Medicine by Alexandros G.Sfakianakis,Anapafseos 5 Agios Nikolaos,Crete 72100,Greece,tel :00302841026182 & 00306932607174
Τετάρτη 24 Μαΐου 2017
PROPIONIBACTERIUM ACNES AND CHRONIC DISEASES : P. acnes is an opportunistic pathogen, causing a range of postoperative and device-related infections e.g., surgery,post-neurosurgical infection,joint prostheses, shunts and prosthetic heart valves. P. acnes may play a role in other conditions, including inflammation of the prostate leading to cancer,SAPHO (Synovitis, Acne, Pustulosis, Hyperostosis, Osteitis) syndrome, sarcoidosis and sciatica.
P. acnes bacteria live deep within follicles and pores, away from the surface of the skin. In these follicles, P. acnes bacteria use sebum, cellular debris and metabolic byproducts from the surrounding skin tissue as their primary sources of energy and nutrients. Elevated production of sebum by hyperactive sebaceous glands (sebaceous hyperplasia) or blockage of the follicle can cause P. acnes bacteria to grow and multiply.[6]
P. acnes bacteria secrete many proteins, including several digestive enzymes.[7] These enzymes are involved in the digestion of sebum and the acquisition of other nutrients. They can also destabilize the layers of cells that form the walls of the follicle. The cellular damage, metabolic byproducts and bacterial debris produced by the rapid growth of P. acnes in follicles can trigger inflammation.[8] This inflammation can lead to the symptoms associated with some common skin disorders, such as folliculitis and acne vulgaris.[9][10][11]
The damage caused by P. acnes and the associated inflammation make the affected tissue more susceptible to colonization by opportunistic bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus. Preliminary research shows healthy pores are only colonized by P. acnes, while unhealthy ones universally include the nonpore-resident Staphylococcus epidermidis, amongst other bacterial contaminants. Whether this is a root causality, just opportunistic and a side effect, or a more complex pathological duality between P. acnes and this particular Staphylococcus species is not known.[12]
P. acnes has also been found in corneal ulcers, and is a common cause of chronic endophthalmitis following cataract surgery. Rarely, it infects heart valves leading to endocarditis, and infections of joints (septic arthritis) have been reported.[5] Furthermore, Propionibacterium species have been found in ventriculostomy insertion sites, and areas subcutaneous to suture sites in patients who have undergone craniotomy. It is a common contaminant in blood and cerebrospinal fluid cultures.
P. acnes has been found in herniated discs.[13] The propionic acid which it secretes creates micro-fractures of the surrounding bone. These micro-fractures are sensitive and it has been found that antibiotics have been helpful in resolving this type of low back pain.[14]
P. acnes can be found in bronchoalveolar lavage of approximately 70% of patients with sarcoidosis and is associated with disease activity, but it can be also found in 23% of controls.[15][16] The subspecies of P. acnes that cause these infections of otherwise sterile tissues (prior to medical procedures), however, are the same subspecies found on the skin of individuals who do not have acne-prone skin, so are likely local contaminants. Moderate to severe acne vulgaris appears to be more often associated with virulent strains.[17]
P. acnes is an opportunistic pathogen, causing a range of postoperative and device-related infections e.g., surgery,[18] post-neurosurgical infection,[19] joint prostheses, shunts and prosthetic heart valves. P. acnes may play a role in other conditions, including inflammation of the prostate leading to cancer,[20] SAPHO (Synovitis, Acne, Pustulosis, Hyperostosis, Osteitis) syndrome, sarcoidosis and sciatica.[21]
Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182
6948891480
http://ift.tt/2rBWUZ1
PROPIONIBACTERIUM ACNES AND CHRONIC DISEASES : P. acnes is an opportunistic pathogen, causing a range of postoperative and device-related infections e.g., surgery,post-neurosurgical infection,joint prostheses, shunts and prosthetic heart valves. P. acnes may play a role in other conditions, including inflammation of the prostate leading to cancer,SAPHO (Synovitis, Acne, Pustulosis, Hyperostosis, Osteitis) syndrome, sarcoidosis and sciatica.
P. acnes bacteria live deep within follicles and pores, away from the surface of the skin. In these follicles, P. acnes bacteria use sebum, cellular debris and metabolic byproducts from the surrounding skin tissue as their primary sources of energy and nutrients. Elevated production of sebum by hyperactive sebaceous glands (sebaceous hyperplasia) or blockage of the follicle can cause P. acnes bacteria to grow and multiply.[6]
P. acnes bacteria secrete many proteins, including several digestive enzymes.[7] These enzymes are involved in the digestion of sebum and the acquisition of other nutrients. They can also destabilize the layers of cells that form the walls of the follicle. The cellular damage, metabolic byproducts and bacterial debris produced by the rapid growth of P. acnes in follicles can trigger inflammation.[8] This inflammation can lead to the symptoms associated with some common skin disorders, such as folliculitis and acne vulgaris.[9][10][11]
The damage caused by P. acnes and the associated inflammation make the affected tissue more susceptible to colonization by opportunistic bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus. Preliminary research shows healthy pores are only colonized by P. acnes, while unhealthy ones universally include the nonpore-resident Staphylococcus epidermidis, amongst other bacterial contaminants. Whether this is a root causality, just opportunistic and a side effect, or a more complex pathological duality between P. acnes and this particular Staphylococcus species is not known.[12]
P. acnes has also been found in corneal ulcers, and is a common cause of chronic endophthalmitis following cataract surgery. Rarely, it infects heart valves leading to endocarditis, and infections of joints (septic arthritis) have been reported.[5] Furthermore, Propionibacterium species have been found in ventriculostomy insertion sites, and areas subcutaneous to suture sites in patients who have undergone craniotomy. It is a common contaminant in blood and cerebrospinal fluid cultures.
P. acnes has been found in herniated discs.[13] The propionic acid which it secretes creates micro-fractures of the surrounding bone. These micro-fractures are sensitive and it has been found that antibiotics have been helpful in resolving this type of low back pain.[14]
P. acnes can be found in bronchoalveolar lavage of approximately 70% of patients with sarcoidosis and is associated with disease activity, but it can be also found in 23% of controls.[15][16] The subspecies of P. acnes that cause these infections of otherwise sterile tissues (prior to medical procedures), however, are the same subspecies found on the skin of individuals who do not have acne-prone skin, so are likely local contaminants. Moderate to severe acne vulgaris appears to be more often associated with virulent strains.[17]
P. acnes is an opportunistic pathogen, causing a range of postoperative and device-related infections e.g., surgery,[18] post-neurosurgical infection,[19] joint prostheses, shunts and prosthetic heart valves. P. acnes may play a role in other conditions, including inflammation of the prostate leading to cancer,[20] SAPHO (Synovitis, Acne, Pustulosis, Hyperostosis, Osteitis) syndrome, sarcoidosis and sciatica.[21]
Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182
6948891480
Dichotic Listening Deficit Associated With Solvent Exposure.Due to their lipophilic nature, solvents can adversely affect large white matter tracks such as the corpus callosum. Previous investigations reveal that long-term workplace exposure to solvents is also deleterious to various auditory processes.
Dichotic Listening Deficit Associated With Solvent Exposure.
από Landry, Simon P.; Fuente, Adrian στο Otology & Neurotology Published Ahead-of-Print
Μετάφραση άρθρου
Hypothesis: A significant left ear deficit can be observed in solvent-exposed individuals using the dichotic digit test. Background: Solvents are ubiquitous in global industrial processes. Due to their lipophilic nature, solvents can adversely affect large white matter tracks such as the corpus callosum. Previous investigations reveal that long-term workplace exposure to solvents is also deleterious to various auditory processes. Investigations in exposed populations suggest a decreased performance for dichotic listening. Methods: In this present study, we examined the lateralization of a dichotic digit test score for 49 solvent-exposed individuals along with 49 age- and sex-matched controls. We evaluated group differences between test scores and the right ear advantage using a laterality index (LI). Results: Individual ear results suggest that long-term workplace solvent exposure is associated with a significantly lower dichotic listening score for the left ear. A binaural compound score analysis using a laterality index supports this left-ear deficit. Conclusion: These results provide an insight on the effects of solvent exposure on dichotic listening abilities. Further research should investigate the importance of using dichotic listening tasks to screen for solvent-induced auditory dysfunction in exposed individuals. Copyright (C) 2017 by Otology & Neurotology, Inc. Image copyright (C) 2010 Wolters Kluwer Health/Anatomical Chart Company
Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182
6948891480
http://ift.tt/2rXfFT2
Dichotic Listening Deficit Associated With Solvent Exposure.Due to their lipophilic nature, solvents can adversely affect large white matter tracks such as the corpus callosum. Previous investigations reveal that long-term workplace exposure to solvents is also deleterious to various auditory processes.
Dichotic Listening Deficit Associated With Solvent Exposure.
από Landry, Simon P.; Fuente, Adrian στο Otology & Neurotology Published Ahead-of-Print
Μετάφραση άρθρου
Hypothesis: A significant left ear deficit can be observed in solvent-exposed individuals using the dichotic digit test. Background: Solvents are ubiquitous in global industrial processes. Due to their lipophilic nature, solvents can adversely affect large white matter tracks such as the corpus callosum. Previous investigations reveal that long-term workplace exposure to solvents is also deleterious to various auditory processes. Investigations in exposed populations suggest a decreased performance for dichotic listening. Methods: In this present study, we examined the lateralization of a dichotic digit test score for 49 solvent-exposed individuals along with 49 age- and sex-matched controls. We evaluated group differences between test scores and the right ear advantage using a laterality index (LI). Results: Individual ear results suggest that long-term workplace solvent exposure is associated with a significantly lower dichotic listening score for the left ear. A binaural compound score analysis using a laterality index supports this left-ear deficit. Conclusion: These results provide an insight on the effects of solvent exposure on dichotic listening abilities. Further research should investigate the importance of using dichotic listening tasks to screen for solvent-induced auditory dysfunction in exposed individuals. Copyright (C) 2017 by Otology & Neurotology, Inc. Image copyright (C) 2010 Wolters Kluwer Health/Anatomical Chart Company
Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182
6948891480
Epstein-Barr virus, human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) but also less common viruses such as Saffold and measles viruses are associated with multiple sclerosis
Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182
6948891480
http://ift.tt/2qZ2l1q
Epstein-Barr virus, human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) but also less common viruses such as Saffold and measles viruses are associated with multiple sclerosis
Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182
6948891480
Therapeutic targets in the management of striae distensae: A systematic review
Striae distensae are permanent dermal lesions that can cause significant psychosocial distress. A detailed understanding of the numerous treatment modalities available is essential to ensuring optimal patient outcomes.
