6,004 research outputs found
Use of Pharmacokinetic Data in Novel Analyses to Determine the Effect of Topical Microbicides as Preexposure Prophylaxis Against HIV Infection.
New empirical fits to the proton electromagnetic form factors
Recent measurements of the ratio of the elastic electromagnetic form factors
of the proton, G_Ep/G_Mp, using the polarization transfer technique at
Jefferson Lab show that this ratio decreases dramatically with increasing Q^2,
in contradiction to previous measurements using the Rosenbluth separation
technique. Using this new high quality data as a constraint, we have reanalyzed
most of the world e-p elastic cross section data. In this paper, we present a
new empirical fit to the reanalyzed data for the proton elastic magnetic form
factor in the region 0 < Q^2 < 30 GeV^2. As well, we present an empirical fit
to the proton electromagnetic form factor ratio, G_Ep/G_Mp, which is valid in
the region 0.1 < Q^2 < 6 GeV^2
Etiological Profile and Treatment Outcome of Epistaxis at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Northwestern Tanzania: A Prospective Review of 104 Cases.
Epistaxis is the commonest otolaryngological emergency affecting up to 60% of the population in their lifetime, with 6% requiring medical attention. There is paucity of published data regarding the management of epistaxis in Tanzania, especially the study area. This study was conducted to describe the etiological profile and treatment outcome of epistaxis at Bugando Medical Centre, a tertiary care hospital in Northwestern Tanzania. This was a prospective descriptive study of the cases of epistaxis managed at Bugando Medical Centre from January 2008 to December 2010. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS computer software version 15. A total of 104 patients with epistaxis were studied. Males were affected twice more than the females (2.7:1). Their mean age was 32.24 ± 12.54 years (range 4 to 82 years). The modal age group was 31-40 years. The commonest cause of epistaxis was trauma (30.8%) followed by idiopathic (26.9%) and hypertension (17.3%). Anterior nasal bleeding was noted in majority of the patients (88.7%). Non surgical measures such as observation alone (40.4%) and anterior nasal packing (38.5%) were the main intervention methods in 98.1% of cases. Surgical measures mainly intranasal tumor resection was carried out in 1.9% of cases. Arterial ligation and endovascular embolization were not performed. Complication rate was 3.8%. The overall mean of hospital stay was 7.2 ± 1.6 days (range 1 to 24 days). Five patients died giving a mortality rate of 4.8%. Trauma resulting from road traffic crush (RTC) remains the most common etiological factor for epistaxis in our setting. Most cases were successfully managed with conservative (non-surgical) treatment alone and surgical intervention with its potential complications may not be necessary in most cases and should be the last resort. Reducing the incidence of trauma from RTC will reduce the incidence of emergency epistaxis in our centre
Immersive learning of biomolecules
This paper reports a new international initiative on the use of virtual and augmented reality
(VAR) technology to assist student learning of biomolecules. Researchers, developers and
educators from Nanyang Technological University, National Institute of Education, Hwa
Chong Institution and River Valley High School in Singapore, Utrecht University and
Windesheim University of Applied Science in The Netherlands, will work together for two
years on this project. The objective of this research is to investigate the benefits of applying the
latest VAR technology to enhance students’ learning of molecular biology. In particular, the
project is keen to design new immersive and interactive contents for selected topics such as
enzymes, proteins, DNAs etc., in molecular biology. This interdisciplinary collaboration has a
potential to grow globally
Post-traumatic cilia remaining inert in the anterior chamber for 50 years: a case report
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>The present report concerns what is, to the best of our knowledge, the first case of post-traumatic cilia that has remained inert for approximately 50 years after its inoculation into the eye.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 69-year-old Caucasian woman whose right eye had been struck by a dining fork approximately 50 years earlier was examined on presentation two years ago. In her right eye, both uncorrected and best-corrected visual acuities were 0.1 (in decimal notation). Along with a nuclear cataract, a straight linear extension was found extending beneath the iris at the nine o'clock position reaching the center of the pupil, which appeared to be a cilium measuring 7 mm. After the removal of the cilia, an uncomplicated phacoemulsification was performed and a posterior chamber intra-ocular lens was implanted. Her post-operative course was uneventful, and visual acuity remained 1.0 for the 22-month follow-up period.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Intra-ocular cilia can be tolerated for as long as 50 years without causing any ocular reaction.</p
The complexities of breast cancer desmoplasia
The stromal, or 'desmoplastic', responses seen histologically in primary breast carcinomas can vary from being predominantly cellular (fibroblasts/myofibroblasts) with little collagen to being a dense acellular tissue. The mechanisms underlying the stromal response are complex; paracrine activation of myofibroblasts by growth factors is important but the contribution of cytokines/chemokines should not be ignored. A recent xenograft study has proposed that platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is the initiator of the desmoplastic response, but this has not been confirmed by (limited) analyses in vivo. Further studies are required to elaborate the mechanisms of the desmoplastic response, to determine its role in breast cancer progression and whether it is the same for all carcinomas
