There is increasing evidence that intermittent hypoxia plays a role in the development of cardiovascular risk in obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) through the activation of inflammatory ...pathways. The development of translational models of intermittent hypoxia has allowed investigation of its role in the activation of inflammatory mechanisms and promotion of cardiovascular disease in OSAS. There are noticeable differences in the response to intermittent hypoxia between body tissues but the hypoxia-sensitive transcription factors hypoxia-inducible factor-1 and nuclear factor-kappaB appear to play a key role in mediating the inflammatory and cardiovascular consequences of OSAS. Expanding our understanding of these pathways, the cross-talk between them and the activation of inflammatory mechanisms by intermittent hypoxia in OSAS will provide new avenues of therapeutic opportunity for the disease.
The effect of the hydrophobic block length on the morphologies of polymerization-induced self-assembled (PISA) nanoparticles is well understood. However, the influence of drug loading on the phase ...morphology of the nanoparticles during the PISA process, and the resulting biological function of PISA nanoparticles, has barely been investigated. In this work, we show that the addition of a drug, curcumin, during the PISA process shifts the phase diagram toward different morphologies. The PISA system was based on hydrophilic poly(2-(methacryloyloxy)ethylphosphorylcholine) (PMPC), which was chain extended with hydrophobic methyl methacrylate (MMA) in various concentrations of curcumin. According to transmission electron microscopy, the presence of curcumin led to the transition of, for example, worms to polymersome and micelles to worms analysis. To understand the interaction between polymer particles and drug, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), and fluorescence lifetime measurements were carried out. These measurements show that curcumin is predominantly located in the core in the case of micelles and worms while it is found in the shell of polymersomes. The change in morphology influences the cellular uptake by MCF-7 cells and the movement of the particles in multicellular cancer spheroids (3D model). With the increasing amount of drug, the cellular uptake of micelles and worms was enhanced with the increasing grafting density of MPC chains, which contrasts the decreasing cellular uptake in the higher drug-loaded polymersomes due to the lower shell hydration.
Generation-integrated energy storage (GIES) systems store energy at some point along the transformation between the primary energy form and electricity. Instances exist already in natural hydro ...power, biomass generation, wave power, and concentrated solar power. GIES systems have been proposed for wind, nuclear power and they arise naturally in photocatalysis systems that are in development. GIES systems can compare very favourably in both performance and total cost against equivalent non-integrated systems comprising both generation and storage. Despite this, they have not hitherto been recognised as a discrete class of systems. Consequently policy decisions affecting development or demonstration projects and policy approaches concerning low-carbon generation are not fully informed. This paper highlights that policy structures exist militating against the development and introduction of GIES systems-probably to the detriment of overall system good.
•Current wisdom considers that energy storage and generation must be separate.•Integrating energy storage with generation lowers capital costs.•Integrating energy storage with generation reduces total energy losses.•Existing policies militate against such integrated systems being developed.
Introduction and objectives
Chronic groin pain (athletic pubalgia) is a common problem in sports such as football, hockey, cricket, baseball and athletics. Multiple co-existing pathologies are often ...present which commonly include posterior inguinal canal wall deficiency, conjoint tendinopathy, adductor tendinopathy, osteitis pubis and peripheral nerve entrapment. The mechanism of injury remains unclear but sports that involve either pivoting on a single leg (e.g. kicking) or a sudden change in direction at speed are most often associated with athletic pubalgia. These manoeuvres place large forces across the bony pelvis and its soft tissue supports, accounting for the usual clinical presentation of multiple symptomatic abnormalities forming one pattern of injury.
Results
The diagnoses encountered in this series of 100 patients included rectus abdominis muscle atrophy/asymmetry (22), conjoint tendinopathy (16), sports (occult, incipient) hernia (16), groin disruption injury (16), classical hernia (11) traumatic osteitis pubis (5), and avulsion fracture of the pubic bone (4). Surgical management was generally undertaken only after failed conservative therapy of 3–6 months, but some professionals who have physiotherapy during the football season went directly to surgery at the end of the football season. A variety of operations were performed including groin reconstruction (15), open hernia repair with or without mesh (11), sports hernia repair (Gilmore) (7) laparoscopic repair (3), conjoint tendon repair (3) and adductor tenotomy (3). Sixty-six patients were available for follow at an average of 13 years after initial consultation and the combined success rate for both conservative treatment and surgery was 94 %.
Conclusion
The authors believe that athletic pubalgia or sports hernia should be considered as a ‘groin disruption injury’, the result of functional instability of the pelvis. The surgical approach is aimed at strengthening the anterior pelvic soft tissues that support and stabilise the symphysis pubis.
