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Sample records for tissue disorders ctds

  1. Premonitory Urge for Tics Scale (PUTS): replication and extension of psychometric properties in youth with chronic tic disorders (CTDs).

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    Raines, Jeremy M; Edwards, Kimberly R; Sherman, Martin F; Higginson, Christopher I; Winnick, Joel B; Navin, Kelly; Gettings, Julie M; Conteh, Fatmata; Bennett, Shannon M; Specht, Matthew W

    2018-04-01

    Individuals with chronic tic disorders (CTDs) frequently describe aversive subjective sensory sensations that precede their tics. The first aim of the present study was to explore the psychometric properties of a standardized self-report measure to assess premonitory urges in CTDs, The Premonitory Urge for Tics Scale (PUTS), by replicating the analyses of Woods et al. (J Dev Behav Pediatr 26:397-403, 2005) using a sample twice the size of theirs. The second aim was to conduct an exploratory factor analysis of the PUTS. Eighty-four youth with CTDs, recruited from a pediatric OCD and tic specialty clinic, completed the PUTS while their caregivers completed The Parent Tic Questionnaire (PTQ) and a demographic measure. Consistent with (Woods et al. J Dev Behav Pediatr 26:397-403, 2005), the PUTS was found to be internally consistent (α = 0.82) and significantly correlated with overall tic severity as measured by the PTQ (r = 0.24, p tics than the frequency or intensity of tics.

  2. Segmental Aortic Stiffness in Children and Young Adults With Connective Tissue Disorders: Relationships With Age, Aortic Size, Rate of Dilation, and Surgical Root Replacement.

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    Prakash, Ashwin; Adlakha, Himanshu; Rabideau, Nicole; Hass, Cara J; Morris, Shaine A; Geva, Tal; Gauvreau, Kimberlee; Singh, Michael N; Lacro, Ronald V

    2015-08-18

    Aortic diameter is an imperfect predictor of aortic complications in connective tissue disorders (CTDs). Novel indicators of vascular phenotype severity such as aortic stiffness and vertebral tortuosity index have been proposed. We assessed the relation between aortic stiffness by cardiac MRI, surgical root replacement, and rates of aortic root dilation in children and young adults with CTDs. Retrospective analysis of cardiac MRI data on children and young adults with a CTD was performed to derive aortic stiffness measures (strain, distensibility, and β-stiffness index) at the aortic root, ascending aorta, and descending aorta. Vertebral tortuosity index was calculated as previously described. Rate of aortic root dilation before cardiac MRI was calculated as change in echocardiographic aortic root diameter z score per year. In 83 CTD patients (median age, 24 years; range, 1-55; 17% age; 60% male), ascending aorta distensibility was reduced in comparison with published normative values: median z score, -1.93 (range, -8.7 to 1.3; Pyoung adults with CTDs. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

  3. Abnormalities in lung volumes and airflow in children with newly diagnosed connective tissue disease.

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    Peradzyńska, Joanna; Krenke, Katarzyna; Szylling, Anna; Kołodziejczyk, Beata; Gazda, Agnieszka; Rutkowska-Sak, Lidia; Kulus, Marek

    2016-01-01

    Connective tissue diseases (CTDs) of childhood are rare inflammatory disorders, involving various organs and tissues including respiratory system. Pulmonary involvement in patients with CTDs is uncommon but may cause functional impairment. Data on prevalence and type of lung function abnormalities in children with CTDs are scarce. Thus, the aim of this study was to asses pulmonary functional status in children with newly diagnosed CTD and follow the results after two years of the disease course. There were 98 children (mean age: 13 ± 3; 76 girls), treated in Department of Pediatric Rheumatology, Institute of Rheumatology, Warsaw and 80 aged-matched, healthy controls (mean age 12.7 ± 2.4; 50 girls) included into the study. Study procedures included medical history, physical examination, chest radiograph and PFT (spirometry and whole body-plethysmography). Then, the assessment of PFT was performed after 24 months. FEV₁, FEV₁/FVC and MEF50 were significantly lower in CTD as compared to control group, there was no difference in FVC and TLC. The proportion of patients with abnormal lung function was significantly higher in the study group, 41 (42%) vs 9 (11%). 24-months observation didn't reveal progression in lung function impairment. Lung function impairment is relatively common in children with CTDs. Although restrictive ventilatory pattern is considered typical feature of lung involvement in CTDs, airflow limitation could also be an initial abnormality.

  4. Longitudinal Changes in Segmental Aortic Stiffness Determined by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in Children and Young Adults With Connective Tissue Disorders (the Marfan, Loeys-Dietz, and Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes, and Nonspecific Connective Tissue Disorders).

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    Merlocco, Anthony; Lacro, Ronald V; Gauvreau, Kimberlee; Rabideau, Nicole; Singh, Michael N; Prakash, Ashwin

    2017-10-01

    Aortic stiffness measured by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in connective tissue disorder (CTD) patients has been previously shown to be abnormal and to be associated with adverse aortic outcomes. The rate of increase in aortic stiffness with normal aging has been previously described. However, longitudinal changes in aortic stiffness have not been characterized in CTD patients. We examined longitudinal changes in CMR-derived aortic stiffness in children and young adults with CTDs. A retrospective analysis of 50 children and young adults (median age, 20 years; range, 0.2 to 49; 40% age, whereas the β stiffness index increased at all aortic segments. The average rates of decline in distensibility (x10 -3  mm Hg -1 per 10-year increase in age) were 0.7, 1.3, and 1 at the AoR, ascending aorta, and descending aorta, respectively. The rates of decline in distensibility were not associated with the rates of AoR dilation or surgical AoR replacement. In conclusion, on serial CMR measurements in children and young adults with CTDs, aortic stiffness progressively increased with age, with rates of change only slightly higher than those previously reported in healthy adults. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Joint hypermobility and headache: the glue that binds the two together--part 2.

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    Martin, Vincent T; Neilson, Derek

    2014-09-01

    Past studies have reported that connective tissue disorders (CTDs) are more common in patients with specific types of headache disorders. The objectives of this study are (1) to review and critique the clinical studies reporting an association between joint hypermobility, CTDs and headache and (2) to postulate mechanisms though which CTDs might predispose to headache disorders. PubMed was searched for relevant articles with search terms that included joint hypermobility, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Marfan syndrome, and specific headache disorders. A narrative review was performed of these articles as well as those identified from the bibliography of these articles. Case reports and case control studies confirm an association between CTDs and migraine, coat-hanger headaches, carotid arterial dissections, intracranial hypotension, Arnold Chiari malformations-type 1, cervical spine disorders, and temporomandibular joint disorders. Observational cross-sectional studies suggest that the prevalence of CTDs is increased in patients with specific types of headache disorders. It is unknown if the CTDs directly cause these headaches disorders or are associated with them through other mechanisms. © 2014 American Headache Society.

  6. Cumulative trauma disorders: A review.

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    Iqbal, Zaheen A; Alghadir, Ahmad H

    2017-08-03

    Cumulative trauma disorder (CTD) is a term for various injuries of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems that are caused by repetitive tasks, forceful exertions, vibrations, mechanical compression or sustained postures. Although there are many studies citing incidence of CTDs, there are fewer articles about its etiology, pathology and management. The aim of our study was to discuss the etiology, pathogenesis, prevention and management of CTDs. A literature search was performed using various electronic databases. The search was limited to articles in English language pertaining to randomized clinical trials, cohort studies and systematic reviews of CTDs. A total of 180 papers were identified to be relevant published since 1959. Out of these, 125 papers reported about its incidence and 50 about its conservative treatment. Workplace environment, same task repeatability and little variability, decreased time for rest, increase in expectations are major factors for developing CTDs. Prevention of its etiology and early diagnosis can be the best to decrease its incidence and severity. For effective management of CTDs, its treatment should be divided into Primordial, Primary, Secondary and Tertiary prevention.

  7. Evidence-Based Pharmacotherapy for Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Chronic Tic Disorders

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    Alessandro S. De Nadai

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, much progress has been made in pharmacotherapy for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD and chronic tic disorders (CTDs. What were previously considered relatively intractable conditions now have an array of efficacious medicinal (and psychosocial interventions available at clinicians' disposal, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, atypical antipsychotics, and alpha-2 agonists. The purpose of this review is to discuss the evidence base for pharmacotherapy with pediatric OCD and CTDs with regard to efficacy, tolerability, and safety, and to put this evidence in the context of clinical management in integrated behavioral healthcare. While there is no single panacea for these disorders, there are a variety of medications that provide considerable relief for children with these disabling conditions.

  8. Evidence-Based Pharmacotherapy for Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Chronic Tic Disorders

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    De Nadai, Alessandro S.; Storch, Eric A.; McGuire, Joseph F.; Lewin, Adam B.; Murphy, Tanya K.

    2011-01-01

    In recent years, much progress has been made in pharmacotherapy for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and chronic tic disorders (CTDs). What were previously considered relatively intractable conditions now have an array of efficacious medicinal (and psychosocial) interventions available at clinicians’ disposal, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, atypical antipsychotics, and alpha-2 agonists. The purpose of this review is to discuss the evidence base for pharmacotherapy with pediatric OCD and CTDs with regard to efficacy, tolerability, and safety, and to put this evidence in the context of clinical management in integrated behavioral healthcare. While there is no single panacea for these disorders, there are a variety of medications that provide considerable relief for children with these disabling conditions. PMID:23861643

  9. Silicone breast implants and connective tissue disease

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    Lipworth, Loren; Holmich, Lisbet R; McLaughlin, Joseph K

    2011-01-01

    The association of silicone breast implants with connective tissue diseases (CTDs), including systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia, as well as a hypothesized new "atypical" disease, which does not meet established diagnostic criteria for any known...... CTD, has been extensively studied. We have reviewed the epidemiologic literature regarding an association between cosmetic breast implants and CTDs, with particular emphasis on results drawn from the most recent investigations, many of which are large cohort studies with long-term follow-up, as well...... as on those studies that address some of the misinformation and historically widespread claims regarding an association between breast implants and CTDs. These claims have been unequivocally refuted by the remarkably consistent evidence from published studies, as well as numerous independent meta...

  10. A 10-year institutional experience with open branched graft reconstruction of aortic aneurysms in connective tissue disorders versus degenerative disease.

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    Hicks, Caitlin W; Lue, Jennifer; Glebova, Natalia O; Ehlert, Bryan A; Black, James H

    2017-11-01

    Aortic reconstruction for complex thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) can be challenging, especially in patients with connective tissue disorders (CTDs) in whom tissue fragility is a major concern. Branched graft reconstruction is a more complex operation compared with inclusion patch repair of the aorta but is frequently necessary in patients with CTDs or other pathologies because of anatomic reasons. We describe our institutional experience with open branched graft reconstruction of aortic aneurysms and compare outcomes for patients with CTDs vs degenerative pathologies. We retrospectively analyzed all patients undergoing open aortic reconstruction using branched grafts at our institution between July 2006 and December 2015. Postoperative outcomes, including perioperative morbidity and mortality, midterm graft patency, and the development of new aneurysms, were compared for patients with CTD vs degenerative disease. During the 10-year study period, 137 patients (CTD, 29; degenerative, 108) underwent aortic repair with branched graft reconstruction. CTD patients were significantly younger (39 ± 1.9 vs 68 ± 1.0 years; P disease, coronary artery disease; P degenerative disease. Perioperative mortality (CTD: 10% [n = 3] vs degenerative: 6% [n = 6]; P = .40) and any complication (62% vs 55%; P = .47) were similar between groups. At a median follow-up time of 14.5 months (interquartile range: 6.5, 43.9 months), CTD patients were more likely to develop both new aortic (21%) and nonaortic (14%) aneurysms compared with the degenerative group (7% and 4% for aortic and nonaortic aneurysms, respectively; P = .02). Loss of branch graft patency occurred in 0 of 99 grafts (0%) in CTD patients and in 13 of 167 grafts (7.8%) in degenerative disease patients (P = .005). Loss of branch graft patency occurred most commonly in left renal artery bypass grafts (77%) and was clinically asymptomatic (creatinine: 1.77 ± 0.13 mg/dL currently vs 1.41 ± 0

  11. Connective Tissue Disorders

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    ... of connective tissue. Over 200 disorders that impact connective tissue. There are different types: Genetic disorders, such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Marfan syndrome, and osteogenesis imperfecta Autoimmune disorders, such as lupus and scleroderma Cancers, like some types of soft tissue sarcoma Each ...

  12. Heritable Disorders of Connective Tissue

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    ... Home Health Topics English Español Heritable Disorders of Connective Tissue Basics In-Depth Download Download EPUB Download PDF ... they? Points To Remember About Heritable Disorders of Connective Tissue There are more than 200 heritable disorders that ...

  13. A nationwide study of connective tissue disease and other rheumatic conditions among Danish women with long-term cosmetic breast implantation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fryzek, Jon P; Holmich, Lisbet; McLaughlin, Joseph K

    2007-01-01

    PURPOSE: Numerous epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that breast implants are not associated with connective tissue diseases (CTDs). However, many CTDs are rare, and continued follow-up of women with breast implants is warranted. METHODS: We extended by 5 years the follow-up of our earlier...... population-based cohort study of Danish women with cosmetic breast implants (n = 2761) and comparison groups of women with other types of cosmetic surgery (n = 8807). All women were followed from January 1977 through December 2001. Hospitalization and outpatient data for CTD and ill-defined and other...... rheumatic conditions in the implant and comparison groups were compared with those in the general Danish population. Additionally, CTDs and fibromyalgia were confirmed through medical chart review, and direct comparisons of the breast implant cohort with the comparison cohort were performed. RESULTS: When...

  14. Familial Risks of Tourette Syndrome and Chronic Tic Disorders. A Population-Based Cohort Study.

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    Mataix-Cols, David; Isomura, Kayoko; Pérez-Vigil, Ana; Chang, Zheng; Rück, Christian; Larsson, K Johan; Leckman, James F; Serlachius, Eva; Larsson, Henrik; Lichtenstein, Paul

    2015-08-01

    Tic disorders, including Tourette syndrome (TS) and chronic tic disorders (CTDs), are assumed to be strongly familial and heritable. Although gene-searching efforts are well under way, precise estimates of familial risk and heritability are lacking. Previous controlled family studies were small and typically conducted within specialist clinics, resulting in potential ascertainment biases. They were also underpowered to disentangle genetic from environmental factors that contribute to the observed familiality. Twin studies have been either very small or based on parent-reported tics in population-based (nonclinical) twin samples. To provide unbiased estimates of familial risk and heritability of tic disorders at the population level. In this population cohort, multigenerational family study, we used a validated algorithm to identify 4826 individuals diagnosed as having TS or CTDs (76.2% male) in the Swedish National Patient Register from January 1, 1969, through December 31, 2009. We studied risks for TS or CTDs in all biological relatives of probands compared with relatives of unaffected individuals (matched on a 1:10 ratio) from the general population. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the heritability of tic disorders. The risk for tic disorders among relatives of probands with tic disorders increased proportionally to the degree of genetic relatedness. The risks for first-degree relatives (odds ratio [OR], 18.69; 95% CI, 14.53-24.05) were significantly higher than for second-degree relatives (OR, 4.58; 95% CI, 3.22-6.52) and third-degree relatives (OR, 3.07; 95% CI, 2.08-4.51). First-degree relatives at similar genetic distances (eg, parents, siblings, and offspring) had similar risks for tic disorders despite different degrees of shared environment. The risks for full siblings (50% genetic similarity; OR, 17.68; 95% CI, 12.90-24.23) were significantly higher than those for maternal half siblings (25% genetic similarity; OR, 4.41; 95

  15. How are cancer and connective tissue diseases related to sarcoidosis?

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    Chopra, Amit; Judson, Marc A

    2015-09-01

    Several studies have suggested an association between sarcoidosis and cancer, and between sarcoidosis and connective tissue diseases (CTDs). In this review, we discuss the evidence supporting and refuting these associations. In terms of a cancer risk in sarcoidosis patients, the data are somewhat conflicting but generally show a very small increased risk. The data supporting an association between sarcoidosis and CTD are not as robust as for cancer. However, it appears that scleroderma is the CTD most strongly associated with sarcoidosis. There are several important clinical and research-related implications of the association of sarcoidosis and CTDs. First, rigorous efforts should be made to exclude alternative causes for granulomatous inflammation before establishing a diagnosis of sarcoidosis. Second, the association between sarcoidosis and both cancer and CTDs may yield important insights into the immunopathogenesis of all three diseases. Finally, these data provide insight in answering a common question asked by sarcoidosis patients, 'Am I at an increased risk of developing cancer?' We believe that although there is an increased (relative) risk of cancer in sarcoidosis patients compared with the general population, that increased risk is quite small (low absolute risk).

  16. Assessing Environmental Consequences of Ticcing in Youth with Chronic Tic Disorders: The Tic Accommodation and Reactions Scale

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    Capriotti, Matthew R.; Piacentini, John C.; Himle, Michael B.; Ricketts, Emily J.; Espil, Flint M.; Lee, Han Joo; Turkel, Jennifer E.; Woods, Douglas W.

    2015-01-01

    Tics associated with Tourette syndrome and other chronic tic disorders (CTDs) often draw social reactions and disrupt ongoing behavior. In some cases, such tic-related consequences may function to alter moment-to-moment and future tic severity. These observations have been incorporated into contemporary biopsychosocial models of CTD phenomenology, but systematic research detailing the nature of the relationship between environmental consequences and ticcing remains scarce. This study describes the development of the Tic Accommodation and Reactions Scale (TARS), a measure of the number and frequency of immediate consequences for ticcing experienced by youth with CTDs. Thirty eight youth with CTDs and their parents completed the TARS as part of a broader assessment of CTD symptoms and psychosocial functioning. The TARS demonstrated good psychometric properties (i.e., internal consistency, parent-child agreement, convergent validity, discriminant validity). Differences between parent-reported and child-reported data indicated that children may provide more valid reports of tic-contingent consequences than parents. Although preliminary, results of this study suggest that the TARS is a psychometrically sound measure of tic-related consequences suited for future research in youth with CTDs. PMID:27076696

  17. Comparing fixed-amount and progressive-amount DRO Schedules for tic suppression in youth with chronic tic disorders.

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    Capriotti, Matthew R; Turkel, Jennifer E; Johnson, Rachel A; Espil, Flint M; Woods, Douglas W

    2017-01-01

    Chronic tic disorders (CTDs) involve motor and/or vocal tics that often cause substantial distress and impairment. Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) schedules of reinforcement produce robust, but incomplete, reductions in tic frequency in youth with CTDs; however, a more robust reduction may be needed to affect durable clinical change. Standard, fixed-amount DRO schedules have not commonly yielded such reductions, so we evaluated a novel, progressive-amount DRO schedule, based on its ability to facilitate sustained abstinence from functionally similar behaviors. Five youth with CTDs were exposed to periods of baseline, fixed-amount DRO (DRO-F), and progressive-amount DRO (DRO-P). Both DRO schedules produced decreases in tic rate and increases in intertic interval duration, but no systematic differences were seen between the two schedules on any dimension of tic occurrence. The DRO-F schedule was generally preferred to the DRO-P schedule. Possible procedural improvements and other future directions are discussed. © 2016 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

  18. Pectus excavatum and heritable disorders of the connective tissue

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    Francesca Tocchioni

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Pectus excavatum, the most frequent congenital chest wall deformity, may be rarely observed as a sole deformity or as a sign of an underlying connective tissue disorder. To date, only few studies have described correlations between this deformity and heritable connective tissue disorders such as Marfan, Ehlers-Danlos, Poland, MASS (Mitral valve prolapse, not progressive Aortic enlargement, Skeletal and Skin alterations phenotype among others. When concurring with connective tissue disorder, cardiopulmonary and vascular involvement may be associated to the thoracic defect. Ruling out the concomitance of pectus excavatum and connective tissue disorders, therefore, may have a direct implication both on surgical outcome and long term prognosis. In this review we focused on biological bases of connective tissue disorders which may be relevant to the pathogenesis of pectus excavatum, portraying surgical and clinical implication of their concurrence.

  19. Cumulative trauma disorders in betel pepper leaf-cullers visiting a rehabilitation clinic: experience in Taitung.

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    Wang, Lin-Yi; Pong, Ya-Ping; Wang, Her-Cherng; Su, Sheng-Hsiang; Tsai, Chang-Hsueh; Leong, Chau-Peng

    2005-04-01

    Betel pepper (Piper betle L.) cultivation is an important agricultural industry in Taitung, Taiwan, and culling leaves is very labor-intensive. This case study compares the proportion of cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) between cullers and those with other occupations. Patients with musculoskeletal disorders in the rehabilitation clinic of a local hospital in Taitung were enrolled. This all female cohort was divided into a culler group (betel pepper cullers, n = 20), and a non-culler group (other occupations, n = 47). Three cullers were interviewed, and were also recorded to elucidate the related ergonomics. Patients were diagnosed using plain radiography and ultrasonography. The act of culling involves an overhead internal rotation of both shoulders with extended elbows while standing, followed by wrist flexion and forearm pronation. Flexing of the fingers is also required by the tools, 'iron nails' fitted onto both thumbs. The proportions of patients with shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS) and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) were significantly higher among cullers than non-cullers (0.45 vs. 0.15, p = 0.011 and 0.40 vs. 0.06, p = 0.002, respectively). Furthermore, the total frequency of CTDs displayed a positive linear correlation with employment duration (r = 0.618, p = 0.004). Proportions of occupational SIS and CTS were higher among betel pepper cullers than those with other occupations. These CTDs may have resulted from a prolonged static posture and repetitive motions during culling.

  20. The effectiveness of habit reversal therapy in the treatment of Tourette syndrome and other chronic tic disorders: a systematic review.

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    Dutta, Neeladri; Cavanna, Andrea E

    2013-01-01

    Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by multiple tics, which can require active intervention. It is recognized that behavioral techniques, especially habit reversal therapy (HRT), can offer an effective alternative or complement to pharmacotherapy in this setting. We conducted a systematic literature review to evaluate the efficacy of HRT in TS and other chronic tic disorders (CTDs). Our search was restricted to randomized controlled trials that used standardized diagnostic and outcome measures to compare the efficacy of HRT against a control treatment. We identified five relevant studies, which included 353 patients. Significant post-treatment reductions in tic severity scores (range: 18.3%-37.5%) were seen in the HRT groups across all studies. Current evidence suggests that HRT can significantly reduce tic severity in both adults and children with TS and other CTDs. Further head-to-head studies are needed to compare the efficacy of HRT with other behavioral interventions for tic management.

  1. Attention bias for social threat in youth with tic disorders: Links with tic severity and social anxiety.

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    Pile, Victoria; Robinson, Sally; Topor, Marta; Hedderly, Tammy; Lau, Jennifer Y F

    2018-06-07

    Many individuals with Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorders (TS/CTDs) report poor social functioning and comorbid social anxiety. Yet limited research has investigated the role of cognitive factors that highlight social threats in youth with TS/CTD, and whether these biases underlie tic severity and co-occurring social anxiety. This study examined whether selective attention to social threat is enhanced young people with TS/CTDs compared to healthy controls, and whether attention biases are associated with tic severity and social anxiety. Twenty seven young people with TS/CTDs and 25 matched control participants completed an experimental measure of attention bias toward/away from threat stimuli. A clinician-rated interview measuring tic severity/impairment (YGTSS Total Score) and questionnaire measures of social anxiety were completed by participants and their parents. Young people with TS/CTD showed an attention bias to social threat words (relative to benign words) compared to controls but no such bias for social threat faces. Attention bias for social threat words was associated with increasing YGTSS Total Score and parent-reported social anxiety in the TS/CTDs group. Mediation analysis revealed a significant indirect path between YGTSS Total Score and social anxiety, via attention to social threat. Tentatively, these associations appeared to be driven by impairment rather than tic severity scores. Preliminary data suggests that youth with TS/CTD have enhanced attention to threat, compared to controls, and this is associated with impairment and social anxiety. Attention to threat could offer a cognitive mechanism connecting impairment and social anxiety, and so be a valuable trans-diagnostic treatment target.

  2. Living with tics: reduced impairment and improved quality of life for youth with chronic tic disorders.

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    McGuire, Joseph F; Arnold, Elysse; Park, Jennifer M; Nadeau, Joshua M; Lewin, Adam B; Murphy, Tanya K; Storch, Eric A

    2015-02-28

    Pharmacological and behavioral interventions have focused on reducing tic severity to alleviate tic-related impairment for youth with chronic tic disorders (CTDs), with no existing intervention focused on the adverse psychosocial consequences of tics. This study examined the preliminary efficacy of a modularized cognitive behavioral intervention ("Living with Tics", LWT) in reducing tic-related impairment and improving quality of life relative to a waitlist control of equal duration. Twenty-four youth (ages 7-17 years) with Tourette Disorder or Chronic Motor Tic Disorder and psychosocial impairment participated. A treatment-blind evaluator conducted all pre- and post-treatment clinician-rated measures. Youth were randomly assigned to receive the LWT intervention (n=12) or a 10-week waitlist (n=12). The LWT intervention consisted of up to 10 weekly sessions targeted at reducing tic-related impairment and developing skills to manage psychosocial consequences of tics. Youth in the LWT condition experienced significantly reduced clinician-rated tic-impairment, and improved child-rated quality of life. Ten youth (83%) in the LWT group were classified as treatment responders compared to four youth in the waitlist condition (33%). Treatment gains were maintained at one-month follow-up. Findings provide preliminary data that the LWT intervention reduces tic-related impairment and improves quality of life for youth with CTDs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Lupus erythematosus and localized scleroderma coexistent at the same sites: a rare presentation of overlap syndrome of connective-tissue diseases.

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    Pascucci, Anabella; Lynch, Peter J; Fazel, Nasim

    2016-05-01

    Overlap syndromes are known to occur with connective-tissue diseases (CTDs). Rarely, the overlap occurs at the same tissue site. We report the case of a patient with clinical and histopathologic findings consistent with the presence of discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) and localized scleroderma within the same lesions. Based on our case and other reported cases in the literature, the following features are common in patients with an overlap of lupus erythematosus (LE) and localized scleroderma: predilection for young women, photodistributed lesions, DLE, linear morphology clinically, and positivity along the dermoepidermal junction on direct immunofluorescence. Most patients showed good response to antimalarials, topical steroids, or systemic steroids.

  4. PPARgamma-2 and ADRB3 polymorphisms in connective tissue diseases and lipid disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grygiel-Górniak B

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Bogna Grygiel-Górniak,1 Iwona Ziółkowska-Suchanek,2 Elżbieta Kaczmarek,3 Maria Mosor,2 Jerzy Nowak,2 Mariusz Puszczewicz1 1Department of Rheumatology and Internal Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland; 2Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland; 3Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland Background: The aim of the research genetic study was to investigate the association between variants (C1431T and Pro12Ala of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARgamma-2 gene, Trp64Arg polymorphism of the beta-3-adrenergic receptor gene and lipid profile in Polish population including group of 103 patients with connective tissue disease (CTD and 103 sex- and age-matched controls in context of statin use. Methods: Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were measured by routine methods, followed by genotyping (TagMan® Genotyping Assays, PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Nearly 30% of CTD patients used statins and 10% of the control group. Results: Although there were no differences between alleles and genotypes prevalence between CTD vs control groups, interesting lipid-gene associations were noted in this study. A higher level of triglycerides (TAG and TAG/high-density lipoprotein (HDL ratios was observed in CTD patients compared to controls. Similar differences were noted in CTD and control groups without statin treatment. Atherogenic markers: the atherogenic index of plasma, TAG/HDL and low-density lipoprotein/HDL ratio were low in the analyzed groups. Of the six analyzed polymorphisms, the Pro12Pro or C14131C or Trp64Trp genotypes were related to higher TAG and TAG/HDL ratios in patients with CTD; however, the highest TAG values were observed in the presence of the Trp64Trp genotype. Conclusion: Lipid disorders were present in both groups independent of statin treatment (mixed dyslipidemia and

  5. Rituximab versus cyclophosphamide for the treatment of connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (RECITAL): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

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    Saunders, Peter; Tsipouri, Vicky; Keir, Gregory J; Ashby, Deborah; Flather, Marcus D; Parfrey, Helen; Babalis, Daphne; Renzoni, Elisabetta A; Denton, Christopher P; Wells, Athol U; Maher, Toby M

    2017-06-15

    Interstitial lung disease (ILD) frequently complicates systemic autoimmune disorders resulting in considerable morbidity and mortality. The connective tissue diseases (CTDs) most frequently resulting in ILD include: systemic sclerosis, idiopathic inflammatory myositis (including dermatomyositis, polymyositis and anti-synthetase syndrome) and mixed connective tissue disease. Despite the development, over the last two decades, of a range of biological therapies which have resulted in significant improvements in the treatment of the systemic manifestations of CTD, the management of CTD-associated ILD has changed little. At present there are no approved therapies for CTD-ILD. Following trials in scleroderma-ILD, cyclophosphamide is the accepted standard of care for individuals with severe or progressive CTD-related ILD. Observational studies have suggested that the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, rituximab, is an effective rescue therapy in the treatment of refractory CTD-ILD. However, before now, there have been no randomised controlled trials assessing the efficacy of rituximab in this treatment population. RECITAL is a UK, multicentre, prospective, randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, controlled trial funded by the Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation Programme of the Medical Research Council and National Institute for Health Research. The trial will compare rituximab 1 g given intravenously, twice at an interval of 2 weeks, with intravenously administered cyclophosphamide given monthly at a dose of 600 mg/m 2 body surface area in individuals with ILD due to systemic sclerosis, idiopathic inflammatory myositis (including anti-synthetase syndrome) or mixed connective tissue disease. A total of 116 individuals will be randomised 1:1 to each of the two treatment arms, with stratification based on underlying CTD, and will be followed for a total of 48 weeks from first dose. The primary endpoint for the study will be change in forced vital capacity (FVC) at 24

  6. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection and its association with heritable connective tissue disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henkin, Stanislav; Negrotto, Sara M; Tweet, Marysia S; Kirmani, Salman; Deyle, David R; Gulati, Rajiv; Olson, Timothy M; Hayes, Sharonne N

    2016-06-01

    Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an under-recognised but important cause of myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death. We sought to determine the role of medical and molecular genetic screening for connective tissue disorders in patients with SCAD. We performed a single-centre retrospective descriptive analysis of patients with spontaneous coronary artery disease who had undergone medical genetics evaluation 1984-2014 (n=116). The presence or absence of traits suggestive of heritable connective tissue disease was extracted. Genetic testing for connective tissue disorders and/or aortopathies, if performed, is also reported. Of the 116 patients (mean age 44.2 years, 94.8% women and 41.4% with non-coronary fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD)), 59 patients underwent genetic testing, of whom 3 (5.1%) received a diagnosis of connective tissue disorder: a 50-year-old man with Marfan syndrome; a 43-year-old woman with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and FMD; and a 45-year-old woman with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. An additional 12 patients (20.3%) had variants of unknown significance, none of which was thought to be a definite disease-causing mutation based on in silico analyses. Only a minority of patients with SCAD who undergo genetic evaluation have a likely pathogenic mutation identified on gene panel testing. Even fewer exhibit clinical features of connective tissue disorder. These findings underscore the need for further studies to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of SCAD. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  7. Inflammation reduces physiological tissue tolerance in the development of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barr, Ann E; Barbe, Mary F

    2004-02-01

    Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) cause substantial worker discomfort, disability and loss of productivity. Due to the difficulty in analyzing the tissues of patients in the early stages of work-related MSD, there is controversy concerning the pathomechanisms of the development of these disorders. The pathophysiology of work-related MSD can be studied more easily in animal models. The purpose of this review is to relate theories of the development of tissue injury due to repeated motion to findings of recent investigations in animals that address the role of the inflammatory response in propagating tissue injury and contributing to chronic or recurring tissue injury. These tissue effects are related to behavioral indicators of discomfort and movement dysfunction with the aim of clarifying key time points for specific intervention approaches. The results from animal models of MSD are discussed in the light of findings in patients, whose tissues are examined at a much later phase of MSD development. Finally, a conceptual model of the potentially negative impact of inflammation on tissue tolerance is proposed along with suggestions for future research directions.

  8. A randomized waitlist-controlled pilot trial of voice over Internet protocol-delivered behavior therapy for youth with chronic tic disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ricketts, Emily J; Goetz, Amy R; Capriotti, Matthew R; Bauer, Christopher C; Brei, Natalie G; Himle, Michael B; Espil, Flint M; Snorrason, Ívar; Ran, Dagong; Woods, Douglas W

    2016-04-01

    Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) has been shown to be efficacious for chronic tic disorders (CTDs), but utilization is limited by a lack of treatment providers and perceived financial and time burden of commuting to treatment. A promising alternative to in-person delivery is voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), allowing for remote, real-time treatment delivery to patients' homes. However, little is known about the effectiveness of VoIP for CTDs. Therefore, the present study examined the preliminary efficacy, feasibility, and acceptability of VoIP-delivered CBIT (CBIT-VoIP). Twenty youth (8-16 years) with CTDs participated in a randomized, waitlist-controlled pilot trial of CBIT-VoIP. The main outcome was pre- to post-treatment change in clinician-rated tic severity (Yale Global Tic Severity Scale). The secondary outcome was clinical responder rate (Clinical Global Impressions - Improvement Scale), assessed using ratings of 'very much improved' or 'much improved' indicating positive treatment response. Intention-to-treat analyses with the last observation carried forward were performed. At post-treatment (10-weeks), significantly greater reductions in clinician-rated, (F(1,18) = 3.05, p tic severity, (F(1,18) = 6.37, p < 0.05, partial η(2 )= 0.26) were found in CBIT-VoIP relative to waitlist. One-third (n = 4) of those in CBIT-VoIP were considered treatment responders. Treatment satisfaction and therapeutic alliance were high. CBIT can be delivered via VoIP with high patient satisfaction, using accessible, low-cost equipment. CBIT-VoIP was generally feasible to implement, with some audio and visual challenges. Modifications to enhance treatment delivery are suggested. © The Author(s) 2015.

  9. Detection of Connective Tissue Disorders from 3D Aortic MR Images Using Independent Component Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Michael Sass; Zhao, Fei; Zhang, Honghai

    2006-01-01

    A computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) method is reported that allows the objective identification of subjects with connective tissue disorders from 3D aortic MR images using segmentation and independent component analysis (ICA). The first step to extend the model to 4D (3D + time) has also been taken....... ICA is an effective tool for connective tissue disease detection in the presence of sparse data using prior knowledge to order the components, and the components can be inspected visually. 3D+time MR image data sets acquired from 31 normal and connective tissue disorder subjects at end-diastole (R......-wave peak) and at 45\\$\\backslash\\$% of the R-R interval were used to evaluate the performance of our method. The automated 3D segmentation result produced accurate aortic surfaces covering the aorta. The CAD method distinguished between normal and connective tissue disorder subjects with a classification...

  10. Clinical applicability of quantitative nailfold capillaroscopy in differential diagnosis of connective tissue diseases with Raynaud's phenomenon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Po-Chang; Huang, Min-Nung; Kuo, Yu-Min; Hsieh, Song-Chou; Yu, Chia-Li

    2013-08-01

    Nailfold capillaroscopy is a useful tool to distinguish primary from secondary Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) by examining the morphology of nailfold capillaries but its role in disease diagnosis is not clearly established. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the roles of quantitative nailfold capillaroscopy in differential diagnosis of connective tissue diseases (CTDs) with RP. The data between the year 2005 and 2009 were retrieved from the nailfold capillaroscopic database of National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH). Only the data from the patients with RP were analyzed. The criteria for interpretation of capillaroscopic findings were predefined. The final diagnoses of the patients were based on the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for individual diseases, independent of nailfold capillaroscopic findings. The sensitivity and the specificity of each capillaroscopic pattern to the diseases were determined. The data from a total of 67 patients were qualified for the current study. We found the sensitivity and specificity of scleroderma pattern for systemic sclerosis (SSc) were 89.47% and 80%, and the specificity of the early, active, and late scleroderma patterns for SSc reached 87.5%, 97.5%, and 95%, respectively. The sensitivity/specificity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) pattern for SLE and polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM) pattern for PM/DM were 33.33%/95.45% and 60%/96.3%, respectively. The sensitivity/specificity of mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) pattern for MCTD were 20%/100%. The nailfold capillaroscopic (NC) patterns may be useful in the differential diagnosis of CTDs with RP. The NC patterns for SSc and PM/DM are both sensitive and specific to the diseases, while the SLE and MCTD patterns exhibit high specificity but relatively low sensitivity. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  11. Connective tissue diseases and noninvasive evaluation of atherosclerosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ardita G

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Giorgio Ardita, Giacomo Failla, Paolo Maria Finocchiaro, Francesco Mugno, Luigi Attanasio, Salvatore Timineri, Michelangelo Maria Di SalvoCardiovascular Department, Angiology Unit, Ferrarotto Hospital, Catania, ItalyAbstract: Connective tissue diseases (CTDs are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease due to accelerated atherosclerosis. In patients with autoimmune disorders, in addition to traditional risk factors, an immune-mediated inflammatory process of the vasculature seems to contribute to atherogenesis. Several pathogenetic mechanisms have been proposed, including chronic inflammation and immunologic abnormalities, both able to produce vascular damage. Macrovascular atherosclerosis can be noninvasively evaluated by ultrasound measurement of carotid or femoral plaque. Subclinical atherosclerosis can be evaluated by well-established noninvasive techniques which rely on ultrasound detection of carotid intima-media thickness. Flow-mediated vasodilatation and arterial stiffness are considered markers of endothelial dysfunction and subclinical atherosclerosis, respectively, and have been recently found to be impaired early in a wide spectrum of autoimmune diseases. Carotid intima-media thickness turns out to be a leading marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, and many studies recognize its role as a predictor of future vascular events, both in non-CTD individuals and in CTD patients. In rheumatic diseases, flow-mediated dilatation and arterial stiffness prove to be strongly correlated with inflammation, disease damage index, and with subclinical atherosclerosis, although their prognostic role has not yet been conclusively shown. Systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and likely antiphospholipid syndrome are better associated with premature and accelerated atherosclerosis. Inconclusive results were reported in systemic sclerosis.Keywords: rheumatic disease, subclinical atherosclerosis, arterial stiffness

  12. Overview of the radiology of connective tissue disorders in children

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanlon, R.; King, S.

    2000-01-01

    This review article describes the imaging finding of the connective tissue disorders in children. The radiological features of the following conditions are described; the spondyloarthropathics, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), dermatomyositis, scleroderma, the vasculitides, Kawasaki disease, synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, osteitis (SAPHO), and focal myositis. The features on several integrated imaging techniques are described

  13. Overview of the radiology of connective tissue disorders in children

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hanlon, R.; King, S

    2000-02-01

    This review article describes the imaging finding of the connective tissue disorders in children. The radiological features of the following conditions are described; the spondyloarthropathics, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), dermatomyositis, scleroderma, the vasculitides, Kawasaki disease, synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, osteitis (SAPHO), and focal myositis. The features on several integrated imaging techniques are described.

  14. HEREDITARY CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISORDERS: NOMENCLATURE AND DIAGNOSTIC ALGORITHM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. V. Klemenov

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Hereditary connective tissue disorders (HCTDs are a genetically and clinically diverse group of diseases, which encompasses common congenital disorders of fibrous connective tissue structures. Out of the whole variety of the clinical manifestations of NCTDs, only differentiated monogenic syndromes with the agreed guidelines for their diagnosis have been long the focus of the medical community’s attention. Many unclassified forms of the pathology (dysplasia phenotypes have been disregarded while assessing a person’s prognosis and defining treatment policy. With no clear definition of NCTDs or their approved diagnostic algorithm, it is difficult to study their real prevalence in the population, to compare literature data, and to constructively discuss various scientific and practical aspects of this disease. Efforts to systematize individual clinical types of NCTD and to formulate their diagnostic criteria are set forth in the All-Russian Research Society Expert Committee national guidelines approved in 2009 and revised in 2012. The paper gives current views on the nomenclature of NCTDs, considers diagnostic criteria for both classified monogenic syndromes (Marfan's syndrome, Ehlers–Danlos' syndrome, MASS phenotype, primary mitral valve prolapse, joint hypermobility syndrome and unclassified dysplasia phenotypes (MASS-like phenotype, marfanoid appearance, Ehlers–Danlos-like phenotype, benign joint hypermobility syndrome, unclassified phenotype. The above abnormalities are presented as a continuous list drawn up in the decreasing order of the degree of their clinical manifestations and prognostic value (the phenotypic continuum described by M.J. Glesby and R.E. Pyentz: from monogenic syndromes through dysplasia phenotypes to an unclassified phenotype. Emphasis is laid on the clinical NCTD identification difficulties associated with the lack of specificity of external and visceral markers of connective tissue asthenia and with the certain

  15. Evaluation of Chromosomal Disorders in Tissue and Blood Samples in Patients with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Parvaneroo

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available Statement of Problem: Many studies have indicated that genetic disturbances are common findings in patients with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC. Identification of these changes can be helpful in diagnostic procedures of these tumors.Purpose: The aim of this study was to appraise the chromosomal disorders in blood and tissue patients with OSCC.Methods and Materials: In this descriptive study, the study group consisted of all OSCC patients who were referred to the Faculty of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic of Shariati Hospital, and Amir Aalam Hospital fromSeptember 2000 to November 2002. In order to study chromosomal disorders in the peripheral blood lymphocytes, 5 mL of blood was obtained from each patient In patients with the large lesion, a piece of involved tissue were obtained and cultured for 24 hours.This led to 29 blood samples and 16 tissue specimens and any relation between OSCC and age, sex, smoking and alcohol use were evaluated.Results: In this study, OSCC was more common in males than in females (3 to 5. 31% of our patients were smokers, and one had a history of alcoholic consumption. There was an increase in incidence of OSCC with age. In this study, all patients had numerical(aneuploidy, polyploidy and structural chromosomal disorders (double minute, fragment,breakage and dicentric. There was significant difference between blood and tissue chromosomal disorders (aneuploidy, polyploidy,breakage in OSCC patients.Conclusion: It can be concluded that chromosomes in patients with OSCC might show some genetic aberration and evaluation of involved tissue might be better way for determining this disorders.

  16. Adipose tissue remodeling: its role in energy metabolism and metabolic disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sung Sik eChoe

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The adipose tissue is a central metabolic organ in the regulation of whole-body energy homeostasis. The white adipose tissue (WAT functions as a key energy reservoir for other organs, whereas the brown adipose tissue (BAT accumulates lipids for cold-induced adaptive thermogenesis. Adipose tissues secret various hormones, cytokines, and metabolites (termed as adipokines that control systemic energy balance by regulating appetitive signals from the central nerve system as well as metabolic activity in peripheral tissues. In response to changes in the nutritional status, the adipose tissue undergoes dynamic remodeling, including quantitative and qualitative alterations in adipose tissue resident cells. A growing body of evidence indicates that adipose tissue remodeling in obesity is closely associated with adipose tissue function. Changes in the number and size of the adipocytes affect the microenvironment of expanded fat tissues, accompanied by alterations in adipokine secretion, adipocyte death, local hypoxia, and fatty acid fluxes. Concurrently, stromal vascular cells in the adipose tissue, including immune cells, are involved in numerous adaptive processes, such as dead adipocyte clearance, adipogenesis, and angiogenesis, all of which are dysregulated in obese adipose tissue remodeling. Chronic over-nutrition triggers uncontrolled inflammatory responses, leading to systemic low-grade inflammation and metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance. This review will discuss current mechanistic understandings of adipose tissue remodeling processes in adaptive energy homeostasis and pathological remodeling of adipose tissue in connection with immune response.

  17. Connective Tissue Disorders and Cardiovascular Complications: The indomitable role of Transforming Growth Factor-beta signaling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wheeler, Jason B.; Ikonomidis, John S.; Jones, Jeffrey A.

    2015-01-01

    Marfan Syndrome (MFS) and Loeys-Dietz Syndrome (LDS) represent heritable connective tissue disorders that cosegregate with a similar pattern of cardiovascular defects (thoracic aortic aneurysm, mitral valve prolapse/regurgitation, and aortic dilatation with regurgitation). This pattern of cardiovascular defects appears to be expressed along a spectrum of severity in many heritable connective tissue disorders and raises suspicion of a relationship between the normal development of connective tissues and the cardiovascular system. Given the evidence of increased transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling in MFS and LDS, this signaling pathway may represent the common link in this relationship. To further explore this hypothetical link, this chapter will review the TGF-β signaling pathway, heritable connective tissue syndromes related to TGF-β receptor (TGFBR) mutations, and discuss the pathogenic contribution of TGF-β to these syndromes with a primary focus on the cardiovascular system. PMID:24443024

  18. Radiographic and ultrasonographic imaging of soft tissue disorders of the equine carpus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dik, K.J.

    1990-01-01

    Common soft tissue disorders of the equine carpus are fluctuating or firm soft tissue swellings, wounds and draining tracts. Survey radiography may show the size, position and origin of the swellings and reveals soft tissue calcification, accumulation of air and radiopaque foreign material. Contrast radiography enables accurate visualization of the size, shape, position and origin of fluctuating soft tissue swellings, demonstrates abnormal intersynovial communication and allows precise demonstration of the extent of puncture wounds and draining tracts. Ultrasonography allows differentiation between a firm solid or thick-walled cystic lesion, clearly reveals injuries to tendons, muscle and ligaments, reveals minor irregularities of the wall and the lumen of distended tendon sheaths and may demonstrate radiolucent foreign material more clearly than contrast radiography

  19. Ectopic mineralization disorders of the extracellular matrix of connective tissue: molecular genetics and pathomechanisms of aberrant calcification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qiaoli; Jiang, Qiujie; Uitto, Jouni

    2014-01-01

    Ectopic mineralization of connective tissues is a complex process leading to deposition of calcium phosphate complexes in the extracellular matrix, particularly affecting the skin and the arterial blood vessels and common in age-associated disorders. A number of initiating and contributing metabolic and environmental factors are linked to aberrant mineralization in these diseases, making the identification of precise pathomechanistic pathways exceedingly difficult. However, there has been significant recent progress in understanding the ectopic mineralization processes through study of heritable single-gene disorders, which have allowed identification of discrete pathways and contributing factors leading to aberrant connective tissue mineralization. These studies have provided support for the concept of an intricate mineralization/anti-mineralization network present in peripheral connective tissues, providing a perspective to development of pharmacologic approaches to limit the phenotypic consequences of ectopic mineralization. This overview summarizes the current knowledge of ectopic heritable mineralization disorders, with accompanying animal models, focusing on pseudoxanthoma elasticum and generalized arterial calcification of infancy, two autosomal recessive diseases manifesting with extensive connective tissue mineralization in the skin and the cardiovascular system. © 2013.

  20. Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies and the lung

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean-Christophe Lega

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Idiopathic inflammatory myositis (IIM is a group of rare connective tissue diseases (CTDs characterised by muscular and extramuscular signs, in which lung involvement is a challenging issue. Interstitial lung disease (ILD is the hallmark of pulmonary involvement in IIM, and causes morbidity and mortality, resulting in an estimated excess mortality of 50% in some series. Except for inclusion body myositis, these extrapulmonary disorders are associated with the general and visceral involvement frequently found in other CTDs including fever, Raynaud's phenomenon, arthralgia, nonspecific cutaneous modifications and ILD, for which the prevalence is estimated to be up to 65%. Substantial heterogeneity exists within the spectrum of IIMs, and each condition is associated with various frequencies and subtypes of pulmonary involvement. This heterogeneity is partly related to the presence of various autoantibodies encompassing anti-synthetase, anti-MDA5 and anti-PM/Scl. ILD is present in all subsets of IIM including juvenile myositis, but is more frequent in dermatomyositis and overlap myositis. IIM can also be associated with other presentations of respiratory involvement, namely pulmonary arterial hypertension, pleural disease, infections, drug-induced toxicity, malignancy and respiratory muscle weakness. Here, we critically review the current knowledge about adult and juvenile myositis-associated lung disease with a detailed description of therapeutics for chronic and rapidly progressive ILD.

  1. Microparticle subpopulations are potential markers of disease progression and vascular dysfunction across a spectrum of connective tissue disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E.M. McCarthy

    2017-06-01

    The association between circulating MP levels and objective assessment of macro- and microvascular dysfunction within these disease areas suggests that MPs might have a useful role as novel circulating biomarkers of vascular disease within the CTDs.

  2. [Sociodemographic/Clinical characteristics and risk factors associated with chronic tic disorders].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hesapçıoğlu, Selma Tural; Tural, Mustafa Kemal; Kandil, Sema

    2013-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate comorbidity, and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics in children and adolescents with Tourette's syndrome (TS) and chronic motor or vocal tic disorder (CMVTD), and to determine the predictors of tic disorders. In all, 57 children and adolescents with TS and CMVTD were compared with a control group. Data were obtained using the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS), Turgay DSM-IV-Based Disruptive Behavioral Disorders Screening and Rating Scale (T-DSM-IV-S), Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Disorders (SCARED), Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI), and Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL). Mean age of the patients was 10.5 ± 2.4 years. In all, 56 (98.2%) of the patients had simple motor tics, 50 (87.7%) had complex motor tics, and 43 (75.4%) had vocal tics. Self-injurious behavior was observed in 24 (42.1%) patients. In total, 46 (80.7%) of the patients had ≥1 comorbid disorder. Among the observed comorbid disorders, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was the most common (observed in 40.4% of the patients), followed by obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (19.3%). A higher-level of maternal education and absence of ADHD were associated with a reduction in the risk of a tic disorder. A family history of psychiatric disorder increased the risk of a tic disorder 5.61-fold, and nail biting increased the risk of a tic disorder 8.2-fold. Every 1-unit increase in CDI score increased the risk of a tic disorder by 12%. Chronic tic disorders (CTDs) are often accompanied by other psychiatric disorders. Both child- and family-related factors are associated with the risk of developing a tic disorder. Determination of both the protective and risk factors would be beneficial for improving the mental health of the general public.

  3. The value of immersion hand radiography in soft tissue changes of musculoskeletal disorders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ngo, C.; Yaghmai, I.

    1988-01-01

    Immersion hand radiographs were performed on 25 patients with various clinical presentations and compared to plain radiographic studies of the hands. The immersion technique is superior in outlining the skin, subcutaneous fat layers, and fat layers between muscle planes. More important, this technique highlights the tendons and soft tissue components of the joint, which are hardly seen on standard hand radiographs. Immersion studies are therefore useful, both in the early diagnosis of erosive arthritis and in the follow-up of the course of the disease. They are recommended as an adjunct to conventional hand radiography in musculoskeletal disorders with soft tissue involvement. (orig.)

  4. Clinical applicability of quantitative nailfold capillaroscopy in differential diagnosis of connective tissue diseases with Raynaud's phenomenon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Po-Chang Wu

    2013-08-01

    Conclusion: The nailfold capillaroscopic (NC patterns may be useful in the differential diagnosis of CTDs with RP. The NC patterns for SSc and PM/DM are both sensitive and specific to the diseases, while the SLE and MCTD patterns exhibit high specificity but relatively low sensitivity.

  5. Midterm outcome of valve-sparing aortic root replacement in inherited connective tissue disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanaka, Hiroshi; Ogino, Hitoshi; Matsuda, Hitoshi; Minatoya, Kenji; Sasaki, Hiroaki; Iba, Yutaka

    2011-11-01

    This study determined the midterm outcome of valve-sparing aortic root replacement for patients with inherited connective tissue disorders. From 1993 to 2008, 94 patients underwent valve-sparing aortic root replacement. Sixty patients (64%), average age 33 years (range, 15 to 61 years), had inherited connective tissue disorders: Marfan syndrome, 54 (92%); Loeys-Dietz syndrome, 5 (8%); and smooth muscle α-actin (ACTA2) mutation in 1. Median preoperative sinus diameter was 52 mm (range, 42 to 76 mm), and moderate/severe aortic regurgitation was present in 14 (23%). Seven (12%, 1993 to 1999) underwent remodeling procedures, and 53 had reimplantation procedures. Cusp repair was performed in 4. Median follow-up was 55 months (range, 1 to 149 months). There were 15 patients in the early term (1993 to 2000) and 45 in the late term (2001 to 2008). Four late deaths occurred (cardiac, 3; aortic, 1), with 10-year survival of 86%. Rates of freedom from aortic valve replacement at 5 and 10 years were 85% and 58% in remodeling and 96% and 58% in reimplantation. Risk factors for reoperations were postprocedure intraoperative aortic insufficiency greater than mild (p = 0.046), remodeling procedure (p = 0.016), and early term (p = 0.0002). One patient (2%) with none/trivial postprocedure aortic insufficiency required aortic valve replacement. Freedom from reoperation in patients with none/trivial postprocedure aortic insufficiency at 5 and 10 years was 100% and 67%. Meticulous control of aortic insufficiency during operation would bring favorable midterm durability in valve-sparing aortic root replacement using a reimplantation technique, even in patients with inherited connective tissue disorders. Copyright © 2011 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Oral soft tissue disorders are associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease: retrospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watanabe, Masaaki; Nakatani, Eiji; Yoshikawa, Hiroo; Kanno, Takahiro; Nariai, Yoshiki; Yoshino, Aya; Vieth, Michael; Kinoshita, Yoshikazu; Sekine, Joji

    2017-08-07

    Dental erosion (DE), one of oral hard tissue diseases, is one of the extraoesophageal symptoms defined as the Montreal Definition and Classification of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, no study evaluated the relationship between GERD and oral soft tissues. We hypothesized that oral soft tissue disorders (OSTDs) would be related to GERD. The study aimed to investigate the association OSTDs and GERD. GERD patients (105 cases), older and younger controls (25 cases each) were retrospectively examined for oral symptoms, salivary flow volume (Saxon test), swallowing function (repetitive saliva swallowing test [RSST]), teeth (decayed, missing, and filled [DMF] indices), and soft tissues (as evaluation of OSTDs, gingivitis; papillary, marginal, and attached [PMA] gingival indexes, simplified oral hygiene indices [OHI-S], and inflammatory oral mucosal regions). Clinical histories, which included body mass index [BMI], the existence of alcohol and tobacco use, and bruxism, were also investigated. A P value of bruxism, as an exacerbation factor of periodontal disease, in the GERD patients was significantly more frequent than in either control group (P = 0.041). OSTDs were associated with GERD, which was similar to the association between DE and GERD.

  7. Autosomal dominant Marfan-like connective-tissue disorder with aortic dilation and skeletal anomaslies not linked to the Fibrillin genes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boileau, C.; Coulon, M.; Alexandre, J.-A.; Junien, C. (Laboratorie Central de Biochimie et de Genetique Moleculaire (France)); Jondeau, G.; Delorme, G.; Dubourg, O.; Bourdarias, J.-P. (CHU Ambroise Pare, Boulogne (France)); Babron, M.-C.; Bonaieti-Pellie, C. (INSERM, Chateau de Longchamp, Paris (France)); Sakai, L. (Shriners' Hospital for Crippled Children, Portland, OR (United States)); Melki, J. (Hopital Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris (France))

    1993-07-01

    The authors describe a large family with a connective-tissue disorder that exhibits some of the skeletal and cardiovascular features seen in Marfan syndrome. However, none of the 19 affected individuals displayed ocular abnormalities and therefore did not comply with recognized criteria for this disease. These patients could alternatively be diagnosed as MASS (mitral valve, aorta, skeleton, and skin) phenotype patients or represent a distinct clinical entity, i.e., a new autosomal dominant connective-tissue disorder. The fibrillin genes located on chromosomes 15 and 5 are clearly involved in the classic form of Marfan syndrome and a clinically related disorder (congenital contractural arachnodactyly), respectively. To test whether one of these genes was also implicated in this French family, the authors performed genetic analyses. Blood samples were obtained for 56 family members, and four polymorphic fibrillin gene markers, located on chromosomes 15 (Fib15) and 5 (Fib5), respectively, were tested. Linkage between the disease allele and the markers of these two genes was excluded with lod scores of [minus]11.39 (for Fib15) and [minus]13.34 (for Fib5), at 0 = .001, indicating that the mutation is at a different locus. This phenotype thus represents a new connective-tissue disorder, overlapping but different from classic Marfan syndrome. 33 refs., 1 fig. 2 tabs.

  8. Evaluation with fat-suppression fast spin-echo T2-weighted images for bone and soft tissue disorders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kakitsubata, Yousuke; Watanabe, Katsushi; Kakitsubata, Sachiko; Shimizu, Tokiyoshi.

    1997-01-01

    One hundred and sixty-four magnetic resonance (MR) studies of bone or soft tissue disorders were evaluated with T2-weighted fast spin echo (FSE) imaging and T2-weighted fat-suppressed FSE (FS-FSE) imaging. Fifty-two patients with bone contusion of the knee were also evaluated with conventional T2-weighted SE imaging and T2-weighted FS-FSE imaging. In 50 of 71 patients (70.4%), areas of high signal intensity in bone marrow were more clearly demonstrated on T2-weighted FS-FSE images than on T2-weighted FSE image. Edema or inflammation of soft tissues were also clearly revealed on T2-weighted FS-FSE images. In 27 of 32 patients (84%), bone contusions were more apparently shown on T2-weighted FS-FSE images than on conventional T2-weighted SE image. T2-weighted FS-FSE imaging is a sensitive method of evaluating the long T2 lesions of bone or soft tissue disorders. (author)

  9. Temporal, Diagnostic, and Tissue-Specific Regulation of NRG3 Isoform Expression in Human Brain Development and Affective Disorders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paterson, Clare; Wang, Yanhong; Hyde, Thomas M.; Weinberger, Daniel R.; Kleinman, Joel E.; Law, Amanda J.

    2018-01-01

    Objective Genes implicated in schizophrenia are enriched in networks differentially regulated during human CNS development. Neuregulin 3 (NRG3), a brain-enriched neurotrophin, undergoes alternative splicing and is implicated in several neurological disorders with developmental origins. Isoform-specific increases in NRG3 are observed in schizophrenia and associated with rs10748842, a NRG3 risk polymorphism, suggesting NRG3 transcriptional dysregulation as a molecular mechanism of risk. The authors quantitatively mapped the temporal trajectories of NRG3 isoforms (classes I–IV) in the neocortex throughout the human lifespan, examined whether tissue-specific regulation of NRG3 occurs in humans, and determined if abnormalities in NRG3 transcriptomics occur in mood disorders and are genetically determined. Method NRG3 isoform classes I–IV were quantified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in human postmortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex from 286 nonpsychiatric control individuals, from gestational week 14 to 85 years old, and individuals diagnosed with either bipolar disorder (N=34) or major depressive disorder (N=69). Tissue-specific mapping was investigated in several human tissues. rs10748842 was genotyped in individuals with mood disorders, and association with NRG3 isoform expression examined. Results NRG3 classes displayed individually specific expression trajectories across human neocortical development and aging; classes I, II, and IV were significantly associated with developmental stage. NRG3 class I was increased in bipolar and major depressive disorder, consistent with observations in schizophrenia. NRG3 class II was increased in bipolar disorder, and class III was increased in major depression. The rs10748842 risk genotype predicted elevated class II and III expression, consistent with previous reports in the brain, with tissue-specific analyses suggesting that classes II and III are brain-specific isoforms of NRG3. Conclusions

  10. Visceral and somatic disorders: tissue softening with frequency-specific microcurrent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McMakin, Carolyn R; Oschman, James L

    2013-02-01

    Frequency-specific microcurrent (FSM) is an emerging technique for treating many health conditions. Pairs of frequencies of microampere-level electrical stimulation are applied to particular places on the skin of a patient via combinations of conductive graphite gloves, moistened towels, or gel electrode patches. A consistent finding is a profound and palpable tissue softening and warming within seconds of applying frequencies appropriate for treating particular conditions. Similar phenomena are often observed with successful acupuncture, cranial-sacral, and other energy-based techniques. This article explores possible mechanisms involved in tissue softening. In the 1970s, neuroscientist and osteopathic researcher Irvin Korr developed a "γ-loop hypothesis" to explain the persistence of increased systemic muscle tone associated with various somatic dysfunctions. This article summarizes how physiologists, neuroscientists, osteopaths, chiropractors, and fascial researchers have expanded on Korr's ideas by exploring various mechanisms by which injury or disease increase local muscle tension or systemic muscle tone. Following on Korr's hypothesis, it is suggested that most patients actually present with elevated muscle tone or tense areas due to prior traumas or other disorders, and that tissue softening indicates that FSM or other methods are affecting the cause of their pathophysiology. The authors believe this concept and the research it has led to will be of interest to a wide range of energetic, bodywork, and movement therapists.

  11. Lesões por esforços repetitivos/distúrbios osteomusculares relacionados ao trabalho de cirurgiões-dentistas: aspectos biomecânicos Cumulative trauma disorders/work related musculoskeletal disorder affecting surgeon-dentists: biomechanical aspects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gilsée Ivan Regis Filho

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available As patologias denominadas genericamente Lesões por Esforços Repetitivos/Distúrbios Osteomusculares Relacionados ao Trabalho (LERs/DORTs e que apresentam sinais e sintomas de inflamações dos músculos, tendões, fáscias e nervos dos membros superiores, cintura escapular e pescoço, entre outros, têm chamado a atenção não só pelo aumento de sua incidência mas por também existirem evidências de sua associação com o ritmo de trabalho. O exercício profissional obriga que cirurgiões-dentistas utilizem na execução de suas tarefas os membros superiores e estruturas adjacentes, frequentemente com repetitividade de um mesmo padrão de movimento, compressão mecânica das estruturas localizadas na região e a adoção de posturas incorretas, utilizando força excessiva e, na maioria dos casos, trabalhando, ainda, sob a pressão do tempo de realização. O presente estudo utilizou a análise biomecânica, através da cinemetria e da eletromiografia, para buscar evidências da relação entre as tarefas executadas pelo cirurgião-dentista e as LERs/DORTs. A análise dos dados cinemáticos revelou que as principais atividades realizadas pelos cirurgiões-dentistas submetem duas ou mais regiões do corpo do profissional a posturas consideradas de risco médio e alto, sendo que a análise dos sinais eletromiográficos revelou um grande comprometimento dos grupamentos musculares flexores e extensores do carpo e do trapézio. Finalmente, o presente estudo é mais um indicativo de que a atividade desses profissionais os expõe a risco considerável de adquirir LERs/DORTs.Pathologies generally named Cumulative Trauma Disorders/Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (CTDs/WRMDs, presenting signs and symptoms of inflammation of muscles, tendons, fascia and nerves of the upper members, shoulder girdle and neck, among others, have been observed not only on account of their incidence but also their association with work rhythms. Professional

  12. Adrenal gland volume, intra-abdominal and pericardial adipose tissue in major depressive disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kahl, Kai G; Schweiger, Ulrich; Pars, Kaweh; Kunikowska, Alicja; Deuschle, Michael; Gutberlet, Marcel; Lichtinghagen, Ralf; Bleich, Stefan; Hüper, Katja; Hartung, Dagmar

    2015-08-01

    Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with an increased risk for the development of cardio-metabolic diseases. Increased intra-abdominal (IAT) and pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) have been found in depression, and are discussed as potential mediating factors. IAT and PAT are thought to be the result of a dysregulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) with subsequent hypercortisolism. Therefore we examined adrenal gland volume as proxy marker for HPAA activation, and IAT and PAT in depressed patients. Twenty-seven depressed patients and 19 comparison subjects were included in this case-control study. Adrenal gland volume, pericardial, intraabdominal and subcutaneous adipose tissue were measured by magnetic resonance imaging. Further parameters included factors of the metabolic syndrome, fasting cortisol, fasting insulin, and proinflammatory cytokines. Adrenal gland and pericardial adipose tissue volumes, serum concentrations of cortisol and insulin, and serum concentrations tumor-necrosis factor-α were increased in depressed patients. Adrenal gland volume was positively correlated with intra-abdominal and pericardial adipose tissue, but not with subcutaneous adipose tissue. Our findings point to the role of HPAA dysregulation and hypercortisolism as potential mediators of IAT and PAT enlargement. Further studies are warranted to examine whether certain subtypes of depression are more prone to cardio-metabolic diseases. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Differential diagnosis and diagnostic flow chart of joint hypermobility syndrome/ehlers-danlos syndrome hypermobility type compared to other heritable connective tissue disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colombi, Marina; Dordoni, Chiara; Chiarelli, Nicola; Ritelli, Marco

    2015-03-01

    Joint hypermobility syndrome/Ehlers-Danlos syndrome hypermobility type (JHS/EDS-HT) is an evolving and protean disorder mostly recognized by generalized joint hypermobility and without a defined molecular basis. JHS/EDS-HT also presents with other connective tissue features affecting a variety of structures and organs, such as skin, eye, bone, and internal organs. However, most of these signs are present in variable combinations and severity in many other heritable connective tissue disorders. Accordingly, JHS/EDS-HT is an "exclusion" diagnosis which needs the absence of any consistent feature indicative of other partially overlapping connective tissue disorders. While both Villefranche and Brighton criteria include such an exclusion as a mandatory item, a systematic approach for reaching a stringent clinical diagnosis of JHS/EDS-HT is still lacking. The absence of a consensus on the diagnostic approach to JHS/EDS-HT concerning its clinical boundaries with similar conditions contribute to limit our actual understanding of the pathologic and molecular bases of this disorder. In this review, we revise the differential diagnosis of JHS/EDS-HT with those heritable connective tissue disorders which show a significant overlap with the former and mostly include EDS classic, vascular and kyphoscoliotic types, osteogenesis imperfecta, Marfan syndrome, Loeys-Dietz syndrome, arterial tortuosity syndrome, and lateral meningocele syndrome. A diagnostic flow chart is also offered with the attempt to support the less experienced clinician in stringently recognizing JHS/EDS-HT and stimulate the debate in the scientific community for both management and research purposes. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. The role of tissue damage in whiplash associated disorders: Discussion paper 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bogduk, Nikolai; Ivancic, Paul C.; McLean, Samuel A.; Siegmund, Gunter P.; Winkelstein, Beth

    2011-01-01

    STUDY DESIGN Non-systematic review of cervical spine lesions in whiplash-associated disorders (WAD). OBJECTIVE To describe whiplash injury models in terms of basic and clinical science, to summarize what can and cannot be explained by injury models, and to highlight future research areas to better understand the role of tissue damage in WAD. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA The frequent lack of detectable tissue damage has raised questions about whether tissue damage is necessary for WAD and what role it plays in the clinical context of WAD. METHODS Non-systematic review. RESULTS Lesions of various tissues have been documented by numerous investigations conducted in animals, cadavers, healthy volunteers and patients. Most lesions are undetected by imaging techniques. For zygapophysial (facet) joints, lesions have been predicted by bioengineering studies and validated through animal studies; for zygapophysial joint pain, a valid diagnostic test and a proven treatment are available. Lesions of dorsal root ganglia, discs, ligaments, muscles and vertebral artery have been documented in biomechanical and autopsy studies, but no valid diagnostic test is available to assess their clinical relevance. The proportion of WAD patients in whom a persistent lesion is the major determinant of ongoing symptoms is unknown. Psychosocial factors, stress reactions and generalized hyperalgesia have also been shown to predict WAD outcomes. CONCLUSION There is evidence supporting a lesion-based model in WAD. Lack of macroscopically identifiable tissue damage does not rule out the presence of painful lesions. The best available evidence concerns zygapophysial joint pain. The clinical relevance of other lesions needs to be addressed by future research. PMID:22020601

  15. Systemic Aspects of Soft Tissue Rheumatic Disorders (STRDs)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Owlia, M. B.; Mehrpoor, G.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To determine the markers of systemic inflammation in soft tissue rheumatic disorders (STRDs). Study Design: Case series. Place and Duration of Study: Rheumatology Clinic, Yazd, Iran, from November 2010 to December 2011. Methodology: Patients aged 20 years or above with known diagnosis of STRD according to clinical criteria and/ or paraclinical investigations for at least 3 weeks duration were longitudinally followed. Patients with diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, hypothyroidism, or any other known systemic conditions (other than diabetes mellitus) were excluded. After careful and detailed history taking, laboratory tests indicating systemic inflammation including erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and routine screening rheumatologic tests were assessed. Results: Of the 90 patients, 75% were female and 25% were male and 28 (31.1%) of patients had diabetes mellitus. Fifty six (62%) and 49 (54%) of all studies cases had some degrees of morning stiffness and remarkable fatigue respectively. Twenty two (24%) had elevated CRP and 5 (5.5%) had abnormal ESR. Rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-CCP was positive in 5 (5.5%) and 12 (13.3%) of patients accordingly. Three (3.3%) patients suffered from anemia of chronic disease. Mean ESR was 48 A +- 7.34 (hl) and mean CRP was 10.06 A +- 1.96 mg/dl. Mean RF was 10.8 A +- 1.64 U/ml and mean anti- CCP was 18.5 A +- 2.71 U/ml. Mean hemoglobin was between 10.4 A +- 1.01 g/dl. Conclusion: Features of subtle systemic inflammation are positive in some cases of soft tissue rheumatism. (author)

  16. AdiosStMan: Parallelizing Casacore Table Data System using Adaptive IO System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, R.; Harris, C.; Wicenec, A.

