UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Immunomodulation by environmental chemical contaminants and the role immune parameters play in toxicity and risk assessment studies is of increasing concern. Although considerable evidence has indicated...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Copper deficiency is associated with impaired brain development and mitochondrial dysfunction. Perinatal copper deficiency was produced in Holtzman rats. In vivo proton NMR...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundMethamphetamine (METH), an addictive psycho-stimulant drug with euphoric effect is known to cause neurotoxicity due to oxidative stress, dopamine accumulation and glial...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundEvent-related potentials (ERPs) may be used as a highly sensitive way of detecting subtle degrees of cognitive dysfunction. On the other hand, impairment of cognitive skills...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundIn vitro data suggest that changes in myocardial substrate metabolism may contribute to impaired myocardial function in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM)....Full Text Available

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Olfactory memory dysfunctions were investigated in the triple-transgenic murine model of Alzheimer's disease (3x Tg-AD). In the social transmission of food preference test, 3x Tg-AD mice presented severe deficits in odor-based memory, without gross changes in general odor-ability. Ab and tau immunoreactivity was not observed in the primary processing regions for odor, the olfactory bulbs (OBs), whereas marked immunostaining was present in the piriform, entorhinal, and orbitofrontal cortex, as well as in the hippocampus. Our results suggest that the impairment in olfactory-based information processing might arise from degenerative mechanisms mostly affecting higher cortical regions and limbic areas, such as the hippocampus.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Astrocyte dysfunction is implicated in course of various age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Chronic injection of D-galactose can cause a progressive deterioration in learning and memory capacity and serve as an animal model of aging. To investigate the involvement of astrocytes in this model, oxidative stress biomarkers, biochemical and pathological changes of astrocytes were examined in the hippocampus of the rats with six weeks of D-galactose injection. D-galactose-injected rats displayed impaired antioxidant systems, an increase in nitric oxide levels, and a decrease in reduced glutathione levels. Consistently, western blotting and immunostaining of glial fibrillary acidic protein showed extensive activation of astrocytes. Double-immunofluorescent staining further showed activated astrocytes highly expressed inducible nitric oxide synthase. Electron microscopy demonstrated the degeneration of astrocytes, especially in the aggregated ...

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... Remember Hope through Research For More Information Acknowledgments What is erectile dysfunction (ED)? ED is the inability to get or ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

We had previously identified a macrophage surface protein whose expression is highly induced, transient, and specific, as it is restricted to actively fusing macrophages in vitro and in vivo. This protein...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

IntroductionMale sexual dysfunction is a common complication of diabetes (DM), but the relative impact of erectile dysfunction (ED), orgasmic dysfunction (OD), and/or...Full Text Available

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Previous studies suggest that the radiosensitivity and origin of tissue macrophage precursors differ from those of hemopoietic macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-Ms) committed to macrophage-lineage cells. We assessed the origins of tissue macrophage colony-forming cells (M-CFCs) in mice by comparing their kinetics and radiosensitivities in the normal steady state and under the conditions of bone marrow depletion by [sup 89]Sr-administration and/or splenectomy. The results indicate that the radiosensitive peritoneal M-CFCs elicited by thioglycollate are derived from bone marrow macrophage precursors; where as alveolar M-CFCs, which are radioresistant, are self-sustained locally and independent of hemopoietic macrophage precursors. In contrast, highly radiosensitive liver M-CFCs are probably derived from CFU-Ms that appear to be propagated in the spleen in ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The effect of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules by bovine mammary macrophages was examined. The ability of LPS-treated...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

To confirm that Mycobacterium tuberculosis chaperonin 10 (Cpn10) is secreted outside the live bacillus, infected macrophages were examined by electron microscopy. This revealed that...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The effect of Photofrin-based photodynamic therapy (PDT) and adjuvant treatment with serum vitamin D3-binding protein-derived macrophage-activating factor (DBPMAF) was examined using a mouse SCCVII...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

To study the expression of Fc receptors in human alveolar macrophages (AM), the cells were collected from 12 healthy controls and 22 patients with sarcoidosis and the activity involved in binding to...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Macrophage phagocytosis is an essential biological process in host defense and requires large amounts of energy. To date, glucose is believed to represent the prime substrate for ATP production in macrophages....Full Text Available

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UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

While the etiology of Parkinson's disease remains largely elusive, there is accumulating evidence suggesting that mitochondrial dysfunction occurs prior to the onset of symptoms in Parkinson's disease....Full Text Available

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PMID:21710264

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Objective: To investigate transcutaneous oximetry as parameter of the microcirculation is correlated to ankle-brachial-index as parameter of the macrocirculation after peripheral angioplasty procedures. Design: Prospective study. Materials and methods: 60 patients suffering from intermittent claudication were scheduled for angioplasty treatment. 45 patients were considered as eligible for angioplasty after angiographic evaluation, 15 patients underwent angiography only. Transcutaneous oximetry measurements were performed before the procedure, at the end of intervention, 24 h as well as 2 and 4 weeks after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. Ankle-brachial-indices were obtained before intervention, 24 h as well as 2 and 4 weeks later. Results: Ankle-brachial-indices increased significantly at 24 h after angioplasty in patients being treated with angioplasty. Transcutaneous oximetry values dropped significantly at the end of the procedure and returned close to the baseline levels at 2 ...

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurobiological disorder of early childhood onset. Defining symptoms are chronic impairments of attention, impulse control and motor hyperactivity that frequently persist until adulthood. Miscellaneous causes of the disorder have been discussed. Accumulating evidence from imaging- and molecular genetic studies strengthened the theory of ADHS being a predominantly inherited disorder of neurobiological origin. In the last 15 years, non-invasive brain imaging methods were successfully implemented in pediatric research. Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies gave major insight into the neurobiological correlates of executive malfunction, inhibitory deficits and psychomotoric soft signs. These findings are in good accordance with brain morphometric data indicating a significant volumetric decrease of major components of striato-thalamo-cortical feedback loops, primarily influencing prefrontal executive ...

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... as far as mammary development is concerned but carries the NF-κB reporter, there is diffuse NF-κB activity throughout the epithelial tissue that is ...

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Intercrosses of heterozygous pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) mice result in homozygous null progeny at lower frequencies than expected. Genotyping offspring at pre-, peri-, and postnatal stages revealed that over half of homozygous null mutants die in the early postnatal stages. To investigate the reasons for this early postnatal lethality, we analyzed in detail different parameters in the initial hours after birth. POMC null mutants born to heterozygous dams presented at birth with corticosterone levels no different from wildtype littermates, were euglycemic, and had normal liver glycogen stores. However, already 30 min after birth corticosterone levels dropped by 80% and were undetectable thereafter, while corticosterone levels in wildtype animals increased during postnatal hours. Circulating adrenaline was almost below detection 1h after birth. Blood glucose levels fell sharply in all genotypes within 30 min after birth; however, wildtype and heterozygous pups overcame hypoglycemia ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

IntroductionSevere obstructive sleep apnea has been associated with sexual dysfunction; however, it is unclear whether milder forms of sleep disturbances might also...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

We evaluated whether ejaculatory dysfunction induced with a selective α1A-blocker influenced orgasm. Fifteen healthy male volunteers took silodosin or a placebo in a randomized, double-blind...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

In chronic kidney disease, fibroblast dysfunction causes renal fibrosis and renal anemia. Renal fibrosis is mediated by the accumulation of myofibroblasts, whereas renal anemia is mediated by the reduced...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Background:Erectile dysfunction in type-2 diabetes may be an independent marker for coronary artery disease. Present study was undertaken to investigate whether type-2 diabetic...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Background:With the advent of newer antipsychotic drugs, side effects such as sexual dysfunction have been a major contributor toward treatment compliance. There are only...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between erectile dysfunction (ED) and the long-term risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) and the role of age as a modifier of this association.PARTICIPANTS...Full Text Available

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Prostate Cancer; Psychosocial Effects of Cancer and Its Treatment; Radiation Toxicity; Sexual Dysfunction and Infertility

KoreaScience (Korea)

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Streptococcus pneumoniae colonizes the mucosal surface of the human upper respiratory tract. A colonization event is gradually cleared through phagocytosis by monocytes/macrophages that are recruited to the airway lumen. Here, we sought to define the bacterial and host factors that promote monocyte/macrophage influx and S. pneumoniae clearance using intranasal bacterial challenge in mice. We found that the recruitment of monocytes/macrophages required their expression of the chemokine receptor CCR2 and correlated with expression of the CCR2 ligand CCL2. Production of CCL2 and monocyte/macrophage recruitment were deficient in mice lacking digestion of peptidoglycan by lysozyme (LysM) and cytosolic sensing of the products of digestion by Nod2. Ex vivo macrophages produced CCL2 following bacterial uptake, digestion by LysM, and sensing of peptidoglycan by Nod2. Sensing of digested ...

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AbstractThe tick-borne protozoan parasite Theileria annulata causes a debilitating disease of cattle called Tropical Theileriosis. The parasite predominantly invades...Full Text Available

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Macrophage activation by the proinflammatory cytokine interferon-γ (IFN-γ) is a critical component of the host innate response to bacterial pathogenesis. However, the precise nature...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The use of infectious pathogens has allowed the detection of the development of synergism between pathogens and ubiquitous environmental chemical contaminants. This synergism has been demonstrated to...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Despite the demonstrated clinical efficacy of CD20 monoclonal antibody (mAb) for lymphoma therapy, the in vivo mechanisms of tumor depletion remain controversial and variable. To identify the molecular...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Exteriorized phosphatidylserine (PS) residues in apoptotic cells trigger rapid phagocytosis by macrophage scavenger receptor pathways. Mimicking apoptosis with liposomes containing PS may represent...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The influence of pretreatment of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus with sub-MICs of the new beta-lactam antibiotic imipenem on phagocytosis and killing by murine peritoneal macrophages and...Full Text Available

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Normal healthy volunteers underwent broncho-alveolar lavage and the cells obtained were cultured for 24 h and 48 h, either alone or in the presence of the corticosteroid, Budesonide. Cell differentials...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Macrophages are cells of the immune system that protect organisms against invading pathogens by fulfilling critical roles in innate and adaptive immunity and inflammation. They originate from circulating...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An in vitro system for studying Pu uptake by, and removal from, macrophages was developed to provide data for the actinide therapy program. We have shown that "2"3"9PuO_2 particle uptake in vitro resembles the process in vivo with respect to the intracellular localization of phagocytized particles. At the end of 7 days of culture of Pu-loaded cells, 54% of the cells were viable even though 71% of the cells in the culture initially contained enough "2"3"9PuO_2 to deliver more than 53 intracellular #alpha#-disintegrations.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

AbstractThis cohort study of 1302 persons aged ≥65 years, conducted in the Yoruba-speaking regions of Nigeria, determines the prevalence and correlates of hearing impairment (HI)...Full Text Available

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ObjectivesMild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) case-finding criteria have low specificity in general population studies. The present study retrospectively identifies cases...Full Text Available

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Dyslexia (or reading disability) and specific language impairment (or SLI) are common childhood disorders that show considerable co-morbidity and diagnostic overlaps and have been suggested to share...Full Text Available

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The nephrotoxicity of cefoxitin was studied in a rat model of impaired renal function. Two levels of renal impairment were produced: "moderate," with blood urea concentrations of 100 to 150 mg/100 ml...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

For the evaluation of the kidney impairment, serum creatinine concentrations or glomerular filtration rates are mainly used, and the conditions of solitary or transplanted kidney and chronic dialysis...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Mitochondria are the major sites where energy is produced in the cell. Functions of organs such as the heart which has high energy demand are seriously affected by dysfunction of mitochondria....Full Text Available

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 Telomere maintenance is essential for cellular immortality, and most cancer cells maintain their telomeres through the enzyme telomerase. Telomeres and telomerase represent promising anticancer...Full Text Available

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Rheumatoid Arthritis; Psoriatic Arthritis; Ankylosing Spondylitis; Endothelial Dysfunction; Inflammatory Disease Activity

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OBJECTIVESIntroduce pediatric delirium and provide understanding of acute brain dysfunction with its classification and...Full Text Available

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Interaction of drilling fluids with a geothermal reservoir formation can result in significant permeability impairment and therefore reduced well productivity. This interaction is studied under simulated in situ geothermal conditions of overburden stress, pore fluid pressure, temperature, and pore fluid chemistry. Permeability impairment of an East Mesa KGRA reservoir material is evaluated as a function of stagnation time, drilling fluid, and temperature. Results indicate that all of these parameters contribute significantly to the magnitude and the reversibility of the impairment.

