Medicine by Alexandros G.Sfakianakis,Anapafseos 5 Agios Nikolaos,Crete 72100,Greece,tel :00302841026182 & 00306932607174
Πέμπτη 26 Μαΐου 2016
Gender equality: a bridge to justice
Promoting gender equality and women empowerment is the third Millennium Development Goal – MDG. Achieving this goal is making sure all the other MDGs are achieved, now that good implementation of policies and strategies drawn for achieving these MDGs goals may only be properly implemented if gender equality is strategically taken into consideration. This is the reason why promoting gender equality and women empowerment can also be seen as a bridge to justice promotion between men and women. So, taking into consideration that justice is a relation between individuals (man and woman), we are going to look at different strategies through which gender equality can be promoted in our real, multilingual and multicultural world. Here, we are going to look at the existing tools designed for promoting gender equality in the international level, as well as real situations of gender inequality in our daily life. Therefore, taking into consideration that there is a need of social change in our current societies, we can foresee possible strategies to be used in the implementation of policies and strategies that are drawn for achieving gender equality and women empowerment goals.
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Tumor-associated macrophages induce capillary morphogenesis of lymphatic endothelial cells derived from human gastric cancer
Abstract
Tumor lymphangiogenesis is a major prognostic indicator of gastric cancer. Tumor-induced inflammation has been shown to attract tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) that affect lymphangiogenesis. However, detailed mechanisms of macrophage-induced lymphangiogenesis have not been elucidated. Here, we evaluated the interaction between TAMs and lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) derived from lymph nodes (LNs) of human gastric cancer. LECs were directly or indirectly co-cultured with macrophages from healthy human blood, with or without the supernatant of the gastric cancer cell line, OCUM-12. We analyzed the effect of cancer pretreated macrophages and of macrophages from metastatic LNs of gastric cancer on LECs. We observed morphological changes of LECs in co-culture and assessed the gene expression of possible lymphangiogenic molecules of macrophages and LECs after contact co-culture, and of cancer pretreated macrophages, by qRT-PCR. Specimens of metastatic LN of gastric cancer were immunofluorescently stained. We found that tubulogenesis of LECs was observed only in the contact co-culture model. OCUM-12 cells promoted macrophage-induced tubulogenesis of LECs. Relative gene expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and adhesion molecules was significantly up-regulated in both capillary-forming LECs and co-cultured macrophages. Cancer pretreated macrophages up-regulated lymphangiogenic factors including inflammatory cytokines, MMPs, adhesion molecules and VEGF-C. Blocking of ICAM-1 and macrophage activation suppressed tubulogenesis of LECs. Immunohistochemistry showed macrophages localized around lymphatic vessels. Our results suggested that interaction between LECs and macrophages may be an important initial step of tumor lymphangiogenesis developing LN metastasis. Understanding of its mechanisms could be useful for future therapeutics of gastric cancer.
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Dynamic changes in immune cell profile in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: immunomodulatory effects of chemotherapy
Abstract
Tumor cells have evolved sophisticated means of escape from the host immune system. To date, several important immunological phenomena have been demonstrated in peripheral blood as well as within tumors. In the present study, we firstly investigated the proportion and activation status of peripheral immune regulatory cells and CD8+ T cell subsets in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) using a multicolor flow cytometer, and then evaluated how TPF (docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil) therapy modulated the immune cell profile in peripheral blood. The proportion of naïve T cells was lower and that of effector memory T cells (TEM) cells was higher in HNSCC patients than in healthy donors. Moreover, the proportions of activated TEM and effector T cells (TEFF) were dramatically increased in patients with advanced stage disease. The proportion of regulatory T cells and CD14+ HLA-DR- myeloid-derived suppressor cells was elevated in HNSCC patients. Of note, after TPF therapy, besides the transient reduction in immune regulatory cells, decreases in central memory T cells (TCM) and increases in TEFF cells were observed among CD8+ T-cell subsets, suggesting differentiation from TCM cells into TEFF cells. Our results suggested that despite the immunosuppressive status in HNSCC patients, tumor-specific immune responses mediated by CD8+ T cells might be induced and maintained. Moreover, chemotherapy can trigger not only a transient reduction in immune regulatory cells but also further activation of CD8+ T cells.
