Impact of venous leg ulceration on health-related quality of life: A synthesis of data from randomized controlled trials compared to population norms.

Venous insufficiency is the most common cause of leg ulceration, but the impact of venous leg ulceration on health-related quality of life has not been adequately assessed. This study compared data from randomized controlled trials to population norms obtained from a large national population survey. We combined the baseline Short Form-36 (SF-36) version 1 data from two New Zealand randomized controlled trials that recruited participants with VLU and compared the pooled data to the population scores obtained from the New Zealand Health Survey using general linear regression to adjust for age, sex, and ethnicity differences between the cohorts.

Characterization of two glycosyl hydrolases, putative prophage endolysins, that target Clostridium perfringens.

Clostridium perfringens, a spore-forming anaerobic bacterium, causes food poisoning and gas gangrene in humans and is an agent of necrotizing enteritis in poultry, swine and cattle. Endolysins are peptidoglycan hydrolases from bacteriophage that degrade the bacterial host cell wall causing lysis and thus harbor antimicrobial therapy potential. The genes for the PlyCP10 and PlyCP41 endolysins were found in prophage regions of the genomes from C.

A Suite of Transgenic Driver and Reporter Mouse Lines with Enhanced Brain-Cell-Type Targeting and Functionality.

Modern genetic approaches are powerful in providing access to diverse cell types in the brain and facilitating the study of their function. Here, we report a large set of driver and reporter transgenic mouse lines, including 23 new driver lines targeting a variety of cortical and subcortical cell populations and 26 new reporter lines expressing an array of molecular tools. In particular, we describe the TIGRE2.

Exploring nest structures of acorn dwelling ants with X-ray microtomography and surface-based three-dimensional visibility graph analysis.

The physical spaces within which organisms live affect their biology and in many cases can be considered part of their extended phenotype. The nests of social insect societies have a fundamental impact on their ability to function as complex superorganisms. Ants in many species excavate elaborate subterranean nests, but others inhabit relatively small pre-formed cavities within rock crevices and hollow seeds.

Circulating biomarkers during treatment in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer receiving cediranib in the UK ABC-03 trial.

Background: Advanced biliary tract cancer (ABC) has a poor prognosis. Cediranib, in addition to cisplatin/gemcitabine [CisGem], improved the response rate, but did not improve the progression-free survival (PFS) in the ABC-03 study. Minimally invasive biomarkers predictive of cediranib benefit may improve patient outcomes.

Interaction of Bacterial Phenazines with Colistimethate in Bronchial Epithelial Cells.

Multidrug-resistant bacterial infections are being increasingly treated in clinics with polymyxins, a class of antibiotics associated with adverse effects on the kidney, nervous system, or airways of a significant proportion of human and animal patients. Although many of the resistant pathogens display enhanced virulence, the hazard of cytotoxic interactions between polymyxin antibiotics and bacterial virulence factors (VFs) has not been assessed, to date. We report here the testing of paired combinations of four VF phenazine toxins, pyocyanin (PYO), 1-hydroxyphenazine (1-HP), phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA), and phenazine-1-carboxamide (PCN), and two commonly prescribed polymyxin drugs, colistin-colistimethate sodium (CMS) and polymyxin B, in three human airway cell lines, BEAS-2B, HBE-1, and CFT-1.

A model of the dynamics of household vegetarian and vegan rates in the U.K.

Although there are many studies of determinants of vegetarianism and veganism, there have been no previous studies of how their rates in a population jointly change over time. In this paper, we present a flexible model of vegetarian and vegan dietary choices, and derive the joint dynamics of rates of consumption. We fit our model to a pseudo-panel with 23 years of U.

Red blood cell salvage analysis from clotted blood.

Background: Blood clots discovered within body cavities intra-operatively are often manually broken up and placed in an autotransfusion device to recover autologous blood cells. This study evaluated the efficiency at which these red blood cells can be recovered from clot and to determine if these cells would be free of fibrin and clumping which might pose a risk of micro-emboli.

Materials And Methods: Whole blood was aliquoted into 25 mL volume samples.

Registration and Alignment Between Functional and Cytoarchitectonic Maps of Mouse Visual Cortex.

This protocol describes a method for registration of cortical retinotopic map with cytochrome c oxidase (CO) labeled architectonic maps of the same mouse brain through the alignment of vascular fiducials. By recording surface blood vessel pattern and sequential alignment at each step, this method overcomes the challenge imposed by tissue distortion during perfusion, mounting, sectioning and histology procedures. This method can also be generalized to register and align other types of functional maps like ocular dominance map and spatial/temporal frequency tuning map with various anatomical maps of mouse cortex.

Neuromodulatory Correlates of Pupil Dilation.

Pupillometry has long been used as a measure of brain state. Changes in pupil diameter are thought to coincide with the activity of neuromodulators, including noradrenaline and acetylcholine, producing alterations in the brain state and corresponding changes in behavior. Here we review mechanisms underlying the control of pupil diameter and how these mechanisms are correlated with changes in cortical activity and the recruitment of neuromodulatory circuits.

Resilience of small intestinal beneficial bacteria to the toxicity of soybean oil fatty acids.

Over the past century, soybean oil (SBO) consumption in the United States increased dramatically. The main SBO fatty acid, linoleic acid (18:2), inhibits in vitro the growth of lactobacilli, beneficial members of the small intestinal microbiota. Human-associated lactobacilli have declined in prevalence in Western microbiomes, but how dietary changes may have impacted their ecology is unclear.

