The impact of exposure to antidepressant medications during pregnancy on neonatal outcomes: a review of retrospective database cohort studies

Abstract

Introduction

Concerns with prescription antidepressant use in pregnant women have instigated the examination of potential associations between fetal exposure to antidepressant medication and outcomes including preterm delivery, congenital malformations, perinatal and post-natal adverse events, persistent pulmonary hypertension, and mortality. The retrospective cohort model is an often utilized study design. The objective of this review is to evaluate the literature on antidepressant use in pregnancy conducted as retrospective cohorts in national/regional medical, or claims databases that assess neonatal and infant outcomes for agreement between studies, ultimately providing a methodological and outcomes summary for future scientific endeavors.

Methods

PubMed was searched for literature relating to antidepressant use and infant outcomes from the earliest available date through July 15, 2016. Studies with a retrospective cohort design and conducted in national/regional medical or claims databases were included. Searched outcomes included preterm delivery, congenital malformations, low birth weight, small for gestational age, persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, and other select adverse events comprising low Apgar score (5 min), convulsions/seizures, respiratory distress/problems, fetal mortality, and infant mortality.

Results

Of the 784 studies identified, 36 retrospective cohort studies met eligibility criteria. An increase in preterm delivery and respiratory distress/problems and no increase in congenital malformation or fetal and infant death were associated with prenatal use of prescription antidepressants by majority consensus (at least 2/3 [67%] of studies).

Conclusions

While consensus indicates that perinatal prescription antidepressant use has consequences for the fetus and infant, there are notable inconsistencies in the literature. More investigations that address prenatal exposure to depression and other important covariates are needed.

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Clinical study of blood purification therapy in critical care in Japan: results from the survey research of the Japan Society for Blood Purification in Critical Care in 2013

Abstract

To clarify the clinical status of blood purification therapy (BPT) in critical care in Japan, we conducted a cohort study using data from a nationwide registry of the Japan Society for Blood Purification in Critical Care in 2013. We enrolled 2227 patients treated with BPT (female, 39.1%; mean age, 65.5 ± 12.1 years) in the intensive care units of 43 facilities. Patient characteristics, modes of BPT, and survival rate for each disease were investigated. In total, BPT was performed 3053 times. Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) (57.9%) was the most common mode of BPT, followed by intermittent renal replacement therapy (20.2%) and direct hemoperfusion with the polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column (PMX-DHP) (11.5%). Nafamostat mesilate (84.9%) was most frequently used as the anticoagulant. The 28-day survival rate was 56.8% in all patients. The most common mode for acute kidney injury (AKI) and multiple organ failure was CRRT, while PMX-DHP and CRRT were most common for sepsis. There was no significant difference in survival rates among AKI stages 1–3. Survival rate (38.3%) was significantly lower in patients with acute lung injury (ALI) than in those with multiple organ failure (41.8%) and those with sepsis (46.6%). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that the APACHE II score and the presence of acute ALI and acute hepatic failure were significantly associated with death. This large-scale cohort study showed the clinical status of BPT in Japan. Further investigations are required to clarify the efficacy of BPT for critically ill patients.

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Association of Helicobacter pylori infection with Parkinson's diseases: A meta-analysis

Abstract

Background

The results from observational studies on the relationship between helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and Parkinson's disease remain controversial. A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between helicobacter pylori infection and Parkinson's disease.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was performed on relevant studies published from January 1983 to January 2017 in PubMed, Web of Science and EMBASE databases. The fixed or random effects model was used to pool the odds ratio with 95% confidence interval from individual studies. Publication bias was estimated by Egger's test and the funnel plot.

Results

Eight eligible studies involving 33 125 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Compared with the no helicobacter pylori infected person, the pooled odds ratio of Parkinson's disease in helicobacter pylori infected person was 1.59 (95% confidence interval: 1.37-1.85). In subgroup analyzes, the combined odds ratios were 1.96 (1.23-3.12) in Asia, 1.55 (1.32-1.82) in Europe, 1.59 (1.35-1.88) in case-control studies, 1.56 (1.01-2.39) in cross-sectional studies, 1.56 (1.32-1.85) in studies with confounders adjusted, and 1.71 (1.21-2.43) in studies with no confounder adjusted, respectively.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis indicated that H. pylori infection might be associated with the risk of Parkinson's disease.

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Association of Helicobacter pylori infection with Parkinson's diseases: A meta-analysis

Abstract

Background

The results from observational studies on the relationship between helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and Parkinson's disease remain controversial. A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between helicobacter pylori infection and Parkinson's disease.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was performed on relevant studies published from January 1983 to January 2017 in PubMed, Web of Science and EMBASE databases. The fixed or random effects model was used to pool the odds ratio with 95% confidence interval from individual studies. Publication bias was estimated by Egger's test and the funnel plot.

Results

Eight eligible studies involving 33 125 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Compared with the no helicobacter pylori infected person, the pooled odds ratio of Parkinson's disease in helicobacter pylori infected person was 1.59 (95% confidence interval: 1.37-1.85). In subgroup analyzes, the combined odds ratios were 1.96 (1.23-3.12) in Asia, 1.55 (1.32-1.82) in Europe, 1.59 (1.35-1.88) in case-control studies, 1.56 (1.01-2.39) in cross-sectional studies, 1.56 (1.32-1.85) in studies with confounders adjusted, and 1.71 (1.21-2.43) in studies with no confounder adjusted, respectively.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis indicated that H. pylori infection might be associated with the risk of Parkinson's disease.

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Neuropsychological Profiles Differentiate Alzheimer Disease from Subcortical Ischemic Vascular Dementia in an Autopsy-Defined Cohort.

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Neuropsychological Profiles Differentiate Alzheimer Disease from Subcortical Ischemic Vascular Dementia in an Autopsy-Defined Cohort.

Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2017 Jun 09;44(1-2):1-11

Authors: Ramirez-Gomez L, Zheng L, Reed B, Kramer J, Mungas D, Zarow C, Vinters H, Ringman JM, Chui H

Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to assess the ability of neuropsychological tests to differentiate autopsy-defined Alzheimer disease (AD) from subcortical ischemic vascular dementia (SIVD).
METHODS: From a sample of 175 cases followed longitudinally that underwent autopsy, we selected 23 normal controls (NC), 20 SIVD, 69 AD, and 10 mixed cases of dementia. Baseline neuropsychological tests, including Memory Assessment Scale word list learning test, control oral word association test, and animal fluency, were compared between the three autopsy-defined groups.
RESULTS: The NC, SIVD, and AD groups did not differ by age or education. The SIVD and AD groups did not differ by the Global Clinical Dementia Rating Scale. Subjects with AD performed worse on delayed recall (p < 0.01). A receiver operating characteristics analysis comparing the SIVD and AD groups including age, education, difference between categorical (animals) versus phonemic fluency (letter F), and the first recall from the word learning test distinguished the two groups with a sensitivity of 85%, specificity of 67%, and positive likelihood ratio of 2.57 (AUC = 0.789, 95% CI 0.69-0.88, p < 0.0001).
CONCLUSION: In neuropathologically defined subgroups, neuropsychological profiles have modest ability to distinguish patients with AD from those with SIVD.

PMID: 28595184 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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L-Glutamine in vitro Modulates some Immunomodulatory Properties of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

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L-Glutamine in vitro Modulates some Immunomodulatory Properties of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Stem Cell Rev. 2017 Jun 07;:

Authors: Dos Santos GG, Hastreiter AA, Sartori T, Borelli P, Fock RA

Abstract
Glutamine (GLUT) is a nonessential amino acid that can become conditionally essential under stress conditions, being able to act in the modulation of the immune responses. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are known to their capability in the modulation of immune responses through cell-cell contact and by the secretion of soluble factors. Considering that GLUT is an immunonutrient and little is known about the influence of GLUT on the capability of MSCs to modulate immune cells, this work aims to investigate how variations in GLUT concentrations in vitro could affect some immunomodulatory properties of MSCs. In order to evaluate the effects of GLUT on MSCs immunomodulatory properties, cell proliferation rates, the expression of NFκB and STAT-3, and the production of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TGF-β and TNF-α by MSCs were assessed. Based on our findings, GLUT at high doses (10 mM) augmented the proliferation of MSCs and modulated immune responses by decreasing levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β and IL-6, and by increasing levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and TGF-β. In addition, MSCs cultured in higher GLUT concentrations (10 mM) expressed lower levels of NF-κB and higher levels of STAT-3. Furthermore, conditioned media from MSCs cultured at higher GLUT concentrations (10 mM) reduced lymphocyte and macrophage proliferation, increased IL-10 production by both cells types, and decreased IFN-γ production by lymphocytes. Overall, this study showed that 10 mM of GLUT is able to modify immunomodulatory properties of MSCs.

PMID: 28593472 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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An enhancement of antimicrobial efficacy of biogenic and ceftriaxone-conjugated silver nanoparticles: green approach

Abstract

Of the various methods explored for the synthesis of nanoparticles, biogenesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) received great attention due to their versatile properties. In this report, Daucus carota extract was used for the synthesis of AgNPs and ceftriaxone was conjugated with AgNPs to enhance their antimicrobial efficacy. The conjugated and unconjugated AgNPs were characterized by adopting UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, AFM, DLS, and TEM, which revealed the SPR peak at 420 nm and spherical shaped nanoparticles of 20 nm size, respectively. The antimicrobial efficacies of the unconjugated AgNPs and ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs were tested against ceftriaxone-resistant human pathogens, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs showed high inhibitory action (23 mm) than the unconjugated AgNPs (18 mm) at the concentration of 50 μg/mL. Both the unconjugated and ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs were found to be non-toxic on EAC cells at 50 μg/mL. The dose-dependent cytotoxic activities were observed on increasing the concentration of the AgNPs. The ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs showed high activity than the unconjugated AgNPs. The enhanced activity could be useful to treat ceftriaxone-resistant human pathogens.

