Comparison of longer-term safety and effectiveness of 4 atypical antipsychotics in patients over age 40: a trial using equipoise-stratified randomization.

Objective: To compare longer-term safety and effectiveness of the 4 most commonly used atypical antipsychotics (aripiprazole, olanzapine, quetiapine, and risperidone) in 332 patients, aged > 40 years, having psychosis associated with schizophrenia, mood disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, or dementia, diagnosed using DSM-IV-TR criteria.

Method: We used equipoise-stratified randomization (a hybrid of complete randomization and clinician's choice methods) that allowed patients or their treating psychiatrists to exclude 1 or 2 of the study atypical antipsychotics due to past experience or anticipated risk. Patients were followed for up to 2 years, with assessments at baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, and every 12 weeks thereafter.

Why women object to male circumcision to prevent HIV in a moderate-prevalence setting.

Adult male circumcision has been shown to reduce the transmission of HIV. Women's acceptability of male circumcision is important in Papua New Guinea's preparedness to introduce male circumcision, and in ethical considerations of its use as a biomedical technology for HIV prevention. We conducted 21 focus group discussions and 18 in-depth interviews with women in all four regions of Papua New Guinea.

Heredity and cardiometabolic risk: naturally occurring polymorphisms in the human neuropeptide Y(2) receptor promoter disrupt multiple transcriptional response motifs.

Objectives: The neuropeptide Y(2) G-protein-coupled receptor (NPY2R) relays signals from PYY or neuropeptide Y toward satiety and control of body mass. Targeted ablation of the NPY2R locus in mice yields obesity, and studies of NPY2R promoter genetic variation in more than 10,000 human participants indicate its involvement in control of obesity and BMI. Here we searched for genetic variation across the human NPY2R locus and probed its functional effects, especially in the proximal promoter.

Streptococcus agalactiae infective endocarditis with large vegetation in a patient with underlying protein S deficiency.

We present a case of a patient with underlying protein S deficiency who suffered from infective endocarditis with a large anterior mitral leaflet (AML) mass of approximately 4.5 cm in length. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) revealed the mass at the AML base and a rupture of the posterior mitral leaflet chordae tendinae.

Agreement of cardiac output measurement between pulse contour analysis and thermodilution in various body positions: a porcine study.

Background: We elucidated the effects of various body positions on the agreement of cardiac output (CO) measurement between pulse contour analysis with the PiCCO monitor and thermodilution with pulmonary artery catheterization.

Methods: Fifteen anesthetized and mechanically ventilated pigs (40 ± 2 kg) were sequentially placed in various positions to facilitate simultaneous CO measurement. Between-methods agreement was assessed using the Bland-Altman method.

Tip-jump response of an amplitude-modulated Atomic Force Microscope.

The dynamic behaviors of an Atomic Force Microscope are of interest, and variously unpredictable phenomena are experimentally measured. In practical measurements, researchers have proposed many methods for avoiding these uncertainties. However, causes of these phenomena are still hard to demonstrate in simulation.

Adverse effects of bilateral lower limb ischemia-reperfusion on inducing kidney injuries in rats could be ameliorated by platonin.

Objectives: Bilateral lower limb ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) could cause significant oxidative stress, elicit inflammatory response, and subsequently induce kidney injury in animals. We tested the effects of platonin, a potent antioxidant, on mitigating the kidney injury induced by lower limb I/R in rats.

Methods: Adult male rats were allocated to receive I/R or I/R plus platonin (100 μg/kg intravenous injection immediately after reperfusion), and denoted as the I/R or the I/R-P group, respectively (n = 10 in each group).

Pro-cellular survival and neuroprotection of citrus flavonoid: the actions of hesperetin in PC12 cells.

Hesperetin protects cells against oxidative stress by diverse mechanisms including receptor-mediated actions. PGC-1α and seladin-1 provide potential targets for intervention in oxidative stress-associated neurodegeneration. PC12 cells express TrkA and estrogen receptor (ER).

Tuning the dimensionality of ZnO nanowires through thermal treatment: An investigation of growth mechanism.

In this study, we synthesized various dimensionalities of ZnO nanowires using the Ti grid-assisted chemical vapor deposition process. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopic mapping technique accompanied with a lattice diffusion model was used to characterize the growth mechanism. A diffusion ratio γ, defined by short-circuit and lattice diffusion activation energies, was obtained to describe the growth mechanism of ZnO nanowires.

Atypical lexicosemantic function of extrastriate cortex in autism spectrum disorder: evidence from functional and effective connectivity.

Previous studies have suggested atypically enhanced activity of visual cortex during language processing in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, it remains unclear whether visual cortical participation reflects isolated processing within posterior regions or functional cooperation with distal brain regions, such as left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG). We addressed this question using functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI) and structural equation modeling in 14 adolescents and adults with ASD and 14 matched typically developing (TD) participants.

Functional connectivity for an "island of sparing" in autism spectrum disorder: an fMRI study of visual search.

Although autism is usually characterized with respect to sociocommunicative impairments, visual search is known as a domain of relative performance strength in this disorder. This study used functional MRI during visual search in children with autism spectrum disorder (n = 19; mean age = 13;10) and matched typically developing children (n = 19; mean age = 14;0). We selected regions of interest within two attentional networks known to play a crucial role in visual search processes, such as goal-directed selective attention, filtering of irrelevant distractors, and detection of behaviorally-relevant information, and examined activation and connectivity within and between these attentional networks.

