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Methods Mol Biol 2019 ;1903:291-316

Department of Systems and Computer Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.

Using existing drugs for diseases which are not developed for their treating (drug repositioning) provides a new approach to developing drugs at a lower cost, faster, and more secured. We proposed a method for drug repositioning which can predict simple and complex relationships between drugs, drug targets, and diseases. Since biological networks typically present a suitable model for relationships between different biological concepts, our primary approach is to analyze graphs and complex networks in the study of drugs and their therapeutic effects. Read More

Methods Mol Biol 2019 ;1903:203-218

Computational Biology, GSK R&D, Collegeville, PA, USA.

Computational prediction of the clinical success or failure of a potential drug target for therapeutic use is a challenging problem. Novel network propagation algorithms that integrate heterogeneous biological networks are proving useful for drug target identification and prioritization. These approaches typically utilize a network describing relationships between targets, a method to disseminate the relevant information through the network, and a method to elucidate new associations between targets and diseases. Read More

Eur J Pediatr 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Clinical Genetics Department, Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.

The filamin A gene (FLNA) on Xq28 encodes the filamin A protein. Mutation in FLNA causes a wide spectrum of disease including skeletal dysplasia, neuronal migration abnormality, cardiovascular malformation, intellectual disability and intestinal obstruction. Recently, childhood-onset interstitial lung disease associated with a range of FLNA mutations has been recognised and reported. Read More

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, PK-46300, Pakistan.

Cadmium and mercury are among the most toxic and dangerous environmental pollutants that may cause fatal implications. Vitamin C is an important chain-breaking antioxidant and enzyme co-factor against heavy metals. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the toxicological effects of cadmium chloride, mercuric chloride, and their co-administration on biochemical parameters of blood serum and metal bioaccumulation in kidneys and also to elucidate the protective effect of vitamin C in rabbits against these metals. Read More

Ecotoxicology 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, km 235, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, Brazil.

The toxicity of metals, whether isolated or in mixtures, involves changes in biochemical processes as well as in cell membranes, which may lead to deleterious short- and long-term effects on the affected organisms. Among metals, cadmium and mercury stand out due to their abundance in nature, frequent use for industrial activities and biological accumulation, with high levels of residence in trophic chains. Benthic communities are particularly prone to metal pollution since metals usually accumulate in sediments. Read More

Planta 2018 Dec 14. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Plant-Microbe Interactions, Department of Biology, Science4Life, Utrecht University, PO Box 80056, 3508 TB, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Main Conclusion: In this genome-wide association study, we obtained novel insights into the genetic basis of the effect of herbivory or drought stress on the level of resistance against the fungus Botrytis cinerea. In nature, plants function in complex environments where they encounter different biotic and abiotic stresses individually, sequentially or simultaneously. The adaptive response to a single stress does not always reflect how plants respond to such a stress in combination with other stresses. Read More

J Spine Surg 2018 Sep;4(3):546-552

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA.

Background: Chordomas are rare malignant tumors of the spinal column often afflicting the upper cervical spine and sacrum. There are few large single center series on chordomas due to its rarity. The purpose of this study is to report a single center's experience with the operative and non-operative management of chordomas. Read More

Sci Adv 2018 Dec 12;4(12):eaau5294. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Complex Systems Research Group, School of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and IT, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.

We examine salient trends of influenza pandemics in Australia, a rapidly urbanizing nation. To do so, we implement state-of-the-art influenza transmission and progression models within a large-scale stochastic computer simulation, generated using comprehensive Australian census datasets from 2006, 2011, and 2016. Our results offer a simulation-based investigation of a population's sensitivity to pandemics across multiple historical time points and highlight three notable trends in pandemic patterns over the years: increased peak prevalence, faster spreading rates, and decreasing spatiotemporal bimodality. Read More

J Clin Transl Endocrinol 2019 Mar 30;15:30-34. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Department of Pediatrics/Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism, Children's of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, CPPII M30, 1601 4th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States.

Aim: Significant knowledge gaps exist regarding lipoprotein profiles in children with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The primary objective was to analyze the type and nature of lipoprotein abnormalities present in children with T2DM and to identify determinants of adverse lipoprotein profiles. The secondary objective was to assess associations with elevated glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), i. Read More

Curr Mol Biol Rep 2018 Dec 20;4(4):151-160. Epub 2018 Sep 20.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA.

