In vivo photothermal optical coherence tomography of endogenous and exogenous contrast agents in the eye.

Science.gov (United States)

Lapierre-Landry, Maryse; Gordon, Andrew Y; Penn, John S; Skala, Melissa C

2017-08-23

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has become a standard-of-care in retinal imaging. OCT allows non-invasive imaging of the tissue structure but lacks specificity to contrast agents that could be used for in vivo molecular imaging. Photothermal OCT (PT-OCT) is a functional OCT-based technique that has been developed to detect absorbers in a sample. We demonstrate in vivo PT-OCT in the eye for the first time on both endogenous (melanin) and exogenous (gold nanorods) absorbers. Pigmented mice and albino mice (n = 6 eyes) were used to isolate the photothermal signal from the melanin in the retina. Pigmented mice with laser-induced choroidal neovascularization lesions (n = 7 eyes) were also imaged after a systemic injection of gold nanorods to observe their passive accumulation in the retina. This experiment demonstrates the feasibility of PT-OCT to image the distribution of both endogenous and exogenous absorbers in the mouse retina.

Skin Lesions in European Hibernating Bats Associated with Geomyces destructans, the Etiologic Agent of White-Nose Syndrome

OpenAIRE

Wibbelt, Gudrun; Puechmaille, S?bastien J.; Ohlendorf, Bernd; M?hldorfer, Kristin; Bosch, Thijs; G?rf?l, Tam?s; Passior, Karsten; Kurth, Andreas; Lacremans, Daniel; Forget, Fr?d?ric

2013-01-01

White-nose syndrome (WNS) has claimed the lives of millions of hibernating insectivorous bats in North America. Its etiologic agent, the psychrophilic fungus Geomyces destructans, causes skin lesions that are the hallmark of the disease. The fungal infection is characterized by a white powdery growth on muzzle, ears and wing membranes. While WNS may threaten some species of North American bats with regional extinction, infection in hibernating bats in Europe seems not to be associated with si...

Production of endogenous pyrogen.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinarello, C A

1979-01-01

The production and release of endogenous pyrogen by the host is the first step in the pathogenesis of fever. Endogenous pyrogen is a low-molecular-weight protein released from phagocytic leukocytes in response to several substances of diverse nature. Some of these agents stimulate production of endogenous pyrogen because they are toxic; others act as antigens and interact with either antibody or sensitized lymphocytes in order to induce its production. Some tumors of macrophage origin produce the molecule spontaneously. Whatever the mechanism involved, endogenous pyrogen is synthesized following transcription of new DNA and translation of mRNA into new protein. Once synthesis is completed, the molecule is released without significant intracellular storage. Recent evidence suggests that following release, molecular aggregates form which are biologically active. In its monomer form, endogenous pyrogen is a potent fever-producing substance and mediates fever by its action on the thermoregulatory center.

Enterovirus and herpesviridae family as etiologic agents of lymphomonocytary meningitis, Southern Brazil

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Luine Rosele Renaud Vidal

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Viral meningitis is a common infectious disease of the central nervous system (CNS that occurs worldwide. The aim of this study was to identify the etiologic agent of lymphomonocytary meningitis in Curitiba, PR, Brazil. During the period of July 2005 to December 2006, 460 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF samples with lymphomonocytary meningitis were analyzed by PCR methodologies. Fifty nine (12.8% samples were positive. Enteroviruses was present in 49 (83% samples and herpes virus family in 10 (17%, of these 6 (10% herpes simplex virus, 1 (2% Epstein Barr virus, 2 (3% human herpes virus type 6 and 1 (2% mixed infection of enterovirus and Epstein Barr virus. As conclusion enterovirus was the most frequent virus, with circulation during summer and was observed with higher frequency between 4 to 17 years of age. PCR methodology is an important method for rapid detection of RNA enterovirus and DNA herpesvirus in CSF.

Serological studies on the infection of dogs in Ontario with Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiological agent of Lyme disease

OpenAIRE

Artsob, Harvey; Barker, Ian K.; Fister, Richard; Sephton, Gregory; Dick, Daryl; Lynch, John A.; Key, Doug

1993-01-01

A serological study was undertaken to determine whether dogs in Ontario are being exposed to Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiological agent of Lyme disease. This study consisted of a survey of randomly selected dogs and testing of diagnostic submissions from candidate Lyme disease cases. The survey of 1,095 dogs, bled between January 1988 and August 1989, revealed a total of 65 (5.9%) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) reactors, of which 22 had immuno-fluorescent antibody assay (IFA) tite...

Fanconi anemia proteins and endogenous stresses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pang Qishen [Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children' s Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH (United States); Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH (United States); Andreassen, Paul R., E-mail: Paul.Andreassen@cchmc.org [Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children' s Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH (United States); Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH (United States)

2009-07-31

Each of the thirteen identified Fanconi anemia (FA) genes is required for resistance to DNA interstrand crosslinking agents, such as mitomycin C, cisplatin, and melphalan. While these agents are excellent tools for understanding the function of FA proteins in DNA repair, it is uncertain whether a defect in the removal of DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) is the basis for the pathophysiology of FA. For example, DNA interstrand crosslinking agents induce other types of DNA damage, in addition to ICLs. Further, other DNA-damaging agents, such as ionizing or ultraviolet radiation, activate the FA pathway, leading to monoubiquitination of FANCD2 and FANCI. Also, FA patients display congenital abnormalities, hematologic deficiencies, and a predisposition to cancer in the absence of an environmental source of ICLs that is external to cells. Here we consider potential sources of endogenous DNA damage, or endogenous stresses, to which FA proteins may respond. These include ICLs formed by products of lipid peroxidation, and other forms of oxidative DNA damage. FA proteins may also potentially respond to telomere shortening or replication stress. Defining these endogenous sources of DNA damage or stresses is critical for understanding the pathogenesis of deficiencies for FA proteins. We propose that FA proteins are centrally involved in the response to replication stress, including replication stress arising from oxidative DNA damage.

Fanconi anemia proteins and endogenous stresses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pang Qishen; Andreassen, Paul R.

2009-01-01

Each of the thirteen identified Fanconi anemia (FA) genes is required for resistance to DNA interstrand crosslinking agents, such as mitomycin C, cisplatin, and melphalan. While these agents are excellent tools for understanding the function of FA proteins in DNA repair, it is uncertain whether a defect in the removal of DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) is the basis for the pathophysiology of FA. For example, DNA interstrand crosslinking agents induce other types of DNA damage, in addition to ICLs. Further, other DNA-damaging agents, such as ionizing or ultraviolet radiation, activate the FA pathway, leading to monoubiquitination of FANCD2 and FANCI. Also, FA patients display congenital abnormalities, hematologic deficiencies, and a predisposition to cancer in the absence of an environmental source of ICLs that is external to cells. Here we consider potential sources of endogenous DNA damage, or endogenous stresses, to which FA proteins may respond. These include ICLs formed by products of lipid peroxidation, and other forms of oxidative DNA damage. FA proteins may also potentially respond to telomere shortening or replication stress. Defining these endogenous sources of DNA damage or stresses is critical for understanding the pathogenesis of deficiencies for FA proteins. We propose that FA proteins are centrally involved in the response to replication stress, including replication stress arising from oxidative DNA damage.

Etiologic agents of central nervous system infections among febrile hospitalized patients in the country of Georgia.

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Tamar Akhvlediani

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: There is a large spectrum of viral, bacterial, fungal, and prion pathogens that cause central nervous system (CNS infections. As such, identification of the etiological agent requires multiple laboratory tests and accurate diagnosis requires clinical and epidemiological information. This hospital-based study aimed to determine the main causes of acute meningitis and encephalitis and enhance laboratory capacity for CNS infection diagnosis. METHODS: Children and adults patients clinically diagnosed with meningitis or encephalitis were enrolled at four reference health centers. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF was collected for bacterial culture, and in-house and multiplex RT-PCR testing was conducted for herpes simplex virus (HSV types 1 and 2, mumps virus, enterovirus, varicella zoster virus (VZV, Streptococcus pneumoniae, HiB and Neisseria meningitidis. RESULTS: Out of 140 enrolled patients, the mean age was 23.9 years, and 58% were children. Bacterial or viral etiologies were determined in 51% of patients. Five Streptococcus pneumoniae cultures were isolated from CSF. Based on in-house PCR analysis, 25 patients were positive for S. pneumoniae, 6 for N. meningitidis, and 1 for H. influenzae. Viral multiplex PCR identified infections with enterovirus (n = 26, VZV (n = 4, and HSV-1 (n = 2. No patient was positive for mumps or HSV-2. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings indicate that S. pneumoniae and enteroviruses are the main etiologies in this patient cohort. The utility of molecular diagnostics for pathogen identification combined with the knowledge provided by the investigation may improve health outcomes of CNS infection cases in Georgia.

Etiologic Agents of Central Nervous System Infections among Febrile Hospitalized Patients in the Country of Georgia

Science.gov (United States)

Akhvlediani, Tamar; Bautista, Christian T.; Shakarishvili, Roman; Tsertsvadze, Tengiz; Imnadze, Paata; Tatishvili, Nana; Davitashvili, Tamar; Samkharadze, Tamar; Chlikadze, Rusudan; Dvali, Natia; Dzigua, Lela; Karchava, Mariam; Gatserelia, Lana; Macharashvili, Nino; Kvirkvelia, Nana; Habashy, Engy Emil; Farrell, Margaret; Rowlinson, Emily; Sejvar, James; Hepburn, Matthew; Pimentel, Guillermo; Dueger, Erica; House, Brent; Rivard, Robert

2014-01-01

Objectives There is a large spectrum of viral, bacterial, fungal, and prion pathogens that cause central nervous system (CNS) infections. As such, identification of the etiological agent requires multiple laboratory tests and accurate diagnosis requires clinical and epidemiological information. This hospital-based study aimed to determine the main causes of acute meningitis and encephalitis and enhance laboratory capacity for CNS infection diagnosis. Methods Children and adults patients clinically diagnosed with meningitis or encephalitis were enrolled at four reference health centers. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was collected for bacterial culture, and in-house and multiplex RT-PCR testing was conducted for herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2, mumps virus, enterovirus, varicella zoster virus (VZV), Streptococcus pneumoniae, HiB and Neisseria meningitidis. Results Out of 140 enrolled patients, the mean age was 23.9 years, and 58% were children. Bacterial or viral etiologies were determined in 51% of patients. Five Streptococcus pneumoniae cultures were isolated from CSF. Based on in-house PCR analysis, 25 patients were positive for S. pneumoniae, 6 for N. meningitidis, and 1 for H. influenzae. Viral multiplex PCR identified infections with enterovirus (n = 26), VZV (n = 4), and HSV-1 (n = 2). No patient was positive for mumps or HSV-2. Conclusions Study findings indicate that S. pneumoniae and enteroviruses are the main etiologies in this patient cohort. The utility of molecular diagnostics for pathogen identification combined with the knowledge provided by the investigation may improve health outcomes of CNS infection cases in Georgia. PMID:25369023

Queratitis infecciosa no viral: factores predisponentes, agentes etiológicos y diagnóstico de laboratorio Non viral infectious keratitis: predisposing factors, etiologic agents and laboratory diagnosis

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Federico Nicola

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Las queratitis infecciosas poseen una elevada morbilidad, poniendo en riesgo la visión en casos graves. Dada la eficaz protección que brinda el epitelio corneal, para que ocurra una infección se requiere la presencia de factores condicionantes. El principal predisponente para las queratitis infecciosas es el uso de lentes de contacto, seguido por traumatismos y cirugías oculares y luego diversas afecciones locales o generales. Los agentes etiológicos abarcan una enorme diversidad de microorganismos, incluyendo bacterias, micobacterias, virus, hongos y parásitos. Para poder instaurar un tratamiento acotado se necesita un diagnóstico etiológico, lo que requiere una correcta toma de muestra y un exhaustivo análisis microbiológico.Infectious keratitis cause significant morbidity and, if it is not promptly and appropriately treated, can lead to severe ocular disability. Almost all cases of keratitis are associated to predisposing conditions. In occident, the main risk factor is contact lens wear, but previous ocular surgery or trauma are also important, as well as various ocular surface diseases. An enormous diversity of etiologic agents for infectious keratitis exist, including virus, bacteria, mycobacteria, fungi and parasites. This review provides literature and personal based information about main predisposing factors, etiologic agents and pathophysiology of infectious keratitis, excluding those of viral origin. Focus is made on microbiologic procedures, describing stains and media that should be used, and highlighting their utility. A special mention on particular situations is made, including laboratory diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis, utility of lens cases analysis, keratitis in patients with previous treatment, as well as molecular biology techniques described in ophthalmology.

P-wave dispersion in endogenous and exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism.

Science.gov (United States)

Gen, R; Akbay, E; Camsari, A; Ozcan, T

2010-02-01

The aim of this study was to measure maximum P wave duration (Pmax) and P wave dispersion (PWD), which can be indicators for the risk of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation when increased, and to reveal their relationship with thyroid hormone levels in patients with endogenous and exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism. Seventy-one patients with sublinical thyrotoxicosis (34 endogenous, 37 exogenous) and 69 healthy individuals were enrolled in the study. Pmax and minimum P wave duration (Pmin) on electrocardiogram recordings were measured and PWD was calculated as Pmax-Pmin. Pmax (pendogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism compared with the control group. Pmax (pexogenous subclinical thyrotoxicosis compared with the control group. Pmax (p=0.710) and PWD (p=0.127) were not significantly different in patients with endogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism compared with exogenous subclinical hyperthyroid patients. Pmax and PWD negatively associated with TSH in endogenous and exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism. In the present study, we observed that Pmax and PWD were longer in patients with endogenous and exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism. Lack of a difference in Pmax and PWD between patients with endogenous and exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism seems to support the idea that hormone levels rather than the etiology of thyrotoxicosis affect the heart.

[Infectious mononucleosis: etiology, immunological variants, methods of correction].

Science.gov (United States)

Gordeets, A V; Savina, O G; Beniova, S N; Chernikova, A A

2011-01-01

Clinical options of infectious mononucleosis course depending on infecting agent etiology are presented for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), mono and mixed forms of the disease. Examined cytokine profiles demonstrate analogous changes of serum cytokines in the acute stage of the disease irrespective of etiological factors. Data show that it is important and useful clinically and immunologically to include immunomodulators--in particular, cycloferon--info a complex therapy of different types of mononucleosis.

Money, banks and endogenous volatility

OpenAIRE

Pere Gomis-Porqueras

2000-01-01

In this paper I consider a monetary growth model in which banks provide liquidity, and the government fixes a constant rate of money creation. There are two underlying assets in the economy, money and capital. Money is dominated in rate of return. In contrast to other papers with a larger set of government liabilities, I find a unique equilibrium when agents' risk aversion is moderate. However, indeterminacies and endogenous volatility can be observed when agents are relatively risk averse.

A study on etiologic agents and clinical manifestations of dermatophytosis in Yazd, Iran

Science.gov (United States)

Rashidian, S; Falahati, M; Kordbacheh, P; Mahmoudi, M; Safara, M; Sadeghi Tafti, H; Mahmoudi, S; Zaini, F

2015-01-01

Background and Purpose: Dermatophytosis is one of the most common infections of skin, hair, and nails, caused by a group of keratinophilic fungi known as dermatophytes. Species identification of these fungi is of great significance from epidemiological and therapeutic points of view. The objective of the present study was to investigate dermatophytosis and its causative agents in patients, referring to the Central Mycology Laboratory of Yazd University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran. Materials and Methods: In total, 139 clinically suspected cases of dermatophytosis were examined during 12 months from February 2014 to February 2015. Skin scrapings were assessed through direct microscopic examinations and culture studies. Dermatophyte isolates were identified based on colony morphology on potato dextrose agar and dermatophyte test medium, nutritional requirements, urease and hair perforation tests, and microscopic characteristics on slide cultures. Results: Dermatophytosis was mycologically confirmed in 26 (18.70%) out of 139 cases. Although there was a statistically insignificant difference between male and female subjects, men were dominantly affected. Infection was significantly common in the age group of ≤ 29 years (P<0.043). The most common clinical manifestation of dermatophytosis was tinea corporis (69.2%), followed by tinea cruris (15.4%), tinea manuum (11.5%), and tinea pedis (3.8%). Trichophyton mentagrophytes complex was the main etiologic agent (38.5%), followed by T. rubrum (23%), T. violaceum (15.5%), T. verrucosum (11.5%), Microsporum canis (7.7%), and Epidermophyton floccosum (3.8%). Conclusion: In comparison with previous research, epidemiology of dermatophytosis has changed in Yazd over the past decades. Therefore, periodical investigations on the epidemiological aspects of this infection are required for efficient control and prevention of this cutaneous dermatophytic disease. PMID:28681000

Near infrared hyperspectral images and pattern recognition techniques used to identify etiological agents of cotton anthracnose and ramulosis

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Priscila S.R. Aires

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Hyperspectral imaging near infrared (HSI-NIR has the potential to be used as a non-destructive approach for the analysis of new microbiological matrices of agriculture interest. This article describes a new method for accurately and rapidly classifying the etiological agents Colletotrichum gossypii (CG and C. gossypii var. cephalosporioides (CGC grown in a culture medium, using scattering reflectance HSI-NIR and multivariate pattern recognition analysis. Five strains of CG and 46 strains of CGC were used. CG and CGC strains were grown on Czapek-agar medium at 25 °C under a 12-hour photoperiod for 15 days. Molecular identification was performed as a reference for the CG and CGC classes by polymerase chain reaction of the intergenic spacer region of rDNA. The scattering coefficient µs and the absorption coefficient µa were obtained, which resulted in a µs value for CG of 1.37 × 1019 and for CGC of 5.83 × 10–11. These results showed that the use of the standard normal variate was no longer essential and reduced the spectral range from 1000–2500 nm to 1000–1381 nm. The results evidenced two type II errors for the CG 457-2 and CGC 39 samples in the soft independent modelling model of the analogy model. There were no classification errors using the algorithm of the successive projections for variable selection in linear discriminant analysis (SPA-LDA. A parallel validation of the results obtained with SPA-LDA was performed using a box plot analysis with the 11 variables selected by SPA, in which there were no outliers for the HSI-NIR models. The new HSI-NIR and SPA-LDA procedures for the classification of CG and CGC etiological agents are noted for their greater analytical speed, accuracy, simplicity, lower cost and non-destructive nature.

Deep Sequencing Data and Infectivity Assays Indicate that Chickpea Chlorotic Dwarf Virus is the Etiological Agent of the “Hard Fruit Syndrome” of Watermelon

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Takoua Zaagueri

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Chickpea chlorotic dwarf virus (CpCDV, a polyphagous mastrevirus, family Geminiviridae, has been recently linked to the onset of the “hard fruit syndrome” of watermelon, first described in Tunisia, that makes fruits unmarketable due to the presence of white hard portions in the flesh, chlorotic mottling on the rind, and an unpleasant taste. To investigate the etiological agent of this disease, total RNA extracted from symptomatic watermelon fruits was subjected to small RNA sequencing through next generation sequencing (NGS techniques. Data obtained showed the presence of CpCDV and two other viral species. However, following validation through polymerase chain reaction (PCR, CpCDV was the only viral species consistently detected in all samples. Watermelon seedlings were then challenged by an agroinfectious CpCDV clone; several plants proved to be CpCDV-infected, and were able to produce fruits. CpCDV infected and replicated in watermelon fruits and leaves, leading to abnormality in fruits and in seed production, similar to those described in field. These results indicate that CpCDV is the etiological agent of the “hard fruit syndrome” of watermelon.

Etiology of Infectious Complications and Antibiotic-Resistance of Major Causative Agents in Victims with Severe Injury

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T. A. Vasina

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: to analyze the spectrum of major pathogens of infectious complications in patients with concomitant injury.Materials and methods. 560 biological samples taken from 331 patients were bacteriologically studied. A significant reduction in the isolation frequency of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and an increase in etiological role of Staphylococcus aureus were ascertained in victims with severe injury and concomitant infectious complications during long-term 1982—1984 and 2002—2004 follow-ups.Results. The significant pathogens of infectious complications in concomitant injuries are Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella and Escherichia coli. Vancomycin, imipenem/cilastatin, and amikacin are shown to be the most effective drugs for early antibiotic therapy. Thus, the findings reflect structural changes in the leading causative agents of infectious complications in victims with severe injury. If their principal pathogen was Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the 1990s, Staphylococcus aureus and representatives in the colibacillus group prevail today. This supports and generates a need for continuous microbiological monitoring of the causative agents of pyoin-flammatory complications in intensive care units wherein patients with immunosuppression are also present. Pathogen monitoring makes it possible to apply of a well-grounded and rational package of preventive and therapeutic measures and to perform early target antibiotic therapy. 

Ball python nidovirus: a candidate etiologic agent for severe respiratory disease in Python regius.

Science.gov (United States)

Stenglein, Mark D; Jacobson, Elliott R; Wozniak, Edward J; Wellehan, James F X; Kincaid, Anne; Gordon, Marcus; Porter, Brian F; Baumgartner, Wes; Stahl, Scott; Kelley, Karen; Towner, Jonathan S; DeRisi, Joseph L

2014-09-09

A severe, sometimes fatal respiratory disease has been observed in captive ball pythons (Python regius) since the late 1990s. In order to better understand this disease and its etiology, we collected case and control samples and performed pathological and diagnostic analyses. Electron micrographs revealed filamentous virus-like particles in lung epithelial cells of sick animals. Diagnostic testing for known pathogens did not identify an etiologic agent, so unbiased metagenomic sequencing was performed. Abundant nidovirus-like sequences were identified in cases and were used to assemble the genome of a previously unknown virus in the order Nidovirales. The nidoviruses, which were not previously known to infect nonavian reptiles, are a diverse order that includes important human and veterinary pathogens. The presence of the viral RNA was confirmed in all diseased animals (n = 8) but was not detected in healthy pythons or other snakes (n = 57). Viral RNA levels were generally highest in the lung and other respiratory tract tissues. The 33.5-kb viral genome is the largest RNA genome yet described and shares canonical characteristics with other nidovirus genomes, although several features distinguish this from related viruses. This virus, which we named ball python nidovirus (BPNV), will likely establish a new genus in Torovirinae subfamily. The identification of a novel nidovirus in reptiles contributes to our understanding of the biology and evolution of related viruses, and its association with lung disease in pythons is a promising step toward elucidating an etiology for this long-standing veterinary disease. Ball pythons are popular pets because of their diverse coloration, generally nonaggressive behavior, and relatively small size. Since the 1990s, veterinarians have been aware of an infectious respiratory disease of unknown cause in ball pythons that can be fatal. We used unbiased shotgun sequencing to discover a novel virus in the order Nidovirales that was

Why Don’t People Pay Attention?: Endogenous Sticky Information in a DSGE Model

OpenAIRE

Dräger, Lena

2010-01-01

Building on the models of sticky information, we endogenize the probability of obtaining new information by introducing a switching mechanism allowing agents to choose between costly rational expectations and costless expectations under sticky information. Thereby, the share of agents with rational expectations becomes endogenous and timevarying. While central results of sticky information models are retained, we find that the share of rational expectations is positively correlated with the v...

Glutamic acid as anticancer agent: An overview

OpenAIRE

Dutta, Satyajit; Ray, Supratim; Nagarajan, K.

2013-01-01

The objective of the article is to highlight various roles of glutamic acid like endogenic anticancer agent, conjugates to anticancer agents, and derivatives of glutamic acid as possible anticancer agents. Besides these emphases are given especially for two endogenous derivatives of glutamic acid such as glutamine and glutamate. Glutamine is a derivative of glutamic acid and is formed in the body from glutamic acid and ammonia in an energy requiring reaction catalyzed by glutamine synthase. I...

[Etiology of acute and chronic pyelonephritis in children in Khabarovsk region].

Science.gov (United States)

Kozlova, E A; Kholodok, G N; Alekseeva, I N; Kozlov, V K

2008-01-01

Microflora of urinary tract was studied in 419 children aged 1 - 17 years and hospitalized due to acute or chronic pyelonephritis. Etiology of inflammatory process was established in 57.8% of cases. According to our study, etiologic structure of causative agents of pyelonephritis did not differ from all-Russian data. The leading positions belonged to Gram-negative microorganisms from Enterobacteriaceae family: Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, and Klebsiella spp. Results of the study point to high susceptibility of main causative agents of pyelonephritis to cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, and fluoroquinolones. High resistance to aminopenicillines was noted. In several isolates from Enterobacteriaceae family significant resistance to nalidixic acid and furazidin was observed.

An endogenous Taylor condition in an endogenous growth monetary policy model

OpenAIRE

Le, Mai Vo; Gillman, Max; Minford, Patrick

2007-01-01

The paper derives a Taylor condition as part of the agent's equilibrium behavior in an endogenous growth monetary economy. It shows the assumptions necessary to make it almost identical to the original Taylor rule, and that it can interchangably take a money supply growth rate form. From the money supply form, simple policy experiments are conducted. A full central bank policy model is derived that includes the Taylor condition along with equations comparable to the standard aggregate-demand/...

Propionibacterium avidum as an Etiological Agent of Prosthetic Hip Joint Infection.

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Peter Wildeman

Full Text Available Propionibacterium acnes is well-established as a possible etiologic agent of prosthetic joint infections (PJIs. Other Propionibacterium spp. have occasionally been described as a cause of PJIs, but this has not previously been the case for P. avidum despite its capacity to form biofilm. We describe two patients with prosthetic hip joint infections caused by P. avidum. Both patients were primarily operated with an anteriorly curved skin incision close to the skin crease of the groin, and both were obese. Initial treatment was performed according to the DAIR procedure (debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention. In case 1, the outcome was successful, but in case 2, a loosening of the cup was present 18 months post debridement. The P. avidum isolate from case 1 and two isolates from case 2 (obtained 18 months apart were selected for whole genome sequencing. The genome of P. avidum obtained from case 1 was approximately 60 kb larger than the genomes of the two isolates of case 2. These latter isolates were clonal with the exception of SNPs in the genome. All three strains possessed the gene cluster encoding exopolysaccharide synthesis. P. avidum has a pathogenic potential and the ability to cause clinically relevant infections, including abscess formation, in the presence of foreign bodies such as prosthetic joint components. Skin incision in close proximity to the groin or deep skin crease, such as the anteriorly curved skin incision approach, might pose a risk of PJIs by P. avidum, especially in obese patients.

Role of endogenous serotonin in the mechanism of action of radioprotective substances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konstantinova, M.M.; Nekrasova, I.V.; Gusareva, Eh.V.; Dontsova, G.V.

1978-01-01

A study is made of a correlation between radiomodifying activity of noradrenaline (NA), N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) and a combination of these agents and their effect on the content of endogenous serotonin in cells of Ehrlich's ascites tumor and E. coli B. There is no uniformity in the response of different cells and uniform direction of the changes in their radioresistance and endogenous serotonin content both under the effect of the substances (NA and NEM) given separately and under a combined effect of the protector and the agent, which removes the protective effect or prevents realization of the latter (NEM). This enables us to arrive at a conclusion that endogenous serotonin is not the only factor responsible for the radioprotective effect of the protective substances. At the same time, it is not excluded that endogenous serotonin is involved in the chain of reactions which are necessary for the radioprotective effect to come into play

Optimal income taxation with endogenous human capital

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jacobs, B.

2005-01-01

This paper augments the theory of optimal linear income taxation by taking into account human capital accumulation as a dimension of labor supply. The distribution of earning potentials is endogenous because agents differ in the ability to learn. Taxation affects utilization rates of human capital

HYPERCORTISOLISM: CLASSIFICATION, PATHOGENESIS, CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS. DIAGNOSIS OF ENDOGENOUS HYPERCORTISOLISM

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Nikonova L. V.

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The relevance of the study of Cushing's syndrome with different etiology as well as the states of hypercorticism, which is not associated with endogenous hypercortisolism, is due to the difficulty of the diagnosis of this disease. Accurate knowledge of the classification criteria for the diagnosis of hypercorticism enables subsequently to establish the correct diagnosis and to administer the appropriate treatment. It was found that the cause of hypercorticism can be endogenous and exogenous factors. There is a particular group of patients requiring screening for hypercorticism using special diagnostic tests. Only a clear understanding of etiopathogenesis of hypercorticism and its clinical manifestations by the specialist, the correct interpretation of diagnostic results make it possible to establish the diagnosis, to administer the appropriate treatment and significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality of patients of this profile and improve their quality of life.

Inciting and etiologic agents of colitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, J; Fekety, R; Werk, C; Ebright, J; Cudmore, M; Batts, D; Syrjamaki, C; Lukens, J

1984-01-01

Since 1979, 3,115 stool samples were tested for detection of Clostridium difficile and its cytotoxin; these were obtained from patients who had drug-related diarrhea. Presumed or proven colitis due to C. difficile was diagnosed in 130 patients. Drugs implicated most commonly as causing or associated with the onset of enterocolitis due to C. difficile were ampicillin (38 episodes), cephalosporins (71), clindamycin (36), and the aminoglycosides (45). The hamster model of colitis was employed to explore the role of other inducing agents. Altering the usual diet of hamsters to one with a higher protein content decreased the time to death due to C. difficile cecitis following the administration of cefazolin (10 mg). Several cathartics also were studied for their effect on the lethality of antibiotic-induced cecitis. Daily administrations of castor oil (0.5 ml per day) and vegetable oil (1.0 ml per day) improved survival against lethal doses of clindamycin. Milk of magnesia or mineral oil provided no protection. Four patients with C. difficile colitis induced by therapy with cytotoxic drugs also were identified. Methotrexate induced cecitis when administered orally and daily to hamsters, and C. difficile and its cytotoxin were identified in the hamsters' stools. Death due to methotrexate-induced cecitis was prevented by daily administration of folinic acid or vancomycin. These data demonstrate that a variety of antibiotics, antineoplastic agents, cathartics, and diet changes can induce C. difficile colitis in humans and hamsters.

Endogenous technological change with leisure-dependent utility.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hek, de P.A.

1999-01-01

This paper investigates the effect of introducing leisure-dependent utility into two models of endogenous technological change. Due to the flexibility in the labour supply the dynamics of the models change significantly. It is shown that if agents attach enough value to leisure in comparison to

An endogenous model of the credit network

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He, Jianmin; Sui, Xin; Li, Shouwei

2016-01-01

In this paper, an endogenous credit network model of firm-bank agents is constructed. The model describes the endogenous formation of firm-firm, firm-bank and bank-bank credit relationships. By means of simulations, the model is capable of showing some obvious similarities with empirical evidence found by other scholars: the upper-tail of firm size distribution can be well fitted with a power-law; the bank size distribution can be lognormally distributed with a power-law tail; the bank in-degrees of the interbank credit network as well as the firm-bank credit network fall into two-power-law distributions.

Influence of endogenous pyrogen on the cerebral prostaglandin-synthetase system.

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Ziel, R; Krupp, P

1976-11-15

The biotransformation of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins in vitro is specifically augmented by endogenous pyrogen to a degree depending on the concentration applied, providing that the microsomal fraction of the cerebral cortex is used as prostaglandin-synthetase system. This effect is inhibited by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents. These findings are compatible with the hypothesis that prostaglandins might act as mediators of the febrile reaction induced by endogenous pyrogen.

Uncommon and Neglected Venezuelan Viral Diseases: Etiologic Agents, Physiopathological, Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics

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Juan C. Gabaldon-Figueira

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract (english Viral infectious diseases are common in Venezuela, influenza, dengue, yellow fever, HIV infection, viral Hepatitis, chikungunya fever and many others represent public health problems in the country and therefore, have been well documented. However, other rarer and even unique or lethal viral illnesses present in Venezuela are usually poorly understood or even unknown. This review described Venezuelan Hemorrhagic Fever, Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis, Hantavirus Infections and Mayaro fever, named as neglected diseases, emphasizing the etiologic agents and their most relevant pathogenic mechanisms, clinical and epidemiological characteristics. Although there is not an official report about the re-emergence of these diseases, falling living standards and unsanitary conditions, together with limited accessibility to hygiene products and medical supplies, put us on alert about the re-emergence of these neglected diseases. Resumen (español Las enfermedades infecciosas virales son comunes en Venezuela, influenza, dengue, fiebre amarilla, infección por VIH, hepatitis viral, fiebre chikungunya y muchas otras representan problemas de salud pública en el país y por lo tanto, han sido bien documentadas. Sin embargo, otras enfermedades virales más raras e incluso únicas y letales presentes en Venezuela son generalmente poco estudiadas y hasta desconocidas. Esta revisión describe alguna de estas enfermedades olvidadas tales como la fiebre hemorrágica venezolana, la encefalitis equina venezolana, las infecciones por hantavirus y la fiebre de Mayaro, haciendo hincapié en los agentes etiológicos y en sus mecanismos patogénicos más relevantes, características clínicas y epidemiológicas. Aunque no hay informes oficiales sobre el resurgimiento de estas enfermedades, la caída de los niveles de vida y las condiciones insalubres, junto con el acceso limitado a los productos de higiene y suministros médicos, debe alertar sobre el

[Etiology of urinary tract infections and antimicrobial susceptibility of urinary pathogens].

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Correia, Carlos; Costa, Elísio; Peres, António; Alves, Madalena; Pombo, Graça; Estevinho, Letícia

2007-01-01

With the objective of knowing the common etiological agents in urinary infection and comparing its antimicrobial susceptibility in nosocomial and community-acquired urinary infections, we analyse all the urine bacteriological exams from the Serviço de Patologia Clínica do Centro Hospitalar do Nordeste, EPE - Unidade Hospitalar de Bragança, during a two years period (April 2004 to March 2006). During this period, 4018 urine bacteriological exams were made. The cultural exam was positive in 572 samples (144 from nosocomial infections and 428 from community-acquired urinary infections). The Escherichia coli was the more isolated strain (68,4 %), followed by Klebsiella spp (7,9%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6,1%) and Proteus mirabilis (5,2%). Concerning to antimicrobial susceptibility, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp showed a high resistance to the antimicrobials Amoxicillin, Piperacillin, Cephalothin, Ceftazidim and Quinolones. For Enterobacteriaceae Imipenem, Amikacin and Netilmicin were the antimicrobials with more level of susceptibility. Imipenem and Amikacin were the more efficient antimicrobials against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Concerning to the susceptibility for the same etiological agent, in nosocomial and community-acquired urinary infections, we founded statistical significant differences in the antimicrobials Ticarcillin-clavulanic acid and Collistin for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and in the group of antimicrobials from Quinolones for the Proteus mirabilis. In the other identified agents there were no statistical significant differences for antimicrobials. This study it allows making use of data necessary for the knowledge of etiologic urinary infection agents in Bragança and provides the information about the antimicrobials resistance, which were necessary to initiate an adequate empirical treatment and to elaborate treatment guides.

Inflation Targeting and Liquidity Traps under Endogenous Credibility

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hommes, C.; Lustenhouwer, J.

2015-01-01

We derive policy implications for an inflation targeting central bank, who's credibility is endogenous and depends on its past ability to achieve its targets. We do this in a New Keynesian framework with heterogeneous agents and boundely rational expectations. Our assumptions about expectation

The Major Chromoblastomycosis Etiologic Agent Fonsecaea pedrosoi Activates the NLRP3 Inflammasome

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Raffael Júnio Araújo de Castro

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Fonsecaea pedrosoi is the main etiologic agent of chromoblastomycosis (CBM, one of the most prevalent subcutaneous mycosis in tropical and subtropical countries. CBM is a poorly characterized chronic infection that commonly starts after transcutaneous inoculation of conidia and saprophytic hyphae of F. pedrosoi. Recently, we have shown that unlike conidia, hyphae and muriform cells (the parasitic morphotype of F. pedrosoi promotes an intense inflammatory response pattern in vivo, which comprises the production of an inflammasome-derived cytokine, IL-1β. Nonetheless, the mechanisms underlying IL-1β production and maturation upon F. pedrosoi infection and its functional output in the course of CBM remains unknown. We show here that F. pedrosoi hyphae, differently from conidia, induce IL-1β secretion in both bone marrow-derived dendritic cells and macrophages. Using inhibitors and knockout cells, we demonstrated that the mechanisms underlying IL-1β production by hyphae-infected macrophages were dependent on dectin-1, -2, and -3 receptors and the Syk-NF-kB signaling pathway. Furthermore, F. pedrosoi promoted a NLRP3-dependent inflammasome activation, which required potassium efflux, reactive oxygen species production, phagolysosomal acidification, and cathepsin B release as triggers. IL-1β processing and release was mediated primarily by caspase-1 and, to a lesser extent, by caspase-8-dependent cleavage. Finally, we showed using a murine CBM model that F. pedrosoi elicits a NLRP3-regulated IL-1β and interleukin-18 release in vivo, but without NLRP3 inflammasome activation interfering in the course of the experimental infection.

The Major Chromoblastomycosis Etiologic Agent Fonsecaea pedrosoi Activates the NLRP3 Inflammasome.

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de Castro, Raffael Júnio Araújo; Siqueira, Isaque Medeiros; Jerônimo, Márcio Sousa; Basso, Angelina Maria Moreschi; Veloso Junior, Paulo Henrique de Holanda; Magalhães, Kelly Grace; Leonhardt, Luiza Chaves; de Oliveira, Stephan Alberto Machado; Bürgel, Pedro Henrique; Tavares, Aldo Henrique; Bocca, Anamélia Lorenzetti

2017-01-01

Fonsecaea pedrosoi is the main etiologic agent of chromoblastomycosis (CBM), one of the most prevalent subcutaneous mycosis in tropical and subtropical countries. CBM is a poorly characterized chronic infection that commonly starts after transcutaneous inoculation of conidia and saprophytic hyphae of F. pedrosoi . Recently, we have shown that unlike conidia, hyphae and muriform cells (the parasitic morphotype) of F. pedrosoi promotes an intense inflammatory response pattern in vivo , which comprises the production of an inflammasome-derived cytokine, IL-1β. Nonetheless, the mechanisms underlying IL-1β production and maturation upon F. pedrosoi infection and its functional output in the course of CBM remains unknown. We show here that F. pedrosoi hyphae, differently from conidia, induce IL-1β secretion in both bone marrow-derived dendritic cells and macrophages. Using inhibitors and knockout cells, we demonstrated that the mechanisms underlying IL-1β production by hyphae-infected macrophages were dependent on dectin-1, -2, and -3 receptors and the Syk-NF-kB signaling pathway. Furthermore, F. pedrosoi promoted a NLRP3-dependent inflammasome activation, which required potassium efflux, reactive oxygen species production, phagolysosomal acidification, and cathepsin B release as triggers. IL-1β processing and release was mediated primarily by caspase-1 and, to a lesser extent, by caspase-8-dependent cleavage. Finally, we showed using a murine CBM model that F. pedrosoi elicits a NLRP3-regulated IL-1β and interleukin-18 release in vivo , but without NLRP3 inflammasome activation interfering in the course of the experimental infection.

Use of Lagrangian transport models and Sterilized High Volume Sampling to pinpoint the source region of Kawasaki disease and determine the etiologic agent

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Curcoll Masanes, Roger; Rodó, Xavier; Anton, Jordi; Ballester, Joan; Jornet, Albert; Nofuentes, Manel; Sanchez-Manubens, Judith; Morguí, Josep-Anton

2015-04-01

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute, coronary artery vasculitis of young children, and still a medical mystery after more than 40 years. A former study [Rodó et al. 2011] demonstrated that certain patterns of winds in the troposphere above the earth's surface flowing from Asia were associated with the times of the annual peak in KD cases and with days having anomalously high numbers of KD patients. In a later study [Rodó et al. 2014], we used residence times from an Air Transport Model to pinpoint the source region for KD. Simulations were generated from locations spanning Japan from days with either high or low KD incidence. In order to cope with stationarity of synoptic situations, only trajectories for the winter months, when there is the maximum in KD cases, were considered. Trajectories traced back in time 10 days for each dataset and location were generated using the flexible particle Lagrangian dispersion model (FLEXPART Version 8.23 [Stohl et al. 2005]) run in backward mode. The particles modeled were air tracers, with 10,000 particles used on each model run. The model output used was residence time, with an output grid of 0.5° latitude × longitude and a time resolution of 3 h. The data input used for the FLEXPART model was gridded atmospheric wind velocity from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim at 1°). Aggregates of winter period back-trajectories were calculated for three different regions of Japan. A common source of wind air masses was located for periods with High Kawasaki disease. Knowing the trajectories of winds from the air transport models, a sampling methodology was developed in order to capture the possible etiological agent or other tracers that could have been released together. This methodology is based on the sterilized filtering of high volumes of the transported air at medium tropospheric levels by aircraft sampling and a later analyze these filters with adequate techniques. High purity

Urinary Tract Infection in Children: Etiological Structure, Age and Gender Characteristics

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V.V. Bezruk

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Objective. To study the etiological structure of urinary tract infections, dynamics, gender and age dependence in the child population of Chernivtsi region. Patients and methods. During 2009–2013 2432 urine samples of the children treated in health care centers of Chernivtss region were investigated by bacteriological method with purpose of verification of the diagnosis urinary tract infections. Six hundred and fifty five strains of bacteria and fungi were isolated as etiological agents. Results. The patient’s gender was found to correlate with etiological structure of the urinary tract infections and the content of the residential urine microflora. The main etiological role of the Enterobacteriaceae family in general was demonstrated. As a causative agent of the urinary tract infection E.coli has been isolated more frequently in the urine samples of female patients (р < 0.05. In contrary, Proteus spp. has been isolated in male patients (р < 0.01. As a part of the urine resident microflora E.coli strains were more frequently isolated in the female urine samples (р < 0.05. Conclusion. The research will allow to hold the correct and reasoned medical and rehabilitation events on all stages of rendering of specialized medical care for children and to develop the programs directed on the improvement of indicators of health and prevention of disability in children.

α-Linolenic Acid, A Nutraceutical with Pleiotropic Properties That Targets Endogenous Neuroprotective Pathways to Protect against Organophosphate Nerve Agent-Induced Neuropathology

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Tetsade Piermartiri

2015-11-01

Full Text Available α-Linolenic acid (ALA is a nutraceutical found in vegetable products such as flax and walnuts. The pleiotropic properties of ALA target endogenous neuroprotective and neurorestorative pathways in brain and involve the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF, a major neuroprotective protein in brain, and downstream signaling pathways likely mediated via activation of TrkB, the cognate receptor of BDNF. In this review, we discuss possible mechanisms of ALA efficacy against the highly toxic OP nerve agent soman. Organophosphate (OP nerve agents are highly toxic chemical warfare agents and a threat to military and civilian populations. Once considered only for battlefield use, these agents are now used by terrorists to inflict mass casualties. OP nerve agents inhibit the critical enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE that rapidly leads to a cholinergic crisis involving multiple organs. Status epilepticus results from the excessive accumulation of synaptic acetylcholine which in turn leads to the overactivation of muscarinic receptors; prolonged seizures cause the neuropathology and long-term consequences in survivors. Current countermeasures mitigate symptoms and signs as well as reduce brain damage, but must be given within minutes after exposure to OP nerve agents supporting interest in newer and more effective therapies. The pleiotropic properties of ALA result in a coordinated molecular and cellular program to restore neuronal networks and improve cognitive function in soman-exposed animals. Collectively, ALA should be brought to the clinic to treat the long-term consequences of nerve agents in survivors. ALA may be an effective therapy for other acute and chronic neurodegenerative disorders.

THE PRESENCE OF ENDOGENOUS PYROGEN IN NORMAL RABBIT TISSUES.

Science.gov (United States)

SNELL, E S; ATKINS, E

1965-06-01

Saline extracts of homogenized, uninfected, rabbit tissues produced febrile responses when injected intravenously into rabbits. Extracts of muscle, lung, and heart evoked fevers that were similar to those induced by leucocyte pyrogen; extracts of spleen, liver, and kidney caused more sustained fevers. The minimal pyrogenic dose appeared to be between 1.5 and 3 gm wet weight of tissue. Evidence is presented that neither Gram-negative bacterial endotoxin nor polymorphonuclear leucocytes (circulating or sequestered in the tissues) can be implicated as the source of pyrogen in tissue extracts. It seems likely, therefore, that a pyrogenic material of truly endogenous origin is widely distributed in tissues. Tissue pyrogen appears to be a large molecule which is relatively resistant to treatment with acid but not with alkali. Possible pathological roles for this endogenous agent (or agents) are briefly indicated.

A study on the etiological agent and clinico-mycological correlation of fingernail onychomycosis in eastern India

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Das Nilay

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Onychomycosis manifests itself in various forms, notably onychodystrophy, onycholysis, subungual hyperkeratosis, or nail-plate discoloration. Not necessarily nail changes mentioned here should always be of fungal origin. Objective: The present study is planned to get an idea about etiological agent and clinical correlation in fingernail onychomycosis. Materials and Methods: Nail-clipping and subungual debris of patients with above mentioned nail changes were subjected to KOH preparation. Culture was done on SDA and SDCCA media. Species identification was done by colony character, pigment production, LCB staining, and some special tests like germ tube test, etc. Results: Out of 85 cases, 44 cases showed the growth of fungus, amounting to 51.76% positivity. Among those 44 cases, the infective fungal agents were predominantly dermatophytes (50%, and the rest were due to yeasts (27.27% and moulds (22.72%. Among the different species, Trichophyton rubrum (29.54% accounted for the majority of dermatophytes; Candida albicans (11.78% was the predominant yeast; and Aspergillus niger (18.18% the commonest mold. No significant association could be established between the different fungal species and various clinical manifestations. Positive results were found more with fungal culture (95.45% than KOH preparation (63.64%. Conclusion: The results show that nail changes are not always a reliable marker for predicting the causative organism, and relying only on the clinical manifestation (i.e., pattern of nail changes in the diagnosis of onychomycosis is often misleading. The present study highlights the need for microbiological confirmation in case of onychomycosis.

Interplay between endogenous and exogenous fluctuations in financial markets

OpenAIRE

Gontis, Vygintas

2016-01-01

We address microscopic, agent based, and macroscopic, stochastic, modeling of the financial markets combining it with the exogenous noise. The interplay between the endogenous dynamics of agents and the exogenous noise is the primary mechanism responsible for the observed long-range dependence and statistical properties of high volatility return intervals. By exogenous noise we mean information flow or/and order flow fluctuations. Numerical results based on the proposed model reveal that the ...

The issue of HPLC determination of endogenous lipoic acid in human plasma.

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Sechovcová, Soňa; Královcová, Pavla; Kanďár, Roman; Ventura, Karel

2018-05-01

Lipoic acid (LA) is used extensively as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of various diseases. Many methods have been reported for the determination of LA plasma levels and its metabolites after its supplementation, but available information concerning endogenous plasma levels is still scarce. Studies which directly focused on determining the endogenous plasma levels provided highly controversial results, endogenous plasma levels of LA: 2.4 and 4.9 nmol/L respectively. However, the levels of free LA in the plasma of nonsupplemented voluntary blood donors were not detectable in all cases. The presented results of our study show that endogenous concentrations of LA are <1.85 nmol/L. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Serological studies on the infection of dogs in Ontario with Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiological agent of Lyme disease

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Artsob, Harvey; Barker, Ian K.; Fister, Richard; Sephton, Gregory; Dick, Daryl; Lynch, John A.; Key, Doug

1993-01-01

A serological study was undertaken to determine whether dogs in Ontario are being exposed to Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiological agent of Lyme disease. This study consisted of a survey of randomly selected dogs and testing of diagnostic submissions from candidate Lyme disease cases. The survey of 1,095 dogs, bled between January 1988 and August 1989, revealed a total of 65 (5.9%) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) reactors, of which 22 had immuno-fluorescent antibody assay (IFA) titers ≥1:32. All but one of the IFA-positive and 10 of the ELISA-positive, IFA-negative sera were further tested by western blot. Eight western blot positive and three equivocal reactors were obtained. Three of the eight confirmed reactors had visited areas known to be endemic for Lyme disease, leaving five reactors that might have been infected in previously undocumented areas for B. burgdorferi activity in Ontario. Diagnostic submissions of sera from 223 dogs were received between August 1987 and February 1992. Test results revealed 21 (9.4%) IFA reactors, of which only six had significant titers (≥1:256) and were reactive by an immunodot Borrelia test. All six dogs had travelled to known Lyme endemic areas. Based on results obtained from this study, it seems likely that the agent of Lyme disease is not widespread in Ontario. PMID:17424284

An investigation on non-invasive fungal sinusitis; Molecular identification of etiologic agents

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Abdolrasoul Mohammadi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Fungal sinusitis is increasing worldwide in the past two decades. It is divided into two types including invasive and noninvasive. Noninvasive types contain allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS and fungus ball. AFS is a hypersensitivity reaction to fungal allergens in the mucosa of the sinonasal tract in atopic individuals. The fungus ball is a different type of noninvasive fungal rhinosinusitis which is delineated as an accumulation of debris and fungal elements inside a paranasal sinus. Fungal sinusitis caused by various fungi such as Aspergillus species, Penicillium, Mucor, Rhizopus, and phaeohyphomycetes. The aim of the present study is to identify fungal species isolated from noninvasive fungal sinusitis by molecular methods. Materials and Methods: During 2015–2016, a total of 100 suspected patients were examined for fungal sinusitis. Functional endoscopic sinus surgery was performed using the Messerklinger technique. Clinical samples were identified by phenotypic and molecular methods. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR sequencing of ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism with Msp I restriction enzyme was performed for molecular identification of molds and yeasts, respectively. Results: Twenty-seven out of 100 suspected cases (27% had fungal sinusitis. Nasal congestion (59% and headache (19% were the most common clinical signs among patients. Fifteen patients (55.5% were male and 12 patients (44.5% were female. Aspergillus flavus was the most prevalent fungal species (26%, followed by Penicillium chrysogenum (18.5% and Candida glabrata species complex (15%. Conclusion: Since clinical manifestations, computed tomography scan, endoscopy, and histopathological findings are very nonspecific in AFS and fungus ball; therefore, molecular investigations are compulsory for precise identification of etiologic agents and appropriate management of these fungal infections.

Glutamic acid as anticancer agent: An overview.

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Dutta, Satyajit; Ray, Supratim; Nagarajan, K

2013-10-01

The objective of the article is to highlight various roles of glutamic acid like endogenic anticancer agent, conjugates to anticancer agents, and derivatives of glutamic acid as possible anticancer agents. Besides these emphases are given especially for two endogenous derivatives of glutamic acid such as glutamine and glutamate. Glutamine is a derivative of glutamic acid and is formed in the body from glutamic acid and ammonia in an energy requiring reaction catalyzed by glutamine synthase. It also possesses anticancer activity. So the transportation and metabolism of glutamine are also discussed for better understanding the role of glutamic acid. Glutamates are the carboxylate anions and salts of glutamic acid. Here the roles of various enzymes required for the metabolism of glutamates are also discussed.

Recurring waterbird mortalities and unusual etiologies

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Cole, Rebecca A.; Franson, J. Christian; Boere, Gerard C.; Galbraith, Colin A.; Stroud, David A.

2006-01-01

Over the last decade, the National Wildlife Health Center of the United States Geological Survey has documented various largescale mortalities of birds caused by infectious and non-infectious disease agents. Some of these mortality events have unusual or unidentified etiologies and have been recurring. While some of the causes of mortalities have been elucidated, others remain in various stages of investigation and identification. Two examples are discussed: 1) Leyogonimus polyoon (Class: Trematoda), not found in the New World until 1999, causes severe enteritis and has killed over 15 000 American Coot Fulica americana in the upper mid-western United States. The geographic range of this parasite within North America is predicted to be limited to the Great Lakes Basin. 2) In the early 1990s, estimates of up to 6% of the North American population of the Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis died at Salton Sea, California, with smaller mortalities occurring throughout the 1990s. Birds were observed to have unusual preening behaviour, and to congregate at freshwater drains and move onto land. Suggested etiologies included interactions of contaminants, immuno-suppression, an unusual form of a bacterial disease, and an unknown biotoxin. During studies carried out from 2000 to 2003, Eared Grebe mortality did not approach the level seen in the early 1990s and, although bacteria were identified as minor factors, the principal cause of mortality remains undetermined. The potential population impact of these emerging and novel disease agents is currently unknown.

Novel Trichoderma polysporum Strain for the Biocontrol of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the Fungal Etiologic Agent of Bat White Nose Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Tao; Chaturvedi, Vishnu; Chaturvedi, Sudha

2015-01-01

White-nose syndrome (WNS), an emerging disease of hibernating bats, has rapidly spread across eastern North America killing millions of bats. Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), the sole etiologic agent of WNS, is widespread and persistent in bat hibernacula. Control of Pd in the affected sites is urgently needed to break the transmission cycle while minimizing any adverse impact on the native organisms. We isolated a novel strain of Trichoderma polysporum (Tp) from one of the caves at the epicenter of WNS zoonotic. Detailed experimental studies revealed: (1) Tp WPM 39143 was highly adapted to grow at temperatures simulating the cave environment (6°C-15°C), (2) Tp WPM 39143 restricted Pd colony growth in dual culture challenges, (3) Tp WPM 39143 caused four logs reduction of Pd colony forming units and genome copies in autoclaved soil samples from one of the WNS affected caves, (4) Tp WPM 39143 extract showed specific fungicidal activity against Pd in disk diffusion assay, but not against closely related fungus P. pannorum (Pp), (5) Tp WPM 39143 extract retained inhibitory activity after exposure to high temperatures, light and proteinase K, and (6) Inhibitory metabolites in Tp WPM 39143 extract comprised of water-soluble, high polarity compounds. These results suggest that Tp WPM 39143 is a promising candidate for further evaluation as a biocontrol agent of Pd in WNS affected sites.

Novel Trichoderma polysporum Strain for the Biocontrol of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the Fungal Etiologic Agent of Bat White Nose Syndrome.

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Tao Zhang

Full Text Available White-nose syndrome (WNS, an emerging disease of hibernating bats, has rapidly spread across eastern North America killing millions of bats. Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd, the sole etiologic agent of WNS, is widespread and persistent in bat hibernacula. Control of Pd in the affected sites is urgently needed to break the transmission cycle while minimizing any adverse impact on the native organisms. We isolated a novel strain of Trichoderma polysporum (Tp from one of the caves at the epicenter of WNS zoonotic. Detailed experimental studies revealed: (1 Tp WPM 39143 was highly adapted to grow at temperatures simulating the cave environment (6°C-15°C, (2 Tp WPM 39143 restricted Pd colony growth in dual culture challenges, (3 Tp WPM 39143 caused four logs reduction of Pd colony forming units and genome copies in autoclaved soil samples from one of the WNS affected caves, (4 Tp WPM 39143 extract showed specific fungicidal activity against Pd in disk diffusion assay, but not against closely related fungus P. pannorum (Pp, (5 Tp WPM 39143 extract retained inhibitory activity after exposure to high temperatures, light and proteinase K, and (6 Inhibitory metabolites in Tp WPM 39143 extract comprised of water-soluble, high polarity compounds. These results suggest that Tp WPM 39143 is a promising candidate for further evaluation as a biocontrol agent of Pd in WNS affected sites.

Etiology and Pathogenesis of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

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Samuel C. Mok

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Ovarian cancer is complex disease composed of different histological grades and types. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in the development of different phenotypes remain largely unknown. Epidemiological studies identified multiple exogenous and endogenous risk factors for ovarian cancer development. Among them, an inflammatory stromal microenvironment seems to play a critical role in the initiation of the disease. The interaction between such a microenvironment, genetic polymorphisms, and different epithelial components such as endosalpingiosis, endometriosis, and ovarian inclusion cyst in the ovarian cortex may induce different genetic changes identified in the epithelial component of different histological types of ovarian tumors. Genetic studies on different histological grades and types provide insight into the pathogenetic pathways for the development of different disease phenotypes. However, the link between all these genetic changes and the etiological factors remains to be established.

Endogenous and exogenous ice-nucleating agents constrain supercooling in the hatchling painted turtle.

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Costanzo, Jon P; Baker, Patrick J; Dinkelacker, Stephen A; Lee, Richard E

2003-02-01

Hatchlings of the painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) commonly hibernate in their shallow, natal nests. Survival at temperatures below the limit of freeze tolerance (approximately -4 degrees C) apparently depends on their ability to remain supercooled, and, whereas previous studies have reported that supercooling capacity improves markedly with cold acclimation, the mechanistic basis for this change is incompletely understood. We report that the crystallization temperature (T(c)) of recently hatched (summer) turtles acclimated to 22 degrees C and reared on a substratum of vermiculite or nesting soil was approximately 5 degrees C higher than the T(c) determined for turtles acclimated to 4 degrees C and tested in winter. This increase in supercooling capacity coincided with elimination of substratum (and, in fewer cases, eggshell) that the hatchlings had ingested; however, this association was not necessarily causal because turtles reared on a paper-covered substratum did not ingest exogenous matter but nevertheless showed a similar increase in supercooling capacity. Our results for turtles reared on paper revealed that seasonal development of supercooling capacity fundamentally requires elimination of ice-nucleating agents (INA) of endogenous origin: summer turtles, but not winter turtles, produced feces (perhaps derived from residual yolk) that expressed ice-nucleating activity. Ingestion of vermiculite or eggshell, which had modest ice-nucleating activity, had no effect on the T(c), whereas ingestion of nesting soil, which contained two classes of potent INA, markedly reduced the supercooling capacity of summer turtles. This effect persisted long after the turtles had purged their guts of soil particles, because the T(c) of winter turtles reared on nesting soil (mean +/- S.E.M.=-11.6+/-1.4 degrees C) was approximately 6 degrees C higher than the T(c) of winter turtles reared on vermiculite or paper. Experiments in which winter turtles were fed INA commonly found in

Bovine lymphosarcoma: development of a radioimmunologic techniques for detection of the etiologic agent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devare, S.G.; Stephenson, J.R.; Sarma, P.S.; Aaronson, S.A.

1976-01-01

A highly sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay has been developed for the major structural protein of an oncornavirus etiologically associated with bovine lymphosarcoma. This test can be used to identify cattle which have been exposed to the bovine leukemia virus and may thus develop or transmit the disease. Analysis of randomly obtained serums indicates that infection with this virus is widespread among cattle

Sensitive and Rapid Identification of Biological Threat Agents

Science.gov (United States)

1999-12-01

plague, and Bruceila abortis , the etiologic agent of brucellosis, indicate that the Qiagen procedures will also be effective in preparing these agents for...procedure for two bacteria, Yersinia pestis and Bruceila abortis , and found that DNA isolated with this method yielded PCR detection limits at least

Endogenous time-varying risk aversion and asset returns.

Science.gov (United States)

Berardi, Michele

2016-01-01

Stylized facts about statistical properties for short horizon returns in financial markets have been identified in the literature, but a satisfactory understanding for their manifestation is yet to be achieved. In this work, we show that a simple asset pricing model with representative agent is able to generate time series of returns that replicate such stylized facts if the risk aversion coefficient is allowed to change endogenously over time in response to unexpected excess returns under evolutionary forces. The same model, under constant risk aversion, would instead generate returns that are essentially Gaussian. We conclude that an endogenous time-varying risk aversion represents a very parsimonious way to make the model match real data on key statistical properties, and therefore deserves careful consideration from economists and practitioners alike.

Avian endogenous provirus (ev-3) env gene sequencing: implication for pathogenic retrovirus origination.

Science.gov (United States)

Tikhonenko, A T; Lomovskaya, O L

1990-02-01

The avian endogenous env gene product blocks the surface receptor and, as a result, cells become immune to related exogenous retroviruses. On the other hand, the same sequence can be included in the pathogenic retrovirus genome, as shown by oligonucleotide mapping. However, since the complete env gene sequence was not known, the comparison of genomic nucleotide sequences was not possible. Therefore an avian endogenous provirus with an intact env gene was cloned from a chicken gene bank and the regions coding for the C terminus of the gp85 and gp37 proteins were sequenced. Comparison of this sequence with those of other retroviruses proved that one of the pathogenic viruses associated with osteopetrosis is a cross between avian endogenous virus and Rous sarcoma virus. Retroviruses and, especially, endogenous retroviruses are traditionally of the most developed models of viral carcinogenesis. Many endogenous retroviruses are implicated in neoplastic transformation of the cell. For instance, endogenous mouse mammary tumor virus of some inbred lines appears to be the only causative agent in these mammary cancers. Other even nonpathogenic murine endogenous retroviruses are involved in the origination of MCF-type recombinant acute leukosis viruses. Some endogenous retroviruses are implicated in the transduction or activation of cellular protooncogenes. Our interest in endogenous viruses is based on their ability to make cells resistant to exogenous retroviruses. Expression of their major envelope glycoprotein leads to cellular surface receptor blockage and imparts immunity to infection by the related leukemia retroviruses. This problem is quite elaborated for chicken endogenous virus RAV-O (7-9).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Mechanisms of endogenous drug resistance acquisition by spontaneous chromosomal gene mutation].

Science.gov (United States)

Fukuda, H; Hiramatsu, K

1997-05-01

Endogenous resistance in bacteria is caused by a change or loss of function and generally genetically recessive. However, this type of resistance acquisition are now prevalent in clinical setting. Chromosomal genes that afford endogenous resistance are the genes correlated with the target of the drug, the drug inactivating enzymes, and permeability of the molecules including the antibacterial agents. Endogenous alteration of the drug target are mediated by the spontaneous mutation of their structural gene. This mutation provides much lower affinity of the drugs for the target. Gene expression of the inactivating enzymes, such as class C beta-lactamase, is generally regulated by regulatory genes. Spontaneous mutations in the regulatory genes cause constitutive enzyme production and provides the resistant to the agent which is usually stable for such enzymes. Spontaneous mutation in the structural gene gives the enzyme extra-spectrum substrate specificity, like ESBL (Extra-Spectrum-beta-Lactamase). Expression of structural genes encoding the permeability systems are also regulated by some regulatory genes. The spontaneous mutation of the regulatory genes reduce an amount of porin protein. This mutation causes much lower influx of the drug in the cell. Spontaneous mutation in promoter region of the structural gene of efflux protein was observed. This mutation raised the gene transcription and overproduced efflux protein. This protein progresses the drug efflux from the cell.

Are endogenous feline leukemia viruses really endogenous?

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, H; Jarrett, O; Hosie, M J; Willett, B J

2011-10-15

Full length endogenous feline leukemia virus (FeLV) proviruses exist within the genomes of many breeds of domestic cat raising the possibility that they may also exist in a transmissible exogenous form. Such viruses would share receptor usage with the recombinant FeLV-B subgroup, a viral subgroup that arises in vivo by recombination between exogenous subgroup A virus (FeLV-A) and endogenous FeLV. Accordingly, all isolates of FeLV-B made to date have contained a "helper" FeLV-A, consistent with their recombinatorial origin. In order to assess whether endogenous viruses are transmitted between cats, we examined primary isolates of FeLV for which the viral subgroup had been determined for the presence of a subgroup B virus that lacked an FeLV-A. Here we describe the identification of two primary field isolates of FeLV (2518 and 4314) that appeared to contain subgroup B virus only by classical interference assays, raising the possibility of between-host transmission of endogenous FeLV. Sequencing of the env gene and U3 region of the 3' long terminal repeat (LTR) confirmed that both viral genomes contained endogenous viral env genes. However the viral 3' LTRs appeared exogenous in origin with a putative 3' recombination breakpoint residing at the 3' end of the env gene. Further, the FeLV-2518 virions also co-packaged a truncated FeLV-A genome containing a defective env gene, termed FeLV-2518(A) whilst no helper subgroup A viral genome was detected in virions of FeLV-4314. The acquisition of an exogenous LTR by the endogenous FeLV in 4314 may have allowed a recombinant FeLV variant to outgrow an exogenous FeLV-A virus that was presumably present during first infection. Given time, a similar evolution may also occur within the 2518 isolate. The data suggest that endogenous FeLVs may be mobilised by acquisition of exogenous LTRs yielding novel viruses that type biologically as FeLV-B. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Endogenous antipyretics.

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, Joachim

2006-09-01

The febrile increase of body temperature is regarded as a component of the complex host response to infection or inflammation that accompanies the activation of the immune system. Late phases of fever appear mediated by pro-inflammatory cytokines called endogenous pyrogens. The rise of body temperature is beneficial because it accelerates several components of the activated immune system. To prevent an excessive and dangerous rise of body temperature the febrile response is controlled, limited in strength and duration, and sometimes even prevented by the actions of endogenous antipyretic substances liberated systemically or within the brain during fever. In most cases the antipyretic effects are achieved by an inhibitory influence on the formation or action of endogenous pyrogens, or by effects on neuronal thermoregulatory circuits that are activated during fever. Endogenous antipyretic substances include steroid hormones, neuropeptides, cytokines and other molecules. It is the purpose of this review to consider the current state in the research on endogenous antipyretic systems.

Endogeneity of Money Supply: Evidence From Turkey

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Oguzhan Cepni

2017-02-01

Full Text Available There is a long discussion among academics and central bankers about the theories of money supply. According to the exogenous view, central banks have the full control over money supply via policy actions including the adjustments of interest rates and reserve ratios, both of which alter commercial banks’ lending decisions. However, the theory of endogenous money supply emphasizes the role of demand for bank loans in money creation. More specifically, banks create money by meeting the demand of economic agents. In this study, we investigate which of the money supply theories holds in Turkish economy for the period 2006-2015 by employing cointegration and causality tests. Our findings show that the causality runs from bank loans to money supply both in the short and long terms, which supports the endogenous view in a sense that central bank and the banks fully meet the total demand for money in Turkish economy.

Combining Semi-Endogenous and Fully Endogenous Growth: a Generalization.

OpenAIRE

Cozzi, Guido

2017-01-01

This paper shows that combining the semi-endogenous and the fully endogenous growth mechanisms with a general CES aggregator, either growth process can prevail in the balanced growth path depending on their degree of complementarity/substitutability. Policy-induced long-run economic switches to the fully endogenous steady state as the R&D employment ratio surpasses a positive threshold are possible if the two growth engines are gross substitutes.

A literature review and hypothesis for the etiologies of cervical and root caries.

