Water treatment by new-generation graphene materials: hope for bright future

Abstract

Water is the most important and essential component of earth's ecosystem playing a vital role in the proper functioning of flora and fauna. But, our water resources are contaminating continuously. The whole world may be in great water scarcity after few decades. Graphene, a single-atom thick carbon nanosheet, and graphene nanomaterials have bright future in water treatment technologies due to their extraordinary properties. Only few papers describe the use of these materials in water treatment by adsorption, filtration, and photodegradation methods. This article presents a critical evaluation of the contribution of graphene nanomaterials in water treatment. Attempts have been made to discuss the future perspectives of these materials in water treatment. Besides, the efforts are made to discuss the nanotoxicity and hazards of graphene-based materials. The suggestions are given to explore the full potential of these materials along with precautions of nanotoxicity and its hazards. It was concluded that the future of graphene-based materials is quite bright.

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Neonicotinoids thiamethoxam and clothianidin adversely affect the colonisation of invertebrate populations in aquatic microcosms

Abstract

Surface waters are sometimes contaminated with neonicotinoids: a widespread, persistent, systemic class of insecticide with leaching potential. Previous ecotoxicological investigations of this chemical class in aquatic ecosystems have largely focused on the impacts of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid; few empirical, manipulative studies have investigated the effect on invertebrate abundances of two other neonicotinoids which are now more widely used: clothianidin and thiamethoxam. In this study, we employ a simple microcosm semi-field design, incorporating a one-off contamination event, to investigate the effect of these pesticides at field-realistic levels (ranging from 0 to 15 ppb) on invertebrate colonisation and survival in small ephemeral ponds. In line with previous research on neonicotinoid impacts on aquatic invertebrates, significant negative effects of both neonicotinoids were found. There were clear differences between the two chemicals, with thiamethoxam generally producing stronger negative effects than clothianidin. Populations of Chironomids (Diptera) and Ostracoda were negatively affected by both chemicals, while Culicidae appeared to be unaffected by clothianidin at the doses used. Our data demonstrate that field-realistic concentrations of neonicotinoids are likely to reduce populations of invertebrates found in ephemeral ponds, which may have knock on effects up the food chain. We highlight the importance of developing pesticide monitoring schemes for European surface waters.

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Altered HDL Remodeling and Functionality in Familial Hypercholesterolemia

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1-Year Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Primary Angioplasty for Myocardial Infarction Treated With Prasugrel Versus Ticagrelor

AbstractBackground

Early outcomes of patients in the PRAGUE-18 (Comparison of Prasugrel and Ticagrelor in the Treatment of Acute Myocardial Infarction) study did not find any significant differences between 2 potent P2Y₁₂ inhibitors.

Objectives

The 1-year follow-up of the PRAGUE-18 study focused on: 1) a comparison of efficacy and safety between prasugrel and ticagrelor; and 2) the risk of major ischemic events related to an economically motivated post-discharge switch to clopidogrel.

Methods

A total of 1,230 patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention were randomized to prasugrel or ticagrelor with an intended treatment duration of 12 months. The combined endpoint was cardiovascular death, MI, or stroke at 1 year. Because patients had to cover the costs of study medication after hospital discharge, some patients decided to switch to clopidogrel.

Results

The endpoint occurred in 6.6% of prasugrel patients and in 5.7% of ticagrelor patients (hazard ratio: 1.167; 95% confidence interval: 0.742 to 1.835; p = 0.503). No significant differences were found in: cardiovascular death (3.3% vs. 3.0%; p = 0.769), MI (3.0% vs. 2.5%; p = 0.611), stroke (1.1% vs. 0.7%; p = 0.423), all-cause death (4.7% vs. 4.2%; p = 0.654), definite stent thrombosis (1.1% vs. 1.5%; p = 0.535), all bleeding (10.9% vs. 11.1%; p = 0.999), and TIMI (Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction) major bleeding (0.9% vs. 0.7%; p = 0.754). The percentage of patients who switched to clopidogrel for economic reasons was 34.1% (n = 216) for prasugrel and 44.4% (n = 265) for ticagrelor (p = 0.003). Patients who were economically motivated to switch to clopidogrel had (compared with patients who continued the study medications) a lower risk of major cardiovascular events; however, they also had lower ischemic risk.

Conclusions

Prasugrel and ticagrelor are similarly effective during the first year after MI. Economically motivated early post-discharge switches to clopidogrel were not associated with an increased risk of ischemic events. (Comparison of Prasugrel and Ticagrelor in the Treatment of Acute Myocardial Infarction [PRAGUE-18]; NCT02808767)

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JACC Instructions for Authors

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Clash of Oral P2Y12 Receptor Inhibitors in Acute Coronary Syndromes

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Reply: Pregnancy-Associated Coronary Artery Dissection: A Therapeutic Dilemma

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Biomarker-Guided Versus Guideline-Based Treatment of Patients With Heart Failure: Results From BIOSTAT-CHF

AbstractBackground

Heart failure guidelines recommend up-titration of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), beta-blockers, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) to doses used in randomized clinical trials, but these recommended doses are often not reached. Up-titration may, however, not be necessary in all patients.

Objectives

This study sought to establish the role of blood biomarkers to determine which patients should or should not be up-titrated.

Methods

Clinical outcomes of 2,516 patients with worsening heart failure from the BIOSTAT-CHF (BIOlogy Study to Tailored Treatment in Chronic Heart Failure) were compared between 3 theoretical treatment scenarios: scenario A, in which all patients are up-titrated to >50% of recommended doses; scenario B, in which patients are up-titrated according to a biomarker-based treatment selection model; and scenario C, in which no patient is up-titrated to >50% of recommended doses. The study conducted multivariable Cox regression using 161 biomarkers and their interaction with treatment, weighted for treatment-indication bias to estimate the expected number of deaths or heart failure hospitalizations at 24 months for all 3 scenarios.

Results

Estimated death or hospitalization rates in 1,802 patients with available (bio)markers were 16%, 16%, and 26%, respectively, in the ACE inhibitor/ARB up-titration scenarios A, B, and C. Similar rates for beta-blocker and MRA up-titration scenarios A, B, and C were 23%, 19%, and 24%, and 12%, 11%, and 24%, respectively. If up-titration was successful in all patients, an estimated 9.8, 1.3, and 12.3 events per 100 treated patients could be prevented at 24 months by ACE inhibitor/ARB, beta-blocker, and MRA therapy, respectively. Similar numbers were 9.9, 4.7, and 13.1 if up-titration treatment decision was based on a biomarker-based treatment selection model.

Conclusions

Up-titrating patients with heart failure based on biomarker values might have resulted in fewer deaths or hospitalizations compared with a hypothetical scenario in which all patients were successfully up-titrated.

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Prevalence of Cardiac Amyloidosis in Patients Referred for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

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Can Biomarker Panels Predict Response to Pharmacotherapy in Heart Failure?

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The Difficulty in Identifying Pregnancy-Associated Coronary Artery Dissection Using Nationwide Inpatient Databases

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Trends in Survival After In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest During Nights and Weekends

AbstractBackground

Survival after in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is lower during nights and weekends (off-hours) compared with daytime during weekdays (on-hours). As overall IHCA survival has improved over time, it remains unknown whether survival differences between on-hours and off-hours have changed.

Objectives

This study sought to examine temporal trends in survival differences between on-hours and off-hours IHCA.

