A novel H17N10 subtype of the influenza A viruses was found in bats in 2012. Protein sequence and structural analyses revealed that the HA17 and NA10 proteins of this strain are different from corresponding ones in known influenza A subtype viruses. Both HA17 and NA10 proteins cannot bind to sialic acid,which indicates that they may have novel functions. This article briefly describes the state of current research into the H17N10 subtype of bat influenza A virus.
Animals ; Chiroptera ; virology ; Influenza A virus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Orthomyxoviridae Infections ; veterinary ; virology ; Viral Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

Influenza poses a great threat to life and health in populations worldwide. Studies regarding the protein components of influenza viruses will facilitate the research and development of vaccines and diag nostic reagents. The influenza virus contains both structural and non-structural proteins. From the outset, it has been accepted that an influenza A virus possesses eight gene segments that encode eight corresponding viral proteins, respectively. Research has demonstrated that the M gene encodes the M2 ion channe! protein and the NS gene encodes the non-structural protein, NS2. In recent years, several novel viral proteins have been identified from influenza A viruses. This article will briefly describe the state of current research into PA-related proteins of influenza A viruses.
Animals ; Humans ; Influenza A virus ; enzymology ; genetics ; Influenza, Human ; virology ; RNA Replicase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Viral Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

Brain Neoplasms ; radiotherapy ; Cesarean Section ; Craniotomy ; Female ; Glioblastoma ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Patient Care Team ; Patient Participation ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Young Adult

Acute Disease ; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; adverse effects ; toxicity ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Female ; Folic Acid Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Methotrexate ; adverse effects ; toxicity ; Middle Aged ; Nausea ; chemically induced ; Risk Factors ; Skin Diseases ; chemically induced ; Vomiting ; chemically induced

Dust ; prevention & control ; Germany ; Humans ; Metallurgy ; Occupational Exposure ; prevention & control ; Occupational Health ; Population Surveillance ; Silicon ; adverse effects

INTRODUCTIONIn a patient with hyperthyroidism, the detection of elevated thyroid hormone concentration with measurable thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) value poses considerable diagnostic difficulties.

CLINICAL PICTUREThis 38-year-old lady presented with clinical features of thyrotoxicosis. Her serum free thyroxine concentrations were unequivocally elevated [45 to 82 pmol/L (reference interval, 10 to 20 pmol/L)] but the serum TSH values were persistently within the reference interval [0.49 to 2.48 mIU/L (reference interval, 0.45 to 4.5 mIU/L)].

TREATMENTInvestigations excluded a TSH-secreting pituitary adenoma and a thyroid hormone resistance state and confirmed false elevation in serum TSH concentration due to assay interference from heterophile antibodies. The patient was treated with carbimazole for 18 months.

OUTCOMEThe heterophile antibody-mediated assay interference disappeared 10 months following the initiation of treatment with carbimazole, but returned when the patient relapsed. It disappeared again 2 months after the initiation of treatment.

CONCLUSIONSClinicians should be aware of the potential for interference in immunoassays, and suspect it whenever the test results seem inappropriate to the patient's clinical state. Misinterpretation of test values, arising as a result of assay interference, may lead to misdiagnosis, unnecessary and at times expensive investigations, delay in initiation of treatment and worst of all, the initiation of inappropriate treatment.

Adenoma ; diagnosis ; Adult ; Antibodies, Heterophile ; analysis ; immunology ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Graves Disease ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Thyrotoxicosis ; blood ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Thyrotropin ; blood ; Thyroxine ; blood

INTRODUCTIONDiabetes mellitus is a rising non-communicable disease in Malaysia. Insulin therapy refusal is a great challenge for healthcare providers, as it results in delayed insulin initiation. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of insulin therapy refusal and its associated factors.

METHODSThis cross sectional study was conducted at seven public health clinics in Kubang Pasu district, Malaysia, from March to October 2012. A newly developed and validated questionnaire was used and participants were selected via systematic random sampling. Only patients diagnosed with type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and under the public health clinic care in Kubang Pasu were included in the study. Multiple logistic regressions were used to study the association between insulin therapy refusal and its associated factors.

RESULTSThere were 461 respondents and the response rate was 100%. Among these 461 patients with T2DM, 74.2% refused insulin therapy. The most common reason given for refusal was a lack of confidence in insulin injection (85.4%). Multiple logistic regression revealed that respondents who had secondary education were 55.0% less likely to refuse insulin therapy than those who had primary or no formal education (p = 0.009, adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.25-0.82). There was also a significant inverse association between glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and insulin therapy refusal (p = 0.047, adjusted OR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.76-1.00).

CONCLUSIONInsulin therapy refusal is common in Kubang Pasu. Education status and HbA1c should be taken into consideration when counselling patients on insulin therapy initiation.

Adult ; Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glycated Hemoglobin A ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Insulin ; therapeutic use ; Malaysia ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic efficacy of unilateral multiple channels approach in percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) for osteoporotic vertebral fractures.

METHODSA retrospective review (from March 2003 to October 2012) was conducted on 685 consecutive patients, a total of 885 vertebrae were involved. Eighty-two cases (99 vertebrae) with bone cement leakage when less than 0.3 ml bone cement was injected to fill the fracture were given PVP procedure by unilateral multiple channels approach. 38 cases were male (45 vertebrae) and 44 cases were female (54 vertebrae). The average age was 75.4 years old (from 69 to 92). The operation time, amount of injected bone cement and complications were recorded. Rate of excellent and good outcomes was studied by measuring the cement distribution on the X-ray film. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score and Oswestry disability index (ODI) system were used to evaluate the pain relief and improvement of daily activity function respectively at preoperation and 1 hour, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after operation.

RESULTSAll these ninety-nine vertebrae were treated in 82 cases with PVP of unilateral multiple channels approach. The average operation time was 33 minutes. The rate of excellent and good outcomes of cement distribution was 98.8%. The VAS score was (8.40 +/- 0.73) before surgery,and (2.50 +/- 0.43), (2.00 +/- 0.33), (1.80 +/- 0.28), (2.10 +/- 0.17) at 1 hour, 1 month,3 months and 6 months respectively after operation. ODI was (40.94 +/- 2.72) before surgery, (9.64 +/- 2.60) at 1 month after surgery, (8.52 +/- 2.30) at 3 months after surgery and (7.77 +/- 2.15) at the final follow-up. The differences of the VAS and ODI between pre-operation and post-operation had statistical significance (P<0.01). No spine or nerve injuries occurred intraoperatively.

CONCLUSIONThe unilateral multiple channels approach in percutaneous vertebroplasty can obviously relieve the pain and effectively improve the functional activity, provide a satisfied cement distribution in vertebral body with cement leakage after a small amount infusion.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Cements ; Female ; Fractures, Compression ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Osteoporosis ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Vertebroplasty

Aged ; Bone Density Conservation Agents ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Organometallic Compounds ; adverse effects ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; drug therapy ; Stevens-Johnson Syndrome ; chemically induced ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Thiophenes ; adverse effects

Aged ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; blood supply ; pathology ; Multiple Myeloma ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed