Xanthogranulomatous endometritis

Xanthogranulomatous inflammatory changes of the endometrium are rare and appear to be related to obstructive changes in the endocervical canal. An elderly patient with an advanced squamous carcinoma of the cervix uteri presented with this condition. Other similar cases are discussed in relation to aetiology and pathogenesis.peer-reviewe

Patients’ willingness to access cross-border healthcare

European Union (EU) Member States were required to direct their health practices to ensure implementation of ‘Directive on patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare’ which provides the right for EU citizens to seek treatment abroad. This study recruited Maltese patients, consequently it identified and quantified domains constituting willingness to access cross-border healthcare. Via this analytical approach, the results and recommendations were presented to assist cross-border healthcare policy.peer-reviewe

Crude fibre determination of Malva sylvestris L. and evaluation of its faecal bulking and laxative properties in rats

Malva sylvestris L. or as it is widely known, the common mallow, is a renowned medicinal plant which can be found growing in abundance in Europe, North Africa and Asia. The percentage crude fibre content present in M. sylvestris samples collected from Malta was studied. Variation in crude fibre content with time and location was also considered in this study. Results showed that the percentage stem fibre content (27.61%) significantly (p<0.001) supersedes the percentage content in leaves (6.49%). These values confirm results attained by various authors in similar studies. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the down trending in percentage leaf fibre content observed over the 3-month study period was only statistically significant (p<0.01) for one locality (N=4). In the latter, a significant (p<0.01) dip in fibre content was noted for samples collected in April. Conversely, the percentage stem fibre content increased as the plant matured. This observed increase in stem fibre was statistically significant (p<0.05) for two of the localities (N=4) studied. The faecal bulking competency of this fibrous plant was studied in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Throughout the study, the control group was fed fibre-free pellets. Whilst the test group, was fed pellets containing 100 g/kg M. sylvestris ground stems. An increase in faecal weight by 105% and 86% was observed in the test group when compared to the fresh and dry faecal weights of the control group. These findings confirm faecal bulking properties and support the potential use of this plant species as a complementary and alternative medicine in the treatment of constipation.peer-reviewe

Awareness, knowledge and behaviour of the Maltese population in relation to the global solar ultraviolet index (UVI)

AIM OF STUDY: To assess social trends on the awareness of UVI, sun protection and behaviour amongst the Maltese population. 400 randomly selected persons were interviewed by phone (margin of error-5%). Sample was stratified by gender and age according to the 2011 Census. A modified multistage random sampling method was used. Method: • This study has demonstrated that the observed high awareness of the UVI is not being translated into beneficial sun protection practices. • The use of sun screen and hats, which are the most promoted sun protective mechanisms in local sun protection campaigns is significantly low. • Males use more head gear and wear a shirt when they are at the beach significantly more than women do. Females use significantly sunscreen and sunglasses more than males. • There is a lack of exploitation of the UVI concept in local health awareness campaigns related to protection against UVR. • There is lack of use of modern media sources in the daily communication of UVI (including UVI forecasts). • More focused and targeted sun protection campaigns are needed aimed at converting the sun protection awareness into action so as to address the worrying situation of an ever increasing trend in local skin cancer incidence. Discussion and Conclusions: Results: Awareness of the UVI Attitudes in relation to sun exposure is summer •79% claimed sun exposure in sun peak hours in summer •57% of these at least once a week •Only 26% claimed that UVI forecasts impacted on their work/ leisure activitiespeer-reviewe

Effectiveness of Ledipasvir/Sofosbuvir with/without Ribavarin in Liver Transplant Recipients with Hepatitis C.

Background and Aims: Recurrent infection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in liver transplant (LT) recipients is universal and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the safety and efficacy of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir with and without ribavirin in LT recipients with recurrent genotype 1 hepatitis C. Results: Eighty-five LT recipients were treated for recurrent HCV with ledipasvir/sofosbuvirwith and without ribavirin for 12 or 24 weeks. The mean (± standard deviation [SD]) time from LT to treatment initiation was 68 (±71) months. The mean (± SD) age of the cohort was 63 (±8.6) years old. Most recipients were male (70%). Baseline alanine transaminase, total bilirubin, and HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) values (± SD) were 76.8 (±126) mg/dL, 0.8 (±1.3) U/L, and 8,010,421.9 (±12,420,985) IU/mL, respectively. Five of 43 recipients who were treated with ribavirin required drug cessation due to side effects, with 4 of those being anemia complications. No recipient discontinued the ledipasvir/sofosbuvir. Eighty-one percent of recipients had undetectable viral levels at 4 weeks after starting therapy, and all recipients had complete viral suppression at the end of therapy. The sustained viral response at 12 weeks after completion of therapy was 94%. Conclusion : Ledipasvir and sofosbuvir with and without ribavirin therapy is an effective and well-tolerated interferon-free treatment for recurrent HCV infection after LT. Anemia is not uncommon in LT recipients receiving ribavirin

Intragraft Selection of the T Cell Receptor Repertoire by Class I MHC Sequences in Tolerant Recipients

Background: Allograft tolerance of ACI (RT1 a) recipients to WF (RT1 u) hearts can be induced by allochimeric class I MHC molecules containing donor-type (RT1A u) immunogenic epitopes displayed on recipient-type (RT1A a) sequences. Here, we sought the mechanisms by which allochimeric sequences may affect responding T cells through T cell receptor (TCA) repertoire restriction. Methodology/Principal Findings: The soluble [a1h u]-RT1.A a allochimeric molecule was delivered into ACI recipients of WF hearts in the presence of sub-therapeutic dose of cyclosporine (CsA). The TCR Vb spectrotyping of the splenocytes and cardiac allografts showed that the Vb gene families were differentially expressed within the TCR repertoire in allochimericor high-dose CsA-treated tolerant recipients at day +5 and +7 of post-transplantation. However, at day 30 of posttransplantation the allochimeric molecule-treated rats showed the restriction of TCR repertoire with altered dominant size peaks representing preferential clonal expansion of Vb7, Vb11, Vb13, Vb 14, and Vb15 genes. Moreover, we found a positive correlation between the alteration of Vb profile, restriction of TCR repertoire, and the establishment of allograft tolerance. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that presentation of allochimeric MHC class I sequences that partially mimic donor an

