedro R. Aranda, Germán A. Messina, Franco A. Bertolino, Sirley V. Pereira, Martín A. Fernández Baldo, Julio Raba
One of the most interesting approaches in the field of optical biosensors is the possibility to combine the high sensitivity of laser detection with the high selectivity provided by specific interactions. Furthermore, the addition of nanomaterials to these sensors had provided additional advantages to the development of bioanalytical system. This review aims to provide a critical perspective on these approaches and their advantages/limitations for improving the performance and detection of laser-coupled immunosensors. The report includes examples relevant to the environmental, clinical, and toxicological fields.

Graphical abstract

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Nanodiamond/gold nanorod nanocomposites with tunable light-absorptive and local plasmonic properties

Publication date: Available online 19 May 2018
Source:Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry
Author(s): Dukhee Lee, Seong Hoon Jeong, Eunah Kang
Nanodiamonds (NDs) have potential as platform materials for biological and biomedical applications depending on the combinatorial complex designs. Bimetallic nanocomposites with ND and gold nanorods (AuNRs) were synthesized and obtained at tunable UV absorption wavelengths by controlling the aspect ratio of AuNR. The nanodiamond/AuNR nanocomposites (NDAuNR) with fine tuning ultraviolet/visible/near-infrared (UV–vis-NIR) extinction were prepared using a cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-surfactant-based seedless growth method. NDAuNRs varied with UV absorption wavelengths and aspect ratios, providing the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect. Compared to AuNR/800nm with the same UV absorption wavelength, NDAuNR/800nm showed 12.1% and 9.8% higher SERS intensity ratios of I1620/I520 and I420/I520, respectively, for methylene blue of concentration 10⁻⁵M. The enhanced SERS intensity of NDAuNR/800nm indicates that electron mobility was facilitated at the interface between ND and AuNRs, and a larger contact area owing to a larger aspect ratio resulted in a higher SERS effect. The study demonstrated that NDAuNR nanocomposites enhanced the photo-responsive reactivity in SERS, resulting in potentially promising biomedical applications in sensor, imaging, and photothermal therapy. NDs provide platform substances to magnify gold resonance.

Graphical abstract

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Photothermal effects during nanodiamond synthesis from a carbon aerogel in a laser-heated diamond anvil cell

Publication date: August 2018
Source:Diamond and Related Materials, Volume 87
Author(s): Matthew J. Crane, Bennett E. Smith, Peter B. Meisenheimer, Xuezhe Zhou, Rhonda M. Stroud, E. James Davis, Peter J. Pauzauskie
Nanodiamonds have emerged as promising materials for quantum computing, biolabeling, and sensing due to their ability to host color centers with remarkable photostability and long spin-coherence times at room temperature. Recently, a bottom-up, high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) approach was demonstrated for growing nanodiamonds with color centers from amorphous carbon precursors in a laser-heated diamond anvil cell (LH-DAC) that was supported by a near-hydrostatic noble gas pressure medium. However, a detailed understanding of the photothermal heating and its effect on diamond growth, including the phase conversion conditions and the temperature-dependence of color center formation, has not been reported. In this work, we measure blackbody radiation during LH-DAC synthesis of nanodiamond from carbon aerogel to examine these temperature-dependent effects. Blackbody temperature measurements suggest that nanodiamond growth can occur at 16.3 GPa and 1800 K. We use Mie theory and analytical heat transport to develop a predictive photothermal heating model. This model demonstrates that melting the noble gas pressure medium during laser heating decreases the local thermal conductivity to drive a high spatial resolution of phase conversion to diamond. Finally, we observe a temperature-dependent formation of nitrogen vacancy centers and interpret this phenomenon in the context of HPHT carbon vacancy diffusion.

Graphical abstract

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Effective light scattering and charge separation in nanodiamond@g-C3N4 for enhanced visible-light hydrogen evolution

Publication date: Available online 22 June 2018
Source:Carbon
Author(s): Li-Xia Su, Qun-Zeng Huang, Qing Lou, Zhi-Yu Liu, Jun-Lu Sun, Zong-Tao Zhang, Shi-Rong Qin, Xing Li, Jin-Hao Zang, Lin Dong, Chong-Xin Shan
Development of heterostructured photocatalysts that promotes charge separation of semiconductor materials is crucial towards efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. Here nanodiamond (ND)@graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheet heterostructures were synthesized via a facile one-step pyrolysis approach. The ND@g-C3N4 heterostructures exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution from water splitting as compared with pristine g-C3N4. The optimal heterostructures with 10 wt% ND loading content show the best performance in photocatalytic H2 evolution under visible light irradiation, which is more than 5.6 times higher than that of the pristine g-C3N4. The increased light-trapping induced by the scattering of the NDs promotes more localized charge carriers generation, which is clarified by the combined experimental results and finite difference time domain simulations. Meanwhile, the effective charge separation at the ND@g-C3N4 interface due to the energy level matching can synergistically induce the enhanced photocatalytic activity of g-C3N4.

Graphical abstract

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Emerging trends in 2D nanotechnology that are redefining our understanding of “Nanocomposites”

Publication date: Available online 24 May 2018
Source:Nano Today
Author(s): Pingwei Liu, Anton L. Cottrill, Daichi Kozawa, Volodymyr B. Koman, Dorsa Parviz, Albert Tianxiang Liu, Jingfan Yang, Thang Q. Tran, Min Hao Wong, Song Wang, Michael S. Strano
The goal of this review is to summarize the recent development of nanocomposites of 2D materials, especially polymer nanocomposites with large-area, high-quality 2D sheets, and more importantly, the future direction of this field. Scientists and engineers have a tendency to review and envision the future based on the past, but innovation does not work like this. Herein, we do not provide a comprehensive review of nanocomposites with 2D materials; rather, we highlight unusual or unconventional directions emerging for nanocomposite materials research. This forward-looking perspective of current trends focuses on new research directions. In this review, we summarize the fundamentals of nanocomposites in regards to the mechanical and functional reinforcement at the theoretical limit, and we briefly introduce the synthesis of large-area 2D materials with high quality and their controlled dispersion into matrix materials to achieve the maximum reinforcement predicted by theory. We continue with the classical and fundamentally important problem of the mechanical reinforcement in nanocomposites; that is, does the reinforcing contribution come from the modification of matrix or the direct mechanical reinforcement by the nanofillers? We present and discuss new forms of nanocomposites with layered and scrolled structure and well-positioned, semi-infinite 2D layers in detail. We also address the functional reinforcement from the continuous 2D sheets and the unusual applications of nanocomposites enabled by these functional 2D layers. In particular, we discuss fiber devices, such as an electromagnetic inductor and a thermal spiral conductor, an atomic-thick barrier film, a bioactive hybrid via attaching 2D layers to a living organism such as plant leaves, intelligent particle devices acting as state machines, and optical devices such as single photon emitters. With these, we further introduce the new nanocomposite concept of a three-dimensional (3D) macroscopic nanocomposite body comprised exclusively of 2D topology. Finally, we discuss the scalability challenges of the production process and the outlook of potential solutions. We hope this review and perspective can intrigue researchers who are currently working in the fields of 2D materials, polymers, and nanocomposites and provide some new insights to promote the future development of nanocomposites.