The Impact of NOD2 Variants on Fecal Microbiota in Crohn's Disease and Controls Without Gastrointestinal Disease.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Current models of Crohn's disease (CD) describe an inappropriate immune response to gut microbiota in genetically susceptible individuals. NOD2 variants are strongly associated with development of CD, and NOD2 is part of the innate immune response to bacteria. This study aimed to identify differences in fecal microbiota in CD patients and non-IBD controls stratified by NOD2 genotype. METHODS: Patients with CD and non-IBD controls of known NOD2 genotype were identified from patients in previous UK IBD genetics studies and the Cambridge bioresource (genotyped/phenotyped volunteers). Individuals with known CD-associated NOD2 mutations were matched to those with wild-type genotype. We obtained fecal samples from patients in clinical remission with low fecal calprotectin (<250 µg/g) and controls without gastrointestinal disease. After extracting DNA, the V1-2 region of 16S rRNA genes were polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified and sequenced. Analysis was undertaken using the mothur package. Volatile organic compounds (VOC) were also measured. RESULTS: Ninety-one individuals were in the primary analysis (37 CD, 30 bioresource controls, and 24 household controls). Comparing CD with nonIBD controls, there were reductions in bacterial diversity, Ruminococcaceae, Rikenellaceae, and Christensenellaceae and an increase in Enterobacteriaceae. No significant differences could be identified in microbiota by NOD2 genotype, but fecal butanoic acid was higher in Crohn's patients carrying NOD2 mutations. CONCLUSIONS: In this well-controlled study of NOD2 genotype and fecal microbiota, we identified no significant genotype-microbiota associations. This suggests that the changes associated with NOD2 genotype might only be seen at the mucosal level, or that environmental factors and prior inflammation are the predominant determinant of the observed dysbiosis in gut microbiota.Funding was supported by CORE, the Digestive Diseases Foundation and the Wellcome Trust [grant number 097943 to NAK, 093885 to CAL and 098051 to Alan W Walker and Julian Parkhill . Dr. Walker receives core funding support from the Scottish Government Rural and Environmental Science and Analysis Service (RESAS). We also acknowledge the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre awards to Addenbrooke’s Hospital/University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine and acknowledge the NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre
Methodological challenges in online trials: an update and insights from the REACT trial
There has been a growth in the number of web-based trials of web-based interventions, adding to an increasing evidence base for their feasibility and effectiveness. However, there are challenges associated with such trials, which researchers must address. This discussion paper follows the structure of the Down Your Drink trial methodology paper, providing an update from the literature for each key trial parameter (recruitment, registration eligibility checks, consent and participant withdrawal, randomization, engagement with a web-based intervention, retention, data quality and analysis, spamming, cybersquatting, patient and public involvement, and risk management and adverse events), along with our own recommendations based on designing the Relatives Education and Coping Toolkit randomized controlled trial for relatives of people with psychosis or bipolar disorder. The key recommendations outlined here are relevant for future web-based and hybrid trials and studies using iterative development and test models such as the Accelerated Creation-to-Sustainment model, both within general health research and specifically within mental health research for relatives. Researchers should continue to share lessons learned from conducting web-based trials of web-based interventions to benefit future studies
Quantum Dots for Multiplexed Detection and Characterisation of Prostate Cancer Cells Using a Scanning Near-Field Optical Microscope
In this study scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) has been utilised in conjunction with quantum dot labelling to interrogate the biomolecular composition of cell membranes. The technique overcomes the limits of optical diffraction found in standard fluorescence microscopy and also yields vital topographic information. The technique has been applied to investigate cell-cell adhesion in human epithelial cells. This has been realised through immunofluorescence labelling of the cell-cell adhesion protein E-cadherin. Moreover, a dual labelling protocol has been optimised to facilitate a comparative study of the adhesion mechanisms and the effect of aberrant adhesion protein expression in both healthy and cancerous epithelial cells. This study reports clear differences in the morphology and phenotype of healthy and cancerous cells. In healthy prostate epithelial cells (PNT2), E-cadherin was predominantly located around the cell periphery and within filopodial extensions. The presence of E-cadherin appeared to be enhanced when cell-cell contact was established. In contrast, examination of metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma cells (PC-3) revealed no E-cadherin labelling around the periphery of the cells. This lack of functional E-cadherin in PC-3 cells coincided with a markedly different morphology and PC-3 cells were not found to form close cell-cell associations with their neighbours. We have demonstrated that with a fully optimised sample preparation methodology, multiplexed quantum dot labelling in conjunction with SNOM imaging can be successfully applied to interrogate biomolecular localisation within delicate cellular membranes
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