MedWorm: Laboratory Medicine

Practical Laboratory Aspects of Cystic Fibrosis Microbiology: an Update, Part I

Clinical Microbiology Newsletter — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:10:40 +0100

This article provides an update of the major CF pathogens and offers a practical laboratory guide that addresses some of the issues encountered with these cultures. Part I of this two-part article reviews the new and most current information gathered from the literature since 2006 with respect to Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Burkholderia cepacia complex, and other glucose non-fermenting gram-negative rods. Part II of this article will complete the review of the key organisms associated with CF infections, including Staphylococcus aureus, nontuberculous mycobacteria, and fungi. Issues regarding susceptibility testing will also be addressed. Finally, a practical laboratory guide will be provided to address some of the confounding issues associated with CF microbiology. (Source: Clinical Microbiol...

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Examination of Factors Affecting Adverse Reactions and Dosage Reduction in UGT1A1 Genotyped Patients: A Retrospective Survey of Irinotecan.

Yakugaku Zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:06:03 +0100

Authors: Okazaki K, Watanabe T, Saito I, Murayama J Abstract Our aim was to clarify the side effects of irinotecan which occurred in patients admitted to Showa University Hospital to investigate whether the UGT1A1 genetic polymorphism status was reflected in the discontinuation or dose reduction of irinotecan. We retrospectively investigated UGT1A1 genetic polymorphisms, irinotecan dosage, dose discontinuance or reduction, and laboratory results from May 1 2009 to April 30 2010. The analysis of UGT1A1 genetic polymorphisms in 23 patients showed that frequencies of the UGT1A1*6 and UGT1A1*28 polymorphisms were 35% (eight patients) and 22% (five patients), respectively, and 17% (three patients) were UGT1A1*6/UGT1A1*28 compound heterozygotes. Of all patients who received irinotecan, d...

Effect of Land Application of Phosphorus-Saturated Gypsum on Soil Phosphorus in a Laboratory Incubation

Advances in Urology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:46:42 +0100

The objective of this study was to evaluate what effect soil amendment with gypsum would have on soil P concentrations and forms in a laboratory incubation experiment. Gypsum was saturated at two levels with P, and applied to a silt loam and a sandy loam at two rates. The treated soils were incubated in the laboratory at 25°C, and samples were collected on eight dates between 0 and 183 days after amendment. Spent gypsum application did not significantly increase soil water-extractable or Mehlich 3 P when applied at typical agronomic rates. This appears to be a viable strategy to remove P from agricultural drainage waters but does not appear to provide any additional P fertilizer value. (Source: Advances in Urology)

Clinical and Forensic Signs Related to Cocaine Abuse. - Dinis-Oliveira RJ, Carvalho F, Duarte JA, Proença JB, Santos A, Magalhães T.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:54:53 +0100

Good laboratory practice in toxicological analysis requires pre-analytical steps for collection of detailed information related to the suspected poisoning episodes, including biological and non-biological circumstantial evidences, which should be carefully... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

When Recruiting and Training Generation Y to Work in Medical Laboratories, U.S.A and U.K. Face Same Challenges

Dark Daily — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:00:11 +0100

DATELINE—BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND: Workforce issues in medical laboratories received special attention here at the 10th Annual Frontiers in Laboratory Medicine (FiLM) conference that ended last week. Probably the major concern going forward is how to attract, train, and sustain adequate numbers in the medical laboratory workforce. Two speakers addressed medical laboratory workforce issues at a strategic [...] (Source: Dark Daily)

Bill Gates backs climate scientists lobbying for large-scale geoengineering

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:18:00 +0100

Other wealthy individuals have also funded a series of reports into the future use of technologies to geoengineer the climate• What is geo-engineering?• Scientists criticise handling of geoengineering pilot projectA small group of leading climate scientists, financially supported by billionaires including Bill Gates, are lobbying governments and international bodies to back experiments into manipulating the climate on a global scale to avoid catastrophic climate change.The scientists, who advocate geoengineering methods such as spraying millions of tonnes of reflective particles of sulphur dioxide 30 miles above earth, argue that a "plan B" for climate change will be needed if the UN and politicians cannot agree to making the necessary cuts in greenhouse gases, and say the US governme...

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Mothers' and Fathers' Parenting Quality and Toddlers' Interactive Behaviours in Dyadic and Triadic Family Contexts

Infant and Child Development — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

This study adds unique insights to the differences and similarities of parent–child dyadic and triadic interactions during toddlerhood. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (Source: Infant and Child Development)

E. Coli O157:H7 Population Reduction from Alfalfa Seeds with Malic Acid and Thiamine Dilauryl Sulfate and Quality Evaluation of the Resulting Sprouts

Journal of Food Science — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

The objectives of this research were to examine the efficacy of malic acid (MA) and thiamine dilauryl sulfate (TDS) combined treatments on the inactivation of E. coli O157:H7 on alfalfa seeds, to study the growth of the remaining E. coli cells during sprouting, and to evaluate the sprout quality. When 10 g of inoculated alfalfa seeds were washed in a 10% MA‐1% TDS solution, a complete elimination of E. coli was achieved. The same result was observed by washing the seeds in a 20000 ppm Ca(OCl)2 solution. However, when the seed size was increased to 50 g while maintaining the same seed‐to‐sanitizer ratio, both the MA + TDS and the 20000 ppm chlorine washes failed to completely inactivate the E. coli cells on the seeds. Nevertheless, the 10% MA‐1% TDS solution was significantly more e...

Tolerability and efficacy of the intestinal phosphate binder Lantharenol(R) in cats

BMC Veterinary Research - Latest articles — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: The feed additive was well accepted and tolerated by all cats. Therefore, Lantharenol(R) presents a well tolerated and efficacious option to individually tailor restriction of dietary phosphorus as indicated for instance in feline chronic kidney disease. (Source: BMC Veterinary Research - Latest articles)

Zolmitriptan-induced acute myocardial infarction.

Cardiology Journal — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:36:02 +0100

We present the case of a 45 year-old woman with a history of migraine with visual aura since the age of 20. She had no history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, smoking or any other risk factors for cardiovascular events before she was admitted to our emergency room with typical chest pain. An electrocardiogram revealed anterior myocardial infarction following her monthly dose of oral zolmitriptan. Catherization revealed a normal coronary arterial system. The laboratory indices for cardiac risk were within normal ranges. The patient was advised to avoid triptans permanently on being discharged. (Cardiol J 2012; 19, 1: 76-78). PMID: 22298171 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Cardiology Journal)

Two Studies Find that Patients Want Access to their Health Records, Including Clinical Pathology Test Data

ICMCC: The International Council on Medical and Care Compunetics — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:22:28 +0100

Source: Dark Daily Content: “Data from two studies here in the United States affirms that patients want access to their health records. Consequently, health systems are increasingly making it easier for patients to get access to prescription lists, medical laboratory test results and now even doctors’ notes. These findings are important for clinical laboratories and anatomic [...] (Source: ICMCC: The International Council on Medical and Care Compunetics)

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Does A Lab-Measured Compassionate Brain Fare Well In Real Life?

Health News from Medical News Today — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:00:00 +0100

A new series of studies is being launched by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, exploring insight knowledge on how laboratory measures of moral qualities, such as compassion, relate to real-life behavior. Founder of the UW's Center for Investigating Healthy Minds (CIHM), Dr. Richard J. Davidson at the Waisman Center, was awarded a three-year, $1.7 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation for developing laboratory and real life measures of moral qualities, such as compassion and selflessness... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Upgraded vacuum arc ion source for metal ion implantation

Review of Scientific Instruments — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:22:35 +0100

A. G. Nikolaev, E. M. Oks, K. P. Savkin, G. Yu. Yushkov, and I. G. Brown Vacuum arc ion sources have been made and used by a large number of research groups around the world over the past twenty years. The first generation of vacuum arc ion sources (dubbed Mevva, for metal vapor vacuum arc) was developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the 1980s. This paper c ... [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 02A501 (2012)] published Wed Feb 1, 2012. (Source: Review of Scientific Instruments)

Heat or Acid?

This Week in Science — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:34:13 +0100

The question of how tropical coral reefs will respond to increasing atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations and concomitant climate change is widely debated. Model predictions and laboratory experiments suggest that decreasing … [Read more] (Source: This Week in Science)

New Products

Science: Current Issue — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:34:11 +0100

A weekly roundup of information on newly offered instrumentation, apparatus, and laboratory materials of potential interest to researchers. (Source: Science: Current Issue)

[Report] Affirmative Action Policies Promote Women and Do Not Harm Efficiency in the Laboratory

Science: Current Issue — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:34:11 +0100

Increasing the representation of competition-averse individuals does not alter overall output.Authors: Loukas Balafoutas, Matthias Sutter (Source: Science: Current Issue)

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[News of the Week] Newsmakers

Science: Current Issue — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:34:11 +0100

This week's Newsmakers are Janet Rowley of the University of Chicago, Brian Druker of the Oregon Health & Science University, Nicholas Lydon of Blueprint Medicines, and Masato Sagawa of Intermetallics Co., winners of the Japan Prizes; Scott Doney, whose nomination to be chief scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been withdrawn by the White House; Johannes Vogel, an expert on fern genetics, who took over as director of Berlin's Natural History Museum this week; and Paul Alivisatos of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Charles Lieber of Harvard University, Jacob Bekenstein of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ronald Evans of the Salk Institute, Michael Aschbacher of the California Institute of Technology, and Luis Caffarelli of the University of Texas, A...

Scientists call for curbs on own research on deadly bird flu virus

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:06:00 +0100

Virus experts in the US say outbreak of genetically engineered bird flu could be worst influenza pandemic in historyA group of the leading virus experts in the US has called for new, permanent restrictions on research in the face of a new genetically engineered flu virus that could kill half the population of the world.Scientists are currently observing a 60-day moratorium on research into the bird flu virus, after two groups found a way to make it infectious through airborne transmission.An outbreak of this virus could be worse than the 1918 Spanish flu that killed tens of millions of people, warned Michael Osterholm – who has led research into previous dangerous outbreaks – at a public meeting on censorship in science in New York on Thursday night."Frankly, I don't want a virus out t...

Friday Report from GU ASCO; Biomarkers

Kidney Cancer Association — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:45:01 +0100

Ulka Vaishampayan, MD writes: Biomarkers represent the future of renal cancer therapeutics. With six new targeted-therapy agents receiving U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals, and many more maturing toward becoming established therapies, optimization of these treatments has become a dire need of the moment. Current prognostic information is predominantly reliant on patient and tumor characteristics and is derived from basic clinical history, physical examination, and laboratory tests.02/04/2012 (Source: Kidney Cancer Association)

Could a Blood Test Help Spot Depression?

MedlinePlus Health News — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0100

Small study suggests 'biomarker' levels might help support a diagnosis, but more research needed Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Pages: Depression, Laboratory Tests (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)

Genotoxicity, cytotoxicity and toxicological evaluation of whole plant extracts of the medicinal plant Phyllanthus niruri (Phyllanthaceae).

Genetics and Molecular Research — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:24:05 +0100

We examined the geno-, cyto- and overall toxicity of P. niruri whole plant ethanolic extract. The extract was administered as a single dose of 30 or 300 mg/kg to laboratory rats by gavage, accompanied by negative (0.9% saline) and positive (10 mg/mL N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea) controls that were injected intramuscularly 48 h after extract administration. The ratio of polychromatic (PCE)/normochromatic erythrocytes (NCE) from femur bone marrow was scored for genotoxicity. Cytotoxicity was determined using descending concentrations (0.2-0.0125 g/mL) of the extract incubated with peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Lactate dehydrogenase release from damaged cells was determined and the CC(50) calculated. Subchronic administration of the extract at 30 or 300 mg/kg was done for 90 days to determine ...