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Lexically driven selective adaptation by ambiguous auditory stimuli occurs after limited exposure to adaptors
Limited exposure to ambiguous auditory stimuli results in perceptual recalibration. When unambiguous stimuli are used instead, selective adaptation (SA) effects have been reported, even after few adaptor presentations. Crucially, selective adaptation by an ambiguous sound in biasing lexical contexts had previously been found only after massive adaptor repetition [Samuel (2001). Psychol. Sci. 12(4), 348–351]. The present study shows that extensive exposure is not necessary for lexically driven selective adaptation to occur. Lexically driven selective adaptation can arise after as few as nine adaptor presentations. Additionally, build-up course inspection reveals several parallelisms with the time course observed for SA with unambiguous stimuli.
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Polymersomes confined self-assembly: micellisation in 2D
Ruiz-Perez, L; Messager, L; Gaitzsch, J; Joseph, A; Sutto, L; Gervasio, FL; Battaglia, G; Polymersomes confined self-assembly: micellisation in 2D.
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Immunization with a heat-killed preparation of the environmental bacterium Mycobacterium vaccae promotes stress resilience in mice
Reber, SO; Siebler, PH; Donner, NC; Morton, JT; Smith, DG; Kopelman, JM; Lowe, KR; Reber, SO; Siebler, PH; Donner, NC; Morton, JT; Smith, DG; Kopelman, JM; Lowe, KR; Wheeler, KJ; Fox, JH; Hassell, JE; Greenwood, BN; Jansch, C; Lechner, A; Schmidt, D; Uschold-Schmidt, N; Füchsl, AM; Langgartner, D; Walker, FR; Hale, MW; Lopez Perez, G; Van Treuren, W; González, A; Halweg-Edwards, AL; Fleshner, M; Raison, CL; Rook, GA; Peddada, SD; Knight, R; Lowry, CA; - view fewer (2016) Immunization with a heat-killed preparation of the environmental bacterium Mycobacterium vaccae promotes stress resilience in mice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 10.1073/pnas.1600324113 . (In press).
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Analysis of the biological functions of Kidins220: from cells to organisms.
Cesca, F.; (2007) Analysis of the biological functions of Kidins220: from cells to organisms. Doctoral thesis, University of London. Green open access
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Taking stock and looking ahead: Behavioural science lessons for implementing the nonavalent human papillomavirus vaccine
Forster, AS; Waller, J; (2016) Taking stock and looking ahead: Behavioural science lessons for implementing the nonavalent human papillomavirus vaccine. European Journal of Cancer , 62 pp. 96-102. 10.1016/j.ejca.2016.04.014 . Green open access
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FPGA-based trigger system for the LUX dark matter experiment
Akerib, DS; Araujo, HM; Bai, X; Bailey, AJ; Balajthy, J; Beltrame, P; Bernard, EP; Akerib, DS; Araujo, HM; Bai, X; Bailey, AJ; Balajthy, J; Beltrame, P; Bernard, EP; Bernstein, A; Biesiadzinski, TP; Boulton, EM; Bradley, A; Bramante, R; Cahn, SB; Carmona-Benitez, MC; Chan, C; Chapman, JJ; Chiller, AA; Chiller, C; Currie, A; Cutter, JE; Davison, TJR; de Viveiros, L; Dobi, A; Dobson, JEY; Druszkiewicz, E; Edwards, BN; Faham, CH; Fiorucci, S; Gaitskell, RJ; Gehmang, VM; Ghag, C; Gibson, KR; Gilchriese, MGD; Hall, CR; Hanhardt, M; Haselschwardt, SJ; Herter, SA; Hogan, DP; Horn, M; Huang, DQ; Ignarra, CM; Ihm, M; Jacobsen, RG; Ji, W; Kazkaz, K; Khaitang, D; Knoche, R; Larsen, NA; Lee, C; Lenardo, BG; Lesko, KT; Lindote, A; Lopes, MI; Mailing, DC; Manalaysay, AG; Mannino, RL; Marzioni, MF; McKinsey, DN; Mei, D-M; Mock, J; Moongweluwan, M; Morad, JA; Murphy, ASJ; Nehrkorn, C; Nelson, HN; Neves, E; O'Sullivan, K; Oliver-Mallory, KC; Ott, RA; Palladino, KJ; Pangilinan, M; Pease, EK; Phelps, P; Reichhart, L; Rhyne, C; Shaw, S; Shutt, TA; Silva, C; Skulski, W; Solovovn, VN; Sorensen, P; Stephenson, S; Sumner, TJ; Szydagis, M; Taylor, DJ; Taylor, W; Tennyson, BP; Terman, PA; Tiedt, DR; To, WH; Tripathi, M; Tyrznikova, L; Uvarov, S; Verbus, JR; Webb, RC; White, JT; Whitis, TJ; Witherell, MS; Wolfs, FLH; Yin, J; Young, SK; Zhang, C; - view fewer (2016) FPGA-based trigger system for the LUX dark matter experiment. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment , 818 pp. 57-67. 10.1016/j.nima.2016.02.017 .
