Τετάρτη 16 Ιουνίου 2021

Dracorhodin perchlorate enhances wound healing via β-catenin, ERK/p38, and AKT signaling in human HaCaT keratinocytes

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Exp Ther Med. 2021 Aug;22(2):822. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10254. Epub 2021 Jun 2.

ABSTRACT

Dracorhodin can be isolated from the exudates of the fruit of Daemonorops draco. Previous studies suggested that dracorhodin perchlorate can promote fibroblast proliferation and enhance angiogenesis during wound healing. In the present study, the potential bioactivity of dracorhodin perchlorate in human HaCaT keratinocytes, were investigated in vitro, with specific focus on HaCaT wound healing. The results of in vitro scratch assay demonstrated the progressive closure of the wound after treatment with dracorhodin perchlorate in a time-dependent manner. An MTT assay and propidium iodide exclusion detected using flow cytometry were used to detect cell viability of HaCaT cells. Potential signaling pathways underlying the effects mediated by dracorhodin perchlorate in HaCaT cells were clarified by western blot analysis and kinase a ctivity assays. Dracorhodin perchlorate significantly increased the protein expression levels of β-catenin and activation of AKT, ERK and p38 in HaCaT cells. In addition, dracorhodin perchlorate did not induce HaCaT cell proliferation but promoted cell migration. Other mechanisms may yet be involved in the dracorhodin perchlorate-induced wound healing process of human keratinocytes. In summary, dracorhodin perchlorate may serve to be a potential molecularly-targeted phytochemical that can improve skin wound healing.

PMID:34131445 | PMC:PMC8193218 | DOI:10.3892/etm.2021.10254

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Review of the measles epidemic in children from Central Eastern Europe in the third millennium

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Exp Ther Med. 2021 Aug;22(2):816. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10248. Epub 2021 Jun 2.

ABSTRACT

Measles is an extremely contagious viral disease. Even though a safe vaccine exists for this disease, it remains one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in infants and young children. We aimed to create a retrospective descriptive study in which to analyze the evolution of the measles epidemic at the European level. The documentation was carried out using European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) statistics. At the same time, we present the epidemic's evolution in Romania, using data provided by the Romanian National Institute of Public Health and Ministry of Health. European statistical data indicate a high number of patients diagnosed with measles both among children and adults. All European countries benefit from the measles vaccination in the form of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR ) trivaccine included in their National Vaccination Programme. The vaccination schedule varies from country to country. In the vaccination scheme, most European countries include two doses of the MMR vaccine among the pediatric population. Romania registered a limited number of cases of measles between 1980 and 2015 following the introduction of the measles vaccination in the National Vaccination Programme. Since 2005, the Romanian vaccination schedule includes two doses of MMR trivaccine, administered at 12 months and at 6-7 years. After 2015, as a result of a significant decrease in the number of vaccinated children, Romania is facing a major increase in the cases of measles. Consecutively, a measles epidemic was declared in 2016 and an additional dose of mandatory MMR trivaccine was introduced at the age of 9 months. After 4 years of this schedule of administration, starting with August 2020, the additional dose of MMR administered during infancy has been discontinued. We propose an analysis of the factors that influenced the downward evolution of the measles epidemic in Romania at the beginning of the third millennium. Issues related to the limitation of interpersonal contact in the context of the social distancing imposed by the Sars-CoV-2 virus pandemic are discussed. We consider necessary a detailed documentation of the percentage of new disease cases that will appear in the pediatric population in the near future, in the context of the resumption of daily activity after the reopening of nurseries, kindergartens and schools.