Graphical abstract

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The structural basis for filovirus neutralization by monoclonal antibodies

Liam B King | Brandyn R West | Sharon L Schendel | Erica Ollmann Saphire

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Gratitude intervention modulates P3 amplitude in a temporal discounting task

Publication date: Available online 23 June 2018
Source:International Journal of Psychophysiology
Author(s): Andrea L. Patalano, Sydney L. Lolli, Charles A. Sanislow
Gratitude has been shown to reduce economic impatience. In particular, individuals induced to experience heightened gratitude are more willing to choose delayed larger rewards over immediate smaller rewards (i.e., they have lower discounting rates) than those in a neutral condition. Using the event-related potential (ERP) method, we investigated the relation between gratitude level and neurophysiological correlates. Of interest was motivated information processing, as indexed by the P3 component. Participants were administered a gratitude or a neutral mood induction followed by a temporal discounting task (choosing between a fixed immediate reward versus a future reward that varied across trials) while electroencephalogram (EEG) activity was recorded. Individuals in the gratitude condition had greater P3 amplitude, suggesting greater attention to the future-reward option (the choice option that varied across trials), even when this option was not selected, and providing the first evidence of gratitude-induced changes in electrophysiological activity.



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The Effect of Exercise on Breast Cancer–Related Lymphedema: What the Lymphatic Surgeon Needs to Know

J reconstr Microsurg
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1660832

Background Breast cancer–related lymphedema (BCRL) affects many areas of daily living. Individuals with lymphedema may experience chronic and progressive swelling, recurrent skin infections, and decreased self-image and quality of life. For many years, it was considered best practice for this population to avoid exercise; however, in recent years, research has begun to challenge this belief. This systematic review and meta-analyses examined the recent literature on the effects of exercise for patients with, or at risk for, BCRL to inform best practice. Methods A total of 807 articles were retrieved from CINAHL, Academic Search Complete, Medline, and PubMed. Results were systematically filtered to 26 articles through inclusion criteria, exclusion criteria, and the Effective Public Health Practice Project quality assessment tool for quantitative studies. Data were pooled from studies containing relative and absolute volume measurements of limb volume, as well as upper extremity function measured by the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire; meta-analyses were conducted using SAS software. Results The literature was reviewed and statistically analyzed. Results have indicated aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, stretching, yoga, qigong, and pilates can be safe and effective in the management of symptoms for those with, or at risk for, BCRL. Conclusion Several forms of exercise appear to be safe interventions for clinicians to use when treating this population and offer benefits such as improved quality of life, strength, body mass index, and mental health and decreased pain and lymphatic swelling. Additional research should be conducted to further examine the efficacy and safety of nontraditional forms of exercise in the treatment of BCRL.
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Article in Thieme eJournals:
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Relationship between mold exposure, specific IgE sensitization and clinical asthma: a case-control study

Mold sensitizations have been repeatedly reported for their association with exacerbations of asthma symptoms and disease severity. In 1999, Neukirch et al. showed that sensitization to A. alternata was associated with severe asthma.1 These findings were later confirmed in the European Community Respiratory Health survey which showed that the frequency of sensitization to A. alternata and/or C. herbarum was significantly associated with asthma severity.2 Previous studies also suggested a link between sensitization to A.

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Risk Factors for Multiple Epinephrine Doses in Food-Triggered Anaphylaxis in Children

Food-related anaphylactic reactions may require treatment with more than one dose of epinephrine. Current guidelines advise patients at risk of anaphylaxis to carry two epinephrine autoinjectors.

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Interoception is associated with heartbeat-evoked brain potentials (HEPs) in adolescents

Publication date: Available online 23 June 2018
Source:Biological Psychology
Author(s): Sandra Mai, Chung Ki Wong, Eleana Georgiou, Olga Pollatos
Heartbeat-evoked brain potentials (HEPs) are an index of the cortical reflection of cardiac interoceptive signals. Studies which have examined interoception in adolescents with the use of HEPs are not known to the authors so far. This study investigated the function of the HEP as a marker of interoception in adolescents. EEG and ECG were recorded in 46 adolescents during a resting condition and during a heartbeat detection task. Participants were asked for confidence in their interoceptive accuracy during heartbeat perception. HEPs appeared during both conditions, showing maximal activity over frontocentral electrodes in the heartbeat condition, and highest activity over occipital locations in the resting condition. Interoceptive accuracy (IAc) was positively associated with the HEP at frontocentral locations only for the heartbeat condition. Interoceptive sensibility was not associated with the HEP. No significant association between IAc and interoceptive sensibility was revealed. Our results highlight the relevance of the HEP as a neural marker of interoception in adolescents. Its use as an indicator of vulnerability for affective, physical and mental dysfunctions during adolescence should be exploited in future studies.



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Interoceptive Accuracy Scores from the Heartbeat Counting Task are Problematic: Evidence from Simple Bivariate Correlations

Publication date: Available online 23 June 2018
Source:Biological Psychology
Author(s): Giorgia Zamariola, Pierre Maurage, Olivier Luminet, Olivier Corneille
Interoception, the capacity to perceive internal bodily states, is thought to influence cognitive, affective and interpersonal functioning. It is frequently assessed using the heartbeat counting task, introduced recently in interoceptive research. In this task participants are requested to count their heartbeats without relying on external cues. Interoceptive Accuracy (i.e., IAcc) scores are then computed based on absolute comparisons between actual and reported heartbeats. In a large sample of participants (N = 572), we observed that, whereas IAcc scores are meant to be theoretically agnostic to error type (i.e., over- or underestimation of heartbeats), these scores massively (i.e., > 95%) reflect under-reports. Of concern too, the correlation between actual and reported heartbeats is low overall (r = .16), varies non-linearly across IAcc score percentiles, and suggests undistinguishable interoceptive capacities within the top 60% IAcc scorers. We also found that IAcc scores, which are conceptually independent from actual heart rates, are structurally bound to them. Finally, we show that IAcc scores vary across the time intervals used in the task. We encourage researchers using this score for studying cognitive and emotional processes to reconsider its meaning.