http://ift.tt/2qRdgeU
Gene expression of sphingolipid metabolism pathways is altered in hidradenitis suppurativa
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a debilitating skin disease characterized by painful recurrent nodules and abscesses caused by chronic inflammation. Early events in the development of HS are believed to occur in the folliculopilosebaceous unit; however, the signaling pathways behind this mechanism are unknown. Sphingolipids, such as ceramide, are essential components of the skin and appendages and have important structural and signaling roles.
http://ift.tt/2qm3cqN
Prurigo pigmentosa nach fettreduzierter Diät, therapiert mit Doxycyclin
Zusammenfassung
Prurigo pigmentosa ist eine seltene entzündliche Erkrankung unklarer Ätiologie, bisher am häufigsten in der ethnischen japanischen Bevölkerung beschrieben. Ätiologie und Pathogenese sind nicht vollständig geklärt. Tetrazykline oder Dapson sind Therapie der Wahl. Ein 17-jähriger Schweizer Patient mit türkischen Eltern präsentierte sich mit juckenden Hautveränderungen an Nacken und Stamm, die nach einer Diät aufgetreten sind. Unter der Therapie mit Doxycyclin während 5 Wochen kam es zur kompletten Abheilung mit einer leichten netzartigen Hyperpigmentierung.
http://ift.tt/2rQYQtF
Targeting PP2A and proteasome activity ameliorates features of allergic airway disease in mice
Abstract
Background
Asthma is an allergic airway disease (AAD) caused by aberrant immune responses to allergens. Protein phosphatase-2A (PP2A) is an abundant serine/threonine phosphatase with anti-inflammatory activity. The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) controls many cellular processes, including the initiation of inflammatory responses by protein degradation. We assessed if enhancing PP2A activity with Fingolimod (FTY720) or 2-amino-4-(4-(heptyloxy) phenyl)-2-methylbutan-1-ol (AAL(S)), or inhibiting proteasome activity with Bortezomib (BORT) could suppress experimental AAD.
Methods
Acute AAD was induced in C57BL/6 mice by intraperitoneal sensitisation with ovalbumin (OVA) in combination with intranasal (i.n) exposure to OVA. Chronic AAD was induced in mice with prolonged i.n exposure to crude house dust mite (HDM) extract. Mice were treated with vehicle, FTY720, AAL(S), BORT or AAL(S)+BORT and hallmark features of AAD assessed.
Results
AAL(S) reduced the severity of acute AAD by suppressing tissue eosinophils and inflammation, mucus secreting cell (MSC) numbers, type-2 associated cytokines (Interleukin (IL)-33, thymic stromal lymphopoietin, IL-5 and IL-13), serum immunoglobulin (Ig)E, and airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR). FTY720 only suppressed tissue inflammation and IgE. BORT reduced bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and tissue eosinophils and inflammation, IL-5, IL-13, and AHR. Combined treatment with AAL(S)+BORT had complementary effects and suppressed BALF and tissue eosinophils and inflammation, MSC numbers, reduced the production of type-2 cytokines and AHR. AAL(S), BORT and AAL(S)+BORT also reduced airway remodelling in chronic AAD.
Conclusion
These findings highlight the potential of combination therapies that enhance PP2A and inhibit proteasome activity as novel therapeutic strategies for asthma.
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Findings from the experience with the punch technique for auditory osseointegrated implants: A retrospective single center comparative study
Publication date: Available online 23 May 2017
Source:Acta Otorrinolaringológica Española
Author(s): Alfonso Bonilla, Carlos Magri, Eulalia Juan
ObjectiveTo compare the punch technique and linear incision with soft tissue reduction for the placement of auditory osseointegrated implants (AOI) and analyze results of osseointegration obtained with the punch technique as measured with the Implant Stability Quotient (ISQ).MethodsCase review of 34 patients who received auditory osseointegrated implants between January 2010 and July 2015 and were divided into two groups according to the surgical technique: 18 with the punch technique (PT) and 16 with the linear incision technique (LI). Minimum follow-up was four months (mean: 24 months; range 4–64 months). Included in the analysis were patient profiles and records of the demographic data, surgical indications, surgical technique, implant placement, surgical time, intraoperative complications, as well as postsurgical complications (Holgers classification) and implant stability quotients (ISQ).ResultsUse of larger abutments was significantly greater in the PT group (PT, 10mm; LI, 6mm, p<0.001). The PT technique resulted in a shorter procedure than the LI (PT, 20min; LI, 45min, p<0.001). Holgers classification scores identified significantly fewer skin complications one week after surgery for the PT group; however, only small differences were seen between the two groups at the one- and three-month control visits.ConclusionsAs shown for our cohort, the punch technique for surgical placement of AOI is faster and presents fewer immediate postoperative complications when compared to the linear incision technique. The clinical application of the ISQ is a useful, easy method to demonstrate the status of osseointegration and, thus, the stability of the device.
http://ift.tt/2qQzJsz
Epidemiología de los trastornos vestibulares en la consulta de otoneurología
Publication date: Available online 23 May 2017
Source:Acta Otorrinolaringológica Española
Author(s): Gloria Guerra-Jiménez, Alejandra Arenas Rodríguez, Juan Carlos Falcón González, Daniel Pérez Plasencia, Ángel Ramos Macías
Introducción y objetivosEl conjunto de síntomas relacionados con los trastornos del sistema de equilibrio son comunes en la población general. Sin embargo, hay pocos estudios que cuantifiquen la frecuencia de inicio de los diversos trastornos vestibulares que se presentan en unidades especializadas de otoneurología. El objetivo de este estudio es establecer la epidemiología de los trastornos vestibulares,La forma de presentación y la carga de atención esperada en una clínica especialista en otoneurología.Material y métodosEstudio descriptivo observacional retrospectivo sobre los pacientes remitidos a la consulta de Otoneurología de un centro hospitalario de tercer nivel entre el 1/1/2015 y el 31/12/2015.ResultadosFueron valorados 174 pacientes (121 mujeres y 53 hombres) con una media de edad de 53±17 años. Durante el periodo de estudio se valoraron 43 individuos por cada 100.000 habitantes. Los pacientes fueron remitidos en su mayoría desde consultas externas de Otorrinolaringología (36,8%) y desde Atención Primaria (28,7%). El motivo de consulta más frecuente fue inestabilidad (40,2%), seguido de vértigo (31%). Los diagnósticos más frecuentes fueron vértigo posicional paroxístico benigno (28,2%) y migraña vestibular (28,2%) —definida (59%) o probable (41%)—, seguidos de enfermedad de Ménière (13.8%), trastornos de origen vascular (5.7%), mareo subjetivo crónico (4,6%) y neuritis vestibular (4%).ConclusionesDisponer de información precisa acerca de la prevalencia e impacto de los trastornos vestibulares es importante para la correcta planificación de los servicios sanitarios con el objetivo de responder satisfactoriamente a la demanda asistencial esperada en la comunidad. El trastorno más frecuentemente diagnosticado en una consulta de Otoneurología es el vértigo posicional paroxístico benigno y la migraña vestibular. Para la comparación de resultados es indispensable la utilización de terminología sistemática.Introduction and objectivesThe set of symptoms relating to disorders of the balance system are common in the general population. However, there are few studies quantifying the frequency of onset of the various vestibular disorders that present in specialist otoneurology units in the Spanish population. The aim of this study is to establish the epidemiology of vestibular disorders, their form of presentation, and the expected care burden in a specialist otoneurology clinic.Material and methodsA retrospective, descriptive, observational study of patients referred to the otoneurology unit of a third level hospital between 1/1/2015 and 31/12/2015.ResultsOne hundred and seventy-four patients were assessed (121 women and 53 men) with a mean age of 53±17 years. Forty-three individuals per 100,000 inhabitants were assessed over the study period. The patients were referred in the majority from external ENT (36.8%) and primary care (28.7%) clinics. The most frequent reason for consultation was dizziness (40.2%) followed by vertigo (31%). The most frequent diagnoses were benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (28.2%) and vestibular migraine (28.2%) —defined (59%) or probable (41%)—, followed by Ménière's disease (13.8%), vascular disorders (5.7%), chronic subjective dizziness (4.6%) and vestibular neuritis (4%).ConclusionsThe availability of precise information on the prevalence and impact of vestibular disorders is important to enable the health services to plan an appropriate response to the expected care demand in the community. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and vestibular migraine are the most commonly diagnosed disorders in otoneurology clinics. Systematic terminology is essential for the comparison of results.
http://ift.tt/2ql5BCm
BK polyomavirus nephropathy in two kidney transplant patients with distinct diagnostic strategies for BK virus and similar clinical outcomes: two case reports
BK polyomavirus-associated nephropathy is an important cause of post-transplantation renal failure. We present two cases of BK polyomavirus-associated nephropathy who were submitted to contrasting strategies o...
http://ift.tt/2rVbF5v
Anaphylaktische Reaktionen auf Impfstoffe
Zusammenfassung
Hintergrund
Allergische Reaktionen bei Grippeimpfungen sind ein bekanntes Phänomen, dennoch existieren nur wenig publizierte Statistiken, die über die Risiken Aufschluss geben. Gerade Patienten mit Hühnereiweißallergie müssen besonders sorgfältig behandelt werden, wenn bei einer Influenzapandemie vorwiegend Impfstoffe zum Einsatz kommen, die mittels embryonierter Hühnereier generiert werden.
Methoden
Es erfolgte die Aufarbeitung selektiv recherchierter Literatur zur Problematik allergischer Reaktionen bei Impfungen.
Ergebnisse
Die beiden häufigsten relativen Kontraindikationen bei zu impfenden Patienten sind das Vorliegen einer Hühnereiweißallergie oder eine vorherige anaphylaktische Impfreaktion. Die Wahrscheinlichkeit, dass es zu einer unerwünschten Reaktion kommt, ist bei diesen Patienten deutlich erhöht. Diese Risikopatienten sollten nur nach Risikoabwägung auf der Basis einer ausführlichen Anamnese und mit Vorsicht geimpft werden. Die Notfallroutine muss Vorsichtsmaßnahmen umfassen, die für das mögliche Eintreten anaphylaktischer Reaktionen ausreichend sind.
