321 research outputs found
Two cases of occupational allergic contact dermatitis from a cycloaliphatic epoxy resin in a neat oil: Case Report
BACKGROUND: Metal-working fluids contain complex mixtures of chemicals and metal workers constitute a potential risk group for the development of allergic contact dermatitis. CASE PRESENTATION: Two metal workers developed allergic contact dermatitis on the hands and lower arms from exposure to a neat oil used in metal processing. Patch testing revealed that the relevant contact allergen was a cycloaliphatic epoxy resin, 1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, bis(oxiranylmethyl) ester, added to the oil as a stabilizer. None of the patients had positive reactions to the bisphenol A-based epoxy resin in the standard series. CONCLUSIONS: These cases emphasize that well-known contact allergens may show up from unexpected sources of exposure. Further, it can be a long-lasting, laborious process to detect an occupational contact allergen and cooperation from the patient and the manufacturer of the sensitizing product is essential
Geometric Algebra Model of Distributed Representations
Formalism based on GA is an alternative to distributed representation models
developed so far --- Smolensky's tensor product, Holographic Reduced
Representations (HRR) and Binary Spatter Code (BSC). Convolutions are replaced
by geometric products, interpretable in terms of geometry which seems to be the
most natural language for visualization of higher concepts. This paper recalls
the main ideas behind the GA model and investigates recognition test results
using both inner product and a clipped version of matrix representation. The
influence of accidental blade equality on recognition is also studied. Finally,
the efficiency of the GA model is compared to that of previously developed
models.Comment: 30 pages, 19 figure
Cartoon Computation: Quantum-like computing without quantum mechanics
We present a computational framework based on geometric structures. No
quantum mechanics is involved, and yet the algorithms perform tasks analogous
to quantum computation. Tensor products and entangled states are not needed --
they are replaced by sets of basic shapes. To test the formalism we solve in
geometric terms the Deutsch-Jozsa problem, historically the first example that
demonstrated the potential power of quantum computation. Each step of the
algorithm has a clear geometric interpetation and allows for a cartoon
representation.Comment: version accepted in J. Phys.A (Letter to the Editor
ΠΠΎΠΊΡ Π² Π’ΠΎΠΌΡΠΊΠΎΠΌ ΠΠΎΠ»ΠΈΡΠ΅Ρ Π½ΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΎΠΌ ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ²Π΅ΡΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠ΅
ΠΡΠΎ ΠΏΠ΅ΡΠ²Π°Ρ ΠΊΠ½ΠΈΠ³Π° ΠΎ Π±ΠΎΠΊΡΠ΅ Π² ΠΎΠ΄Π½ΠΎΠΌ ΠΈΠ· ΡΠΎΠΌΡΠΊΠΈΡ
ΡΠ½ΠΈΠ²Π΅ΡΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΎΠ². Π‘ΠΎΠ±ΡΡΠΈΡ, ΡΠ°ΠΊΡΡ, ΡΠ°ΡΡΠΊΠ°Π·Ρ ΠΎ Π±ΠΎΠΊΡΡΡΠ°Ρ
ΠΈ ΠΈΡ
ΡΡΠ΅Π½Π΅ΡΠ°Ρ
ΠΎΡΠ½ΠΎΠ²Π°Π½Ρ Π½Π° Π΄ΠΎΠΊΡΠΌΠ΅Π½ΡΠ°Π»ΡΠ½ΡΡ
ΠΌΠ°ΡΠ΅ΡΠΈΠ°Π»Π°Ρ
, Π² ΡΠΎΠΌ ΡΠΈΡΠ»Π΅ ΠΈΠ· Π°ΡΡ
ΠΈΠ²Π½ΡΡ
ΠΈΡΡΠΎΡΠ½ΠΈΠΊΠΎΠ², Π²ΠΎΡΠΏΠΎΠΌΠΈΠ½Π°Π½ΠΈΡΡ
Π²Π΅ΡΠ΅ΡΠ°Π½ΠΎΠ² ΠΈ Π΄Π΅ΠΉΡΡΠ²ΡΡΡΠΈΡ
ΡΠΏΠΎΡΡΡΠΌΠ΅Π½ΠΎΠ². ΠΡΠΎ Π·Π½Π°ΠΊ Π±Π»Π°Π³ΠΎΠ΄Π°ΡΠ½ΠΎΡΡΠΈ ΠΈ ΠΏΡΠΈΠ·Π½Π°Π½ΠΈΡ Π±ΠΎΠΊΡΡΡΠ°ΠΌ, ΡΡΠ΅Π½Π΅ΡΠ°ΠΌ ΠΈ ΡΠΏΠΎΡΡΠΈΠ²Π½ΡΠΌ ΠΎΡΠ³Π°Π½ΠΈΠ·Π°ΡΠΎΡΠ°ΠΌ Π·Π° ΠΈΡ
Π½Π΅Π»ΡΠ³ΠΊΡΡ, Π½ΠΎ Π±Π»Π°Π³ΠΎΠ΄Π°ΡΠ½ΡΡ ΡΠ°Π±ΠΎΡΡ, Π·Π° ΠΏΠΎΠΏΡΠ»ΡΡΠΈΠ·Π°ΡΠΈΡ Π±ΠΎΠΊΡΠ°. Π ΡΠ΅Π·ΡΠ»ΡΡΠ°ΡΠ΅ ΡΠ°Π±ΠΎΡΡ ΠΏΠΎΠ»ΡΡΠΈΠ»Π°ΡΡ ΡΠΎΠ΄Π΅ΡΠΆΠ°ΡΠ΅Π»ΡΠ½Π°Ρ ΠΈ ΡΠ²Π»Π΅ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ΅Π»ΡΠ½Π°Ρ ΠΊΠ½ΠΈΠ³Π°, ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΡΠ°Ρ Π²ΡΠ·ΠΎΠ²Π΅Ρ Π½Π΅ΡΠΎΠΌΠ½Π΅Π½Π½ΡΠΉ ΠΈΠ½ΡΠ΅ΡΠ΅Ρ Ρ ΡΠΈΡΠ°ΡΠ΅Π»Π΅ΠΉ, ΠΈ Π±ΡΠ΄Π΅Ρ ΡΠΏΠΎΡΠΎΠ±ΡΡΠ²ΠΎΠ²Π°ΡΡ ΠΏΠΎΠΏΡΠ»ΡΡΠΈΠ·Π°ΡΠΈΠΈ ΡΠ°ΠΊΠΎΠ³ΠΎ Π·Π°ΠΌΠ΅ΡΠ°ΡΠ΅Π»ΡΠ½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ Π²ΠΈΠ΄Π° Π΅Π΄ΠΈΠ½ΠΎΠ±ΠΎΡΡΡΠ² ΠΊΠ°ΠΊ Π±ΠΎΠΊΡ
Conditionally Replicating Adenovirus Expressing TIMP2 Increases Survival in a Mouse Model of Disseminated Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer remains difficult to treat mainly due to presentation of the disease at an advanced stage. Conditionally-replicating adenoviruses (CRAds) are promising anti-cancer agents that selectively kill the tumor cells. The present study evaluated the efficacy of a novel CRAd (Ad5/3-CXCR4-TIMP2) containing the CXCR4 promoter for selective viral replication in cancer cells together with TIMP2 as a therapeutic transgene, targeting the matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) in a murine orthotopic model of disseminated