Damaged heart tissue, as a result of a myocardial infarct, is not only a problem because it weakens overall cardiac function but also because it no longer conducts electricity well enough to effectively propagate the heart’s signals. Arrhythmias are a common result of this, and although there are drugs that can help some patients, the same drugs often can’t be prescribed post infarct. Now, researchers at Rice University have developed biocompatible carbon nanotube fibers that can be...
Boston Scientific is releasing its new Tactra malleable penile prosthesis, a device that provides a new option for treating erectile dysfunction. It is designed to reproduce a natural erection thanks to a dual-layer silicone construction and Nitinol (a nickel titanium alloy), which is a shape-memory material that can easily transition between two different positions. During the normal state of affairs, the prosthesis is kept in a lowered position, but when it’s time for intercourse,...
NinePoint Medical, based out of Bedford, Massachusetts, won FDA clearance for its NvisionVLE Imaging System to be used in assessing the pancreas and bile duct. The system can image tissue around a catheter tip up to 3 mm below the surface. It does so thanks to a rotating light beam emanating from the catheter as it is moved through the pancreas or bile duct. The system creates 2D slices of the surrounding tissue, which it can then reconstruct into a 3D representation...
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Publication date: Available online 12 August 2019Source: International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*PhysicsAuthor(s): Dirk Rades, Barbara Šegedin, Antonio J. Conde-Moreno, Carlos Ferrer-Albiach, Michaela Metz, Bülent Polat, Harun Badakhshi, Andreas Schreiber, Mirko Nitsche, Jon Cacicedo, Steven E. SchildAbstractPurpose/ObjectiveTo compare 4Gyx5 (1 week) to 3Gyx10 (2 weeks) in relieving pain and distress in patients with metastatic epidural spinal cord compression (MESCC).Methods and MaterialsThe...
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Background The biofilm of a methanol-fed denitrification system that treated a marine effluent is composed of multi-species microorganisms, among which Hyphomicrobium nitrativorans strain NL23 and Methylophaga nitratireducenticrescens strain JAM1 are the principal bacteria involved in the denitrifying activities. Here, we report the capacity of the denitrifying biofilm to sustain environmental changes, and the impact of these changes on the co-occurrence of H. nitrativorans and...
Mediterranean maquis vegetation is highly biodiverse, but widespread grazing poses a challenge for management and conservation. We sampled woody and herbaceous plants separately on a limestone mountain with strong mesic-xeric gradients in Tunisia’s Parc National de L’Ichkeul, assessed grazing pressure (on a scale of 1–3), and asked whether grazing had a significant effect on plant compositional abundance before and after controlling for environmental covariates. Sites on the more mesic lakeside face...
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) presents several characteristics useful for forensic studies, especially related to the lack of recombination, to a high copy number, and to matrilineal inheritance. mtDNA typing based on sequences of the control region or full genomic sequences analysis is used to analyze a variety of forensic samples such as old bones, teeth and hair, as well as other biological samples where the DNA content is low. Evaluation and reporting of the results requires careful consideration...
Background This study has analyzed the impact of applying a decision training program, in which video-feedback and questioning were used, on the development of decision-making, skill execution and procedural knowledge in basketball players. Methods Participants were eleven male players aged between 12 and 13 years old (Mage = 12.75, SDage = .65), who were assigned to an experimental or control group within a pre-test/intervention...
The aim of the study was to examine the effects of a detraining period (DTP) (i.e., off-season) with an individually prescribed training program, and a retraining period (RTP) (i.e., pre-season) combining soccer and flywheel-based strength training on fat-free mass (FFM) and fat-mass (FM) in 10 elite professional male soccer players. The present study used a controlled repeated-measures research design to investigate the changes in FFM and FM using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Whole body %FM...
Background Mangrove forests provide many ecosystem services, including the provision of habitat that supports avian biodiversity. However, hurricanes can knock down trees, alter hydrologic connectivity, and affect avian habitat. In 1995, Hurricanes Opal and Roxanne destroyed approximately 1,700 ha of mangrove forest in Laguna de Términos, Mexico. Since then, hydrological restoration has been implemented to protect the mangrove forest and its biodiversity. ...
Background The biofilm of a methanol-fed, marine denitrification system is composed of a multi-species microbial community, among which Hyphomicrobium nitrativorans and Methylophaga nitratireducenticrescens are the principal bacteria involved in the denitrifying activities. To assess its resilience to environmental changes, the biofilm was cultivated in artificial seawater (ASW) under anoxic conditions and exposed to a range of specific environmental conditions. We previously reported...
Fishers are a particularly vulnerable population, chronically exposed to many stresses, injuries and health conditions directly linked to their fishing activities. This includes benzene exposure through gasoline and diesel exhaust fumes. Benzene is a known carcinogen, and has been assessed in many worker groups, but reports on fisher benzene exposure are extremely scarce in the literature. This paper discusses benzene exposure in small-scale fishers and reflects on the current knowledge gap on benzene-exposure...
Background Lectin receptor-like protein kinases (LecRLKs) can transform external stimuli into intracellular signals and play important regulatory roles in plant development and response to environmental stressors. However, research on the LecRLK gene family of conifers has seldom been reported. Methods Putative LecRLK genes were identified in the transcriptome of Taxodium ‘Zhongshanshan’. The classification, domain structures,...
Background In stress research, economic instruments for introducing acute stress responses are needed. In this study, we investigated whether the socially evaluated cold-pressor group test (SECPT-G) induces salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) and/or cortisol responses in the general population and whether this is associated with anthropometric, experimental, and lifestyle factors. Methods A sample of 91 participants from the general population was recruited. Salivary cortisol and sAA levels...
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In esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, an elevated preoperative absolute monocyte count (Pre-AMC) is reported to be a predictor of survival, but the clinical application of postoperative absolute monocyte count change (AMCc) remains unknown. The present study was designed to investigate the prognostic value of AMCc in ESCC. 686 patients of ESCC after radical surgery without preoperative adjuvant therapy were enrolled. The Pre-AMC and AMCc were recorded within one week before the operation and one...
A Study of Wideband Energy Reflectance in Patients with Otosclerosis: Data from a Chinese Population
Objective(s). The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of wideband acoustic immittance (WAI) in the diagnosis of otosclerosis by comparing the differences in the energy reflectance (ER) of WAI between patients with otosclerosis and age- and gender-matched normal hearing controls in the Chinese population. Methods. Twenty surgically confirmed otosclerotic ears were included in the otosclerotic group. The ER of WAI at ambient and peak pressures, resonance frequency, and 226-Hz tympanogram...
Dioscin is a typical saponin with multiple pharmacological activities. The past few years have seen an emerging interest in and growing research on this pleiotropic saponin. Here, we review the emerging pharmacological activities reported recently, with foci on its antitumor, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and tissue-protective properties. The potential use of dioscin in therapies of diverse clinical disorders is also discussed.
Background. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a serious public health problem in many parts of the world. The risk of acquiring the infection through exposure to blood, semen, and other bodily fluids is highest among health care workers (HCW) including trainees. Ghana is considered a high risk country for HBV; however little is known about the knowledge and prevention practices of the infection in the country. This study assessed the knowledge, testing, and vaccination history of HBV and their...
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