Schlussfolgerungen
Aktuelle Richtlinien zur Behandlung von anaphylaktischen Reaktionen sind zu beachten. Beim Auftreten erster Symptome einer anaphylaktischen Reaktion kann durch einen raschen Therapiebeginn – die i.v.-Gabe von Adrenalin, Antihistaminika, Kortison und ggf. Betamimetika – das Fortschreiten der anaphylaktischen Reaktion meist verhindert werden. Alternativ ist bei dieser Patientengruppe der Einsatz von gestaffelten Impfungen („split protocol") und eine nächtliche stationäre Überwachung in Erwägung zu ziehen.
http://ift.tt/2qQrxc3
APX005M With Concurrent Chemoradiation for Resectable Esophageal and Gastroesophageal Junction Cancers
Conditions: Esophageal Cancer; GastroEsophageal Cancer
Interventions: Drug: APX005M; Radiation: Radiation Therapy; Drug: Paclitaxel; Drug: Carboplatin; Procedure: Surgical resection of tumor
Sponsors: University of California, San Francisco; Apexigen, Inc.
Not yet recruiting - verified May 2017
http://ift.tt/2rVsNs2
Interventions: Drug: APX005M; Radiation: Radiation Therapy; Drug: Paclitaxel; Drug: Carboplatin; Procedure: Surgical resection of tumor
Sponsors: University of California, San Francisco; Apexigen, Inc.
Not yet recruiting - verified May 2017
http://ift.tt/2rVsNs2
RCT With Cross-over on Efficacy of Cervical Pillows and Education
Condition: Neck Pain
Interventions: Device: Viscospring PostuRite - "medium" model; Other: Education
Sponsors: University of Bologna; SOFF-ART S.r.l.
Not yet recruiting - verified May 2017
http://ift.tt/2qWXRdx
Interventions: Device: Viscospring PostuRite - "medium" model; Other: Education
Sponsors: University of Bologna; SOFF-ART S.r.l.
Not yet recruiting - verified May 2017
http://ift.tt/2qWXRdx
Sudden Onset, Rapidly Expansile, Cervical Cystic Hygroma in an Adult: A Rare Case with Unusual Presentation and Extensive Review of the Literature
Cystic hygroma (CH) is a benign infiltrative malformation of the lymphatic channels. We report a case of a 28-year-old Indian female who presented with rapidly enlarging right sided neck swelling over the posterior triangle since 5 days. Complete resection of CH is sometimes not amenable because of its infiltrative nature and involvement of surrounding vital structures. However, in our patient successful complete surgical resection was undertaken. The MRI findings of our patient were consistent with brachial cleft cyst; this posed a challenge in the diagnosis of CH. The histopathological analysis of the resected mass confirmed CH. CH is rare in adults and such an acute presentation is exceptionally atypical. History of prior trauma and infection are known etiological factors for adult CH; these were conspicuously absent in our patient. CH should be considered in the differentials of rapidly enlarging cystic swelling of posterior region of neck in adults. Optimal and timely management is necessary to achieve a favorable prognosis. Therefore, we report a case of rapidly enlarging cervical CH in an adult along with extensive literature review to have a better understanding regarding epidemiology, etiopathogenesis, clinical presentation, optimal management, and prognosis of such a rare entity in adults.
http://ift.tt/2qPm1Gi
Evidence of cat (Felis catus) fur exploitation in medieval Iberia
Abstract
While the bones of domestic cats (Felis catus) are recovered from archaeological sites in Iberia routinely, they are rarely subjected to detailed analysis. Consequently, there is limited understanding of the nature of cat-human relations, especially in contrast to northern European regions. In this paper we present a unique assemblage of 899 cat bones recovered from the medieval site of El Bordellet (Vilafranca del Penedès, Spain) and dated between the end of the 10th century AD and the beginning of the 11th century AD. Zooarchaeological and taphonomic analysis provides the first clear evidence of skinning related to cat fur exploitation in Christian medieval Iberia.
http://ift.tt/2ri4wzQ
High neuronatin (NNAT) expression is associated with poor outcome in breast cancer
Abstract
Neuronatin (NNAT) is a proteolipid involved in cation homeostasis especially in the developing brain. Its expression has been associated with the progression of lung cancer, glioblastoma, and neuroblastoma as well as glucose induced apoptosis in pancreatic cells. We performed a retrospective study of 148 breast cancer specimens for NNAT expression by immunohistochemistry to evaluate this protein as a prognostic marker for breast cancer. We found a high NNAT immunoreactivity score (by multivariate cox regression) to be an independent prognostic marker for relapse-free (hazard ratio HR = 3.55, p = 0.002) and overall survival (HR = 6.29, p < 0.001). However, NNAT expression was not associated with classical parameters such as hormone receptor expression (p = 0.86) or lymph node metastasis (p = 0.83). Additional independent risk factors in this study population were tumor size (≤2 cm; overall survival: HR = 0.36, p = 0.023; relapse-free survival: HR = 0.26, p < 0.01) and blood vessel infiltration (overall survival: HR = 0.34 p < 0.01). NNAT expression determined by immunohistochemistry might therefore become a helpful additional biomarker to identify high-risk breast cancer patients.
http://ift.tt/2rQWlb5
Epidermoid cysts are a characteristic feature of intrapancreatic but not of extrapancreatic accessory spleens
Abstract
Accessory spleens (ASs), ectopic splenic tissue at intrapancreatic and extrapancreatic sites, rarely contain epidermoid cysts. Our aim was to analyze the incidence of epidermoid cysts in ASs and perform an immunohistochemical analysis of its epithelial lining. We included in the study 148 ASs from 135 patients, for which pathological data were available. Eleven were intrapancreatic ASs (IPASs) and 137 were extrapancreatic ASs (EPASs). Six of the eleven (55%) IPASs contained epidermoid cysts, but they were not detected in EPASs. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that both the superficial/luminal and basal layer of the epithelial lining of epidermoid cysts in IPASs are negative for MUC2, MUC5AC, MUC6, WT-1, calretinin, thrombomodulin, uroplakin-II, and uroplakin-III. The superficial/luminal layer was positive for MUC4, CK7, and CA19-9 in all cases (100%), for CEA and HBME-1 in three cases (50%), and for MUC1, CK5/6, and CK20 in two cases (33%). The superficial/luminal layer was negative for p63 and D2-40 in all cases. The basal layer was positive for MUC1, CK5/6, p63, and HBME-1 in all six cases (100%), for CK7 and D2-40 in two cases (33%), and for CEA in one case (17%). The basal layer was negative for MUC4, CK20, and CA19-9 in all cases. Epidermoid cysts are a characteristic feature of IPASs but not of EPASs. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the epithelial lining of epidermoid cysts in IPASs has a mixed character of glandular, squamous, mesothelial, and urothelial epithelium.
http://ift.tt/2rhXgUZ
Diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging techniques for treatment response evaluation in patients with head and neck tumors, a systematic review and meta-analysis
by Anouk van der Hoorn, Peter Jan van Laar, Gea A. Holtman, Henriette E. Westerlaan
BackgroundNovel advanced MRI techniques are investigated in patients treated for head and neck tumors as conventional anatomical MRI is unreliable to differentiate tumor from treatment related imaging changes.
PurposeAs the diagnostic accuracy of MRI techniques to detect tumor residual or recurrence during or after treatment is variable reported in the literature, we performed a systematic meta-analysis.
Data sourcesPubmed, EMBASE and Web of Science were searched from their first record to September 23th 2014.
Study selectionStudies reporting diagnostic accuracy of anatomical, ADC, perfusion or spectroscopy to identify tumor response confirmed by histology or follow-up in treated patients for head and neck tumors were selected by two authors independently.
Data analysisTwo authors independently performed data extraction including true positives, false positives, true negatives, false negatives and general study characteristics. Meta-analysis was performed using bivariate random effect models when ≥5 studies per test were included.
Data synthesisWe identified 16 relevant studies with anatomical MRI and ADC. No perfusion or spectroscopy studies were identified. Pooled analysis of anatomical MRI of the primary site (11 studies, N = 854) displayed a sensitivity of 84% (95%CI 72–92) and specificity of 82% (71–89). ADC of the primary site (6 studies, N = 287) showed a pooled sensitivity of 89% (74–96) and specificity of 86% (69–94).
LimitationsMain limitation are the low, but comparable quality of the included studies and the variability between the studies.
ConclusionsThe higher diagnostic accuracy of ADC values over anatomical MRI for the primary tumor location emphases the relevance to include DWI with ADC for response evaluation of treated head and neck tumor patients.
http://ift.tt/2qkMtnH
Effects of homoeopathic ultrahigh dilutions of Aconitum napellus on Baker's yeast-induced fever in rabbits
Publication date: May 2017
Source:Journal of Integrative Medicine, Volume 15, Issue 3
Author(s): Saeed Ahmad, Tayyeba Rehman, Waheed Mumtaz Abbasi
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of homoeopathic ultrahigh dilutions of Aconitum napellus in Baker's yeast-induced fever in rabbits.MethodsRabbits were divided into 4 groups and each group contained 6 rabbits. Baker's yeast suspension (20%) was injected subcutaneously. After fever induction, paracetamol and homoeopathic ultrahigh dilutions (A. napellus 200c and 1 000c) were given orally. Rectal temperature was measured with digital thermometer hourly.ResultsFever was induced in all the rabbits after 4 hours of Baker's yeast administration. A. napellus 200c and 1000c significantly reduced the temperature (P > 0.05). In positive control, temperature decrease was more significant (P > 0.001).ConclusionThe above findings indicate the effectiveness of ultrahigh dilutions of A. napellus in Baker's yeast-induced fever in rabbits. However, the effects were slower and less significant than standard medicine. Moreover, future research is required to know their mechanism of reducing temperature.
http://ift.tt/2qWxcvx
Follicular Skin Microbiome in Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Healthy Controls
This case-control study investigates the follicular skin microbiome in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa and healthy controls.
http://ift.tt/2qbZ0Pm
http://ift.tt/2qbZ0Pm
Gray-Violet Plaque in an Immunocompromised Girl
A 4-year-old girl with newly diagnosed acute lymphocytic leukemia, currently on her initial course of chemotherapy with vincristine, daunorubicin, and methotrexate developed a painful lesion on her left triceps; the tender area was beneath an adhesive bandage placed where she had received DTaP (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis) and polio vaccinations 3 weeks earlier. What is your diagnosis?
http://ift.tt/2qWTpcU
http://ift.tt/2qWTpcU
Onycholysis and Eyelash Trichomegaly After Pan-FGFR Inhibitor Use
This case report describes severe onycholysis and eyelash trichomegaly following the use of new selective pan-FGFR inhibitors.
http://ift.tt/2qbYUqY
http://ift.tt/2qbYUqY
Incorrect Graph in Figure
In the Original Investigation titled "Correlation of Serum Levels of IgE Autoantibodies Against BP180 With Bullous Pemphigoid Disease Activity," published in the January 2017 issue of JAMA Dermatology,1 an incorrect graph appeared as Figure 4D and has been replaced with the correct version. This article was corrected online.