ovarian cancer. An orthotopic model of ovarian cancer was established in athymic nude mice by intraperitonal injection of the human ovarian cancer cell line, SKOV3-Luc, expressing luciferase. Upon confirmation of peritoneal dissemination of the cells by non-invasive imaging, mice were randomly divided into four treatment groups: PBS, Ad-ΞE1-TIMP2, Ad5/3-CXCR4, and Ad5/3-CXCR4-TIMP2. All mice were imaged weekly to monitor tumor growth and were sacrificed upon reaching any of the predefined endpoints, including high tumor burden and significant weight loss along with clinical evidence of pain and distress. Survival analysis was performed using the Log-rank test. The median survival for the PBS cohort was 33 days; for Ad-ΞE1-TIMP2, 39 days; for Ad5/3-CXCR4, 52.5 days; and for Ad5/3-CXCR4-TIMP2, 63 days. The TIMP2-armed CRAd delayed tumor growth and significantly increased survival when compared to the unarmed CRAd. This therapeutic effect was confirmed to be mediated through inhibition of MMP9. Results of the in vivo study support the translational potential of Ad5/3-CXCR4-TIMP2 for treatment of human patients with advanced ovarian cancer
The severity of Puumala hantavirus induced nephropathia epidemica can be better evaluated using plasma interleukin-6 than C-reactive protein determinations
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Nephropathia epidemica (NE) is a Scandinavian type of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome caused by Puumala hantavirus. The clinical course of the disease varies greatly in severity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin (IL)-6 levels associate with the severity of NE.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A prospectively collected cohort of 118 consecutive hospital-treated patients with acute serologically confirmed NE was examined. Plasma IL-6, CRP, and creatinine, as well as blood cell count and daily urinary protein excretion were measured on three consecutive days after admission. Plasma IL-6 and CRP levels higher than the median were considered high.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that high IL-6 associated with most variables reflecting the severity of the disease. When compared to patients with low IL-6, patients with high IL-6 had higher maximum blood leukocyte count (11.9 <it>vs </it>9.0 Γ 10<sup>9</sup>/l, <it>P </it>= 0.001) and urinary protein excretion (2.51 <it>vs </it>1.68 g/day, <it>P </it>= 0.017), as well as a lower minimum blood platelet count (55 <it>vs </it>80 Γ 10<sup>9</sup>/l, <it>P </it>< 0.001), hematocrit (0.34 <it>vs </it>0.38, <it>P </it>= 0.001), and urinary output (1040 <it>vs </it>2180 ml/day, <it>P </it>< 0.001). They also stayed longer in hospital than patients with low IL-6 (8 <it>vs </it>6 days, <it>P </it>< 0.001). In contrast, high CRP did not associate with severe disease.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>High plasma IL-6 concentrations associate with a clinically severe acute Puumala hantavirus infection, whereas high plasma CRP as such does not reflect the severity of the disease.</p
Synthesis of Oleoylethanolamide Using Lipase
An effective process for the enzymatic synthesis of oleoylethanolamide is described in this study. The process included purification of a commercial oleic acid product and then optimization of the reaction between the purified oleic acid and ethanolamine in the presence of hexane and a lipase. Under the optimal amidation reaction conditions identified, oleoylethanolamide was obtained with 96.6% purity. The synthesis was also conducted on a large scale (50 mmol of each of the reactants), and oleoylethanolamide purity and yield after crystallization purification were 96.1 and 73.5%, respectively. Compared to the previous studies, the current method of preparing high-purity oleoylethanolamide is more effective and economically feasible. The scalability and ease for such synthesis make it possible to study the biological and nutritional functions of the cannabinoid-like oleoylethanolamide in animal or human subjects
Evidence of Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation in a Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal SyndromeβScoring Models and Severe Illness
