Tolerogenic dendritic cell-based treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS): a harmonised study protocol for two phase I clinical trials comparing intradermal and intranodal cell administration.

Introduction: Based on the advances in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), currently available disease-modifying treatments (DMT) have positively influenced the disease course of MS. However, the efficacy of DMT is highly variable and increasing treatment efficacy comes with a more severe risk profile. Hence, the unmet need for safer and more selective treatments remains.

Kisspeptin induces ovulation in heifers under low plasma progesterone concentrations.

The objective of the present study was to compare the effect of a single versus multiple doses of a 10-amino acid fragment of human (hKp) or murine (mKp) kisspeptin on LH secretion and the fate of the dominant follicle. In all experiments, a new wave was induced (Day 0) by ultrasound-guided ablation of >5 mm follicles, a progesterone device (CIDR) was placed in the vagina, animals given prostaglandin F analog im on Day 3.5 and 4, and hKp or mKp treatment given on Day 6.

The social costs of forgiving following multiple-victim transgressions.

A single transgressor sometimes harms more than just 1 victim. We examine a previously undocumented social cost of forgiving following these multiple-victim transgressions. We find that nonforgiving victims believe that other victims who forgive the common transgressor make their decisions to withhold forgiveness appear ungenerous.

Advanced Management of Patients With Ulcerative Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome.

Objective: To describe a stepwise management of patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) with Hunner's lesions and present single institution long-term outcomes.

Methods: This is a retrospective review of a single tertiary center experience with management of patients with Hunner's lesions from January 2005 to January of 2015. Patients who met the diagnostic criteria for IC/BPS were included.

Paediatric endophthalmitis: a UK retrospective study.

Introduction: Paediatric endophthalmitis is a severe but rare complication of intraocular surgery, penetrating trauma and far less commonly extra-ocular surgery or endogenous origin. We set out to establish the incidence and risk factors of exogenous endophthalmitis in children, and to develop an evidence-based protocol that can be used for treatment of suspected exogenous endophthalmitis in children.

Methods: Microbiology reports and operation numbers were obtained from two large tertiary referral hospitals sharing 24-h paediatric ophthalmology cover for the period January 2009-December 2016.

Submaxillary Mucin: its Effect on Aroma Release from Acidic Drinks and New Insight into the Effect of Aroma Compounds on its Macromolecular Integrity.

Submaxillary mucin is a major component that defines the makeup and functionality of saliva. Understanding its structure and function during food intake is key to designing appropriate strategies for enhancing the delivery of flavour. In the present study, the hydrodynamic integrity of bovine submaxillary mucin was characterised under physiological and acidic conditions and it was shown to have a broad molecular weight distribution with species ranging from 100 kDa to over 2000 kDa, and a random coil type of conformation.

An exploration of adult attachment insecurity and psychiatric symptoms in individuals with obstructive sleep apnea.

Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder, often associated with multiple medical comorbidities as well as psychological difficulties. Among the latter, relationship difficulties as well as mood and anxiety symptoms have been reported, without a clear understanding of the mechanism. In the current study we wanted to further explore these aspects, while comparing groups of OSA individuals with good vs poor sleep.

Mucin immobilization in calcium alginate: A possible mucus mimetic tool for evaluating mucoadhesion and retention of flavour.

To reduce animal testing, there is a need to develop novel in-vitro models for evaluating the retention of bioactive compounds in food and pharmaceutical products. Here, a mucus-mimetic platform was developed through a one-step approach based on encapsulating mucin within alginate gel beads. We found that mucins form micron sized aggregates distributed across the surface of the calcium-alginate bead, as shown by environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM).

Superior oblique enlargement in thyroid eye disease.

Purpose: To determine the extent of superior oblique enlargement in thyroid eye disease (TED) by comparing the cross-sectional superior oblique areas of TED patients with those of unaffected control subjects.

Methods: The medical records of TED patients treated for strabismus from January 2005 to January 2016 were reviewed retrospectively for demographic and surgical data. The cross-sectional superior oblique area was compared to age-matched controls on high-resolution orbital computed tomography (CT) using a standardized protocol.

