Unbiased RNA Shotgun Metagenomics in Social and Solitary Wild Bees Detects Associations with Eukaryote Parasites and New Viruses.

Science.gov (United States)

Schoonvaere, Karel; De Smet, Lina; Smagghe, Guy; Vierstraete, Andy; Braeckman, Bart P; de Graaf, Dirk C

2016-01-01

The diversity of eukaryote organisms and viruses associated with wild bees remains poorly characterized in contrast to the well-documented pathosphere of the western honey bee, Apis mellifera. Using a deliberate RNA shotgun metagenomic sequencing strategy in combination with a dedicated bioinformatics workflow, we identified the (micro-)organisms and viruses associated with two bumble bee hosts, Bombus terrestris and Bombus pascuorum, and two solitary bee hosts, Osmia cornuta and Andrena vaga. Ion Torrent semiconductor sequencing generated approximately 3.8 million high quality reads. The most significant eukaryote associations were two protozoan, Apicystis bombi and Crithidia bombi, and one nematode parasite Sphaerularia bombi in bumble bees. The trypanosome protozoan C. bombi was also found in the solitary bee O. cornuta. Next to the identification of three honey bee viruses Black queen cell virus, Sacbrood virus and Varroa destructor virus-1 and four plant viruses, we describe two novel RNA viruses Scaldis River bee virus (SRBV) and Ganda bee virus (GABV) based on their partial genomic sequences. The novel viruses belong to the class of negative-sense RNA viruses, SRBV is related to the order Mononegavirales whereas GABV is related to the family Bunyaviridae. The potential biological role of both viruses in bees is discussed in the context of recent advances in the field of arthropod viruses. Further, fragmentary sequence evidence for other undescribed viruses is presented, among which a nudivirus in O. cornuta and an unclassified virus related to Chronic bee paralysis virus in B. terrestris. Our findings extend the current knowledge of wild bee parasites in general and addsto the growing evidence of unexplored arthropod viruses in valuable insects.

Widespread occurrence of honey bee pathogens in solitary bees.

Science.gov (United States)

Ravoet, Jorgen; De Smet, Lina; Meeus, Ivan; Smagghe, Guy; Wenseleers, Tom; de Graaf, Dirk C

2014-10-01

Solitary bees and honey bees from a neighbouring apiary were screened for a broad set of putative pathogens including protists, fungi, spiroplasmas and viruses. Most sampled bees appeared to be infected with multiple parasites. Interestingly, viruses exclusively known from honey bees such as Apis mellifera Filamentous Virus and Varroa destructor Macula-like Virus were also discovered in solitary bees. A microsporidium found in Andrena vaga showed most resemblance to Nosema thomsoni. Our results suggest that bee hives represent a putative source of pathogens for other pollinators. Similarly, solitary bees may act as a reservoir of honey bee pathogens. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pinworm infection masquerading as colorectal liver metastasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, K J; Hubscher, S; Mangat, K; Sutcliffe, R; Marudanayagam, R

2012-09-01

Enterobius vermicularis is responsible for a variety of diseases but rarely affects the liver. Accurate characterisation of suspected liver metastases is essential to avoid unnecessary surgery. In the presented case, following a diagnosis of rectal cancer, a solitary liver nodule was diagnosed as a liver metastasis due to typical radiological features and subsequently resected. At pathological assessment, however, a necrotic nodule containing E. vermicularis was identified. Solitary necrotic nodules of the liver are usually benign but misdiagnosed frequently as malignant due to radiological features. It is standard practice to diagnose colorectal liver metastases solely on radiological evidence. Without obtaining tissue prior to liver resection, misdiagnosis of solitary necrotic nodules of the liver will continue to occur.

Effect of electron temperature on small-amplitude electron acoustic solitary waves in non-planar geometry

Science.gov (United States)

Bansal, Sona; Aggarwal, Munish; Gill, Tarsem Singh

2018-04-01

Effects of electron temperature on the propagation of electron acoustic solitary waves in plasma with stationary ions, cold and superthermal hot electrons is investigated in non-planar geometry employing reductive perturbation method. Modified Korteweg-de Vries equation is derived in the small amplitude approximation limit. The analytical and numerical calculations of the KdV equation reveal that the phase velocity of the electron acoustic waves increases as one goes from planar to non planar geometry. It is shown that the electron temperature ratio changes the width and amplitude of the solitary waves and when electron temperature is not taken into account,our results completely agree with the results of Javidan & Pakzad (2012). It is found that at small values of τ , solitary wave structures behave differently in cylindrical ( {m} = 1), spherical ( {m} = 2) and planar geometry ( {m} = 0) but looks similar at large values of τ . These results may be useful to understand the solitary wave characteristics in laboratory and space environments where the plasma have multiple temperature electrons.

Solitary Fibrous Tumor in the Round Ligament of the Liver: A Fortunate Intraoperative Discovery

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Laura Beyer

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs are mesenchymal neoplasms of fibroblastic origin, most commonly found in the pleura. Numerous extrathoracic locations have been reported during the last 2 decades. Herein, we report the first case of an SFT in the round ligament of the liver. A 46-year-old Caucasian man presented with a 12-month history of abdominal pain. An ultrasonography-guided microbiopsy first revealed a desmoid tumor. After failure of first- and second-line medical treatments (celecoxib and tamoxifen, then imatinib, histological reexamination was suspicious for a low-grade sarcoma. MRI was also suspicious for a malignant process. Hence, surgery was decided. Laparotomy found a huge and well-limited tumor that, unexpectedly, was appended to the round ligament of the liver and free from any other intra-abdominal contact. The tumor was easily removed. Excision was monobloc and macroscopically complete. Histological analysis diagnosed an SFT arising from the round ligament of the liver. No adjuvant treatment was given. Ten months after surgery, the patient is alive without any signs or symptoms of relapse. This is the first report of SFT arising from the round ligament of the liver. It illustrates the difficulty in diagnosing such tumors. Whilst diagnosis of SFT is rare, it should be kept in mind to allow early diagnosis and complete surgical resection, which provide the best chance for recovery.

Solitary fibrous tumor in the round ligament of the liver: a fortunate intraoperative discovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Beyer, Laura; Delpero, Jean-Robert; Chetaille, Bruno; Sarran, Anthony; Perrot, Delphine; Moureau-Zabotto, Laurence; Guiramand, Jérôme; Bertucci, François

2012-01-01

Solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs) are mesenchymal neoplasms of fibroblastic origin, most commonly found in the pleura. Numerous extrathoracic locations have been reported during the last 2 decades. Herein, we report the first case of an SFT in the round ligament of the liver. A 46-year-old Caucasian man presented with a 12-month history of abdominal pain. An ultrasonography-guided microbiopsy first revealed a desmoid tumor. After failure of first- and second-line medical treatments (celecoxib and tamoxifen, then imatinib), histological reexamination was suspicious for a low-grade sarcoma. MRI was also suspicious for a malignant process. Hence, surgery was decided. Laparotomy found a huge and well-limited tumor that, unexpectedly, was appended to the round ligament of the liver and free from any other intra-abdominal contact. The tumor was easily removed. Excision was monobloc and macroscopically complete. Histological analysis diagnosed an SFT arising from the round ligament of the liver. No adjuvant treatment was given. Ten months after surgery, the patient is alive without any signs or symptoms of relapse. This is the first report of SFT arising from the round ligament of the liver. It illustrates the difficulty in diagnosing such tumors. Whilst diagnosis of SFT is rare, it should be kept in mind to allow early diagnosis and complete surgical resection, which provide the best chance for recovery.

Traumatic rupture of a solitary splenic hydatid cyst: A case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moustafa Lakis

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Summary: The rupture of an Echinococcus granulosus hydatid cyst in the spleen due to trauma is a rare event. In this case report we describe the case of a 39-year-old Lebanese male victim of a motor vehicle accident with a ruptured solitary splenic hydatid cyst discovered by CT scan and excised during exploratory laparotomy.Echinococcosis or hydatid disease is a parasitic infestation by the Echinococcus genus of tapeworm. The eggs of E. granulosus, a species of Echinococcus, are fecal-orally transmitted to human hosts, most often from dog feces, and manifest as cystic lesions termed hydatid. E. granulosus most commonly affects the liver (75%, lungs (15%, and rarely the spleen (2–5% [1,2]. E. granulosus is particularly endemic to cattle rearing areas of the Middle East. Infected patients most commonly present with vague abdominal pain, as a result of mass effect or spontaneous rupture of the cyst. Nevertheless, patient presentation may be due to traumatic rupture of a hydatid cyst; however, this is very rare. Herein we report a case of traumatic rupture of a solitary splenic hydatid cyst in a 39-year-old male following a motor vehicle crash, managed following the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS protocol. Keywords: Echinococcus, Hydatid, Trauma, Splenectomy, Cysts, Surgery

CT arteriography via the right inferior phrenic artery developed parasitic perfusion into the liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inaba, Yoshitaka; Arai, Yasuaki; Sueyoshi, Satoshi; Yamagami, Takuji; Aramaki, Takeshi; Yamaura, Hidekazu; Matsueda, Kiyoshi; Sasaki, Fumio; Takeuchi, Yoshihito.

1998-01-01

The distribution of arterial blood flow via the right inferior phrenic artery (rt-IPA) developing parasitic perfusion into the liver was evaluated by CT arteriography (CTA) in 50 cases with hepatic tumors. In all cases, CTA via rt-IPA showed hyperperfusion area including hepatic tumors in the posterior segment and the caudate lobe of the liver, and adding the left hepatic lobe in cases with hepatic arterial occlusion. In 82% of 33 cases obtained both CTA via rt-IPA and CTA via hepatic artery, the hyperperfusion area on CTA via rt-IPA exactly corresponded to perfusion defect area on CTA via hepatic artery. CTA was much useful for understanding hemodynamics in cases with parasitic perfusion into the liver and it could make transcatheter arterial therapy more effective. (author)

CT arteriography via the right inferior phrenic artery developed parasitic perfusion into the liver

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inaba, Yoshitaka; Arai, Yasuaki; Sueyoshi, Satoshi; Yamagami, Takuji; Aramaki, Takeshi; Yamaura, Hidekazu; Matsueda, Kiyoshi; Sasaki, Fumio [Aichi Cancer Center, Nagoya (Japan); Takeuchi, Yoshihito

1998-02-01

The distribution of arterial blood flow via the right inferior phrenic artery (rt-IPA) developing parasitic perfusion into the liver was evaluated by CT arteriography (CTA) in 50 cases with hepatic tumors. In all cases, CTA via rt-IPA showed hyperperfusion area including hepatic tumors in the posterior segment and the caudate lobe of the liver, and adding the left hepatic lobe in cases with hepatic arterial occlusion. In 82% of 33 cases obtained both CTA via rt-IPA and CTA via hepatic artery, the hyperperfusion area on CTA via rt-IPA exactly corresponded to perfusion defect area on CTA via hepatic artery. CTA was much useful for understanding hemodynamics in cases with parasitic perfusion into the liver and it could make transcatheter arterial therapy more effective. (author)

Electro-acoustic solitary waves in dusty plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mamun, A.A.; Sayed, F.

2005-10-01

present a rigorous theoretical investigation of electro- acoustic [particularly, dust-ion acoustic (DIA) and dust-acoustic (DA)] solitary waves in dusty plasmas. We employ the reductive perturbation method for small but finite amplitude solitary waves as well as the pseudo-potential approach for arbitrary amplitude ones. We also analyze the effects of non-planar geometry and dust charge fluctuations on both DIA and DA solitary waves, the effect of finite ion-temperature on DIA solitary waves, and the effects of dust-fluid temperature and non-isothermal ion distributions on DA solitary waves. It has been reported that these effects do not only significantly modify the basic features of DIA or DA solitary waves, but also introduce some important new features. The basic features and the underlying physics of DIA and DA solitary waves, which are relevant to space and laboratory dusty plasmas, are briefly discussed. (author)

Superoxide Dismutase (SOD Enzyme Activity Assay in Fasciola spp. Para-sites and Liver Tissue Extract

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Assady

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Background: The purpose of this comparative study was to detect superoxide dismutase (SOD activities in Fasciola hepatica, F. gigantica parasites, infected and healthy liver tissues in order to determine of species effects and liver infection on SODs activity level.Methods: Fasciola spp. parasites and sheep liver tissues (healthy and infected liver tissues, 10 samples for each, were collected, homogenized and investigated for protein measurement, protein detection and SOD enzyme activity assay. Protein concentration was measured by Bradford method and SODs band protein was detected on SDS-PAGE. SODs activity was determined by iodonitrotetrazolium chloride, INT, and xanthine substrates. Independent samples t-test was conducted for analysis of SODs activities difference.Results: Protein concentration means were detected for F. hepatica 1.3 mg/ ml, F. gigantica 2.9 mg/ml, healthy liver tissue 5.5 mg/ml and infected liver tissue 1.6 mg/ml (with similar weight sample mass. Specific enzyme activities in the samples were obtained 0.58, 0.57, 0.51, 1.43 U/mg for F. hepatica, F. gigantica, healthy liver and infected liver respectively. Gel electrophoresis of Fasciola spp. and sheep liver tissue extracts revealed a band protein with MW of 60 kDa. The statistical analysis revealed significant difference between SOD activities of Fasciola species and also between SOD activity of liver tissues (P<.05.Conclusion: Fasciola species and liver infection are effective causes on SOD enzyme activity level.

Aging and body size in solitary bees

Science.gov (United States)

Solitary bees are important pollinators of crops and non-domestic plants. Osmia lignaria is a native, commercially-reared solitary bee used to maximize pollination in orchard crops. In solitary bees, adult body size is extremely variable depending on the nutritional resources available to the develo...

Analysis of liver blood flow by dynamic hepatic scintigraphy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Tianhao; Jia Shiquan

1996-01-01

Liver blood flow was studied in 45 patients with solitary malignant liver cancer, 17 patients with multiple liver metastases, 18 patients with benign liver tumor and 20 control subjects by dynamic hepatic scintigraphy. The hepatic perfusion index (HPI) in control subjects, patients with liver malignant cancer and benign tumor was 0.33 +- 0.069, 0.589 +- 0.084, 0.384 +-0.046 respectively, and the mesenteric fraction (MF) was 0.56 +- 0.054, 0.246 +- 0.064, 0.524 +- 0.086 respectively. In conclusion, flow scintigraphy is a non-invasive, sensitive and repeatable method for detection of liver tumor

Influence of parasitism on the use of small terrestrial rodents in environmental pollution monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jankovska, Ivana, E-mail: jankovska@af.czu.c [Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamycka 129, 165 21 Prague 6 - Suchdol (Czech Republic); Miholova, Daniela [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamycka 129, 165 21 Prague 6 - Suchdol (Czech Republic); Langrova, Iva [Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamycka 129, 165 21 Prague 6 - Suchdol (Czech Republic); Bejcek, Vladimir [Department of Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamycka 129, 165 21 Prague 6 - Suchdol (Czech Republic); Vadlejch, Jaroslav [Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamycka 129, 165 21 Prague 6 - Suchdol (Czech Republic); Kolihova, Dana; Sulc, Miloslav [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamycka 129, 165 21 Prague 6 - Suchdol (Czech Republic)

2009-08-15

Bioaccumulation of cadmium, chromium, copper, manganese, nickel, lead and zinc in small terrestrial rodents - voles and their cestode parasite Paranoplocephala dentata was studied. Contents of Pb, Mn, Ni and Zn in the parasite were found to be higher than in the kidney and liver of the parasitized animals. Lead level in the cestode was 37 fold higher than in the liver of the infected rodents. Bioaccumulation factors of zinc, nickel and manganese in the cestode are mostly in the range from 2 to 4.5. Considering the different contents of manganese and zinc in livers of non-parasitized and parasitized rodents, kidney tissue was found to be more reliable than liver as an indicator of environmental pollution by manganese and zinc; the kidneys of parasitized animals showed no significant change in the concentrations of those elements that are accumulated in the cestode. - Liver tissue from voles infected by Paranoplocephala dentata was less suitable as a biomonitor for metal contamination than kidney tissue.

New solitary solutions and non-elastic interactions of the (2 + 1)-dimensional variable-coefficient Broer-Kaup system with symbolic computation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geng Tao; Shan Wenrui; Lue Xing; Cai Kejie; Zhang Cheng; Tian Bo

2009-01-01

Fusion and fission phenomena for solitary waves have been discovered theoretically and experimentally. In this paper, the (2 + 1)-dimensional variable-coefficient Broer-Kaup system is symbolically investigated. By employing the bilinear method, new solitary solutions with arbitrary functions are obtained. At the same time, the non-elastic interactions of solitary solutions are graphically studied. Furthermore, soliton fusion and fission phenomena are revealed by choosing appropriate functions.

A case of congenital solitary Langerhans cell histiocytoma.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Ricciardo, Bernadette

2012-02-01

A newborn baby boy was referred to the Paediatric Dermatology Unit with a solitary asymptomatic nodule overlying his right nasolabial fold. Complete physical examination, full blood count, serum chemistry, liver function tests and baseline imaging were unremarkable. Histopathological examination showed an atypical dermal infiltrate of mononuclear cells that stained positive with CD1a and S100. A diagnosis of congenital solitary Langerhans cell histiocytoma was made. The lesion completely resolved by 4 months of age. The baby is now 15 months old and repeat systemic evaluation has remained normal.

Modeling population dynamics of solitary bees in relation to habitat quality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Ulbrich

2001-09-01

Full Text Available To understand associations between habitat, individual behaviour, and population development of solitary bees we developed an individual-based model. This model is based on field observations of Osmia rufa (L (Apoideae: Megachilidae and describes population dynamics of solitary bees. Model rules are focused on maternal investment, in particular on the female’s individual decisions about sex and size of progeny. In the present paper, we address the effect of habitat quality on population size and sex ratio. We examine how food availability and the risk of parasitism influence long-term population development. It can be shown how population properties result from individual maternal investment which is described as a functional response to fluctuations of environmental conditions. We found that habitat quality can be expressed in terms of cell construction time. This interface factor influences the rate of open cell parasitism as the risk for a brood cell to be parasitized is positively correlated with the time of its construction. Under conditions of scarce food and under resulting long provision times even low parasitism rates lead to a high extinction risk of the population, whereas in rich habitats probabilities of extinction are low even for high rates of parasitism. For a given level of food and parasitism there is an optimum time for cell construction which minimizes the extinction risk of the population. Model results demonstrate that under fluctuating environmental conditions, decreasing habitat quality leads to a decrease in population size but also to rapid shifts in sex ratio.

A novel genetic technique in Plasmodium berghei allows liver stage analysis of genes required for mosquito stage development and demonstrates that de novo heme synthesis is essential for liver stage development in the malaria parasite.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Upeksha L Rathnapala

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The combination of drug resistance, lack of an effective vaccine, and ongoing conflict and poverty means that malaria remains a major global health crisis. Understanding metabolic pathways at all parasite life stages is important in prioritising and targeting novel anti-parasitic compounds. The unusual heme synthesis pathway of the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium berghei, requires eight enzymes distributed across the mitochondrion, apicoplast and cytoplasm. Deletion of the ferrochelatase (FC gene, the final enzyme in the pathway, confirms that heme synthesis is not essential in the red blood cell stages of the life cycle but is required to complete oocyst development in mosquitoes. The lethality of FC deletions in the mosquito stage makes it difficult to study the impact of these mutations in the subsequent liver stage. To overcome this, we combined locus-specific fluorophore expression with a genetic complementation approach to generate viable, heterozygous oocysts able to produce a mix of FC expressing and FC deficient sporozoites. These sporozoites show normal motility and can invade liver cells, where FC deficient parasites can be distinguished by fluorescence and phenotyped. Parasites lacking FC exhibit a severe growth defect within liver cells, with development failure detectable in the early to mid stages of liver development in vitro. FC deficient parasites could not complete liver stage development in vitro nor infect naïve mice, confirming liver stage arrest. These results validate the heme pathway as a potential target for prophylactic drugs targeting liver stage parasites. In addition, we demonstrate that our simple genetic approach can extend the phenotyping window beyond the insect stages, opening considerable scope for straightforward reverse genetic analysis of genes that are dispensable in blood stages but essential for completing mosquito development.

A novel genetic technique in Plasmodium berghei allows liver stage analysis of genes required for mosquito stage development and demonstrates that de novo heme synthesis is essential for liver stage development in the malaria parasite.

Science.gov (United States)

Rathnapala, Upeksha L; Goodman, Christopher D; McFadden, Geoffrey I

2017-06-01

The combination of drug resistance, lack of an effective vaccine, and ongoing conflict and poverty means that malaria remains a major global health crisis. Understanding metabolic pathways at all parasite life stages is important in prioritising and targeting novel anti-parasitic compounds. The unusual heme synthesis pathway of the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium berghei, requires eight enzymes distributed across the mitochondrion, apicoplast and cytoplasm. Deletion of the ferrochelatase (FC) gene, the final enzyme in the pathway, confirms that heme synthesis is not essential in the red blood cell stages of the life cycle but is required to complete oocyst development in mosquitoes. The lethality of FC deletions in the mosquito stage makes it difficult to study the impact of these mutations in the subsequent liver stage. To overcome this, we combined locus-specific fluorophore expression with a genetic complementation approach to generate viable, heterozygous oocysts able to produce a mix of FC expressing and FC deficient sporozoites. These sporozoites show normal motility and can invade liver cells, where FC deficient parasites can be distinguished by fluorescence and phenotyped. Parasites lacking FC exhibit a severe growth defect within liver cells, with development failure detectable in the early to mid stages of liver development in vitro. FC deficient parasites could not complete liver stage development in vitro nor infect naïve mice, confirming liver stage arrest. These results validate the heme pathway as a potential target for prophylactic drugs targeting liver stage parasites. In addition, we demonstrate that our simple genetic approach can extend the phenotyping window beyond the insect stages, opening considerable scope for straightforward reverse genetic analysis of genes that are dispensable in blood stages but essential for completing mosquito development.

A Solitary Plasmacytoma in a Dog with Progression to a Disseminated Myeloma

OpenAIRE

Lester, S. J.; Mesfin, G. M.

1980-01-01

Solitary plasmacytomas are rare occurrences in dogs, consequently their potential for malignancy is undetermined. A solitary plasmacytoma was removed from the perianal region of a dog. The dog was clinically normal at that time, but was killed one year later as a result of hind limb stiffness and uremia. At the postmortem examination a disseminated myeloma was found, involving the vertebral column, liver, spleen, bone marrow and visceral lymph nodes.

[Non-invasive assessment of fatty liver].

Science.gov (United States)

Egresi, Anna; Lengyel, Gabriella; Hagymási, Krisztina

2015-04-05

As the result of various harmful effects (infectious agents, metabolic diseases, unhealthy diet, obesity, toxic agents, autoimmune processes) hepatic damage may develop, which can progress towards liver steatosis, and fibrosis as well. The most common etiological factors of liver damages are hepatitis B and C infection, alcohol consumption and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Liver biopsy is considered as the gold standard for the diagnosis of chronic liver diseases. Due to the dangers and complications of liver biopsy, studies are focused on non-invasive markers and radiological imaging for liver steatosis, progression of fatty liver, activity of the necroinflammation and the severity of the fibrosis. Authors review the possibilities of non-invasive assessment of liver steatosis. The statistical features of the probes (positive, negative predictive values, sensitivity, specificity) are reviewed. The role of radiological imaging is also discussed. Although the non-invasive methods discussed in this article are useful to assess liver steatosis, further studies are needed to validate to follow progression of the diseases and to control therapeutic response.

Solitary Plasmacytoma

OpenAIRE

Grammatico, Sara; Scalzulli, Emilia; Petrucci, Maria Teresa

2017-01-01

Solitary plasmacytoma is a rare disease characterized by a localized proliferation of neoplastic monoclonal plasma cells, without evidence of systemic disease. It can be subdivided into solitary bone plasmacytoma, if the lesion originates in bone, or solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma, if the lesion involves a soft tissue. Incidence of solitary bone plasmacytoma is higher than solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma. Also prognosis is different: even if both forms respond well to treatment, ov...

Effects of selfsuperparasitism and host age on fitness-correlated traits in the solitary endoparasitoid wasp Meteorus pulchricornis

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bo; Li, Baoping; Meng, Ling

2014-01-01

Abstract The domed fitness functions are suggested to describe developmental patterns of progeny parasitoids in relation to host age at oviposition in solitary koinobint parasitoids that are engaged in single parasitism, but few studies have investigated the applicability of the functions as related to superparasitism. The present study was designed to compare fitness functions between single parasitism and superparasitism by examining developmental patterns of Meteorus pulchricornis (Wesmael) (Hymneoptera: Braconidae) progeny in relation to the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), either singly parasitized or self-superparasitized as second–fifth instar larvae. Selfsuperparasitism caused deleterious effects on the fitness-related traits of parasitoid progeny, as demonstrated by a prolonged egg-to-adult emergence time, a smaller body size, and shorter longevity of the emerging adults, and decreased survival to adult emergence. While the domed fitness function was detected for development time, survival, adult body size, and longevity in relation to host larvae that were singly parasitized, the function was observed only for progeny survival in relation to host larvae that were self-superparasitized. This study suggests that developmental fitness functions with selfsuperparasitism can deviate from those with single parasitism in solitary koinobiont parasitoids. PMID:25201512

Plasmodium berghei Δp52&p36 parasites develop independent of a parasitophorous vacuole membrane in Huh-7 liver cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ploemen, Ivo H J; Croes, Huib J; van Gemert, Geert-Jan J; Wijers-Rouw, Mietske; Hermsen, Cornelus C; Sauerwein, Robert W

2012-01-01

The proteins P52 and P36 are expressed in the sporozoite stage of the murine malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei. Δp52&p36 sporozoites lacking expression of both proteins are severely compromised in their capability to develop into liver stage parasites and abort development soon after invasion; presumably due to the absence of a parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM). However, a small proportion of P. berghei Δp52&p36 parasites is capable to fully mature in hepatocytes causing breakthrough blood stage infections. We have studied the maturation of replicating Δp52&p36 parasites in cultured Huh-7 hepatocytes. Approximately 50% of Δp52&p36 parasites developed inside the nucleus of the hepatocyte but did not complete maturation and failed to produce merosomes. In contrast cytosolic Δp52&p36 parasites were able to fully mature and produced infectious merozoites. These Δp52&p36 parasites developed into mature schizonts in the absence of an apparent parasitophorous vacuole membrane as shown by immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. Merozoites derived from these maturing Δp52&p36 liver stages were infectious for C57BL/6 mice.

Prolonged survival after resection and radiotherapy for solitary brain metastases from non-small-cell lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chee, R. J.; Bydder, S.; Cameron, F.

2007-01-01

Selected patients with brain metastases from non-small-cell lung cancer benefit from aggressive treatment. This report describes three patients who developed solitary brain metastases after previous resection of primary adenocarcinoma of the lung. Each underwent surgical resection of their brain metastasis followed by cranial irradiation and remain disease free 10 or more years later. Two patients developed cognitive impairment approximately 8 years after treatment of their brain metastasis, which was felt to be due to their previous brain irradiation. Here we discuss the treatment of solitary brain metastasis, particularly the value of combined method approaches in selected patients and dose-volume considerations

Mechanisms of stage-transcending protection following immunization of mice with late liver stage-arresting genetically attenuated malaria parasites.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brandon K Sack

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Malaria, caused by Plasmodium parasite infection, continues to be one of the leading causes of worldwide morbidity and mortality. Development of an effective vaccine has been encumbered by the complex life cycle of the parasite that has distinct pre-erythrocytic and erythrocytic stages of infection in the mammalian host. Historically, malaria vaccine development efforts have targeted each stage in isolation. An ideal vaccine, however, would target multiple life cycle stages with multiple arms of the immune system and be capable of eliminating initial infection in the liver, the subsequent blood stage infection, and would prevent further parasite transmission. We have previously shown that immunization of mice with Plasmodium yoelii genetically attenuated parasites (GAP that arrest late in liver stage development elicits stage-transcending protection against both a sporozoite challenge and a direct blood stage challenge. Here, we show that this immunization strategy engenders both T- and B-cell responses that are essential for stage-transcending protection, but the relative importance of each is determined by the host genetic background. Furthermore, potent anti-blood stage antibodies elicited after GAP immunization rely heavily on FC-mediated functions including complement fixation and FC receptor binding. These protective antibodies recognize the merozoite surface but do not appear to recognize the immunodominant merozoite surface protein-1. The antigen(s targeted by stage-transcending immunity are present in both the late liver stages and blood stage parasites. The data clearly show that GAP-engendered protective immune responses can target shared antigens of pre-erythrocytic and erythrocytic parasite life cycle stages. As such, this model constitutes a powerful tool to identify novel, protective and stage-transcending T and B cell targets for incorporation into a multi-stage subunit vaccine.

Non-planar ion-acoustic solitary waves and their head-on collision in a plasma with nonthermal electrons and warm adiabatic ions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han Jiuning; He Yonglin; Chen Yan; Zhang Kezhi; Ma Baohong [College of Physics and Electromechanical Engineering, Hexi University, Zhangye 734000 (China)

2013-01-15

By using the model of Cairns et al.[Geophys. Rev. Lett. 22, 2709 (1995)], the head-on collision of cylindrical/spherical ion-acoustic solitary waves in an unmagnetized non-planar plasma consisting of warm adiabatic ions and nonthermally distributed electrons is investigated. The extended Poincare-Lighthill-Kuo perturbation method is used to derive the modified Korteweg-de Vries equations for ion-acoustic solitary waves in this plasma system. The effects of the plasma geometry m, the ion to electron temperature ratio {sigma}, and the nonthermality of the electron distribution {alpha} on the interaction of the colliding solitary waves are studied. It is found that the plasma geometries have a big impact on the phase shifts of solitary waves. Also it is important to note that the phase shifts induced by the collision of compressive and rarefactive solitary waves are very different. We point out that this study is useful to the investigations about the observations of electrostatic solitary structures in astrophysical as well as in experimental plasmas with nonthermal energetic electrons.

Effects of self-superparasitism and host age on fitness-correlated traits in the solitary endoparasitoid wasp Meteorus pulchricornis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bo; Li, Baoping; Meng, Ling

2014-01-01

The domed fitness functions are suggested to describe developmental patterns of progeny parasitoids in relation to host age at oviposition in solitary koinobint parasitoids that are engaged in single parasitism, but few studies have investigated the applicability of the functions as related to superparasitism. The present study was designed to compare fitness functions between single parasitism and superparasitism by examining developmental patterns of Meteorus pulchricornis (Wesmael) (Hymneoptera: Braconidae) progeny in relation to the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), either singly parasitized or self-superparasitized as second-fifth instar larvae. Self-superparasitism caused deleterious effects on the fitness-related traits of parasitoid progeny, as demonstrated by a prolonged egg-to-adult emergence time, a smaller body size, and shorter longevity of the emerging adults, and decreased survival to adult emergence. While the domed fitness function was detected for development time, survival, adult body size, and longevity in relation to host larvae that were singly parasitized, the function was observed only for progeny survival in relation to host larvae that were self-superparasitized. This study suggests that developmental fitness functions with self-superparasitism can deviate from those with single parasitism in solitary koinobiont parasitoids.

Oblique non-neutral solitary Alfven modes in weakly nonlinear pair plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verheest, Frank; Lakhina, G S

2005-01-01

The equal charge-to-mass ratio for both species in pair plasmas induces a decoupling of the linear eigenmodes between waves that are charge neutral or non-neutral, also at oblique propagation with respect to a static magnetic field. While the charge-neutral linear modes have been studied in greater detail, including their weakly and strongly nonlinear counterparts, the non-neutral mode has received less attention. Here the nonlinear evolution of a solitary non-neutral mode at oblique propagation is investigated in an electron-positron plasma. Employing the framework of reductive perturbation analysis, a modified Korteweg-de Vries equation (with cubic nonlinearity) for the lowest-order wave magnetic field is obtained. In the linear approximation, the non-neutral mode has its magnetic component orthogonal to the plane spanned by the directions of wave propagation and of the static magnetic field. The linear polarization is not maintained at higher orders. The results may be relevant to the microstructure in pulsar radiation or to the subpulses

Dual-energy CT in the evaluation of solitary pulmonary nodules by virtual non-enhanced images: initial experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Xing; Ding Wei; Qin Huijuan

2011-01-01

Objective: To determine the accuracy and radiation dose of dual-energy computed tomography (CT) in evaluating solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) by virtual non-enhanced images. Methods: Sixty-one patients with SPNs including 39 malignant and 18 benign nodules proved by pathology underwent DECT scans. The CT values of SPNs on enhanced weighted average and virtual non-enhanced images were compared by using Liver VNC processing unit in terms of their diagnostic accuracy for distinguishing malignant and benign nodules with a 20 HU threshold. Diagnostic accuracy was compared. In 28 patients of all patients, image noise and quality score of the non-enhanced and virtual non-enhanced images were compared, and radiation doses of each patient were recorded. The paired t test was used to analyze the noise difference between the plain scan and virtual non-enhanced scan. The Mann-Whitney U test. was used to analyze statistically significant differences of the image quality score and radiation dose between the non-enhanced scan and virtual non-enhanced scan. Results: The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for distinguishing benign and malignant nodules by using the virtual non-enhanced image of were 89.7% (35/39), 72.2% (13/18), 84.2% (48/57) respectively. The noise of common CT and virtual non- enhanced images were (8.49±1.94) HU and (10.14±2.18) HU, and there were statistically difference (t=9.45, P 0.05). The radiation doses of common CT and DECT were (3.72±0.48) mSv and (3.78±0.45) mSv, and there were no statistical difference (U= 350.50, P>0.05). Conclusion: DECT by using virtual non-enhanced images is useful tool to distinguish the benign and malignant SPN without additional radiation dose. (authors)

[Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma: an uncommon liver tumor].

Science.gov (United States)

Pareja, Eugenia; Cortés, Miriam; Rayon, Miguel; Moya, Angel; Mir, Jose

2010-01-01

We report the case of a female patient who was referred to our unit because of a solid liver tumor, suggestive of metastasis. After biopsy, the patient was diagnosed with epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the liver. Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma is a rare entity with an unpredictable, potentially fatal, clinical course and outcome. Due to its rarity, this entity should be considered when a solitary hepatic lesion is detected and should be included in the differential diagnosis with liver metastases. We highlight the infrequency of this tumor, its presentation as a solitary hepatic lesion and the indication of surgical treatment. We describe the clinical and pathological characteristics of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the liver and report a new case of this entity. The distinct therapeutic options are discussed. Copyright 2010 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

[Etiologic spectrum of solitary constitutional syndrome].

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Hernández Hernández, J L; Matorras Galán, P; Riancho Moral, J A; González-Macías, J

2002-07-01

To know the spectrum of diseases responsible for the solitary constitutional syndrome in our setting. This syndrome was defined as a clinical picture characterized by the presence of asthenia, anorexia, and weight loss of at least 5% of body weight in the last six months, not associated with any other symptom or sign suggesting the diagnosis of an organ or system disease. All patients diagnosed of the solitary constitutional syndrome (328) in a tertiary-care level teaching hospital between January 1991 and December 1996. Fifty-two (170) percent of patients with solitary constitutional syndrome were males and 48% (158) females. The mean age was 65.4%, ranging from 15 to 97 years. The average of the monthly estimated weight loss was 3 to 4 kilograms. A total of 115 (35%) malignant neoplasms and 5 (1.5%) benign tumors were diagnosed. The most common malignant tumors corresponded to the digestive tract (51.3% of the total malignant tumors). The second cause in frequency of the solitary constitutional syndrome corresponded to psychiatric diseases, with a total of 80 patients (24.3%). A total of 116 non-neoplastic organic diseases were detected, with digestive tract diseases --mainly peptic disease-- being the most common cause in this group. After follow-up, only in twenty cases were we unable to detect the underlying disease responsible for the syndrome. In nine of these, the solitary constitutional syndrome was self-limited. Forty-four percent of patients had at least another concomitant disease and in 24% of patients more than one associated condition was found. The most common diseases responsible for the solitary constitutional syndrome were, by decreasing frequency, malignant tumors, psychiatric disorders, and non-malignant organic diseases located in the digestive tract. A better knowledge of the etiological spectrum of this syndrome might be useful for a more efficient management of these patients.

SOLITARY PLASMACYTOMA

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Sara Grammatico

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Solitary plasmacytoma is a rare disease characterized by a localized proliferation of neoplastic monoclonal plasma cells, without evidence of systemic disease. It can be subdivided into solitary bone plasmacytoma, if the lesion originates in bone, or solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma, if the lesion involves a soft tissue. Incidence of solitary bone plasmacytoma is higher than solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma. Also prognosis is different: even if both forms respond well to treatment, overall survival and progression free survival of solitary bone plasmacytoma is poorer than solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma due to its higher rate of evolution in multiple myeloma. However, the recent advances in the diagnosis of multiple myeloma can better refine also the diagnosis of plasmacytoma. Flow cytometry studies and molecular analysis may reveal clonal plasma cells in the bone marrow; magnetic resonance imaging or 18 Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography could better define osteolytic bone lesions. A more precise exclusion of eventual occult systemic involvement can avoid cases of misdiagnosed multiple myeloma patients, that were previously considered solitary plasmacytoma and less treated, with an unavoidable poor prognosis. Due to the rarity of the disease, there is no uniform consensus about prognostic factors and treatment. Radiotherapy is the treatment of choice; however, some authors debates about the radiotherapy dose and the relationship with the response rate. Moreover, the role of surgery and chemotherapy is still under debate. Nevertheless, we must consider that the majority of studies include a small number of patients and analyze the efficacy of conventional chemotherapy; few cases are reported concerning the efficacy of novel agents. Keywords: solitary plasmacytoma; myeloma; radiotherapy; osteolytic lesions

Radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Regarding solitary tumor on radiologic examinations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawashima, Mitsuhiko; Tokuuye, Koichi; Sumi, Minako; Kagami, Yashikazu; Murayama, Shigeyuki; Nakayama, Hidetsugu; Imai, Atsushi; Ando, Kou; Ikeda, Hiroshi

1997-01-01

To evaluate the effect of radiotherapy (RT) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that appears as a solitary nodule on radiologic studies. We irradiated 17 patients with solitary HCC lesions (25-150 mm in diameter) with approximately 60 Gy (range 50-70 Gy). Patients underwent dynamic CT and/or ultrasound imaging at 3-month intervals after treatment. Patients were classified based on lesion size, degree of cirrhosis (Child A. 6; Child B, 6; Child C, 5), and whether they had received other therapy such as transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). The responses were classified as complete, partial, no change, or progression. The median survival was 12.8 months for all 17 patients, with 1-, 2-, and 3-year cumulative survival rates of 59%, 35% and 24%, respectively. Patients classified as Child A showed significantly longer survival than those classified as either Child B (p<0.04) or C (p<0.01). Four of the five Child C patients died of liver failure within 6 months after RT despite the absence of tumor recurrence. The initial tumor diameter, concurrent treatment with TACE, and radiation dose showed no significant effect on survival. Survival in patients with solitary HCC lesions appears to be affected mainly by the degree of liver dysfunction, and not the initial tumor diameter, radiation dose, or concurrent use of TACE. (author)

Solitary Plasmacytoma.

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Grammatico, Sara; Scalzulli, Emilia; Petrucci, Maria Teresa

2017-01-01

Solitary plasmacytoma is a rare disease characterized by a localized proliferation of neoplastic monoclonal plasma cells, without evidence of systemic disease. It can be subdivided into solitary bone plasmacytoma if the lesion originates in bone, or solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma if the lesion involves a soft tissue. The incidence of solitary bone plasmacytoma is higher than solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma. Also, the prognosis is different: even if both forms respond well to treatment, overall survival and progression-free survival of solitary bone plasmacytoma are poorer than solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma due to its higher rate of evolution in multiple myeloma. However, the recent advances in the diagnosis of multiple myeloma can better refine also the diagnosis of plasmacytoma. Flow cytometry studies and molecular analysis may reveal clonal plasma cells in the bone marrow; magnetic resonance imaging or 18 Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography could better define osteolytic bone lesions. A more explicit exclusion of possible occult systemic involvement can avoid cases of misdiagnosed multiple myeloma patients, which were previously considered solitary plasmacytoma and less treated, with an unavoidable poor prognosis. Due to the rarity of the disease, there is no uniform consensus about prognostic factors and treatment. Radiotherapy is the treatment of choice; however, some authors debate about the radiotherapy dose and the relationship with the response rate. Moreover, the role of surgery and chemotherapy is still under debate. Nevertheless, we must consider that the majority of studies include a small number of patients and analyze the efficacy of conventional chemotherapy; few cases are reported concerning the efficacy of novel agents.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy in patients with a solitary kidney

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Tufan Süelözgen

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Material and method: The results of percutaneous nephrolithotomy applied to 716 patients in our clinic between January 2008 and January 2014 were retrospectively evaluated. Age, gender, urinary calculi size (mm2, urinary calculi localization, ESWL history, operation duration (min, fluoroscopy duration (sec, access type, reason of solitary kidney, hemoglobin drawdown (g/dl and operation success of the patients with a solitary kidney were recorded. The patients having no preoperative and postoperative non contrast abdominal tomography were excluded from the study. Results: Fifteen of nineteen patients (79% were men and 4 of them (21% were women. The average age of the patients was 42.52 ± 16.72 (14-72. Ten patients had anatomical solitary kidney and nine patients had physiological solitary kidney. In fact counter kidney was non functional in 9 patients (47% whereas there was agenesis in 2 (11% and outcome of nephrectomy in 8 (42% patients. In our study, presence of residual stone less than 4 mm at 1st month postoperative non contrast abdominal tomography was accepted as a successful result and accordingly our success rate was detected as 84%. Mean urinary calculi size was 405 ± 252.9 mm2; urinary calculi localization was pelvic, lower pole, upper-middle pole, middle-lower pole and staghorn in 11 (58%, 4 (21%, 1 (5%, 1 (5% and 1 (5% patients, respectively; previous ESWL history was 16%; operation duration was 55.47-± 28.1 min and fluoroscopy duration 131.10 ± 87.6 sec; access type was subcostal in 79%, supracostal in 10.5% and multiple in 10.5%; hemoglobin drawdown was 1.75 ± 0.97 mg/dl. Conclusions: PNL can be effectively and safely administered for the treatment of solitary kidney. In the treatment of large urinary calculi in patients with a solitary kidney, PNL has some advantages such as short surgery duration, less complication, acceptable hemoglobin drawdown and high success rates. According to our study, PNL operation in patients with a

Floral resource utilization by solitary bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) and exploitation of their stored foods by natural enemies.

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Wcislo, W T; Cane, J H

1996-01-01

Bees are phytophagous insects that exhibit recurrent ecological specializations related to factors generally different from those discussed for other phytophagous insects. Pollen specialists have undergone extensive radiations, and specialization is not always a derived state. Floral host associations are conserved in some bee lineages. In others, various species specialize on different host plants that are phenotypically similar in presenting predictably abundant floral resources. The nesting of solitary bees in localized areas influences the intensity of interactions with enemies and competitors. Abiotic factors do not always explain the intraspecific variation in the spatial distribution of solitary bees. Foods stored by bees attract many natural enemies, which may shape diverse facets of nesting and foraging behavior. Parasitism has evolved repeatedly in some, but not all, bee lineages. Available evidence suggests that cleptoparasitic lineages are most speciose in temperate zones. Female parasites frequently have a suite of characters that can be described as a masculinized feminine form. The evolution of resource specialization (including parasitism) in bees presents excellent opportunities to investigate phenotypic mechanisms responsible for evolutionary change.

Malaria parasite-synthesized heme is essential in the mosquito and liver stages and complements host heme in the blood stages of infection.

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Viswanathan Arun Nagaraj

Full Text Available Heme metabolism is central to malaria parasite biology. The parasite acquires heme from host hemoglobin in the intraerythrocytic stages and stores it as hemozoin to prevent free heme toxicity. The parasite can also synthesize heme de novo, and all the enzymes in the pathway are characterized. To study the role of the dual heme sources in malaria parasite growth and development, we knocked out the first enzyme, δ-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS, and the last enzyme, ferrochelatase (FC, in the heme-biosynthetic pathway of Plasmodium berghei (Pb. The wild-type and knockout (KO parasites had similar intraerythrocytic growth patterns in mice. We carried out in vitro radiolabeling of heme in Pb-infected mouse reticulocytes and Plasmodium falciparum-infected human RBCs using [4-(14C] aminolevulinic acid (ALA. We found that the parasites incorporated both host hemoglobin-heme and parasite-synthesized heme into hemozoin and mitochondrial cytochromes. The similar fates of the two heme sources suggest that they may serve as backup mechanisms to provide heme in the intraerythrocytic stages. Nevertheless, the de novo pathway is absolutely essential for parasite development in the mosquito and liver stages. PbKO parasites formed drastically reduced oocysts and did not form sporozoites in the salivary glands. Oocyst production in PbALASKO parasites recovered when mosquitoes received an ALA supplement. PbALASKO sporozoites could infect mice only when the mice received an ALA supplement. Our results indicate the potential for new therapeutic interventions targeting the heme-biosynthetic pathway in the parasite during the mosquito and liver stages.

Diagnosis and treatment of cysts of the liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al'perovich, B.I.; Mitasov, V.Ya.

1989-01-01

Is is shown that ultrasonography, computer tomography, laparoscopy provide for liver cyst detection. Parasitic cyst of Echinococcus and opisthhordeiasis nature are subject to surgical treatment. Selective procedures under echinococcosis include echinococcotomy and liver resection, and under opisthorchiasis - liver resection. Under nonparasitic liver cysts of minor size dynamic observation is advisable, under medium, hard and multiple complication cysts - sergical treatment is advisable. Selective procedures under non-complicated cysts include cyst resection with tamponage using omentum, and under complicated multiple cysts - liver resection

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in HIV Infection.

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Macías, Juan; Pineda, Juan A; Real, Luis M

2017-01-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is one of the most frequent chronic hepatic conditions worldwide. The spectrum of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease goes from hepatic steatosis to steatohepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Risk factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are metabolic, mainly obesity and the accompanying consequences. Treatment and prevention of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease should target those metabolic abnormalities. The frequency of and the factors associated with hepatic steatosis in HIV infection seem to be similar to those reported in the general population, though direct comparisons are lacking. Hepatic steatosis in HIV infection may also be secondary to antiretroviral drugs or HCV-related factors in HCV-coinfected subjects. However, more recent data suggest that hepatic steatosis in HIV infection represents true non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. As such, management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in HIV infection should follow the same principles as in the general population.

Non-invasive Markers of Liver Fibrosis: Adjuncts or Alternatives to Liver Biopsy?

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Chin, Jun L.; Pavlides, Michael; Moolla, Ahmad; Ryan, John D.

2016-01-01

Liver fibrosis reflects sustained liver injury often from multiple, simultaneous factors. Whilst the presence of mild fibrosis on biopsy can be a reassuring finding, the identification of advanced fibrosis is critical to the management of patients with chronic liver disease. This necessity has lead to a reliance on liver biopsy which itself is an imperfect test and poorly accepted by patients. The development of robust tools to non-invasively assess liver fibrosis has dramatically enhanced clinical decision making in patients with chronic liver disease, allowing a rapid and informed judgment of disease stage and prognosis. Should a liver biopsy be required, the appropriateness is clearer and the diagnostic yield is greater with the use of these adjuncts. While a number of non-invasive liver fibrosis markers are now used in routine practice, a steady stream of innovative approaches exists. With improvement in the reliability, reproducibility and feasibility of these markers, their potential role in disease management is increasing. Moreover, their adoption into clinical trials as outcome measures reflects their validity and dynamic nature. This review will summarize and appraise the current and novel non-invasive markers of liver fibrosis, both blood and imaging based, and look at their prospective application in everyday clinical care. PMID:27378924

[Dysplastic cysts of the liver: our experience].

Science.gov (United States)

Nardello, O; Muggianu, M; Cabras, V; Farina, G P; Cagetti, M

2004-08-01

Systematic surveys with advanced non-invasive imaging techniques have revealed that hepatic cysts are quite common in the general population. Therefore, we retrospectively examined our case series and compared it with the literature. Between January 1990 and December 2000, 228 patients with non-parasitic liver cysts were referred to the outpatients section of the Department of Surgery of the University of Cagliari and 23 were submitted to treatment: 14 patients (60.8%) for solitary cyst and 9 (39.2%) for multiple simple cysts of the liver. One patient (4.5%) had right upper quadrant pain. Eleven (47.8%) patients were asymptomatic: 7 (63.7%) required treatment for other pathologies, 3 (27.3%) for a progressive enlargement of the cyst and 1 (9%) for a suspected hydatid disease. Mean diameter of the treated cysts measured by preoperative CT or US was 8.8 cm (range 7-14). Percutaneous aspiration-injection reaspiration (PAIR) was performed in 5 patients (21.7%), US-guided in 2 cases (40%) and CT-guided in 3 (60%). Twenty patients (86.9%) underwent cysts unroofing, 18 (78.2%) with open surgical fenestration and the latest 2 cases with a laparoscopic approach. Two patients had PAIR as second treatment for recurrence: CT-guided in one and US-guided in the other case. Four (25%) out of 16 patients treated exclusively for cystic liver disease, had fever in 3 cases and nausea and vomiting in 1 case; 8 patients (50%) had an intraperitoneal drainage for a mean of 6-7 days (range 4-11) and of 116 cc of serum-hematic liquid. In our opinion the choice of an adequate treatment must be based on an accurate evaluation of the clinical aspects of the patients and on the characteristics of cystic lesions such as number, size and location. These data let us to choose a surgical treatment rather than a strict US follow-up and to get the best outcome in terms of absence of recurrence, and less biological and economic costs.

Prolonged antigen presentation is required for optimal CD8+ T cell responses against malaria liver stage parasites.

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Ian A Cockburn

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Immunization with irradiated sporozoites is currently the most effective vaccination strategy against liver stages of malaria parasites, yet the mechanisms underpinning the success of this approach are unknown. Here we show that the complete development of protective CD8+ T cell responses requires prolonged antigen presentation. Using TCR transgenic cells specific for the malaria circumsporozoite protein, a leading vaccine candidate, we found that sporozoite antigen persists for over 8 weeks after immunization--a remarkable finding since irradiated sporozoites are incapable of replication and do not differentiate beyond early liver stages. Persisting antigen was detected in lymphoid organs and depends on the presence of CD11c+ cells. Prolonged antigen presentation enhanced the magnitude of the CD8+ T cell response in a number of ways. Firstly, reducing the time primed CD8+ T cells were exposed to antigen in vivo severely reduced the final size of the developing memory population. Secondly, fully developed memory cells expanded in previously immunized mice but not when transferred to naïve animals. Finally, persisting antigen was able to prime naïve cells, including recent thymic emigrants, to become functional effector cells capable of eliminating parasites in the liver. Together these data show that the optimal development of protective CD8+ T cell immunity against malaria liver stages is dependent upon the prolonged presentation of sporozoite-derived antigen.

Host scavenger receptor SR-BI plays a dual role in the establishment of malaria parasite liver infection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rodrigues, Cristina D.; Hannus, Michael; Prudencio, Miguel; Martin, Cecilie; Goncalves, Ligia A.; Portugal, Silvia; Epiphanio, Sabrina; Akinc, Akin; Hadwiger, Philipp; Jahn-Hofmann, Kerstin; Roehl, Ingo; van Gemert, Geert-Jan; Franetich, Jean-Francois; Luty, Adrian J. F.; Sauerwein, Robert; Mazier, Dominique; Koteliansky, Victor; Vornlocher, Hans-Peter; Echeverri, Christophe J.; Mota, Maria M.

2008-01-01

An obligatory step of malaria parasite infection is Plasmodium sporozoite invasion of host hepatocytes, and host lipoprotein clearance pathways have been linked to Plasmodium liver infection. By using RNA interference to screen lipoprotein-related host factors, we show here that the class B, type I

Scintigraphic findings in amoebic abscess of the liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buenemann, H.; Petersen, F.; Mohr, W.

1976-01-01

The accuracy, size, localization and course of liver scans of solitary or multiple amoebic liver abscesses was evaluated in 52 patients. The scintigraphic data were correlated with the clinical symptoms. In 47 of the 52 patients it was possible to demonstrate the liver abscess on the scintigram; the right lobe of the liver was involved more frequently than would have been expected simply on the basis of its volume. In most of the patients investigated the abscesses were solitary and in only 28% it was possible to recognise two or three abscesses occurring simultaneously. Follow-up examinations showed rapid diminution in the size of the abscess during medical treatment, but complete return to normal during the first six months occured in only 17% of cases. The results are discussed. (orig.) [de

Interspecific interactions in solitary Aculeata - is the presence of heterospecifics important for females establishing nests?

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Kierat, J; Miler, K; Celary, W; Woyciechowski, M

2018-02-01

There are several possible causes of aggregated nesting in solitary Aculeata, one being joint defense against parasites. We tested whether females prefer nesting in aggregations, even if they consist of heterospecifics. We compared the colonization and nesting parasitism of trap-nests with and without a red mason bee aggregation. The results did not support our hypothesis that females prefer nesting in aggregations. The numbers of wild Aculeata nests did not differ between trap-nests with and without an aggregation. Unexpectedly, parasitism rates were higher in trap-nests with aggregations. When analyzing only nests of wild insects (mostly wasps), the differences in parasitism disappeared. Natural nesting sites may be such a limited resource that females nested in the first trap-nest they encountered and did not discriminate between our treatments, or wasps might share too few parasites species with bees to benefit from joint nest defense.

Arginase activity in pathogenic and non-pathogenic species of Leishmania parasites.

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Badirzadeh, Alireza; Taheri, Tahereh; Taslimi, Yasaman; Abdossamadi, Zahra; Heidari-Kharaji, Maryam; Gholami, Elham; Sedaghat, Baharehsadat; Niyyati, Maryam; Rafati, Sima

2017-07-01

Proliferation of Leishmania (L.) parasites depends on polyamine availability, which can be generated by the L-arginine catabolism and the enzymatic activity of arginase (ARG) of the parasites and of the mammalian hosts. In the present study, we characterized and compared the arginase (arg) genes from pathogenic L. major and L. tropica and from non-pathogenic L. tarentolae. We quantified the level of the ARG activity in promastigotes and macrophages infected with pathogenic L. major and L. tropica and non-pathogenic L. tarentolae amastigotes. The ARG's amino acid sequences of the pathogenic and non-pathogenic Leishmania demonstrated virtually 98.6% and 88% identities with the reference L. major Friedlin ARG. Higher ARG activity was observed in all pathogenic promastigotes as compared to non-pathogenic L. tarentolae. In vitro infection of human macrophage cell line (THP1) with pathogenic and non-pathogenic Leishmania spp. resulted in increased ARG activities in the infected macrophages. The ARG activities present in vivo were assessed in susceptible BALB/c and resistant C57BL/6 mice infected with L. major, L. tropica and L. tarentolae. We demonstrated that during the development of the infection, ARG is induced in both strains of mice infected with pathogenic Leishmania. However, in L. major infected BALB/c mice, the induction of ARG and parasite load increased simultaneously according to the time course of infection, whereas in C57BL/6 mice, the enzyme is upregulated solely during the period of footpad swelling. In L. tropica infected mice, the footpads' swellings were slow to develop and demonstrated minimal cutaneous pathology and ARG activity. In contrast, ARG activity was undetectable in mice inoculated with the non-pathogenic L. tarentolae. Our data suggest that infection by Leishmania parasites can increase ARG activity of the host and provides essential polyamines for parasite salvage and its replication. Moreover, the ARG of Leishmania is vital for parasite

Pediatric Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

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Haley Bush

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract: With the increase in the prevalence of obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD has become among the leading causes of chronic liver disease in the pediatric age group. Once believed to be a “two-hit process”, it is now clear that the actual pathophysiology of NAFLD is complex and involves multiple pathways. Moreover, NAFLD is not always benign, and patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH are at increased risk of developing advanced stages of liver disease. It has also been shown that NAFLD is not only a liver disease, but is also associated with multiple extrahepatic manifestations, including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and low bone mineral density. Although the data is scarce in the pediatric population, some studies have suggested that long-term mortality and the requirement of liver transplantation will continue to increase in patients with NAFLD. More studies are needed to better understand the natural history of NAFLD, especially in the pediatric age group.