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Two Studies Find that Patients Want Access to their Health Records, Including Clinical Pathology Test Data

Dark Daily — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:00:27 +0100

Patients are ready to ready access to their medical records; but physicians are wary Data from two studies here in the United States affirms that patients want access to their health records. Consequently, health systems are increasingly making it easier for patients to get access to prescription lists, medical laboratory test results and now even [...] (Source: Dark Daily)

Twitter is harder to resist than cigarettes and alcohol, study finds

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:37:01 +0100

People are more likely to give in to urge to tweet or check email than other cravings, say US researchersTweeting or checking emails may be harder to resist than cigarettes and alcohol, according to researchers who tried to measure how well people could resist their desires.They even claim that while sleep and sex may be stronger urges, people are more likely to give in to longings or cravings to use social and other media.A team headed by Wilhelm Hofmann of Chicago University's Booth Business School say their experiment, using BlackBerrys, to gauge the willpower of 205 people aged between 18 and 85 in and around the German city of Würtzburg is the first to monitor such responses "in the wild" outside a laboratory.The results will soon be published in the journal Psychological Science.The...

Ascites due to lupus peritonitis: a rare form of onset of systemic lupus erythematosus

Revista Brasileira de Reumatologia — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:19:07 +0100

O lúpus eritematoso sistêmico (LES) frequentemente cursa com serosites. Cerca de 16% dos pacientes lúpicos apresentam acometimento de pleura e pericárdio. O acometimento peritoneal, no entanto, é especialmente raro, ocorrendo clinicamente em pequeno grupo de pacientes. O presente estudo trata do caso de uma paciente de 47 anos com diagnóstico de lúpus discoide que evoluiu com manifestações sistêmicas da doença, caracterizadas por distensão e dor abdominal significativas, astenia, emagrecimento, sinais propedêuticos de ascite e diarreia aguda baixa e não invasiva. Foi realizada exaustiva investigação diagnóstica por meio de exames laboratoriais, de imagem, colonoscopia e análise do líquido ascítico. A investigação, além de descartar a possibilidade de etiologia infecc...

25-Hydroxyivitamin D3 levels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and its association with clinical parameters and laboratory tests

Revista Brasileira de Reumatologia — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:19:07 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: High prevalence of 25(OH)D insufficiency/deficiency was found in patients with SLE (57.7%), with statistically significant difference as compared with the comparison group. No association of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency was observed with the clinical variables and laboratory tests studied. The authors emphasize the importance of determining 25(OH)D serum levels in all patients with SLE, regardless of where they live and time to disease diagnosis (Source: Revista Brasileira de Reumatologia)

Prediction of environmental concentrations of glucocorticoids: The River Thames, UK, as an example.

Environment International — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:49:50 +0100

Authors: Kugathas S, Williams RJ, Sumpter JP Abstract Synthetic glucocorticoids (GCs) are consumed in large amounts as anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs worldwide. Based on what has been learnt from studies of other human pharmaceuticals, they are likely to be present in the aquatic environment. However, to date, information on the environmental concentrations of GCs is very limited. The situation is complicated by the fact that a considerable number of GCs are in everyday use in most developed countries. Hence, obtaining a full picture of GC concentrations in the aquatic environment using the traditional analytical chemistry approach would be time-consuming and expensive. Thus, we took a modelling approach to predict the total environmental concentration of all synthet...

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Response to: Lack of intra-laboratory reproducibility in using Platelia Aspergillus enzyme immunoassay test for detection of Aspergillus galactomannan antigen

The Aspergillus Website - articles — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:49:01 +0100

Bizzini A, Marchetti O, Meylan P (Source: The Aspergillus Website - articles)

Quantitative assessment of visual behavior in disorders of consciousness

Journal of Neurology — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:20:39 +0100

In this study we aimed to provide a quantitative assessment of visual tracking behavior in response to moving stimuli in DoC patients. Nine VS patients and nine MCS patients were recruited in a Neurorehabilitation Unit for patients with chronic DoC; 11 matched healthy subjects were tested as the control group. All participants underwent a quantitative evaluation of eye-tracking pattern by means of a computerized infrared eye-tracker system; stimuli were represented by a red circle or a small color picture slowly moving on a PC monitor. The proportion of on- or off-target fixations differed significantly between MCS and VS. Most importantly, the distribution of fixations on or off the target in all VS patients was at or below the chance level, whereas in the MCS group seven out of nin...

Improving test properties for neonatal cystic fibrosis screening in the Netherlands before the nationwide start by May 1st 2011

Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:20:33 +0100

Abstract When new technical possibilities arise in health care, often attunement is needed between different actors from the perspectives of research, health care providers, patients, ethics and policy. For cystic fibrosis (CF) such a process of attunement in the Netherlands started in a committee of the Health Council on neonatal screening in 2005. In the balancing of pros and cons according to Wilson and Jungner criteria, the advantages for the CF patient were considered clear, even though CF remains a severe health problem with treatment. Nevertheless, screening was not started then, mainly since the specificity of the tests available at that time was considered too low. Many healthy infants would have been referred for sweat testing and much uncertainty would arise in ...

Clonal antigen receptor gene PCR products outside the expected size range

Journal of Hematopathology — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:19:24 +0100

Abstract Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the antigen receptor genes has clinical utility in establishing clonality in lymphoproliferations, which is an important correlate of lymphoid neoplasia. The most frequently used procedures for this purpose were developed by the BIOMED-2 consortium. One of the criteria for establishing monoclonality using PCR of the antigen receptor genes is the finding of an abundant amplicon within a size range determined by the positions of the PCR primers and the known variability in size inherent in the recombination events that assemble a functional antigen receptor gene. However, several cases have been reported in which an amplicon outside this size range has been shown to be a valid indicator of clonality after DNA sequence analysis. In ...

Caris Diagnostics Announces Name Change to Miraca Life Sciences

Medical News (via PRIMEZONE) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:00:00 +0100

TOKYO and IRVING, Texas, Feb. 3, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Caris Diagnostics, specializing in academic-caliber anatomic pathology services, today announced a company name change to Miraca Life Sciences following its November 2011 acquisition by Tokyo-based Miraca Holdings Inc., Japan's largest clinical diagnostics and laboratory testing service provider. The name change, which is effective February 20, 2012, follows a successful integration process and will be reflected in all marketing and communications. (Source: Medical News (via PRIMEZONE))

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New international standards to aid data sharing

MEDEV News — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:38:29 +0100

Led by researchers at University of Oxford (UK) and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) at Harvard University, (USA), more than 50 collaborators at over 30 scientific organizations around the globe have agreed on a common standard for integrating biological data sets. This will make it possible to consistently describe the enormous and radically different databases that are compiled in the biosciences in fields ranging from genetics to stem cell science, to environmental studies.This collaborative effort provides a way for scientists in widely disparate life science fields to co-ordinate each other's findings by allowing behind-the-scenes combination of the mountains of data produced by modern, technology driven science. This will allow researchers to put data to work more effectively a...

BioConference Live Announces 2012 Virtual Event Schedule

PRWeb: Medical Pharmaceuticals — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:24:02 +0100

Free Virtual Events at http://www.BioConferenceLive.com focusing on the Clinical Diagnostics, Life Sciences, and Laboratory Animal Sciences Community(PRWeb January 31, 2012)Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/1/prweb9146126.htm (Source: PRWeb: Medical Pharmaceuticals)

Reference values of thirty-one frequently used laboratory markers for 75-year-old males and females.

Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion. There were minor differences between reference intervals calculated with and without individuals with cardiovascular diseases. Several of the reference intervals differed from Scandinavian reference intervals based on younger individuals (Nordic Reference Interval Project). PMID: 22300333 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences)

Human Nonvisual Responses to Simultaneous Presentation of Blue and Red Monochromatic Light

Journal of Biological Rhythms — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Blue light sensitivity of melatonin suppression and subjective mood and alertness responses in humans is recognized as being melanopsin based. Observations that long-wavelength (red) light can potentiate responses to subsequent short-wavelength (blue) light have been attributed to the bistable nature of melanopsin whereby it forms stable associations with both 11-cis and all-trans isoforms of retinaldehyde and uses light to transition between these states. The current study examined the effect of concurrent administration of blue and red monochromatic light, as would occur in real-world white light, on acute melatonin suppression and subjective mood and alertness responses in humans. Young healthy men (18-35 years; n = 21) were studied in highly controlled laboratory sessions that included...

The Ability to Entrain to Long Photoperiods Differs between 3 Drosophila melanogaster Wild-Type Strains and Is Modified by Twilight Simulation

Journal of Biological Rhythms — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

The ability to adapt to different environmental conditions including seasonal changes is a key feature of the circadian clock. Here, we compared the ability of 3 Drosophila melanogaster wild-type strains to adapt rhythmic activity to long photoperiods simulated in the laboratory. Fruit flies are predominantly crepuscular with activity bouts in the morning (M) and evening (E). The M peak follows dawn and the E peak follows dusk when the photoperiod is extended. We show that this ability is restricted to a certain extension of the phase angle between M and E peaks, such that the E peak does not delay beyond a certain phase under long days. We demonstrate that this ability is significantly improved by simulated twilight and that it depends additionally on the genetic background and the ambien...

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Establishing a web-based integrated surveillance system for early detection of infectious disease epidemic in rural China: a field experimental study

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making - Latest articles — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

DiscussionAlthough syndromic surveillance system has mostly established in developed areas, there are opportunities and advantages of developing it in rural China. The project will contribute to knowledge, experience and evidence on the establishment of an integrated surveillance system, which aims to provide early warning of disease epidemics in developing countries. (Source: BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making - Latest articles)

A rare gastrointestinal presentation of a common malignancy

Gut — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Clinical presentation A 61-year-old man presented with a 4-week history of rectal bleeding, constipation, bloating, abdominal distension and low back pain. His bowels had not opened for 4 days prior to admission. Physical examination revealed a distended, tympanic abdomen. Routine laboratory tests confirmed renal failure (urea 13 mmol/l, creatinine 200 μmol/l), hypercalcaemia (3.7 mmol/l), albumin 32 g/l and C-reactive protein (CRP) 25 mg/l. Parathormone was suppressed (7 pg/l (15–65)). Abdominal x-ray suggested an ileus. CT abdomen revealed mural thickening of the left hemi-colon along with collapse of the third lumbar vertebra. An isotope bone scan was unremarkable, while MRI of the spine confirmed the presence of multiple lytic lesions. Immuno...

Acute Genital Ulcers in Nonsexually Active Young Girls: Case Series, Review of the Literature, and Evaluation and Management Recommendations

Pediatric Dermatology — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Abstract: Acute genital ulcers rarely occur in nonsexually active young girls. When present, they can cause significant physical and emotional distress for the patient and her parents, and prompt an evaluation for sexual abuse and sexually transmitted diseases. With this review, we aim to further characterize acute genital ulcers in nonsexually active young girls by reviewing the medical records of patients with this disorder and to offer an approach to the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of acute genital ulcers based on our understanding and knowledge of this condition. We retrospectively review our understanding and knowledge of acute genital ulcers in nonsexually active girls at a pediatric hospital. A review of the recent literature on acute genital ulcers and a multidisciplina...

Removing Hexazinone from Groundwater with Microbial Bioreactors.

