2,013 research outputs found

    Hand Coverage

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    Hand and finger soft tissue defects have always represented a surgical challenge at any accident and emergency department. Techniques may vary from just direct closure of the wound to free tissue transfer. Knowledge of the main locoregional hand flaps is paramount to solve most of the soft tissue defects at this level. Flaps vary depending on their blood supply and design. Their vascularity might be at random, they can be pedicled with anterograde or reversed flow or they can rely on simple or complex free tissue transfer whose blood flow depends on vascular anastomosis. This article reviews all the main soft tissue local or locoregional reconstructive techniques for hands and fingers

    Cell Death in the Embryonic Developing Limb

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    In amniote vertebrates, the development of form and structure of the limb bud is accompanied by precise patterns of massive mesodermal cell death with morphological features of apoptosis. These areas of cell death appear to eliminate undifferentiated cells which are required only for a limited time period of limb development. Predictable skeletal and morphological anomalies of the limb occur when the pattern of cell death is modified in mutant species or under experimental conditions. Most evidence points to the occurrence of local triggering mechanisms to account for the establishment of the areas of cell death and the subsequent activation of cell death genes. Modifications of the extracellular matrix and diminution in the contribution of growth factors by neighbouring tissues appear as the most likely potential candidates for triggering the cell death program. Information on the genetical basis of cell death in the developing limb is very scarce. Among the increasing number of cell death genes identified in other cell death systems, such as p-53 and the ced-3/ICE and ced-9/bcl-2 gene families, only bcl-2 has been studied in detail during limb development and yet, the information obtained is contradictory. Bcl-2 is not expressed in the areas of cell death of the developing limb, but normal limbs develop in mice with disruption of the bcl-2 gene. Obviously, the clarification of the role of the cell death genes constitute a major task in future studies of cell death in the developing limb

    Bent-core liquid crystals joining the ethylene-oxide/lithium ion tandem: Ionic conductivity and dielectric response towards new electrolytes for energy applications

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    We report the dielectric and conductivity response of three materials containing bent-core and tetra(ethylene-oxide) moieties, and their complexes doped with lithium triflate salts, as new potential nanostructured electrolytes. Whilst the pristine bent-core compounds do not show mesomorphism, the doped materials display smectic mesophases inside indium tin oxide cells assisted by the selective solvation of the lithium ions in the ethylene-oxide blocks. The dielectric response of the materials in the high-frequency range is controlled by the chemical composition of the bent-core structure, and the presence of lithium ions promotes direct current conductivity at low frequencies, in the σdc ∼ 10-5 S cm−1 range, which can be enhanced to σdc ∼ 10-4 S cm−1 via trans-to-cis photoisomerization of azobenzene groups. The dynamic and dual character of these materials (responding to low and high frequency electrical fields), the formation of ferroelectric crystals capable to store energy, and their interactions with light, will be applied to develop new energy devices

    Light-responsive bent-core liquid crystals as candidates for energy conversion and storage

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    IDC would like to thank the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), for the FPI grant (PAID-2019-SP20190013), the Generalitat Valenciana (GVA) and the European Social Fund (ESF), for the FPI grant (ACIF/2020/233) and the mobility grant (CIBEFP/2021/53). NFKA would like to thank Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) for sponsoring her academic sabbatical leave and allowing her to work on this project. AMF would like to thank the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, for the Research Incentive Grant RIG008586, the Royal Society and Specac Ltd., for the Research Grant RGS\R1\201397, the Royal Society of Chemistry for the award of a mobility grant (M19- 0000), and the Scottish Government and the Royal Society of Edinburgh for the award of a SAPHIRE project. The authors from INMA greatly appreciate financial support from projects of the Spanish Government PGC2018-093761-B-C31 [MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE] and the Gobierno de Aragón/FEDER (research group E47_20R). Thanks are given to the nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and thermal analysis services of the INMA (Univ. Zaragoza-CSIC)Peer reviewedPostprin

    Tailoring the dielectric and ferroelectric response of mixtures containing bent-core liquid crystals through light-irradiation and composition