    2016-07-01

    In this paper, we investigate the Casacore Table Data System (CTDS) used in the casacore and CASA libraries, and methods to parallelize it. CTDS provides a storage manager plugin mechanism for third-party developers to design and implement their own CTDS storage managers. Having this in mind, we looked into various storage backend techniques that can possibly enable parallel I/O for CTDS by implementing new storage managers. After carrying on benchmarks showing the excellent parallel I/O throughput of the Adaptive IO System (ADIOS), we implemented an ADIOS based parallel CTDS storage manager. We then applied the CASA MSTransform frequency split task to verify the ADIOS Storage Manager. We also ran a series of performance tests to examine the I/O throughput in a massively parallel scenario.

  17. Mixed Connective Tissue Disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mixed connective tissue disease Overview Mixed connective tissue disease has signs and symptoms of a combination of disorders — primarily lupus, scleroderma and polymyositis. For this reason, mixed connective tissue disease ...

  18. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Systemic Autoimmune Connective Tissue Disorders behind Recurrent Diastolic Heart Failure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis Miguel Blasco Mata

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Diastolic heart failure (DHF remains unexplained in some patients with recurrent admissions after full investigation. A study was directed for screening SLE and systemic autoimmune connective tissue disorders in recurrent unexplained DHF patients admitted at a short-stay and intermediate care unit. It was found that systemic autoimmune conditions explained 11% from all of cases. Therapy also prevented new readmissions. Autoimmunity should be investigated in DHF.

  19. Aquaporin-4 autoantibodies in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders: comparison between tissue-based and cell-based indirect immunofluorescence assays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chan Koon H

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD are severe central nervous system inflammatory demyelinating disorders (CNS IDD characterized by monophasic or relapsing, longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM and/or optic neuritis (ON. A significant proportion of NMOSD patients are seropositive for aquaporin-4 (AQP4 autoantibodies. We compared the AQP4 autoantibody detection rates of tissue-based indirect immunofluorescence assay (IIFA and cell-based IIFA. Methods Serum of Chinese CNS IDD patients were assayed for AQP4 autoantibodies by tissue-based IIFA using monkey cerebellum and cell-based IIFA using transfected HEK293 cells which express human AQP4 on their cell membranes. Results In total, 128 CNS IDD patients were studied. We found that 78% of NMO patients were seropositive for AQP4 autoantibodies by cell-based IIFA versus 61% by tissue-based IFA (p = 0.250, 75% of patients having relapsing myelitis (RM with LETM were seropositive by cell-based IIFA versus 50% by tissue-based IIFA (p = 0.250, and 33% of relapsing ON patients were seropositive by cell-based IIFA versus 22% by tissue-based IIFA (p = 1.000; however the differences were not statistically significant. All patients seropositive by tissue-based IIFA were also seropositive for AQP4 autoantibodies by cell-based IIFA. Among 29 NMOSD patients seropositive for AQP4 autoantibodies by cell-based IIFA, 20 (69% were seropositive by tissue-based IIFA. The 9 patients seropositive by cell-based IIFA while seronegative by tissue-based IIFA had NMO (3, RM with LETM (3, a single attack of LETM (1, relapsing ON (1 and a single ON attack (1. Among 23 NMO or RM patients seropositive for AQP4 autoantibodies by cell-based IIFA, comparison between those seropositive (n = 17 and seronegative (n = 6 by tissue-based IIFA revealed no differences in clinical and neuroradiological characteristics between the two groups. Conclusion Cell-based IIFA is slightly more sensitive

  20. Workplace discrimination and cumulative trauma disorders: the national EEOC ADA research project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armstrong, Amy J; McMahon, Brian T; West, Steven L; Lewis, Allen

    2005-01-01

    Employment discrimination of persons with cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) was explored using the Integrated Mission System dataset of the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Demographic characteristics and merit resolutions of the Charging Parties (persons with CTD) were compared to individuals experiencing other physical, sensory and neurological impairments. Factors compared also included industry designation, geographic region, and size of Respondents against which allegations were filed. Persons with CTD had proportionately greater allegations among large Respondents (greater than 500 workers) engaged in manufacturing, utilities, transportation, finance insurance and real estate. The types of discrimination Issues that were proportionately greater in the CTD group included layoff, failure to reinstate, and failure to provide reasonable accommodation. The CTD group was significantly less likely than the comparison group to be involved in discrimination Issues such as assignment to less desirable duty, shift or work location; demotion; termination, or failure to hire or provide training. Persons with CTD had higher proportions of merit Resolutions where allegations were voluntarily withdrawn by the Charging Party with benefits.

  1. STAT4 is a genetic risk factor for systemic sclerosis having additive effects with IRF5 on disease susceptibility and related pulmonary fibrosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dieudé, P; Guedj, M; Wipff, J; Ruiz, B; Hachulla, E; Diot, E; Granel, B; Sibilia, J; Tiev, K; Mouthon, L; Cracowski, J L; Carpentier, P H; Amoura, Z; Fajardy, I; Avouac, J; Meyer, O; Kahan, A; Boileau, C; Allanore, Y

    2009-08-01

    Systemic sclerosis (SSc) belongs to the group of connective tissue disorders (CTDs), among which are several disorders characterized by a type I interferon (IFN) signature. The recent identification of an association between IRF5 and SSc further highlights a key role for IFN. STAT4, which encodes STAT-4, contributes to IFN signaling, and its genetic variants were found to be associated with CTDs. The aim of this study was to determine whether the STAT4 rs7574865 single-nucleotide polymorphism is associated with SSc, and whether it interacts with IRF5. Both the STAT4 rs7574865 and IRF5 rs2004640 polymorphisms were genotyped in 1,855 individuals of French Caucasian origin comprising a discovery set of 440 patients with SSc and 485 control subjects and a replication set of 445 patients with SSc and an additional 485 control subjects. STAT4 rs7574865 was shown to be associated with SSc (P=0.001, odds ratio [OR] 1.29, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.11-1.51). This association was not restricted to a particular phenotype. An additive effect of the STAT4 rs7574865 T allele and the IRF5 rs2004640 T allele was observed, resulting in a multiple increased 1.28-fold risk of SSc. The OR for SSc was 2.72 (95% CI 1.86-3.99) for combinations of genotypes with >or=3 risk alleles. An additive effect was also detected for fibrosing alveolitis: carriage of at least 3 risk alleles appeared to be an independent risk factor (P=2.2x10(-4), OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.28-3.04). Our results establish STAT4 rs7574865 as a new SSc genetic susceptibility factor. STAT4 and IRF5 act with additive effects in terms of susceptibility to both SSc and SSc-related fibrosing alveolitis.

  2. Maternal obesity and tobacco use modify the impact of genetic variants on the occurrence of conotruncal heart defects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Xinyu; Nick, Todd G; Cleves, Mario A; Erickson, Stephen W; Li, Ming; Li, Jingyun; MacLeod, Stewart L; Hobbs, Charlotte A

    2014-01-01

    Conotruncal heart defects (CTDs) are among the most severe birth defects worldwide. Studies of CTDs indicate both lifestyle behaviors and genetic variation contribute to the risk of CTDs. Based on a hybrid design using data from 616 case-parental and 1645 control-parental triads recruited for the National Birth Defects Prevention Study between 1997 and 2008, we investigated whether the occurrence of CTDs is associated with interactions between 921 maternal and/or fetal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and maternal obesity and tobacco use. The maternal genotypes of the variants in the glutamate-cysteine ligase, catalytic subunit (GCLC) gene and the fetal genotypes of the variants in the glutathione S-transferase alpha 3 (GSTA3) gene were associated with an elevated risk of CTDs among obese mothers. The risk of delivering infants with CTDs among obese mothers carrying AC genotype for a variant in the GCLC gene (rs6458939) was 2.00 times the risk among those carrying CC genotype (95% confidence interval: 1.41, 2.38). The maternal genotypes of several variants in the glutathione-S-transferase (GST) family of genes and the fetal genotypes of the variants in the GCLC gene interacted with tobacco exposures to increase the risk of CTDs. Our study suggests that the genetic basis underlying susceptibility of the developing heart to the adverse effects of maternal obesity and tobacco use involve both maternal and embryonic genetic variants. These results may provide insights into the underlying pathophysiology of CTDs, and ultimately lead to novel prevention strategies.

  3. Raynaud’s phenomenon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Ingegnoli

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP is a vasospastic disorder characterized by episodic color changes of blanching, cyanosis, and hyperemia in response to cold and/or emotional stress. Although most typically noted in the fingers, the circulation of the toes, ears, nose and tongue is also frequently affected. Population studies have shown that RP in adults is more common in women than men, with prevalence estimates ranging from 4% to 30%. Geographic variations in the prevalence reflect differences in climate. RP may be a primary or a secondary process. LeRoy and Medsger suggested criteria for primary RP: symmetric attacks, the absence of tissue necrosis, ulceration or gangrene, the absence of a secondary cause, negative antinuclear antibodies, normal nailfold capillaroscopy and a normal erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Secondary RP is characterized by an age of onset of more than 30 years, painful and asymmetric attacks, ischemic skin lesions, positive autoautoantibodies, capillaroscopic abnormalities and/or clinical features suggestive of connective tissue diseases (CTDs. Among the CTDs, systemic sclerosis has the highest frequency of RP. Finding a cause for RP requires a knowledge of the patient’s occupational, smoking, drug history, physical examination, nailfold capillaroscopy, routine laboratory tests and autoantibodies. Furthermore, RP should be distinguished from acrocyanosis, a condition characterized by continuous cyanosis of the hands or feet that is aggravated by cold temperature. The most important instruction to the patient is abstinence from any smoking, offending drugs should be discontinued, and abrupt changes in temperature. If these measures are inadequate, calcium-channel blockers are the most widely used (nifedipine 30 mg up to 90 mg daily. Alternatively, sympatholytic agent (prazosin, angiotensin II -receptor type I antagonist (losartan, selective sertonin-reuptake inhibitor (fluoxetine may be useful. In the severe cases the role of

  4. Use of Calcium and Alendronic Acid Preparations in Correction of Structural and Functional Disorders of Bone Tissue in Thyrotoxicosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O.B. Oliynyk

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Impact of calcium and alendronic acid preparations on disorders of structural and functional state of bone tissue in experimental animals at exogenic thyrotoxicosis was studied. It was defined that introduction of calcium preparations reduces bone mineral density loss in female rats with drug thyrotoxicosis, and combined use of calcium and alendronic acid prevents bone tissue loss regardless of thyrotoxicosis duration and presence of ovariectomy.

  5. [Long-term outcome of aortic valve sparing procedures in connective tissue disorders].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanaka, Hiroshi; Ogino, H; Matsuda, H; Minatoya, K; Sasaki, N

    2009-10-01

    The aim of this study is to determine the long-term outcome of aortic valve sparing procedures for patients having connective tissue disorder. Between 1993 and 2008, the aortic valve sparing surgery was performed in 94 patients having aortic root dilatation. Eighty patients of them (37.2 +/- 13.4 years, 50 male) had cystic medial necrosis in the aortic wall, which was confirmed the pathological examination. We reviewed these patients. Sixty percent (48/80) had Marfan syndrome, 5% (4/80) had Loeyz-Dietz syndrome, 2% (2/80) had bicuspid aortic valve, and 11% (9/80) had aortic dissection. Our reimplantation procedure has been refined as followed: with a tube graft in 41, a tube graft with creation of neo-sinuses in 11, and a Valsalva graft in 14. Fourteen patients underwent the remodeling procedure. The follow-up rate was 100% with the duration of 3.7+/- 3.4 years. There were no operative death but six late deaths. Seventeen (21.3%) patients required aortic valve replacement, for recurrent aortic insufficiency in 13 and infection in 4. Freedom from reoperation was 80%, 43%, and freedom from moderate or severe aortic insufficiency was 80%, 54%, at 5 and 10 years, respectively. Pathological findings of the aortic valve obtained in the reoperations showed elongation and prolapse of the aortic valve due to myxomatous degeneration and fibrous thickening caused by aortic insufficiency. Even in connective tissue disorders, aortic valve sparing operation is associated with acceptable long-term durability, although cusp degeneration resulting in recurrent aortic insufficiency might be progressive.

  6. MINERALIZATION DISORDER OF OSSEOUS TISSUE AMONG THE CHILDREN, SUFFERING FROM INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E.A. Yablokova

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The growth rate of inflammatory bowel diseases among children actualizes early detection of this pathology form and its aftera effects, including secondary osteoporosis. The research purpose is to study the characteristics of osseous tissue mineralization, disorder of physical growth and sexual maturity of children, suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases. The researchers have examined 116 children, including 33 children, suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases; 26 children, suffering from persistent colitis; 29 children, suffering from gasatroduodenitis; and 28 children with no GI tract pathologies. The study deals with estimate of level of mineral osseous tissue density, biochemical rates of osseous metabolism, as well as physical growth and sexual maturity. reduction of mineral osseous tissue density was found among 48,5% of children, suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases, 23% of children, suffering from persistent colitis, 31% of children, suffering from chronic gastritis and 18% of almost healthy children, at the same time, it was more apparent among children, suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases. The lowest rates of mineral osseous tissue density were among girls. Calcium phosphoric metabolism did not change apart from calcium creatinine coefficient, if osteopenia was observed. Thus, reduction of mineral osseous tissue density is often observed among children, suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases, especially among adolescent girls. Therefore, it conditions the necessity to include densimetry into the conventional examination plan for children, suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases. Authors also find it advisable to monitor physical growth and sexual maturity of children.Key words: children, inflammatory bowel diseases, osteoporosis.

  7. Lymphoid Tissue Grafts in Man

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kay, H. E.M. [Royal Marsden Hospital, Institute of Cancer Research, London (United Kingdom)

    1969-07-15

    Grafts of lymphoid tissue or of lymphoid stem cells may be appropriate in the treatment of some congenital immune deficiency disorders. The reasons for preferring tissues of foetal origin are discussed and the evidence for foetal immunocompetence is briefly summarized. Methods of storing foetal liver cells and cells or fragments of thymus are mentioned, and the organization of the Foetal Tissue Bank of the Royal Marsden Hospital is described. Clinical data from transplantation of lymphoid cells in various immune deficiency disorders are briefly presented. (author)

  8. Improvement of metabolic disorders by an EP2 receptor agonist via restoration of the subcutaneous adipose tissue in pulmonary emphysema.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsuji, Takao; Yamaguchi, Kazuhiro; Kikuchi, Ryota; Nakamura, Hiroyuki; Misaka, Ryoichi; Nagai, Atsushi; Aoshiba, Kazutetsu

    2017-05-01

    Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is often associated with co-morbidities. Metabolic disorders like hyperlipidemia and diabetes occur also in underweight COPD patients, although the mechanism is uncertain. Subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) plays an important role in energy homeostasis, since restricted capacity to increase fat cell number with increase in fat cell size occurring instead, is associated with lipotoxicity and metabolic disorders. The aim of this study is to show the protective role of SAT for the metabolic disorders in pulmonary emphysema of a murine model. We found ectopic fat accumulation and impaired glucose homeostasis with wasting of SAT in a murine model of elastase-induced pulmonary emphysema (EIE mice) reared on a high-fat diet. ONO-AE1-259, a selective E-prostanoid (EP) 2 receptor agonist, improved angiogenesis and subsequently adipogenesis, and finally improved ectopic fat accumulation and glucose homeostasis with restoration of the capacity for storage of surplus energy in SAT. These results suggest that metabolic disorders like hyperlipidemia and diabetes occured in underweight COPD is partially due to the less capacity for storage of surplus energy in SAT, though the precise mechanism is uncertained. Our data pave the way for the development of therapeutic interventions for metabolic disorders in emphysema patients, e.g., use of pro-angiogenic agents targeting the capacity for storage of surplus energy in the subcutaneous adipose tissue. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Diagnosis of Connective Tissue Disorders based on Independent Component Analysis of Aortic Shape and Motion from 4D MR Images

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Michael Sass; Zhao, Fei; Zhang, Honghai

    2006-01-01

    Independent component analysis (ICA) is employed for com\\$\\backslash\\$-puter-aided diagnosis (CAD) allowing objective identification of subjects with connective tissue disorder from 4D aortic MR images. Stationary independent components assist in the disease detection, which is the first...

  10. Cross-tissue integration of genetic and epigenetic data offers insight into autism spectrum disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrews, Shan V; Ellis, Shannon E; Bakulski, Kelly M; Sheppard, Brooke; Croen, Lisa A; Hertz-Picciotto, Irva; Newschaffer, Craig J; Feinberg, Andrew P; Arking, Dan E; Ladd-Acosta, Christine; Fallin, M Daniele

    2017-10-24

    Integration of emerging epigenetic information with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) genetic results may elucidate functional insights not possible via either type of information in isolation. Here we use the genotype and DNA methylation (DNAm) data from cord blood and peripheral blood to identify SNPs associated with DNA methylation (meQTL lists). Additionally, we use publicly available fetal brain and lung meQTL lists to assess enrichment of ASD GWAS results for tissue-specific meQTLs. ASD-associated SNPs are enriched for fetal brain (OR = 3.55; P < 0.001) and peripheral blood meQTLs (OR = 1.58; P < 0.001). The CpG targets of ASD meQTLs across cord, blood, and brain tissues are enriched for immune-related pathways, consistent with other expression and DNAm results in ASD, and reveal pathways not implicated by genetic findings. This joint analysis of genotype and DNAm demonstrates the potential of both brain and blood-based DNAm for insights into ASD and psychiatric phenotypes more broadly.

  11. Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Hypermobility Type: An Underdiagnosed Hereditary Connective Tissue Disorder with Mucocutaneous, Articular, and Systemic Manifestations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castori, Marco

    2012-01-01

    Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, hypermobility type, constituting a phenotypic continuum with or, perhaps, corresponding to the joint hypermobility syndrome (JHS/EDS-HT), is likely the most common, though the least recognized, heritable connective tissue disorder. Known for decades as a hereditary condition with predominant rheumatologic manifestations, it is now emerging as a multisystemic disorder with widespread manifestations. Nevertheless, the practitioners' awareness of this condition is generally poor and most patients await years or, perhaps, decades before reaching the correct diagnosis. Among the various sites of disease manifestations, skin and mucosae represent a neglected organ where the dermatologist can easily spot diagnostic clues, which consistently integrate joint hypermobility and other orthopedic/neurologic manifestations at physical examination. In this paper, actual knowledge on JHS/EDS-HT is summarized in various sections. Particular attention has been posed on overlooked manifestations, including cutaneous, mucosal, and oropharyngeal features, and early diagnosis techniques, as a major point of interest for the practicing dermatologist. Actual research progresses on JH/EDS-HT envisage an unexpected link between heritable dysfunctions of the connective tissue and a wide range of functional somatic syndromes, most of them commonly diagnosed in the office of various specialists, comprising dermatologists. PMID:23227356

  12. [Detection of serum anti-salivary duct antibody and its clinical significance].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, H; Shi, G Y; Cai, X H

    1990-11-01

    The authors developed an indirect immunofluorescence technique for the detection of Anti-salivary duct antibody (ASDA) and screened 34 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 15 patients with Sjögren's syndrome-rheumatoid arthritis and 15 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome, 63 cases with other connective tissue diseases, 9 cases with other diseases and 40 normal controls. The incidence of ASDA in patients with Sjögren's syndrome rheumatoid arthritis (66.67%) or rheumatoid arthritis (32.35%) was significantly higher than that in normal controls (P less than 0.001). In patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome and other CTDs, non-CTDs, no ASDA was found. However, in patients with Sjögren's syndrome-rheumatoid arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis alone, ASDA was not correlated with age, sex, disease duration or serological findings. The result suggests that the detection of serum ASDA might be useful in the differentiation of Sjögren's syndrome with rheumatoid arthritis from primary Sjögren's syndrome with arthralgia and/or arthritis.

  13. Features of anti-aquaporin 4 antibody-seropositive Chinese patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum optic neuritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hongyang; Wang, Yanling; Xu, Quangang; Zhang, Aidi; Zhou, Huanfen; Zhao, Shuo; Kang, Hao; Peng, Chunxia; Cao, Shanshan; Wei, Shihui

    2015-10-01

    The detection of anti-aquaporin-4 autoantibody (AQP-4 Ab) is crucial to detect patients who will develop neuromyelitis optica (NMO); however, there are few studies on the AQP-4 Ab serostatus of patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum ON. We analyzed the clinical and paraclinical features of neuromyelitis optica spectrum ON patients in China according to the patients' AQP4-Ab serostatus. 125 patients with recurrent and bilateral ON with simultaneous attacks were divided into AQP-4 Ab-seropositive and -seronegative groups. Demographic, clinical, serum autoantibody data, connective tissue disorders (CTDs), visual performance were compared. A Visual Acuity (VA) of less than 0.1 during acute ON attacks occurred more frequently in the seropositive group (p = 0.023); however, there was not a significant difference between groups on VA recovery after the first attack. The seropositive group experienced the worst outcome during the last attack (p = 0.017). Other co-existing autoimmunity antibodies (p optica spectrum ON.

  14. The Influence of Adipose Tissue on Brain Development, Cognition, and Risk of Neurodegenerative Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Letra, Liliana; Santana, Isabel

    2017-01-01

    The brain is a highly metabolic organ and thus especially vulnerable to changes in peripheral metabolism, including those induced by obesity-associated adipose tissue dysfunction. In this context, it is likely that the development and maturation of neurocognitive circuits may also be affected and modulated by metabolic environmental factors, beginning in utero. It is currently recognized that maternal obesity, either pre-gestational or gestational, negatively influences fetal brain development and elevates the risk of cognitive impairment and neuropsychiatric disorders in the offspring. During infancy and adolescence, obesity remains a limiting factor for healthy neurodevelopment, especially affecting executive functions but also attention, visuospatial ability, and motor skills. In middle age, obesity seems to induce an accelerated brain aging and thus may increase the risk of age-related neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. In this chapter we review and discuss experimental and clinical evidence focusing on the influence of adipose tissue dysfunction on neurodevelopment and cognition across lifespan, as well as some possible mechanistic links, namely the role of the most well studied adipokines.

  15. Use of diphosphonates to correct disorders in calcium metabolism and mineral composition of bone tissue with 60-day hypokinesia in rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morukov, B. V.; Zaychik, V. YE.; Ivanov, V. M.; Orlov, O. I.

    1988-01-01

    Compounds of the diphosphonate group suppress bone resorption and bone tissue metabolism, from which it was assumed that they can be used for the prevention of osteoporosis and disorders of calcium homeostasis in humans during space flight. Two compounds of this group were used for preventive purposes in 60 day hypokinesia in rats. The results showed that diphosphonates have a marked effect on calcium metabolism and the condition of the bone tissues under conditions of long term hypokinesia: they reduce the content of ionized calcium in blood, delay the loss of calcium and phosphorus by the bone tissue, and to a considerable degree prevent reduction of bone density. This confirms the possibility of using compounds of this group for correcting and preventing changes of bone tissue and mineral metabolism during long term hypokinesia.

  16. Developmental delay and connective tissue disorder in four patients sharing a common microdeletion at 6q13-14.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Esch, Hilde; Rosser, Elisabeth M; Janssens, Sandra; Van Ingelghem, Ingrid; Loeys, Bart; Menten, Bjorn

    2010-10-01

    Interstitial deletions of the long arm of chromosome 6 are rare, and most reported cases represent large, cytogenetically detectable deletions. The implementation of array comparative genome hybridisation in the diagnostic work-up of patients presenting with congenital disorders, including developmental delay, has enabled identification of many patients with smaller chromosomal imbalances. In this report, the cases are presented of four patients with a de novo interstitial deletion of chromosome 6q13-14, resulting in a common microdeletion of 3.7 Mb. All presented with developmental delay, mild dysmorphism and signs of lax connective tissue. Interestingly, the common deleted region harbours 16 genes, of which COL12A1 is a good candidate for the connective tissue pathology.

  17. Altered expression of BDNF, BDNF pro-peptide and their precursor proBDNF in brain and liver tissues from psychiatric disorders: rethinking the brain?liver axis

    OpenAIRE

    Yang, B; Ren, Q; Zhang, J-c; Chen, Q-X; Hashimoto, K

    2017-01-01

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has a role in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders. The precursor proBDNF is converted to mature BDNF and BDNF pro-peptide, the N-terminal fragment of proBDNF; however, the precise function of these proteins in psychiatric disorders is unknown. We sought to determine whether expression of these proteins is altered in the brain and peripheral tissues from patients with psychiatric disorders. We measured protein expression of proBDNF, mature BDNF...

  18. Can tissue spectrophotometry and laser Doppler flowmetry help to identify patients at risk for wound healing disorders after neck dissection?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rohleder, Nils H; Flensberg, Sandra; Bauer, Florian; Wagenpfeil, Stefan; Wales, Craig J; Koerdt, Steffen; Wolff, Klaus D; Hölzle, Frank; Steiner, Timm; Kesting, Marco R

    2014-03-01

    Microcirculation and oxygen supply in cervical skin were measured with an optical, noninvasive method in patients with or without radiotherapy before neck dissection. The course of wound healing was monitored after the surgical procedure to identify predictive factors for postoperative wound healing disorders. Tissue spectrophotometry and laser Doppler flowmetry were used to determine capillary oxygen saturation, hemoglobin concentration, blood flow, and blood velocity at 2-mm and 8-mm depths in the cervical skin of 91 patients before neck dissection in a maxillofacial unit of a university hospital in Munich, Germany. Parameters were evaluated for differences between patients with irradiation (24) and without (67) and patients with wound healing disorders (25) and without (66) (univariate or multivariate statistical analyses). Velocity at 2 mm was lower in irradiated skin (P = .016). Flow at 2 mm was higher in patients with wound healing disorders (P = .018). High flow values could help to identify patients at risk for cervical wound healing disorders. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Mutations in B3GALT6, which encodes a glycosaminoglycan linker region enzyme, cause a spectrum of skeletal and connective tissue disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakajima, Masahiro; Mizumoto, Shuji; Miyake, Noriko; Kogawa, Ryo; Iida, Aritoshi; Ito, Hironori; Kitoh, Hiroshi; Hirayama, Aya; Mitsubuchi, Hiroshi; Miyazaki, Osamu; Kosaki, Rika; Horikawa, Reiko; Lai, Angeline; Mendoza-Londono, Roberto; Dupuis, Lucie; Chitayat, David; Howard, Andrew; Leal, Gabriela F; Cavalcanti, Denise; Tsurusaki, Yoshinori; Saitsu, Hirotomo; Watanabe, Shigehiko; Lausch, Ekkehart; Unger, Sheila; Bonafé, Luisa; Ohashi, Hirofumi; Superti-Furga, Andrea; Matsumoto, Naomichi; Sugahara, Kazuyuki; Nishimura, Gen; Ikegawa, Shiro

    2013-06-06

    Proteoglycans (PGs) are a major component of the extracellular matrix in many tissues and function as structural and regulatory molecules. PGs are composed of core proteins and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) side chains. The biosynthesis of GAGs starts with the linker region that consists of four sugar residues and is followed by repeating disaccharide units. By exome sequencing, we found that B3GALT6 encoding an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of the GAG linker region is responsible for a severe skeletal dysplasia, spondyloepimetaphyseal dysplasia with joint laxity type 1 (SEMD-JL1). B3GALT6 loss-of-function mutations were found in individuals with SEMD-JL1 from seven families. In a subsequent candidate gene study based on the phenotypic similarity, we found that B3GALT6 is also responsible for a connective tissue disease, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (progeroid form). Recessive loss-of-function mutations in B3GALT6 result in a spectrum of disorders affecting a broad range of skeletal and connective tissues characterized by lax skin, muscle hypotonia, joint dislocation, and spinal deformity. The pleiotropic phenotypes of the disorders indicate that B3GALT6 plays a critical role in a wide range of biological processes in various tissues, including skin, bone, cartilage, tendon, and ligament. Copyright © 2013 The American Society of Human Genetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. "Why throw away something useful?": Attitudes and opinions of people treated for bipolar disorder and their relatives on organ and tissue donation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padoan, Carolina S; Garcia, Lucas F; Rodrigues, Aline A; Patusco, Lucas M; Atz, Mariana V; Kapczinski, Flavio; Goldim, José R; Magalhães, Pedro V S

    2017-03-01

    In regard to mental illness, brain donation is essential for the biological investigation of central pathology. Nevertheless, little is known about the thoughts of people with mental disorders on tissue donation for research. Here, our objective was to understand the attitudes and opinions of people treated for bipolar disorder and their relatives regarding donation in general, and particularly donation for research. This is a qualitative study that used in-depth interviews to determine the thoughts of participants regarding tissue donation for research. Theoretical sampling was used as a recruitment method. Grounded theory was used as a framework for content analyses of the interviews. A semi-structured interview guide was applied with the topics: donation in general; donation for research; mental health and body organs; opinion regarding donation; feelings aroused by the topic. Although all participants were aware of organ donation for transplant, they were surprised that tissue could be donated for research. Nevertheless, once they understood the concept they were usually in favor of the idea. Although participants demonstrated a general lack of knowledge on donation for research, they were willing to learn more and viewed it as a good thing, with altruistic reasons often cited as a motive for donation. We speculate that bridging this knowledge gap may be a fundamental step towards a more ethical postmortem tissue donation process.

  1. Fuzzy set theory for cumulative trauma prediction

    OpenAIRE

    Fonseca, Daniel J.; Merritt, Thomas W.; Moynihan, Gary P.

    2001-01-01

    A widely used fuzzy reasoning algorithm was modified and implemented via an expert system to assess the potential risk of employee repetitive strain injury in the workplace. This fuzzy relational model, known as the Priority First Cover Algorithm (PFC), was adapted to describe the relationship between 12 cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) of the upper extremity, and 29 identified risk factors. The algorithm, which finds a suboptimal subset from a group of variables based on the criterion of...

  2. Comparison of Atmospheric Travel Distances of Several PAHs Calculated by Two Fate and Transport Models (The Tool and ELPOS with Experimental Values Derived from a Peat Bog Transect

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabine Thuens

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Multimedia fate and transport models are used to evaluate the long range transport potential (LRTP of organic pollutants, often by calculating their characteristic travel distance (CTD. We calculated the CTD of several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs and metals using two models: the OECD POV& LRTP Screening Tool (The Tool, and ELPOS. The absolute CTDs of PAHs estimated with the two models agree reasonably well for predominantly particle-bound congeners, while discrepancies are observed for more volatile congeners. We test the performance of the models by comparing the relative ranking of CTDs with the one of experimentally determined travel distances (ETDs. ETDs were estimated from historical deposition rates of pollutants to peat bogs in Eastern Canada. CTDs and ETDs of PAHs indicate a low LRTP. To eliminate the high influence on specific model assumptions and to emphasize the difference between the travel distances of single PAHs, ETDs and CTDs were analyzed relative to the travel distances of particle-bound compounds. The ETDs determined for PAHs, Cu, and Zn ranged from 173 to 321 km with relative uncertainties between 26% and 46%. The ETDs of two metals were shorter than those of the PAHs. For particle-bound PAHs the relative ETDs and CTDs were similar, while they differed for Chrysene.

  3. A boy with developmental delay, malformations, and evidence of a connective tissue disorder: possibly a new type of cutis laxa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armstrong, Linlea; Jimenez, Carmencita; Hunter, Alasdair G W

    2003-05-15

    We report a 7.5-year-old boy with loose translucent skin, aortic dilatation, hyperextensible veins, recurrent respiratory problems, pectus excavatum, arthralgias, lax joints, mild epiphyseal dysplasia, and umbilical and inguinal hernias. He also has developmental delay, progressive bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, an unusual facial appearance, terminal digit hypoplasia with unusual radiographic changes in some of the phalanges, glandular hypospadias, shawl scrotum, and undescended testes. Biochemical investigations, including electrophoresis of Types 1 and 3 procollagens and collagens, and quantification of serum copper and ceruloplasmin, are normal. Relative to age-matched control patients the electron micrographs of the boy's dermis show elastin fibers to be decreased in number, and abnormal in appearance, with a low matrix to microfibril ratio. The organ distribution of abnormalities and the nature of the findings suggest a connective tissue disorder. We contrast and compare this boy's phenotype to those of the classic connective tissue disorders. We conclude that he has cutis laxa with features that distinguish him from previously described types of cutis laxa. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  4. Chronic toxicity risk after radiotherapy for patients with systemic sclerosis (systemic scleroderma) or systemic lupus erythematosus: Association with connective tissue disorder severity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gold, Douglas G.; Miller, Robert C.; Pinn, Melva E.; Osborn, Thomas G.; Petersen, Ivy A.; Brown, Paul D.

    2008-01-01

    No method reliably identifies which patients with connective tissue disorders are at greatest risk of radiotherapy-related complications. Building on our prior experience, we postulated that disease severity, as measured by the number of organ systems involved, may predict chronic radiation toxicity risk

  5. Tissue-selective effects of nucleolar stress and rDNA damage in developmental disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calo, Eliezer; Gu, Bo; Bowen, Margot E; Aryan, Fardin; Zalc, Antoine; Liang, Jialiang; Flynn, Ryan A; Swigut, Tomek; Chang, Howard Y; Attardi, Laura D; Wysocka, Joanna

    2018-02-01

    Many craniofacial disorders are caused by heterozygous mutations in general regulators of housekeeping cellular functions such as transcription or ribosome biogenesis. Although it is understood that many of these malformations are a consequence of defects in cranial neural crest cells, a cell type that gives rise to most of the facial structures during embryogenesis, the mechanism underlying cell-type selectivity of these defects remains largely unknown. By exploring molecular functions of DDX21, a DEAD-box RNA helicase involved in control of both RNA polymerase (Pol) I- and II-dependent transcriptional arms of ribosome biogenesis, we uncovered a previously unappreciated mechanism linking nucleolar dysfunction, ribosomal DNA (rDNA) damage, and craniofacial malformations. Here we demonstrate that genetic perturbations associated with Treacher Collins syndrome, a craniofacial disorder caused by heterozygous mutations in components of the Pol I transcriptional machinery or its cofactor TCOF1 (ref. 1), lead to relocalization of DDX21 from the nucleolus to the nucleoplasm, its loss from the chromatin targets, as well as inhibition of rRNA processing and downregulation of ribosomal protein gene transcription. These effects are cell-type-selective, cell-autonomous, and involve activation of p53 tumour-suppressor protein. We further show that cranial neural crest cells are sensitized to p53-mediated apoptosis, but blocking DDX21 loss from the nucleolus and chromatin rescues both the susceptibility to apoptosis and the craniofacial phenotypes associated with Treacher Collins syndrome. This mechanism is not restricted to cranial neural crest cells, as blood formation is also hypersensitive to loss of DDX21 functions. Accordingly, ribosomal gene perturbations associated with Diamond-Blackfan anaemia disrupt DDX21 localization. At the molecular level, we demonstrate that impaired rRNA synthesis elicits a DNA damage response, and that rDNA damage results in tissue-selective and

  6. Using Critical Thinking Drills to Teach and Assess Proficiency in Methodological and Statistical Thinking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cascio, Ted V.

    2017-01-01

    This study assesses the effectiveness of critical thinking drills (CTDs), a repetitious classroom activity designed to improve methodological and statistical thinking in relation to psychological claims embedded in popular press articles. In each of four separate CTDs, students critically analyzed a brief article reporting a recent psychological…

  7. A Comparison of Urge Intensity and the Probability of Tic Completion During Tic Freely and Tic Suppression Conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Specht, Matt W; Nicotra, Cassandra M; Kelly, Laura M; Woods, Douglas W; Ricketts, Emily J; Perry-Parrish, Carisa; Reynolds, Elizabeth; Hankinson, Jessica; Grados, Marco A; Ostrander, Rick S; Walkup, John T

    2014-03-01

    Tic-suppression-based treatments (TSBTs) represent a safe and effective treatment option for Chronic Tic Disorders (CTDs). Prior research has demonstrated that treatment naive youths with CTDs have the capacity to safely and effectively suppress tics for prolonged periods. It remains unclear how tic suppression is achieved. The current study principally examines how effective suppression is achieved and preliminary correlates of the ability to suppress tics. Twelve youths, ages 10 to 17 years, with moderate-to-marked CTDs participated in an alternating sequence of tic freely and reinforced tic suppression conditions during which urge intensity and tic frequency were frequently assessed. Probability of tics occurring was half as likely following high-intensity urges during tic suppression (31%) in contrast to low-intensity urges during tic freely conditions (60%). Age was not associated with ability to suppress. Intelligence indices were associated with or trended toward greater ability to suppress tics. Attention difficulties were not associated with ability to suppress but were associated with tic severity. In contrast to our "selective suppression" hypothesis, we found participants equally capable of suppressing their tics regardless of urge intensity during reinforced tic suppression. Tic suppression was achieved with an "across-the-board" effort to resist urges. Preliminary data suggest that ability to suppress may be associated with general cognitive variables rather than age, tic severity, urge severity, and attention. Treatment naive youths appear to possess a capacity for robust tic suppression. TSBTs may bolster these capacities and/or enable their broader implementation, resulting in symptom improvement. © The Author(s) 2014.

  8. Association of serum KL-6 levels with interstitial lung disease in patients with connective tissue disease: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oguz, Ekin Oktay; Kucuksahin, Orhan; Turgay, Murat; Yildizgoren, Mustafa Turgut; Ates, Askin; Demir, Nalan; Kumbasar, Ozlem Ozdemir; Kinikli, Gulay; Duzgun, Nursen

    2016-03-01

    It was aimed to evaluate KL-6 glycoprotein levels to determine if it may be a diagnostic marker for the connective tissue diseases (CTDs) predicting CTD-related interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) (CTD-ILD) development and to examine if there was a difference between patients and healthy controls. The study included 113 patients with CTD (45 CTD without lung involvement, 68 CTD-ILD) and 45 healthy control subjects. KL-6 glycoprotein levels were analyzed with ELISA in patients and the control group. The relationship between KL-6 glycoprotein levels and CTD-ILD was assessed. In the comparison of all the groups in the study, significantly higher levels of KL-6 were determined in the CTD-ILD group than in either the CTD without pulmonary involvement group or the healthy control group (p connective tissue diseases in the diagnostic groups (systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, mixed connective tissue disease, scleroderma, polymyositis/ dermatomyositis). In the healthy control group, there was a statistically significant difference between KL-6 levels in smokers and non-smokers. Smokers had significantly higher serum KL-6 levels compared with non-smokers (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between smoking status (pack-year) and serum KL-6 levels. There was no statistically significant correlation between serum KL-6 levels and time since diagnosis of CTD and CTD-ILD. The level of KL-6 as a predictive factor could be used to identify the clinical development of ILD before it is detected on imaging modality. Further prospective clinical studies are needed to define whether levels of KL-6 might have prognostic value or might predict progressive ILD.

  9. Movement disorders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leenders, K.L.

    1986-01-01

    This thesis describes the measurement of brain-tissue functions in patients with movement disorders using positron emission tomography (PET). This scanning technique is a method for direct in vivo quantitation of the regional tissue content of positron emitting radionuclides in brain (or other organs) in an essentially non-invasive way. Ch. 2 outlines some general features of PET and describes the scanner which has been used for the studies in this thesis. Also the tracer methodology, as applied to data investigations of movement disorders, are discussed. Ch. 3 contains the results of the PET investigations which were performed in the study of movement disorders. The results are presented in the form of 12 papers. The main goals of these studies were the understanding of the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease, Huntington's chorea, Steele-Richardson-Olzewski syndrome and special case reports. Ch. 4 summarizes the results of these publications and Ch. 5 concludes the main part of this thesis with a general discussion of movement disorders in relation to PET investigations. 697 refs.; 60 figs.; 31 tabs

  10. Immunologic Endocrine Disorders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michels, Aaron W.; Eisenbarth, George S.

    2010-01-01

    Autoimmunity affects multiple glands in the endocrine system. Animal models and human studies highlight the importance of alleles in HLA (human leukocyte antigen)-like molecules determining tissue specific targeting that with the loss of tolerance leads to organ specific autoimmunity. Disorders such as type 1A diabetes, Grave's disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Addison's disease, and many others result from autoimmune mediated tissue destruction. Each of these disorders can be divided into stages beginning with genetic susceptibility, environmental triggers, active autoimmunity, and finally metabolic derangements with overt symptoms of disease. With an increased understanding of the immunogenetics and immunopathogenesis of endocrine autoimmune disorders, immunotherapies are becoming prevalent, especially in type 1A diabetes. Immunotherapies are being used more in multiple subspecialty fields to halt disease progression. While therapies for autoimmune disorders stop the progress of an immune response, immunomodulatory therapies for cancer and chronic infections can also provoke an unwanted immune response. As a result, there are now iatrogenic autoimmune disorders arising from the treatment of chronic viral infections and malignancies. PMID:20176260

  11. David valve-sparing aortic root replacement: equivalent mid-term outcome for different valve types with or without connective tissue disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kvitting, John-Peder Escobar; Kari, Fabian A; Fischbein, Michael P; Liang, David H; Beraud, Anne-Sophie; Stephens, Elizabeth H; Mitchell, R Scott; Miller, D Craig

    2013-01-01

    Although implicitly accepted by many that the durability of valve-sparing aortic root replacement in patients with bicuspid aortic valve disease and connective tissue disorders will be inferior, this hypothesis has not been rigorously investigated. From 1993 to 2009, 233 patients (27% bicuspid aortic valve, 40% Marfan syndrome) underwent Tirone David valve-sparing aortic root replacement. Follow-up averaged 4.7 ± 3.3 years (1102 patient-years). Freedom from adverse outcomes was determined using log-rank calculations. Survival at 5 and 10 years was 98.7% ± 0.7% and 93.5% ± 5.1%, respectively. Freedom from reoperation (all causes) on the aortic root was 92.2% ± 3.6% at 10 years; 3 reoperations were aortic valve replacement owing to structural valve deterioration. Freedom from structural valve deterioration at 10 years was 96.1% ± 2.1%. No significant differences were found in survival (P = .805, P = .793, respectively), reoperation (P = .179, P = .973, respectively), structural valve deterioration (P = .639, P = .982, respectively), or any other functional or clinical endpoints when patients were stratified by valve type (tricuspid aortic valve vs bicuspid aortic valve) or associated connective tissue disorder. At the latest echocardiographic follow-up (95% complete), 202 patients (94.8%) had none or trace aortic regurgitation, 10 (4.7%) mild, 0 had moderate to severe, and 1 (0.5%) had severe aortic regurgitation. Freedom from greater than 2+ aortic regurgitation at 10 years was 95.3% ± 2.5%. Six patients sustained acute type B aortic dissection (freedom at 10 years, 90.4% ± 5.0%). Tirone David reimplantation valve-sparing aortic root replacement in carefully selected young patients was associated with excellent clinical and echocardiographic outcome in patients with either a tricuspid aortic valve or bicuspid aortic valve. No demonstrable adverse influence was found for Marfan syndrome or connective tissue disorder on durability, clinical outcome

  12. Imaging of connective tissue diseases of the head and neck

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-01-01

    We review the imaging appearance of connective tissue diseases of the head and neck. Bilateral sialadenitis and dacryoadenitis are seen in Sjögren’s syndrome; ankylosis of the temporo-mandibular joint with sclerosis of the crico-arytenoid joint are reported in rheumatoid arthritis and lupus panniculitis with atypical infection are reported in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Relapsing polychondritis shows subglottic stenosis, prominent ear and saddle nose; progressive systemic sclerosis shows osteolysis of the mandible, fibrosis of the masseter muscle with calcinosis of the subcutaneous tissue and dermatomyositis/polymyositis shows condylar erosions and autoimmune thyroiditis. Vascular thrombosis is reported in antiphospholipid antibodies syndrome; cervical lymphadenopathy is seen in adult-onset Still’s disease, and neuropathy with thyroiditis reported in mixed connective tissue disorder. Imaging is important to detect associated malignancy with connective tissue disorders. Correlation of the imaging findings with demographic data and clinical findings are important for the diagnosis of connective tissue disorders. PMID:26988082

  13. Evaluation of Fibrin Sealants and Tissue Adhesives in Oral Surgery for Patients with Bleeding Disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gülsüm Ak

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of two local haemostatic agents administered together with preoperative dose of replacement therapy for oral surgical procedures in patients with bleeding disorders METHODS: Twenty-one patients were divided into three groups randomly. Patients in Group 1 (n=7 received preoperative replacement therapy with postoperative fibrin sealant application in the surgical site. Patients in Group 2 (n=7 received preoperative replacement therapy with postoperative tissue adhesive application in the surgical site. Patients in Group 3 (n=7 were given total dose of replacement therapy pre- and postoperatively. RESULTS: No postoperative bleeding was observed in 17 patients including five patients in Group 1 (71.42%, six patients in Group 2 (85.71% and six patients in Group 3 (85.71%. Haemorrhagic complication was observed in only four patients among all groups. CONCLUSION: We conclude that utilization of fibrin sealants and tissue adhesives in oral surgery is beneficial due to the lessened amount of factor concentrates used for replacement therapy and the rapid haemostasis at the operation side to perform serial surgical procedures in the same session.

  14. Smoking and Pulmonary Fibrosis: Novel Insights

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katerina D. Samara

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The relationship between smoking and pulmonary fibrosis is under debate and intense investigation. The aim of this paper is to review the existing literature and identify further areas of research interest. Recently the negative influence of cigarette smoking on IPF outcome was highlighted, as non-smokers exhibit a better survival than ex-smokers and combined current- and ex-smokers. In patients with non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP, a high prevalence of emphysema was recently demonstrated, providing an indirect support for a smoking pathogenetic hypothesis in NSIP. The coexistence of pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema has been extensively described in a syndrome termed combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE. Connective tissue disorders (CTDs are a group of autoimmune diseases which affect the lung, as one of the most common and severe manifestations. However, the relationship between smoking and autoimmune disorders is still conflicting. Rheumatoid arthritis results from the interaction between genetic and environmental factors, while the best established environmental factor is tobacco smoking. Smoking has also a negative impact on the response of the RA patients to treatment. The aforementioned smoking-related implications give rise to further research questions and certainly provide one more important reason for physicians to advocate smoking cessation and smoke-free environment.

  15. Connective Tissue Disorder-Associated Vasculitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Aman; Dhooria, Aadhaar; Aggarwal, Ashish; Rathi, Manish; Chandran, Vinod

    2016-06-01

    Vasculitides secondary to connective tissue diseases are classified under the category of 'vasculitis associated with systemic disease' in the revised International Chapel Hill Consensus Conference (CHCC) nomenclature. These secondary vasculitides may affect any of the small, medium or large vessels and usually portend a poor prognosis. Any organ system can be involved and the presentation would vary depending upon that involvement. Treatment depends upon the type and severity of presentation. In this review, we describe secondary vasculitis associated with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, sarcoidosis, relapsing polychondritis, systemic sclerosis, Sjogren's syndrome and idiopathic inflammatory myositis, focusing mainly on recent advances in the past 3 years.

  16. Interstitial lung disease in systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases: a comprehensive review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atzeni, Fabiola; Gerardi, Maria Chiara; Barilaro, Giuseppe; Masala, Ignazio Francesco; Benucci, Maurizio; Sarzi-Puttini, Piercarlo

    2018-01-01

    Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) are among the most serious complications associated with systemic rheumatic diseases, and lead to significant morbidity and mortality; they may also be the first manifestation of connective tissue diseases (CTDs). The aim of this narrative review is to summarise the data concerning the pathogenesis of CTD/ILD and its distinguishing features in different rheumatic diseseas. Areas covered: The pathogenesis, clinical aspects and treatment of ILD associated with rheumatic systemic diseases and CTDs were reviewed by searching the PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane Library databases for papers published between 1995 and February 2017 using combinations of words or terms. Articles not written in English were excluded. Expert commentary: The management of CTD-ILD is challenging because of the lack of robust data regarding the treatments used, the heterogeneity of the diseases themselves, and the scarcity of well-defined outcome measures. Treatment decisions are often made clinically on the basis of functional, radiographic progression, and exacerbating factors such as age and the burden of comorbidities. Given the complexities of diagnosis and the paucity of treatment trials, the management of CTD patients with ILD requires multidisciplinary collaboration between rheumatologists and pulmonologists in CTD-ILD clinics.

  17. Adipose Tissue Biology: An Update Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Meiliana

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Obesity is a major health problem in most countries in the world today. It increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver and some form of cancer. Adipose tissue biology is currently one of the “hot” areas of biomedical science, as fundamental for the development of novel therapeutics for obesity and its related disorders.CONTENT: Adipose tissue consist predominantly of adipocytes, adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs, vascular endothelial cells, pericytes, fibroblast, macrophages, and extracellular matrix. Adipose tissue metabolism is extremely dynamic, and the supply of and removal of substrates in the blood is acutely regulated according to the nutritional state. Adipose tissue possesses the ability to a very large extent to modulate its own metabolic activities including differentiation of new adipocytes and production of blood vessels as necessary to accommodate increasing fat stores. At the same time, adipocytes signal to other tissue to regulate their energy metabolism in accordance with the body's nutritional state. Ultimately adipocyte fat stores have to match the body's overall surplus or deficit of energy. Obesity causes adipose tissue dysfunction and results in obesity-related disorders. SUMMARY: It is now clear that adipose tissue is a complex and highly active metabolic and endocrine organ. Undestanding the molecular mechanisms underlying obesity and its associated disease cluster is also of great significance as the need for new and more effective therapeutic strategies is more urgent than ever.  KEYWORDS: obesity, adipocyte, adipose, tissue, adipogenesis, angiogenesis, lipid droplet, lipolysis, plasticity, dysfunction.

  18. Magnetic resonance temporal diffusion tensor spectroscopy of disordered anisotropic tissue

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Jonathan Scharff; Dyrby, Tim B; Lundell, Henrik

    2018-01-01

    Molecular diffusion measured with diffusion weighted MRI (DWI) offers a probe for tissue microstructure. However, inferring microstructural properties from conventional DWI data is a complex inverse problem and has to account for heterogeneity in sizes, shapes and orientations of the tissue...

  19. Protein Profiling of Preeclampsia Placental Tissues

    OpenAIRE

    Shu, Chang; Liu, Zitao; Cui, Lifeng; Wei, Chengguo; Wang, Shuwen; Tang, Jian Jenny; Cui, Miao; Lian, Guodong; Li, Wei; Liu, Xiufen; Xu, Hongmei; Jiang, Jing; Lee, Peng; Zhang, David Y.; He, Jin

    2014-01-01

    Preeclampsia is a multi-system disorder involved in pregnancy without an effective treatment except delivery. The precise pathogenesis of this complicated disorder is still not completely understood. The objective of this study is to evaluate the alterations of protein expression and phosphorylations that are important in regulating placental cell function in preterm and term preeclampsia. Using the Protein Pathway Array, 38 proteins in placental tissues were found to be differentially expres...

  20. A Historical Analysis of the Quest for the Origins of Aging Macula Disorder, the Tissues Involved, and Its Terminology

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Jong, Paulus T.V.M.

    2016-01-01

    Although ocular tissues involved in aging macula disorder (AMD) were already known in 300 BC, the last type of photoreceptors was discovered only 10 years ago. The earliest descriptions of AMD appeared around 1850. It took over 150 years, till a clearer concept of AMD was formulated and even longer to grasp its pathophysiology. The uncertainty of researchers about the pathogenesis of AMD over the last century is reflected in its changing terminology. The evolution of this terminology is provided in a table to afford the reader a better insight into explanations proposed by researchers during this quest. PMID:27812291

  1. The importance of brain banks for molecular neuropathological research: The New South Wales Tissue Resource Centre experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dedova, Irina; Harding, Antony; Sheedy, Donna; Garrick, Therese; Sundqvist, Nina; Hunt, Clare; Gillies, Juliette; Harper, Clive G

    2009-01-01

    New developments in molecular neuropathology have evoked increased demands for postmortem human brain tissue. The New South Wales Tissue Resource Centre (TRC) at The University of Sydney has grown from a small tissue collection into one of the leading international brain banking facilities, which operates with best practice and quality control protocols. The focus of this tissue collection is on schizophrenia and allied disorders, alcohol use disorders and controls. This review highlights changes in TRC operational procedures dictated by modern neuroscience, and provides examples of applications of modern molecular techniques to study the neuropathogenesis of many different brain disorders.

  2. Tissue Engineering of the Penis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manish N. Patel

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Congenital disorders, cancer, trauma, or other conditions of the genitourinary tract can lead to significant organ damage or loss of function, necessitating eventual reconstruction or replacement of the damaged structures. However, current reconstructive techniques are limited by issues of tissue availability and compatibility. Physicians and scientists have begun to explore tissue engineering and regenerative medicine strategies for repair and reconstruction of the genitourinary tract. Tissue engineering allows the development of biological substitutes which could potentially restore normal function. Tissue engineering efforts designed to treat or replace most organs are currently being undertaken. Most of these efforts have occurred within the past decade. However, before these engineering techniques can be applied to humans, further studies are needed to ensure the safety and efficacy of these new materials. Recent progress suggests that engineered urologic tissues and cell therapy may soon have clinical applicability.

  3. Ergonomic risks in mask manufacturing and methods to combat them

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gardner, Larry; Strott, Al

    1995-12-01

    A growing concern throughout the world is the increasing occurrence of cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) or repetitive motion injuries. Countries worldwide are struggling over the correct way to respond to the legal aspects of the problem, given the difficulty of root cause identification of the injury. The mask industry is no exception to this. Some companies may not be aware of the problem. Some companies may be aware, but not concerned. The reality is, however, that the problem exists and should not be ignored. Eventually, regulatory agencies such as OSHA, will take a position or stance on recognition of this as an injury status making it impossible to ignore. Companies who have not been proactive in the prevention of ergonomic injuries may find themselves in a crisis reactive mode that may cost them thousands of unplanned dollars. In this paper, we expand on the awareness of CTDs as a growing problem. We also share the actions that Intel is taking to address this problem. It is the authors' hope that the awareness and sharing presented in this paper will result in the sharing of experiences among the mask suppliers, so that we can all be successful in addressing this challenging issue.

  4. A Cluster Analysis of Tic Symptoms in Children and Adults with Tourette Syndrome: Clinical Correlates and Treatment Outcome

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGuire, Joseph F.; Nyirabahizi, Epiphanie; Kircanski, Katharina; Piacentini, John; Peterson, Alan L.; Woods, Douglas W.; Wilhelm, Sabine; Walkup, John T.; Scahill, Lawrence

    2013-01-01

    Cluster analytic methods have examined the symptom presentation of chronic tic disorders (CTDs), with limited agreement across studies. The present study investigated patterns, clinical correlates, and treatment outcome of tic symptoms. 239 youth and adults with CTDs completed a battery of assessments at baseline to determine diagnoses, tic severity, and clinical characteristics. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT) or psychoeducation and supportive therapy (PST). A cluster analysis was conducted on the baseline Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) symptom checklist to identify the constellations of tic symptoms. Four tic clusters were identified: Impulse Control and Complex Phonic Tics; Complex Motor Tics; Simple Head Motor/Vocal Tics; and Primarily Simple Motor Tics. Frequencies of tic symptoms showed few differences across youth and adults. Tic clusters had small associations with clinical characteristics and showed no associations to the presence of coexisting psychiatric conditions. Cluster membership scores did not predict treatment response to CBIT or tic severity reductions. Tic symptoms distinctly cluster with few difference across youth and adults, or coexisting conditions. This study, which is the first to examine tic clusters in relation to treatment, suggested that tic symptom profiles respond equally well to CBIT. PMID:24144615

  5. Utility of bone scintigraphy in the study of hereditary disorders of the connective tissues (HDCT)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bravo, J.F; Arteaga M P; Coelho, L

    2003-01-01

    Introduction: Collagen fiber genetic alterations predispose to pain and instability of joints, with a tendency to osteoarthritis, and may also cause fragility of other tissues. Objective: To demonstrate that Bone Scintigraphy is useful in the diagnosis of Heritable Disorders of Connective Tissues (HDCT). Material and methods: We studied the scintigraphic changes of wrists, carpal bones and hands of 22 adult patients with HDCT who were diagnosed clinically using both the Brighton Criteria(1), as well as own criteria**. We compared them to 22 controls with similar age and sex, who had a bone scintigram done for other purposes. Results: Statistically significant scintigraphic positivity was found in the areas studied in the patients as compared to controls (p ≤ 0.05), with a sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 73%. There was no correlation of the degree of positivity with age, sex or type of HDCT studied. A scintigraphic positivity was seen both in patients with lax joints, as well as in those with a lesser degree of joint mobility. Conclusions: We concluded that bone scintigraphic studies are useful in the diagnosis of adult HDCT patients (including Benign Joint Hyper mobility Syndrome (BJHS) and other forms of Ehlers-Danlos). We suggest that not only hypermobility of joints, but also cartilage fragility are important pathogenic factors in the genesis of these alterations. We formulate a new hypothesis of the importance of low folic acid intake during pregnancy, as a cause for mutations that would give rise to HDCT (Au)

  6. Utility of bone scintigraphy in the study of hereditary disorders of the connective tissues (HDCT)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bravo, J F; P, Arteaga M; Coelho, L [Departments of Rheumatology and Nuclear Medicine. Clinica Arauco. Santiago (Chile)

    2003-10-01

    Introduction: Collagen fiber genetic alterations predispose to pain and instability of joints, with a tendency to osteoarthritis, and may also cause fragility of other tissues. Objective: To demonstrate that Bone Scintigraphy is useful in the diagnosis of Heritable Disorders of Connective Tissues (HDCT). Material and methods: We studied the scintigraphic changes of wrists, carpal bones and hands of 22 adult patients with HDCT who were diagnosed clinically using both the Brighton Criteria(1), as well as own criteria**. We compared them to 22 controls with similar age and sex, who had a bone scintigram done for other purposes. Results: Statistically significant scintigraphic positivity was found in the areas studied in the patients as compared to controls (p {<=} 0.05), with a sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 73%. There was no correlation of the degree of positivity with age, sex or type of HDCT studied. A scintigraphic positivity was seen both in patients with lax joints, as well as in those with a lesser degree of joint mobility. Conclusions: We concluded that bone scintigraphic studies are useful in the diagnosis of adult HDCT patients (including Benign Joint Hyper mobility Syndrome (BJHS) and other forms of Ehlers-Danlos). We suggest that not only hypermobility of joints, but also cartilage fragility are important pathogenic factors in the genesis of these alterations. We formulate a new hypothesis of the importance of low folic acid intake during pregnancy, as a cause for mutations that would give rise to HDCT (Au)

  7. Genetics of ischaemic stroke; single gene disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flossmann, Enrico

    2006-08-01

    Examples of single gene disorders have been described for all major subtypes of ischaemic stroke: accelerated atherosclerosis and subsequent thrombo-embolism (e.g. homocysteinuria), weakening of connective tissue resulting in arterial dissections (e.g. Ehler-Danlos type IV), disorders of cerebral small vessels (e.g. cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy and the collagen COL4A1 mutation), disorders increasing the thrombogenic potential of the heart through affecting the myocardium or the heart valves or through disturbance of the heart rhythm (e.g. hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), mitochondrial cytopathies increasing cerebral tissue susceptibility to insults (e.g. mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes), and finally disorders of coagulation that can either directly cause stroke or act synergistically with the aforementioned abnormalities (e.g. sickle cell disease). Most of these disorders are rare but they are important to consider particularly in young patients with stroke, those with a family history or those who have other characteristics of a particular syndrome.

  8. Connective Tissue Degeneration: Mechanisms of Palmar Fascia Degeneration (Dupuytren's Disease)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Karkampouna, S.; Kreulen, M.; Obdeijn, M. C.; Kloen, P.; Dorjée, A. L.; Rivellese, F.; Chojnowski, A.; Clark, I.; Kruithof-de Julio, Marianna

    2016-01-01

    Dupuytren's disease is a connective tissue disorder of the hand causing excessive palmar fascial fibrosis with associated finger contracture and disability. The aetiology of the disease is heterogeneous, with both genetic and environmental components. The connective tissue is abnormally infiltrated

  9. Introduction to regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoltz, J-F; Decot, V; Huseltein, C; He, X; Zhang, L; Magdalou, J; Li, Y P; Menu, P; Li, N; Wang, Y Y; de Isla, N; Bensoussan, D

    2012-01-01

    Human tissues don't regenerate spontaneously, explaining why regenerative medicine and cell therapy represent a promising alternative treatment (autologous cells or stem cells of different origins). The principle is simple: cells are collected, expanded and introduced with or without modification into injured tissues or organs. Among middle-term therapeutic applications, cartilage defects, bone repair, cardiac insufficiency, burns, liver or bladder, neurodegenerative disorders could be considered.

  10. White matter abnormalities in skin picking disorder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grant, Jon E; Odlaug, Brian Lawrence; Hampshire, Adam

    2013-01-01

    Skin picking disorder (SPD) is characterized by the repetitive and compulsive picking of skin, resulting in tissue damage. Neurocognitive findings in SPD implicate difficulty with response inhibition (suppression of pre-potent motor responses). This function is dependent on the integrity of the r......Skin picking disorder (SPD) is characterized by the repetitive and compulsive picking of skin, resulting in tissue damage. Neurocognitive findings in SPD implicate difficulty with response inhibition (suppression of pre-potent motor responses). This function is dependent on the integrity...... remarkably similar to those previously reported in trichotillomania. This study adds considerable support to the notion that-in addition to the phenomenological and comorbid overlap between SPD and trichotillomania-these disorders likely share overlapping neurobiology....

  11. An analysis of the clinical features of lung cancer in patients with connective tissue diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saijo, Atsuro; Hanibuchi, Masaki; Goto, Hisatsugu; Toyoda, Yuko; Tezuka, Toshifumi; Nishioka, Yasuhiko

    2017-03-01

    Patients with connective tissue diseases (CTDs) are at increased risk for lung cancer (LC); interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common form of organ dysfunction in cases of CTD. However, the influence of ILD on the treatment and prognosis in LC patients with CTD is unclear. Between January 2010 and December 2014, 27 patients among all patients with CTD at our institution were diagnosed with primary LC. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical features, treatment modalities, and outcomes of these patients, and evaluated the potential prognostic factors. Forty-four LC patients without CTD were also analyzed as a control cohort. LC patients with CTD had a significantly higher incidence of ILD as a complication compared with those without CTD (52% and 14%, respectively). CTD-associated ILD (CTD-ILD) at diagnosis was associated with significantly worse survival in LC patients with CTD. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the complication of CTD-ILD was an independent poor prognostic factor in LC patients with CTD. The incidence of acute exacerbation (AE) of CTD-ILD was 21% among LC patients with CTD, and all of these patients died despite intensive treatment including high-dose corticosteroids. The restrictions in curative therapy for LC due to the presence of ILD and AE of CTD-ILD were thought to be the major reasons for the poor outcome. LC patients with CTD had a high prevalence of ILD, and the presence of CTD-ILD was significantly associated with poor prognosis. Copyright © 2017 The Japanese Respiratory Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Diseases and disorders of muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pearson, A M; Young, R B

    1993-01-01

    periodic paralysis, and malignant hyperexia). Diseases of the connective tissues discussed include those of nutritional origin (scurvy, lathyrism, starvation, and protein deficiency), the genetic diseases (dermatosparaxis, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, Marfan syndrome, homocystinuria, alcaptonuria, epidermolysis bullosa, rheumatoid arthritis in humans, polyarthritis in swine, Aleutian disease of mink, and the several types of systemic lupus erythematosus) and the acquired diseases of connective tissues (abnormal calcification, systemic sclerosis, interstitial lung disease, hepatic fibrosis, and carcinomas of the connective tissues). Several of the diseases of connective tissues may prove to be useful models for determining the relationship of collagen to meat tenderness and its other physical properties. Several other promising models for studying the nutrition-related disorders and the quality-related characteristics of meat are also reviewed.

  13. Brain–gut–adipose-tissue communication pathways at a glance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chun-Xia Yi

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available One of the ‘side effects’ of our modern lifestyle is a range of metabolic diseases: the incidence of obesity, type 2 diabetes and associated cardiovascular diseases has grown to pandemic proportions. This increase, which shows no sign of reversing course, has occurred despite education and new treatment options, and is largely due to a lack of knowledge about the precise pathology and etiology of metabolic disorders. Accumulating evidence suggests that the communication pathways linking the brain, gut and adipose tissue might be promising intervention points for metabolic disorders. To maintain energy homeostasis, the brain must tightly monitor the peripheral energy state. This monitoring is also extremely important for the brain’s survival, because the brain does not store energy but depends solely on a continuous supply of nutrients from the general circulation. Two major groups of metabolic inputs inform the brain about the peripheral energy state: short-term signals produced by the gut system and long-term signals produced by adipose tissue. After central integration of these inputs, the brain generates neuronal and hormonal outputs to balance energy intake with expenditure. Miscommunication between the gut, brain and adipose tissue, or the degradation of input signals once inside the brain, lead to the brain misunderstanding the peripheral energy state. Under certain circumstances, the brain responds to this miscommunication by increasing energy intake and production, eventually causing metabolic disorders. This poster article overviews current knowledge about communication pathways between the brain, gut and adipose tissue, and discusses potential research directions that might lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying metabolic disorders.

  14. Cryobanking of human ovarian tissue

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ernst, Erik; Andersen, Anders Nyboe; Andersen, Claus Yding

    2014-01-01

    Cryopreservation of ovarian tissue is one way of preserving fertility in young women with a malignant disease or other disorders that require gonadotoxic treatment. The purpose of the study was to explore how many women remained interested in continued cryostorage of their ovarian tissue beyond...... an initial 5-year period. Between 1999 and 2006, a total of 201 girls and young women had one ovary cryopreserved for fertility preservation in Denmark. One hundred of these met our inclusion criteria, which included a follow-up period of at least 5 years, and were mailed a questionnaire. The response rate...... women with ovarian tissue cryobanked requested continued cryostorage after an initial period of at least 5 years. The main reason for requesting disposal was successful completion of a family....

  15. [Sleep disorder and lifestyle-related disease].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shibata, Rei; Murohara, Toyoaki

    2015-06-01

    Sleep disorder is associated with the lifestyle-related diseases including obesity, insulin resistance and atherosclerosis. Adipose tissue functions as an endocrine organ by producing bioactive secretory proteins, also known as adipokines, that can directly act on nearby or remote organs. Recently, the associations between these adipokines and sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea have been reported. In this review, we focus on the relationship between sleep disorder and lifestyle-related diseases.

  16. The Adipose Tissue in Farm Animals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sauerwein, Helga; Bendixen, Emoke; Restelli, Laura

    2014-01-01

    and immune cells. The scientific interest in adipose tissue is largely based on the worldwide increasing prevalence of obesity in humans; in contrast, obesity is hardly an issue for farmed animals that are fed according to their well-defined needs. Adipose tissue is nevertheless of major importance...... in these animals, as the adipose percentage of the bodyweight is a major determinant for the efficiency of transferring nutrients from feed into food products and thus for the economic value from meat producing animals. In dairy animals, the importance of adipose tissue is based on its function as stromal...... and metabolic disorders. We herein provide a general overview of adipose tissue functions and its importance in farm animals. This review will summarize recent achievements in farm animal adipose tissue proteomics, mainly in cattle and pigs, but also in poultry, i.e. chicken and in farmed fish. Proteomics...

  17. Eating disorder emergencies: understanding the medical complexities of the hospitalized eating disordered patient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cartwright, Martina M

    2004-12-01

    Eating disorders are maladaptive eating behaviors that typically develop in adolescence and early adulthood. Psychiatric maladies and comorbid conditions, especially insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, frequently co-exist with eating disorders. Serious medical complications affecting all organs and tissues can develop and result in numerous emergent hospitalizations. This article reviews the pathophysiologies of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and orthorexia nervosa and discusses the complexities associated with the treatment of medical complications seen in these patients.

  18. A cluster analysis of tic symptoms in children and adults with Tourette syndrome: clinical correlates and treatment outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGuire, Joseph F; Nyirabahizi, Epiphanie; Kircanski, Katharina; Piacentini, John; Peterson, Alan L; Woods, Douglas W; Wilhelm, Sabine; Walkup, John T; Scahill, Lawrence

    2013-12-30

    Cluster analytic methods have examined the symptom presentation of chronic tic disorders (CTDs), with limited agreement across studies. The present study investigated patterns, clinical correlates, and treatment outcome of tic symptoms. 239 youth and adults with CTDs completed a battery of assessments at baseline to determine diagnoses, tic severity, and clinical characteristics. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT) or psychoeducation and supportive therapy (PST). A cluster analysis was conducted on the baseline Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) symptom checklist to identify the constellations of tic symptoms. Four tic clusters were identified: Impulse Control and Complex Phonic Tics; Complex Motor Tics; Simple Head Motor/Vocal Tics; and Primarily Simple Motor Tics. Frequencies of tic symptoms showed few differences across youth and adults. Tic clusters had small associations with clinical characteristics and showed no associations to the presence of coexisting psychiatric conditions. Cluster membership scores did not predict treatment response to CBIT or tic severity reductions. Tic symptoms distinctly cluster with little difference across youth and adults, or coexisting conditions. This study, which is the first to examine tic clusters and response to treatment, suggested that tic symptom profiles respond equally well to CBIT. Clinical trials.gov. identifiers: NCT00218777; NCT00231985. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Prenatal irradiation and developmental disorders of the brain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kameyama, Yoshiro

    1987-01-01

    The radiation sensitivity of the brain of a growing fetus is higher than that of other organs and tissues. Of the various organs in the human body, the brain has the most complicated structure. The major features of developmental disorders of the brain, which are produced rather easily by external causes, are: (a) the sensitive period for developmental disorders is long, (b) undifferentiated nerve cells are sensitive to external causes and (c) such disorders leads to irreversible functional failures after birth. The malformation of the brain and its relations with the sensitivity are briefly described. Experiments with prenatal animals have shown that major developmental disorders of brain tissue include death of undifferentiated cells, lack of constituent neurons and disturbance in structure of the cortex, and that typical developmental abnormalities include dysgenetic hydrocephaly, microcephalia, etc. Teratological features of histogenetic disorders of the brain are then briefly outlined. Various experimental results on these and other disorders caused by radiations are presented and discussed. Data on fetuses exposed to radiations at Hiroshima and Nagasaki are also given and discussed. The last section of the report deals with risk evaluation. (Nogami, K.)

