Elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in preterm infants with pulmonary colonization with Ureaplasma.

Background: A link between pulmonary Ureaplasma spp. colonization in premature infants and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) exists and could possibly contribute to systemic inflammation.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed from July 2006 to July 2007 where very low birth weight (VLBW) premature infants were screened at birth.

Ethnopharmacological in vitro studies on Austria's folk medicine--an unexplored lore in vitro anti-inflammatory activities of 71 Austrian traditional herbal drugs.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: In Austria, like in most Western countries, knowledge about traditional medicinal plants is becoming scarce. Searching the literature concerning Austria's ethnomedicine reveals its scant scientific exploration. Aiming to substantiate the potential of medicinal plants traditionally used in Austria, 63 plant species or genera with claimed anti-inflammatory properties listed in the VOLKSMED database were assessed for their in vitro anti-inflammatory activity.

Differential effects of homotypic vs. heterotypic chronic stress regimens on microglial activation in the prefrontal cortex.

Stress pathology is associated with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation and aberrant glucocorticoid responses. Recent studies indicate increases in prefrontal cortical ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba-1) staining following repeated restraint, reflecting increased microglial densities. Our experiments tested expression of Iba-1 staining in the prelimbic cortex (PL), infralimbic cortex (IL) and the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) following two-week exposure to repeated restraint (RR) and chronic variable stress (CVS), representing homotypic and heterotypic regimens, respectively.

Structure-activity relationship analysis of bufadienolide-induced in vitro growth inhibitory effects on mouse and human cancer cells.

The in vitro growth inhibitory effects of 27 bufadienolides and eight degradation products, with two cardenolides (ouabain and digoxin) chosen as reference compounds, were analyzed by means of an MTT colorimetric assay in six human and two mouse cancer cell lines. A structure-activity analysis was then performed to highlight the most important substituents relating to the in vitro growth inhibitory activity of bufadienolides in cancer cells. Thus, the current study revealed that various bufadienolides, including gamabufotalin rhamnoside (1a), bufotalin (2a), and hellebrin (3a), displayed higher growth inhibitory activities for various human cancer cell lines when compared to ouabain and digoxin.

Hellebrin and its aglycone form hellebrigenin display similar in vitro growth inhibitory effects in cancer cells and binding profiles to the alpha subunits of the Na+/K+-ATPase.

Background: Surface-expressed Na+/K+-ATPase (NaK) has been suggested to function as a non-canonical cardiotonic steroid-binding receptor that activates multiple signaling cascades, especially in cancer cells. By contrast, the current study establishes a clear correlation between the IC50in vitro growth inhibitory concentration in human cancer cells and the Ki for the inhibition of activity of purified human α1β1 NaK.

Methods: The in vitro growth inhibitory effects of seven cardiac glycosides including five cardenolides (ouabain, digoxin, digitoxin, gitoxin, uzarigenin-rhamnoside, and their respective aglycone forms) and two bufadienolides (gamabufotalin-rhamnoside and hellebrin, and their respective aglycone forms) were determined by means of the MTT colorimetric assay and hellebrigenin-induced cytotoxic effects were visualized by means of quantitative videomicroscopy.

The Herbal Drug Melampyrum pratense L. (Koch): Isolation and Identification of Its Bioactive Compounds Targeting Mediators of Inflammation.

Melampyrum pratense L. (Koch) is used in traditional Austrian medicine for the treatment of different inflammation-related conditions. In this work, we show that the extracts of M.

Light exposure and depression in hospitalized adult patients with cystic fibrosis.

Background: Depression is common in CF. Light therapy is used to treat depression, but exposure in hospitalized CF patients has not been studied. To determine the potential for improvement in depressive symptoms in CF patients, we measured light exposure in hospitalized CF patients.

The genus Rhododendron: an ethnopharmacological and toxicological review.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The vast genus Rhododendron includes species that have been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory conditions, pain, gastro-intestinal disorders, common cold, asthma, skin disease, etc. Rhododendrons are also well known for their toxicity and some species have been traditionally used as poison.

Aim Of The Review: The work reviews and analyses the traditional use, biological activities with the corresponding chemical constituents, and toxicological data on Rhododendron species.

A model-based approach to trial-by-trial p300 amplitude fluctuations.

It has long been recognized that the amplitude of the P300 component of event-related brain potentials is sensitive to the degree to which eliciting stimuli are surprising to the observers (Donchin, 1981). While Squires et al. (1976) showed and modeled dependencies of P300 amplitudes from observed stimuli on various time scales, Mars et al.

Diabetic myonecrosis in a cystic fibrosis patient.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) related diabetes is an increasingly common comorbidity in CF patients, with scarce data on end-stage complications in the CF population. We report the case of a 32-year-old with poorly controlled diabetes presenting with sub-acute leg pain and focal quadriceps tenderness. Neuromuscular testing and extensive workup revealed diabetic myonecrosis.

Revealing thermal effects in the electronic transport through irradiated atomic metal point contacts.

We report on the electronic transport through nanoscopic metallic contacts under the influence of external light fields. Various processes can be of relevance here, whose underlying mechanisms can be studied by comparing different kinds of atomic contacts. For this purpose two kinds of contacts, which were established by electrochemical deposition, forming a gate-controlled quantum switch (GCQS), have been studied.

