To what extent does frailty mediate the association between age and the outcomes of brain reperfusion following acute ischemic stroke?

Objective: We evaluated the extent to which frailty mediated the association between age, poor functional outcomes, and mortality after acute ischemic stroke when patients were treated with brain reperfusion (thrombolytic therapy and/or thrombectomy).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients diagnosed with ischemic stroke who had undergone intravenous cerebral reperfusion therapy and/or mechanical thrombectomy. We created a mediation model by analyzing the direct natural effect of an mRS score > 2 and death on age-mediated frailty according to the Frailty Index.

Holocynips illinoiensis, sp. nov., a new species of oak gall wasp (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) from the USA.

A new species, Holocynips illinoiensis Melika & Nicholls, sp. nov. is described from the Nearctic (America north of Mexico).

Clinical and Functional Outcomes of Patients Receiving Cerebral Reperfusion Therapy: A Stroke Databank Study in Brazil.

Objectives: Cerebral reperfusion therapy is recommended for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. However, the outcomes of patients receiving this therapy in middle- and low-income countries should be better defined. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and functional outcomes of cerebral reperfusion therapy in patients with ischemic stroke.

The Impact of Age on Mortality and Disability in Patients With Ischemic Stroke Who Underwent Cerebral Reperfusion Therapy: A Brazilian Cohort Study.

The main driver for increased stroke prevalence is the aging of the population; however, the best evidenced-based strategies for stroke treatment and prevention are not always followed for older patients. Therefore, the aim was studying the association of age with clinical outcomes (mortality and functional disability) in stroke patients who underwent cerebral reperfusion therapy at hospital discharge and 90 days after ictus. This was a retrospective (stroke databank analysis) cohort study of participants who had been diagnosed with ischemic stroke and undergone intravenous cerebral reperfusion therapy or mechanical thrombectomy.

Association between statin use and mortality risks during the acute phase of ischemic stroke in patients admitted to an intensive care unit.

Unlabelled: Ischemic stroke is a common cause of death. The role of statins in the secondary prevention of the chronic ischemic stroke phase has been established. However, evidence regarding their efficacy in this phase is limited and contradictory.

Characterization of membrane adsorbers used for impurity removal during the continuous purification of monoclonal antibodies.

A fully continuous, downstream process represents one of the most interesting novel purification approaches in the biosimilars industry, because it would enhance the production output while reducing the costs of complex biopharmaceuticals. Since it generally involves several chromatographic steps, the selection of appropriate chromatographic columns is of utmost importance. In this study we compared several commercially available ion-exchange-membrane adsorbers (NatriFlo®, Sartobind® and Mustang®) for the removal of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), host cell proteins (HCPs) and monoclonal antibody aggregates in flow-through mode.

Excess mortality is associated with influenza A (H1N1) in patients with severe acute respiratory illness.

Background: Acute respiratory infections caused by viruses are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. The inflammatory response that follows viral infection is important for the control of virus proliferation. However, if overwhelming, may be associated with complicated outcomes.

Association between blood pressure and acute phase stroke case fatality rate: a prospective cohort study.

Objective: ed to investigate the association between blood pressure and acute phase stroke lethality in a Brazilian intensive care unit.

Methods: This was an observational, prospective cohort study of hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke intensive care patients. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality during the first seven days.

Evaluation of the importance of fever with respect to dengue prognosis according to the 2009 WHO classification: a retrospective study.

Background: The 2009 revised World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for dengue describe fever as the core symptom. Accordingly, the diagnosis of non-febrile patients is complicated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the importance of fever in patients with dengue according to the 2009 revised WHO classification.

Low sensitivity of the tourniquet test for differential diagnosis of dengue: an analysis of 28,000 trials in patients.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of the tourniquet test (TT) for dengue diagnosing. To our knowledge, no previous study with such a large sample, of this duration, with as many laboratory methods referenced, or relating the results of the TT to the 2009 WHO classification of severity has been conducted thus far.

Methods: In this study, we analyzed the records of 119,589 suspected dengue cases in a Brazilian city, with 30,670 confirmed cases.

Predicting the Sprint Performance of Adolescent Track Cyclists Using the 3-Minute All-out Test.