  20. GeneAnalytics Pathway Analysis and Genetic Overlap among Autism Spectrum Disorder, Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naveen S. Khanzada

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Bipolar disorder (BPD and schizophrenia (SCH show similar neuropsychiatric behavioral disturbances, including impaired social interaction and communication, seen in autism spectrum disorder (ASD with multiple overlapping genetic and environmental influences implicated in risk and course of illness. GeneAnalytics software was used for pathway analysis and genetic profiling to characterize common susceptibility genes obtained from published lists for ASD (792 genes, BPD (290 genes and SCH (560 genes. Rank scores were derived from the number and nature of overlapping genes, gene-disease association, tissue specificity and gene functions subdivided into categories (e.g., diseases, tissues or functional pathways. Twenty-three genes were common to all three disorders and mapped to nine biological Superpathways including Circadian entrainment (10 genes, score = 37.0, Amphetamine addiction (five genes, score = 24.2, and Sudden infant death syndrome (six genes, score = 24.1. Brain tissues included the medulla oblongata (11 genes, score = 2.1, thalamus (10 genes, score = 2.0 and hypothalamus (nine genes, score = 2.0 with six common genes (BDNF, DRD2, CHRNA7, HTR2A, SLC6A3, and TPH2. Overlapping genes impacted dopamine and serotonin homeostasis and signal transduction pathways, impacting mood, behavior and physical activity level. Converging effects on pathways governing circadian rhythms support a core etiological relationship between neuropsychiatric illnesses and sleep disruption with hypoxia and central brain stem dysfunction.

  1. Skin Picking Disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pinar Cetinay Aydin

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Skin picking disorder is not a dermatological disorder and it is a table characterized with picking skin excessively and repetitively, leading to damage in skin tissue. Unlike normal picking behaviour, psychogenic skin picking is repetitive and it can lead to severe damage in the skin and even complications which constitute vital danger. While some patients define frequent but short lasting picking attacks, others define rarer attacks which last a few hours. Skin picking disorder, which is not included in the classification systems up to DSM-5 as a separate diagnosis category, is included as an independent diagnosis in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Associated Disorders category in DSM-5. In case reports, open label studies and double blind studies selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are shown to be effective in the treatment of skin picking disorder. Mostly, cognitive-behaviourial techniques are used and have been proven to be useful in psychotherapy. Habit reversal is one of the behaviourial techniques which are frequently applied, give positive results in which well-being state can be maintained. [Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry 2014; 6(4.000: 401-428

  2. The First Korean Case of Cutaneous Lung Tissue Heterotopia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeon, Ga Won; Han, Seong Woo; Jung, Ji Mi; Kang, Mi Seon

    2010-01-01

    Cutaneous lung tissue heterotopia is a very rare disorder where mature lung tissues develop in the skin. This is only the second known report of cutaneous lung tissue heterotopia, with the first by Singer et al. in 1998. A newborn infant had a hemangioma-like, freely movable mass connected to the anterior aspect of the sternal manubrium. Pathologic findings showed mature lung tissues with bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli through the dermis and subcutis, and it was diagnosed as cutaneous lung tissue heterotopia. Cutaneous lung tissue heterotopia is hypervascular, so grossly it looks like a hemangioma. It can be differentiated from pulmonary sequestration, teratoma, bronchogenic cyst, and branchial cleft cyst by histology and the location of the mass. We describe the clinical, radiologic, and pathologic findings of a cutaneous lung tissue heterotopia, the first reported in Korea. PMID:20808688

  3. Tissue engineering in dentistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abou Neel, Ensanya Ali; Chrzanowski, Wojciech; Salih, Vehid M; Kim, Hae-Won; Knowles, Jonathan C

    2014-08-01

    of this review is to inform practitioners with the most updated information on tissue engineering and its potential applications in dentistry. The authors used "PUBMED" to find relevant literature written in English and published from the beginning of tissue engineering until today. A combination of keywords was used as the search terms e.g., "tissue engineering", "approaches", "strategies" "dentistry", "dental stem cells", "dentino-pulp complex", "guided tissue regeneration", "whole tooth", "TMJ", "condyle", "salivary glands", and "oral mucosa". Abstracts and full text articles were used to identify causes of craniofacial tissue loss, different approaches for craniofacial reconstructions, how the tissue engineering emerges, different strategies of tissue engineering, biomaterials employed for this purpose, the major attempts to engineer different dental structures, finally challenges and future of tissue engineering in dentistry. Only those articles that dealt with the tissue engineering in dentistry were selected. There have been a recent surge in guided tissue engineering methods to manage periodontal diseases beyond the traditional approaches. However, the predictable reconstruction of the innate organisation and function of whole teeth as well as their periodontal structures remains challenging. Despite some limited progress and minor successes, there remain distinct and important challenges in the development of reproducible and clinically safe approaches for oral tissue repair and regeneration. Clearly, there is a convincing body of evidence which confirms the need for this type of treatment, and public health data worldwide indicates a more than adequate patient resource. The future of these therapies involving more biological approaches and the use of dental tissue stem cells is promising and advancing. Also there may be a significant interest of their application and wider potential to treat disorders beyond the craniofacial region. Considering the

  4. Dysregulated homeostasis of target tissues or autoantigens - A novel principle in autoimmunity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petersen, Frank; Yue, Xiaoyang; Riemekasten, Gabriela; Yu, Xinhua

    2017-06-01

    Monogenic autoimmune disorders provide a powerful tool for our understanding of the principles of autoimmunity due to the obvious impact of a single gene on the disease. So far, approximately 100 single gene defects causing murine monogenic autoimmune disorders have been reported and the functional characterization of these genes will provide significant progress in understanding the nature of autoimmunity. According to their function, genes leading to monogenic autoimmune disorders can be categorized into two groups. An expectable first group contains genes involved in the homeostasis of the immune system, including homeostasis of immune organs and immune cells. Intriguingly, the second group consists of genes functionally involved in the homeostasis of target tissues or autoantigens. According to our novel hypothesis, we propose that autoimmunity represents a consequence of a dysregulated homeostasis of the immune system and/or its targets including autoantigens and target tissues. In this review we refer to both aspects of homeostasis in autoimmunity with a highlight on the role of the homeostasis of target tissues and autoantigens. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Metabolic disorders in adipocytokine imbalance and gestational complications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natalya B. Chabanova

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Adipose tissue as an endocrine organ synthesizes a large number of biologically active substances, adipocytokines, which have both local and systemic effects influencing the vascular wall, tissue sensitivity to insulin, glucose metabolism, and systemic inflammation. The data obtained from clinical and experimental studies demonstrate the close relationship between the imbalance of adipocytokines and pregnancy complications such as insulin resistance, gestational diabetes, and preeclampsia. In this connection, close attention of obstetrician-gynecologists and endocrinologists is focused on etiopathogenic aspects of the formation of gestational complications with metabolic disorders caused by an imbalance of adipocytokines with maternal obesity and to the search for markers of these disorders. The review presents the current literature data on adipose tissue hormones and their influence on the course of a gestational process.

  6. Chromatin immunoprecipitation improvements for the processing of small frozen pieces of adipose tissue.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Castellano-Castillo

    Full Text Available Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP has gained importance to identify links between the genome and the proteome. Adipose tissue has emerged as an active tissue, which secretes a wide range of molecules that have been related to metabolic and obesity-related disorders, such as diabetes, cardiovascular failure, metabolic syndrome, or cancer. In turn, epigenetics has raised the importance in discerning the possible relationship between metabolic disorders, lifestyle and environment. However, ChIP application in human adipose tissue is limited by several factors, such as sample size, frozen sample availability, high lipid content and cellular composition of the tissue. Here, we optimize the standard protocol of ChIP for small pieces of frozen human adipose tissue. In addition, we test ChIP for the histone mark H3K4m3, which is related to active promoters, and validate the performance of the ChIP by analyzing gene promoters for factors usually studied in adipose tissue using qPCR. Our improvements result in a higher performance in chromatin shearing and DNA recovery of adipocytes from the tissue, which may be useful for ChIP-qPCR or ChIP-seq analysis.

  7. Role of tissue-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in psychological stress and depression

    OpenAIRE

    Tsai, Shih-Jen

    2017-01-01

    Major depressive disorder is a common illness worldwide, but the pathogenesis of the disorder remains incompletely understood. The tissue-type plasminogen activator-plasminogen proteolytic cascade is highly expressed in the brain regions involved in mood regulation and neuroplasticity. Accumulating evidence from animal and human studies suggests that tissue-type plasminogen activator and its chief inhibitor, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, are related to stress reaction and depression. Fur...

  8. Eggshell membrane: A possible new natural therapeutic for joint and connective tissue disorders. Results from two open-label human clinical studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kevin J Ruff

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Kevin J Ruff1, Dale P DeVore2, Michael D Leu3, Mark A Robinson41ESM Technologies, LLC, Carthage, MO, USA; 2Membrell, LLC, Carthage, MO, USA; 3Private Practice, Jenks, OK, USA; 4Robinson Family Health Center, Carthage, MO, USABackground: Natural Eggshell Membrane (NEM® is a novel dietary supplement that contains naturally occurring glycosaminoglycans and proteins essential for maintaining healthy joint and connective tissues. Two single center, open-label human clinical studies were conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of NEM® as a treatment for pain and inflexibility associated with joint and connective tissue disorders. Methods: Eleven (single-arm trial and 28 (double-arm trial patients received oral NEM® 500 mg once daily for four weeks. The primary outcome measure was to evaluate the change in general pain associated with the treatment joints/areas (both studies. In the single-arm trial, range of motion (ROM and related ROM-associated pain was also evaluated. The primary treatment response endpoints were at seven and 30 days. Both clinical assessments were performed on the intent-to-treat (ITT population within each study.Results: Single-arm trial: Supplementation with NEM® produced a significant treatment response at seven days for flexibility (27.8% increase; P = 0.038 and at 30 days for general pain (72.5% reduction; P = 0.007, flexibility (43.7% increase; P = 0.006, and ROM-associated pain (75.9% reduction; P = 0.021. Double-arm trial: Supplementation with NEM® produced a significant treatment response for pain at seven days for both treatment arms (X: 18.4% reduction; P = 0.021. Y: 31.3% reduction; P = 0.014. There was no clinically meaningful difference between treatment arms at seven days, so the Y arm crossed over to the X formulation for the remainder of the study. The significant treatment response continued through 30 days for pain (30.2% reduction; P = 0.0001. There were no adverse events reported during either

  9. Temporomandibular disorders and bruxism. Part I.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kevilj, R; Mehulic, K; Dundjer, A

    2007-01-01

    Correct functioning of the entire stomatognathic system is achieved by a compatible relationship of all its parts. Four determinants, by their mutual harmonious activity, dictate the function of the entire system: the teeth, periodontium with supporting structure, muscles, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and CNS. In such a complex system a disorder of any integrative part causes disturbances also in other parts of the system. Changed functions can arise through organic disorder, and also iatrogenically by inadequate conservative, prosthetic, surgical or orthodontic therapy. For this reason it is often difficult to recognise the primary cause. The first responses of the system to the disorder are adaptive mechanisms which occur within one or more integrative parts, and depending on their intensity and duration symptoms grow more prominent. Tissue response can be ortho- or parafunctional. Attempts are made to exclude psychoemotional influences and the obstacle eliminated by either abrasion, clenching or grinding of the teeth. If the obstacle is not eliminated by abrasion, the cause of such functional disorder becomes the trigger for parafunctional activity. From a review of the relevant literature it can be concluded that parafunctional activity is caused by changed occlusion, with determined psychological habits of the patient and specific tissue response of the stomatognathic system. Therefore, therapy of these disorders is made more difficult and includes a multidisciplinary approach.

  10. Therapeutic targets of renin-angiotensin system in ocular disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajesh Choudhary

    2017-03-01

    Conclusions: The RAS components are present in the extrarenal tissues including ocular tissue and have an imperative role in the ocular pathophysiology. The clinical studies are needed to show the role of therapeutic modalities targeting RAS in the treatment of different ocular disorders.

  11. N-Acetylcysteine in the Treatment of Excoriation Disorder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grant, Jon E.; Chamberlain, Samuel R.; Redden, Sarah A.

    2016-01-01

    Importance Excoriation (skin-picking) disorder (SPD) is a disabling, underrecognized condition in which individuals repeatedly pick at their skin, leading to noticeable tissue damage. To date, there has been no clearly effective pharmacologic or psychological treatment for SPD. Objective To deter......Importance Excoriation (skin-picking) disorder (SPD) is a disabling, underrecognized condition in which individuals repeatedly pick at their skin, leading to noticeable tissue damage. To date, there has been no clearly effective pharmacologic or psychological treatment for SPD. Objective...

  12. Epstein-Barr Virus-Positive Extranodal Marginal Zone Lymphoma of Bronchial-Associated Lymphoid Tissue in the Posttransplant Setting: An Immunodeficiency-Related (Posttransplant) Lymphoproliferative Disorder?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cassidy, Daniel P; Vega, Francisco; Chapman, Jennifer R

    2017-12-20

    Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) are a heterogeneous group of hematolymphoid proliferations arising in the context of chronic immunosuppression. The common and indolent B-cell lymphomas, including extranodal marginal zone lymphomas (ENMZLs) of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT), are excluded from the category of PTLD in the current World Health Organization classification. We report a case of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) lymphoma involving the lungs of a transplant patient. Aside from history of cardiac transplant, young patient age, and EBV positivity, the histopathologic findings were indistinguishable from usual BALT lymphoma. We review the literature of ENMZL occurring in immunocompromised patients and present this case for consideration that this specific entity is a PTLD. We believe that additional studies might lend strength to the hypothesis that this particular group of EBV-positive, posttransplant ENMZLs merits classification and management as PTLDs. © American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  13. Oral health in female patients with eating disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mazurek Mateusz

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The study aimed to evaluate oral health in women with eating disorders. The clinical study covered 30 patients aged 14-36 years suffering from diagnosed eating disorders and treated in closed psychiatric institutions. The control group comprised 30 healthy women at the mean age corresponding to that of the patient group. No relationships were confirmed between eating disorders and the intensity of dental caries. Eating disorders contribute to increased loss of dental hard tissues. In women suffering from eating disorders non-specific lesions in oral cavity are more common than in healthy women.

  14. Mathematical models of soft tissue injury repair : towards understanding musculoskeletal disorders

    OpenAIRE

    Dunster, Joanne L.

    2012-01-01

    The process of soft tissue injury repair at the cellular lew I can be decomposed into three phases: acute inflammation including coagulation, proliferation and remodelling. While the later phases are well understood the early phase is less so. We produce a series of new mathematical models for the early phases coagulation and inflammation. The models produced are relevant not only to soft tissue injury repair but also to the many disease states in which coagulation and inflammation play a rol...

  15. Fat body, fat pad and adipose tissues in invertebrates and vertebrates: the nexus

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    The fat body in invertebrates was shown to participate in energy storage and homeostasis, apart from its other roles in immune mediation and protein synthesis to mention a few. Thus, sharing similar characteristics with the liver and adipose tissues in vertebrates. However, vertebrate adipose tissue or fat has been incriminated in the pathophysiology of metabolic disorders due to its role in production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This has not been reported in the insect fat body. The link between the fat body and adipose tissue was examined in this review with the aim of determining the principal factors responsible for resistance to inflammation in the insect fat body. This could be the missing link in the prevention of metabolic disorders in vertebrates, occasioned by obesity. PMID:24758278

  16. Monkey alcohol tissue research resource: banking tissues for alcohol research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daunais, James B; Davenport, April T; Helms, Christa M; Gonzales, Steven W; Hemby, Scott E; Friedman, David P; Farro, Jonathan P; Baker, Erich J; Grant, Kathleen A

    2014-07-01

    An estimated 18 million adults in the United States meet the clinical criteria for diagnosis of alcohol abuse or alcoholism, a disorder ranked as the third leading cause of preventable death. In addition to brain pathology, heavy alcohol consumption is comorbid with damage to major organs including heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, and kidneys. Much of what is known about risk for and consequences of heavy consumption derive from rodent or retrospective human studies. The neurobiological effects of chronic intake in rodent studies may not easily translate to humans due to key differences in brain structure and organization between species, including a lack of higher-order cognitive functions, and differences in underlying prefrontal cortical neural structures that characterize the primate brain. Further, rodents do not voluntarily consume large quantities of ethanol (EtOH) and they metabolize it more rapidly than primates. The basis of the Monkey Alcohol Tissue Research Resource (MATRR) is that nonhuman primates, specifically monkeys, show a range of drinking excessive amounts of alcohol (>3.0 g/kg or a 12 drink equivalent per day) over long periods of time (12 to 30 months) with concomitant pathological changes in endocrine, hepatic, and central nervous system (CNS) processes. The patterns and range of alcohol intake that monkeys voluntarily consume parallel what is observed in humans with alcohol use disorders and the longitudinal experimental design spans stages of drinking from the EtOH-naïve state to early exposure through chronic abuse. Age- and sex-matched control animals self-administer an isocaloric solution under identical operant procedures. The MATRR is a unique postmortem tissue bank that provides CNS and peripheral tissues, and associated bioinformatics from monkeys that self-administer EtOH using a standardized experimental paradigm to the broader alcohol research community. This resource provides a translational platform from which we can better

  17. Diffusion-weighted and diffusion tensor imaging for pediatric musculoskeletal disorders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    MacKenzie, John D.; Gonzalez, Leonardo; Hernandez, Andrea; Ruppert, Kai; Jaramillo, Diego

    2007-01-01

    Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is a powerful tool that has recently been applied to evaluate several pediatric musculoskeletal disorders. DWI probes abnormalities of tissue structure by detecting microscopic changes in water mobility that develop when disease alters the organization of normal tissue. DWI provides tissue characterization at a cellular level beyond what is available with other imaging techniques, and can sometimes identify pathology before gross anatomic alterations manifest. These features of early detection and tissue characterization make DWI particularly appealing for probing diseases that affect the musculoskeletal system. This article focuses on the current and future applications of DWI in the musculoskeletal system, with particular attention paid to pediatric disorders. Although most of the applications are experimental, we have emphasized the current state of knowledge and the main research questions that need to be investigated. (orig.)

  18. A patient with ascending aortic dilatation, similar to phenotypes of connective tissue disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Onrat, S T; Emmiler, M; Sivaci, Y; Söylemez, Z; Ozgöz, A; Imirzalioğlu, N

    2009-04-14

    We report on the clinical and molecular findings of a patient who presented alopecia, epicanthus, micrognathia, retrognathia, high arched palate, hypertelorism, Chiari type I malformation, mixed-type hearing loss but with normal heartbeat Q-T interval, malformed earlobes, down-slanted palpebral fissures, downturned corners of the mouth, syndactyly, atopic eczema, and seizures. The patient was a male adult, 23 years old, with short stature (153 cm) and low weight (50.5 kg), due to severe aortic insufficiency and dilatation of the ascending aorta. Conventional cytogenetic screening did not show any chromosomal gains or losses. Molecular genetic screening was conducted for gene mutations involved in various syndromes; the mutations found included [beta-fibrinogen -455 G>A wt/wt (wt/mut), PAI-1 4G/5G (4G/4G), HPA1 a/b (a/a), MTHFR C677T wt/wt (wt/mut), ACE I/D (I/I), and Apo E E3/E4]. Many clinical and molecular genetics findings overlapped with other conditions associated with arterial tortuosity and arterial aneurysms, including the Marfan, Ehler-Danlos, Shprintzen-Goldberg, and Loeys-Dietz syndromes. Although a diagnosis of Shprintzen-Goldberg syndrome was based on clinical findings and radiographic findings indicate other syndromes, aortic root dilatation seems to be a new symptom, similar to phenotypes of connective tissue disorders. The unique grouping of clinical manifestations in this patient and the molecular genetics findings lead us to suggest that this case could be an example of a previously unrecognized syndrome.

  19. Role of tissue-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in psychological stress and depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Shih-Jen

    2017-12-22

    Major depressive disorder is a common illness worldwide, but the pathogenesis of the disorder remains incompletely understood. The tissue-type plasminogen activator-plasminogen proteolytic cascade is highly expressed in the brain regions involved in mood regulation and neuroplasticity. Accumulating evidence from animal and human studies suggests that tissue-type plasminogen activator and its chief inhibitor, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, are related to stress reaction and depression. Furthermore, the neurotrophic hypothesis of depression postulates that compromised neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) function is directly involved in the pathophysiology of depression. In the brain, the proteolytic cleavage of proBDNF, a BDNF precursor, to mature BDNF through plasmin represents one mechanism that can change the direction of BDNF action. We also discuss the implications of tissue-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 alterations as biomarkers for major depressive disorder. Using drugs that increase tissue-type plasminogen activator or decrease plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels may open new avenues to develop conceptually novel therapeutic strategies for depression treatment.

  20. Tissue Engineering-based Therapeutic Strategies for Vocal Fold Repair and Regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Linqing; Stiadle, Jeanna M.; Lau, Hang K.; Zerdoum, Aidan B.; Jia, Xinqiao; L.Thibeault, Susan; Kiick, Kristi L.

    2016-01-01

    Vocal folds are soft laryngeal connective tissues with distinct layered structures and complex multicomponent matrix compositions that endow phonatory and respiratory functions. This delicate tissue is easily damaged by various environmental factors and pathological conditions, altering vocal biomechanics and causing debilitating vocal disorders that detrimentally affect the daily lives of suffering individuals. Modern techniques and advanced knowledge of regenerative medicine have led to a deeper understanding of the microstructure, microphysiology, and micropathophysiology of vocal fold tissues. State-of-the-art materials ranging from extracecullar-matrix (ECM)-derived biomaterials to synthetic polymer scaffolds have been proposed for the prevention and treatment of voice disorders including vocal fold scarring and fibrosis. This review intends to provide a thorough overview of current achievements in the field of vocal fold tissue engineering, including the fabrication of injectable biomaterials to mimic in vitro cell microenvironments, novel designs of bioreactors that capture in vivo tissue biomechanics, and establishment of various animal models to characterize the in vivo biocompatibility of these materials. The combination of polymeric scaffolds, cell transplantation, biomechanical stimulation, and delivery of antifibrotic growth factors will lead to successful restoration of functional vocal folds and improved vocal recovery in animal models, facilitating the application of these materials and related methodologies in clinical practice. PMID:27619243

  1. Soft tissue and it’s affect on craniofacial growth and the dentition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mansjur Nasir

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Soft tissue dysfunction, mouth breathing, tongue thrusting, incorrect swallowing and other myofunctional habits effect on malocclusion, poor facial development and relapse also Temporo Mandibular Joint (TMJ Disorder as well. How the dynamics of form and function affect the dentition, skeletal structures and the face. Soft tissues control dental position and should be considered in conjunction with any treatment. Treatment of soft tissue dysfunction will stable the result the orthodontic treatment. Diagnosis and treatment of soft tissue dysfunction is the responsibility of the General Dentist and Pedodontist and Orthodontist as well.

  2. Tissue-Point Motion Tracking in the Tongue from Cine MRI and Tagged MRI

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woo, Jonghye; Stone, Maureen; Suo, Yuanming; Murano, Emi Z.; Prince, Jerry L.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: Accurate tissue motion tracking within the tongue can help professionals diagnose and treat vocal tract--related disorders, evaluate speech quality before and after surgery, and conduct various scientific studies. The authors compared tissue tracking results from 4 widely used deformable registration (DR) methods applied to cine magnetic…

  3. Biological findings from the PheWAS catalog: focus on connective tissue-related disorders (pelvic floor dysfunction, abdominal hernia, varicose veins and hemorrhoids).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salnikova, Lyubov E; Khadzhieva, Maryam B; Kolobkov, Dmitry S

    2016-07-01

    Pelvic floor dysfunction, specifically genital prolapse (GP) and stress urinary inconsistency (SUI) presumably co-occur with other connective tissue disorders such as hernia, hemorrhoids, and varicose veins. Observations on non-random coexistence of these disorders have never been summarized in a meta-analysis. The performed meta-analysis demonstrated that varicose veins and hernia are associated with GP. Disease connections on the molecular level may be partially based on shared genetic susceptibility. A unique opportunity to estimate shared genetic susceptibility to disorders is provided by a PheWAS (phenome-wide association study) designed to utilize GWAS data concurrently to many phenotypes. We searched the PheWAS Catalog, which includes the results of the PheWAS study with P value hemorrhoids. We found pronounced signals for the associations of the SLC2A9 gene with SUI (P = 6.0e-05) and the MYH9 gene with varicose veins of lower extremity (P = 0.0001) and hemorrhoids (P = 0.0007). The comparison of the PheWAS Catalog and the NHGRI Catalog data revealed enrichment of genes associated with bone mineral density in GP and with activated partial thromboplastin time in varicose veins of lower extremity. In cross-phenotype associations, genes responsible for peripheral nerve functions seem to predominate. This study not only established novel biologically plausible associations that may warrant further studies but also exemplified an effective use of the PheWAS Catalog data.

  4. Multifrequency magnetic resonance elastography of the brain reveals tissue degeneration in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Streitberger, Kaspar-Josche; Fehlner, Andreas; Sack, Ingolf; Pache, Florence; Lacheta, Anna; Papazoglou, Sebastian; Brandt, Alexander; Bellmann-Strobl, Judith; Ruprecht, Klemens; Braun, Juergen; Paul, Friedemann; Wuerfel, Jens

    2017-01-01

    Application of multifrequency magnetic resonance elastography (MMRE) of the brain parenchyma in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) compared to age matched healthy controls (HC). 15 NMOSD patients and 17 age- and gender-matched HC were examined using MMRE. Two three-dimensional viscoelastic parameter maps, the magnitude G* and phase angle φ of the complex shear modulus were reconstructed by simultaneous inversion of full wave-field data in 1.9-mm isotropic resolution at 7 harmonic drive frequencies from 30 to 60 Hz. In NMOSD patients, a significant reduction of G* was observed within the white matter fraction (p = 0.017), predominantly within the thalamic regions (p = 0.003), compared to HC. These parameters exceeded the reduction in brain volume measured in patients versus HC (p = 0.02 whole-brain volume reduction). Volumetric differences in white matter fraction and the thalami were not detectable between patients and HC. However, phase angle φ was decreased in patients within the white matter (p = 0.03) and both thalamic regions (p = 0.044). MMRE reveals global tissue degeneration with accelerated softening of the brain parenchyma in patients with NMOSD. The predominant reduction of stiffness is found within the thalamic region and related white matter tracts, presumably reflecting Wallerian degeneration. (orig.)

  5. Multifrequency magnetic resonance elastography of the brain reveals tissue degeneration in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Streitberger, Kaspar-Josche [Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Department of Radiology, Berlin (Germany); Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, Berlin (Germany); Fehlner, Andreas; Sack, Ingolf [Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Department of Radiology, Berlin (Germany); Pache, Florence [Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, Berlin (Germany); Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin (Germany); Lacheta, Anna; Papazoglou, Sebastian; Brandt, Alexander [Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin (Germany); Bellmann-Strobl, Judith [Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine and Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin (Germany); Ruprecht, Klemens [Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, Berlin (Germany); Braun, Juergen [Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Medical Informatics, Berlin (Germany); Paul, Friedemann [Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, Berlin (Germany); Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin (Germany); Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine and Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin (Germany); Wuerfel, Jens [Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin (Germany); Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine and Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Berlin (Germany); Medical Image Analysis Center (MIAC AG), Basel (Switzerland)

    2017-05-15

    Application of multifrequency magnetic resonance elastography (MMRE) of the brain parenchyma in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) compared to age matched healthy controls (HC). 15 NMOSD patients and 17 age- and gender-matched HC were examined using MMRE. Two three-dimensional viscoelastic parameter maps, the magnitude G* and phase angle φ of the complex shear modulus were reconstructed by simultaneous inversion of full wave-field data in 1.9-mm isotropic resolution at 7 harmonic drive frequencies from 30 to 60 Hz. In NMOSD patients, a significant reduction of G* was observed within the white matter fraction (p = 0.017), predominantly within the thalamic regions (p = 0.003), compared to HC. These parameters exceeded the reduction in brain volume measured in patients versus HC (p = 0.02 whole-brain volume reduction). Volumetric differences in white matter fraction and the thalami were not detectable between patients and HC. However, phase angle φ was decreased in patients within the white matter (p = 0.03) and both thalamic regions (p = 0.044). MMRE reveals global tissue degeneration with accelerated softening of the brain parenchyma in patients with NMOSD. The predominant reduction of stiffness is found within the thalamic region and related white matter tracts, presumably reflecting Wallerian degeneration. (orig.)

  6. Long-Term No-Tillage Direct Seeding Mode for Water-Saving and Drought-Resistance Rice Production in Rice-Rapeseed Rotation System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xing-bin DU

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available To study the effects of long-term no-tillage direct seeding mode on rice yield and the soil physiochemical property in a rice-rapeseed rotation system, a comparative experiment with a water-saving and drought-resistance rice (WDR variety and a double low rapeseed variety as materials was conducted under no-tillage direct seeding (NTDS mode and conventional tillage direct seeding (CTDS mode for four years, using the CTDS mode as the control. Compared with the CTDS mode, the actual rice yield of WDR decreased by 8.10% at the first year, whereas the plant height, spikelet number per panicle, spikelet fertility, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, actual yield, and harvest index increased with no-tillage years, which led to the actual yield increase by 6.49% at the fourth year. Correlation analysis showed that the panicle length was significantly related to the actual yield of WDR. Compared with the CTDS mode in terms of the soil properties, the pH value of the NTDS mode decreased every year, whereas the contents of soil organic matter and total N of the NTDS mode increased. In the 0–5 cm layer of the NTDS mode, the soil bulk decreased, whereas the contents of soil organic matter, total N, and available N increased. In the 5–20 cm layer of the NTDS mode, the available N and K decreased, whereas the soil bulk, contents of soil organic matter, and total N increased. In summary, the NTDS mode increased the rice yield, and could improve the paddy soil fertility of the top layer.

  7. Bones - joints - soft tissues II. 7. rev. ed.

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dihlmann, W.; Frommhold, W.

    1991-01-01

    With the publication of the 2nd part to Volume VI, 'Bones - joints - soft tissues', the 7th edition of 'Diagnostic radiology in the hospital and medical practice' is complete. The advances made particularly during the past decade in the field of diagnostic radiology have made it neccesary for all the individual sections to be completely revised. Recently developed methods of imaging like sonography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance tomography are increasingly used as a replacement for or, at least, an adjunct to conventional X-ray procedures. Owing to the development and continuous refinement of related methods of intervention the gap between mere diagnostic applications and therapeutic uses of radiology could eventually be closed. The issues mainly discussed in this volume are bone fractures and healing, bone transplantation, osteopathy and osteoarthropathy, fibrous dyplasia or Albright's disease, Pagetoid osteitis, genetically transmitted constitutional disorders of the skeleton and soft tissue changes. While in the key sections on bone fractures and healing, osteopathy and osteoarthropathy as well as constitutional genetic disorders X-ray techniques are still described as the prevailing method of diagnosis, diseases of soft tissues now are much more commonly diagnosed using magnetic resonance imaging. (orig./MG) With 2248 figs., 59 tabs [de

  8. [Changes in muscle tissue in hypothyroidism].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiskra, J

    2001-09-01

    This article offers a synopsis of detailed analysis of the functional and structural changes in muscle tissue in manifest and subclinical hypothyroidism. There is a brief overview of the division between mypathy and myositis, with emphasis on endocrinological and metabolic disorders. The necessity of endocrinological examination in each case of myopathy the etiology of which is indefinite is stressed, and this especially before the instigation of non-specific immunosuppressive treatment (e.g., corticosteroids) as this treatment has the risk of undesirable side-effects. In conclusion, it emphasises the negative influence of the nexus of hypothyroidism and the administering of a hypolipidemic in tandem on muscle tissue, as in rare cases this can lead to the disintegration of muscle tissue, i.e., rhabdomyolysis. The administering of hypolipidemic drugs to patients with hypothyroidism is indicated only in those cases where persists hyperlipoproteinemia after the normalisation of the thyroid function by substitutional treatment.

  9. Microendophenotypes of psychiatric disorders: phenotypes of psychiatric disorders at the level of molecular dynamics, synapses, neurons, and neural circuits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kida, S; Kato, T

    2015-01-01

    Psychiatric disorders are caused not only by genetic factors but also by complicated factors such as environmental ones. Moreover, environmental factors are rarely quantitated as biological and biochemical indicators, making it extremely difficult to understand the pathological conditions of psychiatric disorders as well as their underlying pathogenic mechanisms. Additionally, we have actually no other option but to perform biological studies on postmortem human brains that display features of psychiatric disorders, thereby resulting in a lack of experimental materials to characterize the basic biology of these disorders. From these backgrounds, animal, tissue, or cell models that can be used in basic research are indispensable to understand biologically the pathogenic mechanisms of psychiatric disorders. In this review, we discuss the importance of microendophenotypes of psychiatric disorders, i.e., phenotypes at the level of molecular dynamics, neurons, synapses, and neural circuits, as targets of basic research on these disorders.

  10. Conservative treatment of bone tissue metabolic disorders among patients with vitamin D-dependent rickets type II with genetic abnormality of type I collagen formation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.M. Martsyniak

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Background. The purpose of the article is to determine the effect of conservative therapy on genetically caused disorders of bone tissue metabolism in patients with vitamin D-dependent rickets type II and genetic abnormality of type I collagen formation (VDDR(COL1. Materials and methods. At the premises of consulting and outpatient department of SI “Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics of the NAMS of Ukraine”, 13 patients having VDDR type II and genetic damage of type I collagen formation were examined and treated. The medical treatment was conducted in four stages. The first stage included full examination of patients (calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood serum and their urinary excretion, as well as determination of calcidiol and calcitriol serum levels, indicators of parathyroid hormone and osteocalcin, and a marker of bone formation P1NP and osteoresorption b-CTx. At this stage, children were obligated to undergo a genetic test to detect changes (polymorphism in alleles of receptors to vitamin D and type I collagen. Besides genetic tests, examinations at the other stages were conducted in full. Results. The study has shown the following. The genetically caused abnormality of reception to vitamin D results into substantial accumulation of vitamin D active metabolite in the blood serum. When combined with gene­tic abnormality of type I collagen formation, it significantly affected bone formation and destruction processes that causes development of osteomalacia (parathormone — vitamin D — osteocalcin system. The comprehensive study of vitamin D metabolism and biochemical vitals of bone tissue in patients having VDDR (COL1 brought us to understanding of some issues related to pathogenesis and nature of osteomalacia and, in future, osteoporotic changes on different levels, ensured us to express these changes by corresponding indices in the biochemical research and, finally, to develop appropriate schemes for the treatment of

  11. Diagnostic imaging of the equine fetlock region using radiography and ultrasonography. Part 1: Soft tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanderperren, Katrien; Saunders, Jimmy H

    2009-08-01

    The equine fetlock is the joint most commonly associated with lameness. Although the fetlock is regarded as a simple joint, diagnosis of a fetlock disorder can be a challenge and various imaging modalities are routinely used to arrive at an accurate diagnosis. This review describes the principal disorders affecting the soft tissues of the fetlock region and addresses some of the technical aspects involved in taking radiographic and ultrasonographic images of the different soft tissue lesions. A combination of radiography and ultrasonography is still the most commonly used diagnostic approach in clinical practice.

  12. Magnetic resonance temporal diffusion tensor spectroscopy of disordered anisotropic tissue

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Jonathan Scharff; Dyrby, Tim Bjørn; Lundell, Henrik

    2018-01-01

    of the oscillating gradient spin echo (OGSE) experiment, giving a basic contrast mechanism closely linked to both the temporal diffusion spectrum and the compartment anisotropy. We demonstrate our new method on post mortem brain tissue and show that we retrieve the correct temporal diffusion tensor spectrum...

  13. Current Concepts in Scaffolding for Bone Tissue Engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghassemi, Toktam; Shahroodi, Azadeh; Ebrahimzadeh, Mohammad H; Mousavian, Alireza; Movaffagh, Jebraeel; Moradi, Ali

    2018-03-01

    Bone disorders are of significant worry due to their increased prevalence in the median age. Scaffold-based bone tissue engineering holds great promise for the future of osseous defects therapies. Porous composite materials and functional coatings for metallic implants have been introduced in next generation of orthopedic medicine for tissue engineering. While osteoconductive materials such as hydroxyapatite and tricalcium phosphate ceramics as well as some biodegradable polymers are suggested, much interest has recently focused on the use of osteoinductive materials like demineralized bone matrix or bone derivatives. However, physiochemical modifications in terms of porosity, mechanical strength, cell adhesion, biocompatibility, cell proliferation, mineralization and osteogenic differentiation are required. This paper reviews studies on bone tissue engineering from the biomaterial point of view in scaffolding. Level of evidence: I.

  14. Potential of Bioactive Glasses for Cardiac and Pulmonary Tissue Engineering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saeid Kargozar

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Repair and regeneration of disorders affecting cardiac and pulmonary tissues through tissue-engineering-based approaches is currently of particular interest. On this matter, different families of bioactive glasses (BGs have recently been given much consideration with respect to treating refractory diseases of these tissues, such as myocardial infarction. The inherent properties of BGs, including their ability to bond to hard and soft tissues, to stimulate angiogenesis, and to elicit antimicrobial effects, along with their excellent biocompatibility, support these newly proposed strategies. Moreover, BGs can also act as a bioactive reinforcing phase to finely tune the mechanical properties of polymer-based constructs used to repair the damaged cardiac and pulmonary tissues. In the present study, we evaluated the potential of different forms of BGs, alone or in combination with other materials (e.g., polymers, in regards to repair and regenerate injured tissues of cardiac and pulmonary systems.

  15. Radiological and clinical characterization of the lysosomal storage disorders: non-lipid disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, E I; Xing, M; Moreno-De-Luca, A; Harmouche, E; Terk, M R

    2014-01-01

    Lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) are a large group of genetic metabolic disorders that result in the accumulation of abnormal material, such as mucopolysaccharides, glycoproteins, amino acids and lipids, within cells. Since many LSDs manifest during infancy or early childhood, with potentially devastating consequences if left untreated, timely identification is imperative to prevent irreversible damage and early death. In this review, the key imaging features of the non-lipid or extralipid LSDs are examined and correlated with salient clinical manifestations and genetic information. Disorders are stratified based on the type of excess material causing tissue or organ dysfunction, with descriptions of the mucopolysaccharidoses, mucolipidoses, alpha-mannosidosis, glycogen storage disorder II and cystinosis. In addition, similarities and differences in radiological findings between each of these LSDs are highlighted to facilitate further recognition. Given the rare and extensive nature of the LSDs, mastery of their multiple clinical and radiological traits may seem challenging. However, an understanding of the distinguishing imaging characteristics of LSDs and their clinical correlates may allow radiologists to play a key role in the early diagnosis of these progressive and potentially fatal disorders.

  16. Soft-tissue mineralization in Werner syndrome

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leone, Antonio; Costantini, Alessandro Maria; Brigida, Raffaela; Antoniol, Onorina Monica; Bonomo, Lorenzo [Universita Cattolica School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Rome (Italy); Antonelli-Incalzi, Raffaele [Universita Cattolica School of Medicine, Department of Geriatrics, Rome (Italy)

    2005-01-01

    Werner syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by clinical signs of premature aging, short stature, scleroderma-like skin changes, endocrine abnormalities, cataracts, and an increased incidence of malignancies. We report on a 48-year-old woman with Werner syndrome associated with intracranial meningiomas who had extensive musculoskeletal manifestations including osteoporosis of the extremities, extensive tendinopathy about the ankles, osteomyelitis of the phalanges of the first left toe, abundant soft-tissue calcification, and two dense ossified soft-tissue masses, with cortical bone and trabeculae arising from the posterosuperior aspect of the calcanei and extending into Kager fat pads. A review of previous descriptions of the radiological abnormalities of Werner syndrome indicates that the presence of soft-tissue calcifications has either not been noted or been mentioned only briefly. Moreover, there is no mention of bony masses associated with Werner syndrome in the world literature, and this would appear to be the first report of this kind. (orig.)

  17. Structural Disorder Provides Increased Adaptability for Vesicle Trafficking Pathways

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tompa, Peter

    2013-01-01

    Vesicle trafficking systems play essential roles in the communication between the organelles of eukaryotic cells and also between cells and their environment. Endocytosis and the late secretory route are mediated by clathrin-coated vesicles, while the COat Protein I and II (COPI and COPII) routes stand for the bidirectional traffic between the ER and the Golgi apparatus. Despite similar fundamental organizations, the molecular machinery, functions, and evolutionary characteristics of the three systems are very different. In this work, we compiled the basic functional protein groups of the three main routes for human and yeast and analyzed them from the structural disorder perspective. We found similar overall disorder content in yeast and human proteins, confirming the well-conserved nature of these systems. Most functional groups contain highly disordered proteins, supporting the general importance of structural disorder in these routes, although some of them seem to heavily rely on disorder, while others do not. Interestingly, the clathrin system is significantly more disordered (∼23%) than the other two, COPI (∼9%) and COPII (∼8%). We show that this structural phenomenon enhances the inherent plasticity and increased evolutionary adaptability of the clathrin system, which distinguishes it from the other two routes. Since multi-functionality (moonlighting) is indicative of both plasticity and adaptability, we studied its prevalence in vesicle trafficking proteins and correlated it with structural disorder. Clathrin adaptors have the highest capability for moonlighting while also comprising the most highly disordered members. The ability to acquire tissue specific functions was also used to approach adaptability: clathrin route genes have the most tissue specific exons encoding for protein segments enriched in structural disorder and interaction sites. Overall, our results confirm the general importance of structural disorder in vesicle trafficking and

  18. Pericardial tamponade and pancytopenia as the first manifestation of mixed connective tissue disorder and its complete reversal with corticosteroids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ankur Jain

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available We report a case of a 25-year-old lady who presented to our department with complaints of easy fatigability and shortness of breath since one week. She had a history of Raynaud’s phenomenon. Examination revealed scleroderma like skin changes and pericardial friction rub. Investigations revealed high titer of anti-U1 RNP antibodies along with co-existing pancytopenia. Chest x-ray and echocardiography confirmed pericardial tamponade. Patient was diagnosed as having mixed connective tissue disorder (MCTD and she was started on high dose prednisolone, which led to complete reversal of pancytopenia and pericardial tamponade after 1 month of treatment. There are only 6 reported cases of pericardial tamponade in a patient with MCTD, and none of them had pancytopenia. Present case highlights the need to investigate the patient of pericardial tamponade for MCTD, especially in the presence of pancytopenia and relevant clinical history, as prompt treatment with corticosteroids can avoid invasive procedures like pericardiocentesis.

  19. From stem to roots: Tissue engineering in endodontics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kala, M.; Banthia, Priyank; Banthia, Ruchi

    2012-01-01

    The vitality of dentin-pulp complex is fundamental to the life of tooth and is a priority for targeting clinical management strategies. Loss of the tooth, jawbone or both, due to periodontal disease, dental caries, trauma or some genetic disorders, affects not only basic mouth functions but aesthetic appearance and quality of life. One novel approach to restore tooth structure is based on biology: regenerative endodontic procedure by application of tissue engineering. Regenerative endodontics is an exciting new concept that seeks to apply the advances in tissue engineering to the regeneration of the pulp-dentin complex. The basic logic behind this approach is that patient-specific tissue-derived cell populations can be used to functionally replace integral tooth tissues. The development of such ‘test tube teeth’ requires precise regulation of the regenerative events in order to achieve proper tooth size and shape, as well as the development of new technologies to facilitate these processes. This article provides an extensive review of literature on the concept of tissue engineering and its application in endodontics, providing an insight into the new developmental approaches on the horizon. Key words:Regenerative, tissue engineering, stem cells, scaffold. PMID:24558528

  20. [Pulmonary involvement in connective tissue disease].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartosiewicz, Małgorzata

    2016-01-01

    The connective tissue diseases are a variable group of autoimmune mediated disorders characterized by multiorgan damage. Pulmonary complications are common, usually occur after the onset of joint symptoms, but can also be initially presenting complaint. The respiratory system may be involved in all its component: airways, vessels, parenchyma, pleura and respiratory muscles. Lung involvement is an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality in the connective tissue diseases. Clinical course is highly variable - can range from mild to rapidly progressive, some processes are reversible, while others are irreversible. Thus, the identification of reversible disease , and separately progressive disease, are important clinical issues. The frequency, clinical presentation, prognosis and responce to therapy are different, depending on the pattern of involvement as well as on specyfic diagnostic method used to identify it. High- resolution computed tompography plays an important role in identifying patients with respiratory involvement. Pulmonary function tests are a sensitive tool detecting interstitial lung disease. In this article, pulmonary lung involvement accompanying most frequently apperaing connective tissue diseases - rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, lupus erythematosus, polymyositis/dermatomyositis, Sjögrens syndrome and mixed connective tissue disaese are reviewed.

  1. Pivotal role of tissue plasminogen activator in the mechanism of action of electroconvulsive therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoirisch-Clapauch, Silvia; Mezzasalma, Marco A U; Nardi, Antonio E

    2014-02-01

    Electroconvulsive therapy is an important treatment option for major depressive disorders, acute mania, mood disorders with psychotic features, and catatonia. Several hypotheses have been proposed as electroconvulsive therapy's mechanism of action. Our hypothesis involves many converging pathways facilitated by increased synthesis and release of tissue-plasminogen activator. Human and animal experiments have shown that tissue-plasminogen activator participates in many mechanisms of action of electroconvulsive therapy or its animal variant, electroconvulsive stimulus, including improved N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated signaling, activation of both brain-derived neurotrophic factor and vascular endothelial growth factor, increased bioavailability of zinc, purinergic release, and increased mobility of dendritic spines. As a result, tissue-plasminogen activator helps promote neurogenesis in limbic structures, modulates synaptic transmission and plasticity, improves cognitive function, and mediates antidepressant effects. Notably, electroconvulsive therapy seems to influence tissue-plasminogen activator metabolism. For example, electroconvulsive stimulus increases the expression of glutamate decarboxylase 65 isoform in γ-aminobutyric acid-releasing neurons, which enhances the release of tissue-plasminogen activator, and the expression of p11, a protein involved in plasminogen and tissue-plasminogen activator assembling. This paper reviews how electroconvulsive therapy correlates with tissue-plasminogen activator. We suggest that interventions aiming at increasing tissue-plasminogen activator levels or its bioavailability - such as daily aerobic exercises together with a carbohydrate-restricted diet, or normalization of homocysteine levels - be evaluated in controlled studies assessing response and remission duration in patients who undergo electroconvulsive therapy.

  2. Connective tissue diseases, multimorbidity and the ageing lung.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spagnolo, Paolo; Cordier, Jean-François; Cottin, Vincent

    2016-05-01

    Connective tissue diseases encompass a wide range of heterogeneous disorders characterised by immune-mediated chronic inflammation often leading to tissue damage, collagen deposition and possible loss of function of the target organ. Lung involvement is a common complication of connective tissue diseases. Depending on the underlying disease, various thoracic compartments can be involved but interstitial lung disease is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality. Interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension or both are found most commonly in systemic sclerosis. In the elderly, the prevalence of connective tissue diseases continues to rise due to both longer life expectancy and more effective and better-tolerated treatments. In the geriatric population, connective tissue diseases are almost invariably accompanied by age-related comorbidities, and disease- and treatment-related complications, which contribute to the significant morbidity and mortality associated with these conditions, and complicate treatment decision-making. Connective tissue diseases in the elderly represent a growing concern for healthcare providers and an increasing burden of global health resources worldwide. A better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the regulation of the immune functions in the elderly and evidence-based guidelines specifically designed for this patient population are instrumental to improving the management of connective tissue diseases in elderly patients. Copyright ©ERS 2016.

  3. Application of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of bovine musculo-skeletal disorders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kofler, J.

    1995-01-01

    Besides classical orthopedic examination techniques including radiography and centesis of diseased synovial cavities, for the first time ultrasonography was applied in the examination of proximal bovine limb disorders in 18 bovine patients. The clinical and radiographic findings and the results of centesis were compared with the sonographic findings. Where only soft tissues and joints were affected, the sonographic findings provided more information than radiography. This new, complementary examination technique for limb disorders in cattle offers a number of advantages. Therefore, sonography is the method of choice for differentiating affections of the soft tissue in the limbs of cattle

  4. Neuropeptide Y in Alcohol Addiction and Affective Disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annika Thorsell

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Neuropeptide Y (NPY, a neuropeptide highly conserved throughout evolution, is present at high levels in the central nervous system (CNS, as well as in peripheral tissues such as the gut and cardiovascular system. The peptide exerts its effects via multiple receptor subtypes, all belonging to the G-protein-coupled receptor superfamily. Of these subtypes, the Y1 and the Y2 are the most thoroughly characterized, followed by the Y5 subtype. NPY and its receptors have been shown to be of importance in central regulation of events underlying, for example, affective disorders, drug/alcohol use disorders, and energy homeostasis. Furthermore, within the CNS, NPY also affects sleep regulation and circadian rhythm, memory function, tissue growth, and plasticity. The potential roles of NPY in the etiology and pathophysiology of mood and anxiety disorders, as well as alcohol use disorders, have been extensively studied. This focus was prompted by early indications for an involvement of NPY in acute responses to stress, and, later, also data pointing to a role in alterations within the CNS during chronic, or repeated, exposure to adverse events. These functions of NPY, in addition to the peptide’s regulation of disease states, suggest that modulation of the activity of the NPY system via receptor agonists/antagonists may be a putative treatment mechanism in affective disorders as well as alcohol use disorders. In this review, we present an overview of findings with regard to the NPY system in relation to anxiety and stress, acute as well as chronic; furthermore we discuss post-traumatic stress disorder and, in part depression. In addition, we summarize findings on alcohol use disorders and related behaviors. Finally, we briefly touch upon genetic as well as epigenetic mechanisms that may be of importance for NPY function and regulation. In conclusion, we suggest that modulation of NPY-ergic activity within the CNS, via ligands aimed at different receptor

  5. Neuroimaging of Lipid Storage Disorders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rieger, Deborah; Auerbach, Sarah; Robinson, Paul; Gropman, Andrea

    2013-01-01

    Lipid storage diseases, also known as the lipidoses, are a group of inherited metabolic disorders in which there is lipid accumulation in various cell types, including the central nervous system, because of the deficiency of a variety of enzymes. Over time, excessive storage can cause permanent cellular and tissue damage. The brain is particularly…

  6. Combining Patient-Reprogrammed Neural Cells and Proteomics as a Model to Study Psychiatric Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuccoli, Giuliana S; Martins-de-Souza, Daniel; Guest, Paul C; Rehen, Stevens K; Nascimento, Juliana Minardi

    2017-01-01

    The mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders are still poorly known. Most of the studies about these disorders have been conducted on postmortem tissue or in limited preclinical models. The development of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has helped to increase the translational capacity of molecular profiling studies of psychiatric disorders through provision of human neuronal-like tissue. This approach consists of generation of pluripotent cells by genetically reprogramming somatic cells to produce the multiple neural cell types as observed within the nervous tissue. The finding that iPSCs can recapitulate the phenotype of the donor also affords the possibility of using this approach to study both the disease and control states in a given medical area. Here, we present a protocol for differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells to neural progenitor cells followed by subcellular fractionation which allows the study of specific cellular organelles and proteomic analysis.

  7. OXIDATIVE STRESS: ITS ROLE IN INSULIN SECRETION, HORMONE RECEPTION BY ADIPOCYTES AND LIPOLYSIS IN ADIPOSE TISSUE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. V. Ivanov

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Oxidative stress is one of the pathogenetic components of many diseases during which generation of reactive oxigen species increases and the capacity of the antioxidant protection system diminishes. In the research of the last decades special attention has been given to adipose tissue, production of adipokines by it and their role in development of immunoresistance associated with formation of the metabolic syndrome and diabetes.Search for methods of therapeutic correction of adipokine secretion disorders, their influence on metabolism of separate cells and the organism on the whole as well as development of new approaches to correction of disorders in cell sensitivity to insulin are extremely topical nowadays. Systematization and consolidation of accumulated data allow to determine the strategies of further research more accurately; as a result, we have attempted to summarize and analyze the accumulated data on the role of adipose tissue in oxidative stress development.On the basis of literature data and the results of the personal investigations, the role of adipose tissue in forming oxidative stress in diabetes has been analyzed in the article. Brief description of adipose tissue was given as a secretory organ regulating metabolic processes in adipocytes and influencing functions of various organs and systems of the body. Mechanisms of disorder in insulin secretion as well as development of insulin sesistance in type I diabetes were described along with the contribution of lipolysis in adipose tissue to these processes.

  8. Substrate reduction therapy of glycosphingolipid storage disorders

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aerts, Johannes M. F. G.; Hollak, Carla E. M.; Boot, Rolf G.; Groener, Johanna E. M.; Maas, Mario

    2006-01-01

    In the last 15 years enormous progress has been made regarding therapy of type I Gaucher disease, a severely disabling disorder characterized by intralysosomal storage of glucosylceramide in tissue macrophages. Effective enzyme replacement therapy of type I Gaucher disease, based on chronic

  9. Adipose tissue lipolysis and energy metabolism in early cancer cachexia in mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kliewer, Kara L; Ke, Jia-Yu; Tian, Min; Cole, Rachel M; Andridge, Rebecca R; Belury, Martha A

    2015-01-01

    Cancer cachexia is a progressive metabolic disorder that results in depletion of adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. A growing body of literature suggests that maintaining adipose tissue mass in cachexia may improve quality-of-life and survival outcomes. Studies of lipid metabolism in cachexia, however, have generally focused on later stages of the disorder when severe loss of adipose tissue has already occurred. Here, we investigated lipid metabolism in adipose, liver and muscle tissues during early stage cachexia – before severe fat loss – in the colon-26 murine model of cachexia. White adipose tissue mass in cachectic mice was moderately reduced (34–42%) and weight loss was less than 10% of initial body weight in this study of early cachexia. In white adipose depots of cachectic mice, we found evidence of enhanced protein kinase A - activated lipolysis which coincided with elevated total energy expenditure and increased expression of markers of brown (but not white) adipose tissue thermogenesis and the acute phase response. Total lipids in liver and muscle were unchanged in early cachexia while markers of fatty oxidation were increased. Many of these initial metabolic responses contrast with reports of lipid metabolism in later stages of cachexia. Our observations suggest intervention studies to preserve fat mass in cachexia should be tailored to the stage of cachexia. Our observations also highlight a need for studies that delineate the contribution of cachexia stage and animal model to altered lipid metabolism in cancer cachexia and identify those that most closely mimic the human condition. PMID:25457061

  10. Periodontal disease associated to systemic genetic disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nualart Grollmus, Zacy Carola; Morales Chávez, Mariana Carolina; Silvestre Donat, Francisco Javier

    2007-05-01

    A number of systemic disorders increase patient susceptibility to periodontal disease, which moreover evolves more rapidly and more aggressively. The underlying factors are mainly related to alterations in immune, endocrine and connective tissue status. These alterations are associated with different pathologies and syndromes that generate periodontal disease either as a primary manifestation or by aggravating a pre-existing condition attributable to local factors. This is where the role of bacterial plaque is subject to debate. In the presence of qualitative or quantitative cellular immune alterations, periodontal disease may manifest early on a severe localized or generalized basis--in some cases related to the presence of plaque and/or specific bacteria (severe congenital neutropenia or infantile genetic agranulocytosis, Chediak-Higiashi syndrome, Down syndrome and Papillon-Lefévre syndrome). In the presence of humoral immune alterations, periodontal damage may result indirectly as a consequence of alterations in other systems. In connective tissue disorders, bacterial plaque and alterations of the periodontal tissues increase patient susceptibility to gingival inflammation and alveolar resorption (Marfan syndrome and Ehler-Danlos syndrome). The management of periodontal disease focuses on the control of infection and bacterial plaque by means of mechanical and chemical methods. Periodontal surgery and even extraction of the most seriously affected teeth have also been suggested. There are variable degrees of consensus regarding the background systemic disorder, as in the case of Chediak-Higiashi syndrome, where antibiotic treatment proves ineffective; in severe congenital neutropenia or infantile genetic agranulocytosis, where antibiotic prophylaxis is suggested; and in Papillon-Lefévre syndrome, where an established treatment protocol is available.

  11. Visceral and Somatic Disorders: Tissue Softening with Frequency-Specific Microcurrent

    OpenAIRE

    McMakin, Carolyn R.; Oschman, James L.

    2013-01-01

    Frequency-specific microcurrent (FSM) is an emerging technique for treating many health conditions. Pairs of frequencies of microampere-level electrical stimulation are applied to particular places on the skin of a patient via combinations of conductive graphite gloves, moistened towels, or gel electrode patches. A consistent finding is a profound and palpable tissue softening and warming within seconds of applying frequencies appropriate for treating particular conditions. Similar phenomena ...

  12. EVALUATION OF PERIODONTAL TISSUES CONDITION IN CHILDREN WITH BLOOD COAGULABILITY PATHOLOGY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. A. Gavrilenko

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Background. Actuality of the problem is determined by the high prevalence of inflammatory diseases of periodontal tissues in children with blood pathology (100%. Primary prevention of dental caries and periodontal diseases has the exceptional importance in the dentist’s work with children who have blood coagulability disorders. Prevention of dental diseases of the oral cavity in this category of patients has a number of features because there is the risk of bleeding during both home oral hygiene and professional hygiene. Exogenous prevention (fluoride-containing gels, varnishes, solutions, sealants also has its own peculiarities in these children. On the other hand, the impossibility of preventive measures implementation is the significant factor in the pathogenesis of gingivitis and subsequently periodontitis in children with disorders of blood coagulability. Aim. To examine the status of oral hygiene in children with blood coagulability disorders. To examine the severity of inflammatory and destructive changes in the periodontal tissues in children with disorders of blood coagulability. To investigate timing and frequency of oral hygiene implementation in children with disorders of blood coagulability. To reveal the interrelations between the intensity, prevalence of periodontal tissues disorders in children with blood coagulability pathology and the periods of tooth development, taking into account the influence of risk factors and frequency of oral hygiene. Materials and methods. 120 children between 2 and 18 years old with blood coagulability disorders (hemophilia A, B, thrombocytopenia, thrombocytopathy were examined. Children were divided into following age groups: I – 2-5 years old (40 children, II – 6-10 years old (40 children, III – 11-18 years old (40 children, according to the periods of tooth development, with an equal number of children in groups according to diagnoses. Hygiene index value was determined according to

  13. Evaluation of periodontal tissues condition in children with blood coagulability pathology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. A. Gavrilenko

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Background. Actuality of the problem is determined by the high prevalence of inflammatory diseases of periodontal tissues in children with blood pathology (100%. Primary prevention of dental caries and periodontal diseases has the exceptional importance in the dentist’s work with children who have blood coagulability disorders. Prevention of dental diseases of the oral cavity in this category of patients has a number of features because there is the risk of bleeding during both home oral hygiene and professional hygiene. Exogenous prevention (fluoride-containing gels, varnishes, solutions, sealants also has its own peculiarities in these children. On the other hand, the impossibility of preventive measures implementation is the significant factor in the pathogenesis of gingivitis and subsequently periodontitis in children with disorders of blood coagulability. Aim.To examine the status of oral hygiene in children with blood coagulability disorders.To examine the severity of inflammatory and destructive changes in the periodontal tissues in children with disorders of blood coagulability. To investigate timing and frequency of oral hygiene implementation in children with disorders of blood coagulability. To reveal the interrelations between the intensity, prevalence of periodontal tissues disorders in children with blood coagulability pathology and the periods of tooth development, taking into account the influence of risk factors and frequency of oral hygiene. Materials and methods. 120 children between 2 and 18 years old with blood coagulability disorders (hemophilia A, B, thrombocytopenia, thrombocytopathy were examined. Children were divided into following age groups: I – 2-5 years old (40 children, II – 6-10 years old (40 children, III – 11-18 years old (40 children, according to the periods of tooth development, with an equal number of children in groups according to diagnoses. Hygiene index value was determined according to Fedorov

  14. Vaginal disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soderberg, S F

    1986-05-01

    Chronic vaginitis is the most common vaginal disorder. Dogs with vaginitis show no signs of systemic illness but often lick at the vulva and have purulent or hemorrhagic vaginal discharges. Vaginitis is most commonly secondary to a noninfectious inciting factor such as congenital vaginal anomalies, clitoral hypertrophy, foreign bodies, trauma to the vaginal mucosa, or vaginal tumors. Inspection of the caudal vagina and vestibule both visually and digitally will often reveal the source of vaginal irritation. Vaginal cytology is used to establish the stage of the estrous cycle as well as distinguish uterine from vaginal sources of discharge. Vaginal cultures are used to establish the predominant offending organism associated with vaginal discharges and may be used as a guide for selection of a therapeutic agent. Vaginitis is best managed by removing the inciting cause and treating the area locally with antiseptic douches. Congenital malformations at the vestibulovaginal or vestibulovulvar junction may prevent normal intromission. Affected bitches may be reluctant to breed naturally because of pain. Such defects are detected best by digital examination. Congenital vaginal defects may be corrected by digital or surgical means. Prolapse of tissue through the lips of the vulva may be caused by clitoral hypertrophy, vaginal hyperplasia, or vaginal tumors. Enlargement of clitoral tissue is the result of endogenous or exogenous sources of androgens. Treatment of this condition includes removal of the androgen source and/or surgical removal of clitoral tissue. Vaginal hyperplasia is detected during proestrus or estrus of young bitches. Hyperplastic tissue will regress during diestrus. Tissue that is excessively traumatized and/or prolapse of the entire vaginal circumference may be removed surgically. Ovariohysterectomy may be used to prevent recurrence. Vaginal tumors are detected most often in older intact bitches. Such tumors are generally of smooth muscle or fibrous

  15. The role of nailfold capillaroscopy in interstitial lung diseases - can it differentiate idiopathic cases from collagen tissue disease associated interstitial lung diseases?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Çakmakçı Karadoğan, Dilek; Balkarlı, Ayşe; Önal, Özgür; Altınışık, Göksel; Çobankara, Veli

    2015-01-01

    Nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) is a non-invasive diagnostic test that is mostly used for early diagnosis of collagen tissue diseases (CTDs). We aimed to evaluate whether NFC findings could be a clue for discriminating idiopathic interstitial lung diseases (ILD) from CTD associated ILDs (CTD-ILD). Additionally it was aimed to determine whether NFC could be helpful in discriminating usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern from non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) pattern. We grouped patients into three main groups: 15 CTD-ILD, 18 idiopathic ILD, and 17 patients in the control group. The CTD-ILD group was split into two subgroups: 8 patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SJS)-associated ILD and 7 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-associated ILD. The idiopathic-ILD group consisted of 10 idiopathic NSIP and 8 IPF patients. The control group consisted of 10 SJS and 7 RA patients without lung disease. None of the patients were on acute exacerbation at the time of examination, and none had Reynaud's phenomenon. Mean capillary density was significantly reduced only in the CTD-ILD group as compared to the control group (p= 0.006). In subgroup analysis, it was determined that RA-ILD, IPF, and SJS-ILD subgroups had more severe capillaroscopic abnormalities. Mean capillary density in patients with the UIP pattern was reduced compared to patients with the NSIP pattern and those in the control group; p values were 0.008 and nailfold capillaroscopic findings of patients with NSIP and UIP patterns. NFC findings can be helpful in discriminating UIP patterns from NSIP patterns. But to show its role in differentiating idiopathic disease, more studies with more patients are needed.

  16. Chilling-related cell damage of apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) fruit cortical tissue impacts antioxidant, lipid and phenolic metabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leisso, Rachel S; Buchanan, David A; Lee, Jinwook; Mattheis, James P; Sater, Chris; Hanrahan, Ines; Watkins, Christopher B; Gapper, Nigel; Johnston, Jason W; Schaffer, Robert J; Hertog, Maarten L A T M; Nicolaï, Bart M; Rudell, David R

    2015-02-01

    'Soggy breakdown' (SB) is an internal flesh disorder of 'Honeycrisp' apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) fruit that occurs during low temperature storage. The disorder is a chilling injury (CI) in which visible symptoms typically appear after several weeks of storage, but information about the underlying metabolism associated with its induction and development is lacking. The metabolic profile of flesh tissue from wholly healthy fruit and brown and healthy tissues from fruit with SB was characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and correlation networks revealed correlation among ester volatile compounds by composition and differences in phytosterol, phenolic and putative triacylglycerides (TAGs) metabolism among the tissues. anova-simultaneous component analysis (ASCA) was used to test the significance of metabolic changes linked with tissue health status. ASCA-significant components included antioxidant compounds, TAGs, and phytosterol conjugates. Relative to entirely healthy tissues, elevated metabolite levels in symptomatic tissue included γ-amino butyric acid, glycerol, sitosteryl (6'-O-palmitoyl) β-d-glucoside and sitosteryl (6'-O-stearate) β-d-glucoside, and TAGs containing combinations of 16:0, 18:3, 18:2 and 18:1 fatty acids. Reduced metabolite levels in SB tissue included 5-caffeoyl quinate, β-carotene, catechin, epicatechin, α-tocopherol, violaxanthin and sitosteryl β-d glucoside. Pathway analysis indicated aspects of primary metabolism differed according to tissue condition, although differences in metabolites involved were more subtle than those of some secondary metabolites. The results implicate oxidative stress and membrane disruption processes in SB development and constitute a diagnostic metabolic profile for the disorder. © 2014 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

  17. Supporting a Component-Based Software Engineering Approach for the Development of Takari Products and Future Command and Control Systems

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Vernik, R

    1997-01-01

    .... It focuses on concepts and approaches defined as part of the Takari programme and considers issues related to tool support for the development of Takari Capability and Technology Demonstrators (CTDs...

  18. Lung involvement in systemic connective tissue diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Plavec Goran

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aim. Systemic connective tissue diseases (SCTD are chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorders of unknown cause that can involve different organs and systems. Their course and prognosis are different. All of them can, more or less, involve the respiratory system. The aim of this study was to find out the frequency of respiratory symptoms, lung function disorders, radiography and high-resolution computerized tomography (HRCT abnormalities, and their correlation with the duration of the disease and the applied treatment. Methods. In 47 non-randomized consecutive patients standard chest radiography, HRCT, and lung function tests were done. Results. Hypoxemia was present in nine of the patients with respiratory symptoms (20%. In all of them chest radiography was normal. In five of these patients lung fibrosis was established using HRCT. Half of all the patients with SCTD had symptoms of lung involvement. Lung function tests disorders of various degrees were found in 40% of the patients. The outcome and the degree of lung function disorders were neither in correlation with the duration of SCTD nor with therapy used (p > 0.05 Spearmans Ro. Conclusion. Pulmonary fibrosis occurs in about 10% of the patients with SCTD, and possibly not due to the applied treatment regimens. Hypoxemia could be a sing of existing pulmonary fibrosis in the absence of disorders on standard chest radiography.

  19. Pericardial adipose tissue and the metabolic syndrome is increased in patients with chronic major depressive disorder compared to acute depression and controls.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kahl, K G; Herrmann, J; Stubbs, B; Krüger, T H C; Cordes, J; Deuschle, M; Schweiger, U; Hüper, K; Helm, S; Birkenstock, A; Hartung, D

    2017-01-04

    Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with an estimated fourfold risk for premature death, largely attributed to cardiovascular disorders. Pericardial adipose tissue (PAT), a fat compartment surrounding the heart, has been implicated in the development of coronary artery disease. An unanswered question is whether people with chronic MDD are more likely to have elevated PAT volumes versus acute MDD and controls (CTRL). The study group consists of sixteen patients with chronic MDD, thirty-four patients with acute MDD, and twenty-five CTRL. PAT and adrenal gland volume were measured by magnetic resonance tomography. Additional measures comprised factors of the metabolic syndrome, cortisol, relative insulin resistance, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6; IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α, TNF-α). PAT volumes were significantly increased in patients with chronic MDD>patients with acute MDD>CTRL. Adrenal gland volume was slightly enlarged in patients with chronic MDD>acute MDD>CTRL, although this difference failed to reach significance. The PAT volume was correlated with adrenal gland volume, and cortisol concentrations were correlated with depression severity, measured by BDI-2 and MADRS. Group differences were found concerning the rate of the metabolic syndrome, being most frequent in chronic MDD>acute MDD>CTRL. Further findings comprised increased fasting cortisol, increased TNF-α concentration, and decreased physical activity level in MDD compared to CTRL. Our results extend the existing literature in demonstrating that patients with chronic MDD have the highest risk for developing cardiovascular disorders, indicated by the highest PAT volume and prevalence of metabolic syndrome. The correlation of PAT with adrenal gland volume underscores the role of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal system as mediator for body-composition changes. Metabolic monitoring, health advices and motivation for the improvement of physical fitness may be recommended in

  20. DNA methylation in metabolic disorders

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Barres, Romain; Zierath, Juleen R

    2011-01-01

    DNA methylation is a major epigenetic modification that controls gene expression in physiologic and pathologic states. Metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity are associated with profound alterations in gene expression that are caused by genetic and environmental factors. Recent reports...... have provided evidence that environmental factors at all ages could modify DNA methylation in somatic tissues, which suggests that DNA methylation is a more dynamic process than previously appreciated. Because of the importance of lifestyle factors in metabolic disorders, DNA methylation provides...... a mechanism by which environmental factors, including diet and exercise, can modify genetic predisposition to disease. This article considers the current evidence that defines a role for DNA methylation in metabolic disorders....

