1.Microplastics in mussels along the coastal waters of China.
Li J1, Qu X1, Su L1, Zhang W2, Yang D1, Kolandhasamy P1, Li D1, Shi H3. Environ Pollut. 2016 Apr 14;214:177-184. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.04.012. [Epub ahead of print]
Microplastic has been confirmed as an emerging pollutant in marine environments. One of the primary environmental risks of microplastics is their bioavailability for aquatic organisms. Bivalves are of particular interest because their extensive filter-feeding activity exposes them directly to microplastics present in the water column. In the present study, we investigated microplastic pollution in mussels (Mytilus edulis) from 22 sites along 12,400 mile coastlines of China in 2015. The number of total microplastics varied from 0.9 to 4.6 items/g and from 1.5 to 7.6 items/individual. M. edulis contained more microplastics (2.7 items/g) in wild groups than that (1.6 items/g) in farmed groups. The abundance of microplastics was 3.3 items/g in mussels from the areas with intensive human activities and significantly higher than that (1.6 items/g) with less human activities. The most common microplastics were fibers, followed by fragments. The proportion of microplastics less than 250 μm in size arranged from 17% to 79% of the total microplastics.
2.Parathyroid hormone levels and high-residual platelet reactivity in patients receiving dual antiplatelet therapy with acetylsalicylic acid and clopidogrel or ticagrelor.
Verdoia M1, Pergolini P2, Rolla R2, Nardin M1, Barbieri L1, Schaffer A1, Bellomo G2, Marino P1, Suryapranata H1, De Luca G1; Novara Atherosclerosis Study Group (NAS). Cardiovasc Ther. 2016 Apr 17. doi: 10.1111/1755-5922.12188. [Epub ahead of print]
BACKGROUND: High on treatment platelet reactivity still represents a challenging issue, potentially vanishing the benefits of dual antiplatelet treatment in patients with coronary artery disease. However, very few is known on the determinants of suboptimal response to antiplatelet agents. Recent interests have emerged on the potential protrombotic effect of parathyroid hormone (PTH). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the impact of parathyroid hormone (PTH) on platelet reactivity in patients receiving DAPT after an acute coronary syndrome or PCI.
3.Managing Atypical and Typical herpetic central nervous system infections: results of A Multinational study.
Cag Y1, Erdem H2, Leib S3, Defres S4, Kaya S5, Larsen L6, Poljak M7, Ozturk-Engin D8, Barsic B9, Argemi X10, Sørensen SM11, Bohr AL12, Tattevin P13, Gunst JD14, Baštáková L15, Jereb M16, Johansen IS6, Karabay O17, Pekok AU18, Sipahi OR19, Chehri M20, Beraud G21, Shehata G22, Fontana R23, Maresca M23, Karsen H24, Sengoz G25, Sunbul M26, Yilmaz G27, Yilmaz H26, Sharif-Yakan A28, Kanj S28, Parlak E29, Pehlivanoglu F25, Korkmaz F30, Komur S31, Kose S32, Ulug M33, Bolukcu S8, Coskuner SA34, Stahl JP35, Ince N36, Akkoyunlu Y37, Halac G38, Sahin-Horasan E39, Tireli H40, Kilicoglu G41, Al-Mahdawi A42, Nemli SA43, Inan A8, Senbayrak S8, Vahaboglu H44, Elaldi N45. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2016 Apr 13. pii: S1198-743X(16)30045-3. doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2016.03.027. [Epub ahead of print]
There have been many studies pertaining to the management of herpetic meningoencephalitis (HME), but the majority of them have focused on virologically unconfirmed cases or included only small sample sizes. We have conducted a multicentre study aimed at providing management strategies for HME. Overall, 501 adult patients with PCR-proven HME were included retrospectively from 35 referral centres in 10 countries; 496 patients were found to be eligible for the analysis. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis using a PCR assay yielded herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 DNA in 351 patients (70.8%), HSV-2 DNA in 83 patients (16.7%) and undefined HSV-DNA type in 62 patients (12.5%). A total of 379 patients (76.4%) had at least one of the specified characteristics of encephalitis, and we placed these patients into the encephalitis presentation group. The remaining 117 patients (23.6%) had none of these findings, and these patients were placed in the non-encephalitis presentation group.
4.Epimacular Brachytherapy for Previously Treated Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration (MERLOT): A Phase 3 Randomized Controlled Trial.
Jackson TL1, Desai R2, Simpson A3, Neffendorf JE3, Petrarca R3, Smith K4, Wittes J4, Lewis C5, Membrey L6, Haynes R7, Costen M8, Steel DH9, Muldrew A10, Chakravarthy U10; Macular Epiretinal Brachytherapy versus Ranibizumab (Lucentis) Only Treatment (MERLOT) Study Group. Ophthalmology. 2016 Apr 13. pii: S0161-6420(16)00248-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2016.02.028. [Epub ahead of print]
PURPOSE: To assess the safety and efficacy of epimacular brachytherapy (EMB) for patients with chronic, active, neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
