[Hypokalemic thyrotoxic periodic paralysis following rice consumption].

History And Admission Findings: A 38-year-old previously healthy Swiss presented with acute onset of progressive weakness in his legs in the morning hours after a carbohydrate-rich meal the preceding evening. Examination on admission revealed symmetrical paresis affecting the upper and lower limbs without involvement of the respiratory muscles. Hyperthyroidism was suspected.

The Experiences in Close Relationship Scale (ECR)-short form: reliability, validity, and factor structure.

We developed a 12-item, short form of the Experiences in Close Relationship Scale (ECR; Brennan, Clark, & Shaver, 1998) across 6 studies. In Study 1, we examined the reliability and factor structure of the measure. In Studies 2 and 3, we cross-validated the reliability, factor structure, and validity of the short form measure; whereas in Study 4, we examined test-retest reliability over a 1-month period.

Development of a homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence leukotriene B4 assay for determining the activity of leukotriene A4 hydrolase.

Leukotriene A4 (LTA4) hydrolase catalyzes a rate-limiting final biosynthetic step of leukotriene B4 (LTB4), a potent lipid chemotactic agent and proinflammatory mediator. LTB4 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various acute and chronic inflammatory diseases, and thus LTA4 hydrolase is regarded as an attractive therapeutic target for anti-inflammation. To facilitate identification and optimization of LTA4 hydrolase inhibitors, a specific and efficient assay to quantify LTB4 is essential.

Seeking help from a mental health professional: the influence of one's social network.

The decision to seek psychological help may be hindered or facilitated by many factors. Two potential factors that might facilitate help seeking are having a relationship with someone (a) who recommends seeking help or (b) who themselves have sought help. In two studies (N = 780, N = 746), we explored the relationship between these factors and intentions to seek mental health services.

Obligate multivalent recognition of cell surface tomoregulin following selection from a multivalent phage antibody library.

A therapeutic antibody candidate (AT-19) isolated using multivalent phage display binds native tomoregulin (TR) as a mul-timer not as a monomer. This report raises the importance of screening and selecting phage antibodies on native antigen and reemphasizes the possibility that potentially valuable antibodies are discarded when a monomeric phage display system is used for screening. A detailed live cell panning selection and screening method to isolate multivalently active antibodies is described.

Synthesis, solution structure and immune recognition of an epidermal growth factor-like domain from Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein-1.

The Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein-1 19 kDa fragment (MSP-1(19)) comprises two closely packed EGF-like domains (EGF=epidermal growth factor), each stabilized by three disulfide bonds. The native conformation of this protein is important for eliciting P. falciparum growth inhibitory antibodies.

Software safety for every phase of software development.

Where does risk management belong, at the beginning of a project or at the end? Many managers choose one or the other, or both. The correct answer is that risk management needs to be considered throughout the software development life cycle. When the risks include the safety of patients or the users of the software, the methods need to be more formal.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 is involved in sodium and water homeostasis in humans.

Unlabelled: In previous studies with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) we have observed that this peptide modulates fluid intake and increases renal sodium excretion in healthy volunteers and in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2. The effect of GLP-1 on thirst, water intake and on osmoregulation has, however, not been examined in detail in humans.

Methods: Seventeen healthy male subjects were enrolled in two double-blind, placebo-controlled studies.

Antibodies neutralizing hepsin protease activity do not impact cell growth but inhibit invasion of prostate and ovarian tumor cells in culture.

Hepsin is a type II transmembrane serine protease that is expressed in normal liver, and at lower levels in kidney, pancreas, and testis. Several studies have shown that hepsin mRNA is significantly elevated in most prostate tumors, as well as a significant fraction of ovarian and renal cell carcinomas and hepatomas. Although the overexpression of mRNA in these tumors has been extensively documented, there has been conflicting literature on whether hepsin plays a role in tumor cell growth and progression.

Anti-EphA2 antibodies decrease EphA2 protein levels in murine CT26 colorectal and human MDA-231 breast tumors but do not inhibit tumor growth.

The EphA2 receptor tyrosine kinase has been shown to be over-expressed in cancer and a monoclonal antibody (mAb) that activates and down-modulates EphA2 was reported to inhibit the growth of human breast and lung tumor xenografts in nude mice. Reduction of EphA2 levels by treatment with anti-EphA2 siRNA also inhibited tumor growth, suggesting that the anti-tumor effects of these agents are mediated by decreasing the levels of EphA2. As these studies employed human tumor xenograft models in nude mice with reagents whose cross reactivity with murine EphA2 is unknown, we generated a mAb (Ab20) that preferentially binds, activates, and induces the degradation of murine EphA2.

A randomized, controlled comparison of cardiopulmonary resuscitation performed on the floor and on a moving ambulance stretcher.

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated that cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) of poor quality is associated with worsened outcomes.

Objective: To compare the quality of CPR delivered on the floor with the quality of CPR delivered on a moving stretcher. The authors hypothesized that CPR performed on the floor would be superior to that performed on a moving stretcher.