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Altered neural inhibition responses to food cues after Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Publication date: Available online 23 June 2018
Source:Biological Psychology
Author(s): H.F.A. Zoon, S.E.M. de Bruijn, G. Jager, P.A.M. Smeets, C. de Graaf, I.M.C. Janssen, W. Schijns, L. Deden, S. Boesveldt
BackgroundRoux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery is a highly effective weight-loss intervention that often reduces preference and intake of high-energy foods. Research into the neural mechanisms behind this shift has mainly focused on reward processing of food cues. However, the ability to successfully control food intake and thereby weight-loss also depends on inhibitory control capacity. We investigated whether RYGB leads to alterations in neural inhibitory control in response to food cues.MethodsA food-specific go/no-go task with pictures of high-energy (desserts) and low-energy foods (vegetables), was used to assess neural inhibition responses before and after RYGB with functional magnetic resonance imaging. Data from 18 morbidly obese patients (15 females; age 41 ± 11 years; BMI 42 ± 4 kg/m² before; BMI 36 ± 4 kg/m² after) were analysed. Pre- and post-RYGB BOLD fMRI responses were compared for response inhibition towards high- and low-energy foods. Participants were tested in a satiated state.ResultsResponse inhibition to high-energy foods was associated with increased activation of the right lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC), right medial PFC, dorsolateral PFC, right middle cingulate cortex and the right inferior frontal operculum (involved in inhibitory control), after compared to before surgery. Response inhibition to low-energy foods elicited diminished post- compared to pre-surgery responses in the left superior temporal pole, right parahippocampal gyrus and right hypothalamus (involved in metabolic control).ConclusionNeural changes indicate improved response inhibition towards high-energy food cues, altered influence of metabolic control during response inhibition toward low-energy food cues and a more positive attitude to both high-energy and low-energy food after RYGB. Alterations in neural circuits involved in inhibitory control, satiety signalling and reward processing may contribute to effective weight-loss after RYGB.



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How chronic administration of benzodiazepines leads to unexplained chronic illnesses: A hypothesis

Publication date: September 2018
Source:Medical Hypotheses, Volume 118
Author(s): S. LaCorte
It is thought that an ill defined biochemical cascade may lead to protracted withdrawal symptoms subsequent to discontinuance of routine use of benzodiazepine class drugs and establish chronic illness in some patients. In this review, published findings are presented that support the novel concept that withdrawal from benzodiazepine class drugs can trigger elevated and sustained levels of a potent oxidant called peroxynitrite via potentiation of the L-type voltage-gated calcium channels, and in the later stages of withdrawal, via excessive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor activity, as well. Potentiation of L-type voltage-gated calcium channels and excessive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor activity both result in calcium influx into the cell that triggers nitric oxide synthesis. In pathophysiological conditions, such increased nitric oxide synthesis leads to peroxynitrite formation.The downstream effects of peroxynitrite formation that may occur during withdrawal ultimately lead to further peroxynitrite production in a system of overlapping vicious cycles collectively referred to as the NO/ONOO(−) cycle. Once triggered, the elements of the NO/ONOO(−) cycle perpetuate pathophysiology, perhaps including reduced GABAA receptor functioning, that may explain protracted withdrawal associated symptoms while the vicious cycle nature of the NO/ONOO(−) cycle may explain how withdrawal becomes a chronic state.Suboptimal levels of tetrahydrobiopterin may be one risk factor for the development of the protracted withdrawal syndrome as this will lead to partial nitric oxide uncoupling and resultant peroxynitrite formation. Nitric oxide uncoupling results in superoxide production as calcium-dependent nitric oxide synthases attempt to produce nitric oxide in response to L-type voltage-gated calcium channel-mediated calcium influx that is known to occur during withdrawal. The combination of nitric oxide and superoxide produced, as when partial uncoupling occurs, react together in a very rapid, diffusion limited reaction to form peroxynitrite and thereby trigger the NO/ONOO(−) cycle.The NO/ONOO(−) cycle may explain the nature of the protracted withdrawal syndrome and the related constellation of symptoms that are also common in other illnesses characterized as NO/ONOO(−) disorders such as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.



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Plerixafor and related macrocyclic amines are potential drug candidates in treatment of malaria by “filling the flap” region of plasmepsin enzymes

Publication date: September 2018
Source:Medical Hypotheses, Volume 118
Author(s): Ardavan Abiri
Death by Plasmodium falsiparum, the leading cause of malaria, is going to remain a major obstacle among the infectious diseases. Plasmepsin aspartic proteases are key proteins in the pathogenesis of plasmodium species which break down the hemoglobin and exploit it as a source of amino acids. These enzymes are one of the favorite targeting agents for medicinal chemists to design new drugs. Plasmepsin proteins show a "flap" region in their N-terminal domain, predisposing them to a good "filler" drug with an exceptional affinity to this enzyme. Plerixafor (Mozobil®, AMD3100), a CXCR4 antagonist with a bicyclam ring, historically discovered as an impurity in a mixture which had anti-HIV properties, is now a FDA approved drug for mobilizing haematopoietic stem cells in cancer patients. In this hypothesis, we focused on the similarity of the structure of plerixafor and its analogues with heme functional group of hemoglobin, the main substrate of plasmepsin, and also with some other recent azamacrocyclic compounds demonstrating antimalarial activity, to test whether these compounds are capable of exhibiting antimalarial activity by inhibiting plasmepsin or not. A preliminary in silico docking study was used to evaluate this hypothesis and docking results indicated that macrocyclic cyclams and cyclens can reliably act as potent lead drug or central pharmacophore in developing new plasmepsin inhibitors as compared with previously designed plasmepsin II inhibitors.



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Giant congenital melanocytic nevus in a Cameroonian child: a case report

Giant congenital melanocytic nevus is a very rare condition characterized by a large skin lesion and an increased risk of complications like neurocutaneous melanosis and malignant transformation. Reports of gi...

