A systematic review of the proposed mechanisms underpinning pain relief by primary motor cortex stimulation in animals.

Experimental treatments for treating neuropathic pain include transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and invasive electric motor cortex stimulation (iMCS) of the primary motor cortex (M1). Mechanisms of action of both methods, however, remain largely elusive. Within this paper, we focus on animal-based experiments in order to investigate the biological mechanisms that are involved in alleviating pain by use of TMS and/or iMCS.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of rivaroxaban for treatment and secondary prevention of venous thromboembolism in the Netherlands.

Background: Until recently, standard treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) concerned a combination of short-term low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) and long-term vitamin-K antagonist (VKA). Risk of bleeding and the requirement for regular anticoagulation monitoring are, however, limiting their use. Rivaroxaban is a novel oral anticoagulant associated with a significantly lower risk of major bleeds (hazard ratio = 0.

Exercise as treatment for alcohol use disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating effects of exercise for people with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) across multiple health outcomes. We also investigated the prevalence and predictors of dropout from exercise studies in AUDs.

Design: Systematic review and random effects meta-analysis with meta-regression analyses.

Clinical exercise interventions in alcohol use disorders: a systematic review.

The therapeutic impact of exercise interventions in psychiatric diseases such as depression, anxiety and schizophrenia has already been proven through several reviews whereas substance use disorders such as alcohol use disorders (AUD) have so far less frequently been a matter of investigation. Although several publications have summarized studies focusing on physical activities in substance use disorders, no systematic review exists summarizing the evidence of exercise interventions in AUD. A total of 14 studies using the Medline Database, CCMed, Cochrane Library and PsychINFO were identified and met the inclusion criteria.

NY-ESO-1 as a potential immunotherapeutic target in renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Novel immune therapies targeting tumor specific antigens are being developed. Our purpose was to determine expression of the cancer testes antigen NY-ESO-1 in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), as NY-ESO-1 targeting approaches, particularly adoptive cell therapy, have not been evaluated in this disease.

Methods: We employed tissue microarrays containing >300 unique RCC cases and adjacent benign renal tissue to determine NY-ESO-1 expression using a quantitative immunofluorescence method.

Drug targets and predictive biomarkers in the management of metastatic melanoma.

Melanoma is the leading cause of fatal skin cancer, and in the past few decades, there has been an increase in the incidence of and mortality from metastatic melanoma. Until recently, the therapeutic options for treatment of metastatic melanoma were limited. The approval of ipilimumab (an anti-CTLA-4 antibody) and vemurafenib (mutant B-RAF(V600E) kinase inhibitor) by the Federal Drug Administration has led to a new era in melanoma treatment, and additional promising drugs and drug combinations are currently being investigated.

The biomechanical behaviour of the hyalinized periodontal ligament in dogs during experimental orthodontic tooth movement.

During orthodontic tooth movement, the mechanical behaviour of the extracellular matrix of the periodontal ligament (PDL) determines the cellular processes involved in turnover of the PDL and alveolar bone. This mechanical behaviour is the basis for finite element (FE) models and FE analyses. Five young adult male beagle dogs were used to test the null hypothesis that the mechanical behaviour of the PDL is identical in normal and hyalinized PDL.

An alternative treatment regimen of advanced seminoma with carboplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin instead of cisplatin-based therapy.

Background: Cisplatin-based therapy is associated with acute and late toxicities. Therefore, a potentially less toxic carboplatin-based regimen was evaluated in patients with advanced seminoma.

Patients And Methods: Eighteen patients with advanced seminoma were treated on outpatient basis with carboplatin (AUC5) at day 1, etoposide (100 mgm(-2)) at days 1-5, and bleomycin (30 IU) at day 2 (CEB).

Biomechanical behaviour of the periodontal ligament of the beagle dog during the first 5 hours of orthodontic force application.

The aim of this study was to describe the mechanical behaviour of the periodontal ligament (PDL) in response to loading with different forces for a period of 5 hours. Seven young adult male beagle dogs (age 1.0-1.

The effect of bone loss on rod-like and plate-like trabeculae in the cancellous bone of the mandibular condyle.

Bone loss may affect the structure of cancellous bone. But its effect on trabeculae with different characteristics, like rods and plates, is not accurately known. This study analyzes the effect of bone loss on individual rod-like and plate-like trabeculae.

Bone tissue stiffness in the mandibular condyle is dependent on the direction and density of the cancellous structure.

