Can continuous glucose monitoring systems predict glycemia?

Background: We investigated whether the arrow on a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) screen predicts the course of the capillary glucose level 15 min later.

Subjects And Methods: Twenty-three patients with type 1 diabetes (age, 40±13 years; diabetes duration, 19±12 years; hemoglobin A1c, 8.5±1.

The most important diagnostic modalities for Helicobacter pylori, now and in the future.

CURRENT DIAGNOSTIC METHODS: Helicobacter pylori infection plays a central role in the pathophysiology of gastrointestinal disease, and its accurate diagnosis and successful eradication is crucial in a wide range of different circumstances. Currently, serology is recommended for initial screening, followed by histology and/or culture to confirm the diagnosis before treatment. Since H.

Robust real-time-constrained estimation of respiratory motion for interventional MRI on mobile organs.

Real-time magnetic resonance imaging is a promising tool for image-guided interventions. For applications such as thermotherapy on moving organs, a precise image-based compensation of motion is required in real time to allow quantitative analysis, retrocontrol of the interventional device, or determination of the therapy endpoint. Reduced field-of-view imaging represents a promising way to improve spatial and/or temporal resolution.

A comparison between a new visual method of colour matching by intraoral camera and conventional visual and spectrometric methods.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the new colour-matching Sopro Shade concept of the Sopro 717(®) intraoral camera (assisted visual evaluation method) by comparing it with the Vita 3DMaster(®) shade guide under the True Shade(®) lamp and the Vita Easyshade(®) spectrophotometric method.

Methods: The basic colour of the maxillary right central incisor and canine of 38 participants was determined by three examiners then repeated the next day using the three evaluation methods. Two examiners were experienced clinicians and one was a Sopro intraoral camera engineer.

A sensitive liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry method for the intracellular and plasma quantification of raltegravir after solid-phase extraction.

Introduction: Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry for the quantification of raltegravir in human plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells has been developed.

Methods: Sample preparations were based on a fully automated solid-phase extraction process. Mass spectrometric data were acquired in a single-ion monitoring method.

The use of virtual reality for episodic memory assessment: effects of active navigation.

Episodic memory was assessed using Virtual Reality (VR). Forty-four (44) subjects visualized a target virtual apartment containing specific objects in each room. Then they visualized a second virtual apartment comprised of specific objects and objects shared by the two apartments.

Automatic nonrigid calibration of image registration for real time MR-guided HIFU ablations of mobile organs.

Real time magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is rapidly gaining importance in interventional therapies. An accurate motion estimation is required for mobile targets and can be conveniently addressed using an image registration algorithm. Since the adaptation of the control parameters of the algorithm depends on the application (targeted organ, location of the tumor, slice orientation, etc.

Developmental differences in explicit and implicit conceptual memory tests: a processing view account.

The present study addressed contradictory results in childhood literature about conceptual priming. Based on the processing view, two forms of conceptual priming were investigated across two experiments in children aged from 7 to 16: associative priming (using the free-association test) and relational (categorical) priming (using the categorical exemplar generation test) as well as their explicit memory measure counterparts (the associative-cued recall and the category-cued recall). Experiment 1 compared age differences in associative and relational (categorical) priming.

Acquired hepatocerebral degeneration.

Repeated episodes of liver failure or chronic liver cirrhosis may cause acquired (non-Wilsonian) hepatocerebral degeneration (AHCD). Patients with AHCD may show cognitive deficits, ataxia, dysarthria, movement disorders, including parkinsonism, and sometimes myelopathy. Various parenchymal and cholestatic hepatic disorders may result in AHCD.

A two-step cloning-free PCR-based method for the deletion of genes in the opportunistic pathogenic yeast Candida lusitaniae.

We describe a new cloning-free strategy to delete genes in the opportunistic pathogenic yeast Candida lusitaniae. We first constructed two ura3 Δ strains in C. lusitaniae for their use in transformation experiments.

Evidence for functional links between the Rgd1-Rho3 RhoGAP-GTPase module and Tos2, a protein involved in polarized growth in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The Rho GTPase-activating protein Rgd1p positively regulates the GTPase activity of Rho3p and Rho4p, which are involved in bud growth and cytokinesis, respectively, in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Two-hybrid screening identified Tos2p as a candidate Rgd1p-binding protein. Further analyses confirmed that Tos2p binds to the RhoGAP Rgd1p through its C-terminal region.

Epidemiology of COPD.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is responsible for early mortality, high death rates and significant cost to health systems. The projection for 2020 indicates that COPD will be the third leading cause of death worldwide (from sixth in 1990) and fifth leading cause of years lost through early mortality or handicap (disability-adjusted life years) (12th in 1990). Active smoking remains the main risk factor, but other factors are becoming better known, such as occupational factors, infections and the role of air pollution.

The effects of temperament, character, and defense mechanisms on grief severity among the elderly.

Background: The aims of this study were to examine the relationships between Cloninger's psychobiological model of personality, defense styles, and severity of grief, and to identify the influential temperament and character dimensions that differentiate subjects with prolonged grief from those without prolonged grief.

Method: A sample of 72 bereaved elderly persons for whom the loss of a loved one occurred on average 2.58 years (SD = 1.

Freedom SOLO valve: early- and intermediate-term results of a single centre's first 100 cases.

Objective: The Freedom SOLO aortic valve is a bovine pericardial stentless valve, which requires only one suture line. The aim of our single-centre retrospective study was to assess postoperative and intermediate-term haemodynamic results of the first 100 consecutively implanted valves.