  1. Ultrasound therapy applicators for controlled thermal modification of tissue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burdette, E. Clif; Lichtenstiger, Carol; Rund, Laurie; Keralapura, Mallika; Gossett, Chad; Stahlhut, Randy; Neubauer, Paul; Komadina, Bruce; Williams, Emery; Alix, Chris; Jensen, Tor; Schook, Lawrence; Diederich, Chris J.

    2011-03-01

    Heat therapy has long been used for treatments in dermatology and sports medicine. The use of laser, RF, microwave, and more recently, ultrasound treatment, for psoriasis, collagen reformation, and skin tightening has gained considerable interest over the past several years. Numerous studies and commercial devices have demonstrated the efficacy of these methods for treatment of skin disorders. Despite these promising results, current systems remain highly dependent on operator skill, and cannot effectively treat effectively because there is little or no control of the size, shape, and depth of the target zone. These limitations make it extremely difficult to obtain consistent treatment results. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility for using acoustic energy for controlled dose delivery sufficient to produce collagen modification for the treatment of skin tissue in the dermal and sub-dermal layers. We designed and evaluated a curvilinear focused ultrasound device for treating skin disorders such as psoriasis, stimulation of wound healing, tightening of skin through shrinkage of existing collagen and stimulation of new collagen formation, and skin cancer. Design parameters were examined using acoustic pattern simulations and thermal modeling. Acute studies were performed in 201 freshly-excised samples of young porcine underbelly skin tissue and 56 in-vivo treatment areas in 60- 80 kg pigs. These were treated with ultrasound (9-11MHz) focused in the deep dermis. Dose distribution was analyzed and gross pathology assessed. Tissue shrinkage was measured based on fiducial markers and video image registration and analyzed using NIH Image-J software. Comparisons were made between RF and focused ultrasound for five energy ranges. In each experimental series, therapeutic dose levels (60degC) were attained at 2-5mm depth. Localized collagen changes ranged from 1-3% for RF versus 8-15% for focused ultrasound. Therapeutic ultrasound applied at high

  2. Mechanical cues in orofacial tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brouwer, Katrien M; Lundvig, Ditte M S; Middelkoop, Esther; Wagener, Frank A D T G; Von den Hoff, Johannes W

    2015-01-01

    Cleft lip and palate patients suffer from functional, aesthetical, and psychosocial problems due to suboptimal regeneration of skin, mucosa, and skeletal muscle after restorative cleft surgery. The field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TE/RM) aims to restore the normal physiology of tissues and organs in conditions such as birth defects or after injury. A crucial factor in cell differentiation, tissue formation, and tissue function is mechanical strain. Regardless of this, mechanical cues are not yet widely used in TE/RM. The effects of mechanical stimulation on cells are not straight-forward in vitro as cellular responses may differ with cell type and loading regime, complicating the translation to a therapeutic protocol. We here give an overview of the different types of mechanical strain that act on cells and tissues and discuss the effects on muscle, and skin and mucosa. We conclude that presently, sufficient knowledge is lacking to reproducibly implement external mechanical loading in TE/RM approaches. Mechanical cues can be applied in TE/RM by fine-tuning the stiffness and architecture of the constructs to guide the differentiation of the seeded cells or the invading surrounding cells. This may already improve the treatment of orofacial clefts and other disorders affecting soft tissues. © 2015 by the Wound Healing Society.

  3. Estrogen deficiency heterogeneously affects tissue specific stem cells in mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kitajima, Yuriko; Doi, Hanako; Ono, Yusuke; Urata, Yoshishige; Goto, Shinji; Kitajima, Michio; Miura, Kiyonori; Li, Tao-Sheng; Masuzaki, Hideaki

    2015-01-01

    Postmenopausal disorders are frequently observed in various organs, but their relationship with estrogen deficiency and mechanisms remain unclear. As tissue-specific stem cells have been found to express estrogen receptors, we examined the hypothesis that estrogen deficiency impairs stem cells, which consequently contributes to postmenopausal disorders. Six-week-old C57BL/6 female mice were ovariectomized, following which they received 17β-estradiol replacement or vehicle (control). Sham-operated mice were used as healthy controls. All mice were killed for evaluation 2 months after treatments. Compared with the healthy control, ovariectomy significantly decreased uterine weight, which was partially recovered by 17β-estradiol replacement. Ovariectomy significantly increased the numbers of c-kit-positive hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in bone marrow, but impaired their capacity to grow mixed cell-type colonies in vitro. Estrogen replacement further increased the numbers of c-kit-positive hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in bone marrow, without significantly affecting colony growth in vitro. The number of CD105-positive mesenchymal stem cells in bone marrow also significantly decreased after ovariectomy, but completely recovered following estrogen replacement. Otherwise, neither ovariectomy nor estrogen replacement changed the number of Pax7-positive satellite cells, which are a skeletal muscle-type stem cell. Estrogen deficiency heterogeneously affected tissue-specific stem cells, suggesting a likely and direct relationship with postmenopausal disorders. PMID:26245252

  4. Tissue Factor and Thrombin in Sickle Cell Anemia

    OpenAIRE

    Chantrathammachart, Pichika; Pawlinski, Rafal

    2012-01-01

    Sickle cell anemia is an inherited hematologic disorder associated with hemolytic and vaso-occlusive complications. An activation of coagulation is also a prominent feature of sickle cell anemia. Growing evidence indicates that coagulation may contribute to the inflammation and vascular injury in sickle cell anemia. This review focuses on tissue factor expression and its contribution to the activation of coagulation, thrombosis and vascular inflammation in sickle cell anemia.

  5. Habitat Mapping Cruise - Tunicates (HB0806, EK60)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Objectives: Use otter trawls (if available), beam trawls (if not), Naturalist Dredge, SEABOSS photography/bottom grab equipment, CTDs, and large (10-30 liter) Niskin...

  6. Promise(s of using mesenchymal stem cells in reproductive disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vijayalakshmi Venkatesan

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In recent times, infertility among both man and woman has become a major concern affecting about 20 per cent of the population worldwide and has been attributed in part to several aetiological factors such as changes in lifestyle, which includes sedentary life, dietary habits, sleep anomalies, environmental pollution, etc. Assisted reproductive technologies (ART have come to the rescue of many such couples, but presence of metabolic disorders such as obesity, diabetes with insulin resistance (IR and its secondary complications (micro- and macro-vascular complications, become confounders to the outcome of ART. Cell therapies are arising as a new hope in the management of reproductive disorders and currently, the efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs harvested from the adult sources finds wide application in the management of diseases like stroke, neuropathy, nephropathy, myopathy, wounds in diabetes, etc. Given the capacity of MSCs to preferentially home to damaged tissue and modulate the cellular niche/microenvironment to augment tissue repairs and regeneration, the present review outlines the applications of MSCs in the management of infertility/reproductive disorders.

  7. Gonadal sex chromosome complement in individuals with sex chromosomal and/or gonadal disorders

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bridge, J.A.; Sanger, W.G.; Seemayer, T. [Univ. of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE (United States)] [and others

    1994-09-01

    Gonadal abnormalities are characteristically seen in patients with sex chromosomal aneuploidy. Morphologically these abnormalities can be variable and are hypothesized to be dependent on the sex chromosomal consititution of the gonad (independent of the chromosomal complement of other tissues, such as peripheral blood lymphocytes). In this study, the gonadal sex chromosome complement was evaluated for potential mosaicism and correlated with the histopathology from 5 patients with known sex chromosomal and/or gonadal disorders. FISH techniques using X and Y chromosome specific probes were performed on nuclei extracted from paraffin embedded tissue. Gonadal tissue obtained from case 1 (a true hemaphroditic newborn) consisted of ovotestes and epididymis (left side) and ovary with fallopian tube (right side). Cytogenetic and FISH studies performed on blood, ovotestes and ovary revealed an XX complement. Cytogenetic analysis of blood from case 2, a 4-year-old with suspected Turner syndrome revealed 45,X/46,X,del(Y)(q11.21). FISH analysis of the resected gonads (histologically = immature testes) confirmed an X/XY mosaic complement. Histologically, the gonadal tissue was testicular. Severe autolysis prohibited successful analysis in the 2 remaining cases. In summary, molecular cytogenetic evaluation of gonadal tissue from individuals with sex chromosomal and/or gonadal disorders did not reveal tissue-specific anomalies which could account for differences observed pathologically.

  8. Metabolomics studies in brain tissue: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez-Riano, Carolina; Garcia, Antonia; Barbas, Coral

    2016-10-25

    Brain is still an organ with a composition to be discovered but beyond that, mental disorders and especially all diseases that curse with dementia are devastating for the patient, the family and the society. Metabolomics can offer an alternative tool for unveiling new insights in the discovery of new treatments and biomarkers of mental disorders. Until now, most of metabolomic studies have been based on biofluids: serum/plasma or urine, because brain tissue accessibility is limited to animal models or post mortem studies, but even so it is crucial for understanding the pathological processes. Metabolomics studies of brain tissue imply several challenges due to sample extraction, along with brain heterogeneity, sample storage, and sample treatment for a wide coverage of metabolites with a wide range of concentrations of many lipophilic and some polar compounds. In this review, the current analytical practices for target and non-targeted metabolomics are described and discussed with emphasis on critical aspects: sample treatment (quenching, homogenization, filtration, centrifugation and extraction), analytical methods, as well as findings considering the used strategies. Besides that, the altered analytes in the different brain regions have been associated with their corresponding pathways to obtain a global overview of their dysregulation, trying to establish the link between altered biological pathways and pathophysiological conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Radionuclide investigation of the blood flow in tumor and normal rat tissues in induced hyperglycemia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Istomin, Yu.P.; Shitikov, B.D.; Markova, L.V.

    1991-01-01

    Radionuclide angiography was performed in rats with transplantable tumors. Induced hyperglycemia was shown to result in blood flow inhibition in tumor and normal tissues of tumor-bearing rats. Some differences were revealed in a degree of reversibility of blood flow disorders in tissues of the above strains. The results obtained confirmed the advisability of radiation therapy at the height of a decrease in tumor blood

  10. A Pharmacokinetic Model of a Tissue Implantable Cortisol Sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Michael A; Bakh, Naveed; Bisker, Gili; Brown, Emery N; Strano, Michael S

    2016-12-01

    Cortisol is an important glucocorticoid hormone whose biochemistry influences numerous physiological and pathological processes. Moreover, it is a biomarker of interest for a number of conditions, including posttraumatic stress disorder, Cushing's syndrome, Addison's disease, and others. An implantable biosensor capable of real time monitoring of cortisol concentrations in adipose tissue may revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of these disorders, as well as provide an invaluable research tool. Toward this end, a mathematical model, informed by the physiological literature, is developed to predict dynamic cortisol concentrations in adipose, muscle, and brain tissues, where a significant number of important processes with cortisol occur. The pharmacokinetic model is applied to both a prototypical, healthy male patient and a previously studied Cushing's disease patient. The model can also be used to inform the design of an implantable sensor by optimizing the sensor dissociation constant, apparent delay time, and magnitude of the sensor output versus system dynamics. Measurements from such a sensor would help to determine systemic cortisol levels, providing much needed insight for proper medical treatment for various cortisol-related conditions. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. CURRENT DIRECTION, turbidity and other data from FIXED PLATFORM in the NE Pacific from 1987-05-05 to 1991-05-09 (NODC Accession 9700219)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Temperature, salinity, current, and other data were collected from CTDs and current meters deployed by the Geological Survey off the west coast of California (NE...

  12. Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) data collected during shipboard surveys during 2010 and 2011 in Vieques Sound, Virgin Passage and surrounding regions (NODC Accession 0088063)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Sea-Bird Electronics CTDs were utilized during cruises conducted between March 2010 and April 2011 in Vieques Sound, Puerto Rico, Virgin Passage USVI, and the...

  13. Temperature profile data from STD/CTD casts from the KNORR and other platforms from the Atlantic Ocean during the International Decade of Ocean Exploration / combination of USSR POLYGON project and US MODE (IDOE/POLYMODE) project, 1972-02-08 to 1975-12-20 (NODC Accession 7700831)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Temperature, conductivity, and salinity data were collected using STD/CTDs casts from KNORR and other platforms in the Atlantic Ocean from February 8, 1972 to...

  14. Amniotic fluid chemokines and autism spectrum disorders: An exploratory study utilizing a Danish Historic Birth Cohort

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Abdallah, Morsi; Larsen, Nanna Brink; Grove, Jakob

    2012-01-01

    Elevated levels of chemokines have been reported in plasma and brain tissue of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The aim of this study was to examine chemokine levels in amniotic fluid (AF) samples of individuals diagnosed with ASD and their controls.......Elevated levels of chemokines have been reported in plasma and brain tissue of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The aim of this study was to examine chemokine levels in amniotic fluid (AF) samples of individuals diagnosed with ASD and their controls....

  15. Fabrication of myogenic engineered tissue constructs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pacak, Christina A; Cowan, Douglas B

    2009-05-01

    Despite the fact that electronic pacemakers are life-saving medical devices, their long-term performance in pediatric patients can be problematic owing to the restrictions imposed by a child's small size and their inevitable growth. Consequently, there is a genuine need for innovative therapies designed specifically for pediatric patients with cardiac rhythm disorders. We propose that a conductive biological alternative consisting of a collagen-based matrix containing autologously-derived cells could better adapt to growth, reduce the need for recurrent surgeries, and greatly improve the quality of life for these patients. In the present study, we describe a procedure for incorporating primary skeletal myoblast cell cultures within a hydrogel matrix to fashion a surgically-implantable tissue construct that will serve as an electrical conduit between the upper and lower chambers of the heart. Ultimately, we anticipate using this type of engineered tissue to restore atrioventricular electrical conduction in children with complete heart block. In view of that, we isolate myoblasts from the skeletal muscles of neonatal Lewis rats and plate them onto laminin-coated tissue culture dishes using a modified version of established protocols. After one to two days, cultured cells are collected and mixed with antibiotics, type 1 collagen, Matrigel, and NaHCO(3). The result is a viscous, uniform solution that can be cast into a mold of nearly any shape and size. For our tissue constructs, we employ type 1 collagen isolated from fetal lamb skin using standard procedures. Once the tissue has solidified at 37 degrees C, culture media is carefully added to the plate until the construct is submerged. The engineered tissue is then allowed to further condense through dehydration for 2 more days, at which point it is ready for in vitro assessment or surgical-implantation.

  16. Circadian clocks are resounding in peripheral tissues.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrey A Ptitsyn

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Circadian rhythms are prevalent in most organisms. Even the smallest disturbances in the orchestration of circadian gene expression patterns among different tissues can result in functional asynchrony, at the organism level, and may to contribute to a wide range of physiologic disorders. It has been reported that as many as 5%-10% of transcribed genes in peripheral tissues follow a circadian expression pattern. We have conducted a comprehensive study of circadian gene expression on a large dataset representing three different peripheral tissues. The data have been produced in a large-scale microarray experiment covering replicate daily cycles in murine white and brown adipose tissues as well as in liver. We have applied three alternative algorithmic approaches to identify circadian oscillation in time series expression profiles. Analyses of our own data indicate that the expression of at least 7% to 21% of active genes in mouse liver, and in white and brown adipose tissues follow a daily oscillatory pattern. Indeed, analysis of data from other laboratories suggests that the percentage of genes with an oscillatory pattern may approach 50% in the liver. For the rest of the genes, oscillation appears to be obscured by stochastic noise. Our phase classification and computer simulation studies based on multiple datasets indicate no detectable boundary between oscillating and non-oscillating fractions of genes. We conclude that greater attention should be given to the potential influence of circadian mechanisms on any biological pathway related to metabolism and obesity.

  17. Physical profile data collected aboard the F/V Columbia in the Gulf of Alaska during the Lower Cook Inlet (Alaska) seasonal hydrographic surveys, January 8 - 10, 2005 (NODC Accession 0040248)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This is the CTD data from one of sixteen cruises in lower Cook Inlet. Four CTDs were used, but most also included fluorescence, transmissometer, and oxygen...

  18. Fatty acid composition of the postmortem corpus callosum of patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depressive disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamazaki, K; Maekawa, M; Toyota, T; Dean, B; Hamazaki, T; Yoshikawa, T

    2017-01-01

    Studies investigating the relationship between n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels and psychiatric disorders have thus far focused mainly on analyzing gray matter, rather than white matter, in the postmortem brain. In this study, we investigated whether PUFA levels showed abnormalities in the corpus callosum, the largest area of white matter, in the postmortem brain tissue of patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depressive disorder. Fatty acids in the phospholipids of the postmortem corpus callosum were evaluated by thin-layer chromatography and gas chromatography. Specimens were evaluated for patients with schizophrenia (n=15), bipolar disorder (n=15), or major depressive disorder (n=15) and compared with unaffected controls (n=15). In contrast to some previous studies, no significant differences were found in the levels of PUFAs or other fatty acids in the corpus callosum between patients and controls. A subanalysis by sex gave the same results. No significant differences were found in any PUFAs between suicide completers and non-suicide cases regardless of psychiatric disorder diagnosis. Patients with psychiatric disorders did not exhibit n-3 PUFAs deficits in the postmortem corpus callosum relative to the unaffected controls, and the corpus callosum might not be involved in abnormalities of PUFA metabolism. This area of research is still at an early stage and requires further investigation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  19. Tissue misrepair hypothesis for radiation carcinogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kondo, Sohei

    1991-01-01

    Dose-response curves for chronic leukemia in A-bomb survivors and liver tumors in patients given Thorotrast (colloidal thorium dioxide) show large threshold effects. The existence of these threshold effects can be explained by the following hypothesis. A high dose of radiation causes a persistent wound in a cellrenewable tissue. Disorder of the injured cell society partly frees the component cells from territorial restraints on their proliferation, enabling them to continue development of their cellular functions toward advanced autonomy. This progression might be achieved by continued epigenetic and genetic changes as a result of occasional errors in the otherwise concerted healing action of various endogeneous factors recruited for tissue repair. Carcinogenesis is not simply a single-cell problem but a cell-society problem. Therefore, it is not warranted to estimate risk at low doses by linear extrapolation from cancer data at high doses without knowledge of the mechanism of radiation carcinogenesis. (author) 57 refs

  20. Blood BDNF concentrations reflect brain-tissue BDNF levels across species

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klein, Anders B; Williamson, Rebecca; Santini, Martin A

    2011-01-01

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in synaptic plasticity, neuronal differentiation and survival of neurons. Observations of decreased serum BDNF levels in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders have highlighted the potential of BDNF as a biomarker, but so far there have been...... no studies directly comparing blood BDNF levels to brain BDNF levels in different species. We examined blood, serum, plasma and brain-tissue BDNF levels in three different mammalian species: rat, pig, and mouse, using an ELISA method. As a control, we included an analysis of blood and brain tissue from...... conditional BDNF knockout mice and their wild-type littermates. Whereas BDNF could readily be measured in rat blood, plasma and brain tissue, it was undetectable in mouse blood. In pigs, whole-blood levels of BDNF could not be measured with a commercially available ELISA kit, but pig plasma BDNF levels (mean...

  1. Blood BDNF concentrations reflect brain-tissue BDNF levels across species

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klein, Anders B; Williamson, Rebecca; Santini, Martin A

    2011-01-01

    no studies directly comparing blood BDNF levels to brain BDNF levels in different species. We examined blood, serum, plasma and brain-tissue BDNF levels in three different mammalian species: rat, pig, and mouse, using an ELISA method. As a control, we included an analysis of blood and brain tissue from......Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in synaptic plasticity, neuronal differentiation and survival of neurons. Observations of decreased serum BDNF levels in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders have highlighted the potential of BDNF as a biomarker, but so far there have been...... conditional BDNF knockout mice and their wild-type littermates. Whereas BDNF could readily be measured in rat blood, plasma and brain tissue, it was undetectable in mouse blood. In pigs, whole-blood levels of BDNF could not be measured with a commercially available ELISA kit, but pig plasma BDNF levels (mean...

  2. Adipose tissue mitochondrial dysfunction triggers a lipodystrophic syndrome with insulin resistance, hepatosteatosis, and cardiovascular complications

    OpenAIRE

    Vernochet, Cecile; Damilano, Federico; Mourier, Arnaud; Bezy, Olivier; Mori, Marcelo A.; Smyth, Graham; Rosenzweig, Anthony; Larsson, Nils-Göran; Kahn, C. Ronald

    2014-01-01

    Mitochondrial dysfunction in adipose tissue occurs in obesity, type 2 diabetes, and some forms of lipodystrophy, but whether this dysfunction contributes to or is the result of these disorders is unknown. To investigate the physiological consequences of severe mitochondrial impairment in adipose tissue, we generated mice deficient in mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) in adipocytes by using mice carrying adiponectin-Cre and TFAM floxed alleles. These adiponectin TFAM-knockout (adipo-...

  3. Bones - joints - soft tissues II. 7. rev. ed. Knochen - Gelenke - Weichteile II

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dihlmann, W. (Roentgeninstitut, Allgemeines Krankenhaus Barmbek, Hamburg (Germany)); Frommhold, W. (Radiologische Klinik, Tuebingen Univ. (Germany)) (eds.)

    1991-01-01

    With the publication of the 2nd part to Volume VI, 'Bones - joints - soft tissues', the 7th edition of 'Diagnostic radiology in the hospital and medical practice' is complete. The advances made particularly during the past decade in the field of diagnostic radiology have made it neccesary for all the individual sections to be completely revised. Recently developed methods of imaging like sonography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance tomography are increasingly used as a replacement for or, at least, an adjunct to conventional X-ray procedures. Owing to the development and continuous refinement of related methods of intervention the gap between mere diagnostic applications and therapeutic uses of radiology could eventually be closed. The issues mainly discussed in this volume are bone fractures and healing, bone transplantation, osteopathy and osteoarthropathy, fibrous dyplasia or Albright's disease, Pagetoid osteitis, genetically transmitted constitutional disorders of the skeleton and soft tissue changes. While in the key sections on bone fractures and healing, osteopathy and osteoarthropathy as well as constitutional genetic disorders X-ray techniques are still described as the prevailing method of diagnosis, diseases of soft tissues now are much more commonly diagnosed using magnetic resonance imaging. (orig./MG) With 2248 figs., 59 tabs.

  4. CTD and sound speed profile data acquired in support of hydrographic multibeam surveys to meet NOAA/NOS, Office of Coast Survey charting requirements

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Multiple sensors are used to acquire sound speed profiles in the survey areas assigned to the ships and navigation response teams. Some vessels have CTDs and acquire...

  5. Computed tomography in soft-tissue lesions of the hand and forearm

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmitt, R.; Warmuth-Metz, M.; Lucas, D.; Feyerabend, T.; Schindler, G.; Lanz, U.

    1990-01-01

    Computed tomography was carried out in 32 patients with clinically equivocal soft-tissue lesions of the hand (24 times) and forearm (8 times). The CT scans were performed with the patients in standard positions; thin slices and zoom technique were used. All soft-tissue tumors were correctly diagnosed with regard to localization, size and infiltration of the surrounding tissue. The histological diagnosis was correct in tendon-sheath proliferations, deposits caused by metabolic disorders, epithelial and ganglion cysts, hemangiomas, lipomas and in one schwannoma. A malignancy was suspected and was proven to be correct in two cases. False-positive diagnoses of a malignant soft-tissue tumor were made in one case of an aggressive fibromatosis, in a rapidly progressive, ossifying myositis, and three times in the presence of postoperative scar tissue following the resection of a sarcoma. Finally, a case of proliferative myositis regarded as semimalignant was underrated by CT. The hand surgeon considered CT diagnostics to be very helpful in planning operations in an anatomically complex organ such as the hand. (orig.) [de

  6. How Not to Be Misled by Disorders Mimicking Angioedema

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Michelle Fog; Longhurst, Hilary J; Rasmussen, Eva Rye

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Angioedema is a vascular reaction involving the lower dermis, subcutis and/or submucosal tissue and causing a temporary localized swelling in any part of the body. For many health care professionals, the diagnosis presents an ongoing challenge; several disorders may manifest with subc...

  7. Raman Spectroscopy of Ocular Tissue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ermakov, Igor V.; Sharifzadeh, Mohsen; Gellermann, Warner

    The optically transparent nature of the human eye has motivated numerous Raman studies aimed at the non-invasive optical probing of ocular tissue components critical to healthy vision. Investigations include the qualitative and quantitative detection of tissue-specific molecular constituents, compositional changes occurring with development of ocular pathology, and the detection and tracking of ocular drugs and nutritional supplements. Motivated by a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms leading to cataract formation in the aging human lens, a great deal of work has centered on the Raman detection of proteins and water content in the lens. Several protein groups and the hydroxyl response are readily detectable. Changes of protein compositions can be studied in excised noncataractous tissue versus aged tissue preparations as well as in tissue samples with artificially induced cataracts. Most of these studies are carried out in vitro using suitable animal models and conventional Raman techniques. Tissue water content plays an important role in optimum light transmission of the outermost transparent ocular structure, the cornea. Using confocal Raman spectroscopy techniques, it has been possible to non-invasively measure the water to protein ratio as a measure of hydration status and to track drug-induced changes of the hydration levels in the rabbit cornea at various depths. The aqueous humor, normally supplying nutrients to cornea and lens, has an advantageous anterior location for Raman studies. Increasing efforts are pursued to non-invasively detect the presence of glucose and therapeutic concentrations of antibiotic drugs in this medium. In retinal tissue, Raman spectroscopy proves to be an important tool for research into the causes of macular degeneration, the leading cause of irreversible vision disorders and blindness in the elderly. It has been possible to detect the spectral features of advanced glycation and advanced lipooxydation end products in

  8. Adipose tissue and adrenal glands: novel pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kargi, Atil Y; Iacobellis, Gianluca

    2014-01-01

    Hormones produced by the adrenal glands and adipose tissues have important roles in normal physiology and are altered in many disease states. Obesity is associated with changes in adrenal function, including increase in adrenal medullary catecholamine output, alterations of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, elevations in circulating aldosterone together with changes in adipose tissue glucocorticoid metabolism, and enhanced adipocyte mineralocorticoid receptor activity. It is unknown whether these changes in adrenal endocrine function are in part responsible for the pathogenesis of obesity and related comorbidities or represent an adaptive response. In turn, adipose tissue hormones or "adipokines" have direct effects on the adrenal glands and interact with adrenal hormones at several levels. Here we review the emerging evidence supporting the existence of "cross talk" between the adrenal gland and adipose tissue, focusing on the relevance and roles of their respective hormones in health and disease states including obesity, metabolic syndrome, and primary disorders of the adrenals.

  9. Adipose Tissue and Adrenal Glands: Novel Pathophysiological Mechanisms and Clinical Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atil Y. Kargi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Hormones produced by the adrenal glands and adipose tissues have important roles in normal physiology and are altered in many disease states. Obesity is associated with changes in adrenal function, including increase in adrenal medullary catecholamine output, alterations of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA axis, elevations in circulating aldosterone together with changes in adipose tissue glucocorticoid metabolism, and enhanced adipocyte mineralocorticoid receptor activity. It is unknown whether these changes in adrenal endocrine function are in part responsible for the pathogenesis of obesity and related comorbidities or represent an adaptive response. In turn, adipose tissue hormones or “adipokines” have direct effects on the adrenal glands and interact with adrenal hormones at several levels. Here we review the emerging evidence supporting the existence of “cross talk” between the adrenal gland and adipose tissue, focusing on the relevance and roles of their respective hormones in health and disease states including obesity, metabolic syndrome, and primary disorders of the adrenals.

  10. Bone tissue engineering using silica-based mesoporous nanobiomaterials:Recent progress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shadjou, Nasrin; Hasanzadeh, Mohammad

    2015-10-01

    Bone disorders are of significant concern due to increase in the median age of our population. It is in this context that tissue engineering has been emerging as a valid approach to the current therapies for bone regeneration/substitution. Tissue-engineered bone constructs have the potential to alleviate the demand arising from the shortage of suitable autograft and allograft materials for augmenting bone healing. Silica based mesostructured nanomaterials possessing pore sizes in the range 2-50 nm and surface reactive functionalities have elicited immense interest due to their exciting prospects in bone tissue engineering. In this review we describe application of silica-based mesoporous nanomaterials for bone tissue engineering. We summarize the preparation methods, the effect of mesopore templates and composition on the mesopore-structure characteristics, and different forms of these materials, including particles, fibers, spheres, scaffolds and composites. Also, the effect of structural and textural properties of mesoporous materials on development of new biomaterials for production of bone implants and bone cements was discussed. Also, application of different mesoporous materials on construction of manufacture 3-dimensional scaffolds for bone tissue engineering was discussed. It begins by giving the reader a brief background on tissue engineering, followed by a comprehensive description of all the relevant components of silica-based mesoporous biomaterials on bone tissue engineering, going from materials to scaffolds and from cells to tissue engineering strategies that will lead to "engineered" bone. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. TZCF Oceanographic Survey (SE1505)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Oceanographic data were collected along the 159W and Meridional from 26? 30'N-32? 30'N. CTD casts were conducted at predetermined stations. CTDs were equipped with...

  12. TZCF Oceanographic Survey (SE0902L1, EK60)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Oceanographic data were collected along the 158?W Meridional from 22?30?N-36?00?N. CTD cats were conducted at predetermined stations. CTDs were equipped with oxygen...

  13. Generalized enchondromatosis with unusual complications of soft tissue calcifications and hemangiomas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaibara, N.; Katsuki, I.; Hotokebuchi, T.; Takagishi, K.

    1982-01-01

    Generalized enchondromatosis is a newly delineated type of enchondromatosis. Radiographically there are multiple enchondromata in almost all metaphyses of the long and short tubular bones and the lesions are in almost the same stage of development with mild platyspondyly and skull deformity. The pelvic changes are characteristic and, together with the metaphyseal changes of the long and short tubular bones, are probably diagnostic of this disorder. The present case demonstrates advanced radiographic features of this disorder associated with unusual soft tissue calcifications and hemangiomas. The presence of hemangiomas in our case as well as three cases in the literature suggests this feature is more than a coincidence. (orig.)

  14. Terahertz pulse imaging in reflection geometry of human skin cancer and skin tissue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woodward, Ruth M; Cole, Bryan E; Wallace, Vincent P; Pye, Richard J; Arnone, Donald D; Linfield, Edmund H; Pepper, Michael

    2002-01-01

    We demonstrate the application of terahertz pulse imaging (TPI) in reflection geometry for the study of skin tissue and related cancers both in vitro and in vivo. The sensitivity of terahertz radiation to polar molecules, such as water, makes TPI suitable for studying the hydration levels in the skin and the determination of the lateral spread of skin cancer pre-operatively. By studying the terahertz pulse shape in the time domain we have been able to differentiate between diseased and normal tissue for the study of basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Basal cell carcinoma has shown a positive terahertz contrast, and inflammation and scar tissue a negative terahertz contrast compared to normal tissue. In vivo measurements on the stratum corneum have enabled visualization of the stratum corneum-epidermis interface and the study of skin hydration levels. These results demonstrate the potential of terahertz pulse imaging for the study of skin tissue and its related disorders, both in vitro and in vivo

  15. Ultrasonic Histotripsy for Tissue Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pahk, K. J.; Dhar, D. K.; Malago, M.; Saffari, N.

    2015-01-01

    Hepatocyte transplantation has been considered and investigated as a promising and alternative method to liver transplantation for treating liver-based metabolic disorder in newborns over the past two decades. Although some clinical trials have been conducted and shown clinical benefits and outcomes, it is difficult to deliver and achieve a desired level of integration and transplantation of hepatocytes in the liver parenchyma. To overcome this problem, this work introduces an alternative method to a portal-infused-hepatocyte cell transplantation. To improve the level of engraftment of transplantable hepatocytes, these are injected directly into cavities generated by ultrasonic histotripsy. Histotripsy is an extracorporeal noninvasive technique which has been recently developed using high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for inducing tissue fractionation with no coagulative necrosis. The exact mechanisms for the tissue fractionation are not well understood yet; but the possible mechanisms are thought to be a combination of nonlinear wave propagation effect, explosive bubble growth and ultrasonic atomization. The main objectives of this work are to demonstrate the feasibility of this new cell therapy and evaluate and distinguish between the different types of cavitation activity for either a thermally or a mechanically induced lesion. In the present work, numerical studies on the bubble dynamics (the Gilmore-Akulichev bubble model coupled with the Khokhlov-Zabolotskaya-Kuznetsov equation) and both ex- and in vivo liver experiments are conducted with histological analysis (haematoxylin and eosin stain). The numerical and the experimental results suggest that (a) the acoustic emissions emitted during the thermal ablation and the histotripsy exposure can be distinguished both numerically and experimentally and (b) the proposed cell therapy may potentially form an effective and safe clinical treatment for replacing and correcting disordered hepatocytes, although the

  16. Ultrasonic Histotripsy for Tissue Therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pahk, K J; Saffari, N; Dhar, D K; Malago, M

    2015-01-01

    Hepatocyte transplantation has been considered and investigated as a promising and alternative method to liver transplantation for treating liver-based metabolic disorder in newborns over the past two decades. Although some clinical trials have been conducted and shown clinical benefits and outcomes, it is difficult to deliver and achieve a desired level of integration and transplantation of hepatocytes in the liver parenchyma. To overcome this problem, this work introduces an alternative method to a portal-infused-hepatocyte cell transplantation. To improve the level of engraftment of transplantable hepatocytes, these are injected directly into cavities generated by ultrasonic histotripsy. Histotripsy is an extracorporeal noninvasive technique which has been recently developed using high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for inducing tissue fractionation with no coagulative necrosis. The exact mechanisms for the tissue fractionation are not well understood yet; but the possible mechanisms are thought to be a combination of nonlinear wave propagation effect, explosive bubble growth and ultrasonic atomization. The main objectives of this work are to demonstrate the feasibility of this new cell therapy and evaluate and distinguish between the different types of cavitation activity for either a thermally or a mechanically induced lesion. In the present work, numerical studies on the bubble dynamics (the Gilmore-Akulichev bubble model coupled with the Khokhlov-Zabolotskaya-Kuznetsov equation) and both ex- and in vivo liver experiments are conducted with histological analysis (haematoxylin and eosin stain). The numerical and the experimental results suggest that (a) the acoustic emissions emitted during the thermal ablation and the histotripsy exposure can be distinguished both numerically and experimentally and (b) the proposed cell therapy may potentially form an effective and safe clinical treatment for replacing and correcting disordered hepatocytes, although the

  17. Study of the usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging on neurological disorders

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hokezu, Youichi (Kagoshima Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Medicine)

    1992-05-01

    One hundred and ten patients with several neurological disorders including cerebrovascular diseases (CVD), degenerative diseases, demyelinating diseases, infections of the nervous systems, neurometabolic disorders, myopathies, diseases of the spine or spinal cord and myelopathy were studied by employing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Superconductive magnetic systems of 0.5 T, 1.0 T or 1.5 T were used for this study. MRI could show the lesions clearly in many neurological disorders such as CVD, demyelinating diseases, infections of the nervous systems, neurometabolic disorders, myopathies and myeloythy. However, MRI could not necessarily show the lesions cleary in neurodegenerative disease and bone or calcified lesions such as ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament. MRI is better than CT in spatial and tissue resolution. MRI study is expected to be the more beneficial procedure in neurological disorders, if a much shorter scanning time can be achieved. (author).

  18. Study of the usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging on neurological disorders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hokezu, Youichi

    1992-01-01

    One hundred and ten patients with several neurological disorders including cerebrovascular diseases (CVD), degenerative diseases, demyelinating diseases, infections of the nervous systems, neurometabolic disorders, myopathies, diseases of the spine or spinal cord and myelopathy were studied by employing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Superconductive magnetic systems of 0.5 T, 1.0 T or 1.5 T were used for this study. MRI could show the lesions clearly in many neurological disorders such as CVD, demyelinating diseases, infections of the nervous systems, neurometabolic disorders, myopathies and myeloythy. However, MRI could not necessarily show the lesions cleary in neurodegenerative disease and bone or calcified lesions such as ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament. MRI is better than CT in spatial and tissue resolution. MRI study is expected to be the more beneficial procedure in neurological disorders, if a much shorter scanning time can be achieved. (author)

  19. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis from a tissue energy perspective [version 1; referees: 2 approved

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roshni A Desai

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Increasing evidence suggests a key role for tissue energy failure in the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis (MS. Studies in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE, a commonly used model of MS, have been instrumental in illuminating the mechanisms that may be involved in compromising energy production. In this article, we review recent advances in EAE research focussing on factors that conspire to impair tissue energy metabolism, such as tissue hypoxia, mitochondrial dysfunction, production of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species, and sodium dysregulation, which are directly affected by energy insufficiency, and promote cellular damage. A greater understanding of how inflammation affects tissue energy balance may lead to novel and effective therapeutic strategies that ultimately will benefit not only people affected by MS but also people affected by the wide range of other neurological disorders in which neuroinflammation plays an important role.

  20. MODERN INSIGHTS INTO THE ROLE OF HEMORHEOLOGICAL DEVIATIONS AND FUNCTIONAL STATUS OF THE ENDOTHELIAL TISSUE IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF ACUTE INFLAMMATORY LUNG AND BRONCHIAL DISEASES AMONG CHILDREN

    OpenAIRE

    A.V. Mozhaev; R.R. Shilyaev; M.R. Grineva; O.A. Pakhrova

    2007-01-01

    Disorders of the endothelial tissue and hemorheology function build up one of the pathogenic bases to form the acute inflammatory abnormality of the respiratory tract among children. The overview highlights the information on the role and disorders of the erythrocyte clumping and plasticity, blood viscosity and function of the endothelial tissue as a response to the acute respiratory infections among children.Key words: endothelial dysfunction, hemorheology, hemorheological deviations, acute ...

  1. Selective reactivation of human herpesvirus 6 in patients with autoimmune connective tissue diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Broccolo, Francesco; Drago, Francesco; Cassina, Giulia; Fava, Andrea; Fusetti, Lisa; Matteoli, Barbara; Ceccherini-Nelli, Luca; Sabbadini, Maria Grazia; Lusso, Paolo; Parodi, Aurora; Malnati, Mauro S

    2013-11-01

    Viral infections have been associated with autoimmune connective tissue diseases. To evaluate whether active infection by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), human herpesvirus (HHV)-6, -7, -8, as well as parvovirus B19 (B19V) occur in patients with autoimmune connective tissue diseases, viral DNA loads were assessed in paired samples of serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 115 patients affected by different disorders, including systemic sclerosis, systemic, and discoid lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and dermatomyositis. Two additional groups, patients affected by inflammatory diseases (n=51) and healthy subjects (n=58) were studied as controls. The titers of anti-HHV-6 and anti-EBV antibodies were also evaluated. Cell-free HHV-6 serum viremia was detected in a significantly higher proportion of connective tissue diseases patients compared to controls (Preactivation and the active disease state was found only for lupus erythematosus (P=0.021). By contrast, the rate of cell-free EBV viremia was similar in patients and controls groups. Cell-free CMV, HHV-8, and B19V viremia was not detected in any subject. Anti-HHV-6 and anti-EBV early antigen IgG titers were both significantly higher in autoimmune diseases patients as compared to healthy controls, although they were not associated with the presence of viremia. EBV, HHV-6, -7 prevalence and viral load in PBMCs of patients with connective tissue diseases and controls were similar. These data suggest that HHV-6 may act as a pathogenic factor predisposing patients to the development of autoimmune connective tissue diseases or, conversely, that these disorders may predispose patients to HHV-6 reactivation. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Use of Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Techniques in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kremer, S.; Renard, F.; Achard, S.

    2015-01-01

    Brain parenchymal lesions are frequently observed on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) spectrum disorder but the specific morphological and temporal patterns distinguishing them uneqtaivcally from lesions caused by other disorders have...... not been identified. This literature review summarizes the literature on advanced quantitative imaging measures reported for patients with NMO spectrum disorder, including proton MR spectroscopy, diffusion tensor imaging, magnetization transfer imaging, quantitative MR voltametry, and ultrahigh...... diffusion-weighted imaging and brain tissue volumetry indicate greater white matter than gray matter degradation. These findings could be confirmed by ultrahigh-field MRI. The use of nonconventional MR I techniques may further our understanding of the pathogenic processes hi NMO spectrum disorders and may...

  3. Diagnostic imaging of the equine tarsal region using radiography and ultrasonography. Part 1: the soft tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanderperren, Katrien; Raes, Els; Hoegaerts, Michel; Saunders, Jimmy H

    2009-02-01

    The equine tarsus is the most commonly affected hindlimb region associated with lameness. Diagnostic imaging is routinely applied but because of its complexity, being composed of 10 multifaceted bones and different joints, multiple ligaments, tendons and bursae, imaging this region can be a challenge. This is the first part of a two-part review of the structures and disorders of the equine tarsus. It describes the principal disorders affecting the soft tissues of the tarsal region and addresses some of the technical aspects in taking radiographic, ultrasonographic and scintigraphic images of the different soft tissue lesions. Where applicable, comments on the diagnostic use of contrast radiography, arthroscopy and tenoscopy are made. In current clinical practice a combination of radiography and ultrasonography is still most frequently used to arrive at a diagnosis.

  4. Preparation of tissue samples for X-ray fluorescence microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chwiej, Joanna; Szczerbowska-Boruchowska, Magdalena; Lankosz, Marek; Wojcik, Slawomir; Falkenberg, Gerald; Stegowski, Zdzislaw; Setkowicz, Zuzanna

    2005-01-01

    As is well-known, trace elements, especially metals, play an important role in the pathogenesis of many disorders. The topographic and quantitative elemental analysis of pathologically changed tissues may shed some new light on processes leading to the degeneration of cells in the case of selected diseases. An ideal and powerful tool for such purpose is the Synchrotron Microbeam X-ray Fluorescence technique. It enables the carrying out of investigations of the elemental composition of tissues even at the single cell level. The tissue samples for histopathological investigations are routinely fixed and embedded in paraffin. The authors try to verify the usefulness of such prepared tissue sections for elemental analysis with the use of X-ray fluorescence microscopy. Studies were performed on rat brain samples. Changes in elemental composition caused by fixation in formalin or paraformaldehyde and embedding in paraffin were examined. Measurements were carried out at the bending magnet beamline L of the Hamburger Synchrotronstrahlungslabor HASYLAB in Hamburg. The decrease in mass per unit area of K, Br and the increase in P, S, Fe, Cu and Zn in the tissue were observed as a result of the fixation. For the samples embedded in paraffin, a lower level of most elements was observed. Additionally, for these samples, changes in the composition of some elements were not uniform for different analyzed areas of rat brain

  5. Preparation of tissue samples for X-ray fluorescence microscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chwiej, Joanna [Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH-University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Cracow (Poland)]. E-mail: jchwiej@novell.ftj.agh.edu.pl; Szczerbowska-Boruchowska, Magdalena [Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH-University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Cracow (Poland); Lankosz, Marek [Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH-University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Cracow (Poland); Wojcik, Slawomir [Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH-University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Cracow (Poland); Falkenberg, Gerald [Hamburger Synchrotronstrahlungslabor at Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, Notkestr. 85, Hamburg (Germany); Stegowski, Zdzislaw [Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH-University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Cracow (Poland); Setkowicz, Zuzanna [Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Zoology, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 6, 30-060 Cracow (Poland)

    2005-12-15

    As is well-known, trace elements, especially metals, play an important role in the pathogenesis of many disorders. The topographic and quantitative elemental analysis of pathologically changed tissues may shed some new light on processes leading to the degeneration of cells in the case of selected diseases. An ideal and powerful tool for such purpose is the Synchrotron Microbeam X-ray Fluorescence technique. It enables the carrying out of investigations of the elemental composition of tissues even at the single cell level. The tissue samples for histopathological investigations are routinely fixed and embedded in paraffin. The authors try to verify the usefulness of such prepared tissue sections for elemental analysis with the use of X-ray fluorescence microscopy. Studies were performed on rat brain samples. Changes in elemental composition caused by fixation in formalin or paraformaldehyde and embedding in paraffin were examined. Measurements were carried out at the bending magnet beamline L of the Hamburger Synchrotronstrahlungslabor HASYLAB in Hamburg. The decrease in mass per unit area of K, Br and the increase in P, S, Fe, Cu and Zn in the tissue were observed as a result of the fixation. For the samples embedded in paraffin, a lower level of most elements was observed. Additionally, for these samples, changes in the composition of some elements were not uniform for different analyzed areas of rat brain.

  6. Human skeletal muscles replaced to a high degree by white adipose tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ina, Keisuke; Kitamura, Hirokazu; Masaki, Takayuki; Tatsukawa, Shuji; Yoshimatsu, Hironobu; Fujikura, Yoshihisa

    2011-02-01

    Extreme replacement of skeletal muscles by adipose tissue was found in an 86-year old Japanese male cadaver during dissection practice for medical students at Oita University School of Medicine. Especially, the bilateral sartorius muscles looked overall like adipose tissue. The man had suffered from diabetes mellitus, renal failure, hypertension and hypothyroidism before his death. He was also an alcohol drinker. He had been bedridden late in life. The cause of death was renal failure. In microscopy, the adipose tissue-like sartorius muscle was shown to consist of leptin-positive adipocytes with a small number of degenerated muscle fibers. Fatty replacement, or fatty degeneration, appears to result from endocrine and metabolic disorders, and being bedridden leads to muscle atrophy and damage, although the origin of the adipocytes which emerged in the degenerated muscles is unknown.

  7. Evaluation of thyroid tissue by Raman spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teixeira, C. S. B.; Bitar, R. A.; Santos, A. B. O.; Kulcsar, M. A. V.; Friguglietti, C. U. M.; Martinho, H. S.; da Costa, R. B.; Martin, A. A.

    2010-02-01

    Thyroid gland is a small gland in the neck consisting of two lobes connected by an isthmus. Thyroid's main function is to produce the hormones thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and calcitonin. Thyroid disorders can disturb the production of these hormones, which will affect numerous processes within the body such as: regulating metabolism and increasing utilization of cholesterol, fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. The gland itself can also be injured; for example, neoplasias, which have been considered the most important, causing damage of to the gland and are difficult to diagnose. There are several types of thyroid cancer: Papillary, Follicular, Medullary, and Anaplastic. The occurrence rate, in general is between 4 and 7%; which is on the increase (30%), probably due to new technology that is able to find small thyroid cancers that may not have been found previously. The most common method used for thyroid diagnoses are: anamnesis, ultrasonography, and laboratory exams (Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy- FNAB). However, the sensitivity of those test are rather poor, with a high rate of false-negative results, therefore there is an urgent need to develop new diagnostic techniques. Raman spectroscopy has been presented as a valuable tool for cancer diagnosis in many different tissues. In this work, 27 fragments of the thyroid were collected from 18 patients, comprising the following histologic groups: goitre adjacent tissue, goitre nodular tissue, follicular adenoma, follicular carcinoma, and papillary carcinoma. Spectral collection was done with a commercial FTRaman Spectrometer (Bruker RFS100/S) using a 1064 nm laser excitation and Ge detector. Principal Component Analysis, Cluster Analysis, and Linear Discriminant Analysis with cross-validation were applied as spectral classification algorithm. Comparing the goitre adjacent tissue with the goitre nodular region, an index of 58.3% of correct classification was obtained. Between goitre (nodular region and

  8. Effect of bone-soft tissue friction on ultrasound axial shear strain elastography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Songyuan; Chaudhry, Anuj; Kim, Namhee; Reddy, J N; Righetti, Raffaella

    2017-07-12

    Bone-soft tissue friction is an important factor affecting several musculoskeletal disorders, frictional syndromes and the ability of a bone fracture to heal. However, this parameter is difficult to determine using non-invasive imaging modalities, especially in clinical settings. Ultrasound axial shear strain elastography is a non-invasive imaging modality that has been used in the recent past to estimate the bonding between different tissue layers. As most elastography methods, axial shear strain elastography is primarily used in soft tissues. More recently, this technique has been proposed to assess the bone-soft tissue interface. In this paper, we investigate the effect of a variation in bone-soft tissue friction coefficient in the resulting axial shear strain elastograms. Finite element poroelastic models of bone specimens exhibiting different bone-soft tissue friction coefficients were created and mechanically analyzed. These models were then imported to an ultrasound elastography simulation module to assess the presence of axial shear strain patterns. In vitro experiments were performed to corroborate selected simulation results. The results of this study show that the normalized axial shear strain estimated at the bone-soft tissue interface is statistically correlated to the bone-soft tissue coefficient of friction. This information may prove useful to better interpret ultrasound elastography results obtained in bone-related applications and, possibly, monitor bone healing.

  9. Connective tissue integrity is lost in vitamin B-6-deficient chicks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masse, P. G.; Yamauchi, M.; Mahuren, J. D.; Coburn, S. P.; Muniz, O. E.; Howell, D. S.

    1995-01-01

    The objective of the present investigation was to characterize further the connective tissue disorder produced by pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) deficiency, as previously evidenced by electron microscopy. Following the second post-natal week, fast growing male chicks were deprived of pyridoxine for a 1-mo period. Six weeks post-natally, blood concentrations in the experimental deficiency group had declined to deficiency levels as registered by low concentrations of pyridoxal phosphate (coenzyme form) in erythrocytes, but did not reach levels associated with neurological symptoms. Light microscopic study showed abnormalities in the extracellular matrix of the connective tissues. Collagen cross-links and the aldehyde contents were not significantly lower in cartilage and tendon collagens of vitamin B-6-deficient animals than in age-matched controls; also, their proteoglycan degrading protease and collagenase activities measured in articular cartilages were not greater. Thus, proteolysis was an unlikely alternative mechanism to account for the loss of connective tissue integrity. These results point to the need for further investigation into adhesive properties of collagen associated proteoglycans or other proteins in vitamin B-6-deficient connective tissue.

  10. Esophageal involvement and interstitial lung disease in mixed connective tissue disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fagundes, M N; Caleiro, M T C; Navarro-Rodriguez, T; Baldi, B G; Kavakama, J; Salge, J M; Kairalla, R; Carvalho, C R R

    2009-06-01

    Mixed connective tissue disease is a systemic inflammatory disorder that results in both pulmonary and esophageal manifestations. We sought to evaluate the relationship between esophageal dysfunction and interstitial lung disease in patients with mixed connective tissue disease. We correlated the pulmonary function data and the high-resolution computed tomography findings of interstitial lung disease with the results of esophageal evaluation in manometry, 24-hour intraesophageal pH measurements, and the presence of esophageal dilatation on computed tomography scan. Fifty consecutive patients with mixed connective tissue disease, according to Kasukawa's classification criteria, were included in this prospective study. High-resolution computed tomography parenchymal abnormalities were present in 39 of 50 patients. Esophageal dilatation, gastroesophageal reflux, and esophageal motor impairment were also very prevalent (28 of 50, 18 of 36, and 30 of 36, respectively). The presence of interstitial lung disease on computed tomography was significantly higher among patients with esophageal dilatation (92% vs. 45%; pmotor dysfunction (90% vs. 35%; pesophageal and pulmonary involvement, our series revealed a strong association between esophageal motor dysfunction and interstitial lung disease in patients with mixed connective tissue disease.

  11. Radiographic aspects of pleural disorders [pleura, hydrothorax, pneumothorax, diaphragmatic hernia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stambouli, F.

    1995-01-01

    Radiographic modifications of the pleural space and pleura are due to the presence of air (pneumothorax), liquid (hydrothorax), a mass of tissue or displaced abdominal organs (the latter two disorders are often masked by liquid). Effusions are characterised by the presence of intralobar fissures, retraction and collapse of the pulmonary lobes of the thoracic wall and a general diffuse opacification starring ventrally. Pneumothorax is associated with an accentuated radiotransparence of the thorax and a retraction of the lungs, they become separated from the thoracic wall by a space without a pulmonary tissue framework

  12. Cryopreserved Dental Pulp Tissues of Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth Is a Feasible Stem Cell Resource for Regenerative Medicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamaza, Haruyoshi; Akiyama, Kentaro; Hoshino, Yoshihiro; Song, Guangtai; Kukita, Toshio; Nonaka, Kazuaki; Shi, Songtao; Yamaza, Takayoshi

    2012-01-01

    Human exfoliated deciduous teeth have been considered to be a promising source for regenerative therapy because they contain unique postnatal stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) with self-renewal capacity, multipotency and immunomodulatory function. However preservation technique of deciduous teeth has not been developed. This study aimed to evaluate that cryopreserved dental pulp tissues of human exfoliated deciduous teeth is a retrievable and practical SHED source for cell-based therapy. SHED isolated from the cryopreserved deciduous pulp tissues for over 2 years (25–30 months) (SHED-Cryo) owned similar stem cell properties including clonogenicity, self-renew, stem cell marker expression, multipotency, in vivo tissue regenerative capacity and in vitro immunomodulatory function to SHED isolated from the fresh tissues (SHED-Fresh). To examine the therapeutic efficacy of SHED-Cryo on immune diseases, SHED-Cryo were intravenously transplanted into systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) model MRL/lpr mice. Systemic SHED-Cryo-transplantation improved SLE-like disorders including short lifespan, elevated autoantibody levels and nephritis-like renal dysfunction. SHED-Cryo amended increased interleukin 17-secreting helper T cells in MRL/lpr mice systemically and locally. SHED-Cryo-transplantation was also able to recover osteoporosis bone reduction in long bones of MRL/lpr mice. Furthermore, SHED-Cryo-mediated tissue engineering induced bone regeneration in critical calvarial bone-defect sites of immunocompromised mice. The therapeutic efficacy of SHED-Cryo transplantation on immune and skeletal disorders was similar to that of SHED-Fresh. These data suggest that cryopreservation of dental pulp tissues of deciduous teeth provide a suitable and desirable approach for stem cell-based immune therapy and tissue engineering in regenerative medicine. PMID:23251621

  13. Dental Tissue — New Source for Stem Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vladimir Petrovic

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Stem cells have been isolated from many tissues and organs, including dental tissue. Five types of dental stem cells have been established: dental pulp stem cells, stem cells from exfoliated deciduous teeth, stem cells from apical papilla, periodontal ligament stem cells, and dental follicle progenitor cells. The main characteristics of dental stem cells are their potential for multilineage differentiation and self-renewal capacity. Dental stem cells can differentiate into odontoblasts, adipocytes, neuronal-like cells, glial cells, osteoblasts, chondrocytes, melanocytes, myotubes, and endothelial cells. Possible application of these cells in various fields of medicine makes them good candidates for future research as a new, powerful tool for therapy. Although the possible use of these cells in therapeutic purposes and tooth tissue engineering is still in the beginning stages, the results are promising. The efforts made in the research of dental stem cells have clarified many mechanisms underlying the biological processes in which these cells are involved. This review will focus on the new findings in the field of dental stem cell research and on their potential use in the therapy of various disorders.

  14. [Mixed connective tissue disease: prevalence and clinical characteristics in African black, study of 7 cases in Gabon and review of the literature].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Missounga, Landry; Ba, Josaphat Iba; Nseng Nseng Ondo, Ingrid Rosalie; Nziengui Madjinou, Maria Ines Carine; Malekou, Doris; Mouendou Mouloungui, Emeline Gracia; Nzengue, Emmanuel Ecke; Boguikouma, Jean Bruno; Kombila, Moussavou

    2017-01-01

    The literature reports that mixed connective tissue disease seems more frequent in the black population and among Asians. This study aims to determine the prevalence of mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) among connective tissue disorders and all rheumatologic pathologies in a hospital population in Gabon as well as to describe the clinical features of this disease. We conducted a retrospective study by reviewing the medical records of patients treated for mixed connective tissue disease (Kasukawa criteria) and other entities of connective tissue disorders (ACR criteria) in the Division of Rheumatology at the University Hospital in Libreville between January 2010 and December 2015. For each case of MCTD the parameters studied were articular and extra-articular manifestations, anti-U1RNP antibodies levels, patient's evolution. Over a period of 6 years, data were collected by medical records of 7 patients out of 6050 patients and 67 cases of connective tissue disorders, reflecting a prevalence of 0.11% and 10.44% respectively. the 7 patients were women (100%), with an average age of 39.5 years. Articular manifestations included: polyarthritis, myalgias, chubby fingers and Raynaud's phenomenon in 87.5%, 87.5%, 28.6% and 14% respectively. The 7 patients had high anti-U1RNP antibodies levels, ranging between 5 and 35N (N≤ 7 IU). A case of death due to pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was certified. This is the largest case series of MCTD reported in Black Africa. The disease seems to be rare among the black Africans; the reason could be genetic. The demographic and clinical aspects appear similar to those in Caucasians, Asians and Blacks except for a low frequency of Raynaud?s phenomenon among Blacks.

  15. MODERN INSIGHTS INTO THE ROLE OF HEMORHEOLOGICAL DEVIATIONS AND FUNCTIONAL STATUS OF THE ENDOTHELIAL TISSUE IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF ACUTE INFLAMMATORY LUNG AND BRONCHIAL DISEASES AMONG CHILDREN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.V. Mozhaev

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Disorders of the endothelial tissue and hemorheology function build up one of the pathogenic bases to form the acute inflammatory abnormality of the respiratory tract among children. The overview highlights the information on the role and disorders of the erythrocyte clumping and plasticity, blood viscosity and function of the endothelial tissue as a response to the acute respiratory infections among children.Key words: endothelial dysfunction, hemorheology, hemorheological deviations, acute respiratory infections, acute bronchopulmonary diseases, children.

  16. Foot disorders in diabetes mellitus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alla Y. Tokmakova

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic diseases in the world. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF, by 2035 the number of diabetes patients will reach 592 million people. Various disorders of the structure and function of the soft tissues and skeleton of the lower extremities is the most common reason that patients seek medical care. The paper presents the modern concept of the pathogenesis, diagnosis, therapeutic and prevention tactics used in the specialized endocrinological and surgical clinics.

  17. Functional alterations of astrocytes in mental disorders: pharmacological significance as a drug target

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yutaka eKoyama

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Astrocytes play an essential role in supporting brain functions in physiological and pathological states. Modulation of their pathophysiological responses have beneficial actions on nerve tissue injured by brain insults and neurodegenerative diseases, therefore astrocytes are recognized as promising targets for neuroprotective drugs. Recent investigations have identified several astrocytic mechanisms for modulating synaptic transmission and neural plasticity. These include altered expression of transporters for neurotransmitters, release of gliotransmitters and neurotrophic factors, and intercellular communication through gap junctions. Investigation of patients with mental disorders shows morphological and functional alterations in astrocytes. According to these observations, manipulation of astrocytic function by gene mutation and pharmacological tools reproduce mental disorder-like behavior in experimental animals. Some drugs clinically used for mental disorders affect astrocyte function. As experimental evidence shows their role in the pathogenesis of mental disorders, astrocytes have gained much attention as drug targets for mental disorders. In this article, I review functional alterations of astrocytes in several mental disorders including schizophrenia, mood disorder, drug dependence, and neurodevelopmental disorders. The pharmacological significance of astrocytes in mental disorders is also discussed.

  18. Can ultrasound be used to stimulate nerve tissue?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Norton Stephen J

    2003-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The stimulation of nerve or cortical tissue by magnetic induction is a relatively new tool for the non-invasive study of the brain and nervous system. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS, for example, has been used for the functional mapping of the motor cortex and may have potential for treating a variety of brain disorders. Methods and Results A new method of stimulating active tissue is proposed by propagating ultrasound in the presence of a magnetic field. Since tissue is conductive, particle motion created by an ultrasonic wave will induce an electric current density generated by Lorentz forces. An analytical derivation is given for the electric field distribution induced by a collimated ultrasonic beam. An example shows that peak electric fields of up to 8 V/m appear to be achievable at the upper range of diagnostic intensities. This field strength is about an order of magnitude lower than fields typically associated with TMS; however, the electric field gradients induced by ultrasound can be quite high (about 60 kV/m2 at 4 MHz, which theoretically play a more important role in activation than the field magnitude. The latter value is comparable to TMS-induced gradients. Conclusion The proposed method could be used to locally stimulate active tissue by inducing an electric field in regions where the ultrasound is focused. Potential advantages of this method compared to TMS is that stimulation of cortical tissue could be highly localized as well as achieved at greater depths in the brain than is currently possible with TMS.

  19. In Vivo Evaluation of Blood Based and Reference Tissue Based PET Quantifications of [11C]DASB in the Canine Brain.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nick Van Laeken

    Full Text Available This first-in-dog study evaluates the use of the PET-radioligand [11C]DASB to image the density and availability of the serotonin transporter (SERT in the canine brain. Imaging the serotonergic system could improve diagnosis and therapy of multiple canine behavioural disorders. Furthermore, as many similarities are reported between several human neuropsychiatric conditions and naturally occurring canine behavioural disorders, making this tracer available for use in dogs also provide researchers an interesting non-primate animal model to investigate human disorders. Five adult beagles underwent a 90 minutes dynamic PET scan and arterial whole blood was sampled throughout the scan. For each ROI, the distribution volume (VT, obtained via the one- and two- tissue compartment model (1-TC, 2-TC and the Logan Plot, was calculated and the goodness-of-fit was evaluated by the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC. For the preferred compartmental model BPND values were estimated and compared with those derived by four reference tissue models: 4-parameter RTM, SRTM2, MRTM2 and the Logan reference tissue model. The 2-TC model indicated in 61% of the ROIs a better fit compared to the 1-TC model. The Logan plot produced almost identical VT values and can be used as an alternative. Compared with the 2-TC model, all investigated reference tissue models showed high correlations but small underestimations of the BPND-parameter. The highest correlation was achieved with the Logan reference tissue model (Y = 0.9266 x + 0.0257; R2 = 0.9722. Therefore, this model can be put forward as a non-invasive standard model for future PET-experiments with [11C]DASB in dogs.

  20. Immersion hand radiography in the evaluation of musculoskeletal disorders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ngo, C.; Yaghmai, I.; Zach, R.

    1987-01-01

    A prospective study is undertaken to evaluate a new soft-tissue immersion technique. The hand is immersed in a plastic tray containing a mixture solution of alcohol and water. Exposures are made employing low-kilovolt technique. Conventional x-rays of the hands are obtained to serve as baseline studies and for the purpose of comparison. Soft-tissue immersion technique has proven sensitive and efficient in outlining the skin, subcutaneous fat layers, and fat layers between muscle planes. More importantly, the tendons and the joint capsules, which are hardly seen on standard hand radiographs, are easily highlighted with this technique. In conclusion, this technique appears to be superior to conventional plain radiographs in the evaluation and early detection of soft-tissue changes related to musculoskeletal disorders, especially in cases of arthritides

  1. Monitoring hyperproliferative disorders in human skin: flow cytometry of changing cytokeratin expression.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Franssen, M.E.J.; Boezeman, J.B.M.; Kerkhof, P.C.M. van de; Erp, P.E.J. van

    2004-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Monitoring dynamics of different cell populations in solid tissues using flow cytometry has several limitations. The interaction and changes in epidermal subpopulations in hyperproliferative skin disorders such as psoriasis, a very common chronic inflammatory skin disease, may, however,

  2. Quantification of intermuscular and intramuscular adipose tissue using magnetic resonance imaging after neurodegenerative disorders

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Madoka Ogawa; Robert Lester; Hiroshi Akima; Ashraf S. Gorgey

    2017-01-01

    Ectopic adiposity has gained considerable attention because of its tight association with metabolic and cardiovascular health in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Ectopic adiposity is characterized by the storage of adipose tissue in non-subcutaneous sites. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has proven to be an effective tool in quantifying ectopic adiposity and provides the opportunity to measure different adipose depots including intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) and intramuscular adipose tissue (IntraMAT) or in-tramuscular fat (IMF). It is highly important to distinguish and clearly define these compartments, because controversy still exists on how to accurately quantify these adipose depots. Investigators have relied on separating muscle from fat pixels based on their characteristic signal intensities. A common technique is plotting a threshold histogram that clearly separates between muscle and fat peaks. The cut-offs to separate between muscle and fat peaks are still not clearly defined and different cut-offs have been identified. This review will outline and compare the Midpoint and Otsu techniques, two methods used to determine the threshold between muscle and fat pixels on T1 weighted MRI. The process of water/fat segmentation using the Dixon method will also be outlined. We are hopeful that this review will trigger more research towards accurately quantifying ectopic adiposity due to its high relevance to cardiometabolic health after SCI.

  3. Sex matters: The effects of biological sex on adipose tissue biology and energy metabolism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teresa G. Valencak

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Adipose tissue is a complex and multi-faceted organ. It responds dynamically to internal and external stimuli, depending on the developmental stage and activity of the organism. The most common functional subunits of adipose tissue, white and brown adipocytes, regulate and respond to endocrine processes, which then determine metabolic rate as well as adipose tissue functions. While the molecular aspects of white and brown adipose biology have become clearer in the recent past, much less is known about sex-specific differences in regulation and deposition of adipose tissue, and the specific role of the so-called pink adipocytes during lactation in females. This review summarises the current understanding of adipose tissue dynamics with a focus on sex-specific differences in adipose tissue energy metabolism and endocrine functions, focussing on mammalian model organisms as well as human-derived data. In females, pink adipocytes trans-differentiate during pregnancy from subcutaneous white adipocytes and are responsible for milk-secretion in mammary glands. Overlooking biological sex variation may ultimately hamper clinical treatments of many aspects of metabolic disorders. Keywords: Body fatness, Adipose tissue, Sex-specific differences, Adipokines, Adipocytes, Obesity, Energy metabolism

  4. Alcohol, Adipose Tissue and Lipid Dysregulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer L. Steiner

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Chronic alcohol consumption perturbs lipid metabolism as it increases adipose tissue lipolysis and leads to ectopic fat deposition within the liver and the development of alcoholic fatty liver disease. In addition to the recognition of the role of adipose tissue derived fatty acids in liver steatosis, alcohol also impacts other functions of adipose tissue and lipid metabolism. Lipid balance in response to long‐term alcohol intake favors adipose tissue loss and fatty acid efflux as lipolysis is upregulated and lipogenesis is either slightly decreased or unchanged. Study of the lipolytic and lipogenic pathways has identified several regulatory proteins modulated by alcohol that contribute to these effects. Glucose tolerance of adipose tissue is also impaired by chronic alcohol due to decreased glucose transporter‐4 availability at the membrane. As an endocrine organ, white adipose tissue (WAT releases several adipokines that are negatively modulated following chronic alcohol consumption including adiponectin, leptin, and resistin. When these effects are combined with the enhanced expression of inflammatory mediators that are induced by chronic alcohol, a proinflammatory state develops within WAT, contributing to the observed lipodystrophy. Lastly, while chronic alcohol intake may enhance thermogenesis of brown adipose tissue (BAT, definitive mechanistic evidence is currently lacking. Overall, both WAT and BAT depots are impacted by chronic alcohol intake and the resulting lipodystrophy contributes to fat accumulation in peripheral organs, thereby enhancing the pathological state accompanying chronic alcohol use disorder.

  5. Role of endocrine disrupting chemicals on the tissue levels of AhR and sex steroid receptors in breast tumours

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sepideh Arbabi Bidgoli

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Breast cancer affects Iranian women at least one decade younger than their counterparts in other countries and the incidence of breast fibroadenoma is growing in the last two decades in Tehran. This study aimed to compare the AhR levels in premenopausal breast cancer and breast fibroadnemo with appropriate normal groups. Possible associations of AhR with lifestyle and reproductive risk factors and other fundamental genes of breast cancer and reproductive disorders were the other major goals of present study. To conduct the comparisons all possible reproductive, environmental and lifestyle risk factors of mentioned diseases were recorded in 100 breast cancer, 100 breast fibroadenoma and compared with 400 women in normal group from 2009 to 2011. AhR overexpression in epithelial cells of premenopausal patients emphasized the susceptibility of these cells to environmental induced reproductive disorders. The AhR overexpression was contributed to ER-/PgR- immunophenotype in malignant tissues. Weight gain (after 18 and after pregnancy, long term (>5yrs OCP consumption, smoking, severe stress ,history of ovarian cysts, hormonal deregulations, living near PAHs producing sources, were correlated with increased risk of breast cancer and reproductive disorders and were correlated with elevated tissue levels of AhR. It seems that increased risk of breast cancer and other reproductive tumours in Tehran may be the result of exposure to environmental endocrine disruptors. Long term exposure to environmental estrogens can increase the tissue levels of AhR and deregulate the expression pattern of sex steroid receptors and other genes in target tissues.

  6. Mechanical characterization of disordered and anisotropic cellular monolayers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nestor-Bergmann, Alexander; Johns, Emma; Woolner, Sarah; Jensen, Oliver E.