Abdominal fat distribution on computed tomography predicts ureteric calculus fragmentation by shock wave lithotripsy.

Objectives: To assess the effects of abdominal fat on shock wave lithotripsy (SWL). We used pre-SWL unenhanced computed tomography (CT) to evaluate the impact of abdominal fat distribution and calculus characteristics on the outcome of SWL.

Methods: One hundred and eighty-five patients with a solitary ureteric calculus treated with SWL were retrospectively reviewed.

Synergistic effect of cyanidin and PPAR agonist against nonalcoholic steatohepatitis-mediated oxidative stress-induced cytotoxicity through MAPK and Nrf2 transduction pathways.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is caused by an elevation in oxidative stress, which might further lead to hepatic fibrogenesis. Importantly, both peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) play roles in modulating oxidative stress-mediated hepatic dysfunction. The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of the multifunctional effects of cyanidin on regulating antioxidant enzymes and oxidative stress-induced hepatotoxicity.

Neuroprotective effects of citrus flavonoids.

Recent attention has been given to the influence of dietary factors on health and mental well-being. Oxidative stress is associated with many diseases including neurodegenerative disorders. Dietary flavonoids exert cardioprotective, chemopreventive, and neuroprotective effects.

Meteorological factors and ambient bacterial levels in a subtropical urban environment.

We conducted a study to investigate the characteristics and determinants of ambient bacteria in Taipei, Taiwan from August 2004 to March 2005. We monitored ambient culturable bacteria in Shin-Jhuang City, an urban area in the Taipei metropolitan areas, using duplicate Burkard Portable Air Samplers with R2A agar. The average concentration of total bacteria was 1,986 colony-forming units per cubic meter of air (CFU/m(3)) (median = 780 CFU/m(3)) over the study period, with the highest level in autumn.

Boswellia sacra essential oil induces tumor cell-specific apoptosis and suppresses tumor aggressiveness in cultured human breast cancer cells.

Background: Gum resins obtained from trees of the Burseraceae family (Boswellia sp.) are important ingredients in incense and perfumes. Extracts prepared from Boswellia sp.

Identification of furo[3', 2':3,4]naphtho[1,2-d]imidazole derivatives as orally active and selective inhibitors of microsomal prostaglandin E(2) synthase-1 (mPGES-1).

This study describes the synthesis and anti-inflammatory effects of furo[3', 2':3,4]naphtho[1,2-d] imidazole derivatives. Among these furo[3', 2':3,4]naphtho[1,2-d]imidazole derivatives, 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)furo [3', 2':3,4]naphtho[1,2-d]imidazole (12) exhibited a strong inhibitory activity against LPS-induced PGE(2) production, with an IC(50) value of 47 nM. Compound 12 is then further examined for its inhibitory effects in the protein expression of COX-2 and microsomal prostaglandin E(2) synthase-1 (mPGES-1) in Raw 264.

Abdominal complications following posterior spinal fusion in patients with previous abdominal surgeries.

Perioperative abdominal complications associated with spine surgery are rare. Although most known abdominal complications occur in conjunction with anterior spinal fusions, there is a paucity of reports reviewing abdominal complications occurring with posterior spinal fusions. The authors review 4 patients who experienced a perioperative abdominal complication following a posterior spinal fusion.

Effect of silymarin on curcumin-induced mortality in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and larvae.

In presence of 7.5 microM of curcumin, no embryos or larva of zebrafish survived 3 days of incubation; however, coincubation with 144 microg/ml silymarin increased the survival rates of curcumin-treated embryos and larvae to about 70%. Moreover, in presence of 12.

Complications of open compared to minimally invasive lumbar spine decompression.

Minimally invasive modalities have demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of neurogenic claudication. Direct comparisons, however, between complication rates of these newer techniques with open surgical techniques for lumbar decompression are lacking. This single-institution study examined neurogenic claudicants between August 2007 and June 2009.

Minimally invasive discectomy for the treatment of disc herniation causing cauda equina syndrome.

Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is a condition associated with significant morbidity that requires definitive surgical decompression of the nerve roots to prevent permanent disability. Traditionally, wide open decompression has been advocated to obtain optimal decompression with minimal complications. Some have been reluctant to employ minimally invasive strategies to treat urgent conditions.

Renal kallikrein excretion and epigenetics in human acute kidney injury: expression, mechanisms and consequences.

Background: Renal kallikrein (KLK1) synthesis and urinary excretion are reportedly diminished during AKI (acute kidney injury) in animal models, and provision of kallikrein abrogates renal injury in this setting, but data in human AKI is limited. Therefore we first examined KLK1 renal excretion in human AKI, and then probed potential endocrine and epigenetic mechanisms for its alterations.

Methods: KLK1 enzymatic activity excretion was evaluated in urine from patients with established or incipient AKI, versus healthy/non-hospital as well as ICU controls.

Ablative fractional erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser with coagulation mode for the treatment of atrophic acne scars in Asian skin.

Background: The introduction of fractional photothermolysis (FP) for the treatment of atrophic acne scars has been proven to provide satisfactory results. For severe atrophic acne scarring, nonablative FP achieves fair improvement and takes multiple treatment sessions. Ablative fractional resurfacing provides an alternative modality with greater satisfaction.