http://ift.tt/2qWKOXt
http://ift.tt/2qWKOXt
Association of Sterile Prep Solutions With Postoperative Infection Risk
This study assesses the association between the type of preoperative sterile prep solution used and infection risk after cutaneous surgery of the head and neck in a large cohort of patients.
http://ift.tt/2qcoJHi
http://ift.tt/2qcoJHi
Immunotherapy of Recurrent Herpes Labialis With Squaric Acid
This randomized placebo-controlled study examines the results of squaric acid dibutyl ester for the treatment of herpes labialis in adults.
http://ift.tt/2qWobTh
http://ift.tt/2qWobTh
Purpuric Drug Eruptions in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
This study characterizes purpuric skin eruptions caused by epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors.
http://ift.tt/2qbYPna
http://ift.tt/2qbYPna
Postirradiation Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus
This case report describes a patient who developed postirradiation lichen sclerosus et atrophicus.
http://ift.tt/2qc3lSp
http://ift.tt/2qc3lSp
Algorithmic Accountability and Public Reason
Abstract
The ever-increasing application of algorithms to decision-making in a range of social contexts has prompted demands for algorithmic accountability. Accountable decision-makers must provide their decision-subjects with justifications for their automated system's outputs, but what kinds of broader principles should we expect such justifications to appeal to? Drawing from political philosophy, I present an account of algorithmic accountability in terms of the democratic ideal of 'public reason'. I argue that situating demands for algorithmic accountability within this justificatory framework enables us to better articulate their purpose and assess the adequacy of efforts toward them.
http://ift.tt/2rUdIqF
Universal Classifications, National Approaches and Specific Situations: A Comparative Study on the Conceptualization of Nodding Syndrome in Uganda and Tanzania
This paper presents a comparative study on conceptualizations of the poorly understood nodding syndrome (NS) in Uganda and Tanzania. NS has been constructed as a biomedical category to serve global health discourse as well as national contexts of managing the condition. We look into the shifting meanings and conceptualizations of NS in the affected areas of Kitgum (UG) and Mahenge (TZ) district. The perceived universality of biomedical classifications is problematized as conflicting with the specific contexts of lucluc and kifafa cha kusinzia. Reconciliation proves to be challenging, poignantly evoking the cultural construction as such of any medical condition.
http://ift.tt/2qc9QVq
Metabolic basis to Sherpa altitude adaptation
Horscroft, JA; Kotwica, AO; Laner, V; West, JA; Hennis, PJ; Levett, DZH; Howard, DJ; Horscroft, JA; Kotwica, AO; Laner, V; West, JA; Hennis, PJ; Levett, DZH; Howard, DJ; Fernandez, BO; Burgess, SL; Ament, Z; Gilbert‐Kawai, ET; Vercueil, A; Landis, BD; Mitchell, K; Mythen, MG; Branco, C; Johnson, RS; Feelisch, M; Montgomery, HE; Griffin, JL; Grocott, MPW; Gnaiger, E; Martin, DS; Murray, AJ; - view fewer (2017) Metabolic basis to Sherpa altitude adaptation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 10.1073/pnas.1700527114 . (In press). Green open access
http://ift.tt/2rgVNhw
Epley and beyond: an update on treating positional vertigo
Kaski, D; Bronstein, AM; (2014) Epley and beyond: an update on treating positional vertigo. Practical Neurology , 14 (4) pp. 210-221. 10.1136/practneurol-2013-000690 .
http://ift.tt/2rQaYv5
Social anhedonia and work and social functioning in the acute and recovered phases of eating disorders
Harrison, A; Mountford, VA; Tchanturia, K; (2014) Social anhedonia and work and social functioning in the acute and recovered phases of eating disorders. Psychiatry Research , 218 (1-2) pp. 187-194. 10.1016/j.psychres.2014.04.007 .
http://ift.tt/2rh71m8
Simultaneous Data Collection of Small Maritime Targets using Multistatic and Forward Scatter Radar
Ritchie, M; Fioranelli, F; Woodbridge, K; Griffiths, H; Daniel, L; De Luca, A; Hristov, S; Ritchie, M; Fioranelli, F; Woodbridge, K; Griffiths, H; Daniel, L; De Luca, A; Hristov, S; Gashinova, M; Cherniakov, M; - view fewer (2015) Simultaneous Data Collection of Small Maritime Targets using Multistatic and Forward Scatter Radar. In: Inggs, M and Nel, W and Molope, M and Breytenbach, A, (eds.) Proceedings of the 2015 IEEE Radar Conference. (pp. pp. 203-208). IEEE: Johannesburg, South Africa. Green open access
http://ift.tt/2rQhIcB
Analysis of Multiband Monostatic and Bistatic Radar Signatures of Wind Turbines
Fioranelli, F; Ritchie, M; Griffiths, H; Balleri, A; (2015) Analysis of Multiband Monostatic and Bistatic Radar Signatures of Wind Turbines. In: Inggs, M and Nel, W and Molope, M and Breytenbach, A, (eds.) Proceedings of the 2015 IEEE Radar Conference. (pp. pp. 277-282). IEEE: Johannesburg, South Africa. Green open access
http://ift.tt/2rhmumk
High-growth firms in changing competitive environments: the US pharmaceutical industry (1963 to 2002)
Mazzucato, M; Parris, S; (2015) High-growth firms in changing competitive environments: the US pharmaceutical industry (1963 to 2002). Small Business Economics , 44 (1) pp. 145-170. 10.1007/s11187-014-9583-3 .
http://ift.tt/2rQjXfM
Pedagogic strategies supporting the use of Synchronous Audiographic Conferencing: A review of the literature
De Freitas, S; Neumann, T; (2009) Pedagogic strategies supporting the use of Synchronous Audiographic Conferencing: A review of the literature. British Journal of Educational Technology , 40 (6) pp. 980-998. 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2008.00887.x . Green open access
http://ift.tt/2rhnk2z
Evolution of Genuine Cross-Correlation Strength of Focal Onset Seizures
Müller, MF; Baier, G; Jiménez, YL; Marín García, AO; Rummel, C; Schindler, K; (2011) Evolution of Genuine Cross-Correlation Strength of Focal Onset Seizures. Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology , 28 (5) pp. 450-462. 10.1097/WNP.0b013e318231c894 .
http://ift.tt/2rQAbpo
Handing over the reins
Miller, R; Ward, H; (2009) Handing over the reins. Sexually Transmitted Infections , 85 (5) p. 314. 10.1136/sti.2009.038422 .
http://ift.tt/2rgVKlJ
HALON - hysterectomy by transabdominal laparoscopy or natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery : a randomised controlled trial (study protocol)
Introduction: Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) uses natural body orifices to access the cavities of the human body to perform surgery. NOTES limits the magnitude of surgical trauma and has the potential to reduce postoperative pain. This is the first randomised study in women bound to undergo hysterectomy for benign gynaecological disease comparing NOTES with classical laparoscopy. Methods and analysis: All women aged 1870 years, regardless of parity, consulting at our practice with an indication for hysterectomy due to benign gynaecological disease will be eligible. After stratification according to uterine size on clinical examination, participants will be randomised to be treated by laparoscopy or by transvaginal NOTES. Participants will be evaluated on day 0, days 1-7 and at 3 and 6 months. The following data will be collected: the proportion of women successfully treated by removing the uterus by the intended approach as randomised; the proportion of women admitted to the inpatient hospital; postoperative pain scores measured twice daily by the women from day 1 to 7; the total amount of analgesics used from day 1 to 7; readmission during the first 6 weeks; presence and intensity of dyspareunia and sexual well-being at baseline, 3 and 6 months (Short Sexual Functioning Scale (SSFS) scale); duration of surgery; postoperative infection or other surgical complications; direct and indirect costs incurred up to 6 weeks following surgery. The primary outcome will be the proportion of women successfully treated by the intended technique; all other outcomes are secondary. Ethics and dissemination: The study was approved on 1 December 2015 by the Ethics Committee of the Imelda Hospital, Bonheiden, Belgium. The first patient was randomised on 17 December 2015. The last participant randomised should be treated before 30 November 2017. The results will be presented in peer-reviewed journals and at scientific meetings within 4 years after starting recruitment.
http://ift.tt/2qPmE2Q
Inspiratory muscle training protocol for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (IMTCO study): a multicentre randomised controlled trial
Introduction: Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) has been applied during pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, it remains unclear if the addition of IMT to a general exercise training programme leads to additional clinically relevant improvements in patients with COPD. In this study, we will investigate whether the addition of IMT to a general exercise training programme improves 6 min walking distance, health-related quality of life, daily physical activity and inspiratory muscle function in patients with COPD with inspiratory muscle weakness. Methods and analysis: Patients with COPD (n=170) with inspiratory muscle weakness (Pi,max <60 cm H2O or <50%pred) will be recruited to a multicentre randomised placebo controlled trial of IMT and allocated into one of the two groups. Patients in both groups will follow a 3 month general exercise training programme, in combination with home-based IMT. IMT will be performed with a recently developed device (POWERbreathe KH1). This device applies an inspiratory load that is provided by an electronically controlled valve (variable flow resistive load). The intervention group (n=85) will undertake an IMT programme at a high intensity (≥50% of their Pi,max), whereas the placebo group (n=85) will undertake IMT at a low training intensity (≤10% of Pi,max). Total daily IMT time for both groups will be 21 min (6 cycles of 30 breaths). Improvement in the 6 min walking distance will be the primary outcome. Inspiratory muscle function, healthrelated quality of life and daily physical activity will be assessed as secondary outcomes. Ethics and dissemination: Ethics approval has been obtained from relevant centre committees and the study has been registered in a publicly accessible clinical trial database. The results will be easily interpretable and should immediately be communicated to healthcare providers, patients and the general public. Results: This can be incorporated into evidence-based treatment recommendations for clinical practice.
http://ift.tt/2qP2zJQ
Child malnutrition and recurrent flooding in rural eastern India: a community-based survey
Objectives: This study aims to improve the understanding of the relationship between exposure to floods and malnutrition in children aged 6-59 months in rural India. Research has focused exclusively on Bangladeshi children, and few controlled epidemiological studies are available. Method: A community-based cross-sectional study of child nutritional status was carried out in 14 flooded and 18 non-flooded villages of Jagatsinghpur district (Orissa) within one month of the September 2008 floods, and similarly affected by flooding in August 2006. Face-to-face interviews were conducted in 757 households in the flooded villages and 816 in the non-flooded communities. Data used in this study were from those households with children aged 6-59 months. In total, 191 and 161 children were measured, respectively. The association between various malnutrition indicators and the exposure to floods was assessed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results: Adjusted analyses revealed that children in flooded households were more likely stunted compared with those in non-flooded ones (adjusted prevalence ratio 1.60; 95% CI 1.05 to 2.44). The prevalence of underweight was also higher in children living in the flooded communities (adjusted prevalence ratio 1.86; 95% CI 1.04 to 3.30). Further analyses found that the 26-36-month flooded cohort, thus those children younger than 1 year during the precedent flood in August 2006, attained the largest difference in levels of stunting compared with the unexposed group of the same age. Conclusion: Exposure to floods is associated with long-term malnutrition in these rural communities of Orissa, India. Children exposed to floods during their first year of life presented higher levels of chronic malnutrition. Long-term malnutrition prevention programmes after floods should be implemented in flood-prone areas.
