The article describes historical background and a few development trends of minerals' processing on the base of the conclusions drawn during the KOMEKO-IMTech 2019 Conference organized by the KOMAG ...Institute of Mining Technology last March. The scope of the Conference covered an exchange of information and professional experience among representatives of science and industry technology. Some information about processing techniques and technologies in Soverign Poland are also presented in the article. Special attention is paid to innovative solutions of minerals' beneficiation machines and equipment, in particular developed at KOMAG for the hard coal mining industry.
Detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) has proven to provide independent prognostic information for treatment stratification in several types of leukemias such as childhood acute lymphoblastic ...leukemia (ALL), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and acute promyelocytic leukemia. This report focuses on the accurate quantitative measurement of fusion gene (FG) transcripts as can be applied in 35-45% of ALL and acute myeloid leukemia, and in more than 90% of CML. A total of 26 European university laboratories from 10 countries have collaborated to establish a standardized protocol for TaqMan-based real-time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR) analysis of the main leukemia-associated FGs within the Europe Against Cancer (EAC) program. Four phases were scheduled: (1) training, (2) optimization, (3) sensitivity testing and (4) patient sample testing. During our program, three quality control rounds on a large series of coded RNA samples were performed including a balanced randomized assay, which enabled final validation of the EAC primer and probe sets. The expression level of the nine major FG transcripts in a large series of stored diagnostic leukemia samples (n=278) was evaluated. After normalization, no statistically significant difference in expression level was observed between bone marrow and peripheral blood on paired samples at diagnosis. However, RQ-PCR revealed marked differences in FG expression between transcripts in leukemic samples at diagnosis that could account for differential assay sensitivity. The development of standardized protocols for RQ-PCR analysis of FG transcripts provides a milestone for molecular determination of MRD levels. This is likely to prove invaluable to the management of patients entered into multicenter therapeutic trials.
Abstract
The research work results, presented in the article, describe a system concerning the management of a production line in the aspect of stabilization and improvement of the run-of-mine ...quality and maximization of economic effects. Basing on the geological deposit model, the authors concentrated on designing mining operations and on planning production parameters. Special attention was paid to a development of the mine workings design module, the mining operations scheduling module, the module for mixing and optimization from the quality point of view as well as the module for mining operations revenues and forecasts of costs. Forecasting the production quality, planning and integration of mining processes with coal preparation processes and sales are discussed in detail. The article is ended with some recommendations of general character, including quality management at the stage of mining and production planning, quality monitoring at the stage of coal mining, and its preparation. The system is oriented onto production quality forecasting and onto an integration of mining, preparation and sales planning.
rFVIIIFc (Eloctate) is an extended-half-life recombinant factor VIII-Fc fusion protein that may promote factor VIII (FVIII) tolerance through Fc immunoregulatory properties. Yet, little is known ...regarding its immunogenicity in patients with hemophilia A (HA) or in HA with inhibitors (HA-I), including tolerized, immune tolerance induction (ITI)-refractory, or ITI-naïve.
We reviewed medical records of 60 patients, including 2 previously-untreated patients (PUPs) and 58 previously-treated patients (PTPs), cared for between 01/01/06 and 06/01/17, on whom anti-FVIII antibody data were available before and after initiating rFVIIIFc. Continuous data were analyzed by student's t-test, and discrete data by chi square or Fisher's exact test.
After initiating rFVIIIFc, one of two HA PUPs developed a low-responding (LR) inhibitor after 10 exposures, which resolved (anti-VIII<0.6 B.U.) within 8 additional exposures, while none of 41 HA PTPS developed an inhibitor. Among 19 HA-I PTPs with detectable inhibitors prior to rFVIIIFc, 5 developed an anamnestic response to rFVIIIFc, including 1 of 8 (12.5%) low-responding (LR), and 4 of 9 (44.9%) high-responding (HR), of whom 3 were ITI-naïve and 1 ITI-refractory. Inhibitors resolved in 4 HR within 2 months of continuing rFVIIIFc (median) but persisted in 1 LR at low titer. The remaining 11 HA-I PTPs, including 4 HR and seven LR, had no detectable inhibitor at the time of or after initiating rFVIIIFc.
rFVIIIFc was immunogenic in HA PUPs and in HA-I PTPs persistently ITI-naïve or ITI-refractory, with inhibitor resolution in the majority. rFVIIIFc immunogenicity appears to be similar to other FVIII products.