An enzymatically controlled mucoadhesive system for enhancing flavour during food oral processing.

While a good mucoadhesive biopolymer must adhere to a mucus membrane, it must also have a good unloading ability. Here, we demonstrate that the biopolymer pullulan is partially digested by human salivary α-amylase, thus acting as a controlled release system, in which the enzyme triggers an increased release of flavour. Our oral processing simulations have confirmed an increase in the bioavailability of aroma and salt compounds as a function of oral pullulan degradation, although the release kinetics suggest a rather slow process.

An objective volumetric method for assessment of ovarian follicular and luteal vascular flow using colour Doppler ultrasonography.

Our goal was to develop an objective computer-assisted volumetric method of assessing vascular flow from colour Doppler ultrasound data of ovarian structures recorded by free-hand movement. We hypothesized that a vascularity index (ratio of the region of blood flood to the region of ovarian structure) obtained from the three-dimensional volumetric analysis would be more precise (less variable) than conventional two-dimensional analysis of single images in estimating the functional status of the preovulatory follicles and corpus luteum. Doppler ultrasound cineloops of water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis; n = 22) ovaries were recorded daily from 12 h before GnRH treatment to four days after ovulation.

A longitudinal exploration of the impact of social anxiety and individual attachment on depression severity.

Background: Research suggests that insecure attachment and early onset of social anxiety disorder (SAD) create vulnerability for future depression. The current study explores the mediating role of social anxiety symptoms in the relationship between attachment and depression at baseline and one year later. The study also looks at the longitudinal impact of changes in attachment and social anxiety, on depression severity.

Climate and land-use change homogenise terrestrial biodiversity, with consequences for ecosystem functioning and human well-being.

Biodiversity continues to decline under the effect of multiple human pressures. We give a brief overview of the main pressures on biodiversity, before focusing on the two that have a predominant effect: land-use and climate change. We discuss how interactions between land-use and climate change in terrestrial systems are likely to have greater impacts than expected when only considering these pressures in isolation.

An educational intervention to improve women's academic STEM outcomes: Divergent effects on well-represented vs. underrepresented minority women.

Objectives: The aim of this field experiment was to test the effect of a social psychological intervention on an ethnically diverse sample of first-year college women majoring in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). We hypothesized that grade point averages in STEM courses would be higher in the intervention condition relative to the control condition. Furthermore, we tested competing hypotheses about the moderating role of belonging to either a well-represented (WR) or underrepresented minority (URM) ethnic group in STEM.

Dehydropolymerization of HB·NMeH Using a [Rh(DPEphos)] Catalyst: The Promoting Effect of NMeH.

[Rh(κ-PP-DPEphos){ηη-HB(NMe)(CH) Bu}][BAr ] acts as an effective precatalyst for the dehydropolymerization of HB·NMeH to form -methylpolyaminoborane (HBNMeH) . Control of polymer molecular weight is achieved by variation of precatalyst loading (0.1-1 mol %, an inverse relationship) and use of the chain-modifying agent H: with ranging between 5 500 and 34 900 g/mol and between 1.

Reducing Potentially Preventable Dental Hospitalizations of Young Children: A Community-Level Analysis.

An increasing number of Australians are being admitted to hospitals and day procedure centers to have dental treatment under a dental general anesthetic (DGA). Children younger than 2 y are having DGAs. These operations are costly and, although there have been improvements in safety, are not without risk.

New insights of the role of β-NGF in the ovulation mechanism of induced ovulating species.

The type of stimuli triggering GnRH secretion has been used to classify mammalian species into two categories: spontaneous or induced ovulators. In the former, ovarian steroids produced by a mature follicle elicit the release of GnRH from the hypothalamus, but in the latter, GnRH secretion requires coital stimulation. However, the mechanism responsible for eliciting the preovulatory LH surge in induced ovulators is still not well understood and seems to vary among species.

One-Year Results of the LIBERTY 360 Study: Evaluation of Acute and Midterm Clinical Outcomes of Peripheral Endovascular Device Interventions.

Purpose: To report the 1-year results of a multicenter study of peripheral artery disease (PAD) treatment with a variety of endovascular treatment strategies employed in routine practice.