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Citric acid enhanced the antioxidant defense system and chromium uptake by Lemna minor L. grown in hydroponics under Cr stress

Abstract

Phytoextraction is a cost-effective and eco-friendly technique for the removal of pollutants, mainly heavy metal(loids) especially from polluted water and metal-contaminated soils. The phytoextraction of heavy metals is, in general, limited due to the low availability of heavy metals in the growth medium. Organic chelators can help to improve the phytoextraction by increasing metal mobility and solubility in the growth medium. The present research was carried out to examine the possibility of citric acid (CA) in improving chromium (Cr) phytoextraction by Lemna minor (duckweed). For this purpose, healthy plants were collected from nearby marsh and grown in hydroponics under controlled conditions. Initial metal contents of both marsh water and plant were measured along with physico-chemical properties of the marsh water. Different concentrations of Cr and CA were applied in the hydroponics in different combinations after defined intervals. Continuous aeration was supplied and pH maintained at 6.5 ± 0.1. Results showed that increasing concentration of Cr significantly decreased the plant biomass, photosynthetic pigments, leaf area, and antioxidant enzyme activities (like catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase). Furthermore, Cr stress increased the Cr concentrations, electrolyte leakage, hydrogen peroxide, and malondialdehyde contents in plants. The addition of CA alleviated the Cr-induced toxicity in plants and further enhanced the Cr uptake and its accumulation in L. minor. The addition of CA enhanced the Cr concentration in L. minor by 6.10, 26.5, 20.5, and 20.2% at 0, 10, 100, and 200 μM Cr treatments, respectively, compared to the respective Cr treatments without CA. Overall, the results of the present study showed that CA addition may enhance the Cr accumulation and tolerance in L. minor by enhancing the plant growth and activities of antioxidant enzymes.

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Intelligent and integrated techniques for coalbed methane (CBM) recovery and reduction of greenhouse gas emission

Abstract

Coalbed methane (CBM) recovery is a crucial approach to realize the exploitation of a clean energy and the reduction of the greenhouse gas emission. In the past 10 years, remarkable achievements on CBM recovery have been obtained in China. However, some key difficulties still exist such as long borehole drilling in complicated geological condition, and poor gas drainage effect due to low permeability. In this study, intelligent and integrated techniques for CBM recovery are introduced. These integrated techniques mainly include underground CBM recovery techniques and ground well CBM recovery techniques. The underground CBM recovery techniques consist of the borehole formation technique, gas concentration improvement technique, and permeability enhancement technique. According to the division of mining-induced disturbance area, the ground well arrangement area and well structure type in mining-induced disturbance developing area and mining-induced disturbance stable area are optimized to significantly improve the ground well CBM recovery. Besides, automatic devices such as drilling pipe installation device are also developed to achieve remote control of data recording, which makes the integrated techniques intelligent. These techniques can provide key solutions to some long-term difficulties in CBM recovery.

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Distribution of phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria in relation to fractionation and sorption behaviors of phosphorus in sediment of the Three Gorges Reservoir

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) fractionation and sorption behavior as well as the abundance and community composition of phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) in sediments, including inorganic phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (IPB) and organic phosphate-mineralizing bacteria (OPB), were investigated in 27 sampling sites of five sections in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in December 2012. The calcium-bound phosphorus (CaCO₃∼P) accounted for the largest part for P fractions in the sediment of TGR, which was paralleled with IPB outnumbering OPB. Furthermore, some PSB isolates, such as Micromonospora sp., Aminobacter sp., and Arthrobacter sp., were shared by the IPB and OPB. Thus, some IPB species functioned as OPB and vise versa, which could be further reflected by a negative and significant relationship between PSB (IPB + OPB) number and content of CaCO₃∼P together with acid-soluble organic phosphorus (ASOP). Spatially, the highest ASOP content in the section Mudong and the highest CaCO₃∼P plus iron-bound phosphorus (Fe(OOH)∼P) as well as equilibrium phosphorus concentration (EPC₀) in the sections of Yunyang and Zigui due to sediment sequestration by the dam, as well as the positive relationship between EPC₀ and the ratios of different phosphorus species and phosphorus sorption maximum (Q _max), jointly indicated pathway diversification and potential risk of phosphorus release mediated by PSB in TGR.

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Microbial community redundancy in anaerobic digestion drives process recovery after salinity exposure

Anaerobic digestion of high-salinity wastewaters often results in process inhibition due to the susceptibility of the methanogenic archaea. The ability of the microbial community to deal with increased salinity levels is of high importance to ensure process perseverance or recovery after failure. The exact strategy of the microbial community to ensure process endurance is, however, often unknown. In this study, we investigated how the microbial community is able to recover process performance following a disturbance through the application of high-salinity molasses wastewater. After a stable start-up, methane production quickly decreased from 625 +/- 17 to 232 35 mL CH4 L-1 d(-1) with a simultaneous accumulation in volatile fatty acids up to 20.5 +/- 1.4 g COD L-1, indicating severe process disturbance. A shift in feedstock from molasses wastewater to waste activated sludge resulted in complete process recovery. However, the bacterial and archaeal communities did not return to their original composition as before the disturbance, despite similar process conditions. Microbial community diversity was recovered to similar levels as before disturbance, which indicates that the metabolic potential of the community was maintained. A mild increase in ammonia concentration after process recovery did not influence methane production, indicating a well-balanced microbial community. Hence, given the change in community composition following recovery after salinity disturbance, it can be assumed that microbial community redundancy was the major strategy to ensure the continuation of methane production, without loss of functionality or metabolic flexibility.

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Detection of acidification limit in anaerobic membrane bioreactors at ambient temperature

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Alectinib Touted as New Standard of Care for ALK-Positive Lung Cancer

The second-generation ALK-inhibitor alectinib should be the new standard of care for first-line treatment of ALK-positive non –small-cell lung cancer, according to a new study. (Source: CancerNetwork)

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Comparison of Experts and Residents Performing a Complex Procedure in a Temporal Bone Surgery Simulator

Conclusion: VR simulation provides metrics that allow the objective analysis of surgical technique, and identification of differences between the performance of surgical residents and their senior colleagues. The performance of residents could be improved with more guidance regarding how much force they should apply, what burr size they should use, how they should orient the bone, and for cochlear implant surgery guidance regarding anatomical regions requiring particular attention, to visualize the round window. (Source: Otology and Neurotology)

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In Reply to the Letter to the Editor: “Two Common Second Causes of Dizziness in Patients With MÉniÈre's Disease

No abstract available (Source: Otology and Neurotology)

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Sonotubometric Assessment for Severity of Patulous Eustachian Tube

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the morphological patency of the eustachian tube (ET) and sound transmission via the ET. Study Design: Retrospective chart review and model experiment. Setting: Tertiary referral center. Subjects: A total of 56 ears of 28 patients (9 men and 19 women, aged from 12 to 82 yr, mean 40.4 ± 21.5 yr) who underwent sonotubometric measurement using postural change as well as computed tomography (CT) of the ET in the sitting position, including 26 ears with definite patulous ET, 9 ears with possible patulous ET, and 21 ears without patulous ET. Method: Commercial equipment for sonotubometry (JK-05A; RION Co., Ltd., Kokubunji, Tokyo, Japan) was used in the following two investigations. Retrospective survey: sound patency of 7 kHz band noi...

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In Response to: Secondary Causes of Dizziness in Patients With MÉniÈre's Disease

No abstract available (Source: Otology and Neurotology)

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Round Window Application of an Active Middle Ear Implant: A Comparison With Hearing Aid Usage in Japan

Conclusion: Results with the AMEI applied to the round window exceeded those of the best available hearing aid in speech perception as well as quality of life questionnaires. There were minimal adverse events or changes to patients' residual hearing. (Source: Otology and Neurotology)

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The Effect of Elevated Intracranial Pressure on Frequency Tuning of Air-Conducted Ocular Vestibular Myogenic Potentials in Ménière's Disease Patients

Conclusion: oVEMP amplitudes and frequency tuning in MD patients show a similar behavior to that found in healthy control subjects. oVEMP testing of putative MD patients in the tilted position is therefore unlikely to be diagnostically useful. (Source: Otology and Neurotology)

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Prediction of Intraoperative CSF Gusher and Postoperative Facial Nerve Stimulation in Patients With Cochleovestibular Malformations Undergoing Cochlear Implantation Surgery

Objective: To determine parameters in computed tomography (CT) of the temporal bone that would be useful for prediction of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) gusher during cochlear implantation (CI) surgery and postoperative facial nerve stimulation (FNS) in patients with inner ear malformations. Study Design: Retrospective study. Setting: Tertiary referral center. Patients: Three hundred seventy-five cases who had undergone CI surgery including 54 inner ear malformation cases were analyzed. Main Outcome Measures: The diameters of the cochlea modiolar base and porus of the internal auditory canal (IAC), length of IAC, diameter of the vestibular aqueduct (VA) at the operculum, and presence or absence of the modiolus of the cochlea were evaluated by using CT. Results: CSF gusher occurred in 12 (...