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Increased oxidative stress is a known cause of cardiac dysfunction in animals and patients with diabetes, but the sources of reactive oxygen species [e.g., superoxide anion (O₂⁻)]...Full Text Available

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Abstract While substantial attention has been paid to the issue of sexual dysfunction in men on chronic dialysis, less is known about this problem in women with end-stage renal disease. We sought to assess sexual dysfunction in women on chronic dialysis and determine whether patients discuss this problem with their providers and receive treatment. We prospectively enrolled women receiving chronic hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis in Pittsburgh, PA. We asked patients to complete the 19-item Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) to assess sexual function and a 5-item survey that assessed whether patients had discussed sexual dysfunction with their providers and/or received treatment for this problem in the past. We enrolled 66 patients; 59 (89%) on hemodialysis and 7 (11%) on peritoneal dial...

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Introduction: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is defined as the inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for sexual activity. Objectives: ED is a common condition in psychiatric patients, which can modify their quality of life. Aims: The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence and the severity of ED in psychiatric patients. Methods: This naturalistic, observational study was conducted during a six months period. The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) 15-item questionnaire was used to assess 144 male inpatients with different psychiatric disorders. IIEF is a brief, cross-culturally valid, self-administered scale for detecting treatment-related changes in patients with erectile dysfunction and addresses the relevant domains of male sexual function: erectile functi...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Standard pancreatic resections, such as pancreaticoduodenectomy, distal pancreatectomy, or total pancreatectomy, result in an important loss of normal pancreatic parenchyma and may cause impairment...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Nutcracker phenomenon refers to compression of the left renal vein, most commonly between the aorta and the superior mesenteric artery, with impaired blood outflow often accompanied by distention...Full Text Available

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BackgroundAlterations in protein composition and oxidative damage of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) have been proposed to impair the cardioprotective properties of...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Excessive dietary phosphorus may increase cardiovascular risk in healthy individuals as well as in patients with chronic kidney disease, but the mechanisms underlying this risk are not completely understood....Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Emerging evidence indicates that impaired cellular energy metabolism is the defining characteristic of nearly all cancers regardless of cellular or tissue origin. In contrast to normal cells, which...Full Text Available

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Raeder described five patients with mixed features of trigeminal nerve pathology and oculosympathetic impairment, with or without other cranial nerve lesions. This constellation of clinical features...Full Text Available

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Objective. To determine relative influences of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preterm birth on risks of cardiovascular, renal, or metabolic dysfunction in adolescent...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The etiology of major depression remains unknown, but dysfunction of serotonergic signaling has long been implicated in the pathophysiology of this disorder. p11 is an S100 family member recently...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Hypoxia, or reduced oxygen, occurs in a variety of clinical and environmental situations. Hypoxic exposure is associated with decreased muscle mass and a concomitant reduction in exercise capacity,...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Nowadays, percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation is a successful alternative to surgery for patients requiring treatment of pulmonary valve dysfunction. However, owing to the wide variety of implantation...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundMitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative damage and the accumulation of somatic mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been associated with certain neurodegenerative disorders....Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

IntroductionThe presence of erectile or ejaculatory dysfunction may indicate physical problems; however, individual perceptions (e.g., sexual satisfaction) may reflect...Full Text Available

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Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) results from insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction, in the setting of hyperglucagonemia. Glucagon is a 29 amino acid peptide hormone, which is secreted from...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Environmental chemicals that function as estrogens have been suggested to be associated with an increase in disease and dysfunctions in animals and humans. To characterize chemicals that may act as...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

When total mesorectal excision (TME) is accurately performed, dysfunction, theoretically, does not occur. However, there are differences among individuals in the running patterns and the volumes of nerve fibers, and if obesity or a narrow pelvis is present, nerve identification is difficult. Currently, the rate of urinary dysfunction after rectal surgery ranges from 33% to 70%. Many factors other than nerve preservation play a role in minor incontinence. Male sexual function shows impotence rates ranging from 20% to 46%, while 20%-60% of potent patients are unable to ejaculate. In women, information on sexual function is not easily obtained, and there are more unknown aspects than in men. As urinary, sexual, and defecation dysfunction due to adjuvant radiotherapy have been reported to occur at a high frequency, the creation of a protocol that enables analysis of long-term functional outcome will be essential for future ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Multiple disease-specific systematic reviews on the effectiveness of physical therapy intervention for shoulder dysfunction have been inconclusive. To date, there have been two systematic reviews that...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Background: The causes of elevated B-Type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels are multifactorial. Renal dysfunction has been shown to affect BNP levels in some studies and...Full Text Available

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BackgroundPostnatal glucocorticoid therapy in premature infants diminishes chronic lung disease, but it also increases the risk of hypertension in adulthood. Since glucocorticoid...Full Text Available

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BackgroundQuantitative sensory testing (QST) is applied to evaluate somatosensory nerve fiber function in the spinal system. This study uses QST in patients with sensory dysfunctions...Full Text Available

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In the last 40 years, significant advances have been made in the understanding of the neurophysiologic processes involved in the experience of trauma and pain. This knowledge, together with the rapid growth and understanding in the behavioral health sciences, has expanded to include a much better appreciation of how these fields are converging and contribute to a process called neuroplasticity. These basic mechanisms common to all patients have important implications for clinical outcome and for improving clinical practice. This article is written for clinicians who manage patients with sacroiliac joint dysfunction, a specific type of nonspecific low back pain.

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A central feature of the endocrine pathophysiology of septic shock is thought to be the existence of adrenal dysfunction. Based on changes in glucocorticoid secretion and responsiveness, protein binding, and activity. These changes have been described by the terms "Relative Adrenal Insufficiency" (RAI), or "Critical Illness Related Corticosteroid Insufficiency" (CIRCI), and form part of the rationale for trials of glucocorticoid treatment in septic shock. Diagnostic criteria for these conditions have been based on plasma cortisol profiles and have proven notoriously difficult to establish. The uncertainty in this area arises from the inability of current tests to clearly identify who is truly glucocorticoid "deficient" at a cellular level, and hence who requires supplemental glucocorticoid...

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A cDNA library was constructed from HL60 human promyelocyte poly(A)+ RNA harvested 3 h after induction of macrophage differentiation with 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate in the presence of cycloheximide....Full Text Available

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LRP1 is a type-1 transmembrane receptor that mediates the endocytosis of diverse ligands. LRP1 β-chain proteolysis results in release of sLRP1 that is present in human plasma. In this study,...Full Text Available

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Identity is a part of self-consciousness, which is also expressed as ''being in the world'' which one in turn shows to others as the Self. The assessment of the Self in a population of patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to a multidimensional definition (physical, social, spiritual), showed that the social self was impaired, and the severity of impairment of the self was correlated to apathy and lack of semantic autobiographical memory. It also appears that ipseity is selectively affected by the disease.

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Ethnopharmacological relevance: Extracts of the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Labiatae) have been widely used to relieve fever related to bacterial infection and inflammatory diseases in traditional Korean medicine and have been reported to be effective in brain diseases. These experiments were conducted to examine the effects of oral administration of Scutellaria baicalensis extracts on the rescue of memory impairments induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion or chronic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) infusion. In addition, the underlying mechanisms of these effects were investigated. Materials and methods: In the first experiment, chronic cerebral hypoperfusion was induced in male Wister rats by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAo). Daily administration of Scutellaria b...

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A new simple multi-well plate-based assay to determine monocyte differentiation-inducing activity was developed. It is based on the increase of macrophage adherence after the induction of monocyte differentiation. The assay was conducted using a human monocytic leukemia cell line, THP-1, treated with either 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate or cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma. This method is sensitive and easy to perform, especially in case of analyzing a large number of samples. PMID:17920620

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Extracellular ATP stimulates transmembrane ion fluxes in the mouse macrophage cell line J774. In the presence of Mg2+, nonhydrolyzable ATP analogs and other purine and pyrimidine nucleotides do not elicit this response, suggesting the presence of a specific receptor for ATP on the macrophage plasma membrane. One candidate for such a receptor is the ecto-ATPase expressed on these cells. We, therefore, investigated the role of this enzyme in ATP-induced /sup 86/Rb+ efflux in J774 cells. The ecto-ATPase had a broad nucleotide specificity and did not hydrolyze extracellular ATP in the absence of divalent cations. /sup 86/Rb+ efflux was not blocked by inhibition of the ecto-ATPase and did not require Ca2+ or Mg2+. In fact, ATP-stimulated /sup 86/Rb+ efflux was inhibited by Mg2+ and correlated with the availability of ATP4- in the medium. In the absence of divalent cations, the slowly hydrolyzable ATP analogs adenosine 5'-(beta, ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The paralysis-by-analysis phenomenon, i.e., attending to the execution of one's movement impairs performance, has gathered a lot of attention over recent years (see Wulf, 2007,...Full Text Available

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Immunotoxicity encompasses both reduced and heightened immune function. Diverse chemicals can impair functioning of the immune system. Both monographs and books have been devoted to detailed descriptions...Full Text Available

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Hip fractures are associated with a high rate of mortality and profound temporary and sometimes permanent impairment of quality of life. Current guidelines indicate that surgeons should perform surgery...Full Text Available

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The hippocampus is thought to coordinate memory consolidation by reactivating traces from behavioral experience when the brain is not actively processing new input. In fact, during slow-wave...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The authors’ objective was to analyze the impact of respiratory impairment on the risk of physical functional limitations among adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)....Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

With the advent of subgenomic hepatitis C virus (HCV) replicons, studies of the intracellular steps of the viral replication cycle became possible. These RNAs are capable of self-amplification in cultured...Full Text Available

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BackgroundZibotentan (ZD4054) is a specific endothelin A (ET_A) receptor antagonist being investigated for the treatment of prostate cancer. As zibotentan is eliminated...Full Text Available

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Cognitive rehabilitation is an effective intervention for addressing cognitive impairments in patients with schizophrenia. Previous research has shown that the early application of Cognitive...Full Text Available