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Improved Limits on Scattering of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles from Reanalysis of 2013 LUX Data
Akerib, DS; Araújo, HM; Bai, X; Bailey, AJ; Balajthy, J; Beltrame, P; Bernard, EP; Akerib, DS; Araújo, HM; Bai, X; Bailey, AJ; Balajthy, J; Beltrame, P; Bernard, EP; Bernstein, A; Biesiadzinski, TP; Boulton, EM; Bradley, A; Bramante, R; Cahn, SB; Carmona-Benitez, MC; Chan, C; Chapman, JJ; Chiller, AA; Chiller, C; Currie, A; Cutter, JE; Davison, TJR; De Viveiros, L; Dobi, A; Dobson, JEY; Druszkiewicz, E; Edwards, BN; Faham, CH; Fiorucci, S; Gaitskell, RJ; Gehman, VM; Ghag, C; Gibson, KR; Gilchriese, MGD; Hall, CR; Hanhardt, M; Haselschwardt, SJ; Hertel, SA; Hogan, DP; Horn, M; Huang, DQ; Ignarra, CM; Ihm, M; Jacobsen, RG; Ji, W; Kazkaz, K; Khaitan, D; Knoche, R; Larsen, NA; Lee, C; Lenardo, BG; Lesko, KT; Lindote, A; Lopes, MI; Malling, DC; Manalaysay, A; Mannino, RL; Marzioni, MF; McKinsey, DN; Mei, DM; Mock, J; Moongweluwan, M; Morad, JA; Murphy, ASJ; Nehrkorn, C; Nelson, HN; Neves, F; O'Sullivan, K; Oliver-Mallory, KC; Ott, RA; Palladino, KJ; Pangilinan, M; Pease, EK; - view fewer (2016) Improved Limits on Scattering of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles from Reanalysis of 2013 LUX Data. Physical Review Letters , 116 (16) , Article 161301. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.161301 . Green open access
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Foreign body in the appendix presenting as acute appendicitis: a case report
Foreign bodies are a rare cause of appendicitis. In most instances, ingested foreign bodies pass through the alimentary tract asymptomatically. However, those that enter the lumen of the vermiform appendix may...
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Iridoschisis and keratoconus in a patient with severe allergic eye disease and compulsive eye rubbing: a case report
Iridoschisis is a rare disorder characterized by splitting of the anterior and posterior iris stroma, resulting in disintegrated iris fibrils which float freely in the anterior chamber. We report an exceptiona...
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Definite hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia in a 60-year-old black Kenyan woman: a case report
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia is a rare autosomal dominant inherited disease characterized by vascular dysplasia. To the best of our knowledge, we report the first case in the literature of definite he...
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Loxoprofen-induced interstitial pneumonia: a case report
Loxoprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used in the treatment of many diseases. However, there are no case reports about loxoprofen-induced pneumonia. We have encountered a rare case of loxoprofen-...
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Actis Total Hip System 2 Year Follow-up
Conditions: Osteoarthritis; Traumatic Arthritis; Rheumatoid Arthritis; Congenital Hip Dysplasia; Avascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head; Acute Traumatic Fracture of the Femoral Head or Neck; Certain Cases of Ankylosis; Non-union of Femoral Neck Fractures; Certain High Sub-Capital and Femoral Neck Fractures in the Elderly
Intervention: Device: Actis Total Hip System
Sponsor: DePuy Orthopaedics
Not yet recruiting - verified March 2016
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Intervention: Device: Actis Total Hip System
Sponsor: DePuy Orthopaedics
Not yet recruiting - verified March 2016
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Short communication: Lactic acid bacteria from the honeybee inhibit the in vitro growth of mastitis pathogens
Despite the increasing knowledge of prevention and control strategies, bovine mastitis remains one of the most challenging diseases in the dairy industry. This study investigated the antimicrobial activity of 13 species of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), previously isolated from the honey crop of the honeybee, on several mastitis pathogens. The viable LAB were first reintroduced into a sterilized heather honey matrix. More than 20 different bovine mastitis isolates were tested against the mixture of the 13 LAB species in the honey medium using a dual-culture overlay assay. The mastitis isolates were identified through bacteriological culturing, followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Additionally, the mastitis isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing through disk diffusion. Growth of all tested mastitis pathogens, including the ones displaying antimicrobial resistance to one or more antimicrobial compounds, were inhibited to some extent by the honey and LAB combination. The antibacterial effect of these LAB opens up new perspectives on alternative treatment and prevention of bovine mastitis.