http://ift.tt/2qjZP3H
The Old Babylonian legal and andministrative documents in the Hilprecht Sammlung
During the Old Babylonian period (ca. 1900-1700 BC), Nippur, the religious capital of Babylonia, was a center of cultural and economic activities. Excavations have yielded, beside numerous literary compositions, a variety of documents concerning urban and temple administration as well as economic activities and property management of the priestly families. The book contains the publication of the legal and administrative documents from Old Babylonian Nippur kept in the Hilprecht Collection, Jena. The edition provides transliterations, translations, commentaries, hand copies, and photographs (on CD-ROM) of all texts. The indexes comprise personal names, toponyms, professions, deities, year-names, and a glossary. A separate chapter by Ursula Seidl discusses the iconography of seal impressions on the tablets. The legal documents are keystones of the family archives excavated by the Babylonian Expedition. The book also includes a discussion of the activities related in these archives and of the families who kept them. The administrative documents predominantly belong to a single archive and are characterized by an unusual dating system. The archive keeps track of sections of the management of the city and its temples.
http://ift.tt/2qVHrSA
Exploring Protein Binding of Uremic Toxins in Patients with Different Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease and during Hemodialysis
As protein binding of uremic toxins is not well understood, neither in chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression, nor during a hemodialysis (HD) session, we studied protein binding in two cross-sectional studies. Ninety-five CKD 2 to 5 patients and ten stable hemodialysis patients were included. Blood samples were taken either during the routine ambulatory visit (CKD patients) or from blood inlet and outlet line during dialysis (HD patients). Total (C-T) and free concentrations were determined of p-cresylglucuronide (pCG), hippuric acid (HA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indoxyl sulfate (IS) and p-cresylsulfate (pCS), and their percentage protein binding (%PB) was calculated. In CKD patients, %PB/C-T resulted in a positive correlation (all p < 0.001) with renal function for all five uremic toxins. In HD patients, %PB was increased after 120 min of dialysis for HA and at the dialysis end for the stronger (IAA) and the highly-bound (IS and pCS) solutes. During one passage through the dialyzer at 120 min, %PB was increased for HA (borderline), IAA, IS and pCS. These findings explain why protein-bound solutes are difficult to remove by dialysis: a combination of the fact that (i) only the free fraction can pass the filter and (ii) the equilibrium, as it was pre-dialysis, cannot be restored during the dialysis session, as it is continuously disturbed.
http://ift.tt/2qVGCJM
Evaluation of the upper limb lymphatic system : a prospective lymphoscintigraphic study in melanoma patients and healthy controls
Background: Current research on the upper limb lymphatic system mainly studies breast cancer patients with unilateral lymphedema. Without preoperative lymphoscintigraphy, the contralateral limb is used as a control, assuming that it is functionally intact. Few lymphoscintigraphic studies investigate patients before any axillary surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate, through lymphoscintigraphy, the preoperative condition of the upper limb lymphatic system in melanoma patients and healthy controls. Methods: Two groups were studied: the study group (16 patients with trunk/upper limb melanoma candidates for axillary sentinel lymph node biopsy) and the control group (10 healthy volunteers). All subjects underwent upper limb lymphoscintigraphy. Lymphoscintigraphic images were classified into three patterns based on the tracer appearance time in the axillary nodes. Type I, 20 minutes; type II, 60 minutes; and type III, 120 minutes. Statistical analysis was used to assess the relationship between lymphoscintigraphic patterns and clinical variables and to compare patterns of distribution. Results: Lymphoscintigraphic patterns were asymmetric in 37.5 percent (study group) and 50 percent (control group). Type III was the most common pattern. There was no significant association between lymphoscintigraphic patterns and considered clinical variables. There was no significant difference in the lymphoscintigraphic pattern distribution of the two groups (p = 0.870). Conclusion: The authors' findings show wide differences and an often "slow" tracer appearance time in patients with intact lymphatic system, questioning the use of contralateral limb as control and transportation time greater than 30 minutes as criteria for identification of lymphatic alterations.
http://ift.tt/2qWgAUI
Unbounded urbanization and the Horizontal Metropolis: the pragmatic program of August Mennes in the Antwerp agglomeration.
Parallel to many discussions in other European cities, the debate on a metropolitan Antwerp emerged at the turn of the 20th century, following the decision to tear down the old ramparts around the city in 1904. Once boundless, the old core became for the first time the subject of a contiguous urban expansion at its very fringes. Soon, however, far more loose urbanization processes would wash over the land as the urban territories rapidly expanded beyond what was at first imagined. By consequence, the face of the future Antwerp metropolis would be shaped by a series of interlocking and unbounded urbanization processes. Tracing the interrelated endeavors of the key parties that helped shaping these urbanization processes, ranging from property tycoons, technocrats and architects to key figures in the political world, my PhD research aims at rendering the contours of a long history of the construction of Antwerp's twentieth century belt within which the notions of urbanism and urbanization are blurred. Through an eclectic catalogue of five 'urban questions', this paper investigates the various ways in which the process of territorial rescaling set in motion in 1904 coproduced the features of today's horizontal metropolis. Based on the activities of engineer August Mennes, the paper will try to conclude that the Antwerp Horizontal Metropolis surfaced as the result of a juxtaposition of urbanization techniques that question and transcend the interpretation of 'urbanization' as a process of random and speculative accumulation.
http://ift.tt/2qjGu2R
Analysis of a discrete-time queue with time-limited overtake priority
In this paper, we investigate a single-server discrete-time queueing system subject to two independent batch Bernoulli arrival processes, each supplying the queue with different customer classes. The two classes of customers have different priority levels in the queue, and different service-time distributions. The studied priority mechanism is time-limited, i.e., customers of the high-priority class cannot overtake customers of lower priority if the latter arrived at least N slots earlier than the former. The parameter N makes the mechanism versatile, spanning a bridge between absolute (fixed) priority and slot-bound priority (see De Clercq et al. in Math Probl Eng. doi: 10.1155/2012/425630, 2012). The time-limited overtake priority mechanism maintains levels of fairness that are unattainable by a pure absolute priority mechanism, and offers more service differentiation than the slot-bound priority alternative studied earlier. By using a censoring argument, we obtain expressions for the steady-state probability generating functions of the delays of both customer classes, as well as the steady-state joint probability generating function of the system content, by using a censoring argument.
http://ift.tt/2rTrVUP
The influence of media components on the antibacterial effect of silver ions on Bacillus subtilis - A different approach to research silver toxicity
Silver is a noble metal which has been used for centuries due to its effective antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. For long, silver and silver salts are used for preserving water or food and preventing infections of wounds. More recently, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were developed, resulting in a remarkable increase in silver usage. In order to predict the possible ecological and human toxicity of silver upon release into the environment, as well as to verify the antimicrobial effect of new products and applications, a large number of scientific papers describe toxicity tests of AgNPs, silver ions (Ag+) and colloidal silver towards environmentally and clinically relevant bacteria, both in growth media or biological matrices. However, contradictory results are reported with inhibition concentrations varying by a 100-fold. We investigated whether this variance in results could be attributed to the difference in testing conditions, especially the microbial growth medium. In this study, Bacillus subtilis was exposed to 500 μg/L Ag+ - which is the main active species of silver - in growth media with different concentrations of some commonly used media components. The toxic effect was investigated by flow cytometry, transmission electron microscopy and by analyzing the growth curves obtained by optical density measurements. The results showed a strong influence of media components on the observed toxicity of silver. Therefore, researchers have to be aware of the possible interference of media components with Ag+, and should consider their influence before drawing conclusion.
http://ift.tt/2qVpeob
Predictive performance of the modified Marsh and Schnider models for propofol in underweight patients undergoing general anaesthesia using target-controlled infusion
Abstract
Background: In our preliminary study, the modified Marsh (M-Marsh) model caused an inadvertent underdosing of propofol in underweight patients. However, the predictive performance of the M-Marsh and Schnider models incorporated in commercially available target-controlled infusion (TCI) pumps was not evaluated in underweight patients.Methods: Thirty underweight patients undergoing elective surgery were randomly allocated to receive propofol via TCI using the M-Marsh or Schnider models. The target effect-site concentrations (Ces) of propofol were, in order, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 2 μg ml−1. Arterial blood samples were obtained at least 7 min after achieving each pseudo-steady-state.Results: A total of 172 plasma samples were used to determine the predictive performance of both models. The pooled median (95% confidence interval) biases and inaccuracies at a target Ce ≤ 3 μg ml−1 were −22.6 (−28.8 to −12.6) and 31.9 (24.8–36.8) for the M-Marsh model and 9.0 (1.7–16.4) and 28.5 (21.7–32.8) for the Schnider model, respectively. These values at Ce ≥ 4 μg ml−1 were −9.6 (−16.0 to −6.0) and 24.7 (21.1–27.9) for the M-Marsh model and 19.8 (12.9–25.7) and 36.2 (31.4–39.7) for the Schnider model, respectively.Conclusions: The pooled biases and inaccuracies of both models were clinically acceptable. However, the M-Marsh and Schnider models consistently produced negatively and positively biased predictions, respectively, in underweight patients. In particular, the M-Marsh model showed greater inaccuracy at target Ce ≤ 3 μg ml−1 and the Schnider model showed greater inaccuracy at target Ce ≥ 4 μg ml−1. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a new pharmacokinetic model for propofol in underweight patients.Clinical trial registration: KCT0001502.http://ift.tt/2rznNgb
Heterogeneous Ru(III) oxidation catalysts via 'click' bidentate ligands on a periodic mesoporous organosilica support
A 100% monoallyl ring-type Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica (PMO) is prepared as a novel, versatile and exceptionally stable catalytic support with a high internal surface area and 5.0 nm pores. Thiol-ene 'click' chemistry allows straightforward attachment of bifunctional thiols (-NH2, -OH, -SH) which, exploiting the thioether functionality formed, give rise to 'solid' bidentate ligands. [Ru(acac)(2)(CH3CN)(2)]PF6 is attached and complex formation on the solid is studied via density functional theory. All resulting solid catalysts show high activity and selectivity in alcohol oxidation reactions performed in green conditions (25 degrees C/water). The PMO catalysts do not leach Ru during reaction and are thus easily recuperated and re-used for several runs. Furthermore, oxidation of poorly water-soluble (+/-)-menthol illustrates the benefits of using hydrophobic PMOs as catalytic supports.
