Calcium-dependent expression of transient receptor potential canonical type 3 channels in patients with chronic kidney disease.

It is unknown whether extracellular calcium may regulate the expression of transient receptor potential canonical type 3 (TRPC3) channels in patients with chronic kidney disease. Using quantitative in-cell Western assay we compared the expression of TRPC3 channel protein in monocytes from 20 patients with chronic kidney disease and 19 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. TRPC3 channels were identified by immunoblotting using specific antibodies and TRPC3 protein was further confirmed by mass spectrometry.

Dental microwear texture analysis of hominins recovered by the Olduvai Landscape Paleoanthropology Project, 1995-2007.

Dental microwear analysis has proven to be a valuable tool for the reconstruction of aspects of diet in early hominins. That said, sample sizes for some groups are small, decreasing our confidence that results are representative of a given taxon and making it difficult to assess within-species variation. Here we present microwear texture data for several new specimens of Homo habilis and Paranthropus boisei from Olduvai Gorge, bringing sample sizes for these species in line with those published for most other early hominins.

Stem cell marker (Nanog) and Stat-3 signaling promote MicroRNA-21 expression and chemoresistance in hyaluronan/CD44-activated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells.

MicroRNAs are often associated with the pathogenesis of many cancers, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In particular, microRNA-21 (miR-21) appears to have a critical role in tumor cell survival, chemoresistance and HNSCC progression. In this study, we investigated matrix hyaluronan (HA)-induced CD44 (a primary HA receptor) interaction with the stem cell markers, Nanog and Stat-3, in HNSCC cells (HSC-3 cells).

Short-term follow-up: micro-invasive therapy of the cervical herniated disk by percutaneous nucleotomy.

Aim: The purpose of this article is to present the clinical results of percutaneous nucleotomy treatment on patients with cervical disk herniation.

Methods: Patients with long-term chronic pain due to either cervical prolapse or protrusion were recruited for cervical nucleotomy. The surgical procedures were performed between mid-2008 and the beginning of 2009.

A health policy course based on Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning.

Objective: To incorporate Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning into a course and determine whether doing so increased students' knowledge of and interest in healthcare policy.

Design: A healthcare policy course for second-year doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students was redesigned to incorporate activities reflecting Fink's Taxonomy including completing a required reading, outlining the required reading, presenting the outline to a small group of peers, attending lectures, and completing a final policy project and simulation activity.

Assessment: The effectiveness of the course was assessed using a pre-post non-randomized control design, with nursing and social work students serving as the control group.

Measurement of the parity-violating longitudinal single-spin asymmetry for W± boson production in polarized proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s] = 500 GeV.

We report the first measurement of the parity-violating single-spin asymmetries for midrapidity decay positrons and electrons from W+ and W- boson production in longitudinally polarized proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s] = 500 GeV by the STAR experiment at RHIC. The measured asymmetries, A(L)(W+) = -0.27 ± 0.

Measurement of the bottom quark contribution to nonphotonic electron production in p + p collisions at √s=200 GeV.

The contribution of B meson decays to nonphotonic electrons, which are mainly produced by the semileptonic decays of heavy-flavor mesons, in p + p collisions at √s=200  GeV has been measured using azimuthal correlations between nonphotonic electrons and hadrons. The extracted B decay contribution is approximately 50% at a transverse momentum of pT≥5  GeV/c. These measurements constrain the nuclear modification factor for electrons from B and D meson decays.

Circadian rhythm gene period 3 is an inhibitor of the adipocyte cell fate.

Glucocorticoids rapidly and robustly induce cell fate decisions in various multipotent cells, although the precise mechanisms of these important cellular events are not understood. Here we showed that glucocorticoids repressed Per3 expression and that this repression was critical for advancing mesenchymal stem cells to the adipocyte fate. Exogenous expression of Per3 inhibited adipogenesis, whereas knocking out Per3 enhanced that fate.

Olfactory recognition of individual competitors by means of faeces in horse (Equus caballus).

Living in complex social systems requires perceptual and cognitive capacities for the recognition of group membership and individual competitors. Olfaction is one means by which this can be achieved. Many animals can identify individual proteins in urine, skin secretions, or saliva by scent.

Perspective: Paying physicians to be on call: a challenge for academic medicine.

Paying physicians for on-call services is an emerging national trend. It is fueled by the growing demand for specialty services during nighttime, weekend, and holiday hours, coupled with the changing attitude of physicians, many of whom no longer view being on call as an obligation. Academic health centers (AHCs) serve as stewards of the public's health and are the primary educators for most health care workers.

Designing a chamber for studies involving manipulation of light:dark cycles.

The authors designed and built a device that can house mice or rats and allow researchers to control the light:dark cycles inside. They developed this chamber for neuroscientists who are studying the condition-dependent plasticity of the mouse visual cortex. The chamber, which (when closed) completely blocks outside light, consists of two units.

