1,174 research outputs found

    Could Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide Test be Useful in Predicting Inhaled Corticosteroid Responsiveness in Chronic Cough? A Systematic Review

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    © 2016 Background Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is a safe and convenient test for assessing T H 2 airway inflammation, which is potentially useful in the management of patients with chronic cough. Objective To summarize the current evidence on the diagnostic usefulness of FENO for predicting inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) responsiveness in patients with chronic cough. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted to identify articles published in peer-reviewed journals up to February 2015, without language restriction. We included studies that reported the usefulness of FENO (index test) for predicting ICS responsiveness (reference standard) in patients with chronic cough (target condition). The data were extracted to construct a 2 × 2 accuracy table. Study quality was assessed with Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2. Results We identified 5 original studies (2 prospective and 3 retrospective studies). We identified considerable heterogeneities in study design and outcome definitions, and thus were unable to perform a meta-analysis. The proportion of ICS responders ranged from 44% to 59%. Sensitivity and specificity ranged from 53% to 90%, and from 63% to 97%, respectively. The reported area under the curve ranged from abou t 0.60 to 0.87; however, studies with a prospective design and a lower prevalence of asthma had lower area under the curve values. None measured placebo effects or objective cough frequency. Conclusions We did not find strong evidence to support the use of FENO tests for predicting ICS responsiveness in chronic cough. Further studies need to have a randomized, placebo-controlled design, and should use validated measurement tools for cough. Standardization would facilitate the development of clinical evidence

    Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy in a Patient with a Preexisting Three-Piece Inflatable Penile Prosthesis

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    We report a rare case of robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP) in a patient with a preexisting penile prosthesis. In this case, we completed RARP without removing the reservoir by using a deflation-inflation technique, and there were no complications related to the prosthesis. The patient had a negative surgical margin. The preserved three-piece inflatable penile prosthesis continued to function properly in 1 month. Reservoir-preserving RARP is technically feasible and safe. However, it is important to be aware of device-related complications. Long-term studies on the mechanical survival rate and patient satisfaction should be also performed

    Fluoxetine Up-Regulates Bcl-xL Expression in Rat C6 Glioma Cells

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    Objective To analyze both differentially expressed genes and the Bcl-xL protein expression after acute and chronic treatment with fluoxetine in rat C6 glioma cells. Methods C6 glioma cells were cultured for 24 h or 72 h after treatment with 10 mu M fluoxetine, and gene expression patterns were observed using microarray and qRT-PCR. Then, cells were cultured for 6 h, 24 h, 72 h or 96 h after treatment with 10 mu M fluoxetine, and the expression of Bd-xL protein was measured using western blot. Results As determined by microarray, treatment with fluoxetine for 24 h up-regulated 33 genes (including Bcl-xL and NCAM140) and down-regulated 7 genes (including cyclin G-associated kinase). Treatment with fluoxetine for 72 h up-regulated 53 genes (including Gs alpha and Bcl-xL) and down-regulated 77 genes (including Gai2 and annexin V). Based on the qRT-PCR results, there was an increase in Gsa mRNA and a decrease in G alpha i2 mRNA at 72 h in fluoxetine-treated cells as compared to control, a result that was consistent with microarray. We also observed an increase in Bcl-xL mRNA (both at 24 h and at 72 h) in fluoxetine-treated cells as compared to control, demonstrating a tendency to increase gradually. Bcl-xL protein expression increased as the duration of fluoxetine treatment increased. Conclusion These results suggest that chronic treatment with fluoxetine not only initiates the cAMP pathway through inducing Gsa expression but also induces Bcl-xL expression, thus inhibiting apoptosis. Psychiatry Investig 2011;8:161-168This work was supported by the research fund of Hanyang University (HY-2010-N)

    Cost-effectiveness of a medication event monitoring system for tuberculosis management in Morocco

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    BACKGROUND: Digital health technologies have been used to enhance adherence to TB medication, but the cost-effectiveness remains unclear. METHODS: We used the real data from the study conducted from April 2014 to December 2020 in Morocco using a smart pillbox with a web-based medication monitoring system, called Medication Event Monitoring Systems (MEMS). Cost-effectiveness was evaluated using a decision analysis model including Markov model for Multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB from the health system perspective. The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per disability adjusted life-year (DALY) averted. Two-way sensitive analysis was done for the treatment success rate between MEMS and standard of care. RESULTS: The average total per-patient health system costs for treating a new TB patient under MEMS versus standard of care were 398.70and398.70 and 155.70, respectively. The MEMS strategy would reduce the number of drug-susceptible TB cases by 0.17 and MDR-TB cases by 0.01 per patient over five years. The ICER of MEMS was $434/DALY averted relative to standard of care, and was most susceptible to the TB treatment success rate of both strategies followed by the managing cost of MEMS. CONCLUSION: MEMS is considered cost-effective for managing infectious active TB in Morocco

