EFFECTS OF BOBATH-BASED THERAPY ON DEPRESSION, SHOULDER PAIN AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS AFTER STROKE

Objective: To measure the effects of Bobath-based (BB) therapy on depression, shoulder pain and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients during one year after stroke. Design: In a prospective, non-randomized design, the use of BB therapy was compared with a more task-oriented therapy and no BB therapy. Subjects: A total of 324 patients in 12 hospitals. Methods: Patients in the intervention group received BB therapy, whereas patients in the control group received no BB therapy and a more task-oriented therapy. HRQoL was measured using the SF-36; depression was measured with the Center of Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale and shoulder pain was measured with the Visual Analogue Scale at discharge, 6 and 12 months. Linear and logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: No effects of BB therapy on HRQoL or shoulder pain were found. After one year fewer patients were depressed in the BB group (30%) than in the non-BB group (43%); the adjusted odds ratio was 0.6 (95% confidence interval 0.3-1.0). Conclusion: BB therapy did not have any effect on HRQoL or shoulder pain in stroke patients. Healthcare professionals should reconsider the use of BB therapy in the care of stroke patients

Regulation of adenovirus gene expression in human WI38 cells by an E1B-encoded tumor antigen.

Adenovirus mutants carrying alterations in the gene encoding the E1B 19-kilodalton tumor antigen (19K protein) cause enhanced cytopathic effect (cyt phenotype) and the degradation of host-cell chromosomal DNA (deg phenotype) upon infection of human HeLa or KB cells. Furthermore, E1B 19K gene mutant viruses are defective for cellular transformation. We report that these mutant viruses possess a host-range phenotype for growth in human cells. In human HeLa cells the mutant viruses grew to the same levels as the wild-type virus, but they were severely defective for growth in KB cells. In human WI38 cells, the E1B 19K gene mutant viruses had a substantial growth advantage over the wild-type virus, yielding 500-fold-higher titers. Viral DNA synthesis was reduced 10- to 20-fold in WI38 cells infected with the wild-type virus relative to that synthesized by the E1B mutant viruses. Viral early and late protein synthesis was similarly reduced in wild type- relative to mutant-infected cells. These reduced levels of early gene expression in wild-type virus-infected cells were paralleled by comparably reduced levels of early cytoplasmic mRNA. The primary cause of this host-range phenotype appeared at the level of early gene transcription, since transcription of viral early genes in the mutant-infected cells was substantially greater than levels found in cells infected with the wild-type virus. These results implicate the E1B 19K tumor antigen in the regulation of adenovirus early gene expression. Specifically, the E1B 19K protein directly or indirectly exerts a negative effect on early gene transcription accounting for efficient gene expression from the E1B mutant viruses in WI38 cells. Based on these findings it is probable that the cyt and deg phenotypes observed in mutant-infected HeLa and KB cells are the result of the pleiotropic effect of this altered gene regulation

Cyclin E/cdk2 and cyclin A/cdk2 kinases associate with p107 and E2F in a temporally distinct manner

International audienceCyclin E is classified as a putative G1 cyclin on the basis of its cyclic pattern of mRNA expression, with maximal levels being detected near the G1/S boundary. We report here that cyclin E is found associated with the transcription factor E2F in a temporally regulated fashion. E2F is known to be a critical transcription factor for the expression of some S phase-specific proteins and is thought to be important for a series of others. Antisera specific for cyclin E were raised and used to demonstrate an association between cyclin E and E2F. This cyclin E/E2F complex was seen in a variety of human cell lines from various tissues, but its appearance was detected primarily during the G1 phase of the cell cycle. The cyclin E/E2F association decreased as cells entered S phase, just as the association of E2F with cyclin A became detectable. We characterized the cyclin E-E2F complex further to show that both the cyclin-dependent kinase-2 (cdk2) and p107 were present. Therefore, the p107/E2F complex is associated with two different cdk2 kinase complexes--one containing cyclin A and the other containing cyclin E--and the appearance of these complexes is temporally regulated during the cell cycle. The presence of cyclin E/E2F complexes in the G1 phase suggests a role for cyclin E in the control of genes required for the G1-to-S transition

First Results of the LUX Dark Matter Experiment

© 2015 Elsevier B.V..LUX (Large Underground Xenon) is a dark matter direct detection experiment deployed at the 4850 level of the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, SD, operating a 370 kg dual-phase xenon TPC. Results of the first WIMP search run were presented in late 2013, for the analysis of 85.3 live-days with a fiducial volume of 118 kg, taken during the period of April to August 2013. The experiment exhibited a sensitivity to spin-independent WIMP-nucleon elastic scattering with a minimum upper limit on the cross section of 7.6×10-46cm2 at a WIMP mass of 33 GeV/c2, becoming the worlds leading WIMP search result, in conflict with several previous claimed hints of discovery