Survey of gastrointestinal parasites, liver flukes and lungworm in feces from dairy cattle in the high tropics of Antioquia, Colombia

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Jenny J. Chaparro

2016-06-01

Full Text Available A cross sectional study was undertaken to determine the prevalence and intensity of parasitic infections in dairy cattle in the high tropics of Colombia. A total of 1003 rectal samples were collected from dairy cows at 29 farms between May and June 2014 to represent the number of farms, age groups, and size of the 65,000-cow population in the municipality of San Pedro de los Milagros. Coprological techniques were used to detect gastrointestinal nematodes, liver flukes, coccidian oocysts, and first larval stage counts of Dictyocaulus viviparus. In order of decreasing prevalence, the following parasites were detected: coccidial oocyst (36.7%; 95% CIs, 31.6–42.7, strongyle nematodes (31.6%, 27.8–35.4, liver flukes (30.9%, 21.5–37.5, cestodes (8.4%, 7.1–9.7, and D. viviparus (5.4%, 3.4–7.5. Co-infections by all possible combinations of the three most predominant groups occurred in 11 to 15% of the animals. There were significant differences in infection rates between age groups, with higher risk of liver fluke infection in animals older than 1 year of age (odds ratio (OR = 3.2, but lower presence for coccidia and strongyles (OR = 0.19 and 0.51, respectively. For Fasciola hepatica, within-herd prevalences of >25% in 16 farms and 94 of 281 (33.5% animals with >5 eggs per gram (epg indicate that significant production losses are likely occurring. The variation in the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites and liver flukes, together with the level of infection among age groups, could be used in integrated management programs to establish selective anthelmintic treatments and select for heritable traits of host resistance. These results serve as a baseline for future studies to determine the success of control measures and should increase awareness that subclinical parasitism is widespread in the livestock sector.

History of the discovery of the malaria parasites and their vectors

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Cox Francis EG

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Malaria is caused by infection with protozoan parasites belonging to the genus Plasmodium transmitted by female Anopheles species mosquitoes. Our understanding of the malaria parasites begins in 1880 with the discovery of the parasites in the blood of malaria patients by Alphonse Laveran. The sexual stages in the blood were discovered by William MacCallum in birds infected with a related haematozoan, Haemoproteus columbae, in 1897 and the whole of the transmission cycle in culicine mosquitoes and birds infected with Plasmodium relictum was elucidated by Ronald Ross in 1897. In 1898 the Italian malariologists, Giovanni Battista Grassi, Amico Bignami, Giuseppe Bastianelli, Angelo Celli, Camillo Golgi and Ettore Marchiafava demonstrated conclusively that human malaria was also transmitted by mosquitoes, in this case anophelines. The discovery that malaria parasites developed in the liver before entering the blood stream was made by Henry Shortt and Cyril Garnham in 1948 and the final stage in the life cycle, the presence of dormant stages in the liver, was conclusively demonstrated in 1982 by Wojciech Krotoski. This article traces the main events and stresses the importance of comparative studies in that, apart from the initial discovery of parasites in the blood, every subsequent discovery has been based on studies on non-human malaria parasites and related organisms.

Trap-nest occupation by solitary wasps and bees (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) in a forest urban remanent.

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Loyola, Rafael D; Martins, Rogério P

2006-01-01

Temporal variation of solitary wasps and bees, nesting frequency, mortality, and parasitism were recorded from a remanent forest in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Wasps and bees were collected in trap-nests placed in areas with 25, 100, and 400 m2, from February to November 2004. The 137 trap-nests collected contained 11 species of wasps and bees. Wasps occupied most nests (75%). Occupation peaks occurred in March (25%) and September (26%); in June, the lowest occupation (2%) was observed. Except for Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) lactitarse Saussure, no significant correlation was found between number of occupied nests, and temperature and rainfall means. In the nests, 48% of the immature specimens died; 13% of the nests were parasitized. Total death and parasitism rates of wasps and bees differed significantly.

Differential host growth regulation by the solitary endoparasitoid, Meteorus pulchricornis in two hosts of greatly differing mass.

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, Jeffrey A; Sano, Takeshi; Tanaka, Toshiharu

2010-09-01

Solitary koinobiont endoparasitoids generally reduce the growth of their hosts by a significant amount compared with healthy larvae. Here, we compared the development and host usage strategies of the solitary koinobiont endoparasitoid, Meteorus pulchricornis, when developing in larvae of a large host species (Mythimna separata) and a much smaller host species (Plutella xylostella). Caterpillars of M. separata were parasitized as L2 and P. xylostella as L3, when they weighed approximately 2mg. The growth of parasitized M. separata larvae was reduced by almost 95% compared with controls, whereas parasitized P. xylostella larvae grew some 30% larger than controls. Still, adult wasps emerging from M. separata larvae were almost twice as large as wasps emerging from P. xylostella larvae, had larger egg loads after 5 days and produced more progeny. Survival to eclosion was also higher on M. separata than on P. xylostella, although parasitoids developed significantly faster when developing on P. xylostella. Our results provide evidence that koinobionts are able to differentially regulate the growth of different host species. However, there are clearly also limitations in the ability of parasitoids to regulate phenotypic host traits when size differences between different host species are as extreme as demonstrated here.

Solitary waves in fluids

CERN Document Server

Grimshaw, RHJ

2007-01-01

After the initial observation by John Scott Russell of a solitary wave in a canal, his insightful laboratory experiments and the subsequent theoretical work of Boussinesq, Rayleigh and Korteweg and de Vries, interest in solitary waves in fluids lapsed until the mid 1960's with the seminal paper of Zabusky and Kruskal describing the discovery of the soliton. This was followed by the rapid development of the theory of solitons and integrable systems. At the same time came the realization that solitary waves occur naturally in many physical systems, and play a fundamental role in many circumstances. The aim of this text is to describe the role that soliton theory plays in fluids in several contexts. After an historical introduction, the book is divided five chapters covering the basic theory of the Korteweg-de Vries equation, and the subsequent application to free-surface solitary waves in water to internal solitary waves in the coastal ocean and the atmospheric boundary layer, solitary waves in rotating flows, ...

Non-Genetic Determinants of Mosquito Competence for Malaria Parasites

Science.gov (United States)

Lefèvre, Thierry; Vantaux, Amélie; Dabiré, Kounbobr R.; Mouline, Karine; Cohuet, Anna

2013-01-01

Understanding how mosquito vectors and malaria parasites interact is of fundamental interest, and it also offers novel perspectives for disease control. Both the genetic and environmental contexts are known to affect the ability of mosquitoes to support malaria development and transmission, i.e., vector competence. Although the role of environment has long been recognized, much work has focused on host and parasite genetic effects. However, the last few years have seen a surge of studies revealing a great diversity of ways in which non-genetic factors can interfere with mosquito-Plasmodium interactions. Here, we review the current evidence for such environmentally mediated effects, including ambient temperature, mosquito diet, microbial gut flora, and infection history, and we identify additional factors previously overlooked in mosquito-Plasmodium interactions. We also discuss epidemiological implications, and the evolutionary consequences for vector immunity and parasite transmission strategies. Finally, we propose directions for further research and argue that an improved knowledge of non-genetic influences on mosquito-Plasmodium interactions could aid in implementing conventional malaria control measures and contribute to the design of novel strategies. PMID:23818841

Non-genetic determinants of mosquito competence for malaria parasites.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thierry Lefèvre

Full Text Available Understanding how mosquito vectors and malaria parasites interact is of fundamental interest, and it also offers novel perspectives for disease control. Both the genetic and environmental contexts are known to affect the ability of mosquitoes to support malaria development and transmission, i.e., vector competence. Although the role of environment has long been recognized, much work has focused on host and parasite genetic effects. However, the last few years have seen a surge of studies revealing a great diversity of ways in which non-genetic factors can interfere with mosquito-Plasmodium interactions. Here, we review the current evidence for such environmentally mediated effects, including ambient temperature, mosquito diet, microbial gut flora, and infection history, and we identify additional factors previously overlooked in mosquito-Plasmodium interactions. We also discuss epidemiological implications, and the evolutionary consequences for vector immunity and parasite transmission strategies. Finally, we propose directions for further research and argue that an improved knowledge of non-genetic influences on mosquito-Plasmodium interactions could aid in implementing conventional malaria control measures and contribute to the design of novel strategies.

Evaluation of TNF-α, IL-4, and IL-10 and parasite density in spleen and liver of L. (L.) chagasi naturally infected dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

DE F Michelin, A; Perri, S H V; De Lima, V M F

2011-07-01

Dogs are the main domestic reservoirs of L. (L.) chagasi. Once in the vertebrate host, the parasite can cause visceral leishmaniasis, which can also be transmitted to humans. Cytokines are key elements of the host immune response against Leishmania spp. To investigate whether tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 are associated with pattern infection in dogs, these cytokines were quantified in the spleen and liver of dogs naturally infected with L. (L.) chagasi, with or without clinical manifestations, and their levels were correlated with the parasite load verified in these organs. A total of 40 adult dogs naturally infected with L. (L.) chagasi were assessed, together with 12 uninfected control dogs. Samples from spleen and liver were used to determine the cytokine levels by capture ELISA and for quantifying parasite load by real-time PCR. Statistical analysis was performed using the minimum Chi square method and group means were compared using the Tukey test. TNF-α, IL-4 and IL-10 levels in infected dogs were higher than in control groups; the liver was the main cytokine-producing organ during infection. The level of splenic TNF-α showed correlation with parasite load and may represent an important marker for infection process evolution, with the participation of IL-10. These results may contribute to a clearer understanding of the immune response in dogs infected with L. (L.) chagasi, which may lead to the development of prophylactic or preventive measures for these animals.

The Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Enzyme FabI Plays a Key Role In the Development of Liver Stage Malarial Parasites

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Min; Santha Kumar, T. R.; Nkrumah, Louis J.; Coppi, Alida; Retzlaff, Silke; Li, Celeste D.; Kelly, Brendan J.; Moura, Pedro A.; Lakshmanan, Viswanathan; Freundlich, Joel S.; Valderramos, Juan-Carlos; Vilcheze, Catherine; Siedner, Mark; Tsai, Jennifer H.-C.; Falkard, Brie; Sidhu, Amar bir Singh; Purcell, Lisa A.; Gratraud, Paul; Kremer, Laurent; Waters, Andy P.; Schiehser, Guy; Jacobus, David P.; Janse, Chris J.; Ager, Arba; Jacobs, William R.; Sacchettini, James C.; Heussler, Volker; Sinnis, Photini; Fidock, David A.

2008-01-01

SUMMARY Fatty acid biosynthesis has been viewed as an important biological function of and therapeutic target for Plasmodium falciparum asexual blood stage infection. This apicoplast-resident type II pathway, distinct from the mammalian type I process, includes FabI. Here, we report synthetic chemistry and transfection studies concluding that Plasmodium FabI is not the target of the antimalarial activity of the bacterial FabI inhibitor triclosan. Disruption of fabI in P. falciparum or the rodent parasite P. berghei does not impede blood stage growth. In contrast, mosquito-derived fabI-deficient P. berghei sporozoites are markedly less infective for mice and typically fail to complete liver stage development in vitro. This is characterized by an inability to form intra-hepatic merosomes that normally initiate blood stage infections. These data illuminate key differences between liver and blood stage parasites in their requirements for host versus de novo synthesized fatty acids, and create new prospects for stage-specific antimalarial interventions. PMID:19064257

The fatty acid biosynthesis enzyme FabI plays a key role in the development of liver-stage malarial parasites.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Min; Kumar, T R Santha; Nkrumah, Louis J; Coppi, Alida; Retzlaff, Silke; Li, Celeste D; Kelly, Brendan J; Moura, Pedro A; Lakshmanan, Viswanathan; Freundlich, Joel S; Valderramos, Juan-Carlos; Vilcheze, Catherine; Siedner, Mark; Tsai, Jennifer H-C; Falkard, Brie; Sidhu, Amar Bir Singh; Purcell, Lisa A; Gratraud, Paul; Kremer, Laurent; Waters, Andrew P; Schiehser, Guy; Jacobus, David P; Janse, Chris J; Ager, Arba; Jacobs, William R; Sacchettini, James C; Heussler, Volker; Sinnis, Photini; Fidock, David A

2008-12-11

The fatty acid synthesis type II pathway has received considerable interest as a candidate therapeutic target in Plasmodium falciparum asexual blood-stage infections. This apicoplast-resident pathway, distinct from the mammalian type I process, includes FabI. Here, we report synthetic chemistry and transfection studies concluding that Plasmodium FabI is not the target of the antimalarial activity of triclosan, an inhibitor of bacterial FabI. Disruption of fabI in P. falciparum or the rodent parasite P. berghei does not impede blood-stage growth. In contrast, mosquito-derived, FabI-deficient P. berghei sporozoites are markedly less infective for mice and typically fail to complete liver-stage development in vitro. This defect is characterized by an inability to form intrahepatic merosomes that normally initiate blood-stage infections. These data illuminate key differences between liver- and blood-stage parasites in their requirements for host versus de novo synthesized fatty acids, and create new prospects for stage-specific antimalarial interventions.

Host social behavior and parasitic infection: A multifactorial approach

Science.gov (United States)

Ezenwa, V.O.

2004-01-01

I examined associations between several components of host social organization, including group size and gregariousness, group stability, territoriality and social class, and gastrointestinal parasite load in African bovids. At an intraspecific level, group size was positively correlated with parasite prevalence, but only when the parasite was relatively host specific and only among host species living in stable groups. Social class was also an important predictor of infection rates. Among gazelles, territorial males had higher parasite intensities than did either bachelor males or females and juveniles, suggesting that highly territorial individuals may be either more exposed or more susceptible to parasites. Associations among territoriality, grouping, and parasitism were also found across taxa. Territorial host genera were more likely to be infected with strongyle nematodes than were nonterritorial hosts, and gregarious hosts were more infected than were solitary hosts. Analyses also revealed that gregariousness and territoriality had an interactive effect on individual parasite richness, whereby hosts with both traits harbored significantly more parasite groups than did hosts with only one or neither trait. Overall, study results indicate that multiple features of host social behavior influence infection risk and suggest that synergism between traits also has important effects on host parasite load.

Role of parasites in cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Mandong, B M; Ngbea, J A; Raymond, Vhriterhire

2013-01-01

In areas of parasitic endemicity, the occurrence of cancer that is not frequent may be linked with parasitic infection. Epidemiological correlates between some parasitic infections and cancer is strong, suggesting a strong aetiological association. The common parasites associated with human cancers are schistosomiasis, malaria, liver flukes (Clonorchis sinenses, Opistorchis viverrini). To review the pathology, literature and methods of diagnosis. Literature review from peer reviewed Journals cited in PubMed and local journals. Parasites may serve as promoters of cancer in endemic areas of infection.

Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound for Non-tumor Liver Diseases

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H Maruyama

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS is a simple, safe and reliable technique for the clinical management of patients with various liver diseases. Although the major target of the technique may be focal hepatic lesions, it is also effective for the diagnosis of non-tumor liver diseases, such as grading hepatic fibrosis, characterization of chronic liver diseases and diagnosis of portal vein thrombosis. This review article aimed to overview the recent application of CEUS in the assessment of non-tumor liver diseases. Keywords: Cirrhosis, contrast agent, fibrosis, idiopathic portal hypertension, microbubble, portal vein thrombosis, ultrasound.

A first report of egg parasitism in the Tropical Tasar Silkworm Antheraea mylitta (Drury occurring on cashew

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K. Vanitha

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The present study has documented egg parasitism in Tropical Tasar Silkworm for the first time. The parasitoid is Anastatus leithi (Walker belonging to Eupelmidae family.  It is a solitary koinobiont endoparasitoid, emerges out as adults from the tasar eggs in 17-20 days during August- September. The parasitism rate was recorded at 11.90 percentage.

Bumblebees and solitary bees

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henriksen, Casper Christian I

use as a proxy at four different scales (250, 500, 750 and 1000 m). In 2012, the effect of a four-fold larger area of organic arable fields in simple, homogeneous landscapes on bumblebees and solitary bees was investigated in eight circular landscapes (radius 1000 m). Bumblebees and solitary bees were......Summary: The effects of farming system, flower resources and semi-natural habitats on bumblebees and solitary bees in intensively cultivated landscapes in Denmark were investigated in two sets of studies, in 2011 and 2012. The pan trap colour preferences of bumblebees and solitary bees were also...... assessed. In 2011, bumblebees and solitary bees were trapped in road verges bordering 14 organic (organic sites) and 14 conventional (conventional sites) winter wheat fields. The quantity and quality of local flower resources in the road verge and adjacent field headland were estimated as overall density...

Non-invasive assessment of the liver using imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Thorling Thompson, Camilla; Wang, Haolu; Liu, Xin; Liang, Xiaowen; Crawford, Darrell H.; Roberts, Michael S.

2016-12-01

Chronic liver disease causes 2,000 deaths in Australia per year and early diagnosis is crucial to avoid progression to cirrhosis and end stage liver disease. There is no ideal method to evaluate liver function. Blood tests and liver biopsies provide spot examinations and are unable to track changes in function quickly. Therefore better techniques are needed. Non-invasive imaging has the potential to extract increased information over a large sampling area, continuously tracking dynamic changes in liver function. This project aimed to study the ability of three imaging techniques, multiphoton and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy, infrared thermography and photoacoustic imaging, in measuring liver function. Collagen deposition was obvious in multiphoton and fluorescence lifetime imaging in fibrosis and cirrhosis and comparable to conventional histology. Infrared thermography revealed a significantly increased liver temperature in hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, multiphoton and fluorescence lifetime imaging and photoacoustic imaging could both track uptake and excretion of indocyanine green in rat liver. These results prove that non-invasive imaging can extract crucial information about the liver continuously over time and has the potential to be translated into clinic in the assessment of liver disease.

Dispersal of solitary bees and bumblebees in a winter oilseed rape field

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Calabuig, Isabel

2000-01-01

Dispersal distributions of solitary bees and bumblebees were studied in a winter oilseed rape field. Window-traps were placed in the rape field along a line transect perpendicular to the field edge. 19 species of solitary bees were recorded and all but four species are polylectic, including...... Brassicaceae as host-plant family. Through non-linear regression, the decline in solitary bee individuals versus distance from field edge significantly fitted a steep two-parameter exponential decay function. Activity of solitary bees was clearly highest within 30 metres from the field edge. Apparently......, solitary bees do not play any noteworthy role in the pollination of winter oilseed rape in Denmark. The traps yielded ten species of bumblebees, and a significant linear correlation was found between numbers of individuals and distance from the field edge. This result is attributed to bumblebee foraging...

Amebic liver abscess

Science.gov (United States)

Hepatic amebiasis; Extraintestinal amebiasis; Abscess - amebic liver ... Amebic liver abscess is caused by Entamoeba histolytica. This parasite causes amebiasis , an intestinal infection that is also called ...

CFD Analysis of Water Solitary Wave Reflection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Smida

2011-12-01

Full Text Available A new numerical wave generation method is used to investigate the head-on collision of two solitary waves. The reflection at vertical wall of a solitary wave is also presented. The originality of this model, based on the Navier-Stokes equations, is the specification of an internal inlet velocity, defined as a source line within the computational domain for the generation of these non linear waves. This model was successfully implemented in the PHOENICS (Parabolic Hyperbolic Or Elliptic Numerical Integration Code Series code. The collision of two counter-propagating solitary waves is similar to the interaction of a soliton with a vertical wall. This wave generation method allows the saving of considerable time for this collision process since the counter-propagating wave is generated directly without reflection at vertical wall. For the collision of two solitary waves, numerical results show that the run-up phenomenon can be well explained, the solution of the maximum wave run-up is almost equal to experimental measurement. The simulated wave profiles during the collision are in good agreement with experimental results. For the reflection at vertical wall, the spatial profiles of the wave at fixed instants show that this problem is equivalent to the collision process.

The association of vitamin D deficiency with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

OpenAIRE

Küçükazman, Metin; Ata, Naim; Dal, Kürşat; Yeniova, Abdullah Özgür; Kefeli, Ayşe; Basyigit, Sebahat; Aktas, Bora; Akin, Kadir Okhan; Ağladioğlu, Kadir; Üre, Öznur Sari; Topal, Firdes; Nazligül, Yaşar; Beyan, Esin; Ertugrul, Derun Taner

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Vitamin D deficiency has been related to diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and peripheral vascular disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of vitamin D status in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. METHODS: We included 211 consecutive subjects to examine the presence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Of these subjects, 57 did not have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and 154 had non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. RESULTS: The non-alcoholic fatty liver ...

Three dimensional electrostatic solitary waves in a dense magnetoplasma with relativistically degenerate electrons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ata-ur-Rahman,; Qamar, A. [Institute of Physics and Electronics, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25000 (Pakistan); National Centre for Physics, QAU Campus, Shahdrah Valley Road, Islamabad 44000 (Pakistan); Masood, W. [National Centre for Physics, QAU Campus, Shahdrah Valley Road, Islamabad 44000 (Pakistan); COMSATS, Institute of Information Technology, Park Road, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad 44000 (Pakistan); Eliasson, B. [Physics Department, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0NG, Scotland (United Kingdom)

2013-09-15

In this paper, small but finite amplitude electrostatic solitary waves in a relativistic degenerate magnetoplasma, consisting of relativistically degenerate electrons and non-degenerate cold ions, are investigated. The Zakharov-Kuznetsov equation is derived employing the reductive perturbation technique and its solitary wave solution is analyzed. It is shown that only compressive electrostatic solitary structures can propagate in such a degenerate plasma system. The effects of plasma number density, ion cyclotron frequency, and direction cosines on the profiles of ion acoustic solitary waves are investigated and discussed at length. The relevance of the present investigation vis-a-vis pulsating white dwarfs is also pointed out.

Liver fat content, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and ischaemic heart disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauridsen, Bo Kobberø; Stender, Stefan; Kristensen, Thomas Skårup

2018-01-01

Aims: In observational studies, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with high risk of ischaemic heart disease (IHD). We tested the hypothesis that a high liver fat content or a diagnosis of NAFLD is a causal risk factor for IHD. Methods and results: In a cohort study...

NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE IN CHILDREN

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L.V. Chistova

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Metabolic syndrome that represents a totality of interrelated carbohydrate metabolism and lipid disorders, as well as a mechanism regulating arterial tension and endothelium function is one of the critical issues in pediatrics. In recent years, children with metabolic syndrome are increasingly diagnosed with liver injuries symptoms that are associated with a fatty transformation of the liver [1–3]. In this case, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD, a liver manifestation of metabolic syndrome is diagnosed. The diagnosis is confirmed in the absence of alcohol abuse in the past medical history, virus and autoimmune liver disease markers, elimination of toxic and drug influence, as wells as disorders of copper and iron exchange in the patient’s system. One of the key risk factors for developing NAFLD in children is overeating and reduced physical activities. It was believed in the past that NAFLD is relatively benign, however, there is evidence in current literature that this is a pathological condition that may develop and result in extreme fibrotic alterations in the liver parenchymatous tissue all the way to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma [4]. Early-stage identification and timely launch of therapy for NAFLD in children represents one of the most important objectives in modern healthcare. Key words: metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, children, steatohepatosis. (Pediatric Pharmacology. – 2010; 7(6:68-72

To intercompare and to test all the Nuclear Medicine procedures used in the Department of Nuclear Medicine for diagnostic and research purposes starting with and giving particular importance to the procedures for liver disease. Final report for the period 1985 - 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asghar, S.

1988-01-01

The study had the purpose to evaluate solitary liver defects with Tc-99m sulfur colloid and to assess the additional benefits by combining routine liver scan with liver blood pool image and Ga-67 liver imaging. 103 patients with various liver diseases having solitary liver defects on radionuclide liver scan were studied. Tabs

Clinical observation on the treatment of acute liver failure by combined non-biological artificial liver.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Maoqin; Sun, Jingxi; Li, Jiaqiong; Shi, Zaixiang; Xu, Jiyuan; Lu, Bo; Cheng, Shuli; Xu, Yanjun; Wang, Xiaomeng; Zhang, Xianjiang

2016-12-01

The clinical efficacy and safety of different combinations of non-bio artificial liver in the treatment of acute liver failure was examined. A total of 61 cases were selected under blood purification treatment from the patients with severe acute liver failure admitted to the severe disease department of the hospital from December, 2010 to December, 2015. Three types of artificial liver combinations were observed, i.e., plasma exchange plus hemoperfusion plus continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (PE+HP+CVVHDF), PE+CVVHDF and HP+CVVHDF. The heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), respiratory index (PaO 2 /FiO 2 ), liver and kidney function indicator, as well as platelet and coagulation function were compared. A comparison before and after the treatment using the three methods, showed improvement in the HRs, MAPs, PaO 2 /FiO 2 , total bilirubins (TBIL) and alanine aminotransferases (ALT) (Prate of 62.3% (38/61), and a viral survival rate of 35.0% (7/20); with the non-viral survival rate being 75.6% (31/41). In conclusion, following the treatment of three types of artificial livers, the function was improved to varying degrees, with the PE+HP+CVVHDF and the PE+CVVHDF method being better. By contrast, after the treatment of non-viral liver failure, the survival rate was significantly higher than the patients with viral liver failure.

Compressive and rarefactive solitary waves in nonthermal two-component plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verheest, Frank; Hellberg, Manfred A.

2010-01-01

Using a Sagdeev pseudopotential formalism where nonlinear structures are stationary in a comoving frame, large ion-acoustic solitary waves and double layers have been studied in plasmas with positive ions and nonthermal electrons. The velocity range of positive, compressive solitary waves is limited by the ion density reaching infinite compression, whereas negative, rarefactive solitary waves and double layers can exist when the electron nonthermality exceeds a certain minimum. There are even regions of coexistence, the limits of which can be elucidated by considering the properties of the special Sagdeev pseudopotential at the acoustic speed. In particular, when the compositional parameters and Mach numbers admit only compressive or rarefactive solitary structures, these have to be superacoustic, their amplitude vanishing at the acoustic speed. When both compressive and rarefactive modes can occur, one of them is Korteweg-de Vries (KdV)-like, the other having a non-KdV character, with a finite amplitude at the acoustic speed.

Current management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

OpenAIRE

LISBOA, QUELSON COELHO; COSTA, SILVIA MARINHO FEROLLA; COUTO, CLÁUDIA ALVES

2016-01-01

SUMMARY Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by hepatic accumulation of lipid in patients who do not consume alcohol in amounts generally considered harmful to the liver. NAFLD is becoming a major liver disease in Eastern countries and it is related to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Treatment has focused on improving insulin sensitivity, protecting the liver from oxidative stress, decreasing obesity and improving diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hepatic infla...

Ursodeoxycholic Acid in Treatment of Non-cholestatic Liver Diseases: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Reardon, Jillian; Hussaini, Trana; Alsahafi, Majid; Azalgara, Vladimir Marquez; Erb, Siegfried R; Partovi, Nilufar; Yoshida, Eric M

2016-09-28

Aims: To systematically evaluate the literature for evidence to support the use of bile acids in non-cholestatic liver conditions. Methods: Searches were conducted on the databases of Medline (1948-March 31, 2015), Embase (1980-March 31, 2015) and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and on Google and Google Scholar to identify articles describing ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and its derivatives for non-cholestatic hepatic indications. Combinations of the following search terms were used: ursodeoxycholic acid, ursodiol, bile acids and/or salts, non alcoholic fatty liver, non alcoholic steatohepatitis, fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, alcohol, liver disease, autoimmune, autoimmune hepatitis, liver transplant, liver graft, transplant rejection, graft rejection, ischemic reperfusion injury, reperfusion injury, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, viral hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, acute hepatitis, transaminases, alanine transaminase, liver enzymes, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase. No search limits were applied. Additionally, references of the included studies were reviewed to identify additional articles. Results: The literature search yielded articles meeting inclusion criteria for the following indications: non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (n = 5); alcoholic liver disease (n = 2); autoimmune hepatitis (n = 6), liver transplant (n = 2) and viral hepatitis (n = 9). Bile acid use was associated with improved normalization of liver biochemistry in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, autoimmune hepatitis and hepatitis B and C infections. In contrast, liver biochemistry normalization was inconsistent in alcoholic liver disease and liver transplantation. The majority of studies reviewed showed that normalization of liver biochemistry did not correlate to improvement in histologic disease. In the prospective trials reviewed, adverse effects associated with the bile acids were limited

ULTRASONOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF AMOEBIC LIVER ABSCESS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nagesh

2016-04-01

Full Text Available AIMS To study the role of ultrasonography in the diagnosis, followup, resolution and percutaneous interventions of amoebic liver abscesses. METHODOLOGY 25 patients with 38 amoebic liver abscesses were included in this study. The diagnostic criteria being compatible history, tender and enlarged liver, radiological and ultrasound findings and response to metronidazole therapy. Confirmed cases of amoebic liver abscesses were followed up by ultrasonography till complete resolution. RESULTS The highest incidence of age was seen between 3 rd and 5 th decades (84% with a male sex incidence of 92%, disease preponderance in people belonging to low socioeconomic group and a high incidence among alcoholics. The radiological findings were: Elevation of right dome of diaphragm (56%, restricted diaphragmatic movements (88%, right basal lung changes (48%, right pleural effusion (12%, and indistinct hazy diaphragmatic contour (40%. The ultrasonographic findings were: 87% of the abscesses were located in right lobe, 11% in left lobe and 2% in both lobes. Among the 25 patients, 76% showed solitary and 24% showed multiple abscesses. Of the 38 amoebic abscesses, 79% were hypoechoic, 13% were hyperechoic and 8% were anechoic. 11 patients were subjected for ultrasound-guided aspiration. CONCLUSION Ultrasound is a safe, reliable and non-invasive imaging modality for the diagnosis, followup and percutaneous interventions of amoebic liver abscesses. The sonographic resolution time of amoebic liver abscesses varies from 28 to 286 days.

Strategies, models and biomarkers in experimental non-alcoholic fatty liver disease research

Science.gov (United States)

Willebrords, Joost; Pereira, Isabel Veloso Alves; Maes, Michaël; Yanguas, Sara Crespo; Colle, Isabelle; Van Den Bossche, Bert; Da silva, Tereza Cristina; Oliveira, Cláudia P; Andraus, Wellington; Alves, Venâncio Avancini Ferreira; Cogliati, Bruno; Vinken, Mathieu

2015-01-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease encompasses a spectrum of liver diseases, including simple steatosis, steatohepatitis, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is currently the most dominant chronic liver disease in Western countries due to the fact that hepatic steatosis is associated with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, metabolic syndrome and drug-induced injury. A variety of chemicals, mainly drugs, and diets is known to cause hepatic steatosis in humans and rodents. Experimental non-alcoholic fatty liver disease models rely on the application of a diet or the administration of drugs to laboratory animals or the exposure of hepatic cell lines to these drugs. More recently, genetically modified rodents or zebrafish have been introduced as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease models. Considerable interest now lies in the discovery and development of novel non-invasive biomarkers of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, with specific focus on hepatic steatosis. Experimental diagnostic biomarkers of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, such as (epi)genetic parameters and ‘-omics’-based read-outs are still in their infancy, but show great promise. . In this paper, the array of tools and models for the study of liver steatosis is discussed. Furthermore, the current state-of-art regarding experimental biomarkers such as epigenetic, genetic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabonomic biomarkers will be reviewed. PMID:26073454

Schistosoma mansoni infection suppresses the growth of Plasmodium yoelii parasites in the liver and reduces gametocyte infectivity to mosquitoes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taeko Moriyasu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Malaria and schistosomiasis are major parasitic diseases causing morbidity and mortality in the tropics. Epidemiological surveys have revealed coinfection rates of up to 30% among children in Sub-Saharan Africa. To investigate the impact of coinfection of these two parasites on disease epidemiology and pathology, we carried out coinfection studies using Plasmodium yoelii and Schistosoma mansoni in mice. Malaria parasite growth in the liver following sporozoite inoculation is significantly inhibited in mice infected with S. mansoni, so that when low numbers of sporozoites are inoculated, there is a large reduction in the percentage of mice that go on to develop blood stage malaria. Furthermore, gametocyte infectivity is much reduced in mice with S. mansoni infections. These results have profound implications for understanding the interactions between Plasmodium and Schistosoma species, and have implications for the control of malaria in schistosome endemic areas.

Colchicine for alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver fibrosis or cirrhosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rambaldi, A; Gluud, C

2001-01-01

Colchicine is an anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic drug. Several randomized clinical trials have addressed the question whether colchicine has any efficacy in patients with alcoholic as well as non-alcoholic fibrosis and cirrhosis. The objectives were to assess the efficacy of colchicine...... evaluated in randomized trials on mortality, liver related mortality, liver related complications, liver fibrosis markers, liver histology, alcohol consumption, quality of life, and health economics in patients with alcoholic and non-alcoholic fibrosis or cirrhosis....

Late solitary pelvic metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma mimicking alpha-fetoprotein-producing gynaecologic tumour

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ji He Kim

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Extrahepatic spread of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC is uncommon; and, pelvic metastasis, in particular, is extremely rare. A 71-year-old woman was admitted for evaluation of pelvic solitary solid mass. She had undergone a left lobectomy 28 years previously. Magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen and pelvis demonstrated a heterogeneous mass in the right pelvic cavity, whereas no space-occupying lesions or ascites were detected in the liver. CA 125 levels were within normal limits; however, serum alpha-fetoprotein levels were markedly elevated. She underwent laparoscopic pelvic mass excision, total hysterectomy, and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Histopathologic findings and immunochemical staining results indicated metastatic HCC. Herein, we report an unusual case of a patient with solitary recurrence in the pelvic cavity 28 years after initial diagnosis and treatment.

Liver steatosis is associated with insulin resistance in skeletal muscle rather than in the liver in Japanese patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Ken-Ichiro; Takeshita, Yumie; Misu, Hirofumi; Zen, Yoh; Kaneko, Shuichi; Takamura, Toshinari

2015-03-01

To examine the association between liver histological features and organ-specific insulin resistance indices calculated from 75-g oral glucose tolerance test data in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Liver biopsy specimens were obtained from 72 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and were scored for steatosis, grade and stage. Hepatic and skeletal muscle insulin resistance indices (hepatic insulin resistance index and Matsuda index, respectively) were calculated from 75-g oral glucose tolerance test data, and metabolic clearance rate was measured using the euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp method. The degree of hepatic steatosis, and grade and stage of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis were significantly correlated with Matsuda index (steatosis r = -0.45, P hepatic insulin resistance index. Multiple regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, body mass index and each histological score showed that the degree of hepatic steatosis (coefficient = -0.22, P steatosis and metabolic clearance rate (coefficient = -0.62, P = 0.059). Liver steatosis is associated with insulin resistance in skeletal muscle rather than in the liver in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, suggesting a central role of fatty liver in the development of peripheral insulin resistance and the existence of a network between the liver and skeletal muscle.

Detection of Extramedullary Multiple Myeloma in Liver by FDG-PET/CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Daeweung; Kim, Woo Hyoung; Kim, Myoung Hyoun; Choi, Keum Ha; Kim, Chang Guhn

2014-01-01

We present the case of a 42-year-old man with a painful mass lesion in the right shoulder that was detected by contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and 18 F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/CT. Excisional biopsy revealed infiltration of plasma cells with anaplastic features, consistent with solitary plasmacytoma (PC). Serum analysis showed elevation of serum free lambda light chain levels (27.78 mg/l), with an abnormally high kappa:lambda ratio (2.33) and high total proteins (10.4 g/dl). Serum protein electrophoresis revealed an M spike in the gamma-globulin region (56.1 %=5.8 g/dl). Subsequently, 18 F-FDG PET/CT revealed another hypermetabolic mass in the right lobe of the liver. CT-guided biopsy of the liver lesion revealed plasma cell myeloma, consistent with multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma presenting as nodular liver masses is very rare in clinical practice. In a retrospective review of more than 2,000 patients, Talamo et al. reported only nine cases where there was nodular involvement of the liver by multiple myeloma. The organ most commonly involved was the liver, followed by pancreas, stomach, peritoneum with malignant ascites, colon, rectum, duodenum and ileum. Therefore, the literature published thus far has been limited to a few reports and case series. Among these reports, some had demonstrated the PET or PET/CT findings of nodular liver involvement of multiple myeloma. About 10 % of the solitary myelomas appeared as extramedullary PC or solitary PC of bone. In spite of the advances in therapy, the treatment of multiple myeloma is still palliative. However, solitary PC could be cured by resection or radiation therapy. Thus, differentiation between PC and multiple myeloma is essential in making a decision for the appropriate therapeutic regimen. 18 F-FDG PET/CT has the unique ability to detect and characterize malignant lesions in one single examination. Schirrmeister et al. reported that 18 F-FDG PET revealed

The association of vitamin D deficiency with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

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Metin Küçükazman

2014-08-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Vitamin D deficiency has been related to diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and peripheral vascular disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of vitamin D status in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. METHODS: We included 211 consecutive subjects to examine the presence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Of these subjects, 57 did not have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and 154 had non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. RESULTS: The non-alcoholic fatty liver disease group had significantly higher fasting blood glucose (p = 0.005, uric acid (p = 0.001, aspartate aminotransferase (p<0.001, alanine aminotransferase (p<0.001, γ-glutamyltransferase (p<0.0001, alkaline phosphatase (p = 0.028, HbA1c (p<0.001, ferritin (p<0.001, insulin (p = 0.016, C-peptide (p = 0.001, HOMA-IR (p = 0.003, total cholesterol (p = 0.001, triglyceride (p = 0.001 and white blood cell (p = 0.04 levels. In contrast, the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease group had significantly lower 25(OHD levels (12.3±8.9 ng/dl, p<0.001 compared with those of the control group (20±13.6 ng/dl. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found lower serum 25(OHD levels in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease than in subjects without non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. To establish causality between vitamin D and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, further interventional studies with a long-term follow-up are needed.

Serum adipokines might predict liver histology findings in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Jamali, Raika; Razavizade, Mohsen; Arj, Abbas; Aarabi, Mohammad Hossein

2016-06-07

To assess significance of serum adipokines to determine the histological severity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Patients with persistent elevation in serum aminotransferase levels and well-defined characteristics of fatty liver at ultrasound were enrolled. Individuals with a history of alcohol consumption, hepatotoxic medication, viral hepatitis or known liver disease were excluded. Liver biopsy was performed to confirm non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFLD). The degrees of liver steatosis, lobular inflammation and fibrosis were determined based on the non-alcoholic fatty liver activity score (NAS) by a single expert pathologist. Patients with a NAS of five or higher were considered to have steatohepatitis. Those with a NAS of two or lower were defined as simple fatty liver. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the independent association of adipokines with histological findings. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was employed to determine cut-off values of serum adipokines to discriminate the grades of liver steatosis, lobular inflammation and fibrosis. Fifty-four participants aged 37.02 ± 9.82 were enrolled in the study. Higher serum levels of visfatin, IL-8, TNF-α levels were associated independently with steatosis grade of more than 33% [β = 1.08 (95%CI: 1.03-1.14), 1.04 (95%CI: 1.008-1.07), 1.04 (95%CI: 1.004-1.08), P < 0.05]. Elevated serum IL-6 and IL-8 levels were associated independently with advanced lobular inflammation [β = 1.4 (95%CI: 1.09-1.8), 1.07 (95%CI: 1.003-1.15), P < 0.05]. Similarly, higher TNF-α, resistin, and hepcidin levels were associated independently with advanced fibrosis stage [β = 1.06 (95%CI: 1.002-1.12), 19.86 (95%CI: 2.79-141.19), 560.72 (95%CI: 5.98-5255.33), P < 0.05]. Serum IL-8 and TNF-α values were associated independently with the NAS score, considering a NAS score of 5 as the reference value [β = 1.05 (95%CI: 1.01-1.1), 1.13 (95%CI: 1.04-1.22), P < 0.05]. Certain adipokines may

Zoonotic and Non-Zoonotic Diseases in Relation to Human Personality and Societal Values: Support for the Parasite-Stress Model

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Randy Thornhill

2010-04-01

Full Text Available The parasite-stress model of human sociality proposes that humans' ontogenetic experiences with infectious diseases as well as their evolutionary historical interactions with these diseases exert causal influences on human psychology and social behavior. This model has been supported by cross-national relationships between parasite prevalence and human personality traits, and between parasite prevalence and societal values. Importantly, the parasite-stress model emphasizes the causal role of non-zoonotic parasites (which have the capacity for human-to-human transmission, rather than zoonotic parasites (which do not, but previous studies failed to distinguish between these conceptually distinct categories. The present investigation directly tested the differential predictive effects of zoonotic and non-zoonotic (both human-specific and multihost parasite prevalence on personality traits and societal values. Supporting the parasite-stress model, cross-national differences in personality traits (unrestricted sexuality, extraversion, openness to experiences and in societal values (individualism, collectivism, gender equality, democratization are predicted specifically by non-zoonotic parasite prevalence.

A mucin-like peptide from Fasciola hepatica induces parasite-specific Th1-type cell immunity.

Science.gov (United States)

Noya, Verónica; Brossard, Natalie; Berasaín, Patricia; Rodríguez, Ernesto; Chiale, Carolina; Mazal, Daniel; Carmona, Carlos; Freire, Teresa

2016-03-01

Fasciolosis, caused by the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica, is a major parasitic disease of livestock that causes significant economic losses worldwide. Although drugs are effective against liver flukes, they do not prevent reinfection, and continuous treatment is costly. Moreover, resistant fluke strains are emerging. In this context, vaccination is a good alternative since it provides a cost-effective long-term prevention strategy to control fasciolosis. In this paper, we evaluate the Fhmuc peptide as a potential vaccine against fasciolosis. This peptide derives from a mucin-like protein highly expressed in the infective stage of Fasciola hepatica. Mucin-like molecules expressed by parasites can contribute to several infection processes by protecting the parasite from host proteases and recognition by the immune system. We show that the Fhmuc peptide induces Th1-like immune responses specific for F. hepatica excretion-secretion products (FhESP) with a high production of IFNγ. We also investigated whether this peptide could protect animals from infection, and present preliminary data indicating that animals treated with Fhmuc exhibited reduced liver damage compared to non-immunised animals and that this protection was associated with a recruitment of B and T lymphocytes in the peritoneum, as well as eosinophils and mature dendritic cells. These results suggest that the mucin-like peptide Fhmuc could constitute a potential vaccine candidate against fasciolosis and pave the way towards the development of vaccines against parasites.

Surf similarity and solitary wave runup

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fuhrman, David R.; Madsen, Per A.

2008-01-01

The notion of surf similarity in the runup of solitary waves is revisited. We show that the surf similarity parameter for solitary waves may be effectively reduced to the beach slope divided by the offshore wave height to depth ratio. This clarifies its physical interpretation relative to a previ...... functional dependence on their respective surf similarity parameters. Important equivalencies in the runup of sinusoidal and solitary waves are thus revealed.......The notion of surf similarity in the runup of solitary waves is revisited. We show that the surf similarity parameter for solitary waves may be effectively reduced to the beach slope divided by the offshore wave height to depth ratio. This clarifies its physical interpretation relative...... to a previous parameterization, which was not given in an explicit form. Good coherency with experimental (breaking) runup data is preserved with this simpler parameter. A recasting of analytical (nonbreaking) runup expressions for sinusoidal and solitary waves additionally shows that they contain identical...

[Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease--new view].

Science.gov (United States)

Raszeja-Wyszomirska, Joanna; Lawniczak, Małgorzata; Marlicz, Wojciech; Miezyńska-Kurtycz, Joanna; Milkiewicz, Piotr

2008-06-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) covers a wide spectrum of liver pathology--from steatosis alone, through the necroinflammatory disorder of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) to cirrhosis and liver cancer. NAFLD/NASH is mostly related with visceral adiposity, obesity, type 2 diabetes melitus (DM t.2) and metabolic syndrome. Pathogenetic concepts of NAFLD include overnutrition and underactivity, insulin resistance (IR) and genetic factor. The prevalence of NAFLD has been estimated to be 17-33% in some countries, NASH may be present in about 1/3 of such cases, while 20-25% of NASH cases could progress to cirrhosis. NAFLD is now recognized as one of the most frequent reason of liver tests elevation without clinical symptoms. Insulin resistance is considering as having a central role in NAFLD pathogenesis. In hepatocytes, IR is related to hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulinaemia, formation of advanced glycation end-products, increased free fatty acids and their metabolites, oxidative stress and altered profiles of adipocytokines. Early stages of fatty liver are clinically silent and include elevation of ALT and GGTP, hyperechogenic liver in USG and/or hepatomegaly. Among clinical symptoms, abdominal discomfort is relatively common as well as chronic fatigue. NAFLD/NASH is not a benign disease, progressive liver biopsy have shown histological progression of fibrosis in 32%, the estimated rate of cirrhosis development is 20% and a liver--related death is 12% over 10 years. No treatment has scientifically proved to ameliorate NAFLD or to avoid its progression. The various therapeutic alternatives are aimed at interfering with the risk factors involved in the pathogenesis of the disorder in order to prevent the progression to end-stage liver disease. The most important therapeutic measure is increasing insulin sensitivity by an attempt to change a lifestyle mostly by dieting and physical activity in order to loose weight. The most used agent is metformin, the others

Recent research findings on non-invasive diagnosis of liver fibrosis

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WU Qiong

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Early diagnosis of liver fibrosis and dynamic monitoring of relevant changes have great implications for the treatment and prognosis improvement of chronic liver diseases. So far, liver biopsy remains the “golden standard” for the diagnosis and staging of liver fibrosis. However, due to its inherent limitations, a great effort has been made to develop more accurate non-invasive diagnostic methods, including serum fibrosis markers and mathematical models, ultrasound, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, ultrasonic elastography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and nuclear medicine. The advantages and disadvantages of relevant methods are discussed. Furthermore, proper selection of the non-invasive diagnostic methods for clinical application and the means for mutual verification are analyzed. As for the future direction, it is expected to employ the above methods for combined analysis and comprehensive assessment, in order to enhance the clinical value of non-invasive liver fibrosis diagnosis.

Fatty Liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filippone, A.; Digiovandomenico, V.; Digiovandomenico, E.; Genovesi, N.; Bonomo, L.

1991-01-01

The authors report their experience with the combined use of US and CT in the study of diffuse and subtotal fatty infiltration of the liver. An apparent disagreement was initially found between the two examinations in the study of fatty infiltration. Fifty-five patients were studied with US and CT of the upper abdomen, as suggested by clinics. US showed normal liver echogenicity in 30 patients and diffuse increased echogenicity (bright liver) in 25 cases. In 5 patients with bright liver, US demonstrated a solitary hypoechoic area, appearing as a 'skip area', in the quadrate lobe. In 2 patients with bright liver, the hypoechoic area was seen in the right lobe and exhibited no typical US features of 'Skip area'. Bright liver was quantified by measuring CT density of both liver and spleen. The relative attenuation values of spleen and liver were compared on plain and enhanced CT scans. In 5 cases with a hypoechoic area in the right lobe, CT findings were suggestive of hemangioma. A good correlation was found between broght liver and CT attenuation values, which decrease with increasing fat content of the liver. Moreover, CT attenuation values confirmed US findings in the study of typical 'skip area', by demonstrating normal density - which suggests that CT can characterize normal tissue in atypical 'skip area'

The nutritional geometry of liver disease including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Simpson, Stephen J; Raubenheimer, David; Cogger, Victoria C; Macia, Laurence; Solon-Biet, Samantha M; Le Couteur, David G; George, Jacob

2018-02-01

Nutrition has a profound effect on chronic liver disease, especially non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Most observational studies and clinical trials have focussed on the effects of total energy intake, or the intake of individual macronutrients and certain micronutrients, such as vitamin D, on liver disease. Although these studies have shown the importance of nutrition on hepatic outcomes, there is not yet any unifying framework for understanding the relationship between diet and liver disease. The Geometric Framework for Nutrition (GFN) is an innovative model for designing nutritional experiments or interpreting nutritional data that can determine the effects of nutrients and their interactions on animal behaviour and phenotypes. Recently the GFN has provided insights into the relationship between dietary energy and macronutrients on obesity and ageing in mammals including humans. Mouse studies using the GFN have disentangled the effects of macronutrients on fatty liver and the gut microbiome. The GFN is likely to play a significant role in disentangling the effects of nutrients on liver disease, especially NAFLD, in humans. Copyright © 2017 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Congenital Liver Cyst in a Neonatal Calf

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Nora Nogradi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Congenital serous cysts attached to the liver capsule are usually small and multiple, but can be solitary, grow extremely large, and become symptomatic. They are considered rare incidental findings during laparotomies or necropsies and thier occurrence is well described in the human literature, with limited reports from the veterinary literature. This report describes the ante-mortem diagnosis and successful surgical removal of a large congenital liver cyst in a neonatal calf.

Multi-component optical solitary waves

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kivshar, Y. S.; Sukhorukov, A. A.; Ostrovskaya, E. A.

2000-01-01

We discuss several novel types of multi-component (temporal and spatial) envelope solitary waves that appear in fiber and waveguide nonlinear optics. In particular, we describe multi-channel solitary waves in bit-parallel-wavelength fiber transmission systems for highperformance computer networks......, multi-color parametric spatial solitary waves due to cascaded nonlinearities of quadratic materials, and quasiperiodic envelope solitons due to quasi-phase-matching in Fibonacci optical superlattices. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved....

Signalling in malaria parasites. The MALSIG consortium.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Doerig, C.; Baker, D.; Billker, O.; Blackman, M.J.; Chitnis, C.; Dhar Kumar, S.; Heussler, V.; Holder, A.A.; Kocken, C.; Krishna, S.; Langsley, G.; Lasonder, E.; Menard, R.; Meissner, M.; Pradel, G.; Ranford-Cartwright, L.; Sharma, A.; Sharma, P.; Tardieux, T.; Tatu, U.; Alano, P.

2009-01-01

Depending on their developmental stage in the life cycle, malaria parasites develop within or outside host cells, and in extremely diverse contexts such as the vertebrate liver and blood circulation, or the insect midgut and hemocoel. Cellular and molecular mechanisms enabling the parasite to sense

Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging for the assessment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease severity.

Science.gov (United States)

Pavlides, Michael; Banerjee, Rajarshi; Tunnicliffe, Elizabeth M; Kelly, Catherine; Collier, Jane; Wang, Lai Mun; Fleming, Kenneth A; Cobbold, Jeremy F; Robson, Matthew D; Neubauer, Stefan; Barnes, Eleanor

2017-07-01

The diagnosis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and fibrosis staging are central to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease assessment. We evaluated multiparametric magnetic resonance in the assessment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and fibrosis using histology as standard in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Seventy-one patients with suspected non-alcoholic fatty liver disease were recruited within 1 month of liver biopsy. Magnetic resonance data were used to define the liver inflammation and fibrosis score (LIF 0-4). Biopsies were assessed for steatosis, lobular inflammation, ballooning and fibrosis and classified as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis or simple steatosis, and mild or significant (Activity ≥2 and/or Fibrosis ≥2 as defined by the Fatty Liver Inhibition of Progression consortium) non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Transient elastography was also performed. Magnetic resonance success rate was 95% vs 59% for transient elastography (Pliver inflammation and fibrosis (r s =.51, Pliver inflammation and fibrosis for the diagnosis of cirrhosis was 0.85. Liver inflammation and fibrosis score for ballooning grades 0, 1 and 2 was 1.2, 2.7 and 3.5 respectively (Pliver inflammation and fibrosis (1.3) compared to patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (3.0) (PLiver inflammation and fibrosis scores for patients with mild and significant non-alcoholic fatty liver disease were 1.2 and 2.9 respectively (Pliver inflammation and fibrosis for the diagnosis of significant non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was 0.89. Multiparametric magnetic resonance is a promising technique with good diagnostic accuracy for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease histological parameters, and can potentially identify patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and cirrhosis. © 2017 The Authors Liver International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Trap-nest occupation by solitary wasps and bees (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) in a forest urban remanent

OpenAIRE

Loyola, Rafael D.; Martins, Rogério P.

2006-01-01

Temporal variation of solitary wasps and bees, nesting frequency, mortality, and parasitism were recorded from a remanent forest in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Wasps and bees were collected in trap-nests placed in areas with 25, 100, and 400 m², from February to November 2004. The 137 trap-nests collected contained 11 species of wasps and bees. Wasps occupied most nests (75%). Occupation peaks occurred in March (25%) and September (26%); in June, the lowest occupation (2%) was observed. Excep...

Negative ion sound solitary waves revisited

Science.gov (United States)

Cairns, R. A.; Cairns

2013-12-01

Some years ago, a group including the present author and Padma Shukla showed that a suitable non-thermal electron distribution allows the formation of ion sound solitary waves with either positive or negative density perturbations, whereas with Maxwellian electrons only a positive density perturbation is possible. The present paper discusses the qualitative features of this distribution allowing the negative waves and shared with suitable two-temperature distributions.

Interaction between the solitary bee Chelostoma florisomne and its nest parasite Sapyga clavicornis - empty cells reduce the impact of parasites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Münster-Swendsen (deceased), Mikael; Calabuig, Isabel

2000-01-01

Summary 1. Nesting behaviour and interactions between the bee Chelostoma florisomne (L.) (Megachilidae) and its nest parasite Sapyga clavicornis (L.) (Sapygidae) were studied through continual observations of individuals and dissections of bee nests. Protection of bee offspring is based on (1.......4% of all brood cells and, if the outermost brood cell in a nest was excluded, in front of 74.3% of inner brood cells. A vestibule closure is most often constructed in front of the outermost brood cell. 3. Following oviposition, the bee made only five flights, which together lasted 6–13 min, to construct...... a cell closure. A cell closure does not prevent the nest parasite from oviposition inside the brood cell, however, and parasite eggs deposited through the cell closure are not detected and removed by the bee. Only an additional cell closure, i.e. the formation of an empty cell, may protect a brood cell...

Metformin-Induced Changes of the Coding Transcriptome and Non-Coding RNAs in the Livers of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Jun; Zhou, Yuan; Cheng, Yafen; Fang, Weiwei; Hu, Gang; Wei, Jie; Lin, Yajun; Man, Yong; Guo, Lixin; Sun, Mingxiao; Cui, Qinghua; Li, Jian

2018-01-01

Recent studies have suggested that changes in non-coding mRNA play a key role in the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Metformin is now recommended and effective for the treatment of NAFLD. We hope the current analyses of the non-coding mRNA transcriptome will provide a better presentation of the potential roles of mRNAs and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that underlie NAFLD and metformin intervention. The present study mainly analysed changes in the coding transcriptome and non-coding RNAs after the application of a five-week metformin intervention. Liver samples from three groups of mice were harvested for transcriptome profiling, which covered mRNA, lncRNA, microRNA (miRNA) and circular RNA (circRNA), using a microarray technique. A systematic alleviation of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced transcriptome alterations by metformin was observed. The metformin treatment largely reversed the correlations with diabetes-related pathways. Our analysis also suggested interaction networks between differentially expressed lncRNAs and known hepatic disease genes and interactions between circRNA and their disease-related miRNA partners. Eight HFD-responsive lncRNAs and three metformin-responsive lncRNAs were noted due to their widespread associations with disease genes. Moreover, seven miRNAs that interacted with multiple differentially expressed circRNAs were highlighted because they were likely to be associated with metabolic or liver diseases. The present study identified novel changes in the coding transcriptome and non-coding RNAs in the livers of NAFLD mice after metformin treatment that might shed light on the underlying mechanism by which metformin impedes the progression of NAFLD. © 2018 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

Schistosoma mansoni: migration potential of normal and radiation attenuated parasites in naive guinea pigs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamiya, H.; McLaren, D.J.