Variation in the apparent stiffness of cancellous bone is generally ascribed to variation in cancellous structure and density, while the bone tissue stiffness is assumed to be constant. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether the bone tissue stiffness is dependent on the direction and density of the cancellous structure. Bone tissue stiffness was estimated by combining mechanical testing and micro-finite element (micro-FE) modeling on cylindrical bone specimens obtained from the human mandibular condyle.

Changed morphology and mechanical properties of cancellous bone in the mandibular condyles of edentate people.

Since edentate subjects have a reduced masticatory function, it can be expected that the morphology of the cancellous bone of their mandibular condyles has changed according to the altered mechanical environment. In the present study, the morphology of cylindrical cancellous bone specimens of the mandibular condyles of edentate subjects (n = 25) was compared with that of dentate subjects (n = 24) by means of micro-computed tomography and by the application of Archimedes' principle. Stiffness and strength were determined by destructive mechanical testing.

Architectural measures of the cancellous bone of the mandibular condyle identified by principal components analysis.

As several morphological parameters of cancellous bone express more or less the same architectural measure, we applied principal components analysis to group these measures and correlated these to the mechanical properties. Cylindrical specimens (n = 24) were obtained in different orientations from embalmed mandibular condyles; the angle of the first principal direction and the axis of the specimen, expressing the orientation of the trabeculae, ranged from 10 degrees to 87 degrees. Morphological parameters were determined by a method based on Archimedes' principle and by micro-CT scanning, and the mechanical properties were obtained by mechanical testing.

Prediction of mechanical properties of the cancellous bone of the mandibular condyle.

The mechanical properties of cancellous bone depend on the bone structure. The present study examined the extent to which the apparent stiffness of the cancellous bone of the human mandibular condyle can be predicted from its structure. Two models were compared.

Population pharmacokinetics and metabolism of midazolam in pediatric intensive care patients.

Objective: To determine the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of midazolam in pediatric intensive care patients.

Design: Prospective population pharmacokinetic study.

Setting: Pediatric intensive care unit.

Reduced mechanical load decreases the density, stiffness, and strength of cancellous bone of the mandibular condyle.

Objective: To investigate the influence of decreased mechanical loading on the density and mechanical properties of the cancellous bone of the human mandibular condyle.

Design: Destructive compressive mechanical tests were performed on cancellous bone specimens.Background.

Mechanical significance of the trabecular microstructure of the human mandibular condyle.

The human mandibular condyle has a parasagittal plate-like trabecular structure. We tested the hypothesis that this structure reflects the mechanical loading of the condyle. We developed a finite element model of the condyle to analyze the strains occurring during static compressive loading.

Mechanical properties of cancellous bone in the human mandibular condyle are anisotropic.

The objective of the present study was (1) to test the hypothesis that the elastic and failure properties of the cancellous bone of the mandibular condyle depend on the loading direction, and (2) to relate these properties to bone density parameters. Uniaxial compression tests were performed on cylindrical specimens (n=47) obtained from the condyles of 24 embalmed cadavers. Two loading directions were examined, i.

The three-dimensional cancellous bone architecture of the human mandibular condyle.

In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that the cancellous bone of the mandibular condyle is inhomogeneous and anisotropic. For this purpose, 11 mandibular condyles from embalmed human cadavers were scanned in a micro-CT system. Within each condyle, 9 volumes of interest were selected from different mediolateral and supero-inferior regions.

Mechanical characteristics of impacted morsellised bone grafts used in revision of total hip arthroplasty.

The use of impacted, morsellised bone grafts has become popular in revision total hip arthroplasty (THA). The initial stability of the reconstruction and the effectiveness of any subsequent process of revitalisation and incorporation will depend on the mechanical integrity of the graft. Our aim in this study was to document the time-dependent mechanical properties of the morsellised graft.

Assay of tissue angiotensin converting enzyme.

The distinction between a circulating renin-angiotensin system and a tissue renin-angiotensin system led us to determine tissue angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity. This study establishes the experimental conditions for a good reproducibility of the fluorimetric assay of ACE and describes the use of [3H]ramiprilat to characterize ACE. Angiotensin converting enzyme activity was determined in rat lung, heart, aorta, and kidney (cortex and medulla) and in rabbit kidney (cortex, medulla, tubules, and glomeruli).

[Characterization of the alpha adrenoreceptors in the vascular bed of the isolated rat kidney].

The vasoconstrictive effect of alpha-adrenoceptor agonists was studied on isolated perfused kidney from normal Wistar rats. Methoxamine (ED50 = 1.61 +/- 0.