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    Open access via the Elsevier Agreement IDC would like to thank the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), for the FPI grant (PAID-2019-SP20190013), the Generalitat Valenciana (GVA) and the European Social Fund (ESF), for the FPI grant (ACIF/2020/233) and the mobility grant (CIBEFP/2022/45). AMF would like to thank the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, for the Research Incentive Grant RIG008586, the Royal Society and Specac Ltd., for the Research Grant RGS\R1\201397, the Royal Society of Chemistry for the award of a mobility grant (M19- 0000), the Scottish Government and the Royal Society of Edinburgh for the award of a SAPHIRE project, NHS Scotland for the 20/016 R&D Endowments Award, and the University of Aberdeen for the CF10801-10 and CF10723-44 pump priming grants. The authors from INMA greatly appreciate financial support from projects of the Spanish Government PID2021-122882NB-I00 [MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE] and the Gobierno de Aragón/FEDER (research group E47_23R); and C.A-S for the FPI Fellowship PRE2019-090773. Thanks are given to the nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and thermal analysis services of CEQMA (Univ. Zaragoza-CSIC). BC is grateful to the National Science Foundation for supporting this work under grant no. CHE- 2306317. BC also thanks Illinois State University (ISU) for their financial support through university research grant (URG). Computational work is performed using resources from High Performance Computing (HPC) at Illinois State University.Peer reviewe

    Expression of proadrenomedullin derived peptides in the mammalian pituitary: co-localization of follicle stimulating hormone and proadrenomedullin N-20 terminal peptide-like peptide in the same secretory granules of the gonadotropes

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    Expression of proadrenomedullin-derived peptides in the rat, cow and human pituitary was studied by a variety of techniques. Immunocytochemical detection showed a widespread expression of adrenomedullin peptide in the adenohypophysis and the neural lobe, with low expression in the intermediate pituitary. Proadrenomedullin N-20 terminal peptide (PAMP)-immunoreactivity was also present in the anterior pituitary but showed a more marked heterogeneous distribution, with cells going from very strong to negative immunostaining. Lower levels of PAMP were found in the neural lobe. Interestingly, the distribution of adrenomedullin and PAMP immunoreactivity in the anterior pituitary did not completely overlap. In the present study, we concentrated our efforts to determine which cell type of the adenohypophysis expresses PAMP. Paraffin and semithin serial sections immunostained for PAMP and the classical pituitary hormones revealed that a subpopulation of the gonadotropes expresses high levels of PAMP-immunoreactive material. Ultrastructural analysis clearly showed PAMP-immunoreactivity in the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)-containing large secretory granules of the gonadotropes, suggesting simultaneous secretion of PAMP and FSH by this cell type. Three mouse adenohypophysis-derived cell lines (AtT20, GH3, and alphaT3-1 derived from corticotropes, lacto/somatotropes and gonadotropes, respectively) were also analysed and showed expression of both proadrenomedullin-derived peptides and their mRNA. Functional studies in these three cell lines showed that neither adrenomedullin nor PAMP was able to stimulate cAMP production in our experimental conditions. Taken together, our results support that proadrenomedullin derived peptides are expressed in the pituitary in cell-specific and not overlapping patterns, that could be explained by differences in postranslational processing. Our data showing costorage of PAMP and FSH in the same secretory granules open a way by which PAMP could be involved in the control of reproductive physiology in a coordinated manner with FSH

    Impact of Consuming Extra-Virgin Olive Oil or Nuts within a Mediterranean Diet on DNA Methylation in Peripheral White Blood Cells within the PREDIMED-Navarra Randomized Controlled Trial: A Role for Dietary Lipids