1987-01-01

Compressed tissue autoradiography using [75Se]selenomethionine labelled parasites has been used to investigate the migration potential of normal and radiation attenuated cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni in naive guinea pigs. By Day 14 after infection. 44% of normal parasites were detected as reduced silver foci in the liver; this value corresponded well with the number of liver parasites recovered by retrograde perfusion of the hepatic portal system on Day 42 (42% of the challenge). In contrast, cercariae subjected to 50 krad of gamma irradiation failed to migrate out of the skin. The migration capacity of 20 krad irradiated parasites was less severely affected in that about half of the challenge parasites reached the lungs, but virtually none moved to the liver. These data are discussed in relation to the kinetics of immunity induced in guinea pigs by infection or vaccination with normal or radiation attenuated parasites

Detection of Extramedullary Multiple Myeloma in Liver by FDG-PET/CT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Daeweung; Kim, Woo Hyoung; Kim, Myoung Hyoun; Choi, Keum Ha; Kim, Chang Guhn [Wonkwang Univ. School of Medicine, Iksan (Korea, Republic of)

2014-06-15

We present the case of a 42-year-old man with a painful mass lesion in the right shoulder that was detected by contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and {sup 18}F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose ({sup 18}F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/CT. Excisional biopsy revealed infiltration of plasma cells with anaplastic features, consistent with solitary plasmacytoma (PC). Serum analysis showed elevation of serum free lambda light chain levels (27.78 mg/l), with an abnormally high kappa:lambda ratio (2.33) and high total proteins (10.4 g/dl). Serum protein electrophoresis revealed an M spike in the gamma-globulin region (56.1 %=5.8 g/dl). Subsequently, {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT revealed another hypermetabolic mass in the right lobe of the liver. CT-guided biopsy of the liver lesion revealed plasma cell myeloma, consistent with multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma presenting as nodular liver masses is very rare in clinical practice. In a retrospective review of more than 2,000 patients, Talamo et al. reported only nine cases where there was nodular involvement of the liver by multiple myeloma. The organ most commonly involved was the liver, followed by pancreas, stomach, peritoneum with malignant ascites, colon, rectum, duodenum and ileum. Therefore, the literature published thus far has been limited to a few reports and case series. Among these reports, some had demonstrated the PET or PET/CT findings of nodular liver involvement of multiple myeloma. About 10 % of the solitary myelomas appeared as extramedullary PC or solitary PC of bone. In spite of the advances in therapy, the treatment of multiple myeloma is still palliative. However, solitary PC could be cured by resection or radiation therapy. Thus, differentiation between PC and multiple myeloma is essential in making a decision for the appropriate therapeutic regimen. {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT has the unique ability to detect and characterize malignant lesions in one single examination. Schirrmeister et al. reported that

Non-operative management of isolated liver trauma.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Min; Yu, Wen-Kui; Wang, Xin-Bo; Ji, Wu; Li, Jie-Shou; Li, Ning

2014-10-01

Liver trauma is the most common abdominal emergency with high morbidity and mortality. Now, non-operative management (NOM) is a selective method for liver trauma. The aim of this study was to determine the success rate, mortality and morbidity of NOM for isolated liver trauma. Medical records of 81 patients with isolated liver trauma in our unit were analyzed retrospectively. The success rate, mortality and morbidity of NOM were evaluated. In this series, 9 patients with grade IV-V liver injuries underwent emergent operation due to hemodynamic instability; 72 patients, 6 with grade V, 18 grade IV, 29 grade III, 15 grade II and 4 grade I, with hemodynamic stability received NOM. The overall success rate of NOM was 97.2% (70/72). The success rates of NOM in the patients with grade I-III, IV and V liver trauma were 100%, 94.4% and 83.3%. The complication rates were 10.0% and 45.5% in the patients who underwent NOM and surgical treatment, respectively. No patient with grade I-II liver trauma had complications. All patients who underwent NOM survived. NOM is the first option for the treatment of liver trauma if the patient is hemodynamically stable. The grade of liver injury and the volume of hemoperitoneum are not suitable criteria for selecting NOM. Hepatic angioembolization associated with the correction of hypothermia, coagulopathy and acidosis is important in the conservative treatment for liver trauma.

Nutritional Modulation of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Insulin Resistance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hannele Yki-Järvinen

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD covers a spectrum of disorders ranging from simple steatosis (non-alcoholic fatty liver, NAFL to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH and cirrhosis. NAFL increases the risk of liver fibrosis. If the liver is fatty due to causes of insulin resistance such as obesity and physical inactivity, it overproduces glucose and triglycerides leading to hyperinsulinemia and a low high-density lipoprotein (HDL cholesterol concentration. The latter features predispose to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD. Understanding the impact of nutritional modulation of liver fat content and insulin resistance is therefore of interest for prevention and treatment of NAFLD. Hypocaloric, especially low carbohydrate ketogenic diets rapidly decrease liver fat content and associated metabolic abnormalities. However, any type of caloric restriction seems effective long-term. Isocaloric diets containing 16%–23% fat and 57%–65% carbohydrate lower liver fat compared to diets with 43%–55% fat and 27%–38% carbohydrate. Diets rich in saturated (SFA as compared to monounsaturated (MUFA or polyunsaturated (PUFA fatty acids appear particularly harmful as they increase both liver fat and insulin resistance. Overfeeding either saturated fat or carbohydrate increases liver fat content. Vitamin E supplementation decreases liver fat content as well as fibrosis but has no effect on features of insulin resistance.

Low incidence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in a Danish liver unit

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Semb, Synne; Dam-Larsen, Sanne; Mogensen, Anne Mellon

2012-01-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease encompasses a spectrum of histological lesions ranging from steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and cirrhosis. Simple steatosis is generally benign, while NASH can progress to severe liver disease. The aim of the present study was to quantify...... the number of patients with NASH and assess the prognosis associated with the condition in a large Danish referral centre for liver disease....

Do native parasitic plants cause more damage to exotic invasive hosts than native non-invasive hosts? An implication for biocontrol.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Junmin; Jin, Zexin; Song, Wenjing

2012-01-01

Field studies have shown that native, parasitic plants grow vigorously on invasive plants and can cause more damage to invasive plants than native plants. However, no empirical test has been conducted and the mechanism is still unknown. We conducted a completely randomized greenhouse experiment using 3 congeneric pairs of exotic, invasive and native, non-invasive herbaceous plant species to quantify the damage caused by parasitic plants to hosts and its correlation with the hosts' growth rate and resource use efficiency. The biomass of the parasitic plants on exotic, invasive hosts was significantly higher than on congeneric native, non-invasive hosts. Parasites caused more damage to exotic, invasive hosts than to congeneric, native, non-invasive hosts. The damage caused by parasites to hosts was significantly positively correlated with the biomass of parasitic plants. The damage of parasites to hosts was significantly positively correlated with the relative growth rate and the resource use efficiency of its host plants. It may be the mechanism by which parasitic plants grow more vigorously on invasive hosts and cause more damage to exotic, invasive hosts than to native, non-invasive hosts. These results suggest a potential biological control effect of native, parasitic plants on invasive species by reducing the dominance of invasive species in the invaded community.

Solitary Play: Some Functional Reconsiderations

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Nancy V.; And Others

1974-01-01

Solitary play in six kindergarten children was observed and coded for frequency and type in order to resolve iscrepancies in a Sex Birth Order interaction. Several facts concerning solitary play as indicative of independence and maturity are noted. (Author/ED)

Gene expression during ovarian differentiation in parasitic and non-parasitic lampreys: implications for fecundity and life history types.

Science.gov (United States)

Spice, Erin K; Whyard, Steven; Docker, Margaret F

2014-11-01

Lampreys diverged from the jawed vertebrate lineage approximately 500million years ago. Lampreys undergo sex differentiation much later than most other vertebrates, and ovarian differentiation occurs several years before testicular differentiation. The genetic basis of lamprey sex differentiation is of particular interest both because of the phylogenetic importance of lampreys and because of their unusual pattern of sex differentiation. As well, differences between parasitic and non-parasitic lampreys may first become evident at ovarian differentiation. However, nothing is known about the genetic basis of ovarian differentiation in lampreys. This study examined potential differences in gene expression before, during, and after ovarian differentiation in parasitic chestnut lamprey Ichthyomyzon castaneus and non-parasitic northern brook lamprey Ichthyomyzonfossor. Eight target genes (17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, germ cell-less, estrogen receptor β, insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor, daz-associated protein 1, cytochrome c oxidase subunit III, Wilms' tumour suppressor protein 1, and dehydrocholesterol reductase 7) were examined. Northern brook lamprey displayed higher expression of cytochrome c oxidase subunit III, whereas chestnut lamprey displayed higher expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor; these genes may be involved in apoptosis and oocyte growth, respectively. Presumptive male larvae had higher expression of Wilms' tumour suppressor protein 1, which may be involved in the undifferentiated gonad and/or later testicular development. Differentiated females had higher expression of 17β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and daz-associated protein 1, which may be involved in female development. This study is the first to identify genes that may be involved in ovarian differentiation and fecundity in lampreys. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A hypothetico-deductive approach to assessing the social function of chemical signalling in a non-territorial solitary carnivore.

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Melanie Clapham

Full Text Available The function of chemical signalling in non-territorial solitary carnivores is still relatively unclear. Studies on territorial solitary and social carnivores have highlighted odour capability and utility, however the social function of chemical signalling in wild carnivore populations operating dominance hierarchy social systems has received little attention. We monitored scent marking and investigatory behaviour of wild brown bears Ursus arctos, to test multiple hypotheses relating to the social function of chemical signalling. Camera traps were stationed facing bear 'marking trees' to document behaviour by different age sex classes in different seasons. We found evidence to support the hypothesis that adult males utilise chemical signalling to communicate dominance to other males throughout the non-denning period. Adult females did not appear to utilise marking trees to advertise oestrous state during the breeding season. The function of marking by subadult bears is somewhat unclear, but may be related to the behaviour of adult males. Subadults investigated trees more often than they scent marked during the breeding season, which could be a result of an increased risk from adult males. Females with young showed an increase in marking and investigation of trees outside of the breeding season. We propose the hypothesis that females engage their dependent young with marking trees from a young age, at a relatively 'safe' time of year. Memory, experience, and learning at a young age, may all contribute towards odour capabilities in adult bears.

Prediction of non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease and liver fat content by serum molecular lipids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Orešic, Matej; Hyötyläinen, Tuulia; Kotronen, Anna

2013-01-01

We examined whether analysis of lipids by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to MS allows the development of a laboratory test for non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease (NAFLD), and how a lipid-profile biomarker compares with the prediction of NAFLD and liver-fat content based...

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: From patient to population

NARCIS (Netherlands)

E.M. Koehler (Edith)

2013-01-01

textabstractNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common chronic liver disease in Western countries, in parallel with epidemics in obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. NAFLD comprises a wide range of histological findings, extending from simple steatosis to

Novel Action of Carotenoids on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Macrophage Polarization and Liver Homeostasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Yinhua; Zhuge, Fen; Nagashimada, Mayumi; Ota, Tsuguhito

2016-06-24

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease. It is characterized by a wide spectrum of hepatic changes, which may progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and cirrhosis. NAFLD is considered a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome; however, mechanisms underlying the onset and progression of NAFLD are still unclear. Resident and recruited macrophages are key players in the homeostatic function of the liver and in the progression of NAFLD to NASH. Progress has been made in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the polarized activation of macrophages. New NAFLD therapies will likely involve modification of macrophage polarization by restraining M1 activation or driving M2 activation. Carotenoids are potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory micronutrients that have been used to prevent and treat NAFLD. In addition to their antioxidative action, carotenoids can regulate macrophage polarization and thereby halt the progression of NASH. In this review, we summarize the molecular mechanisms of macrophage polarization and the function of liver macrophages/Kupffer cells in NAFLD. From our review, we propose that dietary carotenoids, such as β-cryptoxanthin and astaxanthin, be used to prevent or treat NAFLD through the regulation of macrophage polarization and liver homeostasis.

Liver resection for non-cirrhotic hepatocellular carcinoma in south ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background. We describe the clinicopathologic features and outcome of South African patients who have undergone hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) arising in a non-cirrhotic liver. Methods. We utilised the prospective liver resection database in the Surgical Gastroenterology Unit at Groote Schuur ...

[Advances in the pathogenesis of non alcoholic fatty liver disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Pár, Alajos; Pár, Gabriella

2017-06-01

Non alcoholic fatty liver disease is the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, and the most common liver disease. Its more aggressive form is the non alcoholic steatohepatitis. Multiple genetic and environmental factors lead to the accumulation of triglicerides and the inflammatory cascade. High fat diet, obesity, adipocyte dysfunction with cytokine production, insulin resistance and increased lipolysis with free fatty acid flux into the liver - all are the drivers of liver cell injury. Activation of inflammasome by damage- or pathogen-associated molecular patterns results in "steril inflammation" and immune response, while the hepatic stellate cells and progenitor cells lead to fibrogenesis. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and gut dysbiosis are also of pivotal importance in the inflammation. Among the susceptible genetic factors, mutations of patatin-like phospholipase domain containing 3 and the transmembrane 6 superfamily 2 genes play a role in the development and progression of the disease, similarly as do epigenetic regulators such as microRNAs and extracellular vesicles. Better understanding of the pathogenesis of non alcoholic fatty liver disease may identify novel therapeutic agents that improve the outcome of the disease. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(23): 882-894.

Influence of apoptosis on liver and spleen resistance in dogs with visceral leishmaniosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreira, Pamela Rodrigues Reina; Franciscato, Douglas Augusto; Rossit, Sabrina Micelli; Munari, Danísio Prado; Vasconcelos, Rosemeri de Oliveira

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate apoptosis and parasite load in the liver and spleen of dogs with visceral leishmaniosis (VL), using immunohistochemistry. Liver and spleen samples from 71 dogs with VL were used. The parasite load in the spleen and liver showed significant difference between organs in infected group (P=0.0219). The density of the parasite load in the spleen (median=2.4) was higher than liver (median=0.8). Immunodetection of apoptotic cells was predominant in lymphocytes and differ between the infected and control group in spleen (P=0.0307) and liver (P=0.0346). There was a significant correlation between apoptosis and parasite load (P = 0.0084; r=0.3104) only in the spleen of the infected group, where it was observed that, when increasing the number of apoptotic cells increases the parasitic load. It was concluded that the liver and spleen of infected dogs presented greater numbers of cells undergoing apoptosis (lymphocytes) than the control group, thus suggesting that this process may be contributing towards the survival of Leishmania in these organs, because lymphocyte in apoptosis did not have the ability to present and recognize the antigen, allowing the survival of the parasite.

Two-color walking Peregrine solitary waves.

Science.gov (United States)

Baronio, Fabio; Chen, Shihua; Mihalache, Dumitru

2017-09-15

We study the extreme localization of light, evolving upon a non-zero background, in two-color parametric wave interaction in nonlinear quadratic media. We report the existence of quadratic Peregrine solitary waves, in the presence of significant group-velocity mismatch between the waves (or Poynting vector beam walk-off), in the regime of cascading second-harmonic generation. This finding opens a novel path for the experimental demonstration of extreme rogue waves in ultrafast quadratic nonlinear optics.

Solitary Wave Solutions to a Class of Modified Green-Naghdi Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Duchêne, Vincent; Nilsson, Dag; Wahlén, Erik

2017-12-01

We provide the existence and asymptotic description of solitary wave solutions to a class of modified Green-Naghdi systems, modeling the propagation of long surface or internal waves. This class was recently proposed by Duchêne et al. (Stud Appl Math 137:356-415, 2016) in order to improve the frequency dispersion of the original Green-Naghdi system while maintaining the same precision. The solitary waves are constructed from the solutions of a constrained minimization problem. The main difficulties stem from the fact that the functional at stake involves low order non-local operators, intertwining multiplications and convolutions through Fourier multipliers.

Non-invasive evaluation of liver stiffness after splenectomy in rabbits with CCl4-induced liver fibrosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ming-Jun; Ling, Wen-Wu; Wang, Hong; Meng, Ling-Wei; Cai, He; Peng, Bing

2016-12-14

To investigate the diagnostic performance of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by elastography point quantification (ElastPQ) in animal models and determine the longitudinal changes in liver stiffness by ElastPQ after splenectomy at different stages of fibrosis. Liver stiffness was measured in sixty-eight rabbits with CCl 4 -induced liver fibrosis at different stages and eight healthy control rabbits by ElastPQ. Liver biopsies and blood samples were obtained at scheduled time points to assess liver function and degree of fibrosis. Thirty-one rabbits with complete data that underwent splenectomy at different stages of liver fibrosis were then included for dynamic monitoring of changes in liver stiffness by ElastPQ and liver function according to blood tests. LSM by ElastPQ was significantly correlated with histologic fibrosis stage ( r = 0.85, P fibrosis, moderate fibrosis, and cirrhosis, respectively. Longitudinal monitoring of the changes in liver stiffness by ElastPQ showed that early splenectomy (especially F1) may delay liver fibrosis progression. ElastPQ is an available, convenient, objective and non-invasive technique for assessing liver stiffness in rabbits with CCl 4 -induced liver fibrosis. In addition, liver stiffness measurements using ElastPQ can dynamically monitor the changes in liver stiffness in rabbit models, and in patients, after splenectomy.

Comparing Effects of Medication Therapy and Exercise Training with Diet on Liver enzyme Levels and Liver Sonography in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azadeh Nabizadeh Haghighi

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Background & Objectives: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, characterized by the deposition of fat in liver cells, can cause fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cell damage if not controlled. The aim of this study is to compare the effects of medication therapy and exercise training with diet on liver enzyme levels and liver sonography in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD. Materials & Methods :In this quasi-experimental study, female patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver were randomly divided into two groups: medication therapy (n = 10 and exercise therapy (n = 10 for 8 weeks. During this period, the exercise group performed exercise training three days a week for 90 minutes per session. The drug was given to the medication group. In both groups, the diet was 500 calories less than their daily energy. Before and after intervention, blood tests and liver sonography were executed. All statistical analyses were done using SPSS for Windows version 20. Comparisons between and within groups were performed by Student's t-test and Wilcoxon test on paired and unpaired data. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results :In both groups, liver enzyme levels and disease severity in sonography reduced significantly (p<0.05. Conclusion: The findings of the present research showed that both methods of therapy have the same effect on reducing the severity of NAFLD.

Bulk solitary waves in elastic solids

Science.gov (United States)

Samsonov, A. M.; Dreiden, G. V.; Semenova, I. V.; Shvartz, A. G.

2015-10-01

A short and object oriented conspectus of bulk solitary wave theory, numerical simulations and real experiments in condensed matter is given. Upon a brief description of the soliton history and development we focus on bulk solitary waves of strain, also known as waves of density and, sometimes, as elastic and/or acoustic solitons. We consider the problem of nonlinear bulk wave generation and detection in basic structural elements, rods, plates and shells, that are exhaustively studied and widely used in physics and engineering. However, it is mostly valid for linear elasticity, whereas dynamic nonlinear theory of these elements is still far from being completed. In order to show how the nonlinear waves can be used in various applications, we studied the solitary elastic wave propagation along lengthy wave guides, and remarkably small attenuation of elastic solitons was proven in physical experiments. Both theory and generation for strain soliton in a shell, however, remained unsolved problems until recently, and we consider in more details the nonlinear bulk wave propagation in a shell. We studied an axially symmetric deformation of an infinite nonlinearly elastic cylindrical shell without torsion. The problem for bulk longitudinal waves is shown to be reducible to the one equation, if a relation between transversal displacement and the longitudinal strain is found. It is found that both the 1+1D and even the 1+2D problems for long travelling waves in nonlinear solids can be reduced to the Weierstrass equation for elliptic functions, which provide the solitary wave solutions as appropriate limits. We show that the accuracy in the boundary conditions on free lateral surfaces is of crucial importance for solution, derive the only equation for longitudinal nonlinear strain wave and show, that the equation has, amongst others, a bidirectional solitary wave solution, which lead us to successful physical experiments. We observed first the compression solitary wave in the

A Public Health Issue that Increased Prevelance: Non-Acholic Fatty Liver Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muammer Kara

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD, is a liver disease, that occur in non alcohol users, with same histological features of alcoholic liver disease. The increased importance of NAFLD is depends on its close relation of current problems such as Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and hyperlipidemia, and its high prevalence as %20-30, in Europe and Middle East. NAFLD has a wide spectrum from simple steatozis (SS, liver cell damage, non alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH with inflammation to high stage fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Hepathocellular cancer and liver failure might develop in cirrhosis patients. Biopsy is gold standard for NAFLD diagnosis; differentiate from SS and NASH and defining NASH stages. Nutrition regulations and slow and continuous weight loss with regular exercises is still best treatment method [TAF Prev Med Bull 2014; 13(1.000: 65-76

Long-Term Survival in Patients With Synchronous, Solitary Brain Metastasis From Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Treated With Radiosurgery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flannery, Todd W.; Suntharalingam, Mohan; Regine, William F.; Chin, Lawrence S.; Krasna, Mark J.; Shehata, Michael K.; Edelman, Martin J.; Kremer, Marnie; Patchell, Roy A.; Kwok, Young

2008-01-01

Purpose: To report the outcome of patients with synchronous, solitary brain metastasis from non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery (GKSRS). Patients and Methods: Forty-two patients diagnosed with synchronous, solitary brain metastasis from NSCLC were treated with GKSRS between 1993 and 2006. The median Karnofsky performance status (KPS) was 90. Patients had thoracic Stage I-III disease (American Joint Committee on Cancer 2002 guidelines). Definitive thoracic therapy was delivered to 26/42 (62%) patients; 9 patients underwent chemotherapy and radiation, 12 patients had surgical resection, and 5 patients underwent preoperative chemoradiation and surgical resection. Results: The median overall survival (OS) was 18 months. The 1-, 2-, and 5-year actuarial OS rates were 71.3%, 34.1%, and 21%, respectively. For patients who underwent definitive thoracic therapy, the median OS was 26.4 months compared with 13.1 months for those who had nondefinitive therapy, and the 5-year actuarial OS was 34.6% vs. 0% (p < 0.0001). Median OS was significantly longer for patients with a KPS ≥90 vs. KPS < 90 (27.8 months vs. 13.1 months, p < 0.0001). The prognostic factors significant on multivariate analysis were definitive thoracic therapy (p = 0.020) and KPS (p = 0.001). Conclusions: This is one of the largest series of patients diagnosed with synchronous, solitary brain metastasis from NSCLC treated with GKSRS. Definitive thoracic therapy and KPS significantly impacted OS. The 5-year OS of 21% demonstrates the potential for long-term survival in patients treated with GKSRS; therefore, patients with good KPS should be considered for definitive thoracic therapy

Management of a solitary thyroid nodule

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, R.S.

1999-01-01

Solitary nodule in the thyroid is a common clinical entity. A careful clinical assessment is the crucial first step in deciding the modality of treatment. The only worthwhile investigation is FNAC. Other investigations are done merely for the sake of a complete academic work up and can usually be dispensed with in most of the cases. Not every solitary nodule requires surgery. The optimum surgery for a solitary nodule is a total lobectomy. The specimen should be subjected to histological examination before recommending further treatment

Solitary waves and homoclinic orbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balmforth, N.J.

1994-03-01

The notion that fluid motion often organizes itself into coherent structures has increasingly permeated modern fluid dynamics. Such localized objects appear in laminar flows and persist in turbulent states; from the water on windows on rainy days, to the circulations in planetary atmospheres. This review concerns solitary waves in fluids. More specifically, it centres around the mathematical description of solitary waves in a single spatial dimension. Moreover, it concentrates on strongly dissipative dynamics, rather than integrable systems like the KdV equation. One-dimensional solitary waves, or pulses and fronts as they are also called, are the simplest kinds of coherent structure (at least from a geometrical point of view). Nevertheless, their dynamics can be rich and complicated. In some circumstances this leads to the formation of spatio-temporal chaos in the systems giving birth to the solitary waves, and understanding that phenomenon is one of the major goals in the theory outlined in this review. Unfortunately, such a goal is far from achieved to date, and the author assess its current status and incompleteness

Circulating lipocalin 2 is neither related to liver steatosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease nor to residual liver function in cirrhosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Meier, Elisabeth M; Pohl, Rebekka; Rein-Fischboeck, Lisa; Schacherer, Doris; Eisinger, Kristina; Wiest, Reiner; Krautbauer, Sabrina; Buechler, Christa

2016-09-01

Lipocalin 2 (LCN2) is induced in the injured liver and associated with inflammation. Aim of the present study was to evaluate whether serum LCN2 is a non-invasive marker to assess hepatic steatosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or residual liver function in patients with liver cirrhosis. Therefore, LCN2 was measured by ELISA in serum of 32 randomly selected patients without fatty liver (controls), 24 patients with ultrasound diagnosed NAFLD and 42 patients with liver cirrhosis mainly due to alcohol. Systemic LCN2 was comparable in patients with liver steatosis, those with liver cirrhosis and controls. LCN2 negatively correlated with bilirubin in both cohorts. In cirrhosis, LCN2 was not associated with more advanced liver injury defined by the CHILD-PUGH score and model for end-stage liver disease score. Resistin but not C-reactive protein or chemerin positively correlated with LCN2. LCN2 levels were not increased in patients with ascites or patients with esophageal varices. Consequently, reduction of portal pressure by transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt did not affect LCN2 levels. Hepatic venous blood (HVS), portal venous blood and systemic venous blood levels of LCN2 were similar. HVS LCN2 was unchanged in patients with end-stage liver cirrhosis compared to those with well-compensated disease arguing against increased hepatic release. Current data exclude that serum LCN2 is of any value as steatosis marker in patients with NAFLD and indicator of liver function in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus: the liver disease of our age?

Science.gov (United States)

Firneisz, Gábor

2014-07-21

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic liver disease that might affect up to one-third of the adult population in industrialised countries. NAFLD incorporates histologically and clinically different non-alcoholic entities; fatty liver (NAFL, steatosis hepatis) and steatohepatitis (NASH-characterised by hepatocyte ballooning and lobular inflammation ± fibrosis) might progress to cirrhosis and rarely to hepatocellular cancer. NAFL increasingly affects children (paediatric prevalence is 4.2%-9.6%). Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), insulin resistance (IR), obesity, metabolic syndrome and NAFLD are particularly closely related. Increased hepatic lipid storage is an early abnormality in insulin resistant women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus. The accumulation of triacylglycerols in hepatocytes is predominantly derived from the plasma nonesterified fatty acid pool supplied largely by the adipose tissue. A few NAFLD susceptibility gene variants are associated with progressive liver disease, IR, T2DM and a higher risk for hepatocellular carcinoma. Although not approved, pharmacological approaches might be considered in NASH patients.

High prevalence of diarrhoegenic intestinal parasite infections among non-ART HIV patients in Fitche Hospital, Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Adamu, Haileeyesus; Wegayehu, Teklu; Petros, Beyene

2013-01-01

HIV infection has been modifying both the epidemiology and outcome of parasite infections. Hence, this study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium and other intestinal parasite infections among HIV positives with and without Antiretroviral Treatment(ART) and its association with CD4+ T-cell count. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Fitche hospital focusing on HIV positives who came to hospital for follow-ups. A total of 378 HIV positive persons with and without ART participated in the study. Data on socio-demographic factors and diarrhoea status were obtained by interviewing all 214 with ART and 164 without ART. Stool samples were collected from all patients and examined for intestinal parasites using direct, formol-ether and modified acid-fast staining techniques. The prevalence of intestinal parasite infections in this study was significantly higher among HIV positive persons not on ART. Specifically, the rate of infection with Cryptosporidium species, Blastocystis spp., Giardia lamblia, and Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar were higher, particularly in those with CD4+ T-cell counts less than 200 cells/µL. Fifty seven percent of the study participants were on ART. Out of these 164/378 (43%) of the non-ART study participants were infected with at least one intestinal parasite species. Significant association was observed between lower CD4+ T-cell count (parasites were significantly more prevalent in HIV positive non-ART patients. HIV infection increased the risk of having Cryptosporidium and other intestinal parasites and diarrhoea. Therefore, raising HIV positive's immune status and screening for intestinal parasites is important. This study showed that patients who are taking ART had a lower prevalence of diarrhoea causing parasites and Cryptosporidium suggesting that ART through improvement of immune status of the patients may have contributed to controlling diarrhoea-causing parasites in HIV positive patients.

Histopathological changes in the liver and stomach of Didelphis virginiana (Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae) during natural infection with Gnathostoma turgidum (Nematoda: Gnathostomidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Torres-Montoya, E H; Zazueta-Moreno, J M; Osuna-Martínez, L U; Castillo-Ureta, H; Silva-Hidalgo, G; López-Moreno, H S; Osuna-Ramírez, I; Noguera-Corona, E; Rendón-Maldonado, J G

2017-11-06

Gnathostoma turgidum is a nematode parasite that exploits the stomach of Virginian opossums, Didelphis virginiana, in Latin America. The opossum is the definitive host of G. turgidum in the wild. Intrahepatic growth and maturation of the parasite, subsequent migration to the stomach and spontaneous expulsion are common. However, the histopathological lesions caused by G. turgidum are poorly described. A better understanding of the life cycle of this parasite and the pathological changes in natural host-parasite interactions could help to clarify the progression of human infections caused by Gnathostoma binucleatum. The aim of this work was to study morphological changes in the liver and stomach of D. virginiana during natural infection and adult worm expulsion. Three opossums naturally infected with G. turgidum were captured from an endemic area of gnathostomosis. Three uninfected opossums captured from a non-endemic area were used as controls. The opossums were sacrificed at different stages of infection (March, May and December), and a histopathological study of their livers and stomachs was conducted. Injuries in livers were observed by histopathology - areas of necrosis and collagen septa were identified. Parasites caused nodules with necrosis on the periphery of lesions, and collagen fibres were also observed in stomachs. Collagen septa may be caused by antigenic remains of the parasite. Further immunological studies are necessary to verify that stimulation is caused by these factors.

The effect of shear stress on solitary waves in arteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Demiray, H

1997-09-01

In the present work, we study the propagation of solitary waves in a prestressed thick walled elastic tube filled with an incompressible inviscid fluid. In order to include the geometric dispersion in the analysis the wall inertia and shear deformation effects are taken into account for the inner pressure-cross-sectional area relation. Using the reductive perturbation technique, the propagation of weakly non-linear waves in the long-wave approximation is examined. It is shown that, contrary to thin tube theories, the present approach makes it possible to have solitary waves even for a Mooney-Rivlin (M-R) material. Due to dependence of the coefficients of the governing Korteweg-deVries equation on initial deformation, the solution profile changes with inner pressure and the axial stretch. The variation of wave profiles for a class of elastic materials are depicted in graphic forms. As might be seen from these illustrations, with increasing thickness ratio, the profile of solitary wave is steepened for a M-R material but it is broadened for biological tissue.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2018-01-01

Jan 1, 2018 ... ABSTRACT. BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) among type 2 diabetic patients is completely ignored in developing regions like Africa paving the way for public health and economic burden in the region. Therefore, the main objective of this research was to evaluate non-alcoholic ...

A radiographic study of solitary bone cysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Kyung Rak; Hwang, Eui Hwan; Lee, Sang Rae [Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Division of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1994-02-15

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical, radiographic and histopathologic features of 23 cases of solitary bone cyst by means of the analysis of radiographs and biopsy specimens in 23 persons visited the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University and Chunbuk National University. The obtained results were as follows; 1. The incidence of solitary bone cyst was almost equal in males (52.2%) and in females(42.8%) and the prevalent age of the solitary bone cyst were the second decade (47.8%) and the third decade (21.7%). 2. In the signs and symptoms of solitary bone cyst, pain or tenderness revealed in 17.4%, swelling revealed in 13.0%, pain and swelling revealed in 21.7%, paresthesia revealed in 4.4% and 43.5% were a symptom and the tooth vitality involved in the solitary bone cyst, 76.5% were posterior and 23.5% were either positive or negative. 3. In the location of the solitary bone cyst, 47.8% present posterior region, 21.7% present anterior region, 21.6% present anterior and posterior region, 4.4% present condylar process area. 4. In the hyperostotic border of the solitary bone cyst, 47.8% were seen entirely, 21.8% were seen partially, and 30.4% were not seen. 5. In the change of tooth, 59.1% were loss of the alveolar lamina dura, 13.6% were root resorption 4.55% were tooth displacement, 4.55% were root resorption and tooth displacement. 6. In the change of cortical bone of the solitary bone cyst, 39.1% were intact and 60.9% were thinning and expansion of cortical bone. 7. In the histopathologic findings of 9 cases, 33.3% were thin connective tissue wall, 11.1% were thickened myxo-fibromatous wall, 55.6% were thickened myxofibromatous wall with dysplastic bone formation.

A radiographic study of solitary bone cysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kyung Rak; Hwang, Eui Hwan; Lee, Sang Rae

1994-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical, radiographic and histopathologic features of 23 cases of solitary bone cyst by means of the analysis of radiographs and biopsy specimens in 23 persons visited the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University and Chunbuk National University. The obtained results were as follows; 1. The incidence of solitary bone cyst was almost equal in males (52.2%) and in females(42.8%) and the prevalent age of the solitary bone cyst were the second decade (47.8%) and the third decade (21.7%). 2. In the signs and symptoms of solitary bone cyst, pain or tenderness revealed in 17.4%, swelling revealed in 13.0%, pain and swelling revealed in 21.7%, paresthesia revealed in 4.4% and 43.5% were a symptom and the tooth vitality involved in the solitary bone cyst, 76.5% were posterior and 23.5% were either positive or negative. 3. In the location of the solitary bone cyst, 47.8% present posterior region, 21.7% present anterior region, 21.6% present anterior and posterior region, 4.4% present condylar process area. 4. In the hyperostotic border of the solitary bone cyst, 47.8% were seen entirely, 21.8% were seen partially, and 30.4% were not seen. 5. In the change of tooth, 59.1% were loss of the alveolar lamina dura, 13.6% were root resorption 4.55% were tooth displacement, 4.55% were root resorption and tooth displacement. 6. In the change of cortical bone of the solitary bone cyst, 39.1% were intact and 60.9% were thinning and expansion of cortical bone. 7. In the histopathologic findings of 9 cases, 33.3% were thin connective tissue wall, 11.1% were thickened myxo-fibromatous wall, 55.6% were thickened myxofibromatous wall with dysplastic bone formation.

Clinical and CT findings of Klebsiella liver abscess: comparison with non-Klebsiella liver abscess

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woo, Young Geun; Kim, Man Deuk; Yoon, Sang Wook; Kim, Hee Jin; Kim, Hyun; Lee, Kang Mun; Lee, Eun Ja

2003-01-01

To analyse the clinical features and CT findings of pyogenic liver abscess due to Klebsiella pneumoniae, and to compare the findings with those of cases in which abscesses were caused by other pathogens. Twenty-one cases of pyogenic liver abscess were assigned to either the Klebsiella or the non-Klebsiella group, and the patients' past medical history and intra-abdominal abnormalities such as calculus or malignancy were reviewed. Laboratory data such as alkaline phosphatase (ALT), SGOT and SGPT levels were analyzed, and on the basis of the CT findings, decisions were reached as to (a) whether abscesses were single or multiple contiguous or discontiguous, uniloculated or multiloculated; and (b) the presence or absence of gas, hepatic parenchymal enhancement, peripheral rim enhancement, and extrahepatic abnormality. For statistical analysis, fisher's exact test was used. Among 21 abscesses, Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most common pathogen (n=11). The others were Pseudomonas (n=3), E.coli (n=2), Enterococcus (n=2), G. (+) cocci (n=2) and polymicrobial (n=1). Diabetes mellitus was more common among patients in the Klebsiella group, among whom a multiloculated single cavity was a frequent finding. Five patients in the non-Klebsiella group experienced biliary tract obstruction, which was not demonstrated in the Klebsiella group. Hepatic parenchymal enhancement was more common in the non-Klebsiella group. In case of pyogenic liver disease, especially where diabates mellitus is involved, Klebsiella pneumoniae is a major pathogen. Significant CT findings of Klebsiella liver abscess included a multiloculated single cavity, rare biliary tract obstruction, and little hepatic parenchymal enhancement

Solitary circumscribed neurofibroma of the vulva

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lau Serrano, Dalgis; Millan Vega, Maria Margarita; Fajardo Tornes, Yarine Leonell

2012-01-01

Neurofibroma is a benign tumor that originates from cells of peripheral nerve sheath. It may occur as solitary or multiple lesions as part of Von Recklinghausen disease or neurofibromatosis. The solitary lesions are rare and usually they are not associated with systemic symptoms

Simulating the Risk of Liver Fluke Infection using a Mechanistic Hydro-epidemiological Model

Science.gov (United States)

Beltrame, Ludovica; Dunne, Toby; Rose, Hannah; Walker, Josephine; Morgan, Eric; Vickerman, Peter; Wagener, Thorsten

2016-04-01

Liver Fluke (Fasciola hepatica) is a common parasite found in livestock and responsible for considerable economic losses throughout the world. Risk of infection is strongly influenced by climatic and hydrological conditions, which characterise the host environment for parasite development and transmission. Despite on-going control efforts, increases in fluke outbreaks have been reported in recent years in the UK, and have been often attributed to climate change. Currently used fluke risk models are based on empirical relationships derived between historical climate and incidence data. However, hydro-climate conditions are becoming increasingly non-stationary due to climate change and direct anthropogenic impacts such as land use change, making empirical models unsuitable for simulating future risk. In this study we introduce a mechanistic hydro-epidemiological model for Liver Fluke, which explicitly simulates habitat suitability for disease development in space and time, representing the parasite life cycle in connection with key environmental conditions. The model is used to assess patterns of Liver Fluke risk for two catchments in the UK under current and potential future climate conditions. Comparisons are made with a widely used empirical model employing different datasets, including data from regional veterinary laboratories. Results suggest that mechanistic models can achieve adequate predictive ability and support adaptive fluke control strategies under climate change scenarios.

Rare primary malignant tumors of the liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dahan, H.; Zoppardo, P.; Chagnon, S.; Vilgrain, V.; Blery, M.

1991-01-01

Angiosarcoma, epithelioid hemangio-endothelioma (EHE) and fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC) are far less frequent malignant primary tumors of the liver than liver-cell carcinoma, and usually do not occur in a chronic liver disease. Their diagnosis is histological but a few radiological criteria are suggestive: in younger subjects, a solitary, hypervascularized mass containing calcifications and/or a central fibrous scar suggests an FLC; nodular lesions merging into patches, scattered about the periphery, containing calcified clusters and showing a low and late contrast enhancement after injections suggest an EHE; lastly, in case of occupational exposure, an heterogeneous, hypervascularized mass with a centripetal blush but containing central areas that are opacified early should suggest angiosarcoma. (4 figs) [fr

Extramedullary Solitary Plasmacytoma: Demonstrating the Role of 18F-FDG PET Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Gautam, Archana; Sahu, Kamal Kant; Alamgir, Ahsan; Siddiqi, Imran; Ailawadhi, Sikander

2017-04-01

An Extramedullary Plasmacytoma (EMP) is characterized by a neoplastic proliferation of clonal plasma cells outside the medullary cavity. EMPs are a rare occurrence compared to other malignant plasma cell disorders and account for approximately 3-5% of plasma-cell neoplasms. Although most cases of EMP are not immediately life threatening at diagnosis, EMPs can progress to Multiple Myeloma (MM) and thus, warrant monitoring. Currently, there are no standard guidelines for when and how to monitor patients who are diagnosed with or treated for a solitary plasmacytoma. We present a case of solitary EMP who was treated adequately and definitively but developed a distinct, non-contiguous subsequent solitary EMP and was only discovered due to surveillance 18 F-Fludeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography ( 18 F-FDG) (PET) scan. Uniform surveillance guidelines should be developed and the potential benefits of PET and other imaging techniques as well as their cost should be considered.

An isolated tuberculous liver abscess in a non-immunocompromised patient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abeysekera, W.Y.M.; Silva, W.D.D.D.; Pragatheswaran, P.; Banagala, A.S.K.

2013-01-01

A liver abscess is an uncommon extra-pulmonary manifestation of a common disease that is tuberculosis. It usually follows primary infection in the lung or the gut. Tuberculous liver abscess in a non-immunocompromised patient in the absence of primary disease elsewhere is an extremely rare occurrence. We report here a case of a tuberculous liver abscess in a 30 years old female who presented a considerable diagnostic challenge. (author)

NHE1 deficiency in liver: Implications for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prasad, Vikram, E-mail: prasadvm@ucmail.uc.edu [Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (United States); Chirra, Shivani [Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (United States); Kohli, Rohit [Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267 (United States); Shull, Gary E. [Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (United States)

2014-07-25

Highlights: • FXR, PGC1α and PPARγ levels are upregulated in NHE1 deficient livers. • NHE1 deficiency downregulates expression of pro-lipogenic genes in liver. • Chronic exposure to high-fat diet upregulates hepatic NHE1 expression. • Loss of NHE1 better preserves hepatic insulin signaling in high-fat diet-fed mice. - Abstract: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease NAFLD is closely associated with the dysregulation of lipid homeostasis. Diet-induced hepatic steatosis, which can initiate NAFLD progression, has been shown to be dramatically reduced in mice lacking the electroneutral Na{sup +}/H{sup +} exchanger NHE1 (Slc9a1). In this study, we investigated if NHE1 deficiency had effects in liver that could contribute to the apparent protection against aberrant lipid accumulation. RT-PCR and immunoblot analyses of wild-type and NHE1-null livers revealed an expression profile that strongly suggested attenuation of both de novo lipogenesis and hepatic stellate cell activation, which is implicated in liver fibrosis. This included upregulation of the farnesoid X receptor FXR, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor PPARγ, its co-activator PGC1α, and sestrin 2, an antioxidant protein involved in hepatic metabolic homeostasis. Furthermore, expression levels of the pro-lipogenic liver X receptor LXRα, and acetyl CoA carboxylases 1 and 2 were downregulated. These changes were associated with evidence of reduced cellular stress, which persisted even upon exposure to a high-fat diet, and the better preservation of insulin signaling, as evidenced by protein kinase B/Akt phosphorylation (Ser473). These results indicate that NHE1 deficiency may protect against NAFLD pathogenesis, which is significant given the availability of highly specific NHE1 inhibitors.

NHE1 deficiency in liver: Implications for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prasad, Vikram; Chirra, Shivani; Kohli, Rohit; Shull, Gary E.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • FXR, PGC1α and PPARγ levels are upregulated in NHE1 deficient livers. • NHE1 deficiency downregulates expression of pro-lipogenic genes in liver. • Chronic exposure to high-fat diet upregulates hepatic NHE1 expression. • Loss of NHE1 better preserves hepatic insulin signaling in high-fat diet-fed mice. - Abstract: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease NAFLD is closely associated with the dysregulation of lipid homeostasis. Diet-induced hepatic steatosis, which can initiate NAFLD progression, has been shown to be dramatically reduced in mice lacking the electroneutral Na + /H + exchanger NHE1 (Slc9a1). In this study, we investigated if NHE1 deficiency had effects in liver that could contribute to the apparent protection against aberrant lipid accumulation. RT-PCR and immunoblot analyses of wild-type and NHE1-null livers revealed an expression profile that strongly suggested attenuation of both de novo lipogenesis and hepatic stellate cell activation, which is implicated in liver fibrosis. This included upregulation of the farnesoid X receptor FXR, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor PPARγ, its co-activator PGC1α, and sestrin 2, an antioxidant protein involved in hepatic metabolic homeostasis. Furthermore, expression levels of the pro-lipogenic liver X receptor LXRα, and acetyl CoA carboxylases 1 and 2 were downregulated. These changes were associated with evidence of reduced cellular stress, which persisted even upon exposure to a high-fat diet, and the better preservation of insulin signaling, as evidenced by protein kinase B/Akt phosphorylation (Ser473). These results indicate that NHE1 deficiency may protect against NAFLD pathogenesis, which is significant given the availability of highly specific NHE1 inhibitors

Liver cirrhosis associated wiht a non-responsive ascites in a 10 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Liver cirrhosis associated wiht a non-responsive ascites in a 10 month old alsatian dog. ... Exploratory laparotomy findings were that of a slightly enlarged liver with diffuse miliary nodules on .both the parietal and visceral surfaces. Few larger nodules 'were also present. 'The liver was firmer in consistency and two separate ...

Potential interactions between metazoan parasites of the Mayan catfish Ariopsis assimilis and chemical pollution in Chetumal Bay, Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Vidal-Martínez, V M; Aguirre-Macedo, M L; Noreña-Barroso, E; Gold-Bouchot, G; Caballero-Pinzón, P I

2003-06-01

The effect of pollutants on the intensity of infection of metazoan parasites in the Mayan catfish, Ariopsis assimilis was investigated. Data were collected on pollutants and metazoan parasites from 76 catfish from five localities in Chetumal Bay in October, 1996. Nineteen pollutants (pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)) were found in the catfish livers. Heavy metal content was not determined. Nineteen metazoan parasite species were recovered. After controlling for fish length and sampling station, there was a significant negative linear relationship between the intensity of the larval digenean Mesostephanus appendiculatoides and 1,1,1,-trichloro-2,2-bis (4-chlorophenyl) ethane (DDT) concentrations. This negative relationship may be explained either by the effect of the pesticide on the mortality of (i) free-living larval forms, (ii) metacercariae in the fish, (iii) infected fish or (iv) intermediate host snails. There were significant differences between fish parasitized and not parasitized with M. appendiculatoides with respect to their DDT concentrations. There were also significant differences between the variances of the mean Clark's coefficient of condition values between catfish parasitized and not parasitized by M. appendiculatoides, with the variance of non-parasitized catfish being significantly larger. The results provided statistical evidence that DDT has a detrimental effect on M. appendiculatoides infection intensity. Furthermore, the significantly larger variance value of Clark's coefficient for non-parasitized fish suggested that DDT affects both the parasite and general host condition.

Seasonality of helminth infection in wild red deer varies between individuals and between parasite taxa.

Science.gov (United States)

Albery, Gregory F; Kenyon, Fiona; Morris, Alison; Morris, Sean; Nussey, Daniel H; Pemberton, Josephine M

2018-03-09

Parasitism in wild mammals can vary according to myriad intrinsic and extrinsic factors, many of which vary seasonally. However, seasonal variation in parasitism is rarely studied using repeated samples from known individuals. Here we used a wild population of individually recognized red deer (Cervus elaphus) on the Isle of Rum to quantify seasonality and intrinsic factors affecting gastrointestinal helminth parasitism over the course of a year. We collected 1020 non-invasive faecal samples from 328 known individuals which we then analysed for propagules of three helminth taxa: strongyle nematodes, the common liver fluke Fasciola hepatica and the tissue nematode Elaphostrongylus cervi. Zero-inflated Poisson models were used to investigate how season, age and sex were associated with parasite prevalence and count intensity, while Poisson models were used to quantify individual repeatability within and between sampling seasons. Parasite intensity and prevalence varied according to all investigated factors, with opposing seasonality, age profiles and sex biases between parasite taxa. Repeatability was moderate, decreased between seasons and varied between parasites; both F. hepatica and E. cervi showed significant between-season repeatability, while strongyle nematode counts were only repeatable within-season and showed no repeatability within individuals across the year.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Is the Liver Another Target?

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Aibek eMirrakhimov

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA is recurrent obstruction of the upper airway during sleep leading to intermittent hypoxia (IH. OSA has been associated with all components of the metabolic syndrome as well as with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD. NAFLD is a common condition ranging in severity from uncomplicated hepatic steatosis to steatohepatitis (NASH, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. The gold standard for the diagnosis and staging of NAFLD is liver biopsy. Obesity and insulin resistance lead to liver steatosis, but the causes of the progression to NASH are not known. Emerging evidence suggests that OSA may play a role in the progression of hepatic steatosis and the development of NASH. Several cross-sectional studies showed that the severity of IH in patients with OSA predicted the severity of NAFLD on liver biopsy. However, neither prospective nor interventional studies with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP treatment have been performed. Studies in a mouse model showed that IH causes triglyceride accumulation in the liver and liver injury as well as hepatic inflammation. The mouse model provided insight in the pathogenesis of liver injury showing that (1 IH accelerates the progression of hepatic steatosis by inducing adipose tissue lipolysis and increasing free fatty acids (FFA flux into the liver; (2 IH up-regulates lipid biosynthetic pathways in the liver; (3 IH induces oxidative stress in the liver; (4 IH up-regulates hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha and possibly HIF-2 alpha, which may increase hepatic steatosis and induce liver inflammation and fibrosis. However, the role of FFA and different transcription factors in the pathogenesis of IH-induced NAFLD is yet to be established. Thus, multiple lines of evidence suggest that IH of OSA may contribute to the progression of NAFLD but definitive clinical studies and experiments in the mouse model have yet to be done.

Clinical analysis of bone scanning in solitary lesion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Jun; Zhu Ruisen; Zhu Jifang

2002-01-01

A rational analysis procedure for solitary lesions on whole bone scanning was offered. This study was undertaken to analyze retrospectively solitary lesions which obtained final diagnose through the following aspects: (1) diagnosis of bone metastasis, (2) the incidence of bone metastasis in different tumor, (3) the most possible lesion sites indicating bone metastasis, (4) morphological analysis of solitary lesions. The results are: (1) The incidence of solitary lesions in 2465 cases on whole bone scanning is 15.3%. (2) The rate of bone metastasis is 24.8% in 282 patients with primary malignancy. The rate of bone metastasis of 6.3% in 64 patients without primary malignancy, and the total diagnostic rate of bone metastasis is 21.4% in 346 patients. (3) In patients with primary malignancy, the incidence of bone metastasis of solitary lesions is as follows respectively; bronchi cancer 36.1%(22/61); breast cancer 23.8%(20/84); prostate gland 17.2%(5/29); other urinary system cancer 22.2%(4/18); G.I. system cancer 16.9%(10/59); others 29.0%(9/31). There is no significant difference in different cancer. (4) In patients without primary malignancy, 93.7%(60/64) of solitary lesions are benign. (5) From anatomical point of view, the authors found the diagnostic rate of bone metastasis is as follow: 30% in spine; 34.2% in pelvis; 36.4% in skull; 10.8% in other bones. There are significant differences in four groups. It is concluded that: (1) The diagnostic rate of bone metastasis in solitary lesions is 21.4%. (2) The most possible solitary lesions indicating osseous tumor spread are at spine, pelvic and skull. (3) Special attention to 'cold' and streak like lesions should be paid. (4) A clinical analysis procedure for diagnosis of solitary lesions has been summarized out here

PNPLA3 Expression Is Related to Liver Steatosis in Morbidly Obese Women with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

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Gemma Aragonès

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Recent reports suggest a role for the Patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 3 (PNPLA3 in the pathology of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD. Lipid deposition in the liver seems to be a critical process in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the association between the liver PNPLA3 expression, key genes of lipid metabolism, and the presence of NAFLD in morbidly obese women. We used real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR analysis to analyze the hepatic expression of PNPLA3 and lipid metabolism-related genes in 55 morbidly obese subjects with normal liver histology (NL, n = 18, simple steatosis (SS, n = 20, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH, n = 17. Liver biopsies were collected during bariatric surgery. We observed that liver PNPLA3 expression was increased in NAFLD than in NL. It was also upregulated in SS than in NL. Interestingly, we found that the expression of PNPLA3 was significantly higher in severe than mild SS group. In addition, the expression of the transcription factors LXRα, PPARα, and SREBP2 was positively correlated with PNPLA3 liver expression. Regarding rs738409 polymorphism, GG genotype was positive correlated with the presence of NASH. In conclusion, our results show that PNPLA3 could be related to lipid accumulation in liver, mainly in the development and progression of simple steatosis.

PNPLA3 Expression Is Related to Liver Steatosis in Morbidly Obese Women with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Aragonès, Gemma; Auguet, Teresa; Armengol, Sandra; Berlanga, Alba; Guiu-Jurado, Esther; Aguilar, Carmen; Martínez, Salomé; Sabench, Fátima; Porras, José Antonio; Ruiz, Maikel Daniel; Hernández, Mercé; Sirvent, Joan Josep; Del Castillo, Daniel; Richart, Cristóbal

2016-04-27

Recent reports suggest a role for the Patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 3 (PNPLA3) in the pathology of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Lipid deposition in the liver seems to be a critical process in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the association between the liver PNPLA3 expression, key genes of lipid metabolism, and the presence of NAFLD in morbidly obese women. We used real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis to analyze the hepatic expression of PNPLA3 and lipid metabolism-related genes in 55 morbidly obese subjects with normal liver histology (NL, n = 18), simple steatosis (SS, n = 20), and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH, n = 17). Liver biopsies were collected during bariatric surgery. We observed that liver PNPLA3 expression was increased in NAFLD than in NL. It was also upregulated in SS than in NL. Interestingly, we found that the expression of PNPLA3 was significantly higher in severe than mild SS group. In addition, the expression of the transcription factors LXRα, PPARα, and SREBP2 was positively correlated with PNPLA3 liver expression. Regarding rs738409 polymorphism, GG genotype was positive correlated with the presence of NASH. In conclusion, our results show that PNPLA3 could be related to lipid accumulation in liver, mainly in the development and progression of simple steatosis.

Solitary Spinal Epidural Metastasis from Gastric Cancer

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Taisei Sako

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Solitary epidural space metastasis of a malignant tumor is rare. We encountered a 79-year-old male patient with solitary metastatic epidural tumor who developed paraplegia and dysuria. The patient had undergone total gastrectomy for gastric cancer followed by chemotherapy 8 months priorly. The whole body was examined for suspected metastatic spinal tumor, but no metastases of the spine or important organs were observed, and a solitary mass was present in the thoracic spinal epidural space. The mass was excised for diagnosis and treatment and was histopathologically diagnosed as metastasis from gastric cancer. No solitary metastatic epidural tumor from gastric cancer has been reported in English. Among the Japanese, 3 cases have been reported, in which the outcome was poor in all cases and no definite diagnosis could be made before surgery in any case. Our patient developed concomitant pneumonia after surgery and died shortly after the surgery. When a patient has a past medical history of malignant tumor, the possibility of a solitary metastatic tumor in the epidural space should be considered.

The cruel and unusual phenomenology of solitary confinement.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallagher, Shaun

2014-01-01

What happens when subjects are deprived of intersubjective contact? This paper looks closely at the phenomenology and psychology of one example of that deprivation: solitary confinement. It also puts the phenomenology and psychology of solitary confinement to use in the legal context. Not only is there no consensus on whether solitary confinement is a "cruel and unusual punishment," there is no consensus on the definition of the term "cruel" in the use of that legal phrase. I argue that we can find a moral consensus on the meaning of "cruelty" by looking specifically at the phenomenology and psychology of solitary confinement.

'Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease' bij kinderen : een nieuwe complicatie van obesitas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bocca, Gianni; Stolk, R.P.; Scheenstra, R.; Sauer, P.J.

2008-01-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) comprises a range of chronic liver diseases from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis and cirrhosis with liver failure. In children, NAFLD is mainly associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome, the results of an unhealthy lifestyle. Insulin resistance and

High prevalence of diarrhoegenic intestinal parasite infections among non-ART HIV patients in Fitche Hospital, Ethiopia.

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Haileeyesus Adamu

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: HIV infection has been modifying both the epidemiology and outcome of parasite infections. Hence, this study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium and other intestinal parasite infections among HIV positives with and without Antiretroviral Treatment(ART and its association with CD4+ T-cell count. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Fitche hospital focusing on HIV positives who came to hospital for follow-ups. A total of 378 HIV positive persons with and without ART participated in the study. Data on socio-demographic factors and diarrhoea status were obtained by interviewing all 214 with ART and 164 without ART. Stool samples were collected from all patients and examined for intestinal parasites using direct, formol-ether and modified acid-fast staining techniques. RESULTS: The prevalence of intestinal parasite infections in this study was significantly higher among HIV positive persons not on ART. Specifically, the rate of infection with Cryptosporidium species, Blastocystis spp., Giardia lamblia, and Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar were higher, particularly in those with CD4+ T-cell counts less than 200 cells/µL. Fifty seven percent of the study participants were on ART. Out of these 164/378 (43% of the non-ART study participants were infected with at least one intestinal parasite species. Significant association was observed between lower CD4+ T-cell count (<200 cells/µL and the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. and Blastocystis spp. The two parasites were significantly more prevalent in HIV positive non-ART patients. CONCLUSION: HIV infection increased the risk of having Cryptosporidium and other intestinal parasites and diarrhoea. Therefore, raising HIV positive's immune status and screening for intestinal parasites is important. This study showed that patients who are taking ART had a lower prevalence of diarrhoea causing parasites and Cryptosporidium suggesting that ART through

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: What the clinician needs to know

Science.gov (United States)

Machado, Mariana Verdelho; Cortez-Pinto, Helena

2014-01-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most frequent cause of liver disease in the Western world. Furthermore, it is increasing worldwide, paralleling the obesity pandemic. Though highly frequent, only about one fifth of affected subjects are at risk of developing the progressive form of the disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis with fibrosis. Even in the latter, liver disease is slowly progressive, though, since it is so prevalent, it is already the third cause of liver transplantation in the United States, and it is predicted to get to the top of the ranking in few years. Of relevance, fatty liver is also associated with increased overall mortality and particularly increased cardiovascular mortality. The literature and amount of published papers on NAFLD is increasing as fast as its prevalence, which makes it difficult to keep updated in this topic. This review aims to summarize the latest knowledge on NAFLD, in order to help clinicians understanding its pathogenesis and advances on diagnosis and treatment. PMID:25278691

Fully nonlinear ion-acoustic solitary waves in a plasma with positive-negative ions and nonthermal electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabry, R.; Shukla, P. K.; Moslem, W. M.

2009-01-01

Properties of fully nonlinear ion-acoustic solitary waves in a plasma with positive-negative ions and nonthermal electrons are investigated. For this purpose, the hydrodynamic equations for the positive-negative ions, nonthermal electron density distribution, and the Poisson equation are used to derive the energy integral equation with a new Sagdeev potential. The latter is analyzed to examine the existence regions of the solitary pulses. It is found that the solitary excitations strongly depend on the mass and density ratios of the positive and negative ions as well as the nonthermal electron parameter. Numerical solution of the energy integral equation clears that both positive and negative potentials exist together. It is found that faster solitary pulses are taller and narrower. Furthermore, increasing the electron nonthermality parameter (negative-to-positive ions density ratio) decreases (increases) the localized excitation amplitude but increases (decreases) the pulse width. The present model is used to investigate the solitary excitations in the (H + ,O 2 - ) and (H + ,H - ) plasmas, where they are presented in the D- and F-regions of the Earth's ionosphere. This investigation should be helpful in understanding the salient features of the fully nonlinear ion-acoustic solitary waves in space and in laboratory plasmas where two distinct groups of ions and non-Boltzmann distributed electrons are present.