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Visuocortical changes during a freezing-like state in humans

Publication date: 1 October 2018
Source:NeuroImage, Volume 179
Author(s): Maria Lojowska, Sam Ling, Karin Roelofs, Erno J. Hermans
An adaptive response to threat requires optimized detection of critical sensory cues. This optimization is thought to be aided by freezing - an evolutionarily preserved defensive state of immobility characterized by parasympathetically mediated fear bradycardia and regulated by the amygdala-periaqueductal grey (PAG) circuit. Behavioral observations in humans and animals have suggested that freezing is also a state of enhanced visual sensitivity, particularly for coarse visual information, but the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. We induced a freezing-like state in healthy volunteers using threat of electrical shock and measured threat-related changes in both stimulus-independent (baseline) and stimulus-evoked visuocortical activity to low-vs. high-spatial frequency gratings, using functional MRI. As measuring immobility is not feasible in MRI environments, we used fear bradycardia and amygdala-PAG coupling in inferring a freezing-like state. An independent functional localizer and retinotopic mapping were used to assess the retinotopic specificity of visuocortical modulations. We found a threat-induced increase in baseline (stimulus-independent) visuocortical activity that was retinotopically nonspecific, which was accompanied by increased connectivity with the amygdala. A positive correlation between visuocortical activity and fear bradycardia (while controlling for sympathetic activation), and a concomitant increase in amygdala-PAG connectivity, confirmed the specificity of these findings for the parasympathetically dominated freezing-like state. Visuocortical responses to gratings were retinotopically specific, but did not differ between threat and safe conditions across participants. However, individuals who exhibited better discrimination of low-spatial frequency stimuli showed reduced stimulus-evoked V1 responses under threat. Our findings suggest that a defensive state of freezing involves an integration of preparatory defensive and perceptual changes which may be regulated by a common mechanism involving the amygdala.



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Detailed somatotopy in primary motor and somatosensory cortex revealed by Gaussian population receptive fields

Publication date: 1 October 2018
Source:NeuroImage, Volume 179
Author(s): Wouter Schellekens, Natalia Petridou, Nick F. Ramsey
The relevance of human primary motor cortex (M1) for motor actions has long been established. However, it is still unknown how motor actions are represented, and whether M1 contains an ordered somatotopy at the mesoscopic level. In the current study we show that a detailed within-limb somatotopy can be obtained in M1 during finger movements using Gaussian population Receptive Field (pRF) models. Similar organizations were also obtained for primary somatosensory cortex (S1), showing that individual finger representations are interconnected throughout sensorimotor cortex. The current study additionally estimates receptive field sizes of neuronal populations, showing differences between finger digit representations, between M1 and S1, and additionally between finger digit flexion and extension. Using the Gaussian pRF approach, the detailed somatotopic organization of M1 can be obtained including underlying characteristics, allowing for the in-depth investigation of cortical motor representation and sensorimotor integration.



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Shape responses in a macaque frontal area connected to posterior parietal cortex

Publication date: 1 October 2018
Source:NeuroImage, Volume 179
Author(s): Irene Caprara, Elsie Premereur, Maria C. Romero, Pedro Faria, Peter Janssen
The primate dorsal visual stream processes object shape to guide actions involving an object, but the transmission of shape information beyond posterior parietal cortex remains largely unknown. To clarify the information flow between parietal and frontal cortex, we applied electrical microstimulation during functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) in a shape-selective patch in the posterior part of the Anterior Intraparietal area (pAIP) to chart its connectivity. Subsequently, we recorded single-unit responses to images of objects in the fMRI activation in prefrontal cortex, corresponding to area 45B, elicited by pAIP microstimulation. Neurons in area 45B had properties similar to neurons in pAIP, responding selectively to shape contours and to very small shape fragments measuring less than one deg at exceedingly short latencies. However, contrary to the prevailing view on the hierarchical organization of cortical areas, neurons in area 45B preferred even smaller shape fragments and had smaller receptive fields than neurons in pAIP. These findings provide the first evidence for ultra-fast shape processing in prefrontal cortex, and suggest that the pathway from pAIP to area 45B may not be important for object grasping.



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Self-monitoring in the cerebral cortex: Neural responses to small pitch shifts in auditory feedback during speech production

Publication date: 1 October 2018
Source:NeuroImage, Volume 179
Author(s): Matthias K. Franken, Frank Eisner, Daniel J. Acheson, James M. McQueen, Peter Hagoort, Jan-Mathijs Schoffelen
Speaking is a complex motor skill which requires near instantaneous integration of sensory and motor-related information. Current theory hypothesizes a complex interplay between motor and auditory processes during speech production, involving the online comparison of the speech output with an internally generated forward model. To examine the neural correlates of this intricate interplay between sensory and motor processes, the current study uses altered auditory feedback (AAF) in combination with magnetoencephalography (MEG). Participants vocalized the vowel/e/and heard auditory feedback that was temporarily pitch-shifted by only 25 cents, while neural activity was recorded with MEG. As a control condition, participants also heard the recordings of the same auditory feedback that they heard in the first half of the experiment, now without vocalizing. The participants were not aware of any perturbation of the auditory feedback. We found auditory cortical areas responded more strongly to the pitch shifts during vocalization. In addition, auditory feedback perturbation resulted in spectral power increases in the θ and lower β bands, predominantly in sensorimotor areas. These results are in line with current models of speech production, suggesting auditory cortical areas are involved in an active comparison between a forward model's prediction and the actual sensory input. Subsequently, these areas interact with motor areas to generate a motor response. Furthermore, the results suggest that θ and β power increases support auditory-motor interaction, motor error detection and/or sensory prediction processing.



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Topical Application of Photofrin® for Photodynamic Diagnosis of Malignant Cutaneous Neoplasms

The prognosis of patients suffering from malignant cutaneous neoplasms can be improved by early diagnosis. Exact demarcation of tumor margins could contribute to optimum results in surgical excision and reconstruction. The purpose of our study is to evaluate Photofrin® with a new diagnostic procedure, photodynamic diagnosis (PDD), for the detection of Bowen's disease (squamous cell carcinoma in situ), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and basal cell carcinoma (BCC).

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Effects of residual speech and auditory deprivation on speech perception of adult cochlear implant recipients

Possible predictive factors of cochlear implant (CI) outcomes have been extensively reported in literature for different user groups such as prelingual pediatric or postlingual adult users. However, there remains unexplained outcome variability among adult CI users; therefore, research concerning these patients continues and many different variables have been reported. This study aimed at evaluating the relationship between preoperative speech reception capacity, residual hearing, duration of deafness, age of implantation, and postoperative monosyllabic word recognition scores (WRSs) in postlingual CI users.