Waldron, M, Gray, A, Furlan, N, and Murphy, A. Predicting the sprint performance of adolescent track cyclists using the 3-minute all-out test. J Strength Cond Res 30(8): 2299-2306, 2016-This study aimed to predict 500-m time trial (TT) and 2,000-m pursuit speed of adolescent cyclists (age range = 13-15 years) using mechanical parameters derived from a critical power (CP) test and anthropometric variables.

Ecological Validity and Reliability of the Rugby Sevens Simulation Protocol.

Purpose: To assess the ecological validity of the Rugby Sevens Simulation Protocol (R7SP) and to evaluate its interday reliability.

Methods: Ten male participants (20 ± 2 y, 74 ± 11 kg) completed 2 trials of the R7SP, separated by 7 d. The R7SP comprised typical running and collision activities, based on data recorded during international rugby sevens match play.

Historical trends (1998-2012) of nickel (Ni), copper (Cu) and chromium (Cr) concentrations in marine sediments at four locations in the Northern Adriatic Sea.

Historical trends (1998-2012) nickel (Ni), copper (Cu) and chromium (Cr) concentrations in marine sediments were assessed at four locations in the Northern Adriatic Sea (Croatia) in the proximity of an oil refinery. Ecological risks were characterized by benchmarking the dataset against Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQG). A significant number of samples had Ni values above ERL with no exceedance of the ERL values for Cu and Cr.

Running-Intensity Fluctuations in Elite Rugby Sevens Performance.

Purpose: To investigate temporal variation in running intensity across and within halves and evaluate the agreement between match-analysis indices used to identify fluctuations in running intensity in rugby sevens.

Methods: Data from a 15-Hz global positioning system (GPS) were collected from 12 elite rugby sevens players during the IRB World Sevens Series (N = 21 full games). Kinematic (eg, relative distance [RD]) and energetic (eg, metabolic power [MP]) match-analysis indices were determined from velocity-time curves and used to investigate between-halves variations.

Salivary cortisol, alpha-amylase and heart rate variation in response to dental treatment in children.

Objective: Anxiety and stress are usually related to the dental treatment situation. The objective was to investigate salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase levels (salivary biomarkers) and heart rate in children undergoing a minor dental procedure (dental prophylaxis).

Study Design: In total, 31 children (range 84-95 months) of both genders without caries or history of dental treatment/pain/trauma were selected.

Evaluation of masticatory performance and bite force in children with sleep bruxism.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between masticatory performance (MP) and bite force (BF) in children with sleep bruxism (SB) during the mixed dentition stage, considering also the occlusal characteristics. The sample was composed by 52 healthy children of both genders, aged 6-10 years. From those, 22 presented signs and symptoms of SB and 30 were the controls.

Laparoscopic total mesorectal excision after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy.

Background: Although several authors have demonstrated that laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (TME) is feasible, safe, and has short-term benefits over open surgery, evidence about oncological outcome is lacking. Preoperative chemoradiation has been shown to improve local control in locally advanced rectal cancer. Therefore, neoadjuvant treatment followed by laparoscopic TME has become widely used.

Preoperative endoscopic sphincterotomy versus laparoendoscopic rendezvous in patients with gallbladder and bile duct stones.

Objective: To compare success rate, length of hospital stay, clinical results, and costs of sequential treatment (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy) versus the laparoendoscopic Rendezvous in patients with cholecysto-choledocholithiasis.

Background: The ideal management of common bile duct (CBD) stones in the era of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) remains controversial.

Methods: A total of 91 elective patients with cholelithiasis and CBD stones diagnosed at magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) were included in a prospective, randomized trial.

Concomitant analysis of the epidermal growth factor receptor family in esophageal cancer: overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor mRNA but not of c-erbB-2 and c-erbB-3.

The epidermal growth factor receptor family consists of four closely related transmembrane receptors: epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R), c-erbB-2, c-erbB-3, and c-erbB-4. Overexpression of each receptor may lead to cell transformation and contributes to tumor progression in various malignancies. Although these factors have been analyzed in many cancers separately, little is known about their concomitant expression in esophageal cancer.