Thermophilic anaerobic digester with ultrafilter for solids stabilization.

A thermophilic anaerobic digester with ultrafilter (TADU) for solids separation offers potential advantages of higher VS destruction, biomass retention, and pathogen removal. However, potential disadvantages include ultrafilter fouling, decreasing flux, and high VFA concentrations. In this study, a thermophilic anaerobic digester coupled to a sintered titanium, cross-flow ultrafilter was operated for over five months.

Five-year follow-up of the Argentine randomized trial of coronary angioplasty with stenting versus coronary bypass surgery in patients with multiple vessel disease (ERACI II).

Objectives: The purpose of the present study is to report the five-year follow-up results of the ERACI II trial.

Background: Immediate and one-year follow-up results of the ERACI II study showed a prognosis advantage of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stents over coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: A total of 450 patients were randomly assigned to undergo either PCI (n = 225); or CABG (n = 225).

A neural network model of memory and higher cognitive functions.

I first describe a neural network model of associative memory in a small region of the brain. The model depends, unconventionally, on disinhibition of inhibitory links between excitatory neurons rather than long-term potentiation (LTP) of excitatory projections. The model may be shown to have advantages over traditional neural network models both in terms of information storage capacity and biological plausibility.

Misoprostol versus methylergometrine: pharmacokinetics in human milk.

Objective: The purpose of this study to compare breast milk pharmacokinetics between misoprostol 200 mug and methylergometrine 250 mug after single oral dosing in women who require postpartum uterotonic therapy.

Study Design: Open prospective randomized phase I study measuring misoprostol and methylergometrine on postpartum days 3 to 6 in milk 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 hours postdose, and in maternal serum at 0.

Histological dating of timed endometrial biopsy tissue is not related to fertility status.

Objective: To assess the ability of histological dating to discriminate between women of fertile and infertile couples. The utility of histological dating of endometrium in the evaluation of infertile couples is uncertain.

Design: Prospective multicenter study, with subjects randomly assigned to biopsy timing.

Home telehealth reduces healthcare costs.

The aim of this study was to determine whether home telehealth, when integrated with the health facility's electronic medical record system, reduces healthcare costs and improves quality-of-life outcomes relative to usual home healthcare services for elderly high resource users with complex co-morbidities. Study patients were identified through the medical center's database. Intervention patients received home telehealth units that used standard phone lines to communicate with the hospital.

Interferon receptor expression regulates the antiproliferative effects of interferons on cancer cells and solid tumors.

In addition to antiviral effects, Type I interferons (IFN) have potent antiproliferative and immunomodulatory activities. Because of these properties IFNs have been evaluated as therapeutics for the treatment of a number of human diseases, including cancer. Currently, IFNs have been shown to be efficacious for the treatment of only a select number of cancers.

Dopamine-dependent neurodegeneration in rats induced by viral vector-mediated overexpression of the parkin target protein, CDCrel-1.

Mutations in the parkin gene are linked to autosomal-recessive juvenile parkinsonism (AR-JP). Parkin functions as a ubiquitin protein ligase in the degradation of several proteins, including the neuron-specific septin CDCrel-1. AR-JP-associated parkin mutations inhibit ubiquitination and degradation of CDCrel-1 and other parkin target proteins.

[Evaluation of the primary diagnosis with a CAD-system in mammography].

Purpose: To assess the capability of the computer assisted detection (CAD) system to classify calcifications that are histologically verified as malignant and benign or are proven benign by magnification and follow up mammography.

Materials And Methods: Three groups of microcalcifications (MC) with and without associated masses were enrolled in the study. The cancer group included 141 screen-detected breast cancer cases.

Induction of parasite growth-inhibitory antibodies by a virosomal formulation of a peptidomimetic of loop I from domain III of Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen 1.

Apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA-1) of Plasmodium falciparum is a leading candidate antigen for inclusion in a malaria subunit vaccine. Its ectodomain can be divided into three subdomains, each with disulfide bond-stabilized structures. Since the majority of antibodies raised against the ectodomain appear to recognize strain-specific epitopes in domain I, we attempted to develop a vaccine formulation which directs the immune response to a region that contains more conserved epitopes.

Cerebral lateralization of spatial abilities: a meta-analysis.

There is a substantial disagreement in the existing literature regarding which hemisphere of the brain controls spatial abilities. In an attempt to resolve this dispute, we conducted a meta-analysis to decipher which hemisphere truly dominates and under what circumstances. It was found that across people and situations, the right hemisphere is the more dominant for spatial processing.

Identification of nuclear proteins that interact differentially with Plasmodium falciparum var gene promoters.

The Plasmodium falciparum virulence factor PfEMP1 is responsible for both antigenic variation and cytoadherence of infected erythrocytes in malaria. Approximately 50 var genes per parasite genome code for this highly polymorphic surface protein. We showed recently that chromosome-central and subtelomeric var genes are controlled by different promoters.