Purpose Of Review: The endplates form the interface between the rigid vertebral bodies and compliant intervertebral discs. Proper endplate function involves a balance between conflicting biomechanical and nutritional demands. This review summarizes recent data that highlight the importance of proper endplate function and the relationships between endplate dysfunction, adjacent disc degeneration, and axial low back pain. Read More

Beilstein J Nanotechnol 2018 19;9:2893-2905. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Mechanical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-1021, USA.

Many organisms rely on densely packed, tilted and curved fibers of various dimensions to attach to surfaces. While the high elastic modulus of these fibers enables an extremely large number of fibers per unit area, where each fiber stands freely without sticking to its neighbors, the tilt/curvature provides them with the compliance and the directional adhesion properties to attach strongly and efficiently to a surface. Recent studies have revealed that many of such organisms also feature materials with a graded elastic modulus that is tailored towards improving the contact area without sacrificing the fiber density. Read More

Cureus 2018 Oct 9;10(10):e3432. Epub 2018 Oct 9.

Otolaryngology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, IND.

Cecal leiomyomas are rare benign tumors of smooth muscle arising from the colonic muscularis mucosa or muscularis propria. They are usually asymptomatic in nature and, if symptomatic, may present as pain in the abdomen, intestinal obstruction, or bleeding. In some cases, leiomyoma can cause free perforation leading to peritonitis. Read More

Psychol Violence 2018 Sep 19;8(5):570-579. Epub 2017 Oct 19.

Department of Psychology, University of Toledo, OH, U.S.A.

Objectives: The aims of the present study were to investigate latent classes of sexual victimization among young adult women based on characteristics of their victimization experiences (e.g., relationship with the perpetrator, nature of act, frequency), and examine differences in dimensions of emotion dysregulation across these classes and among non-victims. Read More

Res Involv Engagem 2018 6;4:48. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

1Centre for Research in Public Health and Community Care (CRIPACC), University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, AL10 9AB UK.

Plain English Summary: Involving patients and members of the public to help shape and carry out research is recommended in health research in the United Kingdom (UK). There are a number of regional networks of Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) groups, which support the collaboration between researchers, patients and public members. We are a group of researchers, patients and public members who came together via a PPI regional network in the East of England to collaborate on a research study about the extent of feedback from researchers to PPI contributors. Read More

Contracept Reprod Med 2018 6;3:25. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

3Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics', School of Public Health, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.

Background: Ethiopia is a Sub Saharan African country with an estimated contraceptive prevalence rate of 36% and 22% unmet need for family planning service among married women. Client satisfaction influences the use of Family Planning and other reproductive health services. There is limited information on satisfaction with family planning service among Family planning users particularly in the northern part of Ethiopia. Read More

Biomater Res 2018 6;22:35. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

3Department of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC USA.

Background: Carbonate apatite (COAp) and silica-calcium phosphate composite (SCPC) are bone substitutes with good prospect for dental application. SCPC creates a hydroxyapatite surface layer and stimulate bone cell function while, COAp induce apatite crystal formation with good adaptation providing good seal between cement and the bone. Together, these materials will add favorable properties as a pulp capping material to stimulate mineral barrier and maintain pulp vitality. Read More

Porcine Health Manag 2018 7;4:29. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

Merck Animal Health, 2 Giralda Farms, Madison, NJ 07940 USA.

Background: In practice, field evaluation of vaccine efficacy in individual herds is often based on a historical comparison of productivity data following initiation of vaccination. Being biased by time, this study design highly contrasts the more controlled, parallel-group design used for most initial vaccine efficacy studies but offers the possibility of including a larger number of animals and herds. As an important add-on to previous findings in controlled studies, the objective of this study was to evaluate the field efficacy of the ready-to-use combination vaccine Porcilis® PCV M Hyo (MSD Animal Health) by an observational historical study design using routinely generated herd productivity data. Read More

BMC Obes 2018 6;5:42. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

1Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Department of Health and Caring Science, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bjørnsons gate 45, 5528 Haugesund, Norway.

Background: Overweight and obesity are complex conditions, associated with a wide range of serious health issues. In contemporary society, body size is an important part of a person's self-representation. Lifestyle changes are difficult and long-term weight management is associated with a high risk of failure. Read More

Borderline Personal Disord Emot Dysregul 2018 7;5:19. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

2Department of Psychological Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.

