Juice of Bryophyllum pinnatum (Lam.) inhibits oxytocin-induced increase of the intracellular calcium concentration in human myometrial cells

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20381326

SphK1 regulates proinflammatory responses associated with endotoxin and polymicrobial sepsis

During sepsis, activation of phagocytes leads to the overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines, causing systemic inflammation. Despite substantial information regarding the underlying molecular mechanisms that lead to sepsis, several elements in the pathway remain to be elucidated. We found that the enzyme sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1) is up-regulated in stimulated human phagocytes and in peritoneal phagocytes of patients with severe sepsis. Blockade of SphK1 inhibited phagocyte production of endotoxin-induced proinflammatory cytokines. We observed protection against sepsis in mice treated with a specific SphK1 inhibitor that was enhanced by treatment with a broad-spectrum antibiotic. These results demonstrated a critical role for SphK1 in endotoxin signaling and sepsis-induced inflammatory responses and suggest that inhibition of SphK1 is a potential therapy for septic shock.

Pressure-cornea-vascular index (PCVI) for predicting disease progression in normal tension glaucoma

It has been shown that the pressure-to-cornea index (PCI), which estimates the relative effects of intraocular pressure (IOP) and central corneal thickness (CCT), may differentiate between glaucoma and non-glaucoma states. The authors investigated the utility of the pressure-cornea-vascular index (PCVI) in predicting field-progression in patients with normal tension glaucoma (NTG).

The transcription factor encyclopedia

Here we present the Transcription Factor Encyclopedia (TFe), a new web-based compendium of mini review articles on transcription factors (TFs) that is founded on the principles of open access and collaboration. Our consortium of over 100 researchers has collectively contributed over 130 mini review articles on pertinent human, mouse and rat TFs. Notable features of the TFe website include a high-quality PDF generator and web API for programmatic data retrieval. TFe aims to rapidly educate scientists about the TFs they encounter through the delivery of succinct summaries written and vetted by experts in the field.

Behavioral Assessment of Core ADHD Symptoms Using the QbTest

Objective: Hyperactivity, one of the core symptoms of ADHD, has been mostly neglected in neuropsychological assessment of childhood ADHD. The neuropsychological Quantified behavior Test (QbTest) separately assesses all three core symptoms of ADHD on a behavioral level. Factor structure of the QbTest and its concurrent and discriminant validity are presented. Method: An exploratory factor analysis (n = 828 children) was performed. In a second sample (n = 102 children) a Multi-Trait-Multi-Method (MTMM) approach was used for validity analyses. Results: A three factorial model explained 76 % of the total variance, with the resulting QbTest factors significantly influenced by age and gender. The MTMM approach yielded promising results for discriminant, yet inconsistent findings for concurrent validity between the QbTest and another attention test as well as for Conners' Parent and Teacher Rating Scales. Conclusion: Results indicate that the QbTest may be helpful for the behavioral assessment of childhood ADHD, yet further studies on its psychometric quality and clinical utility are needed. (J. of Att. Dis. 2012; XX(X) 1-XX).

Bryophyllum pinnatum inhibits detrusor contractility in porcine bladder strips--a pharmacological study towards a new treatment option of overactive bladder

A broad spectrum of synthetic agents is available for the treatment of overactive bladder. Anti-cholinergic drugs show a poor compliance due to side effects. There is an increasing use of plant extracts in medicine. We have therefore investigated the inhibitory effects of leaf press juice from Bryophyllum pinnatum (Lam.) Oken (Kalanchoe pinnata L.) on bladder strips and compared the effects to that of oxybutynin.

Consensus standards for acquisition, measurement, and reporting of intravascular optical coherence tomography studies: a report from the International Working Group for Intravascular Optical Coherence Tomography Standardization and Validation

The purpose of this document is to make the output of the International Working Group for Intravascular Optical Coherence Tomography (IWG-IVOCT) Standardization and Validation available to medical and scientific communities, through a peer-reviewed publication, in the interest of improving the diagnosis and treatment of patients with atherosclerosis, including coronary artery disease.