Materials And Methods: The LIBERTY trial ( ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01855412) is a prospective, observational, core laboratory-assessed, multicenter study of endovascular device intervention in 1204 subjects (mean age 69.

General information for patients and carers considering haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for severe autoimmune diseases (ADs): A position statement from the EBMT Autoimmune Diseases Working Party (ADWP), the EBMT Nurses Group, the EBMT Patient, Family and Donor Committee and the Joint Accreditation Committee of ISCT and EBMT (JACIE).

Over the last 20 years, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been used to treat patients with severe autoimmune and inflammatory diseases whose response to standard treatment options has been limited, resulting in a poor long-term prognosis in terms of survival or disability. The vast majority of patients have received autologous HSCT where an increasing evidence-base supports its use in a wide range of autoimmune diseases, particularly relapsing remitting MS, systemic sclerosis and Crohn's disease. Compared with standard treatments for autoimmune diseases, HSCT is associated with greater short-term risks, including a risk of treatment-related mortality and long-term complications.

Orbital atherectomy for calcified femoropopliteal lesions: a current review.

The orbital atherectomy system is a novel form of atherectomy that uses orbital sanding and pulsatile forces, an effective method of treatment for peripheral atherosclerotic lesions with varying levels of occlusion. Although the devices only has a general indication from the FDA to treat atherosclerotic lesions, they are effective in treating all kinds of lesions, and can therefore mitigate effects of all severities of peripheral artery disease. This approach to endovascular therapy involves the use of differential sanding to preferentially ablate fibrous, fibrofatty and calcified lesions, while deflecting healthy intima away from the crown.

County-level access to opioid use disorder medications in medicare Part D (2010-2015).

Objective: To identify geographic disparities in access to opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment medications and county demographic and economic characteristics associated with access to buprenorphine and oral naltrexone prescribers in Medicare Part D.

Data Sources/study Setting: We utilized data from the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Event Standard Analytic File (2010-2015).

Study Design/data Collection: We used logistic regression to examine county-level access to OUD medication prescribers.

The practice of glycaemic control in intensive care units: A multicentre survey of nursing and medical professionals.

Aims And Objectives: To determine the views of nurses and physicians working in intensive care units (ICU) about the aims of glycaemic control and use of their protocols.

Background: Evidence about the optimal aims and methods for glycaemic control in ICU is controversial, and current local protocols guiding practice differ between ICUs, both nationally and internationally. The views of professionals on glycaemic control can influence their practice.

Co-repressor, co-activator and general transcription factor: the many faces of the Sin3 histone deacetylase (HDAC) complex.

At face value, the Sin3 histone deacetylase (HDAC) complex appears to be a prototypical co-repressor complex, that is, a multi-protein complex recruited to chromatin by DNA bound repressor proteins to facilitate local histone deacetylation and transcriptional repression. While this is almost certainly part of its role, Sin3 stubbornly refuses to be pigeon-holed in quite this way. Genome-wide mapping studies have found that Sin3 localises predominantly to the promoters of actively transcribed genes.

The roles of attachment and resilience in perceived stress in medical students.

Background: Medical students are susceptible to high levels of psychological stress, while being equipped with lower levels of resilience, especially females. Adult attachment is a known risk factor for a broad range of mental health difficulties and poor coping. The purpose of this study is to examine relationship attachment style, perceived stress, and resilience in medical students.

Hypoglycaemic unawareness: A systematic review of qualitative studies of significant others' (SO) supportive interventions for patients with diabetes mellitus.

Background: Hypoglycemia unawareness (HU) has been attributed to both a downward shift in central nervous system (CNS)-triggered sympatho-adrenal responses to low glycaemic thresholds and a subsequent loss of adrenergic symptoms, which, in addition, to cerebral cortex adaptations permit normal function under hypoglycaemic conditions. Both of these mechanisms are brought about by recurring hypoglycemic events (hypoglycemia-associate autonomic failure, HAAF). This can contribute to repetitive cycles of increasingly severe hypoglycaemia, the consequences of which have considerable impact on relatives and significant others (SO) when providing care to patients with diabetes.