Accelerated Echo Planer J-resolved Spectroscopic Imaging of Putamen and Thalamus in Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Unlabelled: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) leads to neurocognitive and autonomic deficits that are partially mediated by thalamic and putamen pathology. We examined the underlying neurochemistry of those structures using compressed sensing-based 4D echo-planar J-resolved spectroscopic imaging (JRESI), and quantified values with prior knowledge fitting. Bilaterally increased thalamic mI/Cr, putamen Glx/Cr, and Glu/Cr, and bilaterally decreased thalamic and putamen tCho/Cr and GABA/Cr occurred in OSAS vs healthy subjects (p < 0.

Detection of lymph node metastases in pediatric and adolescent/young adult sarcoma: Sentinel lymph node biopsy versus fludeoxyglucose positron emission tomography imaging-A prospective trial.

Background: Lymph node metastases are an important cause of treatment failure for pediatric and adolescent/young adult (AYA) sarcoma patients. Nodal sampling is recommended for certain sarcoma subtypes that have a predilection for lymphatic spread. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) may improve the diagnostic yield of nodal sampling, particularly when single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT-CT) is used to facilitate anatomic localization.

Cross-talk between clinical and host-response parameters of periodontitis in smokers.

Background And Objective: Periodontal diseases are a major public health concern leading to tooth loss and have also been shown to be associated with several chronic systemic diseases. Smoking is a major risk factor for the development of numerous systemic diseases, as well as periodontitis. While it is clear that smokers have a significantly enhanced risk for developing periodontitis leading to tooth loss, the population varies regarding susceptibility to disease associated with smoking.

Acute toxicity and accumulation of ZnO NPs in Ceriodaphnia dubia: Relative contributions of dissolved ions and particles.

Although the ecotoxicological effects of various metal oxide nanoparticles on aquatic organisms are being actively studied, the contributions of particles and dissolved ions towards toxicity are still not well understood. The current study aims to assess the contribution of ZnO NP(particle) and ZnO NP(ion) to the overall toxicity and accumulation of ZnO NP(total) in Ceriodaphnia dubia. The aggregation and dissolution kinetics were studied for three different sizes (50nm, 100nm and bulk) of ZnO particles at 0.

The crystal structure of the ligand-binding region of serine-glutamate repeat containing protein A (SgrA) of Enterococcus faecium reveals a new protein fold: functional characterization and insights into its adhesion function.

Unlabelled: Antimicrobial-resistant and hospital-adapted Enterococcus faecium represents a clinical problem in immunocompromised patients in hospitals worldwide. Understanding the molecular pathogenesis of E. faecium infections may provide novel therapies to treat or prevent infections.

PDBparam: Online Resource for Computing Structural Parameters of Proteins.

Understanding the structure-function relationship in proteins is a longstanding goal in molecular and computational biology. The development of structure-based parameters has helped to relate the structure with the function of a protein. Although several structural features have been reported in the literature, no single server can calculate a wide-ranging set of structure-based features from protein three-dimensional structures.

Determination of solubility limit of Sn(4+) in fluorite structured terbia with simultaneous evaluation of photocatalytic function.

Although the fluorite structure is highly common among stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric terbia compositions, high pressures are necessary to stabilize SnO2 in the fluorite structure. With this objective, the extent of solubility of Sn(4+) in terbia possessing the fluorite structure has been determined by conducting its synthesis via an epoxide mediated sol-gel method. Up to 40% of Sn(4+) can be incorporated in terbia, which retains its fluorite structure, as concluded from PXRD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, FESEM, HR-TEM and SAED measurements.

Gene expression during the first 28 days of axolotl limb regeneration I: Experimental design and global analysis of gene expression.

While it is appreciated that global gene expression analyses can provide novel insights about complex biological processes, experiments are generally insufficiently powered to achieve this goal. Here we report the results of a robust microarray experiment of axolotl forelimb regeneration. At each of 20 post-amputation time points, we estimated gene expression for 10 replicate RNA samples that were isolated from 1 mm of heterogeneous tissue collected from the distal limb tip.

An informatics research agenda to support precision medicine: seven key areas.

The recent announcement of the Precision Medicine Initiative by President Obama has brought precision medicine (PM) to the forefront for healthcare providers, researchers, regulators, innovators, and funders alike. As technologies continue to evolve and datasets grow in magnitude, a strong computational infrastructure will be essential to realize PM's vision of improved healthcare derived from personal data. In addition, informatics research and innovation affords a tremendous opportunity to drive the science underlying PM.

A smart switchable module for the detection of multiple ions via turn-on dual-optical readout and their cell imaging studies.

A module switchable as a function of multi-stimuli response has been designed. The module displays sequential logic gate-based detection of multiple ions (Fe(3+), Hg(2+), CN(-) and S(2-)) at ppm levels via a "turn on" signature which potentially meets real-world-challenges through a simple synthetic route, a fast response, water based-activity, naked-eye visualization, regenerative-action, high selectivity and multiple readout for precise analysis. Living cell imaging of Fe(3+) and Hg(2+) has also been carried out in HeLa cell lines.

CPAD, Curated Protein Aggregation Database: A Repository of Manually Curated Experimental Data on Protein and Peptide Aggregation.

Accurate distinction between peptide sequences that can form amyloid-fibrils or amorphous β-aggregates, identification of potential aggregation prone regions in proteins, and prediction of change in aggregation rate of a protein upon mutation(s) are critical to research on protein misfolding diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, as well as biotechnological production of protein based therapeutics. We have developed a Curated Protein Aggregation Database (CPAD), which has collected results from experimental studies performed by scientific community aimed at understanding protein/peptide aggregation. CPAD contains more than 2300 experimentally observed aggregation rates upon mutations in known amyloidogenic proteins.