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Exposure to positive peer sentiment about nicotine replacement therapy in an online smoking cessation community is associated with NRT use

Publication date: December 2018
Source:Addictive Behaviors, Volume 87
Author(s): Jennifer L. Pearson, Michael S. Amato, George D. Papandonatos, Kang Zhao, Bahar Erar, Xi Wang, Sarah Cha, Amy M. Cohn, Amanda L. Graham
BackgroundLittle is known about the influence of online peer interactions on health behavior change. This study examined the relationship between exposure to peer sentiment about nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in an online social network for smoking cessation and NRT use.MethodsParticipants were 3297 current smokers who enrolled in an Internet smoking cessation program, participated in a randomized trial, and completed a 3-month follow-up. Half received free NRT as part of the trial. Automated text classification identified 27,038 posts about NRT that one or more participants were exposed to in the social network. Sentiment towards NRT was rated on Amazon Mechanical Turk. Participants' exposure to peer sentiment about NRT was determined by analysis of clickstream data. Modified Poisson regression examined self-reported use of NRT at 3-months as a function of exposure to NRT sentiment, controlling for study arm and post exposure.ResultsOne in five participants (19.3%, n = 639) were exposed to any NRT-related posts (mean exposure = 6.5 ± 14.7, mean sentiment = 5.4 ± 0.8). The association between sentiment exposure and NRT use varied by receipt of free NRT. Greater exposure to positive NRT sentiment was associated with an increased likelihood of NRT use among participants who did not receive free NRT (adjusted rate ratio 1.22, 95% CI 1.01, 1.47; p = .043), whereas no such relationship was observed among participants who did receive free NRT (p = .48).ConclusionsExposure to positive sentiment about NRT was associated with increased NRT use when smokers obtained it on their own. Highlighting user-generated content containing positive NRT sentiment may increase NRT use among treatment-seeking smokers.



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Borderline personality disorder features and drinking, cannabis, and prescription opioid motives: Differential associations across substance and sex

Publication date: December 2018
Source:Addictive Behaviors, Volume 87
Author(s): Noel A. Vest, Kyle T. Murphy, Sarah L. Tragesser
IntroductionDrinking motives have shown meaningful associations with borderline personality disorder (BPD) features. However, it is unknown whether other common substances of abuse (namely cannabis and prescription opioids) have the same associations with BPD features. In the present study, we tested associations between BPD features and motives across three substances: alcohol, cannabis, and prescription opioids. The purpose of the study was to determine whether BPD showed similar patterns of associations across drugs, or whether some substances serve particular functions for individuals with BPD features, and whether this also varies by sex in a college student sample.MethodFive-hundred ninety-four college students completed online questionnaires measuring demographics, borderline personality disorder features, substance use, and substance specific motives for alcohol, cannabis, and prescription opioid use.ResultsBPD was most strongly associated with coping motives across all substances. For both alcohol and cannabis, this was true for both males and females, along with conformity motives. For prescription opioids, coping, social, enhancement, and pain motives were only significantly related to BPD features for females. When compared statistically, it was found that the associations with coping drinking motives and opioid pain motives were higher among females.ConclusionsThis pattern of results suggests that negatively reinforcing motives (coping and conformity) play a similar functional role in borderline personality and substance use disorder pathology for alcohol and cannabis, but for prescription opioids the negative reinforcement motives (coping and pain) were only evident in females.



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Thyroid storm after choking

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Issue: Ahead of print


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Long-term thyroid disorders in pediatric survivors of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation after chemotherapy-only conditioning

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Issue: Ahead of print


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The effect of obesity and insulin resistance on macular choroidal thickness in a pediatric population as assessed by enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Issue: Ahead of print


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Menu labels, for better, and worse? Exploring socio-economic and race-ethnic differences in menu label use in a national sample

Publication date: 1 September 2018
Source:Appetite, Volume 128
Author(s): Wenhui Feng, Ashley Fox
Menu calorie labeling aims to empower customers to make healthier food choices, but researchers have questioned whether labels will empower those with greater health literacy, literacy or numeracy more, possibly reinforcing race-ethnic or socioeconomic inequalities in obesity. The goal of this study was to investigate differences in seeing and using restaurant menu calorie labels and whether differences have compounded over time.Using data from three rounds of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey covering the period 2007–2014, we investigate race-ethnic and socio-economic differences in menu label usage over time adjusting for sex, age and body weight.While menu label usage increased over time, not all groups increased their use equally. While we find that Blacks and Hispanics use labels more than Whites in sit-down restaurants, more educated individuals, higher income groups and Whites each increased the degree to which they saw and/or used labels in certain settings compared with other groups.This study reinforces concerns that menu-calorie labeling may exacerbate socio-economic and certain race-ethnic obesity differences.As menu labeling policy moves forward to be implemented federally, more attention may need to be diverted to educational campaigns accompanying the implementation and improving the labels so the information is easier to use.



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Taste at first (person) sight: Visual perspective modulates brain activity implicitly associated with viewing unhealthy but not healthy foods

Publication date: 1 September 2018
Source:Appetite, Volume 128
Author(s): Frédéric Basso, Olivia Petit, Sophie Le Bellu, Saadi Lahlou, Aïda Cancel, Jean-Luc Anton
Every day, people are exposed to images of appetizing foods that can lead to high-calorie intake and contribute to overweight and obesity. Research has documented that manipulating the visual perspective from which eating is viewed helps resist temptation by altering the appraisal of unhealthy foods. However, the neural basis of this effect has not yet been examined using neuroimaging methods. Moreover, it is not known whether the benefits of this strategy can be observed when people, especially overweight, are not explicitly asked to imagine themselves eating. Last, it remains to be investigated if visual perspective could be used to promote healthy foods. The present work manipulated camera angles and tested whether visual perspective modulates activity in brain regions associated with taste and reward processing while participants watch videos featuring a hand grasping (unhealthy or healthy) foods from a plate during functional magnetic resonance imagining (fMRI). The plate was filmed from the perspective of the participant (first-person perspective; 1PP), or from a frontal view as if watching someone else eating (third-person perspective; 3PP). Our findings reveal that merely viewing unhealthy food cues from a 1PP (vs. 3PP) increases activity in brain regions that underlie representations of rewarding (appetitive) experiences (amygdala) and food intake (superior parietal gyrus). Additionally, our results show that ventral striatal activity is positively correlated with body mass index (BMI) during exposure to unhealthy foods from a 1PP (vs. 3PP). These findings suggest that unhealthy foods should be promoted through third-person (video) images to weaken the reward associated with their simulated consumption, especially amongst overweight people. It appears however that, as such, manipulating visual perspective fails to enhance the perception of healthy foods. Their promotion thus requires complementary solutions.



