The boundaries of mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): design of the searching clinical COPD onset (SOON) study.

Introduction: Clinical onset of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the point at which the disease is first identifiable by physicians. It is a poorly defined stage which seems to include both mild spirometric and non-spirometric disease, and could be described as early grade COPD, for practical purposes. While dyspnoea; chronic bronchitis and CT imaging evidence of emphysema and airway disease may be present very early, the lone significance of dyspnoea, the most relevant symptom in COPD in identifying these individuals, has been scarcely assessed.

Blood Biomarkers for the Early Diagnosis of Stroke: The Stroke-Chip Study.

Background And Purpose: Stroke diagnosis could be challenging in the acute phase. We aimed to develop a blood-based diagnostic tool to differentiate between real strokes and stroke mimics and between ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes in the hyperacute phase.

Methods: The Stroke-Chip was a prospective, observational, multicenter study, conducted at 6 Stroke Centers in Catalonia.

The Randomized Controlled STRAWINSKI Trial: Procalcitonin-Guided Antibiotic Therapy after Stroke.

Background: Pneumonia is among the most common acute complications after stroke and is associated with poor long-term outcome. Biomarkers may help identifying stroke patients at high risk for developing stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) and to guide early treatment.

Aims: This trial investigated whether procalcitonin (PCT) ultrasensitive (PCTus)-guided antibiotic treatment of SAP can improve functional outcome after stroke.

H-FABP: A new biomarker to differentiate between CT-positive and CT-negative patients with mild traumatic brain injury.

The majority of patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) will have normal Glasgow coma scale (GCS) of 15. Furthermore, only 5%-8% of them will be CT-positive for an mTBI. Having a useful biomarker would help clinicians evaluate a patient's risk of developing intracranial lesions.

Tracking of gross motor coordination in Portuguese children.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the tracking of gross motor coordination (GMC) and to profile children at 6 years of age who consistently showed higher stability patterns in different levels of GMC. The participants were 245 children (123 boys and 122 girls) who were assessed longitudinally from 6 to 9 years of age. GMC was assessed using the Korperkoordinationtest fur Kinder (KTK) test battery.

The impact of post-stroke complications on in-hospital mortality depends on stroke severity.

Introduction: Controversies remain on whether post-stroke complications represent an independent predictor of poor outcome or just a reflection of stroke severity. We aimed to identify which post-stroke complications have the highest impact on in-hospital mortality by using machine learning techniques. Secondary aim was identification of patient's subgroups in which complications have the highest impact.

Classrooms in Peace Within Violent Contexts: Field Evaluation of Aulas en Paz in Colombia.

Classrooms in Peace (Aulas en Paz) is an elementary school-based multicomponent program for prevention of aggression and promotion of peaceful relationships. Inspired by international programs and socio-emotional research, it includes (1) a classroom universal curriculum, (2) parent workshops and home visits to parents of the 10% most aggressive children, and (3) extracurricular peer groups of two aggressive and four prosocial children. Activities seek to promote socio-emotional competencies such as empathy, anger management, creative generation of alternatives, and assertiveness.

Single molecule force spectroscopy reveals the effect of BiP chaperone on protein folding.

BiP (Immunoglobulin Binding Protein) is a member of the Hsp70 chaperones that participates in protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum. The function of BiP relies on cycles of ATP hydrolysis driving the binding and release of its substrate proteins. It still remains unknown how BiP affects the protein folding pathway and there has been no direct demonstration showing which folding state of the substrate protein is bound by BiP, as previous work has used only peptides.

C-reactive protein in the detection of post-stroke infections: systematic review and individual participant data analysis.

We conducted a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis to explore the role of C-reactive protein (CRP) in early detection or prediction of post-stroke infections. CRP, an acute-phase reactant binds to the phosphocholine expressed on the surface of dead or dying cells and some bacteria, thereby activating complement and promoting phagocytosis by macrophages. We searched PubMed up to May-2015 for studies measuring CRP in stroke and evaluating post-stroke infections.

Blood markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction in cardioembolic stroke: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Context: Various processes including inflammation and endothelial dysfunction have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardioembolic (CE) strokes.

Objective: To review the evidence and investigate the association between immune-inflammatory biomarkers and CE strokes versus other stroke subtypes.

Methods: We systematically reviewed the literature (sources: MEDLINE, web-based register http://stroke-biomarkers.

A High Level of Soluble CD40L Is Associated with P. aeruginosa Infection in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the concentration of sCD40L, a product of platelet activation, correlates with the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the airway of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and to determine its possible clinical association.

Methods: Sixty patients with CF, ranging in age from 2 months to 36 years, were studied. The demographics, cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) genotype, spirometry measurements, radiographic and tomographic scans, platelet count in peripheral blood, sCD40L, IL-6, TNF-α and ICAM1 data were collected.

Thermal stability of oils added with avocado (Persea americana cv. Hass) or olive (Olea europaea cv. Arbequina) leaf extracts during the French potatoes frying.