Oocyte size, egg index, and body lipid content in relation to body size in the solitary bee Megachile rotundata

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Kevin M. O’Neill

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Females of solitary, nest-provisioning bees have relatively low fecundity, but produce large eggs as part of their overall strategy of investing substantially in each offspring. In intraspecific comparisons of several species of solitary, nest-provisioning bees and wasps, the size of the mature eggs produced increases with female body size. We further examined oocyte size–body size correlations in the solitary bee Megachile rotundata (F., an important crop pollinator. We hypothesized that larger females carry larger basal oocytes (i.e., those next in line to be oviposited but that body size–oocyte size correlations would be absent soon after emergence, before their first eggs fully matured. Because egg production is likely affected by the quantity of stored lipids carried over from the bees’ immature stages, we also tested the hypothesis that female body size is correlated with the body lipid content at adult emergence, the time during which oocyte growth accelerates. We found significant correlations of body size with oocyte size variables chosen to reflect: (1 the magnitude of the investment in the next egg to be laid (i.e., the length and volume of the basal oocyte and (2 the longer term potential to produce mature oocytes (i.e., the summed lengths and volumes of the three largest oocytes in each female. Positive correlations existed throughout the nesting season, even during the first week following adult emergence. The ability to produce and carry larger oocytes may be linked to larger females starting the nesting season with greater lipid stores (which we document here or to greater space within the abdomen of larger females. Compared to other species of solitary bees, M. rotundata appears to have (1 smaller oocytes than solitary nest-provisioning bees in general, (2 comparable oocyte sizes relative to congeners, and (3 larger oocytes than related brood parasitic megachilids.

Oocyte size, egg index, and body lipid content in relation to body size in the solitary bee Megachile rotundata.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Neill, Kevin M; Delphia, Casey M; O'Neill, Ruth P

2014-01-01

Females of solitary, nest-provisioning bees have relatively low fecundity, but produce large eggs as part of their overall strategy of investing substantially in each offspring. In intraspecific comparisons of several species of solitary, nest-provisioning bees and wasps, the size of the mature eggs produced increases with female body size. We further examined oocyte size-body size correlations in the solitary bee Megachile rotundata (F.), an important crop pollinator. We hypothesized that larger females carry larger basal oocytes (i.e., those next in line to be oviposited) but that body size-oocyte size correlations would be absent soon after emergence, before their first eggs fully matured. Because egg production is likely affected by the quantity of stored lipids carried over from the bees' immature stages, we also tested the hypothesis that female body size is correlated with the body lipid content at adult emergence, the time during which oocyte growth accelerates. We found significant correlations of body size with oocyte size variables chosen to reflect: (1) the magnitude of the investment in the next egg to be laid (i.e., the length and volume of the basal oocyte) and (2) the longer term potential to produce mature oocytes (i.e., the summed lengths and volumes of the three largest oocytes in each female). Positive correlations existed throughout the nesting season, even during the first week following adult emergence. The ability to produce and carry larger oocytes may be linked to larger females starting the nesting season with greater lipid stores (which we document here) or to greater space within the abdomen of larger females. Compared to other species of solitary bees, M. rotundata appears to have (1) smaller oocytes than solitary nest-provisioning bees in general, (2) comparable oocyte sizes relative to congeners, and (3) larger oocytes than related brood parasitic megachilids.

FT-IR imaging for quantitative determination of liver fat content in non-alcoholic fatty liver.

Science.gov (United States)

Kochan, K; Maslak, E; Chlopicki, S; Baranska, M

2015-08-07

In this work we apply FT-IR imaging of large areas of liver tissue cross-section samples (∼5 cm × 5 cm) for quantitative assessment of steatosis in murine model of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver (NAFLD). We quantified the area of liver tissue occupied by lipid droplets (LDs) by FT-IR imaging and Oil Red O (ORO) staining for comparison. Two alternative FT-IR based approaches are presented. The first, straightforward method, was based on average spectra from tissues and provided values of the fat content by using a PLS regression model and the reference method. The second one – the chemometric-based method – enabled us to determine the values of the fat content, independently of the reference method by means of k-means cluster (KMC) analysis. In summary, FT-IR images of large size liver sections may prove to be useful for quantifying liver steatosis without the need of tissue staining.

Signalling in malaria parasites – The MALSIG consortium#

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doerig C.

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Depending on their developmental stage in the life cycle, malaria parasites develop within or outside host cells, and in extremely diverse contexts such as the vertebrate liver and blood circulation, or the insect midgut and hemocoel. Cellular and molecular mechanisms enabling the parasite to sense and respond to the intra- and the extra-cellular environments are therefore key elements for the proliferation and transmission of Plasmodium, and therefore are, from a public health perspective, strategic targets in the fight against this deadly disease. The MALSIG consortium, which was initiated in February 2009, was designed with the primary objective to integrate research ongoing in Europe and India on i the properties of Plasmodium signalling molecules, and ii developmental processes occurring at various points of the parasite life cycle. On one hand, functional studies of individual genes and their products in Plasmodium falciparum (and in the technically more manageable rodent model Plasmodium berghei are providing information on parasite protein kinases and phosphatases, and of the molecules governing cyclic nucleotide metabolism and calcium signalling. On the other hand, cellular and molecular studies are elucidating key steps of parasite development such as merozoite invasion and egress in blood and liver parasite stages, control of DNA replication in asexual and sexual development, membrane dynamics and trafficking, production of gametocytes in the vertebrate host and further parasite development in the mosquito. This article, which synthetically reviews such signalling molecules and cellular processes, aims to provide a glimpse of the global frame in which the activities of the MALSIG consortium will develop over the next three years.

Primary lymphoma of the liver - A complex diagnosis

Science.gov (United States)

Steller, Ernst JA; van Leeuwen, Maarten S; van Hillegersberg, Richard; Schipper, Marguerite EI; Rinkes, Inne HM Borel; Molenaar, Izaak Q

2012-01-01

A 59-year-old woman presented with the clinical symptoms and radiologic investigations of a liver lesion suspect of metastasis. However, postoperative histopathology revealed a primary hepatic lymphoma (PHL). The case of a patient with a solitary PHL, which was treated by resection and subsequent chemotherapy, will be discussed with a short overview of the literature. PMID:22423319

The frequency of carcinoma in solitary thyroid nodules and in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Muhimbili Medical Centre, Dar es Salaam was made to determine the frequency of malignancy in patients with solitary non-toxic thyroid nodule (STN) and in those with multinodular goitre (MNG). There were 60 cases of STN and. 178 with MNG. Nodular goitre was found to be predominantly a disease of females with sex.

The cruel and unusual phenomenology of solitary confinement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shaun eGallagher

2014-06-01

Full Text Available What happens when subjects are deprived of intersubjective contact? This paper looks closely at the phenomenology and psychology of one example of that deprivation: solitary confinement. It also puts the phenomenology and psychology of solitary confinement to use in the legal context. Not only is there no consensus on whether solitary confinement is a cruel and unusual punishment, there is no consensus on the definition of the term ‘cruel’ in the use of that legal phrase. I argue that we can find a moral consensus on the meaning of ‘cruelty’ by looking specifically at the phenomenology and psychology of solitary confinement.

Solitary Fibrous Tumor Arising from Stomach: CT Findings

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Sung Hee; Kwon, Jieun; Park, Jong-pil; Park, Mi-Suk; Lim, Joon Seok; Kim, Joo Hee; Kim, Ki Whang

2007-01-01

Solitary fibrous tumors are spindle-cell neoplasms that usually develop in the pleura and peritoneum, and rarely arise in the stomach. To our knowledge, there is only one case reporting a solitary fibrous tumor arising from stomach in the English literature. Here we report the case of a 26-year-old man with a large solitary fibrous tumor arising from the stomach which involved the submucosa and muscular layer and resembled a gastrointestinal stromal tumor in the stomach, based on what was seen during abdominal computed tomography. A solitary fibrous tumor arising from the stomach, although rare, could be considered as a diagnostic possibility for gastric submucosal tumors. PMID:18159603

The biology of Meteorus gyrator (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a solitary endoparasitoid of the tomato moth, Lacanobia oleracea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, H A; Marris, G C; Bell, J; Edwards, J P

2000-08-01

There is a need to identify potential biological control agents for use against lepidopterous pests in greenhouses. The solitary endoparasitoid Meteorus gyrator (Thunberg) attacks a range of macrolepidopterous larvae, including those of some important horticultural pest species. Laboratory trials designed to investigate the biology of M. gyrator on larvae of the tomato moth, Lacanobia oleracea Linnaeus, reveal that this parasitoid is capable of parasitizing all larval stages of its host, third instars being parasitized most frequently. Each female parasitoid lives for up to 40 days (at 25 degrees C), ovipositing into an average of 78 hosts. Preadult development is rapid ( approximately 2 weeks), and the sex ratio of offspring is 1:1. Parasitism by M. gyrator suppresses the growth of both early and late host instars, and there is a concomitant reduction in the amount of food consumed (overall feeding reduction over a 12 day period is 68%). Our results indicate that inoculative releases of M. gyrator could provide effective biological control of L. oleracea and other noctuid pests of greenhouses.

Impact induced solitary wave propagation through a woodpile structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kore, R; Waychal, A; Yadav, P; Shelke, A; Agarwal, S; Sahoo, N; Uddin, Ahsan

2016-01-01

In this paper, we investigate solitary wave propagation through a one-dimensional woodpile structure excited by low and high velocity impact. Woodpile structures are a sub-class of granular metamaterial, which supports propagation of nonlinear waves. Hertz contact law governs the behavior of the solitary wave propagation through the granular media. Towards an experimental study, a woodpile structure was fabricated by orthogonally stacking cylindrical rods. A shock tube facility has been developed to launch an impactor on the woodpile structure at a velocity of 30 m s −1 . Embedded granular chain sensors were fabricated to study the behavior of the solitary wave. The impact induced stress wave is studied to investigate solitary wave parameters, i.e. contact force, contact time, and solitary wave velocity. With the aid of the experimental setup, numerical simulations, and a theoretical solution based on the long wavelength approximation, formation of the solitary wave in the woodpile structure is validated to a reasonable degree of accuracy. The nondispersive and compact supported solitary waves traveling at sonic wave velocity offer unique properties that could be leveraged for application in nondestructive testing and structural health monitoring. (paper)

The pediatric NAFLD fibrosis index: a predictor of liver fibrosis in children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

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Pietrobattista Andrea

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Liver fibrosis is a stage of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD which is responsible for liver-related morbidity and mortality in adults. Accordingly, the search for non-invasive markers of liver fibrosis has been the subject of intensive efforts in adults with NAFLD. Here, we developed a simple algorithm for the prediction of liver fibrosis in children with NAFLD followed at a tertiary care center. Methods The study included 136 male and 67 female children with NAFLD aged 3.3 to 18.0 years; 141 (69% of them had fibrosis at liver biopsy. On the basis of biological plausibility, readily availability and evidence from adult studies, we evaluated the following potential predictors of liver fibrosis at bootstrapped stepwise logistic regression: gender, age, body mass index, waist circumference, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, gamma-glutamyl-transferase, albumin, prothrombin time, glucose, insulin, triglycerides and cholesterol. A final model was developed using bootstrapped logistic regression with bias-correction. We used this model to develop the 'pediatric NAFLD fibrosis index' (PNFI, which varies between 0 and 10. Results The final model was based on age, waist circumference and triglycerides and had a area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.85 (95% bootstrapped confidence interval (CI with bias correction 0.80 to 0.90 for the prediction of liver fibrosis. A PNFI ≥ 9 (positive likelihood ratio = 28.6, 95% CI 4.0 to 201.0; positive predictive value = 98.5, 95% CI 91.8 to 100.0 could be used to rule in liver fibrosis without performing liver biopsy. Conclusion PNFI may help clinicians to predict liver fibrosis in children with NAFLD, but external validation is needed before it can be employed for this purpose.

Assessment of non-invasive models for liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B virus related liver disease patients in resource limited settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Shrivastava, Rakesh; Sen, Sourav; Banerji, Debabrata; Praharaj, Ashok K; Chopra, Gurvinder Singh; Gill, Satyajit Singh

2013-01-01

A total of 350 million individuals are affected by chronic hepatitis B virus infection world-wide. Historically, liver biopsy has been instrumental in adequately assessing patients with chronic liver disease. A number of non-invasive models have been studied world-wide. The aim of this study is to assess the utility of non-invasive mathematical models of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Indian patients in a resource limited setting using routinely performed non-invasive laboratory investigations. A cross-sectional study carried out at a tertiary care center. A total of 52 consecutive chronic liver disease patients who underwent percutaneous liver biopsy and 25 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Routine laboratory investigations included serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Gama glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), total bilirubin, total cholesterol, prothrombin time and platelet count. Three non-invasive models for namely aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI), Fibrosis 4 (FIB-4) and Forn's index were calculated. Outcomes were compared for the assessment of best predictor of fibrosis by calculating the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of each index. Medcalc online software and by Microsoft Excel Worksheet. Chi-square test was used for significance. P value value of all 3 indices were significantly higher in patients group as compare with the controls (P model for excluding significant liver fibrosis while FIB-4 with a PPV of 61% showed fair correlation with significant fibrosis. Thus, these two non-invasive models for predicting of liver fibrosis, namely APRI and FIB-4, can be utilized in combination as screening tools in monitoring of CHB patients, especially in resource limiting settings.

Completion of hepatitis C virus replication cycle in heterokaryons excludes dominant restrictions in human non-liver and mouse liver cell lines.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne Frentzen

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Hepatitis C virus (HCV is hepatotropic and only infects humans and chimpanzees. Consequently, an immunocompetent small animal model is lacking. The restricted tropism of HCV likely reflects specific host factor requirements. We investigated if dominant restriction factors expressed in non-liver or non-human cell lines inhibit HCV propagation thus rendering these cells non-permissive. To this end we explored if HCV completes its replication cycle in heterokaryons between human liver cell lines and non-permissive cell lines from human non-liver or mouse liver origin. Despite functional viral pattern recognition pathways and responsiveness to interferon, virus production was observed in all fused cells and was only ablated when cells were treated with exogenous interferon. These results exclude that constitutive or virus-induced expression of dominant restriction factors prevents propagation of HCV in these cell types, which has important implications for HCV tissue and species tropism. In turn, these data strongly advocate transgenic approaches of crucial human HCV cofactors to establish an immunocompetent small animal model.

Ambipolarons: Solitary wave solutions for the radial electric field in a plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hastings, D.E.; Hazeltine, R.D.; Morrison, P.J.

1986-01-01

The ambipolar radial electric field in a nonaxisymmetric plasma can be described by a nonlinear diffusion equation. This equation is shown to possess solitary wave solutions. A model nonlinear diffusion equation with a cubic nonlinearity is studied. An explicit analytic step-like form for the solitary wave is found. It is shown that the solitary wave solutions are linearly stable against all but translational perturbations. Collisions of these solitary waves are studied and three possible final states are found: two diverging solitary waves, two stationary solitary waves, or two converging solitary waves leading to annihilation

Interaction for solitary waves in coasting charged particle beams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Shi-Wei; Hong, Xue-Ren; Shi, Yu-Ren; Duan, Wen-shan, E-mail: duanws@nwnu.edu.cn [College of Physics and Electronic Engineering and Joint Laboratory of Atomic an Molecular Physics of NWNU and IMPCAS, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070 (China); Qi, Xin; Yang, Lei, E-mail: lyang@impcas.ac.cn [Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Han, Jiu-Ning [College of Physics and Electromechanical Engineering, Hexi University, Zhangye 734000 (China)

2014-03-15

By using the extended Poincare-Lighthill-Kuo perturbation method, the collision of solitary waves in a coasting charged particle beams is studied. The results show that the system admits a solution with two solitary waves, which move in opposite directions and can be described by two Korteweg-deVries equation in small-amplitude limit. The collision of two solitary waves is elastic, and after the interaction they preserve their original properties. Then the weak phase shift in traveling direction of collision between two solitary waves is derived explicitly.

Non-viral causes of liver cancer: does obesity led inflammation play a role?

Science.gov (United States)

Alzahrani, Badr; Iseli, Tristan J; Hebbard, Lionel W

2014-04-10

Liver cancer is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the third most common cause of cancer mortality. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for around 90% of primary liver cancers. Chronic infection with hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses are two of most common causes of liver cancer. However, there are non-viral factors that are associated with liver cancer development. Numerous population studies have revealed strong links between obesity and the development of liver cancer. Obesity can alter hepatic pathology, metabolism and promote inflammation, leading to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the progression to the more severe form, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH is characterised by prominent steatosis and inflammation, and can lead to HCC. Here, we discuss the role of obesity in inflammation and the principal signalling mechanisms involved in HCC formation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular pathways in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Berlanga A

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Alba Berlanga,1,* Esther Guiu-Jurado,1,* José Antonio Porras,1,2 Teresa Auguet1,21Group GEMMAIR (AGAUR and Applied Medicine Research Group, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV, IISPV, Hospital Universitari Joan XXIII, Tarragona, Spain; 2Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitari Joan XXIII Tarragona, Tarragona, Spain *These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD is a clinicopathological change characterized by the accumulation of triglycerides in hepatocytes and has frequently been associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and insulin resistance. It is an increasingly recognized condition that has become the most common liver disorder in developed countries, affecting over one-third of the population and is associated with increased cardiovascular- and liver-related mortality. NAFLD is a spectrum of disorders, beginning as simple steatosis. In about 15% of all NAFLD cases, simple steatosis can evolve into non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, a medley of inflammation, hepatocellular injury, and fibrosis, often resulting in cirrhosis and even hepatocellular cancer. However, the molecular mechanism underlying NAFLD progression is not completely understood. Its pathogenesis has often been interpreted by the "double-hit" hypothesis. The primary insult or the "first hit" includes lipid accumulation in the liver, followed by a "second hit" in which proinflammatory mediators induce inflammation, hepatocellular injury, and fibrosis. Nowadays, a more complex model suggests that fatty acids (FAs and their metabolites may be the true lipotoxic agents that contribute to NAFLD progression; a multiple parallel hits hypothesis has also been suggested. In NAFLD patients, insulin resistance leads to hepatic steatosis via multiple mechanisms. Despite the excess hepatic accumulation of FAs in NAFLD, it has been described that not only de novo FA

Solitary Wave Interactions in Granular Media

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

WEN Zhen-Ying; WANG Shun-Jin; ZHANG Xiu-Ming; LI Lei

2007-01-01

We numerically study the interactions of solitary waves in granular media, by considering a chain of beads, which repel upon contact via the Hertz-type potential, V ∝δn, with 5/2 ≤n≤3 and δ≥0,δbeing the bead-bead overlap. There are two collision types of solitary waves, overtaking collision and head-on collision, in the chain of beads. Our quantitative results show that after collision the large solitary wave gains energy and the small one loses energy for overtaking type while the large one loses energy, and the small one gains energy for head-on type. The scattering effects decrease with n for overtaking collision whereas increase with n for head-on collision.

A solitary bronchial papilloma with unusual endoscopic presentation: case study and literature review

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Frejeville Marie

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Solitary endobronchial papillomas (SEP are rare tumors and most of them are described by case report. A misdiagnosis is common with viral related papillomas. A histopathological classification has recently permitted a major advancement in the understanding of the disease. Case Presentation We report a case of a mixed bronchial papilloma with an unusual endoscopic presentation. The literature was extensively reviewed to ascertain the unusual characteristics of the current case. A 39-year of age male was referred to our institution for the investigation of a slight hemoptysis. Routine examination was normal. A fibroscopy revealed an unusual feature of the right main bronchus. The lesion was a plane, non-bleeding, non-glistering sub-mucosal proliferation. No enhanced coloration was noticed. Biopsies revealed a mixed solitary bronchial papilloma. In situ HPV hybridization was negative. Endoscopic treatment (electrocautery was effective with no relapse. Conclusion This lesion contrasts with the data of the literature where papilloma were described as wart-like lesions or cauliflower tumors, with symptoms generally related to bronchial obstruction. We advise chest physicians to be cautious with unusually small swollen lesions of the bronchi that may reveal a solitary bronchial papilloma. Endoscopic imaging can significantly contribute to the difficult diagnosis of SEP by pulmonary physicians and endoscopists.

Pathogenesis of hepatic steatosis: the link between hypercortisolism and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Tarantino, Giovanni; Finelli, Carmine

2013-10-28

Based on the available literature, non alcoholic fatty liver disease or generally speaking, hepatic steatosis, is more frequent among people with diabetes and obesity, and is almost universally present amongst morbidly obese diabetic patients. Non alcoholic fatty liver disease is being increasingly recognized as a common liver condition in the developed world, with non alcoholic steatohepatitis projected to be the leading cause of liver transplantation. Previous data report that only 20% of patients with Cushing's syndrome have hepatic steatosis. Aiming at clarifying the reasons whereby patients suffering from Cushing's syndrome - a condition characterized by profound metabolic changes - present low prevalence of hepatic steatosis, the Authors reviewed the current concepts on the link between hypercortisolism and obesity/metabolic syndrome. They hypothesize that this low prevalence of fat accumulation in the liver of patients with Cushing's syndrome could result from the inhibition of the so-called low-grade chronic-inflammation, mainly mediated by Interleukin 6, due to an excess of cortisol, a hormone characterized by an anti-inflammatory effect. The Cushing's syndrome, speculatively considered as an in vivo model of the hepatic steatosis, could also help clarify the mechanisms of non alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Clinical value of MRI liver-specific contrast agents: a tailored examination for a confident non-invasive diagnosis of focal liver lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ba-Ssalamah, Ahmed; Uffmann, Martin; Bastati, Nina; Herold, Christian; Schima, Wolfgang; Saini, Sanjai

2009-01-01

Screening of the liver for hepatic lesion detection and characterization is usually performed with either ultrasound or CT. However, both techniques are suboptimal for liver lesion characterization and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has emerged as the preferred radiological investigation. In addition to unenhanced MR imaging techniques, contrast-enhanced MR imaging can demonstrate tissue-specific physiological information, thereby facilitating liver lesion characterization. Currently, the classes of contrast agents available for MR imaging of the liver include non-tissue-specific extracellular gadolinium chelates and tissue-specific hepatobiliary or reticuloendothelial agents. In this review, we describe the MR features of the more common focal hepatic lesions, as well as appropriate imaging protocols. A special emphasis is placed on the clinical use of non-specific and liver-specific contrast agents for differentiation of focal liver lesions. This may aid in the accurate diagnostic workup of patients in order to avoid invasive procedures, such as biopsy, for lesion characterization. A diagnostic strategy that considers the clinical situation is also presented. (orig.)

New insights in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gaemers, Ingrid C.; Groen, Albert K.

2006-01-01

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The hallmark of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is hepatic steatosis. This is mostly a benign condition, but for largely unknown reasons it progresses to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and ultimately hepatocellular carcinoma in about 10% of patients. In this review we discuss recent

Ancient Human Parasites in Ethnic Chinese Populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, Hui-Yuan; Mitchell, Piers D

2016-10-01

Whilst archaeological evidence for many aspects of life in ancient China is well studied, there has been much less interest in ancient infectious diseases, such as intestinal parasites in past Chinese populations. Here, we bring together evidence from mummies, ancient latrines, and pelvic soil from burials, dating from the Neolithic Period to the Qing Dynasty, in order to better understand the health of the past inhabitants of China and the diseases endemic in the region. Seven species of intestinal parasite have been identified, namely roundworm, whipworm, Chinese liver fluke, oriental schistosome, pinworm, Taenia sp. tapeworm, and the intestinal fluke Fasciolopsis buski . It was found that in the past, roundworm, whipworm, and Chinese liver fluke appear to have been much more common than the other species. While roundworm and whipworm remained common into the late 20th century, Chinese liver fluke seems to have undergone a marked decline in its prevalence over time. The iconic transport route known as the Silk Road has been shown to have acted as a vector for the transmission of ancient diseases, highlighted by the discovery of Chinese liver fluke in a 2,000 year-old relay station in northwest China, 1,500 km outside its endemic range.

Solitary pulmonary nodule

Science.gov (United States)

... Adenocarcinoma - chest x-ray Pulmonary nodule - front view chest x-ray Pulmonary nodule, solitary - CT scan Respiratory system References Gotway MB, Panse PM, Gruden JF, Elicker BM. Thoracic radiology: noninvasive diagnostic imaging. In: Broaddus VC, Mason RJ, ...

Coffee Intake Is Associated with a Lower Liver Stiffness in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Hepatitis C, and Hepatitis B.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodge, Alexander; Lim, Sarah; Goh, Evan; Wong, Ophelia; Marsh, Philip; Knight, Virginia; Sievert, William; de Courten, Barbora

2017-01-10

There is emerging evidence for the positive effects or benefits of coffee in patients with liver disease. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study on patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection to determine the effects of coffee intake on a non-invasive marker of liver fibrosis: liver stiffness assessed by transient elastography (TE). We assessed coffee and tea intake and measured TE in 1018 patients with NAFLD, HCV, and HBV (155 with NAFLD, 378 with HCV and 485 with HBV). Univariate and multivariate regression models were performed taking into account potential confounders. Liver stiffness was higher in males compared to females ( p disease state (NAFLD, HCV, and HBV status), those who drank 2 or more cups of coffee per day had a lower liver stiffness ( p = 0.044). Tea consumption had no effect ( p = 0.9). Coffee consumption decreases liver stiffness, which may indicate less fibrosis and inflammation, independent of disease state. This study adds further evidence to the notion of coffee maybe beneficial in patients with liver disease.

Nonlinear Wave Propagation and Solitary Wave Formation in Two-Dimensional Heterogeneous Media

KAUST Repository

Luna, Manuel

2011-05-01

Solitary wave formation is a well studied nonlinear phenomenon arising in propagation of dispersive nonlinear waves under suitable conditions. In non-homogeneous materials, dispersion may happen due to effective reflections between the material interfaces. This dispersion has been used along with nonlinearities to find solitary wave formation using the one-dimensional p-system. These solitary waves are called stegotons. The main goal in this work is to find two-dimensional stegoton formation. To do so we consider the nonlinear two-dimensional p-system with variable coefficients and solve it using finite volume methods. The second goal is to obtain effective equations that describe the macroscopic behavior of the variable coefficient system by a constant coefficient one. This is done through a homogenization process based on multiple-scale asymptotic expansions. We compare the solution of the effective equations with the finite volume results and find a good agreement. Finally, we study some stability properties of the homogenized equations and find they and one-dimensional versions of them are unstable in general.

Analytical study of dissipative solitary waves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dini, Fatemeh [Department of Physics, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Emamzadeh, Mehdi Molaie [Department of Physics, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Khorasani, Sina [School of Electrical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, PO Box 11365-363, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Bobin, Jean Louis [Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris (France); Amrollahi, Reza [Department of Physics, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sodagar, Majid [School of Electrical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, PO Box 11365-363, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Khoshnegar, Milad [School of Electrical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, PO Box 11365-363, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2008-02-15

In this paper, the analytical solution to a new class of nonlinear solitons is presented with cubic nonlinearity, subject to a dissipation term arising as a result of a first-order derivative with respect to time, in the weakly nonlinear regime. Exact solutions are found using the combination of the perturbation and Green's function methods up to the third order. We present an example and discuss the asymptotic behavior of the Green's function. The dissipative solitary equation is also studied in the phase space in the non-dissipative and dissipative forms. Bounded and unbounded solutions of this equation are characterized, yielding an energy conversation law for non-dissipative waves. Applications of the model include weakly nonlinear solutions of terahertz Josephson plasma waves in layered superconductors and ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability.

The cruel and unusual phenomenology of solitary confinement

OpenAIRE

Shaun eGallagher; Shaun eGallagher; Shaun eGallagher

2014-01-01

What happens when subjects are deprived of intersubjective contact? This paper looks closely at the phenomenology and psychology of one example of that deprivation: solitary confinement. It also puts the phenomenology and psychology of solitary confinement to use in the legal context. Not only is there no consensus on whether solitary confinement is a cruel and unusual punishment, there is no consensus on the definition of the term ‘cruel’ in the use of that legal phrase. I argue that we ...

Solitary Fibrous Tumor Arising from Stomach: CT Findings

OpenAIRE

Park, Sung Hee; Kim, Myeong-Jin; Kwon, Jieun; Park, Jong-pil; Park, Mi-Suk; Lim, Joon Seok; Kim, Joo Hee; Kim, Ki Whang

2007-01-01

Solitary fibrous tumors are spindle-cell neoplasms that usually develop in the pleura and peritoneum, and rarely arise in the stomach. To our knowledge, there is only one case reporting a solitary fibrous tumor arising from stomach in the English literature. Here we report the case of a 26-year-old man with a large solitary fibrous tumor arising from the stomach which involved the submucosa and muscular layer and resembled a gastrointestinal stromal tumor in the stomach, based on what was see...

Fate of Entamoeba histolytica during establishment of amoebic liver abscess analyzed by quantitative radioimaging and histology.

Science.gov (United States)

Rigothier, Marie-Christine; Khun, Hout; Tavares, Paulo; Cardona, Ana; Huerre, Michel; Guillén, Nancy

2002-06-01

The protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica is the causative agent of amoebiasis, a human disease characterized by dysentery and liver abscess. The physiopathology of hepatic lesions can be satisfactorily reproduced in the hamster animal model by the administration of trophozoites through the portal vein route. Hamsters were infected with radioactively labeled amoebas for analysis of liver abscess establishment and progression. The radioimaging of material from parasite origin and quantification of the number inflammation foci, with or without amoebas, described here provides the first detailed assessment of trophozoite survival and death during liver infection by E. histolytica. The massive death of trophozoites observed in the first hours postinfection correlates with the presence of a majority of inflammatory foci without parasites. A critical point for success of infection is reached after 12 h when the lowest number of trophozoites is observed. The process then enters a commitment phase during which parasites multiply and the size of the infection foci increases fast. The liver shows extensive areas of dead hepatocytes that are surrounded by a peripheral layer of parasites facing inflammatory cells leading to acute inflammation. Our results show that the host response promotes massive parasite death but also suggest also that this is a major contributor to the establishment of inflammation during development of liver abscess.

Reversal of Liver Fibrosis in Chronic Murine Schistosomiasis ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In schistosomiasis, healing of parasite egg- induced liver ... greater in liver than in other tissues. It has been reported that ..... biology, diseases, and potentials for therapy. Annul Rev Biochem ... regeneration in cirrhotic rats. J Hepatol, 2002;.

Levels of metals in kidney, liver and muscle tissue and their relation to the occurrence of parasites in the red fox in the Lower Silesian Forest in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Binkowski, Łukasz J; Merta, Dorota; Przystupińska, Anna; Sołtysiak, Zenon; Pacoń, Jarosław; Stawarz, Robert

2016-04-01

Together with the occurrence of parasites, increased concentrations of xenobiotics, to which scavengers are greatly exposed, may significantly influence the physiology of red foxes. It is also suspected that these two factors interact. The accumulation of various metals (Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Ni, Pb, Zn) in kidney, liver and muscle tissue was investigated, as well as the occurrence of parasites, and the potential link to the presence of metals. Generally speaking, neither sex nor age influenced these concentrations. K, Mg and Fe were found in the highest concentrations and Hg was found in the lowest. Various relationships between the concentrations of metals were observed in the tissues. 34% of the specimens studied were hosts to parasites. No clear, significant connection between the concentrations and the occurrence of parasites was noted, but the discernible trend confirmed by the logistic regression, needs further study. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vlasov Simulation of Electrostatic Solitary Structures in Multi-Component Plasmas

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Umeda, Takayuki; Ashour-Abdalla, Maha; Pickett, Jolene S.; Goldstein, Melvyn L.

2012-01-01

Electrostatic solitary structures have been observed in the Earth's magnetosheath by the Cluster spacecraft. Recent theoretical work has suggested that these solitary structures are modeled by electron acoustic solitary waves existing in a four-component plasma system consisting of core electrons, two counter-streaming electron beams, and one species of background ions. In this paper, the excitation of electron acoustic waves and the formation of solitary structures are studied by means of a one-dimensional electrostatic Vlasov simulation. The present result first shows that either electron acoustic solitary waves with negative potential or electron phase-space holes with positive potential are excited in four-component plasma systems. However, these electrostatic solitary structures have longer duration times and higher wave amplitudes than the solitary structures observed in the magnetosheath. The result indicates that a high-speed and small free energy source may be needed as a fifth component. An additional simulation of a five-component plasma consisting of a stable four-component plasma and a weak electron beam shows the generation of small and fast electron phase-space holes by the bump-on-tail instability. The physical properties of the small and fast electron phase-space holes are very similar to those obtained by the previous theoretical analysis. The amplitude and duration time of solitary structures in the simulation are also in agreement with the Cluster observation.

Non-invasive separation of alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver disease with predictive modeling.

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Jan-Peter Sowa

Full Text Available BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Currently, a major clinical challenge is to distinguish between chronic liver disease caused by metabolic syndrome (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, NAFLD from that caused by long term or excessive alcohol consumption (ALD. The etiology of severe liver disease affects treatment options and priorities for liver transplantation and organ allocation. Thus we compared physiologically similar NAFLD and ALD patients to detect biochemical differences for improved separation of these mechanistically overlapping etiologies. METHODS: In a cohort of 31 NAFLD patients with BMI below 30 and a cohort of ALD patient with (ALDC n = 51 or without cirrhosis (ALDNC n = 51 serum transaminases, cell death markers and (adipo-cytokines were assessed. Groups were compared with One-way ANOVA and Tukey's correction. Predictive models were built by machine learning techniques. RESULTS: NAFLD, ALDNC or ALDC patients did not differ in demographic parameters. The ratio of alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase--common serum parameters for liver damage--was significantly higher in the NAFLD group compared to both ALD groups (each p<0.0001. Adiponectin and tumor necrosis factor(TNF-alpha were significantly lower in NAFLD than in ALDNC (p<0.05 or ALDC patients (p<0.0001. Significantly higher serum concentrations of cell death markers, hyaluronic acid, adiponectin, and TNF-alpha (each p<0.0001 were found in ALDC compared to ALDNC. Using machine learning techniques we were able to discern NAFLD and ALDNC (up to an AUC of 0.9118±0.0056 or ALDC and ALDNC (up to an AUC of 0.9846±0.0018, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Machine learning techniques relying on ALT/AST ratio, adipokines and cytokines distinguish NAFLD and ALD. In addition, severity of ALD may be non-invasively diagnosed via serum cytokine concentrations.

A transgenic Plasmodium falciparum NF54 strain that expresses GFP-luciferase throughout the parasite life cycle.

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Vaughan, Ashley M; Mikolajczak, Sebastian A; Camargo, Nelly; Lakshmanan, Viswanathan; Kennedy, Mark; Lindner, Scott E; Miller, Jessica L; Hume, Jen C C; Kappe, Stefan H I

2012-12-01

Plasmodium falciparum is the pathogenic agent of the most lethal of human malarias. Transgenic P. falciparum parasites expressing luciferase have been created to study drug interventions of both asexual and sexual blood stages but luciferase-expressing mosquito stage and liver stage parasites have not been created which has prevented the easy quantification of mosquito stage development (e.g. for transmission blocking interventions) and liver stage development (for interventions that prevent infection). To overcome this obstacle, we have created a transgenic P. falciparum NF54 parasite that expresses a GFP-luciferase transgene throughout the life cycle. Luciferase expression is robust and measurable at all life cycle stages, including midgut oocyst, salivary gland sporozoites and liver stages, where in vivo development is easily measurable using humanized mouse infections in conjunction with an in vivo imaging system. This parasite reporter strain will accelerate testing of interventions against pre-erythrocytic life cycle stages. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The cruel and unusual phenomenology of solitary confinement

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Gallagher, Shaun

2014-01-01

What happens when subjects are deprived of intersubjective contact? This paper looks closely at the phenomenology and psychology of one example of that deprivation: solitary confinement. It also puts the phenomenology and psychology of solitary confinement to use in the legal context. Not only is there no consensus on whether solitary confinement is a “cruel and unusual punishment,” there is no consensus on the definition of the term “cruel” in the use of that legal phrase. I argue that we ca...

Focal masses in a non-cirrhotic liver: The additional benefit of CEUS over baseline imaging

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Chiorean, L., E-mail: lilichiorean@yahoo.com [Sino-German Research Center of Ultrasound in Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University (China); Med. Klinik 2, Caritas Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim, Uhlandstr. 7, D-97980 Bad Mergentheim (Germany); Département d’imagerie médicale, Clinique des Cévennes, 07100 Annonay (France); Cantisani, V., E-mail: vito.cantisani@uniroma1.it [Dipartimento di Scienze Radiologiche, Oncologiche, Anatomo-patologiche, Policlinico Umberto I, Univ. Sapienza, Roma (Italy); Jenssen, C., E-mail: C.Jenssen@khmol.de [Innere Medizin, Krankenhaus Märkisch Oderland, Prötzeler Chaussee 5, 15433 Strausberg (Germany); Sidhu, P.S., E-mail: paulsidhu@nhs.net [Department of Radiology, King' s College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 9RS, England (United Kingdom); Baum, U., E-mail: Ulrich.Baum@ckbm.de [Department of Radiology, Caritas Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim, Uhlandstr. 7, D-97980 Bad Mergentheim (Germany); Dietrich, C.F., E-mail: christoph.dietrich@ckbm.de [Sino-German Research Center of Ultrasound in Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University (China); Med. Klinik 2, Caritas Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim, Uhlandstr. 7, D-97980 Bad Mergentheim (Germany)

2015-09-15

Highlights: • Contrast-enhanced ultrasound in detection of focal liver lesions. • Contrast-enhanced ultrasound in characterization of focal liver lesions. • Contrast-enhanced ultrasound in differential diagnosis of focal liver lesions. • Contrast-enhanced ultrasound in final diagnosis of focal liver lesions. • Contrast-enhanced ultrasound in liver metastases screening. • Roles of cross-sectional imaging techniques for focal liver lesions assessment. • Advantages of contrast-enhanced ultrasound over other imaging procedures. - Abstract: Incidentally detected focal liver lesions are commonly encountered in clinical practice presenting a challenge in the daily department work flow. Guidelines for the management of incidental focal liver lesions have been published but comments, illustrations and recommendations regarding practical issues are crucial. The unique features of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in non-invasive assessment of focal liver lesion enhancement throughout the vascular phases in real-time has allowed an impressive improvement in the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound. We highlight the additional benefit of contrast-enhanced ultrasound over conventional B-mode ultrasound imaging in detection, characterization, differential and final diagnosis of focal liver lesions, as well as for liver metastases screening. The current roles of cross-sectional imaging are explained in detail, with indications and limitations for each procedure. The advantages of CEUS, such as non-ionizing radiation exposure, cost benefits, non-iodinate contrast agents, and repeatability are also described ultimately improving patient management.

Clinical and bacteriological characteristics of pyogenic liver abscess in non-diabetic patients.

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Chuang, Han-Chuan; Chen, Te-Li; Chiang, Dung-Hung; Lee, Yi-Tzu; Huang, Ling-Ju; Wang, Fu-Der; Fung, Chang-Phone; Liu, Cheng-Yi

2009-10-01

Diabetes mellitus is an important risk factor for Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess, but many patients with pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) do not have diabetes. This study was conducted to compare the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of K. pneumoniae PLA with that caused by other organisms in non-diabetic patients. The medical charts of patients with a diagnosis of PLA were retrospectively reviewed from January 2005 to December 2007. The clinical symptoms and signs, laboratory data, and risk factors were analyzed. There were 50 patients in the K. pneumoniae group and 34 patients in the non-K. pneumoniae group. The clinical presentations did not differ between the 2 groups. The patients in the non-K. pneumoniae group had a higher prevalence of malignant disease than those in the K. pneumoniae group (58.8% vs 6.0%; p factors included chronic renal failure (p = 0.005), abscess rupture (p = 0.036), and right lower lung infiltration (p = 0.049). Hepatobiliary malignancy and newly diagnosed malignancy were risk factors for non-K. pneumoniae liver abscess in non-diabetic patients. Physicians should ascertain the presence of underlying malignancy in patients with non-K. pneumoniae PLA.

Value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in differential diagnosis of single metastatic liver cancer and solitary necrotic nodule of the liver

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LI Jing

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Objective To investigate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS in the differential diagnosis of single metastatic hepatic carcinoma (MHC and solitary necrotic nodule of the liver (SNNL. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for 12 patients with single MHC and 16 patients with SNNL who showed circular enhancement in arterial phase on CEUS. Age, size of lesion, and findings of two-dimensional gray-scale ultrasound and CEUS were compared between the two groups. The two-independent-samples t-test was used for comparison between groups, and the paired t-test was used for comparison within each group. ResultsThe MHC group had a significantly higher mean age than the SNNL group (60.2±11.3 years vs 41.0±9.1 years, t=4.970, P＜0.001. The mean diameter of lesion was 2.86±1.22 cm in the MHC group and 2.97±0.96 cm in the SNNL group, and showed no significant difference between the two groups (t=-0.269, P=0.790. In the MHC group, the lesions had complex and uneven echoes and blurred boundaries, while in the SNNL group, most lesions were in the right lobe and were hypoechoic with clear boundaries. No blood flow signals were detected on CDFI in these two groups. Both groups had circular enhancement around the lesions in arterial phase on CEUS, and the mean thickness showed a significant difference between the MHC group and the SNNL group (5.00±1.69 mm vs 2.37±0.87 mm, t=5.374, P＜0001. In the MHC group, the area in lesions without enhancement in delayed phase was significantly larger than that in arterial phase (t=-4.508, P=0001, while in the SNNL group, the area in lesions without enhancement showed no significant difference between delayed phase and arterial phase (t=-0.449, P=0.660. ConclusionThe thickness of circular enhancement in arterial phase on CEUS and the presence or absence of the enlargement in the area without enhancement contributes to the differential diagnosis of single MHC and SNNL.

CT findings of solitary tuberculoma with a cavity

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Goo, Dong Erk; Goo, Hyun Woo; Song, Koun Sik; Lim, Tae Hwan; Kim, Won Dong [Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1994-09-15

Differential diagnosis of solitary pulmonary nodule with cavity includes lung abscess, tuberculoma, bronchogenic carcinoma, metastasis and trauma, etc. We analyzed the CT appearance of tuberculoma presenting as a solitary pulmonary nodule with cavity and describe the findings which suggest tuberculoma in the differential diagnosis of solitary pulmonary nodule with cavity. 25 patients with solitary pulmonary nodule(diameter less than 4 cm) without surrounding parenchymal consolidation on chest radiograph, who had a cavity within the nodule on CT, were included in our study. Density of the nodule, maximal wall thickness, the character of inner and outer wall margin, location of cavity within nodule, location of the nodule, presence or absence of satellite lesions and calcification were analyzed. Solitary tuberculoma with cavity showed maximal wall thickness more than 15 m in 40%(10/25) and 5-14 mm in 56%(14/25), eccentric cavitation in 84%(21/25) and concentric cavitation in 16%(4/25), spiculated outer wall margin in 56%(14/15) and lobulated margin in 32%(8/25), smooth inner wall margin in 60%(15/25) and nodular margin in 40%(10/25). CT density of the cavity wall compared wth the chest wall muscle was low in 84%(21/25) and isodense in 16%(4/25). Accompanying satellite lesions were seen in 84%(21/25) and calcification was visible in 28%(7/25). The CT findings of solitary tuberculoma with cavity are relative peripheral location, eccentric cavitation, finely spiculated outer wall margin, and mean maximal wall thickness of 13.2 mm, which are also the common features of malignant nodule. However, relative low density of the nodule compared to the chest wall muscle and surrounding satellite lesions can be additional clues favouring solitary tuberculoma with cavity on CT.

Virtual non-contrast of liver from dual energy CT: a clinical application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qian Yu'e; Hu Hongjie; Zhang Qiaowei; Hu Peng; Shen Guohui

2011-01-01

Objective: To assess the virtual non-contrast liver CT from dual-energy CT for the clinical application. Methods: In total, 51 patients were included in the study, and all patients underwent multi-phase liver CT on a dual-source CT. The True non-contrast liver CT (TNCT) was performed in a single-energy acquisition mode, but the arterial and portovenous liver CT (VNCT) were performed in a dual- energy mode of 110 kV and 140 kV respectively. The virtual non-contrast CT images were derived from the arterial data using liver virtual non-contrast software. Between the true non-contrast CT and the virtual non- contrast CT, the image quality, mean CT HU values in the liver and muscle, signal to noise (SNR), the radiation dose of volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) and dose length product (DLP) in a single phase and total examination were compared with t test. Results: There was no significant difference in the detection of' liver lesions between TNCT and VNCT. The CT Hu values of muscle on both TNCT and VNCT images were almost equal. The CT HU values of liver on VNCT images were higher than that on TNCT images and the difference was significant [61.32±6.04 vs. (56.85±4.80) HU, t=-3.927, P<0.01]. There was also significant difference of SNR between TNCT (11.28±2.78) and VNCT (8.65±1.56) images (t=-5.590, P<0.01). The CTDIvol and DLP of single phase were (7.07±0.85) mGy and (155.11± 22.52) mGy · cm respectively in TNCT, and (7.05±0.87) mGy and (154.48±23.12) mGy · cm in VNCT. The total CTDIvol and DLP in VNCT were (14.35±1.66) mGy and (313.91±45.08) mGy · cm respectively, but in TNCT the total CTDIvol and DLP reached (21.43±2.46) mGy and (469.02± 66.22) mGy · cm. The difference of CTDIvol and DLP in single phase between TNCT and VNCT showed no significance, but the total CTDIvol and DLP were significantly different (t=16.168 and 13.132, P< 0.01). Conclusion: With the consequent reduction in radiation dose, the VNCT can replace TNCT as an imaging protocol in multi

Orbital stability of solitary waves for Kundu equation

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Zhang, Weiguo; Qin, Yinghao; Zhao, Yan; Guo, Boling

In this paper, we consider the Kundu equation which is not a standard Hamiltonian system. The abstract orbital stability theory proposed by Grillakis et al. (1987, 1990) cannot be applied directly to study orbital stability of solitary waves for this equation. Motivated by the idea of Guo and Wu (1995), we construct three invariants of motion and use detailed spectral analysis to obtain orbital stability of solitary waves for Kundu equation. Since Kundu equation is more complex than the derivative Schrödinger equation, we utilize some techniques to overcome some difficulties in this paper. It should be pointed out that the results obtained in this paper are more general than those obtained by Guo and Wu (1995). We present a sufficient condition under which solitary waves are orbitally stable for 2c+sυ1995) only considered the case 2c+sυ>0. We obtain the results on orbital stability of solitary waves for the derivative Schrödinger equation given by Colin and Ohta (2006) as a corollary in this paper. Furthermore, we obtain orbital stability of solitary waves for Chen-Lee-Lin equation and Gerdjikov-Ivanov equation, respectively.

Deregulation of fatty acid metabolism and cannabinoid receptors in liver of morbidly obese women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

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Berlanga Bustos, Alba

2015-01-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) encompasses a histological spectrum from simple steatosis (SS) to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), with the latter being more frequently progressive. Due to lipid accumulation in the human liver seems to be a crucial mechanism in the NAFLD pathogenesis, an improved understanding of the underlying mechanisms leading to the initial hepatic lipid accumulation could be of great interest for controlling the progression of NAFLD. It has also been repor...

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: An expanded review

Science.gov (United States)

Benedict, Mark; Zhang, Xuchen

2017-01-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) encompasses the simple steatosis to more progressive steatosis with associated hepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and in some cases hepatocellular carcinoma. NAFLD is a growing epidemic, not only in the United States, but worldwide in part due to obesity and insulin resistance leading to liver accumulation of triglycerides and free fatty acids. Numerous risk factors for the development of NAFLD have been espoused with most having some form of metabolic derangement or insulin resistance at the core of its pathophysiology. NAFLD patients are at increased risk of liver-related as well as cardiovascular mortality, and NAFLD is rapidly becoming the leading indication for liver transplantation. Liver biopsy remains the gold standard for definitive diagnosis, but the development of noninvasive advanced imaging, biochemical and genetic tests will no doubt provide future clinicians with a great deal of information and opportunity for enhanced understanding of the pathogenesis and targeted treatment. As it currently stands several medications/supplements are being used in the treatment of NAFLD; however, none seem to be the “magic bullet” in curtailing this growing problem yet. In this review we summarized the current knowledge of NAFLD epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis, pathogenesis, pathologic changes, natural history, and treatment in order to aid in further understanding this disease and better managing NAFLD patients. PMID:28652891

Solitary eyelid schwannoma

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Renu M Magdum

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Schwannomas are rare benign tumors arising from Schwann cells of peripheral nerves that form the neural sheath. While there have been reports of such tumors in the orbit, solitary schwannomas arising from the eyelids are very rare. There are reports of schwannomas being erroneously diagnosed as chalazion, inclusion cysts or even eyelid malignancy. We are reporting a case of a 20-year-old female who presented with a painless, non-tender, slow-growing mass in the upper eyelid of the right eye. The external appearance of the mass was suggestive of an implantation cyst of the eyelid and it could be completely excised as it had a well-defined capsule. Histopathological examination showed characteristic hypercellular and hypocellular areas with fusiform nuclei that tended to form palisades. The purpose of reporting this case of schwannoma in a young female is to recommend the inclusion of this entity as a differential diagnosis of well-defined lid tumors.

NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE AT OUR INSTITUTE

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Madhavi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION A Correlation clinical observational hospital based clinical study with 50 patients were undertaken to study the Clinical Profile of incidentally detected Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. The cases for the study were selected retrospectively who were diagnosed as fatty liver by ultrasound imaging who attended the Department of General Medicine, Government General Hospital Kakinada Rangaraya Medical College. Data has been enumerated for those who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. This study was conducted between January 2013-January 2015. The study has limitations of observer variant dependent diagnostic ultrasound for inclusion in to study. A BMI of>25 kg/m2 taken as definition for obesity for analysis.

Antigen-driven focal inflammatory death of malaria liver stages

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Ganchimeg eBayarsaikhan

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Multiple immunizations using live irradiated sporozoites, the infectious plasmodial stage delivered into the host skin during a mosquito bite, can elicit sterile immunity to malaria. CD8+ T cells seem to play an essential role in this protective immunity, since their depletion consistently abolishes sterilizing protection in several experimental models. So far, only a few parasite antigens are known to induce CD8+ T cell-dependent protection, but none of them can reach the levels of protection afforded by live attenuated parasites. Systematic attempts to identify novel antigens associated with this efficient cellular protection were so far unsuccessful. In addition, the precise mechanisms involved in the recognition and elimination of parasitized hepatocytes in vivo by CD8+ T cells still remain obscure. Recently, it has been shown that specific effector CD8+ T cells, after recognition of parasitized hepatocytes, recruit specific and non-specific activated CD8+ T cells to the site of infection, resulting in the formation of cellular clusters around and in the further elimination of intracellular parasites. The significance of this finding is discussed in the perspective of a general mechanism of antigen-dependent focalized inflammation and its consequences for the elimination of malaria liver stages.

The Effect of Parasite Infection on Stable Isotope Turnover Rates of δ15N, δ13C and δ34S in Multiple Tissues of Eurasian Perch Perca fluviatilis.

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Elizabeth Yohannes

Full Text Available Stable isotope analysis of commercially and ecologically important fish can improve understanding of life-history and trophic ecology. However, accurate interpretation of stable isotope values requires knowledge of tissue-specific isotopic turnover that will help to describe differences in the isotopic composition of tissues and diet. We performed a diet-switch experiment using captive-reared parasite-free Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis and wild caught specimens of the same species, infected with the pike tapeworm Triaenophorus nodulosus living in host liver tissue. We hypothesize that metabolic processes related to infection status play a major role in isotopic turnover and examined the influence of parasite infection on isotopic turn-over rate of carbon (δ13C, nitrogen (δ15N and sulphur (δ34S in liver, blood and muscle. The δ15N and δ13C turnovers were fastest in liver tissues, followed by blood and muscle. In infected fish, liver and blood δ15N and δ13C turnover rates were similar. However, in infected fish, liver and blood δ13C turnover was faster than that of δ15N. Moreover, in infected subjects, liver δ15N and δ13C turnover rates were three to five times faster than in livers of uninfected subjects (isotopic half-life of ca.3-4 days compared to 16 and 10 days, respectively. Blood δ34S turnover rate were about twice faster in non-infected individuals implying that parasite infection could retard the turnover rate of δ34S and sulphur containing amino acids. Slower turnover rate of essential amino acid could probably decrease individual immune function. These indicate potential hidden costs of chronic and persistent infections that may have accumulated adverse effects and might eventually impair life-history fitness. For the first time, we were able to shift the isotope values of parasites encapsulated in the liver by changing the dietary source of the host. We also report variability in isotopic turnover rates between tissues

Ion-acoustic solitary waves near double layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuehl, H.H.; Imen, K.

1985-01-01

The possibility of ion-acoustic solitary-wave solutions in the uniform plasma on the high-potential side of double layer is investigated. Based on a fluid model of the double layer, it is found that both compressive and rarefactive solitary waves are allowed. Curves are presented which show the regions in parameter space in which these solutions exist

New theory of the Great Red Spot from solitary waves in the Jovian atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maxworthy, T.; Redekopp, L.G.

1976-01-01

It is stated that the nature of the Great Red Spot on Jupiter is a persistent problem. It is considered here that 'solitary' waves on a horizontally sheared zonal flow in a rotating stratified atmosphere would explain many of the known GRS characteristics and also other features that have been observed on Jupiter. 'Solitary' waves are isolated permanent waves in which non-linear steepening balances dispersive spreading effects, and they can arise from arbitrary distrurbances and interact non-linearly without changing their shape. The only memory of such an interaction is a finite spatial phase shift between the fast- and the pre-interaction trajectories; the interaction looks like a rapid acceleration of one wave through another. The matter is here treated mathematically. A number of examples similar to Jupiter's GRS are mentioned in the discussion. (U.K.)

Specific imaging characteristic of solitary necrotic nodule of the liver: Marked peripheral rim-like enhancement with internal hypointensity on longer delayed MRI

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Fang, Jiayang; Yu, Dexin; Ma, Xiangxing; Xiang, Ying; Guo, Lijuan [Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Department of Radiology, Ji' nan City, Shandong (China); Ma, Xiaoyuan [Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Department of Orthopaedics, Ji' nan City (China)

2017-09-15

To obtain specific imaging findings of solitary necrotic nodule of the liver (SNNL) using longer delayed contrast-enhanced MRI and compare them with those of three mimic hepatic diseases. Sixteen patients with SNNL underwent plain and contrast-enhanced triphasic CT and multiphasic MRI with delayed time prolonged to 2 h after contrast bolus injection. Twenty-three patients with mimic lesions including seven with eight HCCs, five with five iCCs and 11 with metastatic lesions served as the control group. Those patients also received plain and multiphasic contrast-enhanced MRI. Imaging features of lesions such as peripheral wash-out time were evaluated. Among the 16 SNNLs, with a prolonged delayed MRI time, the enhancement degree of tumour periphery increased gradually. When it was up to 1 h, all lesions represented moderate/marked peripheral enhancement with internal hypointensity. However, the peripheral wash-out in seven HCCs (87.5%) and all metastatic lesions except three appeared at 10 or 15 min, one iCC (20%) at 30 min and the other lesions at 1 h. Longer MRI with a delayed time of 1-2 h may be useful in diagnosis SNNL, revealing the specific imaging characteristic of SNNL as pronounced peripheral enhancement with internal hypointensity. (orig.)

Interaction dynamics of electrostatic solitary waves

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V. L. Krasovsky

1999-01-01

Full Text Available Interaction of nonlinear electrostatic pulses associated with electron phase density holes moving in a collisionless plasma is studied. An elementary event of the interaction is analyzed on the basis of the energy balance in the system consisting of two electrostatic solitary waves. It is established that an intrinsic property of the system is a specific irreversibility caused by a nonadiabatic modification of the internal structure of the holes and their effective heating in the process of the interaction. This dynamical irreversibility is closely connected with phase mixing of the trapped electrons comprising the holes and oscillating in the varying self-consistent potential wells. As a consequence of the irreversibility, the "collisions" of the solitary waves should be treated as "inelastic" ones. This explains the general tendency to the merging of the phase density holes frequently observed in numerical simulation and to corresponding coupling of the solitary waves.

Co-ordinate but disproportionate activation of apoptotic, regenerative and inflammatory pathways characterizes the liver response to acute amebic infection.