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Label reading, numeracy and food & nutrition involvement

Publication date: 1 September 2018
Source:Appetite, Volume 128
Author(s): Maria D.G.H. Mulders, O. Corneille, O. Klein
The purpose of this study was to investigate objective performance on a nutrition label comprehension task, and the influence of numeracy and food-related involvement on this performance level. A pilot study (n = 45) was run to prepare the scales in French. For the main study (n = 101), participants provided demographic information and answered the nutrition label survey, the short numeracy scale and two different food-related involvement scales (i.e. the food involvement scale and the nutrition involvement scale). Both studies were conducted online, and consent was obtained from all participants. Participants answered correctly only two-thirds of the nutrition label task items. Numeracy and food involvement scores were positively correlated with performance on this task. Finally, food involvement interacted with numeracy. Specifically, people scoring low in numeracy performed generally more poorly on the task, but if they had high food involvement scores, their performance increased. This suggests that high food-related motivation may compensate for poor numeracy skills when dealing with nutrition labels.



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The effect of sugar-sweetened beverage front-of-pack labels on drink selection, health knowledge and awareness: An online randomised controlled trial

Publication date: 1 September 2018
Source:Appetite, Volume 128
Author(s): Natassja Billich, Miranda R. Blake, Kathryn Backholer, Megan Cobcroft, Vincy Li, Anna Peeters
Purpose and aimSugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) provide little nutritional value and are associated with an increased risk of diet-related diseases. Despite this, SSB consumption is high globally. One emerging strategy aimed at reducing SSB consumption involves the use of front-of-pack (FOP) labels that clearly identify the risks associated with SSB consumption. The aim of this research study was to determine whether FOP labels with a graphic warning, text warning, sugar information (with the number of teaspoons of added sugar) or Health Star Rating (HSR) reduces intended choice of a SSB in an online choice experiment with young Australian adults.Results994 participants were recruited and completed the online choice experiment. Compared to the control group who were not exposed to a label, the graphic warning, text warning, sugar information and HSR labels all significantly reduced selection of a SSB in the choice scenario. The magnitude of effect was greatest for the graphic warning label (OR 0.22 95% CI 0.14–0.35). Compared to the control group, only the HSR label significantly increased selections of the high HSR drinks (OR 2.18 95% CI 1.20–3.97).ConclusionsFOP labels, particularly those with graphic warnings, have the potential to reduce intended SSB purchases. Labels that also identify healthier alternatives may influence consumers to substitute SSBs with healthier drinks.



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Automated Detection of Electroencephalography Artifacts in Human, Rodent and Canine Subjects using Machine Learning

Publication date: Available online 23 June 2018
Source:Journal of Neuroscience Methods
Author(s): Joshua Levitt, Adam Nitenson, Suguru Koyama, Lonne Heijmans, James Curry, Jason T. Ross, Steven Kamerling, Carl Y Saab
BackgroundElectroencephalography (EEG) invariably contains extra-cranial artifacts that are commonly dealt with based on qualitative and subjective criteria. Failure to account for EEG artifacts compromises data interpretation.New MethodWe have developed a quantitative and automated support vector machine (SVM)-based algorithm to accurately classify artifactual EEG epochs in awake rodent, canine and humans subjects. An embodiment of this method also enables the determination of 'eyes open/closed' states in human subjects.ResultsThe levels of SVM accuracy for artifact classification in humans, Sprague Dawley rats and beagle dogs were 94.17%, 83.68%, and 85.37%, respectively, whereas 'eyes open/closed' states in humans were labeled with 88.60% accuracy. Each of these results was significantly higher than chance.Comparison with Existing Methods: Other existing methods, like those dependent on Independent Component Analysis, have not been tested in non-human subjects, and require full EEG montages, instead of only single channels, as this method does.ConclusionsWe conclude that our EEG artifact detection algorithm provides a valid and practical solution to a common problem in the quantitative analysis and assessment of EEG in pre-clinical research settings across evolutionary spectra.



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Quantification characteristics of digital spiral analysis for understanding the relationship among tremor and clinical measures in persons with multiple sclerosis

Publication date: Available online 22 June 2018
Source:Journal of Neuroscience Methods
Author(s): Heather M. DelMastro, Jennifer A. Ruiz, Elizabeth S. Gromisch, Juan C. Garbalosa, Elizabeth W. Triche, Kayla M. Olson, Albert C. Lo
BackgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a degenerative neurological condition causing demyelination and neuronal loss. Tremor, a symptom of MS, is prevalent in 45.0-46.8% NARCOMS registrants. Although several tools to measure tremor exist, few outcomes are quantitative or regularly utilized clinically.New MethodIntroduction of a novel adaptation of the digital spiral drawing to find a quick, sensitive, and clinically useful technique, to predict tremor in persons with MS (pwMS). Digital spiral measures included: Segment Rate (SEGRT), Standard Deviation (SD) of Radial Velocity (VSD-R), SD of Tangential Velocity (VSD-T), SD of Overall Velocity (VSD-O), Mean Drawing Velocity (MNV-O) and Mean Pen Pressure Acceleration (MNA-P). Digital spiral measures were compared with the manual Archimedes Spiral (AS) drawing and the following clinical measures: Finger-Nose Test (FNT), presence of visually observed intention tremor (VOT), Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT), and Box and Block Test (BBT).ResultsAll clinical measures utilized demonstrated significant relationships with all digital variables, except VSD-R. The forward-stepwise regression revealed BBT accounted for the most variance, followed by SEGRT.Comparison with Existing Methods: SEGRT is more sensitive in detecting VOT and better for quantifying tremor than AS. BBT and SEGRT are optimal predictive measures for tremor.ConclusionsSEGRT has stronger sensitivity and negative predictive value than AS in detecting VOT. All clinical measures (NHPT, FNT, BBT, and AS) were significantly associated with the digital variables (SEGRT, VSD-T, VSD-O, MNV-O, and MNA-P) except for VSD-R. After controlling for Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS), BBT and SEGRT are the best predictive measures for tremor.