http://ift.tt/2qfn4Nm
Acute coronary syndrome - anoverview of current management
Baliga, V; Srinivasan, N; Kearney, M; (2009) Acute coronary syndrome - anoverview of current management. Prescriber , 20 (21) pp. 18-27. 10.1002/psb.566 .
http://ift.tt/2qVi17Z
An automated laboratory-scale methodology for the generation of sheared mammalian cell culture samples
Joseph, A; Goldrick, S; Mollet, M; Turner, R; Bender, J; Gruber, D; Farid, SS; Joseph, A; Goldrick, S; Mollet, M; Turner, R; Bender, J; Gruber, D; Farid, SS; Titchener-Hooker, N; - view fewer (2017) An automated laboratory-scale methodology for the generation of sheared mammalian cell culture samples. Biotechnology Journal , 12 (5) 10.1002/biot.201600730 . Green open access
http://ift.tt/2rTeIvd
The Benefits of an Alternative Approach to Analytic Number Theory
Granville, A; Peres, Y; (2017) The Benefits of an Alternative Approach to Analytic Number Theory. Notices of the American Mathematical Society , 64 (5) pp. 444-446. 10.1090/noti1511 . Green open access
http://ift.tt/2qVmzLh
Mixing of spin and orbital angular momenta via second-harmonic generation in plasmonic and dielectric chiral nanostructures
Xiong, XYZ; Al-Jarro, A; Jiang, LJ; Panoiu, NC; Sha, WEI; (2017) Mixing of spin and orbital angular momenta via second-harmonic generation in plasmonic and dielectric chiral nanostructures. Physical Review B , 95 , Article 165432. 10.1103/PhysRevB.95.165432 . Green open access
http://ift.tt/2rSXfCX
Exploiting high-order phase-shift keying modulation and direct-detection in silicon photonic systems
You, J; Panoiu, NC; (2017) Exploiting high-order phase-shift keying modulation and direct-detection in silicon photonic systems. Optics Express , 25 (8) pp. 8611-8624. 10.1364/OE.25.008611 .
http://ift.tt/2qVeQwI
The present and future effects of land use on ecological assemblages in tropical grasslands and savannas in Africa
Newbold, T; Boakes, EH; Hill, SLL; Harfoot, MBJ; Collen, B; (2017) The present and future effects of land use on ecological assemblages in tropical grasslands and savannas in Africa. Oikos 10.1111/oik.04338 . (In press).
http://ift.tt/2rT24ft
A 40-GBd QPSK/16-QAM integrated silicon coherent receiver
Through co-design of a dual SiGe transimpedance amplifier and an integrated silicon photonic circuit, we realized for the first time an ultra-compact and low-power silicon single-polarization coherent receiver operating at 40 GBd. A bit-error rate of <3.8 x 10(-3) was obtained for an optical signal-to-noise ratio of 14 dB for QPSK modulation (80 Gb/s), and 26.5 dB for 16-QAM (160 Gb/s). We also demonstrate robust performance of the receiver over temperature and wavelength.
http://ift.tt/2qV14KP
Real Estate Pioneers on the Metropolitan Frontier. The works of Jean-Florian Collin and François Amelinckx in Antwerp
In the Belgian context, the production of Public Mass housing remained limited in scope. Apart from a few well published examples Cité Modèle & Kiel (Braem), Luchtbal (Van Kuyck), Cité de Droixhe (Groupe EGAU), Belgian housing policies focused on the promotion of private homeownership. Mass housing in Belgium took the form of the massive production of private houses, constituting a sprawled urban landscape that has been described as the 'banlieue radieuse'. Less studied is the short lived but quantitatively significant private production of large scale high-rise apartments. This paper studies the close relationship between the production of these very different forms of 'mass housing': low- and high rise, inner-city and suburban. While the public policy context is rather well known, the private developers that produced this landscape have hardly been studied. This paper studies major players (Amelinckx n.v., Etrimo n.v., Extensa n.v.) and the architectural and development models through which they managed to create and capture a vast market of commodified housing. Through the detailed reconstruction of large scale commercial development schemes in Antwerp and Brussels, the paper describes the optimism of these mavericks of the Belgian property boom and recollects the radiant suburban promise they delivered. Although these property tycoons seem to have had little difficulty in luring in the middle classes and in persuading local political boards, today it becomes clear that the premises on the basis of which they sold the suburban dream were imbued with a thin instantaneous optimism that turned out to be too precarious to keep up with the subsequent impact of urbanization. While their activities are mostly remembered for the trauma of their bankruptcy, affecting many small contractors and private investors, this paper will highlight the collective failure to embed these large scale endeavours within enduring and intelligent (public) urban development strategies.
http://ift.tt/2rSZdDA
Continuously self-updating query results over dynamic heterogeneous linked data
Our society is evolving towards massive data consumption from heterogeneous sources, which includes rapidly changing data like public transit delay information. Many applications that depend on dynamic data consumption require highly available server interfaces. Existing interfaces involve substantial costs to publish rapidly changing data with high availability, and are therefore only possible for organisations that can afford such an expensive infrastructure. In my doctoral research, I investigate how to publish and consume real-time and historical Linked Data on a large scale. To reduce server-side costs for making dynamic data publication affordable, I will examine different possibilities to divide query evaluation between servers and clients. This paper discusses the methods I aim to follow together with preliminary results and the steps required to use this solution. An initial prototype achieves significantly lower server processing cost per query, while maintaining reasonable query execution times and client costs. Given these promising results, I feel confident this research direction is a viable solution for offering low-cost dynamic Linked Data interfaces as opposed to the existing high-cost solutions.
http://ift.tt/2qUZMiT
The role of Ly49E receptor expression on murine intraepithelial lymphocytes in intestinal cancer development and progression
Ly49E is a member of the Ly49 family of NK receptors and is distinct from other members of this family on the basis of its structural properties, expression pattern and ligand recognition. Importantly, Ly49E receptor expression is high on small intestinal and colonic intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs). Intestinal IELs are regulators of the mucosal immune system and contribute to front-line defense at the mucosal barrier, including anti-tumor immune response. Whereas most Ly49 receptors have MHC class-I ligands, we showed that Ly49E is instead triggered by urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA). uPA has been extensively implicated in tumor development, where increased uPA expression correlates with poor prognosis. As such, we investigated the role of Ly49E receptor expression on intestinal IELs in the anti-tumor immune response. For this purpose, we compared Ly49E wild-type mice to Ly49E knockout mice in two established tumor models: Apc(Min/+)-mediated and azoxymethane-induced intestinal cancer. Our results indicate that Ly49E expression on IELs does not influence the development or progression of intestinal cancer.
http://ift.tt/2qUR18m
Inter-rater reliability of real-time ultrasound to measure acromiohumeral distance
Background: Real-time ultrasound (RTUS) has been suggested as a reliable measure of acromiohumeral distance. However, to date, no vigorous assessment and reporting of inter-rater reliability of this method has been performed with the shoulder in a neutral position or with active and passive arm abduction. Objective: To assess intrasession inter-rater reliability of using RTUS to measure acromiohumeral distance with the shoulder in a neutral position and with 60 degrees active and passive abduction. Study Design: Inter-rater intrasession reliability of repeated measures. Setting: Human performance laboratory. Participants: Twenty persons (12 male and 8 female) with an average age of 29.86 years (standard deviation, 7.8). Method: In an inter-rater, intrasession study, RTUS was used to measure the acromiohumeral distance with the shoulder in a neutral position and with 60 degrees of both active and passive abduction. Main Outcome Measure: Acromiohumeral distance. Results: Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)(2.1) scores ranged between 0.65-0.88 (standard error of the mean =0.81-1.2 mm and minimal detectable differences with 95% confidence -2.2-2.3 mm) for inter-rater intrasession reliability. Conclusion: RTUS was found to have fair to good inter-rater reliability as a tool to measure acromiohumeral distance with the shoulder in a neutral position and with 60 degrees of both active and passive arm abduction.
http://ift.tt/2rT1iiB
Halvade-RNA: Parallel variant calling from transcriptomic data using MapReduce
Given the current cost-effectiveness of next-generation sequencing, the amount of DNAseq and RNA-seq data generated is ever increasing. One of the primary objectives of NGS experiments is calling genetic variants. While highly accurate, most variant calling pipelines are not optimized to run efficiently on large data sets. However, as variant calling in genomic data has become common practice, several methods have been proposed to reduce runtime for DNA-seq analysis through the use of parallel computing. Determining the effectively expressed variants from transcriptomics (RNA-seq) data has only recently become possible, and as such does not yet benefit from efficiently parallelized workflows. We introduce Halvade-RNA, a parallel, multi-node RNA-seq variant calling pipeline based on the GATK Best Practices recommendations. Halvade-RNA makes use of the MapReduce programming model to create and manage parallel data streams on which multiple instances of existing tools such as STAR and GATK operate concurrently. Whereas the single-threaded processing of a typical RNA-seq sample requires similar to 28h, Halvade-RNA reduces this runtime to similar to 2h using a small cluster with two 20-core machines. Even on a single, multi-core workstation, Halvade-RNA can significantly reduce runtime compared to using multi-threading, thus providing for a more cost-effective processing of RNA-seq data. Halvade-RNA is written in Java and uses the Hadoop MapReduce 2.0 API. It supports a wide range of distributions of Hadoop, including Cloudera and Amazon EMR.
http://ift.tt/2qUEamy
Performance Analysis of a Parallel, Multi-node Pipeline for DNA Sequencing
Post-sequencing DNA analysis typically consists of read mapping followed by variant calling and is very time-consuming, even on a multi-core machine. Recently, we proposed Halvade, a parallel, multi-node implementation of a DNA sequencing pipeline according to the GATK Best Practices recommendations. The MapReduce programming model is used to distribute the workload among different workers. In this paper, we study the impact of different hardware configurations on the performance of Halvade. Benchmarks indicate that especially the lack of good multithreading capabilities in the existing tools (BWA, SAMtools, Picard, GATK) cause suboptimal scaling behavior. We demonstrate that it is possible to circumvent this bottleneck by using multiprocessing on high-memory machines rather than using multithreading. Using a 15-node cluster with 360 CPU cores in total, this results in a runtime of 1 h 31 min. Compared to a single-threaded runtime of similar to 12 days, this corresponds to an overall parallel efficiency of 53%.