Cardiac fibroma, anomalous pulmonary venous course, and persistent pneumonia in a patient with Gorlin syndrome.

We report the unusual case of a child referred for persistent pneumonia and possible pulmonary nodules who was found to have a cardiac fibroma and diagnosed with Gorlin syndrome. Pulmonologists should be aware of the potential for vascular anomalies associated with this syndrome as well as the risk for pulmonary metastases from primary skin tumors.

The BMPR2 missense mutation p.K230N and pulmonary arterial hypertension.

We present a patient that is the index case of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in a child due to the bone morphogenetic protein type II (BMPR2) missense mutation p.K230N, also known as c.690A>T.

The dichloromethane extract of the ethnomedicinal plant Neurolaena lobata inhibits NPM/ALK expression which is causal for anaplastic large cell lymphomagenesis.

The present study investigates extracts of Neuolaena lobata, an anti-protozoan ethnomedicinal plant of the Maya, regarding its anti-neoplastic properties. Firstly, extracts of increasing polarity were tested in HL-60 cells analyzing inhibition of cell proliferation and apoptosis induction. Secondly, the most active extract was further tested in anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) cell lines of human and mouse origin.

Environmental and biological monitoring of platinum-containing drugs in two hospital pharmacies using positive air pressure isolators.

Environmental and biological monitoring of platinum containing drugs was implemented in two French hospital pharmacies using positive air pressure isolators and having similar working procedures when preparing antineoplastic drugs. Wipe sampling of surfaces, gloves, and vials was performed in the preparation room and in storage areas. All employees involved in the preparation of antineoplastic drugs were tested for urinary platinum on Monday before work and Friday after shift.

Characterization of glucocerebrosides and the active metabolite 4,8-sphingadienine from Arisaema amurense and Pinellia ternata by NMR and CD spectroscopy and ESI-MS/CID-MS.

Sphingolipid metabolites regulate cellular processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. In this study, glucocerebrosides (GluCer) from rhizomes of Arisaema amurense and Pinellia ternata were fully characterized using 1- and 2-dimensional nuclear magnetic spin resonance (NMR) and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and tandem collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/CID-MS). Three new acylated and seven known GluCer were elucidated with 4,8-sphingadienine (4,8-SD, d18:2) as backbone.

Methanol extract of the ethnopharmaceutical remedy Smilax spinosa exhibits anti-neoplastic activity.

Plants have been the source of several effective drugs for the treatment of cancer and over 60% of anticancer drugs originate from natural sources. Therefore, extracts of the rhizome of Smilax spinosa, an ethnomedicinal plant from Guatemala which is used for the treatment of inflammatory conditions, were investigated regarding their anti-neoplastic activities. By using several solvents the methanol extract was by far the most potent against HL60 cell proliferation (50% inhibition at 60 µg/ml).

Exaggerated inflammatory responses mediated by Burkholderia cenocepacia in human macrophages derived from Cystic fibrosis patients.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is accompanied with heightened inflammation worsened by drug resistant Burkholderia cenocepacia. Human CF macrophage responses to B. cenocepacia are poorly characterized and variable in the literature.

Effects on inflammatory responses by the sphingoid base 4,8-sphingadienine.

Sphingolipids (SLs) are a class of lipids, which are structural cell components involved in the regulation of cellular processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and inflammation. Dietary SLs are enzymatically hydrolyzed in the gut lumen into metabolites, namely ceramides and sphingoid bases. The sphingoid base 4,8-sphingadienine (4,8-SD) is the metabolite of glucocerebrosides derived from plants that are part of the human diet.

A simple hypothesis of executive function.

Executive function is traditionally conceptualized as a set of abilities required to guide behavior toward goals. Here, an integrated theoretical framework for executive function is developed which has its roots in the notion of hierarchical mental models. Further following Duncan (2010a,b), executive function is construed as a hierarchical recursive system of test-operation-test-exit units (Miller et al.

Selected Extracts of Chinese Herbal Medicines: Their Effect on NF-κB, PPARα and PPARγ and the Respective Bioactive Compounds.

Chinese herbal medicinal (CHM) extracts from fourteen plants were investigated in cell-based in vitro assays for their effect on nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), a key regulator of inflammation, as well as on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) being key regulators of genes involved in lipid and glucose metabolism. 43% of the investigated CHMs showed NF-κB inhibitory and 50% PPARα and PPARγ activating effects. Apolar extracts from cortex and flos of Albizia julibrissin Durazz.

Penetration of moxifloxacin into liver tissue.

Moxifloxacin is considered for treatment of pyogenic liver abscesses as well as antibiotic prophylaxis in the case of hepatobiliary interventions. The aim of this study was to provide data on the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of moxifloxacin in serum and liver tissue of patients undergoing liver resection due to primary or secondary tumours of the liver. Patients scheduled for liver resection (n=34) received moxifloxacin 400 mg at randomised time intervals prior to surgery.

Fractionation of an Extract of Pluchea odorata Separates a Property Indicative for the Induction of Cell Plasticity from One That Inhibits a Neoplastic Phenotype.

Introduction. Several studies demonstrated that anti-inflammatory remedies exhibit excellent anti-neoplastic properties. An extract of Pluchea odorata (Asteraceae), which is used for wound healing and against inflammatory conditions, was fractionated and properties correlating to anti-neoplastic and wound healing effects were separated.