Search results for "Phase"

Dynamic tuning of the director field in liquid crystal shells using block copolymers

2020

When an orientationally ordered system, like a nematic liquid crystal (LC), is confined on a self-closing spherical shell, topological constraints arise with intriguing consequences that depend critically on how the LC is aligned in the shell. We demonstrate reversible dynamic tuning of the alignment, and thereby the topology, of nematic LC shells stabilized by the nonionic amphiphilic block copolymer Pluronic F127. Deep in the nematic phase, the director (the average molecule orientation) is tangential to the interface, but upon approaching the temperature TNI of the nematic– isotropic transition, the director realigns to normal. We link this to a delicate interplay between an interfacial …

Effects of a short-term resistance program using elastic bands versus weight machines for sedentary middle-aged women.

2008

This study was designed to determine whether different effects on functional capacity and body composition were produced by using different devices (elastic bands (EBs) versus weight machines (WMs)) with the same resistance training program. Forty-five healthy sedentary middle-aged women volunteers were chosen and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: 21 subjects trained using EBs (EBG), 14 in trained using WMs (WMG), and 10 were controls (CG). Both exercise groups trained with a periodized muscular endurance program twice a week for 10 weeks, with a total of 6 exercises per session for the major muscle groups. Exercise intensity was equalized by jointly monitoring the same targeted number of…

The normal circadian pattern of blood pressure: implications for treatment

2004

Blood pressure fluctuates over 24 h following a circadian rhythm that reaches a peak in the morning shortly after awakening. The onset of many acute cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events shows a synchronous cyclical pattern, with the highest incidence of morbidity and mortality in the early morning hours. Strong, although circumstantial, evidence suggests that the early morning surge in blood pressure may contribute to the onset of acute cardiovascular episodes. Sustained blood pressure control that blunts the early morning blood pressure surge may help to reduce the incidence of these events. Antihypertensive agents are needed that provide smooth and sustained blood pressure control fo…

Differential miRNA expression defines migration and reduced apoptosis in follicular thyroid carcinomas.

2013

The objective of the study was to identify microRNAs (miRs) characteristic for follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) and to define their role in tumorigenesis. A miR-microarray study was conducted to identify miRs differentially expressed between FTCs and their surrounding tissues. Selection was further reinforced by a literature review. Four miRs were selected and confirmed by RT-qPCR: miR-146b, -183, -221 were up-regulated, whereas miR-199b down-regulated in FTCs. The influence of these miRs on cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis and migration was studied in HTori and FTC-133 cells. Functional characterization suggests an impact of miR-183 and miR-146b in FTC development. Overexpressio…

The lady with a history of blood transfusion who developed palpable purpura and microhaematuria

1999

Impact of grouping patients by 2017 GOLD strategy assessment criteria: a post hoc analysis of the TONADO and OTEMTO trials

2017

Introduction: Compared to the 2014 scheme, the 2017 GOLD COPD strategy uses only symptoms and exacerbation history to group patients, and no longer gives reference to the severity of airflow limitation. Aims: This post hoc analysis of TONADO and OTEMTO data aims to determine the impact of updated assessment criteria on patient classification and characteristics within these groups. Methods: TONADO (NCT01431274/NCT01431287; N=5162) and OTEMTO (NCT01964352/NCT02006732; N=1621) Phase III trials investigated efficacy and safety of tiotropium+olodatorol fixed-dose combination in COPD patients. In this analysis, patients were classed as GOLD A–D by the 2017 or 2014 criteria. In TONADO the mMRC Dy…

Ramucirumab in patients with previously treated advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: Impact of liver disease aetiology.

2021

BACKGROUND & AIMS Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common complication of chronic liver disease with diverse underlying aetiologies. REACH/REACH-2 were global phase III studies investigating ramucirumab in advanced HCC (aHCC) following sorafenib treatment. We performed an exploratory analysis of outcomes by liver disease aetiology and baseline serum viral load. METHODS Meta-analysis was conducted in patients with aHCC and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) ≥400 ng/mL (N = 542) from REACH/REACH-2 trials. Individual patient-level data were pooled with results reported by aetiology subgroup (hepatitis B [HBV] or C [HCV] and Other). Pre-treatment serum HBV DNA and HCV RNA were quantified using Roche CO…

A new hepatocyte stimulating factor: cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1)

1995

Abstract Recently, a novel cytokine, cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1), was cloned and found to induce cardiac myocyte hypertrophy in vitro. Amino acid sequence similarity showed CT-1 to be a member of the IL-6/LIF/CNTF/OSM/IL-11 cytokine family. Since all known members of the IL-6 cytokine family induce an hepatic acute phase protein (APP) gene expression, we investigated the ability of CT-1 to induce a liver acute phase response. Upon stimulation of rat hepatoma cells, CT-1 and LIF induced the strongest rat fibrinogen mRNA expression, OSM and IL-6 induced a less pronounced response. When human hepatoma cells and primary rat hepatocytes were stimulated with CT-1, the expression of human haptoglobin a…

Texture analysis on preoperative contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging identifies microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma

2019

Abstract Background Radiomic texture analysis quantifies tumor heterogeneity. The aim of this study is to determine if radiomics can predict biologic aggressiveness in HCC and identify tumors with MVI. Methods Single-center, retrospective review of HCC patients undergoing resection/ablation with curative intent from 2009 to 2017. DICOM images from preoperative MRIs were analyzed with texture analysis software. Texture analysis parameters extracted on T1, T2, hepatic arterial phase (HAP) and portal venous phase (PVP) images. Multivariate logistic regression analysis evaluated factors associated with MVI. Results MVI was present in 52.2% (n = 133) of HCCs. On multivariate analysis only T1 mea…

The Role of Monoamines in the Development of Cold-Induced Edema

1976

Our results show that even the experimentally induced high concentrations of exogenous 5-HT in the brain tissue during the early phase of edema formation are not able to increase the amount of fluid accumulation in the normal and injured brain tissue. The changes of the endogenous 5-HT levels in the blood and the brain tissue result in similar hemispheric water and RISA differences between the injured and uninjured half of the brain. Moreover, 5-HT concentrations elevated by 100% failed to produce detectable edema in the normal brain tissue of the rat.