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Grippo, John O; Coleman, Thomas A; Messina, Antonello Maria; Oh, Daniel S

2018-01-18

The presence of endogenous acids from bacteria acting on a suitable substrate combined with sources of exogenous biocorrosives such as exogenous acids and proteolytic enzymes in areas of stress concentration are hypothesized to lead to the development and progression of cervical and root caries (RC). Quantifying the effects of each of the mechanisms (stress and biocorrosion) is a daunting task to investigate since so many factors are involved at various times in the etiology of noncarious cervical lesions (NCCLs), cervical caries (CC), and RC. Frictional action of the tongue has a cleansing effect and lingual serous saliva, which has a high flow rate buffering capacity from bicarbonates seem to account for the paucity of lingual NCCLs, cervical, and RC in these areas of teeth. Future studies are indicated to determine the effects of stress and biocorrosion and their factors in the etiology of CC and RC. This manuscript presents hypothetical and literary information that the combined effects of stress concentration and biocorrosion contribute to the formation as well as progression of cervical and root caries. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Rat models of 17β-estradiol-induced mammary cancer reveal novel insights into breast cancer etiology and prevention.

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Shull, James D; Dennison, Kirsten L; Chack, Aaron C; Trentham-Dietz, Amy

2018-03-01

Numerous laboratory and epidemiologic studies strongly implicate endogenous and exogenous estrogens in the etiology of breast cancer. Data summarized herein suggest that the ACI rat model of 17β-estradiol (E2)-induced mammary cancer is unique among rodent models in the extent to which it faithfully reflects the etiology and biology of luminal types of breast cancer, which together constitute ~70% of all breast cancers. E2 drives cancer development in this model through mechanisms that are largely dependent upon estrogen receptors and require progesterone and its receptors. Moreover, mammary cancer development appears to be associated with generation of oxidative stress and can be modified by multiple dietary factors, several of which may attenuate the actions of reactive oxygen species. Studies of susceptible ACI rats and resistant COP or BN rats provide novel insights into the genetic bases of susceptibility and the biological processes regulated by genetic determinants of susceptibility. This review summarizes research progress resulting from use of these physiologically relevant rat models to advance understanding of breast cancer etiology and prevention.

[Epidemiologic diagnostic of nosocomial suppurative-septic infections of Pseudomonas etiology based on intraspecies typing of causative agent].

Science.gov (United States)

Fel'dblium, I V; Zakharova, Iu A; Nikolaeva, A M; Fedotova, O S

2013-01-01

Scientific justification of optimization of epidemiologic diagnostic of suppurative-septic infection (SSI) caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa based on comparability of antibiotic sensitivity and beta-lactamase production. Intraspecies typing of 37 P. aeruginosa strains isolated during microbiological monitoring of 106 patients and 131 objects of clinical environment of surgical and obstetrician hospitals by using a complex ofphenotypic and molecular-biological methods including determination of sensitivity to antibiotics by serial dilutions method and PCR-diagnostics with determination of TEM, SHV, CTX, OXA, MBL, VIM genes was performed. P. aeruginosa strains combined into groups by isolation location during studies turned out to be heterogeneous by sensitivity to antibiotics and beta-lactamase production that allowed to form subgroups of strains by focality attribute. Isolates recovered from different SSI foci had significant differences in minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) reaching 1024 times. MIC parameter within subgroups did not exceed 8 - 16 consequent dilutions. Use of a complex of phenotypic and molecular-biologic methods of causative agent typing including determination of sensitivity to antibiotics by serial dilutions method and evaluation of beta-lactamase production allowed to establish a mechanism of development of SSI epidemic process caused by P. aeruginosa, detect origins and reservoirs of infection in hospital, modes and factors of transmission and reach maximum justification of epidemiologic control and prophylaxis measures of localization of foci of nosocomial infections of pseudomonas etiology.

Dynamic nuclear polarization of nucleic acid with endogenously bound manganese

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wenk, Patricia; Kaushik, Monu; Richter, Diane; Vogel, Marc; Suess, Beatrix; Corzilius, Björn

2015-01-01

We report the direct dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) of 13 C nuclei of a uniformly [ 13 C, 15 N]-labeled, paramagnetic full-length hammerhead ribozyme (HHRz) complex with Mn 2+ where the enhanced polarization is fully provided by the endogenously bound metal ion and no exogenous polarizing agent is added. A 13 C enhancement factor of ε = 8 was observed by intra-complex DNP at 9.4 T. In contrast, “conventional” indirect and direct DNP experiments were performed using AMUPol as polarizing agent where we obtained a 1 H enhancement factor of ε ≈ 250. Comparison with the diamagnetic (Mg 2+ ) HHRz complex shows that the presence of Mn 2+ only marginally influences the (DNP-enhanced) NMR properties of the RNA. Furthermore two-dimensional correlation spectra ( 15 N– 13 C and 13 C– 13 C) reveal structural inhomogeneity in the frozen, amorphous state indicating the coexistence of several conformational states. These demonstrations of intra-complex DNP using an endogenous metal ion as well as DNP-enhanced MAS NMR of RNA in general yield important information for the development of new methods in structural biology

Severe reactions to iodinated contrast agents: is anaphylaxis responsible?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dewachter, P.; Mouton-Faivre, C.

2001-01-01

The etiology of severe reactions following injection of iodinated contrast agent is the subject of controversy. No consensus has been established regarding the management of patients at risk, risk factors and pre-medication because in most cases published no diagnostic exploration has been carried out on patients who have experienced a severe reaction. Diagnosis of drug anaphylaxis is based on clinical history, proof of mediator release and drug specific IgE antibodies (when the technique is available) or cutaneous tests (when direct technique is not available). This approach has been adopted for etiologic diagnosis of 5 clinical cases of severe anaphylactoid reactions (including one death) following the injection of ionic and non ionic contrast agents. Clinical symptoms, biology and cutaneous tests are consistent with anaphylaxis. Any patient who has had a severe anaphylactoid reaction following injection of a contrast agent should undergo an allergology assessment to confirm the diagnosis and identify the culprit contrast agent. Indeed, no pre-medication has proved efficient for the prevention of subsequent allergic reactions. (author)

Viral etiology of bronchiolitis among pediatric inpatients in northern Taiwan with emphasis on newly identified respiratory viruses.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yu-Wen; Huang, Yhu-Chering; Ho, Tai-Hua; Huang, Chung-Guei; Tsao, Kuo-Chien; Lin, Tzou-Yien

2014-04-01

Viral etiology of bronchiolitis in children in Taiwan has been fragmentary. We conducted a prospective study to figure out the viral epidemiology of bronchiolitis in Taiwan. From January 2009 to March 2011, a total of 113 children with bronchiolitis, aged culture, antigen test, and polymerase chain reaction. A total of 120 viruses were detected from 113 children. Positive viral etiology was identified in 86 (76%) children. Mixed viral pathogens were found in 28 cases (25%). Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was the most common pathogen and was identified in 43.4% of the cases. Human bocavirus (hBoV) was the second most common identified virus (in 19.5%), followed by human metapneumovirus (hMPV), rhinovirus, influenza viruses, and coronavirus OC43. In terms of clinical characteristics, no significant difference was found among the children with bronchiolitis either caused by different single or mixed viral infection. RSV was the most common etiologic agent for children with bronchiolitis in Taiwan. Newly identified viruses, including hMPV and hBoV, were also among the common causative agents. Clinical characteristics were not significantly different among the children with bronchiolitis caused by different viruses. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Identification, characterization, and in vitro culture of highly divergent arenaviruses from boa constrictors and annulated tree boas: candidate etiological agents for snake inclusion body disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Stenglein, Mark D; Sanders, Chris; Kistler, Amy L; Ruby, J Graham; Franco, Jessica Y; Reavill, Drury R; Dunker, Freeland; Derisi, Joseph L

2012-01-01

Inclusion body disease (IBD) is an infectious fatal disease of snakes typified by behavioral abnormalities, wasting, and secondary infections. At a histopathological level, the disease is identified by the presence of large eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusions in multiple tissues. To date, no virus or other pathogen has been definitively characterized or associated with the disease. Using a metagenomic approach to search for candidate etiologic agents in snakes with confirmed IBD, we identified and de novo assembled the complete genomic sequences of two viruses related to arenaviruses, and a third arenavirus-like sequence was discovered by screening an additional set of samples. A continuous boa constrictor cell line was established and used to propagate and isolate one of the viruses in culture. Viral nucleoprotein was localized and concentrated within large cytoplasmic inclusions in infected cells in culture and tissues from diseased snakes. In total, viral RNA was detected in 6/8 confirmed IBD cases and 0/18 controls. These viruses have a typical arenavirus genome organization but are highly divergent, belonging to a lineage separate from that of the Old and New World arenaviruses. Furthermore, these viruses encode envelope glycoproteins that are more similar to those of filoviruses than to those of other arenaviruses. These findings implicate these viruses as candidate etiologic agents of IBD. The presence of arenaviruses outside mammals reveals that these viruses infect an unexpectedly broad range of species and represent a new reservoir of potential human pathogens. Inclusion body disease (IBD) is a common infectious disease of captive snakes. IBD is fatal and can cause the loss of entire animal collections. The cause of the disease has remained elusive, and no treatment exists. In addition to being important to pet owners, veterinarians, breeders, zoological parks, and aquariums, the study of animal disease is significant since animals are the source of

Endogenous estrogens and the risk of breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Susan B; Hankinson, Susan E

2015-07-01

Data from laboratory and epidemiologic studies support a relationship between endogenous hormones and the increased risk of several female cancers. In epidemiologic studies, consistent associations have been observed between risk of breast, ovarian and endometrial cancers and reproductive and hormonal risk factors such as high postmenopausal body mass index (BMI) and postmenopausal hormone use, which suggest the importance of endogenous hormones in the etiology of these diseases. The relationship between circulating estrogen levels in postmenopausal women and the risk of breast cancer is well established, with an approximately 2-fold higher risk among women in the top 20-25% (versus bottom 20-25%) of levels. However, data evaluating the relationship between endogenous estrogens and premenopausal breast cancer risk are more limited and less consistent. Two studies to date have evaluated the relationship between circulating estrogens and breast cancer risk by menstrual cycle phase at blood collection and only one study has examined this relationship by menopausal status at diagnosis. Three prospective studies have evaluated circulating estrogen levels and endometrial cancer risk in postmenopausal women, with consistent strong positive associations reported (with relative risks of 2-4 comparing high versus low hormone levels), while this relationship has not been studied in premenopausal women. Compared to breast and endometrial cancers, reproductive and hormonal characteristics such as postmenopausal hormone use are generally weaker and less consistent risk factors for ovarian cancer, and the only small prospective study conducted to date indicated a non-significant positive relationship between circulating estrogen levels and ovarian cancer risk. In this review, we summarize current evidence and identify key areas to be addressed in future epidemiologic studies of endogenous estrogens and the risk of breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers. Copyright © 2015

Endogenous 24S-hydroxycholesterol modulates NMDAR-mediated function in hippocampal slices.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Min-Yu; Izumi, Yukitoshi; Benz, Ann; Zorumski, Charles F; Mennerick, Steven

2016-03-01

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), a major subtype of glutamate receptors mediating excitatory transmission throughout the central nervous system (CNS), play critical roles in governing brain function and cognition. Because NMDAR dysfunction contributes to the etiology of neurological and psychiatric disorders including stroke and schizophrenia, NMDAR modulators are potential drug candidates. Our group recently demonstrated that the major brain cholesterol metabolite, 24S-hydroxycholesterol (24S-HC), positively modulates NMDARs when exogenously administered. Here, we studied whether endogenous 24S-HC regulates NMDAR activity in hippocampal slices. In CYP46A1(-/-) (knockout; KO) slices where endogenous 24S-HC is greatly reduced, NMDAR tone, measured as NMDAR-to-α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) ratio, was reduced. This difference translated into more NMDAR-driven spiking in wild-type (WT) slices compared with KO slices. Application of SGE-301, a 24S-HC analog, had comparable potentiating effects on NMDAR EPSCs in both WT and KO slices, suggesting that endogenous 24S-HC does not saturate its NMDAR modulatory site in ex vivo slices. KO slices did not differ from WT slices in either spontaneous neurotransmission or in neuronal intrinsic excitability, and exhibited LTP indistinguishable from WT slices. However, KO slices exhibited higher resistance to persistent NMDAR-dependent depression of synaptic transmission induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD), an effect restored by SGE-301. Together, our results suggest that loss of positive NMDAR tone does not elicit compensatory changes in excitability or transmission, but it protects transmission against NMDAR-mediated dysfunction. We expect that manipulating this endogenous NMDAR modulator may offer new treatment strategies for neuropsychiatric dysfunction. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Endogenous fertility and development traps with endogenous lifetime

OpenAIRE

Fanti, Luciano; Gori, Luca

2010-01-01

We extend the literature on endogenous lifetime and economic growth by Chakraborty (2004) and Bunzel and Qiao (2005) to endogenous fertility. We show that development traps due to underinvestments in health cannot appear when fertility is an economic decision variable and the costs of children are represented by a constant fraction of the parents' income used for their upbringing.

Further comparisons of endogenous pyrogens and leukocytic endogenous mediators.

Science.gov (United States)

Kampschmidt, R F; Upchurch, H F; Worthington, M L

1983-07-01

It was recently shown (Murphy et al., Infect. Immun. 34:177-183), that rabbit macrophages produce two biochemically and immunologically distinct endogenous pyrogens. One of these has or copurifies with substances having a molecular weight of 13,000 and a pI of 7.3. This protein was produced by blood monocytes or inflammatory cells elicited in 16-h rabbit peritoneal exudates. These acute peritoneal exudates were produced by the intraperitoneal injection of large volumes of saline containing shellfish glycogen. When the leukocytes in these exudates were washed and incubated at 37 degrees C in saline, they released an endogenous pyrogen. The injection of this pyrogen into rabbits, rats, or mice caused the biological manifestations which have been attributed to leukocytic endogenous mediator. These effects were increases in blood neutrophils, the lowering of plasma iron and zinc levels, and the increased synthesis of the acute-phase proteins. The other rabbit endogenous pyrogen seems to be a family of proteins with isoelectric points between 4.5 and 5.0. These proteins are produced by macrophages in the lung, liver, or in chronic peritoneal exudates. In these experiments, the lower-isoelectric-point endogenous pyrogens were produced by macrophages from the peritoneal cavity of rabbits that had been injected 4 days earlier with 50 ml of light mineral oil. These rabbit pyrogens were found to have leukocytic endogenous mediator activity in mice but to be completely inactive in rats. When injected into rabbits, these proteins produced fever, lowered plasma iron, increased blood neutrophils, but failed to elevate plasma fibrinogen.

Radiological Findings in Children with Acute Pneumonia: Age More Important Than Infectious Agent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wahlgren, H.; Mortensson, W.; Eriksson, M.; Finkel, Y.; Forsgren, M.; Leinonen, M.

2005-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate whether radiological findings and healing time in children with pneumonia are correlated to etiologic agent. Material and Methods: A total of 346 children with radiologically verified acute pneumonia, and with accomplished serological tests for bacteria and viruses, were included in the study. Five etiological groups were analysed: children with bacterial etiology only, with viral etiology only, with mixed bacterial and viral etiology, with Mycoplasma only, and children with no etiology. Results: The chest films of each etiological group were analysed and the findings were correlated to the children's age. The radiological findings did not differ between the etiological groups. Radiological findings correlated significantly with the patient's age. The radiological healing frequency at check-up X-ray was found to be significantly lower in children with mixed bacterial and viral etiology compared to children in each of the other groups and to the material as a whole. Conclusion: Conclusions about the etiology could not be drawn from the chest X-ray findings

Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae as etiological agents of conjunctivitis outbreaks in the region of Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil

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Marta I. C. MEDEIROS

1998-01-01

Full Text Available In the study of conjunctivitis outbreaks occurring from September 1994 to September 1996 in the region of Ribeirão Preto, conjunctival exudates of 92 patients were cultivated in Instituto Adolfo Lutz Laboratory I, Ribeirão Preto. Most cases occurred in the age range 2-7 years. The etiological agents which were most frequently isolated from the analyzed cases were: Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae, in 40.22% and 21.74%, respectively. 51.35% of the S. pneumoniae isolated strains were not typable. The oxacillin-resistant S. pneumoniae strains were submitted to the minimum inhibitory concentration test (MIC and three of them presented intermediate resistance, whereas only one was highly resistant to penicillin.No estudo de surtos de conjuntivite ocorridos no período de setembro de 1994 a setembro de 1996, na região de Ribeirão Preto, foram semeadas no Instituto Adolfo Lutz Laboratório I, Ribeirão Preto, exsudatos conjuntivais de 92 pacientes, sendo que a maioria dos casos estava na faixa etária de 2-7 anos. Os agentes etiológicos mais freqüentemente isolados dos casos analisados foram: Streptococcus pneumoniae e Haemophilus influenzae em 40,22% e 21,74% respectivamente. 51,35% das cepas de S. pneumoniae isoladas foram não tipáveis. As cepas de S. pneumoniae oxacilina resistente foram submetidas ao teste de concentração inibitória mínima (CIM, sendo que três apresentaram resistência intermediária e apenas uma foi altamente resistente à penicilina.

Dissociation kinetics of open-chain and macrocyclic gadolinium(III)-aminopolycarboxylate complexes related to magnetic resonance imaging: catalytic effect of endogenous ligands.

Science.gov (United States)

Baranyai, Zsolt; Pálinkás, Zoltán; Uggeri, Fulvio; Maiocchi, Alessandro; Aime, Silvio; Brücher, Ernő

2012-12-14

The kinetics of the metal exchange reactions between open-chain Gd(DTPA)(2-) and Gd(DTPA-BMA), macrocyclic Gd(DOTA)(-) and Gd(HP-DO3A) complexes, and Cu(2+)  ions were investigated in the presence of endogenous citrate, phosphate, carbonate and histidinate ligands in the pH range 6-8 in NaCl (0.15 M) at 25 °C. The rates of the exchange reactions of Gd(DTPA)(2-) and Gd(DTPA-BMA) are independent of the Cu(2+) concentration in the presence of citrate and the reactions occur via the dissociation of Gd(3+)  complexes catalyzed by the citrate ions. The HCO(3)(-)/CO(3)(2-) and H(2)PO(4)(-) ions also catalyze the dissociation of complexes. The rates of the dissociation of Gd(DTPA-BMA), catalyzed by the endogenous ligands, are about two orders of magnitude higher than those of the Gd(DTPA)(2-). In fact near to physiological conditions the bicarbonate and carbonate ions show the largest catalytic effect, that significantly increase the dissociation rate of Gd(DTPA-BMA) and make the higher pH values (when the carbonate ion concentration is higher) a risk-factor for the dissociation of complexes in body fluids. The exchange reactions of Gd(DOTA)(-) and Gd(HP-DO3A) with Cu(2+) occur through the proton assisted dissociation of complexes in the pH range 3.5-5 and the endogenous ligands do not affect the dissociation rates of complexes. More insights into the interaction scheme between Gd(DTPA-BMA) and Gd(DTPA)(2-) and endogenous ligands have been obtained by acquiring the (13)C NMR spectra of the corresponding diamagnetic Y(III)-complexes, indicating the increase of the rates of the intramolecular rearrangements in the presence of carbonate and citrate ions. The herein reported results may have implications in the understanding of the etiology of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, a rare disease that has been associated to the administration of Gd-containing agents to patients with impaired renal function. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

[Formation of endogenous pyrogen by mononuclear phagocytes].

Science.gov (United States)

Agasarov, L G

1980-03-01

Incubation of alveolar macrophages of rabbits and peritoneal macrophages of the abdominal cavity washing of albino mice does not lead to endogenous pyrogen release. Peritoneal macrophages obtained after peritoneal administration to mice of thioglycollate, glycogen or heterologous blood cells do not discharge pyrogen either during incubation without additional stimulation. Macrophages isolated after intraperitoneal administration of heterologous blood cells do not exhibit pyrogenic activity possibly because of a long period of time elapsed after phagocytosis of foreign agents. The triggering of pyrogen formation by macrophages can be effected by means of in vitro phagocytosis of corpuscular particles: staphylococci or heterologous blood cells.

Dynamic nuclear polarization of nucleic acid with endogenously bound manganese

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wenk, Patricia [University of Tübingen, Werner Siemens Imaging Center and Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy (Germany); Kaushik, Monu; Richter, Diane [Goethe University, Institute of Physical und Theoretical Chemistry, Institute of Biophysical Chemistry und Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ) (Germany); Vogel, Marc; Suess, Beatrix [Technical University Darmstadt, Department of Biology (Germany); Corzilius, Björn, E-mail: corzilius@em.uni-frankfurt.de [Goethe University, Institute of Physical und Theoretical Chemistry, Institute of Biophysical Chemistry und Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ) (Germany)

2015-09-15

We report the direct dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) of {sup 13}C nuclei of a uniformly [{sup 13}C,{sup 15}N]-labeled, paramagnetic full-length hammerhead ribozyme (HHRz) complex with Mn{sup 2+} where the enhanced polarization is fully provided by the endogenously bound metal ion and no exogenous polarizing agent is added. A {sup 13}C enhancement factor of ε = 8 was observed by intra-complex DNP at 9.4 T. In contrast, “conventional” indirect and direct DNP experiments were performed using AMUPol as polarizing agent where we obtained a {sup 1}H enhancement factor of ε ≈ 250. Comparison with the diamagnetic (Mg{sup 2+}) HHRz complex shows that the presence of Mn{sup 2+} only marginally influences the (DNP-enhanced) NMR properties of the RNA. Furthermore two-dimensional correlation spectra ({sup 15}N–{sup 13}C and {sup 13}C–{sup 13}C) reveal structural inhomogeneity in the frozen, amorphous state indicating the coexistence of several conformational states. These demonstrations of intra-complex DNP using an endogenous metal ion as well as DNP-enhanced MAS NMR of RNA in general yield important information for the development of new methods in structural biology.

[CONTEMPORARY MOLECULAR-GENETIC METHODS USED FOR ETIOLOGIC DIAGNOSTICS OF SEPSIS].

Science.gov (United States)

Gavrilov, S N; Skachkova, T S; Shipulina, O Yu; Savochkina, Yu A; Shipulin, G A; Maleev, V V

2016-01-01

Etiologic diagnostics of sepsis is one of the most difficult problems of contemporary medicine due to a wide variety of sepsis causative agents, many of which are components of normal human microflora. Disadvantages of contemporary "golden standard" of microbiologic diagnostics of sepsis etiology by seeding of blood for sterility are duration of cultivation, limitation in detection of non-cultivable forms of microorganisms, significant effect of preliminary empiric antibiotics therapy on results of the analysis. Methods of molecular diagnostics that are being actively developed and integrated during the last decade are deprived of these disadvantages. Main contemporary methods of molecular-biological diagnostics are examined in the review, actualdata on their diagnostic characteristic are provided. Special attention is given to methods of PCR-diagnostics, including novel Russian developments. Methods of nucleic acid hybridization and proteomic analysis are examined in comparative aspect. Evaluation of application and perspectives of development of methods of molecular diagnostics of sepsis is given.

The etiology of multiple sclerosis: genetic evidence for the involvement of the human endogenous retrovirus HERV-Fc1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nexø, Bjørn Andersen; Christensen, Tove; Frederiksen, Jette

2011-01-01

or almost-intact genes. We found that SNPs in the gene TRIM5 were inversely correlated with disease. Conversely, SNPs around one retroviral locus, HERV-Fc1, showed a highly significant association with disease. The latter association was limited to a narrow region that contains no other known genes. We...... conclude that HERV-Fc1 and TRIM5 play a role in the etiology of multiple sclerosis. If these results are confirmed, they point to new modes of treatment for multiple sclerosis....

Government technology push in agribusiness: a model of endogenous growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Venegas Martínez

2008-10-01

Full Text Available This paper develops a model of endogenous growth where the government acts as a promoting agent to boost technology in agribusiness. In the framework of a monetary economy, the optimal level of government spending to enhance technology in the agricultural industry is characterized. Moreover the impact of such a spending on economic welfare is assessed. Finally, a number of agro-oriented policies to increase growth in the sector are established.

Microbial aetiologic agents associated with pneumonia in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Pulmonary infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the immunosuppressed patients. The aim of this study was to determine the etiologic agents and predisposing factors associated with pneumonia infections in immunocompromised patients. Cross-sectional survey of 100 immunocompromised patients due ...

Viruses and Gram-negative bacilli dominate the etiology of community-acquired pneumonia in Indonesia, a cohort study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helmia Farida

2015-09-01

Conclusions: Viruses and Gram-negative bacilli are dominant causes of CAP in this region, more so than S. pneumoniae. Most of the bacteria have wild type susceptibility to antimicrobial agents. Patients with severe disease and those with unknown etiology have a higher mortality risk.

Radiological Findings in Children with Acute Pneumonia: Age More Important Than Infectious Agent

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Wahlgren, H.; Mortensson, W.; Eriksson, M.; Finkel, Y.; Forsgren, M.; Leinonen, M. [Astrid Lindgren' s Children' s Hospital, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm (Sweden). Depts. of Pediatric Radiology and Pediatrics

2005-07-01

Purpose: To evaluate whether radiological findings and healing time in children with pneumonia are correlated to etiologic agent. Material and Methods: A total of 346 children with radiologically verified acute pneumonia, and with accomplished serological tests for bacteria and viruses, were included in the study. Five etiological groups were analysed: children with bacterial etiology only, with viral etiology only, with mixed bacterial and viral etiology, with Mycoplasma only, and children with no etiology. Results: The chest films of each etiological group were analysed and the findings were correlated to the children's age. The radiological findings did not differ between the etiological groups. Radiological findings correlated significantly with the patient's age. The radiological healing frequency at check-up X-ray was found to be significantly lower in children with mixed bacterial and viral etiology compared to children in each of the other groups and to the material as a whole. Conclusion: Conclusions about the etiology could not be drawn from the chest X-ray findings.

In vivo Photoacoustic Imaging of Prostate Cancer Using Targeted Contrast Agent

Science.gov (United States)

2016-11-01

AD______________ AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0242 TITLE: In Vivo Photoacoustic Imaging of Prostate Cancer Using Targeted Contrast Agent PRINCIPAL...TITLE AND SUBTITLE In vivo Photoacoustic Imaging of Prostate Cancer Using T argeted Contrast Agent 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER W81XWH-14-1-0242 5b. GRANT...diagnose prostate cancer based on the near-infrared optical absorption of either endogenous tissue constituents or exogenous contrast agents . Although

Endogenous Lunar Volatiles

Science.gov (United States)

McCubbin, F. M.; Liu, Y.; Barnes, J. J.; Anand, M.; Boyce, J. W.; Burney, D.; Day, J. M. D.; Elardo, S. M.; Hui, H.; Klima, R. L.; Magna, T.; Ni, P.; Steenstra, E.; Tartèse, R.; Vander Kaaden, K. E.

2018-04-01

This abstract discusses numerous outstanding questions on the topic of endogenous lunar volatiles that will need to be addressed in the coming years. Although substantial insights into endogenous lunar volatiles have been gained, more work remains.

Human Endogenous Retrovirus W Activity in Cartilage of Osteoarthritis Patients

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Signy Bendiksen

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The etiology of viruses in osteoarthritis remains controversial because the prevalence of viral nucleic acid sequences in peripheral blood or synovial fluid from osteoarthritis patients and that in healthy control subjects are similar. Until now the presence of virus has not been analyzed in cartilage. We screened cartilage and chondrocytes from advanced and non-/early osteoarthritis patients for parvovirus B19, herpes simplex virus-1, Epstein Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, human herpes virus-6, hepatitis C virus, and human endogenous retroviruses transcripts. Endogenous retroviruses transcripts, but none of the other viruses, were detected in 15 out the 17 patients. Sequencing identified the virus as HERV-WE1 and E2. HERV-W activity was confirmed by high expression levels of syncytin, dsRNA, virus budding, and the presence of virus-like particles in all advanced osteoarthritis cartilages examined. Low levels of HERV-WE1, but not E2 envelope RNA, were observed in 3 out of 8 non-/early osteoarthritis patients, while only 3 out of 7 chondrocytes cultures displayed low levels of syncytin, and just one was positive for virus-like particles. This study demonstrates for the first time activation of HERV-W in cartilage of osteoarthritis patients; however, a causative role for HERV-W in development or deterioration of the disease remains to be proven.

Etiology of Inguinal Hernias

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Öberg, Stina; Andresen, Kristoffer; Rosenberg, Jacob

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: The etiology of inguinal hernias remains uncertain even though the lifetime risk of developing an inguinal hernia is 27% for men and 3% for women. The aim was to summarize the evidence on hernia etiology, with focus on differences between lateral and medial hernias. RESULTS: Lateral a...

PERICARDITIS: ETIOLOGY, CLASSIFICATION, CLINIC, DIAGNOSTICS, TREATMENT. PART II

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A.B. Sugak

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Pericarditis maybe caused by different agents: viruses, bacteria, tuberculosis, and it may be autoimmune. All these types of diseases have similar clinical signs, but differ by prevalence, prognosis and medical tactics. Due to achievements of radial methods of visualization, molecular biology, and immunology, we have an opportunity to provide early specific diagnostics and etiological treatment of inflammatory diseases of pericardium. The second part of lecture presents main principles of differential diagnostics of specific types of pericarditis, gives characteristics of several often accruing types of disease, and describes treatment and tactics of management of patients with pericarditis.Key words: children, pericarditis.(Voprosy sovremennoi pediatrii — Current Pediatrics. 2009;8(3:76-81

Etiologies and Management of Aseptic Meningitis in Patients Admitted to an Internal Medicine Department.

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Jarrin, Irène; Sellier, Pierre; Lopes, Amanda; Morgand, Marjolaine; Makovec, Tamara; Delcey, Veronique; Champion, Karine; Simoneau, Guy; Green, Andrew; Mouly, Stéphane; Bergmann, Jean-François; Lloret-Linares, Célia

2016-01-01

Several studies have focused on the clinical and biological characteristics of meningitis in order to distinguish between bacterial and viral meningitis in the emergency setting. However, little is known about the etiologies and outcomes of aseptic meningitis in patients admitted to Internal Medicine.The aim of the study is to describe the etiologies, characteristics, and outcomes of aseptic meningitis with or without encephalitis in adults admitted to an Internal Medicine Department.A retrospective cohort study was conducted in the Internal Medicine Department of the Lariboisière Hospital in Paris, France, from January 2009 to December 2011. Clinical and biological characteristics of aseptic meningitis were recorded. These included cerebrospinal fluid analysis, results of polymerase chain reaction testing, final diagnoses, and therapeutic management.The cohort included 180 patients fulfilling the criteria for aseptic meningitis with (n = 56) or without (n = 124) encephalitis. A definitive etiological diagnosis was established in 83 of the 180 cases. Of the cases with a definitive diagnosis, 73 were due to infectious agents, mainly enteroviruses, Herpes Simplex Virus 2, and Varicella Zoster Virus (43.4%, 16.8%, and 14.5% respectively). Inflammatory diseases were diagnosed in 7 cases. Among the 97 cases without definitive diagnoses, 26 (26.8%) remained free of treatment throughout their management whereas antiviral or antibiotic therapy was initiated in the emergency department for the remaining 71 patients. The treatment was discontinued in only 10 patients deemed to have viral meningitis upon admission to Internal Medicine.The prevalence of inflammatory diseases among patients admitted to internal medicine for aseptic meningitis is not rare (4% of overall aseptic meningitis). The PCR upon admission to the emergency department is obviously of major importance for the prompt optimization of therapy and management. However, meningitis due to viral agents or

The Endogenous Exposome

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Nakamura, Jun; Mutlu, Esra; Sharma, Vyom; Collins, Leonard; Bodnar, Wanda; Yu, Rui; Lai, Yongquan; Moeller, Benjamin; Lu, Kun; Swenberg, James

2014-01-01

The concept of the Exposome, is a compilation of diseases and one’s lifetime exposure to chemicals, whether the exposure comes from environmental, dietary, or occupational exposures; or endogenous chemicals that are formed from normal metabolism, inflammation, oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, infections, and other natural metabolic processes such as alteration of the gut microbiome. In this review, we have focused on the Endogenous Exposome, the DNA damage that arises from the production of endogenous electrophilic molecules in our cells. It provides quantitative data on endogenous DNA damage and its relationship to mutagenesis, with emphasis on when exogenous chemical exposures that produce identical DNA adducts to those arising from normal metabolism cause significant increases in total identical DNA adducts. We have utilized stable isotope labeled chemical exposures of animals and cells, so that accurate relationships between endogenous and exogenous exposures can be determined. Advances in mass spectrometry have vastly increased both the sensitivity and accuracy of such studies. Furthermore, we have clear evidence of which sources of exposure drive low dose biology that results in mutations and disease. These data provide much needed information to impact quantitative risk assessments, in the hope of moving towards the use of science, rather than default assumptions. PMID:24767943

Relative clock verifies endogenous bursts of human dynamics

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Zhou, Tao; Zhao, Zhi-Dan; Yang, Zimo; Zhou, Changsong

2012-01-01

Temporal bursts are widely observed in many human-activated systems, which may result from both endogenous mechanisms like the highest-priority-first protocol and exogenous factors like the seasonality of activities. To distinguish the effects from different mechanisms is thus of theoretical significance. This letter reports a new timing method by using a relative clock, namely the time length between two consecutive events of an agent is counted as the number of other agents' events appeared during this interval. We propose a model, in which agents act either in a constant rate or with a power-law inter-event time distribution, and the global activity either keeps unchanged or varies periodically vs. time. Our analysis shows that the bursts caused by the heterogeneity of global activity can be eliminated by setting the relative clock, yet the bursts from real individual behaviors still exist. We perform extensive experiments on four large-scale systems, the search engine by AOL, a social bookmarking system —Delicious, a short-message communication network, and a microblogging system —Twitter. Seasonality of global activity is observed, yet the bursts cannot be eliminated by using the relative clock.

Etiological classification of depression based on the enzymes of tryptophan metabolism.

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Fukuda, Katsuhiko

2014-12-24

Viewed in terms of input and output, the mechanisms of depression are still akin to a black box. However, there must be main pivots for diverse types of depression. From recent therapeutic observations, both the serotonin (5-HT) and kynurenine pathways of tryptophan metabolism may be of particular importance to improved understanding of depression. Here, I propose an etiological classification of depression, based on key peripheral and central enzymes of tryptophan metabolism. Endogenous depression is caused by a larger genetic component than reactive depression. Besides enterochromaffin and mast cells, tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1), primarily expressed in the gastrointestinal tract, is also found in 5-hydroxytryptophan-producing cells (5-HTP cells) in normal intestinal enterocytes, which are thought to essentially shunt 5-HT production in 5-HT-producing cells. Genetic studies have reported an association between TPH1 and depression, or the responsiveness of depression to antidepressive medication. Therefore, it is possible that hypofunctional 5-HTP cells (reflecting TPH1 dysfunction) in the periphery lead to deficient brain 5-HT levels. Additionally,it has been reported that higher TPH2 expression in depressed suicides may reflect a homeostatic response to deficient 5-HT levels. Subsequently, endogenous depression may be caused by TPH1 dysfunction combined with compensatory TPH2 activation. Reactive depression results from life stresses and involves the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, with resulting cortisol production inducing tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO) activation. In secondary depression, caused by inflammation, infection, or oxidative stress, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is activated. In both reactive and secondary depression, the balance between 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK) and kynurenic acid may shift towards 3-HK production via kynurenine-3-monooxygenase (KMO) activation. By shifting the equilibrium position of key enzymes of tryptophan

Endogenous Locus Reporter Assays.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yaping; Hermes, Jeffrey; Li, Jing; Tudor, Matthew

2018-01-01

Reporter gene assays are widely used in high-throughput screening (HTS) to identify compounds that modulate gene expression. Traditionally a reporter gene assay is built by cloning an endogenous promoter sequence or synthetic response elements in the regulatory region of a reporter gene to monitor transcriptional activity of a specific biological process (exogenous reporter assay). In contrast, an endogenous locus reporter has a reporter gene inserted in the endogenous gene locus that allows the reporter gene to be expressed under the control of the same regulatory elements as the endogenous gene, thus more accurately reflecting the changes seen in the regulation of the actual gene. In this chapter, we introduce some of the considerations behind building a reporter gene assay for high-throughput compound screening and describe the methods we have utilized to establish 1536-well format endogenous locus reporter and exogenous reporter assays for the screening of compounds that modulate Myc pathway activity.

An etiological model of perfectionism.

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Gayle K Maloney

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Perfectionism has been recognized as a transdiagnostic factor that is relevant to anxiety disorders, eating disorders and depression. Despite the importance of perfectionism in psychopathology to date there has been no empirical test of an etiological model of perfectionism. METHOD: The present study aimed to address the paucity of research on the etiology of perfectionism by developing and testing an etiological model using a sample of 311 clients seeking treatment. RESULTS: Structural equation modeling showed a direct relationship between high Parental Expectations and Criticism, and Perfectionism. There was also an indirect relationship between Parental Bonding and Perfectionism that was mediated by core schemas of disconnection and rejection. Finally, it was found that Neuroticism had both an indirect relationship, which was mediated by core schemas, and a direct relationship with perfectionism. CONCLUSIONS: The study provided the first direct test of an etiological model of perfectionism to date. Clinical implications include investigating whether the inclusion of etiological factors in the understanding and treatment of perfectionism is effective.

Skin lesions in European hibernating bats associated with Geomyces destructans, the etiologic agent of white-nose syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Wibbelt, Gudrun; Puechmaille, Sébastien J; Ohlendorf, Bernd; Mühldorfer, Kristin; Bosch, Thijs; Görföl, Tamás; Passior, Karsten; Kurth, Andreas; Lacremans, Daniel; Forget, Frédéric

2013-01-01

White-nose syndrome (WNS) has claimed the lives of millions of hibernating insectivorous bats in North America. Its etiologic agent, the psychrophilic fungus Geomyces destructans, causes skin lesions that are the hallmark of the disease. The fungal infection is characterized by a white powdery growth on muzzle, ears and wing membranes. While WNS may threaten some species of North American bats with regional extinction, infection in hibernating bats in Europe seems not to be associated with significant mortality. We performed histopathological investigations on biopsy samples of 11 hibernating European bats, originating from 4 different countries, colonized by G. destructans. One additional bat was euthanized to allow thorough examination of multiple strips of its wing membranes. Molecular analyses of touch imprints, swabs and skin samples confirmed that fungal structures were G. destructans. Additionally, archived field notes on hibernacula monitoring data in the Harz Mountains, Germany, over an 11-year period (2000-2011) revealed multiple capture-recapture events of 8 banded bats repeatedly displaying characteristic fungal colonization. Skin lesions of G. destructans-affected hibernating European bats are intriguingly similar to the epidermal lesions described in North American bats. Nevertheless, deep invasion of fungal hyphae into the dermal connective tissue with resulting ulceration like in North American bats was not observed in the biopsy samples of European bats; all lesions found were restricted to the layers of the epidermis and its adnexae. Two bats had mild epidermal cupping erosions as described for North American bats. The possible mechanisms for any difference in outcomes of G. destructans infection in European and North American bats still need to be elucidated.

Skin lesions in European hibernating bats associated with Geomyces destructans, the etiologic agent of white-nose syndrome.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gudrun Wibbelt

Full Text Available White-nose syndrome (WNS has claimed the lives of millions of hibernating insectivorous bats in North America. Its etiologic agent, the psychrophilic fungus Geomyces destructans, causes skin lesions that are the hallmark of the disease. The fungal infection is characterized by a white powdery growth on muzzle, ears and wing membranes. While WNS may threaten some species of North American bats with regional extinction, infection in hibernating bats in Europe seems not to be associated with significant mortality. We performed histopathological investigations on biopsy samples of 11 hibernating European bats, originating from 4 different countries, colonized by G. destructans. One additional bat was euthanized to allow thorough examination of multiple strips of its wing membranes. Molecular analyses of touch imprints, swabs and skin samples confirmed that fungal structures were G. destructans. Additionally, archived field notes on hibernacula monitoring data in the Harz Mountains, Germany, over an 11-year period (2000-2011 revealed multiple capture-recapture events of 8 banded bats repeatedly displaying characteristic fungal colonization. Skin lesions of G. destructans-affected hibernating European bats are intriguingly similar to the epidermal lesions described in North American bats. Nevertheless, deep invasion of fungal hyphae into the dermal connective tissue with resulting ulceration like in North American bats was not observed in the biopsy samples of European bats; all lesions found were restricted to the layers of the epidermis and its adnexae. Two bats had mild epidermal cupping erosions as described for North American bats. The possible mechanisms for any difference in outcomes of G. destructans infection in European and North American bats still need to be elucidated.

Anabolic agents: recent strategies for their detection and protection from inadvertent doping

Science.gov (United States)

Geyer, Hans; Schänzer, Wilhelm; Thevis, Mario

2014-01-01

According to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List, anabolic agents consist of exogenous anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), endogenous AAS and other anabolic agents such as clenbuterol and selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs). Currently employed strategies for their improved detection include the prolongation of the detection windows for exogenous AAS, non-targeted and indirect analytical approaches for the detection of modified steroids (designer steroids), the athlete’s biological passport and isotope ratio mass spectrometry for the detection of the misuse of endogenous AAS, as well as preventive doping research for the detection of SARMs. The recent use of these strategies led to 4–80-fold increases of adverse analytical findings for exogenous AAS, to the detection of the misuse of new designer steroids, to adverse analytical findings of different endogenous AAS and to the first adverse analytical findings of SARMs. The strategies of the antidoping research are not only focused on the development of methods to catch the cheating athlete but also to protect the clean athlete from inadvertent doping. Within the past few years several sources of inadvertent doping with anabolic agents have been identified. Among these are nutritional supplements adulterated with AAS, meat products contaminated with clenbuterol, mycotoxin (zearalenone) contamination leading to zeranol findings, and natural products containing endogenous AAS. The protection strategy consists of further investigations in case of reasonable suspicion of inadvertent doping, publication of the results, education of athletes and development of methods to differentiate between intentional and unintentional doping. PMID:24632537

STUDY OF AGE, SEX AND ETIOLOGIC SPECTRUM OF PERICARDIAL EFFUSION IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

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Ravikaladhar Reddy

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Pericardial effusion is perhaps one of the most commonly overlooked clinical conditions and definite establishment of etiological agent is not always easy, successful or satisfactory. In this study, 50 cases of pericardial effusion admitted in Medical wards were analysed with emphasis on pattern of age and gender distribution, clinical presentation and et iology. The incidence of pericardial effusion common in age group between 21 - 40 years. The incidence of pericardial effusion is more in males. In the present study, the youngest patient is 15 year old and the oldest is 62 year old. Breathlessness being com monest symptom and raised JVP Is commonest sign. 60% of cases are of tuberculosis etiology, 15% are due to uremia and malignancy each, and 5% due to collagen vascular disease

The Etiology of Primary Hyperhidrosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hashmonai, Moshe; Cameron, Alan E.P.; Connery, Cliff P.

2017-01-01

of patients with hyperhidrosis has been reported. Conclusions: Despite these accumulated data, the etiology of primary hyperhidrosis remains obscure. Nevertheless, three main lines for future research seem to be delineated: genetics, histological observations, and enzymatic studies.......Purpose: Primary hyperhidrosis is a pathological disorder of unknown etiology, affecting 0.6-5% of the population, and causing severe functional and social handicaps. As the etiology is unknown, it is not possible to treat the root cause. Recently some differences between affected and non......-affected people have been reported. The aim of this review is to summarize these new etiological data. Methods: Search of the literature was performed in the PubMed/Medline Database and pertinent articles were retrieved and reviewed. Additional publications were obtained from the references of these articles...

A comparison of exogenous and endogenous CEST MRI methods for evaluating in vivo pH.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindeman, Leila R; Randtke, Edward A; High, Rachel A; Jones, Kyle M; Howison, Christine M; Pagel, Mark D

2018-05-01

Extracellular pH (pHe) is an important biomarker for cancer cell metabolism. Acido-chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI uses the contrast agent iopamidol to create spatial maps of pHe. Measurements of amide proton transfer exchange rates (k ex ) from endogenous CEST MRI were compared to pHe measurements by exogenous acido-CEST MRI to determine whether endogenous k ex could be used as a proxy for pHe measurements. Spatial maps of pHe and k ex were obtained using exogenous acidoCEST MRI and an endogenous CEST MRI analyzed with the omega plot method, respectively, to evaluate mouse kidney, a flank tumor model, and a spontaneous lung tumor model. The pHe and k ex results were evaluated using pixelwise comparisons. The k ex values obtained from endogenous CEST measurements did not correlate with the pHe results from exogenous CEST measurements. The k ex measurements were limited to fewer pixels and had a limited dynamic range relative to pHe measurements. Measurements of k ex with endogenous CEST MRI cannot substitute for pHe measurements with acidoCEST MRI. Whereas endogenous CEST MRI may still have good utility for evaluating some specific pathologies, exogenous acido-CEST MRI is more appropriate when evaluating pathologies based on pHe values. Magn Reson Med 79:2766-2772, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Feline sporotrichosis: associations between clinical-epidemiological profiles and phenotypic-genotypic characteristics of the etiological agents in the Rio de Janeiro epizootic area.

Science.gov (United States)

Boechat, Jéssica Sepulveda; Oliveira, Manoel Marques Evangelista; Almeida-Paes, Rodrigo; Gremião, Isabella Dib Ferreira; Machado, Ana Caroline de Sá; Oliveira, Raquel de Vasconcelos Carvalhaes; Figueiredo, Anna Barreto Fernandes; Rabello, Vanessa Brito de Souza; Silva, Karoline Benevides de Lima; Zancopé-Oliveira, Rosely Maria; Schubach, Tânia Maria Pacheco; Pereira, Sandro Antonio

2018-03-01

Sporotrichosis is caused by species of the genus Sporothrix. From 1998 to 2015, 4,703 cats were diagnosed at the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Even after the description of the Sporothrix species, the characterisation of feline isolates is not performed routinely. To characterise the clinical isolates from cats at the species level and correlate them with the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the cats. Forty seven Sporothrix spp. isolates from cats assisted at Fiocruz from 2010 to 2011 were included. Medical records were consulted to obtain the clinical and epidemiological data. The isolates were identified through their morphological and physiological characteristics. T3B polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fingerprinting was used for molecular identification of the species. In phenotypic tests, 34 isolates were characterised as S. brasiliensis, one as S. schenckii and 12 as Sporothrix spp. PCR identified all isolates as S. brasiliensis. S. brasiliensis is the only etiological agent of feline sporotrichosis in Rio de Janeiro to date. None association was found between the isolates and the clinical and epidemiological data. In addition, we strongly recommend the use of molecular techniques for the identification of isolates of Sporothrix spp.

Inhibitory action of essential oils against proteases activity of Paenibacillus larvae, the etiological agent of American Foulbrood disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pellegrini, M.C.; Zalazar, L.; Fuselli, S.L.; Ponce, A.G.

2017-07-01

American foulbrood (AFB) is a disease affecting the larva of Apis mellifera. The etiological agent is Paenibacillus larvae, which releases metalloproteases involved in the degradation of larval tissues. Through quorum sensing (QS) mechanism, bacteria are able to activate specific genes such as virulence factors. The exoproteases regulation of P. larvae could be associated with QS. A promising mechanism of AFB control is to block QS mechanism with essential oils (EO). The aim of this study was to investigate the potential presence of QS signals in the regulation of P. larvae proteases and the effect of seven EOs on the exoproteases activity of P. larvae. From growth curves and evaluation of the presence of proteases by milk agar plates assay, it was observed protease activity during the late exponential phase of growth. Early production of protease activity (15 hours earlier than control) was observed when a low density culture was incubated with late exponential spent medium (SM) suggesting the presence of factor(s) inducing this activity. SM was obtained by the ultrafiltration of P. larvae cultures on late growth phase and was free of proteases. Proteolytic activity was quantified on P. larvae cultures in presence of sublethal concentration of EO by azocasein method. The EOs, except S. chilensis EO, reduced significantly protease activity (more than 50%). We report for the first time evidence on the possible role of QS on P. larvae and the antiproteolytic activity of EOs (except for S. chilensis) on exoproteases, an interesting therapeutic strategy to control AFB.

Inhibitory action of essential oils against proteases activity of Paenibacillus larvae, the etiological agent of American Foulbrood disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pellegrini, M.C.; Zalazar, L.; Fuselli, S.L.; Ponce, A.G.

2017-01-01

American foulbrood (AFB) is a disease affecting the larva of Apis mellifera. The etiological agent is Paenibacillus larvae, which releases metalloproteases involved in the degradation of larval tissues. Through quorum sensing (QS) mechanism, bacteria are able to activate specific genes such as virulence factors. The exoproteases regulation of P. larvae could be associated with QS. A promising mechanism of AFB control is to block QS mechanism with essential oils (EO). The aim of this study was to investigate the potential presence of QS signals in the regulation of P. larvae proteases and the effect of seven EOs on the exoproteases activity of P. larvae. From growth curves and evaluation of the presence of proteases by milk agar plates assay, it was observed protease activity during the late exponential phase of growth. Early production of protease activity (15 hours earlier than control) was observed when a low density culture was incubated with late exponential spent medium (SM) suggesting the presence of factor(s) inducing this activity. SM was obtained by the ultrafiltration of P. larvae cultures on late growth phase and was free of proteases. Proteolytic activity was quantified on P. larvae cultures in presence of sublethal concentration of EO by azocasein method. The EOs, except S. chilensis EO, reduced significantly protease activity (more than 50%). We report for the first time evidence on the possible role of QS on P. larvae and the antiproteolytic activity of EOs (except for S. chilensis) on exoproteases, an interesting therapeutic strategy to control AFB.

Inhibitory action of essential oils against proteases activity of Paenibacillus larvae, the etiological agent of American Foulbrood disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María C. Pellegrini

2018-02-01

Full Text Available American foulbrood (AFB is a disease affecting the larva of Apis mellifera. The etiological agent is Paenibacillus larvae, which releases metalloproteases involved in the degradation of larval tissues. Through quorum sensing (QS mechanism, bacteria are able to activate specific genes such as virulence factors. The exoproteases regulation of P. larvae could be associated with QS. A promising mechanism of AFB control is to block QS mechanism with essential oils (EO. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential presence of QS signals in the regulation of P. larvae proteases and the effect of seven EOs on the exoproteases activity of P. larvae. From growth curves and evaluation of the presence of proteases by milk agar plates assay, it was observed protease activity during the late exponential phase of growth. Early production of protease activity (15 hours earlier than control was observed when a low density culture was incubated with late exponential spent medium (SM suggesting the presence of factor(s inducing this activity. SM was obtained by the ultrafiltration of P. larvae cultures on late growth phase and was free of proteases. Proteolytic activity was quantified on P. larvae cultures in presence of sublethal concentration of EO by azocasein method. The EOs, except S. chilensis EO, reduced significantly protease activity (more than 50%. We report for the first time evidence on the possible role of QS on P. larvae and the antiproteolytic activity of EOs (except for S. chilensis on exoproteases, an interesting therapeutic strategy to control AFB.

Etiology of Inguinal Hernias

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Öberg, Stina; Andresen, Kristoffer; Rosenberg, Jacob

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: The etiology of inguinal hernias remains uncertain even though the lifetime risk of developing an inguinal hernia is 27% for men and 3% for women. The aim was to summarize the evidence on hernia etiology, with focus on differences between lateral and medial hernias. RESULTS: Lateral...... and medial hernias seem to have common as well as different etiologies. A patent processus vaginalis and increased cumulative mechanical exposure are risk factors for lateral hernias. Patients with medial hernias seem to have a more profoundly altered connective tissue architecture and homeostasis compared...... mechanisms why processus vaginalis fails to obliterate in certain patients should also be clarified. Not all patients with a patent processus vaginalis develop a lateral hernia, but increased intraabdominal pressure appears to be a contributing factor....

A comparative assessment of endogenous water institutional change

Science.gov (United States)

Pande, Saket; Ersten, Maurits

2013-04-01

This paper builds the theory of endogenous institutional change, first proposed by Greif and Laitin (2004), for water scarce regions in context of water institutions. The current emphasis on environmental change, including hydrological change, largely ignores the adaptation of human societies to change. Humans have mostly been considered as boundary conditions or parameters of the dynamics of hydrological change and are not considered as conduits of feedbacks. Nonetheless, the dynamical representation of hydrological change with feedbacks between various components of a system is assuring since it is reminiscent of processual ecological anthropology(Orlove, 1980), except that individual decision making is absent. This paper proposes to consider selected dryland basins of the world, to conceptualize proxies of water relevant socio-economic organisation, such as spatial scales of upstream-downstream cooperation in water use, synthesized over time and then proposes a comparative assessment to test regularities predicted by an extension of river game theory (Ambec and Ehlers, 2008; van der Brink et al, 2012) to endogenous institutional change. References: Orlove, B. S. (1980). Ecological Anthropology. Annual Review of Anthropology, Vol. 9 (1980), pp. 235-273. Greif. A. and D. D. Laitin (2004). A Theory of Endogenous Institutional Change. American Political Science Review, Vol. 98, No. 4 November 2004. Ambec, S. and L. Ehlers (2008). Sharing a river amongst satiable agents. Games and Economic Behavior, 64, 35-50. Van der Brink, G. van der Laan and N. Moes (2012). Fair agreements for sharing international rivers with multiple springs and externalities. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 63, 388-403.

Endogenous Prospect Theory

OpenAIRE

Schmidt, Ulrich; Zank, Horst

2010-01-01

In previous models of (cumulative) prospect theory reference-dependence of preferences is imposed beforehand and the location of the reference point is exogenously determined. This paper provides an axiomatization of a new specification of cumulative prospect theory, termed endogenous prospect theory, where reference-dependence is derived from preference conditions and a unique reference point arises endogenously.

Immunological effects of hypomethylating agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindblad, Katherine E; Goswami, Meghali; Hourigan, Christopher S; Oetjen, Karolyn A

2017-08-01

Epigenetic changes resulting from aberrant methylation patterns are a recurrent observation in hematologic malignancies. Hypomethylating agents have a well-established role in the management of patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome or acute myeloid leukemia. In addition to the direct effects of hypomethylating agents on cancer cells, there are several lines of evidence indicating a role for immune-mediated anti-tumor benefits from hypomethylating therapy. Areas covered: We reviewed the clinical and basic science literature for the effects of hypomethylating agents, including the most commonly utilized therapeutics azacitidine and decitabine, on immune cell subsets. We summarized the effects of hypomethylating agents on the frequency and function of natural killer cells, T cells, and dendritic cells. In particular, we highlight the effects of hypomethylating agents on expression of immune checkpoint inhibitors, leukemia-associated antigens, and endogenous retroviral elements. Expert commentary: In vitro and ex vivo studies indicate mixed effects on the function of natural killer, dendritic cells and T cells following treatment with hypomethylating agents. Clinical correlates of immune function have suggested that hypomethylating agents have immunomodulatory functions with the potential to synergize with immune checkpoint therapy for the treatment of hematologic malignancy, and has become an active area of clinical research.

THE IMPORTANCE OF HERPESVIRUSES IN THE ETIOLOGY OF A NUMBER OF INFECTIOUS AND SOMATIC DISEASES OF CHILDREN

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T. N. Rybalkina

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article is devoted to study the etiological role of herpes viruses in infectious and somatic pathology of children (n = 770 using the complex of methods of laboratory diagnostics. Determined the leading etiological role of HSV in children with neuroinfections (12,7% during primary infection and in children with intrauterine infection (29,0% during its reactivation. It is shown that in 50,9% of cases, the diagnosis of «infectious mononucleosis» confirmed by the detection of markers of acute EBV-infection, and 20,0%, it was replaced by mononucleotides syndrome was discovered markers of acute CMV-infection, and 18,1% — markers of acute HHV-6-infection. The role of HHV-6 as the primary etiologic agent of the disease is established at 36,3% of children admitted with convulsive syndrome on the background of febrile, at 29,1% — a sudden exanthema and 25,5% — with fever of unknown origin.  

Catatonia in the medically ill: Etiology, diagnosis, and treatment. The Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Evidence-Based Medicine Subcommittee Monograph.

Science.gov (United States)

Denysenko, Lex; Sica, Nicole; Penders, Thomas M; Philbrick, Kemuel L; Walker, Audrey; Shaffer, Scott; Zimbrean, Paula; Freudenreich, Oliver; Rex, Nicole; Carroll, Brendan T; Francis, Andrew

2018-05-01

Catatonia in medically ill patients is rare but often unrecognized. This monograph summarizes current knowledge on the diagnosis, epidemiology, etiology, and management of catatonia occurring in the medical setting. PubMed searches were used to identify relevant articles from 1962 to present. More than 3,000 articles were obtained and reviewed for relevance, including references of articles identified by the initial search. Several areas were identified as important, including: (1) catatonia and delirium; (2) malignant catatonia; (3) pediatric catatonia; (4) catatonia associated with another medical condition (CAMC); (5) drug exposure and withdrawal syndromes associated with catatonia; and (6) treatment of catatonia in the medical setting. Catatonia in the medically ill appears to have numerous etiologies, although etiology does not seem to modify the general treatment approach of prompt administration of lorazepam. Delirium and catatonia are commonly comorbid in the medical setting and should not be viewed as mutually exclusive. Electroconvulsive therapy should be offered to patients who do not respond to benzodiazepines or have malignant features. Removing offending agents and treating the underlying medical condition is paramount when treating CAMC. Memantine or amantadine may be helpful adjunctive agents. There is not enough evidence to support the use of antipsychotics or stimulants in treating CAMC.

The Impact of Environmental and Endogenous Damage on Somatic Mutation Load in Human Skin Fibroblasts.

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Natalie Saini

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Accumulation of somatic changes, due to environmental and endogenous lesions, in the human genome is associated with aging and cancer. Understanding the impacts of these processes on mutagenesis is fundamental to understanding the etiology, and improving the prognosis and prevention of cancers and other genetic diseases. Previous methods relying on either the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells, or sequencing of single-cell genomes were inherently error-prone and did not allow independent validation of the mutations. In the current study we eliminated these potential sources of error by high coverage genome sequencing of single-cell derived clonal fibroblast lineages, obtained after minimal propagation in culture, prepared from skin biopsies of two healthy adult humans. We report here accurate measurement of genome-wide magnitude and spectra of mutations accrued in skin fibroblasts of healthy adult humans. We found that every cell contains at least one chromosomal rearrangement and 600–13,000 base substitutions. The spectra and correlation of base substitutions with epigenomic features resemble many cancers. Moreover, because biopsies were taken from body parts differing by sun exposure, we can delineate the precise contributions of environmental and endogenous factors to the accrual of genetic changes within the same individual. We show here that UV-induced and endogenous DNA damage can have a comparable impact on the somatic mutation loads in skin fibroblasts. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01087307.

Solution structure of an arsenate reductase-related protein, YffB, from Brucella melitensis, the etiological agent responsible for brucellosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buchko, Garry W.; Hewitt, Stephen N.; Napuli, Alberto J.; Van Voorhis, Wesley C.; Myler, Peter J.

2011-01-01

B. melitensis is a NIAID Category B microorganism that is responsible for brucellosis and is a potential agent for biological warfare. Here, the solution structure of the 116-residue arsenate reductase-related protein Bm-YffB (BR0369) from this organism is reported. Brucella melitensis is the etiological agent responsible for brucellosis. Present in the B. melitensis genome is a 116-residue protein related to arsenate reductases (Bm-YffB; BR0369). Arsenate reductases (ArsC) convert arsenate ion (H 2 AsO 4 − ), a compound that is toxic to bacteria, to arsenite ion (AsO 2 − ), a product that may be efficiently exported out of the cell. Consequently, Bm-YffB is a potential drug target because if arsenate reduction is the protein’s major biological function then disabling the cell’s ability to reduce arsenate would make these cells more sensitive to the deleterious effects of arsenate. Size-exclusion chromatography and NMR spectroscopy indicate that Bm-YffB is a monomer in solution. The solution structure of Bm-YffB shows that the protein consists of two domains: a four-stranded mixed β-sheet flanked by two α-helices on one side and an α-helical bundle. The α/β domain is characteristic of the fold of thioredoxin-like proteins and the overall structure is generally similar to those of known arsenate reductases despite the marginal sequence similarity. Chemical shift perturbation studies with 15 N-labeled Bm-YffB show that the protein binds reduced glutathione at a site adjacent to a region similar to the HX 3 CX 3 R catalytic sequence motif that is important for arsenic detoxification activity in the classical arsenate-reductase family of proteins. The latter observation supports the hypothesis that the ArsC-YffB family of proteins may function as glutathione-dependent thiol reductases. However, comparison of the structure of Bm-YffB with the structures of proteins from the classical ArsC family suggest that the mechanism and possibly the function of Bm

On the origins of endogenous thoughts.

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Tillas, Alexandros

2017-05-01

Endogenous thoughts are thoughts that we activate in a top-down manner or in the absence of the appropriate stimuli. We use endogenous thoughts to plan or recall past events. In this sense, endogenous thinking is one of the hallmarks of our cognitive lives. In this paper, I investigate how it is that we come to possess endogenous control over our thoughts. Starting from the close relation between language and thinking, I look into speech production-a process motorically controlled by the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Interestingly, IFG is also closely related to silent talking, as well as volition. The connection between IFG and volition is important given that endogenous thoughts are or at least greatly resemble voluntary actions. Against this background, I argue that IFG is key to understanding the origins of conscious endogenous thoughts. Furthermore, I look into goal-directed thinking and show that IFG plays a key role also in unconscious endogenous thinking.

BILATERAL ENDOGENOUS BACTERIAL ENDOPHTHALMITIS SECONDARY TO PNEUMONIA IN AN AIDS PATIENT : A CASE REPORT

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Rajendra Ku.

2015-08-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTI ON: Endogenous or metastatic endophthalmitis is a very rare sever form of ocular disease which is uncommon now - a - days. Prevalence of endogenous bacterial endophthalmitis is 2 - 8% of all cases of endophthalmitis 1 . Mostly it is associated with chronic disease like diabetes mellitus, renal failure, liver abscesses, prolong placement of catheter, IV line or central venous line, drug abusers and immunocompromise d patients. Gram +bacteria are the most common causative organism of the endogenous bacterial endophthalmitis . 1 A few cases of endogenous bacterial endophthalmitis due to klebsiella pneumonias, a gram - ve organism have been documented and majority of them were in Taiwan . 2, 3,4,5,6, 7 K. pneumonia endophthalmitis is associated with diabetes mellitus and hepatic abscesses can be bilateral and resulted into poor visual outcome . 2,3,4,5,6, 7 K. pneumonia pneumonia has been reported most frequently from patients with alcoholic liver diseases and one of the common cause of acute osteomyelitis and septic arthritis . 8,9 In this scenario we report the case of a Malawian in African Continent who developed bilateral endogenous bacterial endophthalmitis after suffering from pneumonia in immunocompromise state. PURPOSE : to report a case bilateral endogenous endophthalmitis secondary to pneumonia in an AIDS patient . DESIGN : Observational case report . METHODS : A patient with bilateral pain full red eye with diminution of vision was seen in c onsultation by ophthalmology. RESULT : with clinical characteristic and laboratory diagnosis of sputum and blood conf i rmed the causative agent for pneumonia and endophthalmitis is K.pneumonia. CONCLUSION : it is unusual disease, required early detection and prompt treatment.

The human cyclin B1 protein modulates sensitivity of DNA mismatch repair deficient prostate cancer cell lines to alkylating agents.

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Rasmussen, L J; Rasmussen, M; Lützen, A; Bisgaard, H C; Singh, K K

2000-05-25

DNA damage caused by alkylating agents results in a G2 checkpoint arrest. DNA mismatch repair (MMR) deficient cells are resistant to killing by alkylating agents and are unable to arrest the cell cycle in G2 phase after alkylation damage. We investigated the response of two MMR-deficient prostate cancer cell lines DU145 and LNCaP to the alkylating agent MNNG. Our studies reveal that DU145 cancer cells are more sensitive to killing by MNNG than LNCaP. Investigation of the underlying reasons for lower resistance revealed that the DU145 cells contain low endogenous levels of cyclin B1. We provide direct evidence that the endogenous level of cyclin B1 modulates the sensitivity of MMR-deficient prostate cancer cells to alkylating agents.

Effect of Food Sources of Natural Chemo preventive Agents on ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: The work attempted to evaluate the potential of natural products containing cancer chemopreventive agents in increasing the level of some endogenous antioxidant enzymes such as Glutathione STransferase (GST), Glutathione reductase (GR), catalase, superoxide dismutase(SOD-1,2) in brain and kidney ...

Combined radiation-protective and radiation-sensitizing agents. III. Radiosensitization by misonidazole as a function of concentrations of endogenous glutathione or exogenous thiols

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koch, C.J.; Stobbe, C.C.; Baer, K.A.

1986-01-01

Radiosensitization of V79 Chinese hamster fibroblasts by 0.5 mM misonidazole is a smooth function of endogenous glutathione (GSH) levels as modulated upwards by pre-incubation in medium containing cysteamine, or downwards by pre-incubation in medium containing buthionine sulfoximine. The enhancement ratio (radiation sensitivity in nitrogen/radiation sensitivity in nitrogen +/- sensitizer or thiol) varies from 1.3 at 12 mM to 2.25 at less than 0.1 mM endogenous GSH. The enhanced radiosensitivity of thiol-depleted hypoxic cells is reversed when exogenous thiols are added, and for equivalent ER, the exogenous thiol concentrations are much lower than the endogenous GSH concentrations. Measurement of intracellular drug concentrations amplified rather than diminished the above discrepancy, since intracellular concentrations of cysteamine were lower and glutathione much lower than the extracellular concentrations. Three possible explanations are addressed: an external membrane component of damage is involved, long-range protection to DNA target radicals is possible from outside the cell (e.g., donation of electrons), and (c) endogenous glutathione is not in a free or exchangeable state (e.g., bound)

IDENTIFICATION, ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE INFECTIOUS HEPATITIS (HEPATITIS A) AGENT

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The research program has the overall objective of combining the techniques of electron microscopy, ultracentrifugation, column chromatography, tissue culture and serology to identify, isolate and characterize the etiologic agent of infectious hepatitis, to propagate it in cell cu...