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    DNA methylation could be reversible and mouldable by environmental factors, such as dietary exposures. The objective was to analyse whether an intervention with two Mediterranean diets, one rich in extra-virgin olive oil (MedDiet + EVOO) and the other one in nuts (MedDiet + nuts), was influencing the methylation status of peripheral white blood cells (PWBCs) genes. A subset of 36 representative individuals were selected within the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED-Navarra) trial, with three intervention groups in high cardiovascular risk volunteers: MedDiet + EVOO, MedDiet + nuts, and a low-fat control group. Methylation was assessed at baseline and at five-year follow-up. Ingenuity pathway analysis showed routes with differentially methylated CpG sites (CpGs) related to intermediate metabolism, diabetes, inflammation, and signal transduction. Two CpGs were specifically selected: cg01081346–CPT1B/CHKB-CPT1B and cg17071192–GNAS/GNASAS, being associated with intermediate metabolism. Furthermore, cg01081346 was associated with PUFAs intake, showing a role for specific fatty acids on epigenetic modulation. Specific components of MedDiet, particularly nuts and EVOO, were able to induce methylation changes in several PWBCs genes. These changes may have potential benefits in health; especially those changes in genes related to intermediate metabolism, diabetes, inflammation and signal transduction, which may contribute to explain the role of MedDiet and fat quality on health outcomes

    The impact of physical, psychological, and sexual intimate partner violence on women's mental health: depressive symptoms, posttraumatic stress disorder, state anxiety, and suicide

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    Objective: This study aimed to determine the impact of lifetime physical, psychological, and sexual intimate male partner violence (IPV) on the mental health of women, after controlling for the contribution of lifetime victimization. The comorbidity of depressive symptoms and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and their relation to state anxiety and suicide were also assessed. Methods: Physically/psychologically (n 75) and psychologically abused women (n 55) were compared with nonabused control women (n 52). Information about sociodemographic characteristics, lifetime victimization, and mental health status (depressive and state anxiety symptoms, PTSD, and suicide) was obtained through face-to-face structured interviews. Results: Women exposed to physical/psychological and psychological IPV had a higher incidence and severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms, PTSD, and thoughts of suicide than control women, with no differences between the two abused groups. The concomitance of sexual violence was associated with a higher severity of depressive symptoms in both abused groups and a higher incidence of suicide attempts in the physically/psychologically abused group. The incidence of PTSD alone was very rare, and depressive symptoms were either alone or comorbid with PTSD. The severity of state anxiety was higher in abused women with depressive symptoms or comorbidity, as was the incidence of suicidal thoughts in the physically/psychologically abused group. Lifetime victimization was not a predictor of the deterioration of mental health in this study. Conclusions: These findings indicate that psychological IPV is as detrimental as physical IPV, with the exception of effects on suicidality, which emphasizes that psychological IPV should be considered a major type of violence by all professionals involved.Este es un artículo ampliamente citado internacionalmente respeto a violencia de pareja y consecuencias en la salud de las mujeres

    Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Murcia Region, a southern European Mediterranean area with low cardiovascular risk and high obesity

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with subsequent appearance of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. As compared to other Spanish regions, Murcia (southern Spain) registers increased obesity as well as cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of MS and its components, awareness of obesity as a health risk and associated lifestyles.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A population-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in 2003, covering a sample of 1555 individuals 20 years and over. MS was defined according to the Revised National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (R-ATPIII), International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and Joint Interim Statement (JIS) criteria. Both low (94/80) and high (102/88) waist circumference (WC) thresholds were considered.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Prevalence of MS was 27.2% (95%CI: 25.2-29.2), 32.2% (95%CI: 30.1-34.3) and 33.2% (95%CI: 31.2-35.3) according to the R-ATPIII, IDF and JIS94/80 respectively. It increased with age until reaching 52.6% (R-ATPIII) or 60.3% (JIS94/80) among persons aged 70 years and over, and was higher in persons with little or no formal education (51.7% R-ATPIII, 57.3% JIS94/80). The most common risk factors were hypertension (46.6%) and central obesity (40.7% and 66.1% according to high and low WC cut-off points respectively). Although most persons were aware that obesity increased health risks, regular exercise was very unusual (13.0% centrally obese, 27.2% non-centrally obese). Adherence to dietary recommendations was similar among centrally obese and non-centrally obese subjects.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Prevalence of MS is high in our population, is comparable to that found in northern Europe and varies with the definition used. Adherence to preventive recommendations and to adequate weight promotion is very low. In the absence of a specific treatment for MS, integrated intervention based on a sustained increase in physical activity and changes in diet should be reinforced.</p
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