Background: Linehan (1993)'s biosocial model posits that borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms develop as a result of a transactional relationship between pre-existing emotional vulnerability and an invalidating childhood environment. Little work, however, has investigated cultural factors that may influence the relationship between childhood invalidation and BPD symptoms. The present study investigated the association between parental invalidation and BPD symptoms, and the role of conformity and self-construal as potential moderators of this association. Read More

Inflamm Regen 2018 7;38:31. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

1Laboratory of Microenvironmental and Metabolic Health Science, Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655 Japan.

The skin represents one of the tissues that are most profoundly influenced by alterations in the quality of lipids (lipoquality). Lipids not only constitute cellular membranes, but also serve as bioactive lipid mediators and essential components of the skin barrier. Phospholipase A (PLA) enzymes supply fatty acids and lysophospholipids from membrane phospholipids, thereby variably affecting cutaneous homeostasis. Read More

Sustain Sci 2018 6;13(6):1549-1564. Epub 2018 Aug 6.

19University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Cities are currently experiencing serious, multifaceted impacts from global environmental change, especially climate change, and the degree to which they will need to cope with and adapt to such challenges will continue to increase. A complex systems approach inspired by evolutionary theory can inform strategies for policies and interventions to deal with growing urban vulnerabilities. Such an approach would guide the design of new (and redesign of existing) urban structures, while promoting innovative integration of grey, green and blue infrastructure in service of environmental and health objectives. Read More

Sustain Sci 2018 17;13(6):1519-1531. Epub 2018 Jul 17.

10Basque Centre for Climate Change, University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU), Sede Building 1, 1st Floor, Scientific Campus, Leioa, 48940 Bilbao, Spain.

Sustainability is a key challenge for humanity in the context of complex and unprecedented global changes. Future Earth, an international research initiative aiming to advance global sustainability science, has recently launched knowledge-action networks (KANs) as mechanisms for delivering its research strategy. The research initiative is currently developing a KAN on "natural assets" to facilitate and enable action-oriented research and synthesis towards natural assets sustainability. Read More

Eur Rev Aging Phys Act 2018 7;15:16. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

1UCL Department of Primary Care & Population Health, UCL Medical School, Royal Free Campus, Rowland Hill Street, London, NW3 2PF UK.

Background: Previous physical activity (PA) tracking studies have examined the stability of overall PA and/or PA types, but few have investigated how specific types of sport/exercise track over the life course. The aim of this study was to determine how specific sports/exercises in midlife track and predict future sport/exercise and PA in men transitioning to old age.

Methods: Seven thousand seven hundred thirty-five men (aged 40-59 years) recruited in 1978-80 were followed up after 12, 16 and 20 years. Read More

J Exp Neurosci 2018 2;12:1179069518815942. Epub 2018 Dec 2.

Laboratory for Circuit and Behavioral Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan.

The hippocampus encodes memories for past events, but the nature of the hippocampal code subserving this function remains unclear. A prevailing idea, strongly supported by hippocampal physiology, is the Cognitive Map Theory. In this view, episodic memories are anchored to spatial domains, or allocentric frameworks, of experiences, with the hippocampus providing a stable representation of external space. Read More

Egypt J Neurol Psychiatr Neurosurg 2018 27;54(1):39. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

1Research on Children with Special Needs Department, Medical Research division, National Research Centre, Elbuhouth Street, 12622, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt.

Background: Ubiquinone has antioxidant properties and has been linked to cognitive performance in some neuropsychiatric disorders. Its role in specific learning disorder manifestations has not been previously investigated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to measure the blood levels of ubiquinone in a group of children with specific learning disorder in comparison to typically developing children and to investigate the correlation between ubiquinone levels in children with specific learning disorder and some of their intellectual capabilities, reading, spelling and writing performance. Read More

Egypt J Neurol Psychiatr Neurosurg 2018 27;54(1):38. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

3Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Aswan University Hospital, Aswan, Egypt.

Background: Sympathetic skin response (SSR) is a technique to assess the sympathetic cholinergic pathways. Sympathetic dysfunction may participate in the development of pain, which is the major complaint in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to assess the autonomic dysfunction in patients with (SSc) and (RA) using SSR as a simple neurophysiologic test. Read More

Egypt J Neurol Psychiatr Neurosurg 2018 21;54(1):37. Epub 2018 Nov 21.

Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Fayoum City, 63611 Egypt.

Background: Carnitine deficiency is relatively common in epileptic patients. The risk factors reported include the combination of valproic acid with other antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), young age, multiple neurologic disabilities, non-ambulatory status, and being underweight.