PMID:34131439 | PMC:PMC8193220 | DOI:10.3892/etm.2021.10248

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Using Ultrasound to Document the Effects of Expiratory Muscle Strength Training (EMST) on the Geniohyoid Muscle

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Dysphagia. 2021 Jun 16. doi: 10.1007/s00455-021-10328-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Expiratory muscle strength training (EMST) is an exercise program designed to strengthen the muscles of expiration by increasing expiratory load during breathing exercises using either resistive or pressure threshold devices. Previous research has shown that EMST may increase submental suprahyoid muscle activity as measured with surface electromyography. The impact of EMST on submental muscles is of interest to those who treat dysphagia. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the cross-sectional area of the geniohyoid muscle changes as observed with ultrasound during a 5-week EMST program performed at 75% of maximum expiratory strength using the EMST150 device in healthy adults. Ten healthy adults participated in the 5-week program. Maximum expiratory pressure (MEP) and cross-sectional area of the geniohyoid muscle were measured weekly. Geniohyoid cross-sectional area was measured from ultrasound images recorded in the coronal plane. Repeated Measures ANOVA was used to determine whether there were significant changes among the dependent variables over the study period. Both MEP and geniohyoid area increased significantly in response to a 5-week program of EMST. EMST in healthy adults is effective at strengthening the geniohyoid muscle as reflected by significantly increased cross-sectional area measured with B-mode ultrasound. This is the first study to docume nt weekly change in muscle morphology as a result of EMST. Increasing geniohyoid muscle mass and consequent strength through a program of EMST may be beneficial for persons with pharyngeal stage dysphagia resulting from reduced hyolaryngeal elevation, reduced laryngeal closure, or reduced UES opening.

PMID:34132896 | DOI:10.1007/s00455-021-10328-x

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Biologics in Otolaryngology: Triumphs, Challenges, and New Possibilities

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Therapeutic agents derived from living sources, including microorganisms, plants, animals, and humans, are known as "biologics." These agents have had a major impact on all subspecialties of otolaryngology in recent decades. For example, botulinum toxin has diverse applications in laryngology, facial plastic surgery, and the treatment of some salivary gland disorders. Monoclonal antibodies targeting specific cytokines have become indispensable to rhinologists for the treatment of nasal polyposis.
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Benefiting Otolaryngology Patients with Biologics

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Biologics, or biological medications, are used to prevent, treat, and cure disease. These drugs are developed from blood, proteins, viruses, and living organisms and from a variety of living sources, including mammals, birds, insects, plants, and bacteria. They can be made of tiny components like sugars, proteins, or DNA, or can be from whole cells or tissues. They have been used commonly in Medicine. We are all familiar with the biological medications such as Botox (botulinum toxin or onabotulinumtoxina) used for muscle tension, migraines, and wrinkles, and Lantus (long-acting insulin or insulin glargine) used for diabetes mellitus.
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The Dysphonia Severity Index as a mediator for the relationship between the Vocal Fatigue Index and the Voice-Related Quality of Life among Elementary Teachers with Voice Complaint

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The multi-causal nature of voice disorders is required to be evaluated systematically and in different ways to determine the exact nature of the disorder. Given the importance of voice for teachers, the present study was designed to investigate the causal relationship between vocal fatigue index (VFI) and the voice-related quality of life (VRQOL) with the mediating role of the dysphonia severity index (DSI) among teachers with voice complaints.
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Postoperative functional evaluation of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome by computational fluid dynamics

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty and the corresponding postoperative airflow. Eleven patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome who complained of snoring and apnea were enrolled in this study. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was implemented. CFD could be accomplished in nine cases. Airflow analysis was not possible in cases with a high respiratory event index (REI) score. Before surgery, stenosis was identified in the oropharynx and epiglottic area. And the airflow velocity and pressure were found to have significantly decreased in the oropharynx postoperatively, while in the epiglottic area, those data had increased postoperatively in some cases. The velocity and pressure of the oropharynx are related to REI score. From the CFD analysis, airflow analysis is important for evaluating the apnea state. It is suggested that the postoperative function can now be predicted preoperatively.

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An MRI study of typical anatomical variants of the anterior communicating artery complex

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Surg Radiol Anat. 2021 Jun 16. doi: 10.1007/s00276-021-02782-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This magnetic resonance imaging study examined the most frequent anatomical variants of the anterior communicating artery (ACoA) complex of the cerebral arterial circle, and aimed to determine whether they were associated with ACoA complex aneurysm.

METHODS: The study enrolled 669 patients. Using three-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography, 617 p atients were classified into the following groups based on the anatomical variation in the ACoA complex: no ACoA complex anomaly; ACoA complex aneurysm; and vascular anomaly distant from the cerebral arterial circle.