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Pelosof, Lorraine C; Davis, Paul H; Zhang, Zhi; Zhang, Xiaochun; Stanley, Samuel L

2006-03-01

The liver has the remarkable ability to respond to injury with repair and regeneration. The protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica is the major cause of liver abscess worldwide. We report a transcriptional analysis of the response of mouse liver to E. histolytica infection, the first study looking at acute liver infection by a non-viral pathogen. Focusing on early time points, we identified 764 genes with altered transcriptional levels in amebic liver abscess. The response to infection is rapid and complex, with concurrent increased expression of genes linked to host defence through IL-1, TLR2, or interferon-induced pathways, liver regeneration via activation of IL-6 pathways, and genes associated with programmed cell death possibly through TNFalpha or Fas pathways. A comparison of amebic liver infection with the liver response to partial hepatectomy or toxins reveals striking similarities between amebic liver abscess and non-infectious injury in key components of the liver regeneration pathways. However, the response in amebic liver abscess is biased towards apoptosis when compared with acute liver injury from hepatectomy, toxins, or other forms of liver infection. E. histolytica infection of the liver simultaneously activates inflammatory, regenerative and apoptotic pathways, but the sum of these early responses is biased towards programmed cell death.

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Extra-Hepatic Cancers

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Claudia Sanna

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD is a leading cause of chronic liver disease but the second cause of death among NAFLD patients are attributed to malignancies at both gastrointestinal (liver, colon, esophagus, stomach, and pancreas and extra-intestinal sites (kidney in men, and breast in women. Obesity and related metabolic abnormalities are associated with increased incidence or mortality for a number of cancers. NAFLD has an intertwined relationship with metabolic syndrome and significantly contributes to the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, but recent evidence have fuelled concerns that NAFLD may be a new, and added, risk factor for extra-hepatic cancers, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract. In this review we critically appraise key studies on NAFLD-associated extra-hepatic cancers and speculate on how NAFLD may influence carcinogenesis at these sites.

Non-Invasive Electrical Impedance Tomography for Multi-Scale Detection of Liver Fat Content

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Luo, Yuan; Abiri, Parinaz; Zhang, Shell; Chang, Chih-Chiang; Kaboodrangi, Amir H.; Li, Rongsong; Sahib, Ashish K.; Bui, Alex; Kumar, Rajesh; Woo, Mary; Li, Zhaoping; Packard, René R. Sevag; Tai, Yu-Chong; Hsiai, Tzung K.

2018-01-01

Introduction: Obesity is associated with an increased risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). While Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive gold standard to detect fatty liver, we demonstrate a low-cost and portable electrical impedance tomography (EIT) approach with circumferential abdominal electrodes for liver conductivity measurements. Methods and Results: A finite element model (FEM) was established to simulate decremental liver conductivity in response to incremental liver lipid content. To validate the FEM simulation, we performed EIT imaging on an ex vivo porcine liver in a non-conductive tank with 32 circumferentially-embedded electrodes, demonstrating a high-resolution output given a priori information on location and geometry. To further examine EIT capacity in fatty liver detection, we performed EIT measurements in age- and gender-matched New Zealand White rabbits (3 on normal, 3 on high-fat diets). Liver conductivity values were significantly distinct following the high-fat diet (p = 0.003 vs. normal diet, n=3), accompanied by histopathological evidence of hepatic fat accumulation. We further assessed EIT imaging in human subjects with MRI quantification for fat volume fraction based on Dixon procedures, demonstrating average liver conductivity of 0.331 S/m for subjects with low Body-Mass Index (BMI 25 kg/m²). Conclusion: We provide both the theoretical and experimental framework for a multi-scale EIT strategy to detect liver lipid content. Our preliminary studies pave the way to enhance the spatial resolution of EIT as a marker for fatty liver disease and metabolic syndrome. PMID:29556346

Solitary magnetohydrodynamic vortices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silaev, I.I.; Skvortsov, A.T.

1990-01-01

This paper reports on the analytical description of fluid flow by means of localized vortices which is traditional for hydrodynamics, oceanology, plasma physics. Recently it has been widely applied to different structure turbulence models. Considerable results involved have been presented where it was shown that in magnetohydrodynamics alongside with the well-known kinds of localized vortices (e.g. Hill's vortex), which are characterized by quite a weak decrease of disturbed velocity or magnetic field (as a power of the inverse distance from vortex center), the vortices with screening (or solitary vortices) may exist. All disturbed parameters either exponentially vanish or become identically zero in outer region in the latter case. (In a number of papers numerical simulations of such the vortices are presented). Solutions in a form of solitary vortices are of particular interest due to their uniformity and solitonlike behavior. On the basis of these properties one can believe for such structures to occur in real turbulent flows

Quantitative evaluation of RASSF1A methylation in the non-lesional, regenerative and neoplastic liver

Science.gov (United States)

Di Gioia, Sonia; Bianchi, Paolo; Destro, Annarita; Grizzi, Fabio; Malesci, Alberto; Laghi, Luigi; Levrero, Massimo; Morabito, Alberto; Roncalli, Massimo

2006-01-01

Background Epigenetic changes during ageing and their relationship with cancer are under the focus of intense research. RASSF1A and NORE1A are novel genes acting in concert in the proapoptotic pathway of the RAS signalling. While NORE1A has not been previously investigated in the human liver, recent reports have suggested that RASSF1A is frequently epigenetically methylated not only in HCC but also in the cirrhotic liver. Methods To address whether epigenetic changes take place in connection to age and/or to the underlying disease, we investigated RASSF1A and NORE1A gene promoter methylation by conventional methylation specific PCR and Real-Time MSP in a series of hepatitic and non-hepatitic livers harboring regenerative/hyperplastic (cirrhosis/focal nodular hyperplasia), dysplastic (large regenerative, low and high grade dysplastic nodules) and neoplastic (hepatocellular adenoma and carcinoma) growths. Results In the hepatitic liver (chronic hepatitic/cirrhosis, hepatocellular nodules and HCC) we found widespread RASSF1A gene promoter methylation with a methylation index that increased from regenerative conditions (cirrhosis) to hepatocellular nodules (p < 0.01) to HCC (p < 0.001). In the non-hepatitic liver a consistent pattern of gene methylation was also found in both lesional (focal nodular hyperplasia and hepatocellular adenoma) and non-lesional tissue. Specifically, hepatocellular adenomas (HA) showed a methylation index significantly higher than that detected in focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) (p < 0.01) and in non-lesional tissue (p < 0.001). In non-lesional liver also the methylation index gradually increased by ageing (p = 0.002), suggesting a progressive spreading of methylated cells over time. As opposed to RASSF1A gene promoter methylation, NORE1A gene was never found epigenetically alterated in both hepatitic and non-hepatitic liver. Conclusion We have shown that in non-lesional, regenerative and neoplastic liver the RASSF1A gene is increasingly

Adipokines and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Multiple Interactions

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Timon E. Adolph

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Accumulating evidence links obesity with low-grade inflammation which may originate from adipose tissue that secretes a plethora of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines termed adipokines. Adiponectin and leptin have evolved as crucial signals in many obesity-related pathologies including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD. Whereas adiponectin deficiency might be critically involved in the pro-inflammatory state associated with obesity and related disorders, overproduction of leptin, a rather pro-inflammatory mediator, is considered of equal relevance. An imbalanced adipokine profile in obesity consecutively contributes to metabolic inflammation in NAFLD, which is associated with a substantial risk for developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC also in the non-cirrhotic stage of disease. Both adiponectin and leptin have been related to liver tumorigenesis especially in preclinical models. This review covers recent advances in our understanding of some adipokines in NAFLD and associated HCC.

Nutrition and metabolism of parasitized and non-parasitized ruminants. Some approaches for studying the mode of action of parasites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leng, R.A.

1981-01-01

The effects of helminth infections on ruminant digestive function and metabolism are discussed against the background of current information on the mechanisms controlling feed intake and utilization in normal animals. Although parasites reduce productivity by impairing appetite and utilization of nutrients, few studies have been conducted on the function of the digestive tract and the metabolism of parasitized animals. Those areas which warrant further investigation are described, and the techniques which could be usefully applied are outlined. It is concluded that more emphasis should be given to the diet available to parasitized animals, and that by using diets of different digestibility and protein content, valuable information could be obtained as to the relative importance of reduced appetite and reduced efficiency of feed utilization. Central to all studies is a proper delineation of the fate of proteins in the small intestine of parasitized animals, and characterization of the types of bacteria in the gut and their effects on endogenous protein losses. The application of 15 N is mentioned. The potential usefulness of 14 C (eg. to measure the flow of digesta, to the lower digestive tract; clearance of 14 C-propionate from blood; etc.) is described

Non-operative management of arterial liver hemorrhages

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goerich, J.; Rilinger, N.; Vogel, J.; Sokiranski, R.; Brambs, H.J. [Dept. of Radiology, University of Ulm (Germany); Brado, M. [Dept. of Radiology, Univ. of Heidelberg (Germany); Huppert, P. [Dept. of Radiology, Univ. of Tuebingen (Germany); Siech, M.; Ganzauge, F.; Beger, H.G. [Dept. of Surgery, Univ. of Ulm (Germany)

1999-02-01

A retrospective evaluation of embolotherapy in patients with arterial liver hemorrhages was carried out. Twenty-six patients, ranging in age from 10 days to 77 years with active arterial liver hemorrhages, underwent non-surgical embolotherapy. Bleeding was attributed to trauma (n = 21), tumor (n = 3), pancreatitis (n = 1), or unknown cause (n = 1). Twenty-nine embolizations were performed via a transfemoral (n = 26) or biliary (n = 2) approach. One bare Wallstent was placed into the common hepatic artery via to an axillary route to cover a false aneurysm due to pancreatitis. Treatment was controlled in 4 patients by cholangioscopy (n = 2) or by intravascular ultrasound (n = 2). Prior surgery had failed in 3 patients. Intervention controlled the hemorrhage in 24 of 26 (92 %) patients within 24 h. Embolotherapy failed in 1 patient with pancreatic carcinoma and occlusion of the portal vein. In 1 patient with an aneurysm of the hepatic artery treated by Wallstent insertion, total occlusion was not achieved in the following days, as demonstrated by CT and angiography. However, colour Doppler flow examination showed no flow in the aneurysm 6 months later. Complications were one liver abscess, treated successfully by percutaneous drainage for 10 days, and one gallbladder necrosis after superselective embolization of the cystic artery. Embolization is a effective tool with a low complication rate in the treatment of liver artery hemorrhage, even in patients in whom surgery has failed. (orig.) (orig.) With 2 figs., 26 refs.

Liver transplantation from Maastricht category 2 non-heart-beating donors.

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Otero, Alejandra; Gómez-Gutiérrez, Manuel; Suárez, Francisco; Arnal, Francisco; Fernández-García, Antón; Aguirrezabalaga, Javier; García-Buitrón, José; Alvarez, Joaquín; Máñez, Rafael

2003-10-15

The demand for liver transplantation has increasingly exceeded the supply of cadaver donor organs. Non-heart-beating donors (NHBDs) may be an alternative to increase the cadaver donor pool. The outcome of 20 liver transplants from Maastricht category 2 NHBDs is compared with 40 liver transplants from heart-beating donors (HBDs). After unsuccessful cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), cardiopulmonary support (CPS) with simultaneous application of chest and abdominal compression (n=6), and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB; n=14), which was hypothermic (n=7) or normothermic (n=7), were used to preserve the organs from NHBDs. Factors that may influence the outcome of livers from Maastricht category 2 NHBDs were also investigated. With a minimum follow-up of 2 years, actuarial patient and graft survivals with livers from Maastricht category 2 NHBDs were 80% and 55%, respectively. Transplantation of organs from these donors was associated with a significantly higher incidence of primary nonfunction, biliary complications, and more severe initial liver dysfunction compared with livers from HBDs. Graft survival was 83% in livers from NHBDs preserved with CPS and 42% in those maintained with CPB. No graft failed if the duration of warm ischemia did not exceed 130 min with CPR or CPS, and if the period of CPB did not surpass 150 min when this method was used after CPR, regardless if it was hypothermic or normothermic. Livers from Maastricht type 2 NHBDs may be used for transplantation if the period of warm ischemia during CPR or CPS does not exceed 130 min. Hypothermic or normothermic CPB after CPR preserves liver viability for an additional 150 min.

Effects of parasitism on host reproductive investment in a rodent-flea system: host litter size matters.

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Warburton, Elizabeth M; Khokhlova, Irina S; Dlugosz, Elizabeth M; Der Mescht, Luther Van; Krasnov, Boris R

2017-02-01

Parents may alter offspring phenotype depending on the type of environment they encounter. Parasitism is a common stressor; therefore, maternal reproductive investment could change in response to parasitic infection. However, few experiments have investigated the relationship between parasitism and maternal investment, whereas earlier field studies provided contradictory evidence. We investigated number, sex ratio, and growth of offspring in two rodent species, solitary altricial Meriones crassus and social precocial Acomys cahirinus, exposed to parasitism by fleas Xenopsylla ramesis and Parapulex chephrenis. No effect of treatment on litter size or sex ratio of a litter was found in either rodent species. Flea parasitism was found to affect pre-weaning body mass gain in M. crassus, but not in A. cahirinus pups. Furthermore, it appeared that female M. crassus invested resources into their offspring differently in dependence of litter size. In small litters (1-3 offspring), pups from infested females gained more body mass before weaning than pups from uninfested mothers. However, this trend was reversed in females with large litters indicating that parasitized females have a finite amount of resources with which to provision their young. Thus, M. crassus mothers parasitized by fleas seemed to receive some sort of external cues (e.g., stress caused by infestation) that prompted them to alter offspring provisioning, depending on species-specific possibilities and constraints. Therefore, parasites could be a mediator of environmentally induced maternal effects and offspring provisioning may have adaptive value against parasitism.

Assessment of non-invasive models for liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B virus related liver disease patients in resource limited settings

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Rakesh Shrivastava

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Context: A total of 350 million individuals are affected by chronic hepatitis B virus infection world-wide. Historically, liver biopsy has been instrumental in adequately assessing patients with chronic liver disease. A number of non-invasive models have been studied world-wide. Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the utility of non-invasive mathematical models of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B (CHB. Indian patients in a resource limited setting using routinely performed non-invasive laboratory investigations. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study carried out at a tertiary care center. Subjects and Methods: A total of 52 consecutive chronic liver disease patients who underwent percutaneous liver biopsy and 25 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Routine laboratory investigations included serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST, Alanine aminotransferase (ALT, Gama glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT, total bilirubin, total cholesterol, prothrombin time and platelet count. Three non-invasive models for namely aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI, Fibrosis 4 (FIB-4 and Forn′s index were calculated. Outcomes were compared for the assessment of best predictor of fibrosis by calculating the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV and negative predictive value (NPV of each index. Statistical Analysis Used: Medcalc online software and by Microsoft Excel Worksheet. Chi-square test was used for significance. P value < 0.05 was taken as significant. Results: While the serum levels of AST, ALT and GGT were significantly higher in patients group as compare with the healthy controls (P < 0.01, the platelet counts were significantly lower in patient group as compared to the control group (P < 0.01. Mean value of all 3 indices were significantly higher in patients group as compare with the controls (P < 0.01. Conclusions: Out of the three indices, APRI index with a NPV of 95% appeared to be a better model

Fructose Consumption, Lipogenesis, and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

ter Horst, Kasper W.; Serlie, Mireille J.

2017-01-01

Increased fructose consumption has been suggested to contribute to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance, but a causal role of fructose in these metabolic diseases remains debated. Mechanistically, hepatic fructose metabolism yields precursors that can be

Study of nonlinear electron-acoustic solitary and shock waves in a dissipative, nonplanar space plasma with superthermal hot electrons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Jiu-Ning, E-mail: hanjiuning@126.com; He, Yong-Lin; Luo, Jun-Hua; Nan, Ya-Gong; Han, Zhen-Hai; Dong, Guang-Xing [College of Physics and Electromechanical Engineering, Hexi University, Zhangye 734000 (China); Duan, Wen-Shan [College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070 (China); Li, Jun-Xiu [College of Civil Engineering, Hexi University, Zhangye 734000 (China)

2014-01-15

With the consideration of the superthermal electron distribution, we present a theoretical investigation about the nonlinear propagation of electron-acoustic solitary and shock waves in a dissipative, nonplanar non-Maxwellian plasma comprised of cold electrons, superthermal hot electrons, and stationary ions. The reductive perturbation technique is used to obtain a modified Korteweg-de Vries Burgers equation for nonlinear waves in this plasma. We discuss the effects of various plasma parameters on the time evolution of nonplanar solitary waves, the profile of shock waves, and the nonlinear structure induced by the collision between planar solitary waves. It is found that these parameters have significant effects on the properties of nonlinear waves and collision-induced nonlinear structure.

Solitary Plasmacytoma: A Review Of Clinical, Ocular, Neurological ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Solitary plasmacytomas are defined as proliferation of monoclonal plasma cells without evidence of significant bone-marrow plasma-cell infiltration. They are classified according to location into solitary plasmacytoma of bone if they occur in bone, and extramedullary plasmacytoma if they arise in soft tissues. They are more ...

Application of small RNA technology for improved control of parasitic helminths.

Science.gov (United States)

Britton, Collette; Winter, Alan D; Marks, Neil D; Gu, Henry; McNeilly, Tom N; Gillan, Victoria; Devaney, Eileen

2015-08-15

Over the last decade microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) have emerged as important regulators of post-transcriptional gene expression. miRNAs are short, non-coding RNAs that regulate a variety of processes including cancer, organ development and immune function. This class of small RNAs bind with partial complementarity to their target mRNA sequences, most often in the 3'UTR, to negatively regulate gene expression. In parasitic helminths, miRNAs are being increasingly studied for their potential roles in development and host-parasite interactions. The availability of genome data, combined with small RNA sequencing, has paved the way to profile miRNAs expressed at particular developmental stages for many parasitic helminths. While some miRNAs are conserved across species, others appear to be unique to specific parasites, suggesting important roles in adaptation and survival in the host environment. Some miRNAs are released from parasites, in exosomes or in protein complexes, and the potential effects of these on host immune function are being increasingly studied. In addition, release of miRNAs from schistosome and filarial parasites into host plasma can be exploited for the development of specific and sensitive diagnostic biomarkers of infection. Interfering with miRNA function, as well as silencing key components of the pathways they regulate, will progress our understanding of parasite development and provide a novel approach to therapeutic control. RNA interference (RNAi) by siRNAs has proven to be inconsistent in parasitic nematodes. However, the recent successes reported for schistosome and liver fluke RNAi, encourage further efforts to enhance delivery of RNA and improve in vitro culture systems and assays to monitor phenotypic effects in nematodes. These improvements are important for the establishment of reliable functional genomic platforms for novel drug and vaccine development. In this review we focus on the important roles of mi

Perforated Solitary Diverticulitis of the Ascending Colon

Science.gov (United States)

2005-06-01

postoperative day 6. DISCUSSION Diverticuli of the right colon exist in approximately 1% to 5% of patients with diverticular disease .1-3 They are...ORIGINAL REPORTS Perforated Solitary Diverticulitis of the Ascending Colon CPT David S. Kauvar, MC, USA, MAJ, Jayson Aydelotte, MC, USA, and MAJ...Michael Harnisch, MC, USA Department of Surgery, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas KEY WORDS: solitary colon diverticulum

Inevitability of Genetic Parasites

Science.gov (United States)

Iranzo, Jaime; Puigbò, Pere; Lobkovsky, Alexander E.; Wolf, Yuri I.

2016-01-01

Abstract Almost all cellular life forms are hosts to diverse genetic parasites with various levels of autonomy including plasmids, transposons and viruses. Theoretical modeling of the evolution of primordial replicators indicates that parasites (cheaters) necessarily evolve in such systems and can be kept at bay primarily via compartmentalization. Given the (near) ubiquity, abundance and diversity of genetic parasites, the question becomes pertinent: are such parasites intrinsic to life? At least in prokaryotes, the persistence of parasites is linked to the rate of horizontal gene transfer (HGT). We mathematically derive the threshold value of the minimal transfer rate required for selfish element persistence, depending on the element duplication and loss rates as well as the cost to the host. Estimation of the characteristic gene duplication, loss and transfer rates for transposons, plasmids and virus-related elements in multiple groups of diverse bacteria and archaea indicates that most of these rates are compatible with the long term persistence of parasites. Notably, a small but non-zero rate of HGT is also required for the persistence of non-parasitic genes. We hypothesize that cells cannot tune their horizontal transfer rates to be below the threshold required for parasite persistence without experiencing highly detrimental side-effects. As a lower boundary to the minimum DNA transfer rate that a cell can withstand, we consider the process of genome degradation and mutational meltdown of populations through Muller’s ratchet. A numerical assessment of this hypothesis suggests that microbial populations cannot purge parasites while escaping Muller’s ratchet. Thus, genetic parasites appear to be virtually inevitable in cellular organisms. PMID:27503291

Isocaloric Dietary Changes and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in High Cardiometabolic Risk Individuals

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Giuseppe Della Pepa

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD incorporates an extensive spectrum of histologic liver abnormalities, varying from simple triglyceride accumulation in hepatocytes non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH, and it is the most frequent chronic liver disease in the industrialized world. Beyond liver related complications such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, NAFLD is also an emerging risk factor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Currently, lifestyle intervention including strategies to reduce body weight and to increase regular physical activity represents the mainstay of NAFLD management. Total caloric intake plays a very important role in both the development and the treatment of NAFLD; however, apart from the caloric restriction alone, modifying the quality of the diet and modulating either the macro- or micronutrient composition can also markedly affect the clinical evolution of NAFLD, offering a more realistic and feasible treatment alternative. The aim of the present review is to summarize currently available evidence from randomized controlled trials on the effects of different nutrients including carbohydrates, lipids, protein and other dietary components, in isocaloric conditions, on NAFLD in people at high cardiometabolic risk. We also describe the plausible mechanisms by which different dietary components could modulate liver fat content.

[Balneotherapeutics of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with the use of the Essentuki-type drinking mineral waters].

Science.gov (United States)

Fedorova, T E; Efimenko, N V; Kaĭsinova, A S

2012-01-01

The objective of the present work was to estimate the effectiveness of combined spa-and-resort treatment with the use of the Essentuki-type drinking mineral waters for the patients presenting with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. A total of 40 patients presening with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NOFLD) were available for the examination. The study has demonstrated positive dynamics of clinical symptoms and results of liver functional tests, characteristics of intrahepatic dynamics, lipid metabolism, antioxidant hemostais, and the hormonal status of the patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The intake of the Essentuki-type drinking mineral waters promoted normalization of adiponectin and leptin levels in conjunction with the reduction in the degree of insulin resistance, i.e., the key pathogenetic factors responsible for hepatic steatosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. It is concluded that the Essentuki-type drinking mineral waters may be recommended for the inclusion in the combined treatment and prevention of the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Non alcoholic fatty liver disease in a Nigerian population with type II ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Introduction: Worldwide, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become an important cause of chronic liver disease and cardiovascular morbidity, even more so in subjects with Type II Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of NAFLD in an African population ...

Imaging evaluation of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: focused on quantification

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been an emerging major health problem, and the most common cause of chronic liver disease in Western countries. Traditionally, liver biopsy has been gold standard method for quantification of hepatic steatosis. However, its invasive nature with potential complication as well as measurement variability are major problem. Thus, various imaging studies have been used for evaluation of hepatic steatosis. Ultrasonography provides fairly good accuracy to detect moderate-to-severe degree hepatic steatosis, but limited accuracy for mild steatosis. Operator-dependency and subjective/qualitative nature of examination are another major drawbacks of ultrasonography. Computed tomography can be considered as an unsuitable imaging modality for evaluation of NAFLD due to potential risk of radiation exposure and limited accuracy in detecting mild steatosis. Both magnetic resonance spectroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging using chemical shift technique provide highly accurate and reproducible diagnostic performance for evaluating NAFLD, and therefore, have been used in many clinical trials as a non-invasive reference of standard method. PMID:28994271

Diffractons: Solitary Waves Created by Diffraction in Periodic Media

KAUST Repository

Ketcheson, David I.; Quezada de Luna, Manuel

2015-01-01

A new class of solitary waves arises in the solution of nonlinear wave equations with constant impedance and no dispersive terms. These solitary waves depend on a balance between nonlinearity and a dispersion-like effect due to spatial variation

Parasitic loads in tissues of mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and treated with AmBisome.

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Sabrina Cencig

2011-06-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Chagas disease is one of the most important public health problems and a leading cause of cardiac failure in Latin America. The currently available drugs to treat T. cruzi infection (benznidazole and nifurtimox are effective in humans when administered during months. AmBisome (liposomal amphotericin B, already shown efficient after administration for some days in human and experimental infection with Leishmania, has been scarcely studied in T. cruzi infection. AIMS: This work investigates the effect of AmBisome treatment, administered in 6 intraperitoneal injections at various times during acute and/or chronic phases of mouse T. cruzi infection, comparing survival rates and parasitic loads in several tissues. METHODOLOGY: Quantitative PCR was used to determine parasitic DNA amounts in tissues. Immunosuppressive treatment with cyclophosphamide was used to investigate residual infection in tissues. FINDINGS: Administration of AmBisome during the acute phase of infection prevented mice from fatal issue. Parasitaemias (microscopic examination were reduced in acute phase and undetectable in chronic infection. Quantitative PCR analyses showed significant parasite load reductions in heart, liver, spleen, skeletal muscle and adipose tissues in acute as well as in chronic infection. An earlier administration of AmBisome (one day after parasite inoculation had a better effect in reducing parasite loads in spleen and liver, whereas repetition of treatment in chronic phase enhanced the parasite load reduction in heart and liver. However, whatever the treatment schedule, cyclophosphamide injections boosted infection to parasite amounts comparable to those observed in acutely infected and untreated mice. CONCLUSIONS: Though AmBisome treatment fails to completely cure mice from T. cruzi infection, it impedes mortality and reduces significantly the parasitic loads in most tissues. Such a beneficial effect, obtained by administrating it over a short

Glycosyltransferases and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Science.gov (United States)

Zhan, Yu-Tao; Su, Hai-Ying; An, Wei

2016-01-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common form of chronic liver disease and its incidence is increasing worldwide. However, the underlying mechanisms leading to the development of NAFLD are still not fully understood. Glycosyltransferases (GTs) are a diverse class of enzymes involved in catalyzing the transfer of one or multiple sugar residues to a wide range of acceptor molecules. GTs mediate a wide range of functions from structure and storage to signaling, and play a key role in many fundamental biological processes. Therefore, it is anticipated that GTs have a role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. In this article, we present an overview of the basic information on NAFLD, particularly GTs and glycosylation modification of certain molecules and their association with NAFLD pathogenesis. In addition, the effects and mechanisms of some GTs in the development of NAFLD are summarized. PMID:26937136

Study of the gastrointestinal parasitic fauna of captive non-human primates (Macaca fascicularis).

Science.gov (United States)

Zanzani, Sergio Aurelio; Gazzonis, Alessia Libera; Epis, Sara; Manfredi, Maria Teresa

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine helminths and protozoans in cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) imported from registered breeding facilities in China and their relation to health risks for non-human primate handlers in biomedical research centers and in breeding facilities. Fresh fecal samples were collected from a total of 443 M. fascicularis and analyzed by copromicroscopical analysis, immunoenzymatic, or molecular assays. As to helminths, whose eggs were shed in 2.03% of the samples, Trichuris and Oesophagostomum were the only two taxa found, with low prevalence and low eggs per gram (EPG) values. Protozoans were more frequently detected (87.40%), with Entamoeba coli (85.19%) and Endolimax nana (79.26%) as the most prevalent species shed. Other parasites found by fecal smear examination were uninucleated-cyst-producing Entamoebas (78.52%), Iodamoeba bütschlii (42.96%), and Chilomastix mesnili (24.44%), while cysts of Balantidium coli (22.2%) were only observed by sedimentation. No coproantigens of Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp., and Entamoeba histolytica complex were detected. Blastocystis sp. infection was noticed in 87.63% of macaques by PCR. These cynomolgus monkeys were infected with many subtypes (ST1, ST2, ST3, ST5, and ST7), where the predominant Blastocystis sp. subtypes were ST2 (77.5%), followed by ST1 (63.5%). Data collected confirmed the presence of potentially zoonotic parasites and a high parasite diversity, suggesting the need for appropriate and sensitive techniques to adequately control them and related health risks for handlers of non-human primates in biomedical research centers and in breeding facilities.

Efficacy of Qianggan capsule in treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease complicated with hyperlipidemia

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Zhi-Jun He

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Objective: To observe the clinical effects of Qianggan capsule and silibinin capsule in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease complicated with hyperlipidemia. Methods: A total of 112 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease were included in the study and divided into the control group (n=50 and the observation group (n=62. The patients in the control group were given silibinin capsule, while the patients in the observation group were given Qianggan capsule. The patients in the two groups were treated for 24 weeks. The liver/ spleen CT was performed before and after treatment. BMI was measured. The liver function, serum lipid, and leptin were detected. Results: TG, LDL-C, BMI, and liver/spleen CT ratio in the observation group were significantly reduced when compared with the control group. The levels of HDL-C and adiponectin in the observation group were significantly elevated when compared with the control group. The differences of ALT, GGT, and AST after treatment between the two groups were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Qianggan capsule and silibinin capsule has an accurate efficacy and high safety in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease complicated with hyperlipidemia.

Epigenetic mechanisms in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: An emerging field.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallego-Durán, Rocío; Romero-Gómez, Manuel

2015-10-28

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an emerging health concern in both developed and non-developed world, encompassing from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis and liver cancer. Incidence and prevalence of this disease are increasing due to the socioeconomic transition and change to harmful diet. Currently, gold standard method in NAFLD diagnosis is liver biopsy, despite complications and lack of accuracy due to sampling error. Further, pathogenesis of NAFLD is not fully understood, but is well-known that obesity, diabetes and metabolic derangements played a major role in disease development and progression. Besides, gut microbioma and host genetic and epigenetic background could explain considerable interindividual variability. Knowledge that epigenetics, heritable events not caused by changes in DNA sequence, contribute to development of diseases has been a revolution in the last few years. Recently, evidences are accumulating revealing the important role of epigenetics in NAFLD pathogenesis and in NASH genesis. Histone modifications, changes in DNA methylation and aberrant profiles or microRNAs could boost development of NAFLD and transition into clinical relevant status. PNPLA3 genotype GG has been associated with a more progressive disease and epigenetics could modulate this effect. The impact of epigenetic on NAFLD progression could deserve further applications on therapeutic targets together with future non-invasive methods useful for the diagnosis and staging of NAFLD.

Developmental programming of long non-coding RNAs during postnatal liver maturation in mice.

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Lai Peng

Full Text Available The liver is a vital organ with critical functions in metabolism, protein synthesis, and immune defense. Most of the liver functions are not mature at birth and many changes happen during postnatal liver development. However, it is unclear what changes occur in liver after birth, at what developmental stages they occur, and how the developmental processes are regulated. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs are involved in organ development and cell differentiation. Here, we analyzed the transcriptome of lncRNAs in mouse liver from perinatal (day -2 to adult (day 60 by RNA-Sequencing, with an attempt to understand the role of lncRNAs in liver maturation. We found around 15,000 genes expressed, including about 2,000 lncRNAs. Most lncRNAs were expressed at a lower level than coding RNAs. Both coding RNAs and lncRNAs displayed three major ontogenic patterns: enriched at neonatal, adolescent, or adult stages. Neighboring coding and non-coding RNAs showed the trend to exhibit highly correlated ontogenic expression patterns. Gene ontology (GO analysis revealed that some lncRNAs enriched at neonatal ages have their neighbor protein coding genes also enriched at neonatal ages and associated with cell proliferation, immune activation related processes, tissue organization pathways, and hematopoiesis; other lncRNAs enriched at adolescent ages have their neighbor protein coding genes associated with different metabolic processes. These data reveal significant functional transition during postnatal liver development and imply the potential importance of lncRNAs in liver maturation.

Detection of hepatitis C viral RNA sequences in fresh and paraffin-embedded liver biopsy specimens of non-A, non-B hepatitis patients

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bresters, D.; Cuypers, H. T.; Reesink, H. W.; Chamuleau, R. A.; Schipper, M. E.; Boeser-Nunnink, B. D.; Lelie, P. N.; Jansen, P. L.

1992-01-01

In this study methods of HCV-RNA detection in fresh frozen and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded liver biopsies are described. Of 22 untreated chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis patients and 6 control patients, a plasma sample and part of a liver biopsy were freshly frozen for hepatitis C virus (HCV)

Dust ion acoustic solitary structures in the presence of isothermal positrons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paul, A. [Jadavpur University, Department of Mathematics (India); Das, A. [B. N. S. U. P. School (India); Bandyopadhyay, A., E-mail: abandyopadhyay1965@gmail.com [Jadavpur University, Department of Mathematics (India)

2017-02-15

The Sagdeev potential technique has been employed to study the dust ion acoustic solitary waves and double layers in an unmagnetized collisionless dusty plasma consisting of negatively charged static dust grains, adiabatic warm ions, isothermally distributed electrons, and positrons. A computational scheme has been developed to draw the qualitatively different compositional parameter spaces or existence domains showing the nature of existence of different solitary structures with respect to any parameter of the present plasma system. The present system supports both positive and negative potential double layers. The negative potential double layer always restricts the occurrence of negative potential solitary waves, i.e., any sequence of negative potential solitary waves having monotonically increasing amplitude converges to a negative potential double layer. However, there exists a parameter regime for which the positive potential double layer is unable to restrict the occurrence of positive potential solitary waves. As a result, in this region of the parameter space, there exist solitary waves after the formation of positive potential double layer, i.e., positive potential supersolitons have been observed.

Giant ectopic liver, hepatocellular carcinoma and pachydermia-a rare genetic syndrome?

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Miny Peter

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Ectopic liver is a very uncommon developmental anomaly that predisposes to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. We describe the second documented case of a hepatocellular carcinoma developing in the primary liver of a patient with a rare and uncharacterized genetic symptom complex. Also present was the largest ectopic liver ever reported, measuring 12 cm in diameter which contained a solitary focus of metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma. The primary hepatocellular carcinoma is believed to have arisen in the native liver from a hepatic adenoma that was diagnosed 15 years earlier. The patient's uncharacterised condition featured prominent thick, yellow skin over the dorsum of the fingers, and was associated with follicular hyperkeratosis, abnormal plantar creases, digital clubbing, misshaped ears, a lingua plicata and an angioleiomyolipoma of the right kidney. This unique case of hepatocellular carcinoma arising from liver cell adenoma in a patient with an uncharacterised condition featuring a large ectopic liver invites discussion of the role of local factors in carcinogenesis in the parent liver but not the ectopic liver. It also underlines the imperative ongoing need for clinical autopsies.

Sex-specific metabolic interactions between liver and adipose tissue in MCD diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yun-Hee; Kim, Sou Hyun; Kim, Sang-Nam; Kwon, Hyun-Jung; Kim, Jeong-Dong; Oh, Ji Youn; Jung, Young-Suk

2016-07-26

Higher susceptibility to metabolic disease in male exemplifies the importance of sexual dimorphism in pathogenesis. We hypothesized that the higher incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in males involves sex-specific metabolic interactions between liver and adipose tissue. In the present study, we used a methionine-choline deficient (MCD) diet-induced fatty liver mouse model to investigate sex differences in the metabolic response of the liver and adipose tissue. After 2 weeks on an MCD-diet, fatty liver was induced in a sex-specific manner, affecting male mice more severely than females. The MCD-diet increased lipolytic enzymes in the gonadal white adipose tissue (gWAT) of male mice, whereas it increased expression of uncoupling protein 1 and other brown adipocyte markers in the gWAT of female mice. Moreover, gWAT from female mice demonstrated higher levels of oxygen consumption and mitochondrial content compared to gWAT from male mice. FGF21 expression was increased in liver tissue by the MCD diet, and the degree of upregulation was significantly higher in the livers of female mice. The endocrine effect of FGF21 was responsible, in part, for the sex-specific browning of gonadal white adipose tissue. Collectively, these data demonstrated that distinctively female-specific browning of white adipose tissue aids in protecting female mice against MCD diet-induced fatty liver disease.

Liver fat contents, abdominal adiposity and insulin resistance in non-diabetic prevalent hemodialysis patients.

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Chen, Hung-Yuan; Lin, Chien-Chu; Chiu, Yen-Ling; Hsu, Shih-Ping; Pai, Mei-Fen; Yang, Ju-Yeh; Wu, Hon-Yen; Peng, Yu-Sen

2014-01-01

The liver fat contents and abdominal adiposity correlate well with insulin resistance (IR) in the general population. However, the relationship between liver fat content, abdominal adiposity and IR in non-diabetic hemodialysis (HD) patients remains unclear. This study aimed to clarify the associations among these factors. This is a cross-sectional, observational study. All patients received abdominal ultrasound for liver fat content. Abdominal adiposity was quantified with the conicity index (Ci) and waist circumference (WC). We checked the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) for IR. A total of 112 patients (60 women) were analyzed. Subjects with higher liver fat contents and WC had higher IR indices. But Ci did not correlate with IR indices. In both the multi-variable linear regression model and the logistic regression model, only higher liver fat content predicted a severe IR status. Liver fat contents have a remarkable correlation with IR; however, abdominal adiposity, measured either by Ci or WC, dose not independently correlate with IR in non-diabetic prevalent HD patients. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Effects of Bariatric Surgery on Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Is an Effective, Non-invasive Method to Evaluate Changes in the Liver Fat Fraction.

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Hedderich, Dennis M; Hasenberg, Till; Haneder, Stefan; Schoenberg, Stefan O; Kücükoglu, Özlem; Canbay, Ali; Otto, Mirko

2017-07-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered the most common liver disease worldwide and is highly associated with obesity. The prevalences of both conditions have markedly increased in the Western civilization. Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for morbid obesity and its comorbidities such as NAFLD. Measure postoperative liver fat fraction (LFF) in bariatric patients by using in-opposed-phase MRI, a widely available clinical tool validated for the quantification of liver fat METHODS: Retrospective analyses of participants, who underwent laparoscopic Roux-Y-gastric-bypass (17) or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (2) were performed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and anthropometric measurements 1 day before surgery, as well as 6, 12, and 24 weeks after surgery, LFF was calculated from fat-only and water-only MR images. Six months after surgery, a significant decrease of LFF and liver volume has been observed along with weight loss, decreased waist circumference, and parameters obtained by body fat measured by BIA. LFF significantly correlated with liver volume in the postoperative course. MRI including in-opposed-phase imaging of the liver can detect the quantitative decrease of fatty infiltration within the liver after bariatric surgery and thus could be a valuable tool to monitor NAFLD/NASH postoperatively.

Conservative numerical methods for solitary wave interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duran, A; Lopez-Marcos, M A [Departamento de Matematica Aplicada y Computacion, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valladolid, Paseo del Prado de la Magdalena s/n, 47005 Valladolid (Spain)

2003-07-18

The purpose of this paper is to show the advantages that represent the use of numerical methods that preserve invariant quantities in the study of solitary wave interactions for the regularized long wave equation. It is shown that the so-called conservative methods are more appropriate to study the phenomenon and provide a dynamic point of view that allows us to estimate the changes in the parameters of the solitary waves after the collision.

Non-Invasive Assessment of Hepatic Fibrosis by Elastic Measurement of Liver Using Magnetic Resonance Tagging Images

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Xuejun Zhang

2018-03-01

Full Text Available To date, the measurement of the stiffness of liver requires a special vibrational tool that limits its application in many hospitals. In this study, we developed a novel method for automatically assessing the elasticity of the liver without any use of contrast agents or mechanical devices. By calculating the non-rigid deformation of the liver from magnetic resonance (MR tagging images, the stiffness was quantified as the displacement of grids on the liver image during a forced exhalation cycle. Our methods include two major processes: (1 quantification of the non-rigid deformation as the bending energy (BE based on the thin-plate spline method in the spatial domain and (2 calculation of the difference in the power spectrum from the tagging images, by using fast Fourier transform in the frequency domain. By considering 34 cases (17 normal and 17 abnormal liver cases, a remarkable difference between the two groups was found by both methods. The elasticity of the liver was finally analyzed by combining the bending energy and power spectral features obtained through MR tagging images. The result showed that only one abnormal case was misclassified in our dataset, which implied our method for non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis has the potential to reduce the traditional liver biopsy.

Renal malignant solitary fibrous tumor with single lymph node involvement: report of unusual metastasis and review of the literature

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Mearini E

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Ettore Mearini,1 Giovanni Cochetti,1 Francesco Barillaro,1 Sonia Fatigoni,2 Fausto Roila2 1Department of Medical-Surgical Specialties and Public Health, Division of Urological Andrological Surgery and Minimally Invasive Techniques, University of Perugia, Terni, Italy; 2Medical Oncology, S Maria Hospital, Terni, Italy Abstract: Solitary fibrous tumors are rare mesenchymal spindle cell neoplasms that are usually found in the pleura. The kidneys are an uncommon site and only few cases of renal solitary fibrous tumor exhibit malignant behavior metastasizing to the liver, lung, and bone through the hematogenous pathway. Purpose: To describe the first case of lymph node metastasis from renal solitary fibrous tumor in order to increase the knowledge about the malignant behavior of these tumors. Patients and methods: A 19-year-old female patient had intermittent hematuria for several months without flank pain or other symptoms. A chest and abdomen CT scan was performed and showed a multi-lobed bulky solid mass of 170 × 98 × 120 mm in the left kidney. One day before the surgery, the left renal artery was catheterized and the kidney embolization was performed using a Haemostatic Absorbable Gelatin Sponge and polyvinyl alcohol. We then performed a radical nephrectomy with hilar, para-aortic, and inter-aortocaval lymphadenectomy. Results: Estimated intraoperative blood loss was 200 mL and the operative time was 100 minutes. No postoperative complications occurred. The hospital stay was 7 days long. The histological examination was malignant solitary fibrous tumor of the kidney. Cancerous tissue showed cellular atypia, with an increased mitotic index (up to 7 × 10 hpf. Immunohistochemical analysis showed positive results for CD34, BCL2, partial expression of HBME1, and occasionally of synaptophysin. Histological evaluation confirmed the presence of metastasis in one hilar node. The patient did not receive any other therapy. At 30-month follow-up, the

High rate of adaptation of mammalian proteins that interact with Plasmodium and related parasites

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Telis, Natalie; Petrov, Dmitri A.

2017-01-01

Plasmodium parasites, along with their Piroplasm relatives, have caused malaria-like illnesses in terrestrial mammals for millions of years. Several Plasmodium-protective alleles have recently evolved in human populations, but little is known about host adaptation to blood parasites over deeper evolutionary timescales. In this work, we analyze mammalian adaptation in ~500 Plasmodium- or Piroplasm- interacting proteins (PPIPs) manually curated from the scientific literature. We show that (i) PPIPs are enriched for both immune functions and pleiotropy with other pathogens, and (ii) the rate of adaptation across mammals is significantly elevated in PPIPs, compared to carefully matched control proteins. PPIPs with high pathogen pleiotropy show the strongest signatures of adaptation, but this pattern is fully explained by their immune enrichment. Several pieces of evidence suggest that blood parasites specifically have imposed selection on PPIPs. First, even non-immune PPIPs that lack interactions with other pathogens have adapted at twice the rate of matched controls. Second, PPIP adaptation is linked to high expression in the liver, a critical organ in the parasite life cycle. Finally, our detailed investigation of alpha-spectrin, a major red blood cell membrane protein, shows that domains with particularly high rates of adaptation are those known to interact specifically with P. falciparum. Overall, we show that host proteins that interact with Plasmodium and Piroplasm parasites have experienced elevated rates of adaptation across mammals, and provide evidence that some of this adaptation has likely been driven by blood parasites. PMID:28957326

[Solitary hyperfunctioning thyroid gland carcinomas].

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Zivaljevic, V; Zivic, R; Diklic, A; Krgovic, K; Kalezic, N; Vekic, B; Stevanovic, D; Paunovic, I

2011-08-01

Thyroid gland carcinomas usually appear as afunctional and hypofunctional lesions on thyroid scintigrams, but some rare cases of thyroid carcinoma with scintigraphic hyperfunctional lesions have also been reported. The aim of our retrospective study was to elucidate the frequency of carcinomas in patients operated for solitary hyperfunctional thyroid nodules and to represent their demographic and clinical features. During one decade (1997/2006), 308 patients were operated for solitary hyperfunctional thyroid nodules in the Centre for Endocrine Surgery in Belgrade. Malignancy was revealed in 9 cases (about 3 %) by histopathological examination. In 6 cases papillary microcarcinomas were found adjacent to dominant hyperfunctional adenomas, while in 3 cases (about 1 %) real hyperfunctional carcinomas were confirmed. Follicular carcinoma was diagnosed in 2 cases and papillary carcinoma in one. All 3 patients were preoperatively hyperthyroid. In both patients with follicular carcinoma we performed lobectomies. In the third case we carried out a total thyroidectomy considering the intraoperative frozen section finding of a papillary carcinoma. According to our results the frequency of solitary hyperfunctioning thyroid carcinomas is about 1 %, so that the possibility that a hyperfunctional nodule is malignant should be considered in the treatment of such lesions. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart ˙ New York.

Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Beneficial Effects of Flavonoids.

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Akhlaghi, Masoumeh

2016-10-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been known as the hepatic feature of metabolic syndrome. Extra fat depots, especially in visceral areas, develop insulin resistance as a result of mild oxidation and inflammation. Insulin resistance induces lipolysis and releases free fatty acids into the circulation, where they are transported to the liver. In the liver, free fatty acids are converted to triglycerides and accumulate, causing simple steatosis that, if left untreated, can lead to steatohepatitis, and subsequently liver necrosis and cirrhosis.Flavonoids, a group of plant compounds with incredible biological characteristics, have shown advantages in pathological conditions. Beneficial effects of flavonoids against NAFLD and its related disorders have been observed in both animal and human studies. Various mechanisms have been found for their protection. Flavonoids prevent hepatosteatosis by increasing fatty acid oxidation in the liver. They can also reduce caloric intake and decrease body weight and fat deposition in visceral tissues. Flavonoids are unique antioxidants that exert their beneficial effects through inhibition of nuclear factor κB, thereby attenuating release of inflammatory cytokines, which are triggers of insulin resistance. Finally, flavonoids have shown to increase adiponectin, improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, correct dyslipidemia, and reduce blood pressure in patients with NAFLD. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Histological scoring and associated risk factors of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

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Majid, N; Ali, Z; Rahman, M R; Akhter, A; Rajib, R C; Ahmad, F; Sharmin, S; Akond, A K; Huq, N

2013-10-01

Non alcoholic steatohepatitis is a hepatic disorder with histological features of alcohol induced liver disease that occurs in individual who do not consume significant alcohol. Liver biopsy is an important part of the evaluation in term of both grade & stage. A cross sectional study was carried out in the department of Pathology, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka & department of Hepatology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) from July 2007 to June 2009. Total 55 adult subjects of both sex were included on the basis of predefined inclusion & exclusion criteria in this study to evaluate the histological pattern of non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its correlation with risk factors. Liver biopsy was done and H & E and Masson's Trichrome stain slides were examined to evaluate the grade and stage of NAFLD. Scoring and semiquantitative assessment of steatosis and NAFLD severity was done according to Kleiner scale known as NAFLD activity score (NAS). The results of Pearson correlation showed only BMI and triglyceride level significantly correlated with NAS score. The results of Spearman's rank correlation showed that BMI, central obesity, triglyceridaemia and age significantly correlated with staging of fibrosis. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that variation of NAS depend on BMI and triglyceride level. The study also revealed that risk factors contributed about 29% risk for the occurrence of non alcoholic steatohepatitis.

New record of monogenean parasites on non-indigenous fishes in the Ukrainian Danube Delta

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kvach, Yuriy; Ondračková, Markéta; Kutsokon, Y.; Dzyziuk, N.

2018-01-01

Roč. 7, č. 1 (2018), s. 65-72 E-ISSN 2242-1300 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GBP505/12/G112 Institutional support: RVO:68081766 Keywords : Ancyrocephalidae * first finding * Gyrodactylidae * non-indigenous species * parasite spillover Subject RIV: EG - Zoology OBOR OECD: Biodiversity conservation Impact factor: 0.835, year: 2016

Transition of Plasmodium sporozoites into liver stage-like forms is regulated by the RNA binding protein Pumilio

KAUST Repository

Gomes-Santos, Carina S. S.

2011-05-19

Many eukaryotic developmental and cell fate decisions that are effected post-transcriptionally involve RNA binding proteins as regulators of translation of key mRNAs. In malaria parasites (Plasmodium spp.), the development of round, non-motile and replicating exo-erythrocytic liver stage forms from slender, motile and cell-cycle arrested sporozoites is believed to depend on environmental changes experienced during the transmission of the parasite from the mosquito vector to the vertebrate host. Here we identify a Plasmodium member of the RNA binding protein family PUF as a key regulator of this transformation. In the absence of Pumilio-2 (Puf2) sporozoites initiate EEF development inside mosquito salivary glands independently of the normal transmission-associated environmental cues. Puf2- sporozoites exhibit genome-wide transcriptional changes that result in loss of gliding motility, cell traversal ability and reduction in infectivity, and, moreover, trigger metamorphosis typical of early Plasmodium intra-hepatic development. These data demonstrate that Puf2 is a key player in regulating sporozoite developmental control, and imply that transformation of salivary gland-resident sporozoites into liver stage-like parasites is regulated by a post-transcriptional mechanism. 2011 Gomes-Santos et al.

The origin of malarial parasites in orangutans.

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M Andreína Pacheco

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Recent findings of Plasmodium in African apes have changed our perspectives on the evolution of malarial parasites in hominids. However, phylogenetic analyses of primate malarias are still missing information from Southeast Asian apes. In this study, we report molecular data for a malaria parasite lineage found in orangutans. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We screened twenty-four blood samples from Pongo pygmaeus (Kalimantan, Indonesia for Plasmodium parasites by PCR. For all the malaria positive orangutan samples, parasite mitochondrial genomes (mtDNA and two antigens: merozoite surface protein 1 42 kDa (MSP-1(42 and circumsporozoite protein gene (CSP were amplified, cloned, and sequenced. Fifteen orangutans tested positive and yielded 5 distinct mitochondrial haplotypes not previously found. The haplotypes detected exhibited low genetic divergence among them, indicating that they belong to one species. We report phylogenetic analyses using mitochondrial genomes, MSP-1(42 and CSP. We found that the orangutan malaria parasite lineage was part of a monophyletic group that includes all the known non-human primate malaria parasites found in Southeast Asia; specifically, it shares a recent common ancestor with P. inui (a macaque parasite and P. hylobati (a gibbon parasite suggesting that this lineage originated as a result of a host switch. The genetic diversity of MSP-1(42 in orangutans seems to be under negative selection. This result is similar to previous findings in non-human primate malarias closely related to P. vivax. As has been previously observed in the other Plasmodium species found in non-human primates, the CSP shows high polymorphism in the number of repeats. However, it has clearly distinctive motifs from those previously found in other malarial parasites. CONCLUSION: The evidence available from Asian apes indicates that these parasites originated independently from those found in Africa, likely as the result of host

Frequency Selective Non-Linear Blending to Improve Image Quality in Liver CT.

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Bongers, M N; Bier, G; Kloth, C; Schabel, C; Fritz, J; Nikolaou, K; Horger, M

2016-12-01

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of a new frequency selective non-linear blending (NLB) algorithm on the contrast resolution of liver CT with low intravascular concentration of iodine contrast. Materials and Methods: Our local ethics committee approved this retrospective study. The informed consent requirement was waived. CT exams of 25 patients (60 % female, mean age: 65 ± 16 years of age) with late phase CT scans of the liver were included as a model for poor intrahepatic vascular contrast enhancement. Optimal post-processing settings to enhance the contrast of hepatic vessels were determined. Outcome variables included signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) of hepatic vessels and SNR of liver parenchyma of standard and post-processed images. Image quality was quantified by two independent readers using Likert scales. Results: The post-processing settings for the visualization of hepatic vasculature were optimal at a center of 115HU, delta of 25HU, and slope of 5. Image noise was statistically indifferent between standard and post-processed images. The CNR between the hepatic vasculature (HV) and liver parenchyma could be significantly increased for liver veins (CNR Standard 1.62 ± 1.10, CNR NLB 3.6 ± 2.94, p = 0.0002) and portal veins (CNR Standard 1.31 ± 0.85, CNR NLB 2.42 ± 3.03, p = 0.046). The SNR of liver parenchyma was significantly higher on post-processed images (SNR NLB 11.26 ± 3.16, SNR Standard 8.85 ± 2.27, p = 0.008). The overall image quality and depiction of HV were significantly higher on post-processed images (NLB DHV : 4 [3 - 4.75], S tandardDHV : 2 [1.3 - 2.5], p = algorithm increases the contrast resolution of liver CT and can improve the visibility of the hepatic vasculature in the setting of a low contrast ratio between vessels and the parenchyma. Key Points: • Using the new frequency selective non-linear blending algorithm is feasible in contrast

All-In-One: Advanced preparation of Human Parenchymal and Non-Parenchymal Liver Cells.

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Melanie Werner

Full Text Available Liver cells are key players in innate immunity. Thus, studying primary isolated liver cells is necessary for determining their role in liver physiology and pathophysiology. In particular, the quantity and quality of isolated cells are crucial to their function. Our aim was to isolate a large quantity of high-quality human parenchymal and non-parenchymal cells from a single liver specimen.Hepatocytes, Kupffer cells, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, and stellate cells were isolated from liver tissues by collagenase perfusion in combination with low-speed centrifugation, density gradient centrifugation, and magnetic-activated cell sorting. The purity and functionality of cultured cell populations were controlled by determining their morphology, discriminative cell marker expression, and functional activity.Cell preparation yielded the following cell counts per gram of liver tissue: 2.0 ± 0.4 × 10(7 hepatocytes, 1.8 ± 0.5 × 10(6 Kupffer cells, 4.3 ± 1.9 × 10(5 liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, and 3.2 ± 0.5 × 10(5 stellate cells. Hepatocytes were identified by albumin (95.5 ± 1.7% and exhibited time-dependent activity of cytochrome P450 enzymes. Kupffer cells expressed CD68 (94.5 ± 1.2% and exhibited phagocytic activity, as determined with 1 μm latex beads. Endothelial cells were CD146(+ (97.8 ± 1.1% and exhibited efficient uptake of acetylated low-density lipoprotein. Hepatic stellate cells were identified by the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (97.1 ± 1.5%. These cells further exhibited retinol (vitamin A-mediated autofluorescence.Our isolation procedure for primary parenchymal and non-parenchymal liver cells resulted in cell populations of high purity and quality, with retained physiological functionality in vitro. Thus, this system may provide a valuable tool for determining liver function and disease.

Menopausal age and sex hormones in postmenopausal women with alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Becker, U; Gluud, C; Farholt, S

1991-01-01

In order to evaluate age at menopause and serum sex hormone profiles in postmenopausal women with stable chronic liver disease, six non-cirrhotic alcoholics, 13 with alcoholic cirrhosis, eight with non-alcoholic cirrhosis, and 46 healthy controls were studied. In all three groups, patients were...... and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHAS) (p less than 0.05). The observed changes may be a consequence of liver disease since similar changes were observed in patients with alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver disease, but an additional effect of alcohol cannot be excluded....... significantly (p less than 0.05) younger at the time of natural menopause than controls. Compared to controls, non-cirrhotic alcoholic women had significantly (p less than 0.05) reduced levels of DHAS, significantly (p less than 0.05) more alcoholic cirrhotic women had detectable oestradiol concentrations...

Solitary waves on nonlinear elastic rods. I

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Mads Peter; Christiansen, Peter Leth; Lomdahl, P. S.

1984-01-01

Acoustic waves on elastic rods with circular cross section are governed by improved Boussinesq equations when transverse motion and nonlinearity in the elastic medium are taken into account. Solitary wave solutions to these equations have been found. The present paper treats the interaction betwe...... nonlinearity. The balance between dispersion and nonlinearity in the equation is investigated.......Acoustic waves on elastic rods with circular cross section are governed by improved Boussinesq equations when transverse motion and nonlinearity in the elastic medium are taken into account. Solitary wave solutions to these equations have been found. The present paper treats the interaction between...... the solitary waves numerically. It is demonstrated that the waves behave almost like solitons in agreement with the fact that the improved Boussinesq equations are nearly integrable. Thus three conservation theorems can be derived from the equations. A new subsonic quasibreather is found in the case of a cubic...