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Jack-of-all-trades effects drive biodiversity-ecosystem multifunctionality relationships in European forests
There is considerable evidence that biodiversity promotes multiple ecosystem functions (multifunctionality), thus ensuring the delivery of ecosystem services important for human well-being. However, the mechanisms underlying this relationship are poorly understood, especially in natural ecosystems. We develop a novel approach to partition biodiversity effects on multifunctionality into three mechanisms and apply this to European forest data. We show that throughout Europe, tree diversity is positively related with multifunctionality when moderate levels of functioning are required, but negatively when very high function levels are desired. For two well-known mechanisms, 'complementarity' and 'selection', we detect only minor effects on multifunctionality. Instead a third, so far overlooked mechanism, the 'jack-of-all-trades' effect, caused by the averaging of individual species effects on function, drives observed patterns. Simulations demonstrate that jack-of-all-trades effects occur whenever species effects on different functions are not perfectly correlated, meaning they may contribute to diversity-multifunctionality relationships in many of the world's ecosystems.
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A pluralistic society needs pluralism in its archival system: motieven voor het versterken van het archiefbewustzijn in de sociale sector
"De geschiedenis is het heden, gezien door de toekomst", schreef Godfried Bomans ooit. Dat betekent dat de dossiers die we vandaag aanleggen, het archief van morgen vormen. Die logische vaststelling roept zowel verwachtingen als verantwoordelijkheid op. Hoewel de gevoeligheid zeker bestaat, wordt archiefzorg in het brede veld van de sociale sector niet als een prioriteit ervaren. Er zijn evenwel tal van argumenten waarom ook privaatrechtelijke organisaties en verenigingen zich geroepen kunnen voelen om daar werk van te maken. Het denken over archiefzorg is de voorbije decennia immers grondig geëvolueerd. "The justification for archives has shifted from being grounded in concepts of the nation-state and its scholarly elites (primarily historians) to broader socio-cultural justifications grounded in public policies of accountability, freedom of information, and wider public/citizen use, of archives for protection of rights, heritage education at all levels, and the enjoyment of personal and community connections with the past". Die verschuiving in de rol en betekenis van archieven nodigt uit om de motieven voor het versterken van het archiefbewustzijn in de sociale sector in kaart te brengen en te benoemen. Deze bijdrage wil het debat daarover stimuleren en bijdragen tot het besef dat de zorg voor dat erfgoed in wezen iedereen aanbelangt.
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Teaching reading in special education: some considerations for language teachers in the Mozambican context
There is a need of developing textbooks which enable students to grasp their readings, meantime, equipping teachers with the desired professional skill that they need so as to deal efficiently with students with special needs. Instead of dealing with research as such, what is needed is the application of the positive aspects so far found in the existing experiments, so that time is not spent in scientific discussion but in practical experiments which can show how efficient some of the applied teaching methods/techniques in special education are. Teachers are, therefore, required to be trained so that they can have multicultural competence, pedagogical, intervention and classroom management skills, so as to enable students to share their different cultural backgrounds in a more tolerant way, meantime, respecting each learner's learning strategies and styles.