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Paget's Disease of the Temporal Bone: A Single-Institution Contemporary Review of 27 Patients

Conclusion: This is the largest single-institution clinical series examining patients with PDTB in the English literature. Variable patterns of temporal bone involvement by Paget's disease are observed leading to a diverse set of clinical symptoms, including slowly progressive hearing loss, tinnitus, compressive cranial neuropathies, and benign or malignant tumorigenesis. Involvement typically begins in the petrous apex and progresses laterally. Otic capsule bone demineralization occurs late in the disease process. Cochlear implantation appears to be an effective management strategy for patients with severe-to-profound hearing loss. (Source: Otology and Neurotology)

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Cochlear Implant in Severe Impaired Psychiatric Patients: A Case Series

Conclusion: With interdisciplinary evaluation, a cochlear implantation is possible in severely impaired psychiatric patients. For a good result the indication is to be discussed interdisciplinary. (Source: Otology and Neurotology)

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Defining the Hook Region Anatomy of the Guinea Pig Cochlea for Modeling of Inner Ear Surgery

Conclusion: The guinea pig hook region and lower basal turn have similar structural relationships to humans. Careful cochleostomy placement is essentially for minimizing cochlear trauma and for ensuring a straight insertion vector that successfully advances around the outer wall. Experiments with guinea pigs that control for the surgical approach are likely to provide useful insights into the aetiology and the development of therapies directed at postimplantation hearing loss. (Source: Otology and Neurotology)

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Use of Positive Airway Pressure Following Middle Ear Surgery: A Practice Survey of Otologists

Conclusion: Treatment recommendations regarding postoperative PAP treatment for obstructive sleep apnea vary greatly among practicing otologists. Providers who think that an adverse outcome was attributed to PAP use were more likely to prophylactically plug the Eustachian tube during surgery. Future research will provide additional information which will allow a better understanding of the effect of PAP on the middle ear, especially after otologic surgery. (Source: Otology and Neurotology)

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The Normal Adult Human Internal Auditory Canal: A Volumetric Multidetector Computed Tomography Study

Conclusion: IAC volumes of normal adult subjects, measured by CT, were larger in males and not significantly different with respect to age or laterality. (Source: Otology and Neurotology)

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Hearing Preservation in Pediatric Cochlear Implantation

Conclusions: Varying levels of hearing preservation with conventional length electrodes can be achieved in most pediatric subjects. In the current study, 82% of patients maintained detectable hearing thresholds and 65% maintained functional low-frequency acoustic hearing. These data may be used to guide preoperative counseling in pediatric patients with residual acoustic hearing. Additionally, the favorable rates of hearing preservation achieved in children provide further evidence for the expansion of pediatric cochlear implant candidacy to include patients with greater degrees of residual hearing. (Source: Otology and Neurotology)

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The Application of Next-Generation Sequencing for Mutation Detection in Autosomal-Dominant Hereditary Hearing Impairment

Conclusion: Next-generation sequencing successfully identified the causative mutation in families with autosomal-dominant hereditary hearing impairment. The results helped to clarify the pathogenic role of a known mutation and led to the detection of a novel one. NGS represents a feasible approach with great potential future in the diagnostics of hereditary hearing impairment, even in smaller labs. (Source: Otology and Neurotology)

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Cochlear Implantation in Adults With Asymmetric Hearing Loss: Benefits of Bimodal Stimulation

Conclusion: This study demonstrated that patients are able to successfully integrate electrical stimulation with contralateral acoustic amplification and benefit from bimodal stimulation. Therefore, we think that cochlear implantation should be considered in this particular group of patients, even in the presence of substantial residual hearing on the contralateral side. (Source: Otology and Neurotology)

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Transcanal Endoscopic Ear Surgery for Excision of a Facial Nerve Venous Malformation With Interposition Nerve Grafting: A Case Report

Conclusions: This is the first report of resecting a venous malformation of the facial nerve with concomitant interposition nerve graft reconstruction via an exclusively endoscopic approach. This report adds to the growing body of evidence that TEES can manage diverse middle ear and lateral skull base pathology. Additional studies are needed to fully elucidate the risk-benefit profile of this technique. (Source: Otology and Neurotology)

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Single-Center Study Investigating Foreign Language Acquisition at School in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults With Uni- or Bilateral Cochlear Implants in the Swiss German Population

Conclusions: Almost 75% of our CI users learn foreign language(s) at school. A small majority of the tested CI users reached the current school norm for in English and French in reading skills, whereas for hearing skills most of them were not able to reach the norm. (Source: Otology and Neurotology)

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Calculating the Tumor Volumes in Vestibular Schwannomas: Are the ABC/2 and Volumetric Methods Comparable?

Purpose: To assess the efficacy of the ABC/2 method for calculating the volume of vestibular schwannomas as compared with 3-D planimetric method. Study Design: Retrospective. Methods: Fifty eight cases of pathologically confirmed sporadic vestibular schwannomas (VS) were analyzed. Tumors volumes were calculated for each tumor twice, once through semiautomated 3-D volumetric method and subsequently through ABC/2 (AP × ML × CC/2) methodology after calculating the maximal tumor dimensions in anteroposterior (AP), coronal (ML), and craniocaudal (CC) dimensions. Tumor volumes were initially correlated as a group and subsequently by dividing them into three groups using the Hannover classification. Results: The two methodologies were highly correlated when tumors were analyzed as a ...

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Dichotic Listening Deficit Associated With Solvent Exposure

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. (Source: Otology and Neurotology)

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Intelligent and integrated techniques for coalbed methane (CBM) recovery and reduction of greenhouse gas emission

Abstract

Coalbed methane (CBM) recovery is a crucial approach to realize the exploitation of a clean energy and the reduction of the greenhouse gas emission. In the past 10 years, remarkable achievements on CBM recovery have been obtained in China. However, some key difficulties still exist such as long borehole drilling in complicated geological condition, and poor gas drainage effect due to low permeability. In this study, intelligent and integrated techniques for CBM recovery are introduced. These integrated techniques mainly include underground CBM recovery techniques and ground well CBM recovery techniques. The underground CBM recovery techniques consist of the borehole formation technique, gas concentration improvement technique, and permeability enhancement technique. According to the division of mining-induced disturbance area, the ground well arrangement area and well structure type in mining-induced disturbance developing area and mining-induced disturbance stable area are optimized to significantly improve the ground well CBM recovery. Besides, automatic devices such as drilling pipe installation device are also developed to achieve remote control of data recording, which makes the integrated techniques intelligent. These techniques can provide key solutions to some long-term difficulties in CBM recovery.

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Citric acid enhanced the antioxidant defense system and chromium uptake by Lemna minor L. grown in hydroponics under Cr stress

Abstract

Phytoextraction is a cost-effective and eco-friendly technique for the removal of pollutants, mainly heavy metal(loids) especially from polluted water and metal-contaminated soils. The phytoextraction of heavy metals is, in general, limited due to the low availability of heavy metals in the growth medium. Organic chelators can help to improve the phytoextraction by increasing metal mobility and solubility in the growth medium. The present research was carried out to examine the possibility of citric acid (CA) in improving chromium (Cr) phytoextraction by Lemna minor (duckweed). For this purpose, healthy plants were collected from nearby marsh and grown in hydroponics under controlled conditions. Initial metal contents of both marsh water and plant were measured along with physico-chemical properties of the marsh water. Different concentrations of Cr and CA were applied in the hydroponics in different combinations after defined intervals. Continuous aeration was supplied and pH maintained at 6.5 ± 0.1. Results showed that increasing concentration of Cr significantly decreased the plant biomass, photosynthetic pigments, leaf area, and antioxidant enzyme activities (like catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase). Furthermore, Cr stress increased the Cr concentrations, electrolyte leakage, hydrogen peroxide, and malondialdehyde contents in plants. The addition of CA alleviated the Cr-induced toxicity in plants and further enhanced the Cr uptake and its accumulation in L. minor. The addition of CA enhanced the Cr concentration in L. minor by 6.10, 26.5, 20.5, and 20.2% at 0, 10, 100, and 200 μM Cr treatments, respectively, compared to the respective Cr treatments without CA. Overall, the results of the present study showed that CA addition may enhance the Cr accumulation and tolerance in L. minor by enhancing the plant growth and activities of antioxidant enzymes.

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Microbial community redundancy in anaerobic digestion drives process recovery after salinity exposure

Anaerobic digestion of high-salinity wastewaters often results in process inhibition due to the susceptibility of the methanogenic archaea. The ability of the microbial community to deal with increased salinity levels is of high importance to ensure process perseverance or recovery after failure. The exact strategy of the microbial community to ensure process endurance is, however, often unknown. In this study, we investigated how the microbial community is able to recover process performance following a disturbance through the application of high-salinity molasses wastewater. After a stable start-up, methane production quickly decreased from 625 +/- 17 to 232 35 mL CH4 L-1 d(-1) with a simultaneous accumulation in volatile fatty acids up to 20.5 +/- 1.4 g COD L-1, indicating severe process disturbance. A shift in feedstock from molasses wastewater to waste activated sludge resulted in complete process recovery. However, the bacterial and archaeal communities did not return to their original composition as before the disturbance, despite similar process conditions. Microbial community diversity was recovered to similar levels as before disturbance, which indicates that the metabolic potential of the community was maintained. A mild increase in ammonia concentration after process recovery did not influence methane production, indicating a well-balanced microbial community. Hence, given the change in community composition following recovery after salinity disturbance, it can be assumed that microbial community redundancy was the major strategy to ensure the continuation of methane production, without loss of functionality or metabolic flexibility.