Negative laparotomy in trauma: are we getting better?

One of the trauma surgeons' daily challenges is the balancing act between negative laparotomy and missed abdominal injury. We opted to characterize the indications that prompted a negative trauma exploratory laparotomy and the rate of missed abdominal injuries in an effort to optimize patient selection for laparotomy. At the Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center, negative laparotomies and missed injuries are consecutively captured and reviewed at the weekly mortality + morbidity (MM) conferences. All written reports of the MM meetings from January 2003 to December 2008 were reviewed to identify all patients who underwent a negative laparotomy or a laparotomy as a result of an initially missed abdominal injury. Over the 6-year study period, a total of 1871 laparotomies were performed, of which 73 (3.9%) were negative. The rate of missed injuries requiring subsequent laparotomy was 1.3 per cent (25 of 1871). The negative laparotomy rate and the rate of missed injuries did not vary significantly during the study period (2.8 to 4.7%, P = 0.875, and 0.7 to 2.9%, P = 0.689). Penetrating mechanisms accounted for the majority of negative laparotomies (58.9%). The primary indication for negative laparotomy was peritonitis (54.8%) followed by hypotension (28.8%) and suspicious computed tomographic scan findings (27.4%). The complication rate after negative laparotomy was 14.5 per cent, and of these, 10.1 per cent were directly related to the procedure. A low but steady rate of negative laparotomies and missed abdominal injuries after trauma remains. Negative laparotomies and missed abdominal injuries when they occur are still associated with significant complication rates and a prolonged length of stay.

Biochemical profile and outcomes in trauma patients subjected to open cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a prospective observational pilot study

The predictive factors to regain a heartbeat following emergency department resuscitative thoracotomy (EDT) for trauma are poorly understood. The objective of the present study was to prospectively assess the electrolyte profile, coagulation parameters, and acid-base status from intracardiac blood samples in trauma patients subjected to open cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the presence of established cardiac arrest.

Estrogen-stimulated endothelial repair requires osteopontin

OBJECTIVE: Estradiol (E(2)) is known to accelerate reendothelialization and thus prevent intimal thickening and in-stent restenosis after angioplasty. Transplantation experiments with ERalpha(-/-) mice have previously shown that E(2) acts through local and bone marrow cell compartments to enhance endothelial healing. However, the downstream mechanisms induced by E(2) to mediate endothelial repair are still poorly understood. METHODS AND RESULTS: We show here that after endovascular carotid artery injury, E(2)-enhanced endothelial repair is lost in osteopontin-deficient mice (OPN(-/-)). Transplantation of OPN(-/-) bone marrow into wild-type lethally irradiated mice, and vice versa, suggested that osteopontin plays a crucial role in both the local and the bone marrow actions of E(2). In the vascular compartment, using transgenic mice expressing doxycyclin regulatable-osteopontin, we show that endothelial cell specific osteopontin overexpression mimics E(2)-enhanced endothelial cell migration and proliferation in the regenerating endothelium. In the bone marrow cell compartment, we demonstrate that E(2) enhances bone marrow-derived mononuclear cell adhesion to regenerating endothelium in vivo, and that this effect is dependent on osteopontin. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate here that E(2) acceleration of the endothelial repair requires osteopontin, both for bone marrow-derived cell recruitment and for endothelial cell migration and proliferation.

Electroencephalographic changes and seizures in familial hemiplegic migraine patients with the CACNA1A gene S218L mutation

The S218L CACNA1A mutation has been previously described in two families with familial hemiplegic migraine. We present three siblings with the mutation with the novel association of childhood seizures, and highlight the dynamic changes seen on electroencephalography during hemiplegic migraine attacks. Depressed activity contralateral to the hemiparesis was seen on electroencephalography during acute hemiplegic migraine attacks, which may be due to changes to calcium channels caused by the S218L mutation. Both parents were asymptomatic and did not carry the S218L mutation in their blood. This suggests the presence of mosaicism in the transmitting parent.