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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 827: Fast Modeling of Binding Affinities by Means of Superposing Significant Interaction Rules (SSIR) Method
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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 825: Cloning, Expression and 3D Structure Prediction of Chitinase from Chitinolyticbacter meiyuanensis SYBC-H1
Two CHI genes from Chitinolyticbacter meiyuanensis SYBC-H1 encoding chitinases were identified and their protein 3D structures were predicted. According to the amino acid sequence alignment, CHI1 gene encoding 166 aa had a structural domain similar to the GH18 type II chitinase, and CHI2 gene encoding 383 aa had the same catalytic domain as the glycoside hydrolase family 19 chitinase. In this study, CHI2 chitinase were expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 cells, and this protein was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-cellulose, and Sephadex G-100 chromatography. Optimal activity of CHI2 chitinase occurred at a temperature of 40 °C and a pH of 6.5. The presence of metal ions Fe3+, Fe2+, and Zn2+ inhibited CHI2 chitinase activity, while Na+ and K+ promoted its activity. Furthermore, the presence of EGTA, EDTA, and β-mercaptoethanol significantly increased the stability of CHI2 chitinase. The CHI2 chitinase was active with p-NP-GlcNAc, with the Km and Vm values of 23.0 µmol/L and 9.1 mM/min at a temperature of 37 °C, respectively. Additionally, the CHI2 chitinase was characterized as an N-acetyl glucosaminidase based on the hydrolysate from chitin. Overall, our results demonstrated CHI2 chitinase with remarkable biochemical properties is suitable for bioconversion of chitin waste.
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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 810: Targeted Gene Knockin in Porcine Somatic Cells Using CRISPR/Cas Ribonucleoproteins
The pig is an ideal large animal model for genetic engineering applications. A relatively short gestation interval and large litter size makes the pig a conducive model for generating and propagating genetic modifications. The domestic pig also shares close similarity in anatomy, physiology, size, and life expectancy, making it an ideal animal for modeling human diseases. Often, however, the technical difficulties in generating desired genetic modifications such as targeted knockin of short stretches of sequences or transgenes have impeded progress in this field. In this study, we have investigated and compared the relative efficiency of CRISPR/Cas ribonucleoproteins in engineering targeted knockin of pseudo attP sites downstream of a ubiquitously expressed COL1A gene in porcine somatic cells and generated live fetuses by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). By leveraging these knockin pseudo attP sites, we have demonstrated subsequent phiC31 integrase mediated integration of green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgene into the site. This work for the first time created an optimized protocol for CRISPR/Cas mediated knockin in porcine somatic cells, while simultaneously creating a stable platform for future transgene integration and generating transgenic animals.
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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 824: Heterogeneous Pathology of Melasma and Its Clinical Implications
Melasma is a commonly acquired hypermelanosis that affects sun-exposed areas of the skin, with frequent facial involvement. Its histologic manifestations are evident in the epidermis, extracellular matrix, and dermis. In addition to epidermal pigmentation, pathologic findings of melasma include extracellular matrix abnormality, especially solar elastosis. The disrupted basement membrane has been described in melasma with variable incidences. In the dermis, an increase in vascularity and an increase in the number of mast cells were observed, indicating that dermal factors have critical roles in the pathogenesis of melasma, despite the fact that melasma is characterized by epidermal hyperpigmentation. This review discusses such histologic characteristics of melasma, with consideration to their implications for melasma treatment.
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IJMS, Vol. 17, Pages 828: Dendritic-Tumor Fusion Cell-Based Cancer Vaccines
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Pathological complete response after percutaneous isolated hepatic perfusion in hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis: a case report
Abstract
Background
Although the effectiveness of perioperative adjuvant therapy in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been investigated, the efficacy of preoperative therapy is unclear. Herein, we report a case of pathological complete response after percutaneous isolated hepatic perfusion (PIHP) for HCC involving portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT).
Case presentation
A 77-year-old woman was referred to our institute with a liver mass detected on a routine health screening. Computed tomography revealed a 28 × 25 mm HCC in the left lobe of the liver and a tumor thrombus in the left and right portal branches (T4N0M0, stage IVA). The patient received a single dose of preoperative PIHP with doxorubicin plus mitomycin C, without severe toxicity. After the chemotherapy, she underwent extended left hepatic lobectomy and thrombectomy of the PVTT. No cancer cells were detected during histopathological analysis, indicating pathological complete response. She remained relapse-free 12 months after the surgery.
Conclusions
We experienced a case of pathological complete response after preoperative PIHP with doxorubicin plus mitomycin C for HCC involving PVTT.
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A validated case definition for chronic rhinosinusitis in administrative data: a Canadian perspective
Background
Pharmacoepidemiological research using administrative databases has become increasingly popular for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS); however, without a validated case definition the cohort evaluated may be inaccurate resulting in biased and incorrect outcomes. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a generalizable administrative database case definition for CRS using International Classification of Diseases, 9th edition (ICD-9)-coded claims.