Occurrence and identification of the etiologic agents of plant diseases in cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica Mill. in the semi-arid region of Paraiba

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Anne Evelyne Franco de Souza

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Cactus forage (Opuntia ficus-indica Mill., intensely cultivated in dry regions of northeast Brazil, although well adapted to the harsh semi-arid climate is affected by major problems such as pests and diseases, responsible for significant losses in production. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence and diversity of the etiologic agents of diseases of cactus cultivated in 38 municipalities in the semi-arid region of Paraiba. The analyses were conducted and processed at the Laboratory of Phytopathology of the Centro de Ciências Agrárias da Universidade Federal da Paraíba, in Areia - PB. Starting from sick cladodes isolations, multiplications and identifications of the found microorganisms were made. The identification of the microorganisms was achieved through observations of the macro and micromorphological characteristics of the cultures and tests of Gram and pathogenicity. Great incidence and diversity of microorganisms was verified in the cacti researched, but the highest occurrence was mainly that of fungus. The fungi of widest occurrence were: Scytallidium lignicola, Alternate tenuis, Macrophomina phaseolina, Cladosporium cladosporides, Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. opuntiarum, Curvularia lunata, Aspergillus niger, Nigrospora sphaerica, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Exserohilum turcicum, Pestalotia pitospora, Rhizopus stolonifer, Rhizoctonia solani and Sphaceloma protearum. A bacterium was also detected that was suspected to belong to the Erwinia sp. strain. Satisfaction of the Postulates of Koch proved the infectious nature of the detected microorganisms. High occurrence of the fungus S. lignicola, an agent of scale rot disease in 100% of the places researched, was observed. This fact is of great concern, since the progression of the disease can cause significant losses in production.

A review of the pathophysiology, etiology, and treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

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Sharma, Alok; Couture, Justin

2014-02-01

To review the pathophysiology, etiology, and treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A literature search was conducted in PubMed and EMBASE using the terms attention deficit hyperactive disorder, ADHD, pathophysiology, etiology, and neurobiology. Limits applied were the following: published in the past 10 years (January 2003 to August 2013), humans, review, meta-analysis, and English language. These yielded 63 articles in PubMed and 74 in EMBASE. After removing duplicate/irrelevant articles, 86 articles and their relevant reference citations were reviewed. ADHD is a neurological disorder that affects children, but symptoms may persist into adulthood. Individuals suffering from this disorder exhibit hyperactivity, inattention, impulsivity, and problems in social interaction and academic performance. Medications used to treat ADHD such as methylphenidate, amphetamine, and atomoxetine indicate a dopamine/norepinephrine deficit as the neurochemical basis of ADHD, but the etiology is more complex. Moreover, these agents have poor adverse effect profiles and a multitude of drug interactions. Because these drugs are also dispensed to adults who may have concomitant conditions or medications, a pharmacist needs to be aware of these adverse events and drug interactions. This review, therefore, focuses on the pathophysiology, etiology, and treatment of ADHD and details the adverse effects and drug interaction profiles of the drugs used to treat it. Published research shows the benefit of drug therapy for ADHD in children, but given the poor adverse effect and drug interaction profiles, these must be dispensed with caution.

Habits, aspirations and endogenous fertility

OpenAIRE

Luciano Fanti

2012-01-01

Motivated by the increasing literature on endogenous preferences as well as on endogenous fertility, this paper investigates the implications of the interaction of the endogenous determination of the number of children with habit and aspiration formation in an OLG model. In contrast with the previous literature, we show that greater aspirations may lead to higher savings, and more interestingly, always increase the neoclassical economic growth.

Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology in Sri Lanka.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajapakse, Senaka; Shivanthan, Mitrakrishnan Chrishan; Selvarajah, Mathu

2016-07-01

In the last two decades, chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) has emerged as a significant contributor to the burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in rural Sri Lanka. It is characterized by the absence of identified causes for CKD. The prevalence of CKDu is 15.1-22.9% in some Sri Lankan districts, and previous research has found an association with farming occupations. A systematic literature review in Pubmed, Embase, Scopus, and Lilacs databases identified 46 eligible peer-reviewed articles and one conference abstract. Geographical mapping indicates a relationship between CKDu and agricultural irrigation water sources. Health mapping studies, human biological studies, and environment-based studies have explored possible causative agents. Most studies focused on likely causative agents related to agricultural practices, geographical distribution based on the prevalence and incidence of CKDu, and contaminants identified in drinking water. Nonetheless, the link between agrochemicals or heavy metals and CKDu remains to be established. No definitive cause for CKDu has been identified. Evidence to date suggests that the disease is related to one or more environmental agents, however pinpointing a definite cause for CKDu is challenging. It is plausible that CKDu is multifactorial. No specific guidelines or recommendations exist for treatment of CKDu, and standard management protocols for CKD apply. Changes in agricultural practices, provision of safe drinking water, and occupational safety precautions are recommended by the World Health Organization.

Present and future etiological treatment of bacterial pneumonia 3. The antibacterial drugs under development

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A.A. Abaturov

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The rapid spread of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains necessitates the development of new antibacterial agents and a review of the guidelines for etiological treatment of bacterial infections, including pneumonia. Currently, new antibacterial agents are being developed that disrupt the biosynthesis of peptidoglycan, teichoic and lipoteichoic acids, and also block the attachment of virulent factors to the bacterial wall. New molecules of old classes of antibiotics and representatives of new classes of antibiotics with their targets (lipid II and III, teichoic and lipoteichoic acids, alanine racemase, and sortase A will become practical tools in clinical practice in the very near future. The goals and mechanisms of action of new antibacterial compounds predetermine their clinical prospects in future strategies for the treatment of infectious bacterial diseases.

Host-virus interactions of mammalian endogenous retroviruses

OpenAIRE

Farkašová, Helena

2017-01-01

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) originate by germline infection and subsequent mendelian inheritance of their exogenous counterparts. With notable exceptions, all mammalian ERVs are evolutionarily old and fixed in the population of its host species. Some groups of retroviruses were believed not to be able to form endogenous copies. We discovered an additional endogenous Lentivirus and a first endogenous Deltaretrovirus. Both of these groups were previously considered unable to form endogenous ...

Endogenous Monetary Policy Regime Change

OpenAIRE

Troy Davig; Eric M. Leeper

2006-01-01

This paper makes changes in monetary policy rules (or regimes) endogenous. Changes are triggered when certain endogenous variables cross specified thresholds. Rational expectations equilibria are examined in three models of threshold switching to illustrate that (i) expectations formation effects generated by the possibility of regime change can be quantitatively important; (ii) symmetric shocks can have asymmetric effects; (iii) endogenous switching is a natural way to formally model preempt...

Lapse of time effects on tax evasion in an agent-based econophysics model

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Seibold, Götz; Pickhardt, Michael

2013-05-01

We investigate an inhomogeneous Ising model in the context of tax evasion dynamics where different types of agents are parameterized via local temperatures and magnetic fields. In particular, we analyze the impact of lapse of time effects (i.e. backauditing) and endogenously determined penalty rates on tax compliance. Both features contribute to a microfoundation of agent-based econophysics models of tax evasion.

Etiologic profile of spastic quadriplegia in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Venkateswaran, Sunita; Shevell, Michael I

2007-09-01

The etiologic profile and possible predictors of etiology in children with spastic quadriplegia were assessed in a consecutive cohort of children with this motor impairment. Medical records from a single pediatric neurology practice over a 14-year interval were retrospectively and systematically reviewed. Variables comprised possible demographic, prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal risk factors. Of the 99 patients included in the study, 39 were premature (quadriplegia was 83%, with differing underlying etiologies depending on gestational age. These results should help guide physicians in investigating possible underlying etiologies in patients with spastic quadriplegia.

Endogenous MOV10 inhibits the retrotransposition of endogenous retroelements but not the replication of exogenous retroviruses.

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Arjan-Odedra, Shetal; Swanson, Chad M; Sherer, Nathan M; Wolinsky, Steven M; Malim, Michael H

2012-06-22

The identification of cellular factors that regulate the replication of exogenous viruses and endogenous mobile elements provides fundamental understanding of host-pathogen relationships. MOV10 is a superfamily 1 putative RNA helicase that controls the replication of several RNA viruses and whose homologs are necessary for the repression of endogenous mobile elements. Here, we employ both ectopic expression and gene knockdown approaches to analyse the role of human MOV10 in the replication of a panel of exogenous retroviruses and endogenous retroelements. MOV10 overexpression substantially decreased the production of infectious retrovirus particles, as well the propagation of LTR and non-LTR endogenous retroelements. Most significantly, RNAi-mediated silencing of endogenous MOV10 enhanced the replication of both LTR and non-LTR endogenous retroelements, but not the production of infectious retrovirus particles demonstrating that natural levels of MOV10 suppress retrotransposition, but have no impact on infection by exogenous retroviruses. Furthermore, functional studies showed that MOV10 is not necessary for miRNA or siRNA-mediated mRNA silencing. We have identified novel specificity for human MOV10 in the control of retroelement replication and hypothesise that MOV10 may be a component of a cellular pathway or process that selectively regulates the replication of endogenous retroelements in somatic cells.

Federalism, Education-Related Public Good and Growth when Agents are Heterogeneou

OpenAIRE

Floriana Cerniglia; Riccarda Longaretti

2008-01-01

In this paper we use an endogeneous-growth model with human capital and heterogeneous agents to analyse the relationship between fiscal federalism and economic growth. Results show that federalism, which allows education-related public good levels to be tailored on the human capital of heterogeneous agents, increases human capital accumulation. This in turn leads to higher rates of growth. The benefits of federalism are stronger the larger the intra-jurisdiction variance of agents’ human capi...

Quemaduras y etiología medicolegal Burns and medicolegal etiology

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Héctor Barreiro Ramos

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Las muertes por quemaduras plantean a la instrucción policial y al médico legista diversos problemas, entre los que se encuentran, determinar su causa medicolegal, es decir, si se trata de un homicidio, suicidio o accidente, pero para tan trascendental afirmación solo contamos con las versiones de testigo del hecho, sin contar con los elementos científicos que nos orienten, como pudiera ser algún indicador somático o de otro tipo. En tal caso nos preguntamos si existen variables que nos orienten en la causa medicolegal de la muerte. El propósito, por tanto, del trabajo consiste en evaluar un grupo de variables como posibles indicadores de la causa medicolegal de las muertes por llamas. El universo de trabajo fueron 135 fallecidos atendidos en el Centro Provincial de Medicina Legal de La Habana en el decenio 1994-2003, y la muestra la formaron 75 de ellos. Los resultados señalan que el 62 % de los fallecidos fueron suicidios, el 32 % accidentes y el 5 % homicidios, con un predominio del sexo femenino. El suicidio tiene una media de 70 años, para el accidente es 45, y para el homicidio 58. El lugar del hecho más frecuente fue la casa. El agente causal más encontrado fue en primer lugar el alcohol y en segundo el queroseno; en el suicidio el alcohol fue el más empleado, mientras que en el accidente, por el contrario, el más causal fue el queroseno. En el homicidio solo se empleó el alcohol. Se concluye que no existe un solo indicador que nos pueda confirmar la etiología medicolegal de estas muertes, pero el conjunto de ellos sí nos puede señalar con bastante certeza la causa probable.Deaths caused by burns pose diverse problems to the police instruction and to the legist physician. One of these problems is to determine its medicolegal cause, that is, wether it is a homicide, suicide or accident, but for such a trascendental affirmation we only have the versions of the witness, without the scientific elements that may orientate us

Differentiation of etiologic agents of bacterial keratitis from presentation characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Mascarenhas, Jeena; Srinivasan, Muthiah; Chen, Michael; Rajaraman, Revathi; Ravindran, Meenakshi; Lalitha, Prajna; Oldenburg, Catherine E; Ray, Kathryn J; Glidden, David V; Costanza, Stephanie; Lietman, Thomas M; Acharya, Nisha R

2012-12-01

Presenting characteristics of bacterial corneal ulcers may suggest particular causative organisms, helping to guide treatment decisions before cultures become available. In this study, we analyze the association between presentation demographic and clinical characteristics, using data collected as part of a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Data for this study were collected as part of the Steroids for Corneal Ulcers Trial, a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-masked trial. All patients had a culture-proven bacterial corneal ulcer. Patient history, clinical examination, and photography were performed in a standardized fashion at enrollment. Analysis of variance or Fisher's exact test was used to compare characteristics by organism. Univariate logistic regression was used to analyze predictors of the most common organisms. Five hundred patients were enrolled in the trial, of whom 488 were included in this analysis. The most common organism was Streptococcus pneumoniae (N = 248, 51 %) followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (N = 110, 23 %). Compared to other organisms, P. aeruginosa was significantly associated with a larger baseline infiltrate/scar size [odds ratio (OR) 1.6, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.4-1.8] and deeper infiltrate (OR 2.4, 95 % CI 1.5-3.8). S. pneumoniae was significantly associated with a smaller baseline infiltrate/scar size (OR 0.8, 95 % CI 0.7-0.9) and dacryocystitis (OR 7.3, 95 % CI 4.1-13.3). Nocardia spp. were significantly associated with longer duration of symptoms prior to presentation (OR 1.4, 95 % CI 1.2-1.6), more shallow infiltrate (OR 0.3, 95 % CI 0.2-0.5), and better baseline visual acuity (OR 0.4, 95 % CI 0.2-0.65). Staphylococcus spp. were less likely to be central in location (OR 0.16, 95 % CI 0.08-0.3). Baseline characteristics of bacterial ulcers may suggest the likely etiology and guide early management.

The population history of endogenous retroviruses in mule deer (Odocoileus heminous)

Science.gov (United States)

Kamath, Pauline L.; Elleder, Daniel; Bao, Le; Cross, Paul C.; Powell, John H.; Poss, Mary

2013-01-01

Mobile elements are powerful agents of genomic evolution and can be exceptionally informative markers for investigating species and population-level evolutionary history. While several studies have utilized retrotransposon-based insertional polymorphisms to resolve phylogenies, few population studies exist outside of humans. Endogenous retroviruses are LTR-retrotransposons derived from retroviruses that have become stably integrated in the host genome during past infections and transmitted vertically to subsequent generations. They offer valuable insight into host-virus co-evolution and a unique perspective on host evolutionary history because they integrate into the genome at a discrete point in time. We examined the evolutionary history of a cervid endogenous gammaretrovirus (CrERVγ) in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). We sequenced 14 CrERV proviruses (CrERV-in1 to -in14), and examined the prevalence and distribution of 13 proviruses in 262 deer among 15 populations from Montana, Wyoming, and Utah. CrERV absence in white-tailed deer (O. virginianus), identical 5′ and 3′ long terminal repeat (LTR) sequences, insertional polymorphism, and CrERV divergence time estimates indicated that most endogenization events occurred within the last 200000 years. Population structure inferred from CrERVs (F ST = 0.008) and microsatellites (θ = 0.01) was low, but significant, with Utah, northwestern Montana, and a Helena herd being particularly differentiated. Clustering analyses indicated regional structuring, and non-contiguous clustering could often be explained by known translocations. Cluster ensemble results indicated spatial localization of viruses, specifically in deer from northeastern and western Montana. This study demonstrates the utility of endogenous retroviruses to elucidate and provide novel insight into both ERV evolutionary history and the history of contemporary host populations.

The population history of endogenous retroviruses in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus).

Science.gov (United States)

Kamath, Pauline L; Elleder, Daniel; Bao, Le; Cross, Paul C; Powell, John H; Poss, Mary

2014-01-01

Mobile elements are powerful agents of genomic evolution and can be exceptionally informative markers for investigating species and population-level evolutionary history. While several studies have utilized retrotransposon-based insertional polymorphisms to resolve phylogenies, few population studies exist outside of humans. Endogenous retroviruses are LTR-retrotransposons derived from retroviruses that have become stably integrated in the host genome during past infections and transmitted vertically to subsequent generations. They offer valuable insight into host-virus co-evolution and a unique perspective on host evolutionary history because they integrate into the genome at a discrete point in time. We examined the evolutionary history of a cervid endogenous gammaretrovirus (CrERVγ) in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). We sequenced 14 CrERV proviruses (CrERV-in1 to -in14), and examined the prevalence and distribution of 13 proviruses in 262 deer among 15 populations from Montana, Wyoming, and Utah. CrERV absence in white-tailed deer (O. virginianus), identical 5' and 3' long terminal repeat (LTR) sequences, insertional polymorphism, and CrERV divergence time estimates indicated that most endogenization events occurred within the last 200000 years. Population structure inferred from CrERVs (F ST = 0.008) and microsatellites (θ = 0.01) was low, but significant, with Utah, northwestern Montana, and a Helena herd being particularly differentiated. Clustering analyses indicated regional structuring, and non-contiguous clustering could often be explained by known translocations. Cluster ensemble results indicated spatial localization of viruses, specifically in deer from northeastern and western Montana. This study demonstrates the utility of endogenous retroviruses to elucidate and provide novel insight into both ERV evolutionary history and the history of contemporary host populations.

ENDOGENEITY OF INDONESIAN MONEY SUPPLY

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Meutia Safrina Rachma

2011-09-01

Full Text Available There has been a long debate about the endogeneity of money supply. The main objective of this article is to identify whether money supply in Indonesia is an exogenous or an endogenous variable. Using a Vector Autoregressive model and monthly data 1997(5-2010(6, the estimation result shows that money supply in Indonesia is an endogenous variable. The movement of broad money supply does influence the movement of base money and Consumer Price Index. Consequently, the central bank does not have control power on money supply. The bank is only able to maintain the stability and control the movement of broad money supply. Keywords: Endogenous variable, money supply, vector autoregressionJEL classification numbers: E51, E52, E58

Endogenous MOV10 inhibits the retrotransposition of endogenous retroelements but not the replication of exogenous retroviruses

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background The identification of cellular factors that regulate the replication of exogenous viruses and endogenous mobile elements provides fundamental understanding of host-pathogen relationships. MOV10 is a superfamily 1 putative RNA helicase that controls the replication of several RNA viruses and whose homologs are necessary for the repression of endogenous mobile elements. Here, we employ both ectopic expression and gene knockdown approaches to analyse the role of human MOV10 in the replication of a panel of exogenous retroviruses and endogenous retroelements. Results MOV10 overexpression substantially decreased the production of infectious retrovirus particles, as well the propagation of LTR and non-LTR endogenous retroelements. Most significantly, RNAi-mediated silencing of endogenous MOV10 enhanced the replication of both LTR and non-LTR endogenous retroelements, but not the production of infectious retrovirus particles demonstrating that natural levels of MOV10 suppress retrotransposition, but have no impact on infection by exogenous retroviruses. Furthermore, functional studies showed that MOV10 is not necessary for miRNA or siRNA-mediated mRNA silencing. Conclusions We have identified novel specificity for human MOV10 in the control of retroelement replication and hypothesise that MOV10 may be a component of a cellular pathway or process that selectively regulates the replication of endogenous retroelements in somatic cells. PMID:22727223

STUDY ON ETIOLOGY OF ASCITES

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Konatham

2015-07-01

Full Text Available In this study 100 cases of ascites, evaluated for the etiological causes. And observed as cirrhosis with portal hypertension 82%, heart failure 8%, chronic kidney disease 3%, nephritic syndrome 2%, peritoneal calcinomatosis 2%, chronic pancreatitis 1% por tal vein thrombosis 1%, Budd - chiari syndrome 1%. AIM OF THE STUDY: To study the various etiologies and their incidence of Ascites.

Priapism: etiology, pathophysiology and management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Van Der Horst C.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The understanding of erectile physiology has improved the prompt diagnosis and treatment of priapism. Priapism is defined as prolonged and persistent erection of the penis without sexual stimulation and failure to subside despite orgasm. Numerous etiologies of this condition are considered. Among others a disturbed detumescence mechanism, which may due to excess release of contractile neurotransmitters, obstruction of draining venules, malfunction of the intrinsic detumescence mechanism or prolonged relaxation of intracavernosal smooth muscle are postulated. Treatment of priapism varies from a conservative medical to a drastic surgical approach. Two main types of priapism; veno-occlusive low flow (ischemic and arterial high flow (non-ischemic, must be distinguished to choose the correct treatment option for each type. Patient history, physical examination, penile hemodynamics and corporeal metabolic blood quality provides distinction between a static or dynamic pathology. Priapism can be treated effectively with intracavernous vasoconstrictive agents or surgical shunting. Alternative options, such as intracavernous injection of methylene blue (MB or selective penile arterial embolization (SPEA, for the management of high and low flow priapism are described and a survey on current treatment modalities is given.

[Etiological factors of carpal tunnel syndrome in subjects occupationally exposed to monotype wrist movements].

Science.gov (United States)

Lewańska, Magdalena; Walusiak-Skorupa, Jolanta

2014-01-01

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common neuropathy of upper limbs and a leading cause of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders, in terms of work exposure, repetitive and forceful exertions of the hand and use of vibrating hand tools. The aim of the study was to evaluate etiological factors of carpal tunnel syndrome in subjects occupationally exposed to monotype movements in wrist. We conducted the retrospective analysis of 300 patients (261 women, 39 men), mean age 52 years (standard deviation: +/-6.93) hospitalized with the suspicion of occupational CTS. The study revealed high percentage (68.7%) of diseases and systemic factors involved in the pathogenesis of CTS in the analyzed population, especially obesity (32%), thyroid diseases (28.7%), hormone replacement therapy and/or oophorectomy (16.3%) and diabetes mellitus (12%). In 111 patients the coexistence of at least a couple of potential etiological factors of the neuropathy was recognized. Clinical analysis and occupational exposure allowed to diagnose occupational carpal tunnel syndrome in 18 (6%) patients only. The undeniable long-term (20(.2+/-9.3 years) occupational exposure to repetitive, forceful movements in the wrist was observed in this group. The results of our study indicated that non-occupational etiological factors of CTS predominated and in 37% of patients at least several factors were found. The analysis showed the high prevalence of CTS in workers employed in various sectors of industry, including so called "blue collar" workers. Our study confirmed the multifactorial etiology of carpal tunnel syndrome, however, occupational agents contributed to only 6% of cases.

Spoken language outcomes after hemispherectomy: factoring in etiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Curtiss, S; de Bode, S; Mathern, G W

2001-12-01

We analyzed postsurgery linguistic outcomes of 43 hemispherectomy patients operated on at UCLA. We rated spoken language (Spoken Language Rank, SLR) on a scale from 0 (no language) to 6 (mature grammar) and examined the effects of side of resection/damage, age at surgery/seizure onset, seizure control postsurgery, and etiology on language development. Etiology was defined as developmental (cortical dysplasia and prenatal stroke) and acquired pathology (Rasmussen's encephalitis and postnatal stroke). We found that clinical variables were predictive of language outcomes only when they were considered within distinct etiology groups. Specifically, children with developmental etiologies had lower SLRs than those with acquired pathologies (p =.0006); age factors correlated positively with higher SLRs only for children with acquired etiologies (p =.0006); right-sided resections led to higher SLRs only for the acquired group (p =.0008); and postsurgery seizure control correlated positively with SLR only for those with developmental etiologies (p =.0047). We argue that the variables considered are not independent predictors of spoken language outcome posthemispherectomy but should be viewed instead as characteristics of etiology. Copyright 2001 Elsevier Science.

REFERENCE MODELS OF ENDOGENOUS ECONOMIC GROWTH

OpenAIRE

GEAMĂNU MARINELA

2012-01-01

The new endogenous growth theories are a very important research area for shaping the most effective policies and long term sustainable development strategies. Endogenous growth theory has emerged as a reaction to the imperfections of neoclassical theory, by the fact that the economic growth is the endogenous product of an economical system.

ENDOGENEITY OF INDONESIAN MONEY SUPPLY

OpenAIRE

Rachma, Meutia Safrina

2011-01-01

There has been a long debate about the endogeneity of money supply. The main objective of this article is to identify whether money supply in Indonesia is an exogenous or an endogenous variable. Using a Vector Autoregressive model and monthly data 1997(5)-2010(6), the estimation result shows that money supply in Indonesia is an endogenous variable. The movement of broad money supply does influence the movement of base money and Consumer Price Index. Consequently, the central bank does not hav...

Endogeneity Of Indonesian Money Supply

OpenAIRE

Rachma, Meutia Safrina

2010-01-01

There has been a long debate about the endogeneity of money supply. The main objective of this article is to identify whether money supply in Indonesia is an exogenous or an endogenous variable. Using a Vector Autoregressive model and monthly data 1997(5)-2010(6), the estimation result shows that money supply in Indonesia is an endogenous variable. The movement of broad money supply does influence the movement of base money and Consumer Price Index. Consequently, the central bank does not hav...

Small endogenous molecules as moiety to improve targeting of CNS drugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Sutera, Flavia Maria; De Caro, Viviana; Giannola, Libero Italo

2017-01-01

A major challenge in the development of novel neuro-therapeutic agents is to effectively overcome the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which acts as a 'working dynamic barrier'. The core problem in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases is failed delivery of potential medicines due to their inadequate permeation rate. Areas covered: The present review gives a summary of endogenous moieties used in synthesizing prodrugs, derivatives and bioisosteric drugs appositely designed to structurally resemble physiological molecular entities able to be passively absorbed or carried by specific carrier proteins expressed at BBB level. In particular, this overview focuses on aminoacidic, glycosyl, purinergic, ureic and acidic fragments derivatives, most of which can take advantage from BBB carrier-mediated transporters, where passive diffusion is not permitted. Expert opinion: In the authors' perspective, further progress in this field could expedite successful translation of new chemical entities into clinical trials. Careful rationalization of the linkage between endogenous molecular structures and putative transporters binding sites could allow to useful work-flows and libraries for synthesizing new BBB-crossing therapeutic substances and/or multifunctional drugs for treatments of central disorders.

Fundamentals of clinical methodology: 2. Etiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Sadegh-Zadeh, K

1998-03-01

The concept of etiology is analyzed and the possibilities and limitations of deterministic, probabilistic, and fuzzy etiology are explored. Different kinds of formal structures for the relation of causation are introduced which enable us to explicate the notion of cause on qualitative, comparative, and quantitative levels. The conceptual framework developed is an approach to a theory of causality that may be useful in etiologic research, in building nosological systems, and in differential diagnosis, therapeutic decision-making, and controlled clinical trials. The bearings of the theory are exemplified by examining the current Chlamydia pneumoniae hypothesis on the incidence of myocardial infarction.

Cytokines as endogenous pyrogens.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinarello, C A

1999-03-01

Cytokines are pleiotropic molecules mediating several pathologic processes. Long before the discovery of cytokines as immune system growth factors or as bone marrow stimulants, investigators learned a great deal about cytokines when they studied them as the endogenous mediators of fever. The terms "granulocytic" or "endogenous pyrogen" were used to describe substances with the biologic property of fever induction. Today, we recognize that pyrogenicity is a fundamental biologic property of several cytokines and hence the clinically recognizeable property of fever links host perturbations during disease with fundamental perturbations in cell biology. In this review, the discoveries made on endogenous pyrogens are revisited, with insights into the importance of the earlier work to the present-day understanding of cytokines in health and in disease.

Endogenous growth and the environment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Withagen, C.A.A.M.; Vellinga, N.

2001-01-01

This paper examines the relationship between environmental policy and growth, from the perspective of endogenous growth theory. In particular three standard endogenous growth models are supplemented with environmental issues, such as pollution and exhaustibility of natural resources. It is found

Endogenous growth and environmental policy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Withagen, C.A.A.M.; Vellinga, N.

2001-01-01

This paper examines the relationship between environmental policy and growth, from the perspective of endogenous growth theory. In particular three standard endogenous growth models are supplemented with environmental issues, such as pollution and exhaustibility of natural resources. It is found

Endogenous Nampt upregulation is associated with diabetic nephropathy inflammatory-fibrosis through the NF-κB p65 and Sirt1 pathway; NMN alleviates diabetic nephropathy inflammatory-fibrosis by inhibiting endogenous Nampt.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ye; Liang, Yuzhen; Hu, Tingting; Wei, Riming; Cai, Congjie; Wang, Ping; Wang, Lingyu; Qiao, Wei; Feng, Leping

2017-11-01

Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt) is a key enzyme in the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD + ) biosynthetic pathway. Exogenous extra cellular Nampt has been reported to increase the synthesis of pro-fibrotic molecules in various types of renal cells. However, the role of endogenous Namptenzymatic activity in diabetic renal cells, particularly those associated with inflammation and fibrosis through the nuclear factor (NF)-κB p65 and sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) pathway is still unknown. In the present study, a possible mechanism by which endogenous Nampt upregulation affects the expression of pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic cytokines in vivo and in vitro , is reported. The present results demonstrate that the expression of vimentin and fibronectin was directly implicated in endogenous Nampt upregulation. The expression levels of Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1, NF-κB p65, forkhead box protein O1 and B-cell lymphoma 2-like protein 4 were also significantly increased at 96 h compared with control group (Pendogenous Nampt upregulation. Furthermore, the expression level of Sirt1 was significantly reduced (Pendogenous Nampt upregulation may be critical in the treatment of DN pro-inflammatory fibrosis and NMN is likely to be a potential pharmacological agent for the treatment of resistant DN nephritic fibrosis.

Theranostic 2D ultrathin MnO2 nanosheets with fast responsibility to endogenous tumor microenvironment and exogenous NIR irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhuang; Zhang, Shengjian; Lin, Han; Zhao, Menglong; Yao, Heliang; Zhang, Linlin; Peng, Weijun; Chen, Yu

2018-02-01

The fabrication of functional nanoparticles with unique ultra-sensitivity to endogenous tumor microenvironment (TME) is of great significance for their improved theranostic performance and easy excretion out of the body, which has not been realized among diverse nano-sized photothermal agents for photothermal therapy (PTT) of tumor. In this work, we report on the synthesis of 2D ultrathin MnO 2 nanosheets for highly efficient PTT against tumor with ultra-sensitivity to endogenous TME. These ultrathin 2D MnO 2 nanosheets show the intriguing characteristic of disintegration and releasing of Mn 2+ in response to the mild acidic condition and elevated reducing microenvironment of TME, which has successfully realized the pH- and reducing-responsive T 1 -weighted magnetic resonance imaging of tumor. Importantly, the high PTT efficiency of 2D MnO 2 nanosheets responsive to exogenous NIR irradiation has been systematically demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo for suppressing the tumor growth. This first report on the exploring of TME-sensitive photothermal agents with concurrent diagnostic and therapeutic (theranostic) functions significantly broadens the biomedical application of 2D functional biomaterials, which also promotes the further potential clinical translations of nano-sized photothermal agents. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Endogenous pyrogen-like substance produced by reptiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernheim, H A; Kluger, M J

1977-06-01

1. Injection of lizards (Dipsosaurus dorsalis) with rabbit endogenous pyrogen led to a fever. Injections with denatured endogenous pyrogen did not affect body temperature. 2. Injection of lizards with lizard endogenous pyrogen led to a fever of short duration, while injection of denatured lizard endogenous pyrogen produced no change in body temperature. 3. These data support the hypothesis that the febrile mechanism observed in the higher vertebrates has its origins in some primitive vertebrate.

Chronic kidney disease of uncertain etiology in Sri Lanka: Are leptospirosis and Hantaviral infection likely causes?

Science.gov (United States)

Gamage, Chandika Damesh; Sarathkumara, Yomani Dilukshi

2016-06-01

Chronic kidney disease of uncertain etiology (CKDu) has been a severe burden and a public health crisis in Sri Lanka over the past two decades. Many studies have established hypotheses to identify potential risk factors although causative agents, risk factors and etiology of this disease are still uncertain. Several studies have postulated that fungal and bacterial nephrotoxins are a possible etiological factor; however, the precise link between hypothesized risk factors and the pathogenesis of chronic kidney disease has yet to be proven in prior studies. Leptospirosis and Hantavirus infections are important zoonotic diseases that are naturally maintained and transmitted via infected rodent populations and which present similar clinical and epidemiological features. Both infections are known to be a cause of acute kidney damage that can proceed into chronic renal failure. Several studies have reported presence of both infections in Sri Lanka. Therefore, we hypothesized that pathogenic Leptospira or Hantavirus are possible causative agents of acute kidney damage which eventually progresses to chronic kidney disease in Sri Lanka. The proposed hypothesis will be evaluated by means of an observational study design. Past infection will be assessed by a cross-sectional study to detect the presence of IgG antibodies with further confirmatory testing among chronic kidney disease patients and individuals from the community in selected endemic areas compared to low prevalence areas. Identification of possible risk factors for these infections will be followed by a case-control study and causality will be further determined with a cohort study. If the current hypothesis is true, affected communities will be subjected for medical interventions related to the disease for patient management while considering supportive therapies. Furthermore and possibly enhance their preventive and control measures to improve vector control to decrease the risk of infection. Copyright © 2016

Etiología de la uretritis masculina: estudio de 100 pacientes y detección de β lactamasa Etiological study of male urethritis in Medellín, Colombia

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Edilma Jaramillo

1993-03-01

Full Text Available Esta investigación se efectuó para ampliar el conocimiento etiológico de la uretritis masculina en Medellín; se basó en 100 pacientes que acudieron para propósitos diagnósticos al Laboratorio Departamental de Salud Pública; a cada uno se le hicieron una encuesta con los datos clínicos y estudios de laboratorio para Chlamydia trachomatis (inmunofluorescencia directa o ELISA, Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Incluyendo pruebas para la detección de β lactamasa y otras bacterias, Trichomonas vaginales y Candida spp. Se encontraron 22 pacientes infectados por C. trachomatis como único agente y 11 más en quienes estaba asociada a otro microorganismo (Incluyendo 6 en que había la asociación Chlamydia + Neisseria; 10 Infectados por N. gonorrhoeae, 6 por estreptococo alfa hemolítico, 4 por Candida spp y 2 por 7: vaginalis. En 45 pacientes la etiología fue desconocida. Quince de las 16 cepas de Neissel1a gonorrhoeae aisladas de estos pacientes fueron probadas para producción de β lactamasa y 10 resultaron positivas. Los 22 pacientes Infectados sólo por C. trachomatis tuvieron secreción uretral mucoide en tanto que 9 de los 10 cuyo único germen era N. gonohoeae la tuvieron purulenta. Microscópicamente una reacción leucocitaria superior a 10 leucocitos por campo se halló en 8 de los 10 pacientes con uretritis gonocóccica y en 4 de los 6 con infección mixta por Chlamydia y Neisseria. En contraste, sólo 6 de los 22 Infectados por Chlamydia tenían tal intensidad de inflamación. Todos los pacientes tuvieron disuria. Estudios futuros deben Incluir técnicas para evaluar el papel de otros agentes en la uretritas masculina y continuarla determinación de la frecuencia de cepas de Neisseria gono";hoeae productora de β lactamasa. Ala luz de los hallazgos presentados no se recomienda el tratamiento penicilínico de las uretritas gonocóccicas en Medellín.

In order to further

Intermediate uveitis: pattern of etiology, complications, treatment and outcome in a tertiary academic center.

Science.gov (United States)

Ness, Thomas; Boehringer, Daniel; Heinzelmann, Sonja

2017-04-27

Patients with intermediate uveitis (IU) represent a heterogenous group characterized by a wide spectrum of etiologies and regional differences. Aim of the study was to analyze the characteristics of patients with IU examined in an academic center in Germany. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the clinical records of all patients with intermediate uveitis referred to the Eye Center, University of Freiburg from 2007 to 2014. Diagnosis followed the Standardization in Uveitis Nomenclature (SUN) criteria. Data analysis included: etiology of IU, demographics, complications, treatment and visual acuity. We identified 159 patients with intermediate uveitis during that period. Mean age at diagnosis was 35 years. Most are female (64%), and the mean duration of IU was 6.1 years (range 1 month - 35 years). Etiology of IU was idiopathic in 59%. Multiple sclerosis (MS) (20%) and sarcoidosis (10%) were frequent systemic causes of IU. Other etiologies including infectious diseases (tuberculosis, borreliosis) or immune-mediated conditions (eg, after vaccination) were present in 11%. The pattern of complications included macular edema (CME) (36%), cataract (24%), secondary glaucoma (7%), and epiretinal membrane formation (19%). Periphlebitis and optic neuritis were more frequent in conjunction with MS. Treatment comprised local and systemic steroids, immunosuppressive agents, biologics, and surgery. Best corrected visual acuity was better than 20/25 in 60% of the eyes after more than 10 years of follow-up. In our German academic center, most IU cases were idiopathic or associated with MS or sarcoidosis. In contrast to other countries, infectious cases were rare. Patients' overall visual prognosis is favorable even when the duration of IU has been long and and despite numerous complications.

Etiological factors of carpal tunnel syndrome in subjects occupationally exposed to monotype wrist movements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magdalena Lewańska

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS is the most common neuropathy of upper limbs and a leading cause of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders, in terms of work exposure, repetitive and forceful exertions of the hand and use of vibrating hand tools. The aim of the study was to evaluate etiological factors of carpal tunnel syndrome in subjects occupationally exposed to monotype movements in wrist. Material and Methods: We conducted the retrospective analysis of 300 patients (261 women, 39 men, mean age 52 years (standard deviation: ±6.93 hospitalized with the suspicion of occupational CTS. Results: The study revealed high percentage (68.7% of diseases and systemic factors involved in the pathogenesis of CTS in the analyzed population, especially obesity (32%, thyroid diseases (28.7%, hormone replacement therapy and/or oophorectomy (16.3% and diabetes mellitus (12%. In 111 patients the coexistence of at least a couple of potential etiological factors of the neuropathy was recognized. Clinical analysis and occupational exposure allowed to diagnose occupational carpal tunnel syndrome in 18 (6% patients only. The undeniable long-term (20.2±9.3 years occupational exposure to repetitive, forceful movements in the wrist was observed in this group. Conclusion: The results of our study indicated that non-occupational etiological factors of CTS predominated and in 37% of patients at least several factors were found. The analysis showed the high prevalence of CTS in workers employed in various sectors of industry, including so called "blue collar" workers. Our study confirmed the multifactorial etiology of carpal tunnel syndrome, however, occupational agents contributed to only 6% of cases. Med Pr 2014;65(2:261–270

Etiology and outcome of community-acquired lung abscess.

Science.gov (United States)

Takayanagi, Noboru; Kagiyama, Naho; Ishiguro, Takashi; Tokunaga, Daidou; Sugita, Yutaka

2010-01-01

Anaerobes are the first and Streptococcus species the second most common cause of community-acquired lung abscess (CALA) in the West. The etiologic pathogens of this disease have changed in Taiwan, with Klebsiella pneumoniae being reported as the most common cause of CALA. To determine the etiologies of community-acquired lung abscess. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 205 Japanese adult patients with CALA to evaluate etiologies and outcomes. We used not only traditional microbiological investigations but also percutaneous ultrasonography-guided transthoracic needle aspiration and protected specimen brushes. Of these 205 patients, 122 had documented bacteriological results, with 189 bacterial species isolated. Pure aerobic, mixed aerobic and anaerobic, and pure anaerobic bacteria were isolated in 90 (73.8%), 17 (13.9%), and 15 (12.3%) patients, respectively. The four most common etiologic pathogens were Streptococcus species (59.8%), anaerobes (26.2%), Gemella species (9.8%), and K. pneumoniae (8.2%). Streptococcus mitis was the most common among the Streptococcus species. Mean duration of antibiotic administration was 26 days. Six patients (2.9%, 3 with actinomycosis and 3 with nocardiosis) were treated with antibiotics for 76-189 days. Two patients with anaerobic lung abscess died. The first and second most common etiologic pathogens of CALA in our hospital were Streptococcus species and anaerobes, respectively. The etiologies in our study differ from those in Taiwan and are similar to those in the West with the exception that Streptococcus species were the most common etiologic pathogens in our study whereas anaerobes are the most frequent etiologic pathogens in Western countries. S. mitis and Gemella species are important etiologic pathogens as well. The identification of Actinomyces and Nocardia is important in order to define the adequate duration of antibiotic administration. Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Effect of caffeine on induction of endogenous type C virus in mouse cells in vitro

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niwa, O.; Sugahara, T.

1981-01-01

The effect of caffeine on the expression of murine endogenous virus in mouse cells induced by radiation and chemicals was studied. Postirradiation treatment of K-BALB cells with caffeine enhanced cell killing as well as the induction of xenotropic virus after ultraviolet light irradiation. The degree of enhancement for the virus induction was comparable to that for cell killing. On the other hand, colony-forming ability and the expression of xenotropic virus of K-BALB cells after X-irradiation were unaffected by caffeine. These data suggest a linear relationship between the degree of endogenous virus expression and the amount of lethal damages after irradiation. For induction by halogenated pyrimidines, a 24-hr incubation of AKR2B cells with caffeine after 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine treatment resulted in marked suppression of the expression of ecotropic virus. On the contrary, in K-BALB cells, caffeine exerted only a small effect on 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine-induced expression of ecotropic and xenotropic viruses. These results indicate that, although using the same inducing agent, the pathway of endogenous virus induction may be different for AKR2B cells and for K-BALB cells

The etiology of thyroid tumours

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellabarba, Diego

1983-01-01

The etiology of thyroid tumors is a complex subject, complicated by the fact that these tumors are not one entity, but separate neoplasms with different histology, evolution and prognosis. The recognized etiological factors of thyroid cancer include the iodine content of the diet, the inheritance, racial predispositions, the presence of an autoimmune thyroiditis and mostly, the exposure of the thyroid gland to external radiation following radiotherapy. The role played by these factors varies from one type of tumor to another. Thyroid radiation probably represents the most important factor in the development of a papillary carcinoma, with other factors (iodine-rich diet, inheritance, racial predispositions) having a minor role. The follicular carcinoma is more common in regions with low-iodine diet, therefore suggesting that TSH stimulation could be an etiological factor of these tumors. Thyroid radiation may also be carcinogenic for follicular carcinoma although less than for papillary carcinoma. Anaplastic carcinoma appears to originate from a papillary carcinoma already in the thyroid gland. In medullary carcinoma, inheritance plays a major role (autosomal dominant) and lymphomas occur in thyroids already affected by autoimmune thyroiditis. Recent experimental studies have suggested other possible cellular factors as responsible for the development of thyroid tumors. They include an alteration of the responsivity of TSH cellular receptors and the monoclonal mutation of C-cells. These new factors could provide a new insight on the etiology of thyroid tumors

[New etiological concepts in uveitis].

Science.gov (United States)

Bodaghi, B

2005-05-01

Uveitis remains an important cause of visual impairment, particularly in young patients. Idiopathic forms of intraocular inflammation should no longer be regarded as a presumed clinical entity, and the ophthalmologist must reconsider the specific etiology of primary uveitis when the clinical examination does not yield a definitive diagnosis or when the course of the disease on corticosteroids remains atypical. Laboratory tests based on serum analysis have limited value and should not be considered as diagnostic proof in different clinical presentations. The diagnostic management of infectious uveitis has been greatly improved by the use of molecular techniques applied to ocular fluids and tissues. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology is a powerful tool that should be proposed in atypical cases of uveitis or retinitis of unclear but potentially infectious origin. This strategy is a major step before using unconventional and new immunomodulatory agents such as anti-TNF-alpha molecules. Under strict experimental conditions including adequate testing to rule out a possible contamination, PCR and its variants have changed our practical approach to intraocular inflammatory disorders and have provided new details for the understanding of infectious uveitis. The concept of pathogen-induced intraocular inflammation can be revisited in the light of molecular data obtained after anterior chamber paracentesis or diagnostic vitrectomy.

Biomarkers of Acute Stroke Etiology (BASE) Study Methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Jauch, Edward C; Barreto, Andrew D; Broderick, Joseph P; Char, Doug M; Cucchiara, Brett L; Devlin, Thomas G; Haddock, Alison J; Hicks, William J; Hiestand, Brian C; Jickling, Glen C; June, Jeff; Liebeskind, David S; Lowenkopf, Ted J; Miller, Joseph B; O'Neill, John; Schoonover, Tim L; Sharp, Frank R; Peacock, W Frank

2017-05-05

Acute ischemic stroke affects over 800,000 US adults annually, with hundreds of thousands more experiencing a transient ischemic attack. Emergent evaluation, prompt acute treatment, and identification of stroke or TIA (transient ischemic attack) etiology for specific secondary prevention are critical for decreasing further morbidity and mortality of cerebrovascular disease. The Biomarkers of Acute Stroke Etiology (BASE) study is a multicenter observational study to identify serum markers defining the etiology of acute ischemic stroke. Observational trial of patients presenting to the hospital within 24 h of stroke onset. Blood samples are collected at arrival, 24, and 48 h later, and RNA gene expression is utilized to identify stroke etiology marker candidates. The BASE study began January 2014. At the time of writing, there are 22 recruiting sites. Enrollment is ongoing, expected to hit 1000 patients by March 2017. The BASE study could potentially aid in focusing the initial diagnostic evaluation to determine stroke etiology, with more rapidly initiated targeted evaluations and secondary prevention strategies.Clinical Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02014896 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02014896?term=biomarkers+of+acute+stroke+etiology&rank=1.

Bacterial Etiology and Antibiotic Resistance Profile of Community-Acquired Urinary Tract Infections in a Cameroonian City.

Science.gov (United States)

Nzalie, Rolf Nyah-Tuku; Gonsu, Hortense Kamga; Koulla-Shiro, Sinata

2016-01-01

Introduction. Community-acquired urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are usually treated empirically. Geographical variations in etiologic agents and their antibiotic sensitivity patterns are common. Knowledge of antibiotic resistance trends is important for improving evidence-based recommendations for empirical treatment of UTIs. Our aim was to determine the major bacterial etiologies of CAUTIs and their antibiotic resistance patterns in a cosmopolitan area of Cameroon for comparison with prescription practices of local physicians. Methods. We performed a cross-sectional descriptive study at two main hospitals in Yaoundé, collecting a clean-catch mid-stream urine sample from 92 patients having a clinical diagnosis of UTI. The empirical antibiotherapy was noted, and identification of bacterial species was done on CLED agar; antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Results. A total of 55 patients had samples positive for a UTI. Ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid were the most empirically prescribed antibiotics (30.9% and 23.6%, resp.); bacterial isolates showed high prevalence of resistance to both compounds. Escherichia coli (50.9%) was the most common pathogen, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (16.4%). Prevalence of resistance for ciprofloxacin was higher compared to newer quinolones. Conclusions. E. coli and K. pneumoniae were the predominant bacterial etiologies; the prevalence of resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics was high.

Etiología de la infección cérvico vaginal en pacientes del Hospital Juárez de México Etiology of cervicovaginal infection in Mexican women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rocío Flores-Paz

2003-01-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Conocer la etiología de la infección cérvico vaginal, con el fin de establecer un diagnóstico acertado que permita ofrecer a las pacientes el tratamiento más apropiado. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: De enero de 1995 a diciembre de 1999 se realizó un estudio bacteriológico a 6 811 muestras de exudado cérvico vaginal de pacientes del Hospital Juárez de México, de la Ciudad de México, con edades comprendidas entre los 13 y los 65 años, que referían leucorrea, prurito, hiperemia y dolor abdominal bajo. RESULTADOS: La frecuencia de infección por cada germen fue G vaginalis, 22.65%, Candida spp, 19.13%, C albicans, 7.8%, T vaginalis, 1.5%, Streptococcus del grupo D, 11.78%, Streptococcus b haemolyticus, 4.59%, E coli, 13.46%, Klebsiella ssp, 2.0%, además de otras enterobacterias menos frecuentes como Citrobacter spp, Enterobacter spp, Pseudomonas spp, M morganii y P mirabilis. El 2.9% presentó anaerobios siempre asociados con G vaginalis. Se aislaron Neisseria spp y N weaveri en 0.15% de las muestras. La N gonorrhoeae no se encontró en ningún caso. Datos comparativos indican que, tanto Streptococcus hemoliticos como E coli tuvieron un marcado incremento en los dos últimos años, siendo el de esta última estadísticamente significativo (pOBJECTIVE: To identify the etiologic agents of cervicovaginal infection in order to establish an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From January 1995 to December 1999, bacteriological studies were done in cervical discharge specimens from 6 811 patients aged 13 to 65 years, seen at Hospital Juarez in Mexico City. All patients had leucorrhea, pruritus, hyperemia, and abdominal pain. Statistical significance was assessed using the chi-squared test. RESULTS: The frequencies of infectious agents were as follows: G. vaginalis, 22.65%, Candida spp, 19.13%, C. albicans, 7.8%, T. vaginalis, 1.5%, Streptococcus group D, 11.78%, Streptococcus b hemolytic, 4.59%, E. coli, 13

Analysis of the leprosy agents Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis in four countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Xiang Y; Aung, Fleur M; Choon, Siew Eng; Werner, Betina

2014-10-01

To differentiate the leprosy agents Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis and correlate them with geographic distribution and clinicopathologic features. Species-specific polymerase chain reactions were used to detect each bacillus in archived skin biopsy specimens from patients with leprosy from Brazil (n = 52), Malaysia (n = 31), Myanmar (n = 9), and Uganda (n = 4). Findings were correlated with clinical and pathologic data. Etiologic species was detected in 46 of the 52 Brazilian patients, including 36 patients with M leprae, seven with M lepromatosis, and three with both bacilli. The seven patients with sole M lepromatosis all had tuberculoid leprosy, whereas only nine of the 36 patients infected with M leprae exhibited this type, and the rest were lepromatous (P leprae and two with M lepromatosis. Of the Malaysian and Ugandan patients, only M leprae was detected in 27 of the 31 Malaysians and two of the four Ugandans. The leprosy agents vary in geographic distribution. Finding M lepromatosis in Brazil and Myanmar suggests wide existence of this newly discovered species. The leprosy manifestations likely vary with the etiologic agents. Copyright© by the American Society for Clinical Pathology.

Money demand in general equilibrium endogenous growth: Estimating the role of a variable interest elasticity

OpenAIRE

Gillman, Max; Otto, Glen

2006-01-01

The paper presents and tests a theory of the demand for money that is derived from a general equilibrium, endogenous growth economy, which in effect combines a special case of the shopping time exchange economy with the cash-in-advance framework. The model predicts that both higher inflation and financial innovation - that reduces the cost of credit - induce agents to substitute away from money towards exchange credit. The implied interest elasticity of money demand rises with the inflation r...

Quantitative description of proton exchange processes between water and endogenous and exogenous agents for WEX, CEST, and APT experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Jinyuan; Wilson, David A; Sun, Phillip Zhe; Klaus, Judith A; Van Zijl, Peter C M

2004-05-01

The proton exchange processes between water and solutes containing exchangeable protons have recently become of interest for monitoring pH effects, detecting cellular mobile proteins and peptides, and enhancing the detection sensitivity of various low-concentration endogenous and exogenous species. In this work, the analytic expressions for water exchange (WEX) filter spectroscopy, chemical exchange-dependent saturation transfer (CEST), and amide proton transfer (APT) experiments are derived by the use of Bloch equations with exchange terms. The effects of the initial states for the system, the difference between a steady state and a saturation state, and the relative contributions of the forward and backward exchange processes are discussed. The theory, in combination with numerical calculations, provides a useful tool for designing experimental schemes and assessing magnetization transfer (MT) processes between water protons and solvent-exchangeable protons. As an example, the case of endogenous amide proton exchange in the rat brain at 4.7 T is analyzed in detail. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Sarcomas: etiología y síntomas Sarcomas: etiology and symptoms

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Roberto Gabriel Albín Cano

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Debido a la amplia diversidad de sarcomas, casi son inexistentes los textos que incluyen todas las variedades de este tipo de cáncer. Generalmente, su descripción y revisión se incluyen en las del sistema de órganos afectados específicamente, y la literatura que los aborda está muy fragmentada en las diferentes especialidades médicas. Se realiza una revisión bibliográfica sobre la etiología y síntomas de la mayor parte de los diferentes tipos de sarcomas. Es objetivo de esta revisión, lograr unir la información más actual disponible acerca de la etiología y síntomas de los sarcomas. Se han identificado diferentes factores de riesgo y factores etiológicos, tanto genéticos, infecciosos, como ambientales. Los grandes descubrimientos en relación con los mecanismos genéticos involucrados en los diferentes tipos de sarcoma, han abierto un camino de inestimable valor para introducir nuevos tratamientos, que incluyen ensayos con anticuerpos monoclonales y nuevos fármacos de terapia génica.

Due to the wide diversity of sarcomas, almost no texts include all varieties of this type of cancer. Generally, their description and review is included in those of the specifically affected organ system, and the literature containing that information is very fragmented in different medical specialties. We performed a literature review on the etiology and symptoms of most types of sarcomas. It is aimed at achieving a recompilation of most current information available on the causes and symptoms of sarcomas. Different risks and etiologic factors have been identified regarding genetics, infections, and environment. The great discoveries regarding genetic mechanisms involved in different types of sarcomas, have opened an invaluable way to introduce new treatments, including monoclonal antibodies and new drugs of gene therapy.

Methods of rapid diagnosis for the etiology of meningitis in adults

Science.gov (United States)

Bahr, Nathan C; Boulware, David R

2014-01-01

Infectious meningitis may be due to bacterial, mycobacterial, fungal or viral agents. Diagnosis of meningitis must take into account numerous items of patient history and symptomatology along with regional epidemiology and basic cerebrospinal fluid testing (protein, etc.) to allow the clinician to stratify the likelihood of etiology possibilities and rationally select additional diagnostic tests. Culture is the mainstay for diagnosis in many cases, but technology is evolving to provide more rapid, reliable diagnosis. The cryptococcal antigen lateral flow assay (Immuno-Mycologics) has revolutionized diagnosis of cryptococcosis and automated nucleic acid amplification assays hold promise for improving diagnosis of bacterial and mycobacterial meningitis. This review will focus on a holistic approach to diagnosis of meningitis as well as recent technological advances. PMID:25402579

On the action of radioprotective agents on the endogenous serotonin content and radiosensitivity of isolated Ehrlich ascites tumour and E. coli B. cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goncharenko, E.N.; Gorskaya, T.G.; Gusareva, Eh.V.; Konstantinova, M.M.; Panyushkina, N.V.; AN SSSR, Moscow. Inst. Biologii Razvitiya)

1976-01-01

At a higher radioresistance level attained by incubation of isolated Ehrlich ascites tumour and E. coli B. cells with MEA or noradrenaline, the endogenous serotonin content of these cells was found to increase. The extent of radioresistance increase and the serotonin content of the cells were interrelated, i.e. washing the protector off cells decreased both the radioresistance and the content of endogenous serotonin. It is concluded that radioresistance of cells is connected with the content of biologically active substances (serotonin) that possess radioprotective action

Ciliary neurotrophic factor is an endogenous pyrogen.

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Shapiro, L; Zhang, X X; Rupp, R G; Wolff, S M; Dinarello, C A

1993-09-15

Fever is initiated by the action of polypeptide cytokines called endogenous pyrogens, which are produced by the host during inflammation, trauma, or infection and which elevate the thermoregulatory set point in the hypothalamus. Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) supports the differentiation and survival of central and peripheral neurons. We describe the activity of CNTF as intrinsically pyrogenic in the rabbit. CNTF induced a monophasic fever which rose rapidly (within the first 12 min) following intravenous injection; CNTF fever was blocked by pretreatment with indomethacin. The fever induced by CNTF was not due to contaminating endotoxins. Increasing doses of CNTF resulted in prolongation of the fever, suggesting the subsequent induction of additional endogenous pyrogenic activity. After passive transfer of plasma obtained during CNTF-induced fever, endogenous pyrogen activity was not present in the circulation; CNTF also did not induce the endogenous pyrogens interleukin 1, tumor necrosis factor, or interleukin 6 in vitro. Nevertheless, a second endogenous pyrogen may originate within the central nervous system following the systemic injection of CNTF. Of the four endogenous pyrogens described to date (interleukin 1, tumor necrosis factor, interferon, and interleukin 6), CNTF, like interleukin 6, utilizes the cell-surface gp 130 signal-transduction apparatus.

Etiological Evolution in Chronic Renal Failure

OpenAIRE

Betul Battaloglu Inanc

2016-01-01

Aim: This study aimed to determine,demographic characteristics and etiologies chronic renal failure patients’ who applied to nephrology clinic. Material and Method: 232 chronic renal failure patients’ files, demographic specialities and etiologies evaluated retrospectively, who applied to nephrology clinic at Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital between February 2005 and August 2006. Results: Patiens were 52.6% women and 47.4% of the man. Mean ages’ of 61.7 ±...

[Dinitrosyl iron complexes are endogenous signaling agents in animal and human cells and tissues (a hypothesis)].

Science.gov (United States)

Vanin, A F

2004-01-01

The hypothesis was advanced that dinitrosyl iron complexes generated in animal and human cells and tissues producing nitric oxide can function as endogenous universal regulators of biochemical and physiological processes. This function is realized by the ability of dinitrosyl iron complexes to act as donors of free nitric oxide molecules interacting with the heme groups of proteins, nitrosonium ions, or Fe+(NO+)2 interacting with the thiol groups of proteins. The effect of dinitrosyl iron complexes on the activity of some enzymes and the expression of the genome at the translation and transcription levels was considered.

Primary thyroid disorders in endogenous Cushing's syndrome.

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Niepomniszcze, Hugo; Pitoia, Fabian; Katz, Silvia B; Chervin, Raul; Bruno, Oscar D

2002-09-01

To study the prevalence of primary thyroid disorders in patients who underwent endogenous hypercortisolism. Retrospective evaluation of 59 patients with Cushing's syndrome (CS) who had, at least, a record of thyroid palpation by expert endocrinologists and basal measurements of TSH by second generation assays. When available, tri-iodothyronine and thyroxine serum levels, TRH-TSH tests and anti-thyroid antibodies were also analyzed. There were two age- and gender-matched control groups. The 'goiter control group' comprised 118 healthy subjects who underwent thyroid palpation. The 'antibody control group' was composed of 40 individuals who attended the blood bank of our hospital. Antibodies against thyroperoxidase and measurements of TSH were analyzed in their blood samples. Available files of 83 CS patients admitted to our endocrine unit from 1985 to 1998 were examined. Fifty-nine patients (52 women and 7 men) with a mean age of 36.2 years (range 14-61 years) met the above requirements. Diagnosis of hypercortisolism had been established by a standard 1-mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test and urinary free cortisol (UFC). Etiological diagnosis involved dynamic testing, measurements of ACTH levels and imaging techniques. After treatment, all but one of the patients were cured or controlled of their hypercortisolism. This was established by the finding of subnormal serum cortisol concentrations and/or subnormal 24-h UFC levels. Primary thyroid disorders were defined by the presence of one or more of the following diagnostic criteria: (i) goiter, (ii) positive anti-thyroid antibodies and/or (iii) primary thyroid function abnormalities. Eighteen (30.5%) patients had goiter (diffuse in 78% and nodular in 22%), 14 (23.7%) had primary subclinical hypothyroidism and 5 (8.4%) had hyperthyroidism. In 41 patients evaluated for antithyroid antibodies, it was found that 23 (56.1%) had positive titers. In a group of patients in which thyroid autoantibodies were measured

Less Common Etiologies of Status Epilepticus

Science.gov (United States)

Bleck, Thomas P

2010-01-01

Status epilepticus is treated as a neurologic emergency and only later are the potential etiologies assessed. While sometimes the cause for status epilepticus is apparent (e.g., antiepileptic drug withdrawal), all too often it is not identified, even after extensive diagnostic testing has been performed. With emphasis on the less-common etiologies, this review will cover various probable and known causes of status epilepticus among adults, children, and those patients with refractory epilepsy. PMID:20231917

Therapeutic neuroprotective agents for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Science.gov (United States)

Pandya, Rachna S.; Zhu, Haining; Li, Wei; Bowser, Robert; Friedlander, Robert M.

2014-01-01

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal chronic neurodegenerative disease whose hallmark is proteinaceous, ubiquitinated, cytoplasmic inclusions in motor neurons and surrounding cells. Multiple mechanisms proposed as responsible for ALS pathogenesis include dysfunction of protein degradation, glutamate excitotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation. It is therefore essential to gain a better understanding of the underlying disease etiology and search for neuroprotective agents that might delay disease onset, slow progression, prolong survival, and ultimately reduce the burden of disease. Because riluzole, the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatment, prolongs the ALS patient’s life by only 3 months, new therapeutic agents are urgently needed. In this review, we focus on studies of various small pharmacological compounds targeting the proposed pathogenic mechanisms of ALS and discuss their impact on disease progression. PMID:23864030

Interaction between endogenous and exogenous orienting in crossmodal attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiaoxi; Chen, Qi; Gao, Dingguo; Yue, Zhenzhu

2012-08-01

Using a cue-target paradigm, we investigated the interaction between endogenous and exogenous orienting in cross-modal attention. A peripheral (exogenous) cue was presented after a central (endogenous) cue with a variable time interval. The endogenous and exogenous cues were presented in one sensory modality (auditory in Experiment 1 and visual in Experiment 2) whereas the target was presented in another modality. Both experiments showed a significant endogenous cuing effect (longer reaction times in the invalid condition than in the valid condition). However, exogenous cuing produced a facilitatory effect in both experiments in response to the target when endogenous cuing was valid, but it elicited a facilitatory effect in Experiment 1 and an inhibitory effect in Experiment 2 when endogenous cuing was invalid. These findings indicate that endogenous and exogenous cuing can co-operate in orienting attention to the crossmodal target. Moreover, the interaction between endogenous and exogenous orienting of attention is modulated by the modality between the cue and the target. © 2012 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology © 2012 The Scandinavian Psychological Associations.

Chronic urticaria in children: Etiologies, Clinical Manifestations, Diagnosis and Treatment

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Javad Ghaffari

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Chronic urticaria is defined as a skin disease with central induration (wheal and erythema formation around it (flare that appears at least twice a week and remains at least for 6 weeks continually. The incidence of urticaria in children is about 0.1-3%. Most cases of chronic urticaria occur in children between 6-11 years. Autoimmune and allergy immaturity is one of the reasons of lower incidence of chronic urticaria in younger children. Quality of life impairment in children with urticaria has been known to be similar to diseases with severe atopic dermatitis, epilepsy, diabetes mellitus and asthma. There are several causes for chronic urticaria in children in different reports. In most of cases the known etiologic agents are varies from 21 to 83%. Overall, infectious causes of chronic urticaria in children are more common and obvious than other in adults .In most cases, the cause of chronic urticaria are idiopathic or autoimmune. Urticaria severity divided to mild, moderate and severe was based on the number of wheals and severity of pruritus. Diagnosis of chronic urticaria is based on a good history and physical examination. The treatment of chronic urticaria is a patient education that is to remove the triggering and aggravating agents, resolving and treating of the known disease and the use of various medicines based on the history and clinical findings. The first medical therapeutics lines in children are anti-histamines, beta-blocker H1 and new generation of non-sedating agents.

ETIOLOGICAL FACTORS FOR VOCAL FOLD POLYP FORMATION

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DAŠA GLUVAJIĆ

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Vocal fold polyp is one of the most common causes for hoarseness. Many different etiological factors contribute to vocal fold polyp formation. The aim of the study was to find out whether the etiological factors for polyp formation have changed in the last 30 years.Methods: Eighty-one patients with unilateral vocal fold polyp were included in the study. A control group was composed of 50 volunteers without voice problems who matched the patients by age and gender. The data about etiological factors and the findings of phoniatric examination were obtained from the patients' medical documentation and from the questionnaires for the control group. The incidence of etiological factors was compared between the two groups. The program SPSS, Version 18 was used for statistical analysis.Results: The most frequent etiological factors were occupational voice load, GER, allergy and smoking. In 79% of patients 2 – 6 contemporary acting risk factors were found. Occupational voice load (p=0,018 and GER (p=0,004 were significantly more frequent in the patients than in the controls. The other factors did not significantly influence the polyp formation.Conclusions: There are several factors involved simultaneously in the formation of vocal fold polyps both nowadays and 30 years ago. Some of the most common factors remain the same (voice load, smoking, others are new (GER, allergy, which is probably due to the different lifestyle and working conditions than 30 years ago. Occupational voice load and GER were significantly more frequently present in the patients with polyp than in the control group. Regarding the given results it is important to instruct workers with professional vocal load about etiological factors for vocal fold polyp formation.

Are human endogenous retroviruses triggers of autoimmune diseases?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nexø, Bjørn A; Villesen, Palle; Nissen, Kari K

2016-01-01

factors. Viruses including human endogenous retroviruses have long been linked to the occurrence of autoimmunity, but never proven to be causative factors. Endogenous viruses are retroviral sequences embedded in the host germline DNA and transmitted vertically through successive generations in a Mendelian...... manner. In this study by means of genetic epidemiology, we have searched for the involvement of endogenous retroviruses in three selected autoimmune diseases: multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and rheumatoid arthritis. We found that at least one human endogenous retroviral locus...

Contagion risk in endogenous financial networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Shouwei; Sui, Xin

2016-01-01

Highlights: • We propose an endogenous financial network model. • Endogenous networks include interbank networks, inter-firm networks and bank-firm networks. • We investigate contagion risk in endogenous financial networks. - Abstract: In this paper, we investigate contagion risk in an endogenous financial network, which is characterized by credit relationships connecting downstream and upstream firms, interbank credit relationships and credit relationships connecting firms and banks. The findings suggest that: increasing the number of potential lenders randomly selected can lead to an increase in the number of bank bankruptcies, while the number of firm bankruptcies presents a trend of increase after the decrease; after the intensity of choice parameter rises beyond a threshold, the number of bankruptcies in three sectors (downstream firms, upstream firms and banks) shows a relatively large margin of increase, and keeps at a relatively high level; there exists different trends for bankruptcies in different sectors with the change of the parameter of credits’ interest rates.

Endogenous price flexibility and optimal monetary policy

OpenAIRE

Ozge Senay; Alan Sutherland

2014-01-01

Much of the literature on optimal monetary policy uses models in which the degree of nominal price flexibility is exogenous. There are, however, good reasons to suppose that the degree of price flexibility adjusts endogenously to changes in monetary conditions. This article extends the standard new Keynesian model to incorporate an endogenous degree of price flexibility. The model shows that endogenizing the degree of price flexibility tends to shift optimal monetary policy towards complete i...

Bacterial Etiology and Antibiotic Resistance Profile of Community-Acquired Urinary Tract Infections in a Cameroonian City

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Rolf Nyah-tuku Nzalie

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Community-acquired urinary tract infections (CAUTIs are usually treated empirically. Geographical variations in etiologic agents and their antibiotic sensitivity patterns are common. Knowledge of antibiotic resistance trends is important for improving evidence-based recommendations for empirical treatment of UTIs. Our aim was to determine the major bacterial etiologies of CAUTIs and their antibiotic resistance patterns in a cosmopolitan area of Cameroon for comparison with prescription practices of local physicians. Methods. We performed a cross-sectional descriptive study at two main hospitals in Yaoundé, collecting a clean-catch mid-stream urine sample from 92 patients having a clinical diagnosis of UTI. The empirical antibiotherapy was noted, and identification of bacterial species was done on CLED agar; antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Results. A total of 55 patients had samples positive for a UTI. Ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid were the most empirically prescribed antibiotics (30.9% and 23.6%, resp.; bacterial isolates showed high prevalence of resistance to both compounds. Escherichia coli (50.9% was the most common pathogen, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (16.4%. Prevalence of resistance for ciprofloxacin was higher compared to newer quinolones. Conclusions. E. coli and K. pneumoniae were the predominant bacterial etiologies; the prevalence of resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics was high.

Endogenous Pyrogen Physiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Beisel, William R.

1980-01-01

Discusses the physiology of endogenous pyrogen (EP), the fever-producing factor of cellular origin. Included are: its hormone-like role, its molecular nature, bioassay procedures, cellular production and mechanisms of EP action. (SA)

Money and exchange in an economy with spatially differentiated agents

Science.gov (United States)

Manolova, Petia; Lai Tong, Charles; Deissenberg, Christophe

2003-06-01

The impact of money supply on the real variables and on utility is an important question in monetary economics. Most previous works study this impact in representative agent economies, often under perfect foresight. With such a framework, however, the use of fiat money as a medium of exchange cannot be endogenously explained. This paper, by contrast, considers an economy where fiat money is intrinsically necessary for exchange, due to the local structure of interaction among agents. It investigates the transitory and permanent impact of local or global injections of money on the dynamics of exchanged quantities, prices, and individual welfares, and the mechanisms that explain this evolution.

Car drivers with dementia: Different complications due to different etiologies?

Science.gov (United States)

Piersma, Dafne; de Waard, Dick; Davidse, Ragnhild; Tucha, Oliver; Brouwer, Wiebo

2016-01-01

Older drivers with dementia are an at-risk group for unsafe driving. However, dementia refers to various etiologies and the question is whether dementias of different etiology have similar effects on driving ability. The literature on the effects of dementia of various etiologies on driving ability is reviewed. Studies addressing dementia etiologies and driving were identified through PubMed, PsychINFO, and Google Scholar. Early symptoms and prognoses differ between dementias of different etiology. Therefore, different etiologies may represent different likelihoods with regard to fitness to drive. Moreover, dementia etiologies could indicate the type of driving problems that can be expected to occur. However, there is a great lack of data and knowledge about the effects of almost all etiologies of dementia on driving. One could hypothesize that patients with Alzheimer's disease may well suffer from strategic difficulties such as finding a route, whereas patients with frontotemporal dementia are more inclined to make tactical-level errors because of impaired hazard perception. Patients with other dementia etiologies involving motor symptoms may suffer from problems on the operational level. Still, the effects of various etiologies of dementias on driving have thus far not been studied thoroughly. For the detection of driving difficulties in patients with dementia, structured interviews with patients but also their family members appear crucial. Neuropsychological assessment could support the identification of cognitive impairments. The impact of such impairments on driving could also be investigated in a driving simulator. In a driving simulator, strengths and weaknesses in driving behavior can be observed. With this knowledge, patients can be advised appropriately about their fitness to drive and options for support in driving (e.g., compensation techniques, car adaptations). However, as long as no valid, reliable, and widely accepted test battery is available for

Etiologic Agents and Diseases Found Associated with Clinical Aspergillosis in Falcons

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Walter Tarello

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to describe parasitological, microbiological, and pathological findings associated with the isolation of Aspergillus species in 94 clinically diseased captive falcons from Dubai. Concomitant agents and/or diseases were identified in 64 cases, causing either single (=36 or multiple coinfections (=28. Diagnoses found more often in association with aspergillosis were chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS (=29, Caryospora sp. (=16, Serratospiculum seurati infestation (=14, cestodiasis (=6, bumblefoot (=5, trematodosis due to Strigea falconispalumbi (=5, trichomoniasis (=4, Babesia shortti (=4, Mannheimia (Pastorella haemolytica (=4, interstitial hepatitis (=4, Escherichia coli (=3, and Clostridium perfringens enterotoxemia (=2. Compared with a control group of 2000 diseased falcons without evidence of aspergillosis, the prevalence of Babesia shortti, CFIDS, Mannheimia (Pastorella haemolytica, Escherichia coli, and falcon herpes virus infection was conspicuously higher in association with aspergillosis. These entities may be considered suitable candidates as predisposing factors for the mycosis.

Compression etiology in tendinopathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Almekinders, Louis C; Weinhold, Paul S; Maffulli, Nicola

2003-10-01

Recent studies have emphasized that the etiology of tendinopathy is not as simple as was once thought. The etiology is likely to be multifactorial. Etiologic factors may include some of the traditional factors such as overuse, inflexibility, and equipment problems; however, other factors need to be considered as well, such as age-related tendon degeneration and biomechanical considerations as outlined in this article. More research is needed to determine the significance of stress-shielding and compression in tendinopathy. If they are confirmed to play a role, this finding may significantly alter our approach in both prevention and in treatment through exercise therapy. The current biomechanical studies indicate that certain joint positions are more likely to place tensile stress on the area of the tendon commonly affected by tendinopathy. These joint positions seem to be different than the traditional positions for stretching exercises used for prevention and rehabilitation of tendinopathic conditions. Incorporation of different joint positions during stretching exercises may exert more uniform, controlled tensile stress on these affected areas of the tendon and avoid stresshielding. These exercises may be able to better maintain the mechanical strength of that region of the tendon and thereby avoid injury. Alternatively, they could more uniformly stress a healing area of the tendon in a controlled manner, and thereby stimulate healing once an injury has occurred. Additional work will have to prove if a change in rehabilitation exercises is more efficacious that current techniques.

Etiology of Balkan endemic nephropathy: A multifactorial disease?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toncheva, Draga; Dimitrov, Tzvetan; Stojanova, Stiliana

1998-01-01

Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN) is of great clinical importance in the restricted areas of Bulgaria, Rumania, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. So far, studies on the etiological factors for BEN have not discovered any single environmental causative agent of this puzzling disease. These data reject the possibility of a purely environmental causation of BEN. The pattern of BEN transmission in the risk families is not typical for single gene disorders. Extensive epidemiological and genetic studies disclose characteristics of multifactorial (polygenic) inheritance of BEN. The evidences of 'familial tendency', variation of the risk for BEN depending on the number of sick parents and the degree of relatedness; the development of BEN in individuals from at-risk families who were born in non-endemic areas; the data that disease is not found in the gypsy population and the expressions of 3q25 cytogenetic marker suggest that the genetic factors play an important role as causative factors in BEN development. The possible impact of environmental triggers on individuals genetically predisposed to BEN could be supposed by the following data: the cytogenetic results of the increased frequency of folate sensitive Fra sites, spontaneous or radiation-induced aberrations in several bands in BEN patients, the data from the detailed analysis of breaks in BEN patients and controls that generate structural chromosome aberrations; the occurrence of BEN in immigrants. Genetical epidemiological approaches to etiology and prevention of BEN are proposed. The predisposing genes for BEN could be genes localized in a region between 3q25-3q26; transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), genetic heterogeneity of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes; defects in the host's immune system. The predisposing genes for BEN patients with urinary tract tumors could be germline mutations in tumor suppressor genes and acquired somatic mutations in oncogenes

Laboratory methods for determining pneumonia etiology in children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Murdoch, David R.; O'Brien, Katherine L.; Driscoll, Amanda J.; Karron, Ruth A.; Bhat, Niranjan; Black, Robert E.; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A.; Campbell, Harry; Cherian, Thomas; Crook, Derrick W.; de Jong, Menno D.; Dowell, Scott F.; Graham, Stephen M.; Klugman, Keith P.; Lanata, Claudio F.; Madhi, Shabir A.; Martin, Paul; Nataro, James P.; Piazza, Franco M.; Qazi, Shamim A.; Zar, Heather J.; Levine, Orin S.; Knoll, Maria Deloria; Feikin, Daniel R.; Scott, J. Anthony G.; Driscoll, Amanda; DeLuca, Andrea; Crawley, Jane

2012-01-01

Laboratory diagnostics are a core component of any pneumonia etiology study. Recent advances in diagnostic technology have introduced newer methods that have greatly improved the ability to identify respiratory pathogens. However, determining the microbial etiology of pneumonia remains a challenge,

Antiplatelet Agents and the Prevention of Spontaneous Preterm Birth A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Vliet, Elvira O. G.; Askie, Lisa A.; Mol, Ben W. J.; Oudijk, Martijn A.

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Spontaneous preterm birth is an important cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. An increasing body of evidence suggests that uteroplacental ischemia plays an important role in the etiology of spontaneous preterm birth. We aimed to study whether antiplatelet agents reduce the risk of

Quantification of endogenous metabolites by the postcolumn infused-internal standard method combined with matrix normalization factor in liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Hsiao-Wei; Chen, Guan-Yuan; Wu, Ming-Shiang; Liao, Wei-Chih; Tsai, I-Lin; Kuo, Ching-Hua

2015-01-02

Quantification of endogenous metabolites has enabled the discovery of biomarkers for diagnosis and provided for an understanding of disease etiology. The standard addition and stable isotope labeled-internal standard (SIL-IS) methods are currently the most widely used approaches to quantifying endogenous metabolites, but both have some limitations for clinical measurement. In this study, we developed a new approach for endogenous metabolite quantification by the postcolumn infused-internal standard (PCI-IS) method combined with the matrix normalization factor (MNF) method. MNF was used to correct the difference in MEs between standard solution and biofluids, and PCI-IS additionally tailored the correction of the MEs for individual samples. Androstenedione and testosterone were selected as test articles to verify this new approach to quantifying metabolites in plasma. The repeatability (n=4 runs) and intermediate precision (n=3 days) in terms of the peak area of androstenedione and testosterone at all tested concentrations were all less than 11% relative standard deviation (RSD). The accuracy test revealed that the recoveries were between 95.72% and 113.46%. The concentrations of androstenedione and testosterone in fifty plasma samples obtained from healthy volunteers were quantified by the PCI-IS combined with the MNF method, and the quantification results were compared with the results of the SIL-IS method. The Pearson correlation test showed that the correlation coefficient was 0.98 for both androstenedione and testosterone. We demonstrated that the PCI-IS combined with the MNF method is an effective and accurate method for quantifying endogenous metabolites. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Endogenous money: the evolutionary versus revolutionary views

OpenAIRE

Louis-Philippe Rochon; Sergio Rossi

2013-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the endogenous nature of money. Contrary to the established post-Keynesian, or evolutionary, view, this paper argues that money has always been endogenous, irrespective of the historical period. Instead of the evolutionary theory of money and banking that can be traced back to Chick (1986), this paper puts forward a revolutionary definition of endogenous money consistent with many aspects of post-Keynesian economics as well as with the monetary ci...

Targeting apoptotic machinery as approach for anticancer therapy: Smac mimetics as anticancer agents

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Nevine M.Y. Elsayed

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Apoptosis is a chief regulator of cellular homeostasis. Impairment of apoptotic machinery is a main characteristic of several diseases such as cancer, where the evasion of apoptosis is a cardinal hallmark of cancer. Apoptosis is regulated by contribution of pro- and anti- apoptotic proteins, where caspases are the main executioners of the apoptotic machinery. IAP (inhibitors of apoptosis proteins is a family of endogenous inhibitors of apoptosis, which perform their function through interference with the function of caspases. Smac (second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases is endogenous inhibitor of IAPs, thus it is one of the major proapoptotic endogenous proteins. Thus, the development of Smac mimetics has evolved as an approach for anticancer therapy. Several Smac mimetic agents have been introduced to clinical trial such as birinapanet 12. Herein, the history of development of Smac mimetics along with the recent development in this field is briefly discussed.

ETIOLOGICAL FACTORS OF CHRONIC GASTRITIS IN CHILDREN

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G.V. Volynets

2006-01-01

Full Text Available In the article the data on the study of the etiological factors of various types of chronic gastritis in children are presented. Based on revealing of the auto antibodies to parietal gastric cells in 40,0% of children autoimmune gastritis (a type gastritis is diagnosed. Helicobacterr pylori infection is revealed in 44,8% of children. In 27,6% of children type c gastritis is diagnosed. Autoimmune gastritis in children has been linked to the active phase of chronic epsteinbbarr virus infection. the etiological factors of nonautoimmune gastritis are Helicobacter pylori infection (type b gastritis and multiple duodenogastric refluxes (type c gastritis.Key words: children, chronic gastritis, etiological factors, autoimmune gastritis, nonautoimmune gastritis, active phase of chronic Epstein-Barr virus infection, Helicobacter pylori infection.

Fibroblast growth factor-mediated proliferation of central nervous system precursors depends on endogenous production of insulin-like growth factor I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drago, J.; Murphy, M.; Carroll, S.M.; Harvey, R.P.; Bartlett, P.F.

1991-01-01

Fibroblast growth factor stimulates proliferation and subsequent differentiation of precursor cells isolated from the neuroepithelium of embryonic day 10 mice in vitro. Here we show that fibroblast growth factor-induced proliferation is dependent on the presence of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and that IGF-I is endogenously produced by the neuroepithelial cells. Blocking of endogenous IGF-I activity with anti-IGF-I antibodies results in complete inhibition of fibroblast growth factor-mediated proliferation and in cell death. IGF-I alone acts as a survival agent. These observations correlate with the detection of transcripts for IGF-I and basic fibroblast growth factor in freshly isolated neuroepithelium and are consistent with an autocrine action of these factors in early brain development in vivo

Molecular pathological epidemiology: new developing frontiers of big data science to study etiologies and pathogenesis.

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Hamada, Tsuyoshi; Keum, NaNa; Nishihara, Reiko; Ogino, Shuji

2017-03-01

Molecular pathological epidemiology (MPE) is an integrative field that utilizes molecular pathology to incorporate interpersonal heterogeneity of a disease process into epidemiology. In each individual, the development and progression of a disease are determined by a unique combination of exogenous and endogenous factors, resulting in different molecular and pathological subtypes of the disease. Based on "the unique disease principle," the primary aim of MPE is to uncover an interactive relationship between a specific environmental exposure and disease subtypes in determining disease incidence and mortality. This MPE approach can provide etiologic and pathogenic insights, potentially contributing to precision medicine for personalized prevention and treatment. Although breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers have been among the most commonly studied diseases, the MPE approach can be used to study any disease. In addition to molecular features, host immune status and microbiome profile likely affect a disease process, and thus serve as informative biomarkers. As such, further integration of several disciplines into MPE has been achieved (e.g., pharmaco-MPE, immuno-MPE, and microbial MPE), to provide novel insights into underlying etiologic mechanisms. With the advent of high-throughput sequencing technologies, available genomic and epigenomic data have expanded dramatically. The MPE approach can also provide a specific risk estimate for each disease subgroup, thereby enhancing the impact of genome-wide association studies on public health. In this article, we present recent progress of MPE, and discuss the importance of accounting for the disease heterogeneity in the era of big-data health science and precision medicine.

Zoonotic and vector borne agents causing disease in adult patients hospitalized due to fever of unknown origin in Thailand

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Soawapak Hinjoy

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: To determine the etiologic agents of fever of unknown origin among populations in agricultural communities and to assess the possible risk factors for zoonotic infections. Methods: Hospitalized patients with fever of unknown origin under physician care were asked to participate and provide blood samples for laboratory tests and screening for endemic diseases at the hospitals. Samples were stored at –80 °C until they were tested at Chulalongkorn University to identify additional pathogens. Results: We were able to identify the etiologic agents in 24.6% of the 463 enrolled patients. Zoonotic and vector borne agents were confirmed in 59 cases (12.7%. Dengue virus (7.3% was the most frequently detected disease followed by scrub typhus (3.2%. There were two cases of comorbidities of scrub typhus and dengue fever. The other six cases of zoonoses were leptospirosis, melioidosis, and Streptococcus suis infections. Patients with zoonotic/vector borne agents noticed rats in their houses and reported having contact with livestock feces more frequently than those patients without zoonotic/vector borne agents. Conclusions: Dengue virus and scrub typhus were mostly detected in the rainy season. During this specific season, clinicians should raise awareness of those diseases when any patients are admitted to the hospital with fever of an unidentified source.

Endogenous Peer Effects: Fact or Fiction?

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Yeung, Ryan; Nguyen-Hoang, Phuong

2016-01-01

The authors examine endogenous peer effects, which occur when a student's behavior or outcome is a function of the behavior or outcome of his or her peer group. Endogenous peer effects have important implications for educational policies such as busing, school choice and tracking. In this study, the authors quantitatively review the literature on…

Symptomatology and etiology of chronic pediatric rhinosinusitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ilhan, Adem Emre; Karaman, Murat; Tekin, Arman

2012-01-01

This study aims to define symptoms and etiology and determine how to prevent chronic rhinosinusitis in children. Between February 2003 and February 2005, 50 pediatric patients (25 girls and 25 boys; mean age 8.22 years; range 4 to 14 years) with chronic rhinosinusitis were included in the study. The patients were questioned about anterior/posterior nasal dripping, night cough, headache, nausea, vomiting and nasal obstruction for symptomatology; about school condition, smoking behavior of parents and history of asthma for etiology. Hemogram, serum biochemistry, allergy test, nasal smear, chest and lateral neck radiography and sweat test were performed. Symptomatologic examination revealed that 48% had anterior nasal dripping, 62% with postnasal dripping, 70% with headache and 90% with nasal obstruction. Evaluation of etiological factors revealed that 68% were going to school, 48% of the parents had the history of smoking, 42% with allergy test-positivity and 60% with adenoid vegetation. Our study results indicated that environmental factors are important as etiological factors in rhinosinusitis. For prevention, we recommend restriction of close relationship at school, not to smoke at home and vaccination in each year with influenza and S. pneumonia vaccine.

Irradiation induced changes in endogenous regional distribution of catecholamines in rat brain and possible control through combined radioprotective treatments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassan, S.H.M.; Elsayed, M.E.; Roushdy, H.M.; Maklaad, Y.A.

1994-01-01

The present study has been conducted aiming to evaluate the protective role of imidazole serotonin or their combination, on the radiation induced changes in the endogenous catecholamine contents in various areas of rat's brain : cortex, striatum, cerebellum, pons and medulla and thalamus and hypothalamus. Whole body gamma-irradiation (6 Gy) resulted in significant progressive decreases of catecholamine (epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine) contents, as investigated one and seven days post exposure. Administration of imidazole or serotonin showed to control radiation induced changes in catecholamine contents. Higher protection with lower potential risk of toxicity could be achieved by administration of lower doses of combined agents. The data suggest that, the endogenous concentration of catecholamines in the brain may play an important role in diagnosing the radiation hazard and evaluating the protective capacity of pharmacologic radioprotective. 2 figs

Therapeutic targeting strategies using endogenous cells and proteins.

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Parayath, Neha N; Amiji, Mansoor M

2017-07-28

Targeted drug delivery has become extremely important in enhancing efficacy and reducing the toxicity of therapeutics in the treatment of various disease conditions. Current approaches include passive targeting, which relies on naturally occurring differences between healthy and diseased tissues, and active targeting, which utilizes various ligands that can recognize targets expressed preferentially at the diseased site. Clinical translation of these mechanisms faces many challenges including the immunogenic and toxic effects of these non-natural systems. Thus, use of endogenous targeting systems is increasingly gaining momentum. This review is focused on strategies for employing endogenous moieties, which could serve as safe and efficient carriers for targeted drug delivery. The first part of the review involves cells and cellular components as endogenous carriers for therapeutics in multiple disease states, while the second part discusses the use of endogenous plasma components as endogenous carriers. Further understanding of the biological tropism with cells and proteins and the newer generation of delivery strategies that exploits these endogenous approaches promises to provide better solutions for site-specific delivery and could further facilitate clinical translations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The main autoimmune and nonautoimmune etiologies of endogenous hyperthyroidism do not seem to influence the increased prevalence of morphometric vertebral fractures and osteoporosis in Portuguese men

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Ana Paula Barbosa

2017-09-01

Conclusions: These results suggest that in a group of hyperthyroid men aged over 50 there are significant decreases in cortical bone BMD and lean mass and a higher prevalence of osteoporosis and silent vertebral fractures, but the etiology of the hyperthyroidism does not seem to influence it. Besides the antithyroid drugs, some patients may benefit from bone-directed treatments.

Childhood hydrocephalus – is radiological morphology associated with etiology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Foss-Skiftesvik, Jon; Andresen, Morten; Juhler, Marianne

2013-01-01

Clinicians use a non-standardized, intuitive approach when correlating radiological morphology and etiology of hydrocephalus.......Clinicians use a non-standardized, intuitive approach when correlating radiological morphology and etiology of hydrocephalus....

59 eyes with endogenous endophthalmitis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjerrum, Søren Solborg; la Cour, Morten

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: To study the epidemiology of patients with endogenous endophthalmitis in Denmark. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective and prospective case series of 59 eyes in patients with endogenous endophthalmitis in Denmark between 2000 and 2016. RESULTS: The age of the patients ranged from 28 to......, the visual outcome and the mortality of the patients. The epidemiology of the disease is very different in Scandinavia compared to Asia. The visual prognosis remains grave and the majority of the eyes lose useful vision....

Independent effects of endogenous and exogenous attention in touch.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Alexander; Forster, Bettina

2013-12-01

Endogenous and exogenous attention in touch have typically been investigated separately. Here we use a double-cueing paradigm manipulating both types of orienting in each trial. Bilateral endogenous cues induced long-lasting facilitation of endogenous attention up to 2 s. However, the exogenous cue only elicited an effect at short intervals. Our results favour a supramodal account of attention and this study provides new insight into how endogenous and exogenous attention operates in the tactile modality.

Prevalence and etiology of bovine mastitis in the Nova Tebas, Parana

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Andreia Bittar Saab

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Mastitis is an infection which often commits animals assigned for milk production. It has been the major price raise factor for dairy cattle breeding. Economical losses impact on professional fees, drugs, death and early discard of the animal as well as dairy companies as a result of the downturn in product end-quality, decrease of industrial procedure regarding dairy product manufacturing and changes in mastitic milk composition. Considering the relevance of such disease, this study verifies mastitis prevalence and etiology in the region of Nova Tebas, PR by analyzing 336 lactating dairy cows from 17 farms, totalizing 1324 mammary quarters through CMT, SCS and bacterial isolation. Negative (1120 mammary quarters – 84.6% and positive (204 mammary quarters – 15.4% results for CMT were verified. Among the positive quarters, 155 (75.9% presented bacterial growth – higher prevalence of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus – SCN 51 (32.9%, Streptococcus sp. 49 (31.6%; Corynebacterium bovis 19 (12.3%, coagulase-positive Staphylococcus – SCP 19 (12.3%, Gram-negative bacilli (BGN 12 (7.7%, Corynebacterium sp. 3 (1.9%, and Candida sp. 2 (1.2%. Results show that mastitis in the region of Nova Tebas is compatible to those found all over Brazil together with the highest prevalent etiological agents. Such profile of animals with mastitis can be noticed from screening tests used for mastitis such as CMT and SCS.

Streptococcus agalactie como agente etiológico de Doença Sexualmente Transmissível Streptococcus agalactie involved in the etiology of Sexually Transmitted Diseases

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Marcos Noronha Frey

2011-12-01

Full Text Available O Streptococcus agalactie é um importante micro-organismo causador de doenças em gestantes, neonatos, idosos (maiores de 65 anos de idade, e portadores de doenças crônicas debilitantes, sendo um patógeno incomum em pacientes que não se enquadrem nestas faixas etárias ou perfil clínico (1-5, e, raramente, é descrito como agente causador de doenças sexualmente transmissíveis. Descrevemos o caso de um adulto jovem hígido de 19 anos, apresentando lesões ulceradas genitais e oral, assim como corrimento uretral e ocular, sugestivas de terem sido causadas pelo Streptococcus agalactie, e adquiridas através do contato sexual (doenças sexualmente transmissíveis.Streptococcus agalactiae is an important microorganism involved in a number of conditions in pregnant women, newborns, elderly people (over 65 years of age and individuals with chronic disabling illnesses. This pathogen is infrequently found among patients outside this age range or clinical profile(1-5 and is rarely reported in the etiology of sexually transmitted diseases. Here we describe a case of an otherwise healthy 19 year-old male, who presented with ulcerative genital and oral lesions in association with urethral and ocular discharge, suggestive of Streptococcus agalactiae infection acquired through sexual contact.

ASIC-like currents in freshly isolated cerebral artery smooth muscle cells are inhibited by endogenous oxidase activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Wen-Shuo; Farley, Jerry M; Drummond, Heather A

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine if VSMC ASIC-like currents are regulated by oxidative state. We used whole-cell patch clamp of isolated mouse cerebral VSMCs to determine if 1) reducing agents, such as DTT and GSH, and 2) inhibition of endogenous oxidase activity from NADPH and Xanthine oxidases potentiate active currents and activate electrically silent currents. Pretreatment with 2 mM DTT or GSH, increased the mean peak amplitude of ASIC-like currents evoked by pH 6.0 from 0.4 ± 0.1 to 14.9 ± 3.6 pA/pF, and from 0.9 ± 0.3 to 11.3 ± 2.4 pA/pF, respectively. Pretreatment with apocynin, a NADPH oxidase inhibitor, mimics the effect of the reducing agents, with the mean peak current amplitude increased from 0.9 ± 0.5 to 7.0 ± 2.6 pA/pF and from 0.5 ± 0.2 to 26.4 ± 6.8 pA/pF by 50 and 200 μM apocynin, respectively. Pretreatment with allopurinol, a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, also potentiates the VSMC ASIC-like activity. These findings suggest that VSMC ASIC-like channels are regulated by oxidative state and may be inhibited by basal endogenous oxidative sources such as NADPH and xanthine oxidase. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Endogenous versus exogenous shocks in systems with memory

Science.gov (United States)

Sornette, D.; Helmstetter, A.

2003-02-01

Systems with long-range persistence and memory are shown to exhibit different precursory as well as recovery patterns in response to shocks of exogenous versus endogenous origins. By endogenous, we envision either fluctuations resulting from an underlying chaotic dynamics or from a stochastic forcing origin which may be external or be an effective coarse-grained description of the microscopic fluctuations. In this scenario, endogenous shocks result from a kind of constructive interference of accumulated fluctuations whose impacts survive longer than the large shocks themselves. As a consequence, the recovery after an endogenous shock is in general slower at early times and can be at long times either slower or faster than after an exogenous perturbation. This offers the tantalizing possibility of distinguishing between an endogenous versus exogenous cause of a given shock, even when there is no “smoking gun”. This could help in investigating the exogenous versus self-organized origins in problems such as the causes of major biological extinctions, of change of weather regimes and of the climate, in tracing the source of social upheaval and wars, and so on. Sornette et al., Volatility fingerprints of large stocks: endogenous versus exogenous, cond-mat/0204626 has already shown how this concept can be applied concretely to differentiate the effects on financial markets of the 11 September 2001 attack or of the coup against Gorbachev on 19 August 1991 (exogenous) from financial crashes such as October 1987 (endogenous).

Identifcation of Novel Retroid Agents in Danio rerio, Oryzias latipes, Gasterosteus aculeatus and Tetraodon nigroviridis

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Holly A. Basta

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Retroid agents are genomes that encode a reverse transcriptase (RT and replicate or transpose by way of an RNA intermediate. The Genome Parsing Suite (GPS is software created to identify and characterize Retroid agents in any genome database (McClure et al. 2005. The detailed analysis of all Retroid agents found by the GPS in Danio rerio (zebrafsh, Oryzias latipes (medaka, Gasterosteus aculeatus (stickleback and Tetraodon nigroviridis (spotted green pufferfish reveals extensive Retroid agent diversity in the compact genomes of all four fish. Novel Retroid agents were identified by the GPS software: the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT in O. latipes, G. aculeatus and T. nigroviridis and a potential TERT in D. rerio, a retrotransposon in D. rerio, and multiple lineages of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs in D. rerio, O. latipes and G. aculeatus.

Stimulating endogenous cardiac regeneration

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Amanda eFinan

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The healthy adult heart has a low turnover of cardiac myocytes. The renewal capacity, however, is augmented after cardiac injury. Participants in cardiac regeneration include cardiac myocytes themselves, cardiac progenitor cells, and peripheral stem cells, particularly from the bone marrow compartment. Cardiac progenitor cells and bone marrow stem cells are augmented after cardiac injury, migrate to the myocardium, and support regeneration. Depletion studies of these populations have demonstrated their necessary role in cardiac repair. However, the potential of these cells to completely regenerate the heart is limited. Efforts are now being focused on ways to augment these natural pathways to improve cardiac healing, primarily after ischemic injury but in other cardiac pathologies as well. Cell and gene therapy or pharmacological interventions are proposed mechanisms. Cell therapy has demonstrated modest results and has passed into clinical trials. However, the beneficial effects of cell therapy have primarily been their ability to produce paracrine effects on the cardiac tissue and recruit endogenous stem cell populations as opposed to direct cardiac regeneration. Gene therapy efforts have focused on prolonging or reactivating natural signaling pathways. Positive results have been demonstrated to activate the endogenous stem cell populations and are currently being tested in clinical trials. A potential new avenue may be to refine pharmacological treatments that are currently in place in the clinic. Evidence is mounting that drugs such as statins or beta blockers may alter endogenous stem cell activity. Understanding the effects of these drugs on stem cell repair while keeping in mind their primary function may strike a balance in myocardial healing. To maximize endogenous cardiac regeneration,a combination of these approaches couldameliorate the overall repair process to incorporate the participation ofmultiple cell players.

Methylated DNA Immunoprecipitation Analysis of Mammalian Endogenous Retroviruses.

Science.gov (United States)

Rebollo, Rita; Mager, Dixie L

2016-01-01

Endogenous retroviruses are repetitive sequences found abundantly in mammalian genomes which are capable of modulating host gene expression. Nevertheless, most endogenous retrovirus copies are under tight epigenetic control via histone-repressive modifications and DNA methylation. Here we describe a common method used in our laboratory to detect, quantify, and compare mammalian endogenous retrovirus DNA methylation. More specifically we describe methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP) followed by quantitative PCR.

International Environmental Agreements with Endogenous or Exogenous Risk

OpenAIRE

Fuhai Hong; Larry Karp

2014-01-01

We examine the effect of endogenous and exogenous risk on the equilibrium (expected) membership of an International Environmental Agreement when countries are risk averse. Endogenous risk arises when countries use mixed rather than pure strategies at the participation game, and exogenous risk arises from the inherent uncertainty about the costs and benefits of increased abate- ment. Under endogenous risk, an increase in risk aversion increases expected participation. Under exogenous risk and ...

Different Types of Fantastic Etiology in Hafez Poetry

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Ghodrat Ghasemipour

2016-05-01

Full Text Available  Abstract Fantastic etiology in Persian poetry has such a high status that we can say that this figure of speech is one of the most interested figures between classic Persian poets. This figure is frequently used by Hafez in his poetries so that after equivocalness it is the second rhetorical figure in his poetries. The definition of fantastic etiology is that causality in poetry is based on similarity and it must be aesthetical and satisfactory, not scientific and discursive. By Fantastic etiology poets create imaginative connection between two phenomena; in the other hand, this figure rationally proves the possibility of the impossible and thus presents the lies disguised as truth. The poet’s goal in fantastic etiology is not to invent the cause, but rather to make the conventional descriptions sound unusual. For example, in the line “Because the cloud weeps without reason, tulips and roses laugh at it,” it is the groundless tears of the cloud which cause mockery on the part of the tulips and roses. In this example, two conventional expressions- “the cloud’s tears” (describing the spring rain and “the flowers’ laughter” (describing their blossoming - are connected by a causal relationship which does not exist in reality.   In classical Persian poetry Hafez, along with equivocalness, utilized of fantastic etiology in the best form . His uses of this literary device, like another figures of speech in his poetry, is very natural and unassuming. Understanding, interpreting and aesthetical purpose of some Hafez poetries is based on fantastic etiology.   Companionship, concomitancy and admixture of poetical figures are factors that must be discussed in stylistic analysis of poetry. Literary figures occasionally uses alone in poetry and some when uses together. Though fantastic etiology in rhetoric or figure of thought is an independent figure, but this devise occasionally uses with another

Importance of Endogenous Fibrinolysis in Platelet Thrombus Formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Gue, Ying X; Gorog, Diana A

2017-08-25

The processes of thrombosis and coagulation are finely regulated by endogenous fibrinolysis maintaining healthy equilibrium. When the balance is altered in favour of platelet activation and/or coagulation, or if endogenous fibrinolysis becomes less efficient, pathological thrombosis can occur. Arterial thrombosis remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the world despite advances in medical therapies. The role endogenous fibrinolysis in the pathogenesis of arterial thrombosis has gained increasing attention in recent years as it presents novel ways to prevent and treat existing diseases. In this review article, we discuss the role of endogenous fibrinolysis in platelet thrombus formation, methods of measurement of fibrinolytic activity, its role in predicting cardiovascular diseases and clinical outcomes and future directions.

Etiology of short stature in children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sultan, M.; Afzal, M.; Ali, S.

2008-01-01

To determine the causes of short stature in children with special emphasis on growth hormone deficiency. Two hundred and fourteen children (140 boys and 74 girls), ranging from 02 to 15 years presenting with short stature were studied. Height and weight were plotted on appropriate growth charts and centiles determined. Relevant hematological and biochemical investigations including thyroid profile were done. Bone age was determined in all cases. Growth hormone axis was investigated after excluding other causes. Karyotyping was done in selected cases. Data was analyzed by SPSS 10.0 by descriptive statistics. Mean values were compared using t-test. In this study, the five most common etiological factors in order of frequency were Constitutional Growth Delay (CGD), Familial Short Stature (FSS), malnutrition, coeliac disease and Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD). In 37.4% of patients, the study revealed normal variants of growth - CGD, FSS or combination of both, 46.7% cases had nonendocrinological and 15.9% had endocrinological etiology. CGD (22.1%) in males and FSS (27%) in females were the most common etiology. GHD was found in 6.1% children and it comprised 38.2% of all endocrinological causes. Children with height falling below 0.4th centile were more likely to have a pathological short stature (79.2%) compared to 39.3% whose height was below 3rd centile but above 0.4th centile (p<0.05). CGD and FSS are most common causes of short stature in boys and girls respectively, whereas, GHD is a relatively uncommon etiology. (author)

Etiology and anti-microbial sensitivity of organisms causing community acquired pneumonia: A single hospital study

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Resmi U Menon

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: The objective of this study was to identify the common etiological pathogens causing community acquired pneumonia (CAP in our hospital and sensitivity patterns to the common antibiotics used. Materials and Methods: This study was undertaken in a 750 bedded multi-specialty referral hospital in Kerala catering to both urban and semi-urban populations. It is a prospective study of patients who attended the medical out-patient department and those admitted with a clinical diagnosis of CAP, during the year 2009. Data were collected based on detailed patient interview, clinical examination and laboratory investigations. The latter included sputum culture and sensitivity pattern. These were tabulated and percentage incidence of etiological pathogens calculated. The antimicrobial sensitivity pattern was also classified by percentage and expressed as bar diagram. Results: The study showed Streptococcus pneumoniae to be the most common etiological agent for CAP, in our hospital setting. The other organisms isolated in order of frequency were Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Alpha hemolytic streptococci, Escherichia coli, Beta hemolytic streptococci and atypical coli. S. pneumoniae was most sensitive to linezolid, followed by amoxicillin-clavulanate (augmentin, cloxacillin and ceftriaxone. Overall, the common pathogens causing CAP showed highest sensitivity to amikacin, followed by ofloxacin, gentamycin, amoxicillin-clavulanate (augmentin, ceftriaxone and linezolid. The least sensitivity rates were shown to amoxicillin and cefoperazone. Conclusion: In a hospital setting, empirical management for cases of CAP is not advisable. The present study has shown S. pneumoniae as the most likely pathogen and either linezolid or amikacin as the most likely effective antimicrobial in cases of CAP, in our setting.

Recent developments in antiviral agents against enterovirus 71 infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Chee Wah; Lai, Jeffrey Kam Fatt; Sam, I-Ching; Chan, Yoke Fun

2014-02-12

Enterovirus 71 (EV-71) is the main etiological agent of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). Recent EV-71 outbreaks in Asia-Pacific were not limited to mild HFMD, but were associated with severe neurological complications such as aseptic meningitis and brainstem encephalitis, which may lead to cardiopulmonary failure and death. The absence of licensed therapeutics for clinical use has intensified research into anti-EV-71 development. This review highlights the potential antiviral agents targeting EV-71 attachment, entry, uncoating, translation, polyprotein processing, virus-induced formation of membranous RNA replication complexes, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The strategies for antiviral development include target-based synthetic compounds, anti-rhinovirus and poliovirus libraries screening, and natural compound libraries screening. Growing knowledge of the EV-71 life cycle will lead to successful development of antivirals. The continued effort to develop antiviral agents for treatment is crucial in the absence of a vaccine. The coupling of antivirals with an effective vaccine will accelerate eradication of the disease.

Bilateral endogenous Fusarium solani endophthalmitis in a liver-transplanted patient

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Jesper Skovlund; Prause, Jan Ulrik; Kiilgaard, Jens Folke

2014-01-01

Endogenous Fusarium endophthalmitis is a rare disease predominantly described in immunocompromised patients often due to leukemia. We report a case of bilateral endogenous Fusarium solani endophthalmitis in a liver-transplanted patient.......Endogenous Fusarium endophthalmitis is a rare disease predominantly described in immunocompromised patients often due to leukemia. We report a case of bilateral endogenous Fusarium solani endophthalmitis in a liver-transplanted patient....

Feeding Releases Endogenous Opioids in Humans.

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Tuulari, Jetro J; Tuominen, Lauri; de Boer, Femke E; Hirvonen, Jussi; Helin, Semi; Nuutila, Pirjo; Nummenmaa, Lauri

2017-08-23

The endogenous opioid system supports a multitude of functions related to appetitive behavior in humans and animals, and it has been proposed to govern hedonic aspects of feeding thus contributing to the development of obesity. Here we used positron emission tomography to investigate whether feeding results in hedonia-dependent endogenous opioid release in humans. Ten healthy males were recruited for the study. They were scanned with the μ-opioid-specific ligand [ 11 C]carfentanil three times, as follows: after a palatable meal, a nonpalatable meal, and after an overnight fast. Subjective mood, satiety, and circulating hormone levels were measured. Feeding induced significant endogenous opioid release throughout the brain. This response was more pronounced following a nonpalatable meal versus a palatable meal, and independent of the subjective hedonic responses to feeding. We conclude that feeding consistently triggers cerebral opioid release even in the absence of subjective pleasure associated with feeding, suggesting that metabolic and homeostatic rather than exclusively hedonic responses play a role in the feeding-triggered cerebral opioid release. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The endogenous opioid system supports both hedonic and homeostatic functions. It has been proposed that overeating and concomitant opioid release could downregulate opioid receptors and promote the development of obesity. However, it remains unresolved whether feeding leads to endogenous opioid release in humans. We used in vivo positron emission tomography to test whether feeding triggers cerebral opioid release and whether this response is associated with pleasurable sensations. We scanned volunteers using the μ-opioid receptor-specific radioligand [ 11 C]carfentanil three times, as follows: after an overnight fast, after consuming a palatable meal, and after consuming a nonpalatable meal. Feeding led to significant endogenous opioid release, and this occurred also in the absence of feeding

Etiological profile of noncompressive myelopathies in a tertiary care hospital of Northeast India

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Ashok Kumar Kayal

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The discovery of antibodies against aquaporin-4 and evolving concepts of noncompressive myelopathies in the 21st century have made a major impact on the etiological profile of these diseases, with few cases turning out to be idiopathic. Objective: To find causes of noncompressive myelopathy in a tertiary care hospital of Northeast India. Materials and Methods: An observational study was carried out in the Neurology Department of Gauhati Medical College, Guwahati, from September 2013 to February 2016. Patients of noncompressive myelopathies who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI of the spine were segregated into two categories: acute-to-subacute myelopathy (ASM and chronic myelopathy (CM. In addition to routine blood tests, chest X-ray, urinalysis, and visual evoked potentials, investigations included MRI of the brain, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and immunological, infectious, and metabolic profile based on the pattern of involvement. Results: The study had 151 patients (96 ASM and 55 CM with a median age of 35 years and male: female ratio 1.4:1. The causes of ASM were neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (23, multiple sclerosis (MS (8, systemic lupus erythematosus (1, Hashimoto's disease (1, postinfectious acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (6, postinfectious myelitis (8, infections (9, spinal cord infarct (5, and electrocution (1. The causes of CM were MS (1, probable or possible sarcoidosis (7, mixed connective tissue disease (1, Hashimoto's disease (2, infections (9, Vitamin B12deficiency (4, folate deficiency (2, hepatic myelopathy (2, radiation (11, and paraneoplastic (1. No etiology could be found in 48 (31.8% patients (34 ASM and 14 CM. In 21/96 (21.9% patients of ASM, acute transverse myelitis was idiopathic based on current diagnostic criteria. Conclusion: Underlying etiology (demyelinating, autoimmune, infectious, vascular, metabolic disorder, or physical agent was found in 68% patients of noncompressive

The Endogenous-Exogenous Partition in Attribution Theory

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Kruglanski, Arie W.

1975-01-01

Within lay explanation of actions, several significant inferences are assumed to follow from the partition between endogenous and exogenous attributions. An endogenous action is judged to constitute an end in itself; an exogenous action is judged to serve as a means to some further end. (Editor/RK)

Causes of endogenous uveitis in cats presented to referral clinics in North Carolina.

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Jinks, Maggie R; English, Robert V; Gilger, Brian C

2016-07-01

To investigate the causes of endogenous uveitis in cats presenting to referral ophthalmology clinics in North Carolina. Medical records of cats diagnosed with endogenous uveitis at North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine (NCSU-CVM) or Animal Eye Care Associates of Cary, NC between 2003 and 2015 were reviewed. Inclusion criteria were cats that had complete diagnostic workups, including clinical, clinicopathological, serological, and histopathological data, as well as imaging modalities. Serology was consistently completed for feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), feline coronavirus (FCoV), Toxoplasma gondii, and Bartonella spp. One hundred and twenty cats met the inclusion criteria. Seroprevalence of FeLV (2.7%), FIV (7.3%), FCoV (34.7%), T. gondii (23.7%), and Bartonella spp. (43.2%) was observed, with a combined seroprevalence of 59.2%. Nineteen cats (15.8%) were diagnosed with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) based on clinical, hematological, serological, histopathological, and necropsy findings. The average age of all cases was 7.62 years, while the average age of cats diagnosed with FIP was 1.82 years. Neoplasia was diagnosed in six cats (5.0%). No underlying etiology was found in 49 cats (40.8%). Both idiopathic and neoplastic causes of uveitis were less prevalent than previously reported in studies, while seropositivity was higher than previously reported for the study area. This may be due to improved diagnostic capabilities or that cats with infectious disease were more likely to be referred. Because of the high prevalence of FIP, young cats with uveitis should be evaluated for hyperglobulinemia and FCoV serology should be performed as minimal diagnostics. © 2015 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

THE PROCESSES OF ENDOGENIZING IN THE ENDOGENOUS GROWTH: THE CASE OF TURKEY

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OSMAN DEMİR

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to state how the main inputs of endogenous growth, i.e. knowledge, human capital and technological progress are made endogenous by education, R&D, university-industry cooperation, learning by doing and diffusion within the production process. Competitiveness of firms and countries would increase as educated people enter into workforce; as R&D produces new technologies which are used in the production process; as theoretical knowledge meets with practice by university-industry cooperation; and as workers have more experience by learning by doing. In empirical analysis for Turkey is made by using data of 1970-2001 term it was found that a positive relationship among labour and capital factors and GNP and a negative relationship among education expenditures and foreign trade volume and capital stock.

A survey of endogenous retrovirus (ERV) sequences in the vicinity of multiple sclerosis (MS)-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).

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Brütting, Christine; Emmer, Alexander; Kornhuber, Malte; Staege, Martin S

2016-08-01

Although multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common central nervous system diseases in young adults, little is known about its etiology. Several human endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are considered to play a role in MS. We are interested in which ERVs can be identified in the vicinity of MS associated genetic marker to find potential initiators of MS. We analysed the chromosomal regions surrounding 58 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are associated with MS identified in one of the last major genome wide association studies. We scanned these regions for putative endogenous retrovirus sequences with large open reading frames (ORFs). We observed that more retrovirus-related putative ORFs exist in the relatively close vicinity of SNP marker indices in multiple sclerosis compared to control SNPs. We found very high homologies to HERV-K, HCML-ARV, XMRV, Galidia ERV, HERV-H/env62 and XMRV-like mouse endogenous retrovirus mERV-XL. The associated genes (CYP27B1, CD6, CD58, MPV17L2, IL12RB1, CXCR5, PTGER4, TAGAP, TYK2, ICAM3, CD86, GALC, GPR65 as well as the HLA DRB1*1501) are mainly involved in the immune system, but also in vitamin D regulation. The most frequently detected ERV sequences are related to the multiple sclerosis-associated retrovirus, the human immunodeficiency virus 1, HERV-K, and the Simian foamy virus. Our data shows that there is a relation between MS associated SNPs and the number of retroviral elements compared to control. Our data identifies new ERV sequences that have not been associated with MS, so far.

Clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of dengue and other etiologic agents among patients with acute febrile illness, Puerto Rico, 2012-2015.

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Kay M Tomashek

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Identifying etiologies of acute febrile illnesses (AFI is challenging due to non-specific presentation and limited availability of diagnostics. Prospective AFI studies provide a methodology to describe the syndrome by age and etiology, findings that can be used to develop case definitions and multiplexed diagnostics to optimize management. We conducted a 3-year prospective AFI study in Puerto Rico. Patients with fever ≤7 days were offered enrollment, and clinical data and specimens were collected at enrollment and upon discharge or follow-up. Blood and oro-nasopharyngeal specimens were tested by RT-PCR and immunodiagnostic methods for infection with dengue viruses (DENV 1-4, chikungunya virus (CHIKV, influenza A and B viruses (FLU A/B, 12 other respiratory viruses (ORV, enterovirus, Leptospira spp., and Burkholderia pseudomallei. Clinical presentation and laboratory findings of participants infected with DENV were compared to those infected with CHIKV, FLU A/B, and ORV. Clinical predictors of laboratory-positive dengue compared to all other AFI etiologies were determined by age and day post-illness onset (DPO at presentation. Of 8,996 participants enrolled from May 7, 2012 through May 6, 2015, more than half (54.8%, 4,930 had a pathogen detected. Pathogens most frequently detected were CHIKV (1,635, 18.2%, FLU A/B (1,074, 11.9%, DENV 1-4 (970, 10.8%, and ORV (904, 10.3%. Participants with DENV infection presented later and a higher proportion were hospitalized than those with other diagnoses (46.7% versus 27.3% with ORV, 18.8% with FLU A/B, and 11.2% with CHIKV. Predictors of dengue in participants presenting <3 DPO included leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, headache, eye pain, nausea, and dizziness, while negative predictors were irritability and rhinorrhea. Predictors of dengue in participants presenting 3-5 DPO were leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, facial/neck erythema, nausea, eye pain, signs of poor circulation, and diarrhea; presence of

Clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of dengue and other etiologic agents among patients with acute febrile illness, Puerto Rico, 2012-2015.

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Tomashek, Kay M; Lorenzi, Olga D; Andújar-Pérez, Doris A; Torres-Velásquez, Brenda C; Hunsperger, Elizabeth A; Munoz-Jordan, Jorge Luis; Perez-Padilla, Janice; Rivera, Aidsa; Gonzalez-Zeno, Gladys E; Sharp, Tyler M; Galloway, Renee L; Glass Elrod, Mindy; Mathis, Demetrius L; Oberste, M Steven; Nix, W Allan; Henderson, Elizabeth; McQuiston, Jennifer; Singleton, Joseph; Kato, Cecilia; García Gubern, Carlos; Santiago-Rivera, William; Cruz-Correa, Jesús; Muns-Sosa, Robert; Ortiz-Rivera, Juan D; Jiménez, Gerson; Galarza, Ivonne E; Horiuchi, Kalanthe; Margolis, Harold S; Alvarado, Luisa I

2017-09-01

Identifying etiologies of acute febrile illnesses (AFI) is challenging due to non-specific presentation and limited availability of diagnostics. Prospective AFI studies provide a methodology to describe the syndrome by age and etiology, findings that can be used to develop case definitions and multiplexed diagnostics to optimize management. We conducted a 3-year prospective AFI study in Puerto Rico. Patients with fever ≤7 days were offered enrollment, and clinical data and specimens were collected at enrollment and upon discharge or follow-up. Blood and oro-nasopharyngeal specimens were tested by RT-PCR and immunodiagnostic methods for infection with dengue viruses (DENV) 1-4, chikungunya virus (CHIKV), influenza A and B viruses (FLU A/B), 12 other respiratory viruses (ORV), enterovirus, Leptospira spp., and Burkholderia pseudomallei. Clinical presentation and laboratory findings of participants infected with DENV were compared to those infected with CHIKV, FLU A/B, and ORV. Clinical predictors of laboratory-positive dengue compared to all other AFI etiologies were determined by age and day post-illness onset (DPO) at presentation. Of 8,996 participants enrolled from May 7, 2012 through May 6, 2015, more than half (54.8%, 4,930) had a pathogen detected. Pathogens most frequently detected were CHIKV (1,635, 18.2%), FLU A/B (1,074, 11.9%), DENV 1-4 (970, 10.8%), and ORV (904, 10.3%). Participants with DENV infection presented later and a higher proportion were hospitalized than those with other diagnoses (46.7% versus 27.3% with ORV, 18.8% with FLU A/B, and 11.2% with CHIKV). Predictors of dengue in participants presenting dengue in participants presenting 3-5 DPO were leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, facial/neck erythema, nausea, eye pain, signs of poor circulation, and diarrhea; presence of rhinorrhea, cough, and red conjunctiva predicted non-dengue AFI. By enrolling febrile patients at clinical presentation, we identified unbiased predictors of laboratory

Market mechanism based on the endogenous changing of game types such as Minority-Majority games

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Ahn, Sanghyun; Lim, Gyuchang; Kim, Sooyong; Kim, Kyungsik

2010-03-01

In many social and biological systems agents simultaneously and adaptively compete for limited resources, thereby altering their environment. We propose a evolution function extending Minority-Majority Games that captures the competition between agents to make money. The dynamics changes the ratio of two types of boundedly rational traders, fundamentalists and chartists with the payoff function endogenously. In the previous game theories, the best strategies are not always targeting the minority but are shifting opportunistically between the minority and the majority. And using a mixture of local bifurcation theory and numerical methods, there are possible bifurcation routes to complicated asset price dynamics, chaotic attractors. Hereby we improve the thinking logic of the atoms for attaching the dynamics to the market. This working shows that removing unrealistic features of the game theories leads to models which reproduce a behavior close to what is observed in real markets.

Endogenous Cartilage Repair by Recruitment of Stem Cells.

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Im, Gun-Il

2016-04-01

Articular cartilage has a very limited capacity for repair after injury. The adult body has a pool of stem cells that are mobilized during injury or disease. These cells exist inside niches in bone marrow, muscle, adipose tissue, synovium, and other connective tissues. A method that mobilizes this endogenous pool of stem cells will provide a less costly and less invasive alternative if these cells successfully regenerate defective cartilage. Traditional microfracture procedures employ the concept of bone marrow stimulation to regenerate cartilage. However, the regenerated tissue usually is fibrous cartilage, which has very poor mechanical properties compared to those of normal hyaline cartilage. A method that directs the migration of a large number of autologous mesenchymal stem cells toward injury sites, retains these cells around the defects, and induces chondrogenic differentiation that would enhance success of endogenous cartilage repair. This review briefly summarizes chemokines and growth factors that induce recruitment, proliferation, and differentiation of endogenous progenitor cells, endogenous cell sources for regenerating cartilage, scaffolds for delivery of bioactive factors, and bioadhesive materials that are necessary to bring about endogenous cartilage repair.

Applying Endogenous Knowledge in the African Context ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The question presented in this article is how to improve the dispute resolution competence of practitioners in Africa. The response offered involves enhancing the endogenous knowledge of a dispute and how to resolve it. This requires not only an understanding of what endogenous knowledge is, but also an alignment of ...

Etiology of Inguinal Hernias: A Comprehensive Review

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Stina Öberg

2017-09-01

Full Text Available BackgroundThe etiology of inguinal hernias remains uncertain even though the lifetime risk of developing an inguinal hernia is 27% for men and 3% for women. The aim was to summarize the evidence on hernia etiology, with focus on differences between lateral and medial hernias.ResultsLateral and medial hernias seem to have common as well as different etiologies. A patent processus vaginalis and increased cumulative mechanical exposure are risk factors for lateral hernias. Patients with medial hernias seem to have a more profoundly altered connective tissue architecture and homeostasis compared with patients with lateral hernias. However, connective tissue alteration may play a role in development of both subtypes. Inguinal hernias have a hereditary component with a complex inheritance pattern, and inguinal hernia susceptible genes have been identified that also are involved in connective tissue homeostasis.ConclusionThe etiology of lateral and medial hernias are at least partly different, but the final explanations are still lacking on certain areas. Further investigations of inguinal hernia genes may explain the altered connective tissue observed in patients with inguinal hernias. The precise mechanisms why processus vaginalis fails to obliterate in certain patients should also be clarified. Not all patients with a patent processus vaginalis develop a lateral hernia, but increased intraabdominal pressure appears to be a contributing factor.

Etiology and immunology of infectious bronchitis virus

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LF Caron

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV of chickens is currently one of the main diseases associated with respiratory syndrome in domestic poultry, as well as with losses related to egg production. The etiological agent is a coronavirus, which presents structural differences in the field, mainly in the S1 spike protein. The immune response against this virus is complicated by the few similarities among serotypes. Environmental and management factors, as well as the high mutation rate of the virus, render it difficult to control the disease and compromise the efficacy of the available vaccines. Bird immune system capacity to respond to challenges depend on the integrity of the mucosae, as an innate compartment, and on the generation of humoral and cell-mediated adaptive responses, and may affect the health status of breeding stocks in the medium run. Vaccination of day-old chicks in the hatchery on aims at eliciting immune responses, particularly cell-mediated responses that are essential when birds are first challenged. Humoral response (IgY and IgA are also important for virus clearance in subsequent challenges. The presence of antibodies against the S1 spike protein in 3- to 4-week-old birds is important both in broilers and for immunological memory in layers and breeders.

Infectious agents and inflammation in donated hearts and dilated cardiomyopathies related to cardiovascular diseases, Chagas' heart disease, primary and secondary dilated cardiomyopathies.

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Mangini, Sandrigo; Higuchi, Maria de Lourdes; Kawakami, Joyce Tiyeko; Reis, Marcia Martins; Ikegami, Renata Nishiyama; Palomino, Suely Aparecida Pinheiro; Pomerantzeff, Pablo Maria Alberto; Fiorelli, Alfredo Inácio; Marcondes-Braga, Fabiana Goulart; Bacal, Fernando; Ferreira, Sílvia Moreira Ayub; Issa, Victor Sarli; Souza, Germano Emílio Conceição; Chizzola, Paulo Roberto; Bocchi, Edimar Alcides

2015-01-15

Clinical and experimental conflicting data have questioned the relationship between infectious agents, inflammation and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of infectious agents and inflammation in endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) specimens from patients with idiopathic DCM, explanted hearts from different etiologies, including Chagas' disease, compared to donated hearts. From 2008 to 2011, myocardial samples from 29 heart donors and 55 patients with DCMs from different etiologies were studied (32 idiopathic, 9 chagasic, 6 ischemic and 8 other specific etiologies). Inflammation was investigated by immunohistochemistry and infectious agents by immunohistochemistry, molecular biology, in situ hybridization and electron microscopy. There were no differences regarding the presence of macrophages, expression of HLA class II and ICAM-I in donors and DCM. Inflammation in Chagas' disease was predominant. By immunohistochemistry, in donors, there was a higher expression of antigens of enterovirus and Borrelia, hepatitis B and C in DCMs. By molecular biology, in all groups, the positivity was elevated to microorganisms, including co-infections, with a higher positivity to adenovirus and HHV6 in donors towards DCMs. This study was the first to demonstrate the presence of virus in the heart tissue of chagasic DCM. The presence of inflammation and infectious agents is frequent in donated hearts, in the myocardium of patients with idiopathic DCM, myocardial dysfunction related to cardiovascular diseases, and primary and secondary cardiomyopathies, including Chagas' disease. The role of co-infection in Chagas' heart disease physiopathology deserves to be investigated in future studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Explaining Cigarette Smoking: An Endogenous-Exogenous Analysis.

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McKillip, Jack

Kruglanski's endogenous-exogenous partition, when applied to reasons given by smokers for smoking cigarettes, distinguishes two types of actions: (1) endogenous reasons implying that the behavior of consuming the cigarette is the goal of the action and the actor is positive toward the behavior, and (2) exogenous reasons implying that the behavior…

Etiology, clinical features and management of acute recurrent pancreatitis.

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Deng, Yi Yun; Wang, Rui; Wu, Hao; Tang, Cheng Wei; Chen, Xin Zu

2014-10-01

To study the etiology and clinical features of acute recurrent pancreatitis (ARP) and to determine its optimal management and outcomes. ARP cases among acute pancreatitis patients who were admitted to the West China Hospital, Sichuan University from January 2008 to December 2012 were retrospectively collected. Their etiology, clinical features, treatments and outcomes were analyzed. Of all pancreatitis patients, 8.9% were classified as ARP. The proportions of mild and severe diseases were 85.7% and 14.3%, respectively. The common etiological factors were biliogenic (31.0%), alcohol (26.2%), hyperlipidemia (21.4%) and pancreaticobiliary malformation (15.4%). At first 46 cases were cryptogenic and among them 36 were subsequently confirmed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Among the hyperlipidemic ARP patients, 72.2% failed to routinely monitor and control serum lipids. ERCP was performed in 88 cases, and 48 also required an endoscopic sphincterotomy or calculus removal. Twenty-two patients underwent cholangiopancreatic duct stent placement, and pancreatic necrosectomy was performed on eight severe cases. The overall outcomes indicate that 8.3% of the cases progressed to chronic pancreatitis and 33.3% of the cases receiving etiological treatment were recurrence-free. There were no deaths in this study. The etiological factors of ARP are similar to those of acute pancreatitis at the first attack. The management of ARP should be fully considered based on etiological investigation. © 2014 Chinese Medical Association Shanghai Branch, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

The etiological structure, biological properties of causative agents of peri-implant mucositis

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M. O. Faustova

2017-10-01

resistance to antibiotics (penicillins, macrolides, lincosamides. Modern antiseptics horosten, decasan and chlorhexidine provide a strong antimicrobial activity against etiological pathogens of mucositis, that makes them promising for use in dental implantology.

Consentaneous agent-based and stochastic model of the financial markets.

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Gontis, Vygintas; Kononovicius, Aleksejus

2014-01-01

We are looking for the agent-based treatment of the financial markets considering necessity to build bridges between microscopic, agent based, and macroscopic, phenomenological modeling. The acknowledgment that agent-based modeling framework, which may provide qualitative and quantitative understanding of the financial markets, is very ambiguous emphasizes the exceptional value of well defined analytically tractable agent systems. Herding as one of the behavior peculiarities considered in the behavioral finance is the main property of the agent interactions we deal with in this contribution. Looking for the consentaneous agent-based and macroscopic approach we combine two origins of the noise: exogenous one, related to the information flow, and endogenous one, arising form the complex stochastic dynamics of agents. As a result we propose a three state agent-based herding model of the financial markets. From this agent-based model we derive a set of stochastic differential equations, which describes underlying macroscopic dynamics of agent population and log price in the financial markets. The obtained solution is then subjected to the exogenous noise, which shapes instantaneous return fluctuations. We test both Gaussian and q-Gaussian noise as a source of the short term fluctuations. The resulting model of the return in the financial markets with the same set of parameters reproduces empirical probability and spectral densities of absolute return observed in New York, Warsaw and NASDAQ OMX Vilnius Stock Exchanges. Our result confirms the prevalent idea in behavioral finance that herding interactions may be dominant over agent rationality and contribute towards bubble formation.

Endogenous opiates and behavior: 2014.

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Bodnar, Richard J

2016-01-01

This paper is the thirty-seventh consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2014 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior (endogenous opioids and receptors), and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia (pain and analgesia); stress and social status (human studies); tolerance and dependence (opioid mediation of other analgesic responses); learning and memory (stress and social status); eating and drinking (stress-induced analgesia); alcohol and drugs of abuse (emotional responses in opioid-mediated behaviors); sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (opioid involvement in stress response regulation); mental illness and mood (tolerance and dependence); seizures and neurologic disorders (learning and memory); electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (opiates and conditioned place preferences (CPP)); general activity and locomotion (eating and drinking); gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (alcohol and drugs of abuse); cardiovascular responses (opiates and ethanol); respiration and thermoregulation (opiates and THC); and immunological responses (opiates and stimulants). This paper is the thirty-seventh consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2014 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular

Making a virtue of necessity: the pleiotropic role of human endogenous retroviruses in cancer.

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Kassiotis, George; Stoye, Jonathan P

2017-10-19

Like all other mammals, humans harbour an astonishing number of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), as well as other retroelements, embedded in their genome. These remnants of ancestral germline infection with distinct exogenous retroviruses display various degrees of open reading frame integrity and replication capability. Modern day exogenous retroviruses, as well as the infectious predecessors of ERVs, are demonstrably oncogenic. Further, replication-competent ERVs continue to cause cancers in many other species of mammal. Moreover, human cancers are characterized by transcriptional activation of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs). These observations conspire to incriminate HERVs as causative agents of human cancer. However, exhaustive investigation of cancer genomes suggests that HERVs have entirely lost the ability for re-infection and thus the potential for insertional mutagenic activity. Although there may be non-insertional mechanisms by which HERVs contribute to cancer development, recent evidence also uncovers potent anti-tumour activities exerted by HERV replication intermediates or protein products. On balance, it appears that HERVs, despite their oncogenic past, now represent potential targets for immune-mediated anti-tumour mechanisms.This article is part of the themed issue 'Human oncogenic viruses'. © 2017 The Authors.

The role of endogenous and exogenous mechanisms in the formation of R&D networks

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Tomasello, Mario V.; Perra, Nicola; Tessone, Claudio J.; Karsai, Márton; Schweitzer, Frank

2014-01-01

We develop an agent-based model of strategic link formation in Research and Development (R&D) networks. Empirical evidence has shown that the growth of these networks is driven by mechanisms which are both endogenous to the system (that is, depending on existing alliances patterns) and exogenous (that is, driven by an exploratory search for newcomer firms). Extant research to date has not investigated both mechanisms simultaneously in a comparative manner. To overcome this limitation, we develop a general modeling framework to shed light on the relative importance of these two mechanisms. We test our model against a comprehensive dataset, listing cross-country and cross-sectoral R&D alliances from 1984 to 2009. Our results show that by fitting only three macroscopic properties of the network topology, this framework is able to reproduce a number of micro-level measures, including the distributions of degree, local clustering, path length and component size, and the emergence of network clusters. Furthermore, by estimating the link probabilities towards newcomers and established firms from the data, we find that endogenous mechanisms are predominant over the exogenous ones in the network formation, thus quantifying the importance of existing structures in selecting partner firms. PMID:25022561

The role of endogenous and exogenous mechanisms in the formation of R&D networks

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Tomasello, Mario V.; Perra, Nicola; Tessone, Claudio J.; Karsai, Márton; Schweitzer, Frank

2014-07-01

We develop an agent-based model of strategic link formation in Research and Development (R&D) networks. Empirical evidence has shown that the growth of these networks is driven by mechanisms which are both endogenous to the system (that is, depending on existing alliances patterns) and exogenous (that is, driven by an exploratory search for newcomer firms). Extant research to date has not investigated both mechanisms simultaneously in a comparative manner. To overcome this limitation, we develop a general modeling framework to shed light on the relative importance of these two mechanisms. We test our model against a comprehensive dataset, listing cross-country and cross-sectoral R&D alliances from 1984 to 2009. Our results show that by fitting only three macroscopic properties of the network topology, this framework is able to reproduce a number of micro-level measures, including the distributions of degree, local clustering, path length and component size, and the emergence of network clusters. Furthermore, by estimating the link probabilities towards newcomers and established firms from the data, we find that endogenous mechanisms are predominant over the exogenous ones in the network formation, thus quantifying the importance of existing structures in selecting partner firms.

Investigation of Endogenous Retrovirus Sequences in the Neighborhood of Genes Up-regulated in a Neuroblastoma Model after Treatment with Hypoxia-Mimetic Cobalt Chloride.

