Interchangeability of right ventricular longitudinal shortening fraction assessed by transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography in the perioperative setting: A prospective study.

Background: Conventional transthoracic (TTE) and transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) parameters assessing right ventricle (RV) systolic function are daily used assuming their clinical interchangeability. RV longitudinal shortening fraction (RV-LSF) is a two-dimensional speckle tracking parameter used to assess RV systolic function. RV-LSF is based on tricuspid annular displacement analysis and could be measured with TTE or TEE.

TBK1 is part of a galectin 8 dependent membrane damage recognition complex and drives autophagy upon Adenovirus endosomal escape.

Intracellular pathogens cause membrane distortion and damage as they enter host cells. Cells perceive these membrane alterations as danger signals and respond by activating autophagy. This response has primarily been studied during bacterial invasion, and only rarely in viral infections.

Reversal of portal gastropathy with partial internal biliary diversion in a case of progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis.

Progressive intrahepatic cholestasis is a rare, genetic disorder causing bile acid secretion or transport defects. It can result in intrahepatic cholestasis that can progress to end-stage liver disease. Diagnosis is made using a combination of clinical and biochemical approaches.

Giant Bilateral Adrenal Myelolipoma: Case Report.

Adrenal myelolipomas are nonfunctional tumors that are usually asymptomatic; however, they have been known to coexist with other endocrine disorders, such as Cushing's syndrome, congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), Conn's syndrome, and pheochromocytoma. We report a case of a 49-year-old man with hypertension and diabetes mellitus who complained of chronic abdominal pain, vomiting, and early satiety. Preoperative contrast-enhanced computerized tomography (CECT) was performed, and adrenal myelolipoma was considered, lab investigations revealed a nonfunctional tumor.

New antibacterial hydrophobic assay reveals Abies balsamea oleoresin activity against Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Oleoresin of Abies balsamea (L.) Mill. was used by Native Americans of the boreal forest of Canada and French Canadians to treat various infections, suggesting that oleoresin has antibacterial properties.

DFT Calculations and ROESY NMR Data for the Diastereochemical Characterization of Cytotoxic Tetraterpenoids from the Oleoresin of Abies balsamea.

Eight non-carotenoid tetraterpenoids, abibalsamins C-J (3-10), were isolated from the oleoresin of Abies balsamea. Their chemical structures were determined based on analysis of 1D/2D NMR and MS data. The assignment of their relative configurations was accomplished using homonuclear coupling constants in tandem with ROESY data.

Pathogen- and Host-Directed Antileishmanial Effects Mediated by Polyhexanide (PHMB).

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected tropical disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. CL causes enormous suffering in many countries worldwide. There is no licensed vaccine against CL, and the chemotherapy options show limited efficacy and high toxicity.

Cathepsin B in antigen-presenting cells controls mediators of the Th1 immune response during Leishmania major infection.

Resistance and susceptibility to Leishmania major infection in the murine model is determined by the capacity of the host to mount either a protective Th1 response or a Th2 response associated with disease progression. Previous reports involving the use of cysteine cathepsin inhibitors indicated that cathepsins B (Ctsb) and L (Ctsl) play important roles in Th1/Th2 polarization during L. major infection in both susceptible and resistant mouse strains.

Ligamentous Injuries and the Risk of Associated Tissue Damage in Acute Ankle Sprains in Athletes: A Cross-sectional MRI Study.

Background: Ankle joint injuries are extremely common sports injuries, with the anterior talofibular ligament involved in the majority of ankle sprains. There have been only a few large magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies on associated structural injuries after ankle sprains.

Purpose: To describe the injury pattern in athletes who were referred to MRI for the assessment of an acute ankle sprain and to assess the risk of associated traumatic tissue damage including lateral and syndesmotic ligament involvement.

Excellent reliability for MRI grading and prognostic parameters in acute hamstring injuries.

Background: Categorical grading and other measurable MRI parameters are frequently utilised for predicting the outcome of hamstring injuries. However, the reliability and smallest detectable difference (SDD) have not been previously evaluated. It therefore remains unclear if the variability in previously reported results reflects reporting variation or actual injury status.

Magnetic resonance imaging findings in the painful adult coccyx.

Objective: Imaging of the painful coccyx currently relies on standard and dynamic radiography. There are no literature data on MRI of the coccyx. This examination could provide information on the cause of pain.

