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The use of gauze-based negative-pressure wound therapy using Y-connector for outfitting full-circumference epidermis grafts for both lower hands or legs.
An automated high-throughput platform can screen for molecules that change the motility of sperm cells and their ability to fertilize. © 2020, McGoldrick and Chung.Many mitochondrial proteins contain N-terminal presequences that direct them to the organelle. The main driving force for their translocation across the inner membrane is provided by the presequence translocase-associated motor (PAM) which contains the J-protein Pam18. Here, we show that in the PAM of Trypanosoma brucei the function of Pam18 has been replaced by the non-orthologous euglenozoan-specific J-protein TbPam27. TbPam27 is specifically required for the import of mitochondrial presequence-containing but not for carrier proteins. Similar to yeast Pam18, TbPam27 requires an intact J-domain to function. Surprisingly, T. brucei still contains a bona fide Pam18 orthologue that, while essential for normal growth, is not involved in protein import. Thus, during evolution of kinetoplastids, Pam18 has been replaced by TbPam27. We propose that this replacement is linked to the transition from two ancestral and functionally distinct TIM complexes, found in most eukaryotes, to the single bifunctional TIM complex present in trypanosomes. © 2020, von Känel et al.The establishment of separated pulmonary and systemic circulation in vertebrates, via cardiac outflow tract (OFT) septation, is a sensitive developmental process accounting for 10% of all congenital anomalies. Neural Crest Cells (NCC) colonising the heart condensate along the primitive endocardial tube and force its scission into two tubes. Here, we show that NCC aggregation progressively decreases along the OFT distal-proximal axis following a BMP signalling gradient. Dullard, a nuclear phosphatase, tunes the BMP gradient amplitude and prevents NCC premature condensation. Dullard maintains transcriptional programs providing NCC with mesenchymal traits. It attenuates the expression of the aggregation factor Sema3c and conversely promotes that of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition driver Twist1. Altogether, Dullard-mediated fine-tuning of BMP signalling ensures the timed and progressive zipper-like closure of the OFT by the NCC and prevents the formation of a heart carrying the congenital abnormalities defining the tetralogy of Fallot. © 2020, Darrigrand et al.STUDY OBJECTIVES To investigate the effects of different intermittent hypoxemia (IH) properties on blood pressure (BP) and short-term blood pressure variability (BPV) in severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. METHODS Nocturnal BP was continuously monitored by measuring pulse transmit time. Apnea-related systolic BP elevation values were used to reflect BPV. Beat-to-beat RR interval data were incorporated in polysomnography for heart rate variability analysis. The LF/HF band ratio was used to reflect sympatho-vagal balance.The rate of SpO₂ decrease was counted as the change in the percentage of SpO₂ per second after obstructive apnea and expressed as the oxygen desaturation rate (ODR). Severe OSA subjects (n=102) were divided into two groups according to the median ODR faster ODR (FODR group ODR>0.37, n=50) and slower ODR (SODR group ODR≤0.37, n=52). RESULTS Comparisons between the two groups showed significantly higher systolic BP (SBP) values in the FODR group than in the SODR group (awake SBP 149.9±18.3 vs.131.8±15.6 mm Hg; asleep SBP 149.6±19.9vs.128.7±15.6 mm Hg; both p less then 0.001), as well as short-term BPV (15.0±4.8 vs. 11.6±3.6 mm Hg; p less then 0.001), and the prevalence of hypertension (74.0% vs. 26.9%; p less then 0.001). Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that after adjusting for BMI, FRC, ERV and baseline SpO2, ODR, as assessed by △SpO₂/△t, had the strongest association with both BP and short-term BPV. Correlation analysis showed that ODR was positively correlated with the LF/HF band ratio (r=0.288, p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS ODR, as a novel hypoxemia profile, was more closely associated with the elevation of BP and BPV in patients with severe OSA. FODR might be associated with enhanced sympathetic activity. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT03246022. © 2020 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.BACKGROUND Opioids have been reported to increase the risk for sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in chronic non-cancer pain patients on opioid therapy. This study aims to determine the pooled prevalence of SDB in opioid users with chronic pain and comparing it to patients with "PainNo-opioids" and "No-painNo-opioids". METHODS A literature search of PubMed, Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was conducted. We included all observational studies that reported the prevalence of SDB in chronic pain patients on long-term opioid therapy (≥3 months). The primary outcome was the pooled prevalence of SDB in opioid users with chronic pain, "PainOpioids" group and comparing it to "PainNo-opioids" and "No-painNo-opioids" groups. The meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model. RESULTS After screening 1,404 studies, 9 studies with 3,791 patients were included in the meta-analysis. ["PainOpioids" group, n=3181 (84%); "PainNo-opioids" group, n=359 (9.4%); "No- painNo-opioids" group, n=251 (6.6%)]. The pooled prevalence of SDB in the PainOpioids, PainNo-opioids, and No-painNo-opioids groups were 91%, 83%, and 72% in sleep clinics, and 63%, 10%, and 75% in pain clinics, respectively. Furthermore, among the PainOpioids group, CSA prevalence in sleep and pain clinics was 33% and 20% respectively. CONCLUSION The pooled prevalence of SDB in chronic pain patients on opioid therapy is not significantly different compared to PainNo-opioids and No-painNo-opioids groups and varies considerably depending on site of patient recruitment (i.e. sleep versus pain clinics). The prevalence of CSA is high in sleep and pain clinics among the PainOpioids group. © 2020 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.STUDY OBJECTIVES Hypoxemic effects of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have been implicated in changes in erythropoiesis and hence erythrocyte measures. Sex differences are evident in both OSA and erythropoiesis. Whether sex modulates the relationship between severity of OSA and erythrocyte measures has not previously been studied. METHODS We examined a sample of 976 patients (38% women) who underwent overnight polysomnography (PSG) and measurement of red blood cell count, hemoglobin and hematocrit. Patients were divided into primary snoring, and mild, moderate and severe OSA groups, separately by sex. RESULTS In multiple regression models, we found significant interactions between sex and oxygen desaturation index (ODI) and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) on erythrocyte measures. Higher ODI and higher AHI were independently associated with higher red blood cell count, hemoglobin and hematocrit in women but not in men. MPI-0479605 Further ordinal logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between ODI (OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.
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