Parenchymal calcification is associated with the neurological prognosis in patients with congenital rubella syndrome

Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) results from maternal rubella virus infection in early pregnancy. Abnormal neuroimaging findings have been analyzed in a small number of CRS patients in the past; however, their clinical significance has been poorly addressed. Therefore, we have investigated the neuroimaging findings of 31 patients with CRS from previous studies. The most common finding was parenchymal calcification, which was observed in 18 of 31 patients (58.1%). A multivariable logistic regression model showed that it was associated with psychomotor or mental retardation (p = 0.018), suggesting that parenchymal calcification in CRS could be a prognostic factor.     

Genetic and epigenetic alterations of the EGFR and mutually independent association with BRCA1, MGMT,and RASSF1A methylations in Vietnamese lung adenocarcinomas

Genetic and epigenetic alterations importantly contribute to the pathogenesis of lung cancer. In the study, we measured the frequency and distribution of molecular abnormalities of EGFR as well as the aberrant promoter methylations of BRCA1, MGMT, MLH1, and RASSF1A in Vietnamese lung adenocarcinomas. We investigated the association between genetic and epigenetic alteration, and between each abnormality with clinicopathologic parameters. Somatic EGFR mutation that was found in 49/139 (35.3%) lung adenocarcinomas showed a significant association with young age, female gender, and non-smokers. EGFR overexpression was identified in 82 tumors (59.0%) and statistical relationships with EGFR or BRCA1 methylation but not EGFR mutation. In addition, EGFR, BRCA1, MGMT, MLH1, and RASSF1A methylations were found in 33 (23.7%), 41 (29.5%), 46 (33.1%), 28 (20.1%), and 41 (29.5%) cases of a total of 139 lung adenocarcinomas, respectively. The RASSF1A methylation was found to be linked to the smoking habit. Methylations in MGMT and RASSF1A were also found to correlate with metastasis status. Furthermore, the distribution of EGFR mutation and that of BRCA1, MGMT or RASSF1A methylation were significantly exclusive in lung adenocarcinomas. The main finding of our study demonstrate that epigenetic abnormalities might play a critical role for the lung tumorigenesis in patients with smoking history and metastasis, and partly affect the predictive value of EGFR mutations through blocking expression due to promoter EGFR hypermethylation. Mutually exclusive distribution of genetic and epigenetic alterations reflects differently biological characteristics in the etiology of lung adenocarcinomas.     

Validating the use of two-item measures of pain beliefs and coping strategies for a veteran population.

Previous research has demonstrated that 2-item versions of subscales from the Chronic Pain Coping Inventory, Coping Strategy Questionnaire, and the Survey of Pain Attitudes appear adequately reliable and valid for use in studies with large sample sizes. It was suggested that use of the abbreviated scales might help to expand the testing and application of cognitive-behavioral models of pain to new settings and with new populations where assessment burden might be a key issue. This study explored the utility of these brief scales among veterans in a Veterans Affairs setting. Strong associations were found between the 2-item versions and their respective parent scales. In addition, the 2-item scales were found to be associated with other pain-related measures, supporting their predictive validity. The results of this study replicate previous findings and offer support for the use of the 2-item versions for both screening and research purposes in Veterans Affairs settings with a veteran population. PERSPECTIVE: This article presents the psychometric properties of brief versions of 3 commonly used pain coping and belief questionnaires in a unique population. These measures could be used clinically for initial screening purposes, as well as for treatment monitoring.     

Hydroxytelechelic polybutadiene, 12. Polymerization reactions between hydroxytelechelic polybutadiene with hexamethylene diisocyanate or 4,4′-methylenedi(phenyl isocyanate). Kinetics of polymerization in toluene and in the bulk

Addition polymerization of hydroxytelechelic polybutadiene (HTPB) with hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI) with a mole ratio NCO/OH = 0,8 in dilute solution of toluene as well as in bulk follows apparent 3rd order kinetics. The polymerization rates are twice as sensitive to temperature as in toluene, an effect which is attributed to intra- and/or intermolecular (OH, OH) auto-association. The three alcoholic functions in HTPB are catalyzed equally by dibutyltin dilaurate. Even with high excess of NCO, free alcoholic functions were found in the product. They were determined quantitatively in moulded polyurethane sheets from HTPB + HMDI and HTPB + 4,4′-methylenedi(phenyl isocyanate) which should be partially crosslinked:     

Low molecular weight poly(imide-amide)s obtained by copolycondensation of 4,4′-methylenedi(phenyl isocyanate), trimellitic anhydride and benzoic acid in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, 3. Absolute number-average molecular weights and glass transition temperatures

In depth study of low molecular weight poly(imide-amide)s (PIA) obtained by copolycondensation of 4,4′-methylenedi(phenyl isocyanate), trimellitic anhydride and benzoic acid by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and size-exclusion chromatography allows the determination of their absolute number-average molecular weights M?_{n, abs}. Viscosimetric measurements reveal that, dissolved in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, these low molecular weight PIAs should be semi-rigid because of the presence of very short crystalline chains. By using the semi-empirical Fox-Flory relation, the extrapolated glass transition temperature equals 300°C for high molecular weight.     

Fatal avian influenza A (H5N1) in a child presenting with diarrhea followed by coma

In southern Vietnam, a four-year-old boy presented with severe diarrhea, followed by seizures, coma, and death. The cerebrospinal fluid contained 1 white cell per cubic millimeter, normal glucose levels, and increased levels of protein (0.81 g per liter). The diagnosis of avian influenza A (H5N1) was established by isolation of the virus from cerebrospinal fluid, fecal, throat, and serum specimens. The patient's nine-year-old sister had died from a similar syndrome two weeks earlier. In both siblings, the clinical diagnosis was acute encephalitis. Neither patient had respiratory symptoms at presentation. These cases suggest that the spectrum of influenza H5N1 is wider than previously thought.     

Personality of the parkinsonian. Clinical and psychometric approach

The personality of patients suffering from Parkinson's disease has been considered as the basis of a psychosomatic theory or more simply as a form of reaction. Between these two extremes the controversy continues and is modified by the use of dopaminergic agents. In this study, 30 patients suffering from parkinson's disease undergo a psychological examination and a M.M.P.I.; the results allow us to determine a pre-morbid obsessive personality coupled with agressivity and ambition. A transformation occurs with the arrival of illness; dependence, passivity, suggestibility evolve in a context where anxiety is relieved of all agressivity but acquires a depressive character. The people surrounding the patients play a part in this transformation. Moreover the pre-morbid characteristics of these patients remind the physician of H. Tellenbach's "typus melancholicus".     

MAT2A Inhibition Blocks the Growth of MTAP-Deleted Cancer Cells by Reducing PRMT5-Dependent mRNA Splicing and Inducing DNA Damage

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