Study of Zoonotic Tissue Parasites (Hydatid Cyst, Fasciola, Dicrocoelium and Sarcocystis in Hamadan Abattoir

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M. Fallah

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction & Objectives: Zoonotic parasites are large groups of zoonoses among which the most important are hydatid cyst, liver trematodes and sarcocystis.These zoonoses are of considerable importance regarding both human health and economy. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of tissue zoonotic parasites and their epidemiologic status in Hamadan and to estimate the health and medical burden they impose on the society.Materials & Methods: In this cross sectional study, viscera (including liver, lung, kidney, heart,… and muscles of 2590 sheep, 420 cattle, and 490 goats were macroscopically inspected for hydatid cysts, liver flukes, cysticercus , and microscopically (for Sarcocystis in the Hamadan abattoir. The data were presented by descriptive tables and analyzed by 2 statistical test. Results: The infection rate for hydatid cyst, Fasciola, Dicrocoelium and Sarcocystis were found 12.3%, 4.9%, 6.5%, and 5.5% respectively. The high infection rates for hydatid cyst and Fasciola were found in cattle (16.2% and 9.5% and for Dicrocoelium and Sarcocystis were found in sheep (6.9%. Infection rate of lungs was higher (41.2% than liver (36.6% and liver and lung simultaneously were 22.2% in the infected animals. Infection to Sarcocystis and Cysticercus were not found in the cattle. Conclusion: This study indicated that infection rate of tissue zoonotic parasites are relatively high in the domestic animals of Hamadan , however, the rate is lower in comparison to the previous studies. These parasites had imposed considerable economic burden on the society through reduction in the dairy production and increased the risk of infection in the population as well. (Sci J Hamadan Univ Med Sci 2010;17(3: 5-12

Solitary mammals provide an animal model for autism spectrum disorders.

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Reser, Jared Edward

2014-02-01

Species of solitary mammals are known to exhibit specialized, neurological adaptations that prepare them to focus working memory on food procurement and survival rather than on social interaction. Solitary and nonmonogamous mammals, which do not form strong social bonds, have been documented to exhibit behaviors and biomarkers that are similar to endophenotypes in autism. Both individuals on the autism spectrum and certain solitary mammals have been reported to be low on measures of affiliative need, bodily expressiveness, bonding and attachment, direct and shared gazing, emotional engagement, conspecific recognition, partner preference, separation distress, and social approach behavior. Solitary mammals also exhibit certain biomarkers that are characteristic of autism, including diminished oxytocin and vasopressin signaling, dysregulation of the endogenous opioid system, increased Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) activity to social encounters, and reduced HPA activity to separation and isolation. The extent of these similarities suggests that solitary mammals may offer a useful model of autism spectrum disorders and an opportunity for investigating genetic and epigenetic etiological factors. If the brain in autism can be shown to exhibit distinct homologous or homoplastic similarities to the brains of solitary animals, it will reveal that they may be central to the phenotype and should be targeted for further investigation. Research of the neurological, cellular, and molecular basis of these specializations in other mammals may provide insight for behavioral analysis, communication intervention, and psychopharmacology for autism.

Meso- and bathy-pelagic fish parasites at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR): Low host specificity and restricted parasite diversity

Science.gov (United States)

Klimpel, Sven; Busch, Markus Wilhelm; Sutton, Tracey; Palm, Harry Wilhelm

2010-04-01

Seven meso- and bathy-pelagic fish species from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) were firstly studied for fish parasites and feeding ecology. With a total of seven parasite species, the 247 meso- and bathy-pelagic deep-sea fish specimens belonging to the families Melamphaidae (3 spp.), Myctophidae (3 spp.) and Stomiidae (1 sp.) revealed low parasite diversity. The genetically identified nematodes Anisakis simplex (s.s.) and Anisakis pegreffii from the body cavity, liver and muscles of Myctophum punctatum were the most abundant parasites, reaching a prevalence of 91.4% and mean intensity of 3.1 (1-14). Anisakis sp. (unidentified) infected Chauliodus sloani and Poromitra crassiceps. Bothriocephalidean and tetraphyllidean cestode larvae infected Benthosema glaciale, the latter also occurring in C. sloani and Scopelogadus beanii, at low prevalences. Adult parasites at low infection rates included the digenean Lethadena sp. (2.9%), and the two copepod species Sarcotretes scopeli (5.7%) and Tautochondria dolichoura (5.3-11.4%). The myctophid Lampanyctus macdonaldi and the melamphaid Scopelogadus mizolepis mizolepis were free of parasites. Analyses of the stomach contents revealed crustaceans, especially copepods and euphausiids for the myctophids and also amphipods for the melamphaids as predominant prey items. While all stomachs showing distinct content comprising often unidentified 'tissue' (possibly gelatinous zooplankton), only C. sloani preyed upon fish. Though this feeding habit would enable transfer of a variety of crustacean-transmitted parasites into the fish, the parasite fauna in the meso- and bathy-pelagic fish was species poor. All observed parasites showed low host specificity, demonstrating no distinct pattern of host-parasite co-evolution. The MAR is no barrier for the parasite distribution in the North Atlantic meso- and bathy-pelagial.

Disturbed Vitamin A Metabolism in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Saeed

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Vitamin A is required for important physiological processes, including embryogenesis, vision, cell proliferation and differentiation, immune regulation, and glucose and lipid metabolism. Many of vitamin A’s functions are executed through retinoic acids that activate transcriptional networks controlled by retinoic acid receptors (RARs and retinoid X receptors (RXRs.The liver plays a central role in vitamin A metabolism: (1 it produces bile supporting efficient intestinal absorption of fat-soluble nutrients like vitamin A; (2 it produces retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4 that distributes vitamin A, as retinol, to peripheral tissues; and (3 it harbors the largest body supply of vitamin A, mostly as retinyl esters, in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs. In times of inadequate dietary intake, the liver maintains stable circulating retinol levels of approximately 2 μmol/L, sufficient to provide the body with this vitamin for months. Liver diseases, in particular those leading to fibrosis and cirrhosis, are associated with impaired vitamin A homeostasis and may lead to vitamin A deficiency. Liver injury triggers HSCs to transdifferentiate to myofibroblasts that produce excessive amounts of extracellular matrix, leading to fibrosis. HSCs lose the retinyl ester stores in this process, ultimately leading to vitamin A deficiency. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD is the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome and is a spectrum of conditions ranging from benign hepatic steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH; it may progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer. NASH is projected to be the main cause of liver failure in the near future. Retinoic acids are key regulators of glucose and lipid metabolism in the liver and adipose tissue, but it is unknown whether impaired vitamin A homeostasis contributes to or suppresses the development of NAFLD. A genetic variant of patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing 3 (PNPLA3-I148M is the most prominent

Electron-acoustic solitary waves in the Earth's inner magnetosphere

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Dillard, C. S.; Vasko, I. Y.; Mozer, F. S.; Agapitov, O. V.; Bonnell, J. W.

2018-02-01

The broadband electrostatic turbulence observed in the inner magnetosphere is produced by large-amplitude electrostatic solitary waves of generally two types. The solitary waves with symmetric bipolar parallel (magnetic field-aligned) electric field are electron phase space holes. The solitary waves with highly asymmetric bipolar parallel electric field have been recently shown to correspond to the electron-acoustic plasma mode (existing due to two-temperature electron population). Through theoretical and numerical analysis of hydrodynamic and modified Korteweg-de Vries equations, we demonstrate that the asymmetric solitary waves appear due to the steepening of initially quasi-monochromatic electron-acoustic perturbation arrested at some moment by collisionless dissipation (Landau damping). The typical steepening time is found to be from a few to tens of milliseconds. The steepening of the electron-acoustic waves has not been reproduced in self-consistent kinetic simulations yet, and factors controlling the formation of steepened electron-acoustic waves, rather than electron phase space holes, remain unclear.

Clinical utility of red cell distribution width in alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis.

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Milić, Sandra; Mikolasević, Ivana; Radić, Mladen; Hauser, Goran; Stimac, Davor

2011-09-01

Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a measure of the variation of red blood cell width that is reported as apart of standard complete blood count. Red blood cell distribution width results are often used together with mean corpuscular volume (MCV) results to figure out mixed anemia. The aim of our study was to compare the values of RDW in alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis and to determine if RDW follows the severity of disease according to Child-Pugh score. We retrospectively analyzed 241 patients (176 men and 65 women) with liver cirrhosis and anemia, defined as a hemoglobin value reference range is 11-15%. Alcoholic liver cirrhosis had 204 patients (85%) while non-alcoholic cirrhosis had 37 patients (15%). In group of alcoholic cirrhosis the average RDW was 16.8%. In relation to severity of disease the average RDW for Child-Pugh A was 16.80%, for Child-Pugh B was 16.92%, for Child-Pugh C was 17.10%. In the group of non-alcoholic cirrhosis the average RDW was 16.73% and in relation to severity of disease for Child-Pugh A was 16.25%, for Child-Pugh B 17.01% and for Child-Pugh C was 16.87%. We didn't find statistically significant difference of RDW between alcoholic and non alcoholic cirrhosis (p > 0.05) and we didn't proved any statistically significant increase of RDW in relation to severity of disease in group of alcoholic cirrhosis (p = 0.915) nor in group of patients with non-alcoholic cirrhosis (p = 0.697). Our study showed that RDW had not any clinical value in differentiation of anemia neither in alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis nor in severity of liver disease.

A clinical and biochemical profile of biopsy-proven non-alcoholic fatty liver disease subjects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khurram, M.; Mushraf, M.

2007-01-01

To describe clinical and biochemical features of patients with biopsy-proven non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Fifty patients of either and of all ages were included, who had ultrasound evidence of fatty liver, deranged liver enzymes, and negative history of alcohol uptake. Serological/biochemical tests/markers of other liver diseases were negative. Each subject underwent liver biopsy reported by a single histopathologist. Clinical (symptoms, hypertension, hepatomegaly, and obesity) and biochemical evaluation (for diabetes, lipid abnormalities, and aspartate to alanine aminotransferase ratio (AST/ALT)) of each subject was done. Chi-square and t-tests were used for p-value calculation for finding significant difference between fatty liver and non-alcoholic steato-hepatitis groups. Thirty three (66%) patients were female and 34% were male. Mean age was 45.50+-11.50 years. Histopathologically, 62% subjects had fatty liver alone, while 38% had nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Fatigue (100%), hypertriglyceridemia (80%), hepatomegaly (72%), AST/ALT ratio <1 (72%), and obesity/overweight (54%) were common NAFLD-related features. Except for hypertriglycedemia (p-value 0.008), no statistically significant association was noted between these features and histopathological subtypes of NAFLD. NAFLD-related clinical and biochemical features included fatigue, obesity, hepatomegaly, AST/ALT ratio <1, and hypertriglycedemia. Significant relationship existed between hypertriglyceridemia and NASH. (author)

Experience with managing liver trauma in southeastern Nigeria.

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Chianakwana, Gu; Umeh, Ku; Chianakwana, Jo

2011-04-01

All over the world, liver trauma occurs as a result of blunt or penetrating abdominal injury. To review the management, morbidity and mortality of liver trauma in our resource-deprived centre, and to see how we can improve these outcomes, our poor facilities notwithstanding. This is a descriptive epidemiology. Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria. Patients who were treated for liver trauma in our centre between 2004 and 2010 were reviewed for aetiology of injury, management, morbidity and mortality. Of the 162 patients who were treated for liver trauma during the period, only 156 patients were recruited into the study. One hundred and nineteen (119) were males and 37 were females. Majority were blunt injuries while others were penetrating injuries. The blunt injuries were usually solitary, affecting only the liver whereas the penetrating injuries occasionally involved both the liver and some other organ(s). The commonest cause of blunt injuries was road traffic accident followed by fall from height. The commonest cause of penetrating injury was gunshot wound, followed by stab wound. Morbidity and mortality following liver trauma can be reduced by applying prompt and appropriate management modalities within the ambit of available resources. However, outcome will improve if adequate facilities are available.

A brain-liver circuit regulates glucose homeostasis.

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Pocai, Alessandro; Obici, Silvana; Schwartz, Gary J; Rossetti, Luciano

2005-01-01

Increased glucose production (GP) is the major determinant of fasting hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus. Previous studies suggested that lipid metabolism within specific hypothalamic nuclei is a biochemical sensor for nutrient availability that exerts negative feedback on GP. Here we show that central inhibition of fat oxidation leads to selective activation of brainstem neurons within the nucleus of the solitary tract and the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus and markedly decreases liver gluconeogenesis, expression of gluconeogenic enzymes, and GP. These effects require central activation of ATP-dependent potassium channels (K(ATP)) and descending fibers within the hepatic branch of the vagus nerve. Thus, hypothalamic lipid sensing potently modulates glucose metabolism via neural circuitry that requires the activation of K(ATP) and selective brainstem neurons and intact vagal input to the liver. This crosstalk between brain and liver couples central nutrient sensing to peripheral nutrient production and its disruption may lead to hyperglycemia.

NMR-Based Identification of Metabolites in Polar and Non-Polar Extracts of Avian Liver.

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Fathi, Fariba; Brun, Antonio; Rott, Katherine H; Falco Cobra, Paulo; Tonelli, Marco; Eghbalnia, Hamid R; Caviedes-Vidal, Enrique; Karasov, William H; Markley, John L

2017-11-16

Metabolites present in liver provide important clues regarding the physiological state of an organism. The aim of this work was to evaluate a protocol for high-throughput NMR-based analysis of polar and non-polar metabolites from a small quantity of liver tissue. We extracted the tissue with a methanol/chloroform/water mixture and isolated the polar metabolites from the methanol/water layer and the non-polar metabolites from the chloroform layer. Following drying, we re-solubilized the fractions for analysis with a 600 MHz NMR spectrometer equipped with a 1.7 mm cryogenic probe. In order to evaluate the feasibility of this protocol for metabolomics studies, we analyzed the metabolic profile of livers from house sparrow ( Passer domesticus ) nestlings raised on two different diets: livers from 10 nestlings raised on a high protein diet (HP) for 4 d and livers from 12 nestlings raised on the HP diet for 3 d and then switched to a high carbohydrate diet (HC) for 1 d. The protocol enabled the detection of 52 polar and nine non-polar metabolites in ¹H NMR spectra of the extracts. We analyzed the lipophilic metabolites by one-way ANOVA to assess statistically significant concentration differences between the two groups. The results of our studies demonstrate that the protocol described here can be exploited for high-throughput screening of small quantities of liver tissue (approx. 100 mg wet mass) obtainable from small animals.

Complete Plasmodium falciparum liver-stage development in liver-chimeric mice

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Vaughan, Ashley M.; Mikolajczak, Sebastian A.; Wilson, Elizabeth M.; Grompe, Markus; Kaushansky, Alexis; Camargo, Nelly; Bial, John; Ploss, Alexander; Kappe, Stefan H.I.

2012-01-01

Plasmodium falciparum, which causes the most lethal form of human malaria, replicates in the host liver during the initial stage of infection. However, in vivo malaria liver-stage (LS) studies in humans are virtually impossible, and in vitro models of LS development do not reconstitute relevant parasite growth conditions. To overcome these obstacles, we have adopted a robust mouse model for the study of P. falciparum LS in vivo: the immunocompromised and fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase–deficient mouse (Fah–/–, Rag2–/–, Il2rg–/–, termed the FRG mouse) engrafted with human hepatocytes (FRG huHep). FRG huHep mice supported vigorous, quantifiable P. falciparum LS development that culminated in complete maturation of LS at approximately 7 days after infection, providing a relevant model for LS development in humans. The infections allowed observations of previously unknown expression of proteins in LS, including P. falciparum translocon of exported proteins 150 (PTEX150) and exported protein-2 (EXP-2), components of a known parasite protein export machinery. LS schizonts exhibited exoerythrocytic merozoite formation and merosome release. Furthermore, FRG mice backcrossed to the NOD background and repopulated with huHeps and human red blood cells supported reproducible transition from LS infection to blood-stage infection. Thus, these mice constitute reliable models to study human LS directly in vivo and demonstrate utility for studies of LS–to–blood-stage transition of a human malaria parasite. PMID:22996664

The effects of farm management practices on liver fluke prevalence and the current internal parasite control measures employed on Irish dairy farms.

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Selemetas, Nikolaos; Phelan, Paul; O'Kiely, Padraig; de Waal, Theo

2015-01-30

Fasciolosis caused by Fasciola hepatica is responsible for major production losses in cattle farms. The objectives of this study were to assess the effect of farm management practices on liver fluke prevalence on Irish dairy farms and to document the current control measures against parasitic diseases. In total, 369 dairy farms throughout Ireland were sampled from October to December 2013, each providing a single bulk tank milk (BTM) sample for liver fluke antibody-detection ELISA testing and completing a questionnaire on their farm management. The analysis of samples showed that cows on 78% (n=288) of dairy farms had been exposed to liver fluke. There was a difference (P0.05) between positive and negative farms in (a) the grazing of dry cows together with replacement cows, (b) whether or not grazed grassland was mowed for conservation, (c) the type of drinking water provision system, (d) spreading of cattle manure on grassland or (e) for grazing season length (GSL; mean=262.5 days). Also, there were differences (Pmanagement practices between Irish farms with dairy herds exposed or not exposed to liver fluke and stressed the need of fine-scale mapping of the disease patterns even at farm level to increase the accuracy of risk models. Also, comprehensive advice and professional support services to farmers on appropriate farm management practices are very important for an effective anthelmintic control strategy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Self-similarity of solitary waves on inertia-dominated falling liquid films.

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Denner, Fabian; Pradas, Marc; Charogiannis, Alexandros; Markides, Christos N; van Wachem, Berend G M; Kalliadasis, Serafim

2016-03-01

We propose consistent scaling of solitary waves on inertia-dominated falling liquid films, which accurately accounts for the driving physical mechanisms and leads to a self-similar characterization of solitary waves. Direct numerical simulations of the entire two-phase system are conducted using a state-of-the-art finite volume framework for interfacial flows in an open domain that was previously validated against experimental film-flow data with excellent agreement. We present a detailed analysis of the wave shape and the dispersion of solitary waves on 34 different water films with Reynolds numbers Re=20-120 and surface tension coefficients σ=0.0512-0.072 N m(-1) on substrates with inclination angles β=19°-90°. Following a detailed analysis of these cases we formulate a consistent characterization of the shape and dispersion of solitary waves, based on a newly proposed scaling derived from the Nusselt flat film solution, that unveils a self-similarity as well as the driving mechanism of solitary waves on gravity-driven liquid films. Our results demonstrate that the shape of solitary waves, i.e., height and asymmetry of the wave, is predominantly influenced by the balance of inertia and surface tension. Furthermore, we find that the dispersion of solitary waves on the inertia-dominated falling liquid films considered in this study is governed by nonlinear effects and only driven by inertia, with surface tension and gravity having a negligible influence.

Role of liver progenitors in liver regeneration.

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Best, Jan; Manka, Paul; Syn, Wing-Kin; Dollé, Laurent; van Grunsven, Leo A; Canbay, Ali

2015-02-01

During massive liver injury and hepatocyte loss, the intrinsic regenerative capacity of the liver by replication of resident hepatocytes is overwhelmed. Treatment of this condition depends on the cause of liver injury, though in many cases liver transplantation (LT) remains the only curative option. LT for end stage chronic and acute liver diseases is hampered by shortage of donor organs and requires immunosuppression. Hepatocyte transplantation is limited by yet unresolved technical difficulties. Since currently no treatment is available to facilitate liver regeneration directly, therapies involving the use of resident liver stem or progenitor cells (LPCs) or non-liver stem cells are coming to fore. LPCs are quiescent in the healthy liver, but may be activated under conditions where the regenerative capacity of mature hepatocytes is severely impaired. Non-liver stem cells include embryonic stem cells (ES cells) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In the first section, we aim to provide an overview of the role of putative cytokines, growth factors, mitogens and hormones in regulating LPC response and briefly discuss the prognostic value of the LPC response in clinical practice. In the latter section, we will highlight the role of other (non-liver) stem cells in transplantation and discuss advantages and disadvantages of ES cells, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS), as well as MSCs.

Solitary brain metastasis as an initial manifestation of gall bladder carcinoma

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Kamlesh Kumar Harsh

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Gallbladder cancer is a common malignancy in Northern India, and it accounts for 2-4% of all malignant gastrointestinal tumors. It is an aggressive tumor with early dissemination to liver and lymph nodes and associated with poor prognosis. Systemic metastases from gall bladder carcinoma (Ca frequently occur; however, metastatic involvement of the central nervous system is rare and late manifestation and remains an ominous sign. Initial presentation of gall bladder Ca with brain metastasis is rare. We report a case of 65-year-old women who initially presented with a solitary brain metastasis from an adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder, which was diagnosed incidentally when the patient presented with headache, vomiting, and right temporal region swelling. Palliative chemotherapy and cranial radiotherapy were prescribed. She is symptom-free from 3 months after the completion of the treatment.

Parasites and hepatic histopathological lesions in lisa (Mugil incilis from Totumo mash, North of Colombia

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Jesús Olivero V.

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Objective. To assess the levels of parasitism by nematodes and trematodes, as well as the hepatic histopathological alterations present in Mugil incilis (Lisa from Totumo marsh, North of Colombia. Materials and methods. Between July 2004 and June 2005, 500 fish were collected at Totumo Marsh (75°16’W and 10°44´N, North of Colombia. Morphometric and parasitic parameters were determined for each specimen, and the hepatic histopathological status of the liver was assessed by analyzing liver slides stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Results. Nematode larvae isolated from Mugil incilis corresponded to Contracaecum spp. Parasite prevalence was 60.49%. Parasitic mean abundance and mean intensity were 4.8±1.05 and 7.02±1.49, nematodes per fish, respectively. The correlation between nematode mean abundance and fish length was significant and positive (r=0.525, p<0.0001, but negative for condition factor (r=-0.109, p=0.014. Hepatic histopathological analysis revealed the presence of encapsulated trematode larvae as the main finding. However, the presence of inflammation, granulomas, steatosis and necrosis, were also registered as secondary alterations. Conclusions. Lisas collected at Totumo Marsh are parasitized with nematodes and trematodes. These fish have different histopathological lesions in the liver tissue, being the most important the presence of trematode encapsulated cyst that generate inflammatory reactions, and negatively correlate with morphometric markers of fish health.

Transcriptional profiles of cytokine/chemokine factors of immune cell-homing to the parasitic lesions: a comprehensive one-year course study in the liver of E. multilocularis-infected mice.

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Junhua Wang

Full Text Available Pathogenesis of chronically developing alveolar echinococcosis (AE is characterized by a continuous, granulomatous, periparasitic infiltration of immune cells surrounding the metacestode of Echinococcus multilocularis (E.multilocularis in the affected liver. A detailed cytokine and chemokine profile analysis of the periparasitic infiltrate in the liver has, however, not yet been carried out in a comprehensive way all along the whole course of infection in E. multilocularis intermediate hosts. We thus assessed the hepatic gene expression profiles of 18 selected cytokine and chemokine genes using qRT-PCR in the periparasitic immune reaction and the subsequent adjacent, not directly affected, liver tissue of mice from day 2 to day 360 post intra-hepatic injection of metacestode. DNA microarray analysis was also used to get a more complete picture of the transcriptional changes occurring in the liver surrounding the parasitic lesions. Profiles of mRNA expression levels in the hepatic parasitic lesions showed that a mixed Th1/Th2 immune response, characterized by the concomitant presence of IL-12α, IFN-γ and IL-4, was established very early in the development of E. multilocularis. Subsequently, the profile extended to a combined tolerogenic profile associating IL-5, IL-10 and TGF-β. IL-17 was permanently expressed in the liver, mostly in the periparasitic infiltrate; this was confirmed by the increased mRNA expression of both IL-17A and IL-17F from a very early stage, with a subsequent decrease of IL-17A after this first initial rise. All measured chemokines were significantly expressed at a given stage of infection; their expression paralleled that of the corresponding Th1, Th2 or Th17 cytokines. In addition to giving a comprehensive insight in the time course of cytokines and chemokines in E. multilocularis lesion, this study contributes to identify new targets for possible immune therapy to minimize E. multilocularis-related pathology and to

Manifestation of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis in Different Dietary Mouse Models

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Vera HI Fengler

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH, which are usually associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome, are considerable health and economic issues due to the rapid increase of their prevalence in Western society. Histologically, the diseases are characterised by steatosis, hepatic inflammation, and if further progressed, fibrosis. Dietary-induced mouse models are widely used in investigations of the development and progression of NAFLD and NASH; these models attempt to mimic the histological and metabolic features of the human diseases. However, the majority of dietary mouse models fail to reflect the whole pathophysiological spectrum of NAFLD and NASH. Some models exhibit histological features similar to those seen in humans while lacking the metabolic context, while others resemble the metabolic conditions leading to NAFLD in humans but fail to mimic the whole histological spectrum, including progression from steatosis to liver fibrosis, and thus fail to mimic NASH. This review summarises the advantages and disadvantages of the different dietary-induced mouse models of NAFLD and NASH, with a focus on the genetic background of several commonly used wild-type mouse strains as well as gender and age, which influence the development and progression of these liver diseases.

Liver enzymes in diabetic and non diabetic subjects with clinically diagnosed hepatitis

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Bidhan Chandra Sarkar

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The occurrence of liver disease and raised liver enzymes is common in diabetic patients and the increasing level of enzymes indicates the severity of hepatic injury. Very few studies have addressed this issue in Bangladesh though Bangladeshi population is very much susceptible to diabetes. This study investigated a total of 1400 diabetic patients and 100 non diabetic individuals to compare the level of liver enzymes between diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. The comparisons were made among subjects who were referred to the department of Gastro-hepato-pancreatic diseases (GHPD of BIRDEM with the clinical diagnosis of chronic hepatitis and other gastro-intestinal disorders. The investigations included alanine aminotransferase (ALT, aspartate aminotransferase (AST, alkaline phosphatase (ALP and bilirubin levels. The subjects were categorized with and without hepatitis based on these investigations. The biochemical markers (ALT, AST, ALP, bilirubin did not differ significantly between non-diabetic male and female subjects. Neither the differences were significant between diabetic males and females though the diabetic patients had higher level of markers. In contrast, when compared between diabetic and non-diabetic subjects there were striking differences in either sex. Compared with the non-diabetic the diabetic subjects had significantly higher level of ALT (48.3 vs. 277.0, AST (42.0 vs. 213.0 and ALP (148 vs. 302 in males (p<0.005 for all. Similarly, these values were found significantly higher in diabetic females than their non-diabetic counterparts (p<0.01. For bilirubin, it was also found significant in males (p<0.001. The study revealed that the liver enzymes were found elevated in both diabetic and non-diabetic subjects who were referred with clinically diagnosed hepatitis. The enzymes were found markedly elevated among the diabetic than non diabetic patients, which indicate hepatic injury was more marked among the diabetic patients. Further

On the interaction of small-scale linear waves with nonlinear solitary waves

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Xu, Chengzhu; Stastna, Marek

2017-04-01

In the study of environmental and geophysical fluid flows, linear wave theory is well developed and its application has been considered for phenomena of various length and time scales. However, due to the nonlinear nature of fluid flows, in many cases results predicted by linear theory do not agree with observations. One of such cases is internal wave dynamics. While small-amplitude wave motion may be approximated by linear theory, large amplitude waves tend to be solitary-like. In some cases, when the wave is highly nonlinear, even weakly nonlinear theories fail to predict the wave properties correctly. We study the interaction of small-scale linear waves with nonlinear solitary waves using highly accurate pseudo spectral simulations that begin with a fully nonlinear solitary wave and a train of small-amplitude waves initialized from linear waves. The solitary wave then interacts with the linear waves through either an overtaking collision or a head-on collision. During the collision, there is a net energy transfer from the linear wave train to the solitary wave, resulting in an increase in the kinetic energy carried by the solitary wave and a phase shift of the solitary wave with respect to a freely propagating solitary wave. At the same time the linear waves are greatly reduced in amplitude. The percentage of energy transferred depends primarily on the wavelength of the linear waves. We found that after one full collision cycle, the longest waves may retain as much as 90% of the kinetic energy they had initially, while the shortest waves lose almost all of their initial energy. We also found that a head-on collision is more efficient in destroying the linear waves than an overtaking collision. On the other hand, the initial amplitude of the linear waves has very little impact on the percentage of energy that can be transferred to the solitary wave. Because of the nonlinearity of the solitary wave, these results provide us some insight into wave-mean flow

Reconstructive surgery in eight children with solitary kidneys

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thorup, Jørgen Mogens

1989-01-01

Within a 10-year period reconstructive urinary tract surgery has been carried out in eight children with solitary kidneys. The children were 0-5 years old. Six had unilateral renal agenesis and two had unilateral multicystic kidney. In five children ureteroneocystostomy was performed, in two of t...... months of age. Postoperatively, the renal function was subnormal (although improved) in two children; in six it was normal. The most important prognostic factors in solitary kidneys with urinary tract obstruction are infection and developmental injury.......Within a 10-year period reconstructive urinary tract surgery has been carried out in eight children with solitary kidneys. The children were 0-5 years old. Six had unilateral renal agenesis and two had unilateral multicystic kidney. In five children ureteroneocystostomy was performed, in two...

Asymptotic expansions for solitary gravity-capillary waves in two and three dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ablowitz, M J; Haut, T S

2010-01-01

High-order asymptotic series are obtained for gravity-capillary solitary waves, where the first term in the series is the well-known sech 2 solution of the KdV equation. The asymptotic series is used, with nine terms included, to investigate the effects of surface tension on the height and energy of large amplitude waves, and waves close to the solitary version of Stokes' extreme wave. In particular, for surface tension below a critical value, the solitary wave with the maximum energy is obtained. For large surface tension, the series is also used to study the energy related to the solitary waves of depression. Energy considerations suggest that, for large enough surface tension, there are solitary waves that can get close to the fluid bottom. Comparisons are also made with recent experiments.

Diagnostic accuracy and prognostic significance of blood fibrosis tests and liver stiffness measurement by FibroScan in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

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Boursier, Jérôme; Vergniol, Julien; Guillet, Anne; Hiriart, Jean-Baptiste; Lannes, Adrien; Le Bail, Brigitte; Michalak, Sophie; Chermak, Faiza; Bertrais, Sandrine; Foucher, Juliette; Oberti, Frédéric; Charbonnier, Maude; Fouchard-Hubert, Isabelle; Rousselet, Marie-Christine; Calès, Paul; de Lédinghen, Victor

2016-09-01

NAFLD is highly prevalent but only a small subset of patients develop advanced liver fibrosis with impaired liver-related prognosis. We aimed to compare blood fibrosis tests and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by FibroScan for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis and the evaluation of prognosis in NAFLD. Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated in a cross-sectional study including 452 NAFLD patients with liver biopsy (NASH-CRN fibrosis stage), LSM, and eight blood fibrosis tests (BARD, NAFLD fibrosis score, FibroMeter(NAFLD), aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI), FIB4, FibroTest, Hepascore, FibroMeter(V2G)). Prognostic accuracy was evaluated in a longitudinal study including 360 NAFLD patients. LSM and FibroMeter(V2G) were the two best-performing tests in the cross-sectional study: AUROCs for advanced fibrosis (F3/4) were, respectively, 0.831±0.019 and 0.817±0.020 (p⩽0.041 vs. other tests); rates of patients with ⩾90% negative/positive predictive values for F3/4 were 56.4% and 46.7% (ptests); Obuchowski indexes were 0.834±0.014 and 0.798±0.016 (p⩽0.036 vs. other tests). Two fibrosis classifications were developed to precisely estimate the histological fibrosis stage from LSM or FibroMeter(V2G) results without liver biopsy (diagnostic accuracy, respectively: 80.8% vs. 77.4%, p=0.190). Kaplan-Meier curves in the longitudinal study showed that both classifications categorised NAFLD patients into subgroups with significantly different prognoses (pfibrosis classification, the worse was the prognosis. LSM and FibroMeter(V2G) were the most accurate of nine evaluated tests for the non-invasive diagnosis of liver fibrosis in NAFLD. LSM and FibroMeter(V2G) fibrosis classifications help physicians estimate both fibrosis stage and patient prognosis in clinical practice. The amount of liver fibrosis is the main determinant of the liver-related prognosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We evaluated eight blood tests and Fibro

Connection Between Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Diabetes Mellitus

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Oprea-Călin Gabriela

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD is the commonest liver condition in the world, accounting for 20-30% of the adult population, and encompasses a spectrum of liver disorders characterized by fat accumulation within the liver, associated or not with varying degrees of hepatic inflammation and liver fibrosis through to cirrhosis. The prevalence of NAFLD increases significantly in the presence of obesity (60-80% and type 2 diabetes (60%. NAFLD is associated with metabolic disorders (type 2 diabetes, obesity and hyperlipidemia grouped together as the metabolic syndrome (MetS. It is now regarded as the hepatic manifestation of this syndrome and is closely linked to insulin resistance (IR.The presence of NAFLD predicts the development of type 2 diabetes independent of established risk factors. NAFLD patients should therefore be screened for diabetes, including by the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT if there any abnormalities of fasting blood glucose (FBG and given appropriate lifestyle advice. Early diagnosis with the institution of lifestyle measures could help prevent or retard the onset of these metabolic disorders. Type 2 diabetes causes more severe non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH, and patients with diabetes have an increased risk for cirrhosis and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC

Longitudinal study of parasite-induced mortality of a long-lived host: the importance of exposure to non-parasitic stressors.

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Chin, Hilary M-H; Luong, Lien T; Shostak, Allen W

2017-12-01

Hosts face mortality from parasitic and environmental stressors, but interactions of parasitism with other stressors are not well understood, particularly for long-lived hosts. We monitored survival of flour beetles (Tribolium confusum) in a longitudinal design incorporating cestode (Hymenolepis diminuta) infection, starvation and exposure to the pesticide diatomaceous earth (DE). We found that cestode cysticercoids exhibit increasing morphological damage and decreasing ability to excyst over time, but were never eliminated from the host. In the presence of even mild environmental stressors, host lifespan was reduced sufficiently that extensive degradation of cysticercoids was never realized. Median host lifespan was 200 days in the absence of stressors, and 3-197 days with parasitism, starvation and/or DE. Early survival of parasitized hosts was higher relative to controls in the presence of intermediate concentrations of DE, but reduced under all other conditions tested. Parasitism increased host mortality in the presence of other stressors at times when parasitism alone did not cause mortality, consistent with an interpretation of synergy. Environmental stressors modified the parasite numbers needed to reveal intensity-dependent host mortality, but only rarely masked intensity dependence. The longitudinal approach produced observations that would have been overlooked or misinterpreted if survival had only been monitored at a single time point.

The benefits of exercise for patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

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Keating, Shelley E; George, Jacob; Johnson, Nathan A

2015-01-01

As exercise is now an established therapy for the management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), recent investigations have sought to identify the optimal dose (type, intensity and amount) of exercise for hepatic benefit. Here, the authors discuss the following: the role of aerobic exercise for the modulation of hepatic steatosis; the limited evidence for the role of resistance training in reducing liver fat; the lack of evidence from clinical trials on the role of exercise in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; and the benefits of exercise for patients with NAFLD, beyond steatosis. Based on current evidence, the authors provide recommendations for exercise prescription for patients with NAFLD.

Depletion of Plasmodium berghei plasmoredoxin reveals a non-essential role for life cycle progression of the malaria parasite.

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Buchholz, Kathrin; Rahlfs, Stefan; Schirmer, R Heiner; Becker, Katja; Matuschewski, Kai

2008-06-25

Proliferation of the pathogenic Plasmodium asexual blood stages in host erythrocytes requires an exquisite capacity to protect the malaria parasite against oxidative stress. This function is achieved by a complex antioxidant defence system composed of redox-active proteins and low MW antioxidants. Here, we disrupted the P. berghei plasmoredoxin gene that encodes a parasite-specific 22 kDa member of the thioredoxin superfamily. The successful generation of plasmoredoxin knockout mutants in the rodent model malaria parasite and phenotypic analysis during life cycle progression revealed a non-vital role in vivo. Our findings suggest that plasmoredoxin fulfils a specialized and dispensable role for Plasmodium and highlights the need for target validation to inform drug development strategies.

Crossing of identical solitary waves in a chain of elastic beads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manciu, Marian; Sen, Surajit; Hurd, Alan J.

2001-01-01

We consider a chain of elastic beads subjected to vanishingly weak loading conditions, i.e., the beads are barely in contact. The grains repel upon contact via the Hertz-type potential, V∝δ n , n>2, where delta≥0, delta being the grain--grain overlap. Our dynamical simulations build on several earlier studies by Nesterenko, Coste, and Sen and co-workers that have shown that an impulse propagates as a solitary wave of fixed spatial extent (dependent only upon n) through a chain of Hertzian beads and demonstrate, to our knowledge for the first time, that colliding solitary waves in the chain spawn a well-defined hierarchy of multiple secondary solitary waves, which is ∼ 0.5% of the energy of the original solitary waves. Our findings have interesting parallels with earlier observations by Rosenau and colleagues [P. Rosenau and J. M. Hyman, Phys. Rev. Lett. 70, 564 (1993); P. Rosenau, ibid. 73, 1737 (1994); Phys. Lett. A 211, 265 (1996)] regarding colliding compactons. To the best of our knowledge, there is no formal theory that describes the dynamics associated with the formation of secondary solitary waves. Calculations suggest that the formation of secondary solitary waves may be a fundamental property of certain discrete systems

The solitary electromagnetic waves in the graphene superlattice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kryuchkov, Sergey V.; Kukhar', Egor I.

2013-01-01

d’Alembert equation written for the electromagnetic waves propagating in the graphene superlattice is analyzed. The possibility of the propagation of the solitary electromagnetic waves in the graphene superlattice is discussed. The amplitude and the width of the electromagnetic pulse are calculated. The drag current induced by such wave across the superlattice axis is investigated. The numerical estimate of the charge dragged by the solitary wave is made.

Nuclear techniques in the control of parasitic infections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mulligan, W.

1976-01-01

The development of radiation-attenuated vaccines against economically important parasitic diseases of farm animals has met with mixed success. Examples are presented ranging from the highly effective and much used commercial vaccine against cattle lungworm to the almost completely unsuccessful attempts to immunize sheep against liver fluke. The results presented emphasize that this approach is likely to be successful only if there is evidence of a strong degree of acquired immunity to the natural infection. The extension of immunological control to those systems where the parasite provokes only a modest resistance by the host will probably depend on a much greater understanding of the mechanism of the immune response. Such fundamental studies are likely to rely heavily on nuclear techniques, e.g. in the labelling of antigens, antibodies and parasites with radioactive isotopes. (author)

Solitary drift waves in the presence of magnetic shear

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meiss, J.D.; Horton, W.

1982-07-01

The two-component fluid equations describing electron drift and ion acoustic waves in a nonuniform magnetized plasma are shown to possess nonlinear two-dimensional solitary wave solutions. In the presence of magnetic shear, radiative shear damping is exponentially small in L/sub s//L/sub n/ for solitary drift waves, in contrast to linear waves

Study of heavy metals in Lake Abbaya, Ethiopia, and the incidence of non-parasitic elephantiasis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klein, A.E.

1977-01-01

Samples of surface water from Lake Abbaya, Ethiopia, and from nearby hot springs, have been analysed for heavy metals and other consituents. Significant levels of mercury and arsenic were observed. These findings may be relevant to the high incidence of non-parasitic elephantiasis in the immediate vicinity of the lake.

Non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis using two-dimensional shear wave elastography in patients with autoimmune liver diseases.

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Zeng, Jie; Huang, Ze-Ping; Zheng, Jian; Wu, Tao; Zheng, Rong-Qin

2017-07-14

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) for the non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis in patients with autoimmune liver diseases (AILD) using liver biopsy as the reference standard. Patients with AILD who underwent liver biopsy and 2D-SWE were consecutively enrolled. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to assess the overall accuracy and to identify optimal cut-off values. The characteristics of the diagnostic performance were determined for 114 patients with AILD. The areas under the ROC curves for significant fibrosis, severe fibrosis, and cirrhosis were 0.85, 0.85, and 0.86, respectively, and the optimal cut-off values associated with significant fibrosis (≥ F2), severe fibrosis (≥ F3), and cirrhosis (F4) were 9.7 kPa, 13.2 kPa and 16.3 kPa, respectively. 2D-SWE showed sensitivity values of 81.7% for significant fibrosis, 83.0% for severe fibrosis, and 87.0% for cirrhosis, and the respective specificity values were 81.3%, 74.6%, and 80.2%. The overall concordance rate of the liver stiffness measurements obtained using 2D-SWE vs fibrosis stages was 53.5%. 2D-SWE showed promising diagnostic performance for assessing liver fibrosis stages and exhibited high cut-off values in patients with AILD. Low overall concordance rate was observed in the liver stiffness measurements obtained using 2D-SWE vs fibrosis stages.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with high prevalence of gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms.

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Miele, Luca; Cammarota, Giovanni; Vero, Vittoria; Racco, Simona; Cefalo, Consuelo; Marrone, Giuseppe; Pompili, Maurizio; Rapaccini, Gianlodovico; Bianco, Alessandro; Landolfi, Raffaele; Gasbarrini, Antonio; Grieco, Antonio

2012-12-01

Gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms are usually reported by patients with obesity and metabolic syndrome. Aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and clinical characteristics of gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms in subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Cross-sectional, case-control study of 185 consecutive patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and an age- and sex-matched control group of 112 healthy volunteers. Participants were interviewed with the aid of a previously validated questionnaire to assess lifestyle and reflux symptoms in the 3 months preceding enrolment. Odds ratios were determined before and after adjustment for body mass index, increased waist circumference, physical activity, metabolic syndrome and proton pump inhibitors and/or antiacid medication. The prevalence of heartburn and/or regurgitation and of at least one of gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms was significantly higher in the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease group. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease subjects were associated to higher prevalence of heartburn (adjusted odds ratios: 2.17, 95% confidence intervals: 1.16-4.04), regurgitation (adjusted odds ratios: 2.61, 95% confidence intervals: 1.24-5.48) and belching (adjusted odds ratios: 2.01, 95% confidence intervals: 1.12-3.59) and had higher prevalence of at least one GER symptom (adjusted odds ratios: 3.34, 95% confidence intervals: 1.76-6.36). Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with a higher prevalence of gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms. Copyright © 2012 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anti-parasite treatment and blood biochemistry in raptor nestlings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hanssen, Sveinn Are; Sonne, Christian; Bustnes, Jan Ove

2017-01-01

We investigated the effects of parasite removal on various blood clinical–chemical variables (BCCVs). BCCVs are indicators of health, reflecting, e.g., homeostasis of liver, kidney function, and bone metabolism. The study was conducted in Norway on chicks of two predatory birds: White-tailed Eagl...

Diffractons: Solitary Waves Created by Diffraction in Periodic Media

KAUST Repository

Ketcheson, David I.

2015-03-31

A new class of solitary waves arises in the solution of nonlinear wave equations with constant impedance and no dispersive terms. These solitary waves depend on a balance between nonlinearity and a dispersion-like effect due to spatial variation in the sound speed of the medium. A high-order homogenized model confirms this effective dispersive behavior, and its solutions agree well with those obtained by direct simulation of the variable-coefficient system. These waves are observed to be long-time stable, globally attracting solutions that arise in general as solutions to nonlinear wave problems with periodically varying sound speed. They share some properties with known classes of solitary waves but possess important differences as well.

Differential Properties of Venom Peptides and Proteins in Solitary vs. Social Hunting Wasps

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Lee, Si Hyeock; Baek, Ji Hyeong; Yoon, Kyungjae Andrew

2016-01-01

The primary functions of venoms from solitary and social wasps are different. Whereas most solitary wasps sting their prey to paralyze and preserve it, without killing, as the provisions for their progeny, social wasps usually sting to defend their colonies from vertebrate predators. Such distinctive venom properties of solitary and social wasps suggest that the main venom components are likely to be different depending on the wasps’ sociality. The present paper reviews venom components and properties of the Aculeata hunting wasps, with a particular emphasis on the comparative aspects of venom compositions and properties between solitary and social wasps. Common components in both solitary and social wasp venoms include hyaluronidase, phospholipase A2, metalloendopeptidase, etc. Although it has been expected that more diverse bioactive components with the functions of prey inactivation and physiology manipulation are present in solitary wasps, available studies on venom compositions of solitary wasps are simply too scarce to generalize this notion. Nevertheless, some neurotoxic peptides (e.g., pompilidotoxin and dendrotoxin-like peptide) and proteins (e.g., insulin-like peptide binding protein) appear to be specific to solitary wasp venom. In contrast, several proteins, such as venom allergen 5 protein, venom acid phosphatase, and various phospholipases, appear to be relatively more specific to social wasp venom. Finally, putative functions of main venom components and their application are also discussed. PMID:26805885

Colchicine for alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver fibrosis and cirrhosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rambaldi, A; Gluud, C

2005-01-01

Alcohol and hepatotropic viruses cause the majority of liver cirrhosis cases in the Western World. Colchicine is an anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic medication. Several randomised clinical trials have addressed the question whether colchicine has any efficacy in patients with alcoholic or non-alcoholic...

Metabolic syndrome and risk factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

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Mônica Rodrigues de Araújo Souza

2012-03-01

Full Text Available CONTEXT: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD, hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, has been considered the most common liver disease nowadays, which is also the most frequent cause of elevated transaminases and cryptogenic cirrhosis. The greatest input of fatty acids into the liver and consequent increased beta-oxidation contribute to the formation of free radicals, release of inflammatory cytokines and varying degrees of hepatocytic aggression, whose histological expression may vary from steatosis (HS to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH. The differentiation of these forms is required by the potential risk of progression to cirrhosis and development of hepatocellular carcinoma. OBJECTIVE: To review the literature about the major risk factors for NAFLD in the context of metabolic syndrome, focusing on underlying mechanisms and prevention. METHOD: PubMed, MEDLINE and SciELO data basis analysis was performed to identify studies describing the link between risk factors for metabolic syndrome and NAFLD. A combination of descriptors was used, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, metabolic syndrome and risk factors. At the end, 96 clinical and experimental studies, cohorts, meta-analysis and systematic reviews of great impact and scientific relevance to the topic, were selected. RESULTS: The final analysis of all these data, pointed out the central obesity, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia and hypertension as the best risk factors related to NAFLD. However, other factors were highlighted, such as gender differences, ethnicity, genetic factors and the role of innate immunity system. How these additional factors may be involved in the installation, progression and disease prognosis is discussed. CONCLUSION: Risk factors for NAFLD in the context of metabolic syndrome expands the prospects to 1 recognize patients with metabolic syndrome at high risk for NAFLD, 2 elucidate pathways common to other co-morbidities, 3

Differential distribution of age and HBV serological markers in liver cirrhosis and non-cirrhotic patients with primary liver cancer

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XU Xiuhua

2013-03-01

Full Text Available ObjectiveTo compare the age distributions and presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV serological markers between primary hepatic cancer (PHC patients with and without liver cirrhosis. MethodsA total of 547 PHC cases were analyzed retrospectively. After dividing into two groups according to liver cirrhosis status, the between-group differences in age and HBV serological markers, such as hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg status, were statistically compared using the Chi-squared test. ResultsThe number of cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic PHC patients was 265 and 282, respectively. HBV infection was present in 221 cirrhotic PHC patients and 256 non-cirrhotic PHC patients (834% vs. 90.8%. There was a substantial bias in the proportion of males to females in the cirrhotic PHC patients (7.83∶1. The number of PHC patients ＜60 years old was similar between the cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic groups, but the non-cirrhotic group had significantly more patients ＞60 years old (P＜0.005. In cirrhotic PHC patients, the HBV infection rate was highest in the ＜40 years old age group (96.7% and the HBeAg serological conversion rate was highest in the 40-60 years old age group (89.5%. In non-cirrhotic PHC patients, the 40-60 years old age group showed the highest HBV infection rate (90.3% but the lowest HBeAg serological conversion rate (80.0%. ConclusionPHC with liver cirrhosis mainly occurred in males, with the HBV infection rate being higher in individuals ＜60 years old. Non-cirrhotic PHC patients were more often ＞60 years old. Many of the HBV-infected PHC patients with cirrhosis had high HBeAg serological conversion rate.

Pediatric non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: Recent solutions, unresolved issues, and future research directions

Science.gov (United States)

Clemente, Maria Grazia; Mandato, Claudia; Poeta, Marco; Vajro, Pietro

2016-01-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in children is becoming a major health concern. A “multiple-hit” pathogenetic model has been suggested to explain the progressive liver damage that occurs among children with NAFLD. In addition to the accumulation of fat in the liver, insulin resistance (IR) and oxidative stress due to genetic/epigenetic background, unfavorable lifestyles, gut microbiota and gut-liver axis dysfunction, and perturbations of trace element homeostasis have been shown to be critical for disease progression and the development of more severe inflammatory and fibrotic stages [non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)]. Simple clinical and laboratory parameters, such as age, history, anthropometrical data (BMI and waist circumference percentiles), blood pressure, surrogate clinical markers of IR (acanthosis nigricans), abdominal ultrasounds, and serum transaminases, lipids and glucose/insulin profiles, allow a clinician to identify children with obesity and obesity-related conditions, including NAFLD and cardiovascular and metabolic risks. A liver biopsy (the “imperfect” gold standard) is required for a definitive NAFLD/NASH diagnosis, particularly to exclude other treatable conditions or when advanced liver disease is expected on clinical and laboratory grounds and preferably prior to any controlled trial of pharmacological/surgical treatments. However, a biopsy clearly cannot represent a screening procedure. Advancements in diagnostic serum and imaging tools, especially for the non-invasive differentiation between NAFLD and NASH, have shown promising results, e.g., magnetic resonance elastography. Weight loss and physical activity should be the first option of intervention. Effective pharmacological treatments are still under development; however, drugs targeting IR, oxidative stress, proinflammatory pathways, dyslipidemia, gut microbiota and gut liver axis dysfunction are an option for patients who are unable to comply with the recommended

[Role of the endocrine system in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Hagymási, Krisztina; Reismann, Péter; Rácz, Károly; Tulassay, Zsolt

2009-11-29

The most frequent liver disorder in metabolic syndrome is the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Its pathogenesis is a complex, multifactorial process, characterized by insulin resistance and involvement of the endocrine system. Hypothyroidism may lead to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis via hyperlipidemia and obesity. Adult patients with growth hormone deficiency have a metabolic syndrome-like phenotype with obesity and many characteristic metabolic alterations. The chronic activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis results in metabolic syndrome as well. Cushing's syndrome has also features of metabolic syndrome. Mild elevation of transaminase activities is commonly seen in patients with adrenal failure. Non-alcoholic steatosis is twice as common in postmenopusal as in premenopausal women and hormonal replacement therapy decreases the risk of steatosis. Insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus type 2, sleeping apnoe syndrome, cardiovascular disorders and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are more frequent in polycystic ovary syndrome. Hypoandrogenism in males and hyperandrogenism in females may lead to fatty liver via obesity and insulin resistance. Adipokines (leptin, acylation stimulating protein, adiponectin) have a potential role in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver. The alterations of endocrine system must be considered in the background of cryptogenic liver diseases. The endocrine perspective may help the therapeutic approaches in the future.

Quantitative evaluation of RASSF1A methylation in the non-lesional, regenerative and neoplastic liver

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Laghi Luigi

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Epigenetic changes during ageing and their relationship with cancer are under the focus of intense research. RASSF1A and NORE1A are novel genes acting in concert in the proapoptotic pathway of the RAS signalling. While NORE1A has not been previously investigated in the human liver, recent reports have suggested that RASSF1A is frequently epigenetically methylated not only in HCC but also in the cirrhotic liver. Methods To address whether epigenetic changes take place in connection to age and/or to the underlying disease, we investigated RASSF1A and NORE1A gene promoter methylation by conventional methylation specific PCR and Real-Time MSP in a series of hepatitic and non-hepatitic livers harboring regenerative/hyperplastic (cirrhosis/focal nodular hyperplasia, dysplastic (large regenerative, low and high grade dysplastic nodules and neoplastic (hepatocellular adenoma and carcinoma growths. Results In the hepatitic liver (chronic hepatitic/cirrhosis, hepatocellular nodules and HCC we found widespread RASSF1A gene promoter methylation with a methylation index that increased from regenerative conditions (cirrhosis to hepatocellular nodules (p RASSF1A gene promoter methylation, NORE1A gene was never found epigenetically alterated in both hepatitic and non-hepatitic liver. Conclusion We have shown that in non-lesional, regenerative and neoplastic liver the RASSF1A gene is increasingly methylated, that this condition takes place as an age-related phenomenon and that the early setting and spreading over time of an epigenetically methylated hepatocyte subpopulation, might be related to liver tumorigenesis.

Primary Hepatic Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: An Enigma Beyond the Liver, a Case Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Laroia, Shalini Thapar; Rastogi, Archana; Panda, Dipanjan; Sarin, Shiv Kumar

2015-04-01

We have discussed a unique presentation of primary diffuse large cell B-cell non-Hodgkin (DLBC NHL) hepatic lymphoma involving the porta hepatis and biliary confluence causing obstructive jaundice with contiguous soft tissue involvement of the right lobe of liver extending up to the right renal cortex. This appears to be the only case in literature where primary hepatic lymphoma has shown contiguous localized intra- and extrahepatic tumor infiltration. A 67-year-old gentleman presented with history of significant loss of appetite and weight in 2 months with associated progressive painless cholestatic jaundice. Physical evaluation revealed normal vitals with pallor, deep icterus, scratch marks over the abdomen, generalized muscle wasting, grade II clubbing and a palpable non-tender liver with a globular, firm mass beneath the liver. He had a total serum bilirubin of 15.9 mg/dL and direct bilirubin of 9.24 mg/dL. His liver enzymes were moderately elevated with raised serum creatinine and dyselectrolytemia. Serology for enterohepatic viruses was negative. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CEMRI) showed poorly enhancing multiple soft tissue masses in both lobes of liver with the largest mass involving, biliary confluence and porta hepatis causing right bile duct and portal vein encasement. The mass occupied the posterior right lobe and extended to the inferior surface of liver with contiguous invasion of the right renal upper pole cortex. The mass was associated with a retracted liver capsule in the involved segments and delayed enhancement, mimicking a cholangiocarcinoma. Tissue biopsy revealed hepatic DLBC type NHL and patient was subsequently treated with a CHOP-R (cyclophosphamide-doxorubicin-vincristine-prednisolone/rituximab) regimen, on which he has shown non-progressive disease at 1-year follow-up. DLBC NHL of the liver is a very rare tumor with propensity for isolated involvement of the liver and minimal extrahepatic spread. This case shows many

Solitary Fibrous Tumor of the Pancreas: Imaging Findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Heon Ju; Byun, Jae Ho; Kang, Jun; Park, Seong Ho; Lee, Moon Gyu

2008-01-01

We report here a case of a pathologically proven solitary fibrous tumor of the pancreas. A 54-year-old man was referred to our hospital for further evaluation of a pancreatic mass that was found incidentally. CT, MR imaging, and endoscopic ultrasonography showed a well-defined, enhancing mass with cystic portions of the pancreas body. MR cholangiopancreatography showed no pancreatic duct dilatation. A solitary fibrous tumor of the pancreas is a very rare lesion

Discrimination of individuals in a general population at high-risk for alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease based on liver stiffness: a cross section study

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Kasai Kenji

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Factors associated with liver stiffness (LS are unknown and normal reference values for LS have not been established. Individuals at high risk for alcoholic (ALD and non-alcoholic fatty (NAFLD liver disease need to be non-invasively discriminated during routine health checks. Factors related to LS measured using a FibroScan and normal reference values for LS are presented in this report. Methods We measured LS using a FibroScan in 416 consecutive individuals who presented for routine medical checks. We also investigated the relationship between LS and age, body mass index (BMI, liver function (LF, alcohol consumption, and fatty liver determined by ultrasonography. We identified individuals at high-risk for ALD and NAFLD as having a higher LS value than the normal upper limit detected in 171 healthy controls. Results The LS value for all individuals was 4.7 +/- 1.5 kPa (mean +/- SD and LS significantly and positively correlated with BMI and LF test results. The LS was significantly higher among individuals with, than without fatty liver. Liver stiffness in the 171 healthy controls was 4.3 +/- 0.81 kPa and the upper limit of LS in the normal controls was 5.9 kPa. We found that 60 (14.3% of 416 study participants had abnormal LS. The proportion of individuals whose LS values exceeded the normal upper limit was over five-fold higher among those with, than without fatty liver accompanied by abnormal LF test results. Conclusions Liver stiffness could be used to non-invasively monitor the progression of chronic liver diseases and to discriminate individuals at high risk for ALD and NAFLD during routine health assessments.

Intradermal Immunization of Leishmania donovani Centrin Knock-Out Parasites in Combination with Salivary Protein LJM19 from Sand Fly Vector Induces a Durable Protective Immune Response in Hamsters.

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Jacqueline Araújo Fiuza

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Visceral leishmaniasis (VL is a neglected tropical disease and is fatal if untreated. There is no vaccine available against leishmaniasis. The majority of patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL or VL develop a long-term protective immunity after cure from infection, which indicates that development of an effective vaccine against leishmaniasis is possible. Such protection may also be achieved by immunization with live attenuated parasites that do not cause disease. We have previously reported a protective response in mice, hamsters and dogs with Leishmania donovani centrin gene knock-out parasites (LdCen-/-, a live attenuated parasite with a cell division specific centrin1 gene deletion. In this study we have explored the effects of salivary protein LJM19 as an adjuvant and intradermal (ID route of immunization on the efficacy of LdCen-/- parasites as a vaccine against virulent L. donovani.To explore the potential of a combination of LdCen-/- parasites and salivary protein LJM19 as vaccine antigens, LdCen-/- ID immunization followed by ID challenge with virulent L. donovani were performed in hamsters in a 9-month follow up study. We determined parasite burden (serial dilution, antibody production (ELISA and cytokine expression (qPCR in these animals. Compared to controls, animals immunized with LdCen-/- + LJM19 induced a strong antibody response, a reduction in spleen and liver parasite burden and a higher expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines after immunization and one month post-challenge. Additionally, a low parasite load in lymph nodes, spleen and liver, and a non-inflamed spleen was observed in immunized animals 9 months after the challenge infection.Our results demonstrate that an ID vaccination using LdCen-/-parasites in combination with sand fly salivary protein LJM19 has the capability to confer long lasting protection against visceral leishmaniasis that is comparable to intravenous or intracardial immunization.

Neutrophil depletion improves diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in mice.

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Ou, Rongying; Liu, Jia; Lv, Mingfen; Wang, Jingying; Wang, Jinmeng; Zhu, Li; Zhao, Liang; Xu, Yunsheng

2017-07-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is highly associated with morbidity and mortality in population. Although studies have already demonstrated that the immune response plays a pivotal role in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the comprehensive regulation is unclear. Therefore, present study was carried out to investigate the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease development under neutrophil depletion. To achieve the aim of the study, C57BL/6 J mice were fed with high fat diet for 6 weeks before treated with neutrophil deplete antibody 1A8 or isotype control (200 μg/ mouse every week) for another 4 weeks. Treated with 1A8 antibody, obese mice exhibited better whole body metabolic parameters, including reduction of body weight gain and fasting blood glucose levels. Neutrophil depletion also effectively reduced hepatic structural disorders, dysfunction and lipid accumulation. Lipid β-oxidative markers, phosphorylated-AMP-activated protein kinase α and phosphorylated-acetyl-CoA carboxylase levels were increased in 1A8 antibody-treated obese mouse group. The mitochondrial number and function were also reversed after 1A8 antibody treatment, including increased mitochondrial number, reduced lipid oxidative damage and enhanced mitochondrial activity. Furthermore, the expression of inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 were obviously reduced after neutrophil depletion, accompanied with decreased F4/80 mRNA level and macrophage percentage in liver. The decreased NF-κB signaling activity was also involved in the beneficial effect of neutrophil depletion. Taken together, neutrophil depletion could attenuate metabolic syndromes and hepatic dysfunction.

The radiographic appearance of primary liver neoplasia in dogs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Evans, S. M.

1987-11-15

The signalment, anamnesis, and histopathologic, gross pathologic, and radiographic findings in 22 dogs with nonvascular, nonhematopoletic primary liver tumors were reviewed. The tumor types represented were hepatoma (8), bile duct cystadenoma (1), hepatocellular carcinoma (5), and cholangiocellular carcinoma (8). The dogs averaged 11.1 years of age. Females were predisposed to cholangiocellular carcinoma. The most common presenting clinical signs were general malaise, anorexia, PU/PD, vomiting, and seizures. Tumors ranged in size from diffuse 0.5-1 cm nodules to an 18-cm solitary mass and were located in any of the liver lobes. Four of the five diffuse tumors were cholangiocellular carcinomas. The most common radiographic appearance for any type of liver tumor was a right cranial abdominal mass causing caudal and left gastric displacement. In 54.5% of the dogs, radiographic evidence of intraperitoneal disease was identified. Nodular interstitial pulmonary masses were seen in 3 of the 22 dogs.

The radiographic appearance of primary liver neoplasia in dogs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, S.M.

1987-01-01

The signalment, anamnesis, and histopathologic, gross pathologic, and radiographic findings in 22 dogs with nonvascular, nonhematopoletic primary liver tumors were reviewed. The tumor types represented were hepatoma (8), bile duct cystadenoma (1), hepatocellular carcinoma (5), and cholangiocellular carcinoma (8). The dogs averaged 11.1 years of age. Females were predisposed to cholangiocellular carcinoma. The most common presenting clinical signs were general malaise, anorexia, PU/PD, vomiting, and seizures. Tumors ranged in size from diffuse 0.5-1 cm nodules to an 18-cm solitary mass and were located in any of the liver lobes. Four of the five diffuse tumors were cholangiocellular carcinomas. The most common radiographic appearance for any type of liver tumor was a right cranial abdominal mass causing caudal and left gastric displacement. In 54.5% of the dogs, radiographic evidence of intraperitoneal disease was identified. Nodular interstitial pulmonary masses were seen in 3 of the 22 dogs

Non-specific manipulation of gammarid behaviour by P. minutus parasite enhances their predation by definitive bird hosts.

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Jacquin, Lisa; Mori, Quentin; Pause, Mickaël; Steffen, Mélanie; Medoc, Vincent

2014-01-01

Trophically-transmitted parasites often change the phenotype of their intermediate hosts in ways that increase their vulnerability to definitive hosts, hence favouring transmission. As a "collateral damage", manipulated hosts can also become easy prey for non-host predators that are dead ends for the parasite, and which are supposed to play no role in transmission strategies. Interestingly, infection with the acanthocephalan parasite Polymorphus minutus has been shown to reduce the vulnerability of its gammarid intermediate hosts to non-host predators, whose presence triggered the behavioural alterations expected to favour trophic transmission to bird definitive hosts. Whilst the behavioural response of infected gammarids to the presence of definitive hosts remains to be investigated, this suggests that trophic transmission might be promoted by non-host predation risk. We conducted microcosm experiments to test whether the behaviour of P. minutus-infected gammarids was specific to the type of predator (i.e. mallard as definitive host and fish as non-host), and mesocosm experiments to test whether trophic transmission to bird hosts was influenced by non-host predation risk. Based on the behaviours we investigated (predator avoidance, activity, geotaxis, conspecific attraction), we found no evidence for a specific fine-tuned response in infected gammarids, which behaved similarly whatever the type of predator (mallard or fish). During predation tests, fish predation risk did not influence the differential predation of mallards that over-consumed infected gammarids compared to uninfected individuals. Overall, our results bring support for a less sophisticated scenario of manipulation than previously expected, combining chronic behavioural alterations with phasic behavioural alterations triggered by the chemical and physical cues coming from any type of predator. Given the wide dispersal range of waterbirds (the definitive hosts of P. minutus), such a manipulation

Microwave Ablation (MWA) for the Treatment of a Solitary, Chemorefractory Testicular Cancer Liver Metastasis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Violari, Elena G., E-mail: eviolari@live.com; Petre, Elena N., E-mail: petree@mskcc.org [Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Radiology, Weill-Cornell Medical College, Interventional Radiology Service (United States); Feldman, Darren R., E-mail: feldmand@mskcc.org [Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Genitourinary Service (United States); Erinjeri, Joseph P., E-mail: erinjerij@mskcc.org; Brown, Karen T., E-mail: brown6@mskcc.org; Solomon, Stephen B., E-mail: solomons@mskcc.org [Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Radiology, Weill-Cornell Medical College, Interventional Radiology Service (United States); D’Angelica, Michael I., E-mail: dangelim@mskcc.org [Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Surgery, Hepatopancreatobiliary Service (United States); Sofocleous, Constantinos T., E-mail: sofoclec@mskcc.org [Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Radiology, Weill-Cornell Medical College, Interventional Radiology Service (United States)

2015-04-15

We present a case of a patient with stage IIIC metastatic seminoma with a persistent chemorefractory liver lesion. The patient was deemed a poor surgical candidate due to the tumor’s aggressive biology with numerous other liver lesions treated with chemotherapy and a relatively high probability for additional recurrences. Further chemotherapy with curative intent was not a feasible option due to the fact that the patient had already received second-line high-dose chemotherapy and four cycles of third-line treatment complicated by renal failure, refractory thrombocytopenia, and debilitating neuropathy. After initial failure of laser, microwave ablation of the chemorefractory liver metastasis resulted in prolonged local tumor control and rendered the patient disease-free for more than 35 months, allowing him to regain an improved quality of life.

Solitary wave and periodic wave solutions for the thermally forced gravity waves in atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Ziliang

2008-01-01

By introducing a new transformation, a new direct and unified algebraic method for constructing multiple travelling wave solutions of general nonlinear evolution equations is presented and implemented in a computer algebraic system, which extends Fan's direct algebraic method to the case when r > 4. The solutions of a first-order nonlinear ordinary differential equation with a higher degree nonlinear term and Fan's direct algebraic method of obtaining exact solutions to nonlinear partial differential equations are applied to the combined KdV-mKdV-GKdV equation, which is derived from a simple incompressible non-hydrostatic Boussinesq equation with the influence of thermal forcing and is applied to investigate internal gravity waves in the atmosphere. As a result, by taking advantage of the new first-order nonlinear ordinary differential equation with a fifth-degree nonlinear term and an eighth-degree nonlinear term, periodic wave solutions associated with the Jacobin elliptic function and the bell and kink profile solitary wave solutions are obtained under the effect of thermal forcing. Most importantly, the mechanism of propagation and generation of the periodic waves and the solitary waves is analysed in detail according to the values of the heating parameter, which show that the effect of heating in atmosphere helps to excite westerly or easterly propagating periodic internal gravity waves and internal solitary waves in atmosphere, which are affected by the local excitation structures in atmosphere. In addition, as an illustrative sample, the properties of the solitary wave solution and Jacobin periodic solution are shown by some figures under the consideration of heating interaction

Experimental non-alcoholic fatty liver disease results in decreased hepatic uptake transporter expression and function in rats

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fisher, Craig D.; Lickteig, Andrew J.; Augustine, Lisa M.; Oude Elferink, Ronald P. J.; Besselsen, David G.; Erickson, Robert P.; Cherrington, Nathan J.

2009-01-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) encompasses a spectrum of diagnoses ranging from simple fatty liver (SFL), to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). This study aimed to determine the effect of moderate and severe NAFLD on hepatic transporter expression and function in vivo. Rats were fed a

Public Health and Solitary Confinement in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Cloud, David H; Drucker, Ernest; Browne, Angela; Parsons, Jim

2015-01-01

The history of solitary confinement in the United States stretches from the silent prisons of 200 years ago to today's supermax prisons, mechanized panopticons that isolate tens of thousands, sometimes for decades. We examined the living conditions and characteristics of the populations in solitary confinement. As part of the growing movement for reform, public health agencies have an ethical obligation to help address the excessive use of solitary confinement in jails and prisons in accordance with established public health functions (e.g., violence prevention, health equity, surveillance, and minimizing of occupational and psychological hazards for correctional staff). Public health professionals should lead efforts to replace reliance on this overly punitive correctional policy with models based on rehabilitation and restorative justice.

Public Health and Solitary Confinement in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Drucker, Ernest; Browne, Angela; Parsons, Jim

2015-01-01

The history of solitary confinement in the United States stretches from the silent prisons of 200 years ago to today’s supermax prisons, mechanized panopticons that isolate tens of thousands, sometimes for decades. We examined the living conditions and characteristics of the populations in solitary confinement. As part of the growing movement for reform, public health agencies have an ethical obligation to help address the excessive use of solitary confinement in jails and prisons in accordance with established public health functions (e.g., violence prevention, health equity, surveillance, and minimizing of occupational and psychological hazards for correctional staff). Public health professionals should lead efforts to replace reliance on this overly punitive correctional policy with models based on rehabilitation and restorative justice. PMID:25393185

Numerical Simulation of Cylindrical Solitary Waves in Periodic Media

KAUST Repository

Quezada de Luna, Manuel; Ketcheson, David I.

2013-01-01

We study the behavior of nonlinear waves in a two-dimensional medium with density and stress relation that vary periodically in space. Efficient approximate Riemann solvers are developed for the corresponding variable-coefficient first-order hyperbolic system. We present direct numerical simulations of this multiscale problem, focused on the propagation of a single localized perturbation in media with strongly varying impedance. For the conditions studied, we find little evidence of shock formation. Instead, solutions consist primarily of solitary waves. These solitary waves are observed to be stable over long times and to interact in a manner approximately like solitons. The system considered has no dispersive terms; these solitary waves arise due to the material heterogeneity, which leads to strong reflections and effective dispersion.

Numerical Simulation of Cylindrical Solitary Waves in Periodic Media

KAUST Repository

Quezada de Luna, Manuel

2013-07-14

We study the behavior of nonlinear waves in a two-dimensional medium with density and stress relation that vary periodically in space. Efficient approximate Riemann solvers are developed for the corresponding variable-coefficient first-order hyperbolic system. We present direct numerical simulations of this multiscale problem, focused on the propagation of a single localized perturbation in media with strongly varying impedance. For the conditions studied, we find little evidence of shock formation. Instead, solutions consist primarily of solitary waves. These solitary waves are observed to be stable over long times and to interact in a manner approximately like solitons. The system considered has no dispersive terms; these solitary waves arise due to the material heterogeneity, which leads to strong reflections and effective dispersion.

Solitary plasmacytoma of the mandible - a rare entity.

Science.gov (United States)

Baad, Rajendra; Kapse, Sonam C; Rathod, Nanita; Sonawane, Kishor; Thete, Sanjay Gangadhar; Kumar, M Naveen

2013-06-01

Plasma cell dyscrasias (multiple myeloma, solitary plasmocytoma of bone and extra medullary plasmocytoma) are cha¬racterized by a monoclonal neoplastic proliferation of plasma cells of which Solitary plasmocytoma of bone (SPB) is a localized form. SPB is most frequently seen in vertebrae and secondarily in long bones. Its presence in jaws is extremely rare. The malignant plasma cells express monotypic cytoplasmic immunoglobulins and plasma cell-associated antigens, with an absence of immature B-cell antigens. Here we report a unique case of plasmacytoma in the right side of mandible, a chronology for diagnosis of the lesion is also reviewed along with clinical, radiographic, histopathological and immunohistochemical evidence. How to cite this article: Baad R, Kapse S C, Rathod N, Sonawane K, Thete S G, Naveen M K. Solitary Plasmacytoma of the Mandible - A Rare Entity. J Int Oral Health 2013; 5(3):97-101.

Controlling of the electromagnetic solitary waves generation in the wake of a two-color laser

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, K. Q.; Li, S. W.; Guo, L.; Yang, D.; Li, Z. C.; Zheng, C. Y.; Jiang, S. E.; Zhang, B. H.; He, X. T.

2018-05-01

Electromagnetic solitary waves generated by a two-color laser interaction with an underdense plasma are investigated. It is shown that, when the former wave packet of the two-color laser is intense enough, it will excite nonlinear wakefields and generate electron density cavities. The latter wave packets will beat with the nonlinear wakefield and generate both high-frequency and low-frequency components. When the peak density of the cavities exceeds the critical density of the low-frequency component, this part of the electromagnetic field will be trapped to generate electromagnetic solitary waves. By changing the laser and plasma parameters, we can control the wakefield generation, which will also control the generation of the solitary waves. One-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are performed to prove the controlling of the solitary waves. The simulation results also show that solitary waves generated by higher laser intensities will become moving solitary waves. The two-dimensional particle-in-cell also shows the generation of the solitary waves. In the two-dimensional case, solitary waves are distributed in the transverse directions because of the filamentation instability.

Is percutaneous nephrolithotomy in solitary kidneys safe?

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Kathie Alexina; Sahai, Arun; Patel, Amit; Thomas, Kay; Bultitude, Matthew; Glass, Jonathan

2013-11-01

To review our experience from a high volume stone center with a focus on efficacy, safety, and renal function. Stones requiring percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in patients with solitary kidneys can pose significant anxiety to the urologist. Limited data are available in published reports in this setting. A comprehensive retrospective review of medical records was performed on patients who underwent PCNL and had a solitary kidney or a single functioning renal unit. Data were collected on patient demographics, stone burden, outcomes, complications, and renal function. Of 378 PCNLs performed between January 2003 and September 2011, 22 were performed in 17 patients with a single functioning kidney. Three procedures were performed in a transplanted kidney. In those with solitary calculus, the longest mean length and stone surface area were 37 mm and 825 mm(2), respectively. Stone-free rate was 59%. Auxiliary procedures were required in 6 cases, resulting in a stone-free rate of 77%. Median inpatient stay was 4 days. Serum creatinine values improved from 144 to 126 umol/L before and after the procedure and mean estimated glomerular filtration rate improved similarly from 51 to 59 mls/minute, respectively. Blood transfusion was required in 1 patient, sepsis developed in 3, and 2 patients required a stent for obstruction. PCNL in solitary kidneys is safe with an acceptable complication rate if performed in a high volume center. Outcomes are good, although auxiliary procedures may be necessary. Renal function remains stable or improves after procedure. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Solitary Fibrous Tumor of the Uterus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Po-Wei Chu

2006-12-01

Conclusion: The behavior of solitary fibrous tumors arising from the uterus is difficult to evaluate; therefore, complete surgical excision featuring clear margins and comprehensive follow-up is recommended.

Computerized tomography in diagnosis of parasitic hepatic lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filimonov, G.P.; Garibashvili, R.N.; Tumol'skaya, N.I.

1984-01-01

An attempt has been made to estimate the diagnostic importance of computerized tomography (CT) in cases of hepatic echinococcosis and alveococcosis to outline the semiotics of these lesions and to establish an order of using CT in a general diagnostic complex. 73 patients at the age of 15-70 (49 with echinococcosis, 24-alveococcosis) have been supervised. The analysis of the results of clinical CT application in cases of parasitic hepatic lesions has shown that CT permits not only to reveal parasitic nodes up to 2 cm size in the liver and other organs but give also their topographoanatomic characteristic. By means of CT one can determine interrelations of parasitic formation with vessels and hepatic bileducts, vena cava inferior, other organs. One can judge at the same time on their compression and germination, remote echinococcosis residues, other complications

Lifestyle Modification through Dietary Intervention: Health Promotion of Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manoochehr Khoshbaten

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD is more common worldwide and no certain treatment apart from lifestyle modification has been established yet. Available data consistently show that energy intake is significantly higher in patients with NAFLD than in individuals with no evidence of fatty liver. Changing nutritional behaviors seems to be the primary approach for treatment, simultaneously addressing all the clinical and biochemical defects. This study was aimed to examine the effects of two different composition of low energy diet (diet I vs. diet II on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients.Methods: In this double-blind randomized controlled trial, 44 ultrasonography-proven overweight non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients were divided into two groups and received two low-energy diets (-500 kcal less than energy requirement individually inc. diet I (Carbohydrate: Fat: Protein: 55:25:20 and diet II (Carbohydrate: Fat: Protein: 40:40:20 for six weeks. Anthropometric and biochemical measures as well as liver enzymes were assessed after 12 hours fasting.Results: After diet I and diet II, weight decreased significantly (%1.82 and %2.45, respectively. Liver enzymes and echogenicity decreased significantly by both diet I and diet II. Mean of triglyceride concentration decreased (%18.09 after diet II (P=0.023, while there was no significant change after diet I. Significant correlations were found between changes in aspartate aminotransferase with triglyceride and LDL-C diet I.Conclusion: Low energy diets can decrease liver enzymes regardless of their composition, while diet II seems to be more effective than diet I in reduction of weight and triglyceride level.

Juvenile Solitary Confinement as a Form of Child Abuse.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Andrew B

2017-09-01

Placing incarcerated juveniles into solitary confinement continues to occur in certain states of the United States, despite the accumulating evidence that it may cause substantial psychological damage to the teenagers who must endure it. The practice has been widely condemned by professional and human rights organizations, amid a growing appreciation of the immaturity and vulnerability of the adolescent brain. Although several states and the federal government have been successful in abolishing or dramatically reducing the use of juvenile solitary confinement, it remains common practice in many facilities. Clinicians working in correctional facilities where juvenile solitary confinement is employed are therefore faced with difficult questions of ethics, as to how best to balance their competing duties, and how to respond to such state-sanctioned ill treatment of their patients. Given the emerging consensus around the psychological damage wrought by sustained solitary confinement, clinicians may well reach the difficult conclusion that they are both legally mandated and ethically bound to file a report of suspected child abuse. Such a report would be unlikely to be investigated for administrative reasons, but it would allow clinicians to communicate the gravity of their concern effectively. © 2017 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

The draft genome of the carcinogenic human liver fluke Clonorchis sinensis

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Clonorchis sinensis is a carcinogenic human liver fluke that is widespread in Asian countries. Increasing infection rates of this neglected tropical disease are leading to negative economic and public health consequences in affected regions. Experimental and epidemiological studies have shown a strong association between the incidence of cholangiocarcinoma and the infection rate of C. sinensis. To aid research into this organism, we have sequenced its genome. Results We combined de novo sequencing with computational techniques to provide new information about the biology of this liver fluke. The assembled genome has a total size of 516 Mb with a scaffold N50 length of 42 kb. Approximately 16,000 reliable protein-coding gene models were predicted. Genes for the complete pathways for glycolysis, the Krebs cycle and fatty acid metabolism were found, but key genes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis are missing from the genome, reflecting the parasitic lifestyle of a liver fluke that receives lipids from the bile of its host. We also identified pathogenic molecules that may contribute to liver fluke-induced hepatobiliary diseases. Large proteins such as multifunctional secreted proteases and tegumental proteins were identified as potential targets for the development of drugs and vaccines. Conclusions This study provides valuable genomic information about the human liver fluke C. sinensis and adds to our knowledge on the biology of the parasite. The draft genome will serve as a platform to develop new strategies for parasite control. PMID:22023798

Solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma of the sinonasal region.

Science.gov (United States)

Hazarika, Produl; Balakrishnan, R; Singh, Rohit; Pujary, Kailesh; Aziz, Benazim

2011-07-01

Less than 10% of the patients with plasma cell neoplasms present with a solitary plasmacytoma. Though the nasal cavity is a common extramedullary site, the occurrence is extremely rare. Two cases of solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma of the sinonasal region are reported. The first of which is sinonasal plasmacytoma with concomitant HIV, an association that has been reported rarely in literature to date and is matter of much debate. In the second case report, we present an instance of surgical excision of the tumor using KTP 532 laser. The diagnosis was established using immunohistochemical techniques and multiple myeloma workups were negative in all cases.

Solitary Fibrous Tumor of Nasal Cavity:A Case Report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George Mathew

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Solitary fibrous tumours (SFTs of the nose and paranasal sinuses are extremely rare.These were originally described as neoplasms of the pleura originating from spindle cells. It is further sub-classified as a benign type of mesothelial tumour. Its occurrence in many extra pleural sites have been reported earlier, mainly in the liver, parapharyngeal space, sublingual glands, tongue, parotid gland, thyroid, periorbital region, and very occasionally in the nose and  paranasal sinus area.   Case Report: A 28-year-old man with a 6 month history of persistent progressive left nasal obstruction and watering of the left eye is reported. Further imaging by CT and MRI revealed a large, left-sided, highly vascular, nasal cavity mass (Fig 1,2,3,4 pushing laterally on the medial wall of the maxilla. The patient underwent a lateral rhinotomy, which proceeded with the excision of the mass. Histopathological analysis of the specimen was consistent with SFT.   Conclusion:  This case is reported to develop insights regarding diagnosis and management of such rare tumours.

Non-invasive measurement of liver and pancreas fibrosis in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedrich-Rust, Mireen; Schlueter, Nina; Smaczny, Christina; Eickmeier, Olaf; Rosewich, Martin; Feifel, Kirstin; Herrmann, Eva; Poynard, Thierry; Gleiber, Wolfgang; Lais, Christoph; Zielen, Stefan; Wagner, Thomas O F; Zeuzem, Stefan; Bojunga, Joerg

2013-09-01

Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) have a relevant morbidity and mortality caused by CF-related liver-disease. While transient elastography (TE) is an established elastography method in hepatology centers, Acoustic-Radiation-Force-Impulse (ARFI)-Imaging is a novel ultrasound-based elastography method which is integrated in a conventional ultrasound-system. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of liver-fibrosis in patients with CF using TE, ARFI-imaging and fibrosis blood tests. 106 patients with CF were prospectively included in the present study and received ARFI-imaging of the left and right liver-lobe, ARFI of the pancreas TE of the liver and laboratory evaluation. The prevalence of liver-fibrosis according to recently published best practice guidelines for CFLD was 22.6%. Prevalence of significant liver-fibrosis assessed by TE, ARFI-right-liver-lobe, ARFI-left-liver-lobe, Fibrotest, Fibrotest-corrected-by-haptoglobin was 17%, 24%, 40%, 7%, and 16%, respectively. The best agreement was found for TE, ARFI-right-liver-lobe and Fibrotest-corrected-by-haptoglobin. Patients with pancreatic-insufficiency had significantly lower pancreas-ARFI-values as compared to patients without. ARFI-imaging and TE seem to be promising non-invasive methods for detection of liver-fibrosis in patients with CF. Copyright © 2013 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Non-invasive index of liver fibrosis induced by alcohol, thioacetamide and schistosomal infection in mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

El-Beltagy Doha M

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Non invasive approaches will likely be increasing utilized to assess liver fibrosis. This work provides a new non invasive index to predict liver fibrosis induced in mice. Methods Fibrosis was generated by thioacetamide (TAA, chronic intake of ethanol, or infection with S. mansoni in 240 mice. Both progression and regression of fibrosis (after treatment with silymarin and/or praziquantel were monitored. The following methods were employed: (i The METAVIR system was utilized to grade and stage liver inflammation and fibosis; (ii Determination of hepatic hydroxyproline and collagen; and (iii Derivation of a new hepatic fibrosis index from the induced changes, and its prospective validation in a group of 70 mice. Results The index is composed of 4 serum variable including total proteins, γ-GT, bilirubin and reduced glutathione (GSH, measured in diseased, treated and normal mice. These parameters were highly correlated with both the histological stage and the grade. They were combined in a logarithmic formula, which non-invasively scores the severity of liver fibrosis through a range (0 to 2, starting with healthy liver (corresponding to stage 0 to advanced fibrosis (corresponding stage 3.Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC for the accuracy of the index to predict the histological stages demonstrated that the areas under the curve (AUC were 0.954, 0.979 and 0.99 for index values corresponding to histological stages 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Also, the index was correlated with stage and grade, (0.947 and 0.859, respectively. The cut off values that cover the range between stages 0-1, 1-2 and 2-3 are 0.4, 1.12 and 1.79, respectively. The results in the validation group confirmed the accuracy of the test. The AUROC was 0.869 and there was good correlation with the stage of fibrosis and grade of inflammation. Conclusion The index fulfils the basic criteria of non-invasive marker of liver fibrosis since it is liver

Frequency selective non-linear blending to improve image quality in liver CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bongers, M.N.; Bier, G.; Kloth, C.; Schabel, C.; Nikolaou, K.; Horger, M.; Fritz, J.

2016-01-01

To evaluate the effects of a new frequency selective non-linear blending (NLB) algorithm on the contrast resolution of liver CT with low intravascular concentration of iodine contrast. Our local ethics committee approved this retrospective study. The informed consent requirement was waived. CT exams of 25 patients (60% female, mean age: 65±16 years of age) with late phase CT scans of the liver were included as a model for poor intrahepatic vascular contrast enhancement. Optimal post-processing settings to enhance the contrast of hepatic vessels were determined. Outcome variables included signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) of hepatic vessels and SNR of liver parenchyma of standard and post-processed images. Image quality was quantified by two independent readers using Likert scales. The post-processing settings for the visualization of hepatic vasculature were optimal at a center of 115HU, delta of 25HU, and slope of 5. Image noise was statistically indifferent between standard and post-processed images. The CNR between the hepatic vasculature (HV) and liver parenchyma could be significantly increased for liver veins (CNR Standard 1.62±1.10, CNR NLB 3.6±2.94, p=0.0002) and portal veins (CNR Standard 1.31±0.85, CNR NLB 2.42±3.03, p=0.046). The SNR of liver parenchyma was significantly higher on post-processed images (SNR NLB 11.26±3.16, SNR Standard 8.85± 2.27, p=0.008). The overall image quality and depiction of HV were significantly higher on post-processed images (NLB DHV : 4 [3-4.75], S tandardDHV : 2 [1.3-2.5], p=<0.0001; NLBIQ : 4 [4-4], StandardIQ : 2 [2-3], p=<0.0001). The use of a frequency selective non-linear blending algorithm increases the contrast resolution of liver CT and can improve the visibility of the hepatic vasculature in the setting of a low contrast ratio between vessels and the parenchyma.

Frequency selective non-linear blending to improve image quality in liver CT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bongers, M.N.; Bier, G.; Kloth, C.; Schabel, C.; Nikolaou, K.; Horger, M. [University Hospital of Tuebingen (Germany). Dept. of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology; Fritz, J. [Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (United States). Russell H. Morgan Dept. of Radiology and Radiological Science

2016-12-15

To evaluate the effects of a new frequency selective non-linear blending (NLB) algorithm on the contrast resolution of liver CT with low intravascular concentration of iodine contrast. Our local ethics committee approved this retrospective study. The informed consent requirement was waived. CT exams of 25 patients (60% female, mean age: 65±16 years of age) with late phase CT scans of the liver were included as a model for poor intrahepatic vascular contrast enhancement. Optimal post-processing settings to enhance the contrast of hepatic vessels were determined. Outcome variables included signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) of hepatic vessels and SNR of liver parenchyma of standard and post-processed images. Image quality was quantified by two independent readers using Likert scales. The post-processing settings for the visualization of hepatic vasculature were optimal at a center of 115HU, delta of 25HU, and slope of 5. Image noise was statistically indifferent between standard and post-processed images. The CNR between the hepatic vasculature (HV) and liver parenchyma could be significantly increased for liver veins (CNR{sub Standard} 1.62±1.10, CNR{sub NLB} 3.6±2.94, p=0.0002) and portal veins (CNR{sub Standard} 1.31±0.85, CNR{sub NLB} 2.42±3.03, p=0.046). The SNR of liver parenchyma was significantly higher on post-processed images (SNR{sub NLB} 11.26±3.16, SNR{sub Standard} 8.85± 2.27, p=0.008). The overall image quality and depiction of HV were significantly higher on post-processed images (NLB{sub DHV}: 4 [3-4.75], S{sub tandardDHV}: 2 [1.3-2.5], p=<0.0001; {sub NLBIQ}: 4 [4-4], {sub StandardIQ}: 2 [2-3], p=<0.0001). The use of a frequency selective non-linear blending algorithm increases the contrast resolution of liver CT and can improve the visibility of the hepatic vasculature in the setting of a low contrast ratio between vessels and the parenchyma.

Assessment of the foraging and nesting conditions for solitary bees and bumblebees, and their distribution in a Danish agricultural landscape

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Calabuig, Isabel

2000-01-01

In a survey April through November 1997, a total of 72 solitary bee species and 19 bumblebee species were recorded in the semi-natural habitats of a Danish conventional agricultural landscape. The majority of the solitary non-inquiline bee species (59) were polylectic, but four oligoleges of Salix...... all ones that may sustain a species rich but polylecticly dominated bee fauna. Abundance of solitary bees and bumblebees were correlated with mellitophilous plant coverage in south-facing areas, whereas no correlation was found for honeybees. Furthermore, abundance of honeybees was not correlated...... with abundance of other bees. Bee species richness could not be explained by plant species richness or coverage in a multiple regression. Habitat parameters in a generalised linear model were able to predict abundance of males and inquilines, a measure of nest abundances in the habitats....

Host-Parasite Interactions and Purifying Selection in a Microsporidian Parasite of Honey Bees.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Qiang; Chen, Yan Ping; Wang, Rui Wu; Cheng, Shang; Evans, Jay D

2016-01-01

To clarify the mechanisms of Nosema ceranae parasitism, we deep-sequenced both honey bee host and parasite mRNAs throughout a complete 6-day infection cycle. By time-series analysis, 1122 parasite genes were significantly differently expressed during the reproduction cycle, clustering into 4 expression patterns. We found reactive mitochondrial oxygen species modulator 1 of the host to be significantly down regulated during the entire infection period. Our data support the hypothesis that apoptosis of honey bee cells was suppressed during infection. We further analyzed genome-wide genetic diversity of this parasite by comparing samples collected from the same site in 2007 and 2013. The number of SNP positions per gene and the proportion of non-synonymous substitutions per gene were significantly reduced over this time period, suggesting purifying selection on the parasite genome and supporting the hypothesis that a subset of N. ceranae strains might be dominating infection.

Solitary waves observed in the auroral zone: the Cluster multi-spacecraft perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. S. Pickett

2004-01-01

Full Text Available We report on recent measurements of solitary waves made by the Wideband Plasma Wave Receiver located on each of the four Cluster spacecraft at 4.5-6.5RE (well above the auroral acceleration region as they cross field lines that map to the auroral zones. These solitary waves are observed in the Wideband data as isolated bipolar and tripolar waveforms. Examples of the two types of pulses are provided. The time durations of the majority of both types of solitary waves observed in this region range from about 0.3 up to 5ms. Their peak-to-peak amplitudes range from about 0.05 up to 20mV/m, with a few reaching up to almost 70mV/m. There is essentially no potential change across the bipolar pulses. There appears to be a small, measurable potential change, up to 0.5V, across the tripolar pulses, which is consistent with weak or hybrid double layers. A limited cross-spacecraft correlation study was carried out in order to identify the same solitary wave on more than one spacecraft. We found no convincing correlations of the bipolar solitary waves. In the two cases of possible correlation of the tripolar pulses, we found that the solitary waves are propagating at several hundred to a few thousand km/s and that they are possibly evolving (growing, decaying as they propagate from one spacecraft to the next. Further, they have a perpendicular (to the magnetic field width of 50km or greater and a parallel width of about 2-5km. We conclude, in general, however, that the Cluster spacecraft at separations along and perpendicular to the local magnetic field direction of tens of km and greater are too large to obtain positive correlations in this region. Looking at the macroscale of the auroral zone at 4.5-6.5RE, we find that the onsets of the broadband electrostatic noise associated with the solitary waves observed in the spectrograms of the WBD data are generally consistent with propagation of the solitary waves up the field lines (away from Earth, or with

Non-Genetic Determinants of Mosquito Competence for Malaria Parasites

OpenAIRE

Lef?vre, Thierry; Vantaux, Am?lie; Dabir?, Kounbobr R.; Mouline, Karine; Cohuet, Anna

2013-01-01

Understanding how mosquito vectors and malaria parasites interact is of fundamental interest, and it also offers novel perspectives for disease control. Both the genetic and environmental contexts are known to affect the ability of mosquitoes to support malaria development and transmission, i.e., vector competence. Although the role of environment has long been recognized, much work has focused on host and parasite genetic effects. However, the last few years have seen a surge of studies reve...

Imported Asian swamp eels (Synbranchidae: Monopterus) in North American live food markets: Potential vectors of non-native parasites

Science.gov (United States)

Nico, Leo G.; Sharp, Paul; Collins, Timothy M.

2011-01-01

Since the 1990s, possibly earlier, large numbers of Asian swamp eels (Synbranchidae: Monopterus spp.), some wild-caught, have been imported live from various countries in Asia and sold in ethnic food markets in cities throughout the USA and parts of Canada. Such markets are the likely introduction pathway of some, perhaps most, of the five known wild populations of Asian swamp eels present in the continental United States. This paper presents results of a pilot study intended to gather baseline data on the occurrence and abundance of internal macroparasites infecting swamp eels imported from Asia to North American retail food markets. These data are important in assessing the potential role that imported swamp eels may play as possible vectors of non-native parasites. Examination of the gastrointestinal tracts and associated tissues of 19 adult-sized swamp eels—identified as M. albus "Clade C"—imported from Vietnam and present in a U.S. retail food market revealed that 18 (95%) contained macroparasites. The 394 individual parasites recovered included a mix of nematodes, acanthocephalans, cestodes, digeneans, and pentastomes. The findings raise concern because of the likelihood that some parasites infecting market swamp eels imported from Asia are themselves Asian taxa, some possibly new to North America. The ecological risk is exacerbated because swamp eels sold in food markets are occasionally retained live by customers and a few reportedly released into the wild. For comparative purposes, M. albus "Clade C" swamp eels from a non-native population in Florida (USA) were also examined and most (84%) were found to be infected with internal macroparasites. The current level of analysis does not allow us to confirm whether these are non-native parasites.

Prevalence and determinants of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in lifelines: A large Dutch population cohort.

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Eline H van den Berg

Full Text Available Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is an increasing health issue that develops rather unnoticed with obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome. We investigated prevalence, determinants and associated metabolic abnormalities of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in the largest population-based cohort to date.Biochemical characteristics, type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome were determined in the Lifelines Cohort Study (N = 167,729, a population-based cohort in the North of the Netherlands. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was defined as Fatty Liver Index (FLI≥60. Exclusion criteria were age <18 years, immigrants, missing data to assess FLI and metabolic syndrome, excessive alcohol use, previous-diagnosed hepatitis or cirrhosis and non-fasting blood sampling.Out of 37,496 included participants (median age 44 years, 62.1% female, 8,259 (22.0% had a FLI≥60. Individuals with a FLI≥60 were more often male, older, obese, had higher levels of hemoglobinA1c, fasting glucose, liver enzymes, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, c-reactive protein and leucocytes and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (all P<0.0001. Participants with a FLI≥60 showed higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (9.3% vs. 1.4%, metabolic syndrome (54.2% vs. 6.2%, impaired renal function (20.1% vs. 8.7% and cardiovascular disease (4.6% vs. 1.6% (all P<0.0001. Multivariable logistic analysis showed that smoking, hemoglobin, leucocytes, c-reactive protein, platelets, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, albumin, impaired renal function (OR 1.27, 95%CI 1.15-1.41, metabolic syndrome (OR 11.89, 95%CI 11.03-12.82 and its individual components hyperglycemia (OR 2.53, 95%CI 2.34-2.72, hypertension (OR 1.89, 95%CI 1.77-2.01 and reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR 3.44, 95%CI 3.22-3.68 were independently associated with suspected non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (all P<0.0001.Twenty

Type 2 Diabetes in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Hepatitis C Virus Infection—Liver: The “Musketeer” in the Spotlight

Science.gov (United States)

Ballestri, Stefano; Nascimbeni, Fabio; Romagnoli, Dante; Baldelli, Enrica; Targher, Giovanni; Lonardo, Amedeo

2016-01-01

The pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (T2D) involves chronic hyperinsulinemia due to systemic and hepatic insulin resistance (IR), which if uncorrected, will lead to progressive pancreatic beta cell failure in predisposed individuals. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) encompasses a spectrum of fatty (simple steatosis and steatohepatitis) and non-fatty liver changes (NASH-cirrhosis with or without hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)) that are commonly observed among individuals with multiple metabolic derangements, notably including visceral obesity, IR and T2D. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is also often associated with both hepatic steatosis and features of a specific HCV-associated dysmetabolic syndrome. In recent years, the key role of the steatotic liver in the development of IR and T2D has been increasingly recognized. Thus, in this comprehensive review we summarize the rapidly expanding body of evidence that links T2D with NAFLD and HCV infection. For each of these two liver diseases with systemic manifestations, we discuss the epidemiological burden, the pathophysiologic mechanisms and the clinical implications. To date, substantial evidence suggests that NAFLD and HCV play a key role in T2D development and that the interaction of T2D with liver disease may result in a “vicious circle”, eventually leading to an increased risk of all-cause mortality and liver-related and cardiovascular complications. Preliminary evidence also suggests that improvement of NAFLD is associated with a decreased incidence of T2D. Similarly, the prevention of T2D following HCV eradication in the era of direct-acting antiviral agents is a biologically plausible result. However, additional studies are required for further clarification of mechanisms involved. PMID:27005620

Type 2 Diabetes in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Hepatitis C Virus Infection—Liver: The “Musketeer” in the Spotlight

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Stefano Ballestri

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (T2D involves chronic hyperinsulinemia due to systemic and hepatic insulin resistance (IR, which if uncorrected, will lead to progressive pancreatic beta cell failure in predisposed individuals. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD encompasses a spectrum of fatty (simple steatosis and steatohepatitis and non-fatty liver changes (NASH-cirrhosis with or without hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC that are commonly observed among individuals with multiple metabolic derangements, notably including visceral obesity, IR and T2D. Hepatitis C virus (HCV infection is also often associated with both hepatic steatosis and features of a specific HCV-associated dysmetabolic syndrome. In recent years, the key role of the steatotic liver in the development of IR and T2D has been increasingly recognized. Thus, in this comprehensive review we summarize the rapidly expanding body of evidence that links T2D with NAFLD and HCV infection. For each of these two liver diseases with systemic manifestations, we discuss the epidemiological burden, the pathophysiologic mechanisms and the clinical implications. To date, substantial evidence suggests that NAFLD and HCV play a key role in T2D development and that the interaction of T2D with liver disease may result in a “vicious circle”, eventually leading to an increased risk of all-cause mortality and liver-related and cardiovascular complications. Preliminary evidence also suggests that improvement of NAFLD is associated with a decreased incidence of T2D. Similarly, the prevention of T2D following HCV eradication in the era of direct-acting antiviral agents is a biologically plausible result. However, additional studies are required for further clarification of mechanisms involved.

CT findings of non-specific colonic edema in liver cirrhosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jae Ho; Lee, Hae Kyung; Hong, Hyun Sook; Kwon, Kwi Hyang; Choi, Deuk Lin

1999-01-01

To evaluate the CT findings and clinical significance of colonic edema in liver cirrhosis. We retrospectively reviewed the CT scans of 221 cases of clinically diagnosed liver cirrhosis in 173 patients. In 30 of these [23 men and six women aged between 35 and 67(mean, 54) years], colonic edema was present. We evaluated its distribution (ascending, transverse or descending colon), analysed serum albumin and bilirubin levels, and in both the colonic edema and non-colonic edema group, determined whether ascites was present. Thus, we sought correlation between the presence of colonic edema, the severity of liver cirrhosis, and each parameter. CT revealed colonic edema in 30 of 221 cases(14%). Of the 30, 13 cases(43%) were diffuse colonic edema and 17(57%) were regional edema. Among these 17 cases, 12(71%) were seen only in the ascending colon, while five(29%) were seen in both the ascending and transverse colon. In the group with colonic edema, the mean level of serum albumin was 2.6g/dl, and that of serum bilirubin was 4.9mg/dl ; 20 patients(67%) had ascites. In the group without colonic edema, mean levels of serum albumin and serum bilirubin were 3.0g/dl and 4.1mg/dl, respectively ; 43 patients(30%) had ascites. There was no significant statistical difference in serum albumin and bilirubin levels between the colonic edema and non-colonic edema group(p>0.05), though ascites was more common among the former group. In cases of liver cirrhosis, CT evidence of colonic edema is not uncommon. The ascending colon is most frequently involved, though disease severity does not vary significantly according to site. When CT reveals the presence of colonic edema, further diagnostic evaluation is not necessary if there is no evidence of clinical symptoms

Stable solitary waves in super dense plasmas at external magnetic fields

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Ghaani, Azam; Javidan, Kurosh; Sarbishaei, Mohsen

2015-07-01

Propagation of localized waves in a Fermi-Dirac distributed super dense matter at the presence of strong external magnetic fields is studied using the reductive perturbation method. We have shown that stable solitons can be created in such non-relativistic fluids in the presence of an external magnetic field. Such solitary waves are governed by the Zakharov-Kuznetsov (ZK) equation. Properties of solitonic solutions are studied in media with different values of background mass density and strength of magnetic field.

The Potential of Non-Provitamin A Carotenoids for the Prevention and Treatment of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

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Ana Gabriela Murillo

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD is an obesity-associated spectrum of comorbidities defined by the presence of metabolic dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation, and fibrosis in the liver. If left untreated, NAFLD can progress to cirrhosis, liver failure, or hepatocellular carcinoma. NAFLD is recognized as the most common liver disease in the United States, affecting around 30% of the population. Identification of dietary components capable of reducing or preventing NAFLD is therefore essential to battle this condition. Dietary carotenoids including astaxanthin, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin have been demonstrated to be potent antioxidants as well as to exhibit anti-inflammatory effects. Many studies report the protective effect(s of these carotenoids against different conditions such as atherosclerosis, diabetic complications, age-related macular degeneration, and liver diseases. In this review, we will focus on the effects of these carotenoids in the prevention or reduction of NAFLD as seen in epidemiological observations and clinical trials, as well as the suggested mechanism of action derived from animal and cell studies.

Effects of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on the anthropometric variables, lipid profiles and liver enzymes in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

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Elnaz Jafarvand

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial was conducted on 41 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Patients in intervention group received 100 mg/day coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10 for four weeks. There was a significant reduction in waist circumference and aspartate aminotransferase concentrations after CoQ10 supplementation (p<0.05. Dietary fiber was in negative correlation with change in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT concentrations (r = -410, p = 0.04, and dietary fat intake was in positive relation with serum triglyceride (r = 463, p = 0.04 and in negative relation with serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C (r = -533, p = 0.02 in CoQ10-treated group. CoQ10 supplement is able to reduce central obesity and improve liver function in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Dietary factors were also significant determinants of change in liver-specific enzyme ALT and lipid profile in these patients. Further trials with higher dose of CoQ10 and longer treatment periods are warranted to better clarify these findings.

A Novel Fibrosis Index Comprising a Non-Cholesterol Sterol Accurately Predicts HCV-Related Liver Cirrhosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ydreborg, Magdalena; Lisovskaja, Vera; Lagging, Martin

2014-01-01

of the present study was to create a model for accurate prediction of liver cirrhosis based on patient characteristics and biomarkers of liver fibrosis, including a panel of non-cholesterol sterols reflecting cholesterol synthesis and absorption and secretion. We evaluated variables with potential predictive...

Total non-imaging in liver scintiscanning in case of alcoholic liver cirrhosis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schlicht, I; Roh, T

1983-01-01

Case reports are given of 3 female patients suffering from advanced, hypertrophic alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver with portal hypertension. The livers of these patients were not demonstrable by scintigraphy. The patients died a few months afterwards from liver failure. This syndrome - failure of the liver to show up in scintigraphy - may have diagnostic and prognostic implications; it may be caused by deficient blood circulation and by reduced phagocytic capacity of the kupfer cell system.

Solitary Secondary Malignant Melanoma of Clavicle Two Years after Enuclation for Ocular Melanoma

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Halil Tozum

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Solitary metastasis of uveal melanoma to bone is extremely rare and usually associated with other organ involvement. We present a rare case of an ocular melanoma patient presenting with solitary metastasis to the clavicle two years after enucleation, without any other organ involvement. In this report, we tried to present our treatment strategy for the solitary metastasis of bone.

Evaluation of MSCTA for parasitic blood supply in hepatic carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Weihong; Liu Pengcheng; Liang Shanhu; Yuan Zhidong; Yu Hongjian; Deng Qianhua

2008-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the multi-slice spiral computer tomography for hepatocarcinoma parasitic blood supply, and analyze the mechanism of the parasitic angiogenesis. Methods: Forty cases confirmed by DSA and confirmed with the existence of parasitic blood supply through manifestations of MSCTA were retrospectively analized. Comparing the coincidence of different reconstruction modalities of MSCTA and DSA in displaying the parasitic blood supply and then to assess the characteristics of MSCTA of the cases with existing parasitic blood supply. Results: DSA displayed parasitic blood supply in 50 arterial rami and MSCTA displayed only 40 rami, with positive rate of 80%. The best display could be reached by the reconstruction of combining MIP and VRT. This kind of reconstruction revealed not only the parasitic blood supply but also the peripheral sites of the primary focci with average length of diameter of 6.9 cm. Conclusions: MSCTA possesses nearly the same capability with DSA in demonstrating the parasitic blood supply to primary hepatic carcinoma, therefore it could be utilized in evaluation of intervention therapy and surgical, operation and transplantation. The primary hepatic carcinoma with this kind of parasitic blood supply is always located at the bare were of liver and ligmentarn suspensoram together with direct invasion of nearby organs with adhesions may contribute the main factor of parasitic blood supply, furthermore the repetition of TACE inducing the decrease of collateral circulation may also be the another major factor. (authors)

Evaluation of MSCTA for parasitic blood supply in hepatic carcinoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weihong, Yang; Pengcheng, Liu; Shanhu, Liang; Zhidong, Yuan; Hongjian, Yu; Qianhua, Deng [Department of Radiology, Shenzhen Hospital of Beijing College, Guangdong, Shenzhen (China)

2008-09-15

Objective: To evaluate the multi-slice spiral computer tomography for hepatocarcinoma parasitic blood supply, and analyze the mechanism of the parasitic angiogenesis. Methods: Forty cases confirmed by DSA and confirmed with the existence of parasitic blood supply through manifestations of MSCTA were retrospectively analized. Comparing the coincidence of different reconstruction modalities of MSCTA and DSA in displaying the parasitic blood supply and then to assess the characteristics of MSCTA of the cases with existing parasitic blood supply. Results: DSA displayed parasitic blood supply in 50 arterial rami and MSCTA displayed only 40 rami, with positive rate of 80%. The best display could be reached by the reconstruction of combining MIP and VRT. This kind of reconstruction revealed not only the parasitic blood supply but also the peripheral sites of the primary focci with average length of diameter of 6.9 cm. Conclusions: MSCTA possesses nearly the same capability with DSA in demonstrating the parasitic blood supply to primary hepatic carcinoma, therefore it could be utilized in evaluation of intervention therapy and surgical, operation and transplantation. The primary hepatic carcinoma with this kind of parasitic blood supply is always located at the bare were of liver and ligmentarn suspensoram together with direct invasion of nearby organs with adhesions may contribute the main factor of parasitic blood supply, furthermore the repetition of TACE inducing the decrease of collateral circulation may also be the another major factor. (authors)

Multi-dimensional instability of electrostatic solitary structures in magnetized nonthermal dusty plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mamun, A.A.; Russel, S.M.; Mendoza-Briceno, C.A.; Alam, M.N.; Datta, T.K.; Das, A.K.

1999-05-01

A rigorous theoretical investigation has been made of multi-dimensional instability of obliquely propagating electrostatic solitary structures in a hot magnetized nonthermal dusty plasma which consists of a negatively charged hot dust fluid, Boltzmann distributed electrons, and nonthermally distributed ions. The Zakharov-Kuznetsov equation for the electrostatic solitary structures that exist in such a dusty plasma system is derived by the reductive perturbation method. The multi-dimensional instability of these solitary waves is also studied by the small-k (long wavelength plane wave) perturbation expansion method. The nature of these solitary structures, the instability criterion, and their growth rate depending on dust-temperature, external magnetic field, and obliqueness are discussed. The implications of these results to some space and astrophysical dusty plasma situations are briefly mentioned. (author)

On the generation and evolution of internal solitary waves in the southern Red Sea

KAUST Repository

Guo, Daquan

2015-04-01

Satellite observations recently revealed the existence of trains of internal solitary waves in the southern Red Sea between 16.0°N and 16.5°N, propagating from the centre of the domain toward the continental shelf [Da silva et al., 2012]. Given the relatively weak tidal velocity in this area and their generation in the central of the domain, Da Silva suggested three possible mechanisms behind the generation of the waves, namely Resonance and disintegration of interfacial tides, Generation of interfacial tides by impinging, remotely generated internal tidal beams and for geometrically focused and amplified internal tidal beams. Tide analysis based on tide stations data and barotropic tide model in the Red Sea shows that tide is indeed very weak in the centre part of the Red Sea, but it is relatively strong in the northern and southern parts (reaching up to 66 cm/s). Together with extreme steep slopes along the deep trench, it provides favourable conditions for the generation of internal solitary in the southern Red Sea. To investigate the generation mechanisms and study the evolution of the internal waves in the off-shelf region of the southern Red Sea we have implemented a 2-D, high-resolution and non-hydrostatic configuration of the MIT general circulation model (MITgcm). Our simulations reproduce well that the generation process of the internal solitary waves. Analysis of the model\\'s output suggests that the interaction between the topography and tidal flow with the nonlinear effect is the main mechanism behind the generation of the internal solitary waves. Sensitivity experiments suggest that neither tidal beam nor the resonance effect of the topography is important factor in this process.

Non-biting cyclorrhaphan flies (Diptera) as carriers of intestinal human parasites in slum areas of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

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Getachew, Sisay; Gebre-Michael, Teshome; Erko, Berhanu; Balkew, Meshesha; Medhin, Girmay

2007-09-01

A study was conducted to determine the role of non-biting cyclorrhaphan flies as carriers of intestinal parasites in slum areas of Addis Ababa from January 2004 to June 2004. A total of 9550 flies, comprising of at least seven species were collected from four selected sites and examined for human intestinal parasites using the formol-ether concentration method. The dominant fly species was Chrysomya rufifacies (34.9%) followed by Musca domestica (31%), Musca sorbens (20.5.%), Lucina cuprina (6.8%), Sarcophaga sp. (2.8%), Calliphora vicina (2.2%) and Wohlfahrtia sp. (1.8%). Six intestinal helminths (Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, hookworms, Hymenolepis nana, Taenia spp. and Strongyloides stercoralis) and at least four protozoan parasites (Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, Entamoeba coli, Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium sp.) were isolated from both the external and gut contents of the flies. A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura among the helminths and E. histolytica/dispar and E. coli among the protozoans were the dominant parasites detected both on the external and in the gut contents of the flies, but occurring more in the latter. Among the flies, C. rufifacies and M. sorbens were the highest carriers of the helminth and protozoan parasites, respectively. The public health significance of these findings is highlighted.

Probiotics as a novel treatment for non-alcoholic Fatty liver disease; a systematic review on the current evidences.

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Kelishadi, Roya; Farajian, Sanam; Mirlohi, Maryam

2013-04-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic liver disease, with 5-10% of liver having extra fat. Increase in its prevalence in all age groups is linked with obesity and Type II diabetes. The treatment of NAFLD remains controversial. A growing body of evidence suggests a relation between overgrowth of gut microbiota with NAFLD and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The objective of this review is to provide an overview on experimental and clinical studies assessing all positive and negative effects of probiotics. We made a critical appraisal on various types of documents published from 1999 to March 2012 in journals, electronic books, seminars, and symposium contexts including Medline, PubMed, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases. We used the key words: "non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, probiotics, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, liver disease, and fatty liver". Probiotics, as biological factors, control the gut microbiota and result in its progression. It is in this sense that they are suggestive of a new and a natural way of promoting liver function. Correspondingly, limited evidence suggests that probiotics could be considered as a new way of treatment for NAFLD. Various experimental studies and clinical trials revealed promising effects of probiotics in improving NAFLD; however given the limited experience in this field, generalization of probiotics as treatment of NAFLD needs substantiation through more trials with a larger sample sizes and with longer-term follow up.

Role of γ-glutamyl transferase levels in prediction of high cardiovascular risk among patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

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Benan Kasapoglu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background & objectives: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD is an important cause of elevated liver functions. There is evidence showing an association between NAFLD and subclinical atherosclerosis independent of traditional risk factors. We undertook this retrospective study to determine the association of Framingham cardiovascular risk scoring system with liver function tests and inflammatory markers and to find the role of liver function tests in determination of CVD risk among non-obese and non-diabetic subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Methods: A total of 2058 patients were included in the study. Framingham cardiovascular risk scoring was done of all patients according to the age, gender, systolic blood pressure, serum total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels, smoking and antihypertensive medication history. Liver function test, lipid profile, insulin, uric acid, ferritin levels, etc. were determined. Results: According to the ultrasonography findings, patients were grouped as without any fatty infiltration of the liver (control group (n=982, mild (n= 473, moderate (n=363 and severe fatty liver disease (n= 240 groups. In severe fatty liver disease group, the mean Framingham cardiovascular risk score was significantly higher than that of other groups. t0 here was a positive correlation between GGT, uric acid and ferritin levels with Framingham cardiovascular score. In multivariate analysis, high GGT levels were positively associated with high-risk disease presence (OR: 3.02, 95% CI: 2.62-3.42 compared to low GGT levels independent of the age and sex. Interpretation & conclusions: Cardiovascular disease risk increases with the presence and stage of fatty liver disease. Our findings showed a positive correlation between elevated GGT levels and Framingham cardiovascular risk scoring system among non-diabetic, non-obese adults which could be important in clinical practice. Though in normal limits, elevated GGT levels

An update on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Ching-Sheng; Kao, Jia-Horng

2017-08-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most overwhelming liver disease in Asia. In consideration of its increasing medical and economic impact on Asian people, it is time for us to review the update data in Asian countries and formulate strategies to cope with this emerging health problem in Asia. Moreover, growing data indicates that NAFLD may be a systemic disease, not just confined to liver-specific morbidity and mortality, but also associated with several extra-hepatic manifestations, such as cardiovascular diseases, chronic renal diseases, and malignancy. As the co-occurrence of NAFLD and viral hepatitis is common in Asia, issues related to the impact of NAFLD on the clinical outcomes and management of viral hepatitis remain to be elucidated. Areas covered: In this article, a narrative review was conducted, searching for literature from PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library database till August 2016. Studies relevant to the emerging data of NAFLD in Asia, including the diagnosis, risk factors, the assessment and management of Asian NAFLD patients were examined and discussed. Expert commentary: Collaboration in Asian countries to develop an effective and practical measurement to assess the severity of NAFLD is urgently required.