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Brütting, Christine; Narasimhan, Harini; Hoffmann, Frank; Kornhuber, Malte E; Staege, Martin S; Emmer, Alexander

2018-01-01

Human endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) have been found to be associated with different diseases, e.g., multiple sclerosis (MS). Most human ERVs integrated in our genome are not competent to replicate and these sequences are presumably silent. However, transcription of human ERVs can be reactivated, e.g., by hypoxia. Interestingly, MS has been linked to hypoxia since decades. As some patterns of demyelination are similar to white matter ischemia, hypoxic damage is discussed. Therefore, we are interested in the association between hypoxia and ERVs. As a model, we used human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells after treatment with the hypoxia-mimetic cobalt chloride and analyzed differences in the gene expression profiles in comparison to untreated cells. The vicinity of up-regulated genes was scanned for endogenous retrovirus-derived sequences. Five genes were found to be strongly up-regulated in SH-SY5Y cells after treatment with cobalt chloride: clusterin, glutathione peroxidase 3, insulin-like growth factor 2, solute carrier family 7 member 11, and neural precursor cell expressed developmentally down-regulated protein 9. In the vicinity of these genes we identified large (>1,000 bp) open reading frames (ORFs). Most of these ORFs showed only low similarities to proteins from retro-transcribing viruses. However, we found very high similarity between retrovirus envelope sequences and a sequence in the vicinity of neural precursor cell expressed developmentally down-regulated protein 9. This sequence encodes the human endogenous retrovirus group FRD member 1, the encoded protein product is called syncytin 2. Transfection of syncytin 2 into the well-characterized Ewing sarcoma cell line A673 was not able to modulate the low immunostimulatory activity of this cell line. Future research is needed to determine whether the identified genes and the human endogenous retrovirus group FRD member 1 might play a role in the etiology of MS.

Etiology of childhood community acquired pneumonia and its implications for vaccination

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Nascimento-Carvalho Cristiana M.C.

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Pneumonia is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among children throughout the world. Vaccines are available for some organisms, but they are underutilized and/or still in development. To evaluate the potential impact of vaccines, we review studies in which the etiology of childhood community-acquired pneumonia was recorded. In North America and Europe (9 studies, the etiology of pneumonia was established in 62% of studied children (range 43%-88% by use of noninvasive specific methods for microbiologic diagnosis. The most often identified agents were S. pneumoniae (22%, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV (20%, Haemophilus influenzae (7%, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (15%. In Africa and South America (8 studies, bacteria were recovered from 56% (range 32%-68% of severely ill children studied by lung aspirate. The most often isolated bacteria were Streptococcus pneumoniae (33% and Haemophilus influenzae (21%. A high percentage of H. influenzae strains were not serotype b. Throughout the world, children requiring hospitalization were most likely to have infection caused by pneumococcus H. influenzae or RSV. Out patients also had Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Countries in Africa and Asia recorded 2 to 10 times more children with pneumonia (7 to 40/100 annually than in the USA. Widespread use of pneumococcal and H. influenzae type b conjugate vaccines could reduce the frequency of childhood pneumonia by one-third. Further reduction will require development of non-type b H. influenzae, RSV and M. pneumoniae vaccines. This could result in a > 50% reduction of pneumonia in children. This goal should be sought and achieved as soon as possible.

[Chronic diarrhea with uncommon etiology].

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Gil Borrás, R; Juan Vidal, O; Talavera Encinas, M I; Bixquert Jiménez, M

2005-03-01

Chronic diarrhea is a common syndrome. An etiological diagnosis is often reached through clinical history, physical examination and simple tests. In some cases, when the etiology is not found, the syndrome is called functional diarrhea, even though established criteria are often not fulfilled. We present the case of a patient with diarrhea for several months. The most common causes were ruled out through clinical history, physical examination, radiographic studies and laboratory tests, and the patient was diagnosed with functional diarrhea. Three months later, the patient presented a neck mass, and biopsy revealed medullary carcinoma of the thyroid. A review of recommendations for the systematic evaluation of chronic diarrhea is presented. A general approach should include careful history taking characteristics of diarrhea (onset, associated symptoms, epidemiological factors, iatrogenic causes such as laxative ingestion), a thorough physical examination with special attention to the anorectal region, and routine laboratory tests (complete blood count and serum chemistry). In addition, stool analysis including electrolytes (fecal osmotic gap), leukocytes, fecal occult blood, excess stool fat and laxative screening can yield important objective information to classify the diarrhea as: osmotic (osmotic gaps > 125 mOsm/Kg), secretory (osmotic gaps diarrhea described above. A systematic approach to the evaluation of chronic diarrhea is warranted. Medullary thyroid carcinoma and other endocrine syndromes causing chronic diarrhea are very rare. Measurement of serum peptide concentrations should only be performed when clinical presentation and findings in stool or radiographic studies suggest this etiology.

Endogene CGRP

OpenAIRE

Höfer, Martina

2010-01-01

Hintergrund und Ziele Die vorliegende tierexperimentelle Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Frage, welche Rolle endogenes Calcitonin-gene related peptide (CGRP) in der Niere spielt. Hierbei untersuchten wir die renale CGRP Freisetzung aus renalen Afferenzen in vitro anhand von gesunden Tieren und einem pathologischen Modell der Glomerulonephritis. Man weiß bereits, dass sowohl sympathische als auch primär sensorische Neuronen die Entzündung und die Immunantwort in der Peripherie regulieren (68)....

[The endogenous opioid system and drug addiction].

Science.gov (United States)

Maldonado, R

2010-01-01

Drug addiction is a chronic brain disorder leading to complex adaptive changes within the brain reward circuits. Several neurotransmitters, including the endogenous opioid system are involved in these changes. The opioid system plays a pivotal role in different aspects of addiction. Thus, opioid receptors and endogenous opioid peptides are largely distributed in the mesolimbic system and modulate dopaminergic activity within the reward circuits. Opioid receptors and peptides are selectively involved in several components of the addictive processes induced by opioids, cannabinoids, psychostimulants, alcohol and nicotine. This review is focused on the contribution of each component of the endogenous opioid system in the addictive properties of the different drugs of abuse. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Etiología del colesteatoma ótico Etiology of otic cholesteatoma

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Julianis Loraine Quintero Noa

2011-12-01

Full Text Available El colesteatoma es una estructura quística caracterizada por la presencia de epitelio escamoso productor de queratina, que sustituye o recubre la mucosa normal en la hendidura del oído medio y ápex petroso, y puede ser causa de hipoacusia irreversible, destrucción ósea y graves complicaciones por su crecimiento expansivo. Clásicamente se describen los colesteatomas en congénitos y adquiridos. La etiología de su formación es multifactorial y continúa siendo poco claro y controversial. Se reportan diferentes teorías que han tratado de explicar el colesteatoma congénito, la transición de un bolsillo de retracción hasta la aparición del colesteatoma adquirido primario, y otras en la génesis del colesteatoma adquirido secundario. Se describe la presencia de algunas citoquinas dentro del colesteatoma que inducen la hiperproliferación e invasión incoordinada de los queratinocitos de la piel del conducto auditivo externo y la pars fláccida, más agresiva en el colesteatoma adquirido pediátrico, y que desempeñan un papel fundamental en la proliferación y en la apoptosis del queratinocito. En cultivo in vitro de una muestra de tejido colesteatomatoso, se ha identificado recientemente que el TNF-a estimula la producción de la IL-8. Se considera de interés ofrecer esta revisión sobre la etiología del colesteatoma, que aún se mantiene en el campo de la investigación y continúa siendo un reto para los otocirujanos por su alta incidencia de recidivas y posibles complicaciones.Cholesteatoma is a cystic structure characterized by presence of squamous epithelium producing keratin substituting or recovering the normal mucosa in the groove of middle ear and petrous apex and may to be caused by irreversible hypoacusia, bone destruction and severe complications due to its expansive growth. Typically the cholesteatomas are described as congenital and acquired. The etiology of its formation is multifactor and still remains a subject not

Endogenous Money Supply and Money Demand

OpenAIRE

Woon Gyu Choi; Seonghwan Oh

2000-01-01

This paper explores the behavior of money demand by explicitly accounting for the money supply endogeneity arising from endogenous monetary policy and financial innovations. Our theoretical analysis indicates that money supply factors matter in the money demand function when the money supply partially responds to money demand. Our empirical results with U.S. data provide strong evidence for the relevance of the policy stance to the demand for MI under a regime in which monetary policy is subs...

Optimized endogenous post-stratification in forest inventories

Science.gov (United States)

Paul L. Patterson

2012-01-01

An example of endogenous post-stratification is the use of remote sensing data with a sample of ground data to build a logistic regression model to predict the probability that a plot is forested and using the predicted probabilities to form categories for post-stratification. An optimized endogenous post-stratified estimator of the proportion of forest has been...

Dynamic equilibrium of endogenous selenium nanoparticles in selenite-exposed cancer cells: a deep insight into the interaction between endogenous SeNPs and proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Peng; Chen, Song-Can; Xiao, Ke-Qing

2015-12-01

Elemental selenium (Se) was recently found to exist as endogenous nanoparticles (i.e., SeNPs) in selenite-exposed cancer cells. By sequestrating critical intracellular proteins, SeNPs appear capable of giving rise to multiple cytotoxicity mechanisms including inhibition of glycolysis, glycolysis-dependent mitochondrial dysfunction, microtubule depolymerization and inhibition of autophagy. In this work, we reveal a dynamic equilibrium of endogenous SeNP assembly and disassembly in selenite-exposed H157 cells. Endogenous SeNPs are observed both in the cytoplasm and in organelles. There is an increase in endogenous SeNPs between 24 h and 36 h, and a decrease between 36 h and 72 h according to transmission electron microscopy results and UV-Vis measurements. These observations imply that elemental Se in SeNPs could be oxidized back into selenite by scavenging superoxide radicals and ultimately re-reduced into selenide; then the assembly and disassembly of SeNPs proceed simultaneously with the sequestration and release of SeNP high-affinity proteins. There is also a possibility that the reduction of elemental Se to selenide pathway may lie in selenite-exposed cancer cells, which results in the assembly and disassembly of endogenous SeNPs. Genome-wide expression analysis results show that endogenous SeNPs significantly altered the expression of 504 genes, compared to the control. The endogenous SeNPs induced mitochondrial impairment and decreasing of the annexin A2 level can lead to inhibition of cancer cell invasion and migration. This dynamic flux of endogenous SeNPs amplifies their cytotoxic potential in cancer cells, thus provide a starting point to design more efficient intracellular self-assembling systems for overcoming multidrug resistance.

Effects of colchicine on the intestinal transport of endogenous lipid. Ultrastructural, biochemical, and radiochemical studies in fasting rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavelka, M.; Gangl, A.

1983-01-01

The involvement of microtubules in the transepithelial transport of exogenous lipid in intestinal absorptive cells has been suggested. Using electronmicroscopic, biochemical, and radiochemical methods, researchers have studied the effects of the antimicrotubular agent colchicine on the intestinal mucosa and on the intestinal transport of endogenous lipid of rats in the fasting state. After colchicine treatment, the concentration of triglycerides in intestinal mucosa of rats fasted for 24 h doubled, and electron microscopic studies showed a striking accumulation of lipid particles in absorptive epithelial cells of the tips of jejunal villi. These findings suggest that colchicine interferes with the intestinal transepithelial transport of endogenous lipoproteins. Additional studies, using an intraduodenal pulse injection of [ 14 C]linoleic acid, showed that colchicine does not affect the uptake of fatty acids by intestinal mucosa. However, it had divergent effects on fatty acid esterification, enhancing their incorporation into triglycerides relative to phospholipids, and caused a significant accumulation of endogenous diglycerides, triglycerides, and cholesterol esters within the absorptive intestinal epithelium. Detailed ultrastructural and morphometric studies revealed a decrease of visible microtubules, and a displacement of the smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. Furthermore, it is shown that after colchicine treatment, microvilli appear at the lateral plasma membrane of intestinal absorptive cells, a change not previously reported to our knowledge. Thus, our study shows that colchicine causes significant changes in enterocyte ultrastructure and colchicine perturbs the reesterification of absorbed endogenous fatty acids and their secretion in the form of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins from the enterocyte

Epidemiology of Cerebellar Ataxia on the Etiological Basis: A Cross Sectional Study

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Simindokht Hosseini Seyede

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Cerebellar ataxias are a heterogenous group of disorders, clinically and etiologically, that result in considerable health burden. Finding out about the various etiologies, and their relative prevalences in the population suffering from cerebellar ataxia helps the clinician to perform a better management, in treatment process. This is a cross sectional study designed to estimate the relative prevalence of each etiologic factor. One-hundred and thirty-five patients ,in the range of 6 to 73 years from march 1993 to march1999, were classified in different groups on the basis of etiological findings. Relative prevalence of each of the etiological factors , common accompanying disorders besides ataxia in the patients,CT and MRI changes,and CSF alterations are studied and recorded. A widely spread age group, and the extended number of the cases under study, are the advantages of the current study over the previously reported case series. Among the etiologic groups, multiple sclerosis, cerebrovascular accidents and hereditary cerebellar ataxia, were the most common etiologic factors associated with cerebellar ataxia respectively.

CKD of Uncertain Etiology: A Systematic Review.

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Lunyera, Joseph; Mohottige, Dinushika; Von Isenburg, Megan; Jeuland, Marc; Patel, Uptal D; Stanifer, John W

2016-03-07

Epidemics of CKD of uncertain etiology (CKDu) are emerging around the world. Highlighting common risk factors for CKD of uncertain etiology across various regions and populations may be important for health policy and public health responses. We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science databases to identify published studies on CKDu. The search was generated in January of 2015; no language or date limits were used. We used a vote-counting method to evaluate exposures across all studies. We identified 1607 articles, of which 26 met inclusion criteria. Eighteen (69%) were conducted in known CKDu-endemic countries: Sri Lanka (38%), Nicaragua (19%), and El Salvador (12%). The other studies were from India, Japan, Australia, Mexico, Sweden, Tunisia, Tanzania, and the United States. Heavy metals, heat stress, and dietary exposures were reported across all geographic regions. In south Asia, family history, agrochemical use, and heavy metal exposures were reported most frequently, whereas altitude and temperature were reported only in studies from Central America. Across all regions, CKDu was most frequently associated with a family history of CKDu, agricultural occupation, men, middle age, snake bite, and heavy metal exposure. Studies examining etiologies of CKDu have reported many exposures that are heterogeneous and vary by region. To identify etiologies of CKDu, designing consistent and comparative multisite studies across high-risk populations may help elucidate the importance of region-specific versus global risk factors. Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Epidemiologie et etiologies des epistaxis dans notre pratique: A ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Introduction: A frequent ailment in ENT, the epistaxis is an emergency that can put the vital prognosis at stake. An adequate follow up care deserves some knowledge of etiology. Objectives: Study the epidemiological and etiological aspects of the epistaxis. Methodology: A retrospective and descriptive study conducted on ...

Endogenous opioids regulate moment-to-moment neuronal communication and excitability

Science.gov (United States)

Winters, Bryony L.; Gregoriou, Gabrielle C.; Kissiwaa, Sarah A.; Wells, Oliver A.; Medagoda, Danashi I.; Hermes, Sam M.; Burford, Neil T.; Alt, Andrew; Aicher, Sue A.; Bagley, Elena E.

2017-01-01

Fear and emotional learning are modulated by endogenous opioids but the cellular basis for this is unknown. The intercalated cells (ITCs) gate amygdala output and thus regulate the fear response. Here we find endogenous opioids are released by synaptic stimulation to act via two distinct mechanisms within the main ITC cluster. Endogenously released opioids inhibit glutamate release through the δ-opioid receptor (DOR), an effect potentiated by a DOR-positive allosteric modulator. Postsynaptically, the opioids activate a potassium conductance through the μ-opioid receptor (MOR), suggesting for the first time that endogenously released opioids directly regulate neuronal excitability. Ultrastructural localization of endogenous ligands support these functional findings. This study demonstrates a new role for endogenously released opioids as neuromodulators engaged by synaptic activity to regulate moment-to-moment neuronal communication and excitability. These distinct actions through MOR and DOR may underlie the opposing effect of these receptor systems on anxiety and fear. PMID:28327612

Monocular channels have a functional role in endogenous orienting.

Science.gov (United States)

Saban, William; Sekely, Liora; Klein, Raymond M; Gabay, Shai

2018-03-01

The literature has long emphasized the role of higher cortical structures in endogenous orienting. Based on evolutionary explanation and previous data, we explored the possibility that lower monocular channels may also have a functional role in endogenous orienting of attention. Sensitive behavioral manipulation was used to probe the contribution of monocularly segregated regions in a simple cue - target detection task. A central spatially informative cue, and its ensuing target, were presented to the same or different eyes at varying cue-target intervals. Results indicated that the onset of endogenous orienting was apparent earlier when the cue and target were presented to the same eye. The data provides converging evidence for the notion that endogenous facilitation is modulated by monocular portions of the visual stream. This, in turn, suggests that higher cortical mechanisms are not exclusively responsible for endogenous orienting, and that a dynamic interaction between higher and lower neural levels, might be involved. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Endogenous retroviruses mobilized during friend murine leukemia virus infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Boi, Stefano; Rosenke, Kyle; Hansen, Ethan; Hendrick, Duncan; Malik, Frank; Evans, Leonard H

2016-12-01

We have demonstrated in a mouse model that infection with a retrovirus can lead not only to the generation of recombinants between exogenous and endogenous gammaretrovirus, but also to the mobilization of endogenous proviruses by pseudotyping entire polytropic proviral transcripts and facilitating their infectious spread to new cells. However, the frequency of this occurrence, the kinetics, and the identity of mobilized endogenous proviruses was unclear. Here we find that these mobilized transcripts are detected after only one day of infection. They predominate over recombinant polytropic viruses early in infection, persist throughout the course of disease and are comprised of multiple different polytropic proviruses. Other endogenous retroviral elements such as intracisternal A particles (IAPs) were not detected. The integration of the endogenous transcripts into new cells could result in loss of transcriptional control and elevated expression which may facilitate pathogenesis, perhaps by contributing to the generation of polytropic recombinant viruses. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Systems Biology Approaches for the Prediction of Possible Role of Chlamydia pneumoniae Proteins in the Etiology of Lung Cancer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shahanavaj Khan

Full Text Available Accumulating evidence has recently supported the association of bacterial infection with the growth and development of cancers, particularly in organs that are constantly exposed to bacteria such as the lungs, colon, cervical cancer etc. Our in silico study on the proteome of Chlamydia pneumoniae suggests an unprecedented idea of the etiology of lung cancer and have revealed that the infection of C. pneumoniae is associated with lung cancer development and growth. It is reasonable to assume that C. pneumoniae transports its proteins within host-intracellular organelles during infection, where they may work with host-cell proteome. The current study was performed for the prediction of nuclear targeting protein of C. pneumoniae in the host cell using bioinformatics predictors including ExPASy pI/Mw tool, nuclear localization signal (NLS mapper, balanced sub cellular localization predictor (BaCeILo, and Hum-mPLoc 2.0. We predicted 47/1112 nuclear-targeting proteins of C. pneumoniae connected with several possible alterations in host replication and transcription during intracellular infection. These nuclear-targeting proteins may direct to competitive interactions of host and C. pneumoniae proteins with the availability of same substrate and may be involved as etiological agents in the growth and development of lung cancer. These novel findings are expected to access in better understanding of lung cancer etiology and identifying molecular targets for therapy.

Controlled cross-over study in normal subjects of naloxone-preceding-lactate infusions; respiratory and subjective responses: relationship to endogenous opioid system, suffocation false alarm theory and childhood parental loss.

Science.gov (United States)

Preter, M; Lee, S H; Petkova, E; Vannucci, M; Kim, S; Klein, D F

2011-02-01

The expanded suffocation false alarm theory (SFA) hypothesizes that dysfunction in endogenous opioidergic regulation increases sensitivity to CO2, separation distress and panic attacks. In panic disorder (PD) patients, both spontaneous clinical panics and lactate-induced panics markedly increase tidal volume (TV), whereas normals have a lesser effect, possibly due to their intact endogenous opioid system. We hypothesized that impairing the opioidergic system by naloxone could make normal controls parallel PD patients' response when lactate challenged. Whether actual separations and losses during childhood (childhood parental loss, CPL) affected naloxone-induced respiratory contrasts was explored. Subjective panic-like symptoms were analyzed although pilot work indicated that the subjective aspect of anxious panic was not well modeled by this specific protocol. Randomized cross-over sequences of intravenous naloxone (2 mg/kg) followed by lactate (10 mg/kg), or saline followed by lactate, were given to 25 volunteers. Respiratory physiology was objectively recorded by the LifeShirt. Subjective symptomatology was also recorded. Impairment of the endogenous opioid system by naloxone accentuates TV and symptomatic response to lactate. This interaction is substantially lessened by CPL. Opioidergic dysregulation may underlie respiratory pathophysiology and suffocation sensitivity in PD. Comparing specific anti-panic medications with ineffective anti-panic agents (e.g. propranolol) can test the specificity of the naloxone+lactate model. A screen for putative anti-panic agents and a new pharmacotherapeutic approach are suggested. Heuristically, the experimental unveiling of the endogenous opioid system impairing effects of CPL and separation in normal adults opens a new experimental, investigatory area.

Controlled cross-over study in normal subjects of naloxone-preceding-lactate infusions; respiratory and subjective responses: relationship to endogenous opioid system, suffocation false alarm theory and childhood parental loss

Science.gov (United States)

Preter, M.; Lee, S. H.; Petkova, E.; Vannucci, M.; Kim, S.; Klein, D. F.

2015-01-01

Background The expanded suffocation false alarm theory (SFA) hypothesizes that dysfunction in endogenous opioidergic regulation increases sensitivity to CO2, separation distress and panic attacks. In panic disorder (PD) patients, both spontaneous clinical panics and lactate-induced panics markedly increase tidal volume (TV), whereas normals have a lesser effect, possibly due to their intact endogenous opioid system. We hypothesized that impairing the opioidergic system by naloxone could make normal controls parallel PD patients' response when lactate challenged. Whether actual separations and losses during childhood (childhood parental loss, CPL) affected naloxone-induced respiratory contrasts was explored. Subjective panic-like symptoms were analyzed although pilot work indicated that the subjective aspect of anxious panic was not well modeled by this specific protocol. Method Randomized cross-over sequences of intravenous naloxone (2 mg/kg) followed by lactate (10 mg/kg), or saline followed by lactate, were given to 25 volunteers. Respiratory physiology was objectively recorded by the LifeShirt. Subjective symptomatology was also recorded. Results Impairment of the endogenous opioid system by naloxone accentuates TV and symptomatic response to lactate. This interaction is substantially lessened by CPL. Conclusions Opioidergic dysregulation may underlie respiratory pathophysiology and suffocation sensitivity in PD. Comparing specific anti-panic medications with ineffective anti-panic agents (e.g. propranolol) can test the specificity of the naloxone + lactate model. A screen for putative anti-panic agents and a new pharmacotherapeutic approach are suggested. Heuristically, the experimental unveiling of the endogenous opioid system impairing effects of CPL and separation in normal adults opens a new experimental, investigatory area. PMID:20444308

Imaging of endogenous exchangeable proton signals in the human brain using frequency labeled exchange transfer imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, Nirbhay N; Jones, Craig K; Hua, Jun; Xu, Jiadi; van Zijl, Peter C M

2013-04-01

To image endogenous exchangeable proton signals in the human brain using a recently reported method called frequency labeled exchange transfer (FLEX) MRI. As opposed to labeling exchangeable protons using saturation (i.e., chemical exchange saturation transfer, or CEST), FLEX labels exchangeable protons with their chemical shift evolution. The use of short high-power frequency pulses allows more efficient labeling of rapidly exchanging protons, while time domain acquisition allows removal of contamination from semi-solid magnetization transfer effects. FLEX-based exchangeable proton signals were detected in human brain over the 1-5 ppm frequency range from water. Conventional magnetization transfer contrast and the bulk water signal did not interfere in the FLEX spectrum. The information content of these signals differed from in vivo CEST data in that the average exchange rate of these signals was 350-400 s(-1) , much faster than the amide signal usually detected using direct saturation (∼30 s(-1) ). Similarly, fast exchanging protons could be detected in egg white in the same frequency range where amide and amine protons of mobile proteins and peptides are known to resonate. FLEX MRI in the human brain preferentially detects more rapidly exchanging amide/amine protons compared to traditional CEST experiments, thereby changing the information content of the exchangeable proton spectrum. This has the potential to open up different types of endogenous applications as well as more easy detection of rapidly exchanging protons in diaCEST agents or fast exchanging units such as water molecules in paracest agents without interference of conventional magnetization transfer contrast. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Endogene opioider og deres terapeutiske anvendelse i smertebehandling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juul, A; Pedersen, A T

1990-01-01

Cancer patients with chronic pain and obstetric patients have participated in clinical trials of the analgesic effects of endogenous opioids. It is possible to achieve adequate relief of pain in these patients following epidural or intrathecal administration of endogenous opioids. Further investi...

Endogenous vs. exogenous regulations in the commons

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abatayo, Anna Lou; Lynham, John

2016-01-01

It is widely believed that there is strong experimental evidence to support the idea that exogenously imposed regulations crowd out the intrinsic motivations of common pool resource (CPR) users to refrain from over-harvesting. We introduce a novel experimental design that attempts to disentangle...... potential confounds in previous experiments. A key feature of our experimental design is to have the exact same regulations chosen endogenously as those that are imposed exogenously. When we compare the same regulations chosen endogenously to those externally imposed, we observe no differences in extraction...... endogenous regulations with communication and exogenous regulations without communication. Our results suggest that externally imposed regulations do not crowd out intrinsic motivations in the lab and they confirm that communication facilitates cooperation to reduce extraction....

Attribution of Mild Cognitive Impairment Etiology in Patients and Their Care-Partners

Science.gov (United States)

Rodakowski, Juleen; Schulz, Richard; Gentry, Amanda; Garand, Linda; Lingler, Jennifer Hagerty

2013-01-01

Objective This study examined the attribution of MCI etiology assigned by individuals with MCI and their care-partners, and the extent to which the dyads agreed on the attribution of MCI etiology. Methods We conducted secondary analyses of cross-sectional data from a cohort of individuals with MCI (n=60) and their care-partners (n=60). The mean age of the individuals with MCI was 71.0±9.4 and of care-partners 64.2±11.0 years. The primary outcome was attribution assigned to memory deficits on the Illness Perception Questionnaire. We categorized the attribution of MCI etiology as either potentially controllable or uncontrollable factors. We described the distribution of MCI etiology with descriptive and contingency tables. We determined the odds of a patient or care-partner choosing one type of MCI etiology over another. Results Although individuals with MCI and their care-partners most frequently attributed MCI to uncontrollable factors (81.7% and 61.0%, respectively), care-partners were 28.41 [95% CI, 1.26 to 645.48] times more likely to attribute MCI etiology to potentially controllable factors than individuals with MCI. No significant associations between demographic factors and attribution of MCI etiology were found for the individuals with MCI or the care-partners. Conclusion Findings demonstrated that members of the dyad attributed MCI etiology to different causes. Attributions of MCI etiology should be explored by professionals to clarify misconceptions and potentially improve subsequent voluntary actions intended to assist oneself or others. PMID:24123240

Attribution of mild cognitive impairment etiology in patients and their care partners.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodakowski, Juleen; Schulz, Richard; Gentry, Amanda; Garand, Linda; Lingler, Jennifer Hagerty

2014-05-01

This study examined the attribution of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) etiology assigned by individuals with MCI and their care partners, and the extent to which the dyads agreed on the attribution of MCI etiology. We conducted secondary analyses of cross-sectional data from a cohort of individuals with MCI (n = 60) and their care partners (n = 60). The mean age of the individuals with MCI was 71.0 ± 9.4 years and of care partners 64.2 ± 11.0 years. The primary outcome was attribution assigned to memory deficits on the Illness Perception Questionnaire. We categorized the attribution of MCI etiology as either potentially controllable or uncontrollable factors. We described the distribution of MCI etiology with descriptive and contingency tables. We determined the odds of a patient or care partner choosing one type of MCI etiology over another. Although individuals with MCI and their care partners most frequently attributed MCI to uncontrollable factors (81.7% and 61.0%, respectively), care partners were 28.41 (95% CI, 1.26 to 645.48) times more likely to attribute MCI etiology to potentially controllable factors than individuals with MCI. No significant associations between demographic factors and attribution of MCI etiology were found for the individuals with MCI or the care partners. Findings demonstrated that members of the dyad attributed MCI etiology to different causes. Attributions of MCI etiology should be explored by professionals to clarify misconceptions and potentially improve subsequent voluntary actions intended to assist oneself or others. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Exercise induced asthma and endogenous opioids.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaillard, R C; Bachman, M; Rochat, T; Egger, D; de Haller, R; Junod, A F

1986-01-01

Concentrations of endogenous opioid peptides in the plasma are increased during exercise and these substances have been implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma induced by chloropropramide and alcohol in diabetic patients. This work was undertaken to determine whether exercise induced asthma might be mediated by endogenous opioids. Plasma beta endorphin, met-enkephalin, and adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) concentrations were measured in five asthmatic patients and five normal volunteers breathing cold air during exercise. In four of the patients the effect of an infusion of naloxone on FEV1 was also measured during exercise induced asthma. Exercise produced acute bronchoconstriction in all asthmatics, characterised by a fall in FEV1; whereas no change occurred in normal subjects. There was no difference in plasma met-enkephalin, beta endorphin, and ACTH concentration between the two groups. Infusion of naloxone neither prevented nor worsened exercise induced asthma. These data suggest that endogenous opioids probably do not play a part in the development of exercise induced asthma. PMID:2944240

MEDICAL PROTECTION FOR THE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN THE EVENT OF USING BIOLOGICAL AGENTS

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Viorel ORDEANUL

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The ADM/CBRN military or terrorist attack is most likely to be enforced on the force deployed in the theaters of operations (TO, as peace making troops, peace keeping troops, etc. For the medical protection of the expeditionary forces deployed in external theaters of operations (T.O., when using biological agents, we conducted a documentary study on the prophylaxis and specific treatment for the medical force protection, when using biological agents, by updating and improving the medical protection countermeasures against BWA, by anti-infective prophylaxis (antibacterial and antiviral pre-exposure, post-exposure and anti-infective etiology and support of the vital fuctions treatment.

Implications of infectious diseases and the adrenal hypothesis for the etiology of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Azevedo-Silva

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Acute leukemia is the most frequent cancer in children. Recently, a new hypothesis was proposed for the pathogenesis of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL. The so-called "adrenal hypothesis" emphasized the role of endogenous cortisol in the etiology of B-cell precursor ALL. The incidence peak of ALL in children between 3 to 5 years of age has been well documented and is consistent with this view. The adrenal hypothesis proposes that the risk of childhood B-cell precursor ALL is reduced when early childhood infections induce qualitative and quantitative changes in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. It suggests that the increased plasma cortisol levels would be sufficient to eliminate all clonal leukemic cells originating during fetal life. Because Brazil is a continental and tropical country, the exposure to infections is diversified with endemic viral and regionally non-viral infections, with some characteristics that support the recent adrenal hypothesis. Here we discuss this new hypothesis in terms of data from epidemiological studies and the possible implications of the diversity of infections occurring in Brazilian children.

Endogenous Cortical Oscillations Constrain Neuromodulation by Weak Electric Fields

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Stephen L.; Iyengar, Apoorva K.; Foulser, A. Alban; Boyle, Michael R.; Fröhlich, Flavio

2014-01-01

Background Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation modality that may modulate cognition by enhancing endogenous neocortical oscillations with the application of sine-wave electric fields. Yet, the role of endogenous network activity in enabling and shaping the effects of tACS has remained unclear. Objective We combined optogenetic stimulation and multichannel slice electrophysiology to elucidate how the effect of weak sine-wave electric field depends on the ongoing cortical oscillatory activity. We hypothesized that the structure of the response to stimulation depended on matching the stimulation frequency to the endogenous cortical oscillation. Methods We studied the effect of weak sine-wave electric fields on oscillatory activity in mouse neocortical slices. Optogenetic control of the network activity enabled the generation of in vivo like cortical oscillations for studying the temporal relationship between network activity and sine-wave electric field stimulation. Results Weak electric fields enhanced endogenous oscillations but failed to induce a frequency shift of the ongoing oscillation for stimulation frequencies that were not matched to the endogenous oscillation. This constraint on the effect of electric field stimulation imposed by endogenous network dynamics was limited to the case of weak electric fields targeting in vivo-like network dynamics. Together, these results suggest that the key mechanism of tACS may be enhancing but not overriding of intrinsic network dynamics. Conclusion Our results contribute to understanding the inconsistent tACS results from human studies and propose that stimulation precisely adjusted in frequency to the endogenous oscillations is key to rational design of non-invasive brain stimulation paradigms. PMID:25129402

Mobilization of endogenous retroviruses in mice after infection with an exogenous retrovirus.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Leonard H; Alamgir, A S M; Owens, Nick; Weber, Nick; Virtaneva, Kimmo; Barbian, Kent; Babar, Amenah; Malik, Frank; Rosenke, Kyle

2009-03-01

Mammalian genomes harbor a large number of retroviral elements acquired as germ line insertions during evolution. Although many of the endogenous retroviruses are defective, several contain one or more intact viral genes that are expressed under certain physiological or pathological conditions. This is true of the endogenous polytropic retroviruses that generate recombinant polytropic murine leukemia viruses (MuLVs). In these recombinants the env gene sequences of exogenous ecotropic MuLVs are replaced with env gene sequences from an endogenous polytropic retrovirus. Although replication-competent endogenous polytropic retroviruses have not been observed, the recombinant polytropic viruses are capable of replicating in numerous species. Recombination occurs during reverse transcription of a virion RNA heterodimer comprised of an RNA transcript from an endogenous polytropic virus and an RNA transcript from an exogenous ecotropic MuLV RNA. It is possible that homodimers corresponding to two full-length endogenous RNA genomes are also packaged. Thus, infection by an exogenous virus may result not only in recombination with endogenous sequences, but also in the mobilization of complete endogenous retrovirus genomes via pseudotyping within exogenous retroviral virions. We report that the infection of mice with an ecotropic virus results in pseudotyping of intact endogenous viruses that have not undergone recombination. The endogenous retroviruses infect and are integrated into target cell genomes and subsequently replicate and spread as pseudotyped viruses. The mobilization of endogenous retroviruses upon infection with an exogenous retrovirus may represent a major interaction of exogenous retroviruses with endogenous retroviruses and may have profound effects on the pathogenicity of retroviral infections.

Small vessel vasculitis History, classification, etiology, histopathology, clinic, diagnosis and treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iglesias Gamarra, Antonio; Matteson, Eric L; Restrepo, Jose Felix

2007-01-01

Small-vessel vasculitis is a convenient descriptor for a wide range of diseases characterized by vascular inflammation of the venules, capillaries, and/or arterioles with pleomorphic clinical manifestations. The classical clinical phenotype is leucocytoclastic vasculitis with palpable purpura, but manifestations vary widely depending upon the organs involved. Histopathologic examination in leucocytoclastic vasculitis reveals angiocentric segmental inflammation, fibrinoid necrosis, and a neutrophilic infiltrate around the blood vessel walls with erythrocyte extravasation. The etiology of small-vessel vasculitis is unknown in many cases, but in others, drugs, post viral syndromes, malignancy, primary vasculitis such as microscopic polyarteritis, and connective tissue disorders are associated, The diagnosis of small- vessel vasculitis relies on a thorough history and physical examination, as well as relevant antibody testing including antinuclear antibody and anti neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody, hepatitis B and C serologies, assessment of complement, immunoglobulins, blood count, serum creatinine liver function tests, urinalysis, radiographic imaging and biopsy. The treatment is based primarily on corticosteroid and immunosuppressive agents

HIV lipodystrophy etiology and pathogenesis. Body composition and metabolic alterations: etiology and pathogenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kotler, Donald P

2003-04-01

The results of epidemiologic investigations have clearly indicated that the development of lipodystrophy is multifactorial. Factors related to HIV infection, hormonal influences, mitochondrial dysfunction, cytokine activation related to immune reconstitution, and individual genetic predisposition all have been hypothesized as etiologic. Recent studies suggest that immune dysregulation rather than HIV infection per se may be the predominant factor in the development of lipodystrophy.

Acute pancreatitis caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae: an unusual etiology.

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Valdés Lacasa, Teresa; Duarte Borges, María Alejandra; García Marín, Alicia; Gómez Cuervo, Covadonga

2017-06-01

It is well known that the most important etiologies of acute pancreatitis are gallstones and alcohol consumption. Once these causes have been ruled out, especially in young adults, it is important to consider less frequent etiologic factors such as drugs, trauma, malformations, autoimmunity or systemic diseases. Other rare and less well studied causes of this pathology are infections, among which Mycoplasma pneumoniae has been reported to cause acute pancreatitis as an unusual extrapulmonary manifestation. Here, we report the case of a 21-year-old patient who had acute idiopathic pancreatitis associated with an upper respiratory tract infection. After an in-depth study, all other causes of pancreatitis were ruled out and Mycoplasma was established as the clinical etiology.

Etiologic stroke subtypes: updated definition and efficient workup strategies.

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Mehndiratta, Prachi; Chapman Smith, Sherita; Worrall, Bradford B

2015-01-01

Stroke affects approximately 16.9 million individuals per year worldwide and is the second leading cause of death. Stroke represents a family of related, but distinct subtypes. Classifying stroke subtypes must take into account various aspects of a standardized stroke workup to allow optimization of treatment and prevention strategies. Secondary prevention and pharmacologic treatment is tailored based on stroke mechanism. Additionally prognostication and recurrent risk also depends on stroke etiology. Efficient workup of stroke relies on a thorough history, clinical examination, imaging studies, and putative mechanism of stroke that lead the treating physician to a particular etiological path. Here , we provide the reader with updated definitions of etiologic ischemic stroke types as well as efficient workup strategies.

Chemerin is an antimicrobial agent in human epidermis.

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Magdalena Banas

Full Text Available Chemerin, a chemoattractant ligand for chemokine-like receptor 1 (CMKLR1 is predicted to share similar tertiary structure with antibacterial cathelicidins. Recombinant chemerin has antimicrobial activity. Here we show that endogenous chemerin is abundant in human epidermis, and that inhibition of bacteria growth by exudates from organ cultures of primary human skin keratinocytes is largely chemerin-dependent. Using a panel of overlapping chemerin-derived synthetic peptides, we demonstrate that the antibacterial activity of chemerin is primarily mediated by Val(66-Pro(85, which causes direct bacterial lysis. Therefore, chemerin is an antimicrobial agent in human skin.

Tissue-specific tagging of endogenous loci in Drosophila melanogaster

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Kate Koles

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Fluorescent protein tags have revolutionized cell and developmental biology, and in combination with binary expression systems they enable diverse tissue-specific studies of protein function. However these binary expression systems often do not recapitulate endogenous protein expression levels, localization, binding partners and/or developmental windows of gene expression. To address these limitations, we have developed a method called T-STEP (tissue-specific tagging of endogenous proteins that allows endogenous loci to be tagged in a tissue specific manner. T-STEP uses a combination of efficient CRISPR/Cas9-enhanced gene targeting and tissue-specific recombinase-mediated tag swapping to temporally and spatially label endogenous proteins. We have employed this method to GFP tag OCRL (a phosphoinositide-5-phosphatase in the endocytic pathway and Vps35 (a Parkinson's disease-implicated component of the endosomal retromer complex in diverse Drosophila tissues including neurons, glia, muscles and hemocytes. Selective tagging of endogenous proteins allows, for the first time, cell type-specific live imaging and proteomics in complex tissues.

Endogenous fields enhanced stochastic resonance in a randomly coupled neuronal network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng, Bin; Wang, Lin; Wang, Jiang; Wei, Xi-le; Yu, Hai-tao

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We study effects of endogenous fields on stochastic resonance in a neural network. • Stochastic resonance can be notably enhanced by endogenous field feedback. • Endogenous field feedback delay plays a vital role in stochastic resonance. • The parameters of low-passed filter play a subtle role in SR. - Abstract: Endogenous field, evoked by structured neuronal network activity in vivo, is correlated with many vital neuronal processes. In this paper, the effects of endogenous fields on stochastic resonance (SR) in a randomly connected neuronal network are investigated. The network consists of excitatory and inhibitory neurons and the axonal conduction delays between neurons are also considered. Numerical results elucidate that endogenous field feedback results in more rhythmic macroscope activation of the network for proper time delay and feedback coefficient. The response of the network to the weak periodic stimulation can be notably enhanced by endogenous field feedback. Moreover, the endogenous field feedback delay plays a vital role in SR. We reveal that appropriately tuned delays of the feedback can either induce the enhancement of SR, appearing at every integer multiple of the weak input signal’s oscillation period, or the depression of SR, appearing at every integer multiple of half the weak input signal’s oscillation period for the same feedback coefficient. Interestingly, the parameters of low-passed filter which is used in obtaining the endogenous field feedback signal play a subtle role in SR

Endogenous Generalized Weights under DEA Control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Agrell, Per J.; Bogetoft, Peter

Non-parametric efficiency analysis, such as Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) relies so far on endogenous local or exogenous general weights, based on revealed preferences or market prices. However, as DEA is gaining popularity in regulation and normative budgeting, the strategic interest...... of the evaluated industry calls for attention. We offer endogenous general prices based on a reformulation of DEA where the units collectively propose the set of weights that maximize their efficiency. Thus, the sector-wide efficiency is then a result of compromising the scores of more specialized smaller units...

Invasive fungal infections in endogenous Cushing's syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

Scheffel, Rafael Selbach; Dora, José Miguel; Weinert, Letícia Schwerz; Aquino, Valério; Maia, Ana Luiza; Canani, Luis Henrique; Goldani, Luciano Z.

2010-01-01

Cushing's syndrome is a condition characterized by elevated cortisol levels that can result from either augmented endogenous production or exogenous administration of corticosteroids. The predisposition to fungal infections among patients with hypercortisolemia has been noted since Cushing's original description of the disease. We describe here a patient with endogenous Cushing's syndrome secondary to an adrenocortical carcinoma, who developed concomitant disseminated cryptococcosis and candidiasis in the course of his disease. PMID:24470886

Etiologic predictive value of a rapid immunoassay for the detection of group A Streptococcus antigen from throat swabs in patients presenting with a sore throat

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Ulrich Orda

2016-04-01

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the point-of-care test Alere Test Pack +Plus Strep A has a high positive predictive value and is able to rule in GAS infection as long as the proportion of carriers is low. Also the negative predictive value for ruling out GAS as the etiologic agent is very high irrespective of the carrier rate. Hence, this test is always useful to rule out GAS infection.

Etiology and Treatment of Developmental Stammering

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J Gordon Millichap

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The etiology and treatment of developmental stammering in childhood (DS, also called idiopathic stammering or stuttering are reviewed by a speech pathologist and psychologist at the University of Reading, UK.

[Research progress of intervertebral disc endogenous stem cells for intervertebral disc regeneration].

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Hang; Deng, Xiangyu; Shao, Zengwu

2017-10-01

To summarize the research progress of intervertebral disc endogenous stem cells for intervertebral disc regeneration and deduce the therapeutic potential of endogenous repair for intervertebral disc degeneration. The original articles about intervertebral disc endogenous stem cells for intervertebral disc regeneration were extensively reviewed; the reparative potential in vivo and the extraction and identification in vitro of intervertebral disc endogenous stem cells were analyzed; the prospect of endogenous stem cells for intervertebral disc regeneration was predicted. Stem cell niche present in the intervertebral discs, from which stem cells migrate to injured tissues and contribute to tissues regeneration under certain specific microenvironment. Moreover, the migration of stem cells is regulated by chemokines system. Tissue specific progenitor cells have been identified and successfully extracted and isolated. The findings provide the basis for biological therapy of intervertebral disc endogenous stem cells. Intervertebral disc endogenous stem cells play a crucial role in intervertebral disc regeneration. Therapeutic strategy of intervertebral disc endogenous stem cells is proven to be a promising biological approach for intervertebral disc regeneration.

Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern and Age Dependent Etiology of Urinary Tract Infections in Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz, South-West of Iran

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Mohammad Motamedifar

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs are one of the most common bacterial diseases. The etiological agents and emergence of antimicrobial resistance UTIs vary according to time and geographical region. Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of etiological agents of UTIs and determine their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern to locally available antibiotics. Patients and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted within six months on all patients with clinical symptoms of UTI who referred to Nemazee Teaching hospital, Shiraz, Iran. Clean catch midstream urine samples were collected and cultured on appropriate media in a short time as possible. Conventional bacteriological methods were followed for the isolation and identification of the bacteria. Antimicrobial susceptibility profiles were determined by locally available antibiotics by using disk diffusion method in accordance with CLSI recommendation. Results: In this study, from overall 9991 specimens analyzed 848 (8.5% culture had significant bacterial growth. Of the total positive cultures, 500 (59% cases were female. Escherichia coli (50.6% was the predominant gram-negative isolated pathogen followed by Klebsiella spp. and Enterobacter spp., respectively. Enterococcus isolates (11.2% was the most isolated gram-positive cocci. Nitrofurantoin (80.9%, gentamycin (77.9% and amikacin (65.3% had the most in-vitro antibacterial effect on E. coli isolates as the predominant cause of UTIs. Conclusions: The results of regional assessments, such as our study, provide not only useful information for prescription of more effective empirical therapy, but also good epidemiological background for comparison of our situation with other regions.

Endogenous viral elements in animal genomes.

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Aris Katzourakis

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Integration into the nuclear genome of germ line cells can lead to vertical inheritance of retroviral genes as host alleles. For other viruses, germ line integration has only rarely been documented. Nonetheless, we identified endogenous viral elements (EVEs derived from ten non-retroviral families by systematic in silico screening of animal genomes, including the first endogenous representatives of double-stranded RNA, reverse-transcribing DNA, and segmented RNA viruses, and the first endogenous DNA viruses in mammalian genomes. Phylogenetic and genomic analysis of EVEs across multiple host species revealed novel information about the origin and evolution of diverse virus groups. Furthermore, several of the elements identified here encode intact open reading frames or are expressed as mRNA. For one element in the primate lineage, we provide statistically robust evidence for exaptation. Our findings establish that genetic material derived from all known viral genome types and replication strategies can enter the animal germ line, greatly broadening the scope of paleovirological studies and indicating a more significant evolutionary role for gene flow from virus to animal genomes than has previously been recognized.

Endogenous Retroviruses in the Genomics Era.

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Johnson, Welkin E

2015-11-01

Endogenous retroviruses comprise millions of discrete genetic loci distributed within the genomes of extant vertebrates. These sequences, which are clearly related to exogenous retroviruses, represent retroviral infections of the deep past, and their abundance suggests that retroviruses were a near-constant presence throughout the evolutionary history of modern vertebrates. Endogenous retroviruses contribute in myriad ways to the evolution of host genomes, as mutagens and as sources of genetic novelty (both coding and regulatory) to be acted upon by the twin engines of random genetic drift and natural selection. Importantly, the richness and complexity of endogenous retrovirus data can be used to understand how viruses spread and adapt on evolutionary timescales by combining population genetics and evolutionary theory with a detailed understanding of retrovirus biology (gleaned from the study of extant retroviruses). In addition to revealing the impact of viruses on organismal evolution, such studies can help us better understand, by looking back in time, how life-history traits, as well as ecological and geological events, influence the movement of viruses within and between populations.

Etiologic study of urinary tract infection in dogs

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Marcia Mery Kogika

1995-03-01

Full Text Available Urinary tract infections were documented in 51 dogs. Several factors such as etiologic agents, localization of the infection, predisposing factors, sex, age, and breed were considered. The diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI was based on bacteriological investigation and it was considered positive when urine sample collected by catheterization contained more than 105 bacteria/ml. Mixed infection was found in 4 of the infected dogs, totallizing 55 isolates. Among them, Escherichia coli (35.3% was the most frequently isolated, followed by Staphylococcus sp. (23.5%, Proteus mirabilis (15.7%, Streptococcus sp. (13.7%, Klebsiella sp. (9.8%. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (3.9%, Enterobacter cloacae (2.0%, Citrobacter freundii (2.0% and Providencia rettgeri (2.0%. As to antimicrobial susceptibility, norfloxacin and gentamicin were successful for the treatment of gram-negative microorganisms, while the most effective drugs for gram-positive bacteria were cephalothin and nitrofurantoin. UTI was observed more frequently in Cocker Spaniel and German Shepherd; male dogs were more involved, and pyelonephritis was the predominant disease observed. Infection was seen in all ages, but the frequency was higher in middle aged dogs. Urolithiasis were observed as common predisposing or underlying factors to UTI being, cither Staphylococcus sp. or Proteus mirabilis isolated in those cases which alkaline urine pH was observed.

Exogenous and endogenous spatial attention effects on visuospatial working memory.

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Botta, Fabiano; Santangelo, Valerio; Raffone, Antonino; Lupiáñez, Juan; Belardinelli, Marta Olivetti

2010-08-01

In this study, we investigate how exogenous and endogenous orienting of spatial attention affect visuospatial working memory (VSWM). Specifically, we focused on two attentional effects and their consequences on storage in VSWM, when exogenous (Experiment 1) or endogenous (Experiment 2) orienting cues were used. The first effect, known as the meridian effect, is given by a decrement in behavioural performance when spatial cues and targets are presented in locations separated by vertical and/or horizontal meridians. The second effect, known as the distance effect, is given by a decrement in the orienting effects as a function of the spatial distance between cues and targets. Our results revealed a dissociation between exogenous and endogenous orienting mechanisms in terms of both meridian and distance effects. We found that meridian crossing affects performance only when endogenous cues were used. Specifically, VSWM performance with endogenous cueing depended more on the number of meridian crossings than on distance between cue and target. By contrast, a U-shaped distance dependency was observed using exogenous cues. Our findings therefore suggest that exogenous and endogenous orienting mechanisms lead to different forms of attentional bias for storage in VSWM.

Sucessfull management of bilateral presumed Candida endogenous endophtalmitis following pancreatitis

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Ricardo Evangelista Marrocos de Aragão

2016-06-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Endogenous endophthalmitis is a rare, and frequently devastating, ophthalmic disease. It occurs mostly in immunocompromised patients, or those with diabetes mellitus, cancer or intravenous drugs users. Candida infection is the most common cause of endogenous endophthalmitis. Ocular candidiasis develops within days to weeks of fungemia. The association of treatment for pancreatitis with endophthalmitis is unusual. Treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics and total parenteral nutrition may explain endogenous endophthalmitis. We report the case of a patient with pancreatitis treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics and total parenteral nutrition who developed bilateral presumed Candida endogenous endophthalmitis that was successfully treated with vitrectomy and intravitreal amphotericin B.

Heart failure etiology impacts survival of patients with heart failure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pecini, Redi; Møller, Daniel Vega; Torp-Pedersen, Christian

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND: The impact of heart failure (HF) etiology on prognosis of HF is not well known. METHODS: 3078 patients (median age 75years, 61% male) hospitalized with HF were studied. Patients were classified into six etiology groups: hypertension (HTN, 13.9%), ischemic heart disease (IHD, 42...

Alpha Power Modulates Perception Independently of Endogenous Factors

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Sasskia Brüers

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Oscillations are ubiquitous in the brain. Alpha oscillations in particular have been proposed to play an important role in sensory perception. Past studies have shown that the power of ongoing EEG oscillations in the alpha band is negatively correlated with visual outcome. Moreover, it also co-varies with other endogenous factors such as attention, vigilance, or alertness. In turn, these endogenous factors influence visual perception. Therefore, it remains unclear how much of the relation between alpha and perception is indirectly mediated by such endogenous factors, and how much reflects a direct causal influence of alpha rhythms on sensory neural processing. We propose to disentangle the direct from the indirect causal routes by introducing modulations of alpha power, independently of any fluctuations in endogenous factors. To this end, we use white-noise sequences to constrain the brain activity of 20 participants. The cross-correlation between the white-noise sequences and the concurrently recorded EEG reveals the impulse response function (IRF, a model of the systematic relationship between stimulation and brain response. These IRFs are then used to reconstruct rather than record the brain activity linked with new random sequences (by convolution. Interestingly, this reconstructed EEG only contains information about oscillations directly linked to the white-noise stimulation; fluctuations in attention and other endogenous factors may still modulate brain alpha rhythms during the task, but our reconstructed EEG is immune to these factors. We found that the detection of near-perceptual threshold targets embedded within these new white-noise sequences depended on the power of the ~10 Hz reconstructed EEG over parieto-occipital channels. Around the time of presentation, higher power led to poorer performance. Thus, fluctuations in alpha power, induced here by random luminance sequences, can directly influence perception: the relation between

An endogenous standard, radioisotopic ratio method in NAA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byrne, A.R.; Dermelj, M.

1997-01-01

A derivative form of NAA is proposed which is based on the use of an endogenous internal standard of already known concentration in the sample. If a comparator with a known ratio of the determinand and endogenous standard are co-irradiated with the sample, the determinand concentration is derived in terms of the endogenous standard concentration and the activity ratios of the two induced nuclides in the sample and comparator. As well as eliminating the sample mass and greatly reducing errors caused by pulse pile-up and geometrical differences, it was shown that in the radiochemical mode, if the endogenous standard is chosen so that the induced activity is radioisotopic with that from the determinand, the radiochemical yield is also eliminated and the risk non-achievement of isotopic exchange greatly reduced. The method is demonstrated with good results on reference materials for the determination of I, Mn and Ni. The advantages and disadvantages of this approach are discussed. It is suggested that it may be of application in quality control and in extending the range of certified elements in reference materials. (author)

Novel endogenous angiogenesis inhibitors and their therapeutic potential.

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Rao, Nithya; Lee, Yu Fei; Ge, Ruowen

2015-10-01

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from the pre-existing vasculature is essential for embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. It also plays critical roles in diseases such as cancer and retinopathy. A delicate balance between pro- and anti-angiogenic factors ensures normal physiological homeostasis. Endogenous angiogenesis inhibitors are proteins or protein fragments that are formed in the body and have the ability to limit angiogenesis. Many endogenous angiogenesis inhibitors have been discovered, and the list continues to grow. Endogenous protein/peptide inhibitors are relatively less toxic, better tolerated and have a lower risk of drug resistance, which makes them attractive as drug candidates. In this review, we highlight ten novel endogenous protein angiogenesis inhibitors discovered within the last five years, including ISM1, FKBPL, CHIP, ARHGAP18, MMRN2, SOCS3, TAp73, ZNF24, GPR56 and JWA. Although some of these proteins have been well characterized for other biological functions, we focus on their new and specific roles in angiogenesis inhibition and discuss their potential for therapeutic application.

Evolution of endogenous analgesia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Niesters, Marieke

2014-01-01

Endogenous pain modulation is a complex phenomenon involved in the perception of pain. It consists of top-down inhibitory and facilitatory pathways that originate at higher sites within the central nervous system and converge at dorsal horn neurons in the spinal cord, to modulate incoming afferent

Endogenous sterol biosynthesis is important for mitochondrial function and cell morphology in procyclic forms of Trypanosoma brucei.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Moreno, Guiomar; Sealey-Cardona, Marco; Rodrigues-Poveda, Carlos; Gelb, Michael H; Ruiz-Pérez, Luis Miguel; Castillo-Acosta, Víctor; Urbina, Julio A; González-Pacanowska, Dolores

2012-10-01

Sterol biosynthesis inhibitors are promising entities for the treatment of trypanosomal diseases. Insect forms of Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of sleeping sickness, synthesize ergosterol and other 24-alkylated sterols, yet also incorporate cholesterol from the medium. While sterol function has been investigated by pharmacological manipulation of sterol biosynthesis, molecular mechanisms by which endogenous sterols influence cellular processes remain largely unknown in trypanosomes. Here we analyse by RNA interference, the effects of a perturbation of three specific steps of endogenous sterol biosynthesis in order to dissect the role of specific intermediates in proliferation, mitochondrial function and cellular morphology in procyclic cells. A decrease in the levels of squalene synthase and squalene epoxidase resulted in a depletion of cellular sterol intermediates and end products, impaired cell growth and led to aberrant morphologies, DNA fragmentation and a profound modification of mitochondrial structure and function. In contrast, cells deficient in sterol methyl transferase, the enzyme involved in 24-alkylation, exhibited a normal growth phenotype in spite of a complete abolition of the synthesis and content of 24-alkyl sterols. Thus, the data provided indicates that while the depletion of squalene and post-squalene endogenous sterol metabolites results in profound cellular defects, bulk 24-alkyl sterols are not strictly required to support growth in insect forms of T. brucei in vitro. Copyright © 2012 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Studies on the production of endogenous pyrogen by rabbit monocytes: the role of calcium and cyclic nucleotides.

Science.gov (United States)

Sigal, S L; Duff, G W; Atkins, E

1985-01-01

Rabbit monocytes stimulated with endotoxin produced endogenous pyrogen, even under conditions of high or low extracellular calcium concentrations. Maximal production occurred when the concentration was in the near-physiological range. Prolonged incubation of cells with a calcium chelator prevented subsequent activation with endotoxin, an effect which was rapidly reversible by re-addition of calcium but not other cations. Addition of small amounts of lanthanum, which acts as a calcium channel blocker, prevented the restoration of pyrogen production, indicating that entry of the added calcium into the monocyte was required. Incorporation of a calcium ionophore into the cell membrane did not stimulate pyrogen production, and no measurable influx or efflux of calcium occurred during stimulation with endotoxin. These observations suggest that a slowly exchangeable calcium pool is necessary for the production of endogenous pyrogen, but that a rise in intracellular calcium is not by itself a necessary or sufficient stimulus. This stands in contrast to other biological systems in which Ca2+ directly couples stimulus and hormone secretion. Incubation of cells with agents shown to increase cyclic 3',5' AMP or cyclic 3',5' GMP levels in monocytes similarly did not stimulate pyrogen production or modulate its production by endotoxin stimulation. Thus, cyclic nucleotides also did not play a detectable role as intracellular messengers in this system. Future work is required to define more clearly the mechanism for the production of endogenous pyrogen, given its marked effects on the immune system through lymphocyte activation and temperature regulation.

Demonstration of endogenous imipramine like material in rat brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rehavi, M.; Ventura, I.; Sarne, Y.

1985-01-01

The extraction and partial purification of an endogenous imipramine-like material from rat brain is described. The endogenous factor obtained after gel filtration and silica chromatography inhibits [ 3 H] imipramine specific binding and mimics the inhibitory effect of imipramine on [ 3 H] serotonin uptake in both brain and platelet preparations. The effects of the endogenous material are dose-dependent and it inhibits [ 3 H] imipramine binding in a competitive fashion. The factor is unevenly distributed in the brain with high concentration in the hypothalamus and low concentration in the cerebellum

Etiology, Severity and Recurrence of Acute Pancreatitis in Southern Taiwan

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Chun-Hao Chen

2006-01-01

Conclusion: Alcoholic pancreatitis was the major etiology of acute pancreatitis in southern Taiwan, exhibiting a strong male predominance and higher risk of severe CT grading. Abnormal serum triglyceride was independently associated with the severity of acute pancreatitis. Alcoholic pancreatitis had a higher risk of recurrence than other etiologies.

Etiological aspects of double monsters.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaschevatzky, O E; Goldman, B; Kampf, D; Wexler, H; Grünstein, S

1980-06-01

Four cases of double monsters are reported, including a rare case of craniofacial duplication (diprosopus). Based on the findings observed, etiological factors of these malformations are discussed. We suggest that exogenous (environmental) factors such as habits, way of life or religious practices of certain populations can influence the development of double monsters.

Differences between endogenous and exogenous emotion inhibition in the human brain.

Science.gov (United States)

Kühn, Simone; Haggard, Patrick; Brass, Marcel

2014-05-01

The regulation of emotions is an integral part of our mental health. It has only recently been investigated using brain imaging techniques. In most studies, participants are instructed by a cue to inhibit a specific emotional reaction. The aim of the present study was to investigate the alternative situation where a person decides to inhibit an emotion as an act of endogenous self-control. Healthy participants viewed highly arousing pictures with negative valence. In the endogenous condition, participants could freely choose on each trial to inhibit or feel the emotions elicited by the picture. In an exogenous condition, a visual cue instructed them to either feel or inhibit the emotion elicited by the picture. Participants' subjective ratings of intensity of experienced emotion showed an interaction effect between source of control (endogenous/exogenous) and feel/inhibit based on a stronger modulation between feel and inhibition for the endogenous compared to the exogenous condition. Endogenous inhibition of emotions was associated with dorso-medial prefrontal cortex activation, whereas exogenous inhibition was found associated with lateral prefrontal cortex activation. Thus, the brain regions for both endogenous and exogenous inhibition of emotion are highly similar to those for inhibition of motor actions in Brass and Haggard (J Neurosci 27:9141-9145, 2007), Kühn et al. (Hum Brain Mapp 30:2834-2843, 2009). Functional connectivity analyses showed that dorsofrontomedial cortex exerts greater control onto pre-supplementary motor area during endogenous inhibition compared to endogenous feel. This functional dissociation between an endogenous, fronto-medial and an exogenous, fronto-lateral inhibition centre has important implications for our understanding of emotion regulation in health and psychopathology.

Changes in frequency of agents of tinea capitis in school children from Western China suggest slow migration rates in dermatophytes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Deng, S.; Bulmer, G.S.; Summerbell, R.C.; de Hoog, G.S.; Hui, Y.; Gräser, Y.

2008-01-01

Tinea capitis is a common dermatophyte infection of the scalp of children in Western China, with the gray-patch from being the most prevalent. Twenty years ago, the most widespread etiologic agent was reported to be Trichophyton violaceum, which was later succeeded by Microsporum ferrugineum and

Endogenous electromagnetic forces emissions during cell respiration as additional factor in cancer origin.

Science.gov (United States)

Embi, Abraham A

2016-01-01

Seven decades ago, a seminal paper by Dr. Denham Harman in (J Gerontol 11(3):298-300, 1956), introduced a theory stating that there are good reasons for assuming that endogenous irradiation in the living cells could lead to cancer via an obscure mechanism. The main purpose of this manuscript is to shed some light in said mechanism by proposing a five-step eukaryotic cell cancer triggering cycle. In other words, a new factor is introduced, namely the recently found emissions of electromagnetic forces (EMFs) as a possible causing agent in diseases, including cancer. Introduced is an eukaryotic cell cancer inducing cycle. It includes five sequential steps of endogenous biological process that are backed by published scientific reports. It is a known fact that in order to achieve homeostasis, toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) i.e. H2O2 molecules are broken down by the protein enzyme catalase. During this reaction EMFs are generated (Embi in AIS Physics 2(3):226-230, 2016). The EMFs recording breakthrough was possible due to the introduction of a novel table top microscopy technique to detect EMFs by using Prussian Blue Stain and nano-sized iron particles. There are different roots in molecular and clinical biology through which DNA damage could be programmed, EMFs emitted (during cell respiration) are herein proposed as an additional cause.

Horizontalists, verticalists, and structuralists: The theory of endogenous money reassessed

OpenAIRE

Palley, Thomas I.

2013-01-01

This paper uses the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of Basil Moore’s book, Horizontalists and Verticalists, to reassess the theory of endogenous money. The paper distinguishes between horizontalists, verticalists, and structuralists. It argues Moore’s horizontalist representation of endogenous money was an over-simplification that discarded important enduring insights from monetary theory. The structuralist approach to endogenous money retains the basic insight that the money supply ...

Modern views on the epidemiology, etiology and pathogenesis of gynecomastia

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Yu. N. Yashina

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The review deals with one of the pressing andrological issues – gynecomastia, its etiology and pathogenesis. Based on the current epidemiological and experimental data, most common etiological factors of gynecomastia were investigated. A multiple-valued role of various causes of gynecomastia in several age-groups was revealed. Literature data show that gynecomastia may be a manifestation of various diseases: endocrine, genetic, systematic. As well as that, gynecomastia may occur in patients with oncological diseases. However, gynecomastia can be an iatrogenic complication. Currently, we continue to make insights to the problem of gynecomastia in order to be able to classify its etiological factors and determine its basic pathogenesis pathways.

ENDOGENOUS ANALGESIA, DEPENDENCE, AND LATENT PAIN SENSITIZATION

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Bradley K; Corder, Gregory

2015-01-01

Endogenous activation of μ-opioid receptors (MORs) provides relief from acute pain. Recent studies have established that tissue inflammation produces latent pain sensitization (LS) that is masked by spinal MOR signaling for months, even after complete recovery from injury and re-establishment of normal pain thresholds. Disruption with MOR inverse agonists reinstates pain and precipitates cellular, somatic and aversive signs of physical withdrawal; this phenomenon requires N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated activation of calcium-sensitive adenylyl cyclase type 1 (AC1). In this review, we present a new conceptual model of the transition from acute to chronic pain, based on the delicate balance between LS and endogenous analgesia that develops after painful tissue injury. First, injury activates pain pathways. Second, the spinal cord establishes MOR constitutive activity (MORCA) as it attempts to control pain. Third, over time, the body becomes dependent on MORCA, which paradoxically sensitizes pain pathways. Stress or injury escalates opposing inhibitory and excitatory influences on nociceptive processing as a pathological consequence of increased endogenous opioid tone. Pain begets MORCA begets pain vulnerability in a vicious cycle. The final result is a silent insidious state characterized by the escalation of two opposing excitatory and inhibitory influences on pain transmission: LS mediated by AC1 (which maintains accelerator), and pain inhibition mediated by MORCA (which maintains the brake). This raises the prospect that opposing homeostatic interactions between MORCA analgesia and latent NMDAR–AC1-mediated pain sensitization create a lasting vulnerability to develop chronic pain. Thus, chronic pain syndromes may result from a failure in constitutive signaling of spinal MORs and a loss of endogenous analgesic control. An overarching long-term therapeutic goal of future research is to alleviate chronic pain by either: a) facilitating endogenous opioid

Endogenous retroviruses of sheep: a model system for understanding physiological adaptation to an evolving ruminant genome.