Myocardial Infarction Within 30 Days of Discharge From an Emergency Department: A Descriptive Study of Albertan Women

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of premature death for Canadian women, which may be due partly to a lack of awareness of the presentation of acute coronary events in emergency departments (EDs). To address an identified gap in women’s cardiovascular care, we sought to describe the clinical and comorbid factors of women who, following discharge from an ED, suffered a myocardial infarction (MI). Methods: Descriptive analyses were completed on a cohort of women who presented to an ED in Alberta, Canada, between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2020, were discharged, and within 30 days of their index ED visit, were admitted to the hospital with an MI. The cohort was explored for clinical and comorbid data, ED visits pre-MI, type of MI, and presenting complaint/ primary diagnosis for the index ED visit. Results: 1380 women were included in this analysis with a mean age of 67 (standard deviation ±13) years. The frequencies of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia among the youngest women, aged 18-45 years, were 47.5%, 31.3%, and 48.8%, respectively. Women across all ages demonstrated a high prevalence of traditional CVD risk factors, and 22% of women presented to an ED 2 or more times within the 30 days pre-MI. Conclusions: Regardless of their age, the women in this cohort had notable CVD risk factors. Future research is required to better understand the phenomenon of women presenting multiple times to an ED pre-MI. Research is needed on life-stage–specific factors of women presenting to EDs pre-MI, to help reduce MI incidence. RÉsumÉ: Contexte: Les maladies cardiovasculaires représentent la principale cause de décès prématuré chez les Canadiennes, ce qui peut être en partie attribuable à un manque de connaissance des manifestations des événements coronariens aigus dans les services d’urgence. Pour combler une lacune observée dans les soins cardiovasculaires chez les femmes, nous avons tenté de décrire les facteurs cliniques et les facteurs de comorbidité chez les femmes qui, après avoir reçu leur congé du service d’urgence, ont subi un infarctus du myocarde (IM). Méthodologie: Des analyses descriptives ont été menées sur une cohorte de femmes qui se sont présentées dans un service d’urgence en Alberta, au Canada, entre le 1er janvier 2010 et le 31 décembre 2020, qui ont reçu leur congé et qui, dans les 30 jours suivant leur visite de référence aux urgences, ont été admises à l’hôpital pour un IM. L’analyse de la cohorte portait sur les données cliniques et les données de comorbidité, les consultations au service d’urgence avant l’IM, le type d’IM et la raison/le diagnostic primaire lors de la consultation de référence. Résultats: Cette analyse a porté sur 1380 femmes dont l’âge moyen était de 67 (écart-type ± 13) ans. Les fréquences d’hypertension, de diabète et de dyslipidémie chez les femmes les plus jeunes, âgées de 18 à 45 ans, étaient respectivement de 47,5 %, de 31,3 % et de 48,8 %. Les femmes de tous les âges présentaient une prévalence élevée de facteurs de risque classiques de maladies cardiovasculaires, et 22 % des femmes s’étaient présentées à un service d’urgence au moins 2 fois au cours des 30 jours ayant précédé l’IM. Conclusions: Indépendamment de l’âge, les femmes de cette cohorte présentaient des facteurs de risque de maladies cardiovasculaires notables. D’autres recherches s’imposent afin de mieux comprendre le phénomène des femmes qui se présentent plusieurs fois dans un service d’urgence dans la période précédant un IM. Une recherche doit être menée sur les facteurs spécifiques aux stades de la vie des femmes qui se présentent aux urgences avant un IM afin d’aider à réduire l’incidence des infarctus du myocarde

Endovascular Treatment of Acute Portal Vein Thrombosis Using Ultrasound- Accelerated Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis

Abstract We report a case of extensive acute portal vein thrombosis (PVT) presenting with severe diffuse abdominal pain and impending small bowel infarction. The patient was successfully treated with ultrasound-accelerated catheter-directed thrombolysis (EKOS endowave system; Covidien, Mansfield, Massachusetts), which resulted in prompt recanalization of his portal vein (PV) and its tributaries. The patient eventually had ischemic stricture that necessitated bowel resection. However, we believe that our technique was successful in rapidly restoring the patency of the PV and its tributaries, and therefore, avoiding a life-threatening complication of more extensive bowel infarction. To our knowledge, the use of ultrasound-accelerated thrombolysis in treatment of PVT has not been previously described in the literature