Current Microbiology — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Hunter WJ, Shaner DL Abstract Hexazinone, a triazine herbicide that is often detected as a ground and surface water contaminant, inhibits electron transport in photosynthetic organisms and is toxic to primary producers that serve as the base of the food chain. This laboratory study evaluated the ability of two types of microbial reactors, i.e., a vegetable oil-based nitrogen-limiting biobarrier and an aerobic slow sand filter, as methods for removing hexazinone from simulated groundwater. The N-limiting biobarriers degraded hexazinone, but did so with a 52 week incubation period and a removal efficiency that varied greatly among replicates, with one biobarrier showing a removal efficiency of ~95% and the other an efficiency of ~50%. More consistent degradation was obtaine...

Collective action

EurekAlert! - Biology — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(European Molecular Biology Laboratory) Genetic switches called enhancers and the molecules that activate them can be used to draw a cell's family tree, EMBL scientists have found. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)

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Serum osmolarity as an outcome predictor in hospital emergency medical admissions.

European Journal of Internal Medicine — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:25:42 +0100

CONCLUSION: Admission osmolarity, a simple calculation, is associated with the risk of mortality in acutely ill medical patients; deviations outside the normal range are relevant. A useful clinical predictive algorithm requires the incorporation of additional predictors. PMID: 22284254 [PubMed - in process] (Source: European Journal of Internal Medicine)

How Red Wine's Resveratrol Confers Health Benefits

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:00:00 +0100

Scientists have found out why resveratrol, a chemical naturally found in red wine, grapes, and some other fruit and vegetables, has health benefits, according to an article published in the journal Cell, February 3rd issue. The researchers, from the Laboratory of Obesity and Aging Research at the NIH's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, explain that resveratrol inhibits PDEs (phosphodiesterases), proteins (enzymes) that play a crucial role in cell energy regulation. Resveratrol's molecular formula is C14H12O3... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

For Military Researchers, the Butterfly is the Ultimate Drone [Video]

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:36:00 +0100

Butterflies are not merely beautiful. They use a complex pattern of rapid wing flapping and body deformation to execute impressive aerial acrobatics. This ability has not escaped the U.S. military, which is turning to these insects for ideas on how to create ever-smaller drone aircraft to execute reconnaissance, search-and-rescue and environmental monitoring missions. [View a slide show featuring different drones used by the U.S. military.] The Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio is testing drones less than 60 centimeters long roughly the wingspan of an Atlantic Puffin with the hope they will be able to operate below rooftop levels in city streets. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

TDP-43 pathology in a case of hereditary spastic paraplegia with a NIPA1/SPG6 mutation

Acta Neuropathologica — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:15:30 +0100

We present the first neuropathological description of a patient with a NIPA1 mutation, and clinical phenotype of complicated HSP with motor neuron disease-like syndrome and cognitive decline. Postmortem examination revealed degeneration of lateral corticospinal tracts and dorsal columns with motor neuron loss. TDP-43 immunostaining showed widespread spinal cord and cerebral skein-like and round neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions. We ruled out NIPA1 mutations in 419 additional cases of motor neuron disease. These findings suggest that hereditary spastic paraplegia due to NIPA1 mutations could represent a TDP-43 proteinopathy. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Case ReportsPages 1-7DOI 10.1007/s00401-012-0947-yAuthors Maria Martinez-Lage, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medi...

Should we really fear 'new flesh-eating bacteria'?

NHS News Feed — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:15:00 +0100

Conclusion This interesting study helps explain why healthcare-acquired MRSA infections are rarely found in healthy individuals. It found that expression of a gene that produces one of the proteins responsible for MRSA’s antibiotic resistance caused it to be less toxic. It also showed that typical community-acquired MRSA strains express less of this antibiotic-resistance protein, but are more toxic. However, this intriguing lab study did not investigate the transmission, effects or number of cases of community-acquired MRSA in the UK, discussion of which formed the majority of the news reports. On this basis, the research itself does not support the claims that we are under siege from an ‘airborne, bacteria-resistant, flesh-eating superbug’, as newspapers have today suggested. Links...

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An explorative analysis of secretory receptor for advanced glycation endproducts in primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis

Clinical and Experimental Nephrology — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:12:08 +0100

Conclusion This study showed that only the serum level of esRAGE, not sRAGE, was higher in the FSGS group than in the IgAN and control groups. The amount of 24-h proteinuria was also related to the serum level of esRAGE in the FSGS group. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original ArticlePages 1-7DOI 10.1007/s10157-012-0599-1Authors Harin Rhee, Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, 179 Gudeok-ro, Seo-gu, Busan, 602-739 Republic of KoreaSang Heon Song, Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, 179 Gudeok-ro, Seo-gu, Busan, 602-739 Republic of KoreaIhm Soo Kwak, Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National Universit...

Phase II clinical study of DD-723 (perflubutane): dose–response study in patients with breast tumors

Journal of Medical Ultrasonics — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:10:31 +0100

Conclusions An intermediate dose showed the highest efficacy in terms of overall contrast effect. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography is safe and useful when used in differential diagnosis. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original ArticlePages 1-8DOI 10.1007/s10396-011-0342-7Authors Yukio Miyamoto, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Jikei University Hospital, 3-19-18 Nishishinbashi, Minato, Tokyo, 105-8471 JapanToshikazu Ito, Department of Surgery, Rinku General Medical Center, Osaka, JapanEtsuo Takada, Center of Medical Ultrasonics, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, JapanKiyoka Omoto, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Saitama Medical Center, Jichi Medical University, Saitama, JapanToshiko Hirai, Department of Endoscopy and Ultrasound, Nara Medical University Ho...

Characterization of Epstein-Barr virus type 1 nuclear antigen 3C sequence patterns of nasopharyngeal and gastric carcinomas in northern China

Archives of Virology — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:10:20 +0100

In this study, we successfully amplified 26 Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated gastric carcinomas (EBVaGCs), 50 nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPCs) and 27 throat washing (TW) samples from healthy donors. Based on a phylogenetic tree, the samples could be divided into three patterns. 3C-6 was the predominant subtype in northern China, and the variations between the strains sequenced in our study and those from southern China and Japan were similar, but differences were also identified. The distribution of EBNA3C subtypes among EBVaGCs, NPCs and healthy donors was not significantly different. These data suggest that EBNA3C gene variations are geographically restricted rather than tumor-specific polymorphisms. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original ArticlePages 1-9DOI 10.1007/s...

UCLA researchers identify peptide that inhibits replication of hepatitis C virus

UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0100

Researchers from UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified a cell-permeable peptide that inhibits a hepatitis C virus protein and blocks the viral replication that can lead to liver cancer and cirrhosis. The finding by Dr. Samuel French, a UCLA assistant professor of pathology and senior author of the research, builds on previous work by French's laboratory that identified two cellular proteins that are important factors in hepatitis C virus infection. In that earlier research, French and his team set out to identify the cellular factors involved in hepatitis C replication. Using mass spectrometry, they found that heat-shock proteins (HSPs) 40 and 70 were important for viral infection. HSP 70 was previously known to be involved, but the study linked HSP 40 fo...

A comparison of the accuracy of self-reported intake with measured intake of a laboratory overeating episode in overweight and obese women with and without binge eating disorder

European Journal of Nutrition — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:57:45 +0100

Conclusions Findings confirm that those with BED consume significantly more than controls during a laboratory binge and controls tended to be more accurate in recalling their intake 24 h later. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original ContributionPages 1-10DOI 10.1007/s00394-012-0302-zAuthors Lindsay T. Bartholome, Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School, F282/2A West, 2450 Riverside Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USARoseann E. Peterson, Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23220, USASusan K. Raatz, USDA Human Nutrition Research Center, Grand Forks, ND 58203, USANancy C. Raymond, Department of Psychiatry, University of M...

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Sequential multiple insufficiency fractures around knee over 6 months in a patient with primary osteoporosis

European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:57:26 +0100

In this report, we describe a case of multiple insufficiency fractures occurring over 6 months in the bilateral knees of an individual with primary osteoporosis. An 87-year-old woman complained of spontaneous pain in her right knee. A plain X-ray did not show any lesions at the time; however, 2 weeks later, a slightly displaced supracondylar fracture was observed. The fracture was treated with a long leg cast for 6 weeks. The patient was able to walk with a walker 12 weeks after the injury, but her right thigh muscles had atrophied. Four months after the first injury, she suffered left knee pain. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed an undisplaced supracondylar fracture of the left femur. After undergoing the same treatment as for the previous fracture for 8 we...

In United Kingdom, Clinical Pathology Laboratories Must Transform to Help Primary Care Physicians Achieve Improved Patient Outcomes

Dark Daily — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:00:32 +0100

Frontiers in Laboratory Medicine (FiLM) attracted another record crowd of clinical laboratory managers and pathologists DATELINE—BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND: Healthcare in the United Kingdom is undergoing a host of reforms. Consequently, medical laboratories in this country are scrambling to evolve in ways that allow them to serve the new line-up of primary care trusts and hospital trusts, [...] (Source: Dark Daily)

Could Simple Experiments Reveal the Quantum Nature of Spacetime?

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0100

Conventional wisdom has it that putting the words quantum gravity and experiment in the same sentence is like bringing matter into contact with antimatter. All you get is a big explosion; the two just don t go together. The distinctively quantum features of gravity only show up in extreme settings such as the belly of a black hole or the nascent universe, over distances too small and energies too large to reproduce in any laboratory. Even alien civilizations that command the energy resources of a whole galaxy probably couldn t do it.Physicists have never been much for conventional wisdom, though, and the dream of studying quantum gravity is too enthralling to give up. Right now, physicists don t really know how gravity works they have quantum theories for every force of nature except this ...

Hyperconnectivity In Brain's Hearing Center Caused By Gene Mutation In Autism

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0100

New research from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) might help explain how a gene mutation found in some autistic individuals leads to difficulties in processing auditory cues and paying spatial attention to sound. The study has found that when a suspected autism gene called PTEN is deleted from auditory cortical neurons - the main workhorses of the brain's sound-processing center - the signals that these neurons receive from local as well as long-distance sources are strengthened beyond normal levels... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Decisions on HEFCE funding for higher education 2012-13

MEDEV News — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:53:18 +0100

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) announced its funding decisions for higher education in England following the annual grant letter (Note 1) from the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) and subsequent decisions by the HEFCE Board. This announcement covers HEFCE funding for the academic year 2012-13 (Note 2). The overall level of government support for teaching in universities and colleges is set to increase over the next few years as a result of higher tuition fee loans under the Government’s new finance arrangements for higher education. HEFCE’s grant will reduce accordingly, but our commitment to supporting high-cost and strategically important subjects, widening participation and smaller specialist institutions will be maintained. HEFCE...

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Clinical Decision Support to Promote Safe Prescribing to Women of Reproductive Age: A Cluster-Randomized Trial

Journal of General Internal Medicine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:56:02 +0100

CONCLUSIONS CDS systems hold promise for increasing provision of family planning services when fertile women are prescribed potentially teratogenic medications, but further refinement of these systems is needed. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original ResearchPages 1-8DOI 10.1007/s11606-012-1991-yAuthors Eleanor Bimla Schwarz, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USASara M. Parisi, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USASteven M. Handler, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USAGideon Koren, Motherisk Laboratory, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaElan D. Cohen, Division of General Internal Medicine,...