Effect of the addition of avocado (Persea americana cv. Hass) or olive (Olea europaea cv. Arbequina) hydroalcoholic leaf extracts (AHE and OHE, respectively) on thermal stability of canola oil (CO) and high oleic sunflower oil (HOSO) during French potatoes frying at 180°C was studied.

Edwardsya, a new genus of jumping spiders from South America (Araneae: Salticidae: Freyina).

Edwardsya gen. nov. is proposed to include the type species Attus simoni Taczanowski, 1871 from lower Amazon River, and E.

Plasma Matrix Metalloproteinases in Patients With Stroke During Intensive Rehabilitation Therapy.

Objective: To study plasma levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) as potential markers of recovery during intensive rehabilitation therapy (IRT) after stroke.

Design: Prospective and descriptive 3-month follow-up study.

Setting: Rehabilitation unit and research center.

Combination of Thrombolysis and Statins in Acute Stroke Is Safe: Results of the STARS Randomized Trial (Stroke Treatment With Acute Reperfusion and Simvastatin).

Background And Purpose: The STARS trial (Stroke Treatment With Acute Reperfusion and Simvastatin) was conducted to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of simvastatin treatment in acute stroke.

Methods: STARS07 was a multicentre, phase IV, prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Patients with Acute ischemic stroke recruited within 12 hours from symptom onset were randomized to oral simvastatin 40 mg or placebo, once daily for 90 days.

Glucocorticoid receptor DNA methylation, childhood maltreatment and major depression.

Introduction: Altered DNA methylation (DNAm) levels of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis genes has been associated with exposure to childhood maltreatment (CM) and depression; however, it is unknown whether CM and depression have joint and potentially interacting effects on the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) DNAm. We investigated the impact of CM and lifetime major depressive disorder (MDD) on NR3C1 DNAm and gene expression (GE) in 147 adult participants from the Detroit Neighborhood Health Study.

Methods: NR3C1 promoter region DNAm was assessed via pyrosequencing using whole blood-derived DNA.

Blood/Brain Biomarkers of Inflammation After Stroke and Their Association With Outcome: From C-Reactive Protein to Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns.

Stroke represents one of the most important causes of disability and death in developed countries. However, there is a lack of prognostic tools in clinical practice to monitor the neurological condition and predict the final outcome. Blood biomarkers have been proposed and studied in this indication; however, no biomarker is currently used in clinical practice.

The +1858 C/T Polymorphism in the PTPN22 Gene Is Associated with Cystic Fibrosis Patients in Northeast Mexico.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common autosomal recessive disease in the Caucasian population, but it has also been widely diagnosed in the Mexican population. Production of viscous secretions affects the secretory epithelia and the respiratory condition usually leads to death. The relationship between the CFTR genotype and the disease phenotype is not well understood.

Patient Activation is Inconsistently Associated with Positive Health Behaviors Among Obese Safety Net Patients.

We examine the association of patient activation and physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption among obese safety net patients. Adult obese patients (n = 198) of three safety net clinics completed a survey assessing patient activation, physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, care experiences, and health status. Multivariate logistic regression models incrementally assessed the adjusted relation of patient activation and physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption.

Stroke-induced immunodepression and dysphagia independently predict stroke-associated pneumonia - The PREDICT study.

Stroke-associated pneumonia is a frequent complication after stroke associated with poor outcome. Dysphagia is a known risk factor for stroke-associated pneumonia but accumulating evidence suggests that stroke induces an immunodepressive state increasing susceptibility for stroke-associated pneumonia. We aimed to confirm that stroke-induced immunodepression syndrome is associated with stroke-associated pneumonia independently from dysphagia by investigating the predictive properties of monocytic HLA-DR expression as a marker of immunodepression as well as biomarkers for inflammation (interleukin-6) and infection (lipopolysaccharide-binding protein).

U-Form vs. M-Form: How to Understand Decision Autonomy Under Healthcare Decentralization? Comment on "Decentralisation of Health Services in Fiji: A Decision Space Analysis".

For more than three decades healthcare decentralization has been promoted in developing countries as a way of improving the financing and delivery of public healthcare. Decision autonomy under healthcare decentralization would determine the role and scope of responsibility of local authorities. Jalal Mohammed, Nicola North, and Toni Ashton analyze decision autonomy within decentralized services in Fiji.

Genetic Relatedness and Novel Sequence Types of Non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Strains Isolated in Argentina.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a foodborne pathogen responsible for severe disease in humans such as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and cattle, the principal reservoir. Identification of the clones/lineages is important as several characteristics, among them propensity to cause disease varies with STEC phylogenetic origin. At present, we do not know what STEC clones, especially of non-O157:H7, are circulating in Argentina.

A Quadricuspid Aortic Valve as Seen by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

We report a case of a 35-year-old active duty male with a rare quadricuspid aortic valve identified via transthoracic echocardiography following the detection of an incidental grade I/VI diastolic murmur. Further characterization of the anatomical findings and aortic valve flow dynamics were evaluated with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Accurate assessment of the various valve morphologies is essential, as it guides surgical treatment options to correct the defect.