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Biopsia selectiva del ganglio centinela en cáncer de cérvix: experiencia en fase de validación

Publication date: Available online 23 June 2018
Source:Revista Española de Medicina Nuclear e Imagen Molecular
Author(s): J. Cea García, P.A. de la Riva Pérez, I. Rodríguez Jiménez, F. Márquez Maraver, A. Polo Velasco, J. Jiménez Gallardo, M.V. Aguilar Martín, T. Cambil Molina, M.N. Cabezas Palacios
Antecedentes y objetivoLa biopsia selectiva del ganglio centinela (BSGC) surgió para disminuir la morbilidad asociada a la linfadenectomía pélvica en estadios iniciales del cáncer cervical (CC), conservando la información pronóstica obtenida de ella. El objetivo es determinar la validez diagnóstica de la BSGC en CC en estadios iniciales (IA1 con infiltración linfovascular [ILV] +, IA2, IB1 y IIA1), evitando así linfadenectomías innecesarias en muchos de los casos.Material y métodoDesde enero del 2012 hasta abril del 2017, 23 pacientes con estadios iniciales de CC fueron incluidas en un estudio transversal de evaluación de la eficacia de la BSGC usando la técnica mixta de inyección cervical de ^99mTc-nanocoloide de albúmina y azul de metileno, empleando linfogammagrafía planar combinada con imagen multimodalidad SPECT/TC y posterior extirpación del GC mediante laparoscopia.ResultadosLa tasa de detección de la BSGC con técnica mixta fue del 95,6%, siendo el valor predictivo negativo (VPN) del 95,4% y la sensibilidad (S) del 100% en caso de drenaje bilateral. La media de GC extirpados fue de 3 (rango 1-5). La tasa de detección bilateral en la laparoscopia fue del 85,3%. La concordancia entre SPECT/TC y laparoscopia para el número y bilateralidad del GC mediante el coeficiente de Pearson fue r = 0,73 y r = 0,83, respectivamente; p = 0,01. Solo encontramos un GC con resultado diferido de micrometástasis y se detectó un falso negativo.ConclusionesLa BSGC en CC mediante técnica mixta tiene una elevada tasa de detección y de drenaje bilateral, pero aún la S es baja si incluimos casos de drenaje unilateral. Un mayor número de casos y el desarrollo de la ultraestadificación intraoperatoria podrían aumentar la S de la técnica y reducir el número de falsos negativos.Background and objectiveSentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) was created to reduce the morbidity associated with pelvic lymphadenectomy in the early stages of cervical cancer (CC), preserving its prognostic information. The goal is to assess the diagnostic validity of SLNB in CC in initial stages (IA1 with lymphovascular infiltration (LVI) +, IA2, IB1 and IIA1), thus avoiding unnecessary lymphadenectomies in many of the cases.Material and methodFrom January 2012 to April 2017, 23 patients with initial stages of CC were included in a cross-sectional study to evaluate the effectiveness of the SLNB in CC with a mixed technique of cervical injection of ^99mTc-nanocolloid of albumin and methylene blue, using combined planar lymphoscintigraphy with multimodality SPECT/CT image and subsequent removal of the sentinel node (SN) by laparoscopy.ResultsThe detection rate of SLNB with the mixed technique was 95.65%, with a negative predictive value (NPV) of 95.45% and sensitivity (S) of 100% in the case of bilateral drainage. The mean of excised SN was 3 (range 1-5). The bilateral detection rate in laparoscopy was 85.35%. The concordance between SPECT/CT and laparoscopy for the number and bilaterality of the SN using the Pearson coefficient was r = 0.727 and r = 0.833, respectively; p = 0.01. We only found one SN with a deferred result of micrometástasis and one false negative was detected.ConclusionsSLNB in CC using a mixed technique has a high detection and bilateral drainage rate, but S is still low if we include cases of unilateral drainage. A greater number of cases and the development of intraoperative ultrastaging could increase the S of the technique and to reduce the number of false negatives.



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Impaired anticipatory vision and visuomotor coordination affects action planning and execution in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy

Publication date: September 2018
Source:Research in Developmental Disabilities, Volume 80
Author(s): Swati M. Surkar, Rashelle M. Hoffman, Brenda Davies, Regina Harbourne, Max J. Kurz
BackgroundAction-planning and execution deficits in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (HCP) are potentially due to deficits in the integration of sensory information, such as vision, with motor output.AimsTo determine differences in anticipatory visual patterns in children with HCP compared to typically developing (TD) children, and to assess visuomotor coordination in children with HCP.Methods and proceduresWe included 13 children with HCP (Age = 6.8 + 2.9 yrs) and 15 TD children (Age = 5.8 + 1.1 yrs). The experimental task used in this study is a valid action-planning task, which consisted of initially reaching and grasping an object placed at a fixed position, followed by placing the object in a random target position. Visual patterns were recorded using a head-mounted eye-tracker system and arm movements were recorded using motion capture (120 Hz).Outcomes and resultsChildren with HCP had delayed anticipatory gaze time and longer latency than TD children during the planning and execution phases. Children with HCP also had a higher frequency of gaze shifts, longer reaction times (RT) and movement times (MT) than TD children.Conclusions and implicationsChildren with HCP may have deficits in anticipatory vision, which potentially affected planning and executing a goal-directed action. Therapeutic interventions focusing on improving visuomotor coordination may improve the motor performance in children with HCP.



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Reply

Publication date: Available online 23 June 2018
Source:Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Author(s): Matthew C. Altman, James E. Gern




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Can natural killer cells represent an early life immune response in development of allergic asthma? More precise data analysis should be considered

Publication date: Available online 23 June 2018
Source:Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Author(s): Dan Yang, Chuntao Liu




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Cell death cascade and molecular therapy in ADAR2-deficient motor neurons of ALS

Publication date: Available online 23 June 2018
Source:Neuroscience Research
Author(s): Takenari Yamashita, Shin Kwak
TAR DNA-binding protein (TDP-43) pathology in the motor neurons is the most reliable pathological hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and motor neurons bearing TDP-43 pathology invariably exhibit failure in RNA editing at the GluA2 glutamine/arginine (Q/R) site due to down-regulation of adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 2 (ADAR2). Conditional ADAR2 knockout (AR2) mice display ALS-like phenotype, including progressive motor dysfunction due to loss of motor neurons. Motor neurons devoid of ADAR2 express Q/R site-unedited GluA2, and AMPA receptors with unedited GluA2 in their subunit assembly are abnormally permeable to Ca²⁺, which results in progressive neuronal death. Moreover, analysis of AR2 mice has demonstrated that exaggerated Ca²⁺ influx through the abnormal AMPA receptors overactivates calpain, a Ca²⁺-dependent protease, that cleaves TDP-43 into aggregation-prone fragments, which serve as seeds for TDP-43 pathology. Activated calpain also disrupts nucleo-cytoplasmic transport and gene expression by cleaving molecules involved in nucleocytoplasmic transport, including nucleoporins. These lines of evidence prompted us to develop molecular targeting therapy for ALS by normalization of disrupted intracellular environment due to ADAR2 down-regulation. In this review, we have summarized the work from our group on the cell death cascade in sporadic ALS and discussed a potential therapeutic strategy for ALS.