Short- and Long-Term Changes in Gastric Morphology and Histopathology Following Sleeve Gastrectomy in Diet-Induced Obese Rats

Obesity Surgery — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:54:07 +0100

Conclusion After SG gastric macro- and microscopic changes with functional implications in both the short and long term take place. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Animal ResearchPages 1-7DOI 10.1007/s11695-012-0606-3Authors Marina Martín, Department of Histology & Pathology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, SpainMaría A. Burrell, Department of Histology & Pathology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, SpainJavier Gómez-Ambrosi, CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Pamplona, SpainVíctor Valentí, CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Pamplona, SpainÁlvaro Bueno, Department of Surgery, University of Navarra, Pamplona, SpainBeatriz Ramírez, CIBER Fisiopat...

Birth Measurements, Family History, and Environmental Factors Associated With Later-Life Hypertensive Status.

American Journal of Hypertension — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

ConclusionLow birth weight, low education, alcoholism, and hypertensive family history are linked to later-life hypertensive status. Low birth weight is also partly associated with one's genetic background; whereas the association with education and alcoholism are independent from hypertensive family history.American Journal of Hypertension (2012). doi:10.1038/ajh.2011.262. PMID: 22297260 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: American Journal of Hypertension)

The role of congruency in retronasal odor referral to the mouth.

Chemical Senses — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Lim J, Johnson MB Abstract Referral of retronasal odors to the mouth is a fundamental phenomenon of flavor perception. A previous study from this laboratory provided evidence that, contrary to prior speculation, taste rather than touch was the primary factor in retronasal odor referral. The present study further investigated this question by studying the role of congruency between taste and odor on retronasal odor referral under conditions that mimicked natural food consumption. Subjects performed odor localization tasks after sampling gelatin stimuli that contained various congruent and incongruent tastes-odor combinations. The results showed that when a congruent taste was added, referral to the oral cavity and tongue were significantly enhanced. In addition, the data al...

Kytococcus shroeteri endocarditis successfully managed with daptomycin; a case report and review of the literature.

Journal of Medical Microbiology — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

We report on the first case of K. shroeteri endocarditis to be treated successfully by daptomycin and review the published literature of K. shroeteri endocarditis. There is no published daptomycin susceptibility data for Kytococcus and additional work was carried out on six other isolates stored at the Laboratory of HealthCare Associated Infections (LHCAI), Health Protection Agency (HPA) Centre for Infections, Colindale, London. PMID: 22301612 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Journal of Medical Microbiology)

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Biomechanical Evaluation of a Novel Reverse Coracoacromial Ligament Reconstruction for Acromioclavicular Joint Separation

The American Journal of Sports Medicine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Addition of either reverse CA transfer or intramedullary graft demonstrates improved AP restraint and provides similar SI stability compared with isolated CC reconstruction. Clinical Relevance: Reverse CA ligament transfer may be a reasonable alternative to a free tendon graft to augment AP restraint in AC reconstruction. (Source: The American Journal of Sports Medicine)

New Suture Method for Radial Tears of the Meniscus: Biomechanical Analysis of Cross-Suture and Double Horizontal Suture Techniques Using Cyclic Load Testing

The American Journal of Sports Medicine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Our cross-suture technique significantly improved the structural properties of the repaired complete radial meniscal tears. Clinical Relevance: The cross-suture technique for repair of radial meniscal tears provides high stability and could be a promising solution in young and in active patients. (Source: The American Journal of Sports Medicine)

The Effect of a Hill-Sachs Defect on Glenohumeral Translations, In Situ Capsular Forces, and Bony Contact Forces

The American Journal of Sports Medicine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: We believe that the stabilizing function of the intact capsule was the primary contributor to the finding of only small increases of anterior translation, capsule forces, and bony contact forces observed with a 25% Hill-Sachs defect in response to an anterior load. Clinical Relevance: These findings imply that a 25% Hill-Sachs defect in isolation may not be responsible for recurrent instability if the function of the capsule is restored to the intact state and that the presence of the Hill-Sachs defect may be a marker for significant concomitant injury to the anterior glenoid rim. However, the small changes in these parameters may have long-term implications for the development of osteoarthritis. (Source: The American Journal of Sports Medicine)

Relationship Between Proximal Femoral and Acetabular Alignment in Normal Hip Joints Using 3-Dimensional Computed Tomography

The American Journal of Sports Medicine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that a correlation exists between multiple proximal femoral and acetabular angles in normal hip joints. These findings support the hypothesis that a complementary developmental relationship occurs between the femoral head and acetabulum. Clinical Relevance: The results of this study suggest that, in some patients, what is thought to be pathological acetabular retroversion may actually be normal anatomy with a compensated femoral version. Investigating the relationship between these angles in patients with the signs and symptoms of pincer-type femoroacetabular impingement may alter a surgeon’s approach to this patient population. (Source: The American Journal of Sports Medicine)

Force Measurements in the Medial Meniscus Posterior Horn Attachment: Effects of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Removal

The American Journal of Sports Medicine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Applied anterior tibial force and external tibial torque were loading modes that produced relatively high PHA forces, presumably by impingement of the medial femoral condyle against the medial meniscus posterior horn rim. Under joint load, an ACL-deficient knee was particularly susceptible to PHA injury from applied anterior tibial force. Clinical Relevance: Because tensile forces developed in the PHA are also borne by meniscus tissue near the attachment site, loading mechanisms that produce high PHA forces could also produce complete or partial radial tears near the posterior horn, a relatively common clinical observation. (Source: The American Journal of Sports Medicine)

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Biomechanical and Histological Evaluations of the Doubled Semitendinosus Tendon Autograft After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in Sheep

The American Journal of Sports Medicine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: The sheep ACL reconstruction model showed predominant intrinsic fibroblast necrosis in the tendon autograft until 12 weeks. Although the structural properties of the femur-graft-tibia complex gradually improved, they were not completely restored to the femur-ACL-tibia complex level even at 52 weeks. Clinical Relevance: Remodeling of the semitendinosus tendon autograft after ACL reconstruction is not different from that of the bone-tendon-bone graft. This study has suggested that vigorous activity should not be permitted for patients in the early periods after ACL reconstruction using semitendinosus tendon autografts, which are necrotized and weakened after surgery. (Source: The American Journal of Sports Medicine)

Deregulation of apoptosis-related genes is associated with PRV1 overexpression and JAK2 V617F allele burden in Essential Thrombocythemia and Myelofibrosis

Journal of Hematology and Oncology — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Our results suggest the participation of intrinsic apoptosis pathway in the MPN physiopathology. In addition, PRV1 and JAK2 V617F allele burden were linked to deregulation of the apoptotic machinery. (Source: Journal of Hematology and Oncology)

ORNL, partners earn FLC honor for cookstove technology

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Envirofit International, the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Colorado State University have won a Federal Laboratory Consortium award for excellence in technology transfer for a clean-burning cookstove designed for the developing world. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

NASA mission returns first video from moon's far side

ScienceDaily Headlines — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:21:21 +0100

A camera aboard one of NASA's twin Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) lunar spacecraft has returned its first unique view of the far side of the moon. MoonKAM, or Moon Knowledge Acquired by Middle school students, will be used by students nationwide to select lunar images for study. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

Synthesis and evaluation of some new 4-aminopyridine derivatives as a potent antiamnesic and cognition enhancing drugs

Medicinal Chemistry Research — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:13:42 +0100

Abstract 4-Aminopyridine (4AP) potentiates acetylcholine (ACh) release by blocking potassium channel in axon terminal and can be used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s type of dementia and cognitive disorder. It is reported that ACh is well related with memory and learning. On the basis of these fact, we decided to synthesis and evaluate some new Schiff bases of 4AP (SBAPs) for their putative cognition enhancing, antiamnesic, and anticholinesterase activity. The synthesized and purified SBAPs were characterized by elemental analysis, UV, FTIR, 1H-, and 13C-NMR. SBAPs facilitated the learning on elevated plus maze model and they also significantly reversed the scopolamine-induced amnesia on the same model. The effect of SBAPs on learning and memory was qualitatively similar ...

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Cross-sectional area of psoas major muscle and hip flexion strength in youth soccer players

European Journal of Applied Physiology — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:13:14 +0100

This study aimed to clarify the differences in the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the psoas major (PM) muscle and hip flexion force (HFF) of the right (dominant) side between adolescent male soccer players and age-matched non-athletes. PM CSA at L4–L5 and HFF at 1.05 rad/s were determined in 22 early (12.8–13.6 years) and 27 late (16.1–17.9 years) adolescent soccer players and 11 early (12.6–13.5 years) and 20 late (16.0–17.7 years) adolescent non-athletes. Fat-free mass (FFM) was greater in late adolescent soccer players than in late adolescent non-athletes, but was similar between the two early adolescent groups. Without the effect of age, PM CSA and HFF were greater in soccer players than in non-athletes. PM CSA and HFF were significantly correlate...

Occurrence of New Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Males After HIV Diagnosis

AIDS and Behavior — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:12:57 +0100

The objective of this retrospective cohort study of 6,965 HIV-positive males was to evaluate the joint risk of new reportable STDs in males after HIV diagnosis by race/ethnicity and risk behavior. This investigation linked HIV case reports with STD surveillance, clinical care and laboratory datasets to determine new STD acquisition in HIV positive individuals. Compared to White MSM with high care engagement, Black MSM had a significantly higher rate of new reportable STDs for the full time period after HIV diagnosis, ≤1 year after diagnosis, and >1 year after diagnosis. High HIV care engagement was not as protective against new STD acquisition for Black MSM as it was for White MSM and reasons for this health disparity should be explored. Content Type Journal Artic...

Lactulose Hydrogen Breath Test and Functional Symptoms in Pediatric Patients

Digestive Diseases and Sciences — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:12:07 +0100

Conclusions An abnormal LHBT was found in children with functional symptoms of the digestive tract, but the exact mechanism involved, accelerated intestinal transit or SIBO, needs to be confirmed by an additional method. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original ArticlePages 1-6DOI 10.1007/s10620-012-2032-8Authors Ana María Madrid, Laboratory of Motility and Functional Digestive Disorders, GI Section, Medicine Department, University Hospital, University of Chile, Santos Dumont 999, Santiago, ChileGlauben Landskron, Laboratory of Motility and Functional Digestive Disorders, GI Section, Medicine Department, University Hospital, University of Chile, Santos Dumont 999, Santiago, ChileGabriela Klapp, Laboratory of Motility and Functional Digestive Disorders, GI Secti...

A transgenic Marc-145 cell line of piggyBac transposon-derived targeting shRNA interference against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus

Veterinary Research Communications — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:11:19 +0100

In this study, we designed 5 of the small hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) targeting the GP5 and M gene of PRRSV respectively, and investigated their inhibition to the production of PRRSV. The highest activity displayed in shRNAs of the ORF6e sequence (nts 261-279), which the inhibition rate reached was 99.09%. The result suggests that RNAi technology might serve as a potential molecular strategy for PRRSV therapy. Furthermore, the transgenic Marc-145 cell line of piggyBac transposon-derived targeting shRNA interference against PRRS virus was established. It presented stable inhibition to the replication and amplification of PRRS. The work implied that shRNAs targeting the GP5 and M gene of PRRSV may be used as potential RNA vaccines in vivo, and supplied the screening methods of transformed pig...

Antiviral function and efficacy of polyvalent immunoglobulin products against CMV isolates in different human cell lines

Medical Microbiology and Immunology — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:09:42 +0100

This study suggests different antiviral functions of polyvalent IVIG and confirms their potential to inhibit a CMV infection in vitro, with profound differences between the hereby used IVIG products. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original PaperPages 1-10DOI 10.1007/s00430-012-0229-2Authors K. Frenzel, Institute of Medical Virology, Helmut-Ruska-Haus, Charité University Medicine, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, GermanyS. Ganepola, Department of Haematology, Oncology and Transfusion Medicine, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, GermanyD. Michel, Institute of Virology, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, GermanyE. Thiel, Department of Haematology, Oncology and Transfusion Medicine, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, GermanyD. H. Krüger, Institute of Medical Virology, Helmut-Ru...