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Alectinib Touted as New Standard of Care for ALK-Positive Lung Cancer

The second-generation ALK-inhibitor alectinib should be the new standard of care for first-line treatment of ALK-positive non –small-cell lung cancer, according to a new study. (Source: CancerNetwork)

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Distribution of phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria in relation to fractionation and sorption behaviors of phosphorus in sediment of the Three Gorges Reservoir

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) fractionation and sorption behavior as well as the abundance and community composition of phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) in sediments, including inorganic phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (IPB) and organic phosphate-mineralizing bacteria (OPB), were investigated in 27 sampling sites of five sections in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in December 2012. The calcium-bound phosphorus (CaCO₃∼P) accounted for the largest part for P fractions in the sediment of TGR, which was paralleled with IPB outnumbering OPB. Furthermore, some PSB isolates, such as Micromonospora sp., Aminobacter sp., and Arthrobacter sp., were shared by the IPB and OPB. Thus, some IPB species functioned as OPB and vise versa, which could be further reflected by a negative and significant relationship between PSB (IPB + OPB) number and content of CaCO₃∼P together with acid-soluble organic phosphorus (ASOP). Spatially, the highest ASOP content in the section Mudong and the highest CaCO₃∼P plus iron-bound phosphorus (Fe(OOH)∼P) as well as equilibrium phosphorus concentration (EPC₀) in the sections of Yunyang and Zigui due to sediment sequestration by the dam, as well as the positive relationship between EPC₀ and the ratios of different phosphorus species and phosphorus sorption maximum (Q _max), jointly indicated pathway diversification and potential risk of phosphorus release mediated by PSB in TGR.

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Detection of acidification limit in anaerobic membrane bioreactors at ambient temperature

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Combination PARP and MEK inhibitors to treat RAS mutant cancers

A study at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has shown promise for effective treatment of therapy-resistant cancers caused by a mutation of the RAS gene found in many cancers. The pre-clinical study combined therapies targeting the...

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An enhancement of antimicrobial efficacy of biogenic and ceftriaxone-conjugated silver nanoparticles: green approach

Abstract

Of the various methods explored for the synthesis of nanoparticles, biogenesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) received great attention due to their versatile properties. In this report, Daucus carota extract was used for the synthesis of AgNPs and ceftriaxone was conjugated with AgNPs to enhance their antimicrobial efficacy. The conjugated and unconjugated AgNPs were characterized by adopting UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, AFM, DLS, and TEM, which revealed the SPR peak at 420 nm and spherical shaped nanoparticles of 20 nm size, respectively. The antimicrobial efficacies of the unconjugated AgNPs and ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs were tested against ceftriaxone-resistant human pathogens, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs showed high inhibitory action (23 mm) than the unconjugated AgNPs (18 mm) at the concentration of 50 μg/mL. Both the unconjugated and ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs were found to be non-toxic on EAC cells at 50 μg/mL. The dose-dependent cytotoxic activities were observed on increasing the concentration of the AgNPs. The ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs showed high activity than the unconjugated AgNPs. The enhanced activity could be useful to treat ceftriaxone-resistant human pathogens.

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Time-Dependent Inhibition of PHD2.

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Time-Dependent Inhibition of PHD2.

Biosci Rep. 2017 Jun 07;:

Authors: Tcholakov I, Grimshaw CE, Shi L, Kiryanov A, Murphy ST, Larson CJ, Plonowski A, Ermolieff J

Abstract
Prolyl Hydroxylases (PHDs) down-regulate the level of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) by hydroxylating key proline residues which triggers the degradation of the protein and affect the cell and its ability to respond to hypoxic stress. Several small molecule PHD inhibitors are now in various preclinical and clinical stages for the treatment of anemia. This study provides a detail kinetic analysis for some of these inhibitors. The data generated in this study suggest that these compounds are reversible and compete directly with the co-substrate, 2-oxoglutarate (2-OG) for binding at the enzyme active site. Most of these compounds are pan PHD inhibitors and exhibit a time-dependent inhibition (TDI) mechanism due to an extremely slow dissociation rate constant, koff, and a long residence time.

PMID: 28592559 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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L-Glutamine in vitro Modulates some Immunomodulatory Properties of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

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L-Glutamine in vitro Modulates some Immunomodulatory Properties of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Stem Cell Rev. 2017 Jun 07;:

Authors: Dos Santos GG, Hastreiter AA, Sartori T, Borelli P, Fock RA

Abstract
Glutamine (GLUT) is a nonessential amino acid that can become conditionally essential under stress conditions, being able to act in the modulation of the immune responses. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are known to their capability in the modulation of immune responses through cell-cell contact and by the secretion of soluble factors. Considering that GLUT is an immunonutrient and little is known about the influence of GLUT on the capability of MSCs to modulate immune cells, this work aims to investigate how variations in GLUT concentrations in vitro could affect some immunomodulatory properties of MSCs. In order to evaluate the effects of GLUT on MSCs immunomodulatory properties, cell proliferation rates, the expression of NFκB and STAT-3, and the production of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TGF-β and TNF-α by MSCs were assessed. Based on our findings, GLUT at high doses (10 mM) augmented the proliferation of MSCs and modulated immune responses by decreasing levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β and IL-6, and by increasing levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and TGF-β. In addition, MSCs cultured in higher GLUT concentrations (10 mM) expressed lower levels of NF-κB and higher levels of STAT-3. Furthermore, conditioned media from MSCs cultured at higher GLUT concentrations (10 mM) reduced lymphocyte and macrophage proliferation, increased IL-10 production by both cells types, and decreased IFN-γ production by lymphocytes. Overall, this study showed that 10 mM of GLUT is able to modify immunomodulatory properties of MSCs.

PMID: 28593472 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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An in vitro study of the long non-coding RNA TUG1 in tongue squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

Background

This study sought to study the expression of the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA)taurine-upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) and reveal its possible function.

Methods

qRT-PCR was used to evaluate 27 samples of fresh TSCC tissues and adjacent normal tongue tissues. siRNA technology was employed to down-regulate TUG1 expression in CAL-27 and SCC-9 cell lines.The3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was utilized to assess cell proliferation ability; apoptosis and cell cycle phases were analysed via flow cytometry.

Results

qRT-PCR findings indicated that the lncRNA TUG1 was up-regulated in TSCC tissues compared with adjacent normal tongue tissues(P<0.05). After TUG1 expression was down-regulated using siRNA technology, cell proliferation was significantly inhibited (P<0.05), and the number of cells in S phase was reduced(P<0.05).

Conclusion

The lncRNA TUG1 may represent a potential oncogene in TSCC.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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The experience of physicians in pharmacogenomic clinical decision support within eight German university hospitals.

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The experience of physicians in pharmacogenomic clinical decision support within eight German university hospitals.

Pharmacogenomics. 2017 Jun 08;:

Authors: Hinderer M, Boeker M, Wagner SA, Binder H, Ückert F, Newe S, Hülsemann JL, Neumaier M, Schade-Brittinger C, Acker T, Prokosch HU, Sedlmayr B

Abstract
AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the physicians' attitude, their knowledge and their experience in pharmacogenomic clinical decision support in German hospitals.
MATERIALS & METHODS: We conducted an online survey to address physicians of 13 different medical specialties across eight German university hospitals. In total, 564 returned questionnaires were analyzed.
RESULTS: The remaining knowledge gap, the uncertainty of test reimbursement and the physicians' lack of awareness of existing pharmacogenomic clinical decision support systems (CDSS) are the major barriers for implementing pharmacogenomic CDSS into German hospitals. Furthermore, pharmacogenomic CDSS are most effective in the form of real-time decision support for internists.
CONCLUSION: Physicians in German hospitals require additional education of both genetics and pharmacogenomics. They need to be provided with access to relevant pharmacogenomic CDSS.

PMID: 28593816 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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L-Glutamine in vitro Modulates some Immunomodulatory Properties of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Related Articles

L-Glutamine in vitro Modulates some Immunomodulatory Properties of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Stem Cell Rev. 2017 Jun 07;:

Authors: Dos Santos GG, Hastreiter AA, Sartori T, Borelli P, Fock RA

Abstract
Glutamine (GLUT) is a nonessential amino acid that can become conditionally essential under stress conditions, being able to act in the modulation of the immune responses. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are known to their capability in the modulation of immune responses through cell-cell contact and by the secretion of soluble factors. Considering that GLUT is an immunonutrient and little is known about the influence of GLUT on the capability of MSCs to modulate immune cells, this work aims to investigate how variations in GLUT concentrations in vitro could affect some immunomodulatory properties of MSCs. In order to evaluate the effects of GLUT on MSCs immunomodulatory properties, cell proliferation rates, the expression of NFκB and STAT-3, and the production of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TGF-β and TNF-α by MSCs were assessed. Based on our findings, GLUT at high doses (10 mM) augmented the proliferation of MSCs and modulated immune responses by decreasing levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β and IL-6, and by increasing levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and TGF-β. In addition, MSCs cultured in higher GLUT concentrations (10 mM) expressed lower levels of NF-κB and higher levels of STAT-3. Furthermore, conditioned media from MSCs cultured at higher GLUT concentrations (10 mM) reduced lymphocyte and macrophage proliferation, increased IL-10 production by both cells types, and decreased IFN-γ production by lymphocytes. Overall, this study showed that 10 mM of GLUT is able to modify immunomodulatory properties of MSCs.