Science.gov (United States)

Spencer, Thomas E; Palmarini, Massimo

2012-01-01

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are present in the genome of all vertebrates and are remnants of ancient exogenous retroviral infections of the host germline transmitted vertically from generation to generation. Sheep betaretroviruses offer a unique model system to study the complex interaction between retroviruses and their host. The sheep genome contains 27 endogenous betaretroviruses (enJSRVs) related to the exogenous and pathogenic Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV), the causative agent of a transmissible lung cancer in sheep. The enJSRVs can protect their host against JSRV infection by blocking early and late steps of the JSRV replication cycle. In the female reproductive tract, enJSRVs are specifically expressed in the uterine luminal and glandular epithelia as well as in the conceptus (embryo and associated extraembryonic membranes) trophectoderm and in utero loss-of-function experiments found the enJSRVs envelope (env) to be essential for conceptus elongation and trophectoderm growth and development. Collectively, available evidence in sheep and other mammals indicate that ERVs coevolved with their hosts for millions of years and were positively selected for biological roles in genome plasticity and evolution, protection of the host against infection of related pathogenic and exogenous retroviruses, and placental development.

Etiology and Outcome of Neonatal Seizures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J Gordon Millichap

2006-04-01

Full Text Available The prognostic value of seizure etiology, neurologic examination, EEG, and neuroimaging in the neurodevelopmental outcome of 89 term infants with neonatal seizures was determined at the Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.

Pitfalls using tyramide signal amplification (TSA) in the mouse gastrointestinal tract: endogenous streptavidin-binding sites lead to false positive staining.

Science.gov (United States)

Horling, L; Neuhuber, W L; Raab, M

2012-02-15

Highly sensitive immunohistochemical detection systems such as tyramide signal amplification (TSA) are widely used, since they allow using two primary antibodies raised in the same species. Most of them are based on the streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase system and include streptavidin-coupled secondary antibodies. Using TSA in cryostat-sectioned tissues of mouse esophagus, we were puzzled by negative controls with unexpected staining mostly in the ganglionic areas. This prompted us to search for the causing agent and to include also other parts of the mouse gastrointestinal tract for comparison. Streptavidin-coupled antibodies bound to endogenous binding sites yet to be characterized, which are present throughout the mouse intestines. Staining was mainly localized around neuronal cell bodies of enteric ganglia. Thus, caution is warranted when applying streptavidin-coupled antibodies in the mouse gastrointestinal tract. The use of endogenous biotin-blocking kits combined with a prolonged post-fixation time could significantly reduce unintentional staining. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exogenic and endogenic Europa minerals

Science.gov (United States)

Maynard-Casely, H. E.; Brand, H. E. A.; Wilson, S. A.

2016-12-01

The Galileo Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) identified a significant `non-ice' component upon the surface of Jupiter's moon Europa. Current explanations invoke both endogenic and exogenic origins for this material. It has long been suggested that magnesium and sodium sulfate minerals could have leached from the rock below a putative ocean (endogenic) 1 and that sulfuric acid hydrate minerals could have been radiologically produced from ionised sulfur originally from Io's volcanoes (exogenic) 2. However, a more recent theory proposes that the `non-ice' component could be radiation damaged NaCl leached from Europa's speculative ocean 3. What if the minerals are actually from combination of both endogenic and exogenic sources? To investigate this possibility we have focused on discovering new minerals that might form in the combination of the latter two cases, that is a mixture of leached sulfates hydrates with radiologically produced sulfuric acid. To this end we have explored a number of solutions in the MgSO4-H2SO4-H2O and Na2SO4-H2SO4-H2O systems, between 80 and 280 K with synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction. We report a number of new materials formed in this these ternary systems. This suggests that it should be considered that the `non-ice' component of the Europa's surface could be a material derived from endogenic and exogenic components. 1 Kargel, J. S. Brine volcanism and the interior structures of asteroids and icy satellites. Icarus 94, 368-390 (1991). 2 Carlson, R. W., Anderson, M. S., Mehlman, R. & Johnson, R. E. Distribution of hydrate on Europa: Further evidence for sulfuric acid hydrate. Icarus 177, 461-471, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2005.03.026 (2005). 3 Hand, K. P. & Carlson, R. W. Europa's surface color suggests an ocean rich with sodium chloride. Geophysical Research Letters, 2015GL063559, doi:10.1002/2015gl063559 (2015).

R-Flurbiprofen Reduces Neuropathic Pain in Rodents by Restoring Endogenous Cannabinoids

Science.gov (United States)

Marian, Claudiu; Häussler, Annett; Wijnvoord, Nina; Ziebell, Simone; Metzner, Julia; Koch, Marco; Myrczek, Thekla; Bechmann, Ingo; Kuner, Rohini; Costigan, Michael; Dehghani, Faramarz; Geisslinger, Gerd; Tegeder, Irmgard

2010-01-01

Background R-flurbiprofen, one of the enantiomers of flurbiprofen racemate, is inactive with respect to cyclooxygenase inhibition, but shows analgesic properties without relevant toxicity. Its mode of action is still unclear. Methodology/Principal Findings We show that R-flurbiprofen reduces glutamate release in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord evoked by sciatic nerve injury and thereby alleviates pain in sciatic nerve injury models of neuropathic pain in rats and mice. This is mediated by restoring the balance of endocannabinoids (eCB), which is disturbed following peripheral nerve injury in the DRGs, spinal cord and forebrain. The imbalance results from transcriptional adaptations of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and NAPE-phospholipase D, i.e. the major enzymes involved in anandamide metabolism and synthesis, respectively. R-flurbiprofen inhibits FAAH activity and normalizes NAPE-PLD expression. As a consequence, R-Flurbiprofen improves endogenous cannabinoid mediated effects, indicated by the reduction of glutamate release, increased activity of the anti-inflammatory transcription factor PPARγ and attenuation of microglia activation. Antinociceptive effects are lost by combined inhibition of CB1 and CB2 receptors and partially abolished in CB1 receptor deficient mice. R-flurbiprofen does however not cause changes of core body temperature which is a typical indicator of central effects of cannabinoid-1 receptor agonists. Conclusion Our results suggest that R-flurbiprofen improves the endogenous mechanisms to regain stability after axonal injury and to fend off chronic neuropathic pain by modulating the endocannabinoid system and thus constitutes an attractive, novel therapeutic agent in the treatment of chronic, intractable pain. PMID:20498712

R-flurbiprofen reduces neuropathic pain in rodents by restoring endogenous cannabinoids.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Philipp Bishay

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: R-flurbiprofen, one of the enantiomers of flurbiprofen racemate, is inactive with respect to cyclooxygenase inhibition, but shows analgesic properties without relevant toxicity. Its mode of action is still unclear. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We show that R-flurbiprofen reduces glutamate release in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord evoked by sciatic nerve injury and thereby alleviates pain in sciatic nerve injury models of neuropathic pain in rats and mice. This is mediated by restoring the balance of endocannabinoids (eCB, which is disturbed following peripheral nerve injury in the DRGs, spinal cord and forebrain. The imbalance results from transcriptional adaptations of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH and NAPE-phospholipase D, i.e. the major enzymes involved in anandamide metabolism and synthesis, respectively. R-flurbiprofen inhibits FAAH activity and normalizes NAPE-PLD expression. As a consequence, R-Flurbiprofen improves endogenous cannabinoid mediated effects, indicated by the reduction of glutamate release, increased activity of the anti-inflammatory transcription factor PPARgamma and attenuation of microglia activation. Antinociceptive effects are lost by combined inhibition of CB1 and CB2 receptors and partially abolished in CB1 receptor deficient mice. R-flurbiprofen does however not cause changes of core body temperature which is a typical indicator of central effects of cannabinoid-1 receptor agonists. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that R-flurbiprofen improves the endogenous mechanisms to regain stability after axonal injury and to fend off chronic neuropathic pain by modulating the endocannabinoid system and thus constitutes an attractive, novel therapeutic agent in the treatment of chronic, intractable pain.

Allosteric modulation of endogenous metabolites as an avenue for drug discovery.

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Wootten, Denise; Savage, Emilia E; Valant, Celine; May, Lauren T; Sloop, Kyle W; Ficorilli, James; Showalter, Aaron D; Willard, Francis S; Christopoulos, Arthur; Sexton, Patrick M

2012-08-01

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of cell surface receptors and a key drug target class. Recently, allosteric drugs that can co-bind with and modulate the activity of the endogenous ligand(s) for the receptor have become a major focus of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry for the development of novel GPCR therapeutic agents. This class of drugs has distinct properties compared with drugs targeting the endogenous (orthosteric) ligand-binding site that include the ability to sculpt cellular signaling and to respond differently in the presence of discrete orthosteric ligands, a behavior termed "probe dependence." Here, using cell signaling assays combined with ex vivo and in vivo studies of insulin secretion, we demonstrate that allosteric ligands can cause marked potentiation of previously "inert" metabolic products of neurotransmitters and peptide hormones, a novel consequence of the phenomenon of probe dependence. Indeed, at the muscarinic M(2) receptor and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor, allosteric potentiation of the metabolites, choline and GLP-1(9-36)NH(2), respectively, was ~100-fold and up to 200-fold greater than that seen with the physiological signaling molecules acetylcholine and GLP-1(7-36)NH(2). Modulation of GLP-1(9-36)NH(2) was also demonstrated in ex vivo and in vivo assays of insulin secretion. This work opens up new avenues for allosteric drug discovery by directly targeting modulation of metabolites, but it also identifies a behavior that could contribute to unexpected clinical outcomes if interaction of allosteric drugs with metabolites is not part of their preclinical assessment.

Redox cycling of endogenous copper by ferulic acid leads to cellular DNA breakage and consequent cell death: A putative cancer chemotherapy mechanism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sarwar, Tarique [Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, A.M. University, Aligarh, UP 202002 (India); Zafaryab, Md [Genome Biology Lab, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Central University, New Delhi 110025 (India); Husain, Mohammed Amir; Ishqi, Hassan Mubarak; Rehman, Sayeed Ur [Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, A.M. University, Aligarh, UP 202002 (India); Moshahid Alam Rizvi, M. [Genome Biology Lab, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Central University, New Delhi 110025 (India); Tabish, Mohammad, E-mail: tabish.bcmlab@gmail.com [Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, A.M. University, Aligarh, UP 202002 (India)

2015-12-01

Ferulic acid (FA) is a plant polyphenol showing diverse therapeutic effects against cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. FA is a known antioxidant at lower concentrations, however at higher concentrations or in the presence of metal ions such as copper, it may act as a pro-oxidant. It has been reported that copper levels are significantly raised in different malignancies. Cancer cells are under increased oxidative stress as compared to normal cells. Certain therapeutic substances like polyphenols can further increase this oxidative stress and kill cancer cells without affecting the proliferation of normal cells. Through various in vitro experiments we have shown that the pro-oxidant properties of FA are enhanced in the presence of copper. Comet assay demonstrated the ability of FA to cause oxidative DNA breakage in human peripheral lymphocytes which was ameliorated by specific copper-chelating agent such as neocuproine and scavengers of ROS. This suggested the mobilization of endogenous copper in ROS generation and consequent DNA damage. These results were further validated through cytotoxicity experiments involving different cell lines. Thus, we conclude that such a pro-oxidant mechanism involving endogenous copper better explains the anticancer activities of FA. This would be an alternate non-enzymatic, and copper-mediated pathway for the cytotoxic activities of FA where it can selectively target cancer cells with elevated levels of copper and ROS. - Highlights: • Pro-oxidant properties of ferulic acid are enhanced in presence of copper. • Ferulic acid causes oxidative DNA damage in lymphocytes as observed by comet assay. • DNA damage was ameliorated by copper chelating agent neocuproine and ROS scavengers. • Endogenous copper is involved in ROS generation causing DNA damage. • Ferulic acid exerts cancer cell specific cytotoxicity as observed by MTT assay.

Unemployment and endogenous growth

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Schaik, A.B.T.M.; de Groot, H.L.F.

1995-01-01

In this paper we develop a two-sector endogenous growth model with a dual labour market, based on efficiency wages. Growth is driven by intentional R&D performed in the high-tech and high-wage sector. It is examined how a change in rivalry among firms affects simultaneously growth and unemployment.

Endogenous scheduling preferences and congestion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fosgerau, Mogens; Small, Kenneth

2017-01-01

We consider the timing of activities through a dynamic model of commuting with congestion, in which workers care solely about leisure and consumption. Implicit preferences for the timing of the commute form endogenously due to temporal agglomeration economies. Equilibrium exists uniquely and is i......We consider the timing of activities through a dynamic model of commuting with congestion, in which workers care solely about leisure and consumption. Implicit preferences for the timing of the commute form endogenously due to temporal agglomeration economies. Equilibrium exists uniquely...... and is indistinguishable from that of a generalized version of the classical Vickrey bottleneck model, based on exogenous trip-timing preferences, but optimal policies differ: the Vickrey model will misstate the benefits of a capacity increase, it will underpredict the benefits of congestion pricing, and pricing may make...

Structure and biological activity of endogenous and synthetic agonists of GPR119

Science.gov (United States)

Tyurenkov, I. N.; Ozerov, A. A.; Kurkin, D. V.; Logvinova, E. O.; Bakulin, D. A.; Volotova, E. V.; Borodin, D. D.

2018-02-01

A G-protein-coupled receptor, GPR119, is a promising pharmacological target for a new class of hypoglycaemic drugs with an original mechanism of action, namely, increase in the glucose-dependent incretin and insulin secretion. In 2005, the first ligands were found and in the subsequent years, a large number of GPR119 agonists were synthesized in laboratories in various countries; the safest and most promising agonists have entered phase I and II clinical trials as agents for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity. The review describes the major endogenous GPR119 agonists and the main trends in the design and modification of synthetic structures for increasing the hypoglycaemic activity. The data on synthetic agonists are arranged according to the type of the central core of the molecules. The bibliography includes 104 references.

Rapid real-time PCR assay for culture and tissue identification of Geomyces destructans: the etiologic agent of bat geomycosis (white nose syndrome).

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Chaturvedi, Sudha; Rudd, Robert J; Davis, April; Victor, Tanya R; Li, Xiaojiang; Appler, Kim A; Rajkumar, Sunanda S; Chaturvedi, Vishnu

2011-10-01

Geomyces destructans is the etiologic agent of bat geomycosis, commonly referred to as white nose syndrome (WNS). This infection has caused severe morbidity and mortality in little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) and has also spread to other bat species with significant decline in the populations. Currently, G. destructans infection is identified by culture, ITS-PCR, and histopathology. We hypothesized that a real-time PCR assay would considerably improve detection of G. destructans in bats. The 100 bp sequence of the Alpha-L-Rhamnosidase gene was validated as a target for real-time PCR. The assay sensitivity was determined from serial dilution of DNA extracted from G. destructans conidia (5 × 10(-1)-5 × 10(7)), and the specificity was tested using DNA from 30 closely and distantly related fungi and 5 common bacterial pathogens. The real-time PCR assay was highly sensitive with detection limit of two G. destructans conidia per reaction at 40 PCR cycles. The assay was also highly specific as none of the other fungal or bacterial DNA cross-reacted in the real-time PCR assay. One hundred and forty-seven bat tissue samples, suspected of infection with G. destructans, were used to compare the real-time PCR assay to other methods employed for the detection of G. destructans. Real-time PCR was highly sensitive with 80 of 147 (55%) samples testing positive for G. destructans DNA. In comparison, histopathology examination revealed 64/147 (44%) positive samples. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-PCR yielded positive amplicon for G. destructans from 37 tissue samples (25%). The least sensitive assay was the fungal culture with only 17 tissue samples (12%) yielding G. destructans in culture. The data suggested that the real-time PCR assay is highly promising for rapid, sensitive, and specific identification of G. destructans. Further trials and inter-laboratory comparisons of this novel assay are recommended to improve the diagnosis of bat geomycosis.

Some observations about the endogenous money theory

OpenAIRE

Bertocco Giancarlo

2006-01-01

The endogenous money theory constitutes the core element of the post-keynesian monetary theory. The first formulation of this theory can be found in the works of Kaldor published in the 1970s. Taking these studies as a starting point, the post-keynesians elaborated two versions of the endogenous money theory which differ in their assumptions about the behaviour of the monetary authorities and the banking system, and hence offer different conclusions about the slope of the money supply curve. ...

CITROBACTER ENDOGENOUS ENDOPHTHALMITIS: A CASE REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Daniel H T; Liu, Candice C H; Tong, Justin M K; Luk, Wei-Kwang; Li, Kenneth K W

2017-11-16

We present a case of endogenous endophthalmitis because of an unusual bacterium, Citrobacter koseri. A 57-year-old woman without previous history of eye surgery or trauma presented with diabetic ketoacidosis and a painful right eye with the reduction of vision. C. koseri was identified in blood culture; thus, a diagnosis of right eye endogenous endophthalmitis was made. Intravenous and intravitreal antibiotics were both started, and vitreous culture further confirmed C. koseri as the causative organism. Computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis revealed a right C-shaped perinephric abscess, which was drained under ultrasound guidance. Because of rapid progression to corneal melting, evisceration was performed. Cases of endogenous endophthalmitis caused by Citrobacter are very limited, and a review of all published cases in the English literature and the present case revealed that endogenous Citrobacter endophthalmitis arose almost entirely from Citrobacter renal infection. Early recognition and drainage of renal abscess may lower the chance of uncontrolled infection and endogenous spread to the eyes. Despite prompt and intensive treatment, the clinical outcome of Citrobacter endogenous endophthalmitis seems to be poor.

Strategies for the photo-control of endogenous protein activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Brechun, Katherine E; Arndt, Katja M; Woolley, G Andrew

2017-08-01

Photo-controlled or 'optogenetic' effectors interfacing with endogenous protein machinery allow the roles of endogenous proteins to be probed. There are two main approaches being used to develop optogenetic effectors: (i) caging strategies using photo-controlled conformational changes, and (ii) protein relocalization strategies using photo-controlled protein-protein interactions. Numerous specific examples of these approaches have been reported and efforts to develop general methods for photo-control of endogenous proteins are a current focus. The development of improved screening and selection methods for photo-switchable proteins would advance the field. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Endogenous lung regeneration: potential and limitations.

Science.gov (United States)

Rock, Jason; Königshoff, Melanie

2012-12-15

The exploration of the endogenous regenerative potential of the diseased adult human lung represents an innovative and exciting task. In this pulmonary perspective, we discuss three major components essential for endogenous lung repair and regeneration: epithelial progenitor populations, developmental signaling pathways that regulate their reparative and regenerative potential, and the surrounding extracellular matrix in the human diseased lung. Over the past years, several distinct epithelial progenitor populations have been discovered within the lung, all of which most likely respond to different injuries by varying degrees. It has become evident that several progenitor populations are mutually involved in maintenance and repair, which is highly regulated by developmental pathways, such as Wnt or Notch signaling. Third, endogenous progenitor cells and developmental signaling pathways act in close spatiotemporal synergy with the extracellular matrix. These three components define and refine the highly dynamic microenvironment of the lung, which is altered in a disease-specific fashion in several chronic lung diseases. The search for the right mixture to induce efficient and controlled repair and regeneration of the diseased lung is ongoing and will open completely novel avenues for the treatment of patients with chronic lung disease.

Endogenous versus Exogenous Growth Factor Regulation of Articular Chondrocytes

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Shuiliang; Chan, Albert G.; Mercer, Scott; Eckert, George J.; Trippel, Stephen B.

2014-01-01

Anabolic growth factors that regulate the function of articular chondrocytes are candidates for articular cartilage repair. Such factors may be delivered by pharmacotherapy in the form of exogenous proteins, or by gene therapy as endogenous proteins. It is unknown whether delivery method influences growth factor effectiveness in regulating articular chondrocyte reparative functions. We treated adult bovine articular chondrocytes with exogenous recombinant insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1), or with the genes encoding these growth factors for endogenous production. Treatment effects were measured as change in chondrocyte DNA content, glycosaminoglycan production, and aggrecan gene expression. We found that IGF-I stimulated chondrocyte biosynthesis similarly when delivered by either exogenous or endogenous means. In contrast, exogenous TGF-ß1 stimulated these reparative functions, while endogenous TGF-ß1 had little effect. Endogenous TGF-ß1 became more bioactive following activation of the transgene protein product. These data indicate that effective mechanisms of growth factor delivery for articular cartilage repair may differ for different growth factors. In the case of IGF-I, gene therapy or protein therapy appear to be viable options. In contrast, TGF-ß1 gene therapy may be constrained by a limited ability of chondrocytes to convert latent complexes to an active form. PMID:24105960

Staphylococcal endogenous endophthalmitis in association with pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Steeples, L R; Jones, N P

2016-01-01

PURPOSE To describe pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis as a rare infection associated with endogenous endophthalmitis.METHODS A retrospective review of three patients with endogenous endophthalmitis and sepsis due to underlying Staphylococcal vertebral osteomyelitis presenting during a 21-month time period. The ophthalmic and systemic features and management and outcomes are presented.RESULTS One patient developed unilateral endophthalmitis with cervical spine osteomyelitis, Staphylococcus aureus being isolated from blood cultures. The second presented with bilateral endophthalmitis with disseminated Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infection, with thoracic and lumbar discitis and para-spinal abscesses. MRSA was cultured from vitreous, blood, and synovial fluid. Both patients received prolonged courses of intravenous antibiotics. Intravitreal antibiotic therapy was used in the second patient. Excellent visual and systemic outcomes were achieved in both cases with no ocular complications. The third patient developed lumbar osteomyelitis following spinal surgery and presented with disseminated S. aureus sepsis including unilateral endogenous endophthalmitis. Despite systemic antibiotics and intensive care the patient died.CONCLUSIONS Endogenous endophthalmitis should be suspected in septic patients developing eye symptoms. Endogenous endophthalmitis with staphylococcal bone infection is a rare but serious condition. Osteomyelitis should be considered as an infective source in any such patient reporting bone pain or reduced spinal mobility. Prompt investigation and treatment can achieve favourable visual and systemic outcomes.

Surgical choroidal neovascular membrane removal in the era of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents

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Nagpal Manish

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF agents have obtained acceptance as the mainstay in the management strategy of subfoveal choroidal neovascular membranes (CNVM due to varying etiologies. Few drawbacks include need for repeated intravitreal injections, with its adjunct risks, and the lack of a predefined treatment end point, which can cause doubts and uncertainty in the mind of the patient. Furthermore, it remains a significant financial burden for the patient. Herein we report our data of three patients who were reluctant for further re-injections of anti-VEGF agents and were therefore offered surgical removal of the CNVM by submacular surgery as an alternative treatment plan.

Dietary Agents and Phytochemicals in the Prevention and Treatment of Experimental Ulcerative Colitis

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Arpit Saxena

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs, consisting mainly of ulcerative colitis (UC and Crohn's disease (CD, are important immune-mediated diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The etiology of the disease includes environmental and genetic factors. Its management presents a constant challenge for gastroenterologists and conventional surgeon. 5-Amninosalicylates, antibiotics, steroids, and immune modulators have been used to reduce the symptoms and for maintenance of remission. Unfortunately, long-term usage of these agents has been found to lead to severe toxicities, which are deterrent to the users. Pre-clinical studies carried out in the recent past have shown that certain dietary agents, spices, oils, and dietary phytochemicals that are consumed regularly possess beneficial effects in preventing/ameliorating UC. For the first time, this review addresses the use of these dietary agents and spices in the treatment and prevention of IBD and also emphasizes on the mechanisms responsible for their effects.

Occupational diseases of dust etiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sokolik, L.I.; Shkondin, A.N.

1981-01-01

Detailed etiologic and clinico-roentgenological characteristics of pneumoconiosis, as widely spread occupational disease caused by different kinds of dust, are given. The course of pneumoconiosis is discussed depending on working conditions of patients after the disease had been ascertained, as well as its complications, taking into account roentgeno-morphological types of fibrosis and the stages of the disease [ru

Etiology of Burn Injuries Among 0-6 Aged Children in One University Hospital Burn Unit, Bursa, Turkey

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Neriman Akansel

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background; Children whose verbal communications are not fully developed are the ones at risk for burn injuries. Causes of burn injuries vary among different age groups and scald injuries are the common cause of burn injuries among children. The majority of burns result from contact with thermal agents such as flame, hot surfaces, or hot liquids.Aim: The aim of this study was to determine etiologic factors of the burn injured children Methods: Data were collected for burn injured children treated in Uludag University Medical Hospital Burn Unit between January 2001 – December 2008. Patients’ demographic variables, etiology of burn injury, TBSA(total body surface area, degree of the burn injury, duration of hospitalization was detected from medical records of the hospitalized patients.Results: The mean age of the children was 2.5±1.5 (median=2. Although 4.6 % of burned patients were under one year of age, most of the children (67.8% were between 1-3 years. All of the patients were burned as a result of accident and house environment was the place where the burn incident occurred. Burn injuries occurredmostly during summer (29.9% and spring (28.7%. Scald injuries (75.3% were mostly seen burn injury types all among other burn injuries.Conclusions: Lack of supervision and observation are usually the most common causes of burn injuries in children. Statistical differences were found among age groups according to their burn etiology (p<0.05. An effect of TBSA on patient survival was statistically significant (p<0.000 and also statistically significant results were seen among age groups according to their TBSA’s (p<0.005.

The Etiology of Vaginal Discharge Syndrome in Zimbabwe Results from the Zimbabwe STI Etiology Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chirenje, Z Mike; Dhibi, Nicholas; Handsfield, H Hunter; Gonese, Elizabeth; Barr, Beth Tippett; Gwanzura, Lovemore; Latif, Ahmed S; Maseko, Dumisili Venessa; Kularatne, Ranmini S; Tshimanga, Mufuta; Kilmarx, Peter H; Machiha, Anna; Mugurungi, Owen; Rietmeijer, Cornelis A

2017-11-29

Symptomatic vaginal discharge is a common gynecological condition managed syndromically in most developing countries. In Zimbabwe, women presenting with symptomatic vaginal discharge are treated with empirical regimens that commonly cover both sexually transmitted infections (STI) and reproductive tract infections, typically including a combination of an intramuscular injection of kanamycin, and oral doxycycline and metronidazole regimens. This study was conducted to determine the current etiology of symptomatic vaginal discharge and assess adequacy of current syndromic management guidelines. We enrolled 200 women with symptomatic vaginal discharge presenting at 6 STI clinics in Zimbabwe. Microscopy was used to detect bacterial vaginosis and yeast infection. Nucleic acid amplifications tests were used to detect Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis and Mycoplasma genitalium. In addition, serologic testing was performed to detect HIV infection. Of the 200 women, 146 (73%) had an etiology detected, including bacterial vaginosis (24.7%); N. gonorrhoeae (24.0%); yeast infection (20.7%); T. vaginalis (19.0%); C. trachomatis (14.0%) and M. genitalium (7.0%). Among women with STIs (N=90), 62 (68.9%) had a single infection, 18 (20.0%) had a dual infection and 10 (11.1%) had three infections.Of 158 women who consented to HIV testing, 64 (40.5%) were HIV infected.The syndromic management regimen covered 115 (57.5%) of the women in the sample who had gonorrhea, chlamydia, M. genitalium, or bacterial vaginosis, while 85 (42.5%) of women were treated without such diagnosis. Among women presenting with symptomatic vaginal discharge, bacterial vaginosis was the most common etiology and gonorrhea was the most frequently detected STI. The current syndromic management algorithm is suboptimal for coverage of women presenting with symptomatic vaginal discharge; addition of point of care testing could compliment the effectiveness of the syndromic approach.

Re-education begins at home: an overview of the discovery of in vivo-active small molecule modulators of endogenous stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Um, JungIn; Lee, Ji-Hyung; Jung, Da-Woon; Williams, Darren R

2018-04-01

Degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, heart disease and arthritis cause great suffering and are major socioeconomic burdens. An attractive treatment approach is stem cell transplantation to regenerate damaged or destroyed tissues. However, this can be problematic. For example, donor cells may not functionally integrate into the host tissue. An alternative methodology is to deliver bioactive agents, such as small molecules, directly into the diseased tissue to enhance the regenerative potential of endogenous stem cells. Areas covered: In this review, the authors discuss the necessity of developing these small molecules to treat degenerative diseases and survey progress in their application as therapeutics. They describe both the successes and caveats of developing small molecules that target endogenous stem cells to induce tissue regeneration. This article is based on literature searches which encompass databases for biomedical research and clinical trials. These small molecules are also categorized per their target disease and mechanism of action. Expert opinion: The development of small molecules targeting endogenous stem cells is a high-profile research area. Some compounds have made the successful transition to the clinic. Novel approaches, such as modulating the stem cell niche or targeted delivery to disease sites, should increase the likelihood of future successes in this field.

Etiology, diagnosis, and clinical management of vulvodynia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sadownik LA

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Leslie A Sadownik University of British Columbia, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vancouver, BC, Canada Abstract: Chronic vulvar pain or discomfort for which no obvious etiology can be found, ie, vulvodynia, can affect up to 16% of women. It may affect girls and women across all age groups and ethnicities. Vulvodynia is a significant burden to society, the health care system, the affected woman, and her intimate partner. The etiology is multifactorial and may involve local injury or inflammation, and peripheral and or central sensitization of the nervous system. An approach to the diagnosis and management of a woman presenting with chronic vulvar pain should address the biological, psychological, and social/interpersonal factors that contribute to her illness. The gynecologist has a key role in excluding other causes for vulvar pain, screening for psychosexual and pelvic floor dysfunction, and collaborating with other health care providers to manage a woman's pain. An important component of treatment is patient education regarding the pathogenesis of the pain and the negative impact of experiencing pain on a woman's overall quality of life. An individualized, holistic, and often multidisciplinary approach is needed to effectively manage the woman's pain and pain-related distress. Keywords: vulvodynia, diagnosis, treatment, etiology, sexual pain disorder, dyspareunia, vestibulodynia, assessment, treatment, multidisciplinary

The epigenetic alterations of endogenous retroelements in aging.

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Cardelli, Maurizio

2018-02-16

Endogenous retroelements, transposons that mobilize through RNA intermediates, include some of the most abundant repetitive sequences of the human genome, such as Alu and LINE-1 sequences, and human endogenous retroviruses. Recent discoveries demonstrate that these mobile genetic elements not only act as intragenomic parasites, but also exert regulatory roles in living cells. The risk of genomic instability represented by endogenous retroelements is normally counteracted by a series of epigenetic control mechanisms which include, among the most important, CpG DNA methylation. Indeed, most of the genomic CpG sites subjected to DNA methylation in the nuclear DNA are carried by these repetitive elements. As other parts of the genome, endogenous retroelements and other transposable elements are subjected to deep epigenetic alterations during aging, repeatedly observed in the context of organismal and cellular senescence, in human and other species. This review summarizes the current status of knowledge about the epigenetic alterations occurring in this large, non-genic portion of the genome in aging and age-related conditions, with a focus on the causes and the possible functional consequences of these alterations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Emerging role of infectious etiologies in the pathogenesis of marginal zone B-cell lymphomas.

Science.gov (United States)

Zucca, Emanuele; Bertoni, Francesco; Vannata, Barbara; Cavalli, Franco

2014-10-15

Extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphomas of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) arise from lymphoid populations that are induced by chronic inflammation in extranodal sites. The most frequently affected organ is the stomach, where MALT lymphoma is incontrovertibly associated with a chronic gastritis induced by a microbial pathogen, Helicobacter pylori. Gastric MALT lymphoma therefore represents a paradigm for evaluating inflammation-associated lymphomagenesis, which may lead to a deeper understanding of a possible etiologic association between other microorganisms and nongastric marginal zone lymphomas. Besides infectious etiology, chronic inflammation caused by autoimmune diseases, such as Sjögren syndrome or Hashimoto thyroiditis, can also carry a significant risk factor for the development of marginal zone lymphoma. In addition to the continuous antigenic drive, additional oncogenic events play a relevant role in lymphoma growth and progression to the point at which the lymphoproliferative process may eventually become independent of antigenic stimulation. Recent studies on MALT lymphomas have in fact demonstrated genetic alterations affecting the NF-κB) pathway, a major signaling pathway involved in many cancers. This review aims to present marginal zone lymphoma as an example of the close pathogenetic link between chronic inflammation and tumor development, with particular attention to the role of infectious agents and the integration of these observations into everyday clinical practice. See all articles in this CCR Focus section, "Paradigm Shifts in Lymphoma." ©2014 American Association for Cancer Research.

Expression and function of endogenous retroviruses in the placenta.

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Denner, Joachim

2016-01-01

Although the expression of endogenous retroviruses in the placenta of numerous species was observed a long time ago, their physiological function during gestation was demonstrated only very recently. Expression of retroviral envelope proteins, also called syncytins, in the placenta allows generation of the multinuclear syncytiotrophoblast as an outer cellular layer of the placenta by fusion of the trophoblast cells. This fusion process is crucial for the development of the placenta and for successful pregnancy. It is still unclear whether the immunosuppressive properties of the transmembrane envelope protein of the endogenous retroviruses expressed in the placenta contribute to immunosuppression to prevent the rejection of the semiallotransplant embryo. The presence of placenta cells expressing retroviral envelope proteins surrounded by immune cells deep in the maternal tissue supports an immunosuppressive function. It is important to emphasize that during evolution different species utilized ('enslaved') different endogenous retroviruses and that two or more endogenous retroviruses are involved in placentogenesis in each species. © 2016 APMIS. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

School system evaluation by value added analysis under endogeneity.

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Manzi, Jorge; San Martín, Ernesto; Van Bellegem, Sébastien

2014-01-01

Value added is a common tool in educational research on effectiveness. It is often modeled as a (prediction of a) random effect in a specific hierarchical linear model. This paper shows that this modeling strategy is not valid when endogeneity is present. Endogeneity stems, for instance, from a correlation between the random effect in the hierarchical model and some of its covariates. This paper shows that this phenomenon is far from exceptional and can even be a generic problem when the covariates contain the prior score attainments, a typical situation in value added modeling. Starting from a general, model-free definition of value added, the paper derives an explicit expression of the value added in an endogeneous hierarchical linear Gaussian model. Inference on value added is proposed using an instrumental variable approach. The impact of endogeneity on the value added and the estimated value added is calculated accurately. This is also illustrated on a large data set of individual scores of about 200,000 students in Chile.

Perfil etiológico das meningites bacterianas em crianças Etiological profile of bacterial meningitis in children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Orlando C. Mantese

2002-12-01

meningite bacteriana continua tendo uma importante mortalidade entre as crianças, principalmente quando causada pelo pneumococo.Objective: To determine the etiologic profile and analyze some epidemiological aspects of children with bacterial meningitis admitted to a public teaching hospital. Methods: A prospective study was conducted on children with clinical and laboratory diagnosis of bacterial meningitis, admitted to Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, from January 1987 to January 2001. Patients with meningitis associated with trauma, intracranial devices or malformations of the neural tube, and tuberculosis, were not included in the study. Results: From a total of 415 children with bacterial meningitis, the etiologic agent was detected in 315 (75.9%: Haemophilus influenzae b in 54.2%, meningococci in 20.6%, pneumococci in 18.1% and other agents, in 6.9%. Previous antibiotic treatment, observed in 47.2% of the cases, led to a significant decrease in positive blood cultures (from 50.8% to 38.7% and in cerebrospinal fluid cultures (from 71.7% to 57.6%. Among children younger than 48 months Haemophilus influenzae b was predominant, particularly when compared to meningococci. The overall mortality was 10.1%, with a significant difference between the rates of pneumococcal (17.5% and meningococcal meningitis (4.6%. Conclusions: Children affected by Haemophilus influenzae b and by pneumococci were younger than those with meningitis caused by meningococci. The blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid culture remains an important laboratory tool for etiologic diagnosis, despite the negative impact caused by antibiotic previous treatment. The agents most commonly detected were Haemophilus influenzae b, meningococci and pneumococci. Bacterial meningitis continues to present an important mortality among children, particularly when caused by pneumococci.

Innate heart regeneration: endogenous cellular sources and exogenous therapeutic amplification.

Science.gov (United States)

Malliaras, Konstantinos; Vakrou, Styliani; Kapelios, Chris J; Nanas, John N

2016-11-01

The -once viewed as heretical- concept of the adult mammalian heart as a dynamic organ capable of endogenous regeneration has recently gained traction. However, estimated rates of myocyte turnover vary wildly and the underlying mechanisms of cardiac plasticity remain controversial. It is still unclear whether the adult mammalian heart gives birth to new myocytes through proliferation of resident myocytes, through cardiomyogenic differentiation of endogenous progenitors or through both mechanisms. In this review, the authors discuss the cellular origins of postnatal mammalian cardiomyogenesis and touch upon therapeutic strategies that could potentially amplify innate cardiac regeneration. The adult mammalian heart harbors a limited but detectable capacity for spontaneous endogenous regeneration. During normal aging, proliferation of pre-existing cardiomyocytes is the dominant mechanism for generation of new cardiomyocytes. Following myocardial injury, myocyte proliferation increases modestly, but differentiation of endogenous progenitor cells appears to also contribute to cardiomyogenesis (although agreement on the latter point is not universal). Since cardiomyocyte deficiency underlies almost all types of heart disease, development of therapeutic strategies that amplify endogenous regeneration to a clinically-meaningful degree is of utmost importance.

The Etiology and Clinical Features of Anaphylaxis in a developing country: A nationwide survey in Turkey.

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Civelek, Ersoy; Erkoçoğlu, Mustafa; Akan, Ayşegül; Özcan, Celal; Kaya, Ayşenur; Vezir, Emine; Giniş, Tayfur; Azkur, Dilek; Toyran, Müge; Tokaç, Mahmut; Kocabaş, Can Naci

2017-12-01

Despite the increasing frequency of anaphylaxis, there is inadequate information on the etiology and clinical features in various countries, regions and age groups, especially in developing countries. Our aim is to assess the etiology and clinical findings of anaphylaxis in Turkey. Gathering reliable data about the etiology and clinical findings of anaphylaxis in the general population will decrease the related morbidity and mortality. We obtained the names and phone numbers of individuals who had been prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector with a diagnosis of anaphylaxis from ministry of health. Demographic data, clinical history of the first episode of anaphylaxis including the triggering agent, clinical findings, course of hospitalization, and the management of anaphylaxis were obtained by phone survey. A total of 843 patients with a mean age of 21.4±17.3 years were evaluated. There was a significant male predominance among children younger than 10 years of age but a female predominance in older subjects. The most common causes of anaphylaxis were foods(40.1%) in children and bee venom(60.8%) in adults. The biphasic reaction rate was 4.3% and the median length of stay at an emergency department was 4.0 hours. Almost 60% of the patients had recurrent anaphylaxis episodes. Only 10.7% of the cases were prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector at their first anaphylaxis episode and only 59.2% of the patients were referred to an allergist during discharge from the emergency department. In Turkey, bee venom was the most common cause of anaphylaxis, followed by food and drug. While more than a half of patients reported recurrent attacks; only 10% had been prescribed epinephrine auto-injector kit after their first episode. Strategies to improve the anaphyalxis management are therefore urgently required.

In situ tissue regeneration: chemoattractants for endogenous stem cell recruitment.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanden Berg-Foels, Wendy S

2014-02-01

Tissue engineering uses cells, signaling molecules, and/or biomaterials to regenerate injured or diseased tissues. Ex vivo expanded mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have long been a cornerstone of regeneration therapies; however, drawbacks that include altered signaling responses and reduced homing capacity have prompted investigation of regeneration based on endogenous MSC recruitment. Recent successful proof-of-concept studies have further motivated endogenous MSC recruitment-based approaches. Stem cell migration is required for morphogenesis and organogenesis during development and for tissue maintenance and injury repair in adults. A biomimetic approach to in situ tissue regeneration by endogenous MSC requires the orchestration of three main stages: MSC recruitment, MSC differentiation, and neotissue maturation. The first stage must result in recruitment of a sufficient number of MSC, capable of effecting regeneration, to the injured or diseased tissue. One of the challenges for engineering endogenous MSC recruitment is the selection of effective chemoattractant(s). The objective of this review is to synthesize and evaluate evidence of recruitment efficacy by reported chemoattractants, including growth factors, chemokines, and other more recently appreciated MSC chemoattractants. The influence of MSC tissue sources, cell culture methods, and the in vitro and in vivo environments is discussed. This growing body of knowledge will serve as a basis for the rational design of regenerative therapies based on endogenous MSC recruitment. Successful endogenous MSC recruitment is the first step of successful tissue regeneration.

Social Laughter Triggers Endogenous Opioid Release in Humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Manninen, Sandra; Tuominen, Lauri; Dunbar, Robin I; Karjalainen, Tomi; Hirvonen, Jussi; Arponen, Eveliina; Hari, Riitta; Jääskeläinen, Iiro P; Sams, Mikko; Nummenmaa, Lauri

2017-06-21

The size of human social networks significantly exceeds the network that can be maintained by social grooming or touching in other primates. It has been proposed that endogenous opioid release after social laughter would provide a neurochemical pathway supporting long-term relationships in humans (Dunbar, 2012), yet this hypothesis currently lacks direct neurophysiological support. We used PET and the μ-opioid-receptor (MOR)-specific ligand [ 11 C]carfentanil to quantify laughter-induced endogenous opioid release in 12 healthy males. Before the social laughter scan, the subjects watched laughter-inducing comedy clips with their close friends for 30 min. Before the baseline scan, subjects spent 30 min alone in the testing room. Social laughter increased pleasurable sensations and triggered endogenous opioid release in thalamus, caudate nucleus, and anterior insula. In addition, baseline MOR availability in the cingulate and orbitofrontal cortices was associated with the rate of social laughter. In a behavioral control experiment, pain threshold-a proxy of endogenous opioidergic activation-was elevated significantly more in both male and female volunteers after watching laughter-inducing comedy versus non-laughter-inducing drama in groups. Modulation of the opioidergic activity by social laughter may be an important neurochemical pathway that supports the formation, reinforcement, and maintenance of human social bonds. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Social contacts are vital to humans. The size of human social networks significantly exceeds the network that can be maintained by social grooming in other primates. Here, we used PET to show that endogenous opioid release after social laughter may provide a neurochemical mechanism supporting long-term relationships in humans. Participants were scanned twice: after a 30 min social laughter session and after spending 30 min alone in the testing room (baseline). Endogenous opioid release was stronger after laughter versus the

Endogenous induced technical change and the costs of Kyoto

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buonanno, Paolo; Carraro, Carlo; Galeotti, M.

2001-09-01

Many predictions and conclusions in the climate change literature have been made and drawn on the basis of theoretical analyses and quantitative models that are either static or that allow for simple forms of changes in technology, often along exogenously given time paths. It is therefore not clear a priori whether those conclusions and policy recipes still hold in the more realistic case of endogenously evolving technologies. In this paper, a quantitative tool with the features of an endogenous growth model is presented, which also accounts for the possibility that technical change can be induced by environmental policy measures. Both the output production technology and the emission-output ratio depend upon the stock of knowledge, which accumulates through R and D activities. R and D is thus an additional policy variable that comes into play along with pollution abatement and capital investment. Two versions of this climate model are studied, one with endogenous technical change but exogenous environmental technical change (i.e. no induced technical change) and the other with both endogenous and induced technical change. Hence, in both models technical change evolves endogenously as far as the production technology is concerned, but endogenous environmental (or induced) technical change is only accounted for in the second version. Finally, a third version of the model also captures technological spillover effects. As an application, the three versions of the model are simulated allowing for trade of pollution permits as specified in the Kyoto Protocol and assessing the implications in terms of cost efficiency, economic growth and R and D efforts of the three different specifications of technical change

A panel Granger-causality test of endogenous vs. exogenous growth

OpenAIRE

Jochen Hartwig

2009-01-01

The paper proposes a new test of endogenous vs. exogenous growth theories based on the Granger-causality methodology and applies it to a panel of 20 OECD countries. The test yields divergent evidence with respect to physical and human capital. For physical capital, the test results favor Solow-type exogenous growth theory over AK-type endogenous growth models. On the other hand, the test results lend support to human capital oriented endogenous growth models - like the Uzawa-Lucas model - rat...

Burning mouth syndrome: etiology.

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Cerchiari, Dafne Patrícia; de Moricz, Renata Dutra; Sanjar, Fernanda Alves; Rapoport, Priscila Bogar; Moretti, Giovana; Guerra, Marja Michelin

2006-01-01

The Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) is an oral mucosa pain--with or without inflammatory signs--without any specific lesion. It is mostly observed in women aged 40-60 years. This pain feels like a moderate/severe burning, and it occurs more frequently on the tongue, but it may also be felt at the gingiva, lips and jugal mucosa. It may worsen during the day, during stress and fatigue, when the patient speaks too much, or through eating of spicy/hot foods. The burning can be diminished with cold food, work and leisure. The goal of this review article is to consider possible BMS etiologies and join them in 4 groups to be better studied: local, systemic, emotional and idiopathic causes of pain. Knowing the different diagnoses of this syndrome, we can establish a protocol to manage these patients. Within the local pain group, we must investigate dental, allergic and infectious causes. Concerning systemic causes we need to look for connective tissue diseases, endocrine disorders, neurological diseases, nutritional deficits and salivary glands alterations that result in xerostomia. BMS etiology may be of difficult diagnosis, many times showing more than one cause for oral pain. A detailed interview, general physical examination, oral cavity and oropharynx inspection, and lab exams are essential to avoid a try and error treatment for these patients.

Trichosporon asahii as an emerging etiologic agent of disseminated trichosporonosis: A case report and an update

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Chowdhary A

2004-01-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: To report a fatal case of disseminated trichosporonosis caused by Trichosporon asahii in a patient with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML and to present an update on systemic trichosporonosis with special reference to India. METHODS: The diagnosis was based on repeated demonstration of budding yeast cells and arthroconidia by direct microscopic examination of sputum and by isolation of T. asahii in culture of sputum and blood. The update is largely based upon literature search in Medline and Review of Medical and Veterinary Mycology. RESULTS: A 41-year-old male presented with acute myeloblastic leukemia, cough and fever. He had received cytotoxic drug therapy, broad spectrum antibiotics and was neutropenic. Trichosporon asahii was repeatedly demonstrated in his sputum by direct microscopy and culture, and also isolated from blood. It was identified by appropriate morphological and physiological characteristics viz., arthroconidium formation, diazonium blue B reaction, urease activity and assimilation of carbon and nitrogen compounds. The identification was confirmed by PCR amplification and direct DNA sequencing of internally transcribed spacer (ITS 1 and ITS2 of rDNA. CONCLUSION: With greater awareness of etiologic significance of T.asahii, trichosporonosis is likely to be recognised more frequently than apparent from the available published reports.

Amplification and chromosomal dispersion of human endogenous retroviral sequences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steele, P.E.; Martin, M.A.; Rabson, A.B.; Bryan, T.; O'Brien, S.J.

1986-01-01

Endogenous retroviral sequences have undergone amplification events involving both viral and flanking cellular sequences. The authors cloned members of an amplified family of full-length endogenous retroviral sequences. Genomic blotting, employing a flanking cellular DNA probe derived from a member of this family, revealed a similar array of reactive bands in both humans and chimpanzees, indicating that an amplification event involving retroviral and associated cellular DNA sequences occurred before the evolutionary separation of these two primates. Southern analyses of restricted somatic cell hybrid DNA preparations suggested that endogenous retroviral segments are widely dispersed in the human genome and that amplification and dispersion events may be linked

DEFINITION OF ETIOLOGICAL ANTIBIOTIC SENSITIVITY FACTORS IN PURULENT-INFLAMMATORY PROCESSES.

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Dubovyk, O; Mishyna, М; Malanchuk, S; Kuzmenko, A; Kozlov, O

2017-10-01

The purpose of the study - assessment of purulent-inflammatory processes etiologic factors and determination of microbial agents' in forms of plankton and biofilms sensitivity to antibiotics. Clinical microbial strains isolated from patients with purulent-inflammatory processes were the subject of the study. The study material comprised of wound tissue, pus, bandage and suture, catheters and drainage devices. Sensitivity of isolates to antimicrobial preparations with various mechanism of activity on the microbial cells was studied with the help of micro-test system. Formation of biofilms was studied with the help of definition of bacteria strains ability to adhesion to the surface of polystyrene flatbeds. It was revealed that one of the leading factors of purulent-inflammatory process development is S.aureus, which disseminated in 36,5% of cases; E.coli disseminated in 17,3% of cases. Among the agents of purulent-inflammatory processes the specific gravity attributed to: Proteus spp. - 14,6%, S.рyogenes - 12,8%, P.aeruginosa - 6,9%, K.pneumoniae - 6,7%. It was revealed that all isolates formed dense biofilms. It was demonstrated that most isolates in plankton form were sensitive to Novapime, Cefepime, Gatifloxacin, Imipenem; sensitive strains were registered in a smaller quantity to Gentamicin, Clindamycin and Doxycycline. In terms of sensitivity of isolates in the form of biofilm to antibacterial preparations it was revealed that most isolates were polyresistant to them. Thus, the study of the sensitivity of allotted microbial strains to antimicrobial preparations demonstrated, that there were strains among cultures with multiple resistances which was the consequence of a wide and not always effective use of antimicrobial preparations.

[The specific features of the clinical course of acute suppurative otitis media of viral and mixed viral-bacterial etiology in the children of the preschool age].

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Radtsig, E Yu; Bugaichuk, O V

The objective of the present study was to elucidate the spectrum of the pathogenic agents responsible for the development of acute suppurative otitis media in the children of the preschool age and to reveal the specific clinical features of this disease depending on its etiological factors. The study involved 138 patients (186 ears) of either sex at the age from 1 year to 84 months who presented with acute suppurative otitis media. The following methods were employed for the purpose of the study: analysis of the patients' complaints and the past medical histories, examination of the ENT organs, microbiological (bacteriological and virological) studies of secretion from the tympanic cavity, diagnostic endoscopy of the nasal cavity and nasopharynx, laboratory investigations. The study allowed to reveal the characteristic clinical manifestations of the pathology of interest depending on its etiology.

On the Endogeneity of the Mean-Variance Efficient Frontier.

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Somerville, R. A.; O'Connell, Paul G. J.

2002-01-01

Explains that the endogeneity of the efficient frontier in the mean-variance model of portfolio selection is commonly obscured in portfolio selection literature and in widely used textbooks. Demonstrates endogeneity and discusses the impact of parameter changes on the mean-variance efficient frontier and on the beta coefficients of individual…

Biopsychosocial Factors Associated with Prurigo Nodularis in Endogenous Eczema.

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Oh, Choon Chiat; Li, Huihua; Lee, Wellington; Tey, Hong Liang

2015-01-01

Prurigo nodularis is a dermatological manifestation secondary to chronic scratching or picking on focal areas of the skin. Its pathogenesis remains poorly understood, and limited data has indicated its association with psychological factors. To determine the biological, psychological and social factors associated with the occurrence of prurigo nodularis in patients with underlying endogenous eczema. A prospective case-control questionnaire -based study on patients with endogenous eczema, with and without prurigo nodules, was performed. The Impact of Skin Disease on Daily Life questionnaire was used to assess dimensions of physical functioning, including extent and severity of skin disease, itch, pain, fatigue and scratching, as well as dimensions of psychological and social functioning, including mood, illness cognition, disease-related impact, stigmatization and social support. Thirty-six cases and 47 controls were recruited. Patients with endogenous eczema and prurigo nodules indicated a higher itch score on the visual analog scale over the previous 4 weeks compared to those without prurigo nodules (p=0.0292). There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in the scores reflecting the other parameters of physical, psychological and social functioning. In patients with endogenous eczema, those with prurigo nodules experience a greater itch intensity compared to those without prurigo nodules. There were no other physical, psychological and social factors that were found to be associated with the occurrence of prurigo nodules in endogenous eczema.

Testing R&D-Based Endogenous Growth Models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kruse-Andersen, Peter Kjær

2017-01-01

R&D-based growth models are tested using US data for the period 1953-2014. A general growth model is developed which nests the model varieties of interest. The model implies a cointegrating relationship between multifactor productivity, research intensity, and employment. This relationship...... is estimated using cointegrated VAR models. The results provide evidence against the widely used fully endogenous variety and in favor of the semi-endogenous variety. Forecasts based on the empirical estimates suggest that the slowdown in US productivity growth will continue. Particularly, the annual long...

A Review and Critique of Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder Etiologies

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Steven Charles Hertler

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The present review and critique of extant etiological theories centers on a single finding: Obsessive-compulsive personality is highly heritable (0.78 and not significantly influenced by “common, shared-in-families environmental factors” (Torgersen et al., 2000, p. 424. This finding, though twelve years old, has remained dissociated from existing etiological accounts. Psychoanalytic theories anachronistically maintain that obsessive personality is familially forged. Biological theories, few, unelaborated and weakened by postulating proximate instead of ultimate explanations, fail to seriously reckon with Torgersen’s findings. Truly integrating heritability estimates into a functional etiological account of obsessive character, it is argued in the discussion section, will come from an evolutionary model that understands obsessive personality to be an evolved strategy rather than a dysfunctional disorder.

Progress in etiology, diagnosis, and therapy of idiopathic orbital inflammatory disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bijlsma, W.R.

2011-01-01

Idiopathic orbital inflammation (IOI) is a disease with signs and symptoms of an orbital inflammatory lesion with after local and systemic evaluation no apparent cause. Little is known about the etiology of the disease. This study aimed to answer three questions: a) what etiologic factors are

[Rehabilitation of children with apallic syndrome of traumatic or ischemic etiology].

Science.gov (United States)

Jović, Stevan; Cutović, Milisav; Konstantinović, Ljubica; Lazović, Milica; Jović, Marko

2006-01-01

Apallic syndrome may be defined as the complete lack of cortical function - paragnosia and parapraxia. Vegetative functions and other sub cortical functions are maintained (sleep rhythm, suckling and swallowing reflex). The aim of the study was to investigate the recovery of children with Apallic syndrome depending on the etiology and differences among various modalities like self-care, motor control and speech during rehabilitation. The study was conducted among eight children (mean age 9.4) (SD-2.6). Four had a post-traumatic and four Apallic syndrome of ischemic etiology. Friedman and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for statistical analysis. There was no evident difference in recovery among children with Apallic syndrome of different etiology. In regard to self-care, motor control and speech, all children showed the same level of improvement during rehabilitation therapy. These results correspond with similar research findings. Rehabilitation is essential to aid recovery and it does not depend on the etiology. Recovery success is the same regardless of the chosen modality.

Scoliosis: review of types of curves, etiological theories and conservative treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Shakil, Halima; Iqbal, Zaheen A; Al-Ghadir, Ahmad H

2014-01-01

Scoliosis is the deviation in the normal vertical spine. Although there are numerous studies available about treatment approaches for scoliosis, the numbers of studies that talk about its etiology and pathology are limited. Aim of this study was to discuss the different types of scoliosis; its curves and etiological theories; and to note their implication on its treatment. We examined various electronic databases including Pub MED, Medline, Cinhal, Cochrane library and Google scholar using key words "scoliosis", "etiology", "pathology" and "conservative treatment". References of obtained articles were also examined for cross references. The search was limited to articles in English language. A total of 145 papers, about Prevalence, History, Symptoms, classification, Biomechanics, Pathogenesis, Kinematics and Treatment of scoliosis were identified to be relevant. To choose the appropriate treatment approach for scoliosis we need to understand its etiology and pathogenesis first. Early intervention with conservative treatment like physiotherapy and bracing can prevent surgery.

DMPD: Macrophage activation by endogenous danger signals. [Dynamic Macrophage Pathway CSML Database

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 18161744 Macrophage activation by endogenous danger signals. Zhang X, Mosser DM. J ...Pathol. 2008 Jan;214(2):161-78. (.png) (.svg) (.html) (.csml) Show Macrophage activation by endogenous dange...r signals. PubmedID 18161744 Title Macrophage activation by endogenous danger signals. Authors Zhang X, Moss

On the Etiology of Sexual Dysfunction

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Apfelbaum, Bernard

1977-01-01

Lack of consideration of the sexually functional population has led to misconceptions about causes of sexual dysfunction functioning. Automatic functioning can mask effects of pathogenic influences on sexuality, making these effects appear random, confounding etiological issues and creating the belief that causes of sexual dysfunction and disorder…

Odontogenic cervical necrotizing fasciitis, etiological aspects

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2015-06-26

Jun 26, 2015 ... Results: In the majority of cases, the disease evolved without the presence of associated systemic disorders (60% [45.49-. 72.69]) ... immune deficiencies, chronic alcoholism, or hepatic ... of these reports regarding the etiology of the development ..... periodontal lesions, where the Streptococcus strains are.

Etiology, Localization and Prognosis in Cerebellar Infarctions

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Yavuz Yücel

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Cerebrovasculer disease are the most frequent disease of the brain. Cerebellar infarct remains % 1.5-4.2 of these diseases. Etiological factors, lesion localization, symptoms and findings and relationship with prognosis of our patients with cerebellar infarct were investigated in our study. For this purpose, 32 patients were evaluated who were admitted to the Dicle University Medical School Department of Neurology in 1995-2001 hospitalized with the diagnosis of clinically and radiological confirmed cerebellar infarction.All of patients in the study group, 21 (%65.6 were male and 11 (%34.3 female. Age of overall patients ranged between 40 and 75 years with a mean of 57.8±10.2 years. Atherothrombotic infarct was the most frequent reason at the etiologic clinical classification. The most frequently found localization was the posterior inferior cerebellar artery infarct (%50. The leading two risk factors were hypertension (%78.1 and cigarette smoking (%50. The most common sign and symptoms were vertigo (%93.7, vomiting (%75, headache (%68.7 and cerebellar dysfunction findings (%50. The mean duration of hospitalization was 16.3±7.6 days. Overall mortality rate was found to be % 6.2. Finally, the most remarkable risk factors at cerebellar infarct patients are hypertension and atherosclerosis at etiology. We are considering that, controlling of these factors will reduce the appearance frequency of cerebellar infarcts.

Spatial orienting around the fovea: exogenous and endogenous cueing effects.

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Yang, Taoxi; Zhang, Jiyuan; Bao, Yan

2015-09-01

The effect of covert attention in perifoveal and peripheral locations has been studied extensively. However, it is less clear whether attention operates similarly in the foveal area itself. The present study aims to investigate whether the attentional orienting elicited by an exogenous or endogenous cue can operate within the foveal area and whether attentional orienting operates similarly between foveal and perifoveal regions. By manipulating exogenous orienting in Experiment 1 and endogenous orienting in Experiment 2, we observed both forms of cueing in the foveal area. Specifically, we observed a larger exogenous cue-induced inhibitory effect (i.e., inhibition of return effect) and a similar endogenous cue-elicited facilitatory effect for the perifoveal relative to the foveal targets. We conclude that exogenous and endogenous orienting subject to two independent attentional systems with distinct modulation patterns in the foveal area.

Candidate genes and their interactions with other genetic/environmental risk factors in the etiology of schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Prasad, K M; Talkowski, M E; Chowdari, K V; McClain, L; Yolken, R H; Nimgaonkar, V L

2010-09-30

Identification of causative factors for common, chronic disorders is a major focus of current human health science research. These disorders are likely to be caused by multiple etiological agents. Available evidence also suggests that interactions between the risk factors may explain some of their pathogenic effects. While progress in genomics and allied biological research has brought forth powerful analytic techniques, the predicted complexity poses daunting analytic challenges. The search for pathogenesis of schizophrenia shares most of these challenges. We have reviewed the analytic and logistic problems associated with the search for pathogenesis. Evidence for pathogenic interactions is presented for selected diseases and for schizophrenia. We end by suggesting 'recursive analyses' as a potential design to address these challenges. This scheme involves initial focused searches for interactions motivated by available evidence, typically involving identified individual risk factors, such as candidate gene variants. Putative interactions are tested rigorously for replication and for biological plausibility. Support for the interactions from statistical and functional analyses motivates a progressively larger array of interactants that are evaluated recursively. The risk explained by the interactions is assessed concurrently and further elaborate searches may be guided by the results of such analyses. By way of example, we summarize our ongoing analyses of dopaminergic polymorphisms, as well as infectious etiological factors in schizophrenia genesis. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Do Endogenous and Exogenous Action Control Compete for Perception?

Science.gov (United States)

Pfister, Roland; Heinemann, Alexander; Kiesel, Andrea; Thomaschke, Roland; Janczyk, Markus

2012-01-01

Human actions are guided either by endogenous action plans or by external stimuli in the environment. These two types of action control seem to be mediated by neurophysiologically and functionally distinct systems that interfere if an endogenously planned action suddenly has to be performed in response to an exogenous stimulus. In this case, the…

Endogenous Information, Risk Characterization, and the Predictability of Average Stock Returns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pradosh Simlai

2012-09-01

Full Text Available In this paper we provide a new type of risk characterization of the predictability of two widely known abnormal patterns in average stock returns: momentum and reversal. The purpose is to illustrate the relative importance of common risk factors and endogenous information. Our results demonstrates that in the presence of zero-investment factors, spreads in average momentum and reversal returns correspond to spreads in the slopes of the endogenous information. The empirical findings support the view that various classes of firms react differently to volatility risk, and endogenous information harbor important sources of potential risk loadings. Taken together, our results suggest that returns are influenced by random endogenous information flow, which is asymmetric in nature, and can be used as a performance attribution factor. If one fails to incorporate the existing asymmetric endogenous information hidden in the historical behavior, any attempt to explore average stock return predictability will be subject to an unquantified specification bias.

Do endogenous and exogenous action control compete for perception?

Science.gov (United States)

Pfister, Roland; Heinemann, Alexander; Kiesel, Andrea; Thomaschke, Roland; Janczyk, Markus

2012-04-01

Human actions are guided either by endogenous action plans or by external stimuli in the environment. These two types of action control seem to be mediated by neurophysiologically and functionally distinct systems that interfere if an endogenously planned action suddenly has to be performed in response to an exogenous stimulus. In this case, the endogenous representation has to be deactivated first to give way to the exogenous system. Here we show that interference of endogenous and exogenous action control is not limited to motor-related aspects but also affects the perception of action-related stimuli. Participants associated two actions with contingent sensory effects in learning blocks. In subsequent test blocks, preparing one of these actions specifically impaired responding to the associated effect in an exogenous speeded detection task, yielding a blindness-like effect for arbitrary, learned action effects. In accordance with the theory of event coding, this finding suggests that action planning influences perception even in the absence of any physical similarities between action and to-be-perceived stimuli.

Endogenous opioid peptides as neurotransmitters in the rat hippocampus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neumaier, J.F.

1989-01-01

The role of endogenous opioid peptides as neurotransmitters in the rat hippocampus was investigated by using extracellular recording and radioligand binding techniques in the hippocampal slice preparation. Synaptic conductances from endogenously released opioid peptides have been difficult to detect. This problem was approach by designing a novel assay of opioid peptide release, in which release was detected by measuring binding competition between endogenous opioids and added radioligand. Membrane depolarization displaced [ 3 H]-diprenorphine binding in a transient, calcium-dependent, and peptidase-sensitive manner. Autoradiographic localization of the sites of [ 3 H]-diprenorphine binding displacement showed that significant opioid peptide release and receptor occupancy occurred in each major subregion of the hippocampal slices. This assay method can not be used to define optimal electrical stimulation conditions for releasing endogenous opioids. The binding displacement method was extended to the study of the sigma receptor. Depolarization of hippocampal slices was found to reduce the binding of the sigma-selective radioligand [ 3 H]-ditolylguanidine in a transient and calcium-dependent manner with no apparent direct effects on sigma receptor affinity

Biased Agonism of Endogenous Opioid Peptides at the μ-Opioid Receptor.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Georgina L; Lane, J Robert; Coudrat, Thomas; Sexton, Patrick M; Christopoulos, Arthur; Canals, Meritxell

2015-08-01

Biased agonism is having a major impact on modern drug discovery, and describes the ability of distinct G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) ligands to activate different cell signaling pathways, and to result in different physiologic outcomes. To date, most studies of biased agonism have focused on synthetic molecules targeting various GPCRs; however, many of these receptors have multiple endogenous ligands, suggesting that "natural" bias may be an unappreciated feature of these GPCRs. The μ-opioid receptor (MOP) is activated by numerous endogenous opioid peptides, remains an attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of pain, and exhibits biased agonism in response to synthetic opiates. The aim of this study was to rigorously assess the potential for biased agonism in the actions of endogenous opioids at the MOP in a common cellular background, and compare these to the effects of the agonist d-Ala2-N-MePhe4-Gly-ol enkephalin (DAMGO). We investigated activation of G proteins, inhibition of cAMP production, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 phosphorylation, β-arrestin 1/2 recruitment, and MOP trafficking, and applied a novel analytical method to quantify biased agonism. Although many endogenous opioids displayed signaling profiles similar to that of DAMGO, α-neoendorphin, Met-enkephalin-Arg-Phe, and the putatively endogenous peptide endomorphin-1 displayed particularly distinct bias profiles. These may represent examples of natural bias if it can be shown that they have different signaling properties and physiologic effects in vivo compared with other endogenous opioids. Understanding how endogenous opioids control physiologic processes through biased agonism can reveal vital information required to enable the design of biased opioids with improved pharmacological profiles and treat diseases involving dysfunction of the endogenous opioid system. Copyright © 2015 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Stochastic Stability of Endogenous Growth: Theory and Applications

OpenAIRE

Boucekkine, Raouf; Pintus, Patrick; Zou, Benteng

2015-01-01

We examine the issue of stability of stochastic endogenous growth. First, stochastic stability concepts are introduced and applied to stochastic linear homogenous differen- tial equations to which several stochastic endogenous growth models reduce. Second, we apply the mathematical theory to two models, starting with the stochastic AK model. It’s shown that in this case exponential balanced paths, which characterize optimal trajectories in the absence of uncertainty, are not robust to uncerta...

Monopoly Insurance and Endogenous Information

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lagerlöf, Johan N. M.; Schottmüller, Christoph

2018-01-01

We study a monopoly insurance model with endogenous information acquisi- tion. Through a continuous effort choice, consumers can determine the precision of a privately observed signal that is informative about their accident risk. The equilibrium effort is, depending on parameter values, either...