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Worsening trends and increasing disparities in health-related quality of life: evidence from two French population-based cross-sectional surveys, 1995–2003

Quality of Life Research — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:09:29 +0100

Conclusions We report evidence of worsening trends and possibly increasing demographic, socioeconomic, and regional disparities in HRQoL between 1995 and 2003 in France. Monitoring HRQoL in populations can provide unique and sensitive data, complementary to classical indicators based on mortality and morbidity. Content Type Journal ArticlePages 1-14DOI 10.1007/s11136-012-0117-7Authors Etienne Audureau, Biostatistics and Epidemiology Unit, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôtel-Dieu, Nancy-Université, Université Paris-Descartes, Université Metz Paul Verlaine, Research Unit APEMAC, EA 4360, 1 place du Parvis Notre-Dame, 75181 Paris Cedex 4, FranceStéphane Rican, Space, Health and Territories Laboratory, University of Paris Ouest-Nanterre, 200 avenue de la ...

In Massachusetts, Blues Ink Pact with Partners HealthCare to Implement Alternative Quality Contract with Global Payment

Dark Daily — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:00:12 +0100

Early evidence is that the AQC arrangement encourages providers to more carefully utilize ancillary services, including clinical laboratory and pathology testing Much attention is being given to the new healthcare payment models being introduced by the Medicare program during 2012. However, quietly—and with much less publicity—private health plans are deploying innovative, value-based payment models. These [...] (Source: Dark Daily)

Tackling the challenge of setting up a 3D lab: Part 1

AuntMinnie.com Headlines — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:00:00 +0100

In the first of a two-part series on how to set up a 3D laboratory, AuntMinnie.com (more) (Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines)

Acute ischaemic stroke during short-term travel to high altitude.

Hong Kong Med J — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Chan T, Wong WW, Chan JK, Ma JK, Mak HK Abstract This is a case report of a young healthy adult who had acute cerebral infarcts after a short-term visit to high-altitude area. He developed acute onset of right-sided limb weakness and right hemianopia a few hours after arrival at an altitude of 3600 m by train. He was initially treated for high-altitude cerebral oedema but later computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging confirmed ischaemic infarcts in the medial left occipital lobe and left thalamus. Subsequent investigations, including laboratory tests and imaging including an echocardiogram, revealed no culpable predisposing factors. PMID: 22302915 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Hong Kong Med J)

Laboratory animals as surrogate models of human obesity.

Acta Pharmacologica Sinica — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Nilsson C, Raun K, Yan FF, Larsen MO, Tang-Christensen M Abstract Obesity and obesity-related metabolic diseases represent a growing socioeconomic problem throughout the world. Great emphasis has been put on establishing treatments for this condition, including pharmacological intervention. However, there are many obstacles and pitfalls in the development process from pre-clinical research to the pharmacy counter, and there is no certainty that what has been observed pre-clinically will translate into an improvement in human health. Hence, it is important to test potential new drugs in a valid translational model early in their development. In the current mini-review, a number of monogenetic and polygenic models of obesity will be discussed in view of their translational c...

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PHANTOM‐S: the prehospital acute neurological therapy and optimization of medical care in stroke patients – study

International Journal of Stroke — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

RationaleTime from symptom onset to treatment is closely associated with the effectiveness of intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke patients. Hospitals are encouraged to take every effort to shorten delay of treatment. Despite combined efforts to streamline procedures in hospitals to provide treatment as soon as possible, most patients receive tissue plasminogen activator with considerable delay and very few of them within 90 mins. Germany has an internationally acknowledged prehospital emergency care system with specially trained doctors on ambulances. We developed an ambulance equipped with a Computed Tomography (CT) scanner, point‐of‐care laboratory, teleradiological support, and an emergency‐trained neurologist on board. In the Pre‐Hospital Acute Neurological Ther...

Serological Diagnosis of Paracoccidioidomycosis through Western Blot Technique.

Clinical and Vaccine Immunology — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

The objective of this study was to test Western Blot (WB) in sera from patients suspected of PCM seeking a safe and sensitive serological technique for a rapid and effective diagnosis for this disease. Sera from 517 patients were analyzed through WB and double immunodiffusion (DID) techniques using crudeexoantigen of Pb339. DID was reagent in 140 sera (27%) and WB in 250 (48.4%). All sera that had a positive reaction in DID also reveal the compatible fraction with the 43kDa glycoprotein by WB. Among the 377 negative samples in DID, 29.1% were reactive in WB. For the cut off used (1:400) a positive reaction was not observed with any of the 102 sera from patients with other endemic diseases and 30 healthy individuals tested as negative control. These results prove WB to be a sensitive techni...

Molecular characterization and mRNA expression of grp78 and hsp90A in the estuarine copepod Eurytemora affinis.

Cell Stress and Chaperones — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Xuereb B, Forget-Leray J, Souissi S, Glippa O, Devreker D, Lesueur T, Marie S, Danger JM, Boulangé-Lecomte C Abstract The present study aimed to develop a method of quantification of heat shock protein transcript levels in the estuarine copepod Eurytemora affinis. For that, the full-length cDNA of the 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein (Ea-grp78) and the cytosolic 90-kDa heat shock protein (Ea-hsp90A) from this species have been cloned. These cDNA revealed, respectively, 2,370 and 2,299 bp with 1,971 and 2,124 bp open reading frames encoding 656 and 707 amino acids. Main features, sequence identities and phylogenetic analysis with other species were described. Then, the expression profiles were analysed using reverse transcription/real-time quantitative PCR method from co...

Saw-scaled viper bites in sri lanka: is it a different subspecies? Clinical evidence from an authenticated case series.

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

We report a series of 48 (n-48) SSV bites from the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. The majority (65%) of victims had evidence of local envenoming at the site of the bite; however, 29% showed spontaneous bleeding and 71% had coagulopathy. There were no deaths in the series. The envenoming was mild in contrast to the mortality and significant morbidity associated with SSV bites in West Africa and some parts of India. These observations need to be further explored with laboratory studies to identify the venom components, study of morphological characteristics, and genetic profiling of the Sri Lankan SSV to see if it is different from the subspecies found elsewhere. PMID: 22302858 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene)

Comparative analysis of severe pediatric and adult leptospirosis in sao paulo, Brazil.

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Spichler A, Athanazio DA, Vilaça P, Seguro A, Vinetz J, Leake JA Abstract Abstract. Although leptospirosis may be fatal in childhood, the experience of many clinicians working in disease-endemic areas is that classic Weil's disease and death are less common among pediatric patients. The aim of the study was to ascertain disease spectrum and outcome differences in severe pediatric and adult leptospirosis in a large at-risk population. Epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory data were obtained on hospitalized cases from São Paulo during 2004-2006. A total of 42 case-patients < 18 years of age and 328 case-patients ≥ 18 years of age were tested during the study. Compared with children, adults had higher rates of jaundice (P = 0.01), elevated serum bilirubin levels (P &...

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A Three-Component Biomarker Panel for Prediction of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever.

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Brasier AR, Ju H, Garcia J, Spratt HM, Victor SS, Forshey BM, Halsey ES, Comach G, Sierra G, Blair PJ, Rocha C, Morrison AC, Scott TW, Bazan I, Kochel TJ, The Venezuelan Dengue Fever Working Group Abstract Abstract. Dengue virus infections are a major cause of morbidity in tropical countries. Early detection of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) may help identify individuals that would benefit from intensive therapy. Predictive modeling was performed using 11 laboratory values of 51 individuals (38 DF and 13 DHF) obtained on initial presentation using logistic regression. We produced a robust model with an area under the curve of 0.9615 that retained IL-10 levels, platelets, and lymphocytes as the major predictive features. A classification and regression tree was developed o...

Reciprocity: Weak or strong? What punishment experiments do (and do not) demonstrate.

The Behavioral and Brain Sciences — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Guala F Abstract Economists and biologists have proposed a distinction between two mechanisms - "strong" and "weak" reciprocity - that may explain the evolution of human sociality. Weak reciprocity theorists emphasize the benefits of long-term cooperation and the use of low-cost strategies to deter free-riders. Strong reciprocity theorists, in contrast, claim that cooperation in social dilemma games can be sustained by costly punishment mechanisms, even in one-shot and finitely repeated games. To support this claim, they have generated a large body of evidence concerning the willingness of experimental subjects to punish uncooperative free-riders at a cost to themselves. In this article, I distinguish between a "narrow" and a "wide" reading of the experimental evidence. Un...

Retaliation and antisocial punishment are overlooked in many theoretical models as well as behavioral experiments.

The Behavioral and Brain Sciences — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Dreber A, Rand DG Abstract Guala argues that there is a mismatch between most laboratory experiments on costly punishment and behavior in the field. In the lab, experimental designs typically suppress retaliation. The same is true for most theoretical models of the co-evolution of costly punishment and cooperation, which a priori exclude the possibility of defectors punishing cooperators. PMID: 22289313 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences)

Is strong reciprocity really strong in the lab, let alone in the real world?

The Behavioral and Brain Sciences — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Güney S, Newell BR Abstract We argue that standard experiments supporting the existence of "strong reciprocity" do not represent many cooperative situations outside the laboratory. More representative experiments that incorporate "earned" rather than "windfall" wealth also do not provide evidence for the impact of strong reciprocity on cooperation in contemporary real-life situations or in evolutionary history, supporting the main conclusions of the target article. PMID: 22289318 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences)

Altruistic punishment: What field data can (and cannot) demonstrate.

The Behavioral and Brain Sciences — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Nikiforakis N Abstract The rarity of altruistic punishment in small-scale societies should not be interpreted as evidence that altruistic punishment is not an important determinant of cooperation in general. While it is essential to collect field data on altruistic punishment, this kind of data has limitations. Laboratory experiments can help shed light on the role of altruistic punishment "in the wild." PMID: 22289322 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences)

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Re-orientation of cellulose nanowhiskers in agarose hydrogels under tensile loading.

Biomacromolecules — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Osorio-Madrazo A, Eder M, Rueggeberg M, Pandey JK, Harrington MJ, Nishiyama Y, Putaux JL, Rochas C, Burgert I Abstract Agarose hydrogels filled with cellulose nanowhiskers were strained in uniaxial stretching under different humidity conditions. The orientation of the cellulose whiskers was examined before and after testing with an X-ray laboratory source and monitored in situ during loading by synchrotron X-ray diffraction. The aim of this approach was to determine the process parameters for re-orienting the cellulose nanowhiskers towards a preferential direction. Results show that a controlled drying of the hydrogel is essential to establish interactions between the matrix and the cellulose nanowhiskers which allow for a stress transfer during stretching and thereby prom...