    2018-05-01

    We consider a cellular monolayer, described using a vertex-based model, for which cells form a spatially disordered array of convex polygons that tile the plane. Equilibrium cell configurations are assumed to minimize a global energy defined in terms of cell areas and perimeters; energy is dissipated via dynamic area and length changes, as well as cell neighbor exchanges. The model captures our observations of an epithelium from a Xenopus embryo showing that uniaxial stretching induces spatial ordering, with cells under net tension (compression) tending to align with (against) the direction of stretch, but with the stress remaining heterogeneous at the single-cell level. We use the vertex model to derive the linearized relation between tissue-level stress, strain, and strain rate about a deformed base state, which can be used to characterize the tissue's anisotropic mechanical properties; expressions for viscoelastic tissue moduli are given as direct sums over cells. When the base state is isotropic, the model predicts that tissue properties can be tuned to a regime with high elastic shear resistance but low resistance to area changes, or vice versa.

  7. Phenotypic variability in developmental coordination disorder: Clustering of generalized joint hypermobility with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, atypical swallowing and narrative difficulties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Celletti, Claudia; Mari, Giorgia; Ghibellini, Giulia; Celli, Mauro; Castori, Marco; Camerota, Filippo

    2015-03-01

    Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a recognized childhood disorder mostly characterized by motor coordination difficulties. Joint hypermobility syndrome, alternatively termed Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, hypermobility type (JHS/EDS-HT), is a hereditary connective tissue disorder mainly featuring generalized joint hypermobility (gJHM), musculoskeletal pain, and minor skin features. Although these two conditions seem apparently unrelated, recent evidence highlights a high rate of motor and coordination findings in children with gJHM or JHS/EDS-HT. Here, we investigated the prevalence of gJHM in 41 Italian children with DCD in order to check for the existence of recognizable phenotypic subgroups of DCD in relation to the presence/absence of gJHM. All patients were screened for Beighton score and a set of neuropsychological tests for motor competences (Movement Assessment Battery for Children and Visual-Motor Integration tests), and language and learning difficulties (Linguistic Comprehension Test, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Boston Naming Test, Bus Story Test, and Memoria-Training tests). All patients were also screening for selected JHS/EDS-HT-associated features and swallowing problems. Nineteen (46%) children showed gJHM and 22 (54%) did not. Children with DCD and gJHM showed a significant excess of frequent falls (95 vs. 18%), easy bruising (74 vs. 0%), motor impersistence (89 vs. 23%), sore hands for writing (53 vs. 9%), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (89 vs. 36%), constipation (53 vs. 0%), arthralgias/myalgias (58 vs. 4%), narrative difficulties (74 vs. 32%), and atypical swallowing (74 vs. 18%). This study confirms the non-causal association between DCD and gJHM, which, in turn, seems to increase the risk for non-random additional features. The excess of language, learning, and swallowing difficulties in patients with DCD and gJHM suggests a wider effect of lax tissues in the development of the nervous system. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging Patterns in Metabolic and Toxic Brain Disorders

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sener, R.N. [Ege Univ. Hospital, Bornova, Izmir (Turkey). Dept. of Radiology

    2004-08-01

    Purpose: To evaluate metabolic and toxic brain disorders that manifest with restricted, elevated, or both restricted and elevated diffusion patterns on diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Material and Methods: Echo-planar diffusion MRI examinations were obtained in 34 pediatric patients with metabolic and toxic brain disorders proved by appropriate laboratory studies. The MRI unit operated at 1.5T with a gradient strength of 30 mT/meter, and a rise time of 600 s. b=1000 s/mm{sup 2} images and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps with ADC values were studied. Results: Three patterns were observed: 1. A restricted diffusion pattern (high signal on b=1000 s/mm{sup 2} images and low ADC values); 2. an elevated diffusion pattern (normal signal on b=1000 s/mm2 images and high ADC values); and 3. a mixed pattern (coexistent restricted and increased diffusion patterns in the same patient). Disorders manifesting with a restricted diffusion pattern included metachromatic leukodystrophy (n=2), phenylketonuria (n=3), maple syrup urine disease (intermediate form) (n=1), infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy (n=1), Leigh (n=2), Wilson (n=3), and Canavan disease (n=1). Disorders with an elevated diffusion pattern included phenylketonuria (n=1), adrenoleukodystrophy (n=1), merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy (n=2), mucopolysaccharidosis (n=2), Lowe syndrome (n=1), Leigh (n=2), Alexander (n=1), Pelizaeus-Merzbacher (n=1), and Wilson (n=3) disease. Disorders with a mixed pattern included L-2 hydroxyglutaric aciduria (n=2), non-ketotic hyperglycinemia (n=1), infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy (n=2), maple syrup urine disease (n=1), and Leigh (n=1) disease. Conclusion: The findings suggested that the three different diffusion patterns reflect the histopathological changes associated with the disorders and different stages of a particular disorder. It is likely that the restricted diffusion pattern corresponds to abnormalities related to myelin, and the elevated

  9. Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging Patterns in Metabolic and Toxic Brain Disorders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sener, R.N.

    2004-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate metabolic and toxic brain disorders that manifest with restricted, elevated, or both restricted and elevated diffusion patterns on diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Material and Methods: Echo-planar diffusion MRI examinations were obtained in 34 pediatric patients with metabolic and toxic brain disorders proved by appropriate laboratory studies. The MRI unit operated at 1.5T with a gradient strength of 30 mT/meter, and a rise time of 600 s. b=1000 s/mm 2 images and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps with ADC values were studied. Results: Three patterns were observed: 1. A restricted diffusion pattern (high signal on b=1000 s/mm 2 images and low ADC values); 2. an elevated diffusion pattern (normal signal on b=1000 s/mm2 images and high ADC values); and 3. a mixed pattern (coexistent restricted and increased diffusion patterns in the same patient). Disorders manifesting with a restricted diffusion pattern included metachromatic leukodystrophy (n=2), phenylketonuria (n=3), maple syrup urine disease (intermediate form) (n=1), infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy (n=1), Leigh (n=2), Wilson (n=3), and Canavan disease (n=1). Disorders with an elevated diffusion pattern included phenylketonuria (n=1), adrenoleukodystrophy (n=1), merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy (n=2), mucopolysaccharidosis (n=2), Lowe syndrome (n=1), Leigh (n=2), Alexander (n=1), Pelizaeus-Merzbacher (n=1), and Wilson (n=3) disease. Disorders with a mixed pattern included L-2 hydroxyglutaric aciduria (n=2), non-ketotic hyperglycinemia (n=1), infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy (n=2), maple syrup urine disease (n=1), and Leigh (n=1) disease. Conclusion: The findings suggested that the three different diffusion patterns reflect the histopathological changes associated with the disorders and different stages of a particular disorder. It is likely that the restricted diffusion pattern corresponds to abnormalities related to myelin, and the elevated diffusion pattern

  10. Extracorporeal shockwave therapy in musculoskeletal disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ching-Jen

    2012-03-20

    The sources of shockwave generation include electrohydraulic, electromagnetic and piezoelectric principles. Electrohydraulic shockwaves are high-energy acoustic waves generated under water explosion with high voltage electrode. Shockwave in urology (lithotripsy) is primarily used to disintegrate urolithiasis, whereas shockwave in orthopedics (orthotripsy) is not used to disintegrate tissues, rather to induce tissue repair and regeneration. The application of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) in musculoskeletal disorders has been around for more than a decade and is primarily used in the treatment of sports related over-use tendinopathies such as proximal plantar fasciitis of the heel, lateral epicondylitis of the elbow, calcific or non-calcific tendonitis of the shoulder and patellar tendinopathy etc. The success rate ranged from 65% to 91%, and the complications were low and negligible. ESWT is also utilized in the treatment of non-union of long bone fracture, avascular necrosis of femoral head, chronic diabetic and non-diabetic ulcers and ischemic heart disease. The vast majority of the published papers showed positive and beneficial effects. FDA (USA) first approved ESWT for the treatment of proximal plantar fasciitis in 2000 and lateral epicondylitis in 2002. ESWT is a novel non-invasive therapeutic modality without surgery or surgical risks, and the clinical application of ESWT steadily increases over the years. This article reviews the current status of ESWT in musculoskeletal disorders.

  11. Extracorporeal shockwave therapy in musculoskeletal disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Ching-Jen

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The sources of shockwave generation include electrohydraulic, electromagnetic and piezoelectric principles. Electrohydraulic shockwaves are high-energy acoustic waves generated under water explosion with high voltage electrode. Shockwave in urology (lithotripsy is primarily used to disintegrate urolithiasis, whereas shockwave in orthopedics (orthotripsy is not used to disintegrate tissues, rather to induce tissue repair and regeneration. The application of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT in musculoskeletal disorders has been around for more than a decade and is primarily used in the treatment of sports related over-use tendinopathies such as proximal plantar fasciitis of the heel, lateral epicondylitis of the elbow, calcific or non-calcific tendonitis of the shoulder and patellar tendinopathy etc. The success rate ranged from 65% to 91%, and the complications were low and negligible. ESWT is also utilized in the treatment of non-union of long bone fracture, avascular necrosis of femoral head, chronic diabetic and non-diabetic ulcers and ischemic heart disease. The vast majority of the published papers showed positive and beneficial effects. FDA (USA first approved ESWT for the treatment of proximal plantar fasciitis in 2000 and lateral epicondylitis in 2002. ESWT is a novel non-invasive therapeutic modality without surgery or surgical risks, and the clinical application of ESWT steadily increases over the years. This article reviews the current status of ESWT in musculoskeletal disorders.

  12. TZCF Oceanographic Survey (SE1102L2, EK60)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Data were collected along the 158?W and 161?W Meridionals from 22?30?N-36?00?N and from 31?15?N-35?15?N. CTD cats were conducted at predetermined stations. CTDs were...

  13. Coexistence of Trisomy 13 and SRY (-) XX Ovotesticular Disorder of Sex Development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ürel Demir, Gizem; Doğan, Özlem Akgün; Şimşek Kiper, Pelin Özlem; Utine, Gülen Eda; Boduroğlu, Koray; Gucer, Safak; Alikaşifoğlu, Mehmet

    2017-12-01

    Ovotesticular disorder of sex development (OT-DSD) is a rare disorder of sexual differentiation characterized by the presence of both testicular and ovarian tissue in an individual and the majority of cases have been reported with 46,XX karyotype. In 46,XX cases, testicular differentiation may occur due to the translocation of SRY to the X chromosome or to an autosome. Herein, we present a female newborn with a combination of trisomy 13 and SRY (-) XX OT-DSD. Trisomy 13 is a relatively common and well-known chromosomal disorder in which disorders of sexual differentiation are not frequent. In the absence of SRY, overexpression of pro-testis genes, or decreased expression of pro-ovarian/anti-testis genes have been suggested as underlying mechanisms of testicular formation. The findings in this patient were suggestive of an underlying genomic disorder associated with FGF9 and/or SPRY2.

  14. Effects of growth factors and cytokins on soft tissue regeneration in patients with diabetes mellitus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ekaterina Leonidovna Zaytseva

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Delayed wound healing is characteristic of a glycemic disorder and often results in trophic ulcer formation, ? a process still poorly understood but likely multifaceted. Current review addresses latest reports from cellular and molecular studies of soft tissue regeneration in patients with diabetes mellitus.

  15. Quantification of sulfatides and lysosulfatides in tissues and body fluids by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mirzaian, Mina; Kramer, Gertjan; Poorthuis, Ben J. H. M.

    2015-01-01

    Sulfatides are found in brain as components of myelin, oligodendrocytes, and neurons but are also present in various visceral tissues. Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) is an inherited lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency of arylsulfatase A, leading to severe white matter disease due

  16. Lysosome lipid storage disorder in NCTR-BALB/c mice. II. Morphologic and cytochemical studies.

    OpenAIRE

    Shio, H.; Fowler, S.; Bhuvaneswaran, C.; Morris, M. D.

    1982-01-01

    Electron-microscopic and cytochemical studies were carried out on tissues of NCTR-BALB/c mice. These mice are affected with a neurovisceral genetic disorder involving excessive tissue accumulation of lipid. Distinctive polymorphic intracellular inclusions, bounded by a membrane and containing lamellated bodies, were found in many cells of liver, spleen, lung, kidney, intestine, lymph nodes, and brain. The inclusions transformed reticuloendothelial cells into massive foam cells. Acid phosphata...

  17. Targeting Adipose Tissue Lipid Metabolism to Improve Glucose Metabolism in Cardiometabolic Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johan W.E. Jocken

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available With Type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease prevalence on the rise, there is a growing need for improved strategies to prevent or treat obesity and insulin resistance, both of which are major risk factors for these chronic diseases. Impairments in adipose tissue lipid metabolism seem to play a critical role in these disorders. In the classical picture of intracellular lipid breakdown, cytosolic lipolysis was proposed as the sole mechanism for triacylglycerol hydrolysis in adipocytes. Recent evidence suggests involvement of several hormones, membrane receptors, and intracellular signalling cascades, which has added complexity to the regulation of cytosolic lipolysis. Interestingly, a specific form of autophagy, called lipophagy, has been implicated as alternative lipolytic pathway. Defective regulation of cytosolic lipolysis and lipophagy might have substantial effects on lipid metabolism, thereby contributing to adipose tissue dysfunction, insulin resistance, and related cardiometabolic (cMet diseases. This review will discuss recent advances in our understanding of classical lipolysis and lipophagy in adipocyte lipid metabolism under normal and pathological conditions. Furthermore, the question of whether modulation of adipocyte lipolysis and lipophagy might be a potential therapeutic target to combat cMet disorders will be addressed.

  18. Protein profiling of preeclampsia placental tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shu, Chang; Liu, Zitao; Cui, Lifeng; Wei, Chengguo; Wang, Shuwen; Tang, Jian Jenny; Cui, Miao; Lian, Guodong; Li, Wei; Liu, Xiufen; Xu, Hongmei; Jiang, Jing; Lee, Peng; Zhang, David Y; He, Jin; Ye, Fei

    2014-01-01

    Preeclampsia is a multi-system disorder involved in pregnancy without an effective treatment except delivery. The precise pathogenesis of this complicated disorder is still not completely understood. The objective of this study is to evaluate the alterations of protein expression and phosphorylations that are important in regulating placental cell function in preterm and term preeclampsia. Using the Protein Pathway Array, 38 proteins in placental tissues were found to be differentially expressed between preterm preeclampsia and gestational age matched control, while 25 proteins were found to be expressed differentially between term preeclampsia and matched controls. Among these proteins, 16 proteins and their associated signaling pathways overlapped between preterm and term preeclampsia, suggesting the common pathogenesis of two subsets of disease. On the other hand, many proteins are uniquely altered in either preterm or term preeclampsia and correlated with severity of clinical symptoms and outcomes, therefore, providing molecular basis for these two subsets of preeclampsia. Furthermore, the expression levels of some of these proteins correlated with neonatal small for gestational age (PAI-1 and PAPP-A) and adverse outcomes (Flt-1) in women with preterm preeclampsia. These proteins could potentially be used as candidate biomarkers for predicting outcomes of preeclampsia.

  19. Scleroderma renal crisis in a case of mixed connective tissue disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mukul Vij

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD is an overlap syndrome first defined in 1972 by Sharp et al. In this original study, the portrait emerged of a connective tissue disorder sharing features of systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis (scleroderma and polymyositis. Scleroderma renal crisis (SRC is an extremely infrequent but serious complication that can occur in MCTD. The histologic picture of SRC is that of a thrombotic micro-angiopathic process. Renal biopsy plays an important role in confirming the clinical diagnosis, excluding overlapping/superimposed diseases that might lead to acute renal failure in MCTD patients, helping to predict the clinical outcome and optimizing patient management. We herewith report a rare case of SRC in a patient with MCTD and review the relevant literature.

  20. Scleroderma renal crisis in a case of mixed connective tissue disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vij, Mukul; Agrawal, Vinita; Jain, Manoj

    2014-07-01

    Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) is an overlap syndrome first defined in 1972 by Sharp et al. In this original study, the portrait emerged of a connective tissue disorder sharing features of systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) and polymyositis. Scleroderma renal crisis (SRC) is an extremely infrequent but serious complication that can occur in MCTD. The histologic picture of SRC is that of a thrombotic micro-angiopathic process. Renal biopsy plays an important role in confirming the clinical diagnosis, excluding overlapping/superimposed diseases that might lead to acute renal failure in MCTD patients, helping to predict the clinical outcome and optimizing patient management. We herewith report a rare case of SRC in a patient with MCTD and review the relevant literature.

  1. Generalized deep-tissue hyperalgesia in patients with chronic low-back pain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    O'Neill, Søren; Manniche, Claus; Graven-Nielsen, Thomas

    2007-01-01

    be demonstrated in a group of patients with chronic low-back pain with intervertebral disc herniation. Twelve patients with MRI confirmed lumbar intervertebral disc herniation and 12 age and sex matched controls were included. Subjects were exposed to quantitative nociceptive stimuli to the infraspinatus...... in the anterior tibialis muscle compared to controls. In conclusion, generalized deep-tissue hyperalgesia was demonstrated in chronic low-back pain patients with radiating pain and MRI confirmed intervertebral disc herniation, suggesting that this central sensitization should also be addressed in the pain......Some chronic painful conditions including e.g. fibromyalgia, whiplash associated disorders, endometriosis, and irritable bowel syndrome are associated with generalized musculoskeletal hyperalgesia. The aim of the present study was to determine whether generalized deep-tissue hyperalgesia could...

  2. Investigation of elemental changes in brain tissues following excitotoxic injury

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siegele, Rainer; Howell, Nicholas R.; Callaghan, Paul D.; Pastuovic, Zeljko

    2013-01-01

    Recently the ANSTO heavy ion microprobe has been used for elemental mapping of thin brain tissue sections. The fact that a very small portion of the proton energy is used for X-ray excitation combined with small variations of the major element concentrations makes μ-PIXE imaging and GeoPIXE analysis a challenging task. Excitotoxic brain injury underlies the pathology of stroke and various neurodegenerative disorders. Large fluxes in Ca +2 cytosolic concentrations are a key feature of the initiation of this pathophysiological process. In order to understand if these modifications are associated with changes in the elemental composition, several brain sections have been mapped with μ-PIXE. Increases in Ca +2 cytosolic concentrations were indicative of the pathophysiological process continuing 1 week after an initiating neural insult. We were able to measure significant variations in K and Ca concentration distribution across investigated brain tissue. These variations correlate very well with physiological changes visible in the brain tissue. Moreover, the obtained μ-PIXE results clearly demonstrate that the elemental composition changes significantly correlate with brain drauma

  3. Investigation of elemental changes in brain tissues following excitotoxic injury

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Siegele, Rainer, E-mail: rns@ansto.gov.au [Institute for Environmental Research, ANSTO, Locked Bag 2001, Kirrawee DC, NSW 2232 (Australia); Howell, Nicholas R.; Callaghan, Paul D. [Life Sciences, ANSTO, Locked Bag 2001, Kirrawee DC, NSW 2232 (Australia); Pastuovic, Zeljko [Institute for Environmental Research, ANSTO, Locked Bag 2001, Kirrawee DC, NSW 2232 (Australia)

    2013-07-01

    Recently the ANSTO heavy ion microprobe has been used for elemental mapping of thin brain tissue sections. The fact that a very small portion of the proton energy is used for X-ray excitation combined with small variations of the major element concentrations makes μ-PIXE imaging and GeoPIXE analysis a challenging task. Excitotoxic brain injury underlies the pathology of stroke and various neurodegenerative disorders. Large fluxes in Ca{sup +2} cytosolic concentrations are a key feature of the initiation of this pathophysiological process. In order to understand if these modifications are associated with changes in the elemental composition, several brain sections have been mapped with μ-PIXE. Increases in Ca{sup +2} cytosolic concentrations were indicative of the pathophysiological process continuing 1 week after an initiating neural insult. We were able to measure significant variations in K and Ca concentration distribution across investigated brain tissue. These variations correlate very well with physiological changes visible in the brain tissue. Moreover, the obtained μ-PIXE results clearly demonstrate that the elemental composition changes significantly correlate with brain drauma.

  4. Tissue response after radiation exposure. Intestine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Otsuka, Kensuke; Tomita, Masanori; Yamauchi, Motohiro; Iwasaki, Toshiyasu

    2014-01-01

    Gastrointestinal syndrome followed by 'gut death' is due to intestinal disorders. This syndrome is induced by high-dose (>10 Gy) of ionizing radiation. Recovery from the gastrointestinal syndrome would depend on the number of survived clonogens and regeneration capability of crypts. These tissue alterations can be observed by high-dose radiation, however, cellular dynamics in crypts can be affected by low-dose radiation. For example, Potten et al. found that low-dose radiation induce apoptosis of intestinal stem cells, which produce all differentiated function cells. Recently, intestinal stem cells are characterized by molecular markers such as Lgr5. Since intestinal adenomas can be induced by deletion of Apc gene in Lgr5 + stem cells, it is widely recognized that Lgr5 + stem cells are the cell-of-origin of cancer. Duodenal Lgr5 + stem cells are known as radioresistant cells, however, we found that ionizing radiation significantly induces the turnover of colonic Lgr5 + stem cells. Combined with the knowledge of other radioresistant markers, stem-cell dynamics in tissue after irradiation are becoming clear. The present review introduces the history of gastrointestinal syndrome and intestinal stem cells, and discusses those future perspectives. (author)

  5. Imaging of tuberculosis. Pt. 5. Peripheral osteoarticular and soft-tissue tuberculosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hugosson, C. [Dept. of Radiology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia); Nyman, R.S. [Dept. of Radiology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia); Brismar, J. [Dept. of Radiology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia); Larsson, S.G. [Dept. of Radiology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia); Lindahl, S. [Dept. of Radiology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia); Lundstedt, C. [Dept. of Radiology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)

    1996-07-01

    Purpose: To assess frequency, location, and appearance of peripheral osteoarticular and soft-tissue tuberculosis (TB). Material and Methods: Twenty-five of 503 patients with TB had peripheral osteoarticular TB and 5 had soft-tissue TB. Chest radiography, CT, and MR imaging were applied. Results: The location of the osteoarticular lesion was articular/epiphyseal in 14 patients, articular/metaphyseal in 3, and metaphyseal without joint involvement in 3. Involvement of flat bone was found in 4 patients (5 lesions). The morphologic appearance was similar to that of a lytic tumour in 9 patients (10 lesions) and that of a destructive joint lesion in 16 patients. The soft-tissue TB in all 5 patients presented as an abscess. Twelve patients had a total of 20 additional sites of involvement: Chest in 9, abdomen in 4, spine in 4, the neck in 3, and the central nervous system in one patient. Conclusion: On the basis of radiologic appearance, it can be difficult to differentiate peripheral osteoarticular and soft-tissue TB from other degenerative, inflammatory, or neoplastic disorders, and the importance of a high awareness is stressed in order to reach an early diagnosis. (orig.).

  6. Imaging of tuberculosis. Pt. 5. Peripheral osteoarticular and soft-tissue tuberculosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hugosson, C.; Nyman, R.S.; Brismar, J.; Larsson, S.G.; Lindahl, S.; Lundstedt, C.

    1996-01-01

    Purpose: To assess frequency, location, and appearance of peripheral osteoarticular and soft-tissue tuberculosis (TB). Material and Methods: Twenty-five of 503 patients with TB had peripheral osteoarticular TB and 5 had soft-tissue TB. Chest radiography, CT, and MR imaging were applied. Results: The location of the osteoarticular lesion was articular/epiphyseal in 14 patients, articular/metaphyseal in 3, and metaphyseal without joint involvement in 3. Involvement of flat bone was found in 4 patients (5 lesions). The morphologic appearance was similar to that of a lytic tumour in 9 patients (10 lesions) and that of a destructive joint lesion in 16 patients. The soft-tissue TB in all 5 patients presented as an abscess. Twelve patients had a total of 20 additional sites of involvement: Chest in 9, abdomen in 4, spine in 4, the neck in 3, and the central nervous system in one patient. Conclusion: On the basis of radiologic appearance, it can be difficult to differentiate peripheral osteoarticular and soft-tissue TB from other degenerative, inflammatory, or neoplastic disorders, and the importance of a high awareness is stressed in order to reach an early diagnosis. (orig.)

  7. Connecting Malfunctioning Glial Cells and Brain Degenerative Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaminsky, Natalie; Bihari, Ofer; Kanner, Sivan; Barzilai, Ari

    2016-06-01

    The DNA damage response (DDR) is a complex biological system activated by different types of DNA damage. Mutations in certain components of the DDR machinery can lead to genomic instability disorders that culminate in tissue degeneration, premature aging, and various types of cancers. Intriguingly, malfunctioning DDR plays a role in the etiology of late onset brain degenerative disorders such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's diseases. For many years, brain degenerative disorders were thought to result from aberrant neural death. Here we discuss the evidence that supports our novel hypothesis that brain degenerative diseases involve dysfunction of glial cells (astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes). Impairment in the functionality of glial cells results in pathological neuro-glial interactions that, in turn, generate a "hostile" environment that impairs the functionality of neuronal cells. These events can lead to systematic neural demise on a scale that appears to be proportional to the severity of the neurological deficit. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  8. Connecting Malfunctioning Glial Cells and Brain Degenerative Disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natalie Kaminsky

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The DNA damage response (DDR is a complex biological system activated by different types of DNA damage. Mutations in certain components of the DDR machinery can lead to genomic instability disorders that culminate in tissue degeneration, premature aging, and various types of cancers. Intriguingly, malfunctioning DDR plays a role in the etiology of late onset brain degenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s diseases. For many years, brain degenerative disorders were thought to result from aberrant neural death. Here we discuss the evidence that supports our novel hypothesis that brain degenerative diseases involve dysfunction of glial cells (astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes. Impairment in the functionality of glial cells results in pathological neuro-glial interactions that, in turn, generate a “hostile” environment that impairs the functionality of neuronal cells. These events can lead to systematic neural demise on a scale that appears to be proportional to the severity of the neurological deficit.

  9. Arctic Ocean outflow and glacier-ocean interactions modify water over the Wandel Sea shelf (northeastern Greenland)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dmitrenko, Igor A.; Kirillov, Sergey A.; Rudels, Bert

    2017-01-01

    The first-ever conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) observations on the Wandel Sea shelf in northeastern Greenland were collected in April-May 2015. They were complemented by CTDs taken along the continental slope during the Norwegian FRAM 2014-2015 drift. The CTD profiles are used to reveal...

  10. Is chronic fatigue syndrome a connective tissue disorder? A cross-sectional study in adolescents

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van de Putte, E. M.; Uiterwaal, C. S. P. M.; Bots, M. L.; Kuis, W.; Kimpen, J. L. L.; Engelbert, R. H. H.

    2005-01-01

    To investigate whether constitutional laxity of the connective tissues is more frequently present in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) than in healthy controls. Increased joint hypermobility in patients with CFS has been previously described, as has lower blood pressure in fatigued

  11. Radioprotection of normal tissues in tumor-bearing mice by troxerutin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maurya, D.K.; Salvi, V.P.; Krishnan Nair, C.K.

    2004-01-01

    The flavanoid derivative troxerutin, used clinically for treating venous disorders, protected biomembranes and cellular DNA against the deleterious effects of γ-radiation. The peroxidation of lipids (measured as thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances, or TBARS) in rat liver microsomal and mitochondrial membranes resulting from γ-irradiation up to doses of 500 Gy in vitro was prevented by 0.2 mM troxerutin. The administration of troxerutin (175 mg/kg body weight) to tumor-bearing mice by intraperitoneal (ip) one hour prior to 4 Gy whole-body γ-irradiation significantly decreased the radiation-induced peroxidation of lipids in tissues such as liver and spleen, but there was no reduction of lipid peroxidation in tumor. The effect of troxerutin in γ-radiation-induced DNA strand breaks in different tissues of tumor-bearing mice was studied by comet assay. The administration of troxerutin to tumor-bearing animals protected cellular DNA against radiation-induced strand breaks. This was evidenced from decreases in comet tail length, tail moment, and percent of DNA in the tails in cells of normal tissues such as blood leukocytes and bone marrow, and these parameters were not altered in cells of fibrosarcoma tumor. The results revealed that troxerutin could preferentially protect normal tissues against radiation-induced damages in tumor-bearing animals. (author)

  12. A clinical study of temporomandibular disorder. The value of bone scintigraphy as an aid to diagnosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sugiura, Masashi [Nippon Dental Univ. (Japan). School of Dentistry at Niigata

    2000-07-01

    Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is still not defined with respect to the point of an entity, terminological problems, and clinical classification and gradings. Moreover, diagnostic problems of internal deranegement and osteodeformity at the temporomandibular joint such as type IV and mechanism of bone remodeling at condylar head are also still not clear. In this investigation, we tried to classify the severity and progressive grading according to the symptoms and objective laboratory data taken from soft tissues such as muscles related to mastication, discs and ligaments, and hard tissues such as condylar head and temporal bone changes around the temporomandibular joint. Preliminary diagnostic clinical tool of the assessment of temporomandibular joint by maens of bone scintigraphy was attributed to the additional diagnostic procedure and research for the bone remodeling for the temporomandibular disorder because this can be defined between subjective and objective symptoms in this disorder. Bone scintigraphy will solve many problems concerning undefined degenerative bone changes in TMD, enable more accurate diagnosis, and the selection of treatment and prognosis in future investigation. Also, it is believed single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) nuclear bone imaging is a highly accurate diagnostic method for craniomandibular disorders. (author)

  13. A clinical study of temporomandibular disorder. The value of bone scintigraphy as an aid to diagnosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sugiura, Masashi

    2000-01-01

    Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is still not defined with respect to the point of an entity, terminological problems, and clinical classification and gradings. Moreover, diagnostic problems of internal deranegement and osteodeformity at the temporomandibular joint such as type IV and mechanism of bone remodeling at condylar head are also still not clear. In this investigation, we tried to classify the severity and progressive grading according to the symptoms and objective laboratory data taken from soft tissues such as muscles related to mastication, discs and ligaments, and hard tissues such as condylar head and temporal bone changes around the temporomandibular joint. Preliminary diagnostic clinical tool of the assessment of temporomandibular joint by maens of bone scintigraphy was attributed to the additional diagnostic procedure and research for the bone remodeling for the temporomandibular disorder because this can be defined between subjective and objective symptoms in this disorder. Bone scintigraphy will solve many problems concerning undefined degenerative bone changes in TMD, enable more accurate diagnosis, and the selection of treatment and prognosis in future investigation. Also, it is believed single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) nuclear bone imaging is a highly accurate diagnostic method for craniomandibular disorders. (author)

  14. Custom Integrated Circuit Design for Portable Ultrasound Scanners

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Llimos Muntal, Pere

    plane and the signals received from each transmit burst area summed. Each receiving channel is required to individually amplify and delay its signal in order to correctly pre-beamform. The handheld probe delivers the data to a processing unit digitally, hence, analog to digital converters (ADCs......-sigma analog-to-digital converter (CTDS ADC) operating at a sampling frequency of 320 MHz, a SNR of 45 dB, occupying an area of 0.0175 mm2 and a power consumption of 0.594 mW. The CTDS ADC digitizes the signal before the pre-beamform summing is applied. The SNR of the ADC is directly linked to the picture...... quality of the imaging. However, the SNR is also related to the power consumption, creating a tradeoff between power and picture quality. The design approach will be to achieve the minimum SNR that generates an acceptable picture quality while using the minimum power possible. The ADC is implemented...

  15. Modeling AEC—New Approaches to Study Rare Genetic Disorders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koch, Peter J.; Dinella, Jason; Fete, Mary; Siegfried, Elaine C.; Koster, Maranke I.

    2015-01-01

    Ankyloblepharon-ectodermal defects-cleft lip/palate (AEC) syndrome is a rare monogenetic disorder that is characterized by severe abnormalities in ectoderm-derived tissues, such as skin and its appendages. A major cause of morbidity among affected infants is severe and chronic skin erosions. Currently, supportive care is the only available treatment option for AEC patients. Mutations in TP63, a gene that encodes key regulators of epidermal development, are the genetic cause of AEC. However, it is currently not clear how mutations in TP63 lead to the various defects seen in the patients’ skin. In this review, we will discuss current knowledge of the AEC disease mechanism obtained by studying patient tissue and genetically engineered mouse models designed to mimic aspects of the disorder. We will then focus on new approaches to model AEC, including the use of patient cells and stem cell technology to replicate the disease in a human tissue culture model. The latter approach will advance our understanding of the disease and will allow for the development of new in vitro systems to identify drugs for the treatment of skin erosions in AEC patients. Further, the use of stem cell technology, in particular induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), will enable researchers to develop new therapeutic approaches to treat the disease using the patient’s own cells (autologous keratinocyte transplantation) after correction of the disease-causing mutations. PMID:24665072

  16. Diagnostic value of MRS-quantified brain tissue lactate level in identifying children with mitochondrial disorders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lunsing, Roelineke J.; Strating, Kim; Koning, Tom J. de; Sijens, Paul E.

    2017-01-01

    Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) of children with or without neurometabolic disease is used for the first time for quantitative assessment of brain tissue lactate signals, to elaborate on previous suggestions of MRS-detected lactate as a marker of mitochondrial disease. Multivoxel MRS of a transverse plane of brain tissue cranial to the ventricles was performed in 88 children suspected of having neurometabolic disease, divided into 'definite' (n = 17, ≥1 major criteria), 'probable' (n = 10, ≥2 minor criteria), 'possible' (n = 17, 1 minor criterion) and 'unlikely' mitochondrial disease (n = 44, none of the criteria). Lactate levels, expressed in standardized arbitrary units or relative to creatine, were derived from summed signals from all voxels. Ten 'unlikely' children with a normal neurological exam served as the MRS reference subgroup. For 61 of 88 children, CSF lactate values were obtained. MRS lactate level (>12 arbitrary units) and the lactate-to-creatine ratio (L/Cr >0.22) differed significantly between the definite and the unlikely group (p = 0.015 and p = 0.001, respectively). MRS L/Cr also differentiated between the probable and the MRS reference subgroup (p = 0.03). No significant group differences were found for CSF lactate. MRS-quantified brain tissue lactate levels can serve as diagnostic marker for identifying mitochondrial disease in children. (orig.)

  17. Lichenoid tissue reaction/interface dermatitis: Recognition, classification, etiology, and clinicopathological overtones

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Virendra N Sehgal

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Lichenoid tissue reaction or interface dermatitis embrace several clinical conditions, the prototype of which is lichen planus and its variants, drug induced lichenoid dermatitis, special forms of lichenoid dermatitis, lichenoid dermatitis in lupus erythematosus, and miscellaneous disorders showing lichenoid dermatitis, the salient clinical and histological features of which are described to facilitate their diagnosis. Background of lichenoid reaction pattern has been briefly outlined to enlighten those interested in this entity.

  18. Effect of Ecklonia kurome extract on thyroid hormone disorder in rats

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Effect of Ecklonia kurome extract on thyroid hormone disorder in rats. Wen-bo ... Results: T3 and T4 serum levels in mice decreased after the administration of EKE. The relative ... mg/kg) group, and various concentrations of ... to the peroxidation of membrane lipids, according .... peripheral tissues by outer ring mono-.

  19. Lingual dyskinesia and tics: a novel presentation of copper-metabolism disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goez, Helly R; Jacob, Francois D; Yager, Jerome Y

    2011-02-01

    Copper is a trace element that is required for cellular respiration, neurotransmitter biosynthesis, pigment formation, antioxidant defense, peptide amidation, and formation of connective tissue. Abnormalities of copper metabolism have been linked with neurologic disorders that affect movement, such as Wilson disease and Menkes disease; however, the diagnosis of non-Wilson, non-Menkes-type copper-metabolism disorders has been more elusive, especially in cases with atypical characteristics. We present here the case of an adolescent with a novel presentation of copper-metabolism disorder who exhibited acute severe hemilingual dyskinesia and prominent tics, with ballismus of the upper limbs, but had normal brain and spinal MRI results and did not show any signs of dysarthria or dysphagia. His serum copper and ceruloplasmin levels were low, but his urinary copper level was elevated after penicillamine challenge. We conclude that copper-metabolism disorders should be included in the differential diagnosis for movement disorders, even in cases with highly unusual presentations, because many of them are treatable. Moreover, a connection between copper-metabolism disorders and tics is presented, to our knowledge, for the first time in humans; further investigation is needed to better establish this connection and understand its underlying pathophysiology.

  20. Mary Jane Hogue (1883-1962): A pioneer in human brain tissue culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zottoli, Steven J; Seyfarth, Ernst-August

    2018-05-16

    The ability to maintain human brain explants in tissue culture was a critical step in the use of these cells for the study of central nervous system disorders. Ross G. Harrison (1870-1959) was the first to successfully maintain frog medullary tissue in culture in 1907, but it took another 38 years before successful culture of human brain tissue was accomplished. One of the pioneers in this achievement was Mary Jane Hogue (1883-1962). Hogue was born into a Quaker family in 1883 in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and received her undergraduate degree from Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. Research with the developmental biologist Theodor Boveri (1862-1915) in Würzburg, Germany, resulted in her Ph.D. (1909). Hogue transitioned from studying protozoa to the culture of human brain tissue in the 1940s and 1950s, when she was one of the first to culture cells from human fetal, infant, and adult brain explants. We review Hogue's pioneering contributions to the study of human brain cells in culture, her putative identification of progenitor neuroblast and/or glioblast cells, and her use of the cultures to study the cytopathogenic effects of poliovirus. We also put Hogue's work in perspective by discussing how other women pioneers in tissue culture influenced Hogue and her research.

  1. The Neuroprotective Effect of Cornus mas on Brain Tissue of Wistar Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renata Francik

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas is a valuable source of phenolic antioxidants. Flavonoid derivatives as nonenzymatic antioxidants are important in the pathophysiology of many diseases including neurological disorders (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease or heart disease. In this study, we examined the effect of an addition of freeze-dried fruit of cornelian cherry on three types of diets: control diet, fructose diet, and diet enriched in fats (high-fat diet. This effect was studied by determining the following antioxidant parameters in both brain tissue and plasma in rats: catalase, ferric reducing ability of plasma, paraoxonase, protein carbonyl groups, and free thiol groups. Results indicate that both fructose diet and high-fat diet affect the antioxidant capacity of the organism. Furthermore, an addition of cornelian cherry resulted in increased activity of catalase in brain tissue, while in plasma it caused the opposite effect. In turn, with regard to paraoxonase activity in both brain tissue and plasma, it had a stimulating effect. Adding cornelian cherry to the tested diets increased the activity of PON in both tested tissues. Moreover, protective effect of fruits of this plant was observed in the process of oxidation of proteins by decreasing levels of protein carbonyl groups and thiol groups in brain tissue as well as in plasma.

  2. [Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis is a rare disorder, which requires a specific treatment].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blaabjerg, Morten; Marjanovic, Dragan

    2013-01-28

    Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX) is a rare, but treatable lipid storage disorder caused by mutation in the CYP27A1 gene. The disorder results in deposition of cholestanol in various tissues. The classical CTX phenotype includes diarrhoea, juvenile cataract, xanthoma and progressive neurological symptoms. Studies have shown that progression of symptoms can be halted or even reversed, if treatment with chenodeoxycholic acid is initiated early. The diagnosis of CTX is often delayed due to lack of awareness of the disease. We describe the history, clinical features, biochemical, genetic and magnetic resonance imaging findings of the first reported case of CTX in Denmark.

  3. Morphological, clinical and radiological aspects in diagnostics of bronchopulmonary diseases and their complications in children with dysplasia of connective tissue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Palchik S.M.

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The article provides an overview of the literature devoted to study of radiological, morphological and clinical aspects of diagnostics of respiratory diseases and their complications in children with dysplasia of connective tissue nowadays. We made an analysis of the role of connective tissue disorders in pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary diseases. Theoretically was substantiated the importance of radiological methods in early diagnostics of this disease in children.

  4. Characteristics of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) and their role in immunological disorders (an update).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yazdani, Reza; Sharifi, Mehri; Shirvan, Aylar Saba; Azizi, Gholamreza; Ganjalikhani-Hakemi, Mazdak

    2015-01-01

    Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are a novel family of hematopoietic effectors and regulators of innate immunity. Although these cells are morphologically similar to B cells and T cells, however they do not express antigen receptors. ILCs seems to have emerging roles in innate immune responses against infectious or non-infectious microorganisms, protection of the epithelial barrier, lymphoid organogenesis and inflammation, tissue remodeling and regulating homeostasis of tissue stromal cells. In addition, it has recently been reported that ILCs have a crucial role in several disorders such as allergy and autoimmunity. Based on their phenotype and functions, ILCs are classified into three major groups called ILCs1, ILCs2, and ILCs3. Here we reviewed the most recent data concerning diverse ILC phenotypes, subclasses, functions in immune responses as well as in immune mediated disorders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Tissue types (image)

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... are 4 basic types of tissue: connective tissue, epithelial tissue, muscle tissue, and nervous tissue. Connective tissue supports ... binds them together (bone, blood, and lymph tissues). Epithelial tissue provides a covering (skin, the linings of the ...

  6. Diagnostic value of MRS-quantified brain tissue lactate level in identifying children with mitochondrial disorders

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lunsing, Roelineke J.; Strating, Kim [University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Department of Child Neurology, Groningen (Netherlands); Koning, Tom J. de [University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Department of Pediatric Metabolic Diseases, Groningen (Netherlands); Sijens, Paul E. [University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Department of Radiology, Groningen (Netherlands)

    2017-03-15

    Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) of children with or without neurometabolic disease is used for the first time for quantitative assessment of brain tissue lactate signals, to elaborate on previous suggestions of MRS-detected lactate as a marker of mitochondrial disease. Multivoxel MRS of a transverse plane of brain tissue cranial to the ventricles was performed in 88 children suspected of having neurometabolic disease, divided into 'definite' (n = 17, ≥1 major criteria), 'probable' (n = 10, ≥2 minor criteria), 'possible' (n = 17, 1 minor criterion) and 'unlikely' mitochondrial disease (n = 44, none of the criteria). Lactate levels, expressed in standardized arbitrary units or relative to creatine, were derived from summed signals from all voxels. Ten 'unlikely' children with a normal neurological exam served as the MRS reference subgroup. For 61 of 88 children, CSF lactate values were obtained. MRS lactate level (>12 arbitrary units) and the lactate-to-creatine ratio (L/Cr >0.22) differed significantly between the definite and the unlikely group (p = 0.015 and p = 0.001, respectively). MRS L/Cr also differentiated between the probable and the MRS reference subgroup (p = 0.03). No significant group differences were found for CSF lactate. MRS-quantified brain tissue lactate levels can serve as diagnostic marker for identifying mitochondrial disease in children. (orig.)

  7. Short Communication: Immunohistochemical localization of the immune cell marker CD68 in bovine adipose tissue: impact of tissue alterations and excessive fat accumulation in dairy cows.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Häussler, S; Germeroth, D; Laubenthal, L; Ruda, L F; Rehage, J; Dänicke, S; Sauerwein, H

    2017-01-01

    With the onset of lactation energy from feed intake is mostly insufficient to meet the requirements of dairy cows. Lipid mobilization from adipose tissue (AT) could lead to a compromised inflammatory response enhancing the incidence for diseases. In addition, tissue alterations can occur, displaying areas of necrosis and inflammation. Furthermore, over-conditioned cows mobilizing more lipids from AT than thin cows are prone to develop metabolic disorders. This might lead to an increased infiltration of phagocytic immune cells into AT. In the present study, CD68 positive cells were localized in AT from 10 early lactating Holstein cows displaying different grades of AT alterations. Biopsies were sampled from visceral and subcutaneous AT and the number of CD68 positive cells was immunohistochemically determined. In addition, AT biopsies from over-conditioned, non-pregnant, non-lactating cows (n=8) were immunohistochemically analyzed for CD68 positive cells. The percentage of CD68 positive cells was less than 2% in AT biopsies with tissue alterations and in AT from over-conditioned cows. Therefore, immune cell infiltration demonstrated via the localization of CD68 positive cells seems to play only a minor role in AT from over-conditioned cows as well as in different bovine AT depots with tissue alterations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Observation of structural universality in disordered systems using bulk diffusion measurement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papaioannou, Antonios; Novikov, Dmitry S.; Fieremans, Els; Boutis, Gregory S.

    2017-12-01

    We report on an experimental observation of classical diffusion distinguishing between structural universality classes of disordered systems in one dimension. Samples of hyperuniform and short-range disorder were designed, characterized by the statistics of the placement of micrometer-thin parallel permeable barriers, and the time-dependent diffusion coefficient was measured by NMR methods over three orders of magnitude in time. The relation between the structural exponent, characterizing disorder universality class, and the dynamical exponent of the diffusion coefficient is experimentally verified. The experimentally established relation between structure and transport exemplifies the hierarchical nature of structural complexity—dynamics are mainly determined by the universality class, whereas microscopic parameters affect the nonuniversal coefficients. These results open the way for noninvasive characterization of structural correlations in porous media, complex materials, and biological tissues via a bulk diffusion measurement.

  9. Analysis of DNA vulnerability to damage, repair and degradation in tissues of irradiated animals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ryabchenko, N.I.; Ivannik, B.P.

    1982-01-01

    Single-strand and paired ruptures of DNA were found to result in appearance of locally denaturated areas in its secondary structure and to disordered protein-DNA interaction. It was shown with the use of the viscosimeter method of measuring the molecular mass of single stranded high-polymeric DNA that cells of various tissues by the intensity of DNA repair can be divided into two groups, rapid- and slow-repair ones. Tissue specificity of enzyme function of the repair systems and systems responsible for post-irradiation DNA degradation depends on the activity of endonucleases synthesized by the cells both in health and in their irradiation-induced synthesis

  10. [Interrelationship between lower limb varicosity, the grade of connective tissue dysplasia and atrial fibrillation in patients with coronary artery disease].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forster, O V; Tsarev, O A; Shvarts, Iu G

    2006-01-01

    To determine interrelationship between lower limb varicosity, the clinical grade of non-differentiated dysplasia of the connective tissue and atrial fibrillation in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Altogether 156 coronary patients were examined. Persistent atrial fibrillation was present in 58 and chronic in 38 patients. The reference group comprised 60 patients without evident rhythm disorders in persons suffering from CAD. Markers of connective tissue dysplasia () were revealed on the part of the skeleton, joints skin and visceral organs. Lower limb varicosity was recorded as well. The number of the stigmas in the study groups was different. So, in the patient group without rhythm disorders, the mean number of the stigmas was equal to 3, which is a variant of normal. In the groups with persistent and constant AF, this indicator was equal to 4.7 and 5.2 respectively (patrial fibrilation there is a direct close correlation between the signs of connective tissue dysplasia and lower limb varicosity. In patients with persistent AF lower limb varicosity occurs more frequently than in CAD patients with normal rhythm.

  11. Zicam-induced damage to mouse and human nasal tissue.

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    Jae H Lim

    Full Text Available Intranasal medications are used to treat various nasal disorders. However, their effects on olfaction remain unknown. Zicam (zinc gluconate; Matrixx Initiatives, Inc, a homeopathic substance marketed to alleviate cold symptoms, has been implicated in olfactory dysfunction. Here, we investigated Zicam and several common intranasal agents for their effects on olfactory function. Zicam was the only substance that showed significant cytotoxicity in both mouse and human nasal tissue. Specifically, Zicam-treated mice had disrupted sensitivity of olfactory sensory neurons to odorant stimulation and were unable to detect novel odorants in behavioral testing. These findings were long-term as no recovery of function was observed after two months. Finally, human nasal explants treated with Zicam displayed significantly elevated extracellular lactate dehydrogenase levels compared to saline-treated controls, suggesting severe necrosis that was confirmed on histology. Our results demonstrate that Zicam use could irreversibly damage mouse and human nasal tissue and may lead to significant smell dysfunction.

  12. Adipose Tissue as an Endocrine Organ: An Update on Pro-inflammatory and Anti-inflammatory Microenvironment

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    Kvido Smitka

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Adipose tissue is recognized as an active endocrine organ that produces a number of endocrine substances referred to as “adipokines” including leptin, adiponectin, adipolin, visfatin, omentin, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α, interleukin-6 (IL-6, resistin, pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF, and progranulin (PGRN which play an important role in the food intake regulation and significantly influence insulin sensitivity and in some cases directly affect insulin resistance in skeletal muscle, liver, and adipose tissue. The review summarizes current knowledge about adipose tissue-derived hormones and their influence on energy homeostasis regulation. The possible therapeutic potential of these adipokines in the treatment of insulin resistance, endothelial dysfunction, a pro-inflammatory response, obesity, eating disorders, progression of atherosclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and type 2 diabetes is discussed.

  13. Spatial cluster analysis of nanoscopically mapped serotonin receptors for classification of fixed brain tissue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sams, Michael; Silye, Rene; Göhring, Janett; Muresan, Leila; Schilcher, Kurt; Jacak, Jaroslaw

    2014-01-01

    We present a cluster spatial analysis method using nanoscopic dSTORM images to determine changes in protein cluster distributions within brain tissue. Such methods are suitable to investigate human brain tissue and will help to achieve a deeper understanding of brain disease along with aiding drug development. Human brain tissue samples are usually treated postmortem via standard fixation protocols, which are established in clinical laboratories. Therefore, our localization microscopy-based method was adapted to characterize protein density and protein cluster localization in samples fixed using different protocols followed by common fluorescent immunohistochemistry techniques. The localization microscopy allows nanoscopic mapping of serotonin 5-HT1A receptor groups within a two-dimensional image of a brain tissue slice. These nanoscopically mapped proteins can be confined to clusters by applying the proposed statistical spatial analysis. Selected features of such clusters were subsequently used to characterize and classify the tissue. Samples were obtained from different types of patients, fixed with different preparation methods, and finally stored in a human tissue bank. To verify the proposed method, samples of a cryopreserved healthy brain have been compared with epitope-retrieved and paraffin-fixed tissues. Furthermore, samples of healthy brain tissues were compared with data obtained from patients suffering from mental illnesses (e.g., major depressive disorder). Our work demonstrates the applicability of localization microscopy and image analysis methods for comparison and classification of human brain tissues at a nanoscopic level. Furthermore, the presented workflow marks a unique technological advance in the characterization of protein distributions in brain tissue sections.

  14. Protein Profiling of Preeclampsia Placental Tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shu, Chang; Liu, Zitao; Cui, Lifeng; Wei, Chengguo; Wang, Shuwen; Tang, Jian Jenny; Cui, Miao; Lian, Guodong; Li, Wei; Liu, Xiufen; Xu, Hongmei; Jiang, Jing; Lee, Peng; Zhang, David Y.

    2014-01-01

    Preeclampsia is a multi-system disorder involved in pregnancy without an effective treatment except delivery. The precise pathogenesis of this complicated disorder is still not completely understood. The objective of this study is to evaluate the alterations of protein expression and phosphorylations that are important in regulating placental cell function in preterm and term preeclampsia. Using the Protein Pathway Array, 38 proteins in placental tissues were found to be differentially expressed between preterm preeclampsia and gestational age matched control, while 25 proteins were found to be expressed differentially between term preeclampsia and matched controls. Among these proteins, 16 proteins and their associated signaling pathways overlapped between preterm and term preeclampsia, suggesting the common pathogenesis of two subsets of disease. On the other hand, many proteins are uniquely altered in either preterm or term preeclampsia and correlated with severity of clinical symptoms and outcomes, therefore, providing molecular basis for these two subsets of preeclampsia. Furthermore, the expression levels of some of these proteins correlated with neonatal small for gestational age (PAI-1 and PAPP-A) and adverse outcomes (Flt-1) in women with preterm preeclampsia. These proteins could potentially be used as candidate biomarkers for predicting outcomes of preeclampsia. PMID:25392996

  15. Protein profiling of preeclampsia placental tissues.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chang Shu

    Full Text Available Preeclampsia is a multi-system disorder involved in pregnancy without an effective treatment except delivery. The precise pathogenesis of this complicated disorder is still not completely understood. The objective of this study is to evaluate the alterations of protein expression and phosphorylations that are important in regulating placental cell function in preterm and term preeclampsia. Using the Protein Pathway Array, 38 proteins in placental tissues were found to be differentially expressed between preterm preeclampsia and gestational age matched control, while 25 proteins were found to be expressed differentially between term preeclampsia and matched controls. Among these proteins, 16 proteins and their associated signaling pathways overlapped between preterm and term preeclampsia, suggesting the common pathogenesis of two subsets of disease. On the other hand, many proteins are uniquely altered in either preterm or term preeclampsia and correlated with severity of clinical symptoms and outcomes, therefore, providing molecular basis for these two subsets of preeclampsia. Furthermore, the expression levels of some of these proteins correlated with neonatal small for gestational age (PAI-1 and PAPP-A and adverse outcomes (Flt-1 in women with preterm preeclampsia. These proteins could potentially be used as candidate biomarkers for predicting outcomes of preeclampsia.

  16. Inflammatory Cytokines: Potential Biomarkers of Immunologic Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ningan Xu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Autism is a disorder of neurobiological origin characterized by problems in communication and social skills and repetitive behavior. After more than six decades of research, the etiology of autism remains unknown, and no biomarkers have been proven to be characteristic of autism. A number of studies have shown that the cytokine levels in the blood, brain, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF of autistic subjects differ from that of healthy individuals; for example, a series of studies suggests that interleukin-6 (IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α, and interferon-γ (IFN-γ are significantly elevated in different tissues in autistic subjects. However, the expression of some cytokines, such as IL-1, IL-2, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF, is controversial, and different studies have found various results in different tissues. In this review, we focused on several types of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines that might affect different cell signal pathways and play a role in the pathophysiological mechanism of autistic spectrum disorders.

  17. Role of Matricellular Proteins in Disorders of the Central Nervous System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jayakumar, A R; Apeksha, A; Norenberg, M D

    2017-03-01

    Matricellular proteins (MCPs) are actively expressed non-structural proteins present in the extracellular matrix, which rapidly turnover and possess regulatory roles, as well as mediate cell-cell interactions. MCPs characteristically contain binding sites for other extracellular proteins, cell surface receptors, growth factors, cytokines and proteases, that provide structural support for surrounding cells. MCPs are present in most organs, including brain, and play a major role in cell-cell interactions and tissue repair. Among the MCPs found in brain include thrombospondin-1/2, secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine family (SPARC), including Hevin/SC1, Tenascin C and CYR61/Connective Tissue Growth Factor/Nov family of proteins, glypicans, galectins, plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1), autotaxin, fibulin and perisostin. This review summarizes the potential role of MCPs in the pathogenesis of major neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ischemia, trauma, hepatic encephalopathy, Down's syndrome, autism, multiple sclerosis, brain neoplasms, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy. Potential therapeutic opportunities of MCP's for these disorders are also considered in this review.

  18. Pathophysiological Significance of Dermatan Sulfate Proteoglycans Revealed by Human Genetic Disorders

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    Shuji Mizumoto

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The indispensable roles of dermatan sulfate-proteoglycans (DS-PGs have been demonstrated in various biological events including construction of the extracellular matrix and cell signaling through interactions with collagen and transforming growth factor-β, respectively. Defects in the core proteins of DS-PGs such as decorin and biglycan cause congenital stromal dystrophy of the cornea, spondyloepimetaphyseal dysplasia, and Meester-Loeys syndrome. Furthermore, mutations in human genes encoding the glycosyltransferases, epimerases, and sulfotransferases responsible for the biosynthesis of DS chains cause connective tissue disorders including Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and spondyloepimetaphyseal dysplasia with joint laxity characterized by skin hyperextensibility, joint hypermobility, and tissue fragility, and by severe skeletal disorders such as kyphoscoliosis, short trunk, dislocation, and joint laxity. Glycobiological approaches revealed that mutations in DS-biosynthetic enzymes cause reductions in enzymatic activities and in the amount of synthesized DS and also disrupt the formation of collagen bundles. This review focused on the growing number of glycobiological studies on recently reported genetic diseases caused by defects in the biosynthesis of DS and DS-PGs.

  19. Ethical issues regarding the donation and source of cells for tissue engineering: a European focus group study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oerlemans, A.J.M.; Berg, P.P. van den; Leeuwen, E. van; Dekkers, W.J.M.

    2011-01-01

    This article is part of the EuroSTEC project, which aims at developing tissue engineering-based treatments for structural disorders present at birth. EuroSTEC is positioned at the intersection of three areas with their own ethical issues: (1) regenerative medicine, (2) research with pregnant women

  20. Ethical issues regarding the donation and source of cells for tissue engineering : a European focus group study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van den Berg, P.P.; van Leeuwen, E.; Dekkers, W.J.M.; Oerlemans, A.J.

    This article is part of the EuroSTEC project, which aims at developing tissue engineering-based treatments for structural disorders present at birth. EuroSTEC is positioned at the intersection of three areas with their own ethical issues: (1) regenerative medicine, (2) research with pregnant women

  1. Oral disorders in Chilean rodeo horses submitted for dental evaluation between 2010 and 2013

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    Sebastián Guerra

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Dental disorders are common in horses. The objetive of the study was determined the frequency of dental problems in Chilean Rodeo Horses and described the most common dental treatments used in Chile. Oral examinations were performed on 456 Chilean rodeo horses and the disorders were observed as follows: Oral soft tissues, 259 horses (56% presented lacerations and/or ulcers. Regarding the first premolar, it was present in 32% of the horses, all maxillary positioned. In canines, 245 (54% were present and overlong tooth. Disorders found in incisors show supererupted (Tooth overlong in 147 (32%; ventral curvature in 116 (25%, nevertheless 102 (22% horses showed no abnormalities. About the diseases found in cheek teeth (premolars and molars, the more prevalent ones was enamel points in 426 (93%, rostral or caudal hooks in 354 (78%, and ramps in 231 (51%. Confidence intervals between all dental diseases found in the study showed no statistical significance when was analyzed for age or gender. When age groups were made, statistical significance appear X² Pearson (p=0,01, were mostly malocclusion type I was the more common in young, mature and geriatric horses. Other disorders such as problems at the time of eruption, development and periodontal disease are statiscally similar X² (p=0,07. About the treatments it is important to mention that in 453 (99% horses received odontoplasty and 147 (32% first premolar extraction. This study shows that Chilean rodeo horses have dental disorders similar to other horse breeds, except by small increase in soft tissue damage and incisors problems.

  2. A STUDY OF MUCOCUTANEOUS MANIFESTATIONS IN AUTOIMMUNE CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISORDERS AT TERTIARY CARE CENTRE

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    Manisha Jethwa

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Our aim was to study the clinical and immunological profile of patients with newly detected connective tissue disease presented to a tertiary care centre. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study involved 51 patients with newly-detected Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE (fulfilling the revise SLICC criteria for SLE and Systemic Sclerosis (SS, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD, etc. attending Sir. T. Hospital, Bhavnagar, between January 2013 and December 2016. All patients were assessed for clinical features and immunological profile. RESULTS Out of the 51 patients, 30 having SLE, 10 having SS, 9 with MCTD, 1 with dermatomyositis and 1 with Rowell’s syndrome. Among them, 47 were females and 4 were males. The mean age at presentation was between 15-25 years. The LE-specific skin lesions were noted as malar rash in 25 patients (83%, subacute and acute lupus rashes (80% and discoid rash (13%. Among LE-nonspecific lesions, non-scarring alopecia was most common followed by oral ulcers, Raynaud’s phenomenon, joint pain, scarring alopecia, erythema multiforme, livedo reticularis, vasculitic lesions, urticaria and calcinosis cutis were seen. In MCTD, muscle weakness was common finding. In systemic sclerosis, hide-bound skin and decreases mouth opening were seen in all cases and Raynaud’s phenomenon, joint pain, hair loss, calcinosis cutis and respiratory system involvement were other features. Serum ANA was positive in 76% while negative in 3.8% of individuals. The most common pattern observed in ANA profile was speckled (56% followed by homogenous (32% and nucleolar (28%. CONCLUSION There is diversity in clinical presentation of autoimmune connective tissue disease with regards to their genetic and environmental backgrounds. Cutaneous features are utmost important having diagnostic and prognostic value as well.

  3. Quantification of Cardiomyocyte Alignment from Three-Dimensional (3D) Confocal Microscopy of Engineered Tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kowalski, William J; Yuan, Fangping; Nakane, Takeichiro; Masumoto, Hidetoshi; Dwenger, Marc; Ye, Fei; Tinney, Joseph P; Keller, Bradley B

    2017-08-01

    Biological tissues have complex, three-dimensional (3D) organizations of cells and matrix factors that provide the architecture necessary to meet morphogenic and functional demands. Disordered cell alignment is associated with congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathy, and neurodegenerative diseases and repairing or replacing these tissues using engineered constructs may improve regenerative capacity. However, optimizing cell alignment within engineered tissues requires quantitative 3D data on cell orientations and both efficient and validated processing algorithms. We developed an automated method to measure local 3D orientations based on structure tensor analysis and incorporated an adaptive subregion size to account for multiple scales. Our method calculates the statistical concentration parameter, κ, to quantify alignment, as well as the traditional orientational order parameter. We validated our method using synthetic images and accurately measured principal axis and concentration. We then applied our method to confocal stacks of cleared, whole-mount engineered cardiac tissues generated from human-induced pluripotent stem cells or embryonic chick cardiac cells and quantified cardiomyocyte alignment. We found significant differences in alignment based on cellular composition and tissue geometry. These results from our synthetic images and confocal data demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of our method to measure alignment in 3D tissues.

  4. Tissue bionics: examples in biomimetic tissue engineering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Green, David W [Bone and Joint Research Group, Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, General Hospital, University of Southampton, SO16 6YD (United Kingdom)], E-mail: Hindoostuart@googlemail.com

    2008-09-01

    Many important lessons can be learnt from the study of biological form and the functional design of organisms as design criteria for the development of tissue engineering products. This merging of biomimetics and regenerative medicine is termed 'tissue bionics'. Clinically useful analogues can be generated by appropriating, modifying and mimicking structures from a diversity of natural biomatrices ranging from marine plankton shells to sea urchin spines. Methods in biomimetic materials chemistry can also be used to fabricate tissue engineering scaffolds with added functional utility that promise human tissues fit for the clinic.

  5. Tissue bionics: examples in biomimetic tissue engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Green, David W

    2008-01-01

    Many important lessons can be learnt from the study of biological form and the functional design of organisms as design criteria for the development of tissue engineering products. This merging of biomimetics and regenerative medicine is termed 'tissue bionics'. Clinically useful analogues can be generated by appropriating, modifying and mimicking structures from a diversity of natural biomatrices ranging from marine plankton shells to sea urchin spines. Methods in biomimetic materials chemistry can also be used to fabricate tissue engineering scaffolds with added functional utility that promise human tissues fit for the clinic

  6. Disordered eating practices in gastrointestinal disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Satherley, R; Howard, R; Higgs, S

    2015-01-01

    To systematically review evidence concerning disordered eating practices in dietary-controlled gastrointestinal conditions. Three key questions were examined: a) are disordered eating practices a feature of GI disorders?; b) what abnormal eating practices are present in those with GI disorders?; and c) what factors are associated with the presence of disordered eating in those with GI disorders? By exploring these questions, we aim to develop a conceptual model of disordered eating development in GI disease. Five key databases, Web of Science with Conference Proceedings (1900-2014) and MEDLINE (1950-2014), PubMed, PsycINFO (1967-2014) and Google Scholar, were searched for papers relating to disordered eating practices in those with GI disorders. All papers were quality assessed before being included in the review. Nine papers were included in the review. The majority of papers reported that the prevalence of disordered eating behaviours is greater in populations with GI disorders than in populations of healthy controls. Disordered eating patterns in dietary-controlled GI disorders may be associated with both anxiety and GI symptoms. Evidence concerning the correlates of disordered eating was limited. The presence of disordered eating behaviours is greater in populations with GI disorders than in populations of healthy controls, but the direction of the relationship is not clear. Implications for further research are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Granulocytes and vascularization regulate uterine bleeding and tissue remodeling in a mouse menstruation model.

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    Astrid Menning

    Full Text Available Menstruation-associated disorders negatively interfere with the quality of life of many women. However, mechanisms underlying pathogenesis of menstrual disorders remain poorly investigated up to date. Among others, this is based on a lack of appropriate pre-clinical animal models. We here employ a mouse menstruation model induced by priming mice with gonadal hormones and application of a physical stimulus into the uterus followed by progesterone removal. As in women, these events are accompanied by menstrual-like bleeding and tissue remodeling processes, i.e. disintegration of decidualized endometrium, as well as subsequent repair. We demonstrate that the onset of bleeding coincides with strong upregulation of inflammatory mediators and massive granulocyte influx into the uterus. Uterine granulocytes play a central role in regulating local tissue remodeling since depletion of these cells results in dysregulated expression of matrix modifying enzymes. As described here for the first time, uterine blood loss can be quantified by help of tampon-like cotton pads. Using this novel technique, we reveal that blood loss is strongly reduced upon inhibition of endometrial vascularization and thus, is a key regulator of menstrual bleeding. Taken together, we here identify angiogenesis and infiltrating granulocytes as critical determinants of uterine bleeding and tissue remodeling in a mouse menstruation model. Importantly, our study provides a technical and scientific basis allowing quantification of uterine blood loss in mice and thus, assessment of therapeutic intervention, proving great potential for future use in basic research and drug discovery.

  8. Profile of the subjects with soft tissue injuries attended at an occupational health service and the RSI

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    Camila de Freitas

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Aim: To investigate the profile of subjects with soft tissue injuries attended at the Reference Center of Occupational Health – CEREST in the municipality of Santos, Sao Paulo state, in 2010, and the social insurance benefits granted.Materials and Methods: Analysis of medical records of the subjects assisted at CEREST in 2010, surveying data on gender, age, occupation, clinical diagnostics, clinical complaints, retirement, etc. The clinical diagnostics were categorized according to the International Classification of Diseases - ICD-10, subjects with soft tissue injuries were selected, and the diagnostics related to mental health disorders were registered. Data were recorded in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and analyzed using statistical software R Development Core Team.Results: Of the 206 medical records analyzed, 18.0% (n=37 showed soft tissue injuries, 81.1% were female and 18.9% were male, and the subjects’ mean age was 43.24 years (SD=8.76. Subjects between 31 and 50 years old (70.2% were the most affected. The most affected occupations were cleaners, general service workers, and bank clerks. The most prevalent clinical diagnoses were synovitis and tenosynovitis, shoulder bursitis, and rotator cuff syndrome, with 62.2% of the subjects presenting more than one clinical diagnosis. 13.5% of the subjects also presented mental disorders. Association between retirement from work and the presence of soft tissue injury was observed (p=0.032. Only 13.5% of the diagnoses had some association with the work conditions.Conclusions: The general profile of the workers with soft tissue injuries was obtained: prevalence in women, diseases manifested in productive age, difficulty of association with work conditions, need for interdisciplinary interventions.

  9. Attenuation of cold stress-induced exacerbation of cardiac and adipose tissue pathology and metabolic disorders in a rat model of metabolic syndrome by the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist RU486.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagasawa, K; Matsuura, N; Takeshita, Y; Ito, S; Sano, Y; Yamada, Y; Uchinaka, A; Murohara, T; Nagata, K

    2016-04-25

    Chronic stress affects the central nervous system as well as endocrine, metabolic and immune systems. However, the effects of cold stress on cardiovascular and metabolic disorders in metabolic syndrome (MetS) have remained unclear. We recently characterized DahlS.Z-Lepr(fa)/Lepr(fa) (DS/obese) rats, derived from a cross between Dahl salt-sensitive and Zucker rats, as a new animal model of MetS. We have now investigated the effects of chronic cold stress and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) blockade on cardiac and adipose tissue pathology as well as on metabolic parameters in this model. DS/obese rats were exposed to cold stress (immersion in ice-cold water to a depth of 1-2 cm for 2 h per day) with or without subcutaneous injection of the GR antagonist RU486 (2 mg kg(-1)day(-1)) for 4 weeks beginning at 9 weeks of age. Age-matched homozygous lean (DahlS.Z-Lepr(+)/Lepr(+)) littermates served as a control. Chronic cold stress exacerbated hypertension as well as left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, fibrosis and diastolic dysfunction in DS/obese rats in a manner sensitive to RU486 treatment. Cold stress with or without RU486 did not affect body weight or fat mass. In contrast, cold stress further increased cardiac oxidative stress as well as macrophage infiltration and proinflammatory gene expression in LV and visceral fat tissue, with all of these effects being attenuated by RU486. Cold stress also further increased GR and 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 mRNA and protein abundance in LV and visceral adipose tissue, and these effects were again inhibited by RU486. In addition, RU486 ameliorated the stress-induced aggravation of dyslipidemia, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance in DS/obese rats. Our results implicate GR signaling in cold stress-induced exacerbation of cardiac and adipose tissue pathology as well as of abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism in a rat model of MetS.