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BackgroundMutations that impair mitochondrial functioning are associated with a variety of metabolic and age-related disorders. A barrier to rigorous tests of the role of mitochondrial...Full Text Available

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We describe an Ebolavirus minigenome-based system that is suitable for high-throughput screening of compounds able to impair Ebolavirus virus replication and/or transcription....Full Text Available

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Less than half of older adults with depression achieve remission with antidepressant medications, and rates of remission are even poorer for those with comorbid conditions. Psychosocial interventions...Full Text Available

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Sensory analysis studies are critical in the development of quality enhanced crops, and may be an important component in the public acceptance of genetically modified foods. It has recently been established...Full Text Available

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Mass mortalities among seals and dolphins inhabiting contaminated marine regions have led to speculation about a possible involvement of immunosuppression associated with environmental pollution. To...Full Text Available

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SUMMARYDendritic cells (DCs) in mucosal surfaces are early targets for human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1). DCs mount rapid and robust immune responses upon pathogen encounter....Full Text Available

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Chemical genetics is an emerging approach to investigate the biology of host-pathogen interactions. We screened several inhibitors of ATP-dependent DNA motors and detected the gyrase B inhibitor coumermycin...Full Text Available

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Obesity is a risk factor for stroke and neurodegenerative disease. Excess body fat has been linked to impaired glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, and impulsivity and may be a precursor to decline...Full Text Available

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BackgroundHip fracture patients often have an impaired nutritional status at the time of fracture, which can result in a higher complication rate, prolonged rehabilitation time and...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Depending on the location, dermatoses can produce blemishes that severely impair quality of life and require highly effective treatment that is otherwise used for extensive skin involvement. We report...Full Text Available

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BackgroundSexual function is impaired in women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as compared to normal controls. We examined disease specific determinants of different aspects...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Diabetic pregnancies are characterized by chronic metabolic insults, including iron deficiency, that place the developing brain at risk and for memory impairment later in life. A behavioral...Full Text Available

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BackgroundKinematic and kinetic measurements used in laboratory settings can quantify upper extremity movement impairment following stroke, but their relationship...Full Text Available

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Recent studies have reported that cognitive inflexibility associated with impairments in a frontal-striatal circuit and parietal region is a core cognitive deficit of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)....Full Text Available

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IntroductionMale circumcision is being promoted for HIV prevention in high-risk heterosexual populations. However, there is a concern that circumcision may impair...Full Text Available

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... (v) Import onto or keep on Wake Island any plant or animal not indigenous to the island, other than military working dogs or a guide dog for the blind or visually-impaired accompanying its owner; or (w) Import or bring onto or...

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...retardation, behavioral disorders or...blood. (3) Health protection goals...protecting your health. You are strongly...an independent analysis. The two...impairment of health. One of...although most cases of lead-induced...in the form of behavioral...

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Abstract Aim- Conventional outcomes such as survival, tumour recurrence and complication rates after surgery for rectal cancer have been rigorously assessed, but the importance of maintaining quality of life (QOL) after surgery for rectal cancer has received less attention. The aim of the current study was to analyse QOL and the occurrence of pelvic dysfunction after the surgical treatment of rectal cancer. Method- Between May 2005 and May 2008, 150 patients with rectal cancer underwent abdominoperineal resection (APR) or anterior resection (AR). Seventy-four answered two preoperative questionnaires. At a follow up of 1-year, 65 were alive without sign of recurrence and answered the same questionnaires: (a) validated RAND 36-item health survey QOL questionnaire; and (b) self-administered d...

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Penile rehabilitation therapy following radical prostatectomy is a much debated topic. Erectile dysfunction is still a significant contributor to postoperative morbidity following radical prostatectomy, despite meticulous nerve-sparing technique. Secondary smooth muscle changes in the penis have been identified as the underlying causes of penile atrophy, veno-occlusive dysfunction, and fibrosis. Initial observations that intracavernous injection therapies used on a regular basis postoperatively resulted in improvements in the return of spontaneous erectile function led to the development of penile rehabilitation protocols. Chronic dosing of PDE-V inhibitors is now commonly used by urologists after radical prostatectomy. Despite the current enthusiasm of penile rehabilitation therapy, current scientific evidence with clinical trials is still limited. PMID:19255627

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Exposure to urban air pollution is an independent risk factor for increased cardiovascular diseases. Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of vascular dysfunction and cardiovascular diseases. This study has been designed to determine whether inhalation of urban air induces HSP70 expression in the lung and blood as well as the association of HSP70 and air pollution-induced vascular dysfunction. Apolipoprotein E (Apo-E) deficient mice were exposed to diesel exhaust (DE) either acutely (3 days, 200 or 400 g/m3 for 6 h/day) or chronically (7 weeks, 200 or 400 g/m3 for 6 h/day). HSP70 was measured in the lung using immunohistochemistry, and in the plasma by ELISA. Abdominal aorta rings were used to determine vascular functional responses. Chronic DE-exposure incr...

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Some of the known toxic effects of lead in mammals including man are, impaired heme synthesis, anemia, nepatopathy, nephropathy, behavioral disorders and neuropathy. However, very little is known about the effect of lead on endocrine physiology. Some data are available on lead induced impairment of thyroid function in occupationally exposed men and experimental rats. As lead nitrate is largely consumed through water and food, in this study the wild rodents Funambulus pennanti were administered lead through their drinking water and their thyroid structure, radioiodine 131-I percentage uptake and protein bound iodine (PBI) level were assessed.

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Heart failure goes beyond mechanical dysfunction and involves an interplay of multiple pathophysiologic mechanisms, including inflammation, tissue remodeling, neurohormonal and endocrine signaling, and interactions with the renal and nervous systems. This article highlights some novel biomarkers that may aid in diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of acute heart failure, specifically focusing on ST2, endoglin, galectin-3, cystatin C, neutrophil gelatinase?associated lipocalin, midregional pro-adrenomedullin, chromogranin A, adiponectin, resistin, and leptin and their emerging clinical roles.

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The immune system modulates many key biological processes in humans. However, the exact role of the immune system in particle-associated periprosthetic osteolysis is controversial. Human tissue retrieval studies, in vivo and in vitro experiments suggest that the immune response to polymer particles is non-specific and macrophage-mediated. Lymphocytes may modulate this response. However direct lymphocyte activation by polymer particle-protein complexes seems unlikely. However, metallic byproducts may complex with serum proteins and lead to a Type IV, lymphocyte-mediated immune reaction. In predisposed individuals, this reaction may rarely lead to persistent painful joint effusions, necessitating debridement and excision of the bearing surfaces of the prosthesis. In these patients, retrieved...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Objective: Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease, modulated by plaque stabilizing and de-stabilizing cell populations such as infiltrating monocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs). Transcription factors regulating proliferation and differentiation of atherosclerosis relevant cell types are of interest in this context. The forkhead box transcription factor FoxP1 modulates monocyte differentiation. We studied FoxP1 expression in atherosclerotic tissue, correlated FoxP1 expression with plaque characteristics and identified associations between FoxP1 and plaque proteins. Methods: 116 Atherosclerotic plaques from carotid endarterectomy samples were histologically classified (fibrous, fibroatheromatous, atheromatous) and subjected to semi-quantitative protein analysis. Macrophage,...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The present study describes pathologic findings and immunohistochemical diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in 22 dogs who died naturally in the Aegean region of Turkey. At necropsy, lymphadenomegaly, hepatosplenomegaly, hepatic, and nephrosclerotic lesions were conspicuous. Histopathologically, chronic inflammatory reactions of the spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow, liver, and skin were marked findings. Cytological and histological examinations showed macrophages loaded with Leishmania amastigotes in these organs. Immunohistochemistry revealed that immunolabeling of amastigotes and/or parasite antigen, especially in the lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, liver, and skin, and occasionally, in the kidneys, intestines and lungs. Our laboratory results showed that immunohistochemis...

Science.gov (United States)

Elevated fatty acid levels have been thought to contribute to insulin resistance. Repression of the glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) gene as well as impaired GLUT4 translocation may be a mediator for fatty acid-induced insulin resistance. This study was initiated to determine whether palmitate treatment repressed GLUT4 expression, whether glucose/fatty acid metabolism influenced palmitate-induced GLUT4 gene repression (PIGR), and whether attempts to prevent PIGR restored palmitate-induced impairment of glucose uptake (PIIGU) in C2 myotubes. Not only stimulators of fatty acid oxidation, such as bezafibrate, AICAR, and TOFA, but also TCA cycle substrates, such as pyruvate, leucine/glutamine, and ?-ketoisocaproate/monomethyl succinate, significantly prevented PIGR. In particular, supplementing with pyruvate through methyl pyruvate resulted in nearly complete prevention of PIIGU, whereas palmitate treatment reduced the intracellular pyruvate level. ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The dramatic increase in diagnostic rates of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents in the USA has led to an intense interest in the phenomenology of the disorder. Here we present data from a newly-developed instrument to assess episodic mania-like symptoms in youth in a large population-based sample (N?=?5326) using parent- and self-report. We found that a substantial proportion of children screened positive for having episodes of ?going high? and were at an increased risk for morbidity and impairment. Using factor analysis, we identified that episodic mania-like symptoms comprised two dimensions: An under-controlled dimension that was associated with significant impairment, and a low-risk exuberant dimension. Using latent class analysis, we identified a small group of children scor...

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pro-inflammatory cytokines may directly influence the viability and metabolic function of colonic epithelial cells (CEC) as an early event in the development of inflammatory bowel disease. We report here that TNF-alpha+IFN-gamma induced a synergistic, concentration-dependent decline in butyrate oxidation, an essential energy supply, in HT-29 and DLD-1 cells. TNF-alpha+IFN-gamma induced a parallel profound decline in cell viability in HT-29 cells, but not in DLD-1 cells, where impairment of butyrate oxidation seemed to precede later occurrence of cell damage. TNF-alpha+INF-gamma induced CEC damage was independent on NO formation and involved the IFN-gamma signalling pathway as well as induction of apoptosis. If cytokines have similar effects in vivo, these may lead to energy deficiency and thus contribute to CEC damage and disturbance of the epithelial integrity.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The work examines twenty-two patients with coronary artery disease, previous myocardial infarction and LV dysfunction, using the technetium-99m ({sup 99m}Tc) tetrofosmin (SPECT) associated with nitrate administration in the detection of hypoperfused but still viable myocardium. The method allows the detection of this disease. [Italian] Il lavoro analizza i risultati degli esami condotti su 22 pazienti con cardiopatia ischemica cronica e ridotta funzione ventricolare sinistra sottoposti a tomografia computerizzata con emissione di fotone singolo (SPECT) cardiaca con tecnezio-99m ({sup 99m}Tc) tetrofosmina associata alla somministrazione di nitrati nella differenziazione tra tessuto miocardico ipoperfuso ma ancora vitale e tessuto miocardico necrotico. La metodologia usata consente di identificare la presenza di tessuto miocardico vitale in territori vascolari severamente ipoperfusi.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

To compare clinical effectiveness of Viabil-covered stents versus uncovered metallic Wallstents, for palliation of malignant jaundice due to extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, 60 patients were enrolled in a prospective and randomized study. In half of the patients a bare Wallstent was used, and in the other half a Viabil biliary stent. Patients were followed up until death. Primary patency, survival, complication rates, and mean cost were calculated in both groups. Stent dysfunction occurred in 9 (30%) patients in the bare stent group after a mean period of 133.1 days and in 4 (13.3%) patients in the covered stent group after a mean of 179.5 days. The incidence of stent dysfunction was significantly lower in the covered stent group (P = 0.046). Tumor ingrowth occurred exclusively in the bare stent group (P = 0.007). Median survival was 180.5 days for the Wallstent and 243.5 days for the Viabil group (P = 0.039). Complications and mean cost were ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The role of law in a federal regulatory agency is examined from an organizational perspective. While law is usually viewed in terms of its legal, political, and social value consequences, it is postulated that it also has significant organizational consequences. The impact of those consequences is examined in the case of a single agency, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The legal process is shown to be a powerful organizational characteristic of the government administrative agency, beginning with statuatory definition of organization goals, structure, and procedures and ending with judicial review of actions. Agency lawyers are shown to represent a distinct professional subculture within this agency. Their values and orientations toward business, the role of regulation, and the role of nuclear utilities are different from the 95% of agency employees subculture based on a physical science/engineering background. It is concluded that agency effectiveness suffers from the cultural ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Current multi-scale computational models of ventricular electromechanics describe the full process of cardiac contraction on both the micro- and macro- scales including: the depolarization of cardiac cells, the release of calcium from intracellular stores, tension generation by cardiac myofilaments, and mechanical contraction of the whole heart. Such models are used to reveal basic mechanisms of cardiac contraction as well as the mechanisms of cardiac dysfunction in disease conditions. In this paper, we present a methodology to construct finite element electromechanical models of ventricular contraction with anatomically accurate ventricular geometry based on magnetic resonance and diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging of the heart. The electromechanical model couples detailed repres...

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In this experiments, we established long-termed culture methods of bone marrow stromal cells for proliferation and differentiation of stem cells. And we selected some extracts which support maximal proliferation of stromal cells with this method. We conformed the synergic effects of herval mixture extracts for stromal cell growth. The proliferation of stromal cells was increased rather by the addition of mixture extracts than by addition of single strain extract. In the previous and cooperative experiments, we selected complex extracts which increased the number of nonadherent mononuclear cells. Different cytokine expression patterns were observed stromal cells cultured in the presence or absence of mixture extracts which support differentiation of nonadherent cells. Stimulation of macrophage cell line with herval extracts with the treatments of recombinant interferon-{gamma} resulted in increased nitric oxide synthesis in a dose-dependent manners. In addition, ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radiation chimeras in the early phase after bone marrow transplantation are a good model to study the efficiency of the body's nonspecific defense system represented by macrophages (M phi), polymorphonuclear cells (PMN), and NK cells. These cell types are present in large numbers in spleen and liver at that time, whereas the specific immune system represented by T and B cells is functionally deficient. We previously reported enhanced activities in vitro of M phi (and PMN) from recipient animals in an early phase after allogeneic bone marrow transfer. We here demonstrate that these activities result in enhanced spontaneous resistance against Listeria monocytogenes in vivo: CFU of L. monocytogenes in spleen and liver 48 h after infection were about 1 or 2 to 4 log steps less than in untreated control mice of donor or host haplotype. This enhanced resistance decreased over the 4-mo period after marrow transfer. Preactivated M phi were identified as the most important ...

Science.gov (United States)

The COOH-terminus of telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) has been shown to participatein the nuclear translocation of TERT. Here, we constructed plasmids expressing the COOH-terminal M(r) 27,000 polypeptide of hTERT (hTERTC27) withthe telomerase RNA-binding domains and the reverse transcriptase domains deleted. We showed that ectopic overexpression of this polypeptide caused a defect in telomere maintenance in hTERT-positive HeLa cells, which led to senescence-like growth arrest and apoptosis. The hTERTC27 appears to work by inducing telomere dysfunction, exemplified by significantly increased anaphase chromosome end-to-end fusion events in transfected cells. Significantly, it had no effect on the cellular telomerase enzymatic activity or telomere length. The in vivo effect was further demonstrated as HeLa cells stably expressing hTERTC27 have significantly lower growth rate and reduced tumorigenicity in nude mice xenografts. Results from this study revealed ...

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... The award is named for the late Samuelson, a leader and advocate for upward mobility and placement programs to enable visually impaired and blind persons to lead productive lives. The award was created to recognize the career achievements and accomplishments of employees who work in a NIB-associated agency. The Chicago Lighthouse, the company for which Uken works, nominated him based on his exceptional performance at CERL as ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Despite successful reduction of the general lead exposure, this heavy metal is still a matter of public concern due to the fact that associations with intellectual impairment or delayed puberty are found to correlate with very low lead blood concentrations. Lead in tap water is still an important contribution to lead exposure which may cause health risk for infants. Therefore, lead pipes should be completely sanitated by exchange against pipes made from more healthy materials. (orig.)

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundGeneralized anxiety disorder (GAD) is the most frequent anxiety disorder in primary care patients. It is known that painful physical symptoms (PPS) are associated with...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The impact of a single seizure on cognition remains controversial. We hypothesized that a single early life seizure (sELS) on rat post-natal day (P) 7 would alter only hippocampal-dependent...Full Text Available

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Cholestatic liver injury induced by alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) is provoked by injury to intrahepatic bile ducts and the progression of hepatic necrosis requires the procoagulant protein tissue factor (TF) and extrahepatic cells including neutrophils. Recent studies have shown that myeloid cell TF contributes to neutrophil activation. We tested the hypothesis that myeloid cell TF contributes to neutrophil activation in ANIT-treated mice. TF activity in liver homogenates increased significantly in TF^f^l^o^x^/^f^l^o^x mice treated with ANIT, but not in TF^f^l^o^x^/^f^l^o^x/LysMCre mice (TFD^M^y^e^l^o^i^d mice), which have reduced TF expression in monocytes/macrophages and neutrophils. Myeloid cell-specific TF deficiency did not alter expression of the chemokines KC or MIP-2 but redu...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macrophage differentiation antigen associated with complement three receptor function (Mac-1) belongs to #beta#_2 subfamily of integrins that mediate important cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions. Biochemical studies have indicated that Mac-1 is a constitutive heterodimer in vitro. Here, we detected the heterodimerization of Mac-1 subunits in living cells by means of two fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) techniques (fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy) and our results demonstrated that there is constitutive heterodimerization of the Mac-1 subunits and this constitutive heterodimerization of the Mac-1 subunits is cell-type independent. Through FRET imaging, we found that heterodimers of Mac-1 mainly localized in plasma membrane, perinuclear, and Golgi area in living cells. Furthermore, through analysis of the estimated physical distances between cyan fluorescent protein (CFP) and yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) fused ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sprengel deformity is a congential malformation with usually unilateral elevation and medial rotation of the scapula. An omovertebral bone is generally present. Associated skeletal malformations are frequently present. Though functional impairment is mild, the cosmetic and psycho-social impairment can be considerable. The prognosis of early surgical therapy is good. The presented case also justifies surgical correction in the older child. (orig.) [German] Die Sprengel-Deformitaet ist eine angeborene Fehlbildung mit meist einseitiger Elevation und Medialrotation der Skapula. Meist ist ein Os omovertebrale vorhanden. Assoziierte skelettale Fehlbildungen sind haeufig. Obgleich funktionell wenig einschraenkend, ist die kosmetische und psycho-soziale Beeintraechtigung oft erheblich. Die Prognose der fruehen operativen Therapie ist gut. Der vorliegende Fall ermutigt zur operativen Therapie auch im hoeheren Kindesalter. (orig.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cerebral maturation in the human fetal brain was investigated by in utero localized proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Spectra were acquired on a clinical MR system operating at 1.5 T. Body phased array coils (four coils) were used in combination with spinal coils (two coils). The size of the nominal volume of interest (VOI) was 4.5 cm"3 (20 mm x 15 mm x 15 mm). The MRS acquisitions were performed using a spin echo sequence at short and long echo times (TE = 30 ms and 135 ms) with a VOI located within the cerebral hemisphere at the level of the centrum semiovale. A significant reduction in myo-inositol and choline and an increase in N-acetylaspartate were observed with progressive age. The normal MR spectroscopy data reported here will help to determine whether brain metabolism is altered, especially when subtle anatomic changes are observed on conventional images. Some examples of impaired fetal brain development studied by MRS are illustrated.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured by the "1"3"3Xe inhalation method in patients with multi-infarct dementia (MID, N = 26), Alzheimer's dementia (AD, N = 19), and among age-matched, neurologically normal, healthy volunteers (N = 26). Cognitive performance was assessed in all subjects using the Cognitive Capacity Screening Examination (CCSE). Cerebral vasomotor responses were calculated from differences in values of mean hemispheric gray matter blood flow (Delta CBF) measured during inhalation of 100% oxygen (hyperoxia) compared with CBF measured while breathing room air. Significant correlations were found between CCSE performance and vasomotor responsiveness in patients with MID (P less than .01), but not in patients with AD or in neurologically normal volunteers. Loss of vasomotor responsiveness is an indicator of cerebrovascular disease with rigidity and/or loss of reactivity of cerebral vessels, which impairs cerebrovascular responses to situational demands ...

Science.gov (United States)

Autism is a pervasive developmental condition, characterized by impairments in non-verbal communication, social relationships and stereotypical patterns of behavior. A large body of evidence suggests that several aspects of face processing are impaired in autism, including anomalies in gaze processing, memory for facial identity and recognition of facial expressions of emotion. In search of neural markers of anomalous face processing in autism, much interest has focused on a network of brain regions that are implicated in social cognition and face processing. In this review, we will focus on three such regions, namely the STS for its role in processing gaze and facial movements, the FFA in face detection and identification and the amygdala in processing facial expressions of emotion. Much evidence suggests that a better understanding of the normal development of these specialized regions is essential for discovering the neural bases of face ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder of the elderly accounting for the vast majority of dementia. Recently, many studies have implicated the role of inflammatory response, especially neuroinflammatory response in the development and progression of AD. However, the underlying mechanism of how inflammatory response induces AD is unknown. Kynurenine pathway is a major route of the amino acid tryptophan catabolism, resulting in the production of nicotine adenine dinucleotide and other neuroactive intermediates: quinolinic acid (QA) and kynurenic acid (KA). QA exerts different toxic effects, including over-activation of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and excitotoxicity, synaptic dysfunction and neuronal death. On the other hand, KA is identified as the only...

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We have previously reported that periventricular structures are hypoperfused in attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study has expanded the number of patients, who were divided into two groups: six patients with pure ADHD, and 13 patients with ADHD in combination with other neurologic symptoms. By using xenon 133 inhalation and emission tomography, the regional cerebral blood flow distribution was determined and compared with a control group. Striatal regions were found to be hypoperfused and, by inference, hypofunctional in both groups. This hypoperfusion was statistically significant in the right striatum in ADHD, and in both striatal regions in ADHD with other neuropsychologic and neurologic symptoms. The primary sensory and sensorimotor cortical regions were highly perfused. Methylphenidate increased flow to striatal and posterior periventricular regions, and tended to decrease flow to primary sensory regions. Low striatal activity, partially reversible with ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract Aim:- To describe the first case of ceftriaxone-related haemolysis in a patient with congenital nephrotic syndrome (CNS). Background:- Severe haemolysis caused by an immune reaction to ceftriaxone has mostly been described in patients with underlying haematological or immune dysfunction. Case report:- The authors present a 20-month-old boy with CNS of the Finnish type with several previous severe infections treated with ceftriaxone, admitted for suspected sepsis. Following ceftriaxone administration he developed shock secondary to an acute haemolytic reaction, with severe anaemia. Hypersensitivity to ceftriaxone was documented through positive agglutination tests. Conclusion:- Onset of haemolysis following ceftriaxone administration, particularly in a patient previously exposed to...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Manganese toxicity can cause a neurodegenerative disorder affecting cortical and basal ganglia structures with a neurological presentation resembling features of Parkinson's disease. Children are more sensitive to Mn-induced neurological dysfunction than adults, and recent studies from our laboratory revealed a marked sensitivity of male juvenile mice to neuroinflammatory injury from Mn, relative to females. To determine the role of estrogen (E2) in mediating sex-dependent vulnerability to Mn-induced neurotoxicity, we exposed transgenic mice expressing an NF-kB-driven enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) reporter construct (NF-kB-EGFP mice) to Mn, postulating that supplementing male mice with E2 during juvenile development would attenuate neuroinflammatory changes associated with glia...

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Adipose tissue plays an essential role in energy homeostasis as a metabolic and endocrine organ. Accordingly, adipocytes are emerging as a major drug target for obesity and obesity-mediated metabolic syndrome. Dysfunction of enlarged adipocytes in obesity is involved in obesity-mediated metabolic syndrome. Adipocytokines, such as adiponectin released from small adipocytes, are able to prevent these disorders. In this study, we found that honokiol, an ingredient of Magnolia officinalis used in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicines, enhanced adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Oil Red O staining showed that treatment with honokiol in the presence of insulin dose-dependently increased lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 preadipoyctes although its activity was weak compared with r...

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Aim of the study: Satureja montana (winter savory) is a medicinal plant traditionally used to treat different disorders including male sexual dysfunction. In this study we evaluated the effect of Satureja montana hydroalcoholic extract on copulatory behavior of sexually potent male rats. Materials and methods: The extract was orally administered acutely or repetitively for 8 consecutive days at the doses of 25 and 50mg/kg. The main parameters of sexual behavior, mount (ML), intromission (IL), ejaculation (EL) latencies and post-ejaculatory interval (PEI), were evaluated in animals submitted to mating test and multiple ejaculations test. Testosterone serum levels were measured in rats acutely treated with Satureja montana extract dosed at 50mg/kg. In addition the open field test was conduct...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The Granger instantaneous-causality test is applied to explore the potential causal relationships between wholesale electricity and natural-gas prices in California. The test shows these relationships to be bi-directional, and reveals California's electricity and natural-gas markets to be as inextricably intertwined as casual observation and theoretical considerations would suggest they ought to be. This meshing of markets exacerbated the effects of California's natural-gas crisis on the contemporaneous electricity crisis, while concurrently the electricity crisis may have contributed to the dysfunction in the national-gas market and helped to precipitate the natural-gas crisis. The finding supports an integrated approach, as opposed to a piecemeal approach, for formulating energy policy recommendations, not just in California but in the world at large. (author)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Objective: Sarcopenia of legs is an important cause of physical dysfunctions, frailty and dependence. Many predisposing and underlying mechanisms of sarcopenia, including age, sedentary life style, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, and low testosterone levels, are also known to be related to atherosclerosis, which is another leading cause of morbidity and mortality in elderly subjects. In this study, we investigated our hypothesis that sarcopenia and atherosclerosis are associated with each other to facilitate mutual abnormalities. Methods: Study was performed in apparently healthy 496 middle-aged to elderly persons recruited consecutively among the visitors to the medical check-up program, Anti-Aging Doc, in a University hospital, from March 2006 to December 2007. Mid-thigh muscle cro...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Mutations or multiplications in a-synuclein gene cause familial forms of Parkinson disease or dementia with Lewy bodies (LB), and the deposition of wild-type a-synuclein as LB occurs as a hallmark lesion of these disorders, collectively referred to as synucleinopathies, implicating a-synuclein in the pathogenesis of synucleinopathy. To identify modifier genes of a-synuclein-induced neurotoxicity, we conducted an RNAi screen in transgenic C. elegans (Tg worms) that overexpress human a-synuclein in a pan-neuronal manner. To enhance the RNAi effect in neurons, we crossed a-synuclein Tg worms with an RNAi-enhanced mutant eri-1 strain. We tested RNAi of 1673 genes related to nervous system or synaptic functions, and identified 10 genes that, upon knockdown, caused severe growth/motor abnormalit...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Dyspnea is the most distressing symptom experienced by those suffering from advanced stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Activity-related dyspnea in COPD is multifactorial but is associated with increased central neural drive, impaired dynamic respiratory mechanics and abnormal respiratory muscle function. Each of these components can potentially be targeted for pharmacotherapy. Recent advances in the pharmacotherapy of COPD include the development of new long-acting bronchodilators which, when combined, provide sustained improvements in dyspnea. Additionally, novel applications of older therapies such as opiates, furosemide, helium-oxygen, and statins show early promise as dyspnea-relieving interventions in COPD. Effective pharmacological manipulation of the affective ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The central nervous system (CNS), generally accepted to regulate energy homeostasis, has been implicated in the metabolic perturbations that either cause or are associated with obesity. Normally, the CNS receives hormonal, metabolic, and neuronal input to assure adequate energy levels and maintain stable energy homeostasis. Recent evidence also supports that the CNS uses these same inputs to regulate glucose homeostasis and this aspect of CNS regulation also becomes impaired in the face of dietary-induced obesity. This review focuses on the literature surrounding hypothalamic regulation of energy and glucose homeostasis and discusses how dysregulation of this system may contribute to obesity and T2DM.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Back pain from osteoporosis is commonly related to compression fractures. The patient with vertebral compression fractures additionally suffers from an ongoing risk of recurrent fractures and postural abnormalities that can result in impaired respiratory function, leading to increased risk of morbidity. Weakened back muscles, especially the back extensor group, are felt to contribute significantly to this risk. The combination of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions, through physical activity, exercise, and modalities, are potential interventions that could be used to help reduce the pain of osteoporotic compression fractures as well as potentially reducing recurrent fracture rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Insect host/parasitoid interactions are co-evolved systems in which host defenses are balanced by parasitoid mechanisms to disable or hide from host immune effectors. Although there is a rich literature on these systems, parasitoid immune-disabling mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Here we report on a newly discovered immune-disabling mechanism in the Pieris rapae/Pteromalus puparum host/parasitoid system. Because venom injections and parasitization suppresses host phagocytosis, we turned attention to the P. rapae scavenger receptor (Pr-SR), posing the hypothesis that P. puparum venom suppresses expression of the host Pr-SR gene. To test our hypothesis, we cloned a full-length cDNA of the Pr-SR. Multiple sequences alignment showed the deduced amino acid sequence of Pr-SR is similar to scavenger receptors of other lepidopterans. Bacterial and bead injections induced Pr-SR mRNA and protein expression, which peaked at 4h post-bead injection. Venom injection inhibited Pr-SR ...

Science.gov (United States)

Oxidative stress is demonstrated to be involved in the pathophysiological mechanism of erectile dysfunction (ED). Quercetin, a potent bioflavonoid, has been reported to have the antioxidant role. In the present study, we examined the effect of quercetin on ED and oxidative stress in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats with a single intravenous injection of STZ. The diabetic rats were then randomized to diabetic group and quercetin therapy groups which were treated with quercetin at different doses of 5, 20 and 50mg/kg per day respectively. At the end of the 8th week, erectile function was assessed by measuring the rise in intracavernous pressure (ICP) following cavernous nerve electrostimulation. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, thiobarbituric acid-reacting substance (TBARS) and nitrite and nitrate (NOx) levels were measured in cavernosum tissue. Endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) expression was determined using ...

Science.gov (United States)

Clinical and hormonal indices of androgenic activity were compared in 118 males chronically intoxicated with alcohol. The population was divided into two groups with respect to their clinical and hormonal androgenic indices: 76 patients with (Group 1), and 46 patients without (Group 2) androgenic insufficiency. Distinct signs and syndromes of alcohol addiction were shown to correlate with the extent of cross-regulation impairment within hypothalamo-hypophyseo-gonadal system. This was particularly derived from comparison of clinical picture of chronic alcohol intoxication and hormone activity in the groups. Conventional therapy failed to restore the neuroendocrine indices that was apparently due to inhibition of cross-regulation links in the hypothalamo-hypophyseo-gonadal system at several stages of alcohol addiction. PMID:3223149

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Primary objective: Acquired brain injury (ABI) is associated with significant cognitive, behavioural, psychological and physical impairment. Hence, it has been important to leverage assessment approaches in rehabilitation by using current and emerging technologies, including virtual reality (VR). A number of VR rehabilitation programmes have been designed in recent years, mainly to improve upper limb function. However, before this technology gains widespread use, evaluation of the scientific evidence supporting VR-assisted rehabilitation is needed. The present review aimed to assess the rationale, design and methodology of research investigating the clinical impact of VR on ABI upper-limb rehabilitation. Research design: A total of 22 studies were surveyed using a Cochrane-style review. Re...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is an immune sensor for gram-positive bacterial cell wall components. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the TLR2 gene that impair its function may, therefore, influence the risk and outcomes of gram-positive bacterial infections. In a cohort of 694 liver transplant recipients, we assessed the TLR2 SNP that is translated into an amino acid substitution of arginine for glutamine at position 753 (R753Q), and we found that its presence was associated with the clinical characteristics and outcomes of gram-positive bacterial infections. The proportions of patients with the TLR2 R753Q SNP did not significantly differ between those with gram-positive bacterial infections and those without gram-positive bacterial infections (9.6% versus 9.6%, P = 0.999)....

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Patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and diabetes mellitus, as well as patients admitted with elevated blood glucose without known diabetes, have impaired outcome. Therefore intensive glucose-lowering therapy with insulin (IGL) has been proposed in diabetic or hyperglycaemic patients and has been shown to improve survival and reduce incidence of adverse events. The current manuscript provides an overview of randomised controlled trials investigating the effect of IGL. Furthermore, systematic glucose?insulin?potassium infusion (GIK) has been studied to improve outcome after AMI. In spite of positive findings in some early studies, GIK did not show any beneficial effects in recent clinical trials and thus this concept has been abandoned. While IGL targeted to achieve normoglycaemi...

Science.gov (United States)

Changes in the supply situation have necessitated the use of poorly-caking coals in blends for blast furnace coke. This has led to impairment of the coke rate (up to 9 kg/t iron) and furnace throughput (down 3.8%). Coke strength has suffered and leads to difficulties in the hearth area. Despite maintained pressure gradient between throat and tuyeres, blast figures were lower, suggesting decreased permeability of the charge and a general deterioration in heat utilization. Coke breeze became excessive and had to be removed on several occasions. Other factors which may be involved include the graphitization of the coke and its combustibility, neither of which were included in this study; coke quality, however, remains of prime importance to projected increases in furnace capacity.

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The growing epidemic of juvenile obesity has prompted pediatricians to investigate obesity-related conditions in obese teenagers. We report a clinical case of severe hepatic fibrosis in an adolescent with severe and recent obesity. Because of elevated serum aminotransferase levels, abnormal hepatic ultrasonography and insulin resistance (impaired glucose tolerance), we suspected nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Disease activity and fibrosis were confirmed on liver biopsy. Considering the risk of progression toward cirrhosis and its complications, and the pathological liver lesions, we started long-term medical monitoring and drug therapy to control weight loss. At present, although biopsy is the only validated way to establish the diagnosis of NASH, there is no consensus on its indicat...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

One hypothesis for the decline of the North American greater (Aythya marila) and lesser (A. affinis) scaup population is that contaminant burdens acquired on wintering or staging areas impair reproduction or cause lethal or sublethal health effects. Recent studies have found increased selenium (Se) concentrations in scaup but have focused on the fall and spring staging periods. From January to March 2006 and December to March 2006 and 2007, we analyzed liver tissues collected from greater scaup wintering in western Lake Ontario for 16 trace elements. We also measured Se concentrations in greater scaup blood and Dreissenid mussel tissue. Se was the only trace element that occurred at increased concentrations (>10??g/g liver dry weight) in a substantial proportion (99%) of greater scaup live...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

A better understanding of the immune processes in the pathogenesis and progression of prostate cancer (CaP) may point the way towards improved treatment modalities. The challenge is to amplify immune responses to combat tumour escape mechanisms. Infection and inflammation may have a role in prostate carcinogenesis, including the newly discovered xenotropic murine leukaemia virus (XMRV). These inflammatory states damage defence mechanisms and induce a high proliferative state favouring further mutation and impaired immune surveillance. With this knowledge we are able to explore the use of immunotherapy to rejuvenate the immune system in combating CaP. Recently Sipuleucel-T, an immunotherapeutic agent for metastatic androgen independent CaP, has resulted in improved survival and might be the...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozone is a principal component of photochemical air pollution endogenous to numerous metropolitan areas. It is primarily formed by the oxidation of NOx in the presence of sunlight and reactive organic compounds. Ozone is a highly active oxidizing agent capable of causing injury to the lung. Lung injury may take the form of irritant effects on the respiratory tract that impair pulmonary function and result in subjective symptoms of respiratory discomfort. These symptoms include, but are not limited to, cough and shortness of breath, and they can limit exercise performance. The effects of ozone observed in humans have been primarily limited to alterations in respiratory function, and a range of respiratory physiological parameters have been measured as a function of ozone exposure in adults and children. These affects have been observed under widely varying (clinical experimental and environmental settings) conditions

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The petroleum ether fraction (PEF) from the EtOH extract of flowers and buds of Chrysanthemum indicum was evaluated on antinociception in mice using chemical and thermal models of nociception. PEF administered orally at doses of 188 and 376mg/kg produced significant inhibitions on chemical nociception induced by intraperitoneal acetic acid, subplantar formalin or capsaicin injections and on thermal nociception in the tail-flick test and the hot plate test. In the pentobarbital sodium-induced sleep time test and the open-field test, PEF neither enhanced the pentobarbital sodium-induced sleep time nor impaired the motor performance, indicating that the observed antinociception was unrelated to sedation or motor abnormality. In a measurement of core body temperature, PEF did not affect temper...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

OBJECTIVE --To evaluate the consequences on male sexual function of intraprostatic injection of botulinum toxin type A (BoNT/A) as a treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Although BoNT/A is effective in decreasing symptoms of BPH, neuronal impairment caused by the neurotoxin might affect emission/ejaculation. These aspects have not been evaluated before. PATIENTS AND METHODS --In all, 16 sexually active men aged >60 years with BPH/benign prostatic enlargement (BPE), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) -8 and a maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) <15mL/s refractory to standard medical therapy volunteered for the study. --Patients were injected transrectally, under ultrasonographic control, with 200U of BoNT/A in the prostate. Evaluation was carried out at baseline and 1, 3 ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The present study was designed with an aim to analyze the effect of acute aluminium phosphide (ALP) exposure (10mg/kg b.wt, intragastrically) on the kinetic characteristics of cytochrome oxidase and energy metabolism in male Wistar rat liver mitochondria. Liver mitochondrial preparations from ALP-treated rats exhibited significant decrease (66%) in the activity of cytochrome oxidase suggesting that there was a decrease in the catalytic efficiency of the active oxidase molecules on ALP treatment. The decreased activity of cytochrome oxidase with altered NADH and succinic dehydrogenase activities might have contributed towards a significant decline in state 3 and state 4 respiration as observed. These alterations in the electron transport chain complexes in turn adversely affected the ATP sy...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae is associated with chronic non-progressive pneumonia of sheep and goats. As with many other mycoplasmas involved in animal diseases, protective immune responses have not been achieved with vaccines, even though antibody responses can be obtained. This study focuses on characterizing the interaction of M. ovipneumoniae with ovine PBMC using carboxy-fluorescein-succinimidyl-ester (CFSE) loading and flow cytometry to measure lymphoid cell division. M. ovipneumoniae induced a strong in vitro polyclonal suppression of CD4^+, CD8^+, and B blood lymphocyte subsets. The suppressive activity could be destroyed by heating to 60^oC, and partially impaired by formalin and binary ethyleneimine treatment that abolished its viability. The activity resided on the surface-exposed m...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often have poor relationships with peers. However, research on this topic has predominantly focused on boys. This study considered child gender, ADHD status, and dimensionally assessed conduct problems as predictors of peer relationship difficulties. Participants were 125 children (ages 6-10; 67% male), 63 with clinical diagnoses of ADHD and 62 non-ADHD comparison youth. Conduct problems were reported by teachers and observed in a lab playgroup. Peer relationships were assessed by parent report, teacher report, and peer sociometric nominations in the playgroup. Results suggested that children with ADHD, as well as those with high conduct problems, displayed more impaired peer relationships than did comparison children and those ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

14 surgical patients with non-hepatobiliary diseases were studied with "9"9"mTc-EHIDA imaging to evaluate the effect of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) on the hepatobiliary function. Duration of TPN ranged from 6-56 days, 10 of the 14 patients Beijing within 10 days. The results showed that: (1) 11 of 14 patients had abnormal scintigraphic features. The most prominet findings were delayed liver excretion and prolonged blood clearance time. This fact suggests that not only the rate of excretion of the bile from the liver is decreased but the uptake ability of the hepatorcyte is also impaired. (2) The effect of TPN on liver function is reversible. It was concluded that in order to prevent irreversible damage of hepatobiliary function caused by TPN, the duration of TPN should not be too long and oral intake of nutrients should be resumed as soon as possible.

Environmental Research Database

Objectives1. We will use reduction of lysosomal stability as an indicator of cell injury induced by C-60 fullerenes and carbon nanotubes in the liver analogue or digestive gland (hepatopancreas) of marine mussels. Molluscan hepatopancreatic digestive cells are key to normal function and are a sensitive key interface with the environment. Reduction of lysosomal stability is mechanistically linked with impaired health of the whole animal. 2. We will also test the hepatopancreatic digestive cells for evide [continued...]DescriptionNanotechnology is a major innovative scientific and economic growth area, which may present a variety of hazards for environmental and human health. The surface properties and very small size of nanoparticles and nanotubes provides surfaces that may bind and transport toxic chemical pollutants, as well as possibly being toxic in their own right by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). There is a wealth of evidence for the harmful effects ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Rationale Hypothalamic?pituitary?adrenal axis dysregulation predicts poor clinical and biochemical response to antidepressants. Antiglucocorticoids have therapeutic benefits but most have a troublesome adverse event profile. Aspects of neuropsychological performance, notably working memory, are susceptible to corticosteroid modulation and are impaired in depression. Aspirin has been shown to attenuate the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol response to physiological challenge suggesting its potential to act as an augmenting agent in depression. Objectives To examine the effect of sub-acute (300?mg daily for 7?days) aspirin pre-treatment on the cortisol awakening response and the effect of acute (600?mg) and sub-acute aspirin on the neuroendocrine and neuropsychological response...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), and Hashimotos thyroiditis (HT) are autoimmune disorders caused by impaired self-tolerance mechanisms triggered by interaction between genetic and environmental factors. ITP is an immune-mediated destruction of platelets resulting in mucocutaneous bleeding, GBS is an ascending motor paralysis caused by an inflammatory demyelination of peripheral nerves, and HT is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of the thyroid gland. The concurrent development of ITP and GBS has only rarely been reported in the literature, and GBS itself rarely occurs with other autoimmune disorders. We present a 21 year-old patient with known Hashimotos hypothyroidism that simultaneously developed GBS and ITP after an upper respiratory t...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Maternal stress during pregnancy, particularly that combined with low socioeconomic status (SES), has been linked to an increased risk for impaired behavioural and emotional development and affective disorders in children. In animal models, acute periods of prenatal stress have profound effects on hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) function and behaviour. However, few studies have determined the impact of chronic exposure to stress in animal models. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of chronic maternal stress (CMS) during the 2nd half of pregnancy and nursing on growth, locomotor behaviour and HPA axis function in juvenile guinea pig offspring. Pregnant guinea pigs were exposed to a random combination of variable stressors every other day over the 2nd half of gestat...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Data from a detailed evaluation of environment conditions in three U.S. Army field stations are presented. Three field stations were evaluated: Kunia, Augsburg, and Berlin. Results from a questionnaire administered to over 600 people at all sites in three job types (operator, analyst, and administrative/other) are given which indicate major concerns with conditions such as temperature, lighting, space, furniture, equipment functioning, and general environmental quality. Physical data obtained from measurements of over 270 work stations indicated the presence of cold temperatures, low light levels, reduced VDT screen contrast, glare, and distracting noises. The report provides the basic data that support the concerns expressed by Headquarters; namely, that field-station personnel perform their jobs under conditions likely to impair their effectiveness. Suggestions for improving conditions are given in a companion report by Rubin and Collins.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a major health problem as it afflicts an increasing number of patients worldwide. Albeit most of the risk factors for HCC are known, this is a deadly syndrome with a life expectancy at the time of diagnosis of less than 1?year. Definition of the molecular principles governing the neoplastic transformation of the liver is an urgent need to facilitate the clinical management of patients, based on innovative methods to detect the disease in its early stages and on more efficient therapies. In the present study, we have combined the analysis of a murine model and human samples of HCC to identify genes differentially expressed early in the process of hepatocarcinogenesis, using a microarray-based approach. Expression of 190 genes was impaired in murine ...