Beer à No‐Go: Learning to stop responding to alcohol cues reduces alcohol intake via reduced affective associations rather than increased response inhibition

Addiction — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions Repeatedly stopping prepotent responses toward alcohol‐related stimuli effectively reduces excessive alcohol use via a devaluation of alcohol‐related stimuli rather than via increased inhibitory control over alcohol‐related responses. (Source: Addiction)

Current SEM techniques for de‐ and re‐construction of centromeres to determine 3D CENH3 distribution in barley mitotic chromosomes

Journal of Microscopy — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

SummaryCombined light microscopic (LM) and field emission scanning electron microscopic (FESEM) techniques with FluoroNanogold labelling allowed quantification and high resolution analysis of 3D distribution of the centromere‐specific histone H3 variant CENH3 in barley mitotic chromosomes. Chromosomes were investigated with fluorescence LM, conventional FESEM, low‐voltage FESEM and combined FIB/FESEM techniques for unprecedented comprehensive analysis to determine chromatin distribution patterns in the centromere. Using data from FIB/FESEM sectioning of centromeric regions of chromosomes, it was possible to render 3D reconstruction of the CENH3 distribution with highest resolution achieved to date. Complementary data derived from each approach show that CENH3 localizes not only to the ...

Effects of anti‐CD3 monoclonal antibody in salivary glands of spontaneously diabetic mice

Microscopy Research and Technique — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: These results indicate that immunotherapy contributed to reestablishment of tissue damaged by the hyperglycemic condition, demonstrating that the immunomodulation plays an important role in the recovery of salivary glands. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Source: Microscopy Research and Technique)

In vivo remineralization of acid‐etched enamel in non‐brushing areas as influenced by fluoridated orthodontic adhesive and toothpaste

Microscopy Research and Technique — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

This study aimed to evaluate the in vivo remineralization of acid‐etched enamel in non‐brushing areas as influenced by fluoridated orthodontic adhesive and toothpaste. One hundred and twenty teeth from 30 volunteers were selected. The teeth were assigned to four treatments: no treatment (negative control); 37% phosphoric acid‐etching (PAE) (positive control); PAE + resin‐modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC); and, PAE + composite resin. Patients brushed teeth with fluoridated (n = 15) or non‐fluoridated (n = 15) toothpastes, so that etched enamel was protected with screens and it was not in contact with the brush bristles. Remineralization was evaluated by means of laser fluorescence (LF), environmental scanning electronic microscopy, and energy dispersive spectrometry after extr...

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Effect of disinfectant solutions on gutta‐percha and resilon cones

Microscopy Research and Technique — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

In conclusion, 5.25% NaOCl and MTAD are associated with local changes in surface roughness of gutta‐percha cones. No change was observed when 2% CHX was used. The use of all tested solutions did not produce any changes on Resilon surface. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Source: Microscopy Research and Technique)

Expression of TRPV4 in the zebrafish retina during development

Microscopy Research and Technique — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractThe transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are involved in sensing mechanical/physical stimuli such as temperature, light, pressure, as well as chemical stimuli. Some TRP channels are present in the vertebrate retina, and the occurrence of the multifunctional channel TRP vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) has been reported in adult zebrafish. Here, we investigate the expression and distribution of TRPV4 in the retina of zebrafish during development using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Western blot, and immunohistochemistry from 3 days post fertilization (dpf) until 100 dpf. TRPV4 was detected at the mRNA and protein levels in the eye of zebrafish at all ages sampled. Immunohistochemistry revealed the presence of TRPV4 in a population of the retinal cells identified as amacrine cells on the...

Gross and microscopic observations on the lingual structure of the franciscana (Pontoporia blainvillei — gervais and d'orbigny, 1844)

Microscopy Research and Technique — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractIn most anatomical studies developed with mammals, the tongue is described as highly differentiated among different species. However, studies on the tongue of aquatic mammals are still limited as compared to those on terrestrial mammals. The aim of this study was to describe the tongue morphology of the Franciscana dolphin (Pontoporia blainvillei) using macroscopic observations, light, and scanning electron microscopy. Microscopically, the dorsal surface was covered by a keratinized stratified epithelium. Salivary gland acini were found on the middle and caudal third of the tongue. The dorsal surface was totally covered by filiform papillae with a connective tissue core and a connective tissue structure round in shape in the middle and caudal regions. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2012. © ...

Influences of the insertion method in glass ionomer cement porosity

Microscopy Research and Technique — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSION: Although the use of LCS has not decreased the porosity of the material, this insertion method is easy, accessible, and low cost, which makes it a viable alternative of use in the ART technique and in others bucal health programs. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Source: Microscopy Research and Technique)

Evaluation of Levetiracetam as Adjunctive Treatment for Refractory Canine Epilepsy: A Randomized, Placebo‐Controlled, Crossover Trial

Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceAdjunctive treatment with LEV appears safe in epileptic dogs. Efficacy of LEV over placebo was not demonstrated, although the power of the study was limited. Further evaluation of LEV as treatment for epilepsy in dogs is warranted. (Source: Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine)

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Encourage lab testing to confront conditions early

Managed Healthcare Executive Magazine Online — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

According to experts, improving accessibility to laboratory tests and results improves patient engagement in their health and could have significant cost saving implications for managed care. (Source: Managed Healthcare Executive Magazine Online)

Risk factors for patient‐reported medical errors in eleven countries

Health Expectations — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions Safety remains a global challenge affecting many patients throughout the world. Large variability exists in the frequency of patient‐reported error across countries. To learn from others’ errors is not only essential within countries but may also prove a promising strategy internationally. (Source: Health Expectations)

Analytical quality of assays and comparison of procedures for the sweat test.

Annales de Biologie Clinique — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

In conclusion, comparison of methods highlighted that the less the sweat test is automatically controlled, the more the operator influence on results quality is important. Our study supports that sweat test result <50 mmol/L NaCl Eq is unlikely with CF diagnosis in absence of clinical arguments. PMID: 22294136 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Annales de Biologie Clinique)

Sensitization to aeroallergens at Mohamed V Hospital (Rabat, Morroco).

Annales de Biologie Clinique — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Abbi R, Zinsou CM, Dami A, Ouzzif Z, Elmechtani S, Tellal S, Bouhsain S Abstract This transversal case study aimed at drawing the biological profile of sensitized patients consulting for respiratory allergies at Mohamed V Military Hospital-Rabat. One hundred four patients were included in the case study, who have benefitted from specialized medical consultation and those who came to the biochemistry laboratory holding a medical check-up prescription for allergy (NFS and biochemical check-up). The biochemical analysis were made up of TMA Phadiatop(®), correct proportioning of specific IgE serum, and complete IgE. The different anamnestic and clinical parameters acting upon the sensitization to respiratory allergens have been collected through a multiple choice question sur...

Biological assay for galactose-1 phosphate measurement application in subjects with galactosemia.

Annales de Biologie Clinique — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

This study was conducted in order to assess the repeatability, reproducibility, accuracy, and effectiveness of the techniques used. We have found the CV for a repeatability (CV = 5 %), reproducibility (CV = 4 %) which confirms the accuracy of the method proceeded in this study. This method allows us to have a degree of inaccuracy less than 1%. According to the study of the effectiveness of "spot test", we found that our technique is specific (Sp = 93 %) and sensitive (Se = 83 %). PMID: 22294140 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Annales de Biologie Clinique)

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Association between the percentages of typical forms, acrosome abnormalities and the multiple anomalies indices: potential quality indicators?

Annales de Biologie Clinique — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Laudat A, Lecourbe K, Joyeux C, Burc-Struxiano L Abstract In addition to NF EN ISO 15189, the second version of "GBEA AMP", published in the official journal of the French Republic, had set for "AMP" exams, the actions to be implemented in order to achieve an efficient quality management system. As part of continuous improvement of quality, and besides our external and internal quality systems, we have been developping indicators that will allow an early detection of potential drifts within operators performing sperm morphology testing. We have extracted nearly 1900 sperm morphology tests from our database. These tests were performed by three operators. The analysis of the data collected has shown a cross correlation between the percentages of typical forms, malformative a...

Assessment of cardiometabolic risk among shift workers in Hungary

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Aim: Shift workers may be at risk of different diseases. In order to assess cardiometabolic risk in shift workers, a cross-sectional study was performed among active workers. Methods: A total of 481 workers (121 men, 360 women) were investigated; most of them were employees in light industry (58.2%) or in public services (23.9%). Past medical history was recorded and physical examination was performed. Questionnaires were used to characterize daily activity. Fasting venous blood sample was collected for measuring laboratory parameters. Data from shift workers (n=234, age: 43.9+/-8.1 years) were compared to those of daytime workers (n=247, age: 42.8+/-8.5 years), men and women were analyzed separately. Results: In men, systolic blood pressure was higher in shift workers compared to daytime ...

The utility of Gram stains and culture in the management of limb ulcers in persons with diabetes

International Wound Journal — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

In Tanzania, limited laboratory services often preclude routine identification of microorganisms that cause infections in persons with diabetes. Thus, we carried out this study to determine the utility of a Gram stain alone versus culture in guiding appropriate antimicrobial therapy. During February 2006 to December 2007 (study period), deep tissue biopsies were obtained from persons with diabetes presenting to the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) with infected limb ulcers. Specimens were Gram‐stained then cultured for bacteria and fungi. Biopsies were obtained from 128 patients. Of 128 cultures, 118 (92%) yielded bacterial or fungal growth; 59 (50%) of these 118 cultures yielded mixed growth (80% included Gram‐negative organisms); 38 (32%) and 20 (17%) yielded Gram‐negative and Gra...

Tissue engineering for pulmonary diseases – insights from the laboratory

Respirology — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Abstractadvances in stem cell research and tissue engineering have opened new paradigms for future therapies toward many intractable diseases. Many tissue engineering approaches are also applied in the pulmonary research field. Several materials have been utilized as scaffolds to support lung tissue engineering to recapitulate the three‐dimensional (3D) structure of the lung. Natural products and synthetic polymers are the two major components of the scaffold materials. Decellularization of allogeneic or xenogenic donor lungs is also utilized to obtain biological 3D matrix scaffolds. Decellularized lungs are recellularized with stem or progenitor cells. Cell sources are the key components for tissue engineering. The best cell source for tissue engineering is autologous cells obtained fro...

Impact of Fatigue on the Health-Related Quality of Life in Persons With Spinal Cord Injury

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: The Iowa Fatigue Scale data suggest over 50% of the SCI group had elevated fatigue, which was associated with significantly reduced HR-QOL. Research is needed that identifies factors that raise vulnerability to fatigue, and strategies designed to address the negative impacts of fatigue need to be evaluated. (Source: Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation)

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Multifidus Atrophy Is Localized and Bilateral in Active Persons With Chronic Unilateral Low Back Pain

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that despite a low level of disability and an activity level similar to that of matched control subjects, considerable localized, bilateral multifidus atrophy is present. Such impaired size of the multifidus will likely reduce its capacity to control intersegmental motion, thus increasing the susceptibility to further injury. Unlike acute unilateral low back pain (LBP), muscle size is reduced bilaterally in persons with chronic unilateral LBP. (Source: Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation)

Swallowing Neurorehabilitation: From the Research Laboratory to Routine Clinical Application

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Abstract: Doeltgen SH, Huckabee M-L. Swallowing neurorehabilitation: from the research laboratory to routine clinical application. The recent application of neurostimulation techniques to enhance the understanding of swallowing neural plasticity has expanded the focus of rehabilitation research from manipulation of swallowing biomechanics to manipulation of underlying neural systems. Neuromodulatory strategies that promote the brain's ability to reorganize its neural connections have been shown to hold promising potential to aid the recovery of impaired swallowing function. These techniques include those applied to the brain through the intact skull, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation or transcranial direct current stimulation, or those applied to the sensorimotor system in the per...

Intersexuality in Crustacea: An environmental issue?