Methods
A random sample of 100 patients with a guideline-based diagnosis of CRS and 100 control patients were selected and then linked to a Canadian physician claims database from March 31, 2010, to March 31, 2015. The proportion of CRS ICD-9–coded claims (473.x and 471.x) for each of these 200 patients were reviewed and the validity of 7 different ICD-9–based coding algorithms was evaluated.
Results
The CRS case definition of ≥2 claims with a CRS ICD-9 code (471.x or 473.x) within 2 years of the reference case provides a balanced validity with a sensitivity of 77% and specificity of 79%. Applying this CRS case definition to the claims database produced a CRS cohort of 51,000 patients with characteristics that were consistent with published demographics and rates of comorbid asthma, allergic rhinitis, and depression.
Conclusion
This study has validated several coding algorithms; based on the results a case definition of ≥2 physician claims of CRS (ICD-9 of 471.x or 473.x) within 2 years provides an optimal level of validity. Future studies will need to validate this administrative case definition from different health system perspectives and using larger retrospective chart reviews from multiple providers.
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The relevance of experiential avoidance in breast cancer distress: insights from a psychological group intervention
Abstract
Background
Research on the implication of experiential avoidance in the aetiology and maintenance of diverse forms of psychopathology has grown considerably over the last 10 years. However, the potential contribution of experiential avoidance to cancer-related distress has received limited attention. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to examine the association between experiential avoidance, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and quality of life (QoL) during the course of a psychological group intervention for women with breast cancer.
Methods
Fifty-four women with breast cancer participated in a psychological group intervention designed to reduce distress and improve QoL. Participants completed measures of experiential avoidance, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and QoL upon the first and last sessions.
Results
A path analysis revealed that, after controlling for baseline measures, smaller reductions in experiential avoidance during the course of the intervention predicted smaller reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms. Also, experiential avoidance had a negative indirect effect on QoL via depressive symptoms.
Conclusions
Experiential avoidance may perpetuate the emotional problems commonly found in women with breast cancer and attenuate improvements associated with participation in psychological interventions. Implications for clinical practice in psycho-oncology are discussed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Re-emergence of the susceptibility of the Salmonella spp. isolated from blood samples to conventional first line antibiotics
Enteric fever is an important public health problem in Nepal. Due to emergence of multidrug resistant strains of Salmonella spp. the conventional first-line drugs, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and cotrimoxazole h...
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[Tumors of the lacrimal drainage system].
| Related Articles |
[Tumors of the lacrimal drainage system].
HNO. 2016 May 24;
Authors: von Goscinski C, Koch KR, Cursiefen C, Heindl LM
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The prevalence of tumors affecting the lacrimal drainage system is low, thus generating a risk of late diagnosis and treatment in clinical routine. However, these tumors can be potentially life-threatening, which emphasizes the relevance of early diagnosis and treatment.
OBJECTIVE: This review focuses on the symptoms, incidence, management, and prognosis of the different tumor entities affecting the lacrimal drainage system.
METHODS: The study provides a PubMed-based literature review and presents own clinical results.
RESULTS: Alongside detailed medical history taking and comprehensive clinical examination, precise inspection during external dacryocystography is important for diagnosis of tumors affecting the lacrimal drainage system. There is a wide spectrum of tumor entities located in the lacrimal drainage system. The tumors are classified into three groups: primary epithelial, primary nonepithelial, and inflammatory lesions. The most common primary epithelial tumors include papilloma, squamous cell carcinoma, and transitional cell carcinoma. The most common nonepithelial tumors include fibrous histiocytoma, malignant lymphoma, and malignant melanoma; while the most common inflammatory lesions comprise sarcoidosis, Wegener granulomatosis, and pyogenic granuloma. Treatment depends on the entity and stage of the tumor. In the case of malignancy, a multimodal and interdisciplinary approach is usually indicated.
CONCLUSION: Differential diagnostic signs in favor of a malignancy include a long medical history, predisposing conditions in the patient's history, a mass above the medial canthal ligament, teleangiectasis above the mass, and serosanguinous secretion.
PMID: 27222017 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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[Efferent tear ducts in the focus of ophthalmic and otorhinolaryngologic surgeons].
| Related Articles |
[Efferent tear ducts in the focus of ophthalmic and otorhinolaryngologic surgeons].