  10. Vitiligo and Autoimmune Thyroid Disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enke Baldini

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Vitiligo represents the most common cause of acquired skin, hair, and oral depigmentation, affecting 0.5–1% of the population worldwide. It is clinically characterized by the appearance of disfiguring circumscribed skin macules following melanocyte destruction by autoreactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Patients affected by vitiligo usually show a poorer quality of life and are more likely to suffer from depressive symptoms, particularly evident in dark-skinned individuals. Although vitiligo is a non-fatal disease, exposure of affected skin to UV light increases the chance of skin irritation and predisposes to skin cancer. In addition, vitiligo has been associated with other rare systemic disorders due to the presence of melanocytes in other body districts, such as in eyes, auditory, nervous, and cardiac tissues, where melanocytes are thought to have roles different from that played in the skin. Several pathogenetic models have been proposed to explain vitiligo onset and progression, but clinical and experimental findings point mainly to the autoimmune hypothesis as the most qualified one. In this context, it is of relevance the strong association of vitiligo with other autoimmune diseases, in particular with autoimmune thyroid disorders, such as Hashimoto thyroiditis and Graves’ disease. In this review, after a brief overview of vitiligo and its pathogenesis, we will describe the clinical association between vitiligo and autoimmune thyroid disorders and discuss the possible underlying molecular mechanism(s.

  11. The Use of Patient-Specific Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs to Identify Osteoclast Defects in Rare Genetic Bone Disorders

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    I-Ping Chen

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available More than 500 rare genetic bone disorders have been described, but for many of them only limited treatment options are available. Challenges for studying these bone diseases come from a lack of suitable animal models and unavailability of skeletal tissues for studies. Effectors for skeletal abnormalities of bone disorders may be abnormal bone formation directed by osteoblasts or anomalous bone resorption by osteoclasts, or both. Patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs can be generated from somatic cells of various tissue sources and in theory can be differentiated into any desired cell type. However, successful differentiation of hiPSCs into functional bone cells is still a challenge. Our group focuses on the use of human iPSCs (hiPSCs to identify osteoclast defects in craniometaphyseal dysplasia. In this review, we describe the impact of stem cell technology on research for better treatment of such disorders, the generation of hiPSCs from patients with rare genetic bone disorders and current protocols for differentiating hiPSCs into osteoclasts.

  12. Human iPSC-derived neurons and lymphoblastoid cells for personalized medicine research in neuropsychiatric disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gurwitz, David

    2016-09-01

    The development and clinical implementation of personalized medicine crucially depends on the availability of high-quality human biosamples; animal models, although capable of modeling complex human diseases, cannot reflect the large variation in the human genome, epigenome, transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome. Although the biosamples available from public biobanks that store human tissues and cells may represent the large human diversity for most diseases, these samples are not always sufficient for developing biomarkers for patient-tailored therapies for neuropsychiatric disorders. Postmortem human tissues are available from many biobanks; nevertheless, collections of neuronal human cells from large patient cohorts representing the human diversity remain scarce. Two tools are gaining popularity for personalized medicine research on neuropsychiatric disorders: human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons and human lymphoblastoid cell lines. This review examines and contrasts the advantages and limitations of each tool for personalized medicine research.

  13. Caspase-1-Independent IL-1 Release Mediates Blister Formation in Autoantibody-Induced Tissue Injury through Modulation of Endothelial Adhesion Molecules

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sadeghi, Hengameh; Lockmann, Anike; Hund, Anna-Carina; Samavedam, Unni K. S. R. L.; Pipi, Elena; Vafia, Katerina; Hauenschild, Eva; Kalies, Kathrin; Pas, Hendrikus; Jonkman, Marcel F.; Iwata, Hiroaki; Recke, Andreas; Schon, Michael P.; Zillikens, Detlef; Schmidt, Enno; Ludwig, Ralf J.

    2015-01-01

    Although reports documented aberrant cytokine expression in autoimmune bullous dermatoses (AIBDs), cytokine-targeting therapies have not been established in these disorders. We showed previously that IL-6 treatment protected against tissue destruction in experimental epidermolysis bullosa acquisita

  14. MDM2 beyond cancer: podoptosis, development, inflammation, and tissue regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebrahim, Martrez; Mulay, Shrikant R; Anders, Hans-Joachim; Thomasova, Dana

    2015-11-01

    Murine double minute (MDM)-2 is an intracellular molecule with diverse biological functions. It was first described to limit p53-mediated cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, hence, gain of function mutations are associated with malignancies. This generated a rationale for MDM2 being a potential therapeutic target in cancer therapy. Meanwhile, several additional functions and pathogenic roles of MDM2 have been identified that either enforce therapeutic MDM2 blockade or raise caution about potential side effects. MDM2 is also required for organ development and tissue homeostasis because unopposed p53 activation leads to p53-overactivation-dependent cell death, referred to as podoptosis. Podoptosis is caspase-independent and, therefore, different from apoptosis. The mitogenic role of MDM2 is also needed for wound healing upon tissue injury, while MDM2 inhibition impairs re-epithelialization upon epithelial damage. In addition, MDM2 has p53-independent transcription factor-like effects in nuclear factor-kappa beta (NFκB) activation. Therefore, MDM2 promotes tissue inflammation and MDM2 inhibition has potent anti-inflammatory effects in tissue injury. Here we review the biology of MDM2 in the context of tissue development, homeostasis, and injury and discuss how the divergent roles of MDM2 could be used for certain therapeutic purposes. MDM2 blockade had mostly anti-inflammatory and anti-mitotic effects that can be of additive therapeutic efficacy in inflammatory and hyperproliferative disorders such as certain cancers or lymphoproliferative autoimmunity, such as systemic lupus erythematosus or crescentic glomerulonephritis.

  15. NBAS mutations cause a multisystem disorder involving bone, connective tissue, liver, immune system, and retina

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Segarra, Nuria Garcia; Ballhausen, Diana; Crawford, Heather; Perreau, Matthieu; Campos-Xavier, Belinda; van Spaendonck-Zwarts, Karin; Vermeer, Cees; Russo, Michel; Zambelli, Pierre-Yves; Stevenson, Brian; Royer-Bertrand, Beryl; Rivolta, Carlo; Candotti, Fabio; Unger, Sheila; Munier, Francis L.; Superti-Furga, Andrea; Bonafé, Luisa

    2015-01-01

    We report two unrelated patients with a multisystem disease involving liver, eye, immune system, connective tissue, and bone, caused by biallelic mutations in the neuroblastoma amplified sequence (NBAS) gene. Both presented as infants with recurrent episodes triggered by fever with vomiting,

  16. Effect of Postmortem Interval and Years in Storage on RNA Quality of Tissue at a Repository of the NIH NeuroBioBank.

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Kimberly; Yang, Peixin; Li, Ling; Farshori, Amna; Medina, Alexandre E; Zielke, Horst Ronald

    2018-04-01

    Brain tissue from 1068 donors was analyzed for RNA quality as a function of postmortem interval (PMI) and years in storage. Approximately 83% of the cortical and cerebellar samples had an RNA integrity number (RIN) of 6 or greater, indicating their likely suitability for real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction research. The average RIN value was independent of the PMI, up to at least 36 hours. The RNA quality for specific donated brains could not be predicted based on the PMI. Individual samples with a low PMI could have a poor RIN value, while a sample with a PMI over 36 hours may have a high RIN value. The RIN values for control brain donors, all of whom died suddenly and unexpectedly, were marginally higher than for individuals with clinical brain disorders. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of samples confirmed that RIN values were more critical than PMI for determining suitability of tissue for molecular biological studies and samples should be matched by their RIN values rather than PMI. Importantly, PCR analysis established that tissue stored up to 23 years at -80°C yielded high-quality RNA. These results confirm that postmortem human brain tissue collected by brain and tissue banks over decades can serve as high quality material for the study of human disorders.

  17. Tissue engineering

    CERN Document Server

    Fisher, John P; Bronzino, Joseph D

    2007-01-01

    Increasingly viewed as the future of medicine, the field of tissue engineering is still in its infancy. As evidenced in both the scientific and popular press, there exists considerable excitement surrounding the strategy of regenerative medicine. To achieve its highest potential, a series of technological advances must be made. Putting the numerous breakthroughs made in this field into a broad context, Tissue Engineering disseminates current thinking on the development of engineered tissues. Divided into three sections, the book covers the fundamentals of tissue engineering, enabling technologies, and tissue engineering applications. It examines the properties of stem cells, primary cells, growth factors, and extracellular matrix as well as their impact on the development of tissue engineered devices. Contributions focus on those strategies typically incorporated into tissue engineered devices or utilized in their development, including scaffolds, nanocomposites, bioreactors, drug delivery systems, and gene t...

  18. Generation of branching ureteric bud tissues from human pluripotent stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mae, Shin-Ichi; Ryosaka, Makoto; Toyoda, Taro; Matsuse, Kyoko; Oshima, Yoichi; Tsujimoto, Hiraku; Okumura, Shiori; Shibasaki, Aya; Osafune, Kenji

    2018-01-01

    Recent progress in kidney regeneration research is noteworthy. However, the selective and robust differentiation of the ureteric bud (UB), an embryonic renal progenitor, from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) remains to be established. The present study aimed to establish a robust induction method for branching UB tissue from hPSCs towards the creation of renal disease models. Here, we found that anterior intermediate mesoderm (IM) differentiates from anterior primitive streak, which allowed us to successfully develop an efficient two-dimensional differentiation method of hPSCs into Wolffian duct (WD) cells. We also established a simplified procedure to generate three-dimensional WD epithelial structures that can form branching UB tissues. This system may contribute to hPSC-based regenerative therapies and disease models for intractable disorders arising in the kidney and lower urinary tract. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Browning and graying: novel transcriptional regulators of brown and beige fat tissues and aging

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisabetta eMueller

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Obesity represents a major risk factor for the development of a number of metabolic disorders, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Since the discovery that brown and beige fat cells exist in adult humans and contribute to energy expenditure, increasing interest has been devoted to the understanding of the molecular switches turning on calorie utilization. It has been reported that the ability of thermogenic tissues to burn energy declines during aging, possibly contributing to the development of metabolic dysfunction late in life. This review will focus on the recently identified transcriptional modulators of brown and beige cells and will discuss the potential impact of some of these thermogenic factors on age-associated metabolic disorders.

  20. Sjogren syndrome complicated by mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatma eAhmed

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Sjogren Syndrome (SS is an autoimmune disease with exocrine glands dysfunction and multiorgan involvement. It is associated with increased risk of lymphoproliferative disorders, especially B-cell marginal zone lymphoma. While the role of F-18 Flurodoxyglucose position emission tomography/CT (F-18 FDG PET/CT for evaluation of lymphoma has been established, its use in patients with a chronic history of SS to evaluate for possible lymphoproliferative disorders or multiorgan involvement is limited. We present a case of chronic SS in which F-18 FDG PET/CT demonstrated FDG avid intraparotid and cervical lymph nodes pathologically proven to be Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma. In addition, the patient had bibasilar cystic changes consistent with lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP.

  1. Work-related risk factors for specific shoulder disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Molen, Henk F.; Foresti, Chiara; Daams, Joost G.; Frings-Dresen, Monique H. W.; Kuijer, P. Paul F. M.

    2017-01-01

    The objective of this systematic review and metaanalysis is to examine which work-related risk factors are associated with specific soft tissue shoulder disorders. We searched the electronic databases of Medline and Embase for articles published between 2009 and 24 March 2016 and included the

  2. Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Adipose Tissue in Clinical Applications for Dermatological Indications and Skin Aging

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meenakshi Gaur

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Operating at multiple levels of control, mesenchymal stem cells from adipose tissue (ADSCs communicate with organ systems to adjust immune response, provide signals for differentiation, migration, enzymatic reactions, and to equilibrate the regenerative demands of balanced tissue homeostasis. The identification of the mechanisms by which ADSCs accomplish these functions for dermatological rejuvenation and wound healing has great potential to identify novel targets for the treatment of disorders and combat aging. Herein, we review new insights into the role of adipose-derived stem cells in the maintenance of dermal and epidermal homeostasis, and recent advances in clinical applications of ADSCs related to dermatology.

  3. [Connective tissue dysplasia in patients with celiac desease as a problem of violation of adaptation reserve islands of the body].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tkachenko, E; Oreshko, L S; Soloveva, E A; Shabanova, A A; Zhuravleva, M S

    2015-01-01

    Clinically significant dysplasia of connective tissue in patients with celiac disease is often responsible for various visceral disorders. Different disturbances of motor and evacuation functions are often determined in this patients (gastroesophageal reflux, duodenogastral reflux, spastic and hyperkinetic dyskinesia). The clinical course of the celiac disease, associated with connective tissue dysplasia, is characterized by asthenovegetative syndrome, reduced tolerance to physical activity, general weakness, fatigue and emotional instability. These data should be considered in choosing a treatment.

  4. Regional disturbances in blood flow and metabolism in equine limb wound healing with formation of exuberant granulation tissue

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Mette A.; Petersen, Lars; Bundgaard, Louise

    2014-01-01

    As in other fibroproliferative disorders, hypoxia has been suggested to play a key role in the pathogenesis of exuberant granulation tissue (EGT). The purpose of this study was to investigate metabolism and blood flow locally in full-thickness wounds healing with (limb wounds) and without (body...

  5. Clinical efficiency of roentgenopaque study of muscles in patients with disorders of locomotor system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    D'yachkova, G.V.

    1996-01-01

    Radiopaque studies of soft tissues in patients with disorders and diseases of locomotor system in the case of perosseous osteosynthesis were performed. To correct the diagnosis, control the soft tissue state during treatment, assess its results more than 1000 radiopaque studies of muscles were conducted. Application of the radiopaque studies of femur muscles in patients with extension contractures of knee joint permitted to specify the character of contracture, to determine the character of muscles changes in patients with immobilization and arthrogenetic contractures which depended on disease duration

  6. A geometrically controlled rigidity transition in a model for confluent 3D tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merkel, Matthias; Manning, M. Lisa

    2018-02-01

    The origin of rigidity in disordered materials is an outstanding open problem in statistical physics. Previously, a class of 2D cellular models has been shown to undergo a rigidity transition controlled by a mechanical parameter that specifies cell shapes. Here, we generalize this model to 3D and find a rigidity transition that is similarly controlled by the preferred surface area S 0: the model is solid-like below a dimensionless surface area of {s}0\\equiv {S}0/{\\bar{V}}2/3≈ 5.413 with \\bar{V} being the average cell volume, and fluid-like above this value. We demonstrate that, unlike jamming in soft spheres, residual stresses are necessary to create rigidity. These stresses occur precisely when cells are unable to obtain their desired geometry, and we conjecture that there is a well-defined minimal surface area possible for disordered cellular structures. We show that the behavior of this minimal surface induces a linear scaling of the shear modulus with the control parameter at the transition point, which is different from the scaling observed in particulate matter. The existence of such a minimal surface may be relevant for biological tissues and foams, and helps explain why cell shapes are a good structural order parameter for rigidity transitions in biological tissues.

  7. Engineering muscle tissue for the fetus: getting ready for a strong life

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    George Joseph Christ

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Congenital malformations frequently involve either skeletal, smooth or cardiac tissues. When large parts of those tissues are damaged, the repair of the malformations is challenged by the fact that so much autologous tissue is missing. Current treatments require the use of prostheses or other therapies and are associated with a significant morbidity and mortality. Nonetheless, affected children have generally good survival rates and mostly normal schooling. As such, new therapeutic modalities need to represent significant improvements with clear safety profiles. Regenerative medicine and tissue engineering technologies have the potential to dramatically improve the treatment of any disease or disorder involving a lack of viable tissue. With respect to congenital soft tissue anomalies, the development of, for example, implantable muscle constructs would provide not only the usual desired elasticity and contractile proprieties, but should also be able to grow with the fetus and/or in the postnatal life. Such an approach would eliminate the need for multiple surgeries. However, the more widespread clinical applications of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering technologies require identification of the optimal indications, as well as further elucidation of the precise mechanisms and best methods (cells, scaffolds/biomaterials for achieving large functional tissue regeneration in those clinical indications. In short, despite some amazing scientific progress, significant safety and efficacy hurdles remain. However, the rapid preclinical advances in the field bode well for future applications. As such, translational researchers and clinicians alike need be informed and prepared to utilize these new techniques for the benefit of their patients, as soon as they are available. To this end, we review herein, the clinical need(s, potential applications, and the relevant preclinical studies that are currently guiding the field toward novel

  8. Diagnostic imaging of the equine fetlock region using radiography and ultrasonography. Part 2: the bony disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanderperren, Katrien; Saunders, Jimmy H

    2009-08-01

    The metacarpophangeal/metatarsophalangeal (fetlock) joint in the horse is commonly associated with equine lameness and diagnostic imaging is routinely used to investigate disorders of the joint and its surrounding tissues. This review describes the osseous disorders of the fetlock as well as the technical aspects of taking radiographic and ultrasonographic images of the different lesions. In current clinical practice, a combination of radiography and ultrasonography is still the most frequently used approach to arrive at a diagnosis.

  9. X-ray imaging for non-destructive testing of internal disorders in fruits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomas, Paul

    1998-01-01

    A physiological disorder known as spongy tissue involving damage of the mesocarp (flesh) affects 20 to 30 percent of mango fruits, particularly Alphonso, the leading commercial variety of India. Large sized fruits and those more advanced in maturity or harvested when ripe show increased incidence of spongy tissue. The mango processing industry is also facing quality control problems and economic loss as weevil-infested fruits can contaminate the processed pulp as well as the processing machinery with insect, fecal and feed remnants. Studies undertaken in the Food Technology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai with assistance from Radiation Standards Section, Radiological Unit, BARC Hospital and ECIL, Hyderabad, have shown that both spongy tissue affected and seed weevil infested mango fruits can be detected by x-ray transmittance. The resulting image can be used to detect affected fruits. An automated system for detecting and rejecting mangoes with spongy tissue or seed weevil infestation is under development in collaboration with the Electronic Systems Division, BARC. (author)

  10. Adipose tissue mitochondrial dysfunction triggers a lipodystrophic syndrome with insulin resistance, hepatosteatosis, and cardiovascular complications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vernochet, Cecile; Damilano, Federico; Mourier, Arnaud; Bezy, Olivier; Mori, Marcelo A; Smyth, Graham; Rosenzweig, Anthony; Larsson, Nils-Göran; Kahn, C Ronald

    2014-10-01

    Mitochondrial dysfunction in adipose tissue occurs in obesity, type 2 diabetes, and some forms of lipodystrophy, but whether this dysfunction contributes to or is the result of these disorders is unknown. To investigate the physiological consequences of severe mitochondrial impairment in adipose tissue, we generated mice deficient in mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) in adipocytes by using mice carrying adiponectin-Cre and TFAM floxed alleles. These adiponectin TFAM-knockout (adipo-TFAM-KO) mice had a 75-81% reduction in TFAM in the subcutaneous and intra-abdominal white adipose tissue (WAT) and interscapular brown adipose tissue (BAT), causing decreased expression and enzymatic activity of proteins in complexes I, III, and IV of the electron transport chain (ETC). This mitochondrial dysfunction led to adipocyte death and inflammation in WAT and a whitening of BAT. As a result, adipo-TFAM-KO mice were resistant to weight gain, but exhibited insulin resistance on both normal chow and high-fat diets. These lipodystrophic mice also developed hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy, and cardiac dysfunction. Thus, isolated mitochondrial dysfunction in adipose tissue can lead a syndrome of lipodystrophy with metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular complications. © FASEB.

  11. Are circadian rhythms new pathways to understand Autism Spectrum Disorder?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geoffray, M-M; Nicolas, A; Speranza, M; Georgieff, N

    2016-11-01

    Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a frequent neurodevelopmental disorder. ASD is probably the result of intricate interactions between genes and environment altering progressively the development of brain structures and functions. Circadian rhythms are a complex intrinsic timing system composed of almost as many clocks as there are body cells. They regulate a variety of physiological and behavioral processes such as the sleep-wake rhythm. ASD is often associated with sleep disorders and low levels of melatonin. This first point raises the hypothesis that circadian rhythms could have an implication in ASD etiology. Moreover, circadian rhythms are generated by auto-regulatory genetic feedback loops, driven by transcription factors CLOCK and BMAL1, who drive transcription daily patterns of a wide number of clock-controlled genes (CCGs) in different cellular contexts across tissues. Among these, are some CCGs coding for synapses molecules associated to ASD susceptibility. Furthermore, evidence emerges about circadian rhythms control of time brain development processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Subsurface femtosecond tissue alteration: selectively photobleaching macular degeneration pigments in near retinal contact.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manevitch, Zakhariya; Lewis, Aaron; Levy, Carol; Zeira, Evelyne; Banin, Eyal; Manevitch, Alexandra; Khatchatouriants, Artium; Pe'er, Jacob; Galun, Eithan; Hemo, Itzhak

    2012-06-14

    This paper uses advances in the ultrafast manipulation of light to address a general need in medicine for a clinical approach that can provide a solution to a variety of disorders requiring subsurface tissue manipulation with ultralow collateral damage. Examples are age-related macular degeneration (AMD), fungal infections, tumors surrounded by overlying tissue, cataracts, etc. Although lasers have revolutionized the use of light in clinical settings, most lasers employed in medicine cannot address such problems of depth-selective tissue manipulation. This arises from the fact that they are mostly based on one photon based laser tissue interactions that provide a cone of excitation where the energy density is sufficiently high to excite heat or fluorescence in the entire cone. Thus, it is difficult to excite a specific depth of a tissue without affecting the overlying surface. However, the advent of femtosecond (fs) lasers has caused a revolution in multiphoton microscopy (Zipfel et al. Nat. Biotechnol. 2003, 21, 1369-1377; Denk et al. Science 1990, 248, 73-76) and fabrication (Kawata et al. Nature 2001, 412, 697-698). With such lasers, the photon energy density is only high enough for multiphoton processes in the focal volume, and this opens a new direction to address subsurface tissue manipulation. Here we show in an AMD animal model, Ccr2 KO knockout mutant mice, noninvasive, selective fs two-photon photobleaching of pigments associated with AMD that accumulate under and in ultraclose proximity to the overlying retina. Pathological evidence is presented that indicates the lack of collateral damage to the overlying retina or other surrounding tissue.

  13. [Nailfold capillaroscopy in the evaluation of Raynaud's phenomenon and undifferentiated connective tissue disease].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cortes, Sara; Clemente-Coelho, Paulo

    2008-01-01

    Microvascular abnormalities involved in the pathogenic mechanism of several connective tissue disorders can be detected by nailfold capillaroscopy. Evaluation of the interest of nailfold capillaroscopy results in patients with Raynaud s phenomenon or undifferentiated connective tissue disease and their correlation with diagnostic and therapeutical evolution. Selection of capillaroscopic and laboratory results of patients with the diagnosis of Raynaud s phenomenon (without defined connective tissue disease) or undifferentiated connective tissue disease. Evaluation of the present diagnosis and treatment comparing with the ones existed at the time of capillaroscopy performance. 80 patients were enrolled with an age of 51.4+/-14.3 years (mean+/-SD) 78 females (97.5%) with Raynaud s phenomenon and undifferentiated connective tissue disease 27 patients (33.8%); Raynaud s Phenomenon 46 patients (57.5%); undifferentiated connective tissue disease 7 patients (8.7%). The capillaroscopic results were normal 30 patients (37.5%); minor changes tortuosity enlargement 16 patients (20.0%) major changes 34 patients (42.5%) hemorrhages 25 patients (31.3%) megacapillaries 26 patients (32.5%) avascular areas 3 patients (3.8%). The introduction of new treatments after the capillaroscopy occurred in 32 patients (40.0%) and a new diagnosis was done in 39 patients (48.8%). Major changes in capillaroscopy correlated with the change of diagnosis and the introduction of a new treatment (pNailfold capillaroscopy performed in patients with isolated Raynaud s phenomenon or undifferentiated connective tissue disease has a role in the prognostic evaluation related to the possibility of an evolution of the diagnosis or to the need of the introduction of new treatments.

  14. Clinical Presentation of Soft-tissue Infections and its Management: A Study of 100 Cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Baldev; Singh, Sukha; Khichy, Sudhir; Ghatge, Avinash

    2017-01-01

    Soft-tissue infections vary widely in their nature and severity. A clear approach to the management must allow their rapid identification and treatment as they can be life-threatening. Clinical presentation of soft-tissue infections and its management. A prospective study based on 100 patients presenting with soft-tissue infections was done. All the cases of soft-tissue infections were considered irrespective of age, sex, etiological factors, or systemic disorders. The findings were evaluated regarding the pattern of soft-tissue infections in relation to age and sex, clinical presentation, complications, duration of hospital stay, management, and mortality. The most commonly involved age group was in the range of 41-60 years with male predominance. Abscess formation (45%) was the most common clinical presentation. Type 2 diabetes mellitus was the most common associated comorbid condition. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common culture isolate obtained. The most common complication seen was renal failure. Patients with surgical site infections had maximum duration of stay in the hospital. About 94% of the cases of soft-tissue infections were managed surgically. Mortality was mostly encountered in the cases of complications of cellulitis. Skin and soft-tissue infections are among the most common infections encountered by the emergency physicians. Ignorance, reluctance to treatment, economic constraints, and illiteracy delay the early detection and the initiation of proper treatment. Adequate and timely surgical intervention in most of the cases is of utmost importance to prevent the complications and reduce the mortality.

  15. Hypothalamic regulation of brown adipose tissue thermogenesis and energy homeostasis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei eZhang

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Obesity and diabetes are increasing at an alarming rate worldwide, but the strategies for the prevention and treatment of these disorders remain inadequate. Brown adipose tissue (BAT is important for cold protection by producing heat using lipids and glucose as metabolic fuels. This thermogenic action causes increased energy expenditure and significant lipid/glucose disposal. In addition, BAT in white adipose tissue (WAT or beige cells have been found and they also exhibit the thermogenic action similar to BAT. These data provide evidence indicating BAT/beige cells as a potential target for combating obesity and diabetes. Recent discoveries of active BAT and beige cells in adult humans have further highlighted this potential. Growing studies have also shown the importance of central nervous system in the control of BAT thermogenesis and WAT browning using animal models. This review is focused on central neural thermoregulation, particularly addressing our current understanding of the importance of hypothalamic neural signaling in the regulation of BAT/beige thermogenesis and energy homeostasis.

  16. Imaging monitored loosening of dense fibrous tissues using high-intensity pulsed ultrasound

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yeh, Chia-Lun; Li, Pai-Chi; Kuo, Po-Ling; Shih, Wen-Pin; Huang, Pei-Shin

    2013-01-01

    Pulsed high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is proposed as a new alternative treatment for contracture of dense fibrous tissue. It is hypothesized that the pulsed-HIFU can release the contracted tissues by attenuating tensile stiffness along the fiber axis, and that the stiffness reduction can be quantitatively monitored by change of B-mode images. Fresh porcine tendons and ligaments were adapted to an ex vivo model and insonated with pulsed-HIFU for durations ranging from 5 to 30 min. The pulse length was 91 µs with a repetition frequency of 500 Hz, and the peak rarefactional pressure was 6.36 MPa. The corresponding average intensities were kept around 1606 W cm −2 for I SPPA and 72.3 W cm −2 for I SPTA . B-mode images of the tissues were acquired before and after pulsed-HIFU exposure, and the changes in speckle intensity and organization were analyzed. The tensile stiffness of the HIFU-exposed tissues along the longitudinal axis was examined using a stretching machine. Histology examinations were performed by optical and transmission electron microscopy. Pulsed-HIFU exposure significantly decreased the tensile stiffness of the ligaments and tendons. The intensity and organization of tissue speckles in the exposed region were also decreased. The speckle changes correlated well with the degree of stiffness alteration. Histology examinations revealed that pulsed-HIFU exposure probably damages tissues via a cavitation-mediated mechanism. Our results suggest that pulsed-HIFU with a low duty factor is a promising tool for developing new treatment strategies for orthopedic disorders. (paper)

  17. Self-disorders in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nordgaard, Julie; Nilsson, Lars Siersbæk; Sæbye, Ditte

    2017-01-01

    Self-disorders have been hypothesized to be an underlying and trait-like core feature of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders and a certain degree of temporal stability of self-disorders would therefore be expected. The aim of the study was to examine the persistence of self-disorders measured...... by the Examination of Anomalous Self Experiences over a time span of 5 years. 48 patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders were thoroughly assessed for psychopathology at baseline and 5 years later. Self-disorders were assessed by the Examination of Anomalous Self Experiences. The level of self-disorders...... was same at the two occasions for the full Examination of Anomalous Self Disorders and for four out of the five domains. For one domain, the level of self-disorders increased slightly from baseline to follow-up. The correlations between baseline and follow-up were moderate. 9 out of the 13 most...

  18. Esophageal tissue engineering: a new approach for esophageal replacement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Totonelli, Giorgia; Maghsoudlou, Panagiotis; Fishman, Jonathan M; Orlando, Giuseppe; Ansari, Tahera; Sibbons, Paul; Birchall, Martin A; Pierro, Agostino; Eaton, Simon; De Coppi, Paolo

    2012-12-21

    A number of congenital and acquired disorders require esophageal tissue replacement. Various surgical techniques, such as gastric and colonic interposition, are standards of treatment, but frequently complicated by stenosis and other problems. Regenerative medicine approaches facilitate the use of biological constructs to replace or regenerate normal tissue function. We review the literature of esophageal tissue engineering, discuss its implications, compare the methodologies that have been employed and suggest possible directions for the future. Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, National Research Register and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched with the following search terms: stem cell and esophagus, esophageal replacement, esophageal tissue engineering, esophageal substitution. Reference lists of papers identified were also examined and experts in this field contacted for further information. All full-text articles in English of all potentially relevant abstracts were reviewed. Tissue engineering has involved acellular scaffolds that were either transplanted with the aim of being repopulated by host cells or seeded prior to transplantation. When acellular scaffolds were used to replace patch and short tubular defects they allowed epithelial and partial muscular migration whereas when employed for long tubular defects the results were poor leading to an increased rate of stenosis and mortality. Stenting has been shown as an effective means to reduce stenotic changes and promote cell migration, whilst omental wrapping to induce vascularization of the construct has an uncertain benefit. Decellularized matrices have been recently suggested as the optimal choice for scaffolds, but smart polymers that will incorporate signalling to promote cell-scaffold interaction may provide a more reproducible and available solution. Results in animal models that have used seeded scaffolds strongly suggest that seeding of both muscle and epithelial cells on scaffolds

  19. Esophageal tissue engineering: A new approach for esophageal replacement

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Giorgia Totonelli; Panagiotis Maghsoudlou; Jonathan M Fishman; Giuseppe Orlando; Tahera Ansari; Paul Sibbons; Martin A Birchall

    2012-01-01

    A number of congenital and acquired disorders require esophageal tissue replacement.Various surgical techniques,such as gastric and colonic interposition,are standards of treatment,but frequently complicated by stenosis and other problems.Regenerative medicine approaches facilitate the use of biological constructs to replace or regenerate normal tissue function.We review the literature of esophageal tissue engineering,discuss its implications,compare the methodologies that have been employed and suggest possible directions for the future.Medline,Embase,the Cochrane Library,National Research Register and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched with the following search terms:stem cell and esophagus,esophageal replacement,esophageal tissue engineering,esophageal substitution.Reference lists of papers identified were also examined and experts in this field contacted for further information.All full-text articles in English of all potentially relevant abstracts were reviewed.Tissue engineering has involved acellular scaffolds that were either transplanted with the aim of being repopulated by host cells or seeded prior to transplantation.When acellular scaffolds were used to replace patch and short tubular defects they allowed epithelial and partial muscular migration whereas when employed for long tubular defects the results were poor leading to an increased rate of stenosis and mortality.Stenting has been shown as an effective means to reduce stenotic changes and promote cell migration,whilst omental wrapping to induce vascularization of the construct has an uncertain benefit.Decellularized matrices have been recently suggested as the optimal choice for scaffolds,but smart polymers that will incorporate signalling to promote cell-scaffold interaction may provide a more reproducible and available solution.Results in animal models that have used seeded scaffolds strongly suggest that seeding of both muscle and epithelial cells on scaffolds prior to implantation is a

  20. In-situ Characterization and Mapping of Iron Compounds in Alzheimer's Tissue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Collingwood, J.F.; Mikhaylova, A.; Davidson, M.; Batich, C.; Streit, W.J.; Terry, J.; Dobson, J.

    2005-01-01

    There is a well-established link between iron overload in the brain and pathology associated with neurodegeneration in a variety of disorders such as Alzheimer's (AD), Parkinson's (PD) and Huntington's (HD) diseases. This association was first discovered in AD by Goodman in 1953, where, in addition to abnormally high concentrations of iron in autopsy brain tissue, iron has also been shown to accumulate at sites of brain pathology such as senile plaques. However, since this discovery, progress in understanding the origin, role and nature of iron compounds associated with neurodegeneration has been slow. Here we report, for the first time, the location and characterization of iron compounds in human AD brain tissue sections. Iron fluorescence was mapped over a frontal-lobe tissue section from an Alzheimer's patient, and anomalous iron concentrations were identified using synchrotron X-ray absorption techniques at 5 (micro)m spatial resolution. Concentrations of ferritin and magnetite, a magnetic iron oxide potentially indicating disrupted brain-iron metabolism, were evident. These results demonstrate a practical means of correlating iron compounds and disease pathology in-situ and have clear implications for disease pathogenesis and potential therapies.

  1. Affective spectrum disorders and role of serotonergic system of the brain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Timotijević Ivana P.

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Affective spectrum disorders include mood and anxiety disorders, whereas the term functional somatic syndromes describes disorders in which the main symptom is chronic pain, with no pathognomonic tissue damage, such as fibromyalgia, irritable colon, tension headache. Pain as a symptom is often present in patients with depression and anxiety, and similarly, depressed mood, anxiety and other psychiatric symptoms are common in patients with functional somatic syndromes. This explains attitudes that affective disorders and functional somatic syndromes should be found along the same spectrum, due to a similar neurobiochemicalmehanism and dysfunction of these CNS structures and neurotransmitter systems, which lead to similar symptoms in both groups. The symptoms of affective disorders, including somatic are associated with serotonin and serotonergic transmission in the CNS. The existence of depressive and anxiety disorders, such as fatigue, sleep disorders, cognitive disorders, depressed mood, anxiety, and functional somatic syndromes code indicate a similar mechanism of origin. Hypothesis of central neuropathic pain explains the possibility of the descending inhibitory pain mechanisms, including serotonergic and noradrenergic projections and their receptors. Central suprasegmental senzitization in nociceptive pathways, also at the level of the thalamus and the sensory cortex, trigered by an emotional stressors can cause painful symptoms in both groups of disorders. Serotonergic and noradrenergic pathways and voltage sensitive channels of their receptors are included in the mechanism. Modern psychopharmacology can no longer ignore the existence of painful symptoms in affective disorder or depressive and anxiety symptoms in functional somatic syndromes and their treatment can improve. Therapeutic effects of SSRI and SNRI antidepressants and alpha 2 delta ligands for all kinds of painful symptoms in affective disorders - serotonergic spectrum is

  2. Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (a rare lipid storage disorder): a case report

    OpenAIRE

    Razi, Syed Mohd; Gupta, Abhinav Kumar; Gupta, Deepak Chand; Gutch, Manish; Gupta, Keshav Kumar; Usman, Syeda Iqra

    2016-01-01

    Background Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis is a very rare autosomal recessive lipid storage disorder affecting bile acid biosynthesis. It is manifested by subtle neurological and non-neurological symptoms due to abnormal tissue lipid deposition. Diagnosis is usually delayed but early diagnosis and replacement therapy can prevent devastating neurological sequelae. Case presentation We present a case of a 25-year-old Asian Indian woman who presented with gait difficulty, fusiform swellings of bi...

  3. Hypersensitivity to DNA-damaging agents in primary degenerations of excitable tissue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Robbins, J.H.

    1983-01-01

    Defects in DNA-repair mechanisms render xeroderma pigmentosum cells hypersensitive to killing by the uv-type of DNA-damaging agent. Some xeroderma pigmentosum patients develop a primary neuronal degeneration, and cell lines from patients with the earliest onset of neurodegeneration are the most sensitive to killing by uv radiation. These findings led to the neuronal DNA integrity theory which holds that when the integrity of neuronal DNA is destroyed by the accumulation of unrepaired DNA damaged spontaneously or by endogenous metabolites, the neurons will undergo a primary degeneration. Cells from patients with Cockayne syndrome, a demyelinating disorder with a primary retinal degeneration, are also hypersensitive to the uv-type of DNA-damaging agent. Cells from patients with the primary neuronal degeneration of ataxia telangiectasia are hypersensitive to the x-ray-type of DNA-damaging agent. Cells from other patients with primary degeneration of excitable tissue also have hypersensitivity to the x-ray-type of DNA-damaging agent. These disorders include (1) primary neuronal degenerations which are either genetic (e.g., Huntington disease, familial dysautonomia, Friedreich ataxia) or sporadic (e.g., Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease), (2) primary muscle degenerations (e.g., Duchenne muscular dystrophy), and (3) a primary retinal degeneration (Usher syndrome). Death of excitable tissue in vivo in these radiosensitive diseases may result from unrepaired DNA. This hypersensitivity provides the basis for developing suitable presymptomatic and prenatal tests for these diseases, for elucidating their pathogenesis, and for developing future therapies. 119 references, 3 figures, 3 tables

  4. Ethical aspects of soft tissue engineering for congenital birth defects in children : what do experts in the field say?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oerlemans, A.J.; Rodrigues, Catarina; Verkerk, M.A.; van den Berg, P.P.; Dekkers, W.J.M.

    This article is part of the EuroSTEC project, which aims at developing tissue engineering-based treatments for structural disorders present at birth. EuroSTEC is positioned at the intersection of three areas with their own ethical issues: (1) regenerative medicine, (2) research with pregnant women

  5. Ethical aspects of soft tissue engineering for congenital birth defects in children - what do experts in the field say?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oerlemans, A.J.M.; Rodrigues, C.H.; Verkerk, M.A.; Berg, P.P. van den; Dekkers, W.J.M.

    2010-01-01

    This article is part of the EuroSTEC project, which aims at developing tissue engineering-based treatments for structural disorders present at birth. EuroSTEC is positioned at the intersection of three areas with their own ethical issues: (1) regenerative medicine, (2) research with pregnant women

  6. Social Anxiety Disorder and Mood Disorders Comorbidity

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    Zerrin Binbay

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Social Anxiety Disorder is a common disorder leading functional impairment. The comorbidity between mood disorders with social anxiety disorder is relatively common. This comorbidity impacts the clinical severity, resistance and functionality of patients. The systematic evaluation of the comorbidity in both patient groups should not be ignored and be carefully conducted. In general, social anxiety disorder starts at an earlier age than mood disorders and is reported to be predictor for subsequent major depression. The absence of comorbidity in patients with social anxiety disorder is a predictor of good response to treatment. In bipolar disorder patients with comorbid social anxiety disorder, there is an increased level of general psychopathology. Besides, they have poor outcome and increased risk of suicide. In this article, comorbidity between these two disorders has been evaluated in detail.

  7. Autophagy, lipophagy and lysosomal lipid storage disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ward, Carl; Martinez-Lopez, Nuria; Otten, Elsje G; Carroll, Bernadette; Maetzel, Dorothea; Singh, Rajat; Sarkar, Sovan; Korolchuk, Viktor I

    2016-04-01

    Autophagy is a catabolic process with an essential function in the maintenance of cellular and tissue homeostasis. It is primarily recognised for its role in the degradation of dysfunctional proteins and unwanted organelles, however in recent years the range of autophagy substrates has also been extended to lipids. Degradation of lipids via autophagy is termed lipophagy. The ability of autophagy to contribute to the maintenance of lipo-homeostasis becomes particularly relevant in the context of genetic lysosomal storage disorders where perturbations of autophagic flux have been suggested to contribute to the disease aetiology. Here we review recent discoveries of the molecular mechanisms mediating lipid turnover by the autophagy pathways. We further focus on the relevance of autophagy, and specifically lipophagy, to the disease mechanisms. Moreover, autophagy is also discussed as a potential therapeutic target in several key lysosomal storage disorders. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Species and tissue-specificity of prokinetic, laxative and spasmodic effects of Fumaria parviflora

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    Najeeb-ur-Rehman

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Fumaria parviflora Linn. (Fumariaceae, is a small branched annual herb found in many parts of the world including Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. This study was designed to provide pharmacological basis for the medicinal use of Fumaria parviflora in gut motility disorders. Methods The in-vivo prokinetic and laxative assays were conducted in mice. Isolated intestinal preparations (ileum and jejunum from different animal species (mouse, guinea-pig and rabbit were separately suspended in tissue baths containing Tyrode's solution bubbled with carbogen and maintained at 37°C. The spasmogenic responses were recorded using isotonic transducers coupled with PowerLab data acquisition system. Results The aqueous-methanol extract of Fumaria parviflora (Fp.Cr, which tested positive for the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins and anthraquinones showed partially atropine-sensitive prokinetic and laxative activities in the in-vivo in mice at 30 and 100 mg/kg. In the in-vitro studies, Fp.Cr (0.01-1 mg/ml caused a concentration-dependent atropine-sensitive stimulatory effect both in mouse tissues (jejunum and ileum, and rabbit jejunum but had no effect in rabbit ileum. In guinea-pig tissues (ileum and jejunum, the crude extract showed a concentration-dependent stimulatory effect with higher efficacy in ileum and the effect was partially blocked by atropine, indicating the involvement of more than one types of gut-stimulant components (atropine-sensitive and insensitive. This could be a plausible reason for the greater efficacy of Fp.Cr in gut preparations of guinea-pig than in rabbit or mouse. Conclusions This study shows the prokinetic, laxative and spasmodic effects of the plant extract partially mediated through cholinergic pathways with species and tissue-selectivity, and provides a sound rationale for the medicinal use of Fumaria parviflora in gut motility disorders such as, indigestion and constipation. This study also suggests using

  9. Immune physiology in tissue regeneration and aging, tumor growth, and regenerative medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bukovsky, Antonin; Caudle, Michael R; Carson, Ray J; Gaytán, Francisco; Huleihel, Mahmoud; Kruse, Andrea; Schatten, Heide; Telleria, Carlos M

    2009-02-13

    The immune system plays an important role in immunity (immune surveillance), but also in the regulation of tissue homeostasis (immune physiology). Lessons from the female reproductive tract indicate that immune system related cells, such as intraepithelial T cells and monocyte-derived cells (MDC) in stratified epithelium, interact amongst themselves and degenerate whereas epithelial cells proliferate and differentiate. In adult ovaries, MDC and T cells are present during oocyte renewal from ovarian stem cells. Activated MDC are also associated with follicular development and atresia, and corpus luteum differentiation. Corpus luteum demise resembles rejection of a graft since it is attended by a massive influx of MDC and T cells resulting in parenchymal and vascular regression. Vascular pericytes play important roles in immune physiology, and their activities (including secretion of the Thy-1 differentiation protein) can be regulated by vascular autonomic innervation. In tumors, MDC regulate proliferation of neoplastic cells and angiogenesis. Tumor infiltrating T cells die among malignant cells. Alterations of immune physiology can result in pathology, such as autoimmune, metabolic, and degenerative diseases, but also in infertility and intrauterine growth retardation, fetal morbidity and mortality. Animal experiments indicate that modification of tissue differentiation (retardation or acceleration) during immune adaptation can cause malfunction (persistent immaturity or premature aging) of such tissue during adulthood. Thus successful stem cell therapy will depend on immune physiology in targeted tissues. From this point of view, regenerative medicine is more likely to be successful in acute rather than chronic tissue disorders.

  10. Analysis of sports related mTBI injuries caused by elastic wave propagation through brain tissue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D Case

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Repetitive concussions and sub-concussions suffered by athletes have been linked to a series of sequelae ranging from traumatic encephalopathy to dementia pugilistica. A detailed finite element model of the human head was developed based on standard libraries of medical imaging. The model includes realistic material properties for the brain tissue, bone, soft tissue, and CSF, as well as the structure and properties of a protective helmet. Various impact scenarios were studied, with a focus on the strains/stresses and pressure gradients and concentrations created in the brain tissue due to propagation of waves produced by the impact through the complex internal structure of the human head. This approach has the potential to expand our understanding of the mechanism of brain injury, and to better assess the risk of delayed neurological disorders for tens of thousands of young athletes throughout the world.

  11. Clinical validation of targeted next-generation sequencing for inherited disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yohe, Sophia; Hauge, Adam; Bunjer, Kari; Kemmer, Teresa; Bower, Matthew; Schomaker, Matthew; Onsongo, Getiria; Wilson, Jon; Erdmann, Jesse; Zhou, Yi; Deshpande, Archana; Spears, Michael D; Beckman, Kenneth; Silverstein, Kevin A T; Thyagarajan, Bharat

    2015-02-01

    Although next-generation sequencing (NGS) can revolutionize molecular diagnostics, several hurdles remain in the implementation of this technology in clinical laboratories. To validate and implement an NGS panel for genetic diagnosis of more than 100 inherited diseases, such as neurologic conditions, congenital hearing loss and eye disorders, developmental disorders, nonmalignant diseases treated by hematopoietic cell transplantation, familial cancers, connective tissue disorders, metabolic disorders, disorders of sexual development, and cardiac disorders. The diagnostic gene panels ranged from 1 to 54 genes with most of panels containing 10 genes or fewer. We used a liquid hybridization-based, target-enrichment strategy to enrich 10 067 exons in 568 genes, followed by NGS with a HiSeq 2000 sequencing system (Illumina, San Diego, California). We successfully sequenced 97.6% (9825 of 10 067) of the targeted exons to obtain a minimum coverage of 20× at all bases. We demonstrated 100% concordance in detecting 19 pathogenic single-nucleotide variations and 11 pathogenic insertion-deletion mutations ranging in size from 1 to 18 base pairs across 18 samples that were previously characterized by Sanger sequencing. Using 4 pairs of blinded, duplicate samples, we demonstrated a high degree of concordance (>99%) among the blinded, duplicate pairs. We have successfully demonstrated the feasibility of using the NGS platform to multiplex genetic tests for several rare diseases and the use of cloud computing for bioinformatics analysis as a relatively low-cost solution for implementing NGS in clinical laboratories.

  12. Affective disorders among patients with borderline personality disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sjåstad, Hege Nordem; Gråwe, Rolf W; Egeland, Jens

    2012-01-01

    The high co-occurrence between borderline personality disorder and affective disorders has led many to believe that borderline personality disorder should be considered as part of an affective spectrum. The aim of the present study was to examine whether the prevalence of affective disorders are higher for patients with borderline personality disorder than for patients with other personality disorders. In a national cross-sectional study of patients receiving mental health treatment in Norway (N = 36 773), we determined whether psychiatric outpatients with borderline personality disorder (N = 1 043) had a higher prevalence of affective disorder in general, and whether they had an increased prevalence of depression, bipolar disorder or dysthymia specifically. They were compared to patients with paranoid, schizoid, dissocial, histrionic, obsessive-compulsive, avoidant, dependent, or unspecified personality disorder, as well as an aggregated group of patients with personality disorders other than the borderline type (N = 2 636). Odds ratios were computed for the borderline personality disorder group comparing it to the mixed sample of other personality disorders. Diagnostic assessments were conducted in routine clinical practice. More subjects with borderline personality disorder suffered from unipolar than bipolar disorders. Nevertheless, borderline personality disorder had a lower rate of depression and dysthymia than several other personality disorder groups, whereas the rate of bipolar disorder tended to be higher. Odds ratios showed 34% lower risk for unipolar depression, 70% lower risk for dysthymia and 66% higher risk for bipolar disorder in patients with borderline personality disorder compared to the aggregated group of other personality disorders. The results suggest that borderline personality disorder has a stronger association with affective disorders in the bipolar spectrum than disorders in the unipolar spectrum. This association may reflect

  13. Affective disorders among patients with borderline personality disorder.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hege Nordem Sjåstad

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The high co-occurrence between borderline personality disorder and affective disorders has led many to believe that borderline personality disorder should be considered as part of an affective spectrum. The aim of the present study was to examine whether the prevalence of affective disorders are higher for patients with borderline personality disorder than for patients with other personality disorders. METHODS: In a national cross-sectional study of patients receiving mental health treatment in Norway (N = 36 773, we determined whether psychiatric outpatients with borderline personality disorder (N = 1 043 had a higher prevalence of affective disorder in general, and whether they had an increased prevalence of depression, bipolar disorder or dysthymia specifically. They were compared to patients with paranoid, schizoid, dissocial, histrionic, obsessive-compulsive, avoidant, dependent, or unspecified personality disorder, as well as an aggregated group of patients with personality disorders other than the borderline type (N = 2 636. Odds ratios were computed for the borderline personality disorder group comparing it to the mixed sample of other personality disorders. Diagnostic assessments were conducted in routine clinical practice. RESULTS: More subjects with borderline personality disorder suffered from unipolar than bipolar disorders. Nevertheless, borderline personality disorder had a lower rate of depression and dysthymia than several other personality disorder groups, whereas the rate of bipolar disorder tended to be higher. Odds ratios showed 34% lower risk for unipolar depression, 70% lower risk for dysthymia and 66% higher risk for bipolar disorder in patients with borderline personality disorder compared to the aggregated group of other personality disorders. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that borderline personality disorder has a stronger association with affective disorders in the bipolar spectrum than

  14. Affective Disorders among Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sjåstad, Hege Nordem; Gråwe, Rolf W.; Egeland, Jens

    2012-01-01

    Background The high co-occurrence between borderline personality disorder and affective disorders has led many to believe that borderline personality disorder should be considered as part of an affective spectrum. The aim of the present study was to examine whether the prevalence of affective disorders are higher for patients with borderline personality disorder than for patients with other personality disorders. Methods In a national cross-sectional study of patients receiving mental health treatment in Norway (N = 36 773), we determined whether psychiatric outpatients with borderline personality disorder (N = 1 043) had a higher prevalence of affective disorder in general, and whether they had an increased prevalence of depression, bipolar disorder or dysthymia specifically. They were compared to patients with paranoid, schizoid, dissocial, histrionic, obsessive-compulsive, avoidant, dependent, or unspecified personality disorder, as well as an aggregated group of patients with personality disorders other than the borderline type (N = 2 636). Odds ratios were computed for the borderline personality disorder group comparing it to the mixed sample of other personality disorders. Diagnostic assessments were conducted in routine clinical practice. Results More subjects with borderline personality disorder suffered from unipolar than bipolar disorders. Nevertheless, borderline personality disorder had a lower rate of depression and dysthymia than several other personality disorder groups, whereas the rate of bipolar disorder tended to be higher. Odds ratios showed 34% lower risk for unipolar depression, 70% lower risk for dysthymia and 66% higher risk for bipolar disorder in patients with borderline personality disorder compared to the aggregated group of other personality disorders. Conclusions The results suggest that borderline personality disorder has a stronger association with affective disorders in the bipolar spectrum than disorders in the unipolar

  15. Bipolar Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Comorbidity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Necla Keskin

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The comorbidity of bipolar disorder and anxiety disorders is a well known concept. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is the most commonly seen comorbid anxiety disorder in bipolar patients. Some genetic variants, neurotransmitters especially serotonergic systems and second-messenger systems are thought to be responsible for its etiology. Bipolar disorder alters the clinical aspects of obsessive compulsive disorder and is associated with poorer outcome. The determination of comorbidity between bipolar disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder is quite important for appropriate clinical management and treatment. [Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry 2014; 6(4.000: 429-437

  16. Mood Disorders, Circadian Rhythms, Melatonin and Melatonin Agonists

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.A. Quera Salva

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Recent advances in the understanding of circadian rhythms have led to an interest in the treatment of major depressive disorder with chronobiotic agents. Many tissues have autonomous circadian rhythms, which are orchestrated by the master clock, situated in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SNC. Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-hydroxytryptamine is secreted from the pineal gland during darkness. Melatonin acts mainly on MT1 and MT2 receptors, which are present in the SNC, regulating physiological and neuroendocrine functions, including circadian entrainment, referred to as the chronobiotic effet. Circadian rhythms has been shown to be either misaligned or phase shifted or decreased in amplitude in both acute episodes and relapse of major depressive disorder (MDD and bipolar disorder. Manipulation of circadian rhythms either using physical treatments (such as high intensity light or behavioral therapy has shown promise in improving symptoms. Pharmacotherapy using melatonin and pure melatonin receptor agonists, while improving sleep, has not been shown to improve symptoms of depression. A novel antidepressant, agomelatine, combines 5HT2c antagonist and melatonin agonist action, and has shown promise in both acute treatment of MDD and in preventing relapse.

  17. MRI of placental adhesive disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prapaisilp, P; Bangchokdee, S

    2014-01-01

    Placental adhesive disorder (PAD) is a serious pregnancy complication that occurs when the chorionic villi invade the myometrium. Placenta praevia and prior caesarean section are the two important risk factors. PAD is classified on the basis of the depth of myometrial invasion (placenta accreta, placenta increta and placenta percreta). MRI is the preferred image modality for pre-natal diagnosis of PAD and as complementary technique when ultrasonography is inconclusive. Imaging findings that are helpful for the diagnosis include dark intraplacental bands, direct invasion of adjacent structures by placental tissue, interruption of normal trilayered myometrium and uterine bulging. Clinicians should be aware of imaging features of PAD to facilitate optimal patient management. PMID:25060799

  18. Neurologic disorders of mineral metabolism and parathyroid disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agrawal, Lily; Habib, Zeina; Emanuele, Nicholas V

    2014-01-01

    Disorders of mineral metabolism may cause neurologic manifestations of the central and peripheral nervous systems. This is because plasma calcium stabilizes excitable membranes in the nerve and muscle tissue, magnesium is predominantly intracellular and is required for activation of many intracellular enzymes, and extracellular magnesium affects synaptic transmission. This chapter reviews abnormalities in electrolytes and minerals which can be associated with several neuromuscular symptoms including neuromuscular irritability, mental status changes, cardiac and smooth muscle changes, etc. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Prion-Seeding Activity Is widely Distributed in Tissues of Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Patients

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    Hanae Takatsuki, PhD

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Human prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders caused by abnormally folded prion proteins in the central nervous system. These proteins can be detected using the quaking-induced conversion assay. Compared with other bioassays, this assay is extremely sensitive and was used in the present study to determine prion distribution in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease patients at autopsy. Although infectivity of the sporadic form is thought to be restricted within the central nervous system, results showed that prion-seeding activities reach 106/g from a 50% seeding dose in non-neuronal tissues, suggesting that prion-seeding activity exists in non-neural organs, and we suggested that non-neural tissues of 106/g SD50 did not exist the infectivity.

  20. Comorbid personality disorders in subjects with panic disorder: which personality disorders increase clinical severity?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mustafa Ozkan

    2003-03-01

    Full Text Available Personality disorders are common in subjects with panic disorder. Personality disorders have shown to affect the course of panic disorder. The purpose of this study was to examine which personality disorders effect clinical severity in subjects with panic disorder. This study included 122 adults (71 female, 41 male, who met DSM-IV criteria for panic disorder (with or without agoraphobia. Clinical assessment was conducted by using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I, the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders (SCID-II and the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (PAS, Global Assessment Functioning Scale (GAF, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI. Patients who had a history of sexual abuse were assessed with Sexual Abuse Severity Scale. Logistic regressions were used to identify predictors of suicide attempts, suicidal ideation, agoraphobia, different panic attack symptoms, sexual abuse, and early onset of disorders. The rates of comorbid Axis I and Axis II psychiatric disorders were 80.3% and 33.9%, consecutively, in patients with panic disorder. Panic disorder patients with comorbid personality disorders had more severe anxiety, depression and agoraphobia symptoms, and had earlier ages of onset, and lower levels of functioning. The rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts were 34.8% and 9.8%, consecutively, in subjects with panic disorder. The rate of patients with panic disorder had a history of childhood sexual abuse was 12.5%. The predictor of sexual abuse was more than one comorbid Axis II diagnosis. The predictors of suicide attempt were comorbid paranoid and borderline personality disorders, and the predictor of suicidal ideation was major depressive disorder in subjects with panic disorder. In conclusion, this study documents that comorbid personality disorders increase the clinical severity of panic disorder. Patients with more than one

  1. Stem Cell Applications in Tendon Disorders: A Clinical Perspective

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    Mark Young

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Tendon injuries are a common cause of morbidity and a significant health burden on society. Tendons are structural tissues connecting muscle to bone and are prone to tearing and tendinopathy, an overuse or degenerative condition that is characterized by failed healing and cellular depletion. Current treatments, for tendon tear are conservative, surgical repair or surgical scaffold reconstruction. Tendinopathy is treated by exercises, injection therapies, shock wave treatments or surgical tendon debridement. However, tendons usually heal with fibrosis and scar tissue, which has suboptimal tensile strength and is prone to reinjury, resulting in lifestyle changes with activity restriction. Preclinical studies show that cell therapies have the potential to regenerate rather than repair tendon tissue, a process termed tenogenesis. A number of different cell lines, with varying degrees of differentiation, have being evaluated including stem cells, tendon derived cells and dermal fibroblasts. Even though cellular therapies offer some potential in treating tendon disorders, there have been few published clinical trials to determine the ideal cell source, the number of cells to administer, or the optimal bioscaffold for clinical use.

  2. Sleep Disorders in Childhood Neurogenetic Disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Beth Mann Dosier

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Genetic advances in the past three decades have transformed our understanding and treatment of many human diseases including neurogenetic disorders. Most neurogenetic disorders can be classified as “rare disease,” but collectively neurogenetic disorders are not rare and are commonly encountered in general pediatric practice. The authors decided to select eight relatively well-known neurogenetic disorders including Down syndrome, Angelman syndrome, Prader–Willi syndrome, Smith–Magenis syndrome, congenital central hypoventilation syndrome, achondroplasia, mucopolysaccharidoses, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Each disorder is presented in the following format: overview, clinical characteristics, developmental aspects, associated sleep disorders, management and research/future directions.

  3. Comparative Prevalence of Eating Disorders in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Other Anxiety Disorders

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    Himanshu Tyagi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. The purpose of this study was to compare the prevalence of comorbid eating disorders in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD and other common anxiety disorders. Method. 179 patients from the same geographical area with a diagnosis of OCD or an anxiety disorder were divided into two groups based on their primary diagnosis. The prevalence of a comorbid eating disorder was calculated in both groups. Results. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of comorbid eating disorders between the OCD and other anxiety disorders group. Conclusions. These results suggest that the prevalence of comorbid eating disorders does not differ in anxiety disorders when compared with OCD. However, in both groups, it remains statistically higher than that of the general population.

  4. [Dissociative disorders and affective disorders].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montant, J; Adida, M; Belzeaux, R; Cermolacce, M; Pringuey, D; Da Fonseca, D; Azorin, J-M

    2014-12-01

    The phenomenology of dissociative disorders may be complex and sometimes confusing. We describe here two cases who were initially misdiagnosed. The first case concerned a 61 year-old woman, who was initially diagnosed as an isolated dissociative fugue and was actually suffering from severe major depressive episode. The second case concerned a 55 year-old man, who was suffering from type I bipolar disorder and polyvascular disease, and was initially diagnosed as dissociative fugue in a mooddestabilization context, while it was finally a stroke. Yet dissociative disorders as affective disorder comorbidity are relatively unknown. We made a review on this topic. Dissociative disorders are often studied through psycho-trauma issues. Litterature is rare on affective illness comorbid with dissociative disorders, but highlight the link between bipolar and dissociative disorders. The later comorbidity often refers to an early onset subtype with also comorbid panic and depersonalization-derealization disorder. Besides, unipolar patients suffering from dissociative symptoms have more often cyclothymic affective temperament. Despite the limits of such studies dissociative symptoms-BD association seems to correspond to a clinical reality and further works on this topic may be warranted. Copyright © 2014 L’Encéphale. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.

  5. Association of serial biochemical markers with acute ischemic stroke: the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke recombinant tissue plasminogen activator Stroke Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jauch, Edward C; Lindsell, Christopher; Broderick, Joseph; Fagan, Susan C; Tilley, Barbara C; Levine, Steven R

    2006-10-01

    Biochemical markers of acute neuronal injury may aid in the diagnosis and management of acute ischemic stroke. Serum samples from the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) recombinant tissue plasminogen activator Stroke Study were analyzed for the presence of 4 biochemical markers of neuronal, glial, and endothelial cell injury. These biochemical markers, myelin basic protein (MBP), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), S100beta, and soluble thrombomodulin, were studied for an association with initial stroke severity, infarct volume, and functional outcome. In the original NINDS study, serum samples were drawn from all patients on presentation to the Emergency Department and at approximately 2 and 24 hours after initiation of study therapy. In this analysis, stored serum samples were available for 359 patients; 107 patients had samples for all 3 time points. Serum marker concentrations were measured by ELISA techniques. We examined the relation between serum concentrations of each marker and the degree of baseline neurological deficit, functional outcome, and infarct size on computed tomography at 24 hours and the effect of fibrinolytic therapy. Higher 24-hour peak concentrations of MBP, NSE, and S100beta were associated with higher National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale baseline scores (r=0.186, P<0.0001; r=0.117, P=0.032; and r=0.263, P<0.0001, respectively). Higher peak concentrations of MBP and S100beta (r=0.209, P<0.0001; r=0.239, P<0.0001) were associated with larger computed tomography lesion volumes. Patients with favorable outcomes had smaller changes in MBP and S100beta (P<0.05) concentrations in the first 24 hours. Soluble thrombomodulin was not associated with any severity or outcome measure. This study corroborates previous work demonstrating correlations of MBP, NSE, and S100beta with clinical and radiographic features in acute stroke. Despite significantly better outcomes in the tissue plasminogen activator-treated group, we

  6. Localization of IAA transporting tissue by tissue printing and autoradiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mee-Rye Cha; Evans, M.L.; Hangarter, R.P.

    1991-01-01

    Tissue printing on nitrocellulose membranes provides a useful technique for visualizing anatomical details of tissue morphology of cut ends of stem segments. Basal ends of Coleus stem and corn coleoptile segments that were transporting 14 C-IAA were gently blotted onto DEAE-nitrocellulose for several minutes to allow 14 C-IAA to efflux from the tissue. Because of the anion exchange properties of DEAE-nitrocellulose the 14 C-IAA remains on the membrane at the point it leaves the transporting tissue. Autoradiography of the DEAE membrane allowed indirect visualization of the tissues preferentially involved in auxin transport. The authors observed that polar transport through the stem segments occurred primarily through or in association with vascular tissues. However, in Coleus stems, substantial amounts of the label appeared to move through the tissue by diffusion as well as by active transport

  7. Comorbidity of bipolar disorder and eating disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Álvarez Ruiz, Eva M; Gutiérrez-Rojas, Luis

    2015-01-01

    The comorbidity of bipolar disorder and eating disorders has not been studied in depth. In addition, clinical implications involved in the appearance of both disorders are very important. A systematic literature review of MEDLINE published up to September 2013 was performed, analyzing all the articles that studied the comorbidity of both conditions (bipolar disorder and eating disorders) and others research that studied the efficacy of pharmacological treatment and psychotherapy to improve these illnesses. In this review we found a high comorbidity of bipolar disorder and eating disorders, especially of bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Studies show that lithium and topiramate are 2 of the more effective pharmacological agents in the treatment of both disorders. There are a lot of studies that show evidence of comorbidity of bipolar disorder and eating disorders. However, further research is needed on assessment and treatment when these conditions co-exist, as well as study into the biopsychological aspects to determine the comorbid aetiology. Copyright © 2014 SEP y SEPB. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  8. Evaluation of dysthymic disorder with technetium-99 m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime brain single-photon emission tomography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sarikaya, A.; Cermik, T.F. [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Trakya University, Faculty of Medicine, Edirne (Turkey); Karasin, E.; Abay, E. [Department of Psychiatry, Trakya University, Faculty of Medicine, Edirne (Turkey); Berkarda, S.

    1999-03-01

    Dysthymic disorder is a chronic disorder characterised by the presence of a depressed mood and is classified as a distinct category in DSM-IV, separately from major depression. Although brain imaging studies have been performed in major depressive disease, there have to date been no reports of such studies in dysthymic disorder. In this study 36 patients with dysthymic disorder were compared with 16 normal subjects using technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime brain single-photon emission tomography. A relative blood flow ratio was calculated for each region of interest using the average tissue activity in the region divided by activity in the cerebellum. There were significant differences in the bilateral inferior frontal, bilateral parietal, right superior frontal and left posterior temporal regions in the patients with dysthymic disorder compared with the healthy controls. These findings support the hypothesis that the biological bases for dysthymic disorder and major depression are similar. Recognition of these regional abnormalities may have clinical utility in both the diagnosis and the treatment of dysthymic disorder. Further studies are needed to confirm our results and to assess the influence of treatment in patients with dysthymic disorder. (orig.) With 1 fig., 1 tab., 26 refs.

  9. Evaluation of dysthymic disorder with technetium-99 m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime brain single-photon emission tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sarikaya, A.; Cermik, T.F.; Karasin, E.; Abay, E.; Berkarda, S.

    1999-01-01

    Dysthymic disorder is a chronic disorder characterised by the presence of a depressed mood and is classified as a distinct category in DSM-IV, separately from major depression. Although brain imaging studies have been performed in major depressive disease, there have to date been no reports of such studies in dysthymic disorder. In this study 36 patients with dysthymic disorder were compared with 16 normal subjects using technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime brain single-photon emission tomography. A relative blood flow ratio was calculated for each region of interest using the average tissue activity in the region divided by activity in the cerebellum. There were significant differences in the bilateral inferior frontal, bilateral parietal, right superior frontal and left posterior temporal regions in the patients with dysthymic disorder compared with the healthy controls. These findings support the hypothesis that the biological bases for dysthymic disorder and major depression are similar. Recognition of these regional abnormalities may have clinical utility in both the diagnosis and the treatment of dysthymic disorder. Further studies are needed to confirm our results and to assess the influence of treatment in patients with dysthymic disorder. (orig.)

  10. Ovotesticular disorder of sexual development and a rare 46,XX/47,XXY karyotype.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozsu, Elif; Mutlu, Gul Yesiltepe; Cizmecioglu, Filiz M; Ekingen, Gülsen; Muezzinoglu, Bahar; Hatun, Sukru

    2013-01-01

    Ovotesticular disorder of sexual development (DSD) is characterized by the presence of both ovarian and testicular tissues in the same individual. The most common karyotype is 46,XX. Here, we report the case of a boy with a 46,XX/47,XXY karyotype diagnosed as ovotesticular DSD by gonadal biopsy. A 5-month-old boy presented with hypospadias, unilateral cryptorchidism, and a micropenis. Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging revealed a suspicious gonad tissue that is solid in structure in the right scrotum and a suspicious gonad that is cystic in structure in the left inguinal canal. He underwent a diagnostic laparoscopy. Cytogenetic analysis of peripheral blood revealed a 46,XX/47,XXY karyotype. Histopathologic examination of the left gonad showed ovarian tissue containing primordial follicles with ipsilateral undifferentiated tuba uterina. The right gonad showed immature testis tissue. He underwent left gonadectomy and hypospadias repair, and was raised as a male. Through this rare case, we highlight the importance of histological and cytogenetic investigation in DSD.

  11. Comorbid personality disorders in subjects with panic disorder: which personality disorders increase clinical severity?

    OpenAIRE

    Mustafa Ozkan; Abdurrahman Altindag

    2003-01-01

    Personality disorders are common in subjects with panic disorder. Personality disorders have shown to affect the course of panic disorder. The purpose of this study was to examine which personality disorders effect clinical severity in subjects with panic disorder. This study included 122 adults (71 female, 41 male), who met DSM-IV criteria for panic disorder (with or without agoraphobia). Clinical assessment was conducted by using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders...

  12. Engineering Complex Tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    MIKOS, ANTONIOS G.; HERRING, SUSAN W.; OCHAREON, PANNEE; ELISSEEFF, JENNIFER; LU, HELEN H.; KANDEL, RITA; SCHOEN, FREDERICK J.; TONER, MEHMET; MOONEY, DAVID; ATALA, ANTHONY; VAN DYKE, MARK E.; KAPLAN, DAVID; VUNJAK-NOVAKOVIC, GORDANA

    2010-01-01

    This article summarizes the views expressed at the third session of the workshop “Tissue Engineering—The Next Generation,” which was devoted to the engineering of complex tissue structures. Antonios Mikos described the engineering of complex oral and craniofacial tissues as a “guided interplay” between biomaterial scaffolds, growth factors, and local cell populations toward the restoration of the original architecture and function of complex tissues. Susan Herring, reviewing osteogenesis and vasculogenesis, explained that the vascular arrangement precedes and dictates the architecture of the new bone, and proposed that engineering of osseous tissues might benefit from preconstruction of an appropriate vasculature. Jennifer Elisseeff explored the formation of complex tissue structures based on the example of stratified cartilage engineered using stem cells and hydrogels. Helen Lu discussed engineering of tissue interfaces, a problem critical for biological fixation of tendons and ligaments, and the development of a new generation of fixation devices. Rita Kandel discussed the challenges related to the re-creation of the cartilage-bone interface, in the context of tissue engineered joint repair. Frederick Schoen emphasized, in the context of heart valve engineering, the need for including the requirements derived from “adult biology” of tissue remodeling and establishing reliable early predictors of success or failure of tissue engineered implants. Mehmet Toner presented a review of biopreservation techniques and stressed that a new breakthrough in this field may be necessary to meet all the needs of tissue engineering. David Mooney described systems providing temporal and spatial regulation of growth factor availability, which may find utility in virtually all tissue engineering and regeneration applications, including directed in vitro and in vivo vascularization of tissues. Anthony Atala offered a clinician’s perspective for functional tissue

  13. Expression weighted cell type enrichments reveal genetic and cellular nature of major brain disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nathan Gerald Skene

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The cell types that trigger the primary pathology in many brain diseases remain largely unknown. One route to understanding the primary pathological cell type for a particular disease is to identify the cells expressing susceptibility genes. Although this is straightforward for monogenic conditions where the causative mutation may alter expression of a cell type specific marker, methods are required for the common polygenic disorders. We developed the Expression Weighted Cell Type Enrichment (EWCE method that uses single cell transcriptomes to generate the probability distribution associated with a gene list having an average level of expression within a cell type. Following validation, we applied EWCE to human genetic data from cases of epilepsy, Schizophrenia, Autism, Intellectual Disability, Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis and anxiety disorders. Genetic susceptibility primarily affected microglia in Alzheimer’s and Multiple Sclerosis; was shared between interneurons and pyramidal neurons in Autism and Schizophrenia; while intellectual disabilities and epilepsy were attributable to a range of cell-types, with the strongest enrichment in interneurons. We hypothesised that the primary cell type pathology could trigger secondary changes in other cell types and these could be detected by applying EWCE to transcriptome data from diseased tissue. In Autism, Schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease we find evidence of pathological changes in all of the major brain cell types. These findings give novel insight into the cellular origins and progression in common brain disorders. The methods can be applied to any tissue and disorder and have applications in validating mouse models.