http://ift.tt/2rTbJma
Tailor-made transcriptional biosensors for optimizing microbial cell factories
Monitoring cellular behavior and eventually properly adapting cellular processes is key to handle the enormous complexity of today's metabolic engineering questions. Hence, transcriptional biosensors bear the potential to augment and accelerate current metabolic engineering strategies, catalyzing vital advances in industrial biotechnology. The development of such transcriptional biosensors typically starts with exploring nature's richness. Hence, in a first part, the transcriptional biosensor architecture and the various modi operandi are briefly discussed, as well as experimental and computational methods and relevant ontologies to search for natural transcription factors and their corresponding binding sites. In the second part of this review, various engineering approaches are reviewed to tune the main characteristics of these (natural) transcriptional biosensors, i.e., the response curve and ligand specificity, in view of specific industrial biotechnology applications, which is illustrated using success stories of transcriptional biosensor engineering.
http://ift.tt/2ryCujG
DevOps for network function virtualisation: an architectural approach
The Service Programming and Orchestration for Virtualised Software Networks (SONATA) project targets both the flexible programmability of software networks and the optimisation of their deployments by means of integrating Development and Operations in order to accelerate industry adoption of software networks and reduce time-to-market for networked services. SONATA supports network function chaining and orchestration, making service platforms modular and easier to customise to the needs of different service providers, and introduces a specialised Development and Operations model for supporting developers. (c) 2016 The Authors. Transactions on Emerging Telecommunications Technologies Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
http://ift.tt/2qft4W7
Interactive analysis of time intervals in a two-dimensional space
Time intervals are conventionally represented as linear segments in a one-dimensional space. An alternative representation of time intervals is the triangular model (TM), which represents time intervals as points in a two-dimensional space. In this paper, the use of TM in visualising and analysing time intervals is investigated. Not only does this model offer a compact visualisation of the distribution of intervals, it also supports an innovative temporal query mechanism that relies on geometries in the two-dimensional space. This query mechanism has the potential to simplify queries that are difficult to specify using traditional linear temporal query devices. Moreover, a software prototype that implements TM in a geographical information system (GIS) is introduced. This prototype has been applied in a real scenario to analyse time intervals that were detected by a Bluetooth tracking system. This application shows that TM has the potential to support a traditional GIS to analyse interval-based geographical data.
http://ift.tt/2qfsaJa
Modelling of fuzzy and uncertain spatio-temporal information in databases : a constraint-based approach
A constraint-based generalized object-oriented database model is adapted to manage spatio-temporal information. The presented adaptation is based on the definition of a new data type, which is suited to handle both temporal and spatial information. Generalized constraints are used to describe spatio-temporal data, to enforce integrity rules on databases, to specify the semantics of a database scheme and to impose selection criteria in flexible database querying.
http://ift.tt/2rz50Sh
Fuzzy and uncertain spatio-temporal database models : a constraint-based approach
In this paper a constraint-based generalised object-oriented database model is adapted to manage spatiotemporal information. This adaptation is based on the definition of a new data type, which is suited to handle both temporal and spatial information. Generalised constraints are used to describe spatio-temporal data, to enforce integrity rules on databases, to specify the formal semantics of a database scheme and to impose selection criteria for information retrieval.
http://ift.tt/2qfsWWE
PAI-1 gain-of-function genotype, factors increasing PAI-1 levels, and airway obstruction: the GALA II Cohort
Abstract
Background
PAI-1 gain of function variants promote airway fibrosis, and are associated with asthma and with worse lung function in subjects with asthma.
Objective
We sought to determine if the association of a gain-of-function polymorphism in Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor -1 (PAI-1) with airway obstruction is modified by asthma status, and whether any genotype effect persists after accounting for common exposures that increase PAI-1 level.
Methods
We studied 2070 Latino children (8-21y) with genotypic and pulmonary function data from the GALA II cohort. We estimated the relationship of the PAI-1 risk allele with FEV1/FVC by multivariate linear regression, stratified by asthma status. We examined the association of the polymorphism with asthma and airway obstruction within asthmatics via multivariate logistic regression. We replicated associations in the SAPPHIRE cohort of African Americans (n=1056). Secondary analysis included the effect of the at-risk polymorphism on post bronchodilator lung function.
Results
There was an interaction between asthma status and the PAI-1 polymorphism on FEV1/FVC (p=0.03). The gain-of-function variants, genotypes (AA/AG), were associated with lower FEV1/FVC in subjects with asthma (β=-1.25, CI:-2.14,-0.35, p=0.006), but not in controls. Subjects with asthma and the AA/AG genotypes had a 5% decrease in FEV1/FVC (p<0.001). In asthmatics, the risk genotype (AA/AG) was associated with a 39% increase in risk of clinically relevant airway obstruction (OR=1.39, CI:1.01, 1.92, p=0.04). These associations persisted after exclusion of factors that increase PAI-1 including tobacco exposure and obesity.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance
The decrease in the FEV1/FVC ratio associated with the risk genotype was modified by asthma status. The genotype increased the odds of airway obstruction by 75% within asthmatics only. Since exposures known to increase PAI-1 levels did not mitigate this association, PAI-1 may contribute to airway obstruction in the context of chronic asthmatic airway inflammation.
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
http://ift.tt/2rzitJM
Actual energy performance of a zero-carbon neighbourhood
The evolution towards zero-energy buildings and districts brings along uncertainties about the operational performance, strengths and weaknesses of these technologies, that are often new and unfamiliar to both the designers, owners and users. In Kortrijk, an exemplary zero-carbon neighbourhood is designed, built and evaluated in the framework of a European demonstration project ECO-Life 'Sustainable zero-carbon ECO-town developments improving quality of life across EU'. The neighbourhood counts about 200 dwellings in highly energy-efficient buildings with different ventilation technologies and collective RES based on solar, biomass or aero-thermal energy. During the building process and the first years of operation, the energy performance of the neighbourhood is evaluated after intensive monitoring and testing by Ghent University's research group of building physics, construction and services. This paper presents two focal points of the research: the energy demand of the buildings and the interaction with the occupants, and the energy performance of the neighbourhoods' low-temperature district heating system.
http://ift.tt/2qfCWPE
An integration of cloud transform and rough set theory to induction of decision trees
Decision trees are one of the most popular data-mining techniques for knowledge discovery. Many approaches for induction of decision trees often deal with the continuous data and missing values in information systems. However, they do not perform well in real situations. This paper presents a new algorithm, decision tree construction based on the Cloud transform and Rough set theory under the characteristic relation (CR), for mining classification knowledge from a given data set. The continuous data is transformed into discrete qualitative concepts via the cloud transformation and then the attribute with the smallest weighted mean roughness under the characteristic relation is selected as the current splitting node. Experimental evaluation shows the decision trees constructed by the CR algorithm tend to have a simpler structure, much higher classification accuracy and more understandable rules than those by C5.0 in most cases.
http://ift.tt/2ryRVbo
Digging into acceptor splice site prediction : an iterative feature selection approach
Feature selection techniques are often used to reduce data dimensionality, increase classification performance, and gain insight into the processes that generated the data. In this paper, we describe an iterative procedure of feature selection and feature construction steps, improving the classification of acceptor splice sites, an important subtask of gene prediction. We show that acceptor prediction can benefit from feature selection, and describe how feature selection techniques can be used to gain new insights in the classification of acceptor sites. This is illustrated by the identification of a new, biologically motivated feature: the AG-scanning feature. The results described in this paper contribute both to the domain of gene prediction, and to research in feature selection techniques, describing a new wrapper based feature weighting method that aids in knowledge discovery when dealing with complex datasets.
http://ift.tt/2qfonf5
Effect of sample temperature, pH, and matrix on the percentage protein binding of protein-bound uraemic toxins
While studying and trying to optimise dialysis clearances of protein-bound uraemic toxins (PBUTs), the percentage protein binding (% PB) may be an important parameter and can be calculated from measured free and total concentrations. Since different parameters may alter this % PB, we investigated whether the ultrafiltration temperature, sample pH, and sample matrix (i. e. serum or plasma) affects the % PB of PBUTs. Pre-dialysis serum and plasma samples were obtained from 10 stable haemodialysis patients. Ultrafiltration was performed at 37 degrees C for fresh samples and at 4 degrees C, room temperature, and 37 degrees C for thawed samples (all n = 10). Total and free serum/ plasma concentrations of hippuric acid, indole-3-acetic acid, indoxyl sulphate, and p-cresylsulphate were simultaneously measured by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet and fluorescence detection. No differences in % PB were found between fresh and thawed samples at 37 degrees C or between serum and plasma samples prepared at the same temperatures. However, in both serum and plasma samples, the free concentration increased with increasing ultrafiltration temperatures and resulted in a decrease in % PB from 4 degrees C to 37 degrees C. In conclusion, the % PB of PBUTs can be determined in both thawed serum and plasma samples and ultrafiltration should be performed at 37 degrees C.
http://ift.tt/2qf599z
Regulatory T Cell Populations in Children Are Affected by Age and Food Allergy Diagnosis
Source:Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Author(s): Benjamin T. Prince, Ashley L. Devonshire, Kristin A. Erickson, Jenna Bergerson, Dalia Fuleihan, Christine Szychlinski, Robert P. Schleimer, Paul J. Bryce, Anne Marie Singh
Teaser
Young food allergic children have decreased regulatory T cell (Treg) percentages. Only Tregs from healthy controls demonstrated age-related increases in their expression of the gut-associated chemokine receptor CCR6, which may be important in maintaining oral tolerance to foods and preventing the development of allergic disease.http://ift.tt/2rfNZwk
« T’es un vrai … si … » : quand les seniors aiment leur ville au sein de groupes Facebook
In 2014, French and Belgian Facebook members witnessed the flourishing of numerous Facebook groups dedicated to their town or village that shared the same rallying cry, "You're a real … if …" This trend spread like wildfire, to the extent that more than 160 towns/villages now have an active page on the social network. Seniors are among the most active members of these groups. In this context, the general objective of our study consisted of identifying the mechanisms through which these pages participate in building a real geo-cultural community in which the oldest Facebook members play a central role. To do so, we performed a content analysis of the 842 posts and 5,314 comments written between December 5, 2014 and January 5, 2015 in the groups representing the cities of Hannut and Jodoigne (Belgium) as well as Fourmies and Harnes (France). Our study concerns the topics of the posts, the types of actions performed by the members and the interactions among them. Our research shows that such groups create intergenerational "affinity spaces," which debunks common misconceptions about how seniors approach the digital world.