PMID: 28593472 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Circonscript Subcutaneous Arteriovenous Malformation of the Head.

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Circonscript Subcutaneous Arteriovenous Malformation of the Head.

Pril (Makedon Akad Nauk Umet Odd Med Nauki). 2017 Mar 01;38(1):41-45

Authors: Mirchevski V, Zogovska E, Chaparoski A, Filipce V, Kostov M, Mirchevski MM

Abstract
The aim of this study is to show the various possibilities to treat this rare malformation, accentuating the results of the early surgical treatment before complications.
MATERIAL: The authors present 8 cases of patients with subcutaneous arteriovenous malformations, 5 females and 3 males (age of 7, 13, 19, 23, 27, 52 and 58 years) treated in the period of 1999 until 2015 at the Clinic for Neurosurgery and the Clinic for Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia. This malformation has been observed by the parents in the childhood, around the age of 3 years in all cases. Local red circonscripted nodule, soft, with manually discharging tendency and varicose dilated veins have been observed in all cases, deaf on both sides in one case, while in the older case, a cavernous sinus thrombosis caused unilateral exophthalmia, hyaline indurated ophthalmic vein, vertigo, arrhythmia, heart failure and bradypsychia have been observed. The size of the malformation has been from 2.5 to 7 cm. The diagnostics was done using CT, CT-angiography and digital angiography including external carotid angiography. Endocranial arterials peduncle was present in all cases.
RESULTS: Six cases underwent surgery, while two cases were treated with several treatments of endovascular embolization. The follow up has been ranged from 2 to 15 years. All surgically treated patients improved without recurrence, the exophthalmia, bradypsychia and the heart problems regressed, while in patients treated with endovascular non-complete occlusion the AVM decreased, but still remained.
IN CONCLUSION: The Surgical treatment remains a first option if it is possible, and as earlier as possible, while embolization is a useful tool in cases where a complete excision is not possible.

PMID: 28593889 [PubMed - in process]

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Phase I study of oral sonidegib (LDE225) in pediatric brain and solid tumors and a phase II study in children and adults with relapsed medulloblastoma

Abstract

Background.

Sonidegib (LDE225) is a potent, selective Hedgehog (Hh) inhibitor of SMOOTHENED. This study explored the safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) of sonidegib in children with relapsed/recurrent tumors followed by a phase II trial in pediatric and adult patients with relapsed medulloblastoma (MB) to assess tumor response.

Methods.

Pediatric patients aged ≥1–<18 years were included according to a Bayesian design starting at 372mg/m² of continuous once daily oral sonidegib. Tumor samples were analyzed for Hh pathway activation using a validated 5-gene Hh signature assay. In phase II, pediatric patients were treated at the recommended phase II dose (RP2D) while adults received 800mg daily.

Results.

Sixteen adult (16 MB) and 60 pediatric (39 MB, 21 other) patients with an age range of 2–17 years were enrolled. The RP2D of sonidegib in pediatric patients was established at 680mg/m² once daily. The phase II study was closed prematurely.The 5-gene Hh signature assay showed that the 4 complete responders (2 pediatric and 2 adult) and 1 partial responder (adult), all had Hh‑activated tumors, while 5 patients with activated Hh had either stable disease (n=3) or progressive disease (n=2). No patients with Hh-negative signatures (n=50) responded. The safety profile for pediatric patients was generally consistent with the one established for adult patients; however, growth plate changes were observed in pre-pubertal pediatric patients'.

Conclusions.

Sonidegib was well tolerated and the RP2D in pediatric patients was 680mg/m² once daily. Five of the 10 MB patients with activated Hh pathway demonstrated complete or partial responses.

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Exfoliation of a Two-Dimensional Cationic Inorganic Network as a New Paradigm for High-Capacity CrVI-Anion Capture

Chem. Commun., 2017, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/C7CC04375A, Communication

Huimin Yang, Honghan Fei
We have discovered a rare example of a non-LDH cationic inorganic layered material [Cu4(OH)6][O3S(CH2)4SO3]. Its in-situ exfoliation achieves record high adsorption capacities for chromate and dichromate. This phenomenon is ascribed...
The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry

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Intelligent and integrated techniques for coalbed methane (CBM) recovery and reduction of greenhouse gas emission

Abstract

Coalbed methane (CBM) recovery is a crucial approach to realize the exploitation of a clean energy and the reduction of the greenhouse gas emission. In the past 10 years, remarkable achievements on CBM recovery have been obtained in China. However, some key difficulties still exist such as long borehole drilling in complicated geological condition, and poor gas drainage effect due to low permeability. In this study, intelligent and integrated techniques for CBM recovery are introduced. These integrated techniques mainly include underground CBM recovery techniques and ground well CBM recovery techniques. The underground CBM recovery techniques consist of the borehole formation technique, gas concentration improvement technique, and permeability enhancement technique. According to the division of mining-induced disturbance area, the ground well arrangement area and well structure type in mining-induced disturbance developing area and mining-induced disturbance stable area are optimized to significantly improve the ground well CBM recovery. Besides, automatic devices such as drilling pipe installation device are also developed to achieve remote control of data recording, which makes the integrated techniques intelligent. These techniques can provide key solutions to some long-term difficulties in CBM recovery.

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Citric acid enhanced the antioxidant defense system and chromium uptake by Lemna minor L. grown in hydroponics under Cr stress

Abstract

Phytoextraction is a cost-effective and eco-friendly technique for the removal of pollutants, mainly heavy metal(loids) especially from polluted water and metal-contaminated soils. The phytoextraction of heavy metals is, in general, limited due to the low availability of heavy metals in the growth medium. Organic chelators can help to improve the phytoextraction by increasing metal mobility and solubility in the growth medium. The present research was carried out to examine the possibility of citric acid (CA) in improving chromium (Cr) phytoextraction by Lemna minor (duckweed). For this purpose, healthy plants were collected from nearby marsh and grown in hydroponics under controlled conditions. Initial metal contents of both marsh water and plant were measured along with physico-chemical properties of the marsh water. Different concentrations of Cr and CA were applied in the hydroponics in different combinations after defined intervals. Continuous aeration was supplied and pH maintained at 6.5 ± 0.1. Results showed that increasing concentration of Cr significantly decreased the plant biomass, photosynthetic pigments, leaf area, and antioxidant enzyme activities (like catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase). Furthermore, Cr stress increased the Cr concentrations, electrolyte leakage, hydrogen peroxide, and malondialdehyde contents in plants. The addition of CA alleviated the Cr-induced toxicity in plants and further enhanced the Cr uptake and its accumulation in L. minor. The addition of CA enhanced the Cr concentration in L. minor by 6.10, 26.5, 20.5, and 20.2% at 0, 10, 100, and 200 μM Cr treatments, respectively, compared to the respective Cr treatments without CA. Overall, the results of the present study showed that CA addition may enhance the Cr accumulation and tolerance in L. minor by enhancing the plant growth and activities of antioxidant enzymes.

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Distribution of phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria in relation to fractionation and sorption behaviors of phosphorus in sediment of the Three Gorges Reservoir

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) fractionation and sorption behavior as well as the abundance and community composition of phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) in sediments, including inorganic phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (IPB) and organic phosphate-mineralizing bacteria (OPB), were investigated in 27 sampling sites of five sections in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in December 2012. The calcium-bound phosphorus (CaCO₃∼P) accounted for the largest part for P fractions in the sediment of TGR, which was paralleled with IPB outnumbering OPB. Furthermore, some PSB isolates, such as Micromonospora sp., Aminobacter sp., and Arthrobacter sp., were shared by the IPB and OPB. Thus, some IPB species functioned as OPB and vise versa, which could be further reflected by a negative and significant relationship between PSB (IPB + OPB) number and content of CaCO₃∼P together with acid-soluble organic phosphorus (ASOP). Spatially, the highest ASOP content in the section Mudong and the highest CaCO₃∼P plus iron-bound phosphorus (Fe(OOH)∼P) as well as equilibrium phosphorus concentration (EPC₀) in the sections of Yunyang and Zigui due to sediment sequestration by the dam, as well as the positive relationship between EPC₀ and the ratios of different phosphorus species and phosphorus sorption maximum (Q _max), jointly indicated pathway diversification and potential risk of phosphorus release mediated by PSB in TGR.

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An enhancement of antimicrobial efficacy of biogenic and ceftriaxone-conjugated silver nanoparticles: green approach

Abstract

Of the various methods explored for the synthesis of nanoparticles, biogenesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) received great attention due to their versatile properties. In this report, Daucus carota extract was used for the synthesis of AgNPs and ceftriaxone was conjugated with AgNPs to enhance their antimicrobial efficacy. The conjugated and unconjugated AgNPs were characterized by adopting UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, AFM, DLS, and TEM, which revealed the SPR peak at 420 nm and spherical shaped nanoparticles of 20 nm size, respectively. The antimicrobial efficacies of the unconjugated AgNPs and ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs were tested against ceftriaxone-resistant human pathogens, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs showed high inhibitory action (23 mm) than the unconjugated AgNPs (18 mm) at the concentration of 50 μg/mL. Both the unconjugated and ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs were found to be non-toxic on EAC cells at 50 μg/mL. The dose-dependent cytotoxic activities were observed on increasing the concentration of the AgNPs. The ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs showed high activity than the unconjugated AgNPs. The enhanced activity could be useful to treat ceftriaxone-resistant human pathogens.