  14. Use of Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Techniques in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kremer, Stephane; Renard, Felix; Achard, Sophie; Lana-Peixoto, Marco A.; Palace, Jacqueline; Asgari, Nasrin; Klawiter, Eric C.; Tenembaum, Silvia N.; Banwell, Brenda; Greenberg, Benjamin M.; Bennett, Jeffrey L.; Levy, Michael; Villoslada, Pablo; Saiz, Albert; Fujihara, Kazuo; Chan, Koon Ho; Schippling, Sven; Paul, Friedemann; Kim, Ho Jin; de Seze, Jerome; Wuerfel, Jens T.

    2016-01-01

    Brain parenchymal lesions are frequently observed on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) spectrum disorder, but the specific morphological and temporal patterns distinguishing them unequivocally from lesions caused by other disorders have not been identified. This literature review summarizes the literature on advanced quantitative imaging measures reported for patients with NMO spectrum disorder, including proton MR spectroscopy, diffusion tensor imaging, magnetization transfer imaging, quantitative MR volumetry, and ultrahigh-field strength MRI. It was undertaken to consider the advanced MRI techniques used for patients with NMO by different specialists in the field. Although quantitative measures such as proton MR spectroscopy or magnetization transfer imaging have not reproducibly revealed diffuse brain injury, preliminary data from diffusion-weighted imaging and brain tissue volumetry indicate greater white matter than gray matter degradation. These findings could be confirmed by ultrahigh-field MRI. The use of nonconventional MRI techniques may further our understanding of the pathogenic processes in NMO spectrum disorders and may help us identify the distinct radiographic features corresponding to specific phenotypic manifestations of this disease. PMID:26010909

  15. New peptides players in metabolic disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agata Mierzwicka

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Among new peptides responsible for the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders and carbohydrate metabolism, adipokines are of great importance. Adipokines are substances of hormonal character, secreted by adipose tissue. Apart from the well-known adipokines, adropin and preptin are relatively newly discovered, hence their function is not fully understood. They are peptides not secreted by adipose tissue but their role in the metabolic regulations seems to be significant. Preptin is a 34-amino acid peptide, a derivative of proinsulin growth factor II (pro-IGF-II, secreted by pancreatic β cells, considered to be a physiological enhancer of insulin secretion. Additionally, preptin has a stimulating effect on osteoblasts, inducing their proliferation, differentiation and survival. Adropin is a 76-amino acid peptide, encoded by the energy homeostasis associated gene (Enho, mainly in liver and brain, and its expression is dependent on a diet. Adropin is believed to play an important role in metabolic homeostasis, fatty acids metabolism control, insulin resistance prevention, dyslipidemia, and impaired glucose tolerance. The results of studies conducted so far show that the diseases resulting from metabolic syndrome, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, polycystic ovary syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or cardiovascular disease are accompanied by significant changes in the concentration of these peptides. It is also important to note that preptin has an anabolic effect on bone tissue, which might be preventive in osteoporosis.

  16. Alkaptonuria: a very rare metabolic disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aquaron, Robert

    2013-10-01

    Alkaptonuria (AKU) is a very rare autosomal recessive disorder of tyrosine metabolism in the liver due to deficiency of homogentisate 1,2 dioxygenase (HGD) activity, resulting in the accumulation of homogentisic acid (HGA). Circulating HGA pass into various tissues through-out the body, mainly in cartilage and connective tissues, where its oxidation products polymerize and deposit as a melanin-like pigment. Gram quantities of HGA are excreted in the urine. AKU is a progressive disease and the three main features, according the chronology of appearance, are: darkening of the urine at birth, then ochronosis (blue-dark pigmentation of the connective tissue) clinically visible at around 30 yrs in the ear and eye, and finally a severe ochronotic arthropathy at around 50 yrs with spine and large joints involvements. Cardiovascular and renal complications have been described in numerous case report studies. A treatment now is available in the form of a drug nitisinone, which decreases the production of HGA. The enzymatic defect in AKU is caused by the homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations within the HGD gene. This disease has a very low prevalence (1:100,000-250,000) in most of the ethnic groups, except Slovakia and Dominican Republic, where the incidence has shown increase up to 1:19,000. This review highlights classical and recent findings on this very rare disease.

  17. Tissue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Morrissey

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. In vivo gene therapy directed at tissues of mesenchymal origin could potentially augment healing. We aimed to assess the duration and magnitude of transene expression in vivo in mice and ex vivo in human tissues. Methods. Using bioluminescence imaging, plasmid and adenoviral vector-based transgene expression in murine quadriceps in vivo was examined. Temporal control was assessed using a doxycycline-inducible system. An ex vivo model was developed and optimised using murine tissue, and applied in ex vivo human tissue. Results. In vivo plasmid-based transgene expression did not silence in murine muscle, unlike in liver. Although maximum luciferase expression was higher in muscle with adenoviral delivery compared with plasmid, expression reduced over time. The inducible promoter cassette successfully regulated gene expression with maximum levels a factor of 11 greater than baseline. Expression was re-induced to a similar level on a temporal basis. Luciferase expression was readily detected ex vivo in human muscle and tendon. Conclusions. Plasmid constructs resulted in long-term in vivo gene expression in skeletal muscle, in a controllable fashion utilising an inducible promoter in combination with oral agents. Successful plasmid gene transfection in human ex vivo mesenchymal tissue was demonstrated for the first time.

  18. Clinical presentation of soft-tissue infections and its management: A study of 100 cases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baldev Singh

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Soft-tissue infections vary widely in their nature and severity. A clear approach to the management must allow their rapid identification and treatment as they can be life-threatening. Objective: Clinical presentation of soft-tissue infections and its management. Materials and Methods: A prospective study based on 100 patients presenting with soft-tissue infections was done. All the cases of soft-tissue infections were considered irrespective of age, sex, etiological factors, or systemic disorders. The findings were evaluated regarding the pattern of soft-tissue infections in relation to age and sex, clinical presentation, complications, duration of hospital stay, management, and mortality. Results: The most commonly involved age group was in the range of 41–60 years with male predominance. Abscess formation (45% was the most common clinical presentation. Type 2 diabetes mellitus was the most common associated comorbid condition. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common culture isolate obtained. The most common complication seen was renal failure. Patients with surgical site infections had maximum duration of stay in the hospital. About 94% of the cases of soft-tissue infections were managed surgically. Mortality was mostly encountered in the cases of complications of cellulitis. Conclusion: Skin and soft-tissue infections are among the most common infections encountered by the emergency physicians. Ignorance, reluctance to treatment, economic constraints, and illiteracy delay the early detection and the initiation of proper treatment. Adequate and timely surgical intervention in most of the cases is of utmost importance to prevent the complications and reduce the mortality.

  19. NON-INFLAMMATORY BENIGN BREAST DISEASES (NIBBD: CONFUSING SURGICAL DISORDERS OF BREAST CANCER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Somashekhar V. Hiremath

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Benign Breast diseases are of unknown aetiology, they could be inflammatory or non-inflammatory disorders of breast disease. Among these, NIBBD is a most confusing surgical disorder, diagnosis should be made at least after three assessments. AIM  To evaluate the prevalence of NIBBD.  Clinical analysis of NIBBD in women and reproductive age group between 20-40 years.  To prevent radical breast surgery in NIBBD.  To know about benign breast lesions in males excluding gynaecomastia. MATERIALS AND METHODS A clinicopathological study of NIBBD was taken in KIMS Hospital, Hubli, a tertiary care government hospital between June 2014 to June 2015. A total of 56 cases were selected of which 51 cases were submitted for clinicopathological study. RESULTS Increase incidents of fibroadenoma in females, in young age group, is noticed due to early menarche, early marriage, multiparity, fibrocystic diseases involvement at the age of 35 years, usually appear on either side of the breast. Moderate loss of glandular tissue is accelerated and replaced by connective tissue, hence fibrocystic diseases appear at late age group. Gynaecomastia is the only NIBBD, seen unilaterally in males. CONCLUSION NIBBD is more common in childbearing age group i.e. 15 to 45 years of age. Triple assessment is the choice of diagnosis, imaging modality being USG of the breast and mammography in suspected cases of malignancy. Most of the patients require surgical intervention and remodelling of the Breast, according to the volume loss of breast tissue.

  20. G Protein-Linked Signaling Pathways in Bipolar and Major Depressive Disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hiroaki eTomita

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The G-protein linked signaling system (GPLS comprises a large number of G-proteins, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs, GPCR ligands, and downstream effector molecules. G-proteins interact with both GPCRs and downstream effectors such as cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP, phosphatidylinositols, and ion channels. The GPLS is implicated in the pathophysiology and pharmacology of both major depressive disorder (MDD and bipolar disorder (BPD. This study evaluated whether GPLS is altered at the transcript level. The gene expression in the dorsolateral prefrontal (DLPFC and anterior cingulate (ACC were compared from MDD, BPD, and control subjects using Affymetrix Gene Chips and real time quantitative PCR. High quality brain tissue was used in the study to control for confounding effects of agonal events, tissue pH, RNA integrity, gender, and age. GPLS signaling transcripts were altered especially in the ACC of BPD and MDD subjects. Transcript levels of molecules which repress cAMP activity were increased in BPD and decreased in MDD. Two orphan GPCRs, GPRC5B and GPR37, showed significantly decreased expression levels in MDD, and significantly increased expression levels in BPD. Our results suggest opposite changes in BPD and MDD in the GPLS, ‘activated’ cAMP signaling activity in BPD and ‘blunted’ cAMP signaling activity in MDD. GPRC5B and GPR37 both appear to have behavioral effects, and are also candidate genes for neurodegenerative disorders. In the context of the opposite changes observed in BPD and MDD, these GPCRs warrant further study of their brain effects.

  1. Comorbidity of mood and substance use disorders in patients with binge-eating disorder: Associations with personality disorder and eating disorder pathology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Becker, Daniel F; Grilo, Carlos M

    2015-08-01

    Binge-eating disorder (BED) is associated with elevated rates of mood and substance use disorders, but the significance of such comorbidity is ambiguous. We compared personality disorder and eating disorder psychopathology in four subgroups of BED patients: those with mood disorders, those with substance use disorders, those with both, and those with neither. Subjects were 347 patients who met DSM-IV research criteria for BED. Semistructured interviews evaluated lifetime DSM-IV axis I disorders, DSM-IV personality disorder features, and eating disorder psychopathology. Among these patients, 129 had co-occurring mood disorder, 34 had substance use disorder, 60 had both, and 124 had neither. Groups differed on personality disorder features, with those having mood disorder and both mood and substance use disorders showing the highest frequencies. Although groups did not differ in body mass index or binge eating frequency, they did differ on eating disorder psychopathology-with the groups having mood disorder and both comorbidities demonstrating higher eating, weight, and shape concerns. No differences were observed between groups with respect to ages of onset for specific eating behaviors, but some differences were observed for ages of disorder onset. Mood and substance use disorders co-occur frequently among patients with BED. Compared with a previous work, the additional comparison group (those with both mood and substance use disorders) and the control group (those with neither) afforded better discrimination regarding the significance of these comorbidities. Our findings suggest approaches to subtyping BED based on psychiatric comorbidity, and may also have implications for treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. CHANGES IN TOOTH HARD TISSUE MINERALI-ZATION AND BLOOD RHEOLOGY IN HEALTHY ADOLESCENTS AND THOSE WITH THYROID DYSFUNCTION.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beriashvili, S; Nikolaishvili, M; Mantskava, M; Momtsemlidze, N; Franchuk, K

    2016-11-01

    Thyroid dysfunction causes spreading and development of caries in the teeth and changes in periodontal tissues. In addition, it causes changes in peripheral blood flow and mineralization, local transcapillary metabolism causes changes in blood rheology. There are only few works in this direction and, therefore, the purpose of our research was to find out how the mineralization and the rheological properties of blood are changed in lesion of periodontal tissue on a background of thyroid dysfunction. Accordingly, the stomatological study was conducted in 75 adolescents aged 12-18 years by the standard method, recommended by the World Health Organization. According to the study, 45 patients out of them suffered from thyroid dysfunction, in particular from hypothyroidism. The comparator group consisted of 30 children of the same age without endocrine abnormalities. By the gained results it is noted that in spite of different type lesions due to dental caries, the caries incidence and intensiveness is higher in children with hypothyroidism as compared to healthy children. Decrease in saliva excretion rate and increase in oral fluid viscosity was found in children with thyroid and endocrine diseases as compared to healthy children. In children with endocrine disorders concurrent increase in calcium content (1,43±0,08 mmol/l) and decrease in inorganic phosphate concentrations (4,54±0,15 mmol/l) is reliably established. In children with thyroid disfunction and while periodontal tissue pathology, rheological features are disordered more dramatically than in healthy children. Therefore, it can be said that the changes in the adolescents' thyroid function is one of the reasons for formation of periodontal tissue diseases.Therefore, at detecting even the first signs of the periodontal tissue diseases, it is desirable in adolescents to assess the thyroid functional condition, since it will be the precondition for effective treatment and management of dental disease, in

  3. When to Suspect and How to Diagnose Mitochondrial Disorders?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korenev, Sergei; Morris, Andrew A M

    2016-10-01

    Disorders of the mitochondrial respiratory chain are an exceedingly diverse group. The clinical features can affect any tissue or organ and occur at any age, with any mode of inheritance. The diagnosis of mitochondrial disorders requires knowledge of the clinical phenotypes and access to a wide range of laboratory techniques. A few syndromes are associated with a specific genetic defect and in these cases it is appropriate to proceed directly to an appropriate test of blood or urine. In most cases, however, the best strategy starts with biochemical and histochemical studies on a muscle biopsy. Appropriate molecular genetic studies can then be chosen, based on these results and the clinical picture. Unfortunately, there is currently limited availability of respiratory chain studies in India. Exome sequencing is undertaken increasingly often; without preceding mitochondrial studies, this can lead to misleading results.

  4. Genomic biomarkers of prenatal intrauterine inflammation in umbilical cord tissue predict later life neurological outcomes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sloane K Tilley

    Full Text Available Preterm birth is a major risk factor for neurodevelopmental delays and disorders. This study aimed to identify genomic biomarkers of intrauterine inflammation in umbilical cord tissue in preterm neonates that predict cognitive impairment at 10 years of age.Genome-wide messenger RNA (mRNA levels from umbilical cord tissue were obtained from 43 neonates born before 28 weeks of gestation. Genes that were differentially expressed across four indicators of intrauterine inflammation were identified and their functions examined. Exact logistic regression was used to test whether expression levels in umbilical cord tissue predicted neurocognitive function at 10 years of age.Placental indicators of inflammation were associated with changes in the mRNA expression of 445 genes in umbilical cord tissue. Transcripts with decreased expression showed significant enrichment for biological signaling processes related to neuronal development and growth. The altered expression of six genes was found to predict neurocognitive impairment when children were 10 years old These genes include two that encode for proteins involved in neuronal development.Prenatal intrauterine inflammation is associated with altered gene expression in umbilical cord tissue. A set of six of the differentially expressed genes predict cognitive impairment later in life, suggesting that the fetal environment is associated with significant adverse effects on neurodevelopment that persist into later childhood.

  5. Autism spectrum disorder - childhood disintegrative disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... part of the larger developmental disorder category of autism spectrum disorder . ... American Psychiatric Association. Autism spectrum disorder. ... VA: American Psychiatric Publishing: 2013;50-59. Raviola GJ, ...

  6. The Buzz About Anabolic Androgenic Steroids: Electrophysiological Effects in Excitable Tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oberlander, Joseph G.; Penatti, Carlos A. A.; Porter, Donna M.; Henderson, Leslie P.

    2012-01-01

    Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) comprise a large and growing class of synthetic androgens used clinically to promote tissue-building in individuals suffering from genetic disorders, injuries and diseases. Despite these beneficial therapeutic applications, the predominant use of AAS is illicit: these steroids are self-administered to promote athletic performance and body image. Hand in hand with the desired anabolic actions of the AAS are untoward effects on the brain and behavior. While the signaling routes by which the AAS impose both beneficial and harmful actions may be quite diverse, key endpoints are likely to include ligand-gated and voltage-dependent ion channels that govern the activity of electrically excitable tissues. Here we review the known effects of AAS on molecular targets that play critical roles in controlling electrical activity, with a specific focus on the effects of AAS on neurotransmission mediated by GABAA receptors in the central nervous system (CNS). PMID:22576754

  7. Determination of Pu-239, 240 tissue concentrations in non-occupationally exposed residents of New York City

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wrenn, M.E.; Cohen, N.

    1977-01-01

    The study reports on the Pu-239, 240 concentrations in various tissues obtained from individuals residing in New York City. Twenty-six tissue samples have been analyzed for their Pu-239, 240 content, which include sections from the right lung, the liver, bone (4th and 5th vertebrae) and the kidney. The tissues were obtained at autopsy from a selected population not occupationally exposed to plutonium and whose deaths were the result of causes other than metabolic disorders. A detailed description is presented of the radiochemical procedures employed to separate Pu and electrochemically deposit plutonium isotopes prior to alpha spectrometry with Si surface-barrier detectors. Results of these measurements are given as activity per gram wet weight and activity per gram of calcium in the individual tissue. All results have been compared to similar measurements made at other laboratories and with estimates of concentration based on metabolic models. To date, the magnitudes and the distribution of the measured values are consistent with the values inferred from the ICRP lung model and measured concentrations of air

  8. Strategies to Optimize Adult Stem Cell Therapy for Tissue Regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shan Liu

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Stem cell therapy aims to replace damaged or aged cells with healthy functioning cells in congenital defects, tissue injuries, autoimmune disorders, and neurogenic degenerative diseases. Among various types of stem cells, adult stem cells (i.e., tissue-specific stem cells commit to becoming the functional cells from their tissue of origin. These cells are the most commonly used in cell-based therapy since they do not confer risk of teratomas, do not require fetal stem cell maneuvers and thus are free of ethical concerns, and they confer low immunogenicity (even if allogenous. The goal of this review is to summarize the current state of the art and advances in using stem cell therapy for tissue repair in solid organs. Here we address key factors in cell preparation, such as the source of adult stem cells, optimal cell types for implantation (universal mesenchymal stem cells vs. tissue-specific stem cells, or induced vs. non-induced stem cells, early or late passages of stem cells, stem cells with endogenous or exogenous growth factors, preconditioning of stem cells (hypoxia, growth factors, or conditioned medium, using various controlled release systems to deliver growth factors with hydrogels or microspheres to provide apposite interactions of stem cells and their niche. We also review several approaches of cell delivery that affect the outcomes of cell therapy, including the appropriate routes of cell administration (systemic, intravenous, or intraperitoneal vs. local administration, timing for cell therapy (immediate vs. a few days after injury, single injection of a large number of cells vs. multiple smaller injections, a single site for injection vs. multiple sites and use of rodents vs. larger animal models. Future directions of stem cell-based therapies are also discussed to guide potential clinical applications.

  9. The risk of sudden death in sport in patients with signs of connective tissue dysplasia (literature review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nekhanevych O.B.

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Literature review indicates that, despite the disclosure of a number of causes and mechanisms of sudden death in people performing physical activities, this issue remains relevant today. The main cause of sudden death in sport is pathological conditions and heart diseases. Par¬ticular risk group during follow-up over persons involved in physical activity are those with the presence of small anomalies; this may be a ma¬nifestation of connective tissue dysplasia. With all the variety of affected organs and systems in patients with connective tissue dysplasia, cardio¬vascular disorders are the leading pathology determining the quality and pro¬gnosis of life.

  10. Restoring nervous system structure and function using tissue engineered living scaffolds

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Laura A Struzyna; James P Harris; Kritika S Katiyar; H Isaac Chen; D KacyCullen

    2015-01-01

    Neural tissue engineering is premised on the integration of engineered living tissue with the host nervous system to directly restore lost function or to augment regenerative capacity following ner-vous system injury or neurodegenerative disease. Disconnection of axon pathways – the long-distance ifbers connecting specialized regions of the central nervous system or relaying peripheral signals – is a common feature of many neurological disorders and injury. However, functional axonal regenera-tion rarely occurs due to extreme distances to targets, absence of directed guidance, and the presence of inhibitory factors in the central nervous system, resulting in devastating effects on cognitive and sensorimotor function. To address this need, we are pursuing multiple strategies using tissue engi-neered “living scaffolds”, which are preformed three-dimensional constructs consisting of living neural cells in a deifned, often anisotropic architecture. Living scaffolds are designed to restore function by serving as a living labeled pathway for targeted axonal regeneration – mimicking key developmental mechanisms– or by restoring lost neural circuitry via direct replacement of neurons and axonal tracts. We are currently utilizing preformed living scaffolds consisting of neuronal clusters spanned by long axonal tracts as regenerative bridges to facilitate long-distance axonal regeneration and for targeted neurosurgical reconstruction of local circuits in the brain. Although there are formidable challenges in preclinical and clinical advancement, these living tissue engineered constructs represent a promising strategy to facilitate nervous system repair and functional recovery.

  11. Restoring nervous system structure and function using tissue engineered living scaffolds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura A Struzyna

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Neural tissue engineering is premised on the integration of engineered living tissue with the host nervous system to directly restore lost function or to augment regenerative capacity following nervous system injury or neurodegenerative disease. Disconnection of axon pathways - the long-distance fibers connecting specialized regions of the central nervous system or relaying peripheral signals - is a common feature of many neurological disorders and injury. However, functional axonal regeneration rarely occurs due to extreme distances to targets, absence of directed guidance, and the presence of inhibitory factors in the central nervous system, resulting in devastating effects on cognitive and sensorimotor function. To address this need, we are pursuing multiple strategies using tissue engineered "living scaffolds", which are preformed three-dimensional constructs consisting of living neural cells in a defined, often anisotropic architecture. Living scaffolds are designed to restore function by serving as a living labeled pathway for targeted axonal regeneration - mimicking key developmental mechanisms- or by restoring lost neural circuitry via direct replacement of neurons and axonal tracts. We are currently utilizing preformed living scaffolds consisting of neuronal clusters spanned by long axonal tracts as regenerative bridges to facilitate long-distance axonal regeneration and for targeted neurosurgical reconstruction of local circuits in the brain. Although there are formidable challenges in preclinical and clinical advancement, these living tissue engineered constructs represent a promising strategy to facilitate nervous system repair and functional recovery.

  12. Effects of tissue mechanical properties on susceptibility to histotripsy-induced tissue damage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vlaisavljevich, Eli; Kim, Yohan; Owens, Gabe; Roberts, William; Cain, Charles; Xu, Zhen

    2014-01-01

    Histotripsy is a non-invasive tissue ablation method capable of fractionating tissue by controlling acoustic cavitation. To determine the fractionation susceptibility of various tissues, we investigated histotripsy-induced damage on tissue phantoms and ex vivo tissues with different mechanical strengths. A histotripsy bubble cloud was formed at tissue phantom surfaces using 5-cycle long ultrasound pulses with peak negative pressure of 18 MPa and PRFs of 10, 100, and 1000 Hz. Results showed significantly smaller lesions were generated in tissue phantoms of higher mechanical strength. Histotripsy was also applied to 43 different ex vivo porcine tissues with a wide range of mechanical properties. Gross morphology demonstrated stronger tissues with higher ultimate stress, higher density, and lower water content were more resistant to histotripsy damage in comparison to weaker tissues. Based on these results, a self-limiting vessel-sparing treatment strategy was developed in an attempt to preserve major vessels while fractionating the surrounding target tissue. This strategy was tested in porcine liver in vivo. After treatment, major hepatic blood vessels and bile ducts remained intact within a completely fractionated liver volume. These results identify varying susceptibilities of tissues to histotripsy therapy and provide a rational basis to optimize histotripsy parameters for treatment of specific tissues.

  13. Vitamin K supplementation increases vitamin K tissue levels but fails to counteract ectopic calcification in a mouse model for pseudoxanthoma elasticum

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gorgels, Theo G. M. F.; Waarsing, Jan H.; Herfs, Marjolein; Versteeg, Daniëlle; Schoensiegel, Frank; Sato, Toshiro; Schlingemann, Reinier O.; Ivandic, Boris; Vermeer, Cees; Schurgers, Leon J.; Bergen, Arthur A. B.

    2011-01-01

    Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is an autosomal recessive disorder in which calcification of connective tissue leads to pathology in skin, eye and blood vessels. PXE is caused by mutations in ABCC6. High expression of this transporter in the basolateral hepatocyte membrane suggests that it secretes

  14. Vitamin K supplementation increases vitamin K tissue levels but fails to counteract ectopic calcification in a mouse model for pseudoxanthoma elasticum

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    T.G.M.F. Gorgels (Theo); J.H. Waarsing (Jan); M. Herfs (Marjolein); D. Versteeg (Daniëlle); F. Schoensiegel (Frank); T. Sato (Toshiro); R.O. Schlingemann (Reinier); B. Ivandic (Boris); C. Vermeer (Cees); L.J. Schurgers (Leon); A.A.B. Bergen (Arthur)

    2011-01-01

    textabstractPseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is an autosomal recessive disorder in which calcification of connective tissue leads to pathology in skin, eye and blood vessels. PXE is caused by mutations in ABCC6. High expression of this transporter in the basolateral hepatocyte membrane suggests that

  15. Molecular and Genetic Basis of Hereditary Connective-Tissue Diseases Accompanied by Frequent Fractures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. T. Yakhyaeva

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Frequent bone fractures in infancy require the elimination of a large number (> 100 of genetic disorders. The modern diagnostic method of hereditary diseases characterized by debilitating course is a new generation sequencing. The article presents the results of molecular-genetic study conducted in 18 patients with clinical symptoms of connective tissue disorders. 10 (56% patients had mutations in the genes encoding type I collagen chains, leading to the development of osteogenesis imperfecta, 5 (28% — mutations in IV and V type collagen genes that are responsible for the development of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. 3 (17% patients had mutations in the gene encoding fibrillin-1 protein, deficiency of which is manifested by Marfan syndrome. However, the correlation between patient's phenotype and discovered mutations in the investigated gene is established not in all cases.

  16. Evolutionary Perspectives on Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors for Psychiatric Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keller, Matthew C

    2018-05-07

    Evolutionary medicine uses evolutionary theory to help elucidate why humans are vulnerable to disease and disorders. I discuss two different types of evolutionary explanations that have been used to help understand human psychiatric disorders. First, a consistent finding is that psychiatric disorders are moderately to highly heritable, and many, such as schizophrenia, are also highly disabling and appear to decrease Darwinian fitness. Models used in evolutionary genetics to understand why genetic variation exists in fitness-related traits can be used to understand why risk alleles for psychiatric disorders persist in the population. The usual explanation for species-typical adaptations-natural selection-is less useful for understanding individual differences in genetic risk to disorders. Rather, two other types of models, mutation-selection-drift and balancing selection, offer frameworks for understanding why genetic variation in risk to psychiatric (and other) disorders exists, and each makes predictions that are now testable using whole-genome data. Second, species-typical capacities to mount reactions to negative events are likely to have been crafted by natural selection to minimize fitness loss. The pain reaction to tissue damage is almost certainly such an example, but it has been argued that the capacity to experience depressive symptoms such as sadness, anhedonia, crying, and fatigue in the face of adverse life situations may have been crafted by natural selection as well. I review the rationale and strength of evidence for this hypothesis. Evolutionary hypotheses of psychiatric disorders are important not only for offering explanations for why psychiatric disorders exist, but also for generating new, testable hypotheses and understanding how best to design studies and analyze data.

  17. [Arterial involvements in hereditary dysplasia of the connective tissue].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beylot, C; Doutre, M S; Beylot-Barry, M; Busquet, M

    1994-03-01

    Arterial involvement is an important feature of the diagnosis and, above all, prognosis of heritable disorders of connective tissue. In pseudoxanthoma elasticum, a progressive occlusive syndrome is associated with hemorrhage and especially with gastrointestinal bleeding. Aneurysms are uncommon. Hypertension occurs frequently. Cutaneous signs (yellowish pseudo xanthomatous papules of the large folds) the ocular changes (angioid streaks) and pathology showing numerous, thickened, fragmented, disorganized, calcified elastic fibers in the deep dermis and arterial walls, allow the diagnosis to be made. In the heterogeneous group of Ehlers-Danlos syndromes, type IV is characterized by sudden spontaneous rupture of the large arteries. Aneurysms and carotido-cavernous fistulae are rather frequent. Owing to friability of the arterial walls, arteriograms and other procedure requiring arterial puncture may prove hazardous and surgery difficult. Such patients have an acrogeric morphotype, and thin, fragile skin, but cutaneous hyperelasticity and joint hyperlaxity are usually minimal. Pathology evidences collagen hypoplasia in the skin and arterial walls. The severity of Marfan syndrome is due to aortic involvement. A fusiform aneurysm of the ascending aorta represents a vital risk of rupture. Aortic root dilatation is associated and responsible of severe aortic regurgitation. Aortic dissection is also a serious threat. Improved surgical techniques for repairing a dilated or dissected aortic root with simultaneous replacement of the aortic valve increases the life expectancy of such patients. Dolichomorphism is the characteristic skeletal abnormality, particularly with arachnodactyly and upward ectopia lentis, which is almost bilateral, is a very frequent feature of Marfan syndrome. The most typical histological finding is aortic cystic median necrosis. The basic defect in Marfan syndrome concerns the fibrillin, whose gene is located on chromosome 15. The three diseases

  18. Revisiting the wandering womb: Oxytocin in endometriosis and bipolar disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dinsdale, Natalie L; Crespi, Bernard J

    2017-11-01

    Hippocrates attributed women's high emotionality - hysteria - to a 'wandering womb'. Although hysteria diagnoses were abandoned along with the notion that displaced wombs cause emotional disturbance, recent research suggests that elevated levels of oxytocin occur in both bipolar disorder and endometriosis, a gynecological condition involving migration of endometrial tissue beyond the uterus. We propose and evaluate the hypothesis that elevated oxytocinergic system activity jointly contributes to bipolar disorder and endometriosis. First, we provide relevant background on endometriosis and bipolar disorder, and then we examine evidence for comorbidity between these conditions. We next: (1) review oxytocin's associations with personality traits, especially extraversion and openness, and how they overlap with bipolar spectrum traits; (2) describe evidence for higher oxytocinergic activity in both endometriosis and bipolar disorder; (3) examine altered hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis functioning in both conditions; (4) describe data showing that medications that treat one condition can improve symptoms of the other; (5) discuss fitness-related impacts of endometriosis and bipolar disorder; and (6) review a pair of conditions, polycystic ovary syndrome and autism, that show evidence of involving reduced oxytocinergic activity, in direct contrast to endometriosis and bipolar disorder. Considered together, the bipolar spectrum and endometriosis appear to involve dysregulated high extremes of normally adaptive pleiotropy in the female oxytocin system, whereby elevated levels of oxytocinergic activity coordinate outgoing sociality with heightened fertility, apparently characterizing, overall, a faster life history. These findings should prompt a re-examination of how mind-body interactions, and the pleiotropic endocrine systems that underlie them, contribute to health and disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Manic depressive psychosis and schizophrenia are neurological disorders at the extremes of CNS maturation and nutritional disorders associated with a deficit in marine fat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saugstad, L F

    2001-12-01

    The maturational theory of brain development comprises manic depressive psychosis and schizophrenia. It holds that the disorders are part of human diversity in growth and maturation, which explains their ubiquity, shared susceptibility genes and multifactorial inheritance. Rate of maturation and age at puberty are the genotype; the disorders are localized at the extremes with normality in between. This is based on the association between onset of puberty and the final regressive event, with pruning of 40% of excitatory synapses leaving the inhibitory ones fairly unchanged. This makes excitability, a fundamental property of nervous tissue, a distinguishing factor: the earlier puberty, the greater excitability--the later puberty, the greater deficit. Biological treatment supports deviation from the norm: neuroleptics are convulsant; antidepressives are anti-epiletogenic. There is an association between onset of puberty and body-build: early maturers are pyknic broad-built, late ones linearly leptosomic. This discrepancy is similar to that in the two disorders, supporting the theory that body-build is the phenotype. Standard of living is the environmental factor, which affects pubertal age and shifts the panorama of mental illness accordingly. Unnatural death has increased with antipsychotics. Other treatment is needed. PUFA deficit has been observed in RBC in both disorders and striking improvements with addition of minor amounts of PUFA. This supports that dietary deficit might cause psychotic development and that prevention is possible. Other neurological disorders also profit from PUFA, underlining a general deficit in the diet.

  20. Strain modulations as a mechanism to reduce stress relaxation in laryngeal tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hunter, Eric J; Siegmund, Thomas; Chan, Roger W

    2014-01-01

    Vocal fold tissues in animal and human species undergo deformation processes at several types of loading rates: a slow strain involved in vocal fold posturing (on the order of 1 Hz or so), cyclic and faster posturing often found in speech tasks or vocal embellishment (1-10 Hz), and shear strain associated with vocal fold vibration during phonation (100 Hz and higher). Relevant to these deformation patterns are the viscous properties of laryngeal tissues, which exhibit non-linear stress relaxation and recovery. In the current study, a large strain time-dependent constitutive model of human vocal fold tissue is used to investigate effects of phonatory posturing cyclic strain in the range of 1 Hz to 10 Hz. Tissue data for two subjects are considered and used to contrast the potential effects of age. Results suggest that modulation frequency and extent (amplitude), as well as the amount of vocal fold overall strain, all affect the change in stress relaxation with modulation added. Generally, the vocal fold cover reduces the rate of relaxation while the opposite is true for the vocal ligament. Further, higher modulation frequencies appear to reduce the rate of relaxation, primarily affecting the ligament. The potential benefits of cyclic strain, often found in vibrato (around 5 Hz modulation) and intonational inflection, are discussed in terms of vocal effort and vocal pitch maintenance. Additionally, elderly tissue appears to not exhibit these benefits to modulation. The exacerbating effect such modulations may have on certain voice disorders, such as muscle tension dysphonia, are explored.

  1. Strain modulations as a mechanism to reduce stress relaxation in laryngeal tissues.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eric J Hunter

    Full Text Available Vocal fold tissues in animal and human species undergo deformation processes at several types of loading rates: a slow strain involved in vocal fold posturing (on the order of 1 Hz or so, cyclic and faster posturing often found in speech tasks or vocal embellishment (1-10 Hz, and shear strain associated with vocal fold vibration during phonation (100 Hz and higher. Relevant to these deformation patterns are the viscous properties of laryngeal tissues, which exhibit non-linear stress relaxation and recovery. In the current study, a large strain time-dependent constitutive model of human vocal fold tissue is used to investigate effects of phonatory posturing cyclic strain in the range of 1 Hz to 10 Hz. Tissue data for two subjects are considered and used to contrast the potential effects of age. Results suggest that modulation frequency and extent (amplitude, as well as the amount of vocal fold overall strain, all affect the change in stress relaxation with modulation added. Generally, the vocal fold cover reduces the rate of relaxation while the opposite is true for the vocal ligament. Further, higher modulation frequencies appear to reduce the rate of relaxation, primarily affecting the ligament. The potential benefits of cyclic strain, often found in vibrato (around 5 Hz modulation and intonational inflection, are discussed in terms of vocal effort and vocal pitch maintenance. Additionally, elderly tissue appears to not exhibit these benefits to modulation. The exacerbating effect such modulations may have on certain voice disorders, such as muscle tension dysphonia, are explored.

  2. Disorders of saliva production and taste sensation after oropharyngeal irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Herrmann, T.; Adamski, K.; Stefan, M.

    1984-01-01

    Salivary secretion and disorders of taste sensation during and after radiotherapy of the oropharyngeal region were investigated in 20 patients. Salivary glands and tongue were exposed to radiation in different extent. Telecobalt irradiations were given in daily doses of 1.8 - 2.0 Gy, the total dose being 55 - 60 Gy in the salivary glands (1,590 - 1,760 ret). The patients were asked for subjective statements on salivary secretion, taste disorders were measured by semiquantitative gustometry with different dilution ratios for the four basis qualities of taste. 2 weeks after the onset of irradiation (20.0 Gy) a reduction of saliva production appeared without tendency of recovery. A statistically significant increase of the taste threshold appeared for all qualities of taste after 20 - 30 Gy. The criterion 'bitter' was primarily affected. This radiogen disorder, apparently caused on the cellular level of the taste buds, seems to be reversible also for doses of 60 Gy (1,760 ret) while radiogen functional disorders of the salivary glands are irreversible from 45 Gy (1,500 ret). Considering all sensual and organic effects of xerostomy (dental caries, osteoradionecrosis) it is advisable to keep the dose for at least one third of the salivary gland tissue below this critical value. (author)

  3. Chronic complex dissociative disorders and borderline personality disorder: disorders of emotion dysregulation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brand, Bethany L; Lanius, Ruth A

    2014-01-01

    Emotion dysregulation is a core feature of chronic complex dissociative disorders (DD), as it is for borderline personality disorder (BPD). Chronic complex DD include dissociative identity disorder (DID) and the most common form of dissociative disorder not otherwise specified (DDNOS, type 1), now known as Other Specified Dissociative Disorders (OSDD, type 1). BPD is a common comorbid disorder with DD, although preliminary research indicates the disorders have some distinguishing features as well as considerable overlap. This article focuses on the epidemiology, clinical presentation, psychological profile, treatment, and neurobiology of chronic complex DD with emphasis placed on the role of emotion dysregulation in each of these areas. Trauma experts conceptualize borderline symptoms as often being trauma based, as are chronic complex DD. We review the preliminary research that compares DD to BPD in the hopes that this will stimulate additional comparative research.

  4. Mental Disorders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mental disorders include a wide range of problems, including Anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, ... disorders, including schizophrenia There are many causes of mental disorders. Your genes and family history may play ...

  5. Incorporating placental tissue in cord blood banking for stem cell transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teofili, Luciana; Silini, Antonietta R; Bianchi, Maria; Valentini, Caterina Giovanna; Parolini, Ornella

    2018-06-01

    Human term placenta is comprised of various tissues from which different cell populations can be obtained, including hematopoietic stem cells and mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs). Areas covered: This review will discuss the possibility to incorporate placental tissue cells in cord blood banking. It will discuss general features of human placenta, with a brief review of the immune cells at the fetal-maternal interface and the different cell populations isolated from placenta, with a particular focus on MSCs. It will address the question as to why placenta-derived MSCs should be banked with their hematopoietic counterparts. It will discuss clinical trials which are studying safety and efficacy of placenta tissue-derived MSCs in selected diseases, and preclinical studies which have proven their therapeutic properties in other diseases. It will discuss banking of umbilical cord blood and raise several issues for improvement, and the applications of cord blood cells in non-malignant disorders. Expert Commentary: Umbilical cord blood banking saves lives worldwide. The concomitant banking of non-hematopoietic cells from placenta, which could be applied therapeutically in the future, alone or in combination to their hematopoietic counterparts, could exploit current banking processes while laying the foundation for clinical trials exploring placenta-derived cell therapies in regenerative medicine.

  6. Comorbidity bipolar disorder and personality disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latalova, Klara; Prasko, Jan; Kamaradova, Dana; Sedlackova, Jana; Ociskova, Marie

    2013-01-01

    Outcome in bipolar patients can be affected by comorbidity of other psychiatric disorders. Comorbid personality disorders are frequent and may complicate the course of bipolar illness. We have much information about treating patients with uncomplicated bipolar disorder (BD) but much less knowledge about possibilities for patients with the comorbidity of BD and personality disorder. We conducted a series of literature searches using, as key words or as items in indexed fields, bipolar disorder and personality disorder or personality traits. Articles were obtained by searching MEDLINE from 1970 to 2012. In addition, we used other papers cited in articles from these searches, or cited in articles used in our own work. Tests of personality traits indicated that euthymic bipolar patients have higher scores on harm avoidance, reward dependence, and novelty seeking than controls. Elevation of novelty seeking in bipolar patients is associated with substance abuse comorbidity. Comorbidity with personality disorders in BD patients is associated with a more difficult course of illness (such as longer episodes, shorter time euthymic, and earlier age at onset) and an increase in comorbid substance abuse, suicidality and aggression. These problems are particularly pronounced in comorbidity with borderline personality disorder. Comorbidity with antisocial personality disorder elicits a similar spectrum of difficulties; some of the antisocial behavior exhibited by patients with this comorbidity is mediated by increased impulsivity.

  7. Using the mood disorder questionnaire and bipolar spectrum diagnostic scale to detect bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder among eating disorder patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Screening scales for bipolar disorder including the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) and Bipolar Spectrum Diagnostic Scale (BSDS) have been plagued by high false positive rates confounded by presence of borderline personality disorder. This study examined the accuracy of these scales for detecting bipolar disorder among patients referred for eating disorders and explored the possibility of simultaneous assessment of co-morbid borderline personality disorder. Methods Participants were 78 consecutive female patients who were referred for evaluation of an eating disorder. All participants completed the mood and eating disorder sections of the SCID-I/P and the borderline personality disorder section of the SCID-II, in addition to the MDQ and BSDS. Predictive validity of the MDQ and BSDS was evaluated by Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis of the Area Under the Curve (AUC). Results Fifteen (19%) and twelve (15%) patients fulfilled criteria for bipolar II disorder and borderline personality disorder, respectively. The AUCs for bipolar II disorder were 0.78 (MDQ) and 0.78 (BDSD), and the AUCs for borderline personality disorder were 0.75 (MDQ) and 0.79 (BSDS). Conclusions Among patients being evaluated for eating disorders, the MDQ and BSDS show promise as screening questionnaires for both bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. PMID:23443034

  8. Anxiety Disorders

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Registry Residents & Medical Students Residents Medical Students Patients & Families Mental Health Disorders/Substance Use Find a Psychiatrist Addiction and Substance Use Disorders ADHD Anxiety Disorders Autism Spectrum Disorder Bipolar Disorders Depression Eating Disorders Obsessive-Compulsive ...

  9. The control of human mesenchymal cell differentiation using nanoscale symmetry and disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dalby, Matthew J.; Gadegaard, Nikolaj; Tare, Rahul; Andar, Abhay; Riehle, Mathis O.; Herzyk, Pawel; Wilkinson, Chris D. W.; Oreffo, Richard O. C.

    2007-12-01

    A key tenet of bone tissue engineering is the development of scaffold materials that can stimulate stem cell differentiation in the absence of chemical treatment to become osteoblasts without compromising material properties. At present, conventional implant materials fail owing to encapsulation by soft tissue, rather than direct bone bonding. Here, we demonstrate the use of nanoscale disorder to stimulate human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to produce bone mineral in vitro, in the absence of osteogenic supplements. This approach has similar efficiency to that of cells cultured with osteogenic media. In addition, the current studies show that topographically treated MSCs have a distinct differentiation profile compared with those treated with osteogenic media, which has implications for cell therapies.

  10. Prion-Seeding Activity Is widely Distributed in Tissues of Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takatsuki, Hanae; Fuse, Takayuki; Nakagaki, Takehiro; Mori, Tsuyoshi; Mihara, Ban; Takao, Masaki; Iwasaki, Yasushi; Yoshida, Mari; Murayama, Shigeo; Atarashi, Ryuichiro; Nishida, Noriyuki; Satoh, Katsuya

    2016-10-01

    Human prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders caused by abnormally folded prion proteins in the central nervous system. These proteins can be detected using the quaking-induced conversion assay. Compared with other bioassays, this assay is extremely sensitive and was used in the present study to determine prion distribution in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease patients at autopsy. Although infectivity of the sporadic form is thought to be restricted within the central nervous system, results showed that prion-seeding activities reach 10 6 /g from a 50% seeding dose in non-neuronal tissues, suggesting that prion-seeding activity exists in non-neural organs, and we suggested that non-neural tissues of 10 6 /g SD50 did not exist the infectivity. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Shining light on the head: Photobiomodulation for brain disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael R. Hamblin

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Photobiomodulation (PBM describes the use of red or near-infrared light to stimulate, heal, regenerate, and protect tissue that has either been injured, is degenerating, or else is at risk of dying. One of the organ systems of the human body that is most necessary to life, and whose optimum functioning is most worried about by humankind in general, is the brain. The brain suffers from many different disorders that can be classified into three broad groupings: traumatic events (stroke, traumatic brain injury, and global ischemia, degenerative diseases (dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and psychiatric disorders (depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder. There is some evidence that all these seemingly diverse conditions can be beneficially affected by applying light to the head. There is even the possibility that PBM could be used for cognitive enhancement in normal healthy people. In this transcranial PBM (tPBM application, near-infrared (NIR light is often applied to the forehead because of the better penetration (no hair, longer wavelength. Some workers have used lasers, but recently the introduction of inexpensive light emitting diode (LED arrays has allowed the development of light emitting helmets or “brain caps”. This review will cover the mechanisms of action of photobiomodulation to the brain, and summarize some of the key pre-clinical studies and clinical trials that have been undertaken for diverse brain disorders.

  12. The role of microbiome in central nervous system disorders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yan; Kasper, Lloyd H.

    2014-01-01

    Mammals live in a co-evolutionary association with the plethora of microorganisms that reside at a variety of tissue microenvironments. The microbiome represents the collective genomes of these co-existing microorganisms, which is shaped by host factors such as genetics and nutrients but in turn is able to influence host biology in health and disease. Niche-specific microbiome, prominently the gut microbiome, has the capacity to effect both local and distal sites within the host. The gut microbiome has played a crucial role in the bidirectional gut-brain axis that integrates the gut and central nervous system (CNS) activities, and thus the concept of microbiome-gut-brain axis is emerging. Studies are revealing how diverse forms of neuro-immune and neuro-psychiatric disorders are correlated with or modulated by variations of microbiome, microbiota-derived products and exogenous antibiotics and probiotics. The microbiome poises the peripheral immune homeostasis and predisposes host susceptibility to CNS autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Neural, endocrine and metabolic mechanisms are also critical mediators of the microbiome-CNS signaling, which are more involved in neuro-psychiatric disorders such as autism, depression, anxiety, stress. Research on the role of microbiome in CNS disorders deepens our academic knowledge about host-microbiome commensalism in central regulation and in practicality, holds conceivable promise for developing novel prognostic and therapeutic avenues for CNS disorders. PMID:24370461

  13. NOD-Like Receptors in Intestinal Homeostasis and Epithelial Tissue Repair

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parlato, Marianna; Yeretssian, Garabet

    2014-01-01

    The intestinal epithelium constitutes a dynamic physical barrier segregating the luminal content from the underlying mucosal tissue. Following injury, the epithelial integrity is restored by rapid migration of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) across the denuded area in a process known as wound healing. Hence, through a sequence of events involving restitution, proliferation and differentiation of IECs the gap is resealed and homeostasis reestablished. Relapsing damage followed by healing of the inflamed mucosa is a hallmark of several intestinal disorders including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). While several regulatory peptides, growth factors and cytokines stimulate restitution of the epithelial layer after injury, recent evidence in the field underscores the contribution of innate immunity in controlling this process. In particular, nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain-like receptors (NLRs) play critical roles in sensing the commensal microbiota, maintaining homeostasis, and regulating intestinal inflammation. Here, we review the process of intestinal epithelial tissue repair and we specifically focus on the impact of NLR-mediated signaling mechanisms involved in governing epithelial wound healing during disease. PMID:24886810

  14. Tissue-specific mRNA expression profiling in grape berry tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grimplet, Jerome; Deluc, Laurent G; Tillett, Richard L; Wheatley, Matthew D; Schlauch, Karen A; Cramer, Grant R; Cushman, John C

    2007-01-01

    Background Berries of grape (Vitis vinifera) contain three major tissue types (skin, pulp and seed) all of which contribute to the aroma, color, and flavor characters of wine. The pericarp, which is composed of the exocarp (skin) and mesocarp (pulp), not only functions to protect and feed the developing seed, but also to assist in the dispersal of the mature seed by avian and mammalian vectors. The skin provides volatile and nonvolatile aroma and color compounds, the pulp contributes organic acids and sugars, and the seeds provide condensed tannins, all of which are important to the formation of organoleptic characteristics of wine. In order to understand the transcriptional network responsible for controlling tissue-specific mRNA expression patterns, mRNA expression profiling was conducted on each tissue of mature berries of V. vinifera Cabernet Sauvignon using the Affymetrix GeneChip® Vitis oligonucleotide microarray ver. 1.0. In order to monitor the influence of water-deficit stress on tissue-specific expression patterns, mRNA expression profiles were also compared from mature berries harvested from vines subjected to well-watered or water-deficit conditions. Results Overall, berry tissues were found to express approximately 76% of genes represented on the Vitis microarray. Approximately 60% of these genes exhibited significant differential expression in one or more of the three major tissue types with more than 28% of genes showing pronounced (2-fold or greater) differences in mRNA expression. The largest difference in tissue-specific expression was observed between the seed and pulp/skin. Exocarp tissue, which is involved in pathogen defense and pigment production, showed higher mRNA abundance relative to other berry tissues for genes involved with flavonoid biosynthesis, pathogen resistance, and cell wall modification. Mesocarp tissue, which is considered a nutritive tissue, exhibited a higher mRNA abundance of genes involved in cell wall function and

  15. Tissue-specific mRNA expression profiling in grape berry tissues

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cramer Grant R

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Berries of grape (Vitis vinifera contain three major tissue types (skin, pulp and seed all of which contribute to the aroma, color, and flavor characters of wine. The pericarp, which is composed of the exocarp (skin and mesocarp (pulp, not only functions to protect and feed the developing seed, but also to assist in the dispersal of the mature seed by avian and mammalian vectors. The skin provides volatile and nonvolatile aroma and color compounds, the pulp contributes organic acids and sugars, and the seeds provide condensed tannins, all of which are important to the formation of organoleptic characteristics of wine. In order to understand the transcriptional network responsible for controlling tissue-specific mRNA expression patterns, mRNA expression profiling was conducted on each tissue of mature berries of V. vinifera Cabernet Sauvignon using the Affymetrix GeneChip® Vitis oligonucleotide microarray ver. 1.0. In order to monitor the influence of water-deficit stress on tissue-specific expression patterns, mRNA expression profiles were also compared from mature berries harvested from vines subjected to well-watered or water-deficit conditions. Results Overall, berry tissues were found to express approximately 76% of genes represented on the Vitis microarray. Approximately 60% of these genes exhibited significant differential expression in one or more of the three major tissue types with more than 28% of genes showing pronounced (2-fold or greater differences in mRNA expression. The largest difference in tissue-specific expression was observed between the seed and pulp/skin. Exocarp tissue, which is involved in pathogen defense and pigment production, showed higher mRNA abundance relative to other berry tissues for genes involved with flavonoid biosynthesis, pathogen resistance, and cell wall modification. Mesocarp tissue, which is considered a nutritive tissue, exhibited a higher mRNA abundance of genes involved in cell

  16. The CD36-PPARγ Pathway in Metabolic Disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Loïze Maréchal

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Uncovering the biological role of nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs has greatly advanced our knowledge of the transcriptional control of glucose and energy metabolism. As such, pharmacological activation of PPARγ has emerged as an efficient approach for treating metabolic disorders with the current use of thiazolidinediones to improve insulin resistance in diabetic patients. The recent identification of growth hormone releasing peptides (GHRP as potent inducers of PPARγ through activation of the scavenger receptor CD36 has defined a novel alternative to regulate essential aspects of lipid and energy metabolism. Recent advances on the emerging role of CD36 and GHRP hexarelin in regulating PPARγ downstream actions with benefits on atherosclerosis, hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis and fat mitochondrial biogenesis are summarized here. The response of PPARγ coactivator PGC-1 is also discussed in these effects. The identification of the GHRP-CD36-PPARγ pathway in controlling various tissue metabolic functions provides an interesting option for metabolic disorders.

  17. dbMDEGA: a database for meta-analysis of differentially expressed genes in autism spectrum disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Shuyun; Deng, Libin; Jia, Qiyue; Huang, Shaoting; Gu, Junwang; Zhou, Fankun; Gao, Meng; Sun, Xinyi; Feng, Chang; Fan, Guangqin

    2017-11-16

    Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are hereditary, heterogeneous and biologically complex neurodevelopmental disorders. Individual studies on gene expression in ASD cannot provide clear consensus conclusions. Therefore, a systematic review to synthesize the current findings from brain tissues and a search tool to share the meta-analysis results are urgently needed. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis of brain gene expression profiles in the current reported human ASD expression datasets (with 84 frozen male cortex samples, 17 female cortex samples, 32 cerebellum samples and 4 formalin fixed samples) and knock-out mouse ASD model expression datasets (with 80 collective brain samples). Then, we applied R language software and developed an interactive shared and updated database (dbMDEGA) displaying the results of meta-analysis of data from ASD studies regarding differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the brain. This database, dbMDEGA ( https://dbmdega.shinyapps.io/dbMDEGA/ ), is a publicly available web-portal for manual annotation and visualization of DEGs in the brain from data from ASD studies. This database uniquely presents meta-analysis values and homologous forest plots of DEGs in brain tissues. Gene entries are annotated with meta-values, statistical values and forest plots of DEGs in brain samples. This database aims to provide searchable meta-analysis results based on the current reported brain gene expression datasets of ASD to help detect candidate genes underlying this disorder. This new analytical tool may provide valuable assistance in the discovery of DEGs and the elucidation of the molecular pathogenicity of ASD. This database model may be replicated to study other disorders.

  18. Monitoring of tissue optical properties during thermal coagulation of ex vivo tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagarajan, Vivek Krishna; Yu, Bing

    2016-09-01

    Real-time monitoring of tissue status during thermal ablation of tumors is critical to ensure complete destruction of tumor mass, while avoiding tissue charring and excessive damage to normal tissues. Currently, magnetic resonance thermometry (MRT), along with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), is the most commonly used technique for monitoring and assessing thermal ablation process in soft tissues. MRT/MRI is very expensive, bulky, and often subject to motion artifacts. On the other hand, light propagation within tissue is sensitive to changes in tissue microstructure and physiology which could be used to directly quantify the extent of tissue damage. Furthermore, optical monitoring can be a portable, and cost-effective alternative for monitoring a thermal ablation process. The main objective of this study, is to establish a correlation between changes in tissue optical properties and the status of tissue coagulation/damage during heating of ex vivo tissues. A portable diffuse reflectance spectroscopy system and a side-firing fiber-optic probe were developed to study the absorption (μa (λ)), and reduced scattering coefficients (μ's (λ)) of native and coagulated ex vivo porcine, and chicken breast tissues. In the first experiment, both porcine and chicken breast tissues were heated at discrete temperature points between 24 and 140°C for 2 minutes. Diffuse reflectance spectra (430-630 nm) of native and coagulated tissues were recorded prior to, and post heating. In a second experiment, porcine tissue samples were heated at 70°C and diffuse reflectance spectra were recorded continuously during heating. The μa (λ) and μ's (λ) of the tissues were extracted from the measured diffuse reflectance spectra using an inverse Monte-Carlo model of diffuse reflectance. Tissue heating was stopped when the wavelength-averaged scattering plateaued. The wavelength-averaged optical properties, and , for native porcine tissues (n = 66) at room temperature, were 5.4

  19. Design of Peptide Immunotherapies for MHC Class-II-Associated Autoimmune Disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masha Fridkis-Hareli

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Autoimmune disorders, that occur when autoreactive immune cells are induced to activate their responses against self-tissues, affect one percent of the world population and represent one of the top 10 leading causes of death. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC is a principal susceptibility locus for many human autoimmune diseases, in which self-tissue antigens providing targets for pathogenic lymphocytes are bound to HLA molecules encoded by disease-associated alleles. In spite of the attempts to design strategies for inhibition of antigen presentation targeting the MHC-peptide/TCR complex via generation of blocking antibodies, altered peptide ligands (APL, or inhibitors of costimulatory molecules, potent therapies with minimal side effects have yet to be developed. Copaxone (glatiramer acetate, GA is a random synthetic amino acid copolymer that reduces the relapse rate by about 30% in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS patients. Based on the elucidated binding motifs of Copaxone and of the anchor residues of the immunogenic myelin basic protein (MBP peptide to HLA-DR molecules, novel copolymers have been designed and proved to be more effective in suppressing MS-like disease in mice. In this report, we describe the rationale for design of second-generation synthetic random copolymers as candidate drugs for a number of MHC class-II-associated autoimmune disorders.

  20. New techniques in the tissue diagnosis of gastrointestinal neuromuscular diseases

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Charles H Knowles; Joanne E Martin

    2009-01-01

    Gastrointestinal neuromuscular diseases are a clinically heterogeneous group of disorders of children and adults in which symptoms are presumed or proven to arise as a result of neuromuscular (including interstitial cell of Cajal) dysfunction. Common to most of these diseases are symptoms of impaired motor activity which manifest as slowed or obstructed transit with or without evidence of transient or persistent radiological visceral dilatation. A variety of histopathological techniques and allied investigations are being increasingly applied to tissue biopsies from such patients. This review outlines some of the more recent advances in this field, particularly in the most contentious area of small bowel disease manifesting as intestinal pseudo-obstruction.

  1. Polycystic ovary syndrome, adipose tissue and metabolic syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delitala, Alessandro P; Capobianco, Giampiero; Delitala, Giuseppe; Cherchi, Pier Luigi; Dessole, Salvatore

    2017-09-01

    Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder that affects women of reproductive age and is characterized by ovulatory dysfunction and/or androgen excess or polycystic ovaries. Women with PCOS present a number of systemic symptoms in addition to those related to the reproductive system. It has been associated with functional derangements in adipose tissue, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). A detailed literature search on Pubmed was done for articles about PCOS, adipokines, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome. Original articles, reviews, and meta-analysis were included. PCOS women are prone to visceral fat hypertrophy in the presence of androgen excess and the presence of these conditions is related to insulin resistance and worsens the PCO phenotype. Disturbed secretion of many adipocyte-derived substances (adipokines) is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation and contributes to insulin resistance. Abdominal obesity and insulin resistance stimulate ovarian and adrenal androgen production, and may further increase abdominal obesity and inflammation, thus creating a vicious cycle. The high prevalence of metabolic disorders mainly related to insulin resistance and CVD risk factors in women with PCOS highlight the need for early lifestyle changes for reducing metabolic risks in these patients.

  2. PIK3CA-associated developmental disorders exhibit distinct classes of mutations with variable expression and tissue distribution

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mirzaa, Ghayda; Timms, Andrew E.; Conti, Valerio; Boyle, Evan August; Girisha, Katta M.; Martin, Beth; Kircher, Martin; Olds, Carissa; Juusola, Jane; Collins, Sarah; Park, Kaylee; Carter, Melissa; Glass, Ian; Krägeloh-Mann, Inge; Chitayat, David; Parikh, Aditi Shah; Bradshaw, Rachael; Torti, Erin; Braddock, Stephen; Burke, Leah; Ghedia, Sondhya; Stephan, Mark; Stewart, Fiona; Prasad, Chitra; Napier, Melanie; Saitta, Sulagna; Straussberg, Rachel; Gabbett, Michael; O'Connor, Bridget C.; Keegan, Catherine E.; Yin, Lim Jiin; Lai, Angeline Hwei Meeng; Martin, Nicole; McKinnon, Margaret; Addor, Marie-Claude; Boccuto, Luigi; Schwartz, Charles E.; Lanoel, Agustina; Conway, Robert L.; Devriendt, Koenraad; Tatton-Brown, Katrina; Pierpont, Mary Ella; Painter, Michael; Worgan, Lisa; Reggin, James; Hennekam, Raoul; Tsuchiya, Karen; Pritchard, Colin C.; Aracena, Mariana; Gripp, Karen W.; Cordisco, Maria; Esch, Hilde Van; Garavelli, Livia; Curry, Cynthia; Goriely, Anne; Kayserilli, Hulya; Shendure, Jay; Graham, John; Guerrini, Renzo; Dobyns, William B.

    2016-01-01

    Mosaicism is increasingly recognized as a cause of developmental disorders with the advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS). Mosaic mutations of PIK3CA have been associated with the widest spectrum of phenotypes associated with overgrowth and vascular malformations. We performed targeted NGS

  3. Autistic disorder in 2 children with mitochondrial disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsao, Chang-Yong; Mendell, Jerry R

    2007-09-01

    Autistic disorder is a heterogeneous disorder. The majority of the cases are idiopathic, and only a small number of the autistic children have associated secondary diagnosis. This article reports 2 children with mitochondrial disorders associated with autistic disorder fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of the American Psychiatric Association Manual of Psychiatric Diseases, 4th edition, and briefly reviews the literature on autistic disorder associated with mitochondrial disorders.

  4. Changes in the Peripheral Endocannabinoid System as a Risk Factor for the Development of Eating Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Capasso, Anna; Milano, Walter; Cauli, Omar

    2018-02-12

    Eating Disorder (ED) is characterized by persistently and severely disturbed eating behaviours. They arise from a combination of long-standing behavioural, emotional, psychological, interpersonal, and social factors and result in insufficient nutrient ingestion and/or adsorption. The three main EDs are: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. We review the role of peripheral endocannabinoids in eating behaviour. The neuronal pathways involved in feeding behaviours are closely related to catecholaminergic, serotoninergic and peptidergic systems. Accordingly, feeding is promoted by serotonin, dopamine, and prostaglandin and inhibited by neuropeptide Y, norepinephrine, GABA, and opioid peptides. The endocannabinoid system plays a role in EDs, and multiple lines of evidence indicate that the cannabinoid signalling system is a key modulatory factor of the activity in the brain areas involved in EDs as well as in reward processes. Besides their central role in controlling food behaviours, peripheral cannabinoids are also involved in regulating adipose tissue and insulin signalling as well as cell metabolism in peripheral tissues such as liver, pancreas, fatty tissue, and skeletal muscle. Altogether, these data indicate that peripheral cannabinoids can provide new therapeutic targets not only for EDs but also for metabolic disease. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  5. Oral Nodular Lesions in Patients with Sjögren’s Syndrome: Unusual Oral Implications of a Systemic Disorder

    OpenAIRE

    Pinheiro, Juliana Barchelli; Tirapelli, Camila; Silva, Claudia Helena Lovato da; Komesu, Marilena Chinali; Petean, Flávio Calil; Louzada Junior, Paulo; León, Jorge Esquiche; Motta, Ana Carolina Fragoso

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) is a systemic chronic autoimmune disorder affecting the lacrimal and salivary glands. SS may manifest as primary SS (pSS) or secondary SS (sSS), the latter occurring in the context of another autoimmune disorder. In both cases, the dry eyes and mouth affect the patient’s quality of life. Late complications may include blindness, dental tissue destruction, oral candidiasis and lymphoma. This paper reports two cases of SS, each of them presenting unusual oral no...

  6. Nonlinear optical microscopy for histology of fresh normal and cancerous pancreatic tissues.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wenyan Hu

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer is a lethal disease with a 5-year survival rate of only 1-5%. The acceleration of intraoperative histological examination would be beneficial for better management of pancreatic cancer, suggesting an improved survival. Nonlinear optical methods based on two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF and second harmonic generation (SHG of intrinsic optical biomarkers show the ability to visualize the morphology of fresh tissues associated with histology, which is promising for real-time intraoperative evaluation of pancreatic cancer. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In order to investigate whether the nonlinear optical imaging methods have the ability to characterize pancreatic histology at cellular resolution, we studied different types of pancreatic tissues by using label-free TPEF and SHG. Compared with other routine methods for the preparation of specimens, fresh tissues without processing were found to be most suitable for nonlinear optical imaging of pancreatic tissues. The detailed morphology of the normal rat pancreas was observed and related with the standard histological images. Comparatively speaking, the preliminary images of a small number of chemical-induced pancreatic cancer tissues showed visible neoplastic differences in the morphology of cells and extracellular matrix. The subcutaneous pancreatic tumor xenografts were further observed using the nonlinear optical microscopy, showing that most cells are leucocytes at 5 days after implantation, the tumor cells begin to proliferate at 10 days after implantation, and the extracellular collagen fibers become disordered as the xenografts grow. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In this study, nonlinear optical imaging was used to characterize the morphological details of fresh pancreatic tissues for the first time. We demonstrate that it is possible to provide real-time histological evaluation of pancreatic cancer by the nonlinear optical methods, which present an

  7. High Harvest Yield, High Expansion, and Phenotype Stability of CD146 Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Whole Primitive Human Umbilical Cord Tissue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rebecca C. Schugar

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Human umbilical cord blood is an excellent primitive source of noncontroversial stem cells for treatment of hematologic disorders; meanwhile, new stem cell candidates in the umbilical cord (UC tissue could provide therapeutic cells for nonhematologic disorders. We show novel in situ characterization to identify and localize a panel of some markers expressed by mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs; CD44, CD105, CD73, CD90 and CD146 in the UC. We describe enzymatic isolation and purification methods of different UC cell populations that do not require manual separation of the vessels and stroma of the coiled, helical-like UC tissue. Unique quantitation of in situ cell frequency and stromal cell counts upon harvest illustrate the potential to obtain high numerical yields with these methods. UC stromal cells can differentiate to the osteogenic and chondrogenic lineages and, under specific culturing conditions, they exhibit high expandability with unique long-term stability of their phenotype. The remarkable stability of the phenotype represents a novel finding for human MSCs, from any source, and supports the use of these cells as highly accessible stromal cells for both basic studies and potentially therapeutic applications such as allogeneic clinical use for musculoskeletal disorders.

  8. Eating disorder symptoms in affective disorder.

    OpenAIRE

    Wold, P N

    1991-01-01

    Patients with Major Affective Disorder (MAD), Secondary Depression, Panic Disorder, and bulimia with and without MAD, were given the Eating Disorder Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the General Behavior Inventory at presentation. It was found that patients with MAD have a triad of eating disorder symptoms: a disturbance in interoceptive awareness, the sense of ineffectiveness, and a tendency toward bulimia. The data supported the concept that the sense of ineffectiveness is secon...

  9. Quantitative assessment of submicron scale anisotropy in tissue multifractality by scattering Mueller matrix in the framework of Born approximation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, Nandan Kumar; Dey, Rajib; Chakraborty, Semanti; Panigrahi, Prasanta K.; Meglinski, Igor; Ghosh, Nirmalya

    2018-04-01

    A number of tissue-like disordered media exhibit local anisotropy of scattering in the scaling behavior. Scaling behavior contains wealth of fractal or multifractal properties. We demonstrate that the spatial dielectric fluctuations in a sample of biological tissue exhibit multifractal anisotropy. Multifractal anisotropy encoded in the wavelength variation of the light scattering Mueller matrix and manifesting as an intriguing spectral diattenuation effect. We developed an inverse method for the quantitative assessment of the multifractal anisotropy. The method is based on the processing of relevant Mueller matrix elements in Fourier domain by using Born approximation, followed by the multifractal analysis. The approach promises for probing subtle micro-structural changes in biological tissues associated with the cancer and precancer, as well as for non-destructive characterization of a wide range of scattering materials.

  10. Human protein secretory pathway genes are expressed in a tissue-specific pattern to match processing demands of the secretome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Feizi, Amir; Gatto, Francesco; Uhlén, Mathias

    2017-01-01

    Protein secretory pathway in eukaryal cells is responsible for delivering functional secretory proteins. The dysfunction of this pathway causes a range of important human diseases from congenital disorders to cancer. Despite the piled-up knowledge on the molecular biology and biochemistry level...... in specific gene families of the secretory pathway. We also inspected the potential functional link between detected extreme genes and the corresponding tissues enriched secretome. As a result, the detected extreme genes showed correlation with the enrichment of the nature and number of specific post......-translational modifications in each tissue's secretome. Our findings conciliate both the housekeeping and tissue-specific nature of the protein secretory pathway, which we attribute to a fine-tuned regulation of defined gene families to support the diversity of secreted proteins and their modifications....

  11. Short-pulse laser interactions with disordered materials and liquids

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Phinney, L.M.; Goldman, C.H.; Longtin, J.P.; Tien, C.L. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

    1995-12-31

    High-power, short-pulse lasers in the picosecond and subpicosecond range are utilized in an increasing number of technologies, including materials processing and diagnostics, micro-electronics and devices, and medicine. In these applications, the short-pulse radiation interacts with a wide range of media encompassing disordered materials and liquids. Examples of disordered materials include porous media, polymers, organic tissues, and amorphous forms of silicon, silicon nitride, and silicon dioxide. In order to accurately model, efficiently control, and optimize short-pulse, laser-material interactions, a thorough understanding of the energy transport mechanisms is necessary. Thus, fractals and percolation theory are used to analyze the anomalous diffusion regime in random media. In liquids, the thermal aspects of saturable and multiphoton absorption are examined. Finally, a novel application of short-pulse laser radiation to reduce surface adhesion forces in microstructures through short-pulse laser-induced water desorption is presented.

