Signal transduction pathways and tyrosine hydroxylase regulation in the adrenal medulla following glucoprivation: an in vivo analysis.

The regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH, the rate limiting enzyme involved in catecholamine synthesis) is critical for the acute and sustained release of catecholamines from adrenal medullary chromaffin cells, however the mechanisms involved have only ever been investigated under in vitro/in situ conditions. Here we explored the effects on, TH phosphorylation and synthesis, and upstream signalling pathways, in the adrenal medulla evoked by the glucoprivic stimulus, 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2DG) administered intraperitoneally to conscious rats. Our results show that 2DG evoked expected increases in plasma adrenaline and glucose at 20 and 60min.

The effect of milk processing on the microstructure of the milk fat globule and rennet induced gel observed using confocal laser scanning microscopy.

Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was successfully used to observe the effect of milk processing on the size and the morphology of the milk fat globule in raw milk, raw ultrafiltered milk, and standardized and pasteurized milk prepared for cheese manufacture (cheese-milk) and commercial pasteurized and homogenized milk. Fat globule size distributions for the milk preparations were analyzed using both image analysis and light scattering and both measurements produced similar data trends. Changes to the native milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) were tracked using a MFGM specific fluorescent stain that allowed MFGM proteins and adsorbed proteins to be differentiated on the fat globule surface.

Determining nurse staffing needs: the workload intensity measurement system.

Objective: To develop a prototype nursing workload intensity measurement system (WIMS).

Background: Current nurse staffing was determined based on a development. The predetermined nurse-to-patient ratio of a measurement system in the present work environment was deemed essential.

Factors associated with poor academic achievement among urban primary school children in Malaysia.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with poor academic achievement during the early school years.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of urban Primary Two children. Sociodemographic and medical data were obtained from questionnaires and interviews.

The structural parameters for antimicrobial activity, human epithelial cell cytotoxicity and killing mechanism of synthetic monomer and dimer analogues derived from hBD3 C-terminal region.

Understanding the molecular mechanisms of antimicrobial peptide-membrane interactions is crucial in predicting the design of useful synthetic antimicrobial peptide analogues. Defensins are small (3-5 kDa) cysteine-rich cationic proteins which constitute the front line of host innate immunity. In this study, a series of eight 10 AA C-terminal analogues of hBD3 [sequence: RGRKXXRRKK, X = W, F, Y, V, L, I, H, C(Acm); net charge = +7, coded as W2, F2, Y2, V2, L2, I2, H2, and C2] and covalent V2-dimer [(RGRKVVRR)(2)KK] (18 AA, net charge = +11) were synthesized using solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) in Fmoc chemistry.

Pulmonary dysanapsis and diving assessments.

Airway obstruction is a relative contraindication to diving. Dive candidates are assessed clinically, and lung function tests evaluate variables such as forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and the FEV1/FVC ratio. A small number of individuals have a normal FEV1, but a disproportionately large lung capacity, or pulmonary dysanapsis.

Sleep habits and disturbances in Malaysian children with epilepsy.

Aims: To compare sleep habits and disturbances between Malaysian children with epilepsy and their siblings (age range 4-18 years) and to determine the factors associated with greater sleep disturbance.

Methods: The Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) questionnaire was completed by the primary caregiver for 92 epileptic children (mean age 11.1 years, 50 male, 42 females) and their healthy siblings (mean age 11.

Hypoxic/normoxic preconditioning increases endothelial differentiation potential of human bone marrow CD133+ cells.

CD133+ cells are hemangioblasts that have capacity to generate into both hematopoietic and endothelial cells (ECs). Hypoxia/normoxia has shown to be the regulator of the balance between stemness and differentiation. In this study we performed Agilent's whole human genome oligo microarray analysis and examined the differentiation potential of the bone-marrow-derived CD133+ cells after hypoxic/normoxic preconditioning of CD133+ cells.

A multicenter study in Malaysia to determine the efficacy and safety of a generic atorvastatin.

A multicenter study was conducted to assess the efficacy of a generic form of Atorvastatin (Ranbaxy's Storvas) in the treatment of Primary Hypercholesterolemia. One hundred and nineteen patients were given 10 mg of Storvas for four weeks and increased to 20 mg if target LDL-Cholesterol was not achieved. LDL-Cholesterol was reduced by 36.

Orthosiphon stamineus leaf extract protects against ethanol-induced gastropathy in rats.

Orthosiphon stamineus Benth., which is used as a gastroprotective herbal remedy in Malaysia, was assessed for its anti-ulcerogenic activity against ethanol-induced ulcers in rats. Fifty percent methanol was used to extract the oven-dried O.

Orbital metastasis: clinical features, management and outcome.