Methods

We identified 151,071 adults at 470 U.S. hospitals in the Get with the Guidelines–Resuscitation registry during 2000 to 2014. Using multivariable logistic regression with generalized estimating equations, we examined whether survival trends in IHCA differed during on-hours (Monday to Friday 7:00 am to 10:59 pm) versus off-hours (Monday to Friday 11:00 pm to 6:59 am, and Saturday to Sunday, all day).

Results

Among 151,071 participants, 79,091 (52.4%) had an IHCA during off-hours. Risk-adjusted survival improved over time in both groups (on-hours: 16.0% in 2000, 25.2% in 2014; off-hours: 11.9% in 2000, 21.9% in 2014; p for trend <0.001 for both). However, there was no significant change in the survival difference over time between on-hours and off-hours, either on an absolute (p = 0.75) or a relative scale (p = 0.059). Acute resuscitation survival improved significantly in both groups (on-hours: 56.1% in 2000, 71% in 2014; off-hours: 46.9% in 2000, 68.2% in 2014; p for trend <0.001 for both) and the difference between on-hours and off-hours narrowed over time (p = 0.02 absolute scale, p < 0.001 relative scale). In contrast, although post-resuscitation survival also improved over time in both groups (p for trend < 0.001 for both), the absolute and relative difference persisted.

Conclusions

Despite an overall improvement in survival, lower survival in IHCA during off-hours compared with on-hours persists.

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Should We Recommend Cardiac Rehabilitation in Patients With Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection?

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Is it Like Night and Day, or Weekend?

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A New Educational Framework to Improve Lifelong Learning for Cardiologists

Abstract

Lifelong learning is essential for the practicing cardiologist. Present lifelong learning mechanisms are stagnant and at risk for not meeting the needs of currently practicing cardiologists. With the increasing burden of cardiovascular disease, growing complexity of patient care, and ongoing pressures of nonclinical responsibilities, educational programming must evolve to meet the demands of the contemporary cardiovascular professional. A paradigm shift, replete with modern and practical educational tools, is needed in the lifelong learning armamentarium. Emerging evidence of novel educational strategies in graduate medical education supports the promise of broader application of these tools to different stages of professional life. In this commentary from the Fellows-in-Training Section Leadership Council, the authors propose 3 novel educational tools—personalized learning, adaptive learning, and the flipped classroom—to improve lifelong learning to meet the educational needs of fellows-in-training to practicing cardiologists alike.

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Coronary Adventitial and Perivascular Adipose Tissue Inflammation in Patients With Vasospastic Angina

AbstractBackground

Recent studies suggested that perivascular components, such as perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) and adventitial vasa vasorum (VV), play an important role as a source of various inflammatory mediators in cardiovascular disease.

Objectives

The authors tested their hypothesis that coronary artery spasm is associated with perivascular inflammation in patients with vasospastic angina (VSA) using ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT).

Methods

This study prospectively examined 27 consecutive VSA patients with acetylcholine-induced diffuse spasm in the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and 13 subjects with suspected angina but without organic coronary lesions or coronary spasm. Using CT coronary angiography and electrocardiogram-gated ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT, coronary PVAT volume and coronary perivascular FDG uptake in the LAD were examined. In addition, adventitial VV formation in the LAD was examined with optical coherence tomography, and Rho-kinase activity was measured in circulating leukocytes.

Results

Patient characteristics were comparable between the 2 groups. CT coronary angiography and ECG-gated ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT showed that coronary PVAT volume and coronary perivascular FDG uptake significantly increased in the VSA group compared with the non-VSA group. Furthermore, optical coherence tomography showed that adventitial VV formation significantly increased in the VSA group compared with the non-VSA group, as did Rho-kinase activity. Importantly, during the follow-up period with medical treatment, both coronary perivascular FDG uptake and Rho-kinase activity significantly decreased in the VSA group.

Conclusions

These results provide the first evidence that coronary spasm is associated with inflammation of coronary adventitia and PVAT, where ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT could be useful for disease activity assessment. (Morphological and Functional Change of Coronary Perivascular Adipose Tissue in Vasospastic Angina [ADIPO-VSA Trial]; UMIN000016675)

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Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy for End-Stage Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: The Need for Disease-Specific Criteria

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The Forgotten Vascular Layer in the Forgotten Coronary Disorder

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Pregnancy-Associated Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: A Different Presentation Although Perhaps Not Such a Distinct Condition

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Transplantation of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Cardiovascular Progenitors for Severe Ischemic Left Ventricular Dysfunction

AbstractBackground

In addition to scalability, human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) have the unique advantage of allowing their directed differentiation toward lineage-specific cells.

Objectives

This study tested the feasibility of leveraging the properties of hESCs to generate clinical-grade cardiovascular progenitor cells and assessed their safety in patients with severe ischemic left ventricular dysfunction.

Methods

Six patients (median age 66.5 years [interquartile range (IQR): 60.5 to 74.7 years]; median left ventricular ejection fraction 26% [IQR: 22% to 32%]) received a median dose of 8.2 million (IQR: 5 to 10 million) hESC-derived cardiovascular progenitors embedded in a fibrin patch that was epicardially delivered during a coronary artery bypass procedure. The primary endpoint was safety at 1 year and focused on: 1) cardiac or off-target tumor, assessed by imaging (computed tomography and fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scans); 2) arrhythmias, detected by serial interrogations of the cardioverter-defibrillators implanted in all patients; and 3) alloimmunization, assessed by the presence of donor-specific antibodies. Patients were followed up for a median of 18 months.

Results

The protocol generated a highly purified (median 97.5% [IQR: 95.5% to 98.7%]) population of cardiovascular progenitors. One patient died early post-operatively from treatment-unrelated comorbidities. All others had uneventful recoveries. No tumor was detected during follow-up, and none of the patients presented with arrhythmias. Three patients developed clinically silent alloimmunization. All patients were symptomatically improved with an increased systolic motion of the cell-treated segments. One patient died of heart failure after 22 months.

Conclusions

This trial demonstrates the technical feasibility of producing clinical-grade hESC-derived cardiovascular progenitors and supports their short- and medium-term safety, thereby setting the grounds for adequately powered efficacy studies. (Transplantation of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-derived Progenitors in Severe Heart Failure [ESCORT]; NCT02057900)

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Pregnancy-Associated Coronary Artery Dissection: A Therapeutic Dilemma

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Trial of Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Cardiac Progenitor Cells: An Encouraging Start

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Comparative study on the incision healing of the palatal mucosa by using Er:YAG laser or traditional scalpel in the SD rats