http://ift.tt/2qfkQgE
Four-Element Ultrawideband Textile Cross Array for Dual-Spatial and Dual-Polarization Diversity
The emergence of miniaturized flexible electronics enables on-duty first responders to collect biometrical and environmental data through multiple on-body sensors, integrated into their clothing. However, gathering these life-saving data would be useless if they cannot set up reliable, preferable high-data-rate, wireless communication links between the sensors and a remote base station. Therefore, we have developed a four-element ultrawideband textile cross array that combines dual-spatial and dual-polarization diversity and is easily deployable in a first responder's garment. The impedance bandwidth of the array equals 1.43 GHz, while mutual coupling between its elements remains below -25 dB. For a maximal bit error rate of 1e-4, the array realizes a diversity gain of 24.81 dB. When applying adaptive subcarrier modulation, the mean throughput per orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) subcarrier increases by an extra bit/symbol when comparing fourth- to second-order diversity.
http://ift.tt/2qf58T3
Heavy metal displacement by exchangeable bases (Ca, Mg, K, Na) in soils and sediments
The extractability of heavy metals with exchangeable bases is of particular importance for two reasons: (i) Ca, Mg, K, and Na form the predominant electropositive elements in the soil solution (on molar basis) and can interact with adsorbed fractions of heavy metals; and (ii) single extractions aimed at ascertaining soil mobile or bioavailable fractions of heavy metals in the soils are for a major part based on these interactions. This article assesses metal extractability by Ca(NO3)(2), Mg(NO3)(2), KNO3, and NaNO3, and competitiveness for adsorption to the soil matrix between the exchangeable bases and the metals Cu, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb. To this end, experiments were performed in which a moderately contaminated soil was extracted with varying doses of extractant: 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5 M of NaNO3, 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4 M of KNO3, 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 M of Ca(NO3)(2), and 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 M of Mg(NO3)(2). In addition, differences in metal extractability between 0.01 M of Ca(NO3)(2) and 0.01 M of CaCl2 and between 1 M Of MgCl2 and 1 M of Mg(NO3)(2) were evaluated in six soils with varying soil composition and pollution level to assess the effect of the counter ion (Cl- vs. NO3-). Finally, in a third experiment, heavy metal desorption in the presence of increasing concentrations of Ca(NO3)(2) (0-0.1 M) was evaluated in four polluted soils. Total, soil content of a given metal does not suffice to assess its environmental impact and bioavailability. Therefore, the study of metal exchangeability with Ca 21 is proposed to grant additional and complementary insight for soil metal analysis. Extraction with sufficiently high ionic strength, such as 0.1 M of Ca(NO3)(2), can be used to give an estimate of the total exchangeable pool, whereas weaker extractions at around the ionic strength of the soil solution (similar to 0.0 1 M of CaCl2) allow for the estimation of the quantitative "responsiveness" of metal release as a function of increasing Ca2+ in the extractant solution at around relevant soil solution conditions.
http://ift.tt/2qfui3A
Dexmedetomidine: the new all-in-one drug in paediatric anaesthesia?.
Purpose of review: Dexmedetomidine is a drug with sedative, anxiolytic, sympatholytic and analgesic properties, which is finding widespread practice in paediatric anaesthesia and related practices. The present review summarizes its pharmacology and current experience with the drug. Recent findings: Dexmedetomidine is proving useful in many diverse areas in paediatric anaesthesia where its sedative properties are useful for premedication, fibreoptic intubation and radiologic procedures. Its use as an adjunct for balanced anaesthesia where it can decrease the use of other drugs, reduce emergence delirium, postoperative shivering and vomiting. Muted apoptotic neuroprotective effects may realize benefits in neonates. Cardiac conduction delay, an adverse effect, may prove beneficial for arrhythmias after congenital cardiac surgery. Summary: Most of the paediatric published studies concerning dexmedetomidine are observational in nature, with limited control groups or comparators. Adverse effects (e.g. bradycardia) still require greater scrutiny in the paediatric population and particularly with respect to different age groups. Dexmedetomidine currently has a firm position in the armamentarium of anaesthesia pharmacology. It is not the new all-in-one drug, but it is shaping up as a valuable adjunct for diverse indications within paediatric anaesthesia. Copyright (C) 2017 YEAR Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
http://ift.tt/2qV7zLq
http://ift.tt/2qV7zLq
Cost-utility analysis of mechanical thrombectomy using stent retrievers in acute ischemic stroke
Ganesalingam, J; Pizzo, E; Morris, S; Sunderland, T; Ames, D; Lobotesis, K; (2015) Cost-utility analysis of mechanical thrombectomy using stent retrievers in acute ischemic stroke. Presented at: UK Stroke Forum 2015 Conference, Liverpool, UK.
http://ift.tt/2rfNySV
Accounting for productive investment and value creation
Mazzucato, M; Shipman, A; (2014) Accounting for productive investment and value creation. Industrial and Corporate Change , 23 (4) pp. 1059-1085. 10.1093/icc/dtt037 .
http://ift.tt/2rPdXEb
Coffee market performance and producer welfare upon the introduction of the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange
Coffee has been and remains the cornerstone for the Ethiopian economy for a long time. Over the years, numerous policies were implemented with the aim to extract benefits out of the sector. The most recent policy reform was the introduction of Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) that is serving as trading platform for coffee in 2008. This thesis attempts to examine the impact of the introduction of ECX on the performance of the coffee sector and welfare of the coffee producers. The thesis is structured in four separate sections. First it examines the extent to which the prices of Ethiopian coffees integrate with the coffee prices on the international market. Second, it tests the spatial integration of the prices of coffees between the different coffee producer markets in Ethiopia. Third, it tries to understand the price transmission between the world and the domestic Ethiopian coffee market. Finally, it seeks to unveil the impact of de-commoditization which is introduced by ECX, on the welfare of the coffee producers. Generally, ECX is a great milestone for a developing country economy such as that of Ethiopia which encountered numerous socio-economic problems. However, ECX faces challenges in achieving the institutionalization of the Ethiopian coffee market. Failure to understand the coffee market and the lack of institutional trust at all levels, especially at higher-level of Ethiopian coffee market need due consideration.
http://ift.tt/2rP2nsJ
From human genetics to radiobiology : in vitro radiosensitivity in individuals with a germline defect in DNA damage response genes
All currently known high to intermediate risk "breast cancer genes", including BRCA1 and BRCA2, are involved in the DNA damage response pathway. Heterozygous germline mutations in these genes predispose to breast and ovarian cancer. In addition, such mutations may also result in enhanced radiosensitivity mediated by chromosomal instability after exposure to ionizing radiation, leading to a higher risk to develop radiation-induced breast cancer. However, results of currently available clinical studies evaluating carcinogenesis and in vitro studies comparing chromosomal radiosensitivity in mutation carriers and non-carriers are inconclusive. Nevertheless, insights into the radiosensitive phenotype of healthy tissues of mutation carriers is of the utmost importance for the safe use of ionizing radiation for diagnostic purposes or radiotherapy treatment. In this thesis, we evaluated in vitro radiosensitivity in carriers of a mutation in DNA damage response genes by means of two different assays. The first assay, the G2 micronucleus assay, is a cytogenetic assay in which MN are analyzed in cells irradiated in the G2 phase of the cell cycle. This assay was developed to evaluate radiosensitivity in cells with a heterozygous BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. BRCA1 and BRCA2 have a function in homologous recombination (HR), the main DNA double strand break repair pathway activated in late S and G2 phase of the cell cycle. Furthermore, BRCA1 is also involved in the G2/M cell cycle checkpoint. The G2 micronucleus assay allows evaluation of both functions by means of two distinct endpoints: (1) the radiation-induced micronucleus yield, which reflects DNA double strand break repair capacity and (2) the G2/M checkpoint efficiency ratio, which allows evaluation of the G2 arrest capacity. Before applying the G2 micronucleus assay on BRCA mutation carriers, the assay was validated in a patient with Ataxia Telangiectasia (AT). AT patients are characterized by a manifest increased radiosensitivity. AT patients show biallelic inactivation of ATM, involved in both DNA double strand break repair by means of HR and G2/M checkpoint activation. We demonstrated a severely increased radiosensitivity with both endpoints when applying the G2 micronucleus assay in lymphocytes of this AT patient. In lymphocytes of healthy relatives with a heterozygous ATM mutation the radiosensitivity observed with this assay was intermediate between the AT patient and the control cohort. When applying the G2 micronucleus assay on lymphocytes of healthy BRCA1/2 mutation carriers, we demonstrated significantly enhanced radiation-induced MN yields in both BRCA1 and BRCA2 germline mutation carriers, pointing to an impaired DNA double strand break repair capacity in both groups. Furthermore, an impaired G2 arrest capacity was observed in BRCA1 mutation carriers. In healthy relatives who did not inherit the familial mutation, no enhanced radiosensitivity was observed. Although a significantly enhanced radiosensitivity was demonstrated for the cohort of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers compared to the control cohort, individual radiosensitivity evaluation was less straightforward due to overlap in micronucleus yields between both cohorts. Therefore, a scoring system to evaluate individual radiosensitivity was implemented. As both BRCA1 and BRCA2 are involved in HR, we evaluated if the accumulation of RAD51, a key protein involved in this pathway, at the double strand break site can be used to assess HR functionality and radiosensitivity. To this end, a radiation-induced RAD51 foci assay was optimized in a breast epithelial cell line (MCF10A) expressing ±50% reduced BRCA1 and BRCA2 protein levels, obtained by RNA interference. RAD51 foci were analyzed in cells synchronized in S phase by aphidicolin as HR is upregulated during this phase of the cell cycle. We demonstrated significantly reduced RAD51 foci formation, and thus impaired HR capacity, in response to the induction of radiation-induced double strand breaks in the BRCA knockdown cells compared to control cells. As no overlap in RAD51 foci distribution is observed between knockdown and control cells, we think that this assay could better differentiate between normal cells and cells with a heterozygous BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation than the G2 micronucleus assay. This will be further explored in synchronized lymphocytes of heterozygous germline mutation carriers. In addition to the detection of unequivocal deleterious mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2, variants of unknown clinical significance (VUS) are detected during diagnostic screening. The associated breast cancer risk is unknown, which creates a challenge for genetic counselling. mRNA analysis to assess variants that might impair proper RNA splicing, a highly regulated process, are widely used. We evaluated the outcome at cDNA level of 21 putative splicing variants in BRCA1 and BRCA2 and demonstrated aberrant splicing for 12 variants, suggesting that these are likely pathogenic. Furthermore, we demonstrated that in silico prediction tools might assist in the evaluation of these putative splicing variants. However, further optimization is warranted to allow reliable application outside the highly conserved consensus splice sites. The results obtained in this thesis may indicate that care should be taken when applying ionizing radiation for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes in individuals with a germline mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 as they may be at higher risk of developing radiation-induced breast cancer.
http://ift.tt/2rfUa3G
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