Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3001/3/5/1057
Highlights of Kennedy's Disease
Agustina Pia Marengo, Fernando Guerrero Perez, Rocio Valera Yepes and Carles Villabona Artero
Article Type: Letter to the Editor | First Published: September 23, 2016
The pathogenesis of KD is the polymorphic CAG (cytosine, adenine, guanine) tandem-repeat expansion above 40 repeats in exon 1 of the androgen receptor (AR) gene on chromosome Xq11-12. In normal population the number of CAG codons usually ranges from 12 to 25, with an average size of 21-22. The polymorphism involving the CAD triplet repeat expansion of the AR gene, coding for a polyglutamine tract in the N-terminal transactivation domain of the AR protein, has been involved either in endocrine or...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3001/3/5/1056
The Prevalence of Spasticity in Veterans Living in a Long-Term Care Facility
Maxim Turchan, Taylor S Hudson, Chandler E Gill, Amanda D Currie, Anna L Molinari, Mallory L Hacker, Fenna T Phibbs, Christopher Tolleson, Sarah H Millan, Lauren E Heusinkveld, Candace J Grisham and David Charles
Article Type: Original Research | First Published: September 01, 2016
All facility residents and their medical decision makers (if necessary) were approached for enrollment in this study. After consent was obtained, two neurologists specializing in movement disorders independently conducted a brief physical examination to ascertain the presence or absence of spasticity. The prevalence of spasticity in veterans residing in this long-term care facility was 33% (14/43). Forty-three percent (6/14) of subjects determined to have spasticity had at least one sign of spas...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3664/1410018
Protease Biosensors Based on Peptide-Nanocellulose Conjugates: From Molecular Design to Dressing Interface
J Vincent Edwards, Krystal R Fontenot, Nicolette T Prevost, David Haldane, Nicole Pircher, Falk Liebner, Alfred French and Brian D Condon
Article Type: Research Article | First Published: August 19, 2016
The development of point of care diagnostic protease sensors applied to wound healing has received increased interest in chronic wound treatment as an interface for chronic wound dressings. Biosensor technology and the use of nanomaterials have grown exponentially in recent years. A biosensor is fundamentally a biomolecule (functioning as a transducer) attached to a transducer surface, which is activated by a biochemical property that prompts a detection signal specific to a target biomarker. Fo...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3672/1410023
Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) Encoded Dutpase Exacerbates the Immune pathology of Lupus Nephritis In Vivo
Nicholas A Young, Marshall V Williams, Wael N Jarjour, Michael S Bruss, Brad Bolon, Samir Parikh, Anjali Satoskar and Maria Eugenia Ariza
Article Type: Original Research | First Published: August 20, 2016
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is an environmental factor with strong links to systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) pathogenesis; however, the mechanism(s) remains unclear. The goal of this study was to determine whether the EBV protein "deoxyuridine triphosphate nucleotidohydrolase (dUTPase)", which can induce aberrant immune responses, contributes to the immunopathology of lupus nephritis (LN). Using the NZM2410/J SLE mouse model, we demonstrated that intramuscular injections of EBV-dUTPase protein (10...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-2951/1410087
Validation and Simplification of a Scoring Model Derived for Prediction of Poor Coronary Collateral Circulation in Acute Non-St Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Mehmet İleri, Koray Gursel, Funda Basyigit, Pınar Turker Bayır, Deniz Sahin, Umit Guray, Ozgul Ucar, Burak Acer and Yahya Buyukasık
Article Type: Research Article | First Published: September 20, 2016
Determinants of coronary collateral circulation (CCC) in human heart are still incompletely identified. In acute non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), abrupt vessel occlusion results in myocardial necrosis in the jeopardized area. Angiographic collaterals to myocardial tissue distal to an acutely occluded coronary vessel can reduce infarct size and risk for post-infarct complications as well as infarct related mortality. These prognostic implications of collateral function, makes it n...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2377-4630/3/4/1053
Perioperative Management of Patients Refusing Blood Products
Rispoli Marco, Bizzarri Federico Tommaso, Zani Gianluca, Agnoletti Vanni, Corcione Antonio, Buono Salvatore and Fusari Maurizio
Article Type: Review Article | First Published: October 03, 2016
The Jehovah's Witnesses are best known to outsider for their refusal of blood products, even such a refusal may result in death. In years, a "bloodless surgery" was developed with the aim of avoid blood transfusions and improve patient outcome, shifting from a product-centred to a patient-centred approach. An accurate teamwork is needed to define a perioperative transfusion-alternative program, individualized for patients' characteristics and surgical procedure. The objective of this article is ...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3656/1410140
An Ileal Perforation Associated with Extended Spectrum β-Lactamases-Producing Escherichia Coli: Medical Case Report
Michael Owusu, Augustina Annan, Nimako Sarpong, Ellis Owusu-Dabo, Yaw Adu-Sarkodie, Kwadwo Sarfo Marfo, Isaac Osei and Kofi Tawiah Mensah
Article Type: Case Report | First Published: November 16, 2016
Intestinal perforation is one of the leading fatal causes of death among individuals mostly in developing countries. Although many reports have associated perforations with typhoid infections, reports on the role of other bacterial pathogens especially resistant strains in causing ileal perforations are limited. We report a rare case of ileal perforation associated with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) - producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) in Ghana....
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3656/1410139
Transcatheter Closure Combined with Antibiotic Therapies for Patients with Infective Endocarditis and Congenital Heart Disease
Boli Ran, Minfeng Li, Yeqing Li, Yang Lin, Weimin Liu, Qiulin Luo, Yongxin Fu, Qianmei Tang, Ya Yang and Yunfei Pu
Article Type: Case Report | First Published: November 12, 2016
The experience of transcatheter closure combined with antibiotic therapies at our cardiovascular center was retrospectively analyzed in 5 cases of infective endocarditis with congenital heart disease. Transcatheter closure was performed at least 7 to 10 days after the patient's body temperature had recovered normal following effective antibiotic therapies, and after cardiac vegetations were not detected by echocardiography....