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the histology of wound healing following incisions with the scalpel or the Er:YAG laser in the palatal mucosa of SD rats. Two types of wounds were performed with the stainless steel scalpel or the Er:YAG laser in the palatal mucosa of SD rats, while the adjacent untreated palatal mucosa was chosen as control. Rats were sacrificed on day 1, day 3, day 7, and day 30 post-surgery. Biopsy samples from each wound were examined and the expression of IL-1ß and TGF-ß1 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The early postoperative incision of the scalpel group had obvious bleeding and swelling, while the laser wound mainly covered the surface of white pseudomembrane. The infiltration of neutrophils and lymphocytes in the stroma of the scalpel incision was more than that of the laser group. Compared to the laser group, 1 and 3 days after operation, the TGF-β1 content of the scalpel group were significantly increased (P = 0.032 and 0.019). Seven days after operation, the TGF-β1 content of two groups was decreased. TGF-β1 expression of control group was obviously increased (P > 0.05); 1, 3, and 7 days after operation, the traditional scalpel amount of IL-1β expression was significantly higher than that of control group (P = 0.000, 0.000, and 0.001). Postoperative day 1, IL-1β expression of laser group and control group had no significant difference (P = 0.572). Three days after operation, IL-1β expression of laser incision was increased and was significantly higher than that in control group (P = 0.032), however lower than the scalpel group (P = 0.03). Seven days after operation, the IL-1β expression of two groups had no significant difference (P = 0.333); however, the IL-1β expression of two groups were significantly higher than that of the control group (P = 0.02 and 0.001). Compared to the traditional scalpel, the incision of Er:YAG laser has smaller inflammation reaction, more pseudomembrane coverage, and minimal damage of the mucoperiosteal tissue.

http://ift.tt/2G5joFX

A grey DEMATEL-based approach for modeling enablers of green innovation in manufacturing organizations

Abstract

Incorporating green practices into the manufacturing process has gained momentum over the past few years and is a matter of great concern for both manufacturers as well as researchers. Regulatory pressures in developed countries have forced the organizations to adopt green practices; however, this issue still lacks attention in developing economies like India. There is an urgent need to identify enablers of green innovation for manufacturing organizations and also to identify prominent enablers among those. This study is an attempt to first identify enablers of green innovation and then establish a causal relationship among them to identify the enablers that can drive others. Grey DEMATEL (Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory) methodology is used for establishing the causal relationship among enablers. The novelty of this study lies in the fact that no study has been done in the past to identify the enablers of green innovation and then establishing the causal relationship among them. A total of 21 enablers of green innovation have been identified; research indicates developing green manufacturing capabilities, resources for green innovation, ease of getting loans from financial institutions, and environmental regulations as the most influential enablers of green innovation. Managerial and practical implications of the research are also presented to assist managers of the case company in adopting green innovation practices at their end.

http://ift.tt/2F2Fc3O

Does finance affect environmental degradation: evidence from One Belt and One Road Initiative region?

Abstract

This paper explores the effects of finance on environmental degradation and investigates environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) of each country among 52 that participate in the One Belt and One Road Initiative (OBORI) using the latest long panel data span (1980–2016). We utilized panel long run econometric models (fully modified ordinary least square and dynamic ordinary least square) to explore the long-run estimates in full panel and country level. Moreover, the Dumitrescu and Hurlin (2012) causality test is applied to examine the short-run causalities among our considered variables. The empirical findings validate the EKC hypothesis; the long-run estimates point out that finance significantly enhances the environmental degradation (negatively in few cases). The short-run heterogeneous causality confirms the bi-directional causality between finance and environmental degradation. The empirical outcomes suggest that policymakers should consider the environmental degradation issue caused by financial development in the One Belt and One Road region.

http://ift.tt/2DAlq2w

Retinoic acid signalling is a candidate regulator of the expression of pituitary-specific transcription factor Prop1 in the developing rodent pituitary

Abstract

Development of the anterior pituitary proceeds via spatiotemporal patterning of transcription factors and signalling molecules. Among them, retinoic acid (RA) functions as an important signalling molecule for vertebrate organogenesis in many tissues. However, little is known regarding target genes in the developing pituitary. The present study aimed to clarify the relationship between endogenous RA signalling and mRNA expression of the pituitary-specific transcription factor Prop1 in the pituitary primordium of Rathke's pouch. Gene expression analysis and in situ hybridisation demonstrated that retinaldehyde dehydrogenases (Raldhs) and all types of RA receptors (Rars) are expressed at the level of transcription in the rat Rathke's pouch. Ex vivo organ culture using Rathke's pouch and in vitro reporter assay demonstrated that RA signalling increases the expression level of Prop1 via RARα. Moreover, a reporter assay using serial truncated constructs of the 5′-upstream region of mouse Prop1 revealed a predicted cis-regulatory element of RARα. This is the first report exhibiting a relationship between RA signalling and Prop1-expression during early pituitary development.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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3D accuracy of implant positions in template-guided implant placement as a function of the remaining teeth and the surgical procedure: a retrospective study

Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate differences between the virtually planned and clinically achieved implant positions in completely template-guided implantations as a function of the type of edentulous space, the residual natural dentition, and the surgical implementation.

Materials and methods

Fifty-six patient cases with a total of 122 implants were evaluated retrospectively. The implantations were completely template-based. The data of the planned implant positions were overlaid with the actual clinical implant positions, followed by measurements of the 3D deviations in terms of coronal (x_c) and apical distance, height (x_h), and angulation (ang) and statistical analysis.

Results

The mean x_c was 1.2 mm (SD 0.7 mm); the mean x_a was 1.8 mm (SD 0.9 mm), the mean x_h was 0.8 mm (SD 0.7 mm); and the mean ang was 4.8° (SD 3.1). The type of edentulous space and the jaw (maxilla/mandible) had no significant effect on the results in terms of implant positions. The presence of an adjacent natural tooth at the time of implantation had a significant influence on x_h (p = 0.04) and ang (p = 0.05). No significant differences were found regarding the surgical approach for any of the parameters examined.

Conclusion

The results of our study are in the same range as those of other studies. Template-guided implantation offers a high degree of accuracy even in the presence of different configurations of the residual dentition or different surgical approaches. A clinical benefit is therefore present, especially from a prosthetic point of view.

Clinical relevance

The clinically achievable accuracy can be described as sufficient for further prosthetic treatment, given the intrinsic and methodological tolerances, making prosthetic rehabilitation safe and predictable.

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Assessment of the efficacy of a new complex antisensitive skin cream

Summary

Background

Sensitive skin is frequently complaint in dermatology consultation with cutaneous manifestations such as stinging, redness, dryness, and burning sensation that affect the quality of life. Its pathogenesis is mainly related to dysfunction of neurosensory, skin barrier, and also immune activity. The treatment is generally based on continuous and topical therapy by nonirritating complex.

Objective

To evaluate the antisensitive function of a new complex cream composed by Yunnan Portulaca oleracea extract, Prinsepia utilis oil, beta-glucan, and sodium hyaluronate extracted from mushroom.

Methods

A randomized double-blind and self-control study was conducted on 20 selected volunteers with sensitive skin. Subjects applied the test cream to 1 side of the face, and the control cream (tolerance-extreme cream) to the other side of the face, twice daily over 28 days. Evaluations were performed at baseline and at 28 days. Expert clinical grading of facial skin including dryness, roughness, desquamation, and erythema was assessed. Subject self-assessment questionnaires, digital photography and noninvasive bioinstrumentation of hydration, transepidermal water loss, lipid index, skin texture, and wettability were also included in the study.

Results

Products were well tolerated. For all parameters studied, no significant difference was observed between test and control creams. Results showed that test cream provided a statistically significant improvement in clinical grading scores for dryness, roughness, and erythema at 28 days compared to baseline. In addition, statistically significant improvement of skin hydration and texture parameters (eg, smoothness and roughness) was demonstrated. Volunteers' questionnaire revealed self-perceived benefits consistent with expert visual grading.

Conclusion

This study confirmed the effectiveness and tolerance of the new complex cream in subjects with sensitive skin. The test cream could serve as a daily care moisturizer for face.

