Neurological complications of respiratory syncytial virus infection: case series and review of literature.

Respiratory syncytial virus is a common cause of infection in children. The authors summarize the clinical and diagnostic features of 9 patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit with neurological consultation. Patients were aged 5 weeks to 3 years.

Rapid esterification of wheat straw hemicelluloses induced by microwave irradiation.

Esterification of wheat straw hemicelluloses with acetyl chloride, propionyl chloride, n-octanoyl chloride, lauroyl chloride, palmitoyl chloride, stearoyl chloride, and oleoyl chloride, respectively, using N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) as a catalyst was achieved in DMF/LICl medium by microwave irradiation. The effects of various acyl chlorides and the molar ratios of xylose units in hemicelluloses/acyl chloride on the degree of substitution (DS) were investigated and DS reached up to 1.34 by a few minutes.

Studies on the preparation of biodiesel from Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim seed oil.

To reduce the cost of biodiesel production, the feasibility of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim seed oil (ZBMSO) was studied to produce biodiesel. A methyl ester biodiesel was produced from ZBMSO using methanol, sulfuric acid, and potassium hydroxide in a two-stage process. The main variables that affect the process were investigated.

Oxygen sensing in hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction: using new tools to answer an age-old question.

Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) becomes activated in response to alveolar hypoxia and, although the characteristics of HPV have been well described, the underlying mechanism of O(2) sensing which initiates the HPV response has not been fully established. Mitochondria have long been considered as a putative site of oxygen sensing because they consume O(2) and therefore represent the intracellular site with the lowest oxygen tension. However, two opposing theories have emerged regarding mitochondria-dependent O(2) sensing during hypoxia.

Oxygen sensing by mitochondria at complex III: the paradox of increased reactive oxygen species during hypoxia.

All eukaryotic cells utilize oxidative phosphorylation to maintain their high-energy phosphate stores. Mitochondrial oxygen consumption is required for ATP generation, and cell survival is threatened when cells are deprived of O(2). Consequently, all cells have the ability to sense O(2), and to activate adaptive processes that will enhance the likelihood of survival in anticipation that oxygen availability might become limiting.

Correction of extrahepatic portal vein thrombosis by the mesenteric to left portal vein bypass.

Objective: The goal of this study was to determine the effectiveness of mesenteric vein to left portal vein bypass operation (MLPVB) in correcting extrahepatic portal vein thrombosis (EHPVT) in children. The treatment of idiopathic EHPVT has been primarily palliative, whereas MLPVB restores hepatic portal flow in patients with EHPVT.

Methods: Thirty-four children with symptomatic EHPVT underwent surgery with intent to perform MLPVB and were followed for up to 7 years.

Osteopontin expression and adventitial angiogenesis induced by local vascular endothelial growth factor 165 reduces experimental aortic calcification.

Background: Vascular calcification is a common pathologic and precisely regulated process involving bone-associated proteins such as osteopontin. In this study, we investigated mechanisms by which recombinant human vascular endothelial growth factor 165 protects the arterial wall from severe vascular remodeling, including calcification, a newly discovered biologic action of vascular endothelial growth factor.

Methods: In a rabbit model of thoracic aortic end-to-end anastomosis that simulates cardiovascular intervention, recombinant human vascular endothelial growth factor 165 at a dose of 0.

Physicochemical characterisation of residual hemicelluloses isolated with cyanamide-activated hydrogen peroxide from organosolv pre-treated wheat straw.

Seven residual hemicellulosic preparations (19.6-45.0% of the original hemicelluloses) were extracted from wheat straw pre-treated with various organic solvents using 1.

Characteristics of degraded cellulose obtained from steam-exploded wheat straw.

The isolation of cellulose from wheat straw was studied using a two-stage process based on steam explosion pre-treatment followed by alkaline peroxide post-treatment. Straw was steamed at 200 degrees C, 15 bar for 10 and 33 min, and 220 degrees C, 22 bar for 3, 5 and 8 min with a solid to liquid ratio of 2:1 (w/w) and 220 degrees C, 22 bar for 5 min with a solid to liquid ratio of 10:1, respectively. The steamed straw was washed with hot water to yield a solution rich in hemicelluloses-derived mono- and oligosaccharides and gave 61.

Review article: is stringent control of gastric pH useful and practical in GERD?

As the relative efficacy of therapeutic agents in the treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is related to how consistently and completely gastric acid secretion is suppressed, intragastric pH monitoring is a useful tool in stratifying therapies. If there is no acid in the stomach, there can be none to reflux into the oesophagus. Comparative crossover studies have shown consistently that once-daily esomeprazole (40 mg) provides more effective and longer lasting intragastric acid control than any other proton pump inhibitor currently available in healthy subjects and patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

Molecular cloning of a cDNA encoding the porcine type XVII collagen noncollagenous 16 A domain and localization of the domain to the upper part of porcine skin basement membrane zone.

Bullous pemphigoid is an autoimmune blistering human skin disease mediated by immunoglobulin (Ig)G autoantibodies targeting skin basement membrane component type XVII collagen, a transmembrane protein. Also designated BP180 and BPAG2, type XVII collagen is an extracellular matrix element essential for the connection between the epidermis and the underlying dermis. In addition to being a target antigen in the human disease bullous pemphigoid, type XVII collagen is also targeted by autoantibodies of canine, feline, equine and porcine patients suffering from a similar blistering skin disease.

Role of the major histocompatibility complex class II transmembrane region in antigen presentation and intracellular trafficking.

While a sorting signal in the cytoplasmic tail of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules is known to influence their endocytic transport, potential effects of the transmembrane (TM) domain of the MHC class II molecules on endocytic transport remain unclear. We have examined the role of the TM domain by comparing antigen-presenting functions of the wildtype (WT) I-Ab and mutant (MT) I-Ab molecule substituted in the beta-chain TM with alpha chain TM. A20 cells transfected with WT I-Ab were able to present antigen (hen egg lysozyme) better to some hybridomas, while those transfected with MT I-Ab consistently outperformed WT for other hybridomas recognizing different epitopes.

Fractional and physico-chemical characterization of hemicelluloses from ultrasonic irradiated sugarcane bagasse.

The present study was undertaken to investigate the extractability of the hemicelluloses from bagasse obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction methods. The results showed that the ultrasonic treatment and sequential extractions with alkali and alkaline peroxide under the conditions given led to a release of over 90% of the original hemicelluloses and lignin. This fact as well as the sugar composition and structural features of the isolated seven hemicellulosic fractions indicated that ultrasonication attacked the integrity of cell walls, cleaved the ether linkages between lignin and hemicelluloses, and increased accessibility and extractability of the hemicelluloses.

Inhomogeneities in the chemical structure of sugarcane bagasse lignin.

Sequential treatments of dewaxed bagasse with distilled water, 0.5 M NaOH, 0.5, 1.

Medical management of prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas.

Prolactinomas are a common cause of reproductive/sexual dysfunction. Once other causes of hyperprolactinemia have been excluded with a careful history and physical examination, routine chemistries, a pregnancy test and a TSH, imaging with MRI or CT will delineate the size and extent of the tumor. Medical therapy is the initial treatment of choice.

'Eruptive syringoma': a misnomer for a reactive eccrine gland ductal proliferation?

Background: Syringomas have traditionally been categorized as benign neoplasms of the eccrine gland ductal epithelium. However, the variety of clinical presentations reported in the literature and some cases recently observed by the authors cast doubt upon the neoplastic nature of eruptive syringomas. Our goal is to challenge the traditional notion that eruptive syringomas are neoplastic lesions.