Science.gov (United States)

The family of natriuretic peptides consists of the atria natriuretic peptide (ANP), the cerebral natriuretic peptide (BNP), the type C natriuretic peptide (CNP) and the peptide isolated from the dendroaspis snakes' poison (DNP), whose presence in humans has not been confirmed. The physiological function of ANP is in the control of arterial blood pressure by regulation of systemic vascular resistance of blood vessels. BNP is produced as one of the factors in the acute response to inflammatory tissue damage, mainly in coronary vessels. Increased serum concentrations of natriuretic peptides have been found in stress situations, such as trauma or major surgery, systemic hypotension, and in intrinsic myocardial dysfunction. High concentrations of natriuretic peptides were observed in severe sepsis, septic shock and in multiple organ failure, probably due to increased secretion by mediators of the inflammatory process.The highest concentrations of ANP and BNP were found ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Understanding human brain function, brain development and brain dysfunction is one of the great challenges of the twenty first century. Biomedical imaging has now run up against a number of technical constraints that are exposing limits to its potential. In order to overcome the current limits to high-field magnetic resonance cerebral imaging (MRI) and unleash its fullest potential, the Cea has built NeuroSpin, an ultra-high-field neuroimaging facility at its Saclay centre (in the Essonne). NeuroSpin already boasts three fully operational MRI systems. The first is a 3-tesla high-field system and the second is a very-high-field 7-tesla system, both of which are dedicated to clinical studies and investigations in humans, while the third is an ultra-high-field 17.65-tesla system designed for studies on small animals. In 2011, NeuroSpin will be commissioning an 11.7-tesla ultra-high-field system of unprecedented power that is designed for research on human subjects. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Physiological functions are carried out by differentiated cells, with finite lifespans, which age and need to be replaced. In young individuals, tissue functions are sustained at optimal levels because cellular dysfunction and cell loss are balanced by the emergence of newly differentiated cells as stem cells and their partially differentiated descendants replicate. However, with the passage of time the mitotic rates of these cells diminish. Eventually, replications occur too infrequently to offset the loss. It is at this point that the tissue begins to show structural changes and declining function which, as they become pervasive, are identified as ageing. In this paper the theory is set forth that: (1) Diminishing mitotic activity in older tissues results from limited stem cell replicative capacity. (2) All stem cells, regardless of tissue, exhibit similar replicative patterns over time, progressing from the actively proliferating to the nonproliferating state. ...

Science.gov (United States)

An evaluation was made of possible hazardous working conditions at the ASARCO Globe facility, Denver, Colorado. The facility was involved in the recovery of cadmium from baghouse dust, a waste byproduct of nonferrous smelters. A medical study of kidney function was conducted in 45 current or former cadmium production workers; results were compared to those for 35 hospital workers. Kidney abnormalities were more common and more severe in the cadmium workers than in the hospital workers. Abnormalities of proximal tubular function included reduced reabsorption of beta-2-microglobulin, retinol binding protein, calcium and phosphate. Glomerular dysfunction was evidenced as elevated serum creatinine. As length of exposure to cadmium increased, changes became more apparent in workers. No reversal of the conditions was noted in workers who had ceased to be exposed to cadmium some time before the study. The authors conclude that occupational overexposure to cadmium caused ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is known as a psychiatric disorder in childhood associated with dopamine dysregulation. We investigated dopamine transporter (DAT) density in children with ADHD in the present study using {sup 123}I-IPT SPECT and postulated that an alteration in DAT density in the basal ganglia (BG) is responsible for dopaminergic dysfunction in children with ADHD. 9 durg-naive children with ADHD and 6 normal children were included in the study. We performed brain SPECT 2 hours after administration of {sup 123}I-IPT and made both quantitative and qualitative analyses for assessment of specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio in the BG. We investigated the correlation between the severity scores of ADHD symptoms in children with ADHD assessed with ADHD rating scale and specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio in the BG. Drug-naive children with ADHD showed a significantly incresed specific/nonspecific DAT binding ratio in the BG compared ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plasma triglyceride turnover was measured during steady-state conditions in 22 postoperative patients. Nine had received nutritional support with an enteral regimen, seven had received an equivalent regimen as continuous parenteral nutrition, and six received the same parenteral regimen as a cyclical infusion. After 5 days of nutritional support, each patient received an intravenous bolus of tritiated glycerol. Plasma radiolabeled triglyceride content was measured during the subsequent 24 hours. The data were analyzed by means of a simple deterministic model of plasma triglyceride kinetics and compared with the results obtained by stochastic analysis. The rates of hepatic triglyceride secretion obtained by deterministic analysis were higher than those obtained by the stochastic approach. However, the mode of delivery of the nutritional regimen did not affect the rate of hepatic triglyceride secretion regardless of the method of analysis. The results suggest that neither complete ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The present study sought a biochemical explanation for retarded brain development in the heterozygous offspring of the phenylketonuric (PKU) mother. Two rat models of simulated maternal PKU, one induced by p-chloropheylalanine and phenylalanine and the other by phenylacetate, were employed in this investigation. Maternal PKU had no influence on cerebral concentrations of DNA, protein, and cholesterol, which were normal in the 2 d old pup. However, there was a noticeable disruption of the normal ganglioside pattern and a significant reduction of sialoglycoproteins. Concomitant with a delayed drop in the gangliosides Q/sub 1b/ and D_3, was a slower rise in M_1 and D/sub 1a/. At least 66% of sialoglycoproteins located on SDS-PAGE gel chromatograms, by radioactivity incorporated in vivo from radiolabeled N-acetylmannosamine and by ("3H) sialic acid released by neuraminidase from periodate-("3H) borohydride labeled glycoproteins, have mobilites of the cell adhesion molecules N-CAM and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brain MRI was carried out in patients with chronic liver diseases. No abnormal findings were recognized in patients with chronic viral hepatitis, while 59.2% of cirrhotics showed a symmetrically strong signal in basal ganglia on T1 weighted image in MRI. This finding significantly related with lowered Fischer`s ratio of serum amino acid, increased levels of serum phenylalanine, tyrosine and hyaluronic acid, prolonged prothrombin time and decreased platelet counts in the peripheral blood. Overt hepatic encephalopathy was observed in 6 of 34 patients with the strong signal in MRI during follow-up period, while none of patients without that finding developed hepatic encephalopathy. These results have indicated that the strong signal in basal ganglia on MRI appears in cirrhotic patients with severe liver dysfunction, and it is an useful index in the early diagnosis of latent hepatic encephalopathy. An improvement of this MRI finding was not observed by long-term oral ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The translocation of particles from the alveolar compartment to the pleural space and tracheobronchial lymph nodes was investigated in rats over a 30 day period following the intrapulmonary instillation of 4 x 10/sup 8/ polystyrene microspheres (1.9 ..mu..m dia.). In initial studies, approx. =10/sup 4/ particles were found in the pleural space compartment on Days 1, 14 and 30 after particle deposition, and most of these were cell-associated. Subsequent pleural space studies indicated, however, that the particles found in this compartment were, at least in part, due to the pleural lavage technique, and, unlike observations reported for some fibers, the translocation of the particles used in our study to the pleural space does not represent an important lung clearance pathway. In regard to particle clearance to the tracheobronchial lymph nodes, the accumulation of particles, most of which were extracellular, kinetically was biphasic with the most rapid phase occurring within the first 24 ...

Science.gov (United States)

BackgroundIn recent years, near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF)-labeled iron nanoparticles have been synthesized and applied in a number of applications, including the labeling of human cells for monitoring the engraftment process, imaging tumors, sensoring the in vivo molecular environment surrounding nanoparticles and tracing their in vivo biodistribution. These studies demonstrate that NIRF-labeled iron nanoparticles provide an efficient probe for cell labeling. Furthermore, the in vivo imaging studies show excellent performance of the NIR fluorophores. However, there is a limited selection of NIRF-labeled iron nanoparticles with an optimal wavelength for imaging around 800 nm, where tissue autofluorescence is minimal. Therefore, it is necessary to develop additional alternative NIRF-labeled iron nanoparticles for application in this area.ResultsThis study manufactured 12-nm DMSA-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles labeled with a near-infrared fluorophore, IRDye800CW (excitation/emission, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In this experiments, we established long-termed culture methods of bone marrow stromal cells for proliferation and differentiation of stem cells. And we selected some extracts which support maximal proliferation of stromal cells with this method. We conformed the synergic effects of herbal mixture extracts for stromal cell growth. The proliferation of stromal cells was increased rather by the addition of mixture extracts than by addition of single strain extract. In the previous and cooperative experiments, we selected complex extracts (Him-I, Him-II) which increased the number of nonadherent mononuclear cells. Different cytokine expression patterns were observed stromal cells cultured in the presence or absence of mixture extracts which support differentiation of nonadherent cells. Some fractions of Him-I and Him-II increased the proliferation of bone marrow cells irradiated {gamma}-ray(4Gray). Stimulation of macrophage cell line with herval extracts with the ...

Science.gov (United States)

With the advent of subgenomic hepatitis C virus (HCV) replicons, studies of the intracellular steps of the viral replication cycle became possible. These RNAs are capable of self-amplification in cultured human hepatoma cells, but save for the genotype 2a isolate JFH-1, efficient replication of these HCV RNAs requires replication enhancing mutations (REMs), previously also called cell culture adaptive mutations. These mutations cluster primarily in the central region of non-structural protein 5A (NS5A), but may also reside in the NS3 helicase domain or at a distinct position in NS4B. Most efficient replication has been achieved by combining REMs residing in NS3 with distinct REMs located in NS4B or NS5A. However, in spite of efficient replication of HCV genomes containing such mutations, they do not support production of infectious virus particles. By using the genotype 1b isolate Con1, in this study we show that REMs interfere with HCV assembly. Strongest ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The performance of the Magma Power Company's reinjection well No. 46-7 at East Mesa has been examined. Water was cooled to 100/sup 0/F(+-) to simulate total heat extraction and then tested using membrane filter flow procedures. The cooled water contains particles which are in the high colloid size range, and formation impairment by these particles is unlikely. There is evidence that acid soluble corrosion products and calcium compounds constitute about two thirds of the particulates, and that the acid insoluble residue contains precipitated silica, insoluble corrosion products, and possibly formation fines carried in the produced water. Under stabilized conditions, the suspended solids content of the water is less than 2 parts per million. However, during the frequent production well start ups, a higher concentration of suspended solids is carried in the produced water and into the injection well, conceivably augmenting fill in the injector. But most ...

Science.gov (United States)

BackgroundNatural disasters result in significant numbers of disabling impairments. Paradoxically, however, the traditional health system response to natural disasters largely neglects health-related rehabilitation as a strategic intervention.ObjectivesTo examine the role of health-related rehabilitation in natural disaster relief along three lines of inquiry: (1) epidemiology of injury and disability, (2) impact on health and rehabilitation systems, and (3) the assessment and measurement of disability.DesignQualitative literature review and secondary data analysis.ResultsAbsolute numbers of injuries as well as injury to death ratios in natural disasters have increased significantly over the last 40 years. Major impairments requiring health-related rehabilitation include amputations, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries (SCI), and long bone fractures. Studies show that persons with pre-existing disabilities are more likely to die in a ...

Science.gov (United States)

Excitotoxicity plays a major role in various neurological disorders. In this study, we explored the behavioral and neurotoxic effects of intraventricular NMDA administration in mice. After NMDA injection, acute seizures were followed by impairments in locomotor activity, motor performance on a rotarod, and climbing ability. Mice killed 1 day after NMDA administration showed increased synaptosomal reactive oxygen species ROS production and calcium concentration and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial reductase activities, and neuronal membrane Na+, K+ -ATPase and mg2+ -ATPase activities. One and 3 days after excitotoxic injury, Golgi stains showed that dendritic length and spine density were significantly decreased in neurons of the hippocampal dentate gyrus. Some mice received honokiol, tea polyphenol plus memantine, and honokiol plus memantine prior to NMDA treatment; the occurrence of generalized seizures was attenuated, seizure scores were ...