Characterisation and quantification of flavonoids in Iris germanica L. and Iris pallida Lam. resinoids from Morocco.

Introduction: Iris resinoid obtained from Iris germanica or Iris pallida rhizomes is widely used in the perfume industry but its chemical composition has not yet been reported. Nevertheless, very active compounds have been identified in iris rhizomes including iridals and isoflavones.

Objective: In this first study concerning iris resinoid composition, flavonoids were qualitatively and quantitatively investigated in I.

Dynamic Physical Constraints: Emulating Hard Surfaces with High Realism.

In this paper, we present a novel haptic technique for emulating hard surfaces with high realism; such a technique has significant potential utility in certain orthopedic surgery applications such as joint replacement surgery where the goal is to prevent incursions beyond a virtual surface during bone cutting operations. The Dynamic Physical Constraint (DPC) concept uses a unidirectional physical constraint that is actively positioned to limit movement between two manipulator links; the concept is applicable to providing virtual constraints in both 2D and 3D workspaces. Simulation results demonstrate the potential feasibility of the concept, and a prototype device was built for testing.

Influence of abutment design on the success of immediately loaded dental implants: experimental and numerical studies.

The aim of the present study was to investigate experimentally and numerically the influence of a fine threaded- against a roughened-cervical region of immediately loaded dental implants in combination with straight and 20°-angled abutments on the implant primary stability. A total of 30 implants were inserted in bovine rib-segments, 14 cervically roughened implants and 16 implants with fine cervical threads. Each implant system received two abutments, straight and 20°-angled.

Adenylyl cyclase 8 is central to glucagon-like peptide 1 signalling and effects of chronically elevated glucose in rat and human pancreatic beta cells.

Aims/hypothesis: Glucose and incretins regulate beta cell function, gene expression and insulin exocytosis via calcium and cAMP. Prolonged exposure to elevated glucose (also termed glucotoxicity) disturbs calcium homeostasis, but little is known about cAMP signalling. We therefore investigated long-term effects of glucose on this pathway with special regard to the incretin glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1).

An alternative method for irones quantification in iris rhizomes using headspace solid-phase microextraction.

Introduction: The essential oil obtained from iris rhizomes is one of the most precious raw materials for the perfume industry. Its fragrance is due to irones that are gradually formed by oxidative degradation of iridals during rhizome ageing.

Objective: The development of an alternative method allowing irone quantification in iris rhizomes using HS-SPME-GC.

Bad medicine in the market.

Counterfeit medicines are an insidious threat to global health, and the risks they pose have been largely underestimated to date. Apart from failing to cure disease, they can cause mental and physical damage - and even death. Fake drugs containing insufficient active ingredients breed resistance, which can make standard drugs useless.

Ultrasound evaluation of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome before and after endoscopic release of the transverse carpal ligament.

Aim: To evaluate the cross-sectional area of the median nerve using ultrasound in carpal tunnel syndrome patients before and after endoscopic intervention.

Material And Methods: Twenty patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (15 women and five men; mean age 55 years) were prospectively evaluated. Informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Analysis of the weak interactions of ADP-Unc104 and ADP-kinesin with microtubules and their inhibition by MAP2c.

Microtubule based motors like conventional kinesin (Kinesin-1) and Unc104 (Kinesin-3), and classical microtubule associated proteins (MAPs), including MAP2, are intimately involved in neurite formation and organelle transport. The processive motility of both these kinesins involves weak microtubule interactions in the ADP-bound states. Using cosedimentation assays, we have investigated these weak interactions and characterized their inhibition by MAP2c.

Glucotoxicity inhibits late steps of insulin exocytosis.

Prolonged exposure of beta-cells to high glucose (glucotoxicity) diminishes insulin secretion in response to glucose and has been linked to altered generation of metabolism-secretion coupling factors. We have investigated whether glucotoxicity may also alter calcium handling and late steps in secretion such as exocytosis. Clonal INS-1E beta-cells cultured at high glucose (20 or 30 mM vs.

Evaluation of the 96/4 PLDLLA polymer resorbable lumbar interbody cage in a long term animal model.

Arthrodesis using interbody cages has demonstrated high fusion rates. However, permanent cages are exposed to stress-shielding, corrosion, and may require explanation when necessary. Polylactic acid (PLA) bioresorbable cages are developed for avoiding these problems, but significant tissue reaction has been reported with 70/30 PLDLLA in some preclinical animal studies.