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Phylogenetic analyses indicate that Parabistichella variabilis is closely related to several species from different genera, such as Orthoamphisiella breviseries, Uroleptoides magnigranulosus, and Tachysoma pellionellum. However, ultrastructural and gene sequence data for more taxa are needed in order to resolve the systematics of Parabistichella.We agree with Zheng and colleagues that a statistical measure of heterogeneity is an important consideration in selecting a fixed or random effects model. However, it should not be considered the sole criterion. In meta-analyses that include small numbers of trials, such as ours, results of tests for heterogeneity should be interpreted with caution, as they may be underpowered. A fixed effects model has been advocated when meta-analysing small number of studies (less than five trials), given the concern about inaccurate estimation of between-study variance (1), as the estimation of τ2 (between-study variance), and therefore of μ (estimate of underlying mean effect), is highly imprecise (2).The common missense sequence variants of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), rs1801131 (c.A1298C) and rs1801133 (c.C677T), favour the development of hyperhomocysteinemia and diminished DNA methylation. Previous studies, carried out in small series and with suboptimal characterization of the hepatic phenotype, tested the association of these genetic variants with fatty liver disease (FLD), with conflicting results. Here, we assessed the association of rs1801131 and rs1801133 with hepatic phenotype in the Liver Biopsy Cross-Sectional Cohort, a large cohort (n=1375 from Italy and 411 from Finland) of European individuals with suspect FLD associated with dysmetabolism. A total of 1786 subjects were analysed by ordinal regression analyses. The rs1801131 and the rs1801133 variants were not associated with steatosis, inflammation, ballooning or fibrosis. The present study suggests that changes in folate and methionine metabolism resulting from these 2 variants are not associated with a clinically significant impact on FLD in Europeans.Aims There is accumulating evidence that excessive salt intake contributes to nocturnal polyuria. We aimed to investigate the relationship between salt intake, leg edema, and nocturnal urine volume (NUV) to assess the etiology of nocturnal polyuria. Methods A total of 56 men aged ≥60 years who were hospitalized for benign prostatic hyperplasia or with suspected prostatic cancer were enrolled. Urine frequency-volume charts of the patients were maintained, and they underwent bioelectrical impedance analysis twice daily (at 500 pm and 600 am) and examination of blood (brain natriuretic peptide levels) and urine (sodium and creatinine levels and osmotic pressure) samples once daily (at 600 am). Free-water clearance, solute clearance, and sodium clearance at night were measured, and daily salt intake was estimated. Results The data of 52 patients were analyzed. Daily salt intake positively correlated with leg edema at 500 pm, differences in leg extracellular fluid levels between 500 pm and 600 am, and NUV, but not with diurnal urine volume. Partial correlation coefficients showed that salt intake was a factor of the correlation between NUV and change in extracellular volume in the legs between 500 pm and 600 am. A multivariate logistic model showed that sleep duration and sodium clearance were independent predictive factors for nocturnal polyuria. Conclusions Sodium intake correlates with diurnal leg edema and NUV in elderly men. These results provide evidence supporting sodium restriction as an effective treatment for nocturnal polyuria.In this study, a simplified, sensitive and reliable LC-tandem mass spectrometry method was established and validated for the quantification of ulipristal acetate (UPA) in human plasma and for the investigation of pharmacokinetic profile of UPA following a single oral administration of ella (UPA 30-mg tablet) in healthy Chinese volunteers. Plasma samples were analyzed after being processed by protein precipitation with methanol. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Kinetex EVO C18 column (2.1 × 50 mm, 2.6 μm) using gradient elution with a mobile phase composed of methanol and water containing 2 mm ammonium acetate and 0.3% formic acid at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. NSC125066 in vitro The chromatographic running time was 4.0 min per sample. The MS detection was performed via an LC system with the positive ion electrospray ionization interface in multiple reaction monitoring mode using the transition of m/z 476.2 → 134.1 for UPA and m/z 479.3 → 416.2 for UPA-d3 [internal standard (IS)], respectively. UPA and IS were monitored without severe interference from the biological matrices. The method was linear over the wide concentration range of 0.300-300 ng/mL. The intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy were well within the limits required for bioanalytical assays. The method was first used to describe the pharmacokinetic characteristic of UPA after a single oral administration of ella in healthy Chinese volunteers. Based on a between-study comparison, there were statistically significant differences (p less then .05) between Chinese and Caucasian volunteers for the systemic exposure of UPA, suggesting that race seems to significantly impact the systemic exposure of UPA.Background Photobiomodulation (PBM) has proven to be effective in different painful conditions. Objectives To assess the effect of photobiomodulation for pain management in burning mouth syndrome (BMS) patients, besides analysing the impact on different aspects of quality of life. Methods A randomized, single-blind, clinical trial was performed among 20 patients with BMS. Photobiomodulation was applied in the study group (n = 10) with a dose of 12 J/cm2 during 10 sessions, comparing with a placebo group (n = 10) with the laser turned off. Pain was assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) before starting each treatment session, and at the 1-month and 4-month follow-up appointments. Some validated questionnaires for general health were also complete SF-36, OHIP-14, Epworth, SCL 90-R and McGill. Results All patients (n = 10) in the study group improved their pain ending treatment and remaining among 90% (n = 9) in the 4-month follow-up. Significant improvement was found in the study group in some sections of McGill questionnaire, Epworth scale, and SCL 90-R at the end of the treatment and in the 1-month and 4-month follow-ups.