Hydrogen bond networks in uracil, 1-methyluracil and 1-methyl-4-thiouracil were studied by ab initio molecular dynamics as well as analysis of the orbital interactions. The power spectra calculated ...by ab initio molecular dynamics for atoms involved in hydrogen bonds were analyzed. We calculated spectra by using anharmonic approximation based on the autocorrelation function of the atom positions obtained from the Born-Oppenheimer simulations. Our results show the differences between hydrogen bond networks in uracil and its methylated derivatives. The studied methylated derivatives, 1-methyluracil as well as 1-methyl-4-thiouracil, form dimeric structures in the crystal phase, while uracil does not form that kind of structures. The presence of sulfur atom instead oxygen atom reflects weakness of the hydrogen bonds that build dimers.
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•Spectroscopic features of uracil and methylated derivatives suggest different hydrogen bond networks in the crystal phase.•Power spectra obtained from molecular dynamics simulations reflect the strengths of hydrogen bonds.•Methylation of uracil ring creates the cyclic dimer structures.•Presence of sulfur atoms instead of oxygen atoms reflects the weakness of hydrogen bonds that form dimers.
Background
von Willebrand disease (VWD) is the most common congenital bleeding disorder. In women, menorrhagia is the most common bleeding symptom, and is disabling with iron deficiency anaemia, high ...health cost and poor quality of life. Current hormonal and non‐hormonal therapies are limited by ineffectiveness and intolerance. Few data exist regarding von Willebrand factor (VWF), typically prescribed when other treatments fail. The lack of effective therapy for menorrhagia remains the greatest unmet healthcare need in women with VWD. Better therapies are needed to treat women with menorrhagia.
Methods
We conducted a survey of US haemophilia treatment centres (HTCs) and a literature review using medical subject heading (MeSH) search terms ‘von Willebrand factor,’ ‘menorrhagia’ and ‘von Willebrand disease’ to assess the use of VWF in menorrhagia. Analysis was by descriptive statistics.
Results
Of 83 surveys distributed to HTC MDs, 20 (24.1%) provided sufficient data for analysis. Of 1321 women with VWD seen during 2011–2014, 816 (61.8%) had menorrhagia, for which combined oral contraceptives, tranexamic acid and desmopressin were the most common first‐line therapies for menorrhagia, whereas VWF was third‐line therapy reported in 13 women (1.6%). Together with data from 88 women from six published studies, VWF safely reduced menorrhagia in 101 women at a dose of 33–100 IU kg−1 on day 1–6 of menstrual cycle.
Conclusions
This represents the largest VWD menorrhagia treatment experience to date. VWF safely and effectively reduces menorrhagia in women with VWD. A prospective clinical trial is planned to confirm these findings.
Pain management in the elderly Malec, Monica; Shega, Joseph W
The Medical clinics of North America,
03/2015, Letnik:
99, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Persistent pain in older adults is common, and associated with substantial morbidity. Optimal management starts with assessment, including pain presence, intensity, characteristics, and interference; ...painful conditions; pain behaviors; pain-related morbidity; pain treatments; and coping style. Treatment incorporates analgesics demonstrated to decrease pain and improve a patient's sense of well-being. The World Health Organization's 3-step pain ladder is widely accepted and adopted for selecting analgesics among patients with non-cancer pain. Shared decision making is essential to balance the benefits and burdens of analgesics. This article reviews pain assessment/management for older adults, focusing on commonly used analgesics.
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