Background: Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHF) are considered to be a serious threat to public health worldwide with up to 100 million cases annually. The general hypothesis is that disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is an important part of the pathogenesis. The study objectives were to study the variability of DIC in consecutive patients with acute hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), and to evaluate if different established DIC-scores can be used as a prognostic marker for a more severe illness. Method and Findings: In a prospective study 2006β2008, data from 106 patients with confirmed HFRS were analyzed and scored for the presence of DIC according to six different templates based on criteria from the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH). The DIC-scoring templates with a fibrinogen/CRP-ratio were most predictive, with predictions for moderate/severe illness (p,0.01) and bleeding of moderate/major importance (p,0.05). With these templates, 18.9β28.3 % of the patients were diagnosed with DIC. Conclusions: DIC was found in about one fourth of the patients and correlated with a more severe disease. This supports that DIC is an important part of the pathogenesis in HFRS. ISTH-scores including fibrinogen/CRP-ratio outperform models without. The high negative predictive value could be a valuable tool for the clinician. We also believe that our findings coul
Immunological Mechanisms Mediating Hantavirus Persistence in Rodent Reservoirs
Hantaviruses, similar to several emerging zoonotic viruses, persistently infect their natural reservoir hosts, without causing overt signs of disease. Spillover to incidental human hosts results in morbidity and mortality mediated by excessive proinflammatory and cellular immune responses. The mechanisms mediating the persistence of hantaviruses and the absence of clinical symptoms in rodent reservoirs are only starting to be uncovered. Recent studies indicate that during hantavirus infection, proinflammatory and antiviral responses are reduced and regulatory responses are elevated at sites of increased virus replication in rodents. The recent discovery of structural and non-structural proteins that suppress type I interferon responses in humans suggests that immune responses in rodent hosts could be mediated directly by the virus. Alternatively, several host factors, including sex steroids, glucocorticoids, and genetic factors, are reported to alter host susceptibility and may contribute to persistence of hantaviruses in rodents. Humans and reservoir hosts differ in infection outcomes and in immune responses to hantavirus infection; thus, understanding the mechanisms mediating viral persistence and the absence of disease in rodents may provide insight into the prevention and treatment of disease in humans. Consideration of the coevolutionary mechanisms mediating hantaviral persistence and rodent host survival is providing insight into the mechanisms by which zoonotic viruses have remained in the environment for millions of years and continue to be transmitted to humans
Cancer Screening by Systemic Administration of a Gene Delivery Vector Encoding Tumor-Selective Secretable Biomarker Expression
Cancer biomarkers facilitate screening and early detection but are known for only a few cancer types. We demonstrated the principle of inducing tumors to secrete a serum biomarker using a systemically administered gene delivery vector that targets tumors for selective expression of an engineered cassette. We exploited tumor-selective replication of a conditionally replicative Herpes simplex virus (HSV) combined with a replication-dependent late viral promoter to achieve tumor-selective biomarker expression as an example gene delivery vector. Virus replication, cytotoxicity and biomarker production were low in quiescent normal human foreskin keratinocytes and high in cancer cells in vitro. Following intravenous injection of virus >90% of tumor-bearing mice exhibited higher levels of biomarker than non-tumor-bearing mice and upon necropsy, we detected virus exclusively in tumors. Our strategy of forcing tumors to secrete a serum biomarker could be useful for cancer screening in high-risk patients, and possibly for monitoring response to therapy. In addition, because oncolytic vectors for tumor specific gene delivery are cytotoxic, they may supplement our screening strategy as a βtheragnosticβ agent. The cancer screening approach presented in this work introduces a paradigm shift in the utility of gene delivery which we foresee being improved by alternative vectors targeting gene delivery and expression to tumors. Refining this approach will usher a new era for clinical cancer screening that may be implemented in the developed and undeveloped world
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