Aquatic Toxicology — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Ford AT Abstract This paper aims to give a historical overview of current understanding about intersexuality in crustaceans, assesses gaps in our knowledge and asks whether it should be an environmental concern. The oldest known cases of intersexuality come from 70 million year old fossil crabs whilst the oldest published case of intersex crustacean stems from a 1730 Royal Society report of a gynandromorph lobster. Many crustacean species are sequential hermaphroditic or simultaneous hermaphrodites. Consequently, there has been confusion as to whether accounts of intersex in the literature are correct. Intersexuality is fairly common throughout the Crustacea and it has been suggested that intersex may arise through different mechanisms. For example, sexual gynandromorphism...

Growth and condition indices of juvenile turbot, Scophthalmus maximus, exposed to contaminated sediments: Effects of metallic and organic compounds.

Aquatic Toxicology — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Kerambrun E, Henry F, Perrichon P, Courcot L, Meziane T, Spilmont N, Amara R Abstract Since sediments have the potential to form associations with several classes of pollutants, they have been recognized as a possible and significant source of contamination for the benthic environment. Flatfish maintain a close association with sediments for food and cover, and are therefore more likely to be exposed to contaminated sediments, especially in coastal areas (e.g. nursery grounds). The assessment of these potential biological effects involves the use of adapted biomonitoring tools. The main objective of this study was to assess and compare the response of several physiological biomarkers measured on juvenile turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) exposed to contaminated sediments. Sedi...

[Evaluation of four methods for detecting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from clinical specimens at a regional hospital in Mexico].

Salud Publica de Mexico — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: All methods are very good for detecting MRSA, choosing a method to use will depend on each laboratory infrastructure. PMID: 22286822 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Salud Publica de Mexico)

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Clinical, Genetic, and Therapeutic Diversity in 2 Patients With Severe Mevalonate Kinase Deficiency

PEDIATRICS — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Mevalonic aciduria (MA) represents the severest form of mevalonate kinase deficiency due to recessively inherited, loss-of-function MVK mutations. MA is an early-onset disorder characterized by a marked failure to thrive, diverse neurologic symptoms, dysmorphic features, and recurrent febrile episodes. However, significant clinical differences have been reported in the few cases published to date. Here we describe 2 unrelated Spanish patients with MA, emphasizing the clinical heterogeneity observed. One patient presented with the severe classic MA phenotype due to the homozygous p.Ile-268-Thr MVK genotype, with a poor response to conventional treatments. However, the anti-interleukin 1 agent anakinra in this patient resulted in improvement in many clinical and laboratory parameters. The se...

Skin Lesions in a Boy With X-linked Lymphoproliferative Disorder: Comparison of 5 SH2D1A Deletion Cases

PEDIATRICS — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

We present a patient lacking the typical symptoms of XLP-1, but experiencing a severe unusual skin condition encompassing features of dermatosclerosis and vesiculobullous skin disease. A maternal cousin of the patient was diagnosed with XLP-1 and found to carry a deletion of the SH2D1A gene. SH2D1A deletion was also identified in our patient, which offered a possible explanation for his skin symptoms. Subsequent analysis showed that the deletion in both cousins was identical and involved the whole SH2D1A gene and a part of the adjacent ODZ1 gene. High phenotypic variability of XLP-1 observed in this family prompted us to analyze the genotype-phenotype correlation of 2 different-sized deletions involving SH2D1A and ODZ1 in 5 patients from 2 families, and we report the clinical and laborator...

Successful Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes and Seizures With Combined Ketogenic Diet and Insulin

PEDIATRICS — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

We report the case of a 2-year-old girl who presented to the emergency department with 1-week history of decreased activity, polyuria, and decreased oral intake. Her past medical history was remarkable for epilepsy, for which she was started on the KD with a significant improvement. Her laboratory evaluation was compatible with DKA, and fluids and insulin were given until correction. Because of concerns regarding recurrence of her seizures, the KD was resumed along with the simultaneous use of insulin glargine and insulin aspart. Urine ketones were kept in the moderate range to keep the effect of ketosis on seizure control. Under this combined therapy, the patient remained seizure-free with no new episodes of DKA. (Source: PEDIATRICS)

Genetic Causes of Macroglossia: Diagnostic Approach

PEDIATRICS — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: These results can be used to improve our strategy in the evaluation of macroglossia. Distinction between isolated macroglossia and BWS may be difficult when only taking into account clinical features. These findings suggest that all patients with apparently isolated macroglossia have at least initial evaluation with abdominal ultrasounds and molecular studies for BWS before a final diagnosis is given. BWS was the most common cause of macroglossia even in the absence of additional clinical findings. (Source: PEDIATRICS)

Pertussis Pseudo-outbreak Linked to Specimens Contaminated by Bordetella pertussis DNA From Clinic Surfaces

PEDIATRICS — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: A summer pertussis pseudo-outbreak, multifactorial in cause, likely occurred. Recommendations beyond standard practice were made to providers on specimen collection and environmental cleaning, and to laboratories on standardizing PCR protocols and reporting results, to minimize false-positive results from contaminated clinical specimens. (Source: PEDIATRICS)

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Late Intravenous Immunoglobulin Treatment in Patients With Kawasaki Disease

PEDIATRICS — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: IVIG treatment ≥10 days after illness onset achieves resolution of inflammation but was found to be insufficient for preventing CALs. (Source: PEDIATRICS)

Public Attitudes Regarding the Use of Residual Newborn Screening Specimens for Research

PEDIATRICS — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the general public surveyed here was supportive of NBS and residual sample retention and research use. However, there was a clear preference for an informed permission process for parents regarding these activities. Education about NBS was associated with a higher level of support and may be important to maintain public trust in these important programs. (Source: PEDIATRICS)

Children Who Are Pressured to Eat at Home Consume Fewer High-Fat Foods in Laboratory Test Meals

Journal of the American Dietetic Association — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Abstract: Parents use greater pressure to eat with children who weigh less, but the impact of this practice is unclear. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the association between parental reports of eating pressure and children's actual intake across four identical ad libitum meals. Sixty-eight ethnically diverse, 4- to 6-year-old children from New York, NY, participated in this study from 2005 to 2007. Eating pressure was measured by the Child Feeding Questionnaire. Height and weight were measured and converted to body mass index z scores. Meals consisted of macaroni and cheese, string beans, carrots, grapes, graham crackers, cheese sticks, milk, pudding, and a sugar-sweetened beverage. Multiple regressions were performed to determine the extent to which pressure ...

Repeated Exposure in a Natural Setting: A Preschool Intervention to Increase Vegetable Consumption

Journal of the American Dietetic Association — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Further research should explore the conditions necessary for repeated exposure to increase vegetable consumption in preschool settings. Creating opportunities for young children to serve as peer models has promise as a strategy to promote vegetable consumption. (Source: Journal of the American Dietetic Association)

Tear osmolarity test gets CLIA waiver

Modern Medicine — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

TearLab Corp. announced that its proprietary tear osmolarity analysis test (TearLab Osmolarity System) has been granted FDA waiver categorization under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988. (Source: Modern Medicine)

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Influenza vaccination of healthcare workers in acute-care hospitals: a case-control study of its effect on hospital-acquired influenza among patients

BMC Infectious Diseases — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Our observational study indicates a shielding effect of more than 35% of vaccinated HCW on HAI among patients in acute-care units. Investigations, such as controlled clinical trials, are needed to validate the benefits of HCW vaccination on HAI incidence in patients. (Source: BMC Infectious Diseases)

Combination Antiretroviral Therapy and Chronic HIV Infection affect Serum Retinoid Concentrations: Longitudinal and Cross-sectional Assessments

AIDS Research and Therapy — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Background: Several lines of evidence suggest that retinoids (retinol-ROL or vitamin A, and its active metabolites, retinoic acids-RAs) play important pathogenic roles in HIV infection and combination antiretroviral therapy (cART)-related events. We previously reported that antiretrovirals alter RAs synthesis in vitro. We hypothesised that in vivo serum retinoid concentrations are affected by both cART and HIV infection. This might explain several clinical and laboratory abnormalities reported in HIV-infected patients receiving cART. Methods: The effects of optimal cART and chronic HIV on serum retinoids were firstly assessed longitudinally in 10 HIV-infected adults (group1=G1): twice while on optimal cART (first, during long-term and second, during short term cART) and twice during 2 cART...

Are T‐cell dysfunctions the other side of the moon in the pathogenesis of myelodysplastic syndromes?

European Journal of Haematology — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractEven though the pathogenesis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is dominated by an inefficient maturation of hematopoietic precursors, also immune mechanisms seem to play a crucial functional role. In this review we will first describe the clinical and laboratory autoimmune manifestations often detectable in MDS patients. We will then focus on studies addressing the mechanisms of T‐cell activation and their implications in the disease history. The potential impact of specific cell subsets, such as regulatory T‐cells, Th17 cells and natural killer cells, will be also described. We will finally focus on potential therapeutic approaches based on immunomodulation, ranging from more classical immunosuppressive drugs to vaccination and transplantation strategies.© 2012 John Wiley &a...

Watch PAT in the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea: Influence of aging

The Laryngoscope — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion:Beside the good agreement confirmed between PSG and Watch PAT data in each group, aging did not negatively impact Watch PAT recorded data in terms of included parameters, except the difference in ΔPSG‐Watch PAT of sleep stage 3, which may be attributable to aging and impaired vascular tone. (Source: The Laryngoscope)

[Networks of National Reference Centers and associated Consiliary Laboratories in Germany].

Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Laude G, Kist M, Krause G Abstract Since 1995, the Robert Koch-Institute in agreement with the Federal Ministry of Health in Germany has increased the funding of National Reference Centers (NRC) and Consiliary Laboratories (CL) for laboratory-based surveillance of selected infection pathogens and infectious disease syndromes. Their goal is to improve efficient protection from infections and to supplement infectious disease surveillance by monitoring selected pathogens. Currently there are 19 NRC and 48 CL, nominated for a duration of 3 years. In order to enhance the effectiveness and cooperation of the system, ten National Networks were launched in 2009. The aim of these networks is to facilitate exchange on diagnostic methods and prevention concepts and to improve the ge...

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Integration of Next-Generation Sequencing Into Clinical Practice: Are We There Yet?

Seminars in Oncology — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms have evolved to provide an accurate and comprehensive means for the detection of molecular mutations in heterogeneous tumor specimens. Here, we review potential applications of this novel laboratory technology. In particular, we focus on the utility of amplicon deep-sequencing assays in characterizing myeloid neoplasms where the number of molecular markers applied for disease classification, patient stratification, and individualized monitoring of minimal residual disease is constantly increasing. We highlight the potential of this technology by discussing data from a recent study on chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). Although many facets of this assay need to be taken into account, eg, the preparation of sequencing libraries with molecular b...

[News] Arrests in USA over unapproved stem-cell therapies

The Lancet Oncology — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Federal investigators in the USA have charged four men with defrauding patients with terminal diseases by selling them unapproved stem-cell therapies. Among those arrested was Vincent Dammai, a cellular biologist and cancer researcher at the Medical University of South Carolina (Charleston, SC, USA). Dammai is charged with producing stem-cell lines for the scheme using university equipment; Dammai was placed on administrative leave and his laboratory was secured for investigators, university officials told The Lancet Oncology. (Source: The Lancet Oncology)

[Splenomegaly with multiple unclear parenchymal lesions.]