Objectives: To study the level of carnitine deficiency and its associated risk factors among a group of children with idiopathic epilepsy treated with different AEDs. Read More

Natl J Maxillofac Surg 2018 Jul-Dec;9(2):232-234

Rama Dental College Hospital and Research Centre, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Odontomas are usually one of the most common odontogenic tumors of the jaw and are perhaps more accurately defined as a hamartoma than a true neoplasm. It is asymptomatic, nonaggressive, slow growing, and benign nature. They are considered to be the malformations of the dental tissue and can sometimes interfere with the eruption of the associated tooth leading to its impaction or delayed eruption. Read More

Natl J Maxillofac Surg 2018 Jul-Dec;9(2):160-166

Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Introduction: Cancer of oral cavity is the uncontrolled expansion of damaged cell within the mouth cavity. 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy was focused to kill the cancer cell, but it would affect the surrounding normal cells during oral cancer treatment. This study included the evaluation of chemoprotective effects of curcumin (CU), as an herbal remedy, on 5-FU-induced-cytotoxicity toward oral cancer treatment, loaded within a nanocarrier system. Read More

J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2018 10;318(3):1587-1596. Epub 2018 Nov 10.

8Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki, 036-8564 Japan.

Distributions of radiocaesium (Cs and Cs) derived from the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP1) accident in the North Pacific Ocean in the summer of 2012 were investigated. We have estimated the radiocaesium inventory in the surface layer using the optimal interpolation analysis and the subducted amount into the central mode water (CMW) by using vertical profiles of FNPP1-Cs and mass balance analysis as the first approach. The inventory of the Cs in the surface layer in the North Pacific Ocean in August-December 2012 was estimated at 5. Read More

Area (Oxf) 2018 Dec 24;50(4):529-541. Epub 2017 Nov 24.

School of Geography and Planning Cardiff University Cardiff UK.

An interview transcript can be a rich source of geographical references whose potential are not always fully realised in their conventional analysis. Geo-referencing techniques can be used to assign a spatial footprint to place names, adding value to these data and allowing the geographic information within them to be exploited when coupled with GIS technology. This paper discusses a method of analysing and visualising interview transcripts in order to understand the spatial extent of public policy practitioners' activities. Read More

Nature 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, London, UK.

We previously reported the presence of amyloid-β protein (Aβ) deposits in individuals with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) who had been treated during childhood with human cadaveric pituitary-derived growth hormone (c-hGH) contaminated with prions. The marked deposition of parenchymal and vascular Aβ in these relatively young individuals with treatment-induced (iatrogenic) CJD (iCJD), in contrast to other prion-disease patients and population controls, allied with the ability of Alzheimer's disease brain homogenates to seed Aβ deposition in laboratory animals, led us to argue that the implicated c-hGH batches might have been contaminated with Aβ seeds as well as with prions. However, this was necessarily an association, and not an experimental, study in humans and causality could not be concluded. Read More

Nature 2018 12;564(7736):318-323

Nature 2018 12;564(7736):354-355

Eye (Lond) 2018 Dec;32(12):1797-1799

In this issue, we acknowledge and thank the reviewers who have been active over the past year. We greatly appreciate their tireless and largely unseen work. It is thanks to them that the quality of papers continues to increase. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 Dec 13;8(1):17825. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Theoretical Quantum Physics Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan.

Cavity-QED systems have recently reached a regime where the light-matter interaction strength amounts to a non-negligible fraction of the resonance frequencies of the bare subsystems. In this regime, it is known that the usual normal-order correlation functions for the cavity-photon operators fail to describe both the rate and the statistics of emitted photons. Following Glauber's original approach, we derive a simple and general quantum theory of photodetection, valid for arbitrary light-matter interaction strengths. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 Dec 13;8(1):17804. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, South Australia, 5095, Australia.

Soft polymer films, such as polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs), are useful coatings in materials science. The properties of PEMs often rely on the degree of hydration, and therefore the study of these films in a hydrated state is critical to allow links to be drawn between their characteristics and performance in a particular application. In this work, we detail the development of a novel soft contact cell for studying hydrated PEMs (poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate)/poly(allylamine hydrochloride)) using FTIR microspectroscopy. Read More

Nat Rev Microbiol 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Nature Reviews Microbiology, .

Nat Rev Immunol 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Nature Reviews Immunology, .

Nat Rev Immunol 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Nature Reviews Immunology, .

Nat Commun 2018 Dec 13;9(1):5295. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, 30332-0400, USA.