HNO. 2016 May 24;
Authors: Struck HG, Heichel J
PMID: 27222016 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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Characteristics and contributory factors for injectable contraceptive usage among women in Kumasi, Ghana
Background: Preferred methods of contraception vary from country to country. Family Planning services have been available on a large scale in Ghana since the 1980's and their use has contributed to gradual decline in the total fertility rate from 6.4 in 1988 to 4.2 in 2014. Since their introduction in Ghana in the early 1990's, Injectable contraceptives have seen increasing patronage and are currently the most preferred method of contraception. We set out to identify possible factors contributing to the preference for injectable contraceptives among women in Ghana. Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional survey of women accessing contraceptive services at the Family Planning Unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana. Women who reported for the second dose of their injections were eligible to be selected for participation in the study. Informed consent was obtained from eligible participants. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire in January and February 2011. Data captured included age, marital status, highest level of education completed, religion, ethnicity and employment status, previous contraceptive use, sources of contraceptive information and reasons for choosing injectable contraceptives. Quantitative data was entered into a Microsoft Access Database and analysed using Epi Info Version 7.1.4. Qualitative data was analysed thematically. Results: A total of 247 respondents participated in the study. One hundred and seventy three (70.0 %) were using Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate and 74 (30.0 %) were using NorethisteroneEnanthate/Estradiol Valerate. The mean age for women on Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate was higher than those on NorethisteroneEnanthate/Estradiol Valerate (p < 0.001). The effectiveness of method, recommendation from other users, low incidence of forgetfulness and the relatively longer intervals for administration were the commonest reasons for the use of injectables among respondents. The majority of users, 225 (91.1 %), were satisfied with the method and will recommend it to other potential users. Only 10.8 % of the 68 respondents reporting undesirable effects of the injectables intend to change the method. Conclusion: A high level of satisfaction exists among current users of injectables in Ghana and is influenced by a variety of factors. Strategies to increase the uptake of injectables can go a long way to increase the contraceptive prevalence rate and reduce the unmet need for Family Planning in Ghana.
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Brain perfusion imaging with voxel-based analysis in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis patients with a moderate to severe stage of disease: a boon for the workforce
The present study was carried out to evaluate cerebral perfusion in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with a moderate to severe stage of disease. Some patients underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) and bra...
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Recoding classical swine fever virus (CSFV) structural glycoprotein E2 and its potential as a vaccine candidate
Read the full article on ScienceDirect.
Relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU): Its role in the virulence of CSFV
Text by Lauro Velazquez-Salinas
Relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) refers to the phenomenon during which some synonymous codons are used more often than others. This preference for a particular codon can vary between species. Since viruses are obligate intracellular parasites, they often exploit and co-evolve with host molecular mechanisms to prosper. We determined that the E2 glycoprotein of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) had a similar codon usage bias of Sus Scrofa, its natural host. We wanted to know the effect of just switching native codons in E2 for the less frequently used codons. In fact, changing just the codons in E2 resulted in a full attenuation in pigs. Interestingly, when we explored the potential use of this phenotype as a vaccine, we found that it was able to protect animals against the disease. By not changing a single amino acid, this potential vaccine leaves all natural antigenic epitopes intact.
The motivation for this project came from Lauro Velazquez-Salinas who spent many hours analyzing viral sequences. After reading about the potential for attenuating viruses by de-optimizing RSCU, wondered if this could be applied to CSFV. The benefits of producing vaccines by only changing the nucleotide composition allow the antigenic mosaic in the virus to remain intact. Additionally by changing the nucleotide composition, allows for a genetic marker that can be used to differentiate between vaccinated and infected animals.
The first problem that we faced was to establish a methodology to carry out this process. Since different variables are playing a role shaping RSCU, we decided to test different approaches. The next important decision was to determine the place in the genome to conduct the de-optimization. Since E2 has been shown to have important antigenic epitopes, we decided to explore this target, but honestly we don't know what would have been the outcome in other parts of the genome. In our first attempt, we were unable to recover virus, and it appeared that we made so many mutations that the virus was unable to grow. Our next two attempts had fewer mutations but we didn't observe any differences in virulence when we tested in swine. Finally we were able to produce a virus that had enough but not too many deoptimized mutations, where the virus was fully attenuated, with no clinical symptoms, and was able to fully protect swine against CSFV.
Figure legend
Codon pair bias (CPB) scores of swine genes and CSFV E2 from BICv and CSFm1-4 mutants. Each mark represents the calculated CPB score of a gene plotted against its amino acid length. CPB scores of the mutants used in this study (CSFm1-4) are indicated.