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Orientation behavior is a good biomarker of trace metal contamination in Parallelomorphus laevigatus (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

Abstract

Behavioral ecotoxicology has become very important in the short time since a change in behavior is very often the first response to environmental altered conditions. We investigated the influence of trace metal intake on the spatial orientation performances of the carabid beetle Parallelomorphus laevigatus, fundamental ability for its survival. The aim of this study was to consider the solar orientation as behavioral biomarker for exposure to trace metal contamination. Therefore, we tested the ability of solar orientation of specimens of this species, fed with shrimps contaminated with three different concentrations of Cu, Zn, or Hg. We carried out the orientation tests after 1, 3, 7, and 10 days of contaminated feeding. Subsequently, we fed these beetles with not contaminated shrimps and again tested them after 1, 3, 7, and 10 days. For all three metals considered and, regardless of the degree of contamination of the food, we have found a progressive and significant counterclockwise displacement of the angle of orientation and a corresponding progressive reduction in the precision in the directional choices by the animals. We also noticed a clear growing recovery in the normal orientation by these insects after returning to their feeding with uncontaminated food. In conclusion, we can consider the orientation in space of P. laevigatus as a behavioral biomarker for exposure to trace metal contamination. We believe that the intake of trace metals may induce the insects to make mistakes in their spatial orientation, due to an acceleration of their biological clock. Such a clock malfunction is not definitive, since the return to a normal diet restores P. laevigatus the ability to re-make the correct directional choices. Ultimately, our results confirm the usefulness of behavioral ecotoxicology investigations; moreover, they stimulate the opportunity to deepen the understanding of functioning of the biological clock in the animals.

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Combined preoperative measurement of three inferior alveolar canal factors using computed tomography predicts the risk of inferior alveolar nerve injury during lower third molar extraction

This study included 85 patients (124 extraction sites). The relationship between cortication status, buccolingual position, and shape of the inferior alveolar canal (IAC) on CT images and the incidence of inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) injury after third molar extraction was evaluated. IAN injury was observed at eight of the 124 sites (6.5%), and in five of 19 sites (26.3%) in which cortication was absent+the IAC had a lingual position+the IAC had a dumbbell shape. (Source: International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery)

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A comparison of the outcomes of four minimally invasive treatment methods for anterior disc displacement of the temporomandibular joint

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of four non-surgical conservative treatment methods for temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The study group comprised 40 patients with unilateral TMD who fell into group II of the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD). Patients were divided into four groups according to the treatment method: splint therapy, arthrocentesis, medical therapy, and low-level laser therapy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed before treatment and at the 1-month follow-up. (Source: International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery)

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Phase I study of oral sonidegib (LDE225) in pediatric brain and solid tumors and a phase II study in children and adults with relapsed medulloblastoma

Abstract

Background.

Sonidegib (LDE225) is a potent, selective Hedgehog (Hh) inhibitor of SMOOTHENED. This study explored the safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) of sonidegib in children with relapsed/recurrent tumors followed by a phase II trial in pediatric and adult patients with relapsed medulloblastoma (MB) to assess tumor response.

Methods.

Pediatric patients aged ≥1–<18 years were included according to a Bayesian design starting at 372mg/m² of continuous once daily oral sonidegib. Tumor samples were analyzed for Hh pathway activation using a validated 5-gene Hh signature assay. In phase II, pediatric patients were treated at the recommended phase II dose (RP2D) while adults received 800mg daily.

Results.

Sixteen adult (16 MB) and 60 pediatric (39 MB, 21 other) patients with an age range of 2–17 years were enrolled. The RP2D of sonidegib in pediatric patients was established at 680mg/m² once daily. The phase II study was closed prematurely.The 5-gene Hh signature assay showed that the 4 complete responders (2 pediatric and 2 adult) and 1 partial responder (adult), all had Hh‑activated tumors, while 5 patients with activated Hh had either stable disease (n=3) or progressive disease (n=2). No patients with Hh-negative signatures (n=50) responded. The safety profile for pediatric patients was generally consistent with the one established for adult patients; however, growth plate changes were observed in pre-pubertal pediatric patients'.

Conclusions.

Sonidegib was well tolerated and the RP2D in pediatric patients was 680mg/m² once daily. Five of the 10 MB patients with activated Hh pathway demonstrated complete or partial responses.

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Removal of Cr(VI) by surfactant modified Auricularia auricula spent substrate: biosorption condition and mechanism

Abstract

Auricularia auricula spent substrate (AASS) modified by didodecyldimethylammonium bromide(DDAB) was used as adsorbent to remove Cr(VI) from aqueous solution. Based on a single-factor experiment and response surface methodology, the optimal conditions were adsorbent dosage of 1.5 g/L, pH value of 4.0, initial Cr(VI) concentration of 19 mg/L, temperature of 25 °C, biosorption time of 120 min, rotational speed of 150 r/min, respectively, under which biosorption capacity could reach 12.16 mg/g compared with unmodified AASS (6.058 mg/g). DDAB modification could enlarge the specific surface area and porous diameter of the adsorbents, and supply hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups capable of adsorbing at the interfaces. In addition, DDAB increased ionic exchange and complex formation demonstrated by variations of elemental contents, shifts of carboxyl, amine groups, hydroxyl, alkyl chains, and phosphate groups as well as the crystal structure of the Cr-O compounds. Variations of peaks and energy in XPS analysis also testified the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III).The biosorption behavior of modified AASS was in line with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm equation. The final regeneration efficiency was 62.33% after three biosorption-desorption cycles. Apparently, DDBA is a eximious modifier and DDBA-modified AASS was very efficient for Cr(VI) removal.−

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Exfoliation of a Two-Dimensional Cationic Inorganic Network as a New Paradigm for High-Capacity CrVI-Anion Capture

Chem. Commun., 2017, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/C7CC04375A, Communication

Huimin Yang, Honghan Fei
We have discovered a rare example of a non-LDH cationic inorganic layered material [Cu4(OH)6][O3S(CH2)4SO3]. Its in-situ exfoliation achieves record high adsorption capacities for chromate and dichromate. This phenomenon is ascribed...
The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry

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Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha mediates C/EBP homologous protein to protect mice from acute liver failure

Abstract

Objective

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) activation has been reported to ameliorate liver injury in cases of acute liver failure (ALF). However, its intrinsic protective molecular mechanisms remain largely undetermined. C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) is an important mediator of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that PPARα activation alleviates liver inflammation to protect mice from acute liver failure (ALF) mediated by CHOP.

Methods

In a murine model induced by d-galactosamine (d-GalN, 700 mg/kg) and LPS (10 μg/kg), Wy-14643 (6 mg/kg) was administered to activate PPARα. The mice of different groups were killed 6 h after d-GalN/LPS injection, and the liver and blood were collected for analysis. To find out whether PPARα activation protects the liver from injury due to inflammation by regulating CHOP, we used expression plasmid to increase CHOP expression and demonstrated how PPARα mediated CHOP to regulate inflammation in vivo and in vitro.

Results

The expression of PPARα was downregulated and the expression of CHOP was upregulated with the development of d-GalN/LPS-induced liver injury. The protective molecular mechanisms of PPARα activation were dependent on the expression of CHOP. Indeed, (1) PPARα activation decreased the expression of CHOP; on the other hand, PPARα knockdown increased the expression of CHOP in vivo; (2) the depressed liver inflammation by PPARα activation was due to the downregulation of CHOP expression, because overexpression of CHOP by transfect plasmid reversed liver protection and increased liver inflammation again; (3) in vitro, PPARα inhibition by siRNA treatment increased the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, and CHOP siRNA co-transfection reversed the expression of proinflammatory cytokines.

Conclusions

Here, we demonstrated that PPARα activation contributes to liver protection and decreases liver inflammation in ALF, particularly through regulating CHOP. Our findings may provide a rationale for targeting PPARα as a potential therapeutic strategy to ameliorate ALF.

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How fear of crime affects punitive attitudes

Abstract

This article investigates different types of fear of crime as predictors for punitive attitudes. Using data from a Germany-wide representative survey (n = 1272) it examines the reliability and validity of survey instruments through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and uses structural equation modeling (SEM) to explain variations in the level of respondents' punitive attitudes. The results show that different emotional and cognitive responses to crime have a distinctive effect on the formation of punitive attitudes. These effects vary significantly depending on socio-demographic factors and assumed purposes of punishment. A crucial observation of the study is that men's fear of crime works in a different way in the formation of punitive attitudes than women's fear of crime. The perceived locus of control for the crime threat is a possible explanation for this difference.