    Increased Transforming Growth Factor-beta1 in Alcohol Dependence

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    Ethanol and its metabolite acetaldehyde increase transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-β1) expression in animal studies. TGF-β1 is related with the hepatic stellate cell (the key element of hepatic fibrogenesis) and the radial glia (the key element of neuronal migration). Blood samples were collected from 41 patients with alcohol dependence, TGF-β1 levels measured by ELISA were compared with 41 normal subjects. Plasma TGF-β1 levels in the patients with alcohol dependence (1,653.11±532.45 pg/mL) were significantly higher than those of healthy subjects (669.87±366.53 pg/mL) (P=0.000). Patients with or without liver pathology showed no difference in TGF-β1 (P=0.36). Increased TGF-β1 may mediate deleterious effect of alcohol such as hepatic fibrosis and suppressed neuronal developments in alcohol dependence patients

    Cox-2 and IL-10 Polymorphisms and Association with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of The Head and Neck in a Korean Sample

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    Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is involved in inflammation and carcinogenesis. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is also regarded as anti-inflammatory factors with the multi-functional ability to positively and negatively influence functional immunity and tumor development. Genetic polymorphisms of COX-2 and IL-10 might contribute to the development of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of COX-2 and IL-10 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with the risk of SCCHN in a Korean sample. We analyzed the COX-2 SNPs, -1329A>G, +1266C>T, and +6365T>C, and the IL-10 SNPs, -1082A>G, +920T>G, and +3917T>C, in 290 Korean SCCHN patients and 358 healthy controls. There was no significant association between the risk of SCCHN and the three COX-2 or three IL-10 SNPs. We analyzed three haplotypes (ht1, ht2, ht3) for COX-2 and found that COX-2 ht3+/+ was associated with a decreased risk of SCCHN in a Korean sample, compared with the COX-2 ht3 -/- genotype (P=0.03). Two haplotypes (ht1, ht2) of IL-10 were analyzed and there was no statistical significance in the distribution of haplotypes. Based on these results, the COX-2 haplotype ht3 can be used as a molecular biomarker to predict low risk groups of SCCHN in a Korean sample

    Le teorie sociologiche sulla comunicazione di massa. Dieci lezioni

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    La communication research ha oramai guadagnato una propria autonomia scientifica e accademica, sostenuta dal riconoscimento della qualità e rilevanza sociale e culturale dell’oggetto di studio. Le comunicazioni di massa sono una realtà affluente della nuova era antropologica, che si manifesta in molteplici aspetti che incidono sulla riproduzione simbolica e materiale dei sistemi sociali. Di fronte all’emergenza di un fenomeno pervasivo e pluriforme, da circa un secolo, gli studiosi si pongono il problema di come darne conto in maniera adeguata. Il libro ricostruisce lo sviluppo dei differenti paradigmi che si sono affermati nel corso del Novecento, orientando i modelli teorici e le attività di ricerca sui media. INDICE 11 - Prefazione. Ciò che è vivo e ciò che è morto nella teoria della comunicazione del Novecento. Per una storiografia della teoria, i principali modelli e le principali scuole di Michele Infante; 31 - Introduzione; 37 - Capitolo I. Le prime riflessioni sugli effetti dei mass media; 63 - Capitolo II. La scoperta delle variabili intervenienti; 85 - Capitolo III. Le reti sociali e il “flusso a due fasi”; 121 - Capitolo IV. L’approccio degli usi e delle gratificazioni; 141 - Capitolo V. La teoria critica vs. l’industria culturale; 171 - Capitolo VI. I Cultural Studies; 197 - Capitolo VII. La teoria dell’agenda setting; 227 - Capitolo VIII. La teoria della spirale del silenzio; 239 - Capitolo IX. La teoria della coltivazione; 257 - Capitolo X. La teoria della dipendenza; 273 - Bibliografia
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