Sensing iron availability the fragile [4Fe-4S] cluster of the bacterial transcriptional repressor RirA.

Rhizobial iron regulator A (RirA) is a global regulator of iron homeostasis in many nitrogen-fixing Rhizobia and related species of α-proteobacteria. It belongs to the widespread Rrf2 super-family of transcriptional regulators and features three conserved Cys residues that characterise the binding of an iron-sulfur cluster in other Rrf2 family regulators. Here we report biophysical studies demonstrating that RirA contains a [4Fe-4S] cluster, and that this form of the protein binds RirA-regulated DNA, consistent with its function as a repressor of expression of many genes involved in iron uptake.

How well are the diagnosis and symptoms of dementia recorded in older patients admitted to hospital?

Introduction: In the United Kingdom dementia is generally diagnosed by mental health services. General hospitals are managed by separate healthcare trusts and the handover of clinical information between organisations is potentially unreliable. Around 40% of older people admitted to hospital have dementia.

Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation for acute respiratory failure in delirious patients: understudied, underreported, or underappreciated? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature to determine the prevalence of delirium in patients receiving noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) for acute respiratory failure and to quantify the prognostic impact of delirium with respect to NPPV failure.

Method: We searched the databases EMBASE (1996 to present), MEDLINE (1996 to present), PsycINFO(®) (2002 to present) and CINAHL (1992 to present). A Google™ search and hand searching of bibliographies or relevant articles were also performed.

Sickness presenteeism in a New Zealand hospital.

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the attitudes of hospital clinical staff to acute personal illness.

Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was developed. Four hundred clinical staff employed by the district health board (DHB) who met the inclusion criteria who were randomly selected.

Plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme in Alzheimer's disease.

The insertion allele in the gene encoding angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and ACE is one of several peptidases that have the ability to degrade the neurotoxic amyloid-beta peptide. ACE is a membrane-bound peptidase that is also present in a soluble form in plasma as a result of a zinc metalloprotease-mediated shedding event. Here we aimed to determine whether there is a difference in ACE in the plasma of late-onset clinically diagnosed AD patients (n = 94) as compared to age-matched non-demented control subjects (n = 188).

Increased circulating insulin-like growth factor-1 in late-onset Alzheimer's disease.

Background: Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: We compared the level of circulating total and bioavailable IGF-1, by simultaneous measurements of IGF-1 and IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-3, between 87 patients diagnosed with AD and 126 age and sex matched control subjects without cognitive impairment. Blood samples were collected and IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 measured by ELISA.

Nail gun injuries to the hand.

Background: Aberdeen Royal Infirmary is a teaching hospital serving a population of over 500,000. A number of nail gun injuries to the hand prompted a review of our management of these injuries and a review of the literature. These are deep penetrating injuries, often contaminated by particles of skin, oil, paper or glue, or caused by nails that are barbed.

Occurrence and outcome of delirium in medical in-patients: a systematic literature review.

Background: Despite the acknowledged clinical importance of delirium, research evidence for measures to improve its management is sparse. A necessary first step to devising appropriate strategies is to understand how common it is and what its outcomes are in any particular setting.

Objective: To determine the occurrence of delirium and its outcomes in medical in-patients, through a systematic review of the literature.

Old age medical patients screening positive for depression.

Objective: The aim was to observe whether medical inpatients screening positive for depression using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) continue to screen positive following hospital discharge.

Method: Participants aged 65 or over, were recruited from consecutive admissions to a city teaching hospital. Subjects had an Abbreviated Mental Test Score (AMTS) of seven or above and a GDS-15 score of five or above.

Recovery of the Decorin-Enriched Fraction, Extract (D), From Human Skin: An Accelerated Protocol.

The original extraction procedure of Engel and Catchpole [1] has often been used to recover decorin-enriched material from the skin. This material has a strong inhibitory effect on fibroblast proliferation, and clearly suppresses it in skin except after the first 5-6 days of wounding when new scaffold material is required. The aim of our present study has been to find and evaluate the product of a faster recovery method, and to check its consistency as a more reliable means of regularly obtaining sufficient material for topical application in wounds that might become hypertrophic.