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Using image data sets from maize inbred lines and auxin biosynthesis and transport mutants in maize, we demonstrate the utility of grasviq for quantifying important vein traits, including vein density, vein width and interveinal distance. Selleck Dihydromyricetin Furthermore, we show that the framework can resolve quantitative differences and identify vein patterning defects, which is advantageous for genetic experiments and mutant screens. We report that grasviq can perform high-throughput vein quantification, with precision on a par with that of manual quantification. Therefore, we envision that grasviq will be adopted for vein phenomics in maize and other grass species.
Ethanol lock use has been associated with significantly lower rates of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) in children with intestinal failure. Concerns have been raised among intestinal rehabilitation program providers regarding the impact of recent changes in cost and availability of ethanol locks in the US.
We conducted a survey among the members of the North American Society For Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition Intestinal Rehabilitation Special Interest Group (NASPGHAN IR-SIG) regarding practice changes among providers to tackle this issue and the anticipated effect on CLABSI rates.
The results show that the vast majority of US participants use ethanol locks in their population with intestinal failure, with most anticipating or already experiencing reduction in access to ethanol locks. Most worrisome is that more than half of participating programs expect an increase in CLABSI rates in this vulnerable patient population as a consequence of limited access to ethanol locks.
Further multicenter prospective studies to assess the efficacy of alternative locking agents, besides ethanol, are needed in order to have readily available and affordable options for CLABSI prevention in the future.
Further multicenter prospective studies to assess the efficacy of alternative locking agents, besides ethanol, are needed in order to have readily available and affordable options for CLABSI prevention in the future.
The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme on work productivity, disease activity, functional status, quality of life, respiratory function tests (RFTs), physical capacity and depression in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients.
Twenty-five patients diagnosed with AS were included in this study. The disease severity was evaluated with Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), functional status was evaluated with Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), quality of life was evaluated with AS-Related Quality of Life Scale (ASQOL), physical capacity was evaluated with the 6-min walking test (6MWT), depression level was evaluated with Beck Depression Scale (BDS) and work productivity was evaluated with Spondyloartropathy Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI-SpA) Survey. Finally, RFT was evaluated with spirometry measurement. The patients were included in the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme for 8weeks.
A total of 30% of the patients who were included in this study were unemployed, 35% of them were on and below the hunger limit, 25% were on and below the poverty line, and 40% were on the normal income line. No significant changes were detected in the RFTs after the exercise programme in AS patients (P>.05), but significant improvements were detected in the BASDAI, BASFI, WPAI, 6MWT, ASQOL and BDS (P<.001).
Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme was found to be an effective method of improving work productivity in AS patients. Also, the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme has positive effects on disease activity, functional status, physical capacity, depression level, and quality of life.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme was found to be an effective method of improving work productivity in AS patients. Also, the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme has positive effects on disease activity, functional status, physical capacity, depression level, and quality of life.
Implicit bias contributes to both health care disparities and professional limitations, and it exists among physicians. Prior literature has described physician weight bias (WB) toward patients, but little research has investigated interphysician WB. This study describes the prevalence of interphysician implicit WB and investigates the relationships between implicit, explicit, and professional biases. The authors hypothesized that the majority of physicians possess interphysician implicit WB and that the degree of implicit bias has a direct relationship with explicit and professional WB.
In this cross-sectional study, a survey was used to measure interphysician implicit, explicit, and professional WB. It included adaptations of two previously validated measures (the Implicit Association Test and the Crandall Anti-fat Attitudes Questionnaire) and an investigator developed and tested Professional Weight Bias Scale. The survey was distributed electronically via medical society message boards, email lists, an of interphysician implicit WB; the strong correlations between implicit, explicit, and professional WB; and the potential disparities faced by physicians with obesity. These results may be used to guide implicit bias training for a more inclusive medical workplace.
Patients with gout have an increased risk of urolithiasis and usually need urate-lowering therapy (ULT) for the prevention of disease progression. However, there is a paucity of clinical data regarding the risk of future urolithiasis in ULT users.
This nested case-control study was performed using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. The aim of this study was to examine whether ULT (xanthine oxidase inhibitors [XOIs] or uricosuric agents) is associated with risk of future urolithiasis in patients with gout. Data were collected from January 2000 to December 2012.
This study included 2307 case patients and 2307 matched controls. Case patients had gout that developed into urolithiasis, and control patients had gout but were not diagnosed with urolithiasis during the study period. Patients had a mean age of 56.3years at diagnosis of gout, and 83.2% were male patients. No association was detected between use of XOIs or uricosuric agents and risk of future urolithiasis. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the risk of future urolithiasis in patients exposed to various cumulative days of XOI or uricosuric prescriptions.
