BACKGROUND/AIM The risk for nosocomial infections (NIs) is 5-10 times higher in patients hospitalized in the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) than in patients staying in other wards. The higher incidence rates of NIs in the ICUs may be explained by the fact that the patients in the ICUs have more severe underlying disease, and are exposed to the invasive diagnostic and therapeutical procedures. The ...

Non-induced expectorated sputum (NIS) stained with tinctorial stains is not considered useful in the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). The diagnostic yield of NIS was evaluated in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, when stained with a more sensitive direct fluorescent antibody for PCP-direct fluorescent antibody (PC-DFA). A retrospective analysis was carried ...

The utilisation of the Na/I symporter (NIS) and associated radiotracers as a reporter system for imaging gene expression is now reaching the clinical setting in cancer gene therapy applications. However, a formal assessment of the methodology in terms of normalisation of the data still remains to be performed, particularly in the context of the assessment of activities in individual subjects in...

PURPOSE To examine the construct validity and inter-rater reliability of the Neurological Impairment Scale (NIS) and compare ratings by medical and multidisciplinary teams in a mixed neurorehabilitation sample. To assess its concurrent and predictive validity as a predictor of outcome and functional gains during inpatient rehabilitation. METHODS The NIS was rated in a consecutive cohort of pa...

PURPOSE Radionuclide reporter gene imaging holds promise for non-invasive monitoring of transplanted stem cells. Thus, the feasibility of utilizing recombinant baculoviruses carrying the sodium iodide symporter (NIS) reporter gene in monitoring stem cell therapy by radionuclide imaging was explored in this study. METHODS Recombinant baculoviruses carrying NIS and green fluorescent protein (GF...

Nickel (Ni) compounds are well-recognized human carcinogens, yet the molecular mechanisms by which they cause human cancer are still not well understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), which are small non-coding RNAs, are involved in diverse biological functions and carcinogenesis. In previous study, we identified upregulation of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) expression in nickel sulfide (NiS)-transform...

Iodide uptake by the sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) in thyrocytes is essential for thyroid hormone production. Reduced NIS activity has been reported in thyroid diseases, including thyroid cancer and congenital hypothyroidism. The study of iodide uptake in thyrocytes has been limited by the availability of appropriate in vitro models. A new culture technique was recently developed that allows no...

BACKGROUND Several studies suggest that neuraminidase inhibitors (NIs) can reduce the duration of influenza symptoms. However, data regarding their effectiveness in reducing influenza complications are scarce. METHODS We evaluated the effectiveness of NIs in reducing influenza complications and mortality of patients with seasonal influenza, by performing a meta-analysis of randomized controll...

Radiosensitization using either metformin or 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG) in various cancer cells has been reported. The present study reveals novel information on combining these drugs to enhance radiosensitization effect in breast cancer (BC) cells. Responses to low-dose Cobalt60 radiation, as well as a newly emerged radioiodine therapy target for BC, that is, sodium-iodide symporter (NIS or SLC5...

Derives from the National Innovation System (NIS) approach, and based on some prominent weakness in China’s National Innovation System (NIS), this paper argues that China’s National Innovation Platform (NIP) program places more emphasis on the infrastructure of innovation and can be seen as an early stage to form a completed innovation system, and aims at combining the efforts and resources of ...