Superoxide dismutase type 1 in monocytes of chronic kidney disease patients.

We analyzed proteomic profiles in monocytes of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and healthy control subjects. Two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and silver staining indicated differences in protein pattern. Among the analyzed proteins, superoxide dismutase type 1 (SOD1), which was identified both by MS/MS mass-spectrometry and immunoblotting, was reduced in kidney disease.

Peak CSF velocities in patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic Chiari I malformation.

Background And Purpose: PCMR is used to evaluate the Chiari I malformation. We compared quantitative PCMR in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with Chiari I.

Materials And Methods: PCMR image data in an axial section near the foramen magnum in a consecutive series of patients with Chiari I malformations were evaluated.

Higher moments of net proton multiplicity distributions at RHIC.

We report the first measurements of the kurtosis (κ), skewness (S), and variance (σ2) of net-proton multiplicity (Np-Np) distributions at midrapidity for Au+Au collisions at square root of s(NN)=19.6, 62.4, and 200 GeV corresponding to baryon chemical potentials (μB) between 200 and 20 MeV.

Three-particle coincidence of the long range pseudorapidity correlation in high energy nucleus-nucleus collisions.

We report the first three-particle coincidence measurement in pseudorapidity (Δη) between a high transverse momentum (p⊥) trigger particle and two lower p⊥ associated particles within azimuth |Δϕ|<0.7 in square root of s(NN)=200 GeV d+Au and Au+Au collisions. Charge ordering properties are exploited to separate the jetlike component and the ridge (long range Δη correlation).

Horses (Equus caballus) use human local enhancement cues and adjust to human attention.

This study evaluates the horse (Equus caballus) use of human local enhancement cues and reaction to human attention when making feeding decisions. The superior performance of dogs in observing human states of attention suggests this ability evolved with domestication. However, some species show an improved ability to read human cues through socialization and training.

Hyaluronan-CD44 interaction promotes c-Src-mediated twist signaling, microRNA-10b expression, and RhoA/RhoC up-regulation, leading to Rho-kinase-associated cytoskeleton activation and breast tumor cell invasion.

Dysregulation of microRNAs is observed in many cancers, including breast cancer. In particular, miR-10b appears to play an important role in tumor cell invasion and breast cancer progression. In this study, we investigated hyaluronan (HA)-induced CD44 (a primary HA receptor) interaction with c-Src kinase and the transcriptional factor, Twist, in breast tumor cells (MDA-MB-231 cells).

Loss of basic lexical knowledge in old age.

Background: Basic lexical skills are hypothesised to be relatively preserved in mild dementia, but clinical studies have reported inconsistent results.

Methods: More than 400 older Catholic nuns, priests and brothers recruited from groups across the USA completed annual evaluations for up to 15 years, died and underwent brain autopsy. Each clinical evaluation included administration of a 20-item word reading test and a 15-item vocabulary test, which were combined to form a composite measure of word knowledge.

Targeting pathophysiological rhythms: prednisone chronotherapy shows sustained efficacy in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: This 9-month open-label extension of the Circadian Administration of Prednisone in Rheumatoid Arthritis Study (CAPRA 1) investigated the long-term safety and efficacy of prednisone chronotherapy with a novel modified-release (MR) prednisone for up to 12 months.

Methods: Of 288 patients with rheumatoid arthritis originally randomised to MR or immediate-release (IR) prednisone, 249 continued with prednisone chronotherapy (2-10 mg/day) in the 9-month open-label extension. Duration of morning stiffness of the joints (MS), disease activity scores (DAS28), American College of Rheumatology (ACR20) responses and plasma levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6) were assessed.

Videophone utilization as an alternative to directly observed therapy for tuberculosis.

To demonstrate whether the use of videophone technology is an effective alternative method to direct observation of tuberculosis (TB) medication administration, a retrospective chart review and data analysis were performed on records for 57 patients with active TB in two Washington state counties who utilized videophone technology for the administration of medications from 2002 through 2006. A total of US$139,546 was saved in staff salaries, benefits and travel costs. The average cost savings per patient was US$2448.

Azimuthal charged-particle correlations and possible local strong parity violation.

Parity-odd domains, corresponding to nontrivial topological solutions of the QCD vacuum, might be created during relativistic heavy-ion collisions. These domains are predicted to lead to charge separation of quarks along the system's orbital momentum axis. We investigate a three-particle azimuthal correlator which is a P even observable, but directly sensitive to the charge separation effect.

[Enchondroma of the hand - treatment and long-term outcome].

Background: An enchondroma is with up to 90% the most common benign tumour of the hand. Functional long-term outcome studies of the several treatments do not exist. The aim of this study is thus to evaluate the information from our 147 patients about diagnostics, operative treatment and follow-up treatment.