Endogenous growth theory and regional development policy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cvetanović Slobodan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The numerous versions of endogenous explanations of economic growth emphasize the importance of technological change driving forces, as well as the existence of appropriate institutional arrangements. Endogenous growth theory contributes to a better understanding of various experiences with long-term growth of countries and regions. It changes the key assumptions of the Neoclassical growth theory and participates in the modern regional development physiology explanation. Based on these conclusions, the paper: a explicates the most important theoretical postulates of the theory, b explains the most important factors of economic growth in the regions in light of the Endogenous growth theory messages and c emphasizes the key determinants of regional competitiveness which in our view is conceptually between the phenomena of micro- and macro-competitiveness and represents their necessary and unique connection. First of all, micro-competitiveness is transformed into a regional competitiveness; then regional competitiveness is transformed into a macro-competitiveness. In turn, macro - influences the microeconomic competitiveness, and the circle is closed. After that, the process starts over again.

Identification of Hypotensive Emergency Department Patients with Cardiogenic Etiologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Henning, Daniel J; Kearney, Kathleen E; Hall, Michael Kennedy; Mahr, Claudius; Shapiro, Nathan I; Nichol, Graham

2018-02-01

Identify predictors of cardiogenic etiology among emergency department (ED) patients with hypotension, and use these predictors to create a clinical tool to discern cardiogenic etiology of hypotension. This secondary analysis evaluated a prospective cohort of consecutive patients with hypotension in an urban, academic, tertiary care ED from November 2012 to September 2013. We included adults with hypotension, defined as a new vasopressor requirement, systolic blood pressure (SBP)  0.1 ng/mL (37.5, 7.1-198.2), electrocardiographic ischemia (8.9, 4.0-19.8), history of heart failure (2.0, 1.1-3.3), and absence of fever (4.5, 2.3-8.7) (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.83). The prediction score created from these predictors yielded 78% sensitivity and 77% specificity for cardiogenic etiology (AUC = 0.827). Clinical predictors offer reasonable ED screening sensitivity for cardiogenic hypotension, while demonstrating sufficient specificity to facilitate early cardiac interventions.

NAD+ and SIRT3 control microtubule dynamics and reduce susceptibility to antimicrotubule agents

Science.gov (United States)

Harkcom, William T.; Ghosh, Ananda K.; Sung, Matthew S.; Matov, Alexandre; Brown, Kevin D.; Giannakakou, Paraskevi; Jaffrey, Samie R.

2014-01-01

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is an endogenous enzyme cofactor and cosubstrate that has effects on diverse cellular and physiologic processes, including reactive oxygen species generation, mitochondrial function, apoptosis, and axonal degeneration. A major goal is to identify the NAD+-regulated cellular pathways that may mediate these effects. Here we show that the dynamic assembly and disassembly of microtubules is markedly altered by NAD+. Furthermore, we show that the disassembly of microtubule polymers elicited by microtubule depolymerizing agents is blocked by increasing intracellular NAD+ levels. We find that these effects of NAD+ are mediated by the activation of the mitochondrial sirtuin sirtuin-3 (SIRT3). Overexpression of SIRT3 prevents microtubule disassembly and apoptosis elicited by antimicrotubule agents and knockdown of SIRT3 prevents the protective effects of NAD+ on microtubule polymers. Taken together, these data demonstrate that NAD+ and SIRT3 regulate microtubule polymerization and the efficacy of antimicrotubule agents. PMID:24889606

Endogenous T-Cell Therapy: Clinical Experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Yee, Cassian; Lizee, Greg; Schueneman, Aaron J

2015-01-01

Adoptive cellular therapy represents a robust means of augmenting the tumor-reactive effector population in patients with cancer by adoptive transfer of ex vivo expanded T cells. Three approaches have been developed to achieve this goal: the use of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes or tumor-infiltrating lymphocytess extracted from patient biopsy material; the redirected engineering of lymphocytes using vectors expressing a chimeric antigen receptor and T-cell receptor; and third, the isolation and expansion of often low-frequency endogenous T cells (ETCs) reactive to tumor antigens from the peripheral blood of patients. This last form of adoptive transfer of T cells, known as ETC therapy, requires specialized methods to isolate and expand from peripheral blood the very low-frequency tumor-reactive T cells, methods that have been developed over the last 2 decades, to the point where such an approach may be broadly applicable not only for the treatment of melanoma but also for that of other solid tumor malignancies. One compelling feature of ETC is the ability to rapidly deploy clinical trials following identification of a tumor-associated target epitope, a feature that may be exploited to develop personalized antigen-specific T-cell therapy for patients with almost any solid tumor. With a well-validated antigen discovery pipeline in place, clinical studies combining ETC with agents that modulate the immune microenvironment can be developed that will transform ETC into a feasible treatment modality.

[Epidemiologic findings of the etiology of psychogenic diseases].

Science.gov (United States)

Franz, M; Schellberg, D; Schepank, H

1993-01-01

In an epidemiological longitudinal field study, a sample of high risk probands suffering from medium psychogenic impairment was investigated with regard to the etiological relevancy of factors influencing psychogenic disorders (psychoneuroses, character neuroses, psychosomatic and/or psychosomatic functional diseases). The study focused the question of the etiological impact of personality, life events, and social support. With theoretical reference to the psychodynamic concept of personality trained physicians and psychologists investigated 240 probands in a half standardized psychodynamic interview which included psychometric and social empiric instruments. Expert ratings and self ratings were used to assess the current psychogenic impairment. The impact of the constructs personality, critical life events, and social support on psychogenic impairment was specified in two path models. In both models psychodynamic personality variables had the highest impact on the criterium. Psychodynamically consistent, the ability to establish mature object relations and the maturity of ego functions was inversely related to the degree of psychogenic impairment, whereas an immature organisation of defense mechanisms exerted an aggravating influence on the severity of impairment. The present path analyses altogether point to a possible central etiological impact of personality and/or psychodynamic variables on the severity of psychogenic impairment.

Voice Disorders: Etiology and Diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, Regina Helena Garcia; do Amaral, Henrique Abrantes; Tavares, Elaine Lara Mendes; Martins, Maira Garcia; Gonçalves, Tatiana Maria; Dias, Norimar Hernandes

2016-11-01

Voice disorders affect adults and children and have different causes in different age groups. The aim of the study is to present the etiology and diagnosis dysphonia in a large population of patients with this voice disorder.for dysphonia of a large population of dysphonic patients. We evaluated 2019 patients with dysphonia who attended the Voice Disease ambulatories of a university hospital. Parameters assessed were age, gender, profession, associated symptoms, smoking, and videolaryngoscopy diagnoses. Of the 2019 patients with dysphonia who were included in this study, 786 were male (38.93%) and 1233 were female (61.07). The age groups were as follows: 1-6 years (n = 100); 7-12 years (n = 187); 13-18 years (n = 92); 19-39 years (n = 494); 41-60 years (n = 811); and >60 years (n = 335). Symptoms associated with dysphonia were vocal overuse (n = 677), gastroesophageal symptoms (n = 535), and nasosinusal symptoms (n = 497). The predominant professions of the patients were domestic workers, students, and teachers. Smoking was reported by 13.6% patients. With regard to the etiology of dysphonia, in children (1-18 years old), nodules (n = 225; 59.3%), cysts (n = 39; 10.3%), and acute laryngitis (n = 26; 6.8%) prevailed. In adults (19-60 years old), functional dysphonia (n = 268; 20.5%), acid laryngitis (n = 164; 12.5%), and vocal polyps (n = 156; 12%) predominated. In patients older than 60 years, presbyphonia (n = 89; 26.5%), functional dysphonia (n = 59; 17.6%), and Reinke's edema (n = 48; 14%) predominated. In this population of 2019 patients with dysphonia, adults and women were predominant. Dysphonia had different etiologies in the age groups studied. Nodules and cysts were predominant in children, functional dysphonia and reflux in adults, and presbyphonia and Reinke's edema in the elderly. Copyright © 2016 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fournier's gangrene with an unusual urologic etiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Fialkov, J M; Watkins, K; Fallon, B; Kealey, G P

1998-08-01

Fournier's gangrene is a necrotizing infection affecting the male genitalia and perineum, caused by synergistic aerobic and anaerobic organisms. We report on a previously undescribed upper urinary tract etiology for this life-threatening infection.

ON THE ROLE OF BACTERIAL MICROFLORA IN ETIOLOGY OF CHRONIC ADENOIDITIS IN CHILDREN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. A. Tulupov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A review of the results of clinical studies on the role of pathogenic bacterial microflora in etiology of chronic adenoiditis in children is shown in this article. According to the literature data the main cause of the development of chronic diseases of the nasopharynx in children is viral infection. The role of the bacterial microflora is secondary, but nevertheless significant. The main bacterial pathogens isolated from the nasopharynx of children with chronic adenoiditis are Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumonia. However there is significant dissociation in the prevalence of these bacterial agents according to the data of different scientists. Ability of the bacteria to produce biomembranes plays significant role in formation of persistence of the above-mentioned pathogens in the nasopharynx in chronic adenoiditis. Bacterial biomembranes as well as the revealing of the large amounts of bacteria within the tissues of adenoids determines discussions on possibilities of systemic and topical antibacterial treatment. 

Etiology of hearing loss in children.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Ignacio BENITO-OREJAS

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction and objective: The neonatal hearing loss is one of the most common disabilities, with lifelong implications for the child and his family. The implementation of the universal newborn hearing screening and the development in molecular medicine, genetic and integrative neuroscience has perfected the early diagnosis of the hearing loss children and consequently its intervention. With this work, we want to clarify the audiological aspects and causes of the permanent hearing loss diagnosed during the past 20 years. Method: We reviewed retrospectively the records of the children diagnosed with less than 3 years of age of permanent hearing loss, during the period 1994-2015, in a tertiary center. Evaluate the time of home, laterality, type and degree of hearing loss. Depending on the background, genetic testing and other complementary explorations, we present the results of our diagnostic study. Results: In the study-population (n = 183, 71% of the permanent hearing loss > 30 dB HL was diagnosed at birth (congenital. Its main features are the bilaterality (81%, the predominance sensorineural (85% and the grade profound (42% or moderate (30%, more prevalent in the unilateral forms. About the etiologic diagnosis, a 47% of the cases are of origin genetic (29% of which are syndromic, a 25% of cause environmental and a 28% unknown. Discussion: Our results are consistent for the generally accepted distribution of causes, but there are discrepancies in the literature. Despite the different tests used, we had to infer the etiology in 62% of children with hearing loss, finally unknown by 28%. Conclusions: We consider fundamental the monitoring for a consensus standardized etiological protocol that orient in the diagnostic process of hearing loss in children.

Derivation of endogenous equivalent values to support risk assessment and risk management decisions for an endogenous carcinogen: Ethylene oxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirman, C R; Hays, S M

2017-12-01

An approach is presented for ethylene oxide (EO) to derive endogenous equivalent (EE) values, which are endogenous levels normally found within the body expressed in terms of exogenous exposures. EE values can be used to support risk assessment and risk management decisions for chemicals such as EO that have both endogenous and exogenous exposure pathways. EE values were derived using a meta-analysis of data from the published literature characterizing the distribution for an EO biomarker of exposure, hemoglobin N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-valine (HEV), in unexposed populations. These levels are compared to the those reported in exposed populations (smokers, workers). Correlation between the biomarker of exposure and external exposures of EO were applied to this distribution to determine corresponding EE values, which range from 0.13 to 6.9 ppb for EO in air. These values are orders of magnitude higher than risk-based concentration values derived for EO using default methods, and are provided as a pragmatic, data-driven alternative approach to managing the potential risks from exogenous exposures to EO. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Chlamydia pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae as etiologic agents of persistent cough in adolescents and adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Wadowsky, Robert M; Castilla, Elias A; Laus, Stella; Kozy, Anita; Atchison, Robert W; Kingsley, Lawrence A; Ward, Joel I; Greenberg, David P

2002-02-01

Chlamydia pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae were evaluated as agents of persistent cough in adolescents and adults (n = 491). Tests of 473 respiratory specimens by culture or PCR or both identified four episodes (0.8%) of M. pneumoniae-associated illness and no episodes of C. pneumoniae illness, suggesting that these bacteria do not frequently cause persistent cough.

Does Closeness to Someone Who Is Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual Influence Etiology Beliefs About Homosexuality?

Science.gov (United States)

Chonody, Jill M; Kavanagh, Phillip S; Woodford, Michael R

2016-12-01

Research suggests that contact with sexual minorities and etiology beliefs regarding the origins of homosexuality are associated with antigay bias; however, factors related to etiology beliefs have received little empirical attention. Our primary research question is: Does closeness to someone who is gay, lesbian, or bisexual influence etiology beliefs? Students (n = 851) from four U.S. universities completed an anonymous survey, and regression results indicated that contact and closeness were not significantly associated with etiology beliefs. Because both contact and relationship closeness were associated with antigay attitudes, and closeness demonstrated the largest effect, we tested three alternative structural equation models to determine if contact and closeness mediated etiology beliefs. Results suggested that contact and the degree of closeness are indirectly associated with students' etiology beliefs through antigay bias.

Endogenous versus exogenous growth factor regulation of articular chondrocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Shuiliang; Chan, Albert G; Mercer, Scott; Eckert, George J; Trippel, Stephen B

2014-01-01

Anabolic growth factors that regulate the function of articular chondrocytes are candidates for articular cartilage repair. Such factors may be delivered by pharmacotherapy in the form of exogenous proteins, or by gene therapy as endogenous proteins. It is unknown whether delivery method influences growth factor effectiveness in regulating articular chondrocyte reparative functions. We treated adult bovine articular chondrocytes with exogenous recombinant insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1), or with the genes encoding these growth factors for endogenous production. Treatment effects were measured as change in chondrocyte DNA content, glycosaminoglycan production, and aggrecan gene expression. We found that IGF-I stimulated chondrocyte biosynthesis similarly when delivered by either exogenous or endogenous means. In contrast, exogenous TGF-β1 stimulated these reparative functions, while endogenous TGF-β1 had little effect. Endogenous TGF-β1 became more bioactive following activation of the transgene protein product. These data indicate that effective mechanisms of growth factor delivery for articular cartilage repair may differ for different growth factors. In the case of IGF-I, gene therapy or protein therapy appear to be viable options. In contrast, TGF-β1 gene therapy may be constrained by a limited ability of chondrocytes to convert latent complexes to an active form. Published 2013 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the Orthopaedic Research Society. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Two endogenous proteins that induce cell wall extension in plants

Science.gov (United States)

McQueen-Mason, S.; Durachko, D. M.; Cosgrove, D. J.

1992-01-01

Plant cell enlargement is regulated by wall relaxation and yielding, which is thought to be catalyzed by elusive "wall-loosening" enzymes. By employing a reconstitution approach, we found that a crude protein extract from the cell walls of growing cucumber seedlings possessed the ability to induce the extension of isolated cell walls. This activity was restricted to the growing region of the stem and could induce the extension of isolated cell walls from various dicot stems and the leaves of amaryllidaceous monocots, but was less effective on grass coleoptile walls. Endogenous and reconstituted wall extension activities showed similar sensitivities to pH, metal ions, thiol reducing agents, proteases, and boiling in methanol or water. Sequential HPLC fractionation of the active wall extract revealed two proteins with molecular masses of 29 and 30 kD associated with the activity. Each protein, by itself, could induce wall extension without detectable hydrolytic breakdown of the wall. These proteins appear to mediate "acid growth" responses of isolated walls and may catalyze plant cell wall extension by a novel biochemical mechanism.

Endogeneity in Strategy-Performance Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rocha, Vera; Van Praag, Mirjam; B. Folta, Timothy

2018-01-01

, such as employees, strategic partners, customers, or investors, whose choices and preferences also affect the final decision. We discuss how endogeneity can plague the measurement of the performance effects of these two-sided strategic decisions—which are more complex, but more realistic, than prior representations...

Endogeneously arising network allocation rules

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Slikker, M.

2006-01-01

In this paper we study endogenously arising network allocation rules. We focus on three allocation rules: the Myerson value, the position value and the component-wise egalitarian solution. For any of these three rules we provide a characterization based on component efficiency and some balanced

DMPD: Endogenous ligands of Toll-like receptors. [Dynamic Macrophage Pathway CSML Database

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 15178705 Endogenous ligands of Toll-like receptors. Tsan MF, Gao B. J Leukoc Biol. ...2004 Sep;76(3):514-9. Epub 2004 Jun 3. (.png) (.svg) (.html) (.csml) Show Endogenous ligands of Toll-like re...ceptors. PubmedID 15178705 Title Endogenous ligands of Toll-like receptors. Authors Tsan MF, Gao B. Publicat

Endogenous network of firms and systemic risk

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Qianting; He, Jianmin; Li, Shouwei

2018-02-01

We construct an endogenous network characterized by commercial credit relationships connecting the upstream and downstream firms. Simulation results indicate that the endogenous network model displays a scale-free property which exists in real-world firm systems. In terms of the network structure, with the expansion of the scale of network nodes, the systemic risk increases significantly, while the heterogeneities of network nodes have no effect on systemic risk. As for firm micro-behaviors, including the selection range of trading partners, actual output, labor requirement, price of intermediate products and employee salaries, increase of all these parameters will lead to higher systemic risk.

[Mechanisms of leukocyte formation of endogenous pyrogen].

Science.gov (United States)

Rybakina, E G; Sorokin, A V

1982-06-01

A study was made of the kinetics of endogenous pyrogen production by rabbit blood and exudate leukocytes and possible role played by the products of activated leukocytes in autoregulation of the process. It was established that accumulation of endogenous pyrogen in the cell precedes its release by stimulated cells. Then the processes of active pyrogen formation and release gel interdependent: pyrogen formed releases from the cell; the lowering of pyrogen concentration in the cell is accompanied by the decrease of its content in the medium. No stimulating effect of the products activated during leukocyte inflammation on pyrogen formation by blood leukocytes was discovered.

Quantitative regularities of development of endogenous infection in irradiated organism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mal'tsev, V.N.

1979-01-01

A statistical analysis of data from the literature and the author's own experimental results are reviewed to show the functional relationships between the radiation dose and the development of endogenous infection in irradiated organisms. A direct linear dependence was found between the dose of radiation and the severity of endogenous infection at doses causing death from the ''bone marrow'' syndrome in acute radiation sickness. In case of death from the ''intestinal'' syndrome, an inverse linear dependence can be observed between the radiation dose and the culture yield of microbes from internal organs. In this case, the pathological effect on the organism is due to bacterial endotoxins formed during the disintegration of microbial cells in the organism. Endogenous infection and endotoxinaemia essentially aggravate the progress of acute radiation disease. The importance of endogenous infection for the death of the organism is minimized in irradiation at doses causing death ''under the ray''. (author)

Endogenous opioids encode relative taste preference.

Science.gov (United States)

Taha, Sharif A; Norsted, Ebba; Lee, Lillian S; Lang, Penelope D; Lee, Brian S; Woolley, Joshua D; Fields, Howard L

2006-08-01

Endogenous opioid signaling contributes to the neural control of food intake. Opioid signaling is thought to regulate palatability, the reward value of a food item as determined by orosensory cues such as taste and texture. The reward value of a food reflects not only these sensory properties but also the relative value of competing food choices. In the present experiment, we used a consummatory contrast paradigm to manipulate the relative value of a sucrose solution for two groups of rats. Systemic injection of the nonspecific opioid antagonist naltrexone suppressed sucrose intake; for both groups, however, this suppression was selective, occurring only for the relatively more valuable sucrose solution. Our results indicate that endogenous opioid signaling contributes to the encoding of relative reward value.

Invasive fungal infections in endogenous Cushing’s syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael Selbach Scheffel

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Cushing’s syndrome is a condition characterized by elevated cortisol levels that can result from either augmented endogenous production or exogenous administration of corticosteroids. The predisposition to fungal infections among patients with hypercortisolemia has been noted since Cushing’s original description of the disease. We describe here a patient with endo-genous Cushing’s syndrome secondary to an adrenocortical carcinoma, who developed concomitant disseminated cryptococcosis and candidiasis in the course of his disease.

A General Outlook to the Endogenous Money Theory

OpenAIRE

ÖZGÜR, Gökçer

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study is to shed light on theorigins of the endogenous money theory and analyze the currentdebates on this topic. Endogenous money approach depends on a fundamental postulate: As banks meet the credit needs ofnon-financial businesses, new deposits emerge in the banking sector. Similarly,as the necessary reserves found for these new deposits the broad money expandsas well. Even though the central bank can intervene into this process it cannotfully control it. There...

EXOGENOUS OR ENDOGENOUS MONEY SUPPLY: EVIDENCE FROM AUSTRALIA

OpenAIRE

ZATUL E. BADARUDIN; AHMED M. KHALID; MOHAMED ARIFF

2012-01-01

This paper investigates the nature of money supply in Australia over two separate monetary policy regimes: monetary and inflation targeting. The post-Keynesian theory on endogenous money was tested with the aim of investigating whether endogenous money supply, if it did exist, followed the accomodationist, structuralist or liquidity preference viewpoints. Data used are quarterly series from 1977 to 2007 and we used vector error-correction model for long-run and short-run causality tests. We f...

The etiology of community-acquired pneumonia in Australia: why penicillin plus doxycycline or a macrolide is the most appropriate therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Charles, Patrick G P; Whitby, Michael; Fuller, Andrew J; Stirling, Robert; Wright, Alistair A; Korman, Tony M; Holmes, Peter W; Christiansen, Keryn J; Waterer, Grant W; Pierce, Robert J P; Mayall, Barrie C; Armstrong, John G; Catton, Michael G; Nimmo, Graeme R; Johnson, Barbara; Hooy, Michelle; Grayson, M L

2008-05-15

Available data on the etiology of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Australia are very limited. Local treatment guidelines promote the use of combination therapy with agents such as penicillin or amoxycillin combined with either doxycycline or a macrolide. The Australian CAP Study (ACAPS) was a prospective, multicenter study of 885 episodes of CAP in which all patients underwent detailed assessment for bacterial and viral pathogens (cultures, urinary antigen testing, serological methods, and polymerase chain reaction). Antibiotic agents and relevant clinical outcomes were recorded. The etiology was identified in 404 (45.6%) of 885 episodes, with the most frequent causes being Streptococcus pneumoniae (14%), Mycoplasma pneumoniae (9%), and respiratory viruses (15%; influenza, picornavirus, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus, and adenovirus). Antibiotic-resistant pathogens were rare: only 5.4% of patients had an infection for which therapy with penicillin plus doxycycline would potentially fail. Concordance with local antibiotic recommendations was high (82.4%), with the most commonly prescribed regimens being a penicillin plus either doxycycline or a macrolide (55.8%) or ceftriaxone plus either doxycycline or a macrolide (36.8%). The 30-day mortality rate was 5.6% (50 of 885 episodes), and mechanical ventilation or vasopressor support were required in 94 episodes (10.6%). Outcomes were not compromised by receipt of narrower-spectrum beta-lactams, and they did not differ on the basis of whether a pathogen was identified. The vast majority of patients with CAP can be treated successfully with narrow-spectrum beta-lactam treatment, such as penicillin combined with doxycycline or a macrolide. Greater use of such therapy could potentially reduce the emergence of antibiotic resistance among common bacterial pathogens.

Headache as a crucial symptom in the etiology of convexal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Science.gov (United States)

Rico, María; Benavente, Lorena; Para, Marta; Santamarta, Elena; Pascual, Julio; Calleja, Sergio

2014-03-01

Convexal subarachnoid hemorrhage has been associated with different diseases, reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome and cerebral amyloid angiopathy being the 2 main causes. To investigate whether headache at onset is determinant in identifying the underlying etiology for convexal subarachnoid hemorrhage. After searching in the database of our hospital, 24 patients were found with convexal subarachnoid hemorrhage in the last 10 years. The mean age of the sample was 69.5 years. We recorded data referring to demographics, symptoms and neuroimaging. Cerebral amyloid angiopathy patients accounted for 46% of the sample, 13% were diagnosed with reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome, 16% with several other etiologies, and in 25%, the cause remained unknown. Mild headache was present only in 1 (9%) of the 11 cerebral amyloid angiopathy patients, while severe headache was the dominant feature in 86% of cases of the remaining etiologies. Headache is a key symptom allowing a presumptive etiological diagnosis of convexal subarachnoid hemorrhage. While the absence of headache suggests cerebral amyloid angiopathy as the more probable cause, severe headache obliges us to rule out other etiologies, such as reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome. © 2013 American Headache Society.

Acute pancreatitis in five European countries: etiology and mortality.

Science.gov (United States)

Gullo, Lucio; Migliori, Marina; Oláh, Attila; Farkas, Gyula; Levy, Philippe; Arvanitakis, Constantine; Lankisch, Paul; Beger, Hans

2002-04-01

In recent years, many advances have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of acute pancreatitis that have lead to a significant reduction in both morbidity and mortality; however, knowledge of the etiology and of the relation between etiology and mortality is far from complete. To obtain a more comprehensive view of the etiology and mortality of acute pancreatitis in Europe than has been given by previous single-center studies. The study comprised 1,068 patients in five European countries who were admitted to hospitals for acute pancreatitis from January 1990 to December 1994. Data for each patient were collected on a standardized form. Of the 1,068 patients (692 men, 376 women; mean age, 52.8 years; range, 10-95 years), 589 had edematous pancreatitis, and 479 the necrotic form. Cholelithiasis (37.1%) and alcohol (41.0%) were the most frequent etiologic factors. In Germany, cholelithiasis and alcohol occurred with similar frequency (34.9 and 37.9%, respectively); in Hungary, alcohol predominates over cholelithiasis (60.7 vs. 24.0%); in France, a small predominance of alcohol was seen (38.5 vs. 24.6%); and in Greece and Italy, there was a clear predominance of cholelithiasis over alcohol (71.4 vs. 6.0% and 60.3 vs. 13.2%, respectively). The differences in the frequency of cholelithiasis and alcohol between Greece and Italy and the other countries were statistically significant (p relationship between mortality and age.

Flexibility of wages and macroeconomic instability in an agent-based computational model with endogenous money

OpenAIRE

Pascal Seppecher

2010-01-01

This article has been published in a revised form in Macroeconomic Dynamics [http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1365100511000447]. This version is free to view and download for private research and study only. Not for re-distribution, re-sale or use in derivative works.; International audience; We present a model of a dynamic and complex economy in which the creation and the destruction of money result from interactions between multiple and heterogeneous agents. In the baseline scenario, we observe t...

An Agent-Based Dynamic Model of Politics, Fertility and Economic Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zining Yang

2016-08-01

Full Text Available In the political economy of development, government policy choices at a single point in time can dramatically affect a country's development path by impacting fertility, economic and political decisions across generations. Combining system dynamics and agent-based modeling approaches in a complex adaptive system, a simulation framework of the Politics of Fertility and Economic Development (POFED is formalized to understand the relationship between politics, economic, and demography change at both macro and micro levels. First, a new political capacity measurement is used; and the system dynamics model is validated with the latest data. Second, the endogenous attributes are fused with non-cooperative game theory in an agent-based framework to simulate the interactive political economic dynamics of individual intra-societal transactions. Finally, macro and micro levels are connected with policy levers of political capacity and political instability by merging system dynamics and agent-based components. This paper also explores the agent-based model's behavioral dynamics via simulation methods to identify paths towards economic development and political stability. This model demonstrates micro level human agency can act, react and interact, thus driving macro level dynamics, while macro structures provide political, social and economic environments that constrain or incentivize micro level human behavior.

ETIOLOGY OF HYPERTHYROIDISM IN PREGNANCY.

OpenAIRE

Fayal El Guendouz; Hicham Boussouf; Nabil Hammoune.

2017-01-01

Hyperthyroidism is a common endocrine disorder in young women of childbearing age. Approximately one to three cases of gestational hyperthyroidism occur per 1000 pregnancies. All etiologies of hyperthyroidism may be encountered during pregnancy but they are dominated by Graves\\\\\\' disease and gestational transient thyrotoxicosis. The first requires an antithyroid drug treatment and the second progresses well under symptomatic treatment. Hence the interest of the Establishment of the cause of ...

MASTITE BOVINA: SENSIBILIDADE DE AGENTES ETIOLÓGICOS A ANTIBIÓTICOS E QUIMIOTERÁPICOS BOVINE MASTITIS: SENSITIVITY OF ETIOLOGICAL AGENTS TO ANTIBIOTICS AND CHEMOTHERAPICS

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Roberval Rodrigues da Costa

2007-09-01

Full Text Available

Foram analisadas 590 amostras de leite procedentes de 701 vacas da bacia leiteira de Goiânia, que apresentaram ao teste de Whiteside/CMT resultado suspeito ou positivo. Foi feito o teste de sensibilidade bacteriana “in vitro” a antibióticos e quimioterápicos dos agentes etiológicos isolados das lactoculturas. Os antibióticos e quimioterápicos testados foram: trimetropim-sulfametazole, tetraciclina, streptomicina cloranfenicol, kanamicina, penicilina G, furadantina, neomicina, eritromicina e novobiocina. As drogas que mostraram a maior ação foram: trimetropim-sulfametazole, cloranfenicol e furadantina; por outro lado, maior resistência foi observada para a penicilina G, streptomicina e eritromicina.

590 samples of mi1k collected from 701 cows in the milk area around Goiânia were submitted to the Whiteside/CMT test and all suspect or positive. It was also done the bacterial sensibility test “in vitro” to antibiotics and chemotherapics of the aetiological agents isolated from the lactocultures. The antibiotics and chemioterapics tested were as follow: trimetropim-sulfametazole, tetracicline, streptomicine, chloranfenicol, kanamicine, penicilin G, furadantine, neomicine, eritromicine and novobiocine. The drugs which had better action were: trimetropim-sulfametazole, chloranfenicol and furadantine; on the other side, a higher resistance was observed for penicilin G, streptomicine and eritromicine.

Spatial analysis of the etiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis among 1991 Gulf War veterans.

Science.gov (United States)

Miranda, Marie Lynn; Alicia Overstreet Galeano, M; Tassone, Eric; Allen, Kelli D; Horner, Ronnie D

2008-11-01

Veterans of the 1991 Gulf War have an increased risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but the etiology is unknown. This study sought to identify geographic areas with elevated risk for the later development of ALS among military personnel who served in the first Gulf War. A unified geographic information system (GIS) was constructed to allow analysis of secondary data on troop movements in the 1991 Gulf War theatre in the Persian Gulf region including Iraq, northern Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. We fit Bayesian Poisson regression models to adjust for potential risk factors, including one relatively discrete environmental exposure, and to identify areas associated with elevated risk of ALS. We found that service in particular locations of the Gulf was associated with an elevated risk for later developing ALS, both before and after adjustment for branch of service and potential of exposure to chemical warfare agents in and around Khamisiyah, Iraq. Specific geographic locations of troop units within the 1991 Gulf War theatre are associated with an increased risk for the subsequent development of ALS among members of those units. The identified spatial locations represent the logical starting points in the search for potential etiologic factors of ALS among Gulf War veterans. Of note, for locations where the relative odds of subsequently developing ALS are among the highest, specific risk factors, whether environmental or occupationally related, have not been identified. The results of spatial models can be used to subsequently look for risk factors that follow the spatial pattern of elevated risk.

Endogenizing Prospect Theory's Reference Point

OpenAIRE

Ulrich Schmidt; Horst Zank

2010-01-01

In previous models of (cumulative) prospect theory reference-dependence of preferences is imposed beforehand and the location of the reference point is exogenously determined. This note provides a foundation of prospect theory, where reference-dependence is derived from preference conditions and a unique reference point arises endogenously.

Acute gastrointestinal bleeding: detection of source and etiology with multi-detector-row CT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scheffel, Hans; Pfammatter, Thomas; Marincek, Borut; Alkadhi, Hatem [University Hospital Zurich, Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, Zurich (Switzerland); Wildi, Stefan [University Hospital Zurich, Department of Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Zurich (Switzerland); Bauerfeind, Peter [University Hospital Zurich, Division of Gastroenterology, Zurich (Switzerland)

2007-06-15

This study was conducted to determine the ability of multi-detector-row computed tomography (CT) to identify the source and etiology of acute gastrointestinal bleeding. Eighteen patients with acute upper (n = 10) and lower (n = 8) gastrointestinal bleeding underwent 4-detector-row CT (n = 6), 16-detector-row CT (n = 11), and 64-slice CT (n = 1) with an arterial and portal venous phase of contrast enhancement. Unenhanced scans were performed in nine patients. CT scans were reviewed to determine conspicuity of bleeding source, underlying etiology, and for potential causes of false-negative prospective interpretations. Bleeding sources were prospectively identified with CT in 15 (83%) patients, and three (17%) bleeding sources were visualized in retrospect, allowing the characterization of all sources of bleeding with CT. Contrast extravasation was demonstrated with CT in all 11 patients with severe bleeding, but only in 1 of 7 patients with mild bleeding. The etiology could not be identified on unenhanced CT scans in any patient, whereas arterial-phase and portal venous-phase CT depicted etiology in 15 (83%) patients. Underlying etiology was correctly identified in all eight patients with mild GI bleeding. Multi-detector-row CT enables the identification of bleeding source and precise etiology in patients with acute gastrointestinal bleeding. (orig.)

Acute gastrointestinal bleeding: detection of source and etiology with multi-detector-row CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scheffel, Hans; Pfammatter, Thomas; Marincek, Borut; Alkadhi, Hatem; Wildi, Stefan; Bauerfeind, Peter

2007-01-01

This study was conducted to determine the ability of multi-detector-row computed tomography (CT) to identify the source and etiology of acute gastrointestinal bleeding. Eighteen patients with acute upper (n = 10) and lower (n = 8) gastrointestinal bleeding underwent 4-detector-row CT (n = 6), 16-detector-row CT (n = 11), and 64-slice CT (n = 1) with an arterial and portal venous phase of contrast enhancement. Unenhanced scans were performed in nine patients. CT scans were reviewed to determine conspicuity of bleeding source, underlying etiology, and for potential causes of false-negative prospective interpretations. Bleeding sources were prospectively identified with CT in 15 (83%) patients, and three (17%) bleeding sources were visualized in retrospect, allowing the characterization of all sources of bleeding with CT. Contrast extravasation was demonstrated with CT in all 11 patients with severe bleeding, but only in 1 of 7 patients with mild bleeding. The etiology could not be identified on unenhanced CT scans in any patient, whereas arterial-phase and portal venous-phase CT depicted etiology in 15 (83%) patients. Underlying etiology was correctly identified in all eight patients with mild GI bleeding. Multi-detector-row CT enables the identification of bleeding source and precise etiology in patients with acute gastrointestinal bleeding. (orig.)

Etiology of maculopapular rash in measles and rubella suspected patients from Belarus.

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Marina A Yermalovich

Full Text Available As a result of successful implementation of the measles/rubella elimination program, the etiology of more and more double negative cases remains elusive. The present study determined the role of different viruses as causative agents in measles or rubella suspected cases in Belarus. A total of 856 sera sent to the WHO National Laboratory between 2009 and 2011 were tested for specific IgM antibodies to measles virus (MV, rubella virus (RV and human parvovirus B19 (B19V. The negatives were further investigated for antibodies to enterovirus (EV and adenovirus (AdV. Children of up to 3 years were tested for IgM antibodies to human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6. A viral etiology was identified in 451 (52.7% cases, with 6.1% of the samples being positive for MV; 2.6% for RV; 26.2% for B19V; 9.7% for EV; 4.6% for AdV; and 3.6% for HHV6. Almost all measles and rubella cases occurred during limited outbreaks in 2011 and nearly all patients were at least 15 years old. B19V, EV and AdV infections were prevalent both in children and adults and were found throughout the 3 years. B19V occurred mainly in 3-10 years old children and 20-29 years old adults. EV infection was most common in children up to 6 years of age and AdV was confirmed mainly in 3-6 years old children. HHV6 infection was mostly detected in 6-11 months old infants. Laboratory investigation of measles/rubella suspected cases also for B19V, EV, AdV and HHV6 allows diagnosing more than half of all cases, thus strengthening rash/fever disease surveillance in Belarus.

The impact of incontinence etiology on artificial urinary sphincter outcomes

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Adam R. Miller

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To evaluate the impact of incontinence etiology on artificial urinary sphincter (AUS device outcomes. Materials and Methods: We identified 925 patients who underwent primary AUS placement from 1983 to 2011. The etiology of incontinence was categorized as radical prostatectomy alone, radical prostatectomy with radiation, benign prostate resection, and those with cryotherapy as a salvage prostate cancer treatment. Hazard regression and competing risk analyses were used to determine the association of the etiology of incontinence with device outcomes. Results: The distribution of the 4 etiologies of incontinence included: 598 patients (64.6% treated with prostatectomy alone, 206 (22.2% with prostatectomy and pelvic radiation therapy, 104 (11.2% with benign prostate resection, and 17 (1.8% with prior cryotherapy. With a median follow-up of 4.9 years (interquartile range, 1.2–8.8 years, there was significant difference in the cumulative incidence of device infection/urethral erosion events between the four etiologies (p=0.003. On multivariable analysis, prior cryotherapy (reference prostatectomy alone; hazard ratio [HR], 3.44; p=0.01, older age (HR, 1.07; p=0.0009 and history of a transient ischemic attack (HR, 2.57; p=0.04 were associated with an increased risk of device infection or erosion. Notably, pelvic radiation therapy with prostatectomy was not associated with an increased risk of device infection or erosion (reference prostatectomy alone, p=0.30. Conclusions: Compared to prostatectomy alone, prior treatment with salvage cryotherapy for recurrent prostate cancer was associated with an increased risk of AUS infection/erosion, whereas radiation (in addition to prostatectomy was not.

Time trends in the etiology of chronic pancreatitis in South India.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajesh, Gopalakrishna; Girish, Banavara Narasimhamurthy; Panicker, Suprabha; Balakrishnan, Vallath

2014-01-01

Recent reports indicate a decline in prevalence of classical tropical chronic pancreatitis (TCP). We studied the etiologies and risk factors over a 14-year period at a tertiary care university hospital. We compared the etiology in chronic pancreatitis (CP) patients presenting and followed-up in our Pancreas Clinic over two time periods (2000-06 and 2007-13). Idiopathic chronic pancreatitis (ICP) was the predominant etiology seen over the two time periods. However an increase in prevalence of alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (ACP) during the latter time period suggests that it may be emerging as a dominant etiology over recent years. Hypertriglyceridemia and hyperparathyroidism were uncommon causes of non-alcoholic CP. Autoimmune pancreatitis was noted only during 2007-13, but remains a rare cause of CP. There are multiple risk factors for CP in our population. The high prevalence of ICP indicates need closer examination of risk factors and ICP pathogenesis. ACP appears to be emerging as a dominant cause of CP which suggests a need to reorient preventive strategies.

Intrathecal immunoglobulin synthesis in patients with symptomatic epilepsy and epilepsy of unknown etiology ('cryptogenic').

Science.gov (United States)

Fauser, S; Soellner, C; Bien, C G; Tumani, H

2017-09-01

To compare the frequency of intrathecal immunoglobulin (Ig) synthesis in patients with symptomatic epilepsy and epilepsy of unknown etiology ('cryptogenic'). Patients with epileptic (n = 301) and non-epileptic (n = 10) seizures were retrospectively screened for autochthonous intrathecal Ig synthesis and oligoclonal bands (OCBs) in the cerebrospinal fluid. Intrathecal IgG/OCBs were detected in 8% of patients with epilepsies of unknown etiology, 5% of patients with first seizures of unknown cause and 0-4% of patients with epilepsy due to brain tumors, cerebrovascular disease or other etiologies. Intrathecal IgG/OCBs were not seen in patients with psychogenic seizures. Identical OCBs in serum and cerebrospinal fluid were more common in all patient groups (10-40% depending on underlying etiology). Intrathecal IgG synthesis/OCBs were observed slightly more frequently in patients with 'cryptogenic' epilepsy and with first seizures of unknown etiology than in other patient groups. However, this remained an infrequent finding and thus we could not confirm humoral immunity as a leading disease mechanism in patients with epilepsy in general or with unknown etiology in particular. © 2017 EAN.

The role of human endogenous retroviruses in brain development and function.

Science.gov (United States)

Mortelmans, Kristien; Wang-Johanning, Feng; Johanning, Gary L

2016-01-01

Endogenous retroviral sequences are spread throughout the genome of all humans, and make up about 8% of the genome. Despite their prevalence, the function of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) in humans is largely unknown. In this review we focus on the brain, and evaluate studies in animal models that address mechanisms of endogenous retrovirus activation in the brain and central nervous system (CNS). One such study in mice found that TRIM28, a protein critical for mouse early development, regulates transcription and silencing of endogenous retroviruses in neural progenitor cells. Another intriguing finding in human brain cells and mouse models was that endogenous retrovirus HERV-K appears to be protective against neurotoxins. We also report on studies that associate HERVs with human diseases of the brain and CNS. There is little doubt of an association between HERVs and a number of CNS diseases. However, a cause and effect relationship between HERVs and these diseases has not yet been established. © 2016 APMIS. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Endogenous cueing attenuates object substitution masking.

Science.gov (United States)

Germeys, Filip; Pomianowska, I; De Graef, P; Zaenen, P; Verfaillie, K

2010-07-01

Object substitution masking (OSM) is a form of visual masking in which a briefly presented target surrounded by four small dots is masked by the continuing presence of the four dots after target offset. A major parameter in the prediction of OSM is the time required for attention to be directed to the target following its onset. Object substitution theory (Di Lollo et al. in J Exp Psychol Gen 129:481-507, 2000) predicts that the sooner attention can be focused at the target's location, the less masking will ensue. However, recently Luiga and Bachmann (Psychol Res 71:634-640, 2007) presented evidence that precueing of attention to the target location prior to target-plus-mask onset by means of a central (endogenous) arrow cue does not reduce OSM. When attention was cued exogenously, OSM was attenuated. Based on these results, Luiga and Bachmann argued that object substitution theory should be adapted by differentiating the ways of directing attention to the target location. The goal of the present study was to further examine the dissociation between the effects of endogenous and exogenous precueing on OSM. Contrary to Luiga and Bachmann, our results show that prior shifts of attention to the target location initiated by both exogenous and endogenous cues reduce OSM as predicted by object substitution theory and its computational model CMOS.

The search for an endogenous activator.

Science.gov (United States)

Gekowski, K. M.; Atkins, E.

1985-01-01

Certain febrile diseases are unaccompanied by infection or apparent hypersensitivity. In myocardial infarction or pulmonary embolism, for example, fever has been attributed to inflammation and/or tissue necrosis. Exogenous (microbial) pyrogens stimulate both human and animal monocytes/macrophages to produce endogenous pyrogen (EP) in vitro. To determine if plasma and cellular endogeneous mediators (EMs) of inflammation induced EP production, human mononuclear cells (M/L) were incubated for 18 hours with varying amounts of EM and the supernates assayed for EP in rabbits. Neutrophils (PMNs), which do not generate EP and yet are a feature of acute inflammation, were tested. Neither viable, phorbol myristic acetate-stimulated PMNs nor sonicated PMNs, red blood cells, or M/L stimulated human monocytes to produce EP. Human C3b and C5a, which mediate phagocytosis and chemotaxis, respectively, were also inactive. Despite its chemoattractant properties, the synthetic peptide FMLP failed to induce EP release. Since Poly I:Poly C (PIC: a synthetic, double-stranded RNA) is a potent pyrogen in rabbits, we investigated PIC, as well as a native, single-stranded RNA (from E. coli) and DNA (from calf thymus). None was active in vitro, and only PIC caused fever when given to rabbits intravenously. In summary, we have been unable to find an endogenous activator of EP from human monocytes to explain fevers associated with inflammation alone. PMID:3875936

Screening of chemical compound libraries identified new anti-Toxoplasma gondii agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Adeyemi, Oluyomi Stephen; Sugi, Tatsuki; Han, Yongmei; Kato, Kentaro

2018-02-01

Toxoplasma gondii is the etiological agent of toxoplasmosis, a common parasitic disease that affects nearly one-third of the human population. The primary infection can be asymptomatic in healthy individuals but may prove fatal in immunocompromised individuals. Available treatment options for toxoplasmosis patients are limited, underscoring the urgent need to identify and develop new therapies. Non-biased screening of libraries of chemical compounds including the repurposing of well-characterized compounds is emerging as viable approach to achieving this goal. In the present investigation, we screened libraries of natural product and FDA-approved compounds to identify those that inhibited T. gondii growth. We identified 32 new compounds that potently inhibit T. gondii growth. Our findings are new and promising, and further strengthen the prospects of drug repurposing as well as the screening of a wide range of chemical compounds as a viable source of alternative anti-parasitic therapeutic agents.

Identification of endogenous flurophores in the layered retina

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Gaixia; Chen, Danni; Sun, Yiwen; Qu, Junle; Lin, Ziyang; Ding, Zhihua; Niu, Hanben

2007-05-01

In this paper, we measured and analyzed the characteristic of endogenous fluorophores in porcine layered retina by using advanced fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy imaging technology. It was found that there were obvious contrasts corresponding to the different layers of retina, which may be important for fundus disease diagnosis. The retinal pigment epithelium cells exhibited strong autofluorescence with as emission peak of 600+/-10nm when excited with 860-nm light. The emission peak of photoreceptors was at 652+/-5nm, and the emission peak of retinal vessels layer was weak and at 640~700nm, when excited with 488-nm light. Autofluorescence images of three layers of retina were obtained using the same setup. We concluded that the main endogenous fluorophore in PRE was lipofuscin and that in retinal vessels was porphyrin. What's more, the FMHW (full width at half. maximum) of retinal fluorescence spectrum was broad, which suggested that there wasn't only one endogenous fluorophores of tissues excited.

Endogenous small RNAs and antibacterial immunity in plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Hailing

2008-08-06

Small RNAs are non-coding regulatory RNA molecules that control gene expression by mediating mRNA degradation, translational inhibition, or chromatin modification. Virus-derived small RNAs induce silencing of viral RNAs and are essential for antiviral defense in both animal and plant systems. The role of host endogenous small RNAs on antibacterial immunity has only recently been recognized. Host disease resistance and defense responses are achieved by activation and repression of a large array of genes. Certain endogenous small RNAs in plants, including microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), are induced or repressed in response to pathogen attack and subsequently regulate the expression of genes involved in disease resistance and defense responses by mediating transcriptional or post-transcriptional gene silencing. Thus, these small RNAs play an important role in gene expression reprogramming in plant disease resistance and defense responses. This review focuses on the recent findings of plant endogenous small RNAs in antibacterial immunity.

Induced pluripotency with endogenous and inducible genes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duinsbergen, Dirk; Eriksson, Malin; Hoen, Peter A.C. 't; Frisen, Jonas; Mikkers, Harald

2008-01-01

The recent discovery that two partly overlapping sets of four genes induce nuclear reprogramming of mouse and even human cells has opened up new possibilities for cell replacement therapies. Although the combination of genes that induce pluripotency differs to some extent, Oct4 and Sox2 appear to be a prerequisite. The introduction of four genes, several of which been linked with cancer, using retroviral approaches is however unlikely to be suitable for future clinical applications. Towards developing a safer reprogramming protocol, we investigated whether cell types that express one of the most critical reprogramming genes endogenously are predisposed to reprogramming. We show here that three of the original four pluripotency transcription factors (Oct4, Klf4 and c-Myc or MYCER TAM ) induced reprogramming of mouse neural stem (NS) cells exploiting endogenous SoxB1 protein levels in these cells. The reprogrammed neural stem cells differentiated into cells of each germ layer in vitro and in vivo, and contributed to mouse development in vivo. Thus a combinatorial approach taking advantage of endogenously expressed genes and inducible transgenes may contribute to the development of improved reprogramming protocols

Pentafluorobenzyl bromide-A versatile derivatization agent in chromatography and mass spectrometry: I. Analysis of inorganic anions and organophosphates.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsikas, Dimitrios

2017-02-01

Pentafluorobenzyl bromide (PFB-Br) is a versatile derivatization agent. It is widely used in chromatography and mass spectrometry since several decades. The bromide atom is largely the single leaving group of PFB-Br. It is substituted by wide a spectrum of nucleophiles in aqueous and non-aqueous systems to form electrically neutral, in most organic solvents soluble, generally thermally stable, volatile, strongly electron-capturing and ultraviolet light-absorbing derivatives. Because of these greatly favoured physicochemical properties, PFB-Br emerged an ideal derivatization agent for highly sensitive analysis of endogenous and exogenous substances including various inorganic and organic anions by electron capture detection or after electron-capture negative-ion chemical ionization in GC-MS. The present article attempts an appraisal of the utility of PFB-Br in analytical chemistry. It reviews and discusses papers dealing with the use of PFB-Br as the derivatization reagent in the qualitative and quantitative analysis of endogenous and exogenous inorganic anions in various biological samples, notably plasma, urine and saliva. These analytes include nitrite, nitrate, cyanide and dialkyl organophosphates. Special emphasis is given to mass spectrometry-based approaches and stable-isotope dilution techniques. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Acculturation, cultural values, and Latino parental beliefs about the etiology of ADHD.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawton, Kathryn E; Gerdes, Alyson C; Haack, Lauren M; Schneider, Brian

2014-03-01

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders of childhood. Despite the availability of several evidence-based interventions, Latino children are more likely than non-minority children to have an unmet need for services related to ADHD. Given that parental beliefs about the etiology of ADHD likely influence service utilization, research needs to focus on cultural factors that may influence parental beliefs about the etiology of child behavior problems. Thus, the goal of the current study was to investigate the role of acculturation and cultural values of familism, respect, spirituality, and traditional gender roles in explaining parental etiological beliefs about ADHD in a sample of Latino parents. Findings suggest that behavioral acculturation was not significantly correlated with biopsychosocial or sociological/spiritual etiological beliefs; however, the cultural values of familism and traditional gender roles were positively correlated with sociological/spiritual beliefs. Further, exploratory analyses suggested that after controlling for SES, familism and traditional gender roles accounted for 30.5 % of the total variance in sociological/spiritual beliefs about ADHD. Finally, post hoc analyses revealed that cultural values were associated with several individual belief categories within the sociological/spiritual domain, including beliefs about friends, spirituality, and nature disharmony. The current study supports the inclusion of etiological beliefs and cultural factors in research examining help-seeking and access to mental health services among Latino families and suggests that the incorporation of alternative etiological beliefs about child behavior may be an important factor in culturally-appropriate mental health services.

Endogenous analgesic effect of pregabalin: A double-blind and randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Sugimine, S; Saito, S; Araki, T; Yamamoto, K; Obata, H

2017-07-01

Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) is widely used to measure endogenous analgesia, and a recent study indicated that drugs that act on endogenous analgesia are more effective in individuals with lower CPM. Recent animal studies have indicated that pregabalin activates endogenous analgesia by stimulating the descending pain inhibitory system. The present study examined whether the analgesic effect of pregabalin is greater in individuals with lower original endogenous analgesia using CPM. Fifty-nine healthy subjects were randomly assigned to either a pregabalin group or a placebo group, and 50 of them completed the study. CPM was measured before and after pregabalin or placebo administration. The correlation of initial CPM to change in CPM was compared between the pregabalin and placebo groups. Initial CPM was significantly correlated with the change in CPM in the pregabalin group (r = -0.73, p CPM significantly affected the change in CPM in the pregabalin group but not in the placebo group (pregabalin group: adj R 2  = 0.51, p CPM) was stronger for subjects with lower original endogenous analgesia, suggesting that the mechanism of pregabalin involves the improvement of endogenous analgesia. © 2017 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.

Bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) in female: etiology and management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaikh, N.A.; Ahuja, K.; Shaikh, G.S.; Soomro, A.K.

2015-01-01

To determine the etiology and management outcome of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) in female. Methodology: From 2009 to 2012, 37 females with a mean age of 40 (range 20-65) were investigated for etiology and management outcome of BOO. Typical complaints were slow urinary flow, difficulty in emptying bladder, frequency of micturition and urgency. Mean duration of symptoms was 6 month. Results: 15 women were confirmed as atrophic urethritis, 5 had functional bladder, 3 had urethral caruncle, 5 had cystocele, 7 had complete procedentia of uterus, and 2 had impacted urethral stone. Cystoscopy was performed in all patients to exclude other pathology like vesical stone and bladder growth. 12 patients were referred to Gynecology due to complete procedentia of uterus and cystocele. Three cases of urethral caruncle were treated by excision and biopsy, 2 patients with urethral stone were treated by endoscopic push back and litholapaxy while 5 required conservative treatment and 15 cases of atrophic urethritis were kept on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Conclusion: BOO is uncommon in female and management depends upon the etiology. (author)

Animal spirits, competitive markets, and endogenous growth

Science.gov (United States)

Miyazaki, Kenji

2013-10-01

This paper uses a simple model with an endogenous discount rate and linear technology to investigate whether a competitive equilibrium has a higher balanced growth path (BGP) than the social planning solution and whether the BGP is determinate or indeterminate. The implications are as follows. To start with, people with an instinct to compare themselves with others possess an endogenous discount rate. In turn, this instinct affects the economic growth rate in a competitive market economy. The competitive market economy also sometimes achieves higher economic growth than a social planning economy. However, the outcomes of market economy occasionally fluctuate because of the presence of the self-fulfilling prophecy or animal spirits.

A comparative analysis of property of lychee polyphenoloxidase using endogenous and exogenous substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Jian; Shi, John; Zhao, Mouming; Xue, Sophia Jun; Ren, Jiaoyan; Jiang, Yueming

2008-06-01

Lychee polyphenoloxidase (PPO) was extracted and partially purified using ammonium sulphate precipitation and dialysis. The comparative analysis of PPO property was performed using its endogenous substrate (-)-epicatechin and exogenous substrate catechol. The pH optima for activity and activation temperature profiles of lychee PPO were very different when the enzyme reacted with endogenous and exogenous substrates. The addition of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt into the endogenous or exogenous substrate-enzyme system exhibited the same lowest inhibition of the PPO activity. However, l-cysteine was most effective in inhibiting enzymatic activity in the endogenous substrate-enzyme system while ascorbic acid was the best inhibitor in the exogenous substrate-enzyme system. Fe(2+) greatly accelerated the enzymatic reaction between endogenous substrate and PPO, but Cu(2+) exerted the same effect on the reaction between exogenous substrate and PPO. Based on the kinetic analysis, lychee PPO could strongly bind endogenous substrate but it possessed a higher catalytic efficiency to exogenous substrate. Copyright © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Endogenous induced technical change and the costs of Kyoto

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buonanno, Paolo; Carraro, Carlo; Galeotti, Marzio

2003-01-01

We present a model for climate change policy analysis which accounts for the possibility that technology evolves endogenously and that technical change can be induced by environmental policy measures. Both the output production technology and the emission-output ratio depend upon a stock of knowledge, which accumulates through R and D activities. Two versions of this model are studied, one with endogenous technical change but exogenous environmental technical change and the other with both endogenous and induced technical change. A third version also captures technological spillover effects. As an application, the model is simulated allowing for trade of pollution permits as specified in the Kyoto Protocol and assessing the implications in terms of cost efficiency, economic growth and R and D efforts of the three different specifications of technical change

Endogenous Money, Non-neutrality and Interest-sensitivity in the Theory of Long Period Unemployment

OpenAIRE

Peter Docherty

2006-01-01

This paper investigates the role played by endogenous money in models with interest-sensitive expenditures. In particular, it examines the impact of endogenous money on a baseline neoclassical model arguing against the frequently asserted claim that traditional neoclassical macroeconomics is compatible with endogenous money. It demonstrates firstly that endogenous money is a sufficient condition to render unstable a neoclassical model characterised by interest-sensitive expenditures, full emp...

Endogenous lentivirus in Malayan colugo (Galeopterus variegatus), a close relative of primates.

Science.gov (United States)

Hron, Tomáš; Fábryová, Helena; Pačes, Jan; Elleder, Daniel

2014-10-04

A significant fraction of mammalian genomes is composed of endogenous retroviral (ERV) sequences that are formed by germline infiltration of various retroviruses. In contrast to other retroviral genera, lentiviruses only rarely form ERV copies. We performed a computational search aimed at identification of novel endogenous lentiviruses in vertebrate genomes. Using the in silico strategy, we have screened 104 publicly available vertebrate genomes for the presence of endogenous lentivirus sequences. In addition to the previously described cases, the search revealed the presence of endogenous lentivirus in the genome of Malayan colugo (Galeopterus variegatus). At least three complete copies of this virus, denoted ELVgv, were detected in the colugo genome, and approximately one hundred solo LTR sequences. The assembled consensus sequence of ELVgv had typical lentivirus genome organization including three predicted accessory genes. Phylogenetic analysis placed this virus as a distinct subgroup within the lentivirus genus. The time of insertion into the dermopteran lineage was estimated to be more than thirteen million years ago. We report the discovery of the first endogenous lentivirus in the mammalian order Dermoptera, which is a taxon close to the Primates. Lentiviruses have infiltrated the mammalian germline several times across millions of years. The colugo virus described here represents possibly the oldest documented endogenization event and its discovery can lead to new insights into lentivirus evolution. This is also the first report of an endogenous lentivirus in an Asian mammal, indicating a long-term presence of this retrovirus family in Asian continent.

Interaction in agent-based economics: A survey on the network approach

Science.gov (United States)

Bargigli, Leonardo; Tedeschi, Gabriele

2014-04-01

In this paper we aim to introduce the reader to some basic concepts and instruments used in a wide range of economic networks models. In particular, we adopt the theory of random networks as the main tool to describe the relationship between the organization of interaction among individuals within different components of the economy and overall aggregate behavior. The focus is on the ways in which economic agents interact and the possible consequences of their interaction on the system. We show that network models are able to introduce complex phenomena in economic systems by allowing for the endogenous evolution of networks.

Status epilepticus: Role for etiology in determining response to benzodiazepines.

Science.gov (United States)

Joshi, Suchitra; Rajasekaran, Karthik; Hawk, Kyle M; Chester, Stephen J; Goodkin, Howard P

2018-04-01

Clinical factors contributing to benzodiazepine failure in treating status epilepticus (SE) include suboptimal dosing and seizure duration. As many benzodiazepine-refractory episodes of SE arise from acute etiologies, we sought to determine whether etiology impacts SE treatment. The potency of diazepam to terminate SE induced by lithium-pilocarpine (LiPilo-SE) or kainic acid (KA-SE) in 3-week-old rats was studied by video-electroencephalography. Synaptic γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor (GABAR)-mediated currents were recorded from dentate granule cells using voltage-clamp electrophysiology. Surface expression of γ2 subunit-containing GABARs and Kv4.2 potassium channels in hippocampal slices was determined using a biotinylation assay. Expression of phosphorylated forms of β2/3 and γ2 subunits was determined using phosphospecific antibodies and Western blotting. Diazepam failed to terminate late SE in LiPilo-SE animals but was successful in terminating KA-SE of 1- and 3-hour duration. One hour after SE onset, GABAR-mediated synaptic inhibition and γ2 subunit-containing GABAR surface expression were reduced in LiPilo-SE animals. These were unchanged in KA-SE animals at 1 and 3 hours. Phosphorylation of γ2 subunit residue S327 was unchanged in both models, although GABAR β3 subunit S408/409 residues were dephosphorylated in the LiPilo-SE animals. Kv4.2 potassium channel surface expression was increased in LiPilo-SE animals but reduced in KA-SE animals. SE-model-dependent differences support a novel hypothesis that the development of benzodiazepine pharmacoresistance may be etiologically predetermined. Further studies are required to investigate the mechanisms that underlie such etiological differences during SE and whether etiology-dependent protocols for the treatment of SE need to be developed. Ann Neurol 2018;83:830-841. © 2018 American Neurological Association.

Multifocal chronic osteomyelitis of unknown etiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kozlowski, K.; Masel, J.; Harbison, S.; Yu, J.; Royal Brisbane Children Hospital; Regional Hospital Bowral

1983-01-01

Five cases of chronic, inflammatory, multifocal bone lesions of unknown etiology are reported. Although bone biopsy confirmed osteomyelitis in each case in none of them were organisms found inspite of an extensive work up. Different clinical course of the disease reflects different aetiology in respective cases. These cases present changing aspects of osteomyelitis emerging since introduction of antibiotics. (orig.)

Proteomics investigation of endogenous S-nitrosylation in Arabidopsis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fares, Abasse; Rossignol, Michel; Peltier, Jean-Benoît

2011-01-01

Highlights: ► Identification and quantification of nitrosothiols. ► A first dataset of endogenously nitrosylated cysteines in Arabidopsis cells. ► Nitrosothiols display apolar motifs not located in close vicinity of cysteines. ► Salt stress alters the endogenous nitrosylation of specific cysteines in Arabidopsis. -- Abstract: S-Nitrosylation emerges as an important protein modification in many processes. However, most data were obtained at the protein level after addition of a NO donor, particularly in plants where information about the cysteines nitrosylated in these proteins is scarce. An adapted work-flow, combining the classical biotin switch method and labeling with isotope-coded affinity tags (ICAT), is proposed. Without addition of NO donor, a total of 53 endogenous nitrosocysteines was identified in Arabidopsis cells, in proteins belonging to all cell territories, including membranes, and covering a large panel of functions. This first repertoire of nitrosothiols in plants enabled also preliminary structural description. Three apolar motifs, not located in close vicinity of cysteines and accounting for half the dataset, were detected and are proposed to complement nitrosylation prediction algorithms, poorly trained with plant data to date. Analysis of changes induced by a brief salt stress showed that NaCl modified the nitrosylation level of a small proportion of endogenously nitrosylated proteins and did not concern all nitrosothiols in these proteins. The possible role of some NO targets in the response to salt stress was discussed.

A generalized endogenous grid method for discrete-continuous choice

OpenAIRE

John Rust; Bertel Schjerning; Fedor Iskhakov

2012-01-01

This paper extends Carroll's endogenous grid method (2006 "The method of endogenous gridpoints for solving dynamic stochastic optimization problems", Economic Letters) for models with sequential discrete and continuous choice. Unlike existing generalizations, we propose solution algorithm that inherits both advantages of the original method, namely it avoids all root finding operations, and also efficiently deals with restrictions on the continuous decision variable. To further speed up the s...

Gut Microbial Glycerol Metabolism as an Endogenous Acrolein Source

OpenAIRE

Zhang, Jianbo; Sturla, Shana; Lacroix, Christophe; Schwab, Clarissa

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Acrolein is a highly reactive electrophile causing toxic effects, such as DNA and protein adduction, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, immune dysfunction, and membrane damage. This Opinion/Hypothesis provides an overview of endogenous and exogenous acrolein sources, acrolein’s mode of action, and its metabolic fate. Recent reports underpin the finding that gut microbial glycerol metabolism leading to the formation of reuterin is an additional source of endogenous acrole...

Neurological Autoantibody Prevalence in Epilepsy of Unknown Etiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Dubey, Divyanshu; Alqallaf, Abdulradha; Hays, Ryan; Freeman, Matthew; Chen, Kevin; Ding, Kan; Agostini, Mark; Vernino, Steven

2017-04-01

Autoimmune epilepsy is an underrecognized condition, and its true incidence is unknown. Identifying patients with an underlying autoimmune origin is critical because these patients' condition may remain refractory to conventional antiseizure medications but may respond to immunotherapy. To determine the prevalence of neurological autoantibodies (Abs) among adult patients with epilepsy of unknown etiology. Consecutive patients presenting to neurology services with new-onset epilepsy or established epilepsy of unknown etiology were identified. Serum samples were tested for autoimmune encephalitis Abs as well as thyroperoxidase (TPO) and glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) Abs. An antibody prevalence in epilepsy (APE) score based on clinical characteristics was assigned prospectively. Data were collected from June 1, 2015, to June 1, 2016. Presence of neurological Abs. A score based on clinical characteristics was assigned to estimate the probability of seropositivity prior to antibody test results. Good seizure outcome was estimated on the basis of significant reduction of seizure frequency at the first follow-up or seizure freedom. Of the 127 patients (68 males and 59 females) enrolled in the study, 15 were subsequently excluded after identification of an alternative diagnosis. Serum Abs suggesting a potential autoimmune etiology were detected in 39 (34.8%) cases. More than 1 Ab was detected in 7 patients (6.3%): 3 (2.7%) had TPO-Ab and voltage-gated potassium channel complex (VGKCc) Ab, 2 (1.8%) had GAD65-Ab and VGKCc-Ab, 1 had TPO-Ab and GAD65-Ab, and 1 had anti-Hu Ab and GAD65-Ab. Thirty-two patients (28.6%) had a single Ab marker. Among 112 patients included in the study, 15 (13.4%) had TPO-Ab, 14 (12.5%) had GAD65-Ab, 12 (10.7%) had VGKCc (4 of whom were positive for leucine-rich glioma-inactivated protein 1 [LGI1] Ab), and 4 (3.6%) had N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) Ab. Even after excluding TPO-Ab and low-titer GAD65-Ab, Abs strongly suggesting an

(Some) Cellular Mechanisms Influencing the Transcription of Human Endogenous Retrovirus, HERV-Fc1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laska, Magdalena Janina; Nissen, Kari Konstantin; Nexø, Bjørn Andersen

2013-01-01

DNA methylation and histone acetylation are epigenetic modifications that act as regulators of gene expression. DNA methylation is considered an important mechanism for silencing of retroelements in the mammalian genome. However, the methylation of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) is not well...... investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the transcriptional potential of HERV-Fc1 proviral 5'LTR in more detail, and examined the specific influence of CpG methylation on this LTR in number of cell lines. Specifically, the role of demethylating chemicals e.g. 5-aza-2' deoxycytidine...... and Trichostatin-A, in inducing or reactivating expression of HERV-Fc1 specific sequences and the mechanisms were investigated. In our present study, 5-aza-dC is shown to be a powerful inducer of HERV-Fc1, and at the same time it strongly inhibits methylation of DNA. Treatment with this demethylating agent 5-aza...