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Editorial Board

Publication date: 20 February 2018
Source:Journal of Proteomics, Volume 173





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Phosphoproteomics unveils stable energy supply as key to flooding tolerance in Kandelia candel

Publication date: Available online 17 January 2018
Source:Journal of Proteomics
Author(s): Dezhuo Pan, Lingxia Wang, Fanglin Tan, Si Lu, Xiaojie Lv, Madiha Zaynab, Chi-Lien Cheng, Yakubu Saddeeq Abubakar, Shipin Chen, Wei Chen
The mangrove Kandelia candel (L.) Druce experiences daily flooding cycles. To explore the molecular mechanism underlying the physiological adaptation of K. candel to flooding, the potential role of protein phosphorylation in flooding responses was investigated by a large-scale quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis using isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation. Total 2141 unique phosphopeptides and 2603 non-redundant phosphorylation sites were identified from 1516 phosphoproteins in K. candel leaves. In addition to known phosphorylation motifs, three new motifs [GSP], [GxxSP] and [RSxS] were discovered. The phosphorylation levels of 96 differentially expressed phosphoproteins, including those involved in pyruvate metabolism and energy production, were identified in response to flooding. The physiological parameters and transcriptional levels relevant to flooding responses including photosynthesis, pyruvate metabolism, and ROS production were investigated and all were found to be robust under flooding conditions. The consistent results of the phosphoproteomic, physiological analyses and transcriptional levels reinforce each other to demonstrate that K. candel adapts to flooding through maintaining sufficient photosynthesis activities, achieving effective anaerobic respiration and increasing pentose phosphate pathway flux. Protein phosphorylation is likely to play a major role in the regulation of these pathways which together contribute to stable energy supply that enhances flooding tolerance in K. candel.Biological significanceFlooding stress is one of the major environmental stresses. The woody mangrove Kandelia candel experiences daily flooding cycles in its natural habitat. Protein phosphorylation is a crucial regulatory mechanism in plants' responses to both biotic and abiotic stresses. To analyze phosphorylation levels in critical enzymes involved in key metabolic pathways, we employed phosphoproteomic approach to dissect the adaptive mechanism of K. candel to flooding conditions. To our knowledge, this is the first large-scale quantitative phosphoproteomic analyses of K. candel's flooding responses. Multiplex iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomic and Nano-LC–MS/MS methods were used to construct the phosphorproteome. Our results indicate that K. candel is able to acquire stable energy supply under flooding by maintaining sufficient photosynthesis activities, enhancing effective anaerobic respiration and increasing pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) flux. The protein phosphorylation found in photosynthesis, anaerobic respiration and PPP is likely to play important roles in the flooding tolerance of K. candel.

Graphical abstract

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Assessment of the Agreement between Cerebral Hemodynamic Indices Quantified Using Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast and Dynamic Contrast-enhanced Perfusion Magnetic Resonance Imagings

Seyed Salman Zakariaee, Mohammad Ali Oghabian, Kavous Firouznia, Guive Sharifi, Farshid Arbabi, Farhad Samiei

Journal of Clinical Imaging Science 2018 8(1):2-2

Background: Brain tumor is one of the most common tumors. A successful treatment might be achieved with an early identification. Pathological investigation as the gold standard method for tumor identification has some limitations. Noninvasive assessment of tumor specifications may be possible using perfusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Cerebral blood volume (CBV) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) could be calculated based on dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in addition to dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI (DSC-MRI) modality. Each category of the cerebral hemodynamic and permeability indices revealed the specific tumor characteristics and their collection could help for better identification of the tumor. Some mathematical methods were developed to determine both cerebral hemodynamic and permeability indices based on a single-dose DCE perfusion MRI. There are only a few studies available on the comparison of DSC- and DCE-derived cerebral hemodynamic indices such as CBF and CBV. Aim: The objective of the study was to validate first-pass perfusion parameters derived from T1-based DCE method in comparison to the routine T2*-based DSC protocol. Materials and Methods: Twenty-nine patients with brain tumor underwent DCE- and DSC-MRIs to evaluate the agreement between DSC- and DCE-derived cerebral hemodynamic parameters. Agreement between DSC- and DCE-derived cerebral hemodynamic indices was determined using the statistical method described by Bland and Altman. The reliability between DSC- and DCE-derived cerebral hemodynamic indices was measured using the intraclass correlation analysis. Results: The achieved magnitudes for DCE-derived CBV (gray matter [GM]: 5.01 ± 1.40 mL/100 g vs. white matter [WM]: 1.84 ± 0.74 mL/100 g) and DCE-derived CBF (GM: 60.53 ± 12.70 mL/100 g/min vs. WM: 32.00 ± 6.00 mL/100 g/min) were in good agreement with other studies. The intraclass correlation coefficients showed that the cerebral hemodynamic indices could accurately be estimated based on the DCE-MRI using a single-compartment model (>0.87), and DCE-derived cerebral hemodynamic indices are significantly similar to the magnitudes achieved based on the DSC-MRI (P < 0.001). Furthermore, an acceptable agreement was observed between DSC- and DCE-derived cerebral hemodynamic indices. Conclusion: Based on the measurement of the cerebral hemodynamic and blood–brain barrier permeability using DCE-MRI, a more comprehensive collection of the physiological parameters cloud be achieved for tumor evaluations.

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22q11 Deletion Syndrome with Vascular Anomalies

Pierre Maldjian, Alison Esteva Sanders

Journal of Clinical Imaging Science 2018 8(1):1-1

DiGeorge syndrome, also termed 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, represents a spectrum of disorders that include thymic aplasia/hypoplasia, parathyroid aplasia/hypoplasia, conotruncal vascular anomalies, and velocardiofacial (Shprintzen) syndrome. This case report describes a novel constellation of cardiovascular anomalies in a 31-year-old patient with 22q11.2 deletion confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization at the age of 24. CT angiogram of the thorax revealed a right aortic arch with mirror image branching and unilateral absence of the left pulmonary artery with collateral flow through left intercostal arteries and hypertrophied left bronchial artery. This particular cluster of vascular findings has not been previously described in the imaging literature in a patient with known 22q11.2 deletion.

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Scholar : These new articles for Archives and Manuscripts are available online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for Archives and Manuscripts and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: Book Review Archive everything: mapping the everyday Sebastian Gurciullo Pages: 1-3 | DOI: 10.1080/01576895.2018.1407739 To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. Unsubscribe from new content alerts for this journal (both new issue and latest article notifications) with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Scholar : These new articles for South African Theatre Journal are available online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for South African Theatre Journal and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: Articles Principles for embodied learning approaches Marth Munro Pages: 1-10 | DOI: 10.1080/10137548.2017.1404435 Routledge Performance Archive - http://ift.tt/1txaJgs "Take a Tour" to find out more and recommend the Archive to your librarian to arrange a free trial for your institution. To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. Unsubscribe from new content alerts for this journal (both new issue and latest article notifications) with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Novel clinical and molecular findings in Spanish patients with nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome

Summary

Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS), also known as Gorlin Syndrome, affects only 1 in 56 000 people. It is usually inherited from a parent with the condition and affects both males and females equally (autosomal dominant inheritance). People with NBCCS may show characteristic features such as extra fingers or toes, irregular ribs, an unusually shaped face and large head. Tumours sometimes develop, particularly jaw cysts and basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) of the skin from which the syndrome is named. NBCCS is caused by mistakes (mutations) in a gene called PTCH1 located on the long arm of chromosome 9. PTCH1 acts as a brake on a set of chemical processes in cells called the Hedgehog (HH)/GLI signalling pathway. In NBCCS, mutations inactivate PTCH1 allowing excessive Hedgehog signalling. This loss of control results in the abnormal bones and tumours. Within an affected family, people with the same genetic mutation can have very different abnormalities. This group from Spain studied 22 unrelated Spanish people with NBCCS to see if they could discern any relationship between specific clinical abnormalities and specific genetic mutations. BCCs were very common, occurring in 96% of patients with 43% having more than 50; 77% had jaw cysts. Two abnormalities had not previously been recognised in NBCCS: double uterus and a benign nerve tumour. They found 19 PTCH1 mutations that had not previously been reported. However, they could not find any pattern relating the type of mutation to the clinical abnormalities. Presumably other factors besides the PTCH1 mutation causes the clinical features.

http://ift.tt/2n0zJnr

British Association of Dermatologists’ guidelines for the investigation and management of generalized pruritus in adults without an underlying dermatosis, 2018

Summary

Pruritus (or itch) is a common and distressing symptom of many skin diseases, systemic illnesses and psychological disorders. Itch is perhaps the commonest presenting symptom of skin disorders. In any two week period, 8 to 9% of the population suffer from significant pruritus. The focus of this guideline is not itchy rashes, but rather the situation where itch is present without rash. The guidelines also do not cover itch in children, in pregnancy, nor do they detail the science of the cause of itch. The study group consist mostly of dermatologists (skin specialists) from a number of hospitals in the U.K., but a number of other hospital doctors, a nurse and a general practitioner (GP) are also part of the team. There may be an underlying cause of pruritus, such as blood disorders, iron deficiency or excess, kidney problems, liver problems, cancer, infections, medications, behavioural factors, dry skin or any combination of these with old age. This can be significant in 20 to 30% of cases of itchy skin without rash. There remain a small number of individuals with itch and no apparent underlying cause or rash. It is always important to look for an underlying causative condition, as the most effective management of pruritus without rash depends on the treatment of any underlying disease. The management of itch appears to be very situation specific, even if the underlying cause cannot be treated. The management of true pruritus of unknown cause is different again.

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Corrigenda

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Advances in the diagnosis of pigmented skin lesions

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通过电子皮镜观察到在后天性痣亚型中常见 BRAF 和 NRAS 突变,表现出组成型 MAPK 通路活化

Summary

大多数人的皮肤上都有几个褐斑,我们称之为黑素细胞痣或痣。痣对人体无害,但偶尔可能转化为潜在致死性肿瘤,也就是恶性黑色素瘤。在放大镜(电子皮镜)下,皮肤科专家通过外观确定了不同类型的痣。广义上:"球状"痣在早年出现,并且可能转化为黑色素瘤;"网状"痣在成年期出现,并且可能与未长痣部位出现的黑色素瘤有关;带"外围球状体"(PG) 的网状痣会生长,但非恶性。良性痣及癌性痣(恶性黑色素瘤)中都可能出现 BRAF 和 NRAS 基因突变(变异)。这些基因是在肿瘤形成中起重要作用的 MAPK 通路的成分。为说明这些基因的作用,这些来自澳大利亚的研究人员探讨了电子皮镜下外观与良性痣中的 NRAS 和 BRAF 突变之间的关系。他们通过电子皮镜检查了 27 人的 40 个后天性(非先天性)痣,然后去痣以进行分析。在显微镜下,研究人员观察到大多数网状痣中的细胞结构无序,但这种情况在球状痣以及 PG 痣中很少见。研究人员使用了一种能够检测单细胞突变的新型高灵敏度方法("微滴式数字 PCR"),他们发现大多数球状痣以及所有 PG 痣都出现 BRAF 突变,网状痣则出现 BRAF 或 NRAS 突变。研究人员得出结论,所有痣具有 MAPK 基因突变,证明 MAPK 通路在黑素细胞痣及黑色素瘤的形成中起基础性作用。

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A new era in holistic care: bridging the gap between dermatologists and oncologists for the treatment of malignant melanoma

http://ift.tt/2Bk780T

Morphological characteristics and human papillomavirus genotype predict the treatment response in cutaneous warts

Summary

Skin warts are highly prevalent in both children and adults. They are caused by a virus called 'human papilloma virus' (HPV). Only around half of skin warts disappear after treatment. This study was performed to predict the type of HPV in warts and more importantly, to predict which warts are likely to disappear after treatment. Therefore, features both of patients and their warts were studied. A new standard tool for warts (the CWARTS diagnostic tool) was used to score the appearance of the wart and 23 different virus types were tested. The treatments that were used were monochloroacetic acid, cryotherapy or a combination of cryotherapy and salicylic acid. In total, 311 warts of 159 patients were studied. Black dots in a wart suggested presence of HPV. If warts contained HPV2, HPV27 or HPV57 they responded less often to most treatments. However this did not apply to warts located on the hands or body if they were treated with cryotherapy. Warts that show callus or are deeper located on the skin were less responsive to cryotherapy. To summarize, the appearance of warts and the type of HPV they contain influence the chance of healing. Therefore, in the future it might be important for medics to take this into account when choosing a treatment option for common and plantar warts.

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When to switch biologics: some answers, but lots of questions too

Linked Article: Langley et al. Br J Dermatol 2018; 178:114–123.

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Vitiligo and quality of life: the dark face of whiteness

Linked Article: Bae et al. Br J Dermatol 2018; 178:238–244.

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受孕和妊娠期使用生物疗法:系统综述

Summary

生物疗法可以有效治疗银屑病,并且通常在育龄期女性中使用。监管部门表示,由于没有充分的研究评估在受孕或妊娠期使用生物制剂的安全性,因此建议在此期间禁用。但事实上,这实施起来很有挑战,因为临床上治疗银屑病需要持续进行。为评估受孕和/或者妊娠期使用生物疗法的安全性,该研究的作者(来自英国)对有关女性在受孕和/或妊娠期使用生物疗法治疗银屑病的相关研究进行了系统综述。作者确定了四项研究,共涉及 1,300 名在孕前 3 个月或孕期前 3 个月使用 TNFi 生物制剂的女性。这些研究表明具有不同炎症(不仅仅是银屑病)的女性在使用 TNFi 后容易出现药物特定的损害,而且其中三项研究表明先天畸形风险增加,一项研究表明早产风险增加。但是,风险很低且不确定是否因 TNFi 所致。作者得出结论,生物制剂对妊娠结局(特别是女性银屑病患者)的潜在影响尚缺乏充分研究,无法准确量化。有关在其他病例中的生物制剂使用数据十分有限。通常建议有生育能力的女性使用常规避孕,但在备孕的情况下,应视具体情况讨论继续或停止生物治疗的风险及好处。大规模研究是必需的,并且应考虑其他可能影响妊娠的因素,比如疾病活动性、其他疗法及母体人口统计特征。

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Efficacy and safety of guselkumab in patients with psoriasis who have an inadequate response to ustekinumab: results of the randomized, double-blind, phase III NAVIGATE trial

