Field evaluation of a multiplex real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay for detection of Vesicular stomatitis virus.

Sporadic outbreaks of vesicular stomatitis (VS) in the United States result in significant economic losses for the U.S. livestock industries because VS is a reportable disease that clinically mimics foot-and-mouth disease.

The PARP inhibitor, ABT-888 potentiates temozolomide: correlation with drug levels and reduction in PARP activity in vivo.

ABT-888 is a potent, orally bioavailable PARP-1/2 inhibitor shown to potentiate DNA damaging agents. The ability to potentiate temozolomide (TMZ) and develop a biological marker for PARP inhibition was evaluated in vivo. Doses/schedules that achieve TMZ potentiation in the B16F10 syngeneic melanoma model were utilized to develop an ELISA to detect a pharmacodynamic marker, ADP ribose polymers (pADPr), after ABT 888 treatment.

Early events in the pathogenesis of foot-and-mouth disease in cattle after controlled aerosol exposure.

The goal of this study was to identify the primary sites of replication of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in cattle subsequent to aerogenous inoculation. A novel aerosol inoculation method was developed to simulate natural, airborne transmission and thereby allow the identification of early replication sites. Virus distribution after aerosol inoculation was compared at 24h post inoculation with simple nasal instillation.

[Indicators of cardiorespiratory physical activity in physical medicine and rehabilitation].

Indications in cardiovascular and respiratory procedures, osteoporosis, Diabetes Mellitus and obesity and their specified actions with cardiorespiratory physical activity require parameters which are based on consumption of energy, on effort applied in the biomechanical kinetic activity and kinematics. Using three models of physical activity: 1. Aerobic resistance exercise; 2.

Potentiation of temozolomide cytotoxicity by poly(ADP)ribose polymerase inhibitor ABT-888 requires a conversion of single-stranded DNA damages to double-stranded DNA breaks.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) senses DNA breaks and facilitates DNA repair via the polyADP-ribosylation of various DNA binding and repair proteins. We explored the mechanism of potentiation of temozolomide cytotoxicity by the PARP inhibitor ABT-888. We showed that cells treated with temozolomide need to be exposed to ABT-888 for at least 17 to 24 hours to achieve maximal cytotoxicity.

Irritable bowel syndrome and gastroesophageal reflux disease in primary care: is there a link?

Population-based studies have shown that gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) coexist more commonly than expected by chance. We aimed to investigate the relationship between GERD and IBS in primary care. The General Practice Research Database was used to identify patients with a first diagnosis of GERD (n=6,421) or IBS (n=2,932).

Risk of myocardial infarction and overall mortality in survivors of venous thromboembolism.

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) and thromboembolic arterial diseases are usually considered to be distinct entities, but there is evidence to suggest that these disorders may be linked. The aim of this study was to determine whether a diagnosis of VTE increases the long-term risk of myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods: The incidence rate (IR) and relative risk (RR) of MI in a cohort of patients with a diagnosis of VTE (n = 4890) compared with that of a control cohort without prior VTE (n = 43 382) were evaluated in the UK General Practice Research Database (GPRD).

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase biomarker assay for clinical trials of PARP inhibitors.

Many established cancer therapies involve DNA-damaging chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The DNA repair capacity of the tumor represents a common mechanism used by cancer cells to survive DNA-damaging therapy. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is a nuclear enzyme that is activated by DNA damage and has critical roles in DNA repair.

The crossmatch may still be the most clinically relevant histocompatibility test performed.

We evaluated patient sera for flow PRA, FCXM, and end-point donor-antigen titer, and we correlated the results with graft survival. You cannot accurately predict a positive or negative FCXM result-not even when the sera have donor-specific antigens-unless you actually perform a crossmatch. Using fluorescence intensity as a surrogate for antibody concentration does not correlate quantitatively with the occurrence of a positive or negative crossmatch.

The use of an anesthesia information system to identify and trend gender disparities in outpatient medical management of patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Previous anesthesia information management systems-based studies have focused on intraoperative data analysis. Reviewing preoperative data could provide insight into the outpatient treatment of patients presenting for surgical procedures. As gender-based disparities have been demonstrated in the treatment of patients with cardiac disease, we hypothesized that there would be gender disparities in the outpatient pharmacologic management of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) scheduled for elective noncardiac surgery.

Functional characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv2969c membrane protein.

Identifying Mycobacterium tuberculosis membrane proteins involved in binding to and invasion of host cells is important in designing subunit-based anti-tuberculosis vaccines. The Rv2969c gene sequence was identified by PCR in M. tuberculosis complex strains, being transcribed in M.

Characterization of the full-length genomic sequences of vesicular stomatitis Cocal and Alagoas viruses.

In Brazil and Argentina, vesicular stomatitis (VS) is caused by distinct viral strains serologically related to the classical vesicular stomatitis virus Indiana (VSIV), namely VS Indiana-2 (VSIV-2) and VS Indiana-3 (VSIV-3). Here we describe the full-length genomic sequences and organization of the prototype strains of VSIV-2 Cocal virus (COCV) and VSIV-3 Alagoas virus (VSAV). These viruses showed similar genomic organizations to VSIV field isolates except that the non-structural C'/C proteins, markedly conserved throughout the vesiculoviruses, were absent in VSAV.