Etiological profile of bovine mastitis from dairy farms in the Western Paraná, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Júlia Gazzoni Jardim

2014-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT. Jardim J.G., Deminicis B.B., Peixoto E.C.T.M., Heinzen E.L. & Domingues P.F. [Etiological profile of bovine mastitis from dairy farms in the Western Paraná, Brazil.] Perfil etiológico da mastite bovina na bacia leiteira do oeste paranaense, Paraná, Brasil. Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária, 36(1:65-70, 2014. Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Agropecuárias, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Av. Alberto Lamego, 2000, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ 28013-600, Brasil. E-mail: jugazzoni@hotmail.com The aim of this study was evaluate the occurrence, infectious etiology and risk factors associated with mastitis in 331 dairy cows from sixteen farms located in the region of Marechal Cândido Rondon in the State of Paraná, Brazil. Both cows as the properties were selected of a non-random form and being selected 20% of lactation cows from each farm. The test for identification of subclinical mastitis was the California Mastitis Test and the diagnosis of the clinical mastitis was carried out by the observation of signs of inflammation in the udder and macroscopic changes in milk. Of lactating cows, 195 (60.77% were positive for mastitis and 93,75% of the farms analyzed had at least one positive animal. The etiologic agents isolated in a total of three hundred twenty-nine samples were Staphylococcus aureus (47.2%, Staphylococcus sp. (29.2%, Streptococcus dysgalactiae (18.1%, Streptococcus uberis (16,7%, Corynebaterium spp. (11,1% and Streptococcus intermedius (1.39%. Besides, was evaluated the interaction of the type of mechanical milking in function of the mastitis degree and the use of the disinfection of teats before and after milking was not interference in mastitis incidence, however, the accomplishment of the disinfection of teats before and after -dipping favored in the control of subclinical mastitis. We conclude that the significant occurrence of mastitis in herds is due to improper management conditions

Recruiting endogenous stem cells: a novel therapeutic approach for erectile dysfunction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhong-Cheng Xin

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Transplanted stem cells (SCs, owing to their regenerative capacity, represent one of the most promising methods to restore erectile dysfunction (ED. However, insufficient source, invasive procedures, ethical and regulatory issues hamper their use in clinical applications. The endogenous SCs/progenitor cells resident in organ and tissues play critical roles for organogenesis during development and for tissue homeostasis in adulthood. Even without any therapeutic intervention, human body has a robust self-healing capability to repair the damaged tissues or organs. Therefore, SCs-for-ED therapy should not be limited to a supply-side approach. The resident endogenous SCs existing in patients could also be a potential target for ED therapy. The aim of this review was to summarize contemporary evidence regarding: (1 SC niche and SC biological features in vitro; (2 localization and mobilization of endogenous SCs; (3 existing evidence of penile endogenous SCs and their possible mode of mobilization. We performed a search on PubMed for articles related to these aspects in a wide range of basic studies. Together, numerous evidences hold the promise that endogenous SCs would be a novel therapeutic approach for the therapy of ED.

[Chlamydia pneumoniae--etiology of ophthalmia neonatorum].

Science.gov (United States)

Krásný, J; Borovanská, J; Hrubá, D

2003-07-01

The authors observed mucous discharge in palpebral aperture, accompanied by a different degree of effusion of eyelids and chemosis of conjunctivae, particularly the tarsal ones, in 12 physiological newborns. Chlamydia pneumoniae proved to be the etiological agent in the newborn ophthalmia. The eye infection was not detected in the same period of time and in the same maternity hospital in the period of observation from September 1999 to March 2001. The detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae was performed in conjunctiva smears. The impression films on slides were examined by the method of indirect immunofluorescence with the use of specific monoclonal antibodies (medac, Germany). In the early stages the secretion included a sanguineous component, which was then changing into a mucoid or mucopurulent form. The character of conjunctival symptoms was changing in the course of inflammation. Effusion of the lower transitory fold (plica) was gradually accompanied by a picture of pseudofollicular changes on the tarsal conjunctiva. Clarithromycin in the form of syrup at daily doses of 15 mg/kg/day for the period of two weeks offered an efficient therapy of the affection. Control smears after 14 days were always negative and, at the same time, the pathological finding on the conjunctivae disappeared. The nasolacrimal obstruction was the only complication of this chlamydia infection, taking place in seven sucklings, i.e. in 58%. The passage through lacrimal drainage system reappeared in all the affected infants until they reached one year of age. The remaining question to be answered is the way the newborns encountered the infection. A nosocomial infection may be the case, but Chlamydia pneumoniae could also be present in the urogenital tract of mothers and transferred to the newborn via the birth canal similarly as is the case of Chlamydia trachomatis infection. The mode of infection deserves further investigation.

Measuring endogenous 5-HT release by emission tomography: promises and pitfalls

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paterson, Louise M; Tyacke, Robin J; Nutt, David J

2010-01-01

Molecular in vivo neuroimaging techniques can be used to measure regional changes in endogenous neurotransmitters, evoked by challenges that alter synaptic neurotransmitter concentration. This technique has most successfully been applied to the study of endogenous dopamine release using positron......, with reference to the dopaminergic system. Studies that aim to image acute, endogenous 5-HT release or depletion at 5-HT receptor targets are summarised, with particular attention to studies in humans. Radiotracers targeting the 5-HT(1A), 5-HT(2A), and 5-HT(4) receptors and the serotonin reuptake transporter...... have been explored for their sensitivity to 5-HT fluctuations, but with mixed outcomes; tracers for these targets cannot reliably image endogenous 5-HT in humans. Shortcomings in our basic knowledge of the mechanisms underlying changes in binding potential are addressed, and suggestions are made...

Endogenous steroid hormone levels in early pregnancy and risk of testicular cancer in the offspring: a nested case-referent study.

Science.gov (United States)

Holl, Katsiaryna; Lundin, Eva; Surcel, Heljä-Marja; Grankvist, Kjell; Koskela, Pentti; Dillner, Joakim; Hallmans, Göran; Wadell, Göran; Olafsdottir, Gudridur H; Ogmundsdottir, Helga M; Pukkala, Eero; Lehtinen, Matti; Stattin, Pär; Lukanova, Annekatrin

2009-06-15

According to the leading hypothesis on testicular cancer (TC) etiology exposure to a specific pattern of steroid hormones in utero, in particular, to high levels of estrogens and low levels of androgens is the major determinant of TC risk in the offspring. We performed a case-referent study nested within Finnish, Swedish and Icelandic maternity cohorts exploiting early pregnancy serum samples to evaluate the role of maternal endogenous steroid hormones with regard to the risk of TC. TC cases and referents were aged between 0 and 25 years. For each case-index mother pair, three or four matched referent-referent mother pairs were identified using national population registries. First trimester or early second trimester sera were retrieved from the index mothers of 73 TC cases and 286 matched referent mothers, and were tested for dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), androstenedione, testosterone, estradiol, estrone, and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). Offspring of mothers with high DHEAS levels had a significantly decreased risk of TC (OR for highest vs. lowest DHEAS quartile, 0.18 (95% CI 0.06-0.58). In contrast, offspring of mothers with high androstenedione levels had an increased risk of TC (OR 4.1; 95% CI 1.2-12.0). High maternal total estradiol level also tended to be associated with an increased risk of TC in the offspring (OR 32; 95% CI 0.98-1,090). We report the first direct evidence that interplay of maternal steroid hormones in the early pregnancy is important in the etiology of TC in the offspring. Copyright 2008 UICC.

The potential roles of endogenous retroviruses in autoimmunity.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakagawa, K; Harrison, L C

1996-08-01

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are estimated to comprise up to 1% of human DNA. While the genome of many ERVs is interrupted by termination codons, deletions or frame shift mutations, some ERVs are transcriptionally active and recent studies reveal protein expression or particle formation by human ERVs. ERVs have been implicated as aetiological agents of autoimmune disease, because of their structural and sequence similarities to exogenous retroviruses associated with immune dysregulation and their tissue-specific or differentiation-dependent expression. In fact, retrovirus-like particles distinct from those of known exogenous retroviruses and immune responses to ERV proteins have been observed in autoimmune disease. Quantitatively or structurally aberrant expression of normally cryptic ERVs, induced by environmental or endogenous factors, could initiate autoimmunity through direct or indirect mechanisms. ERVs may lead to immune dysregulation as insertional mutagens or cis-regulatory elements of cellular genes involved in immune function. ERVs may also encode elements like tax in human T-lymphotrophic virus type I (HTLV-I) or tat in human immunodeficiency virus-I (HIV-I) that are capable of transactivating cellular genes. More directly, human ERV gene products themselves may be immunologically active, by analogy with the superantigen activity in the long terminal repeat (LTR) of mouse mammary tumour viruses (MMTV) and the non-specific immunosuppressive activity in mammalian type C retrovirus env protein. Alternatively, increased expression of an ERV protein, or expression of a novel ERV protein not expressed in the thymus during acquisition of immune tolerance, may lead to its perception as a neoantigen. Paraneoplastic syndromes raise the possibility that novel ERV-encoded epitopes expressed by a tumour elicit immunity to cross-reactive epitopes in normal tissues. Recombination events between different but related ERVs, to whose products the host is immunologically

Systematic review of hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis: A more virulent etiology?

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, Rosalie A; Rejowski, Benjamin J; Cote, Gregory A; Pitt, Henry A; Zyromski, Nicholas J

2016-01-01

We sought to define the severity and natural history of hypertriglyceridemia induced acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP), specifically whether HTG-AP causes more severe AP than that caused by other etiologies. Systematic review of the English literature. Thirty-four studies (15 countries; 1972-2015) included 1340 HTG-AP patients (weighted mean prevalence of 9%). The median admission triglyceride concentration was 2622 mg/dl (range 1160-9769). Patients with HTG have a 14% weighted mean prevalence of AP. Plasmapheresis decreased circulating triglycerides, but did not conclusively affect AP mortality. Only 7 reports (n = 392 patients) compared severity of HTG-AP to that of AP from other etiologies. Of these, 2 studies found no difference in severity, while 5 suggested that HTG-AP patients may have increased severity compared to AP of other etiology. 1) hypertriglyceridemia is a relatively uncommon (9%) cause of acute pancreatitis; however, patients with hypertriglyceridemia have a high (14%) incidence of acute pancreatitis; 2) plasmapheresis may offer specific therapy unique to this patient population; and 3) data specifically comparing the severity of HTG-AP with AP caused by other etiologies are heterogeneous and scarce. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Endogenous compounds labeled with radionuclides of short half-life-some perspectives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Roland Långström, Bengt; Karimi, F; Watanabe, Y

2013-01-01

In the article, the strategy and synthesis of some endogenous compounds labeled mainly with (11) C are presented. There are some examples illustrating how endogenous labeled compounds in connection with positron emission tomography have unique properties to describe various biological processes......, and a few examples of the use of tracers labeled with (13) N and (15) O are also discussed. Labeled endogenous compounds may be an important asset to describe the conditions and the status of biological systems and might therefore be a key for the future search of individualized medicine....

Co-factors necessary for PPAR mediated transactivation of endogenous target genes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grøntved, Lars; Nielsen, Ronni; Stunnenberg, Henk

of endogenous target gene in different cell types are elusive. To mutually compare the ability of the PPAR subtypes to activate endogenous target genes in a given cell, PPARa, PPARb/d and PPARg2 were HA tagged and rapidly, equally and synchronously expressed using adenoviral delivery. Within a few hours after...... subtype specific activation of target genes. Accumulating evidence suggests that transcriptional co-factors can function as master regulators for nuclear receptors and impose promoter selectivity. To study co-factor necessity for PPAR mediated transactivation of endogenous target genes, specific co...

Measuring endogenous 5-HT release by emission tomography: promises and pitfalls

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paterson, Louise M; Tyacke, Robin J; Nutt, David J

2010-01-01

Molecular in vivo neuroimaging techniques can be used to measure regional changes in endogenous neurotransmitters, evoked by challenges that alter synaptic neurotransmitter concentration. This technique has most successfully been applied to the study of endogenous dopamine release using positron ...

DNA chip-assisted diagnosis of a previously unknown etiology of intermediate uveitis- Toxoplasma gondii

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Basu Soumyava

2010-01-01

Full Text Available We report the use of DNA chip technology in the identification of Toxoplasma gondii as the etiological agent in two patients with recurrent intermediate uveitis (IU. Both patients had recurrent episodes of vitritis (with no focal retinochoroidal lesion over varying time intervals and were diagnosed to have IU. The tuberculin test was negative in both. Blood counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and serum angiotensin convertase enzyme levels were normal. In both cases, the vitreous fluid tested positive for the T. gondii DNA sequence by using a uveitis DNA chip (XCyton Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore, India. It contained complimentary sequences to "signature genes" of T. gondii, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. chelonae, and M. fortuitum. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA detected elevated serum antitoxoplasma IgG levels in both. They responded to the antitoxoplasma therapy with oral co-trimoxazole (and additional intravitreal clindamycin in patient 1, with no recurrence during follow-ups of 6 and 8 months, respectively.

Endogenous leukotriene formation during anaphylactic shock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keppler, A.; Oerning, L.; Bernstroem, K.; Hammarstroem, S.

1987-01-01

Leukotriene (LT)C 4 is a biologically active substance, presumed to play major roles as a mediator of allergic and anaphylactic reactions. It is formed e.g. by basophilic and eosinophilic leukocytes, monocytes, macrophages, and mast cells. In cells having IgE receptors, bridging of these by divalent anti-IgE-receptor antibodies or by interaction between receptor-bound IgE and anti-IgE will induce LTC 4 formation. Leukotriene formation has also been demonstrated in other in vitro models of immediate hypersensivity. The biological actions of LTC 4 , comprise induction of airway obstruction, constriction of coronary arteries, hypotension, and plasma extravasation. Leukotriene formation in vivo may mediate anaphylactic shock symptoms and cause the death of an animal. In order to prove the presumed mediator role of this substance in anaphylactic reactions, it is necessary to demonstrate its endogenous formation during shock. Studies on the metabolism of LTC 4 have revealed rapid catabolism by various transformations of the peptide substituent. Recently, three metabolites were demonstrated to be excreted as end-products in man (LTE 4 ,) and the rat (N-acetyl LTE 4 and N-acetyl 11-trans LTE 4 ). By monitoring biliary N-acetyl LTE 4 levels, endogenous leukotriene formation in the rat was demonstrated in vivo after tissue trauma and endotoxin shock. We now wish to report evidence for endogenous leukotriene C 4 production during anaphylactic shock in guinea pigs. 37 refs. (author)

[Etiological diagnosis of leg ulcers].

Science.gov (United States)

Debure, Clélia

2010-09-20

Etiological diagnosis of leg ulcers must be the first step of treatment, even if we know that veinous disease is often present. We can build a clinical decisional diagram, which helps us to understand and not forget the other causes of chronic wounds and choose some basic examination, like ultrasound and histological findings. This diagnosis helps to choose the right treatment in order to cure even the oldest venous ulcers. Educational programs should be improved to prevent recurrence.

Treatment of skeletal impairment in patients with endogenous hypercortisolism: when and how?

Science.gov (United States)

Scillitani, A; Mazziotti, G; Di Somma, C; Moretti, S; Stigliano, A; Pivonello, R; Giustina, A; Colao, A

2014-02-01

Guidelines for the management of osteoporosis induced by endogenous hypercortisolism are not available. Both the American College of Rheumatology and the International Osteoporosis Foundation recommend to modulate the treatment of exogenous glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO) based on the individual fracture risk profile (calculated by FRAX) and dose of glucocorticoid used, but it is difficult to translate corticosteroid dosages to different degrees of endogenous hypercortisolism, and there are no data on validation of FRAX stratification method in patients with endogenous hypercortisolism. Consequently, it is unclear whether such recommendations may be adapted to patients with endogenous hypercortisolism. Moreover, patients with exogenous GIO take glucocorticoids since suffering a disease that commonly affects bone. On the other hand, the correction of coexistent risk factors, which may contribute to increase the fracture risk in patients exposed to glucocorticoid excess, and the removal of the cause of endogenous hypercortisolism, may lead to the recovery of bone health. Although the correction of hypercortisolism and of possible coexistent risk factors is necessary to favor the normalization of bone turnover with recovery of bone mass; in some patients, the fracture risk could not be normalized and specific anti-osteoporotic drugs should be given. Who, when, and how the patient with endogenous hypercortisolism should be treated with bone-active therapy is discussed.

[Endogenous Endophthalmitis: Epidemiology, Clinic, Therapy and Visual Outcome].

Science.gov (United States)

Mayer, Christian; Loos, Daria; Feucht, Nikolaus; Zapp, Daniel; Prahs, Philipp Maximilian; Tandogan, Tamer; Khoramnia, Ramin

2018-04-11

Endogenous endophthalmitis is a rare and severe inflammation of the eye in the context of a systemic infectious disease, which can lead to the loss of the affected eye in the worst case. In a 5-year period, 20 eyes were treated for endogenous endophthalmitis and evaluated retrospectively. Evaluation parameters were epidemiological data, causes, concomitant diseases, assessment of the pathogen spectrum, therapy and visual acuity. 13.2% (n = 20/152; 20 eyes of 17 patients) of all endophthalmitis cases were of endogenous origin. In 15% (n = 3/20) of the cases, bilateral endogenous endophthalmitis was present. The cause for the endophthalmitis was generalised sepsis in 9 of 17 cases, an infection of the urogenital tract in 2 of 17 cases and endocarditis and liver abscess in 1 of 17 cases, respectively. In 4 of 17 cases, no primary foci were detected. Eight of 17 patients suffered from diabetes mellitus, 6 of 17 from renal insufficiency and 2 of 17 from malignancies, pneumonia or rheumatism. Two of 17 patients had had an organ transplantation, 15 of 17 suffered from cardiovascular diseases, 3 of 17 were immunosuppressed and 2 of 17 reported drug abuse. Four of 17 infections were caused by streptococci, 3 of 17 by Candida, 2 of 17 by herpes viruses and 1 of 17 by Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus. No pathogen could be found in 5 cases. The time interval between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis and the beginning of the therapy was 4 days (min.: 1 day; max.: 39 days). This was significantly longer in comparison with other causes of endophthalmitis (p Endogenous endophthalmitis is often misdiagnosed due to a severe underlying non-ophthalmological disease. Delayed presentation with consequent late initiation of therapy is an unresolved problem, because colleagues from other fields are often unexperienced in diagnosing the ocular infection. This is also a cause of the already poor visual prognosis. Ophthalmologists can usually only influence the choice

Inhibition of endogenous lactate turnover with lactate infusion in humans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Searle, G.L.; Feingold, K.R.; Hsu, F.S.; Clark, O.H.; Gertz, E.W.; Stanley, W.C.

1989-01-01

The extent to which lactate infusion may inhibit endogenous lactate production, though previously considered, has never been critically assessed. To examine this proposition, single injection tracer methodology (U- 14 C Lactate) has been used for the estimation of lactate kinetics in 12 human subjects under basal conditions and with the infusion of sodium lactate. The basal rate of lactate turnover was measured on a day before the study with lactate infusion, and averaged 63.7 + 5.5 mg/kg/h. Six of these individuals received a stable lactate infusion at an approximate rate of 160 mg/kg/h, while the remaining six individuals were infused at the approximate rate of 100 mg/kg/h. It has been found that stable lactate infused at rates approximating 160 mg/kg/h consistently produced a complete inhibition of endogenous lactate production. Infusion of lactate at 100 mg/kg/h caused a lesser and more variable inhibition of endogenous lactate production (12% to 64%). In conclusion, lactate infusion significantly inhibits endogenous lactate production

Quantitative live imaging of endogenous DNA replication in mammalian cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Burgess

Full Text Available Historically, the analysis of DNA replication in mammalian tissue culture cells has been limited to static time points, and the use of nucleoside analogues to pulse-label replicating DNA. Here we characterize for the first time a novel Chromobody cell line that specifically labels endogenous PCNA. By combining this with high-resolution confocal time-lapse microscopy, and with a simplified analysis workflow, we were able to produce highly detailed, reproducible, quantitative 4D data on endogenous DNA replication. The increased resolution allowed accurate classification and segregation of S phase into early-, mid-, and late-stages based on the unique subcellular localization of endogenous PCNA. Surprisingly, this localization was slightly but significantly different from previous studies, which utilized over-expressed GFP tagged forms of PCNA. Finally, low dose exposure to Hydroxyurea caused the loss of mid- and late-S phase localization patterns of endogenous PCNA, despite cells eventually completing S phase. Taken together, these results indicate that this simplified method can be used to accurately identify and quantify DNA replication under multiple and various experimental conditions.

Gastrointestinal Endogenous Proteins as a Source of Bioactive Peptides - An In Silico Study

Science.gov (United States)

Dave, Lakshmi A.; Montoya, Carlos A.; Rutherfurd, Shane M.; Moughan, Paul J.

2014-01-01

Dietary proteins are known to contain bioactive peptides that are released during digestion. Endogenous proteins secreted into the gastrointestinal tract represent a quantitatively greater supply of protein to the gut lumen than those of dietary origin. Many of these endogenous proteins are digested in the gastrointestinal tract but the possibility that these are also a source of bioactive peptides has not been considered. An in silico prediction method was used to test if bioactive peptides could be derived from the gastrointestinal digestion of gut endogenous proteins. Twenty six gut endogenous proteins and seven dietary proteins were evaluated. The peptides present after gastric and intestinal digestion were predicted based on the amino acid sequence of the proteins and the known specificities of the major gastrointestinal proteases. The predicted resultant peptides possessing amino acid sequences identical to those of known bioactive peptides were identified. After gastrointestinal digestion (based on the in silico simulation), the total number of bioactive peptides predicted to be released ranged from 1 (gliadin) to 55 (myosin) for the selected dietary proteins and from 1 (secretin) to 39 (mucin-5AC) for the selected gut endogenous proteins. Within the intact proteins and after simulated gastrointestinal digestion, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory peptide sequences were the most frequently observed in both the dietary and endogenous proteins. Among the dietary proteins, after in silico simulated gastrointestinal digestion, myosin was found to have the highest number of ACE-inhibitory peptide sequences (49 peptides), while for the gut endogenous proteins, mucin-5AC had the greatest number of ACE-inhibitory peptide sequences (38 peptides). Gut endogenous proteins may be an important source of bioactive peptides in the gut particularly since gut endogenous proteins represent a quantitatively large and consistent source of protein. PMID:24901416

Gastrointestinal endogenous proteins as a source of bioactive peptides--an in silico study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dave, Lakshmi A; Montoya, Carlos A; Rutherfurd, Shane M; Moughan, Paul J

2014-01-01

Dietary proteins are known to contain bioactive peptides that are released during digestion. Endogenous proteins secreted into the gastrointestinal tract represent a quantitatively greater supply of protein to the gut lumen than those of dietary origin. Many of these endogenous proteins are digested in the gastrointestinal tract but the possibility that these are also a source of bioactive peptides has not been considered. An in silico prediction method was used to test if bioactive peptides could be derived from the gastrointestinal digestion of gut endogenous proteins. Twenty six gut endogenous proteins and seven dietary proteins were evaluated. The peptides present after gastric and intestinal digestion were predicted based on the amino acid sequence of the proteins and the known specificities of the major gastrointestinal proteases. The predicted resultant peptides possessing amino acid sequences identical to those of known bioactive peptides were identified. After gastrointestinal digestion (based on the in silico simulation), the total number of bioactive peptides predicted to be released ranged from 1 (gliadin) to 55 (myosin) for the selected dietary proteins and from 1 (secretin) to 39 (mucin-5AC) for the selected gut endogenous proteins. Within the intact proteins and after simulated gastrointestinal digestion, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory peptide sequences were the most frequently observed in both the dietary and endogenous proteins. Among the dietary proteins, after in silico simulated gastrointestinal digestion, myosin was found to have the highest number of ACE-inhibitory peptide sequences (49 peptides), while for the gut endogenous proteins, mucin-5AC had the greatest number of ACE-inhibitory peptide sequences (38 peptides). Gut endogenous proteins may be an important source of bioactive peptides in the gut particularly since gut endogenous proteins represent a quantitatively large and consistent source of protein.

Recent Research on the Etiologies of Autism.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, Eileen; Van Dyke, Don C.; Sears, Lonnie; Matzen, Jane; Lin-Dyken, Deborah; McBrien, Dianne M.

1999-01-01

Reviews recent research on the etiologies of autism, including genetic research, anatomic and neuroimaging studies, topics in neurophysiology research (including serotonin, dopamine, and opiods), immunologic research, studies of autism phenotype, and electroencephalographic studies. It concludes that, as of yet, research has found no clear…

Endogenous hydrogen peroxide production in the epithelium of the developing embryonic lens.

Science.gov (United States)

Basu, Subhasree; Rajakaruna, Suren; Dickinson, Bryan C; Chang, Christopher J; Menko, A Sue

2014-01-01

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an endogenously produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) present in a variety of mammalian systems. This particular ROS can play dichotomous roles, being beneficial in some cases and deleterious in others, which reflects the level and location of H2O2 production. While much is known about the redox regulation of ROS by antioxidant and repair systems in the lens, little is known about the endogenous production of H2O2 in embryonic lens tissue or the physiologic relevance of endogenous H2O2 to lens development. This gap in knowledge exists primarily from a lack of reagents that can specifically detect endogenous H2O2 in the intact lens. Here, using a recently developed chemoselective fluorescent boronate probe, peroxyfluor-6 acetoxymethyl ester (PF6-AM), which selectively detects H2O2 over related ROS, we examined the endogenous H2O2 signals in the embryonic lens. Embryonic day 10 chick whole lenses in ex vivo organ culture and lens epithelial cells in primary culture were loaded with the H2O2 probe PF6-AM. To determine the relationship between localization of mitochondria with active membrane potential and the region of H2O2 production in the lens, cells were exposed to the mitochondrial probe MitoTracker Red CMXRos together with PF6-AM. Diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), a flavin inhibitor that blocks generation of intracellular ROS production, was used to confirm that the signal from PF6-AM was due to endogenous ROS production. All imaging was performed by live confocal microscopy. PF6-AM detected endogenous H2O2 in lens epithelial cells in whole lenses in ex vivo culture and in lens epithelial cells grown in primary culture. No endogenous H2O2 signal could be detected in differentiating lens fiber cells with this probe. Treatment with DPI markedly attenuated the fluorescence signal from the peroxide-specific probe PF6-AM in the lens epithelium, suggesting that basal generation of ROS occurs in this region. The lens epithelial cells producing an

DMPD: Regulation of endogenous apolipoprotein E secretion by macrophages. [Dynamic Macrophage Pathway CSML Database

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 18388328 Regulation of endogenous apolipoprotein E secretion by macrophages. Kockx ...svg) (.html) (.csml) Show Regulation of endogenous apolipoprotein E secretion by macrophages. PubmedID 18388...328 Title Regulation of endogenous apolipoprotein E secretion by macrophages. Aut

Endogenous Natural Complement Inhibitor Regulates Cardiac Development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, Simon A; Skov, Louise L; Kjaer-Sorensen, Kasper

2017-01-01

mechanisms during fetal development and adult homeostasis. In this article, we describe the function of an endogenous complement inhibitor, mannan-binding lectin (MBL)-associated protein (MAp)44, in regulating the composition of a serine protease-pattern recognition receptor complex, MBL-associated serine...... of MAp44 caused impaired cardiogenesis, lowered heart rate, and decreased cardiac output. These defects were associated with aberrant neural crest cell behavior. We found that MAp44 competed with MASP-3 for pattern recognition molecule interaction, and knockdown of endogenous MAp44 expression could...... be rescued by overexpression of wild-type MAp44. Our observations provide evidence that immune molecules are centrally involved in the orchestration of cardiac tissue development....

A Reformulation of Normative Economics for Models with Endogenous

OpenAIRE

Bhatt, Vipul; Ogaki, Masao; Yaguchi, Yuichi

2015-01-01

This paper proposes a framework to balance considerations of welfarism and virtue ethics in the normative analysis of economic models with endogenous preferences. We introduce the moral evaluation function (MEF), which ranks alternatives based purely on virtue ethics, and define the social objective function (SOF), which combines the Social Welfare Function (SWF) and the MEF. In a model of intergenerational altruism with endogenous time preference, using numerical simulations we show that max...

Glacial cycles:exogenous orbital changes vs. endogenous climate dynamics

OpenAIRE

Kaufmann, R. K.; Juselius, Katarina

2010-01-01

We use a statistical model, the cointegrated vector autoregressive model, to assess the degree to which variations in Earth's orbit and endogenous climate dynamics can be used to simulate glacial cycles during the late Quaternary (390 kyr-present). To do so, we estimate models of varying complexity and compare the accuracy of their in-sample simulations. Results indicate that strong statistical associations between endogenous climate variables are not enough for statistical models to reproduc...

Endogenous Opiates and Behavior: 2006

Science.gov (United States)

Bodnar, Richard J.

2009-01-01

This paper is the twenty-ninth consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system, now spanning thirty years of research. It summarizes papers published during 2006 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior (Section 2), and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia (Section 3); stress and social status (Section 4); tolerance and dependence (Section 5); learning and memory (Section 6); eating and drinking (Section 7); alcohol and drugs of abuse (Section 8); sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (Section 9); mental illness and mood (Section 10); seizures and neurological disorders (Section 11); electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (Section 12); general activity and locomotion (Section 13); gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (Section 14); cardiovascular responses (Section 15); respiration and thermoregulation (Section 16); and immunological responses (Section 17). PMID:17949854

Endogenous opiates and behavior: 2012.

Science.gov (United States)

Bodnar, Richard J

2013-12-01

This paper is the thirty-fifth consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2012 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior (Section 2), and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia (Section 3); stress and social status (Section 4); tolerance and dependence (Section 5); learning and memory (Section 6); eating and drinking (Section 7); alcohol and drugs of abuse (Section 8); sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (Section 9); mental illness and mood (Section 10); seizures and neurologic disorders (Section 11); electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (Section 12); general activity and locomotion (Section 13); gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (Section 14); cardiovascular responses (Section 15); respiration and thermoregulation (Section 16); and immunological responses (Section 17). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The biotechnological potential of fibrinolytic enzymes in the dissolution of endogenous blood thrombi.

Science.gov (United States)

Kotb, Essam

2014-01-01

Formation of endogenous thrombi in blood vessels is one of the leading causes of death in our modern life. According to data provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2000, heart diseases are responsible for 29% of the total mortality rate in the world. For this, a tremendous amount of research has been done in the area of prevention and treatment of these diseases. The classical therapy of these thrombi relies upon the use of antiplatelets, anticoagulants, or even surgeries. Relatively recently, the fibrinolytic enzymes produced by microorganisms, snakes, earthworms, insects, plants, and other organisms are being successfully used in the treatment of blood clots, especially with regard to the direct dissolving action on fibrin in tandem with less cost and side effects in comparison with the first-generation thrombolytic agents, streptokinase and urokinase. Furthermore, recombinant DNA technology has succeeded in improving and decreasing the undesirable effects of the first generation of enzymes. Recombinant PAs or rt-PAs like alteplase, retelase, saruplase, tenecteplase, lanoteplase, and desmoteplase became available in the drug markets with advantages of less binding loci with PAI-1 to avoid degradation while providing faster and more complete reperfusion in a greater number of patients with less risk of bleeding and intracranial hemorrhage. This review is the first to cover all the natural and recombinant thrombolytic agents used in enzyme therapy. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Neural correlates of endogenous attention, exogenous attention and inhibition of return in touch.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Alexander; Forster, Bettina

2014-07-01

Selective attention helps process the myriad of information constantly touching our body. Both endogenous and exogenous mechanisms are relied upon to effectively process this information; however, it is unclear how they relate in the sense of touch. In three tasks we contrasted endogenous and exogenous event-related potential (ERP) and behavioural effects. Unilateral tactile cues were followed by a tactile target at the same or opposite hand. Clear behavioural effects showed facilitation of expected targets both when the cue predicted targets at the same (endogenous predictive task) and opposite hand (endogenous counter-predictive task), and these effects also correlated with ERP effects of endogenous attention. In an exogenous task, where the cue was non-informative, inhibition of return (IOR) was observed. The electrophysiological results demonstrated early effects of exogenous attention followed by later endogenous attention modulations. These effects were independent in both the endogenous predictive and exogenous tasks. However, voluntarily directing attention away from a cued body part influenced the early exogenous marker (N80). This suggests that the two mechanisms are interdependent, at least when the task requires more demanding shifts of attention. The early marker of exogenous tactile attention, the N80, was not directly related to IOR, which may suggest that exogenous attention and IOR are not necessarily two sides of the same coin. This study adds valuable new insight into how we process and select information presented to our body, showing both independent and interdependent effects of endogenous and exogenous attention in touch. © 2014 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Endogenous sex steroids and cardio- and cerebro-vascular disease in the postmenopausal period.

Science.gov (United States)

Pappa, Theodora; Alevizaki, Maria

2012-08-01

Cardio- and cerebro-vascular diseases are two leading causes of death and long-term disability in postmenopausal women. The acute fall of estrogen in menopause is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. The relative contribution of androgen to this risk is also being recognized. The use of more sensitive assays for estradiol measurement and the study of receptor and carrier protein gene polymorphisms have provided some new information on the clinical relevance of endogenous sex steroids. We provide an update on the role of endogenous sex steroids on cardio- and cerebro-vascular disease in the postmenopausal period. We performed a PubMed search using the terms 'endogenous estrogen', 'androgen', 'cardiovascular disease', 'cerebro-vascular disease', 'stroke', 'carotid artery disease', and 'subclinical atherosclerosis'. The majority of studies show a beneficial effect of endogenous estrogen on the vasculature; however, there are a few studies reporting the contrary. A significant body of literature has reported associations of endogenous estrogen and androgen with early markers of atherosclerosis and metabolic parameters. Data on the relevance of endogenous sex steroids in heart disease and stroke are inconclusive. Most studies support a beneficial role of endogenous estrogens and, probably, an adverse effect of androgens in the vasculature in postmenopausal women. However, the described associations may not always be considered as causal. It is possible that circulating estrogen might represent a marker of general health status or alternatively reflect the sum of endogenous androgens aromatized in the periphery. Elucidating the role of sex steroids in cardio- and cerebro-vascular disease remains an interesting field of future research.

The spectrum of aphasia subtypes and etiology in subacute stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, Michael; Chen, Ren

2013-11-01

Aphasia is one of the most common stroke syndrome presentations, yet little is known about the spectrum of different subtypes or their stroke mechanisms. Yet, subtypes and etiology are known to influence the prognosis and recovery. Our aim is to analyze aphasia subtypes and etiology in a large subacute stroke population. Consecutive patients from a dedicated cognitive stroke registry were accrued. A validated cognitive screening examination was administered during the first month of stroke presentation, which enabled a diagnosis of 14 different aphasic subtypes. The evolution from one subtype to another in the acute and subacute period, at times, resulted in more than 1 subtype being diagnosed. Etiology of stroke was determined by the modified Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment criteria that included intracerebral hemorrhage. Exclusions included dementia, chronic medical illness, substance abuse, and severe depression. Of 2389 stroke patients, after exclusions (n=593), aphasias numbered 625 (625 of 1796; 34.8%), and the subtype frequencies included Broca aphasia (n=170; 27.2%), anomic aphasia (n=165; 26.4%), global aphasia (n=119; 19.04%), and subcortical aphasia (n=57; 9.12%). Less frequent subtypes (total n=40; 6.7%) included transcortical aphasia (n=11), Wernicke aphasia (n=10), conduction aphasia (n=7), aphemia (n=3), semantic aphasia (n=3), crossed aphasia (n=3), pure word deafness (n=2), and foreign accent syndrome (n=1). Aphasia subtypes and etiologies had some significant associations (chi-square: 855.8, P valueaphasia had a significant association with small-vessel disease (SVD) (odds ratio [OR]=2.0254, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3820-2.9681), and global aphasia patients mostly had cardioembolic (CE) causes (OR=2.3589, 95% CI: 1.5506-3.5885) and less likely SVD (OR=.2583, 95% CI: .1444-.4654). Other notable inferences were included. Wernicke aphasia was caused by either CE (6 of 12; 50%) or hemorrhage (4 of 12; 33.3%) in a combined 83% of

The effect of anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha agents on the outcome in pediatric uveitis of diverse etiologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Deitch, Iris; Amer, Radgonde; Tomkins-Netzer, Oren; Habot-Wilner, Zohar; Friling, Ronit; Neumann, Ron; Kramer, Michal

2018-04-01

This study aimed to report the clinical outcome of children with uveitis treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) agents. This included a retrospective cohort study. Children with uveitis treated with infliximab or adalimumab in 2008-2014 at five dedicated uveitis clinics were identified by database search. Their medical records were reviewed for demographic data, clinical presentation, ocular complications, and visual outcome. Systemic side effects and the steroid-sparing effect of treatment were documented. The cohort included 24 patients (43 eyes) of whom 14 received infliximab and 10 received adalimumab after failing conventional immunosuppression therapy. Mean age was 9.3 ± 4.0 years. The most common diagnosis was juvenile idiopathic arthritis-related uveitis (n = 10), followed by Behçet's disease (n = 4), sarcoidosis (n = 1), and ankylosing spondylitis (n = 1); eight had idiopathic uveitis. Ocular manifestations included panuveitis in 20 eyes (46.5%), chronic anterior uveitis in 19 (44.2%), and intermediate uveitis in 4 (9.3%). The duration of biologic treatment ranged from 6 to 72 months. During the 12 months prior to biologic treatment, while on conventional immunosuppressive therapy, mean visual acuity deteriorated from 0.22 to 0.45 logMAR, with a trend of recovery to 0.25 at 3 months after initiation of biologic treatment, remaining stable thereafter. A full corticosteroid-sparing effect was demonstrated in 16 of the 19 patients (84.2%) for whom data were available. Treatment was well tolerated. Treatment of pediatric uveitis with anti-TNF-α agents may improve outcome while providing steroid-sparing effect, when conventional immunosuppression fails. The role of anti-TNF-α agents as first-line treatment should be further investigated in controlled prospective clinical trials.

Etiology and Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Community-acquired

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Sheyin et. al

difference in occurrence of infection between married and singles p=0.101 ... prevalence of 18.8%, with female participants having the highest occurrence of .... Performance standards ... age- dependent Etiology of community-aquired urinary.

Obesity in Children: Definition, Etiology and Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Aggarwal, Bhawana; Jain, Vandana

2018-06-01

Childhood obesity is an important public health issue worldwide. Urbanization, sedentary lifestyle and change in food habits are the chief reasons behind this pandemic. In a small proportion of children, obesity is the result of endocrine, syndromic or monogenic causes. The present paper summarizes the methods, definitions and cut-offs for identification of obesity in children. We have briefly reviewed the various techniques used for estimation of body fat in children and the cut-offs for defining obesity based on body fat percentage, and the reference curves based on body mass index and waist circumference. The etiology of obesity in children, including individual behaviors, macro- and micro-environmental influences, and endocrine causes have been discussed, and an approach to etiological assessment of obese children has been presented. Special emphasis has been laid on clinical pointers that suggest the presence of syndromic, endocrine or monogenic forms of obesity, such as, short stature, dysmorphism, neurocognitive impairment and early age at onset.

The etiological structure of diseases in frequently ill children depending on age

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. S. Levina

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The urgency of the problem of frequently ill children is associated with a significant number of patients who can be assigned to this category. Objective: to present the nosological and etiological structure of diseases in frequently ill children depending on age.Subjects and methods. 243 children aged 1 to 17 years with recurrent respiratory infections were followed up. The children were examined using routine clinical, laboratory, and instrumental examinations. The etiological diagnosisincluded bacteriological examination of the upperrespiratory tract microflora; determination of IgM and IgG antibodies against Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Epstein–Barr virus(EBV, and cytomegalovirus(CMV in blood by enzyme immunoassay and that of Chlamydia and Mycoplasma DNA in pharyngealswabs and that of CMV, EBV and human herpesvirustype 6 DNA in blood by polymerase chain reaction.Results. Recurrentrespiratory diseases were found to be associated with herpesvirusinfection in 75% of the children aged 1 to 6 years, with Streptococcus, Mycoplasma, and Chlamydia infections in 16, 10, and 4% of those aged 3 to 6 years, respectively, and to be accompanied by abnormal lymphoid tissue proliferation in 84% of the children aged 3 to 6 years, with the abundant growth of bacterial opportunistic pathogensin one half of the patients. Despite the continuing importance of infectious agents(herpesviruses and streptococci in 29 and 20%, respectively, the chronically ill school-aged children displayed a high incidence of somatic diseases: chronic tonsillitis (43% and chronic sinusitis (14% in children aged older than 12 years and allergic rhinitis (23% in those aged 7 to 17 years. The symptoms of autonomic vascular dystonia were observed in 21% of the patients; cardiac arrhythmias were diagnosed in 14%. 

Enigma of urethral pain syndrome: why are there so many ascribed etiologies and therapeutic approaches?

Science.gov (United States)

Phillip, Harris; Okewole, Idris; Chilaka, Victor

2014-06-01

Urethral pain syndrome has had several sobriquets, which have led to much confusion over the existence of this pathological condition and the useful options in the care of the afflicted patient. Our aim was to explore the proposed etiologies of this syndrome, and to provide a critical analysis of each proposed etiology and present a balanced argument on the plausibility of the proposed etiology and therapeutic approaches. We carried out an English language electronic search in the following databases: Medline, Embase, Amed, Cinahl, Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Trip Database and SUMSearch using the following search terms: urethral syndrome, urethral diseases, urethra, urologic diseases etiology/etiology, presentation, treatment, outcome, therapeutics and treatment from 1951 to 2011. In excess of 200 articles were recovered. With the clearly defined objectives of analyzing the proposed etiologies and therapeutic regimes, two author(s) (HP and IO) perused the abstracts of all the recovered articles, selecting those that addressed the etiologies and therapeutic approaches to treating the urethral pain syndrome. The number of articles was reduced to 25. The full text of all 25 articles were retrieved and reviewed. Through the present article, we hope to elucidate the most probable etiology of this condition whilst simultaneously, advance a logical explanation for the apparent success in the treatment of this condition using a range of different therapeutic modalities. We have carried out a narrative review, which we hope will reduce some of the confusion around this clinical entity by combining the known facts about the disease. © 2014 The Japanese Urological Association.

Erbium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet ablative laser treatment for endogenous ochronosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaptini, Cassandra; Huilgol, Shyamala C

2015-08-01

Ochronosis is a rare disease characterised clinically by bluish-grey skin discolouration and histologically by yellow-brown pigment deposits in the dermis. It occurs in endogenous and exogenous forms. Endogenous ochronosis, also known as alkaptonuria, is an autosomal recessive disease of tyrosine metabolism, resulting in the accumulation and deposition of homogentisic acid in connective tissue. We report a case of facial endogenous ochronosis and coexistent photodamage, which was successfully treated with erbium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet laser resurfacing and deep focal point treatment to remove areas of residual deep pigment. © 2014 The Australasian College of Dermatologists.

The Influence of Endogenous and Exogenous Spatial Attention on Decision Confidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurtz, Phillipp; Shapcott, Katharine A; Kaiser, Jochen; Schmiedt, Joscha T; Schmid, Michael C

2017-07-25

Spatial attention allows us to make more accurate decisions about events in our environment. Decision confidence is thought to be intimately linked to the decision making process as confidence ratings are tightly coupled to decision accuracy. While both spatial attention and decision confidence have been subjected to extensive research, surprisingly little is known about the interaction between these two processes. Since attention increases performance it might be expected that confidence would also increase. However, two studies investigating the effects of endogenous attention on decision confidence found contradictory results. Here we investigated the effects of two distinct forms of spatial attention on decision confidence; endogenous attention and exogenous attention. We used an orientation-matching task, comparing the two attention conditions (endogenous and exogenous) to a control condition without directed attention. Participants performed better under both attention conditions than in the control condition. Higher confidence ratings than the control condition were found under endogenous attention but not under exogenous attention. This finding suggests that while attention can increase confidence ratings, it must be voluntarily deployed for this increase to take place. We discuss possible implications of this relative overconfidence found only during endogenous attention with respect to the theoretical background of decision confidence.

Measuring endogenous 5-HT release by emission tomography: promises and pitfalls

Science.gov (United States)

Paterson, Louise M; Tyacke, Robin J; Nutt, David J; Knudsen, Gitte M

2010-01-01

Molecular in vivo neuroimaging techniques can be used to measure regional changes in endogenous neurotransmitters, evoked by challenges that alter synaptic neurotransmitter concentration. This technique has most successfully been applied to the study of endogenous dopamine release using positron emission tomography, but has not yet been adequately extended to other neurotransmitter systems. This review focuses on how the technique has been applied to the study of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) system. The principles behind visualising fluctuations in neurotransmitters are introduced, with reference to the dopaminergic system. Studies that aim to image acute, endogenous 5-HT release or depletion at 5-HT receptor targets are summarised, with particular attention to studies in humans. Radiotracers targeting the 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, and 5-HT4 receptors and the serotonin reuptake transporter have been explored for their sensitivity to 5-HT fluctuations, but with mixed outcomes; tracers for these targets cannot reliably image endogenous 5-HT in humans. Shortcomings in our basic knowledge of the mechanisms underlying changes in binding potential are addressed, and suggestions are made as to how the selection of targets, radiotracers, challenge paradigms, and experimental design might be optimised to improve our chances of successfully imaging endogenous neurotransmitters in the future. PMID:20664611

Microbial endogenous response to acute inhibitory impact of antibiotics.

Science.gov (United States)

Pala-Ozkok, I; Kor-Bicakci, G; Çokgör, E U; Jonas, D; Orhon, D

2017-06-13

Enhanced endogenous respiration was observed as the significant/main response of the aerobic microbial culture under pulse exposure to antibiotics: sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline and erythromycin. Peptone mixture and acetate were selected as organic substrates to compare the effect of complex and simple substrates. Experiments were conducted with microbial cultures acclimated to different sludge ages of 10 and 2 days, to visualize the effect of culture history. Evaluation relied on modeling of oxygen uptake rate profiles, reflecting the effect of all biochemical reactions associated with substrate utilization. Model calibration exhibited significant increase in values of endogenous respiration rate coefficient with all antibiotic doses. Enhancement of endogenous respiration was different with antibiotic type and initial dose. Results showed that both peptone mixture and acetate cultures harbored resistance genes against the tested antibiotics, which suggests that biomass spends cellular maintenance energy for activating the required antibiotic resistance mechanisms to survive, supporting higher endogenous decay rates. [Formula: see text]: maximum growth rate for X H (day -1 ); K S : half saturation constant for growth of X H (mg COD/L); b H : endogenous decay rate for X H (day -1 ); k h : maximum hydrolysis rate for S H1 (day -1 ); K X : hydrolysis half saturation constant for S H1 (mg COD/L); k hx : maximum hydrolysis rate for X S1 (day -1 ); K XX : hydrolysis half saturation constant for X S1 (mg COD/L); k STO : maximum storage rate of PHA by X H (day -1 ); [Formula: see text]: maximum growth rate on PHA for X H (day -1 ); K STO : half saturation constant for storage of PHA by X H (mg COD/L); X H1 : initial active biomass (mg COD/L).

Etiology and Outcome of Chronic Kidney Disease in Iranian Children

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Neamatollah Ataei

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Background Considering the significant geographical and ethnical differences in pattern of incidence, etiology and outcome of chronic kidney disease (CKD, the present study aimed to assess the etiology and outcome of CKD in Iranian children. Materials and Methods In a cross-sectional study etiology and outcome of 372 children aged 3 months to 18 years with CKD was studied during the period 1991 –2014. Children (186 boys, 186 girls with Stage 3 to 5 CKDs, defined as a glomerular filtration rate below 60 ml/min per 1.73 m2body surface area, were identified. Results Etiology was congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract in 125 (33.60%, cystic/ hereditary/ congenital diseases in 91 (24.46%, glomerulopathy in 73(19.62%, and cause unknown in 71 (19.09% patients. Forty-eight (13.22% were on conservative treatment, 174(47.93% had end-stage renal disease (ESRD with chronic hemodialysis, 24 (6.61% were on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Sixty-eight (18.74% underwent on renal transplant which was successful in 52 (14.33% patients but was associated with abnormal renal function in 16(4.41% children. Finally, 49 (13.50% patients died. Conclusion A large number of children developed CKD secondary to congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract. Planning for screening, early detection and instituting timely treatment of preventable causes could lead to a lower incidence of CKD in this group of children.

The etiology of social aggression: a nuclear twin family study.

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Slawinski, Brooke L; Klump, Kelly L; Burt, S Alexandra

2018-04-02

Social aggression is a form of antisocial behavior in which social relationships and social status are used to damage reputations and inflict emotional harm on others. Despite extensive research examining the prevalence and consequences of social aggression, only a few studies have examined its genetic-environmental etiology, with markedly inconsistent results. We estimated the etiology of social aggression using the nuclear twin family (NTF) model. Maternal-report, paternal-report, and teacher-report data were collected for twin social aggression (N = 1030 pairs). We also examined the data using the classical twin (CT) model to evaluate whether its strict assumptions may have biased previous heritability estimates. The best-fitting NTF model for all informants was the ASFE model, indicating that additive genetic, sibling environmental, familial environmental, and non-shared environmental influences significantly contribute to the etiology of social aggression in middle childhood. However, the best-fitting CT model varied across informants, ranging from AE and ACE to CE. Specific heritability estimates for both NTF and CT models also varied across informants such that teacher reports indicated greater genetic influences and father reports indicated greater shared environmental influences. Although the specific NTF parameter estimates varied across informants, social aggression generally emerged as largely additive genetic (A = 0.15-0.77) and sibling environmental (S = 0.42-0.72) in origin. Such findings not only highlight an important role for individual genetic risk in the etiology of social aggression, but also raise important questions regarding the role of the environment.

Endogenous phosphorus excretion by sheep fed hydrolyzed sugarcane bagasse, lucerne hay and citrus pulp

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dias, R.S.; Roque, A.P.; Vitti, D.M.S.S.

2006-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine endogenous phosphorus excretion in sheep fed with different diets. Sixteen male growing sheep, received a basic diet with: 42% hydrolyzed sugarcane bagasse (HSB), 45% lucerne hay (LH) plus 14% hydrolyzed sugarcane bagasse, and 30% citrus pulp (CTP) plus 40% hydrolyzed sugarcane bagasse. A dose of 7.7 MBq 32 P was injected into the left jugular vein of each animal. The P endogenous fecal losses were: 1.69, 2.50, 2.33 and 1.45 g/animal for treatments HSB, LH, and CTP respectively (P>0.05). The type of diet influenced slight endogenous P excretion but altered excretion of P in urine. Endogenous P excreted in feces (P F ) comes mainly from saliva and represents an important loss of P. The estimation of net requirements of phosphorus (P) for ruminants includes endogenous losses, which is also essential for calculating true absorption of this mineral. Physical structure of the feed may influence endogenous losses, altering the metabolism of P and also the demand of this mineral, therefore being important to know how different feeds affect endogenous P losses. (author)

Multi-spectral endogenous fluorescence imaging for bacterial differentiation

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Chernomyrdin, Nikita V.; Babayants, Margarita V.; Korotkov, Oleg V.; Kudrin, Konstantin G.; Rimskaya, Elena N.; Shikunova, Irina A.; Kurlov, Vladimir N.; Cherkasova, Olga P.; Komandin, Gennady A.; Reshetov, Igor V.; Zaytsev, Kirill I.

2017-07-01

In this paper, the multi-spectral endogenous fluorescence imaging was implemented for bacterial differentiation. The fluorescence imaging was performed using a digital camera equipped with a set of visual bandpass filters. Narrowband 365 nm ultraviolet radiation passed through a beam homogenizer was used to excite the sample fluorescence. In order to increase a signal-to-noise ratio and suppress a non-fluorescence background in images, the intensity of the UV excitation was modulated using a mechanical chopper. The principal components were introduced for differentiating the samples of bacteria based on the multi-spectral endogenous fluorescence images.

Effect of radiation and alkylating agents on chromatin degradation in normal and malignant lymphoid cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryabchenko, N.I.; Yurashkova, V.; Ivannik, B.P.; Konov, A.V.; Drashil, V.

1991-01-01

Regularities of chromatin degradation in thymocytes and LS/BL tumor cells have been investigated. It has been shown that the rate of DNA degradation by Ca/Mg-dependent endonuclease in LS/BL tumor cells is 25 times lower than that in thymocytes, and radiation does not induce chormatin degradation. The alkylating agent TS 160 causes chromatin degradation in both LS/Bl cells and thymocytes. In contrast to radiation TS 160 inhibits the endogenous chromatin degradation by Ca/Mg-dependent endonuclease in thymocytes

Exogenous vs. Endogenous Separation

OpenAIRE

Ramey, Garey

2008-01-01

This paper assesses how various approaches to modelling the separation margin a¤ect the ability of the Mortensen-Pissarides job matching model to explain key facts about the aggregate labor market. Allowing for realistic time variation in the separation rate, whether exogenous or endogenous, greatly in- creases the unemployment variability generated by the model. Speci…cations with exogenous separation rates, whether constant or time-varying, fail to pro- duce realistic volatility and prod...

Addressing the Analytic Challenges of Cross-Sectional Pediatric Pneumonia Etiology Data.

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Hammitt, Laura L; Feikin, Daniel R; Scott, J Anthony G; Zeger, Scott L; Murdoch, David R; O'Brien, Katherine L; Deloria Knoll, Maria

2017-06-15

Despite tremendous advances in diagnostic laboratory technology, identifying the pathogen(s) causing pneumonia remains challenging because the infected lung tissue cannot usually be sampled for testing. Consequently, to obtain information about pneumonia etiology, clinicians and researchers test specimens distant to the site of infection. These tests may lack sensitivity (eg, blood culture, which is only positive in a small proportion of children with pneumonia) and/or specificity (eg, detection of pathogens in upper respiratory tract specimens, which may indicate asymptomatic carriage or a less severe syndrome, such as upper respiratory infection). While highly sensitive nucleic acid detection methods and testing of multiple specimens improve sensitivity, multiple pathogens are often detected and this adds complexity to the interpretation as the etiologic significance of results may be unclear (ie, the pneumonia may be caused by none, one, some, or all of the pathogens detected). Some of these challenges can be addressed by adjusting positivity rates to account for poor sensitivity or incorporating test results from controls without pneumonia to account for poor specificity. However, no classical analytic methods can account for measurement error (ie, sensitivity and specificity) for multiple specimen types and integrate the results of measurements for multiple pathogens to produce an accurate understanding of etiology. We describe the major analytic challenges in determining pneumonia etiology and review how the common analytical approaches (eg, descriptive, case-control, attributable fraction, latent class analysis) address some but not all challenges. We demonstrate how these limitations necessitate a new, integrated analytical approach to pneumonia etiology data. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Retinal artery occlusion and associated recurrent vascular risk with underlying etiologies.

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Jeong-Ho Hong

Full Text Available RAO is caused by various etiologies and subsequent vascular events may be associated with underlying etiologies. Our aim is to investigate the etiologies of RAO, the occurrence of subsequent vascular events and their association in patients with RAO.We analyzed data from 151 consecutive patients presenting with acute non-arteritic RAO between 2003 and 2013 in a single tertiary-care hospital. The primary outcome was the occurrence of a vascular event defined as stroke, myocardial infarction, and vascular death within 365 days of the RAO onset. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazard model were used to estimate the hazard ratio of the vascular events.Large artery atherosclerosis (LAA was the etiology more frequently associated with of RAO (41.1%, 62/151. During the one year follow-up, ischemic stroke and vascular events occurred in 8.6% and 9.9% of patients, respectively. Ten vascular events occurred in RAO patients attributed to LAA and 4 occurred in undetermined etiology. RAO patients with LAA had a nearly four times higher risk of vascular events compared to those without LAA (hazard ratio 3.94, 95% confidence interval 1.21-12.81. More than a half of all events occurred within one month and over three fourths of ischemic strokes occurred ipsilateral to the RAO.After occurrence of RAO, there is a high risk of a subsequent vascular event, particularly ipsilateral stroke, within one month. LAA is an independent factor for the occurrence of a subsequent vascular event. Management for the prevention of secondary vascular events is necessary in patients with RAO especially with LAA. Large clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Reduced endogenous Ca2+ buffering speeds active zone Ca2+ signaling.

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Delvendahl, Igor; Jablonski, Lukasz; Baade, Carolin; Matveev, Victor; Neher, Erwin; Hallermann, Stefan

2015-06-09

Fast synchronous neurotransmitter release at the presynaptic active zone is triggered by local Ca(2+) signals, which are confined in their spatiotemporal extent by endogenous Ca(2+) buffers. However, it remains elusive how rapid and reliable Ca(2+) signaling can be sustained during repetitive release. Here, we established quantitative two-photon Ca(2+) imaging in cerebellar mossy fiber boutons, which fire at exceptionally high rates. We show that endogenous fixed buffers have a surprisingly low Ca(2+)-binding ratio (∼ 15) and low affinity, whereas mobile buffers have high affinity. Experimentally constrained modeling revealed that the low endogenous buffering promotes fast clearance of Ca(2+) from the active zone during repetitive firing. Measuring Ca(2+) signals at different distances from active zones with ultra-high-resolution confirmed our model predictions. Our results lead to the concept that reduced Ca(2+) buffering enables fast active zone Ca(2+) signaling, suggesting that the strength of endogenous Ca(2+) buffering limits the rate of synchronous synaptic transmission.

Endogenous α-crystallin inhibits expression of caspase-3 induced by hypoxia in retinal neurons.

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Ying, Xi; Peng, Yanli; Zhang, Jiaping; Wang, Xingli; Wu, Nan; Zeng, Yuxiao; Wang, Yi

2014-08-28

To investigate the expression of endogenous, hypoxic stress-induced α-crystallin and caspase-3 in rat retinal neurons in vitro. Retinal neurons were cultured from Long-Evans rats. The expression of endogenous α-crystallin was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Furthermore, hypoxic exposure was performed in cultured cells, and the expression of endogenous α-crystallin and caspase-3 was assayed by Western blotting. Positive α-crystallin staining was observed in cultured retinal neurons, and expression of endogenous α-crystallin mRNA peaked 3-5d after inoculation (Pendogenous, hypoxic stress-induced α-crystallin expression increased gradually, peaking 6h after hypoxia. The expression was more abundant compared to the control (Pendogenous α-crystallin in retinal neurons, especially over-expression induced by hypoxic stress, results in the down regulation of caspase-3. The data suggest that endogenous α-crystallin may act as an endogenous neuroprotective factor in retinal neurons. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contribution of nonprimate animal models in understanding the etiology of schizophrenia

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Lazar, Noah L.; Neufeld, Richard W.J.; Cain, Donald P.

2011-01-01

Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder that is characterized by positive and negative symptoms and cognitive impairments. The etiology of the disorder is complex, and it is thought to follow a multifactorial threshold model of inheritance with genetic and neurodevelopmental contributions to risk. Human studies are particularly useful in capturing the richness of the phenotype, but they are often limited to the use of correlational approaches. By assessing behavioural abnormalities in both humans and rodents, nonprimate animal models of schizophrenia provide unique insight into the etiology and mechanisms of the disorder. This review discusses the phenomenology and etiology of schizophrenia and the contribution of current nonprimate animal models with an emphasis on how research with models of neurotransmitter dysregulation, environmental risk factors, neurodevelopmental disruption and genetic risk factors can complement the literature on schizophrenia in humans. PMID:21247514

Participation of some campylobacter species in the etiology of enterocolitis

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Otašević Marica M.

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Background. In recent decades, medical community has increasingly been calling attention to the importance of Campylobacter as an disease-causing agent in humans. Nowdays, Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni is known as the most frequent bacterial cause of diarrhea worldwide. Epidemiological differences of the infections caused by Campylobacter, present in the developed and the developing countries, are attributed to the differences of the types of virulence. Due to the specificity, and the demanding features of Campylobacter, as well as poorly equipped microbiological laboratories, campylobacteriosis is insufficiently studied in our country. This investigation aimed to determine the participation of some Campylobacter species in the etiology of diarrheal diseases in our population. Methods. The four-years continuous monitoring of Campylobacter presence was performed in the faeces of 12 605 patients with enterocolitis. The control group included 5 774 examinees of healthy children and youth. Faeces samples were cultivated on Skirrow's selective medium, and further incubated according to effective methodology for Campylobacter. Identification of strains was based on morphological, cultural and physiologic features of strains (oxidase test, catalase test, susceptibility to nalidixic acid, and hypurate hydrolysis. As a statistical method, for data processing, c2 test and Fisher’s exact test were used. Results. Campylobacter was proven in 3.86% of enterocolitis patients, and in 0.71% of healthy population. Out of 518 Campylobacter isolates, 86.48% belonged to enterocolitis outpatients, and 13,51% to inpatients. Predominant symptoms of the disease were diarrhea (81.83%, increased temperature (34.71%, vomiting (19.77%, and stomach pain (15.17%. The diseased were predominantly infants in the first year of life. Out of 300 Campylobacter isolates, 75% were identified as Campylobacer jejuni, 23% as Campylobacter coli (C. coli, and 2% as Campylobacter lari

Cinnamaldehyde promotes root branching by regulating endogenous hydrogen sulfide.

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Xue, Yan-Feng; Zhang, Meng; Qi, Zhong-Qiang; Li, You-Qin; Shi, Zhiqi; Chen, Jian

2016-02-01

Cinnamaldehyde (CA) has been widely applied in medicine and food preservation. However, whether and how CA regulates plant physiology is largely unknown. To address these gaps, the present study investigated the beneficial effect of CA on root branching and its possible biochemical mechanism. The lateral root (LR) formation of pepper seedlings could be markedly induced by CA at specific concentrations without any inhibitory effect on primary root (PR) growth. CA could induce the generation of endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) by increasing the activity of L-cysteine desulfhydrase in roots. By fluorescently tracking endogenous H2S in situ, it could be clearly observed that H2S accumulated in the outer layer cells of the PR where LRs emerge. Sodium hydrosulfide (H2S donor) treatment induced LR formation, while hypotaurine (H2S scavenger) showed an adverse effect. The addition of hypotaurine mitigated the CA-induced increase in endogenous H2S level, which in turn counteracted the inducible effect of CA on LR formation. CA showed great potential in promoting LR formation, which was mediated by endogenous H2S. These results not only shed new light on the application of CA in agriculture but also extend the knowledge of H2S signaling in the regulation of root branching. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Glucocorticoid-related bone changes from endogenous or exogenous glucocorticoids.

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Warriner, Amy H; Saag, Kenneth G

2013-12-01

Glucocorticoids have a negative impact on bone through direct effects on bone cells and indirect effects on calcium absorption. Here, recent findings regarding glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, bone changes in patients with endogenous glucocorticoid derangements, and treatment of steroid-induced bone disease are reviewed. Although the majority of our understanding arises from the outcomes of patients treated with exogenous steroids, endogenous overproduction appears to be similarly destructive to bone, but these effects are reversible with cure of the underlying disease process. Additionally, there are bone changes that occur in diseases that interrupt adrenal glucocorticoid production, both in response to our inability to perfectly match glucocorticoid replacement and also related to the underlying disease process. More investigation is required to understand which patients with endogenous overproduction or underproduction of glucocorticoid would benefit from osteoporosis treatment. Better understood is the benefit that can be achieved with currently approved treatments for glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis from exogenous steroids. With growing concern of long-term use of bisphosphonates, however, further investigation into the duration of use and use in certain populations, such as children and premenopausal women, is essential. Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis is a complex disease that is becoming better understood through advances in the study of exogenous and endogenous glucocorticoid exposure. Further advancement of proper treatment and prevention is on the horizon.

Abnormal trafficking of endogenously expressed BMPR2 mutant allelic products in patients with heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension.

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Andrea L Frump

Full Text Available More than 200 heterozygous mutations in the type 2 BMP receptor gene, BMPR2, have been identified in patients with Heritable Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (HPAH. More severe clinical outcomes occur in patients with BMPR2 mutations by-passing nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD negative mutations. These comprise 40% of HPAH mutations and are predicted to express BMPR2 mutant products. However expression of endogenous NMD negative BMPR2 mutant products and their effect on protein trafficking and signaling function have never been described. Here, we characterize the expression and trafficking of an HPAH-associated NMD negative BMPR2 mutation that results in an in-frame deletion of BMPR2 EXON2 (BMPR2ΔEx2 in HPAH patient-derived lymphocytes and in pulmonary endothelial cells (PECs from mice carrying the same in-frame deletion of Exon 2 (Bmpr2 (ΔEx2/+ mice. The endogenous BMPR2ΔEx2 mutant product does not reach the cell surface and is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum. Moreover, chemical chaperones 4-PBA and TUDCA partially restore cell surface expression of Bmpr2ΔEx2 in PECs, suggesting that the mutant product is mis-folded. We also show that PECs from Bmpr2 (ΔEx2/+ mice have defects in the BMP-induced Smad1/5/8 and Id1 signaling axis, and that addition of chemical chaperones restores expression of the Smad1/5/8 target Id1. These data indicate that the endogenous NMD negative BMPRΔEx2 mutant product is expressed but has a folding defect resulting in ER retention. Partial correction of this folding defect and restoration of defective BMP signaling using chemical chaperones suggests that protein-folding agents could be used therapeutically in patients with these NMD negative BMPR2 mutations.

Endogenous mitigation of H2S inside of the landfills.

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Fang, Yuan; Zhong, Zhong; Shen, Dongsheng; Du, Yao; Xu, Jing; Long, Yuyang

2016-02-01

Vast quantities of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) emitted from landfill sites require urgent disposal. The current study focused on source control and examined the migration and conversion behavior of sulfur compounds in two lab-scale simulated landfills with different operation modes. It aimed to explore the possible strategies and mechanisms for H2S endogenous mitigation inside of landfills during decomposition. It was found that the strength of H2S emissions from the landfill sites was dependent on the municipal solid waste (MSW) degradation speed and vertical distribution of sulfide. Leachate recirculation can shorten both the H2S influence period and pollution risk to the surrounding environment. H2S endogenous mitigation may be achieved by chemical oxidation, biological oxidation, adsorption, and/or precipitation in different stages. Migration and conversion mainly affected H2S release behavior during the initial stabilization phase in the landfill. Microbial activities related to sulfur, nitrogen, and iron can further promote H2S endogenous mitigation during the high reducing phase. Thus, H2S endogenous mitigation can be effectively enhanced via control of the aforementioned processes.