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the recent literature on the prognostic value of biomarkers of liver fibrosis and impaired liver function in patients with chronic hepatitis C with or without HIV coinfection. RECENT FINDINGS: A combination of standard blood tests seems to be useful in identifying patients at risk of liver-related complications. Findings from studies investigating the validity of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score in HIV-infected liver transplant candidates are conflicting. Two large studies of HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfected patients have shown that plasma levels of the fibrosis marker hyaluronic acid are a strong predictor of clinical complications. A smaller study found hyaluronic acid and two other fibrosis tests, aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) and Fib-4, to be independent predictors of mortality when included in models with the MELD or the Child-Pugh-Turcotte scores. SUMMARY: Although the data are ...

Science.gov (United States)

Haemangiomas usually develop within the first few weeks of life, most regressing spontaneously before the age of 7 years. Some may ulcerate or compromise a vital function, in which case systemic corticosteroids, surgery or radiotherapy may be helpful. All of these treatment modalities are associated with significant morbidity. Treatment with the 585 nm flashlamp pulsed dye laser is safe and effective in the management of superficial vascular malformations. We report seven patients, under 12 months of age, who presented with proliferative haemangiomas, causing functional impairment. Ulcerated lesions were present in four patients. The patients were treated with the 585 nm pulsed dye laser (fluences 7.0-9.25 J/cm2), at intervals of 4-8 weeks. All of the lesions showed a significant reduction in size, together with improvement in the colour and integrity of the overlying skin. Treatment with the 585 nm pulsed dye laser should be considered in the management of infants ...

Science.gov (United States)

The iron hormone hepcidin is inhibited by matriptase-2, a liver serine-protease encoded by TMPRSS6 gene. Cleaving the BMP-coreceptor hemojuvelin, matriptase-2 impairs the BMP/SMAD signaling pathway, downregulates hepcidin and facilitates iron absorption. TMPRSS6 inactivation causes iron-deficiency-anemia refractory to iron administration both in humans and mice. Genome wide association studies have shown that the SNP rs855791, which causes the matriptase-2 V736A amino acid substitution, is associated with variations of serum iron, transferrin saturation, hemoglobin and erythrocyte traits. Here we show that in vitro matriptase-2 736(A) inhibits hepcidin more efficiently than 736(V). Moreover, in a genotyped population, after exclusion of samples with iron deficiency and inflammation, hepcidin, hepcidin/transferrin saturation and hepcidin/ferritin ratios were significantly lower and iron parameters were consistently higher in homozygotes 736(A) than in 736(V). Our ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

For the interests of national security, many scientists who work in the field of nuclear forensic analysis have carried out extensive work in the past on the detection of radioactive material and attributions study, developed a series of scientific and technical means to trace and detect illicit circulation of nuclear materials used to weapons and other radioactive materials which impair public security. All these questions relate to physical, chemical, biological attribution of materials. The nuclear forensic analysis has already become a special, up-to-date sphere of learning. The goal of the study of nuclear forensics is to prevent terrorists from acquiring not only nuclear weapons but also mate- rials that can be used to make such weapons, including radioactive materials for nuclear power plants, and medical radioisotope to and provide us as many clues of environmental links as possible that could help us trace the smuggling path, to answer the following ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The build-up of frost on unit cooler surfaces, if not periodically cleared, will eventually cause impairment of the unit's performance, eventually rendering it useless. Thus it is necessary, in spaces below freezing, to provide an external supply of heat to warm the unit sufficiently to melt the frost and remove it. In large central-plant-type systems the most common method employed for supplying heat is from the high-pressure side of the refrigeration system, referred to as hot gas defrost. Although the heat thus captured for use in melting frost would otherwise be rejected external to the system, the defrosting process is not free of cost. There are significant losses associated with the process the magnitude of which have not heretofore been fully identified. This paper looks at the heat and mass transfer and fluid flow mechanisms involved in the hot gas defrost process in large commercial freezers. It suggests some mathematical models for analysis of ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The world fusion program has advanced to the stage where it is appropriate to construct a number of devices for the purpose of burning DT fuel. In these next-generation experiments, the expected flux and fluence of 14 MeV neutrons and associated gamma rays will pose a significant challenge to the operation and diagnostics of the fusion device. Radiation effects include structural damage to materials such as vacuum windows and seals, modifications to electrical properties such as electrical conductivity and dielectric strength and impaired optical properties such as reduced transparency and luminescence of windows and fiber optics during irradiation. In preparation for construction and operation of these new facilities, the fusion diagnostics community needs to work with materials scientists to develop a better understanding of radiation effects, and to undertake a testing program aimed at developing workable solutions for this multi-faceted problem. A unique ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Limited field trial results of a heating oil additive package developed to minimize unscheduled maintenance indicate that it achieves its goal of keeping heating oil systems cleaner. The multifunctional additive package was developed to provide improved fuel oxidation stability, improved corrosion protection, and dispersency. This combination of performance benefits was chosen because we believed it would retard the formation of sludge, as well as allow sludge already present to be carried through the system without fouling the fuel system components (dispersency should keep sludge particles small so they pass through the filtering system). Since many unscheduled maintenance calls are linked to fouling of the fuel filtering system, the overall goal of this technology is to reduce these maintenance calls. Photographic evidence shows that the additive package not only reduces the amount of sludge formed, but even removes existing sludge from filters and pump strainers. This ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In the Assel'skiy and Sakmarskiy time of the lower Permian epoch, on the territory of the modern Dnieper and Donets, and Pripyatskiy Basins, there was a gulf which stretched in a northwest direction. The latter connected to the open sea in the east through the CisDonets trough. Transverse tectonic elevations divided the gulf into 5 semi-isolated reservoirs. In the Assel'skiy time, in the period of carbonate sedimentation, the development of algae, crinoids, corals and other organisms occurred. They created reef, bioherm and biostroma reconstructions. The most favorable sections for their settlement were the coastal zones of the gulf, consedimentation positive structures and transverse tectonic elevations. It is assumed that the formation of reefs, bioherms and biostromas, on the one hand, and sedimentation of evaporites on the other hand, are interrelated processes. The first after the next marine transgression during their growth was a greater ...

Science.gov (United States)

Therapeutic hypothermia is a promising method for controlling intracranial pressure (ICP) in severely brain-injured patients. However, clinical data regarding the effect of brain hypothermia on overall outcome of these patients is limited. This may be because there are specific pitfalls associated with the clinical management of induced hypothermia in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). These pitfalls may be avoided by preventing specific risk factors when cooling is induced and with rewarming. However, these risk factors have not been well systematically discussed in the literature. In this paper, three categories of clinical issues regarding the management of brain hypothermia are discussed: (1) stress-induced secondary brain injury mechanisms; (2) technical aspects of intensive care unit (ICU) cooling management; and (3) rewarming rates and methods. For patients with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of less than 8, management of stress-induced insulin-resistant ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Despite successful reduction of the general lead exposure, this heavy metal is still a matter of public concern due to the fact that associations with intellectual impairment or delayed puberty are found to correlate with very low lead blood concentrations. Lead in tap water is still an important contribution to lead exposure which may cause health risk for infants. Therefore, lead pipes should be completely sanitated by exchange against pipes made from more healthy materials. (orig.) [German] Trotz erfolgreicher Reduktion der allgemeinen Belastung ist Blei auch heute noch umweltmedizinisch relevant, weil es moeglicherweise bei niedrigeren als bisher angenommenen Belastungen gesundheitlich nachteilige Wirkungen, insbesondere waehrend der fruehkindlichen Entwicklung des Nervensystems, ausloest. Insbesondere Blei aus bleiernen Trinkwasserleitungen ist eine Belastung, die fuer Saeuglinge und Kleinkinder nach wie vor ein gesundheitliches Risiko darstellen kann. Solche ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In vivo effects of toxaphene on calcium pump activity in rat brain synaptosomes was studied. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were dosed with toxaphene at 0,25,50, and 100 mg/kg/day for 3 days and sacrificed 24 h after last dose. Ca/sup 2 +/-ATPase activity and /sup 45/Ca uptake were determined in brain P/sub 2/ fraction. Toxaphene inhibited both Ca/sup 2 +/-ATPase activity and /sup 45/Ca/sup 2 +/ uptake and the inhibition was dose dependent. Both substrate and Ca/sup 2 +/ activation kinetics of Ca/sup 2 +/-ATPase indicated non-competitive type of inhibition as evidenced by decreased catalytic velocity but not enzyme-substrate affinity. The inhibited Ca/sup 2 +/-ATPase activity and Ca/sup 2 +/ uptake were restored to normal level by exogenously added calmodulin which increased both velocity and affinity. The inhibition of Ca/sup 2 +/-ATPase activity and Ca/sup 2 +/ uptake and restoration by calmodulin suggests that toxaphene may impair active calcium transport mechanisms ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Describes investigations into flow density, angle of repose, coefficients of friction and adhesion using poor quality anthracite culm (from the 50-letie Ukrainy mine) and anthracite slurry with a high ash content (from the Tsentral'naya and Partizanskaya mines) on samples of varying moisture content (2-22%). The results show that flow properties are impaired when anthracite has a moisture content of 8.5 to 9.5%; when these anthracites are used in electric power plants they should be stored in bunkers with walls with a slope of greater than 70 degrees (or dried) to prevent sticking. Results of investigations into internal and external friction, adhesion and cohesion varied for the different samples, but the highest coefficient of internal friction was found with concrete where it increases continuously with moisture content. With rubber, PVC, St. 3 steel and stainless steel, the friction coefficient increases with moisture content at first, then gradually ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coastal zones are among the most productive and vulnerable areas on the planet. An example of impact on these fragile environments was shown in the case of the Sea Empress oil tanker, which ran aground in the Bristol Channel in 1996, spilling 72,000 tonnes of Forties crude oil. The objective was to investigate the sub-lethal cellular pathology and tissue hydrocarbon contamination in marine mussel populations, 4 months after the initial spill, using the neutral red retention (NRR) assay for lysosomal stability in blood cells. NRR was reduced in mussels, and indicative of cell injury, from the two sites closest to the spill in comparison with more distant and reference sites. Lysosomal stability was inversely correlated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in mussel tissues. Reduced lysosomal stability has previously been shown to contribute to impaired immunocompetence and to autophagic loss of body tissues. The use of this type of technique is ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A high sensitivity (titer 60-150,000) radioimmunoassay for arginine vasopressin (AVP) has been developed using synthetic AVP as antigen and standard. The specificity of the antiserum has been characterized in detail by measuring the relative binding affinities of 29 analogs and fragments of AVP. In general, single amino acid substitution or deletion in the AVP molecule caused a reduction in binding to the antiserum; binding was further impaired for analogs which had multiple substitutions. ''Ring'' and ''tail'' fragments of the neurohypophysial hormones did not bind to the antiserum, and the only analog which the antiserum could not differentiate from AVP was deamino-AVP. More specifically, the antiserum exhibited the following properties: position 1, no requirement for a position charge at "1/_2 Cys; positions 2 and 3, requirements for #pi#-#pi# interacting pair of aromatic side chains and for Tyr at position 2; position 4, requirement for Gln (>Thr > Val); ...