Host-Parasite Interactions and Purifying Selection in a Microsporidian Parasite of Honey Bees.

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Qiang Huang

Full Text Available To clarify the mechanisms of Nosema ceranae parasitism, we deep-sequenced both honey bee host and parasite mRNAs throughout a complete 6-day infection cycle. By time-series analysis, 1122 parasite genes were significantly differently expressed during the reproduction cycle, clustering into 4 expression patterns. We found reactive mitochondrial oxygen species modulator 1 of the host to be significantly down regulated during the entire infection period. Our data support the hypothesis that apoptosis of honey bee cells was suppressed during infection. We further analyzed genome-wide genetic diversity of this parasite by comparing samples collected from the same site in 2007 and 2013. The number of SNP positions per gene and the proportion of non-synonymous substitutions per gene were significantly reduced over this time period, suggesting purifying selection on the parasite genome and supporting the hypothesis that a subset of N. ceranae strains might be dominating infection.

Use of irradiation to control infectivity of food-borne parasites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

Food-borne parasitic diseases are common throughout the world, pose significant health problems and cause economic losses in terms of agricultural commodities and human productivity. The diseases usually occur through consumption of raw or partially cooked foods with are infected by various parasites (e.g. tapeworms, roundworms, flukes, parasitic protozoa, etc.). The problem is significant in developing countries where the population has the habit of consuming raw food of animal origin. Available data, with the exception of data on Trichinella spiralis, a parasitic nematode, were insufficient for the use of irradiation technology to control food-borne parasites. Therefore, a Co-ordinated Research Programme (CRP) on the Use of Irradiation to Control Infectivity of Food-Borne Parasites was implemented by the FAO/IAEA in 1986. The results of the work carried out over five years (1986-1991) by twelve researchers participating in the programme, have established conclusively the potential for application of food irradiation in the control of liver flukes, tapeworms, roundworms, trichinosis, toxoplasmosis, etc. This report includes the conclusions and recommendations of the participants concerning the results obtained and need for further research. Refs, figs and tabs

Rapid Recovery from Acute Liver Failure Secondary to Pancreatoduodenectomy-Related Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis

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Kazushige Nirei

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This report describes a case of liver failure secondary to pancreatoduodenectomy and rapid recovery following treatment. A 68-year-old woman with cancer on the ampulla of Vater underwent surgery for pancreatoduodenectomy. The patient developed liver failure 3 months postsurgically. She was hospitalized after presenting with jaundice, hypoalbuminemia and decreased serum zinc. Computed tomography (CT of the abdomen showed a reduction in CT attenuation values postoperatively. We suspected fatty liver due to impaired absorption caused by pancreatoduodenectomy. We initiated treatment with branched-chain amino acids and a zinc formulation orally. Trace elements were administered intravenously. Two months after treatment, there was a noticeable improvement in CT findings. The patient’s jaundice and hypoalbuminemia prompted a liver biopsy, which led to a diagnosis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Primary Hepatic Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: An Enigma Beyond the Liver, a Case Report

Science.gov (United States)

Laroia, Shalini Thapar; Rastogi, Archana; Panda, Dipanjan; Sarin, Shiv Kumar

2015-01-01

We have discussed a unique presentation of primary diffuse large cell B-cell non-Hodgkin (DLBC NHL) hepatic lymphoma involving the porta hepatis and biliary confluence causing obstructive jaundice with contiguous soft tissue involvement of the right lobe of liver extending up to the right renal cortex. This appears to be the only case in literature where primary hepatic lymphoma has shown contiguous localized intra- and extrahepatic tumor infiltration. A 67-year-old gentleman presented with history of significant loss of appetite and weight in 2 months with associated progressive painless cholestatic jaundice. Physical evaluation revealed normal vitals with pallor, deep icterus, scratch marks over the abdomen, generalized muscle wasting, grade II clubbing and a palpable non-tender liver with a globular, firm mass beneath the liver. He had a total serum bilirubin of 15.9 mg/dL and direct bilirubin of 9.24 mg/dL. His liver enzymes were moderately elevated with raised serum creatinine and dyselectrolytemia. Serology for enterohepatic viruses was negative. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CEMRI) showed poorly enhancing multiple soft tissue masses in both lobes of liver with the largest mass involving, biliary confluence and porta hepatis causing right bile duct and portal vein encasement. The mass occupied the posterior right lobe and extended to the inferior surface of liver with contiguous invasion of the right renal upper pole cortex. The mass was associated with a retracted liver capsule in the involved segments and delayed enhancement, mimicking a cholangiocarcinoma. Tissue biopsy revealed hepatic DLBC type NHL and patient was subsequently treated with a CHOP-R (cyclophosphamide-doxorubicin-vincristine-prednisolone/rituximab) regimen, on which he has shown non-progressive disease at 1-year follow-up. DLBC NHL of the liver is a very rare tumor with propensity for isolated involvement of the liver and minimal extrahepatic spread. This case shows many

Effect of specific amino acids on hepatic lipid metabolism in fructose-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Jegatheesan, Prasanthi; Beutheu, Stéphanie; Ventura, Gabrielle; Sarfati, Gilles; Nubret, Esther; Kapel, Nathalie; Waligora-Dupriet, Anne-Judith; Bergheim, Ina; Cynober, Luc; De-Bandt, Jean-Pascal

2016-02-01

Fructose diets have been shown to induce insulin resistance and to alter liver metabolism and gut barrier function, ultimately leading to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Citrulline, Glutamine and Arginine may improve insulin sensitivity and have beneficial effects on gut trophicity. Our aim was to evaluate their effects on liver and gut functions in a rat model of fructose-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 58) received a 4-week fructose (60%) diet or standard chow with or without Citrulline (0.15 g/d) or an isomolar amount of Arginine or Glutamine. All diets were made isonitrogenous by addition of non-essential amino acids. At week 4, nutritional and metabolic status (plasma glucose, insulin, cholesterol, triglycerides and amino acids, net intestinal absorption) was determined; steatosis (hepatic triglycerides content, histological examination) and hepatic function (plasma aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin) were assessed; and gut barrier integrity (myeloperoxidase activity, portal endotoxemia, tight junction protein expression and localization) and intestinal and hepatic inflammation were evaluated. We also assessed diets effects on caecal microbiota. In these experimental isonitrogenous fructose diet conditions, fructose led to steatosis with dyslipidemia but without altering glucose homeostasis, liver function or gut permeability. Fructose significantly decreased Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus and tended to increase endotoxemia. Arginine and Glutamine supplements were ineffective but Citrulline supplementation prevented hypertriglyceridemia and attenuated liver fat accumulation. While nitrogen supply alone can attenuate fructose-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, Citrulline appears to act directly on hepatic lipid metabolism by partially preventing hypertriglyceridemia and steatosis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition

A comparison of liver fat content as determined by magnetic resonance imaging-proton density fat fraction and MRS versus liver histology in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Idilman, Ilkay S; Keskin, Onur; Celik, Azim; Savas, Berna; Elhan, Atilla Halil; Idilman, Ramazan; Karcaaltincaba, Musturay

2016-03-01

Many imaging methods have been defined for quantification of hepatic steatosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, studies comparing the efficiency of magnetic resonance imaging-proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and liver histology for quantification of liver fat content are limited. To compare the efficiency of MRI-PDFF and MRS in the quantification of liver fat content in individuals with NAFLD. A total of 19 NAFLD patients underwent MRI-PDFF, MRS, and liver biopsy for quantification of liver fat content. The MR examinations were performed on a 1.5 HDx MRI system. The MRI protocol included T1-independent volumetric multi-echo gradient-echo imaging with T2* correction and spectral fat modeling and MRS with STEAM technique. A close correlation was observed between liver MRI-PDFF- and histology- determined steatosis (r = 0.743, P liver MRS- and histology-determined steatosis (r = 0.712, P quantification of hepatic steatosis, a high correlation was observed between the two MRI methods (r = 0.986, P steatosis from mild/no hepatic steatosis (P = 0.007 and 0.013, respectively), with no superiority between them (AUCMRI-PDFF = 0.881 ± 0.0856 versus AUCMRS = 0.857 ± 0.0924, P = 0.461). Both MRI-PDFF and MRS can be used for accurate quantification of hepatic steatosis. © The Foundation Acta Radiologica 2015.

Relativistic solitary waves modulating long laser pulses in plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez-Arriaga, G; Siminos, E; Lefebvre, E

2011-01-01

This paper discusses the existence of solitary electromagnetic waves trapped in a self-generated Langmuir wave and embedded in an infinitely long circularly polarized electromagnetic wave propagating through a plasma. From a mathematical point of view they are exact solutions of the one-dimensional relativistic cold fluid plasma model with nonvanishing boundary conditions. Under the assumption of travelling wave solutions with velocity V and vector potential frequency ω, the fluid model is reduced to a Hamiltonian system. The solitary waves are homoclinic (grey solitons) or heteroclinic (dark solitons) orbits to fixed points. Using a dynamical systems description of the Hamiltonian system and a spectral method, we identify a large variety of solitary waves, including asymmetric ones, discuss their disappearance for certain parameter values and classify them according to (i) grey or dark character, (ii) the number of humps of the vector potential envelope and (iii) their symmetries. The solutions come in continuous families in the parametric V-ω plane and extend up to velocities that approach the speed of light. The stability of certain types of grey solitary waves is investigated with the aid of particle-in-cell simulations that demonstrate their propagation for a few tens of the inverse of the plasma frequency.

Diagnosis of cirrhosis and portal hypertension: imaging, non-invasive markers of fibrosis and liver biopsy

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Procopet, Bogdan

2017-01-01

Abstract The concept of ‘cirrhosis’ is evolving and it is now clear that compensated and decompensated cirrhosis are completely different in terms of prognosis. Furthermore, the term ‘advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD)’ better reflects the continuum of histological changes occurring in the liver, which continue to progress even after cirrhosis has developed, and might regress after removing the etiological factor causing the liver disease. In compensated ACLD, portal hypertension marks the progression to a stage with higher risk of clinical complication and requires an appropriate evaluation and treatment. Invasive tests to diagnose cirrhosis (liver biopsy) and portal hypertension (hepatic venous pressure gradient measurement and endoscopy) remain of crucial importance in several difficult clinical scenarios, but their need can be reduced by using different non-invasive tests in standard cases. Among non-invasive tests, the accepted use, major limitations and major benefits of serum markers of fibrosis, elastography and imaging methods are summarized in the present review. PMID:28533906

The genome of the simian and human malaria parasite Plasmodium knowlesi

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pain, A; Böhme, U; Berry, A E

2008-01-01

Plasmodium knowlesi is an intracellular malaria parasite whose natural vertebrate host is Macaca fascicularis (the 'kra' monkey); however, it is now increasingly recognized as a significant cause of human malaria, particularly in southeast Asia. Plasmodium knowlesi was the first malaria parasite...... species in which antigenic variation was demonstrated, and it has a close phylogenetic relationship to Plasmodium vivax, the second most important species of human malaria parasite (reviewed in ref. 4). Despite their relatedness, there are important phenotypic differences between them, such as host blood...... cell preference, absence of a dormant liver stage or 'hypnozoite' in P. knowlesi, and length of the asexual cycle (reviewed in ref. 4). Here we present an analysis of the P. knowlesi (H strain, Pk1(A+) clone) nuclear genome sequence. This is the first monkey malaria parasite genome to be described...

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis in Childhood: Endocrine-Metabolic “Mal-Programming”

Science.gov (United States)

Manti, Sara; Romano, Claudio; Chirico, Valeria; Filippelli, Martina; Cuppari, Caterina; Loddo, Italia; Salpietro, Carmelo; Arrigo, Teresa

2014-01-01

Context: Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is the major chronic liver disease in the pediatric population. NAFLD includes a broad spectrum of abnormalities (inflammation, fibrosis and cirrhosis), ranging from accumulation of fat (also known as steatosis) towards non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The development of NAFLD in children is significantly increased. Evidence Acquisition: A literature search of electronic databases was undertaken for the major studies published from 1998 to today. The databases searched were: PubMed, EMBASE, Orphanet, Midline and Cochrane Library. We used the key words: "non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, children, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and fatty liver". Results: NAFLD/NASH is probably promoted by “multiple parallel hits”: environmental and genetic factors, systemic immunological disorders (oxidative stress, persistent-low grade of inflammation) as well as obesity and metabolic alterations (insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome). However its exact cause still underdiagnosed and unknown. Conclusions: Pediatric NAFLD/NASH is emerging problem. Longitudinal follow-up studies, unfortunately still insufficient, are needed to better understand the natural history and outcome of NAFLD in children. This review focuses on the current knowledge regarding the epidemiology, pathogenesis, environmental, genetic and metabolic factors of disease. The review also highlights the importance of studying the underlying mechanisms of pediatric NAFLD and the need for complete and personalized approach in the management of NAFLD/NASH. PMID:24829591

1H NMR metabonomics indicates continued metabolic changes and sexual dimorphism post-parasite clearance in self-limiting murine malaria model.

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Arjun Sengupta

Full Text Available Malaria, a mosquito-borne disease caused by Plasmodium spp. is considered to be a global threat, specifically for the developing countries. In human subjects considerable information exists regarding post-malarial physiology. However, most murine malarial models are lethal, and most studies deal with acute phases occurring as disease progresses. Much less is known regarding physiological status post-parasite clearance. We have assessed the physiological changes at the organ levels using (1H NMR based metabonomics in a non lethal self-clearing murine malarial model of P. chabaudi parasites and Balb/C, far beyond the parasite clearance point. The results showed distinct metabolic states between uninfected and infected mice at the peak parasitemia, as well as three weeks post-parasite clearance. Our data also suggests that the response at the peak infection as well as recovery exhibited distinct sexual dimorphism. Specifically, we observed accumulation of acetylcholine in the brain metabolic profile of both the sexes. This might have important implication in understanding the pathophysiology of the post malarial neurological syndromes. In addition, the female liver showed high levels of glucose, dimethylglycine, methylacetoacetate and histidine after three weeks post-parasite clearance, while the males showed accumulation of branched chain amino acids, lysine, glutamine and bile acids.

Case report 437: Solitary (unicameral, simple) bone cyst of the scapula

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruggieri, P.; Biagnini, M.

1987-01-01

A case has been presented of an expanding, aggressive bone cyst in the scapula of an 11-year-old girl. The lesion had the appearance of a highly aggressive, cyst-like disorder that appeared to be benign. Biopsy and histological preparation confirmed the presence of a solitary bone cyst. The clinical, radiological, and pathological criteria associated with a solitary bone cyst, particularly in the scapula, were discussed and the literature was reviewed. The differential diagnosis was stressed and a number of examples of scapular lesions was presented radiologically, particularly lesions that might be confused with solitary bone cyst. (orig./SHA)

Case report 437: Solitary (unicameral, simple) bone cyst of the scapula

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruggieri, P.; Biagnini, M.; Picci, P.

1987-08-01

A case has been presented of an expanding, aggressive bone cyst in the scapula of an 11-year-old girl. The lesion had the appearance of a highly aggressive, cyst-like disorder that appeared to be benign. Biopsy and histological preparation confirmed the presence of a solitary bone cyst. The clinical, radiological, and pathological criteria associated with a solitary bone cyst, particularly in the scapula, were discussed and the literature was reviewed. The differential diagnosis was stressed and a number of examples of scapular lesions was presented radiologically, particularly lesions that might be confused with solitary bone cyst. (orig./SHA).

Pathological Study of Blood Parasites in Rice Field Frogs, Hoplobatrachus rugulosus (Wiegmann, 1834

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Achariya Sailasuta

2011-01-01

Full Text Available One hundred and forty adult rice field frogs, Hoplobatrachus rugulosus (Wiegmann, 1834, were collected in Srakaew province, Thailand. For blood parasite examination, thin blood smears were made and routinely stained with Giemsa. The results showed that 70% of the frogs (98/140 were infected with 5 species of blood parasites, including a Trypanosoma rotatorium-like organism, Trypanosoma chattoni, Hepatozoon sp. a, Hepatozoon sp. b, and Lankesterella minima. Pathological examination of the liver, lung, spleen, and kidney of the frogs that were apparently infected with one of these blood parasites were collected and processed by routine histology and subsequently stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Histopathological findings associated with the Trypanosoma rotatorium-like organism and Trypanosoma chattoni-infected frogs showed no pathological lesions. Hepatozoon sp. a and Hepatozoon sp. b-infected frogs developed inflammatory lesions predominantly in the liver, demonstrating granuloma-like lesions with Hepatozoon sp. meronts at the centre. Tissue sections of Lankesterella minima-infected frogs also showed lesions. Liver and spleen showed inflammatory lesions with an accumulation of melanomacrophage centres (MMCs surrounding the meronts and merozoites. It is suggested that Hepatozoon sp. a, Hepatozoon sp. b, and Lankesterella minima-infections are capable of producing inflammatory lesions in the visceral organs of rice field frogs, and the severity of lesions is tentatively related to levels of parasitemia.

Pathological Study of Blood Parasites in Rice Field Frogs, Hoplobatrachus rugulosus (Wiegmann, 1834)

Science.gov (United States)

Sailasuta, Achariya; Satetasit, Jetjun; Chutmongkonkul, Malinee

2011-01-01

One hundred and forty adult rice field frogs, Hoplobatrachus rugulosus (Wiegmann, 1834), were collected in Srakaew province, Thailand. For blood parasite examination, thin blood smears were made and routinely stained with Giemsa. The results showed that 70% of the frogs (98/140) were infected with 5 species of blood parasites, including a Trypanosoma rotatorium-like organism, Trypanosoma chattoni, Hepatozoon sp. a, Hepatozoon sp. b, and Lankesterella minima. Pathological examination of the liver, lung, spleen, and kidney of the frogs that were apparently infected with one of these blood parasites were collected and processed by routine histology and subsequently stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Histopathological findings associated with the Trypanosoma rotatorium-like organism and Trypanosoma chattoni-infected frogs showed no pathological lesions. Hepatozoon sp. a and Hepatozoon sp. b-infected frogs developed inflammatory lesions predominantly in the liver, demonstrating granuloma-like lesions with Hepatozoon sp. meronts at the centre. Tissue sections of Lankesterella minima-infected frogs also showed lesions. Liver and spleen showed inflammatory lesions with an accumulation of melanomacrophage centres (MMCs) surrounding the meronts and merozoites. It is suggested that Hepatozoon sp. a, Hepatozoon sp. b, and Lankesterella minima-infections are capable of producing inflammatory lesions in the visceral organs of rice field frogs, and the severity of lesions is tentatively related to levels of parasitemia. PMID:21918731

Frequency of non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its biochemical derangements in Type-2 diabetic patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taseer, I.H.; Hussain, L.; Safdar, S.; Mirbahar, A.M.; Ahmad, I.

2010-01-01

Objective: To see the frequency of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Type-2 diabetic patients and to see iochemical derangements in NAFLD patients. Methodology: It is a cross-sectional study, conducted at Diabetic Research Centre and outpatient department Nishtar Hospital and PMRC Research Centre Nishtar Medical College, Multan. One hundred patients of either sex having type 2 diabetes mellitus attending diabetic out-patient department Nishtar Hospital Multan were included in the study. A pre-designed study proforma was filled with relevant investigations and clinical assessments were carried out in all cases. All the patients underwent abdominal ultrasonography. Data were entered in SPSS-11 and analyzed. Results: Out of one hundred patients, 51 (51%) were female and 49 (49%) were male. Mean age of the patients was 47.93 +- 8.57 years. Fifty one (51%) of the diabetic patients had fatty liver. Out of these 32 (62.75%) were female and 19 (37.25%) were male. Fatigue was present in 49 (53.26%), generalized weakness in 48 (52.18%), heaviness right upper abdomen in 22 (64.70%) and pain right upper abdomen in 20 (58.82%) of fatty liver patients. Corresponding figure in Non Fatty Liver Patients were 43 (46.74%), 44 (47.82%), 12 (35.30%) and 14(41.18%), respectively. Itching was noted in 19 (44.18%) patients of fatty liver while it was 24(55.82%) in non-fatty liver patients. Serum triglyceride level more than 160 mg/dl in 47 (92.15%) patients of fatty liver while serum cholesterol level more than 200 mg/dl was seen in 24(47.05%). Aspartate amino transferase (AST) more than 35 u/l was noted in seven (13.72%), alanine amino-transferase (ALT) more than 40u/l was noted in 6(11.76%) fatty liver patients while serum albumin and serum bilirubin were within normal range in all fatty liver and non-fatty liver patients. Conclusion: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is more commonly seen in Type-2 diabetic patients. Serum triglyceride and serum cholesterol are significantly

Comparative studies on Pb and Cd levels in parasites of terrestrial and aquatic animals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sures, B.; Taraschewski, H. [Univ. Karlsruhe (Germany). Zoologisches Institut-Okologie

1995-12-31

Several fish parasites (Acanthocephala, Cestoda, Nematoda) and organs of their respective intermediate and final hosts were analyzed for heavy metals by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ET-AAS). Pb and Cd were also quantified in the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica as well as in different organs of the large intestinal roundworm Ascaris suum. The levels of these heavy metals in the parasites were compared to those of muscle, liver, kidney and intestine of the respective definitive hosts cattle and swine obtained from a slaughter house. Most parasites accumulated significantly higher levels of metals than their final hosts. This was most conspicuous in acanthocephalans which contained up to 3 {times} 10{sup 3} fold more lead than the muscle of their fish hosts and up to 1.1 {times} 10{sup 4} more lead than the water surrounding the fish. In these helminths cadmium was enriched up to 400 fold compared to the muscle of the fish and up to 2.7 {times} 10{sup 4} compared to the water. In contrast to the accumulation capacity of adult acanthocephalans their larvae contained about 30 to 180 times less Pb and Cd. Thus, the predominant accumulation of both metals appears in the adult worms. The cestodes of fish and the liver flukes of cattle accumulated the metals up to 200 fold compared to the muscle of their hosts. The nematodes did not contain higher levels of the metals than their hosts. Thus, parasites, especially acanthocephalans, seem to be sensitive bioindicators of Pb and Cd in their environments.

Metastatic extrapleural malignant solitary fibrous tumor presenting with hypoglycemia (Doege–Potter syndrome

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Andrew J. Degnan, MD, MPhil

2017-03-01

Full Text Available We report a rare case of metastatic malignant solitary fibrous tumor (SFT that presented with hypoglycemia because of insulin growth factor-2 production. Initial workup included computed tomography imaging that revealed a large, partially necrotic liver mass, a hypervascular pancreatic head lesion, and 2 renal lesions. Following hepatic resection, pancreatic head resection and nephrectomy, all these lesions demonstrated pathological findings that were consistent with SFT. The patient also had a history of an intracranial mass that had been previously resected and treated with gamma knife therapy at an outside institution, which was found to also be SFT. Six months after initial pancreatic head resection, the patient developed a new lesion involving the pancreatic tail that was found to represent recurrent metastatic SFT. This case emphasizes the highly aggressive nature of extrapleural SFT, while rare, and the role of imaging in follow-up for disease recurrence.

Comparison of serum lipid profile in non alcoholic fatty liver disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Latif, A.; Ain, Q.U.A.; Ahmed, N.; Shafiq, A.M.; Sapna, K.

2017-01-01

Objective: To compare serum lipid profile in different ultrasonographic grades of non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: PNS SHIFA hospital, Karachi, from Oct 2015 to Jul 2016. Material and Methods: Seventy three adults of either gender were consecutively inducted after diagnosis of non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) on ultrasonography (USG). These individuals were further classified into grade I, II and III of NAFLD depending on US findings. Fasting blood sample of all the subjects was analyzed for serum fasting lipid profile comprising of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Serum non HDL cholesterol (nonHDL-C) was calculated by subtracting HDL-C from TC. Results: Among 73 subjects with NAFLD, 42.5%, 37% and 20.5% had grade I, II and III NAFLD respectively. All parameters showed significant increase in frequency of abnormal results with increasing grade of NAFLD except TG. Significant difference was found in mean TC (p=0.000), LDL-C (p=0.000), HDL-C (p=0.005) and nonHDL-C (p=0.000) between grades of NAFLD. Post hoc analysis revealed that only mean nonHDL-C was significantly different amongst all the grades of NAFLD. Conclusion: The increasing severity of NAFLD was found associated with increased frequency of dyslipidemia. Though most frequent dyslipidemia in NAFLD was low serum HDL-C followed by hypertriglyceridemia, only serum nonHDL-C was statistically different amongst all the grades of NAFLD. (author)

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: assessment of non-invasive indices predicting hepatic steatosis and fibrosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Polyzos, Stergios A; Goulis, Dimitrios G; Kountouras, Jannis; Mintziori, Gesthimani; Chatzis, Panagiotis; Papadakis, Efstathios; Katsikis, Ilias; Panidis, Dimitrios

2014-01-01

Insulin resistance contributes to the pathogenesis of both polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The main aim of the present study was the evaluation of non-invasive indices of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in PCOS women with or without metabolic syndrome (MetS). In this cross-sectional study, three non-invasive indices for hepatic steatosis [NAFLD liver fat score, lipid accumulation product (LAP) and hepatic steatosis index (HIS)] and four for fibrosis [FIB-4, aspartate aminotransferase (AST)-to-Platelet Ratio Index (APRI), body mass index (BMI)-Age-Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)-Triglycerides (BAAT) and BMI AST/ALT Ratio Diabetes (BARD)] were calculated in 314 PCOS women (77 with, 237 without MetS) and 78 controls. All steatosis indices were significantly higher in the PCOS than the control group (NAFLD liver fat score: -0.139 ± 0.117 vs. -0.976 ± 0.159, psteatosis indices were significantly higher in PCOS women with than without MetS (NAFLD liver fat score: 1.874 ± 0.258 vs. -0.793 ± 0.099, phepatic steatosis were significantly higher in PCOS, especially in the presence of MetS, whereas indices of hepatic fibrosis yielded controversial results. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the long-term outcomes of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis indices in PCOS women.

Spontaneous Clearance of Hepatitis C after Liver and Renal Transplantation

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CH Dale

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV is rare in immunocompromised patients, such as those who have undergone organ transplantation. It has been recognized that patients receiving liver transplantation for HCV-related disease have decreased graft and patient survival compared with those transplanted for other etiologies. There is a growing trend toward treating HCV recurrence aggressively after liver transplantation. For other organ transplant recipients with concurrent HCV, treatment is not often an option, given the high rates of graft rejection and loss secondary to interferon and its immunomodulatory effects. Although spontaneous clearance of HCV has been reported in recipients of solitary liver and renal transplants, a common factor arising in these cases has been previous exposure to interferon. To date, no reports of spontaneous clearance of HCV RNA have been reported in a multiorgan transplant recipient. A case of spontaneous clearance of HCV RNA in an immunocompromised patient, within five months of simultaneous liver and kidney retransplantation is described. Importantly, this patient had no previous exposure to interferon.

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children: Focus on Nutritional Interventions

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Min Yang

2014-10-01

Full Text Available With increasing prevalence of childhood obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD has emerged as the most common cause of liver disease among children and adolescents in industrialized countries. It is generally recognized that both genetic and environmental risk factors contribute to the pathogenesis of NAFLD. Recently, there has been a growing body of evidence to implicate altered gut microbiota in the development of NAFLD through the gut-liver axis. The first line of prevention and treatment of NAFLD in children should be intensive lifestyle interventions such as changes in diet and physical activity. Recent advances have been focused on limitation of dietary fructose and supplementation of antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and prebiotics/probiotics. Convincing evidences from both animal models and human studies have shown that reduction of dietary fructose and supplement of vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, and prebiotics/probiotics improve NAFLD.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in obese persons with diabetes

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Tomašević Ratko

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Obesity, diabetes and different lipid metabolic disorders are the most frequent risk factors for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, presented with a high variability in clinical and histological findings. Case report. We presented a case of 37-year-old male, suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus, grade III obesity (BMI 45 kg/m2 and multiple metabolic disorders. Abdominal ultrasound revealed hepatomegaly during the last six months. Laboratory diagnostics showed increased serum transaminase levels. Serologic markers for viral hepatitis B and C were negative. The patient denied significant alcohol consumption. Liver biopsy and pathohistologic finding revealed macro- (III grade and microvesicular (I grade fatty degeneration, as well as mixed-cell portal infiltration with moderate liver fibrosis, corresponding to the typical presentation of NASH (Non Alcoholic Steatohepatitis. Conclusion. NASH treatment options include the reduction of body mass and an adequate antidiabetic and dislipidemia treatment. The aim of all therapeutic measures was to stop the progression of the disease, to prevent the progression of fibrosis and the development of of cirrhosis. .

Non-specific manipulation of gammarid behaviour by P. minutus parasite enhances their predation by definitive bird hosts.

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Lisa Jacquin

Full Text Available Trophically-transmitted parasites often change the phenotype of their intermediate hosts in ways that increase their vulnerability to definitive hosts, hence favouring transmission. As a "collateral damage", manipulated hosts can also become easy prey for non-host predators that are dead ends for the parasite, and which are supposed to play no role in transmission strategies. Interestingly, infection with the acanthocephalan parasite Polymorphus minutus has been shown to reduce the vulnerability of its gammarid intermediate hosts to non-host predators, whose presence triggered the behavioural alterations expected to favour trophic transmission to bird definitive hosts. Whilst the behavioural response of infected gammarids to the presence of definitive hosts remains to be investigated, this suggests that trophic transmission might be promoted by non-host predation risk. We conducted microcosm experiments to test whether the behaviour of P. minutus-infected gammarids was specific to the type of predator (i.e. mallard as definitive host and fish as non-host, and mesocosm experiments to test whether trophic transmission to bird hosts was influenced by non-host predation risk. Based on the behaviours we investigated (predator avoidance, activity, geotaxis, conspecific attraction, we found no evidence for a specific fine-tuned response in infected gammarids, which behaved similarly whatever the type of predator (mallard or fish. During predation tests, fish predation risk did not influence the differential predation of mallards that over-consumed infected gammarids compared to uninfected individuals. Overall, our results bring support for a less sophisticated scenario of manipulation than previously expected, combining chronic behavioural alterations with phasic behavioural alterations triggered by the chemical and physical cues coming from any type of predator. Given the wide dispersal range of waterbirds (the definitive hosts of P. minutus, such a

Evidence-based annotation of the malaria parasite's genome using comparative expression profiling.

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Yingyao Zhou

2008-02-01

Full Text Available A fundamental problem in systems biology and whole genome sequence analysis is how to infer functions for the many uncharacterized proteins that are identified, whether they are conserved across organisms of different phyla or are phylum-specific. This problem is especially acute in pathogens, such as malaria parasites, where genetic and biochemical investigations are likely to be more difficult. Here we perform comparative expression analysis on Plasmodium parasite life cycle data derived from P. falciparum blood, sporozoite, zygote and ookinete stages, and P. yoelii mosquito oocyst and salivary gland sporozoites, blood and liver stages and show that type II fatty acid biosynthesis genes are upregulated in liver and insect stages relative to asexual blood stages. We also show that some universally uncharacterized genes with orthologs in Plasmodium species, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and humans show coordinated transcription patterns in large collections of human and yeast expression data and that the function of the uncharacterized genes can sometimes be predicted based on the expression patterns across these diverse organisms. We also use a comprehensive and unbiased literature mining method to predict which uncharacterized parasite-specific genes are likely to have roles in processes such as gliding motility, host-cell interactions, sporozoite stage, or rhoptry function. These analyses, together with protein-protein interaction data, provide probabilistic models that predict the function of 926 uncharacterized malaria genes and also suggest that malaria parasites may provide a simple model system for the study of some human processes. These data also provide a foundation for further studies of transcriptional regulation in malaria parasites.

Parasites modify sub-cellular partitioning of metals in the gut of fish

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oyoo-Okoth, Elijah, E-mail: elijaoyoo2009@gmail.com [Division of Environmental Health, School of Environmental Studies, Moi University, P.O. Box 3900, Eldoret (Kenya); Department of Aquatic Ecology and Ecotoxicology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 9424/1090 GE (Netherlands); Admiraal, Wim [Department of Aquatic Ecology and Ecotoxicology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 9424/1090 GE (Netherlands); Osano, Odipo [Division of Environmental Health, School of Environmental Studies, Moi University, P.O. Box 3900, Eldoret (Kenya); Kraak, Michiel H.S. [Department of Aquatic Ecology and Ecotoxicology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 9424/1090 GE (Netherlands); Gichuki, John; Ogwai, Caleb [Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, P.O. Box 1881, Kisumu (Kenya)

2012-01-15

Infestation of fish by parasites may influence metal accumulation patterns in the host. However, the subcellular mechanisms of these processes have rarely been studied. Therefore, this study determined how a cyprinid fish (Rastrineobola argentea) partitioned four metals (Cd, Cr, Zn and Cu) in the subcellular fractions of the gut in presence of an endoparasite (Ligula intestinalis). The fish were sampled along four sites in Lake Victoria, Kenya differing in metal contamination. Accumulation of Cd, Cr and Zn was higher in the whole body and in the gut of parasitized fish compared to non-parasitized fish, while Cu was depleted in parasitized fish. Generally, for both non-parasitized and parasitized fish, Cd, Cr and Zn partitioned in the cytosolic fractions and Cu in the particulate fraction. Metal concentrations in organelles within the particulate fractions of the non-parasitized fish were statistically similar except for Cd in the lysosome, while in the parasitized fish, Cd, Cr and Zn were accumulated more by the lysosome and microsomes. In the cytosolic fractions, the non-parasitized fish accumulated Cd, Cr and Zn in the heat stable proteins (HSP), while in the parasitized fish the metals were accumulated in the heat denatured proteins (HDP). On the contrary, Cu accumulated in the HSP in parasitized fish. The present study revealed specific binding of metals to potentially sensitive sub-cellular fractions in fish in the presence of parasites, suggesting interference with metal detoxification, and potentially affecting the health status of fish hosts in Lake Victoria.

A Guide to Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Childhood and Adolescence

Science.gov (United States)

Temple, Jonathan L.; Cordero, Paul; Li, Jiawei; Nguyen, Vi; Oben, Jude A.

2016-01-01

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is now the most prevalent form of chronic liver disease, affecting 10%–20% of the general paediatric population. Within the next 10 years it is expected to become the leading cause of liver pathology, liver failure and indication for liver transplantation in childhood and adolescence in the Western world. While our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this disease remains limited, it is thought to be the hepatic manifestation of more widespread metabolic dysfunction and is strongly associated with a number of metabolic risk factors, including insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia, cardiovascular disease and, most significantly, obesity. Despite this, ”paediatric” NAFLD remains under-studied, under-recognised and, potentially, undermanaged. This article will explore and evaluate our current understanding of NAFLD in childhood and adolescence and how it differs from adult NAFLD, in terms of its epidemiology, pathophysiology, natural history, diagnosis and clinical management. Given the current absence of definitive radiological and histopathological diagnostic tests, maintenance of a high clinical suspicion by all members of the multidisciplinary team in primary and specialist care settings remains the most potent of diagnostic tools, enabling early diagnosis and appropriate therapeutic intervention. PMID:27314342

Niemann-Pick type C2 protein supplementation in experimental non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Claus Uhrenholt; Glavind, Emilie; Thomsen, Karen Louise

2018-01-01

the last two weeks or the entire four weeks. End-points were liver/body- and spleen/body weight ratios, histopathological NASH scores, fibrosis, serum liver enzymes, cholesterol, lipoproteins, cytokines, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction derived hepatic gene expression related to cholesterol...... metabolism, inflammation, and fibrosis. RESULTS: HFHC rats developed hepatomegaly, non-fibrotic NASH histopathology, elevated liver enzymes, serum cholesterol, and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Their sterol regulatory element binding factor 2 (SREBF2) and low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R) mRNAs were...... down-regulated compared with rats on standard chow. NPC2 did not improve liver weight, histopathology, levels of serum liver enzymes or pro-inflammatory tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), Interleukin (IL)-6, or IL-1β in HFHC rats. Two weeks of NPC2 treatment lowered hepatic TNFα and COL1A1 mRNA expression...

Prevalence of non alcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with metabolic syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iftikhar, R.; Kamran, S.M.

2015-01-01

To determine frequency of Non Alcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of medicine, CMH Okara, Jan 2013 to July 2013. Patients and Methods: We included 491 adult males, diagnosed with metabolic syndrome (MetS), presenting in outpatient department for routine review. MetS was diagnosed as per the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) proposed criteria of 2004. Detailed history and examination of each individual was done and data entered in pre designed performa. Brightness and posterior attenuation on ultrasound abdomen were considered indices for fatty liver disease in presence of elevated ALT, negative hepatitis serology and absence of alcohol intake. All the data was analyzed using SPSS version 16. p value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Out of 491 participants with MetS, 222 (45.2%) had fatty liver disease. Mean BMI in patients with metabolic syndrome was 26.1 (± .89) and mean BMI in fatty liver patients was 27.3 (± 0.67). Out of total 5 components of Mets, patients with fatty liver disease had 3.24 (± 0.25) components, as compared to 2.1 (± 0.34) in whole of study group. Conclusion: A large number of patients with metabolic syndrome have fatty liver disease. Fatty liver disease is more frequent in patients who are overweight and those having multiple risk factors of metabolic syndrome. (author)

Radiotherapy in the treatment of solitary plasmacytoma.

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Jyothirmayi, R; Gangadharan, V P; Nair, M K; Rajan, B

1997-05-01

Solitary plasmacytoma of bone (SPB) and extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) are rare. High local control rates are reported with radiotherapy, although the optimal dose and extent of radiotherapy portals remains controversial. Between 1983 and 1993, 30 patients with solitary plasmacytoma were seen at the Regional Cancer Centre, Trivandrum, India. 23 patients had SPB and seven EMP. The mean age was 52 years and the male to female ratio 3.2:1. Diagnosis of SPB was confirmed by biopsy in 16 patients and tumour excision in seven. 20 patients received megavoltage radiotherapy to the bone lesion with limited margins, and one received chemotherapy. Two patients who underwent complete tumour excision received no further treatment. All seven patients with EMP received megavoltage radiotherapy, four following biopsy and three after tumour excision. Local control was achieved in all patients with SPB. Nine progressed to multiple myeloma and one developed a solitary plasmacytoma in another bone. Six patients with EMP achieved local control. Three later progressed to multiple myeloma and one had local relapse. Median time to relapse was 28 months in SPB and 30 months in EMP. 5-year overall survival rates were 82% and 57% for patients with SPB and EMP, respectively. The corresponding progression free survival rates were 55% and 50%, respectively. Age, sex, site of tumour, serum M protein and haemoglobin levels did not significantly influence progression free survival. The extent of surgery, radiotherapy dose or time to relapse were not significant prognostic factors. Radiotherapy appears to be an effective modality of treatment of solitary plasmacytoma. No dose-response relationship is observed, and high local control rates are achieved with limited portals. Progression to multiple myeloma is the commonest pattern of failure, although no prognostic factors for progression are identified. The role of chemotherapy in preventing disease progression needs further evaluation.

Visualisation and quantitative analysis of the rodent malaria liver stage by real time imaging.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ploemen, I.H.J.; Prudencio, M.; Douradinha, B.G.; Ramesar, J.; Fonager, J.; Gemert, G.J.A. van; Luty, A.J.F.; Hermsen, C.C.; Sauerwein, R.W.; Baptista, F.G.; Mota, M.M.; Waters, A.P.; Que, I.; Lowik, C.W.G.M.; Khan, S.M.; Janse, C.J.; Franke-Fayard, B.

2009-01-01

The quantitative analysis of Plasmodium development in the liver in laboratory animals in cultured cells is hampered by low parasite infection rates and the complicated methods required to monitor intracellular development. As a consequence, this important phase of the parasite's life cycle has been

Obliquely Incident Solitary Wave onto a Vertical Wall

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Yeh, Harry

2012-10-01

When a solitary wave impinges obliquely onto a reflective vertical wall, it can take the formation of a Mach reflection (a geometrically similar reflection from acoustics). The mathematical theory predicts that the wave at the reflection can amplify not twice, but as high as four times the incident wave amplitude. Nevertheless, this theoretical four-fold amplification has not been verified by numerical or laboratory experiments. We discuss the discrepancies between the theory and the experiments; then, improve the theory with higher-order corrections. The modified theory results in substantial improvement and is now in good agreement with the numerical as well as our laboratory results. Our laboratory experiments indicate that the wave amplitude along the reflective wall can reach 0.91 times the quiescent water depth, which is higher than the maximum of a freely propagating solitary wave. Hence, this maximum runup 0.91 h would be possible even if the amplitude of the incident solitary wave were as small as 0.24 h. This wave behavior could provide an explanation for local variability of tsunami runup as well as for sneaker waves.

On the generation of solitary waves observed by Cluster in the near-Earth magnetosheath

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J. S. Pickett

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Through case studies involving Cluster waveform observations, solitary waves in the form of bipolar and tripolar pulses have recently been found to be quite abundant in the near-Earth dayside magnetosheath. We expand on the results of those previous studies by examining the distribution of solitary waves from the bow shock to the magnetopause using Cluster waveform data. Cluster's orbit allows for the measurement of solitary waves in the magnetosheath from about 10 RE to 19.5 RE. Our results clearly show that within the magnetosheath, solitary waves are likely to be observed at any distance from the bow shock and that this distance has no dependence on the time durations and amplitudes of the solitary waves. In addition we have found that these same two quantities show no dependence on either the ion velocity or the angle between the ion velocity and the local magnetic field direction. These results point to the conclusion that the solitary waves are probably created locally in the magnetosheath at multiple locations, and that the generation mechanism is most likely not solely related to ion dynamics, if at all. To gain insight into a possible local generation mechanism, we have examined the electron differential energy flux characteristics parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic field, as well as the local electron plasma and cyclotron frequencies and the type of bow shock that Cluster is behind, for several time intervals where solitary waves were observed in the magnetosheath. We have found that solitary waves are most likely to be observed when there are counterstreaming (~parallel and anti-parallel to the magnetic field electrons at or below about 100eV. However, there are times when these counterstreaming electrons are present when solitary waves are not. During these times the background magnetic field strength is usually very low (<10nT, implying that the amplitudes of the solitary waves, if present, would be near or below those of

Spiral CT findings of inflammatory pseudotumor of the liver

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Lee, Ha Jong; Nam, Kyung Jin; Lee, Ki Nam; Park, Byeong Ho; Choi, Jong Cheol; Koo, Bong Sik; Nam, Ki Dong; Kim, Chan Seong

1998-01-01

To assess the spiral CT findings of inflammatory pseudotumor of the liver(IPTL), in order to distinguish this tumor from hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatic abscess or other space occupying liver lesions. The spiral CT findings of IPTL were retrospectively evaluated in six patients. All cases were confirmed by ultrasonography-guided gun biopsy. Four patients were men and two were women, and they were aged between 37 and 74 (mean, 49) years. The site, size, and number of IPTL were assessed, and their enhancement patterns were evaluated during the arterial, portal and delayed phases of spiral CT. Five cases involved a solitary mass and in one there were multiple masses with surrounding small nodules. Four cases occurred in the right lobe and two in the left lobe. Four of five surrounding nodules were in the left lobe. During the arterial phase of spiral CT scanning, three layers were separated from four of five cases of solitary mass;they were composed of central and peripheral portions of low attenuation, and an intermediate portion of isoattenuation. Delayed enhancement of the peripheral portion was prominent during the delayed phase. In the case involving multiple masses three layers were not seen during the arterial phase, but during the delayed phase enhancement was noted. The features of three layers, as seen on spiral CT, is considered to be very specific for distinguishing IPTL from other hepatic focal lesions.=20

Ulcerative giant solitary trichoepithelioma of scalp: a rare presentation

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Sundeep Chowdhry

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Trichoepithelioma is a trichogenic tumor which arises from the inferior segment of hair follicle epithelium as hamartoma. Giant solitary trichoepithelioma (GST has been defined as a solitary trichoepithelioma with a diameter greater than 2 cm. A 49-year-old female presented with a slow growing skin coloured swelling on the scalp of 8 years duration with recent history of ulceration and occasional bleeding. The local examination revealed a single well defined nodular swelling which was irregular in shape measuring approximately 2 × 2.5 cm. Histopathology from biopsy specimen revealed dark basaloid cells with scanty cytoplasm and darkly stained nucleus arranged in nests with horn cysts lacking high-grade atypia and mitosis, which was consistent with features of trichoepithelioma. Giant solitary trichoepithelioma of scalp is itself a rare entity and the present case is being reported with the additional component of ulceration in the lesion.

Adrenal disorders and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

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Papanastasiou, Labrini; Fountoulakis, Stelios; Vatalas, Ioannis-Anastasios

2017-06-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease in the developed world and its pathogenesis is complex and multifactorial. It is considered the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome and is the leading cause of hepatic cirrhosis. This review aims to present current knowledge on the involvement of the adrenal glands in the development of NAFLD. Clinical and animal studies have shown that excess glucocorticoids (GC) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. Patients with NAFLD seem to have a subtle chronic activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis leading to a state of subclinical hypercortisolism. Regulators of GC such as 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1), an enzyme that regenerates cortisol from inactive cortisone, and 5α/5β-reductases, enzymes that increase cortisol clearance, are implicated in the development of NAFLD by amplifying local GC action. Adrenal androgen (dehydroepiandrosterone) abnormalities and increased aldosterone levels may also have a role in the development of NAFLD whereas the contribution of adrenergic signaling in NAFLD pathogenesis remains unclear.

Impact of future remnant liver volume on post-hepatectomy regeneration in non-cirrhotic livers

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Duilio ePagano

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: The purpose of the study is to detect if some parameters can be considered as predictors of liver regeneration in two different patient populations composed of in living donors for adult to adult living donor liver transplant and patients with hepatic malignancies within a single institution.Summary Background Data: Preoperative multi-detector computed tomography volumetry is an essential tool to assess the volume of the remnant liver. Methods: a retrospective analysis from an ongoing clinical study on 100 liver resections, between 2004 and 2010. 70 patients were right lobe living donors for liver transplantation and 30 patients were resected for treatment of tumors. Pre-surgical factors such as age, weight, height, body mass index (BMI, original liver volume, future remnant liver volume (FRLV, spleen volume, liver function tests, creatinine, platelet count, steatosis, portal vein embolization (PVE and number of resected segments were analyzed to evidence potential markers for liver regeneration. Results: Follow-up period did not influence the amount of liver regenerated: the linear regression evidenced that there is no correlation between percentage of liver regeneration and time of follow-up (p=0.88. The pre-surgical variables that resulted markers of liver regeneration include higher preoperative values of BMI (p=0.01, bilirubin(p=0.04, glucose (p=0.05 and GGT (p=0.014; the most important association was revealed regarding the lower FRLV (pConclusions: Liver regeneration follows similar pathway in living donor and in patients resected for cancer. Small FRLV tends to regenerate more and faster, confirming that a larger resections may lead to a greater promotion of liver regeneration in patients with optimal conditions in terms of body habitus, preoperative liver function tests and glucose level.

Numerical Analysis of Solitary Wave Influence on the Film-wise Condensation in Presence of Non-Condensable Gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krzysztof Karkoszka; Henryk Anglart

2006-01-01

This paper is dealing with the analysis of condensation in presence of non-condensable gas on a laminar liquid film falling down on a vertical smooth surface. Particular interest is focused on the influence of solitary waves on the condensation process. Solutions to the pressure, velocity, temperature and additional scalar variable fields are obtained numerically by solving two -- dimensional Navier - Stokes equations formulated in a general coordinate system and applying the artificial compressibility method. The whole system of equations together with adequate boundary conditions is implemented using the finite difference method and solved in the Matlab R code. Both implicit Crank - Nicolson and Euler schemes for the time derivatives are initially used and the latter one is chosen as a more stable. All computations are carried out with prescribed geometry for a film and gas domains and a special attention is focused mainly on the modelling of the influence of the interfacial boundary conditions on the heat transfer process between gaseous mixture and liquid phases. Description of the physical, mathematical and numerical models and several examples of the solutions are presented. Conclusions on the wave hydrodynamics influence on the heat transfer during phase change process are drawn. (authors)

Notes on the liver correction applied systematically to all renal scintigrams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Artus, J.C.; Miro, L.; Durand, J.

1976-01-01

A problem still outstanding in renal scintigraphy is analyzed: how to deal with the parasitic tracer uptake by the liver. Some investigators correct systematically for the liver shadow by injecting technetium labelled colloids, for others the data supplied by 197 HgCl 2 scintigraphy alone allow to estimate the kidney uptake. Objective criteria are given as a mean to decide whether a liver scintigram is necessary in order to obtain the kidney uptake rate [fr

Role of pentoxifylline in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in high-fat diet-induced obesity in mice.

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Acedo, Simone Coghetto; Caria, Cintia Rabelo E Paiva; Gotardo, Érica Martins Ferreira; Pereira, José Aires; Pedrazzoli, José; Ribeiro, Marcelo Lima; Gambero, Alessandra

2015-10-28

To study pentoxifylline effects in liver and adipose tissue inflammation in obese mice induced by high-fat diet (HFD). Male swiss mice (6-wk old) were fed a high-fat diet (HFD; 60% kcal from fat) or AIN-93 (control diet; 15% kcal from fat) for 12 wk and received pentoxifylline intraperitoneally (100 mg/kg per day) for the last 14 d. Glucose homeostasis was evaluated by measurements of basal glucose blood levels and insulin tolerance test two days before the end of the protocol. Final body weight was assessed. Epididymal adipose tissue was collected and weighted for adiposity evaluation. Liver and adipose tissue biopsies were homogenized in solubilization buffer and cytokines were measured in supernatant by enzyme immunoassay or multiplex kit, respectively. Hepatic histopathologic analyses were performed in sections of paraformaldehyde-fixed, paraffin-embedded liver specimens stained with hematoxylin-eosin by an independent pathologist. Steatosis (macrovesicular and microvesicular), ballooning degeneration and inflammation were histopathologically determined. Triglycerides measurements were performed after lipid extraction in liver tissue. Pentoxifylline treatment reduced microsteatosis and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in liver (156.3 ± 17.2 and 62.6 ± 7.6 pg/mL of TNF-α for non-treated and treated obese mice, respectively; P < 0.05). Serum aspartate aminotransferase levels were also reduced (23.2 ± 6.9 and 12.1 ± 1.6 U/L for non-treated and treated obese mice, respectively; P < 0.05) but had no effect on glucose homeostasis. In obese adipose tissue, pentoxifylline reduced TNF-α (106.1 ± 17.6 and 51.1 ± 9.6 pg/mL for non-treated and treated obese mice, respectively; P < 0.05) and interleukin-6 (340.8 ± 51.3 and 166.6 ± 22.5 pg/mL for non-treated and treated obese mice, respectively; P < 0.05) levels; however, leptin (8.1 ± 0.7 and 23.1 ± 2.9 ng/mL for non-treated and treated lean mice, respectively; P < 0.05) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (600

Intrinsic electromagnetic solitary vortices in magnetized plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, J.; Horton, W.

1986-01-01

Several Rossby type vortex solutions constructed for electromagnetic perturbations in magnetized plasma encounter the difficulty that the perturbed magnetic field and the parallel current are not continuous on the boundary between two regions. We find that fourth order differential equations must be solved to remove this discontinuity. Special solutions for two types of boundary value problems for the fourth order partial differential equations are presented. By applying these solutions to different nonlinear equations in magnetized plasma, the intrinsic electromagnetic solitary drift-Alfven vortex (along with solitary Alfven vortex) and the intrinsic electromagnetic solitary electron vortex (along with short-wavelength drift vortex) are constructed. While still keeping a localized dipole structure, these new vortices have more complicated radial structures in the inner and outer regions than the usual Rossby wave vortex. The new type of vortices guarantees the continuity of the perturbed magnetic field deltaB/sub perpendicular/ and the parallel current j/sub parallel/ on the boundary between inner and outer regions of the vortex. The allowed regions of propagation speeds for these vortices are analyzed, and we find that the complementary relation between the vortex propagating speeds and the corresponding phase velocities of the linear modes no longer exists

Diagnosis of different liver fibrosis characteristics by blood tests in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

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Calès, Paul; Boursier, Jérôme; Chaigneau, Julien; Lainé, Fabrice; Sandrini, Jeremy; Michalak, Sophie; Hubert, Isabelle; Dib, Nina; Oberti, Frédéric; Bertrais, Sandrine; Hunault, Gilles; Cavaro-Ménard, Christine; Gallois, Yves; Deugnier, Yves; Rousselet, Marie C

2010-10-01

Our aim was to develop an accurate, non-invasive, blood-test-based method for identifying the main characteristics of liver fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Fibrosis was staged according to NASH-CRN and Metavir systems in 226 patients with NAFLD. A fully automated algorithm measured the fractal dimension (FD) and the area of fibrosis (AOF). Independent predictors of diagnostic targets were determined using bootstrap methods. (i) Development. Significant fibrosis defined by NASH-CRN F ≥2 was diagnosed by weight, glycaemia, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and prothrombin index [area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC)=0.867]; significant fibrosis defined by Metavir F ≥2 was diagnosed by weight, age, glycaemia, AST, ALT, ferritin and platelets (FibroMeter AUROC=0.941, Pfibrosis staging, Metavir staging was a better reference for blood test. Thus, the patient rate with predictive values ≥90% by tests was 97.3% with Metavir reference vs. 66.5% with NASH-CRN reference (Pfibrosis score for significant fibrosis, but not for severe fibrosis or cirrhosis, with both staging systems. Relationships between fibrosis lesions were well reflected by blood tests, e.g., the correlation between histological area and FD of fibrosis (r(s) =0.971, Pblood tests (r(s) =0.852, Pfibrosis in NAFLD can be diagnosed and quantified by blood tests with excellent accuracy. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Clinical and radiographic features of solitary and cemento-osseous dysplasia-associated simple bone cysts.

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Chadwick, J W; Alsufyani, N A; Lam, E W N

2011-05-01

The simple bone cyst (SBC) is a pseudocyst that can occur as a solitary entity in the jaws or may occur in association with cemento-osseous dysplasia (COD). The purpose of this study was to review the clinical and radiographic features of solitary and COD-associated SBCs. Archived imaging reports from the Special Procedures Clinic in Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology at the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Toronto between 1 January 1989 and 31 December 2009 revealed 23 COD-associated SBCs and 68 solitary SBCs. Almost all solitary and COD-associated SBCs were found in the mandible. Furthermore, 87.0% of COD-associated SBCs were found in females in their fifth decade of life (P < 0.001) while solitary SBCs were found in equal numbers in both sexes in their second decade of life (P < 0.005). COD-associated SBCs were also more likely to cause thinning of the endosteal cortex, bone expansion and scalloping of the superior border between teeth (all P < 0.001) than solitary SBCs that are classically described as having these characteristics. Finally, COD-associated SBC demonstrated a loss of lamina dura more often (P < 0.05) than solitary SBCs. Knowledge of the sporadic association between COD and SBC and their potential radiographic appearances should prevent inappropriate treatment and management of these patients.

Cross Sectional Imaging of Solitary Lesions of the Neurocranium.

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Schäfer, Max-Ludwig; Koch, Arend; Streitparth, Florian; Wiener, Edzard

2017-12-01

Background  Although a wide range of processes along the neurocranium are of a benign nature, there are often difficulties in the differential diagnosis. Method  In the review CT/MRI scans of the head were evaluated retrospectively regarding solitary lesions along the neurocranium. The majority of the lesions were histologically proven. Results  The purpose of the review is to present typical pathologies of the neurocranium and provide a systematic overview based on 12 entities, their locations, prevalence and radiological characteristics. Conclusion  Processes, which primarily originate from the neurocranium have to be differentiated from secondary processes infiltrating the neurocranium. For this important diagnostic feature, MRI is typically essential, while the definitive diagnosis is often made on the basis of the medical history and the typical appearance on computer tomography. Key Points   · There are often difficulties in the precise differential diagnosis of solitary lesions along the neurocranium. Typical solitary pathologies of the neurocranium based on 12 entities were presented. Both magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography are often essential for an exact differential diagnosis.. Citation Format · Schäfer M, Koch A, Streitparth F et al. Cross Sectional Diagnosis of Solitary Lesions of the Neurocranium. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2017; 189: 1135 - 1144. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

A SOLITARY FIBROUS ORBITAL TUMOR IN A PATIENT WITH NEUROFIBROMATOSIS AND AN UTERINE CARCINOMA

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E. E. Grishina