Contemporary Management of Sigmoid Volvulus.

Background: Sigmoid volvulus is an uncommon cause of bowel obstruction that is historically associated with high morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to evaluate contemporary management of sigmoid volvulus and the safety of primary anastomosis in patients with sigmoid volvulus.

Methods: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Project from 2012 to 2015 was queried for patients with colonic volvulus who underwent left-sided colonic resection.

Crossing the front: contrasting storm-forced dispersal dynamics revealed by biological, geological and genetic analysis of beach-cast kelp.

The subtropical front (STF) generally represents a substantial oceanographic barrier to dispersal between cold-sub-Antarctic and warm-temperate water masses. Recent studies have suggested that storm events can drastically influence marine dispersal and patterns. Here we analyse biological and geological dispersal driven by two major, contrasting storm events in southern New Zealand, 2017.

A Review of the Impact of Obstetric Anesthesia on Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes.

Obstetric anesthesia has evolved over the course of its history to encompass comprehensive aspects of maternal care, ranging from cesarean delivery anesthesia and labor analgesia to maternal resuscitation and patient safety. Anesthesiologists are concerned with maternal and neonatal outcomes, and with preventing and managing complications that may present during childbirth. The current review will focus on recent advances in obstetric anesthesia, including labor anesthesia and analgesia, cesarean delivery anesthesia and analgesia, the effects of maternal anesthesia on breastfeeding and fever, and maternal safety.

Appointment Compliance in Patients With Diabetic Macular Edema and Exudative Macular Degeneration.

Background And Objective: The purpose of this study is to compare cancellation and no-show rates in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) and exudative macular degeneration (wet AMD).

Patients And Methods: An anonymous survey was sent to 1,726 retina specialists inquiring as to the number of appointments their patients with DME and wet AMD attended, cancelled, or did not show up for in 2014 and 2015.

Results: Data were obtained on 109,599 appointments.

Blood product transfusion and wastage rates in obstetric hemorrhage.

Background: Bleeding emergencies can complicate pregnancies. Understanding the disposition of the products that are issued in this clinical setting can help inform inventory levels at hospitals where obstetric patients are seen.

Study Design And Methods: Patients who had an obstetric hemorrhage of any etiology between January 2013 and June 2017, and whose resuscitation began with uncrossmatched red blood cells (RBCs) or emergency-issued plasma or platelets (PLT), were included.

Ring Chromosome 17 Not Involving the Miller-Dieker Region: A Case with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy.

Chromosomal abnormalities are often identified in people with neurodevelopmental disorders including intellectual disability, autism, and epilepsy. Ring chromosomes, which usually involve gene copy number loss, are formed by fusion of subtelomeric or telomeric chromosomal regions. Some ring chromosomes, including ring 14, 17, and 20, are strongly associated with seizure disorders.

Wool-derived keratin dressings versus usual care dressings for treatment of slow-healing venous leg ulceration: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial (Keratin4VLU).

Introduction: Keratins, filament-forming proteins found in vertebrate epithelium, are downregulated in slow-healing venous leg ulcers (VLU) compared with normal-healing VLU. Laboratory and animal model research has suggested exogenous keratins increase expression of endogenous keratins. A non-randomised controlled trial of an exogenous keratin dressing reported increased healing in slow-healing VLU.

Optimizing Micromixer Surfaces To Deter Biofouling.

Using computational modeling, we show that the dynamic interplay between a flowing fluid and the appropriately designed surface relief pattern can inhibit the fouling of the substrate. We specifically focus on surfaces that are decorated with three-dimensional (3D) chevron or sawtooth "micromixer" patterns and model the fouling agents (e.g.

Space-brain: The negative effects of space exposure on the central nervous system.

Journey to Mars will be a large milestone for all humankind. Throughout history, we have learned lessons about the health dangers associated with exploratory voyages to expand our frontiers. Travelling through deep space, the final frontier, is planned for the 2030s by NASA.

Does wing reduction influence the relationship between altitude and insect body size? A case study using New Zealand's diverse stonefly fauna.

Researchers have long been intrigued by evolutionary processes that explain biological diversity. Numerous studies have reported strong associations between animal body size and altitude, but insect analyses have often yielded equivocal results. Here, we analyze a collection database of New Zealand's diverse endemic stonefly fauna (106 species across 21 genera) to test for relationships between altitude and plecopteran body size.

Prevalence of iron deficiency in a total joint surgery population.

Background: Iron deficiency without anemia has been associated with decreases in functional work capacity and fatigue. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of iron deficiency without anemia in a preoperative cohort of orthopedic patients and to determine if iron deficiency is a condition which warrants inclusion into a prehabilitation program prior to surgery.

Methods: One hundred consecutive patients going through preoperative testing for total joint replacement were enrolled in the study.

Coupled Model of Blood Volume and Activated Clotting Factor Concentration during Childbirth.

Obstetric patients show an increased risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE). Modeling the changes that occur during and after delivery may help determine which patients will develop VTE and when they might be likely to develop this dangerous complication after delivery. Combining a model of blood volume changes with a model of activated clotting factor concentrations, which are both affected during delivery, can identify scenarios that may lead to an increased risk of developing clots in the venous vascular space.