RESULTS: Of the 617 classified subjects, the classical anatomical description applied to 48.73% in the no ACoA complex anomaly group and 37.5% in the ACoA complex aneurysm group. One variant (left anterior cerebral artery segment A1 hypoplasia) was significantly more frequent in the ACoA complex aneurysm group. There was no sex difference in the prevalence of any variant.

CONCLUSIONS: Anatomical variants of the ACoA complex of the cerebral arterial circle were found in almost half of the subjects. One variant seemed to be associated with a higher likelihood of an aneurysm, but causality could not be inferred.

PMID:34132869 | DOI:10.1007/s00276-021-02782-x

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Defect Engineering of Nanoscale Hf-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks for Highly Efficient Iodine Capture

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Inorg Chem. 2021 Jun 16. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.1c01120. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

With the rapid development of the nuclear industry, how to deal with radioactive iodine waste in a timely and effective manner has become an important issue to be solved urgently. Herein, the defect-engineering strategy has been applied to develop a metal-organic framework (MOF)-based solid adsorbent by using the classical UiO-type Hf-UiO-66 as an example. After simple acid treatment, the p roduced defect-containing Hf-UiO-66 (DHUN) not only retains its topological structure, high crystallization, and regular shape but also shows a great increase in the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller value and pore size in comparison with the original Hf-UiO (HUN). These formed defects within DHUN have been demonstrated to be important for the great enhancement of the iodine capture and following application in computed tomography imaging in vitro. This present work gives a new insight into the control and formation of defect sites, and this simple and efficient defect-engineering strategy also shows great promise for the development of novel solid adsorbents and other functional MOF materials.

PMID:34133146 | DOI:< a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.1c01120" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="underlink bluelink" tabindex="-1">10.1021/acs.inorgchem.1c01120

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The kidnapping of mitochondrial function associated with the SARS-CoV-2 infection

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Histol Histopathol. 2021 Jun 16:18354. doi: 10.14670/HH-18-354. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Infection by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) leads to multi-organ failure associated with a cytokine storm and septic shock. The virus evades the mitochondrial production of interferons through its N protein and, from that moment on, it hijacks the functions of these organelles. The aim of this study was to show how the virus kidnaps the mitochondrial machinery for its benefit and survival, leading to alterations of serum parameters and to nitrosative stress (NSS). In a prospective cohort of 15 postmortem patients who died from COVID-19, six markers of mitochondrial function (COX II, COX IV, MnSOD, nitrotyrosine, Bcl-2 and caspase-9) were analyzed by the immune colloidal gold technique in samples from the lung, heart, and liver. Biometric laboratory results from these patients showed alterations in hemoglobin , platelets, creatinine, urea nitrogen, glucose, C-reactive protein, albumin, D-dimer, ferritin, fibrinogen, Ca²⁺, K⁺, lactate and troponin. These changes were associated with alterations in the mitochondrial structure and function. The multi-organ dysfunction present in COVID-19 patients may be caused, in part, by damage to the mitochondria that results in an inflammatory state that contributes to NSS, which activates the sepsis cascade and results in increased mortality in COVID-19 patients.

PMID:34132382 | DOI:10.14670/HH-18-354

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Special MRI Techniques to Suss out Spontaneous Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks

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Top Magn Reson Imaging. 2021 Jun 1;30(3):159-166. doi: 10.1097/RMR.0000000000000281.

ABSTRACT

Anterior skull base cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistulas result from skull base osteodural defects, allowing subarachnoid space CSF to escape into pneumatized cavities such as the paranasal sinuses and nasal fossa. Precise localization, characterization, and effective treatment of CSF leaks is essential to prevent meningitis, treatment failure, or recurrence. Advances in magnetic resonance imaging have improved radiologists' ability to localize and characterize anterior skull base CSF fistulas. This article reviews new imaging techniques enabling diagnostic location of CSF fistulas, with an emphasis on magnetic resonance imaging-based techniques.

PMID:34096899 | DOI:10.1097/RMR.0000000000000281

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