This study was designed to evaluate the association between lead, mercury, and arsenic in the soil near maternal residences during pregnancy and mental retardation or developmental disability (MR/DD) in children. The study was conducted using 6,048 mothers who did not move throughout their pregnancies and lived within six strips of land in South Carolina and were insured by Medicaid between Jan...

BACKGROUND Back pain has multi-factorial etiology and is modified by environmental influences, character of work, and individual predispositions. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to compare the efficiency of analgesic DD current therapy and TENS in low back discopathy. MATERIAL AND METHODS Eighty patients (age, 45-60 years) with diagnosed low back pain syndrome due to discopathy were sub...

The present article describes a comparative study of the performances of liposomes and ethosomes as specialized delivery systems for distamycin A (DA) and two of its derivatives. Liposomes and ethosomes were prepared by classical methods, extruded through polycarbonate filters, and characterized in terms of dimensions, morphology, and encapsulation efficiency. It was found that DA was associate...

BACKGROUND The incidence of diverticulosis and diverticular disease of the colon, including diverticulitis, is increasing worldwide, and becoming a significant burden on national health systems. Treatment of patients with diverticulosis and DD is generally based on high-fibre diet and antibiotics, respectively. However, new pathophysiological knowledge suggests that further treatment may be use...

Precise measurements of the absolute branching fractions for D and Ds meson decays are important as they serve to normalize most B and Bs decays as well as many charm decays. Recent measurements from CLEO-c, BABAR, and Belle for the measurements of the absolute hadronic branching fractions of D and Ds mesons are presented here. Results from the CLEO-c experiment at the Cornell Electron Positron...

BACKGROUND The epidemiological importance of the mosquito Aedes aegypti as a vector of multiple human pathogens has generated a growing number of studies on the physiology and behaviour of its blood-feeding females. The activity of oviposition is one of the critical elements contributing to the expansion of Ae. aegypti's populations. Although there is a vast literature about oviposition behavio...

D-dimer level estimation, specific fibrin degradation product, is a permanent part of diagnostic strategies of pulmonary embolism (PE). Approximately 30% of a suspected non-high risk PE can be ruled out with high sensitive D-dimer test when pre-test clinical probability is non-high. Recent guidelines underline that only very sensitive DD assays can be used. The main limitation of DD tests is re...

The circadian mutation duper in Syrian hamsters shortens the free-running circadian period (τ(DD)) by 2 hours when expressed on a tau mutant (τ(ss)) background and by 1 hour on a wild-type background. We have examined the effects of this mutation on phase response curves and entrainment. In contrast to wild types, duper hamsters entrained to 14L:10D with a positive phase angle. Super duper hams...

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a noninvasive treatment that utilizes light treatment along with application of a photosensitizing agent. In dermatology, PDT is commonly used and approved for the treatment of oncological conditions such as actinic keratosis, Bowen disease and superficial basal cell carcinoma. In the last 2 decades however, PDT has also been used for the treatment of several nonne...

The trichodysplasia-spinulosa polyomavirus-associated (TSPyV) was first described in a solid organ transplant recipient with a rare skin disease. Initially mistaken as a side effect of cyclosporine treatment, the disease trichodysplasia-spinulosa (TS) is characterized by the development of keratin spines (spicules), follicular papules, hair follicle dilation and keratotic plugging of the infund...