An International Pilot Study of K-12 Teachers’Computer Science Self-Esteem

Computer Science (CS) is a new subject area for many K-12 teachersaround the world, requiring new disciplinary knowledge and skills.Teacher social-behavioral factors (e.g. self-esteem) have been foundto impact learning and teaching, and a key part of CS curriculumimplementation will need to ensure teachers feel confident to de-liver CS. However, studies about CS teacher self-esteem are lacking.This paper presents an analysis of publicly available data (n=219)from a pilot study using a Teacher CS Self-Esteem scale. Analy-sis revealed significant differences, including 1) females reportedsignificantly lower CS self-esteem than males, 2) primary teachersreported lower levels of CS self-esteem than secondary teachers, 3)those with no CS teaching experience reported significantly lowerCS self-esteem, 4) teachers with 0-3 years experience had a neg-ative CS self-esteem, but after four years, teachers had a positiveCS self-esteem, and 5) teachers who lived further from metropol-itan areas and in some countries reported lower CS self-esteem.These initial findings suggest a pressing need for future researchto look further into teacher CS self-esteem to inform teacher CSprofessional development

The doubly eclipsing quintuple low-mass star system 1SWASP J093010.78+533859.5

Our discovery of 1SWASP J093010.78+533859.5 as a probable doubly eclipsing quadruple system, containing a contact binary with P ~ 0.23 d and a detached binary with P ~ 1.31 d, was announced in 2013. Subsequently, Koo and collaborators confirmed the detached binary spectroscopically, and identified a fifth set of static spectral lines at its location, corresponding to an additional non-eclipsing component of the system. Here we present new spectroscopic and photometric observations, allowing confirmation of the contact binary and improved modelling of all four eclipsing components. The detached binary is found to contain components of masses 0.837 ± 0.008 and 0.674 ± 0.007M⊙, with radii of 0.832 ± 0.018 and 0.669 ± 0.018R⊙ and effective temperatures of 5185+25-20 and 4325+20-15 K, respectively; the contact system has masses 0.86 ± 0.02 and 0.341 ± 0.011M⊙ , radii of 0.79 ± 0.04 and 0.52 ± 0.05R⊙, respectively, and a common effective temperature of 4700 ± 50 K. The fifth star is of similar temperature and spectral type to the primaries in the two binaries. Long-term photometric observations indicate the presence of a spot on one component of the detached binary, moving at an apparent rate of approximately one rotation every two years. Both binaries have consistent system velocities around −11 to −12 km s-1, which match the average radial velocity of the fifth star; consistent distance estimates for both subsystems of d = 78 ± 3 and d = 73 ± 4 pc are also found, and, with some further assumptions, of d = 83 ± 9 pc for the fifth star. These findings strongly support the claim that both binaries – and very probably all five stars – are gravitationally bound in a single system. The consistent angles of inclination found for the two binaries (88.2 ± 0.3°and 86 ± 4°) may also indicate that they originally formed by fragmentation (around 9–10 Gyr ago) from a single protostellar disk, and subsequently remained in the same orbital plane

Effect of Ku80 Deficiency on Mutation Frequencies and Spectra at a LacZ Reporter Locus in Mouse Tissues and Cells

Non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) is thought to be an important mechanism for preventing the adverse effects of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) and its absence has been associated with premature aging. To investigate the effect of inactivated NHEJ on spontaneous mutation frequencies and spectra in vivo and in cultured cells, we crossed a Ku80-deficient mouse with mice harboring a lacZ-plasmid-based mutation reporter. We analyzed various organs and tissues, as well as cultured embryonic fibroblasts, for mutations at the lacZ locus. When comparing mutant with wild-type mice, we observed a significantly higher number of genome rearrangements in liver and spleen and a significantly lower number of point mutations in liver and brain. The reduced point mutation frequency was not due to a decrease in small deletion mutations thought to be a hallmark of NHEJ, but could be a consequence of increased cellular responses to unrepaired DSBs. Indeed, we found a substantial increase in persistent 53BP1 and γH2AX DNA damage foci in Ku80−/− as compared to wild-type liver. Treatment of cultured Ku80-deficient or wild-type embryonic fibroblasts, either proliferating or quiescent, with hydrogen peroxide or bleomycin showed no differences in the number or type of induced genome rearrangements. However, after such treatment, Ku80-deficient cells did show an increased number of persistent DNA damage foci. These results indicate that Ku80-dependent repair of DNA damage is predominantly error-free with the effect of alternative more error-prone pathways creating genome rearrangements only detectable after extended periods of time, i.e., in young adult animals. The observed premature aging likely results from a combination of increased cellular senescence and an increased load of stable, genome rearrangements

Community pharmacist-led vitamin D point-of-care testing

To establish a framework for community pharmacist-led Vitamin D point-of-care testing (POCT). Process 1. Appraisal of Vitamin D POCT devices 2. Validation of selected Vitamin D POCT by comparing results with gold standard 3. Development of Vitamin D POCT framework including risk assessment and action plan for patient management 4. Feasibility testing of developed framework in a community pharmacy setting on 80 participants recruited by convenience sampling.peer-reviewe