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Intelligent and integrated techniques for coalbed methane (CBM) recovery and reduction of greenhouse gas emission

Abstract

Coalbed methane (CBM) recovery is a crucial approach to realize the exploitation of a clean energy and the reduction of the greenhouse gas emission. In the past 10 years, remarkable achievements on CBM recovery have been obtained in China. However, some key difficulties still exist such as long borehole drilling in complicated geological condition, and poor gas drainage effect due to low permeability. In this study, intelligent and integrated techniques for CBM recovery are introduced. These integrated techniques mainly include underground CBM recovery techniques and ground well CBM recovery techniques. The underground CBM recovery techniques consist of the borehole formation technique, gas concentration improvement technique, and permeability enhancement technique. According to the division of mining-induced disturbance area, the ground well arrangement area and well structure type in mining-induced disturbance developing area and mining-induced disturbance stable area are optimized to significantly improve the ground well CBM recovery. Besides, automatic devices such as drilling pipe installation device are also developed to achieve remote control of data recording, which makes the integrated techniques intelligent. These techniques can provide key solutions to some long-term difficulties in CBM recovery.

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Interstitial Lung Disease Associated with Adult Niemann-Pick Disease Type B

Respiration

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Intelligent and integrated techniques for coalbed methane (CBM) recovery and reduction of greenhouse gas emission

Abstract

Coalbed methane (CBM) recovery is a crucial approach to realize the exploitation of a clean energy and the reduction of the greenhouse gas emission. In the past 10 years, remarkable achievements on CBM recovery have been obtained in China. However, some key difficulties still exist such as long borehole drilling in complicated geological condition, and poor gas drainage effect due to low permeability. In this study, intelligent and integrated techniques for CBM recovery are introduced. These integrated techniques mainly include underground CBM recovery techniques and ground well CBM recovery techniques. The underground CBM recovery techniques consist of the borehole formation technique, gas concentration improvement technique, and permeability enhancement technique. According to the division of mining-induced disturbance area, the ground well arrangement area and well structure type in mining-induced disturbance developing area and mining-induced disturbance stable area are optimized to significantly improve the ground well CBM recovery. Besides, automatic devices such as drilling pipe installation device are also developed to achieve remote control of data recording, which makes the integrated techniques intelligent. These techniques can provide key solutions to some long-term difficulties in CBM recovery.

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Citric acid enhanced the antioxidant defense system and chromium uptake by Lemna minor L. grown in hydroponics under Cr stress

Abstract

Phytoextraction is a cost-effective and eco-friendly technique for the removal of pollutants, mainly heavy metal(loids) especially from polluted water and metal-contaminated soils. The phytoextraction of heavy metals is, in general, limited due to the low availability of heavy metals in the growth medium. Organic chelators can help to improve the phytoextraction by increasing metal mobility and solubility in the growth medium. The present research was carried out to examine the possibility of citric acid (CA) in improving chromium (Cr) phytoextraction by Lemna minor (duckweed). For this purpose, healthy plants were collected from nearby marsh and grown in hydroponics under controlled conditions. Initial metal contents of both marsh water and plant were measured along with physico-chemical properties of the marsh water. Different concentrations of Cr and CA were applied in the hydroponics in different combinations after defined intervals. Continuous aeration was supplied and pH maintained at 6.5 ± 0.1. Results showed that increasing concentration of Cr significantly decreased the plant biomass, photosynthetic pigments, leaf area, and antioxidant enzyme activities (like catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase). Furthermore, Cr stress increased the Cr concentrations, electrolyte leakage, hydrogen peroxide, and malondialdehyde contents in plants. The addition of CA alleviated the Cr-induced toxicity in plants and further enhanced the Cr uptake and its accumulation in L. minor. The addition of CA enhanced the Cr concentration in L. minor by 6.10, 26.5, 20.5, and 20.2% at 0, 10, 100, and 200 μM Cr treatments, respectively, compared to the respective Cr treatments without CA. Overall, the results of the present study showed that CA addition may enhance the Cr accumulation and tolerance in L. minor by enhancing the plant growth and activities of antioxidant enzymes.

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Pulmonary Rehabilitation Outcomes after Single or Double Lung Transplantation in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or Interstitial Lung Disease

Background: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) following lung transplantation (LTx) has been shown to be effective with regard to exercise capacity and health-related quality of life (HRQL). However, outcome data is limited with respect to LTx as a population. Differences concerning the effects of PR in patients with single LTx (SLTx) or double LTx (DLTx) have not been studied yet. Objectives: The aim was to compare possible differences concerning PR outcomes between SLTx and DLTx. Methods: In a retrospective analysis (period: 1997-2016), data from 722 patients with either chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; SLTx: n = 129, FEV₁ 51 ± 17% pred.; DLTx: n = 204, FEV₁ 74 ± 20% pred.) or interstitial lung disease (ILD; SLTx: n = 135, FVC 58 ± 18% pred.; DLTx: n = 254, FVC 63 ± 18% pred.) after LTx were included. All patients underwent a specialized inpatient PR program. The data of the 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) and HRQL (physical [PCS] and mental [MCS] component summary of the SF- 36 questionnaire) were analyzed. Results: Independently from the procedure and pretransplant diagnosis, patients significantly (p Conclusions: LTx patients with a pretransplant diagnosis of COPD or ILD all benefitted significantly and with clinical relevance with regard to exercise capacity and HRQL from an inpatient PR performed within 1 year postoperatively. PR outcomes were similar regardless of SLTx or DLTx.
Respiration

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Citric acid enhanced the antioxidant defense system and chromium uptake by Lemna minor L. grown in hydroponics under Cr stress

Abstract

Phytoextraction is a cost-effective and eco-friendly technique for the removal of pollutants, mainly heavy metal(loids) especially from polluted water and metal-contaminated soils. The phytoextraction of heavy metals is, in general, limited due to the low availability of heavy metals in the growth medium. Organic chelators can help to improve the phytoextraction by increasing metal mobility and solubility in the growth medium. The present research was carried out to examine the possibility of citric acid (CA) in improving chromium (Cr) phytoextraction by Lemna minor (duckweed). For this purpose, healthy plants were collected from nearby marsh and grown in hydroponics under controlled conditions. Initial metal contents of both marsh water and plant were measured along with physico-chemical properties of the marsh water. Different concentrations of Cr and CA were applied in the hydroponics in different combinations after defined intervals. Continuous aeration was supplied and pH maintained at 6.5 ± 0.1. Results showed that increasing concentration of Cr significantly decreased the plant biomass, photosynthetic pigments, leaf area, and antioxidant enzyme activities (like catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase). Furthermore, Cr stress increased the Cr concentrations, electrolyte leakage, hydrogen peroxide, and malondialdehyde contents in plants. The addition of CA alleviated the Cr-induced toxicity in plants and further enhanced the Cr uptake and its accumulation in L. minor. The addition of CA enhanced the Cr concentration in L. minor by 6.10, 26.5, 20.5, and 20.2% at 0, 10, 100, and 200 μM Cr treatments, respectively, compared to the respective Cr treatments without CA. Overall, the results of the present study showed that CA addition may enhance the Cr accumulation and tolerance in L. minor by enhancing the plant growth and activities of antioxidant enzymes.

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Distribution of phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria in relation to fractionation and sorption behaviors of phosphorus in sediment of the Three Gorges Reservoir

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) fractionation and sorption behavior as well as the abundance and community composition of phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) in sediments, including inorganic phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (IPB) and organic phosphate-mineralizing bacteria (OPB), were investigated in 27 sampling sites of five sections in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in December 2012. The calcium-bound phosphorus (CaCO₃∼P) accounted for the largest part for P fractions in the sediment of TGR, which was paralleled with IPB outnumbering OPB. Furthermore, some PSB isolates, such as Micromonospora sp., Aminobacter sp., and Arthrobacter sp., were shared by the IPB and OPB. Thus, some IPB species functioned as OPB and vise versa, which could be further reflected by a negative and significant relationship between PSB (IPB + OPB) number and content of CaCO₃∼P together with acid-soluble organic phosphorus (ASOP). Spatially, the highest ASOP content in the section Mudong and the highest CaCO₃∼P plus iron-bound phosphorus (Fe(OOH)∼P) as well as equilibrium phosphorus concentration (EPC₀) in the sections of Yunyang and Zigui due to sediment sequestration by the dam, as well as the positive relationship between EPC₀ and the ratios of different phosphorus species and phosphorus sorption maximum (Q _max), jointly indicated pathway diversification and potential risk of phosphorus release mediated by PSB in TGR.

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Immunological effect of local ablation combined with immunotherapy on solid malignancies.

Related Articles

Immunological effect of local ablation combined with immunotherapy on solid malignancies.

Chin J Cancer. 2017 Jun 07;36(1):49

Authors: Takahashi Y, Matsutani N, Nakayama T, Dejima H, Uehara H, Kawamura M

Abstract
Recent comprehensive investigations clarified that immune microenvironment surrounding tumor cells are deeply involved in tumor progression, metastasis, and response to treatment. Furthermore, several immunotherapeutic trials have achieved successful results, and the immunotherapeutic agents are available in clinical practice. To enhance their demonstrated efficacy, combination of immunotherapy and ablation has begun to emerge. Local ablations have considerable advantages as an alternative therapeutic option, especially its minimal invasiveness. In addition, local ablations have shown immune-regulatory effect in preclinical and clinical studies. Although the corresponding mechanisms are still unclear, the local ablations combined with immunotherapy have been suggested in the treatment of several solid malignancies. This article aims to review the published data on the immune-regulatory effects of local ablations including stereotactic body radiotherapy, cryoablation, radiofrequency ablation, and high-intensity-focused ultrasound. We also discuss the value of local ablations combined with immunotherapy. Local ablations have the potential to improve future patient outcomes; however, the effectiveness and safety of local ablations combined with immunotherapy should be further investigated.