Summary

Psoriasis is a chronic disease causing red and scaling skin lesions. Current treatments, especially biologics, which are either given by injection or intravenous infusion (IV), are very effective in the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. However, most patients look to achieve clear skin, so there is room for improvement. One approved biologic, ustekinumab, blocks two of the body's internal proteins, interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-23. Blocking these proteins prevents signals that cause inflammation in psoriasis. While ustekinumab is effective in many patients, most will not achieve complete skin clearance. Because recent scientific evidence shows that IL-23 may be more important than IL-12 in causing psoriasis, guselkumab, a new treatment that specifically targets IL-23, but not IL-12, has been developed and was recently approved in the U.S. to treat moderate to severe psoriasis. In the NAVIGATE trial, 871 patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis received ustekinumab and if, after 16 weeks, patients were not clear or almost clear, they were randomly assigned to either continue ustekinumab or start treatment with guselkumab until week 44. From week 16 until week 40, the average number of visits (maximum = 4) at which patients were clear or almost clear was significantly greater in patients treated with guselkumab (1.5) than with ustekinumab (0.7). In addition, at week 28, twice the proportion of patients on guselkumab (31.1%) were clear or almost clear than on ustekinumab (14.3%). Infections were the most commonly reported adverse event among patients on either guselkumab or ustekinumab. The authors conclude that for patients who do not achieve clear or almost clear skin after ustekinumab treatment, switching to guselkumab could be an effective treatment strategy and did not raise safety concerns.

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Corrigenda

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Experiences of rosacea and its treatment: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Summary

Rosacea is a skin disorder which causes flushing and redness of the face. Relatively few people with rosacea receive specialist dermatology treatment or psychological support. Despite this, individuals with rosacea can experience social anxiety, depression and embarrassment, and decreased quality of life. Whilst questionnaire based studies have been used to investigate the type of distress that people living with rosacea might experience, there are no studies that have sought to gain an in-depth understanding of the experiences of living with this visible skin condition. Therefore, this study used face-to-face interviews to learn about participants' complex, individual experience of life with rosacea. A qualitative approach called interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to guide the interviews and analysis. This approach to research focuses on individual accounts and has been extensively used to investigate illness experience. In this study nine participants took part in detailed semi-structured interviews. Three overarching themes were gleamed from these interviews; self-consciousness, which focused on the fear of others assigning blame to participants for having caused their own symptoms; avoidance, concealment, and hiding emotions, referring to the coping strategies participants employed in response to rosacea; and inconsistencies in treatment, which focused on the need for medical professionals to assess the emotional wellbeing of patients with rosacea. The findings are consistent with qualitative findings from patients with other skin conditions that demonstrate that self-conscious emotions can be a significant part of the experience of life with a skin condition. Healthcare professionals need to take care to assess for the presence of such concerns in rosacea, and where unhelpful thoughts or beliefs are reported, patients may benefit from dermatology specific psychological support.

http://ift.tt/2Dx69Ak

Sustained Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, Dermatology Life Quality Index and EuroQol-5D response of biological treatment in psoriasis: 10 years of real-world data in the Swedish National Psoriasis Register

Summary

Patients with mild disease are usually treated with topical treatments, meaning applied to the skin, while patients with moderate to severe disease require systemic treatments (taken inside the body), which includes drugs called biologics. PsoReg is the Swedish national register established in 2006 to monitor the long term effectiveness and safety of biologics. PsoReg records patients' Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), which is a way of measuring how severe and widespread a patient's psoriasis is at a given time, allowing doctors to see if symptoms are worsending or improving. PsoReg also records patients' Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), which takes into account how the disease is affecting their daily activities and emotional wellbeing. This study used data from 583 patients to see how switching to a biologic treatment, having not previously taken biologics, impacts on their PASI and HRQoL. PASI and HRQoL values were analysed at 3–5 months, 6–11 months, and at least once more after a year or more, up to 9 years after switch to biological treatment. The data showed significant improvement in these scores 3–5 months after the switch, and this improvement lasted the whole observation period. The results from this study may support clinicians in starting and continuing biological treatment for patients with disappointing results with other types of treatment.

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What can we learn from psoriasis pharmacogenomics research?

Linked Article: van Vugt et al. Br J Dermatol 2018; 178:86–94.

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How breakthroughs in translational research have impacted treatment strategies for melanoma

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Scholar : Journal of Natural History, Volume 52, Issue 3-4, January - January 2018 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online

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The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content Journal of Natural History, Volume 52, Issue 3-4, January - January 2018 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online. This new issue contains the following articles: Original Articles Aquatic insects in the forest canopy: a new genus of moth flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) developing in slime on aerial roots Gunnar Mikalsen Kvifte, Gregory R. Curler & Stephen A. Marshall Pages: 137-153 | DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1410590 Diversity of the subgenus Disparalona (Mixopleuroxus) Hudec, 2010 (Crustacea: Cladocera) in the New and Old World Anna N. Neretina, Petr G. Garibian, Artem Y. Sinev & Alexey A. Kotov Pages: 155-205 | DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1411987 Article Reproductive behaviour of the glass frog Hyalinobatrachium cappellei (Anura: Centrolenidae) in the Southern Amazon Janaina da Costa de Noronha & Domingos de Jesus Rodrigues Pages: 207-224 | DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1414324 Original Articles Comparison of breeding biology aspects of Fluvicola nengeta (Aves: Tyrannidae) between two nesting sites Tatiane Lima da Silva, Rísia Brígida Gonçalves Cabral, Lucas de Assis Silva Andrade, Noemia Falcão Nogueira, Mariana de Souza Oliveira & Ildemar Ferreira Pages: 225-235 | DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1414897 Ecology and field biology of two dominant Camponotus ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Brazilian savannah Mariane U.V. Ronque, Vincent Fourcassié & Paulo S. Oliveira Pages: 237-252 | DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1420833 Book Review Beaked Whales: A Complete Guide to their Biology and Conservation, by Richard Ellis and James G. Mead, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore Maryland USA, 2017, £59.00, ISBN: 1421421828 Scott Wilson Pages: 253-254 | DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1419714 Hoping to have your article read by anyone, anywhere and at any time? Find out more about publishing open access with Ecosystem Health and Sustainability. To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. Unsubscribe from new content alerts for this journal (both new issue and latest article notifications) with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

The views of children and young people on the use of silk garments for the treatment of eczema: a nested qualitative study within the CLOTHing for the relief of Eczema Symptoms (CLOTHES) randomized controlled trial

Summary

This study reports on a trial from the U.K. to find out if specialised silk clothing improved eczema in children. Eczema is a common skin condition. It affects around one in five children and can cause sore and itchy skin, poor sleep and reduced quality of life. As part of this work the researchers wanted to find out what the children who wore the garments in the study thought of them. They invited 18 children aged between five and 15 years to take part, meeting in small groups and using stories and play to help the children tell the researchers about the garments. All the children and young people had high hopes that the garments would make their skin much better. They expected the garments to feel soft and smooth and were disappointed when they were not like this. They reported that they mostly wore them at night as it was embarrassing to wear them during the day. Some said that the garments were see through. Garments tended to go grey and start to fall apart when they had been worn and washed. A few children found that the garments made their skin more comfortable and helped them sleep better. They were disappointed that the miracle cure they hoped for did not happen. It is important and possible to involve children in studies like this so we can understand what they think about possible treatments for eczema.