Purpose: To review the clinical features, treatment, outcome and survival of metastatic tumors of the orbit.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective, non-comparative, chart review of 80 patients with orbital metastasis treated in four tertiary orbital centres in Australia.

Results: The study included 80 patients of which, 44 were male with a mean age of 60 years.

MTHFR C677T polymorphism as a risk factor of neural tube defects in Malay: a case control study.

Major congenital malformations occur in about 3% of newborn. Several studies have suggested that homozygosity for the C677T methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) variant is a potential risk factor for neural tube defects (NTDs). It has been hypothesized that the maternal folic acid supplementation prevents NTDs by partially correcting reduced MTHFR activity associated with the variant form of the enzyme.

Sunitinib (SUTENT, SU11248) suppresses tumor growth and induces apoptosis in xenograft models of human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common and third deadliest primary neoplasm. Since HCC is a particularly vascular solid tumor, we determined the antitumor and antiangiogenic activities of sunitinib malate, a potent inhibitor of two receptors involved in angiogenesis - vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR). In the present study, we reported that treatment of HepG2 and SK-Hep-1 cells with sunitinib led to growth inhibition and apoptosis in a dose-dependent fashion.

Childhood pleural tuberculosis: a review of 45 cases.

Background: Pleural tuberculosis (TB) can be seen in isolation or complicate untreated pulmonary disease in children. It is infrequently suspected in low incidence countries, leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment.

Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive case series of children View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Probiotic cheddar cheese: influence of ripening temperatures on proteolysis and sensory characteristics of cheddar cheeses.

Bifidobacterium longum 1941, B. animalis subsp. lactis LAFTI B94, Lactobacillus casei 279, Lb.

The usefulness of early ultrasonography, electroencephalography and clinical parameters in predicting adverse outcomes in asphyxiated term infants.

Introduction: The early identification of asphyxiated infants at high risk of adverse outcomes and the early selection of those who might benefit from neuroprotective therapies are required. A prospective observational study was conducted to determine if there were any early clinical, neuroimaging or neurophysiological parameters that might predict the outcome in term newborns with asphyxia.

Methods: 44 term newborns with acute asphyxia had a cranial ultrasonography (US), electroencephalography (EEG) and clinical examination performed between three and eight hours of life to determine the parameters that might predict outcome.

Retraction: Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Are They Suitable for Systemic Injection? An In Vitro Study.

This article is being retracted because another article was published using the same data, but under a different title, in Microvascular Research.

Abnormal cytogenetics in orbital lipoma.

Orbital lipoma is a rare entity with only a small number of cases previously described. The authors describe a case of orbital lipoma in a 56-year-old man, which was treated with surgical excision. Cytogenetic analysis of the lesion demonstrated abnormalities of chromosome 12, consistent with chromosomal abnormalities in lipomas found elsewhere in the body.

Intracardiac injection of erythropoietin induces stem cell recruitment and improves cardiac functions in a rat myocardial infarction model.

Erythropoietin (EPO) protects the myocardium from ischaemic injury and promotes beneficial remodelling. We assessed the therapeutic efficacy of intracardiac EPO injection and EPO-mediated stem cell homing in a rat myocardial infarction (MI) model. Following MI, EPO (3000 U/kg) or saline was delivered by intracardiac injection.

Localized and sustained SDF-1 gene release mediated by fibronectin films: A potential method for recruiting stem cells.

Gene-activated matrix has wide potential utilization in tissue engineering. It may genetically modify cells with plasmid DNA encoding therapeutic genes and allow sustained expression and release of the proteins to surrounding tissues. In this study, we assessed the feasibility of the local gene release from human fibronectin (HFN) substrate and the efficacy of local release of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) gene on c-kit+ cell homing.

Localized SDF-1alpha gene release mediated by collagen substrate induces CD117 stem cells homing.

Stromal cell-derived factor-1alpha (SDF-1alpha) mediated mobilization and homing of stem cells showed promising potential in stem cell based tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. However local and sustained release of SDF-1alpha is indispensable for stem cell mediated regenerative process due to its short half-life under inflammatory conditions. In this study, a gene activated collagen substrate (GAC) was formed via assembly of plasmid encoding SDF-1alpha into a collagen substrate to create a microenvironment favoring stem cell homing.

Effective inhibition of xenografts of hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) by rapamycin and bevacizumab in an intrahepatic model.

Purpose: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) displays a characteristic hypervascularity and depends on angiogenesis for tumor growth, which thus provides a potential target for therapeutic approaches to HCC. In this study, through the use of combined micro-positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT), we investigate if such a combined targeting of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) activity and expression might retard HCC growth in an orthotopic intrahepatic xenograft model.

Procedures: Xenograft models were created by intraportal vein injection of HepG2 cell suspensions in severe combined immunodeficient mice.