561 research outputs found

    Identification and bioinformatic analysis of the membrane proteins of synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

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    © 2009 Wang et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

    Optimal dose of fenfluramine in adjuvant treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy: evidence from randomized controlled trials

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    ObjectiveSeveral clinical trials have suggested that fenfluramine (FFA) is effective for the treatment of epilepsy in Dravet syndrome (DS) and Lennox–Gastaut syndrome (LGS). However, the exploration of its optimal target dose is ongoing. This study aimed to summarize the best evidence to inform this clinical issue.Materials and methodsWe searched PubMed, Embase (via Ovid), and Web of Science for relevant literature published before December 1st, 2023. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies that evaluated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of FFA in DS and LGS were identified and meta-analysis was performed according to doses. The study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023392454).ResultsSix hundred and twelve patients from four randomized controlled trials were enrolled. The results demonstrated that FFA at 0.2, 0.4, or 0.7 mg/kg/d showed significantly greater efficacy compared to placebo in terms of at least 50% reduction (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001) and at least 75% reduction (p < 0.001, p = 0.007, p < 0.001) in monthly seizure frequency from baseline. Moreover, significantly more patients receiving FFA than placebo were rated as much improved or very much improved in CGI-I by both caregivers/parents and investigators (p < 0.001). The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were decreased appetite, diarrhea, fatigue, and weight loss, with no valvular heart disease or pulmonary hypertension observed in any participant. For dose comparison, 0.7 mg/kg/d group presented higher efficacy on at least 75% reduction in seizure (p = 0.006) but not on at least 50% reduction. Weight loss (p = 0.002), decreased appetite (p = 0.04), and all-cause withdrawal (p = 0.036) were more common in 0.7 mg/kg/d group than 0.2 mg/kg/d. There was no statistical difference in other safety parameters between these two groups.ConclusionThe higher range of the licensed dose achieves the optimal balance between efficacy, safety, and tolerability in patients with DS and LGS.Clinical trial registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42023392454

    Review of the role of collagen in tumorigenesis and development

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    Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in the body and is the main component of the extracellular matrix. Collagen regulates cellular behavior, and its dysregulation can cause a variety of diseases, including cancer. Collagen in tumors is mainly produced by fibroblasts and plays an important role in cancer progression and metastasis. Collagen can act as a prognostic predictor for cancer patients and may be an effective target for the treatment and prevention of tumor progression and metastasis. Anti-tumor drugs targeting collagen and its receptors may be developed in the future. This review focuses on the newly discovered role of collagen in cancer in recent years, specifically the role of collagen in tumor cell dormancy and immune evasion, and the participation of collagen in tumor cell metabolism

    Genetic Diversity of Salmonella enteric serovar Typhi and Paratyphi in Shenzhen, China from 2002 through 2007

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Typhoid and paratyphoid fever are endemic in China. The objective of this investigation was to determine the molecular features of nalidixic acid-resistant <it>Salmonella enteric </it>serovar Typhi (<it>S. typhi</it>) and Paratyphi (<it>S. paratyphi</it>) from blood isolates in Shenzhen, China.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Twenty-five <it>S. typhi </it>and 66 <it>S. paratyphi </it>were isolated from 91 bacteriemic patients between 2002 and 2007 at a hospital in Shenzhen, Southern China. Fifty-two percent (13/25) of <it>S. typhi </it>and 95.3% (61/64) of <it>S. paratyphi </it>A were resistant to nalidixic acid. Sixty-seven isolates of nalidixic acid-resistant <it>Salmonella </it>(NARS) showed decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (MICs of 0.125-1 μg/mL). All 75 NARS isolates had a single substitution in the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) of GyrA (Ser83→Phe/Pro/Tyr, or Asp87→Gly/Asn), and 90.7% of these isolates carried the substitution Ser83Phe in GyrA. No mutation was found in the QRDR of <it>gyrB</it>, <it>parC</it>, or <it>parE</it>. Plasmid mediated quinolone resistance genes including <it>qnr </it>and <it>aac(6')-Ib-cr </it>were not detected in any isolate. Twenty-two distinct pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns were observed among <it>S. typhi</it>. Sixty-four isolates of <it>S. paratyphi </it>A belonged to one clone. Eighty-seven investigated inpatients were infected in the community. Six patients infected by <it>S. paratyphi </it>A had a travel history before infection.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Nalidixic acid-resistant <it>S. typhi </it>and <it>S. paratyphi </it>A blood isolates were highly prevalent in Shenzhen, China. PFGE showed the variable genetic diversity of nalidixic acid-resistant <it>S. typhi </it>and limited genetic diversity of nalidixic acid -resistant <it>S. paratyphi </it>A.</p

    Algorithms for Complex Systems Reliability Analysis Based on Bayesian Network

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    With the increase of complex systems functions, the number of its components will rise. This will lead to the amount of state combinations of components increasing exponentially. In order to solve this problem, a new compression algorithm and a new inference algorithm are developed to analyze the reliability of complex systems based on Bayesian Network in this paper. A satellite transmission system reliability is used to validate the proposed algorithms.This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.51675525 and 11725211)

    Investigation of the shape transferability of nanoscale multi-tip diamond tools in the diamond turning of nanostructures

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    In this article, the shape transferability of using nanoscale multi-tip diamond tools in the diamond turning for scale-up manufacturing of nanostructures has been demonstrated. Atomistic multi-tip diamond tool models were built with different tool geometries in terms of the difference in the tip cross-sectional shape, tip angle, and the feature of tool tip configuration, to determine their effect on the applied forces and the machined nano-groove geometries. The quality of machined nanostructures was characterized by the thickness of the deformed layers and the dimensional accuracy achieved. Simulation results show that diamond turning using nanoscale multi-tip tools offers tremendous shape transferability in machining nanostructures. Both periodic and non-periodic nano-grooves with different cross-sectional shapes can be successfully fabricated using the multi-tip tools. A hypothesis of minimum designed ratio of tool tip distance to tip base width (L/Wf) of the nanoscale multi-tip diamond tool for the high precision machining of nanostructures was proposed based on the analytical study of the quality of the nanostructures fabricated using different types of the multi-tip tools. Nanometric cutting trials using nanoscale multi-tip diamond tools (different in L/Wf) fabricated by focused ion beam (FIB) were then conducted to verify the hypothesis. The investigations done in this work imply the potential of using the nanoscale multi-tip diamond tool for the deterministic fabrication of period and non-periodic nanostructures, which opens up the feasibility of using the process as a versatile manufacturing technique in nanotechnology
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