Methods: One hundred patients (39 male and 61 female) underwent aortic valve replacement with a Freedom SOLO from November 2006 to January 2008.

Obtaining of CD34+ cells from healthy blood donors: development of a rapid and efficient procedure using leukoreduction filters.

Background: Human CD34+ cells are mandatory to study many aspects of human hematopoiesis. Their low frequency in blood or marrow and ethical reasons limit their obtainment in large quantities. Leukoreduction filters (LRFs) are discarded after preparation of red blood cells.

The effects of response operandum and prior food training on intravenous nicotine self-administration in rats.

Rationale: Nicotine intravenous self-administration (IVSA) in rats has been conducted using a variety of methodological procedures with equally variable results.

Objectives: Here, we addressed the importance of the type of response operandum and prior instrumental training with a natural reinforcer on nicotine IVSA and reinstatement.

Methods: Rats were tested for spontaneous acquisition of IVSA using either nose poke (NP) or lever press (LVR) operandum.

The efficacy of R-Endo rotary NiTi and stainless-steel hand instruments to remove gutta-percha and Resilon.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of the R-Endo rotary nickel titanium instrumentation system and hand instrumentation to remove gutta-percha or Resilon from root canals.

Methodology: Eighty single-rooted teeth with straight canals were selected, the pulp chamber was opened, and the canals prepared to a size 30, 0.04 taper.

Evolution of 2-long terminal repeat (2-LTR) episomal HIV-1 DNA in raltegravir-treated patients and in in vitro infected cells.

Objectives: Our aim was to analyse the evolution of HIV-1 2-long terminal repeat (2-LTR) circular DNA in vitro and ex vivo in the presence of raltegravir.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-five patients starting a raltegravir-based regimen were included. Total HIV-1 DNA and 2-LTR DNA were quantified at baseline and in follow-up samples up to month 12.

Blocking ER export of the Golgi SNARE SYP31 affects plant growth.

We recently identified a novel and transplantable di-acidic motif (EXXD) that facilitates ER export of the Golgi syntaxin SYP31 (type IV protein) and which may function also for type I and type II proteins in plants. By mutagenesis of Arabidopsis thaliana SYP31 and live cell imaging experiments in tobacco leaf epidermal cells, we determined that replacing the MELAD sequence of SYP31 with gagag retained SYP31 in the ER, which demonstrates that the di-acidic motif ELAD is critical for SYP31 ER export. To investigate whether blockage of a Golgi SNARE in the ER have consequences for plant growth, we produced tobacco plants stably overexpressing either the wild type MELAD or the mutant gagag form of SYP31.

Treatment of malaria from monotherapy to artemisinin-based combination therapy by health professionals in urban health facilities in Yaoundé, central province, Cameroon.

Background: After adoption of artesunate-amodiaquine (AS/AQ) as first-line therapy for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria by the malaria control programme, this study was designed to assess the availability of anti-malarial drugs, treatment practices and acceptability of the new protocol by health professionals, in the urban health facilities and drugstores of Yaoundé city, Cameroon.

Methods: Between April and August 2005, retrospective and current information was collected by consulting registers and interviewing health practitioners in urban health facilities using a structured questionnaire.

Results: In 2005, twenty-seven trade-named drugs have been identified in drugstores; quinine tablets (300 mg) were the most affordable anti-malarial drugs.

Treatment of malaria from monotherapy to artemisinin-based combination therapy by health professionals in rural health facilities in southern Cameroon.

Background: One year after the adoption of artesunate-amodiaquine (AS/AQ) as first-line therapy for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria, this study was designed to assess the treatment practices regarding anti-malarial drugs at health facilities in four rural areas in southern Cameroon.

Methods: Between April and August 2005, information was collected by interviewing fifty-two health professionals from twelve rural health facilities, using a structured questionnaire.

Results: In 2005, only three anti-malarial drugs were used in rural health facilities, including: amodiaquine, quinine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine.

A construction and validation of a Freshman Stress Questionnaire: an exploratory study.

A stress questionnaire for freshmen was developed and administered to 1,102 French students at the beginning of the term (T1). A Principal Component Analysis of responses, followed by varimax and oblique rotations, yielded four factors accounting for 58% of the total variance. Factors were identified as academic stress, university's dysfunctions, feelings of loneliness, and problems with close relations.

Intra-diaphragmatic pacemaker implantation in very low weight premature neonate.

Implantation of a pacemaker (PM) in very low weight premature neonates can be a challenging procedure because of the actual dimension of generators. Ideal placement of the PM is still controversial. We describe a technique of intra-diaphragmatic PM implantation in a 1.

A novel di-acidic motif facilitates ER export of the syntaxin SYP31.

It is generally accepted that ER protein export is largely influenced by the transmembrane domain (TMD). The situation is unclear for membrane-anchored proteins such as SNAREs, which are anchored to the membrane by their TMD at the C-terminus. For example, in plants, Sec22 and SYP31 (a yeast Sed5 homologue) have a 17 aa TMD but different locations (ER/Golgi and Golgi), indicating that TMD length alone is not sufficient to explain their targeting.

Analyzing polysemous concepts from a clinical perspective: application to auditing concept categorization in the UMLS.

Objectives: Polysemy is a frequent issue in biomedical terminologies. In the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS), polysemous terms are either represented as several independent concepts, or clustered into a single, multiply-categorized concept. The objective of this study is to analyze polysemous concepts in the UMLS through their categorization and hierarchical relations for auditing purposes.