Introducing the author
Lauro Velazquez-Salinas, behind different codon usage sequences.
About the research
Recoding structural glycoprotein E2 in classical swine fever virus (CSFV) produces complete virus attenuation in swine and protects infected animals against disease
Lauro Velazquez-Salinas, Guillermo R. Risatti, Lauren G. Holinka, Vivian O'Donnell, Jolene Carlson, Marialexia Alfano, Luis. L. Rodriguez, Consuelo Carrillo, Douglas P. Gladue, Manuel V. Borca
Virology, Volume 494, July 2016, Pages 178–189
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Synaptic proteins predict cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia.
Synaptic proteins predict cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia.
Alzheimers Dement. 2016 May 22;
Authors: Bereczki E, Francis PT, Howlett D, Pereira JB, Höglund K, Bogstedt A, Cedazo-Minguez A, Baek JH, Hortobágyi T, Attems J, Ballard C, Aarsland D
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Our objective was to compare the levels of three synaptic proteins involved in different steps of the synaptic transmission: Rab3A, SNAP25, and neurogranin, in three common forms of dementia: Alzheimer's disease (AD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and Parkinson's disease dementia.
METHODS: A total of 129 postmortem human brain samples were analyzed in brain regional specific manner exploring their associations with morphologic changes and cognitive decline.
RESULTS: We have observed robust changes reflecting synaptic dysfunction in all studied dementia groups. There were significant associations between the rate of cognitive decline and decreased levels of Rab3 in DLB in the inferior parietal lobe and SNAP25 in AD in the prefrontal cortex. Of particular note, synaptic proteins significantly discriminated between dementia cases and controls with over 90% sensitivity and specificity.
DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest that the proposition that synaptic markers can predict cognitive decline in AD, should be extended to Lewy body diseases.
PMID: 27224930 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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Schizophrenia as a mimic of behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia.
Schizophrenia as a mimic of behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia.
Neurocase. 2016 May 25;:1-4
Authors: Kerssens CJ, Krudop WA, Prins ND, van Berckel BN, Rozemuller A, Seeley WW, Scheltens P, Stek ML, Pijnenburg YA
Abstract
Recently, the diagnostic criteria for the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia were revised. Although these criteria offer a relatively high sensitivity, their specificity is yet unknown. We describe a 54-year-old woman fulfilling criteria for both late-onset schizophrenia and probable behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia. Following an initial presentation with psychosis, she developed progressive apathy, compulsiveness, and executive dysfunction. Moreover, bilateral frontotemporal hypometabolism was seen on [(18)F]fludeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography. A post-mortem diagnosis of schizophrenia was established, given the clinical picture combined with the pathological exclusion of a neurodegenerative cause. Our case suggests that patients with other brain disorders may meet the current diagnostic criteria for probable frontotemporal dementia. Further clinicopathological validation of these criteria is needed to determine their exact specificity.
PMID: 27223596 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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Future perspectives toward the early definition of a multivariate decision-support scheme employed in clinical decision making for senior citizens.
Future perspectives toward the early definition of a multivariate decision-support scheme employed in clinical decision making for senior citizens.
Healthc Technol Lett. 2016 Mar;3(1):41-5
Authors: Frantzidis CA, Gilou S, Billis A, Karagianni M, Bratsas CD, Bamidis P
Abstract
Recent neuroscientific studies focused on the identification of pathological neurophysiological patterns (emotions, geriatric depression, memory impairment and sleep disturbances) through computerised clinical decision-support systems. Almost all these research attempts employed either resting-state condition (e.g. eyes-closed) or event-related potentials extracted during a cognitive task known to be affected by the disease under consideration. This Letter reviews existing data mining techniques and aims to enhance their robustness by proposing a holistic decision framework dealing with comorbidities and early symptoms' identification, while it could be applied in realistic occasions. Multivariate features are elicited and fused in order to be compared with average activities characteristic of each neuropathology group. A proposed model of the specific cognitive function which may be based on previous findings (a priori information) and/or validated by current experimental data should be then formed. So, the proposed scheme facilitates the early identification and prevention of neurodegenerative phenomena. Neurophysiological semantic annotation is hypothesised to enhance the importance of the proposed framework in facilitating the personalised healthcare of the information society and medical informatics research community.
PMID: 27222732 [PubMed]
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