Search results for "atomic"

Field performance of the Abbott RealTime MTB assay for the diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in a low-prevalence setting

2020

Introduction: The sensitivities of conventional mycobacterial culture in solid or liquid media and acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear microscopy for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) detection in extrapulmonary specimens are suboptimal. We evaluated the field performance of the Abbott RealTime MTB assay for the diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in a low-prevalence setting. Methods: The total number of extrapulmonary specimens with mycobacterial culture and PCR results was 566: sterile fluids (n = 278), non-sterile fluids (n = 147), lymph node material (n = 69) tissue biopsies (n = 63), and abscess aspirates (n = 9). A composite standard consisting of mycobacterial culture results,…

Gut dysbiosis and adaptive immune response in diet-induced obesity vs. Systemic inflammation

2017

A mutual interplay exists between adaptive immune system and gut microbiota. Altered gut microbial ecosystems are associated with the metabolic syndrome, occurring in most obese individuals. However, it is unknown why 10-25% of obese individuals are metabolically healthy, while normal weight individuals can develop inflammation and atherosclerosis. We modelled these specific metabolic conditions in mice fed with a chow diet, an obesogenic but not inflammatory diet - mimicking healthy obesity, or Paigen diet - mimicking inflammation in the lean subjects. We analysed a range of markers and cytokines in the aorta, heart, abdominal fat, liver and spleen, and metagenomics analyses were performed…

An Inflammatory Profile Correlates With Decreased Frequency of Cytotoxic Cells in Coronavirus Disease 2019

2020

Abstract Increased production of inflammatory cytokines and myeloid-derived suppressor cells occurs in patients with coronavirus disease 2019. These inversely correlated with perforin-expressing natural killer (NK) and CD3+ T cells. We observed a lower number of perforin-expressing NK cells in intensive care unit (ICU) patients compared with non-ICU patients, suggesting an impairment of the immune cytotoxic arm as a pathogenic mechanism.

Psammomatoid Calcification-Rich Oncocytic Thyroid Adenoma With Clear-Cell Change

2018

Abundant calcifications and clear-cell change may occur in oncocytic thyroid adenoma (OTA). We aimed to report the features of a case of OTA peculiar by the presence of extensive calcifications and of a clear-cell component. The OTA was detected on a right thyroid lobectomy specimen. Clear-cell change was observed in 15%-20% of the cells. Numerous, focally confluent psammomatoid calcifications, resulting in macrocalcifications, were identified. The nodule cells, uni- or multinucleated oncocytes, including those with clear cytoplasm, expressed heterogeneously TTF1, S100 protein, Bcl2, CD10, as well as CD138 and CD56. Lipid-droplet markers adipophilin and TIP47 were also expressed. In conclus…

Detection of Viral −RNA and +RNA Strands in Enterovirus-Infected Cells and Tissues

2020

The current methods to study the distribution and dynamics of viral RNA molecules inside infected cells are not ideal, as electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry can only detect mature virions, and quantitative real-time PCR does not reveal localized distribution of RNAs. We demonstrated here the branched DNA in situ hybridization (bDNA ISH) technology to study both the amount and location of the emerging &minus

2018

In mammalian species, including humans, the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) is a primary region of adult neurogenesis. Aberrant adult hippocampal neurogenesis is associated with neurological pathologies. Understanding the cellular mechanisms controlling adult hippocampal neurogenesis is expected to open new therapeutic strategies for mental disorders. Microglia is intimately associated with neural progenitor cells in the hippocampal DG and has been implicated, under varying experimental conditions, in the control of the proliferation, differentiation and survival of neural precursor cells. But the underlying mechanisms remain poorly defined. Using fluorescent in situ hybridization we show th…

Tunable-frequency three-dimensional structured illumination microscopy with reduced data-acquisition

2018

The performance of a tunable three-dimensional (3D) structured illumination microscope (SIM) system and its ability to provide simultaneously super-resolution (SR) and optical-sectioning (OS) capabilities are investigated. Numerical results show that the performance of our 3D-SIM system is comparable with the one provided by a three-wave interference SIM, while requiring 40% fewer images for the reconstruction and providing frequency tunability in a cost-effective implementation. The performance of the system has been validated experimentally with images from test samples, which were also imaged with a commercial SIM based on incoherent-grid projection for comparison. Restored images from d…

Effect of Smear Clear and Some Other Commonly Used Irrigants on dislodgement resistance of Mineral Trioxide Aggregate to Root Dentin

2016

Background This study aimed to assess the push-out bond strength of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) to root canal dentin after irrigation with Smear Clear in comparison with 2.5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), 2% chlorhexidine (CHX) and saline as commonly used root canal irrigants. Material and Methods The coronal and mid-root areas of maxillary anterior teeth were horizontally sectioned into one-millimeter thick slices. The root canal lumen of dentinal slices was dilated using a diamond bur with 1.3 mm diameter. After the application of MTA, the samples were incubated in 100% humidity for 10 minutes and were then randomly divided into four groups (n=20) and immersed in Smear Clear, 2.5% NaO…

Relationship between internal root resorption and dens in dente

2020

Background The aim is to report the treatment and follow-up of three lateral incisors with internal root resorption and dens in dente as a possible cause for their development, managed by root canal treatment and apical obturation with MTA or gutta-percha. Case description This case report presents three clinical cases in which dens invaginatus type 2 is shown as a potential cause for the development of internal root resorption. Two cases were filled with a MTA apical plug technique and one with gutta-percha, and all were follow-up through time. Practical implications The incidence of the association of internal root resorption with dens invaginatus may be underestimated and should be studi…

Mechanisms of Hierarchical Cortical Maturation

2017

Cortical information processing is structurally and functionally organized into hierarchical pathways, with primary sensory cortical regions providing modality specific information and associative cortical regions playing a more integrative role. Historically, there has been debate as to whether primary cortical regions mature earlier than associative cortical regions, or whether both primary and associative cortical regions mature simultaneously. Identifying whether primary and associative cortical regions mature hierarchically or simultaneously will not only deepen our understanding of the mechanisms that regulate brain maturation, but it will also provide fundamental insight into aspects…