http://ift.tt/2rvBTjB

Efficacy and adverse events of oral isotretinoin for acne: a systematic review

Summary

Acne vulgaris, usually just referred to as acne, is the most common skin disease. It causes red spots, pus-filled spots and blackheads and can vary in severity from mild to severe. Because it can be very visible, it can cause anxiety, reduced self-esteem and stigma. In cases of more severe acne that hasn't improved with other treatments, a powerful drug taken orally (by mouth) called isotretinoin can be prescribed by doctors. This study, from Canada, reviewed evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess the efficacy and safety of isotretinoin. RCTs are studies in which a number of patients are randomly allocated to two or more test groups, one of which will be a 'control' group (who typically receive either no treatment, standard care or a placebo), while the other groups will receive the specific treatments being tested. The different groups of patients are then monitored in the exact same way, allowing for direct comparison between different treatments. Eleven trials were identified, involving a total of 760 patients - mostly males. Across all trials, isotretinoin reduced acne lesion counts (number of spots), and always by a greater amount than controls, which were either placebo, oral antibiotics, or another control type. The frequency of adverse events, meaning unwanted side effects, was twice as high with isotretinoin (751 events) compared to control (388 events). More than half of all adverse events related to skin dryness. Adverse events caused 12 of the 760 participants to withdrawal from trials, due to the development of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, cheilitis, xerosis, acne flare, photophobia, elevated liver enzymes, decreased appetite, headaches and depressed mood. This review suggests that isotretinoin is effective in reducing acne lesion counts, but adverse events are common.

http://ift.tt/2G5AYKa

脂溢性皮炎在中老年人群中的发病率及决定因素:鹿特丹研究

Summary

脂溢性皮炎是一种常见的皮肤病,见于头皮、面部及胸部,主要表现为炎症和脂性鳞屑。虽然尚不清楚脂溢性皮炎的病因,但研究者认为马拉色氏酵母菌的过度生长是脂溢性皮炎的部分原因。若干其他因素也与此类疾病有关;年龄、性别、肥胖、肤色、压力、沮丧、教育程度、高血压、气候、皮肤干燥、饮酒以及吸烟等因素都与脂溢性皮炎有关,但相关性证据通常并无定论。该研究旨在确定与脂溢性皮炎有关的生活方式及生理因素。该研究中的数据来自针对荷兰中老年人群开展的鹿特丹研究,旨在研究这些之前报告的因素。研究依据在于,了解决定因素可以在脂溢性皮炎的病理生理学方面提供新的见解,以便采取预防策略和/或新的治疗方案。在鹿特丹研究中,5,498 位参与者进行了全身皮肤检查,其中 788 位罹患脂溢性皮炎。作者发现,男性、肤色浅、冬季以及全身干燥皮肤可增加脂溢性皮炎发病率,其他因素则与脂溢性皮炎无关。此外,作者分析了研究性别差异能否通过激素差异来解释,但他们发现激素与脂溢性皮炎之间并无关联。在已发现的关联中,干燥皮肤似乎最容易带来影响。因此,增强皮肤屏障可以作为脂溢性皮炎治疗中的一个目标。

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Image Gallery: A case of malignant syphilis in an HIV-infected patient mimicking fungal infection

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Can you get a tattoo while pregnant or breast-feeding?

In this article, learn about the risks of getting a tattoo while pregnant or breast-feeding. How can you identify and prevent an infection?

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Association of circulating resistin, leptin, adiponectin and visfatin levels with Behçet disease: a meta-analysis

Summary

Background

Behçet disease (BD) is a chronic inflammatory disease. Adipokines are synthesized in adipose tissue, and have been reported to play important roles in the pathogenesis of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including BD.

Aim

To evaluate the relationship between circulating blood adipokine levels and BD.

Methods

We conducted a meta-analysis of papers reporting on serum/plasma resistin, leptin, adiponectin and visfatin levels in patients with BD and in healthy controls (HCs). We identified 82 relevant studies using electronic and manual search methods, and selected 16 studies for full-text review based on the title and abstract. Two of these were later excluded (one was a review, one had no data), leaving 14 articles that met the inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis.

Results

The 14 included studies assessed 637 patients with BD and 520 HCs. Compared with the HCs, the BD group had significantly higher levels of leptin [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.68, 95% CI 0.15–1.21, P = 0.01]. Levels of resistin (SMD = 0.51, 95% CI 0.92–0.918, P = 0.02) and adiponectin (SMD = 0.31, 95% CI 0.06–0.56, P = 0.02) were significantly higher in the BD group after adjustment for age, sex and body mass index (BMI), but not without such adjustment (resistin: (SMD = 0.38, 95% CI −0.18 to 0.93, P = 0.19; adiponectin: SMD = −0.59, 95% CI −2.23 to 1.06, P = 0.48). A significantly lower visfatin level was found in the BD group with adjustment (SMD = −1.70, 95% CI −2.14 to −1.25, P < 0.001) but not without adjustment (SMD = 0.31, 95% CI −0.21 to 0.82, P = 0.24).

Conclusions

Our meta-analysis revealed significantly higher circulating resistin, leptin and adiponectin levels and lower visfatin levels in patients with BD than in HCs, indicating that adipokines probably play an important role in BD pathogenesis.

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Noonan syndrome with multiple lentigines and associated craniosynostosis

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Hypopigmented patches on the buttocks of a 7-year-old boy

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Scholar : These new articles for Critical Discourse Studies are available online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for Critical Discourse Studies and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: Original Articles Moral evaluation in critical discourse analysis Theo van Leeuwen Pages: 1-14 | DOI: 10.1080/17405904.2018.1427120 To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. Unsubscribe from new content alerts for this journal (both new issue and latest article notifications) with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Scholar : These new articles for American Review of Canadian Studies are available online

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The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for American Review of Canadian Studies and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: Article Are the Economies of Canada and the United States Integrated? Evidence from Cointegration Analysis Hari S. Luitel, Gerry J. Mahar, Krishna Kadiyala, Daniel Friyia & Brandon Mackinnon Pages: 1-17 | DOI: 10.1080/02722011.2018.1428640 Book Review Downstream: Reimagining Water, edited by Dorothy Christian and Rita Wong, Waterloo, ON, Wilfred Laurier Press, 2017, 298 pp., US$27.99 (paper), ISBN: 978-1-7711-2213-9, US$14.45 (ebook), ISBN: 978-1-7711-2215-3 Sara Beth Keough Pages: 1-2 | DOI: 10.1080/02722011.2018.1426154 Do you have original research that relates to present-day Japan and its recent historical development? Contemporary Japan welcomes your submissions. To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. Unsubscribe from new content alerts for this journal (both new issue and latest article notifications) with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Scholar : These new articles for Aphasiology are available online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for Aphasiology and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: Original Articles Perspectives from case studies in obtaining evidence for music interventions in aphasia Dawn L. Merrett, Chris Tailby, Graeme D. Jackson & Sarah J. Wilson Pages: 1-20 | DOI: 10.1080/02687038.2018.1428729 Routledge Psychology 2017 sponsor of BPS #PsychCrunch podcasts. Access 25 journal articles: http://bit.ly/psychcrunch2017 To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. Unsubscribe from new content alerts for this journal (both new issue and latest article notifications) with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Cosmetics, Vol. 5, Pages 14: Analysis of Ultraviolet Radiation Wavelengths Causing Hardening and Reduced Elasticity of Collagen Gels In Vitro