The present study provides evidence that neither XOIs nor uricosuric agents are associated with risk of future urolithiasis in patients with gout. Before the availability of more clinical evidence, ensuring high fluid intake and prospective monitoring of urolithiasis development are still important for uricosuric agent users.
The present study provides evidence that neither XOIs nor uricosuric agents are associated with risk of future urolithiasis in patients with gout. Before the availability of more clinical evidence, ensuring high fluid intake and prospective monitoring of urolithiasis development are still important for uricosuric agent users.Safe operation of photosynthesis is vital to plants and is ensured by the activity of processes protecting chloroplasts against photo-damage. The harmless dissipation of excess excitation energy is considered to be the primary photoprotective mechanism and is most effective in the combined presence of PsbS protein and zeaxanthin, a xanthophyll accumulated in strong light as a result of the xanthophyll cycle. Here we address the problem of specific molecular mechanisms underlying the synergistic effect of zeaxanthin and PsbS. The experiments were conducted with Arabidopsis thaliana, using wild-type plants, mutants lacking PsbS (npq4), and mutants affected in the xanthophyll cycle (npq1), with the application of molecular spectroscopy and imaging techniques. The results lead to the conclusion that PsbS interferes with the formation of densely packed aggregates of thylakoid membrane proteins, thus allowing easy exchange and incorporation of xanthophyll cycle pigments into such structures. It was found that xanthophylls trapped within supramolecular structures, most likely in the interfacial protein region, determine their photophysical properties. The structures formed in the presence of violaxanthin are characterized by minimized dissipation of excitation energy. In contrast, the structures formed in the presence of zeaxanthin show enhanced excitation quenching, thus protecting the system against photo-damage.Isomerization is an essential chemical process that often evokes dramatic change of chemical, physical, or biological properties. For a long time, isomerization has been known as a transformation that is induced by certain external energy such as light, heat, or mechanical force. Herein, a new isomerization phenomenon is described, which does not require external energy but simply occurs during molecular packing. The proposed isomerization is demonstrated by a series of symmetric donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) molecules, the donor of which may adopt two different stereoisomeric forms. Based on the evidence of the asymmetric isomers in crystals, the occurrence of isomerization during molecular packing is proved. Moreover, the unique asymmetric geometry in the solid state favors the restriction of intramolecular motion, resulting in highly efficient organic solids with quantum yields approaching unity.Non-contrast pelvic computed tomography (CT) can detect severe iliac artery calcifications that present technical contraindications to kidney transplantation (TCT). We screened 454 asymptomatic patients with a history of any of the following hemodialysis >10 years, diabetes mellitus >20 years, coronary artery disease (CAD) with percutaneous or surgical interventions, carotid disease, diabetes with below-/above-knee amputations, and heart-kidney transplantation candidacy. Patients with normal dorsalis pedis and/or tibialis posterior pulses were not screened. A total of 8.4% had severe calcifications with TCT; CT determined laterality for implantation in 13.9%. No patients with the following characteristics were classified as TCT age 20 years, or with CAD, 9.8% had a TCT and CT determined transplant laterality in 14.2%. Screening for severe iliac artery calcifications is useful for selected kidney transplantation candidates over age 40. It can assist with laterality choice or surgeon determination of TCT. Cost and radiation exposure risks should be weighed against the morbidity risks from unnecessary surgery.Ultrafine nanoparticles with organic-inorganic hybridization have essential roles in myriad applications. Over the past three decades, although various efforts on the formation of organic or inorganic ultrasmall nanoparticles have been made, ultrafine organic-inorganic hybrid nanoparticles have scarcely been achieved. Herein, a family of ultrasmall hybrid nanoparticles with a monodisperse, uniform size is synthesized by a facile thermo-kinetics-mediated copolymer monomicelle approach. These thermo-kinetics-mediated monomicelles with amphiphilic ABC triblock copolymers are structurally robust due to their solidified polystyrene core, endowing them with ultrahigh thermodynamic stability, which is difficult to achieve using Pluronic surfactant-based micelles (e.g., F127). This great stability combined with a core-shell-corona structure makes the monodispersed monomicelles a robust template for the precise synthesis of ultrasmall hybrid nanoparticles with a highly uniform size. As a demonstration, the obtained micelles/SiO2 hybrid nanoparticles display ultrafine sizes, excellent uniformity, monodispersity, and tunable structural parameters (diameters 24-47 nm and thin shell thickness 2.