The charge-transfer electronic states appearing at the donor-acceptor interfaces in organic solar cells mediate exciton dissociation, charge generation, and charge recombination. To date, the characterization of their nature has been carried out on the basis of models that only involve the charge-transfer state and the ground state. Here, we demonstrate that it is essential to go beyond such a two-state model and to consider explicitly as well the electronic and vibrational couplings with the local absorbing state on the donor and/or acceptor. Read More

Clin Sci (Lond) 2018 Dec 13;132(24):2609-2613. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, U.K.

Hypertonic Na accumulation in peripheral tissues is a recently described phenomenon: it has been associated with ageing, hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and heart failure, but its clinical meaning has yet to be determined. This concept conflicts with the classic physiological paradigm of constant balance between salt intake and excretion, and its water-independent nature is still a matter of debate.We developed a theoretical model explaining changes in the chemical composition of tissues as a function of extracellular volume fraction and excess extracellular fluid, i. Read More

Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging 2018 Oct 9. Epub 2018 Oct 9.

Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Background: In obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), actions persist despite being inappropriate to the situation and without relationship to the overall goal. Dysfunctional beliefs have traditionally been postulated to underlie this condition. More recently, OCD has been characterized in terms of an imbalance between the goal-directed and the habit systems. Read More

Burns 2018 Dec 10. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. Electronic address:

Introduction: For severe burns patient care presents a considerable challenge, necessitating an integrated multi-disciplinary approach that utilises a range of treatments. The period of care post-discharge can be lengthy and complex, and include scar management, occupational and physiotherapies, psychological support, and further surgery. How successfully the patient negotiates this complex care regimen is critical to their long-term recovery and in doing so they would appear to employ approaches recognised as "self-management" in other chronic conditions. Read More

Cortex 2018 Nov 17. Epub 2018 Nov 17.

Psychological Sciences Research Institute, Institute of Neuroscience, University of Louvain, Belgium; Université de Lorraine, CNRS, CRAN, Nancy, France; Université de Lorraine, CHRU-Nancy, Service de Neurologie, Nancy, France. Electronic address:

Following brain damage, the patient PS suffers from selective impairment in recognizing individuals by their faces, i.e., prosopagnosia. Read More

Syst Rev 2018 Dec 13;7(1):232. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.

Background: Existing evidence on the association between exposure to bullying and sleep is limited and inconclusive. The aims of this planned systematic review and meta-analysis are therefore (1) to determine whether exposure to workplace bullying is related to changes in sleep function and (2) to establish mediating and moderating factors that govern the relationship between bullying and sleep.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis will be conducted. Read More

BMC Biol 2018 Dec 13;16(1):145. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, North Avenue, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.

Background: Increases in biological complexity and the origins of life's hierarchical organization are described by the "major transitions" framework. A crucial component of this paradigm is that after the transition in complexity or organization, adaptation occurs primarily at the level of the new, higher-level unit. For collective-level adaptations to occur, though, collective-level traits-properties of the group, such as collective size-must be heritable. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2018 Dec 13;18(1):653. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry and Microbiology, IRCCS Orthopedic Institute Galeazzi, Milan, Italy.

Background: Infections of the ears, paranasal sinuses, nose and throat are very common and represent a serious issue for the healthcare system. Bacterial biofilms have been linked to upper respiratory tract infections and antibiotic resistance, raising serious concerns regarding the therapeutic management of such infections. In this context, novel strategies able to fight biofilms may be therapeutically beneficial and offer a valid alternative to conventional antimicrobials. Read More

BMC Fam Pract 2018 Dec 13;19(1):196. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

School of Allied Health, Faculty of Education & Health Sciences, Health Sciences Building, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.

Background: Identification of perinatal mental health problems and effective care for women who experience them are important considering the potentially serious impact that they may have on the wellbeing of the woman, her baby, family and wider society. General practitioners (GPs) play a central role in identifying and supporting women and this study aimed to explore GPs' experiences of caring for women with perinatal mental health problems in primary care. The results of this study may provide guidance to inform policy, practice, research and development of curriculum and continuous professional development resources. Read More

Anal Chem 2018 Dec 14. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

The mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) definitely reflects mitochondrial function. Thus, it is very essential to found a physical parameter as MMP indicator. At present, available parameters are either fluorescent intensity of monochromatic probes such as rhodamine 123 or a ratio of fluorescent intensity at different wavelengths of dual-color dyes such as JC-1, but the inconvenience in practice as well as serious effect of loading concentrations on experimental results limited their application. Read More