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Objectives: We performed a meta-analysis of studies examining the computed tomography (CT) features of adnexal torsion (AT).Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library for studies involving the proportion of CT features in patients with AT and that used surgery as the reference test. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality tool.Results: Twelve articles involving 483 patients were included. The pooled proportion of right-sided adnexal lesion was 54% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 49%-56%). The pooled proportions of the ovarian lesion histopathological types were: benign germ cell tumors, 33% (95% CI: 28%-37%); benign cystic lesions, 26% (95% CI: 21%-30%); benign epithelial neoplasms, 24% (95% CI: 20%-29%); sex cord-stromal tumors, 4% (95% CI: 2%-6%); borderline neoplasms, 3% (95% CI: 1%-6%); and hemorrhagic cysts, 2% (95% CI: 0%-3%). The pooled proportions of CT features were: Adnexal enlargement, 99% (95% CI: 98%-99%); adnexal with mass, 98% (95% CI: 97%-100%); twisted pedicle, 81% (95% CI: 78%-83%); mass with thickened wall, 77% (95% CI: 73%-81%); tubal thickening, 73% (95% CI: 68%-77%); abnormal location of adnexa, 69% (95% CI: 63%-75%), pelvic ascites, 43% (95% CI: 38%-49%); pelvic fat infiltration, 41% (95% CI: 34%-48%); uterine deviation, 37% (95% CI: 31%-42%); and lack of enhancement, 20% (95% CI: 14%-25%).Conclusion: Adnexal enlargement, adnexal mass, and twisted pedicle may be the most important CT features for diagnosing AT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A poly(hydroxamic acid) ligand was allowed to adsorbed copper solution resulted stable five-membered copper complex; namely Cu(II)@PHA. Then, Cu(II)@PHA was reduced with hydrazine hydride to gave copper nanocomplex Cu(0)NC@PHA. The Cu(0)NC@PHA was used for the N -aryl/alkylation (Michael addition) reaction with a variety of α,β-unsaturated Michael acceptors to produce the corresponding N -aryl/alkyl products with an excellent yield at room temperature. [Display omitted] A pure cellulose was derived from waste fibre and it was chemically modified to a hydroxamic acid ligand. The poly(hydroxamic acid) was treated with an aqueous copper solution to afford the greenish stable five-membered copper complex; namely Cu(II)@PHA. Further, the Cu(II)@PHA was treated with a reducing agent hydrazine hydride to give brown colour cellulose supported copper nanocomplex (Cu(0)NC@PHA). The Cu(0)NC@PHA was characterised by ATR-FTIR, FE-SEM & EDS, TEM, ICP-OES, TGA, XRD and XPS analyses. The cellulose-based Cu(0)NC@PHA was used for the n -aryl/alkylation (Michael addition) reaction with a variety of α,β -unsaturated Michael acceptors to produce the corresponding n -aryl/alkyl products with an excellent yield at room temperature. The Cu(0)NC@PHA showed extraordinary stability and it was easily filtered out from the reaction mixture and may potentially recycled up to five times without loss of its original catalytic ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The single von Willebrand factor C-domain proteins (SVWCs) are mainly found in arthropods. Their expression may be regulated by several environmental stresses, including nutritional status and bacterial and viral infections. However, the underlying regulatory mechanism is unclear. In the present study, we identified a member of the SVWC family from the river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense as a soluble and bacteria-inducible pattern-recognition receptor (designated MnSVWC). In vitro, recombinantMnSVWC exhibited pronounced binding and Ca21- dependent agglutinating abilities against diverse microbes, including Gram-negative bacteria (i.e. Escherichia coli and Aeromonas victoria), Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis), and yeast (Pichia pastoris). ELISA assays revealed that recombinantMnSVWC recognizes a broad range of various pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and has high affinity to lipopolysaccharide and lysine-type and diaminopimelic acid-type peptidylglycan and D-galactose and low affinity to D-mannan and b-1,3-glucan. Mutant MnSVWCP57A with an impaired Glu-Pro-Asn (EPN) motif displayed reduced affinity to all these PAMPs to varying extent. Moreover,MnSVWC bound to the surface of hemocytes and promoted their phagocytic activity and clearance of invasive bacteria. RNAi-mediated MnSVWC knockdown in prawn reduced the ability to clear invading bacteria, but did not block the activities of the Toll pathway or the arthropod immune deficiency (IMD) pathway, or the expression of antimicrobial peptide genes. These results indicate that MnSVWC functions as an extracellular pattern-recognition receptor in M. nipponense that mediates cellular immune responses by recognizing PAMPs, agglutinating invasive microbes, and promoting phagocytosis in hemocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulatory T (Treg) cells play a protective role against the development of atherosclerosis. Previous studies have revealed Treg cell defects in patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTACS), but the mechanisms underlying these defects remain unclear. In this study, we found that the numbers of peripheral blood CD4+CD25+CD127low Treg cells and CD4+CD25+CD127lowCD45RA+CD45RO- naive Treg cells were lower in the NSTACS patients than in the chronic stable angina (CSA) and the chest pain syndrome (CPS) patients. However, the number of CD4+CD25+CD127lowCD45RA- CD45RO+ memory Treg cells was comparable in all of the groups. The frequency of CD4+CD25+CD127lowCD45RO- CD45RA+CD31+ recent thymic emigrant Treg cells and the T cell receptor excision circle content of purified Treg cells were lower in the NSTACS patients than in the CSA patients and the CPS controls. The spontaneous apoptosis of Treg cells (defined as CD4+CD25+CD127lowannexinV+7-AAD-) was increased in the NSTACS patients compared with the CSA and CPS groups. Furthermore, oxidized LDL could induce Treg cell apoptosis, and the oxidized LDL levels were significantly higher in the NSTACS patients than in the CSA and CPS groups. In accordance with the altered Treg cell levels, the concentration of TNF-α was increased in the NSTACS patients, resulting in a decreased IL-10/TNF-α ratio. These findings indicate that the impaired thymic output of Treg cells and their enhanced susceptibility to apoptosis in the periphery were responsible for Treg cell defects observed in the NSTACS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]