Neuroinflammation plays an important role in HIV-associated neurological disorders; however, its role prior to the onset of symptomatic disease is unclear. We imaged microglial activation, the ...hallmark of neuroinflammation, in asymptomatic HIV-infected patients on effective combination ART.
Seven neurologically and cognitively asymptomatic adults with chronic HIV-infection and nine healthy volunteers were investigated with 11C-PK11195 PET, a marker of translocator protein (TSPO) expressed by activated microglia. In the HIV-infected patients, cognitive speed, accuracy and executive function were also assessed. Between-group differences in 11C-PK11195 binding potential were localized throughout the brain with statistical parametric mapping (SPM) and associations between levels of 11C-PK11195 binding and cognitive performance were interrogated using linear regression modelling.
In HIV-infected patients, Statistical parametric mapping detected clusters of significantly increased 11C-PK11195 binding in corpus callosum (P = 0.001), anterior cingulate (P = 0.001), posterior cingulate (P = 0.008) and temporal (P = 0.026) and frontal (P = 0.038) areas. Cognitive functions were intact in the HIV group, however, a significant association between greater 11C-PK11195 binding and poorer executive function performance was observed in the anterior cingulate (P = 0.031), corpus callosum and posterior cingulate (P = 0.001).
Despite effective control of HIV infection, neuroinflammation, as evidenced by the presence of focal cortical areas of activated microglia, occurs in asymptomatic HIV-infected patients and levels correlate with poorer executive performance. Further studies are needed to establish whether detection of activated microglia in HIV-infected patients represents a marker of future neurocognitive decline.
In nature, self-assembly processes based on amphiphilic molecules play an integral part in the design of structures of higher order such as cells. Among them, amphiphilic glycoproteins or glycolipids ...take on a pivotal role due to their bioactivity. Here we show that sugars, in particular, fructose, are capable of directing the self-assembly of highly insoluble curcumin resulting in the formation of well-defined capsules based on non-covalent forces. Simply by mixing an aqueous solution of fructose and curcumin in an open vessel leads to the generation of capsules with sizes ranging between 100 and 150 nm independent of the initial concentrations used. Our results demonstrate that hydrogen bonding displayed by fructose can induce the self-assembly of hydrophobic molecules such as curcumin into well-ordered structures, and serving as a simple and virtually instantaneous way of making nanoparticles from curcumin in water with the potential for template polymerization and nanocarriers.
Sportsman hernia: what can we do? Garvey, J. F. W.; Read, J. W.; Turner, A.
Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery,
02/2010, Letnik:
14, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Introduction
Sportsman (sports) hernia is a medially located bulge in the posterior wall of the inguinal canal that is common in football players. About 90% of cases occur in males. The injury is ...also found in the general population.
Clinical presentation
The presenting symptom is chronic groin pain which develops during exercise, aggravated by sudden movements, accompanied by subtle physical examination findings and a medial inguinal bulge on ultrasound. Pain persists after a game, abates during a period of lay-off, but returns on the resumption of sport. Frequently, sports hernia is one component of a more extensive pattern of injury known as ‘groin disruption injury’ consisting of osteitis pubis, conjoint tendinopathy, adductor tendinopathy and obturator nerve entrapment.
Risk factors
Certain risk factors have been identified, including reduced hip range of motion and poor muscle balance around the pelvis, limb length discrepancy and pelvic instability. The suggested aetiology of the injury is repetitive athletic loading of the symphysis pubis disc, leading to accelerated disc degeneration with consequent pelvic instability and vulnerability to micro-fracturing along the pubic osteochondral junction, periosteal stripping of the pubic ligaments and para-symphyseal tendon tears, causing tendon dysfunction.
Radiology
Diagnostic imaging includes an erect pelvic radiograph (X-ray) with flamingo stress views of the symphysis pubis, real-time ultrasound and, occasionally, computed tomography (CT) scanning and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but seldom contrast herniography. Other imaging tests occasionally performed can include nuclear bone scan, limb leg measurement and test injections of local anaesthetic/corticosteroid.
Prevention and treatment
The injury may be prevented by the detection and monitoring of players at risk and by correcting significant limb length inequality. Groin reconstruction operation consists of a Maloney darn hernia repair technique, repair of the conjoint tendon, transverse adductor tenotomy and obturator nerve release. Rehabilitation involves core stabilisation exercises and the maintenance of muscle control and strength around the pelvis.
Outcome
Using this regimen of groin reconstruction and post-operative rehabilitation, a player would be anticipated to return to their pre-injury level of activity approximately 3 months after surgery.
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