PMID: 28592286 [PubMed - in process]

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Distribution of phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria in relation to fractionation and sorption behaviors of phosphorus in sediment of the Three Gorges Reservoir

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) fractionation and sorption behavior as well as the abundance and community composition of phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) in sediments, including inorganic phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (IPB) and organic phosphate-mineralizing bacteria (OPB), were investigated in 27 sampling sites of five sections in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in December 2012. The calcium-bound phosphorus (CaCO₃∼P) accounted for the largest part for P fractions in the sediment of TGR, which was paralleled with IPB outnumbering OPB. Furthermore, some PSB isolates, such as Micromonospora sp., Aminobacter sp., and Arthrobacter sp., were shared by the IPB and OPB. Thus, some IPB species functioned as OPB and vise versa, which could be further reflected by a negative and significant relationship between PSB (IPB + OPB) number and content of CaCO₃∼P together with acid-soluble organic phosphorus (ASOP). Spatially, the highest ASOP content in the section Mudong and the highest CaCO₃∼P plus iron-bound phosphorus (Fe(OOH)∼P) as well as equilibrium phosphorus concentration (EPC₀) in the sections of Yunyang and Zigui due to sediment sequestration by the dam, as well as the positive relationship between EPC₀ and the ratios of different phosphorus species and phosphorus sorption maximum (Q _max), jointly indicated pathway diversification and potential risk of phosphorus release mediated by PSB in TGR.

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An enhancement of antimicrobial efficacy of biogenic and ceftriaxone-conjugated silver nanoparticles: green approach

Abstract

Of the various methods explored for the synthesis of nanoparticles, biogenesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) received great attention due to their versatile properties. In this report, Daucus carota extract was used for the synthesis of AgNPs and ceftriaxone was conjugated with AgNPs to enhance their antimicrobial efficacy. The conjugated and unconjugated AgNPs were characterized by adopting UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, AFM, DLS, and TEM, which revealed the SPR peak at 420 nm and spherical shaped nanoparticles of 20 nm size, respectively. The antimicrobial efficacies of the unconjugated AgNPs and ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs were tested against ceftriaxone-resistant human pathogens, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs showed high inhibitory action (23 mm) than the unconjugated AgNPs (18 mm) at the concentration of 50 μg/mL. Both the unconjugated and ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs were found to be non-toxic on EAC cells at 50 μg/mL. The dose-dependent cytotoxic activities were observed on increasing the concentration of the AgNPs. The ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs showed high activity than the unconjugated AgNPs. The enhanced activity could be useful to treat ceftriaxone-resistant human pathogens.

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Surgical Management of a Coronary-Bronchial Artery Fistula Combined with Myocardial Ischemia Revealed by (13)N-Ammonia Positron Emission Tomography.

Related Articles

Surgical Management of a Coronary-Bronchial Artery Fistula Combined with Myocardial Ischemia Revealed by (13)N-Ammonia Positron Emission Tomography.

Korean J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2017 Jun;50(3):220-223

Authors: Choi HJ, Kim HW, Kim DY, Choi KB, Jo KH

Abstract
A 71-year-old male with known bronchiectasis and atrial fibrillation was admitted to Seoul St. Mary's Hospital with recurrent transient ischemic attack. Radiofrequency ablation was performed to resolve the patient's atrial fibrillation, but failed. However, a fistula between the left circumflex artery and the bilateral bronchial arteries was found on computed tomography. Fistula ligation and a left-side maze operation were planned due to his recurrent symptom of dizziness, and these procedures were successfully performed. After the operation, the fistula was completely divided and no recurrence of atrial fibrillation took place. A coronary-bronchial artery fistula is a rare anomaly, and can be safely treated by surgical repair.

PMID: 28593161 [PubMed - in process]

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An enhancement of antimicrobial efficacy of biogenic and ceftriaxone-conjugated silver nanoparticles: green approach

Abstract

Of the various methods explored for the synthesis of nanoparticles, biogenesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) received great attention due to their versatile properties. In this report, Daucus carota extract was used for the synthesis of AgNPs and ceftriaxone was conjugated with AgNPs to enhance their antimicrobial efficacy. The conjugated and unconjugated AgNPs were characterized by adopting UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, AFM, DLS, and TEM, which revealed the SPR peak at 420 nm and spherical shaped nanoparticles of 20 nm size, respectively. The antimicrobial efficacies of the unconjugated AgNPs and ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs were tested against ceftriaxone-resistant human pathogens, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs showed high inhibitory action (23 mm) than the unconjugated AgNPs (18 mm) at the concentration of 50 μg/mL. Both the unconjugated and ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs were found to be non-toxic on EAC cells at 50 μg/mL. The dose-dependent cytotoxic activities were observed on increasing the concentration of the AgNPs. The ceftriaxone-conjugated AgNPs showed high activity than the unconjugated AgNPs. The enhanced activity could be useful to treat ceftriaxone-resistant human pathogens.

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Supraventricular arrhythmias in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy associate with long-term outcome after catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardias.

Supraventricular arrhythmias in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy associate with long-term outcome after catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardias.

Europace. 2017 Jun 07;:

Authors: Müssigbrodt A, Knopp H, Efimova E, Weber A, Bertagnolli L, Hilbert S, Kosiuk J, Dinov B, Bode K, Kircher S, Dagres N, Richter S, Sommer P, Husser D, Bollmann A, Hindricks G, Arya A

Abstract
Aims: This study aimed to assess the impact of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) on long-term results of radiofrequency catheter ablation therapy of ventricular tachycardia (VT) in a large cohort of patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C).
Methods and results: Supraventricular tachycardia occurrence has been studied in patients from our ARVD/C registry (70 patients, 48 male, age 53.2 ± 14.0, 45 patients (64.3%) with previous VT ablation). SVT were diagnosed in 26 of 70 patients (37.1%). Atrial fibrillation (AF) was the most frequent atrial arrhythmia, diagnosed in 17 patients (24.3%). In univariate analysis advanced age, clinical symptoms of heart failure, enlarged right atrium, diagnosis of significant tricuspid regurgitation (TR), and inappropriate implantable cardioverters-defibrillators therapy were associated with SVT. In binary logistic regression analysis only heart failure: hazard ratio (HR) 10.89, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.08-109.96 (P = 0.043) and significant TR: HR 4.79, 95% CI 1.35-16.33 (P = 0.015) remained associated with SVT. In patients with previous VT ablation Cox multiple regression survival analysis revealed older age (≥53 years): HR 4.63, 95% CI 1.51-14.24 (P = 0.008) and SVT: HR 3.01, 95% CI 1.15-7.89 (P = 0.025) as predictors for VT recurrence during the follow-up.
Conclusion: SVT and older age are associated with the recurrence of VT after catheter ablation in patients with ARVD/C.

PMID: 28595345 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Dermoscopic images of malignant and benign skin lesions

http://sfaki.blogspot.com/2017/06/using-watson-to-diagnose-skin-cancer.html

Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182

6948891480

alsfakia@gmail.com

Tilt-induced cardio-inhibitory reflex syncope (BIOSync trial) : 12-item questionnaire to distinguish between complete transient loss of consciousness (i.e., syncope) and pre-syncope or other minor symptoms and, additionally, to provide a standardized categorical description of the clinical presentation of syncope including duration, reproducibility with previous episodes, presence of prodromes, presence of witnesses, context, and consequences of the episode.

http://sfaki.blogspot.com/2017/06/12-item-questionnaire-to-distinguish.html

Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182

6948891480

alsfakia@gmail.com

Monoclonal antibodies against IL-5 or IL-5 receptor alpha (mepolizumab, reslizumab, benralizumab), IL-13 (lebrikizumab, tralokinumab), IL-4 receptor alpha (dupilumab), Immune globuline E (IgE) (omalizumab), anti-Thymic Stromal Lymphopoitin (TSLP) (tezepelumab) and small molecule therapies such as prostaglandin D2 blockers (fevipiprant, timapiprant). New Anti-Eosinophil Drugs for asthma and COPD

http://sfaki.blogspot.com/2017/06/monoclonal-antibodies-against-il-5-or.html

Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182

6948891480

alsfakia@gmail.com

Developments in Molecular Testing and Biosimilars

Molecular testing and biosimilars offer the potential for increased access to targeted treatment options and reduction in healthcare costs, but come with significant challenges in ensuring patient access to innovation in cancer care while maintaining safe, effective, ethical, and affordable treatment options. As providers, payers, patients, and the larger healthcare systems become inundated with a wide variety of molecular diagnostics and an increased number of biosimilars coming to market, it will be important to understand regulatory guidance and policy implications relating to the appropriateness of molecular testing and the clinical use of biosimilars in cancer care. In September 2016, NCCN hosted the Molecular Testing and Biosimilars Policy Summit to address the challenges, issues, and opportunities in both the molecular testing and biosimilar landscapes. Keynote presentations and panelists further discussed the status and future of molecular testing and biosimilars within the oncology space, as well as patient access and education needs moving forward.

from ! Medicine by Alexandros G. Sfakianakis via a.lsfakia on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2rb4HbV
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