Development of a new adapted QuinteT Recruitment Intervention (QRI-Two) for rapid application to RCTs underway with enrolment shortfalls-to identify previously hidden barriers and improve recruitment.

Background: Many randomised controlled trials (RCTs) struggle to recruit, despite valiant efforts. The QRI (QuinteT Recruitment Intervention) uses innovative research methods to optimise recruitment by revealing previously hidden barriers related to the perceptions and experiences of recruiters and patients, and targeting remedial actions. It was designed to be integrated with RCTs anticipating difficulties at the outset.

Protection of Retinal Function by Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors Following Retinal Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury.

Retinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a common cause of visual impairment and blindness for which there remain limited treatment options. Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), such as zidovudine (AZT), have been shown to block the NLRP3 inflammasome and prevent retinal degeneration in a mouse model of age-related macular degeneration. The NLRP3 inflammasome has also been shown to be triggered in I/R injury.

Distinct Corticospinal and Reticulospinal Contributions to Voluntary Control of Elbow Flexor and Extensor Muscles in Humans with Tetraplegia.

Humans with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) often recover voluntary control of elbow flexors and, to a much lesser extent, elbow extensor muscles. The neural mechanisms underlying this asymmetrical recovery remain unknown. Anatomical and physiological evidence in animals and humans indicates that corticospinal and reticulospinal pathways differentially control elbow flexor and extensor motoneurons; therefore, it is possible that reorganization in these pathways contributes to the asymmetrical recovery of elbow muscles after SCI.

Bezlotoxumab for Prevention of Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection.

Background: Clostridium difficile is the most common cause of infectious diarrhea in hospitalized patients. Recurrences are common after antibiotic therapy. Actoxumab and bezlotoxumab are human monoclonal antibodies against C.

Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Detection of Angiostrongylus cantonensis DNA in Cerebrospinal Fluid from Patients with Eosinophilic Meningitis.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis is the most common infectious cause of eosinophilic meningitis. Timely diagnosis of these infections is difficult, partly because reliable laboratory diagnostic methods are unavailable. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the detection of A.

Androgen receptor auto-regulates its expression by a negative feedback loop through upregulation of IFI16 protein.

Expression of androgen receptor (AR) in prostate epithelial cells is thought to regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. However, the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. We report that re-expression of AR in PC-3 human prostate cancer cell line resulted in upregulation of IFI16 protein, a negative regulator of cell growth.

Androgen receptor levels are increased by interferons in human prostate stromal and epithelial cells.

Proliferation of normal and malignant prostate epithelium is regulated by androgen stimulation via both the androgen receptor (AR)-positive stromal and epithelial cells. However, it is not known how AR expression is regulated in human prostate cells. We report that treatment of normal human prostate stromal cells (PrSCs) with type I IFN (alpha or beta), but not type II IFN (gamma), resulted in increased levels of AR protein.

Respiratory muscle dysfunction in mechanically-ventilated patients.

The interaction between a patient and a ventilator is the major determinant of the amount of respiratory muscle rest achieved by the machine. We are beginning to acquire a better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie this complex interaction, but this information has yet to be integrated into the routine clinical management of ventilator-supported patients. To achieve that goal, we need better techniques of detecting and monitoring patient-ventilation asynchrony, and the development of simple algorithms that can minimize its occurrence.