Concise total synthesis of water soluble metatacarboline A, C, D, E and F and its anticancer activity.

The simple, concise, protecting group free and first total synthesis of Metatacarboline alkaloids (abbreviated as Mc) Mc A, C, D, E and F are reported. The core structure of metatacarboline alkaloids has been constructed by the classical Wittig reaction as key step from easily accessible starting materials with 40-75% overall yields. These synthesized compounds have been subjected to evaluate for their anticancer activity using C6 glioma cell lines.

Autoimmune Responses to Soluble Aggregates of Amyloidogenic Proteins Involved in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Overlapping Aggregation Prone and Autoimmunogenic regions.

Why do patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases generate autoantibodies that selectively bind soluble aggregates of amyloidogenic proteins? Presently, molecular basis of interactions between the soluble aggregates and human immune system is unknown. By analyzing sequences of experimentally validated T-cell autoimmune epitopes, aggregating peptides, amyloidogenic proteins and randomly generated peptides, here we report overlapping regions that likely drive aggregation as well as generate autoantibodies against the aggregates. Sequence features, that make short peptides susceptible to aggregation, increase their incidence in human T-cell autoimmune epitopes by 4-6 times.

Buccal Mucosal Graft Urethroplasty in Patients Awaiting Renal Transplantation.

Objective: To assess the perioperative morbidity and early outcome of buccal mucosal graft (BMG) urethroplasty in patients with urethral stricture awaiting renal transplantation.

Methods: Thirteen patients awaiting renal transplantation underwent BMG urethroplasty for long anterior urethral stricture between June 2011 and March 2013. The management issues, complications, and outcome of the BMG urethroplasty in this cohort of patients were studied.

Next-Generation Sequencing Informatics: Challenges and Strategies for Implementation in a Clinical Environment.

Context: -Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is revolutionizing the discipline of laboratory medicine, with a deep and direct impact on patient care. Although it empowers clinical laboratories with unprecedented genomic sequencing capability, NGS has brought along obvious and obtrusive informatics challenges. Bioinformatics and clinical informatics are separate disciplines with typically a small degree of overlap, but they have been brought together by the enthusiastic adoption of NGS in clinical laboratories.

Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with low GABA and high glutamate in the insular cortex.

The insular cortex is injured in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and responds inappropriately to autonomic challenges, suggesting neural reorganization. The objective of this study was to assess whether the neural changes might result from γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate alterations. We studied 14 OSA patients [mean age ± standard deviation (SD): 47.

Increasing Activities of Daily Living Is as Easy as 1-2-3.

Background: Human flora are the most common cause of bacteremia in immunocompromised patients. Activities of daily living (ADL), including oral care and daily chlorhexidine gluconate bathing, can lower the risk of infection.

Methods: To address ADL compliance in our pediatric oncology and bone marrow transplant patients, we adopted the ADL 1-2-3 initiative: daily chlorhexidine gluconate bath and linen change, at least 2 activities per day, and oral care 3 times per day.

Optical-optical double resonance, laser induced fluorescence, and revision of the signs of the spin-spin constants of the boron carbide (BC) free radical.

The cold boron carbide free radical (BC X (4)Σ(-)) has been produced in a pulsed discharge free jet expansion using a precursor mixture of trimethylborane in high pressure argon. High resolution laser induced fluorescence spectra have been obtained for the B (4)Σ(-)-X (4)Σ(-) and E (4)Π-X (4)Σ(-) band systems of both (11)BC and (10)BC. An optical-optical double resonance (OODR) scheme was implemented to study the finer details of both band systems.

Rapid cycle development of a multifactorial intervention achieved sustained reductions in central line-associated bloodstream infections in haematology oncology units at a children's hospital: a time series analysis.

Background: Immunocompromised children are at high risk for central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) and its associated morbidity and mortality. Prevention of CLABSIs depends on highly reliable care.

Purpose: Since the summer of 2013, we saw an increase in patient volume and acuity in our centre.

A sequential logic gate-based "smart probe" for selective monitoring of Cu(2+), Fe(3+) and CN(-)/F(-)via differential analyses.

A sequential logic gate-based probe has been constructed for the detection of Cu(2+), Fe(3+), CN(-) and F(-) at ppm levels which potentially meets real-world-challenges through a simple synthetic route, with rapid response, water based-activity, visualization by the naked eye, regenerative action, high selectivity and multiple readout for precise analysis.

Topochemical Oxidation of Perovskite KCoF3 to a K2PtCl6 Structure-Type Oxyfluoride.

Oxyfluoride, K2CoOF4 with K2PtCl6 structure, has been stabilized from a perovskite-based KCoF3 complex by a simple oxidative anion insertion topochemical reaction. Similar structural transformations have been observed for Ni- and Mn-containing systems. The generation of such unusual compounds, by soft chemical methods, strengthens the efforts toward materials discovery.

A Comparative Analysis of Acyl-Homoserine Lactone Synthase Assays.

Quorum sensing is cell-to-cell communication that allows bacteria to coordinate attacks on their hosts by inducing virulent gene expression, biofilm production, and other cellular functions, including antibiotic resistance. AHL synthase enzymes synthesize N-acyl-l-homoserine lactones, commonly referred to as autoinducers, to facilitate quorum sensing in Gram-negative bacteria. Studying the synthases, however, has proven to be a difficult road.