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Effect of Extended-Release Niacin on High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Functionality, Lipoprotein Metabolism, and Mediators of Vascular Inflammation in Statin-Treated Patients.
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to explore the influence of extended-release niacin/laropiprant (ERN/LRP) versus placebo on high-density lipoprotein (HDL) antioxidant function, cholesterol efflux, apolipoprotein B100 (apoB)-containing lipoproteins, and mediators of vascular inflammation associated with 15% increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Study patients had persistent dyslipidemia despite receiving high-dose statin treatment. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial, we compared the effect of ERN/LRP with placebo in 27 statin-treated dyslipidemic patients who had not achieved National Cholesterol Education Program-ATP III targets for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). We measured fasting lipid profile, apolipoproteins, cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) activity, paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activity, small dense LDL apoB (sdLDL-apoB), oxidized LDL (oxLDL), glycated apoB (glyc-apoB), lipoprotein phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), lysophosphatidyl choline (lyso-PC), macrophage chemoattractant protein (MCP1), serum amyloid A (SAA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO). We also examined the capacity of HDL to protect LDL from in vitro oxidation and the percentage cholesterol efflux mediated by apoB depleted serum. ERN/LRP was associated with an 18% increase in HDL-C levels compared to placebo (1.55 versus 1.31 mmol/L,
A MIXED METHODS STUDY TO EXPLORE WOMEN AND CLINICAN'S RESPONSE TO PAIN ASSOCIATED WITH SUTURING SECOND DEGREE PERINEAL TEARS AND EPISIOTOMIES [PRAISE]
Microstructural origin of localized corrosion in anodized AA2099-T8 aluminium-lithium alloy
Thermodynamics of the self-assembly of non-ionic chromonic molecules using atomistic simulations. The case of TP6EO2M in aqueous solution
Atomistic molecular dynamic simulations have been performed for the non-ionic chromonic liquid crystal 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexa-(1,4,7-trioxa-octyl)-triphenylene (TP6EO2M) in aqueous solution. TP6EO2M molecules consist of a central poly-aromatic core (a triphenylene ring) functionalized by six hydrophilic ethyleneoxy (EO) chains, and have a strong tendency to aggregate face-to-face into stacks even in very dilute solution. We have studied self-assembly of the molecules in the low concentration range corresponding to an isotropic solution of aggregates, using two force fields GAFF and OPLS. Our results reveal that the GAFF force field, even though it was successfully used previously for modelling of ionic chromonics, overestimates the attraction of TP6EO2M molecules in water. This results in an aggregation free energy which is too high, a reduced hydration of EO chains and, therefore, molecular self-assembly into compact disordered clusters instead of stacks. In contrast, use of the OPLS force field, leads to self-assembly into ordered stacks in agreement with earlier experimental studies of triphenylene-based chromonics. The free energy of association follows a “quasi-isodesmic” pattern, where the binding free energy of two molecules to form a dimer is of the order of 2.5 RT larger than the corresponding energy of addition of a molecule into a stack. The obtained value for the binding free energy, ∆aggG0= –12 RT, is found to be in line with the published values for typical ionic chromonics (–7 to –12 RT), and agrees reasonably well with the experimental results for this system. The calculated interlayer distance between the molecules in a stack is 0.37 nm, which is at the top of the range found for typical chromonics (0.33-0.37 nm). We suggest that the relatively large layer spacing can be attributed to the repulsion between EO side chains
Current attitudes to breast reconstruction surgery for women at risk of post-mastectomy radiotherapy:A survey of UK breast surgeons
Decision-making for women requiring reconstruction and post-mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) includes oncological safety, cosmesis, patient choice, potential delay/interference with adjuvant treatment and surgeon/oncologist preference. This study aimed to quantitatively assess surgeons' attitudes and perceptions about reconstructive options in this setting, and to ascertain if surgical volume influenced advice given. A questionnaire was sent to surgical members of the UK Association of Breast Surgery (ABS) in March-June 2014. The questionnaire elicited information on surgeon volume, reconstructive practice and drivers influencing decision-making. Response rate was 42% (148/355), representing 71% of UK breast units. Delayed breast reconstruction (DBR) was offered more commonly than immediate implant, delayed-immediate or immediate autologous reconstruction (p <0.05). Cosmesis was thought to be equivalent between IBR and DBR by 15% of surgeons, and 26% believe IBR and DBR offer similar Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL). Surgeon volume had no effect on reconstruction choice. Common decision-making drivers included negative effects of radiotherapy upon reconstructive and cosmetic outcome. The majority of surgeons (77%) believe the current evidence base is insufficient to guide decision-making. Despite surgeons believing that cosmesis and quality of life are not equivalent between IBR and DBR, DBR remains the commonest approach to this difficult clinical scenario. Surgeons perceive they are using a variety of newer techniques such as Delayed-Immediate Reconstruction and Acellular Dermal Matrices to try to ameliorate the effects of PMRT. This survey demonstrates that there is wide variation in reported surgical practice in this difficult setting. There is widespread acknowledgement of the lack of evidence to guide decision-making
Sick sinus syndrome and atrial fibrillation in older persons - A view from the sinoatrial nodal myocyte.
QUIJOTE scientific results - I. Measurements of the intensity and polarisation of the anomalous microwave emission in the Perseus molecular complex
In this paper, we present Q-U-I JOint Tenerife Experiment (QUIJOTE) 10–20 GHz observations (194 h in total over ≈250 deg2) in intensity and polarisation of G159.6-18.5, one of the most widely studied regions harbouring anomalous microwave emission (AME). By combining with other publicly available intensity data, we achieve the most precise spectrum of the AME measured to date in an individual region, with 13 independent data points between 10 and 50 GHz being dominated by this emission. The four QUIJOTE data points provide the first independent confirmation of the downturn of the AME spectrum at low frequencies, initially unveiled by the COSMOlogical Structures On Medium Angular Scales experiment in this region. Our polarisation maps, which have an angular resolution of ≈1° and a sensitivity of ≈ 25 μK beam−1, are consistent with zero polarisation. We obtain upper limits on the polarisation fraction of Π < 6.3 and <2.8 per cent (95 per cent C.L.), respectively, at 12 and 18 GHz (ΠAME < 10.1 and <3.4 per cent with respect to the residual AME intensity), a frequency range where no AME polarisation observations have been reported to date. The combination of these constraints with those from other experiments confirm that all the magnetic dust models based on single-domain grains, and most of those considering randomly oriented magnetic inclusions, predict higher polarisation levels than is observed towards regions with AME. Also, neither of the two considered models of electric dipole emission seems to be compatible with all the observations together. More stringent constraints of the AME polarisation at 10–40 GHz are necessary to disentangle between different models, to which future QUIJOTE data will contribute