Cosmetics, Vol. 5, Pages 14: Analysis of Ultraviolet Radiation Wavelengths Causing Hardening and Reduced Elasticity of Collagen Gels In Vitro

Cosmetics doi: 10.3390/cosmetics5010014

Authors: Kazuhisa Maeda

Regular exposure of facial skin to sunlight promotes wrinkle formation; ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes the skin to harden and lose its elasticity. To study UV damage to the skin in vitro, a short-term in vitro photoaging model is required. Hence, the UV transmittance of excised human skin was measured. Changes in elasticity in the cheeks of humans of different ages were investigated. Moreover, changes in the hardness and elasticity of collagen gels following UV exposure were investigated. UV rays penetrated the upper layer of the dermis and UVA (330 nm) rays penetrated approximately 1.6 times farther than UVB (310 nm) rays. A correlation between age and lower cheek elasticity was observed. Upon exposure to UV rays, collagen gels hardened and their elasticity decreased; UVA rays exhibited a stronger effect than UVB rays. Wavelengths of 300–340 nm caused hardening and reduced elasticity of collagen gels; 330-nm radiation showed the most pronounced effect. These effects were not observed upon exposure to UV wavelengths over 350 nm. Investigating the UV-hardening mechanism of collagen showed increased tyrosine crosslinks (dityrosines) in the in vitro model of photodamage to collagen, suggesting that dityrosine formation contributes to hardening and reduced elasticity of collagen in photoaged skin.

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Reconstruction of abdominal wall defects using extended trilobed rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap

Abstract

Reconstruction of extensive abdominal wall defects is difficult in many cases. We performed peritoneal reconstruction by free fascia lata transplantation and abdominal wall reconstruction with an extended trilobed rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap. Firstly, the peritoneum is closed by free fascia lata transplantation. Then, the rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap is prepared adjacent to the abdominal wall defect and centering on the rectus abdominis muscle body on the contralateral side. The rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap is elevated with the first flap toward the xiphoid process on the cranial side, the second flap toward the middle axillary line on the lateral side, and the third flap toward the lower abdominal region on caudal side as an extended trilobed rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap with a deep inferior epigastric arteriovenous pedicle and transposed to the abdominal wall defect. This method was applied to a full-thickness abdominal wall defect produced by colon cancer resection in two patients. Case 1 was a 10 × 15-cm full-thickness right abdominal wall defect, and case 2 was an 8 × 14-cm full-thickness left abdominal wall defect. The postoperative course was favorable, and no complication, such as abdominal incisional hernia, developed. The rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap could be collected from the same surgical field, and its preparation as an extended musculocutaneous flap widely beyond the range of the muscle body was possible. By preparing a trilobed flap, the flap-donor region could also be easily closed. This method may be useful for reconstruction of extensive full-thickness abdominal wall defects.

Level of Evidence: Level V, therapeutic study.

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Little finger flexor tendon injuries; watch out for anatomical variations and biomechanical excursion

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Progressive Tightening of Pulley Sutures for Primary Repair of Large Scalp Wounds

Summary: Scalp defects greater than 2 cm in diameter are not usually amenable to primary closure and require local tissue rearrangement, grafting, tissue expansion, or prolonged second intention healing. Scalp flap reconstruction is a significant undertaking that requires elevation of a total flap surface area that is 3–6 times the size of the defect, often involves profuse bleeding, and can be challenging to perform without conscious sedation or general anesthesia. Anticoagulated and medically complex patients pose additional challenges and limit options for treatment. The pulley suture uses the mechanical advantage of the pulley to distribute tension across a wound and is useful in areas of high tension such as scalp wounds. For scalp wounds greater than 2 cm, pulley sutures are placed along the length of the wound. An assistant exerts equal tension on the pulley sutures, and the surgeon sequentially ties the sutures. The sutures are tightened and retied weekly until complete scalp closure is achieved. The pulley sutures can be used for rapid primary closure of scalp wounds up to 2.5–3.0 cm in diameter under local anesthesia. For scalp wounds larger than 3 cm, we have also found that pulley sutures can be progressively tightened yielding additional tissue expansion every week. Scalp wounds greater than 3.0 cm can be easily closed via primary repair and weekly tightening of pulley sutures without the need for flap reconstruction, traditional tissue expander placement, or second intention healing.

http://ift.tt/2G4TfXO

Kisspeptin neurones in the posterodorsal medial amygdala modulate sexual partner preference and anxiety in male mice

Abstract

The posterodorsal medial amygdala (MePD) is a neural site in the limbic brain involved in regulating emotional and sexual behaviours. There is however limited information on the specific neuronal cell type in the MePD functionally mediating these behaviours in rodents. The recent discovery of a significant kisspeptin neurone population in the MePD has raised interest in the possible role of kisspeptin and its cognate receptor in sexual behaviour. This study therefore tested the hypothesis that the MePD kisspeptin neurone population is involved in regulating attraction towards opposite sex conspecifics, sexual behaviour, social interaction and anxiety response by selectively stimulating these neurones using the novel pharmacosynthetic DREADDs (designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs) technique. Adult male Kiss-Cre mice received bilateral stereotaxic injections of a stimulatory DREADD viral construct (AAV-hSyn-DIO-hM₃D(Gq)-mCherry) targeted to the MePD which were activated by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of clozapine-N-oxide (CNO). Socio-sexual behaviours were assessed in a counter-balanced fashion after i.p. injection of either saline or CNO (5mg/kg). Selective activation of MePD kisspeptin neurones by CNO significantly increased the time spent by male mice in investigating an oestrous female as well as duration of social interaction. Additionally, after CNO injection the mice appeared less anxious; evidenced by longer exploratory time in the open arms of the elevated plus maze. However, levels of copulatory behaviour were comparable between CNO and saline treated controls. These data indicate that DREADD-induced activation of MePD kisspeptin neurones enhances sexual partner preference in males and social interaction and decreases anxiety, suggesting a key role played by MePD kisspeptin in sexual motivation and social behaviour.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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Bacterial community structure and abundances of antibiotic resistance genes in heavy metals contaminated agricultural soil

Abstract

Soil contamination with heavy metals is a worldwide problem especially in China. The interrelation of soil bacterial community structure, antibiotic resistance genes, and heavy metal contamination in soil is still unclear. Here, seven agricultural areas (G1–G7) with heavy metal contamination were sampled with different distances (741 to 2556 m) to the factory. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and Shannon index were used to analyze bacterial community diversity. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the relative abundance of ARGs sul1, sul2, tetA, tetM, tetW, one mobile genetic elements (MGE) inti1. Results showed that all samples were polluted by Cadmium (Cd), and some of them were polluted by lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). DGGE showed that the most abundant bacterial species were found in G7 with the lightest heavy metal contamination. The results of the principal component analysis and clustering analysis both showed that G7 could not be classified with other samples. The relative abundance of sul1 was correlated with Cu, Zn concentration. Gene sul2 are positively related with total phosphorus, and tetM was associated with organic matter. Total gene abundances and relative abundance of inti1 both correlated with organic matter. Redundancy analysis showed that Zn and sul2 were significantly related with bacterial community structure. Together, our results indicate a complex linkage between soil heavy metal concentration, bacterial community composition, and some global disseminated ARG abundance.

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