Der Radiologe — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Schedelbeck U, Gattenlöhner S, Hahn D, Ritter CO Abstract A 53-year-old female patient presented with splenomegaly, uncertain lesions of the spleen, pancytopenia and suspected aortitis. Reduced strength and muscular pain but no B symptoms were also present. Alterations of the spleen had been known for a long time. Blood examination, laboratory tests and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed an aortitis. Concerning the splenic changes neither ultrasound nor MRI could provide conclusive or even pathognomonic findings. Because of an existing pancytopenia and diagnostic obscurity, the patient underwent splenectomy. The histological diagnosis was finally concluded as multifocal littoral cell angioma. PMID: 22290454 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Der Radi...

Genome Research publishes special issue: Cancer Genomics

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) Genome Research publishes online and in print today a special issue entitled, "Cancer Genomics," highlighting insights gained form cutting-edge genomic and epigenomic analysis of cancer. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Photoconversion of DAPI following UV or violet excitation can cause DAPI to fluoresce with blue or cyan excitation

Journal of Microscopy — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Summary4’‐6‐Diamidino‐2‐phenylindole is a fluorescent dye commonly used to visualize deoxyribonucleic acid or cell nuclei in fixed cell preparations, and is often used together with fluorescein or green fluorescent protein, which can be excited without exciting 4’‐6‐Diamidino‐2‐phenylindole. It is assumed that when using typical fluorescein or green fluorescent protein filter cubes, 4’‐6‐Diamidino‐2‐phenylindole will not be observed. In this paper, we show that following observation of 4’‐6‐Diamidino‐2‐phenylindole using UV or violet excitation, it may become sensitive to the blue/cyan excitation used in fluorescein/green fluorescent protein filter cubes. This has serious implications for the use of 4’‐6‐Diamidino‐2‐phenylindole together wi...

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Effects of a 3-Hour Sleep Delay on Sleep Homeostasis in Alcohol Dependent Adults

Sleep — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:52:03 +0100

Conclusions:Alcohol dependence is associated with impaired SWA regulation and a blunted response to a mild homeostatic sleep challenge.Citation:Armitage R; Hoffmann R; Conroy DA; Arnedt JT; Brower KJ. Effects of a 3-hour sleep delay on sleep homeostasis in alcohol dependent adults. SLEEP 2012;35(2):273-278. (Source: Sleep)

Switch-Task Performance in Rats Is Disturbed by 12 h of Sleep Deprivation But Not by 12 h of Sleep Fragmentation

Sleep — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:52:03 +0100

Conclusions:We developed and validated a switch-task that is sensitive to sleep deprivation. This introduces the possibility for in-depth investigations on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying executive impairments after sleep disturbance in a rat model.Citation:Leenaars CHC; Joosten RNJMA; Zwart A; Sandberg H; Ruimschotel E; Hanegraaf MAJ; Dematteis M; Feenstra MGP; van Someren EJW. Switch-task performance in rats is disturbed by 12 h of sleep deprivation but not by 12 h of sleep fragmentation. SLEEP 2012;35(2):211-221. (Source: Sleep)

An Adaptive-Duration Version of the PVT Accurately Tracks Changes in Psychomotor Vigilance Induced by Sleep Restriction

Sleep — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:52:03 +0100

Conclusions:We developed and validated a highly accurate, sensitive, and specific adaptive-duration version of the 10-minute PVT. Test duration of the adaptive PVT averaged less than 6.5 minutes, with 60 tests (4.3%) terminating after less than 2 minutes, increasing the practicability of the test in operational and clinical settings. The adaptive-duration strategy may be superior to a simple reduction of PVT duration in which the fixed test duration may be too short to identify subjects with moderate impairment (showing deficits only later during the test) but unnecessarily long for those who are either fully alert or severely impaired.Citation:Basner M; Dinges DF. An adaptive-duration version of the PVT accurately tracks changes in psychomotor vigilance induced by sleep restriction. SLEEP...

CSF Levels of Hypocretin-1 (Orexin-A) Peak during Early Infancy in Humans

Sleep — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:52:03 +0100

Conclusions:The present findings indicate that in human infants, CSF hypocretin-1 increases during the third embryonic trimester and is highest at 4 months of life. Thereafter, and consistent with previously published results, hypocretin levels are lower and stable until the geriatric age. This pattern may reflect the role of hypocretin in the dramatic process of sleep and wakefulness consolidation that occurs during early infancy.Citation:Aran A; Shors I; Lin L; Mignot E; Schimmel MS. CSF levels of hypocretin-1 (orexin-A) peak during early infancy in humans. SLEEP 2012;35(2):187-191. (Source: Sleep)

This Day in Science History - February 1 - Emilio Segré

About.com Chemistry — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:05:45 +0100

February 1st is Emilio Segré's birthday. Segré was an Italian physicist who discovered the first artificial element. He was visiting the University of California, Berkeley's radiation laboratory when he was ...Read Full Post (Source: About.com Chemistry)

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Magnetized and collimated millimeter scale plasma jets with astrophysical relevance

Physics of Plasmas — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:51:01 +0100

In this study, plasma collimated jets are formed from supersonic unmagnetized flows, mimicking a stellar ... [Phys. Plasmas 19, 012121 (2012)] published Tue Jan 31, 2012. (Source: Physics of Plasmas)

Estimation of tamoxifen metabolite concentrations in the blood of breast cancer patients through CYP2D6 genotype activity score

Breast Cancer Research and Treatment — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:48:05 +0100

Abstract Tamoxifen, a prodrug used for adjuvant breast cancer therapy, requires conversion to the active metabolite endoxifen through CYP 2D6. We aimed to construct an algorithm to predict endoxifen concentrations based on a patient’s CYP 2D6 genotype, demographic factors, and co-medication use. Eighty-eight women enrolled in the UCSF TamGen II study and 81 women enrolled in a prospective study at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute were included in this analysis. All the women had been on tamoxifen for at least 3 months before blood collection. Demographic information included the patient’s age, race/ethnicity, body mass index (where available), and self-reported and measured medications and herbals that affect 2D6 activity. DNA was extracted and genotyped for 2D6 (Ampli...

Search for the molecular basis of ultra-rapid CYP2C9-catalysed metabolism: relationship between SNP IVS8-109A>T and the losartan metabolism phenotype in Swedes

European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:47:44 +0100

Conclusions We found that the SNP 4 IVS8-109T allele is associated with a higher CYP2C9 MR in healthy Swedish subjects, but further investigations need to be carried out to establish a molecular explanation for ultra-rapid CYP2C9-catalysed metabolism. Haplotype based on SNPs 1–4 did not seem to contribute to variation in the MR of the Korean subjects nor play a role in determining the MR of the Swedish ones. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory PharmacogeneticsPages 1-10DOI 10.1007/s00228-012-1210-0Authors Fazleen H. M. Hatta, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet–Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge 141 86, Stockholm, SwedenLay Kek Teh, Pharmacogenomics Centre (PROMISE), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti T...

Properties of antibodies to a synthetic peptide representing an epitope shared by receptors of the type I cytokine family

Clinical and Experimental Medicine — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:47:07 +0100

Abstract Previous works from our laboratory demonstrated that the monoclonal antibody (MAb) called R7B4 is directed to an epitope shared by various receptors corresponding to the type I cytokine receptor family, containing the common motif WSXWS or the homologous F(Y)GEFS. Later a consensus peptide significantly recognized by the MAb was identified and synthesized (sequence HGYWSEWSPE). In the present work, an homologous of the consensus sequence (HHGYWSEWSPE) was conjugated to PADRE adjuvant to produce Ab that could simulate the MAb activity, that is, acting as hormone and/or cytokine antagonists. The covalently conjugated peptide-PADRE was a better immunogen than the consensus peptide alone according to the reactivity of sera from C57BL/6 immunized mice and, besides, no ...

Confirmation that Xq27 and Xq28 are susceptibility loci for migraine in independent pedigrees and a case-control cohort

Neurogenetics — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:46:53 +0100

Abstract Investigations into migraine genetics have suggested that susceptibility loci exist on the X chromosome. These reports are supported by evidence that demonstrates male probands as having a higher proportion of affected first-degree relatives as well as the female preponderance of 3:1 that the disorder displays. We have previously implicated the Xq24-28 locus in migraine using two independent multigenerational Australian pedigrees that demonstrated excess allele sharing at the Xq24, Xq27 and Xq28 loci. Here, we expand this work to investigate a further six independent migraine pedigrees using 11 microsatellite markers spanning the Xq27–28 region. Furthermore, 11 candidate genes are investigated in an Australian case-control cohort consisting of 500 cases and 500 ...

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Validity and reliability of the Horiba C-122 compact sodium analyzer in sweat samples of athletes

European Journal of Applied Physiology — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:46:35 +0100

Abstract Accurate sodium replacement during prolonged exercise is possible when sweat rate and sweat sodium content are directly measured. Few athletes have access to sweat sodium content measurement, as the equipment needed to perform such analyzes is costly, laboratory-based or requires technical skills. Using 70 sweat samples collected in 24 athletes from 3 anatomical sites, this study determined the reliability [single-trial and inter-day (7 samples over 3 days)] and validity (instrument error) of a pocket-sized, easy-to-use and low cost sodium analyzer (Horiba C-122, Kyoto, Japan) against reference values of an ion chromatograph, the 883 Basic IC plus (Metrohm AG, Herisau, Switzerland). The Horiba C-122 showed high single-trial reliability with an intraclass corr...

Mechanical efficiency and force–time curve variation during repetitive jumping in trained and untrained jumpers

European Journal of Applied Physiology — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:46:33 +0100

Abstract Mechanical efficiency (ME), the ratio between work performed and energy expenditure, is a useful criterion in determining the roles of stored elastic energy and chemically deduced energy contributing to concentric performance in stretch-shortening cycle movements. Increased force production during the eccentric phase has been shown to relate to optimal muscle-tendon unit (MTU) length change and thus optimization of usage of stored elastic energy. This phenomenon, as previously reported, is reflected by higher jump heights and ME. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if ME may be different between trained and untrained jumpers and thus be accounted for by variation in force production in the eccentric phase as a reflection of usage of stored elastic e...

Correlation between plasma amino acid profiles and the various stages of hepatitis B infection

European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:46:27 +0100

In this study, we analyzed the relationship between the amino acid profiles and varying clinical stages of HBV infection, and investigated their significance. The plasma amino acid concentrations in 115 patients with HBV infection and 32 healthy donors were detected and analyzed, and the main indicators of liver function were measured. Correlation analysis was performed between the amino acid profiles (Fischer’s ratio, branched-chain amino acid to tyrosine ratio [BTR]) and the key indicators of liver function in patients with HBV infection. Fisher’s ratio and the BTR of patients with HBV infection was found to differ from that of the healthy controls, and was also found to significantly correlate with the stage of HBV infection. Changes in the BTR were closely related to the lev...

Superiority of the buffy coat over serum or plasma for the detection of Alkhumra virus RNA using real time RT-PCR

Archives of Virology — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:44:28 +0100

In this study, RT-PCR detection of viral RNA from the plasma, serum, and buffy coat (BC) was compared to virus isolation. Plasma, serum, and BC were obtained from seven patients with clinically suspected ALKV infection in Najran, Saudi Arabia. Baby hamster kidney (BHK-21) and rhesus monkey kidney (LLC-MK2) cell culture monolayers were used for virus isolation. Real-time RT-PCR was used to confirm ALKV infection and to detect viral RNA directly from plasma, serum, and BC. ALKV was isolated from five of the seven patients. The virus was isolated from all three specimen types (plasma, serum, and BC) of the five confirmed patients. ALKV RNA was detected directly by RT-PCR in BC in all five (100%) culture-positive patients and in plasma or serum in only four (80%) of the five patients. Th...