Abnormal transforming growth factor-beta expression in mesenchymal stem cells from patients with osteoarthritis.

Objective: To determine the expression of the genes that code for the isoforms of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and TGF-beta receptors (TBR) in mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) from patients with osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: Total RNA was extracted from primary cultures of MSC and quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was performed to analyze gene expression.

Results: MSC from patients with OA showed significantly increased total TGF-beta, TGF-beta1 isoform, TBR-II, and TBR-III mRNA expression compared to controls.

Multimorbidity: prevalence, effect on quality of life and daily functioning, and variation of this effect when one condition is a rheumatic disease.

Objectives: To examine the prevalence and effect of multimorbidity on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and daily functioning in the general population, and to analyze the influence on HRQoL and daily functioning of multimorbidity including a rheumatic disease.

Methods: A national health survey was conducted on 2192 randomly selected adults in Spain. Multimorbidity was defined as the co-occurrence of at least 2 chronic diseases, as defined by self-report.

Detection of foot-and-mouth disease virus infected cattle using infrared thermography.

In this study, infrared thermography (IRT) was assessed as a means of detecting foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV)-infected cattle before and after the development of clinical signs. Preliminary IRT imaging demonstrated that foot temperatures increased in FMDV-infected animals. The maximum foot temperatures of healthy (n=53), directly inoculated (DI) (n=12), contact (CT) (n=6), and vaccine trial (VT) (n=21) cattle were measured over the course of FMD infection.

Genetic characterization and molecular epidemiology of foot-and-mouth disease viruses isolated from Afghanistan in 2003-2005.

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) isolates collected from various geographic locations in Afghanistan between 2003 and 2005 were genetically characterized, and their phylogeny was reconstructed utilizing nucleotide sequences of the complete VP1 coding region. Three serotypes of FMDV (types A, O, and Asia 1) were identified as causing clinical disease in Afghanistan during this period. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the type A viruses were most closely related to isolates collected in Iran during 2002-2004.

Capability of selected crop plants for shoot mercury accumulation from polluted soils: phytoremediation perspectives.

High-biomass crops can be considered as an alternative to hyperaccumulator plants to phytoremediate soils contaminated by heavy metals. In order to assess their practical capability for the absorption and accumulation of Hg in shoots, barley, white lupine, lentil, and chickpea were tested in pot experiments using several growth substrates. In the first experimental series, plants were grown in a mixture of vermiculite and perlite spiked with 8.

Quasispecies as predictive factor of rapid, early and sustained virological responses in chronic hepatitis C, genotype 1, treated with peginterferon-ribavirin.

Background: The relationship between the complexity of the hypervariable region 1 quasispecies of HCV and responsiveness to therapy is not completely clear.

Objective: To investigate the importance of quasispecies as a predictive factor of rapid (RVR), early (EVR) and sustained (SVR) virologic response.

Methods: Prospective analysis of 82 patients with chronic hepatitis C, genotype 1, treated with peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin.

Giant serous cystadenoma arising from an accessory ovary in a morbidly obese 11-year-old girl: a case report.

Introduction: Ectopic ovarian tissue is an unusual entity, especially if it is an isolated finding thought to be of embryological origin.

Case Presentation: An 11-year-old, morbidly obese female presented with left flank pain, nausea, and irregular menses. Various diagnostic procedures suggested a large ovarian cyst, and surgical resection was performed.

Incidence and risk factors for psoriasis in the general population.

Objectives: To study the clinical spectrum of psoriasis and the incidence in the general population and to identify risk factors associated with the occurrence of psoriasis.

Design: Prospective cohort study with nested case-control analysis.

Setting: The data source was the United Kingdom General Practice Research Database containing computerized clinical information entered by general practitioners (GPs).

Urinary interleukin-6 is useful in distinguishing between upper and lower urinary tract infections.

This study was designed to determine whether the measurement of interleukin (IL)-6 in urine is useful for distinguishing between acute pyelonephritis and lower urinary tract infection. This observational study was carried out at León Hospital (Spain) on 35 patients (ten boys) aged between 0 and 14 years with urinary tract infection. Urinary levels of IL-6 were determined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at diagnosis and after recovery.

Gout and risk of Parkinson disease: a prospective study.

Background: Several reports suggest that higher levels of serum uric acid are associated with a lower risk of Parkinson disease (PD). None of these studies, however, evaluated the potential association between gout, a condition characterized by hyperuricemia, and the risk of PD.

Objective: To estimate prospectively the association between gout diagnosis and the risk of PD.

[Appropriateness of hospital stays in a pulmonology department].

Objective: To analyze the number of inappropriate stays generated by patients admitted through a pulmonology department over a 1-year period and to identify the causes and predictors of those stays.

Patients And Methods: A representative sample of hospital stays corresponding to patients admitted by the pulmonology department at Hospital de Valme, Seville, Spain, in 2004 was analyzed retrospectively using the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol. The review was conducted by 2 physicians who did not belong to the pulmonology department.

Use of antidepressants and risk of lung cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of antidepressant use on lung cancer risk.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study nested in a cohort of patients 40-84 year-old in 1995-2004, without a prior diagnosis of cancer using The Health Improvement Network (THIN) database in the UK. Cases comprised 4,336 patients with a first diagnosis of primary lung cancer.