Graphical abstract

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Mortality of patients examined at a diagnostic centre: A matched cohort study

Publication date: August 2018
Source:Cancer Epidemiology, Volume 55
Author(s): Esben Næser, Henrik Møller, Ulrich Fredberg, Peter Vedsted
Background'Diagnostic Centres' has been established to provide a diagnostic pathway for patients with non-specific, serious symptoms that could be cancer. As little is known about the prognosis, we aimed to 1) analyse mortality of patients examined at the diagnostic centre, stratified on diagnostic outcome (cancer, serious-non-malignant disease, or other/no diagnosis), and 2) compare mortality for cancer patients examined at the diagnostic centre with cancer patients diagnosed through other routes.MethodRetrospective cohort study including 938 patients examined at the Diagnostic Centre, Silkeborg Regional Hospital, Denmark, during 2012–2014. Cancer patients examined at the diagnostic centre were matched (1:10) to a reference group of cancer patients diagnosed through other routes. Information on diagnosis, death, comorbidity and socioeconomic factors was obtained by linkage to national Danish registers. Mortality was assessed by Kaplan Meier mortality survival analysis and hazard ratios of death were estimated using Cox proportional regression analysis while adjusting for confounders.ResultsThe 1-year cumulative mortality was 28% in cancer patients examined at the diagnostic centre. The hazard ratio of death was seven times increased in cancer patients compared to patients with other/no diagnosis. The hazard ratio of death was 0.91 (95% CI: 0.68; 1.22) in cancer patients examined at the diagnostic centre compared to cancer patients diagnosed through other routes.DiscussionThe mortality among cancer patients examined at the diagnostic centre was comparable to cancer patients diagnosed through other routes. The results indicate that cancer patients with non-specific serious symptoms do not have a worse prognosis than other cancer patients.



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Identification of differentially expressed proteins in Ostrinia furnacalis adults after exposure to ultraviolet A

Abstract

Ultraviolet A (UVA), the major component of solar UV irradiation, is an important environmental factor inducing damage to insects including cell death, photoreceptor damage, and oxidative stress. In order to improve understanding of the adaptation mechanisms of insect after UVA exposure, a comparative proteomic analysis was carried out to reveal differential protein expression in Ostrinia furnacalis. Three-day-old adults were treated with UVA for 1 h. Total proteins of control and UVA-treated insects were examined using two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE). 2-DE analysis demonstrated that 19 proteins were increased and 18 proteins were decreased significantly in O. furnacalis after UVA exposure, respectively. Thirty differentially expressed proteins were successfully identified by mass spectrometry. The identified proteins were involved in diverse biological processes, such as signal transduction, transport processing, cellular stress, metabolisms, and cytoskeleton organization. Our results reveal that the response patterns of O. furnacalis to UVA irradiation are complex and provide novel insights into the adaptation response to UVA irradiation stress.

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Effects of epidural anesthesia on postoperative nausea and vomiting in laparoscopic gynecological surgery: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Purpose

Patients undergoing laparoscopic gynecological surgery are susceptible to postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). We hypothesized that a combination of epidural and general anesthesia to minimize intraoperative opioid administration would reduce the incidence of PONV following laparoscopic gynecological surgery.

Methods

Women undergoing elective laparoscopic gynecological surgery were randomly assigned to receive general anesthesia alone (group G, n = 45) or general anesthesia with epidural anesthesia (group GE, n = 45). Patients in group G received fentanyl and remifentanil for intraoperative analgesia, and those in group GE received single-shot ropivacaine at the time of induction of anesthesia. The primary outcome was the incidence of PONV within 24 h of surgery. Secondary outcomes included the use of rescue metoclopramide within 24 h of surgery and the time to first incidence of PONV and first use of rescue metoclopramide.

Results

The incidence of PONV within 24 h of surgery was 60.0% in group G and 44.4% in group GE [relative risk (RR): 0.53, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.23–1.23, p = 0.14]. There were no intergroup differences in the use of rescue metoclopramide (40.0% in group G, 24.4% in group GE, RR: 0.49, 95% CI 0.20–1.20, p = 0.11) and the time to first incidence of PONV and first use of rescue metoclopramide (p = 0.20 and 0.12, respectively).

Conclusion

Minimizing intraoperative opioid administration by combining epidural and general anesthesia did not reduce the 24-h incidence of PONV or rescue metoclopramide use after laparoscopic gynecological surgery.

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Ultrasound strain imaging in assessment of false vocal folds in adults: A feasibility study

Publication date: September–October 2018
Source:Clinical Imaging, Volume 51
Author(s): Jing Gao, Chun-Xia Xia, Qiang Zhu, James Hamilton, Robert Min
PurposeThe aim of the study is to investigate the feasibility of ultrasound strain imaging (USI) in assessing magnitude and symmetry of false vocal folds (FVF) deformation as a quantitative marker for estimating FVF movement.MethodsFrom October 2016 to July 2017, we performed USI of FVF in 44 adults [33 healthy controls and 11 subjects with unilateral vocal fold motion impairment (VFMI), 17 men and 27 women, mean age 43 years]. Real time ultrasound data of FVF in different configuration (abduction and adduction) was acquired through transcutaneous anterior-mid neck. Peak to valley strain (strain magnitude of maximum to minimum) representing the largest FVF deformation was estimated using 2-D speckle tracking. We developed peak to valley strain index [(Peak to valley strain right − Peak to valley strain left)/Peak to valley strain maximum] to assess the symmetry of FVF deformation.ResultsThe difference in peak to valley strain between left and right FVF was significant in subjects with VFMI, whereas it was not in healthy controls. The peak to valley strain index was small (≤0.25) in symmetric FVF deformation in healthy controls whereas it was large (≥0.53) in asymmetric FVF deformation in subjects with VFMI. The area under receiver operating characteristics for peak to valley strain index in the determining asymmetric FVF deformation was 1.ConclusionOur results suggest that USI seems feasible to quantify both magnitude and symmetry of FVF deformation in adults. Further validation of USI in assessing VFMI is warranted.



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Multimodality images of myofibroblastoma in the male breast: A case report and a review of the literature

Publication date: September–October 2018
Source:Clinical Imaging, Volume 51
Author(s): Eun Ji Lee, Yun-Woo Chang, Yoon Mi Jin, Nam Won Kim
We report a case of a 58-year-old male diagnosed with myofibroblastoma using mammography, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as present a review of the literature. The pathological diagnosis was myofibroblastoma with spindle cell neoplasm with immunoreactivity. Myofibroblastoma is a rare benign disease and there is a lack of reports of multimodality imaging of this disease. We review the imaging features of this rare disease across multiple imaging modalities with pathological correlation, and provide current treatment recommendations as well.



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