  12. Renal tissue damage induced by focused shock waves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ioritani, N.; Kuwahara, M.; Kambe, K.; Taguchi, K.; Saitoh, T.; Shirai, S.; Orikasa, S.; Takayama, K.; Lush, P. A.

    1990-07-01

    Biological evidence of renal arterial wall damage induced by the microjet due to shock wave-cavitation bubble interaction was demonstrated in living dog kidneys. We also intended to clarify the mechanism of renal tissue damage and the effects of different conditions of shock wave exposure (peak pressure of focused area, number of shots, exposure rate) on the renal tissue damage in comparison to stone disintegration. Disruption of arterial wall was the most remarkable histological change in the focused area of the kidneys. This lesion appeared as if the wall had been punctured by a needle. Large hematoma formation in the renal parenchym, and interstitial hemorrhage seemed to be the results of the arterial lesion. This arterial disorder also led to ischemic necrosis of the tubules surrounding the hematoma. Micro-angiographic examination of extracted kidneys also proved such arterial puncture lesions and ischemic lesions. The number of shots required for model stone disintegration was not inversely proportional to peak pressure. It decreased markedly when peak pressure was above 700 bar. Similarly thenumber of shots for hematoma formation was not inversely proportional to peak pressure, however, this decreased markedly above 500 bar. These results suggested that a hematoma could be formed under a lower peak pressure than that required for stone disintegration.

  13. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and anxiety disorders as precursors of bipolar disorder onset in adulthood

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Meier, Sandra M; Pavlova, Barbara; Dalsgaard, Søren

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety disorders have been proposed as precursors of bipolar disorder, but their joint and relative roles in the development of bipolar disorder are unknown.AimsTo test the prospective relationship of ADHD and anxiety with onset...... of bipolar disorder. METHOD: We examined the relationship between ADHD, anxiety disorders and bipolar disorder in a birth cohort of 2 409 236 individuals born in Denmark between 1955 and 1991. Individuals were followed from their sixteenth birthday or from January 1995 to their first clinical contact...... for bipolar disorder or until December 2012. We calculated incidence rates per 10 000 person-years and tested the effects of prior diagnoses on the risk of bipolar disorder in survival models. RESULTS: Over 37 394 865 person-years follow-up, 9250 onsets of bipolar disorder occurred. The incidence rate...

  14. The role of local estrogen therapy in the management of pelvic floor disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tzur, T; Yohai, D; Weintraub, A Y

    2016-04-01

    Pelvic floor disorders are common and bothersome problems that include a variety of conditions. These conditions greatly affect the performance of daily activities and social function such as work, traveling, physical exercise, sleep and sexual function. Aging is a well-known factor affecting the pelvic floor and lower urinary tract anatomy and function. It is clear that the pelvic organs and their surrounding muscular and connective tissue support are estrogen-responsive. Treatment of pelvic floor disorders requires significant health-care resources and their impact is likely to increase in the near future. This literature review aims to provide an overview of both research and clinical aspects of the pathophysiology of urogenital estrogen deficiency and the role of local estrogen therapy as part of the management strategy of different pelvic floor disorders. The safety and risk concerns regarding the use of local estrogen therapy are addressed as well.

  15. Connectomic intermediate phenotypes for psychiatric disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alex eFornito

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Psychiatric disorders are phenotypically heterogeneous entities with a complex genetic basis. To mitigate this complexity, many investigators study so-called intermediate phenotypes that putatively provide a more direct index of the physiological effects of candidate genetic risk variants than overt psychiatric syndromes. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI is a particularly popular technique for measuring such phenotypes because it allows interrogation of diverse aspects of brain structure and function in vivo. Much of this work however, has focused on relatively simple measures that quantify variations in the physiology or tissue integrity of specific brain regions in isolation, contradicting an emerging consensus that most major psychiatric disorders do not arise from isolated dysfunction in one or a few brain regions, but rather from disturbed interactions within and between distributed neural circuits; i.e., they are disorders of brain connectivity. The recent proliferation of new MRI techniques for comprehensively mapping the entire connectivity architecture of the brain, termed the human connectome, has provided a rich repertoire of tools for understanding how genetic variants implicated in mental disorder impact distinct neural circuits. In this article, we review research using these connectomic techniques to understand how genetic variation influences the connectivity and topology of human brain networks. We highlight recent evidence from twin and imaging genetics studies suggesting that the penetrance of candidate risk variants for mental illness, such as those in SLC6A4, MAOA, ZNF804A and APOE, may be higher for intermediate phenotypes characterised at the level of distributed neural systems than at the level of spatially localised brain regions. The findings indicate that imaging connectomics provides a powerful framework for understanding how genetic risk for psychiatric disease is expressed through altered structure and function of

  16. Soft Tissue Sarcoma

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... muscles, tendons, fat, and blood vessels. Soft tissue sarcoma is a cancer of these soft tissues. There ... have certain genetic diseases. Doctors diagnose soft tissue sarcomas with a biopsy. Treatments include surgery to remove ...

  17. The Contribution of Mosaic Variants to Autism Spectrum Disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freed, Donald; Pevsner, Jonathan

    2016-09-01

    De novo mutation is highly implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the contribution of post-zygotic mutation to ASD is poorly characterized. We performed both exome sequencing of paired samples and analysis of de novo variants from whole-exome sequencing of 2,388 families. While we find little evidence for tissue-specific mosaic mutation, multi-tissue post-zygotic mutation (i.e. mosaicism) is frequent, with detectable mosaic variation comprising 5.4% of all de novo mutations. We identify three mosaic missense and likely-gene disrupting mutations in genes previously implicated in ASD (KMT2C, NCKAP1, and MYH10) in probands but none in siblings. We find a strong ascertainment bias for mosaic mutations in probands relative to their unaffected siblings (p = 0.003). We build a model of de novo variation incorporating mosaic variants and errors in classification of mosaic status and from this model we estimate that 33% of mosaic mutations in probands contribute to 5.1% of simplex ASD diagnoses (95% credible interval 1.3% to 8.9%). Our results indicate a contributory role for multi-tissue mosaic mutation in some individuals with an ASD diagnosis.

  18. The Contribution of Mosaic Variants to Autism Spectrum Disorder.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donald Freed

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available De novo mutation is highly implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD. However, the contribution of post-zygotic mutation to ASD is poorly characterized. We performed both exome sequencing of paired samples and analysis of de novo variants from whole-exome sequencing of 2,388 families. While we find little evidence for tissue-specific mosaic mutation, multi-tissue post-zygotic mutation (i.e. mosaicism is frequent, with detectable mosaic variation comprising 5.4% of all de novo mutations. We identify three mosaic missense and likely-gene disrupting mutations in genes previously implicated in ASD (KMT2C, NCKAP1, and MYH10 in probands but none in siblings. We find a strong ascertainment bias for mosaic mutations in probands relative to their unaffected siblings (p = 0.003. We build a model of de novo variation incorporating mosaic variants and errors in classification of mosaic status and from this model we estimate that 33% of mosaic mutations in probands contribute to 5.1% of simplex ASD diagnoses (95% credible interval 1.3% to 8.9%. Our results indicate a contributory role for multi-tissue mosaic mutation in some individuals with an ASD diagnosis.

  19. Implementation of X-ray fluorescence microscopy for investigation of elemental abnormalities in central nervous system tissue

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chwiej, J. [Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH, University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Cracow (Poland)]. E-mail: jchwiej@novell.ftj.agh.edu.pl; Szczerbowska-Boruchowska, M. [Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH, University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Cracow (Poland); Wojcik, S. [Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH, University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Cracow (Poland); Lankosz, M. [Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH, University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Cracow (Poland); Chlebda, M. [Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH, University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Cracow (Poland); Adamek, D. [Institute of Neurology, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University, ul. Botaniczna-3, 31-503 Cracow (Poland); Tomik, B. [Institute of Neurology, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University, ul. Botaniczna-3, 31-503 Cracow (Poland); Setkowicz, Z. [Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Zoology, Jagiellonian University, ul. Ingardena 6, 30-060 Cracow (Poland); Falkenberg, G. [Hamburger Synchrotronstrahlungslabor at Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, Hamburg (Germany); Stegowski, Z. [Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH, University of Science and Technology, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Cracow (Poland); Szczudlik, A. [Institute of Neurology, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University, ul. Botaniczna-3, 31-503 Cracow (Poland)

    2005-09-29

    The microbeam synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence technique (micro-SRXRF) was applied to topographic and quantitative elemental analysis of human spinal cord tissue sections. The feasibility of this technique for the determination of elemental abnormalities caused by neurodegenerative disorder, i.e. amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), was verified. The applied measurement conditions allowed detecting: P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn and Br in thin tissue slices. Two-dimensional maps of the elemental distribution were recorded. Quantitative differences in elemental concentration between gray matter, nerve cells and white matter were observed for all analyzed cases. For the motor neuron bodies higher accumulation of S, Cl, K, Fe, Zn and Br was noticed. The results showed significant differences of elemental accumulation between the analyzed ALS cases. Moreover, the feasibility of using tissue sections fixed and embedded in paraffin for micro-SRXRF analysis was tested. These studies were performed on the samples of rat brain.

  20. Implementation of X-ray fluorescence microscopy for investigation of elemental abnormalities in central nervous system tissue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chwiej, J.; Szczerbowska-Boruchowska, M.; Wojcik, S.; Lankosz, M.; Chlebda, M.; Adamek, D.; Tomik, B.; Setkowicz, Z.; Falkenberg, G.; Stegowski, Z.; Szczudlik, A.

    2005-01-01

    The microbeam synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence technique (micro-SRXRF) was applied to topographic and quantitative elemental analysis of human spinal cord tissue sections. The feasibility of this technique for the determination of elemental abnormalities caused by neurodegenerative disorder, i.e. amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), was verified. The applied measurement conditions allowed detecting: P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn and Br in thin tissue slices. Two-dimensional maps of the elemental distribution were recorded. Quantitative differences in elemental concentration between gray matter, nerve cells and white matter were observed for all analyzed cases. For the motor neuron bodies higher accumulation of S, Cl, K, Fe, Zn and Br was noticed. The results showed significant differences of elemental accumulation between the analyzed ALS cases. Moreover, the feasibility of using tissue sections fixed and embedded in paraffin for micro-SRXRF analysis was tested. These studies were performed on the samples of rat brain

  1. Tissue grown in space in NASA Bioreactor

    Science.gov (United States)

    2001-01-01

    Dr. Lisa E. Freed of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her colleagues have reported that initially disc-like specimens tend to become spherical in space, demonstrating that tissues can grow and differentiate into distinct structures in microgravity. The Mir Increment 3 (Sept. 16, 1996 - Jan. 22, 1997) samples were smaller, more spherical, and mechanically weaker than Earth-grown control samples. These results demonstrate the feasibility of microgravity tissue engineering and may have implications for long human space voyages and for treating musculoskeletal disorders on earth. Final samples from Mir and Earth appeared histologically cartilaginous throughout their entire cross sections (5-8 mm thick), with the exception of fibrous outer capsules. Constructs grown on Earth (A) appeared to have a more organized extracellular matrix with more uniform collagen orientation as compared with constructs grown on Mir (B), but the average collagen fiber diameter was similar in the two groups (22 +- 2 nm) and comparable to that previously reported for developing articular cartilage. Randomly oriented collagen in Mir samples would be consistent with previous reports that microgravity disrupts fibrillogenesis. These are transmission electron micrographs of constructs from Mir (A) and Earth (B) groups at magnifications of x3,500 and x120,000 (Inset). The work is sponsored by NASA's Office of Biological and Physical Research. The bioreactor is managed by the Biotechnology Cell Science Program at NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC). NASA-sponsored bioreactor research has been instrumental in helping scientists to better understand normal and cancerous tissue development. In cooperation with the medical community, the bioreactor design is being used to prepare better models of human colon, prostate, breast and ovarian tumors. Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

  2. Trichotillomania (hair pulling disorder), skin picking disorder, and stereotypic movement disorder: toward DSM-V.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stein, Dan J; Grant, Jon E; Franklin, Martin E; Keuthen, Nancy; Lochner, Christine; Singer, Harvey S; Woods, Douglas W

    2010-06-01

    In DSM-IV-TR, trichotillomania (TTM) is classified as an impulse control disorder (not classified elsewhere), skin picking lacks its own diagnostic category (but might be diagnosed as an impulse control disorder not otherwise specified), and stereotypic movement disorder is classified as a disorder usually first diagnosed in infancy, childhood, or adolescence. ICD-10 classifies TTM as a habit and impulse disorder, and includes stereotyped movement disorders in a section on other behavioral and emotional disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood and adolescence. This article provides a focused review of nosological issues relevant to DSM-V, given recent empirical findings. This review presents a number of options and preliminary recommendations to be considered for DSM-V: (1) Although TTM fits optimally into a category of body-focused repetitive behavioral disorders, in a nosology comprised of relatively few major categories it fits best within a category of motoric obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, (2) available evidence does not support continuing to include (current) diagnostic criteria B and C for TTM in DSM-V, (3) the text for TTM should be updated to describe subtypes and forms of hair pulling, (4) there are persuasive reasons for referring to TTM as "hair pulling disorder (trichotillomania)," (5) diagnostic criteria for skin picking disorder should be included in DSM-V or in DSM-Vs Appendix of Criteria Sets Provided for Further Study, and (6) the diagnostic criteria for stereotypic movement disorder should be clarified and simplified, bringing them in line with those for hair pulling and skin picking disorder. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  3. Ontology-based, Tissue MicroArray oriented, image centered tissue bank

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Viti Federica

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Tissue MicroArray technique is becoming increasingly important in pathology for the validation of experimental data from transcriptomic analysis. This approach produces many images which need to be properly managed, if possible with an infrastructure able to support tissue sharing between institutes. Moreover, the available frameworks oriented to Tissue MicroArray provide good storage for clinical patient, sample treatment and block construction information, but their utility is limited by the lack of data integration with biomolecular information. Results In this work we propose a Tissue MicroArray web oriented system to support researchers in managing bio-samples and, through the use of ontologies, enables tissue sharing aimed at the design of Tissue MicroArray experiments and results evaluation. Indeed, our system provides ontological description both for pre-analysis tissue images and for post-process analysis image results, which is crucial for information exchange. Moreover, working on well-defined terms it is then possible to query web resources for literature articles to integrate both pathology and bioinformatics data. Conclusions Using this system, users associate an ontology-based description to each image uploaded into the database and also integrate results with the ontological description of biosequences identified in every tissue. Moreover, it is possible to integrate the ontological description provided by the user with a full compliant gene ontology definition, enabling statistical studies about correlation between the analyzed pathology and the most commonly related biological processes.

  4. Autism Spectrum Disorders (Pervasive Developmental Disorders)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strock, Margaret

    2007-01-01

    This booklet focuses on classic autism, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), and Asperger syndrome, with brief descriptions of Rett syndrome and childhood disintegrative disorder. The booklet describes possible indicators of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), their diagnosis, available aids, treatment options, adults…

  5. [Therapeutic applications and promises of cellular and tissue engineering. What strategic choice for the Etablissement Français du Sang?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hervé, Patrick

    2007-05-01

    A new medical field, known as regeneration medicine, is developing and attracting more and more researchers and practitioners. Whereas hematopoietic cell-based therapies have already proven their efficacy in numerous--malignant or not--diseases, non-hematopoietic cell-based therapies have not. They can be useful to dozens, if not hundreds, of patients with various disorders, such as cardiopathy, diabetes, some types of cancer, osteoarticular and neurodegenerative disorders. In these fields, numerous clinical applications are possible for mesenchymal stem cells. Cell and tissue (corneas, bone, skin) therapy products require the definition of pharmaceutical standards with new European requirements in terms of quality and safety. The legitimacy of the Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS) in cell and tissue engineering activities is established, it is recognized by most specialists and by regulatory authorities and has been asserted by the orientations of its "contrat d'objectifs et de moyens". An independent committee has been set up by the EFS President to define an EFS-specific strategy. This committee made up of qualified specialists was required to draw up a rational organization plan for these activities, in order for EFS to be in a position to produce cells and tissues according to pharmaceutical standards. The committee proposals are based on economic data and an inventory of existing cell and tissue engineering activities. Public/private partnerships are required and efforts must focus towards the industrial valorization of EFS expertise in R&D activities and staff know-how. Implementing such a new organization requires national management and the cooperation of institutional actors (university hospitals, cancer treatment centers, universities). For the success of this approach, EFS personnel must be convinced of its legitimacy and new skills must be encouraged. With its numerous assets, EFS can be ambitious and assert itself as a major actor in cell and

  6. Modeling collagen remodeling in tissue engineered cardiovascular tissues

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Soares, A.L.F.

    2012-01-01

    Commonly, heart valve replacements consist of non-living materials lacking the ability to grow, repair and remodel. Tissue engineering (TE) offers a promising alternative to these replacement strategies since it can overcome its disadvantages. The technique aims to create an autologous living tissue

  7. Differential diagnosis of bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirschfeld, R M

    2014-12-01

    Patients with bipolar disorder spend approximately half of their lives symptomatic and the majority of that time suffering from symptoms of depression, which complicates the accurate diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Challenges in the differential diagnosis of bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder are reviewed, and the clinical utility of several screening instruments is evaluated. The estimated lifetime prevalence of major depressive disorder (i.e., unipolar depression) is over 3 and one-half times that of bipolar spectrum disorders. The clinical presentation of a major depressive episode in a bipolar disorder patient does not differ substantially from that of a patient with major depressive disorder (unipolar depression). Therefore, it is not surprising that without proper screening and comprehensive evaluation many patients with bipolar disorder may be misdiagnosed with major depressive disorder (unipolar depression). In general, antidepressants have demonstrated little or no efficacy for depressive episodes associated with bipolar disorder, and treatment guidelines recommend using antidepressants only as an adjunct to mood stabilizers for patients with bipolar disorder. Thus, correct identification of bipolar disorder among patients who present with depression is critical for providing appropriate treatment and improving patient outcomes. Clinical characteristics indicative of bipolar disorder versus major depressive disorder identified in this review are based on group differences and may not apply to each individual patient. The overview of demographic and clinical characteristics provided by this review may help medical professionals distinguish between major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. Several validated, easily administered screening instruments are available and can greatly improve the recognition of bipolar disorder in patients with depression. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. NMR as a probe metabolic disorders in disease and treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yushmanov, Victor E [Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation). Inst. of Chemical Physics

    1994-12-31

    The effects of malignant tumors, chemical and physical factors (toxic agents, ionizing radiation) as well as of their treatment on tissue metabolism were studied by NMR imaging. The importance of NMR is highlighted since it enables to a better understanding of molecular mechanisms of diseases and therapeutic interventions, in addition to the analysis of metabolic disorders in human beings. Combined with the studies of experimental animal pathologies, may constitute a base for new types of NMR-diagnosis in vivo 10 refs.

  9. Clinical study of the relation of borderline personality disorder to Briquet's syndrome (hysteria), somatization disorder, antisocial personality disorder, and substance abuse disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hudziak, J J; Boffeli, T J; Kreisman, J J; Battaglia, M M; Stanger, C; Guze, S B; Kriesman, J J

    1996-12-01

    The criteria for borderline personality disorder seem to select patients with very high rates of Briquet's syndrome (hysteria), somatization disorder, antisocial personality disorder, and substance abuse disorders. This study was undertaken to determine whether systematic assessment of patients with borderline personality disorder would reveal characteristic features of that condition which would distinguish it from these other disorders. Eighty-seven white female patients (75 in St. Louis and 12 in Milan, Italy) who had borderline personality disorder according to both the DSM-III-R criteria and the Revised Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines were further examined with the DSM-III-R Checklist and the Perley-Guze Hysteria Checklist to determine their patterns of psychiatric comorbidity. Every patient had at least one additional DSM diagnosis. Patients in St. Louis and Milan averaged five and four additional diagnoses, respectively. Eighty-four percent of the patients in St. Louis met criteria for either somatization disorder, Briquet's syndrome, antisocial personality disorder, or substance abuse disorders. Patterns of comorbidity for panic (51%), generalized anxiety disorder (55%), and major depression (87%) in St. Louis were consistent with those in other studies. The data indicate that the boundaries for the borderline condition are not specific and identify a high percentage of patients with these other disorders. Furthermore, the comorbidity profiles closely resemble the psychiatric profiles of patients with these disorders. If the borderline syndrome is meant to include all of these disorders, its usefulness as a diagnosis is limited. Until the fundamental features of borderline personality disorder that distinguish it from the others are identified, it is recommended that clinicians carefully assess patients for these other diagnoses. Efforts should be made to change the borderline personality disorder criteria by shifting away from overlap with the

  10. Development of tissue bank

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R P Narayan

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The history of tissue banking is as old as the use of skin grafting for resurfacing of burn wounds. Beneficial effects of tissue grafts led to wide spread use of auto and allograft for management of varied clinical conditions like skin wounds, bone defects following trauma or tumor ablation. Availability of adequate amount of tissues at the time of requirement was the biggest challenge that forced clinicians to find out techniques to preserve the living tissue for prolonged period of time for later use and thus the foundation of tissue banking was started in early twentieth century. Harvesting, processing, storage and transportation of human tissues for clinical use is the major activity of tissue banks. Low temperature storage of processed tissue is the best preservation technique at present. Tissue banking organization is a very complex system and needs high technical expertise and skilled personnel for proper functioning in a dedicated facility. A small lapse/deviation from the established protocol leads to loss of precious tissues and or harm to recipients as well as the risk of transmission of deadly diseases and tumors. Strict tissue transplant acts and stringent regulations help to streamline the whole process of tissue banking safe for recipients and to community as whole.

  11. Unraveling the biology of bipolar disorder using induced pluripotent stem-derived neurons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Nathaniel D; Kelsoe, John R

    2017-11-01

    Bipolar disorder has been studied from numerous angles, from pathological studies to large-scale genomic studies, overall making moderate gains toward an understanding of the disorder. With the advancement of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technology, in vitro models based on patient samples are now available that inherently incorporate the complex genetic variants that largely are the basis for this disorder. A number of groups are starting to apply iPS technology to the study of bipolar disorder. We selectively reviewed the literature related to understanding bipolar disorder based on using neurons derived from iPS cells. So far, most work has used the prototypical iPS cells. However, others have been able to transdifferentiate fibroblasts directly to neurons. Others still have utilized olfactory epithelium tissue as a source of neural-like cells that do not need reprogramming. In general, iPS and related cells can be used for studies of disease pathology, drug discovery, or stem cell therapy. Published studies have primarily focused on understanding bipolar disorder pathology, but initial work is also being done to use iPS technology for drug discovery. In terms of disease pathology, some evidence is pointing toward a differentiation defect with more ventral cell types being prominent. Additionally, there is evidence for a calcium signaling defect, a finding that builds on the genome-wide association study results. Continued work with iPS cells will certainly help us understand bipolar disorder and provide a way forward for improved treatments. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Ethical tissue: a not-for-profit model for human tissue supply.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Kevin; Martin, Sandie

    2011-02-01

    Following legislative changes in 2004 and the establishment of the Human Tissue Authority, access to human tissues for biomedical research became a more onerous and tightly regulated process. Ethical Tissue was established to meet the growing demand for human tissues, using a process that provided ease of access by researchers whilst maintaining the highest ethical and regulatory standards. The establishment of a licensed research tissue bank entailed several key criteria covering ethical, legal, financial and logistical issues being met. A wide range of stakeholders, including the HTA, University of Bradford, flagged LREC, hospital trusts and clinical groups were also integral to the process.

  13. Stem cell therapy for the treatment of radiation-induced normal tissue damage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chapel, A.; Benderitter, M.; Gourmelon, P.; Lataillade, J.J.; Gorin, N.C.

    2013-01-01

    Radiotherapy may induce irreversible damage on healthy tissues surrounding the tumour. In Europe, per year, 1.5 million patients undergo external radiotherapy. Acute adverse effect concern 80% of patients. The late adverse effect of radiotherapy concern 5 to 10% of them, which could be life threatening. Eradication of these manifestations is crucial. The French Institute of Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) contribute to understand effect of radiation on healthy tissue. IRSN is strongly implicated in the field of regeneration of healthy tissue after radiotherapy or radiological accident and in the clinical use of cell therapy in the treatment of irradiated patients. Our first success in cell therapy was the correction of deficient hematopoiesis in two patients. The intravenous injection of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC) has restored bone marrow micro-environment after total body irradiation necessary to sustain hematopoiesis. Cutaneous radiation reactions play an important role in radiation accidents, but also as a limitation in radiotherapy and radio-oncology. We have evidenced for the first time, the efficiency of MSC therapy in the context of acute cutaneous and muscle damage following irradiation in five patients. Concerning the medical management of gastrointestinal disorder after irradiation, we have demonstrated the promising approach of the MSC treatment. We have shown that MSC migrate to damaged tissues and restore gut functions after radiation damage. The evaluation of stem cell therapy combining different sources of adult stem cells is under investigation

  14. Musculoskeletal disorders of the lower limb - ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging correlation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Girish, G.; Finlay, K.; Landry, D.; O'Neill, J.; Popowich, T.; Jacobson, J.; Friedman, L.; Jurriaans, E.

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to familiarize general radiologists and specialists with the sonographic and corresponding magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearance of various musculoskeletal disorders of the lower limb. Technologists and radiologists should be familiar with all imaging techniques for the investigation and evaluation of musculoskeletal abnormalities. The role of high-resolution ultrasound (US) is highlighted, as well as the complimentary relation between both imaging modalities. We also discuss some of the advantages of US over MRI in the investigation of musculoskeletal disorders of the lower limb. The MRI and US appearances of various articular, periarticular, and soft tissue pathologies of the lower limb are compared and reviewed, and where possible, the advantages of each modality are identified. (author)

  15. Significance, progress and prospects for research in simplified cultivation technologies for rice in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, M; Ibrahim, Md; Xia, B; Zou, Y

    2011-08-01

    Simplified cultivation technologies for rice have become increasingly attractive in recent years in China because of their social, economical and environmental benefits. To date, several simplified cultivation technologies, such as conventional tillage and seedling throwing (CTST), conventional tillage and direct seeding (CTDS), no-tillage and seedling throwing (NTST), no-tillage and direct seeding (NTDS) and no-tillage and transplanting (NTTP), have been developed in China. Most studies have shown that rice grown under each of these simplified cultivation technologies can produce a grain yield equal to or higher than traditional cultivation (conventional tillage and transplanting). Studies that have described the influences of agronomic practices on yield formation of rice under simplified cultivation have demonstrated that optimizing agronomy practices would increase the efficiencies of simplified cultivation systems. Further research is needed to optimize the management strategies for CTST, CTDS and NTST rice which have developed quickly in recent years, to strengthen basic research for those simplified cultivation technologies that are rarely used at present (such as NTTP and NTDS), to select and breed cultivars suitable for simplified cultivation and to compare the practicability and effectiveness of different simplified cultivation technologies in different rice production regions.

  16. Tissue Classification

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Van Leemput, Koen; Puonti, Oula

    2015-01-01

    Computational methods for automatically segmenting magnetic resonance images of the brain have seen tremendous advances in recent years. So-called tissue classification techniques, aimed at extracting the three main brain tissue classes (white matter, gray matter, and cerebrospinal fluid), are now...... well established. In their simplest form, these methods classify voxels independently based on their intensity alone, although much more sophisticated models are typically used in practice. This article aims to give an overview of often-used computational techniques for brain tissue classification...

  17. Interactions between adipose tissue and the immune system in health and malnutrition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wensveen, Felix M; Valentić, Sonja; Šestan, Marko; Wensveen, Tamara Turk; Polić, Bojan

    2015-09-01

    Adipose tissue provides the body with a storage depot of nutrients that is drained during times of starvation and replenished when food sources are abundant. As such, it is the primary sensor for nutrient availability in the milieu of an organism, which it communicates to the body through the excretion of hormones. Adipose tissue regulates a multitude of body functions associated with metabolism, such as gluconeogenesis, feeding and nutrient uptake. The immune system forms a vital layer of protection against micro-organisms that try to gain access to the nutrients contained in the body. Because infections need to be resolved as quickly as possible, speed is favored over energy-efficiency in an immune response. Especially when immune cells are activated, they switch to fast, but energy-inefficient anaerobic respiration to fulfill their energetic needs. Despite the necessity for an effective immune system, it is not given free rein in its energy expenditure. Signals derived from adipose tissue limit immune cell numbers and activity under conditions of nutrient shortage, whereas they allow proper immune cell activity when food sources are sufficiently available. When excessive fat accumulation occurs, such as in diet-induced obesity, adipose tissue becomes the site of pathological immune cell activation, causing chronic low-grade systemic inflammation. Obesity is therefore associated with a number of disorders in which the immune system plays a central role, such as atherosclerosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. In this review, we will discuss the way in which adipose tissue regulates activity of the immune system under healthy and pathological conditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Non-invasive measurement and imaging of tissue iron oxide nanoparticle concentrations in vivo using proton relaxometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    St Pierre, T G; Clark, P R; Chua-anusorn, W; Fleming, A; Pardoe, H; Jeffrey, G P; Olynyk, J K; Pootrakul, P; Jones, S; Moroz, P

    2005-01-01

    Magnetic nanoparticles and microparticles can be found in biological tissues for a variety of reasons including pathological deposition of biogenic particles, administration of synthetic particles for scientific or clinical reasons, and the inclusion of biogenic magnetic particles for the sensing of the geomagnetic field. In applied magnetic fields, the magnetisation of tissue protons can be manipulated with radiofrequency radiation such that the macroscopic magnetisation of the protons precesses freely in the plane perpendicular to the applied static field. The presence of magnetic particles within tissue enhances the rate of dephasing of proton precession with higher concentrations of particles resulting in higher dephasing rates. Magnetic resonance imaging instruments can be used to measure and image the rate of decay of spin echo recoverable proton transverse magnetisation (R 2 ) within tissues enabling the measurement and imaging of magnetic particle concentrations with the aid of suitable calibration curves. Applications include the non-invasive measurement of liver iron concentrations in iron-overload disorders and measurement and imaging of magnetic particle concentrations used in magnetic hyperthermia therapy. Future applications may include the tracking of magnetically labelled drugs or biomolecules and the measurement of fibrotic liver damage

  19. Personality Disorders in patients with disorders in eating behaviors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanesa Carina Góngora

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The interest for the systematic study of personality disorder in patients with eating disorders starts in 1980 with the edition of the DSM III multiaxial classification system. Since then, several publications have been focused on the prevalence and the effect on treatment of personality disorders in bulimic and anorexic patients. These researches showed inconsistent results due to conceptual and methodological divergences. In this paper, the more relevant findings of these studies are presented and the possible sources of discrepancy are analyzed. In general, there is a moderate comorbidity between personality disorders and eating disorders. The most frequent disorders are borderline, histrionic, obsessive-compulsive, dependent and avoidant personality disorders. Borderline and histrionic personality disorders are more frequently associated with bulimia, whereas avoidant and obsessive- compulsive personality disorders are more characteristic of anorexia nervosa. Nevertheless, the effect of the relationship between eating disorders and personality disorders in treatment remains uncertain, giving raise to several controversies and researches. 

  20. [Obsessive-compulsive disorder. A hidden disorder].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haraldsson, Magnús

    2015-02-01

    Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a common and often chronic psychiatric illness that significantly interferes with the patient´s functioning and quality of life. The disorder is characterized by excessive intrusive and inappropriate anxiety evoking thoughts as well as time consuming compulsions that cause significant impairment and distress. The symptoms are often accompanied by shame and guilt and the knowledge of the general public and professional community about the disorder is limited. Hence it is frequently misdiagnosed or diagnosed late. There are indications that the disorder is hereditary and that neurobiological processes are involved in its pathophysiology. Several psychological theories about the causes of obsessive-compulsive disorder are supported by empirical evidence. Evidence based treatment is either with serotoninergic medications or cognitive behavioral therapy, particularly a form of behavioral therapy called exposure response prevention. Better treatment options are needed because almost a third of people with obsessive-compulsive disorder respond inadequatly to treatment. In this review article two cases of obsessive-compulsive disorder are presented. The former case is a young man with typical symptoms that respond well to treatment and the latter is a middle aged lady with severe treatment resistant symptoms. She underwent stereotactic implantation of electrodes and received deep brain stimulation, which is an experimental treatment for severe obsessive-compulsive disorder that does not respond to any conventional treatment. Landspitali University Hospital, Division of Psychiatry. Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland.

  1. Next Generation Tissue Engineering of Orthopedic Soft Tissue-to-Bone Interfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boys, Alexander J.; McCorry, Mary Clare; Rodeo, Scott; Bonassar, Lawrence J.; Estroff, Lara A.

    2017-01-01

    Soft tissue-to-bone interfaces are complex structures that consist of gradients of extracellular matrix materials, cell phenotypes, and biochemical signals. These interfaces, called entheses for ligaments, tendons, and the meniscus, are crucial to joint function, transferring mechanical loads and stabilizing orthopedic joints. When injuries occur to connected soft tissue, the enthesis must be re-established to restore function, but due to structural complexity, repair has proven challenging. Tissue engineering offers a promising solution for regenerating these tissues. This prospective review discusses methodologies for tissue engineering the enthesis, outlined in three key design inputs: materials processing methods, cellular contributions, and biochemical factors. PMID:29333332

  2. Schizoaffective disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... or do not improve with treatment Thoughts of suicide or of harming others Alternative Names Mood disorder - schizoaffective disorder; Psychosis - schizoaffective disorder Images Schizoaffective disorder ...

  3. Co-occurrence of dissociative identity disorder and borderline personality disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ross, Colin A; Ferrell, Lynn; Schroeder, Elizabeth

    2014-01-01

    The literature indicates that, among individuals with borderline personality disorder, pathological dissociation correlates with a wide range of impairments and difficulties in psychological function. It also predicts a poorer response to dialectical behavior therapy for borderline personality disorder. We hypothesized that (a) dissociative identity disorder commonly co-occurs with borderline personality disorder and vice versa, and (b) individuals who meet criteria for both disorders have more comorbidity and trauma than individuals who meet criteria for only 1 disorder. We interviewed a sample of inpatients in a hospital trauma program using 3 measures of dissociation. The most symptomatic group was those participants who met criteria for both borderline personality disorder and dissociative identity disorder on the Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule, followed by those who met criteria for dissociative identity disorder only, then those with borderline personality disorder only, and finally those with neither disorder. Greater attention should be paid to the relationship between borderline personality disorder and dissociative identity disorder.

  4. Treatment of borderline personality disorder and co-occurring anxiety disorders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valenstein, Helen R.

    2013-01-01

    Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent among individuals with borderline personality disorder, with comorbidity rates of up to 90%. Anxiety disorders have been found to reduce the likelihood of achieving remission from borderline personality disorder over time and to increase the risk of suicide and self-injury in this population. Evidence-based treatments for borderline personality disorder have not sufficiently focused on targeting anxiety disorders, and their effects on these disorders are either limited or unknown. Conversely, evidence-based treatments for anxiety disorders typically exclude suicidal, self-injuring, and seriously comorbid patients, thereby limiting their generalizability to individuals with borderline personality disorder. To address these limitations, recent research has begun to emerge focused on developing and evaluating treatments for individuals with co-occurring borderline personality disorder and anxiety disorders, specifically posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with promising initial results. However, there is a need for additional research in this area, particularly studies evaluating the treatment of anxiety disorders among high-risk and complex borderline personality disorder patients. PMID:23710329

  5. Characterisation of the horse transcriptome from immunologically active tissues

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joanna Moreton

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The immune system of the horse has not been well studied, despite the fact that the horse displays several features such as sensitivity to bacterial lipopolysaccharide that make them in many ways a more suitable model of some human disorders than the current rodent models. The difficulty of working with large animal models has however limited characterisation of gene expression in the horse immune system with current annotations for the equine genome restricted to predictions from other mammals and the few described horse proteins. This paper outlines sequencing of 184 million transcriptome short reads from immunologically active tissues of three horses including the genome reference “Twilight”. In a comparison with the Ensembl horse genome annotation, we found 8,763 potentially novel isoforms.

  6. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in bipolar disorder

    OpenAIRE

    Rydén, Eleonore

    2010-01-01

    Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder, i.e., it is by definition present from childhood. The main features characterizing ADHD are the difficulties to regulate attention, activity level, and impulses. The hallmark of bipolar disorder is episodic mood alterations with restitution between episodes. Although debut in childhood may occur, bipolar disorder typically debuts in late adolescence or early adulthood. The overarching aim with this ...

  7. Metabolic syndrome as a risk factor for neurological disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farooqui, Akhlaq A; Farooqui, Tahira; Panza, Francesco; Frisardi, Vincenza

    2012-03-01

    The metabolic syndrome is a cluster of common pathologies: abdominal obesity linked to an excess of visceral fat, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and hypertension. At the molecular level, metabolic syndrome is accompanied not only by dysregulation in the expression of adipokines (cytokines and chemokines), but also by alterations in levels of leptin, a peptide hormone released by white adipose tissue. These changes modulate immune response and inflammation that lead to alterations in the hypothalamic 'bodyweight/appetite/satiety set point,' resulting in the initiation and development of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a risk factor for neurological disorders such as stroke, depression and Alzheimer's disease. The molecular mechanism underlying the mirror relationship between metabolic syndrome and neurological disorders is not fully understood. However, it is becoming increasingly evident that all cellular and biochemical alterations observed in metabolic syndrome like impairment of endothelial cell function, abnormality in essential fatty acid metabolism and alterations in lipid mediators along with abnormal insulin/leptin signaling may represent a pathological bridge between metabolic syndrome and neurological disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease and depression. The purpose of this review is not only to describe the involvement of brain in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome, but also to link the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome with neurochemical changes in stroke, Alzheimer's disease and depression to a wider audience of neuroscientists with the hope that this discussion will initiate more studies on the relationship between metabolic syndrome and neurological disorders. © Springer Basel AG 2011

  8. Alkyl-dihydroxyacetonephosphate synthase. Fate in peroxisome biogenesis disorders and identification of the point mutation underlying a single enzyme deficiency

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Vet, E. C.; IJlst, L.; Oostheim, W.; Wanders, R. J.; van den Bosch, H.

    1998-01-01

    Peroxisomes play an indispensible role in ether lipid biosynthesis as evidenced by the deficiency of ether phospholipids in fibroblasts and tissues from patients suffering from a number of peroxisomal disorders. Alkyl-dihydroxyacetonephosphate synthase, a peroxisomal enzyme playing a key role in the

  9. Mixed Connective Tissue Disease and Papillary Thyroid Cancer: A Case Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thongpooswan, Supat; Tushabe, Rachel; Song, Jeffrey; Kim, Paul; Abrudescu, Adriana

    2015-08-06

    Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) is a connective tissue disorder characterized by high titers of distinct antibodies: U1 ribonucleoprotein with clinical features seen in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), dermatomyositis (DM), polymyositis, and scleroderma. The association of SLE and DM with various cancers of the thyroid has been reported in the literature. However, there have been no reports associating MCTD with thyroid cancer. We present a 58-year-old woman diagnosed with MCTD with co-morbid interstitial lung disease that has remained stable for 10 years, who developed papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) 10 years after initial diagnosis. We theorize that: 1) MCTD may have been a primary diagnosis complicated by PTC, or 2) MCTD may have been an initial presentation of paraneoplastic syndrome of silent PTC, because her symptoms of MCTD significantly improved after total thyroidectomy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report to associate MCTD with PTC. It highlights the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for thyroid malignancy in MCTD patients.

  10. Engineering Musculoskeletal Tissue Interfaces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ece Bayrak

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Tissue engineering aims to bring together biomaterials, cells, and signaling molecules within properly designed microenvironments in order to create viable treatment options for the lost or malfunctioning tissues. Design and production of scaffolds and cell-laden grafts that mimic the complex structural and functional features of tissues are among the most important elements of tissue engineering strategy. Although all tissues have their own complex structure, an even more complex case in terms of engineering a proper carrier material is encountered at the tissue interfaces, where two distinct tissues come together. The interfaces in the body can be examined in four categories; cartilage-bone and ligament-bone interfaces at the knee and the spine, tendon-bone interfaces at the shoulder and the feet, and muscle-tendon interface at the skeletal system. These interfaces are seen mainly at the soft-to-hard tissue transitions and they are especially susceptible to injury and tear due to the biomechanical inconsistency between these tissues where high strain fields are present. Therefore, engineering the musculoskeletal tissue interfaces remain a challenge. This review focuses on recent advancements in strategies for musculoskeletal interface engineering using different biomaterial-based platforms and surface modification techniques.

  11. Addison's disease secondary to connective tissue diseases: a report of six cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhuo-li; Wang, Yu; Zhou, Wei; Hao, Yan-jie

    2009-04-01

    Addison's disease is an autoimmune process. However, Addison's disease associated with connective tissue diseases (CTD) is only occasionally reported. Here, we report six cases of Addison's disease secondary to a variety of CTD, which include systemic lupus erythematosus, Takayasu arteritis, systemic sclerosis, ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. The association of Addison's disease with Takayasu arteritis and AS is reported for the first time. We also found high prevalence of hypothyroidism as concomitant autoimmune disorder. Our case series highlight the autoimmune features of Addison's disease. Therefore, we suggest considering adrenal dysfunction in patients with CTD.

  12. Efficient isolation of pure and functional mitochondria from mouse tissues using automated tissue disruption and enrichment with anti-TOM22 magnetic beads.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andras Franko

    Full Text Available To better understand molecular mechanisms regulating changes in metabolism, as observed e.g. in diabetes or neuronal disorders, the function of mitochondria needs to be precisely determined. The usual isolation methods such as differential centrifugation result in isolates of highly variable quality and quantity. To fulfill the need of a reproducible isolation method from solid tissues, which is suitable to handle parallel samples simultaneously, we developed a protocol based on anti-TOM22 (translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane 22 homolog antibody-coupled magnetic beads. To measure oxygen consumption rate in isolated mitochondria from various mouse tissues, a traditional Clark electrode and the high-throughput XF Extracellular Flux Analyzer were used. Furthermore, Western blots, transmission electron microscopic and proteomic studies were performed to analyze the purity and integrity of the mitochondrial preparations. Mitochondrial fractions isolated from liver, brain and skeletal muscle by anti-TOM22 magnetic beads showed oxygen consumption capacities comparable to previously reported values and little contamination with other organelles. The purity and quality of isolated mitochondria using anti-TOM22 magnetic beads was compared to traditional differential centrifugation protocol in liver and the results indicated an obvious advantage of the magnetic beads method compared to the traditional differential centrifugation technique.

  13. Speech disorders - children

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... disorder; Voice disorders; Vocal disorders; Disfluency; Communication disorder - speech disorder; Speech disorder - stuttering ... evaluation tools that can help identify and diagnose speech disorders: Denver Articulation Screening Examination Goldman-Fristoe Test of ...

  14. Dynamic impact indentation of hydrated biological tissues and tissue surrogate gels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ilke Kalcioglu, Z.; Qu, Meng; Strawhecker, Kenneth E.; Shazly, Tarek; Edelman, Elazer; VanLandingham, Mark R.; Smith, James F.; Van Vliet, Krystyn J.

    2011-03-01

    For both materials engineering research and applied biomedicine, a growing need exists to quantify mechanical behaviour of tissues under defined hydration and loading conditions. In particular, characterisation under dynamic contact-loading conditions can enable quantitative predictions of deformation due to high rate 'impact' events typical of industrial accidents and ballistic insults. The impact indentation responses were examined of both hydrated tissues and candidate tissue surrogate materials. The goals of this work were to determine the mechanical response of fully hydrated soft tissues under defined dynamic loading conditions, and to identify design principles by which synthetic, air-stable polymers could mimic those responses. Soft tissues from two organs (liver and heart), a commercially available tissue surrogate gel (Perma-Gel™) and three styrenic block copolymer gels were investigated. Impact indentation enabled quantification of resistance to penetration and energy dissipative constants under the rates and energy densities of interest for tissue surrogate applications. These analyses indicated that the energy dissipation capacity under dynamic impact increased with increasing diblock concentration in the styrenic gels. Under the impact rates employed (2 mm/s to 20 mm/s, corresponding to approximate strain energy densities from 0.4 kJ/m3 to 20 kJ/m3), the energy dissipation capacities of fully hydrated soft tissues were ultimately well matched by a 50/50 triblock/diblock composition that is stable in ambient environments. More generally, the methodologies detailed here facilitate further optimisation of impact energy dissipation capacity of polymer-based tissue surrogate materials, either in air or in fluids.

  15. [Comorbidity of eating disorders and bipolar affective disorders].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamińska, Katarzyna; Rybakowski, Filip

    2006-01-01

    Eating disorders--anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS) occur usually in young females. The significant pathogenic differences between patients who only restrict food, and patients with binge eating and compensatory behaviours, such as vomiting and purging were described. The prevalence of bipolar affective disorders--especially bipolar II and bipolar spectrum disorders (BS) may reach 5% in the general population. About half of the depressive episodes are associated with a "mild" bipolar disorder, and such a diagnosis is suggested by impulsivity and mood-instability. Previously, majority of research on the comorbidity between eating and affective disorders focused on depressive symptomatology, however difficulties in the reliable assessment of hypomania may obfuscate the estimation of the co-occurrence of eating disorders with BS. Epidemiological studies suggest the association between BS and eating disorders with binge episodes (bulimia nervosa, anorexia- bulimic type and EDNOS with binge episodes). Co-occurrence of such disorders with depressive symptoms probably suggests the diagnosis of BS, not recurrent depression. Bulimic behaviours, impulsivity and affective disorders might be related to the impairment of the serotonergic neurotransmission, which may result from the genetic vulnerability and early life trauma. Currently, the first-line pharmacological treatment of co-occurring eating disorders with binge episodes and BS are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. However in some cases, the use of mood-stabilising agents as monotherapy or in combination with serotonergic drugs may be helpful.

  16. Vegetative status characteristics in children with neurological pathology on the background of undifferentiated connective tissue dysplasia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tyazka O.V.

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Background. Disorders of the autonomic nervous system are the most common pathological conditions detected in 20% - 85% of children and adolescents according to different authors' data. Assessment of the vegetative status in the period of intensive growth and differentiation of organs and tissues that is characteristic of childhood is of great practical importance. Identification of vegetative dysregulation is an important diagnostic measure in children's health status evaluation especially in patients with undifferentiated connective tissue dysplasia (UNDCT taking into account its genetic determinism and debut in childhood. Genetically determined biochemical disorders in the connective tissue followed by formation of characteristic pathological substrates cause dysregulation of sympathoadrenal system and correlate with UNDCT severity degree. Material and methods. There were 100 children aged from 5 to 16 years engaged in the investigation. All of them were treated in the neurological department of the City clinical hospital №4. All patients were divided into two groups: basic group, which included 50 children with neurological disorders and UNDC, and control one, which consisted of 50 children with neurological disorders without UNDCT. The survey included obstetric history analysis, anthropometry to determine the ratio of longitudinal and transverse dimensions (the index of Vervica; clinical and neurological examination (study of reflex&motor areas, sensory function, coordination; laboratory methods (clinical blood count and biochemical blood tests to determine the level of potassium and calcium ions, instrumental methods (electroencephalography, rheoencephalography, magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. Osokina's table was used for baseline autonomic tone assessment. The evaluation was conducted by counting the number of signs. Subsequently was performed the summation of the scores with the determination of the percentage of predominant

  17. Anxiety Disorders and the Family: How families affect psychiatric disorders

    OpenAIRE

    Hunsley, John

    1991-01-01

    Family functioning and anxiety disorders, the most prevalent forms of psychiatric disorder, influence one another. The empirical literature on family studies of anxiety disorder (ie, aggregration of disorders within families), on parent-child relationships and anxiety disorders, and on marriage and anxiety disorders is reviewed. Finally, the challenges for patients and their families of post-traumatic stress disorder are discussed.

  18. Mouse pancreas tissue slice culture facilitates long-term studies of exocrine and endocrine cell physiology in situ.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marciniak, Anja; Selck, Claudia; Friedrich, Betty; Speier, Stephan

    2013-01-01

    Studies on pancreatic cell physiology rely on the investigation of exocrine and endocrine cells in vitro. Particularly, in the case of the exocrine tissue these studies have suffered from a reduced functional viability of acinar cells in culture. As a result not only investigations on dispersed acinar cells and isolated acini were limited in their potential, but also prolonged studies on pancreatic exocrine and endocrine cells in an intact pancreatic tissue environment were unfeasible. To overcome these limitations, we aimed to establish a pancreas tissue slice culture platform to allow long-term studies on exocrine and endocrine cells in the intact pancreatic environment. Mouse pancreas tissue slice morphology was assessed to determine optimal long-term culture settings for intact pancreatic tissue. Utilizing optimized culture conditions, cell specificity and function of exocrine acinar cells and endocrine beta cells were characterized over a culture period of 7 days. We found pancreas tissue slices cultured under optimized conditions to have intact tissue specific morphology for the entire culture period. Amylase positive intact acini were present at all time points of culture and acinar cells displayed a typical strong cell polarity. Amylase release from pancreas tissue slices decreased during culture, but maintained the characteristic bell-shaped dose-response curve to increasing caerulein concentrations and a ca. 4-fold maximal over basal release. Additionally, endocrine beta cell viability and function was well preserved until the end of the observation period. Our results show that the tissue slice culture platform provides unprecedented maintenance of pancreatic tissue specific morphology and function over a culture period for at least 4 days and in part even up to 1 week. This analytical advancement now allows mid -to long-term studies on the cell biology of pancreatic disorder pathogenesis and therapy in an intact surrounding in situ.

  19. Mouse pancreas tissue slice culture facilitates long-term studies of exocrine and endocrine cell physiology in situ.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anja Marciniak

    Full Text Available Studies on pancreatic cell physiology rely on the investigation of exocrine and endocrine cells in vitro. Particularly, in the case of the exocrine tissue these studies have suffered from a reduced functional viability of acinar cells in culture. As a result not only investigations on dispersed acinar cells and isolated acini were limited in their potential, but also prolonged studies on pancreatic exocrine and endocrine cells in an intact pancreatic tissue environment were unfeasible. To overcome these limitations, we aimed to establish a pancreas tissue slice culture platform to allow long-term studies on exocrine and endocrine cells in the intact pancreatic environment. Mouse pancreas tissue slice morphology was assessed to determine optimal long-term culture settings for intact pancreatic tissue. Utilizing optimized culture conditions, cell specificity and function of exocrine acinar cells and endocrine beta cells were characterized over a culture period of 7 days. We found pancreas tissue slices cultured under optimized conditions to have intact tissue specific morphology for the entire culture period. Amylase positive intact acini were present at all time points of culture and acinar cells displayed a typical strong cell polarity. Amylase release from pancreas tissue slices decreased during culture, but maintained the characteristic bell-shaped dose-response curve to increasing caerulein concentrations and a ca. 4-fold maximal over basal release. Additionally, endocrine beta cell viability and function was well preserved until the end of the observation period. Our results show that the tissue slice culture platform provides unprecedented maintenance of pancreatic tissue specific morphology and function over a culture period for at least 4 days and in part even up to 1 week. This analytical advancement now allows mid -to long-term studies on the cell biology of pancreatic disorder pathogenesis and therapy in an intact surrounding in situ.

  20. Conduct disorders as a result of specific learning disorders

    OpenAIRE

    VOKROJOVÁ, Nela

    2012-01-01

    This thesis focuses on relationship between specific learning disorders and conduct disorders in puberty. The theoretical part explains the basic terms apearing in the thesis such as specific learning disorders, conduct disorders, puberty and prevention of conduct disorder formation. It presents Czech and foreign research which have already been done in this and related areas. The empirical part uses a quantitative method to measure anxiety and occurrence of conduct disorders in second grade ...

  1. The volume of fluid injected into the tissue expander and the tissue expansion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahmood Omranifard

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Replacement of the lost tissue is the major concerns of the plastic surgeons. Expanded area should be coherent with the surrounding tissue. Tissue expansion technique is the reforming methods the skin tissue scarcities. Several methods for tissue expansion are available; including usage of silicon balloon and injecting fluid into the tissue expander. Materials and Methods: In a clinical trial study, 35 patients, with burn scars, in the face, skull and neck area were studied. We provided a tissue expander device with capacities of 125, 250 and 350cc. Fluid was injected inside the device, 3 consecutive weeks with 1-week interval. After 3 months the device was set out and the tissue expansion was measured using a transparent board and the results were analyzed. Multiple regression was done by SPSS 20 to analyze the data. Results: Regression model showed Skin expansion was positively correlated with the volume of the injected fluid. For each centimeter square of skin expansion, about 6-8 ml of fluid must be injected. Conclusion: Correction of skin defects resulting from burning scar is possible using tissue expanders. The tissue expansion is correlated with the amount of the injected fluid.

  2. Adipose tissue invariant NKT cells protect against diet-induced obesity and metabolic disorder through regulatory cytokine production.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Lynch, Lydia

    2012-09-21

    Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are evolutionarily conserved innate T cells that influence inflammatory responses. We have shown that iNKT cells, previously thought to be rare in humans, were highly enriched in human and murine adipose tissue, and that as adipose tissue expanded in obesity, iNKT cells were depleted, correlating with proinflammatory macrophage infiltration. iNKT cell numbers were restored in mice and humans after weight loss. Mice lacking iNKT cells had enhanced weight gain, larger adipocytes, fatty livers, and insulin resistance on a high-fat diet. Adoptive transfer of iNKT cells into obese mice or in vivo activation of iNKT cells via their lipid ligand, alpha-galactocylceramide, decreased body fat, triglyceride levels, leptin, and fatty liver and improved insulin sensitivity through anti-inflammatory cytokine production by adipose-derived iNKT cells. This finding highlights the potential of iNKT cell-targeted therapies, previously proven to be safe in humans, in the management of obesity and its consequences.

  3. The relationship between borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zimmerman, Mark; Morgan, Theresa A.

    2013-01-01

    It is clinically important to recognize both bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder (BPD) in patients seeking treatment for depression, and it is important to distinguish between the two. Research considering whether BPD should be considered part of a bipolar spectrum reaches differing conclusions. We reviewed the most studied question on the relationship between BPD and bipolar disorder: their diagnostic concordance. Across studies, approximately 10% of patients with BPD had bipolar I disorder and another 10% had bipolar II disorder. Likewise, approximately 20% of bipolar II patients were diagnosed with BPD, though only 10% of bipolar I patients were diagnosed with BPD. While the comorbidity rates are substantial, each disorder is nontheless diagnosed in the absence of the other in the vast majority of cases (80% to 90%). In studies examining personality disorders broadly, other personality disorders were more commonly diagnosed in bipolar patients than was BPD. Likewise, the converse is also true: other axis I disorders such as major depression, substance abuse, and post-traumatic stress disorder are also more commonly diagnosed in patients with BPD than is bipolar disorder. These findings challenge the notion that BPD is part of the bipolar spectrum. PMID:24174890

  4. Somatic symptom disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... related disorders; Somatization disorder; Somatiform disorders; Briquet syndrome; Illness anxiety disorder References American Psychiatric Association. Somatic symptom disorder. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . ...

  5. Silk scaffolds in bone tissue engineering: An overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharjee, Promita; Kundu, Banani; Naskar, Deboki; Kim, Hae-Won; Maiti, Tapas K; Bhattacharya, Debasis; Kundu, Subhas C

    2017-11-01

    Bone tissue plays multiple roles in our day-to-day functionality. The frequency of accidental bone damage and disorder is increasing worldwide. Moreover, as the world population continues to grow, the percentage of the elderly population continues to grow, which results in an increased number of bone degenerative diseases. This increased elderly population pushes the need for artificial bone implants that specifically employ biocompatible materials. A vast body of literature is available on the use of silk in bone tissue engineering. The current work presents an overview of this literature from materials and fabrication perspective. As silk is an easy-to-process biopolymer; this allows silk-based biomaterials to be molded into diverse forms and architectures, which further affects the degradability. This makes silk-based scaffolds suitable for treating a variety of bone reconstruction and regeneration objectives. Silk surfaces offer active sites that aid the mineralization and/or bonding of bioactive molecules that facilitate bone regeneration. Silk has also been blended with a variety of polymers and minerals to enhance its advantageous properties or introduce new ones. Several successful works, both in vitro and in vivo, have been reported using silk-based scaffolds to regenerate bone tissues or other parts of the skeletal system such as cartilage and ligament. A growing trend is observed toward the use of mineralized and nanofibrous scaffolds along with the development of technology that allows to control scaffold architecture, its biodegradability and the sustained releasing property of scaffolds. Further development of silk-based scaffolds for bone tissue engineering, taking them up to and beyond the stage of human trials, is hoped to be achieved in the near future through a cross-disciplinary coalition of tissue engineers, material scientists and manufacturing engineers. The state-of-art of silk biomaterials in bone tissue engineering, covering their wide

  6. The continuum between Bipolar Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elisei, Sandro; Anastasi, Serena; Verdolini, Norma

    2012-09-01

    Several studies have been carried out regarding the possible overlap between Bipolar Disorder and borderline personality disorder. Up to now, it is not possible to provide a definitive picture. In fact, there is currently significant debate about the relationship between Borderline Personality Disorder and Bipolar Disorder. MEDLINE searches were performed to identify the latest studies of these disorders, considering psychodynamic aspects. Bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder share common clinical features, namely affective instability and impulsivity which however differ in quality. Consequently, to better understand these aspects, it is necessary to trace the stages of childhood psychological development. It has been claimed that Bipolar Disorder Type II can be divided into two subtypes: one stable and functional between episodes and one unstable between episodes which is related to Borderline Personality Disorder. However, better diagnostic theories, psychiatrist's empathy and patience remain the essential tool to understand and to face human suffering.

  7. Obesity, Oxidative Stress, Adipose Tissue Dysfunction, and the Associated Health Risks: Causes and Therapeutic Strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manna, Prasenjit

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Obesity is gaining acceptance as a serious primary health burden that impairs the quality of life because of its associated complications, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, asthma, sleep disorders, hepatic dysfunction, renal dysfunction, and infertility. It is a complex metabolic disorder with a multifactorial origin. Growing evidence suggests that oxidative stress plays a role as the critical factor linking obesity with its associated complications. Obesity per se can induce systemic oxidative stress through various biochemical mechanisms, such as superoxide generation from NADPH oxidases, oxidative phosphorylation, glyceraldehyde auto-oxidation, protein kinase C activation, and polyol and hexosamine pathways. Other factors that also contribute to oxidative stress in obesity include hyperleptinemia, low antioxidant defense, chronic inflammation, and postprandial reactive oxygen species generation. In addition, recent studies suggest that adipose tissue plays a critical role in regulating the pathophysiological mechanisms of obesity and its related co-morbidities. To establish an adequate platform for the prevention of obesity and its associated health risks, understanding the factors that contribute to the cause of obesity is necessary. The most current list of obesity determinants includes genetic factors, dietary intake, physical activity, environmental and socioeconomic factors, eating disorders, and societal influences. On the basis of the currently identified predominant determinants of obesity, a broad range of strategies have been recommended to reduce the prevalence of obesity, such as regular physical activity, ad libitum food intake limiting to certain micronutrients, increased dietary intake of fruits and vegetables, and meal replacements. This review aims to highlight recent findings regarding the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of obesity and its associated risk factors, the role of dysfunctional adipose tissue

  8. Obesity, Oxidative Stress, Adipose Tissue Dysfunction, and the Associated Health Risks: Causes and Therapeutic Strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manna, Prasenjit; Jain, Sushil K

    2015-12-01

    Obesity is gaining acceptance as a serious primary health burden that impairs the quality of life because of its associated complications, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, asthma, sleep disorders, hepatic dysfunction, renal dysfunction, and infertility. It is a complex metabolic disorder with a multifactorial origin. Growing evidence suggests that oxidative stress plays a role as the critical factor linking obesity with its associated complications. Obesity per se can induce systemic oxidative stress through various biochemical mechanisms, such as superoxide generation from NADPH oxidases, oxidative phosphorylation, glyceraldehyde auto-oxidation, protein kinase C activation, and polyol and hexosamine pathways. Other factors that also contribute to oxidative stress in obesity include hyperleptinemia, low antioxidant defense, chronic inflammation, and postprandial reactive oxygen species generation. In addition, recent studies suggest that adipose tissue plays a critical role in regulating the pathophysiological mechanisms of obesity and its related co-morbidities. To establish an adequate platform for the prevention of obesity and its associated health risks, understanding the factors that contribute to the cause of obesity is necessary. The most current list of obesity determinants includes genetic factors, dietary intake, physical activity, environmental and socioeconomic factors, eating disorders, and societal influences. On the basis of the currently identified predominant determinants of obesity, a broad range of strategies have been recommended to reduce the prevalence of obesity, such as regular physical activity, ad libitum food intake limiting to certain micronutrients, increased dietary intake of fruits and vegetables, and meal replacements. This review aims to highlight recent findings regarding the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of obesity and its associated risk factors, the role of dysfunctional adipose tissue in

  9. Tissue banking in australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ireland, Lynette; McKelvie, Helen

    2003-01-01

    The legal structure for the regulation of tissue banking has existed for many years. In Australia, the donation of human tissue is regulated by legislation in each of the eight States and Territories. These substantially uniform Acts were passed in the late 1970's and early 1980's, based on model legislation and underpinned by the concept of consensual giving. However, it was not until the early 1990's that tissue banking came under the notice of regulatory authorities. Since then the Australian Government has moved quickly to oversee the tissue banking sector in Australia. Banked human tissue has been deemed to be a therapeutic good under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, and tissue banks are required to be licensed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and are audited for compliance with the Code of Good Manufacturing Practice- Human Blood and Tissues. In addition, tissue banks must comply with a myriad of other standards, guidelines and recommendations.

  10. Using autopsy brain tissue to study alcohol-related brain damage in the genomic age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sutherland, Greg T; Sheedy, Donna; Kril, Jillian J

    2014-01-01

    The New South Wales Tissue Resource Centre at the University of Sydney, Australia, is one of the few human brain banks dedicated to the study of the effects of chronic alcoholism. The bank was affiliated in 1994 as a member of the National Network of Brain Banks and also focuses on schizophrenia and healthy control tissue. Alcohol abuse is a major problem worldwide, manifesting in such conditions as fetal alcohol syndrome, adolescent binge drinking, alcohol dependency, and alcoholic neurodegeneration. The latter is also referred to as alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD). The study of postmortem brain tissue is ideally suited to determining the effects of long-term alcohol abuse, but it also makes an important contribution to understanding pathogenesis across the spectrum of alcohol misuse disorders and potentially other neurodegenerative diseases. Tissue from the bank has contributed to 330 peer-reviewed journal articles including 120 related to alcohol research. Using the results of these articles, this review chronicles advances in alcohol-related brain research since 2003, the so-called genomic age. In particular, it concentrates on transcriptomic approaches to the pathogenesis of ARBD and builds on earlier reviews of structural changes (Harper et al. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2003;27:951) and proteomics (Matsumoto et al. Expert Rev Proteomics 2007;4:539). Copyright © 2013 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

  11. Immunohistochemical abnormalities of fibrillin in cardiovascular tissues in Marfan's syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleischer, K J; Nousari, H C; Anhalt, G J; Stone, C D; Laschinger, J C

    1997-04-01

    Molecular defects in the glycoprotein fibrillin are believed to be responsible for impaired structural integrity of cardiovascular, skeletal, and ocular tissues in Marfan's syndrome (MFS). Traditionally, excellent results have been achieved with the Bentall composite graft repair of aneurysms of the ascending aorta in MFS. However, because of the potential complications associated with prosthetic valves, there is growing interest in techniques that preserve the native aortic valve. Between May 1994 and February 1995, 15 patients with a history of concomitant or remote aortic root aneurysms or dissection underwent operation for valvular heart disease. Specimens of aortic valve, ascending aortic wall, and mitral valve were obtained specifically to observe differences in fibrillin content and architecture between patients with (n = 9) and without (n = 6) MFS. In addition, control specimens of aortic valve, aortic wall, and mitral valve were obtained from 4 patients with isolated valvular or coronary artery disease but no evidence of connective tissue disorders or other aortic pathologic conditions. Fibrillin immunostaining using indirect immunofluorescence was used. Specimens were coded and graded by a blinded observer to determine quantity, homogeneity, and fragmentation of fibrillin. Observed fibrillin abnormalities in MFS and control patients were limited to the midportion (elastin-associated microfibrils) of the aortic valve, aortic wall, and mitral valve tissues. Fibrillin abnormalities of aortic valve, aortic wall, and mitral valve tissues were seen in all patients with MFS and were most severe in those older than 20 years. Similar fibrillin abnormalities of aortic valve and aortic wall specimens were observed in control patients more than 60 years old. Even in the setting of a normal-appearing aortic valve, the current rationale for widespread use of valve-sparing repairs of aortic root aneurysms in patients with MFS and patients older than 60 years should be

  12. Voice disorder in systemic lupus erythematosus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milena S F C de Macedo

    Full Text Available Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE is a chronic disease characterized by progressive tissue damage. In recent decades, novel treatments have greatly extended the life span of SLE patients. This creates a high demand for identifying the overarching symptoms associated with SLE and developing therapies that improve their life quality under chronic care. We hypothesized that SLE patients would present dysphonic symptoms. Given that voice disorders can reduce life quality, identifying a potential SLE-related dysphonia could be relevant for the appraisal and management of this disease. We measured objective vocal parameters and perceived vocal quality with the GRBAS (Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, Strain scale in SLE patients and compared them to matched healthy controls. SLE patients also filled a questionnaire reporting perceived vocal deficits. SLE patients had significantly lower vocal intensity and harmonics to noise ratio, as well as increased jitter and shimmer. All subjective parameters of the GRBAS scale were significantly abnormal in SLE patients. Additionally, the vast majority of SLE patients (29/36 reported at least one perceived vocal deficit, with the most prevalent deficits being vocal fatigue (19/36 and hoarseness (17/36. Self-reported voice deficits were highly correlated with altered GRBAS scores. Additionally, tissue damage scores in different organ systems correlated with dysphonic symptoms, suggesting that some features of SLE-related dysphonia are due to tissue damage. Our results show that a large fraction of SLE patients suffers from perceivable dysphonia and may benefit from voice therapy in order to improve quality of life.

  13. Apoptotic factors in physiological and pathological processes of teeth and periodontal tissues – literature review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Orzedala-Koszel Urszula

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Apoptosis is a physiological process that occurs in the human body throughout the entire life span. This process can be seen in the tissues of the stomatognathic system. A disorder in such programmed cell death processes leads to the development of pathological lesions. Among these are inflammation, osteolytic lesions and neoplastic hyperplasia. We put forward that future studies should concentrate on how to use the knowledge of apoptotic processes and their inhibitors in therapeutic processes involving the stomatognathic system.

  14. Current Issues in the Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and Conduct Disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frick, Paul J.; Nigg, Joel T.

    2015-01-01

    This review evaluates the diagnostic criteria for three of the most common disorders for which children and adolescents are referred for mental health treatment: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and conduct disorder (CD). Although research supports the validity and clinical utility of these disorders, several issues are highlighted that could enhance the current diagnostic criteria. For ADHD, defining the core features of the disorder and its fit with other disorders, enhancing the validity of the criteria through the lifespan, considering alternative ways to form subtypes of the disorder, and modifying the age-of-onset criterion are discussed relative to the current diagnostic criteria. For ODD, eliminating the exclusionary criteria of CD, recognizing important symptom domains within the disorder, and using the cross-situational pervasiveness of the disorder as an index of severity are highlighted as important issues for improving classification. Finally, for CD, enhancing the current subtypes related to age of onset and integrating callous-unemotional traits into the diagnostic criteria are identified as key issues for improving classification. PMID:22035245

  15. Current issues in the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frick, Paul J; Nigg, Joel T

    2012-01-01

    This review evaluates the diagnostic criteria for three of the most common disorders for which children and adolescents are referred for mental health treatment: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and conduct disorder (CD). Although research supports the validity and clinical utility of these disorders, several issues are highlighted that could enhance the current diagnostic criteria. For ADHD, defining the core features of the disorder and its fit with other disorders, enhancing the validity of the criteria through the lifespan, considering alternative ways to form subtypes of the disorder, and modifying the age-of-onset criterion are discussed relative to the current diagnostic criteria. For ODD, eliminating the exclusionary criteria of CD, recognizing important symptom domains within the disorder, and using the cross-situational pervasiveness of the disorder as an index of severity are highlighted as important issues for improving classification. Finally, for CD, enhancing the current subtypes related to age of onset and integrating callous-unemotional traits into the diagnostic criteria are identified as key issues for improving classification.

  16. Self-stigma in borderline personality disorder – cross-sectional comparison with schizophrenia spectrum disorder, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grambal A

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Ales Grambal,1 Jan Prasko,1 Dana Kamaradova,1 Klara Latalova,1 Michaela Holubova,1,2 Marketa Marackova,1 Marie Ociskova,1 Milos Slepecky3 1Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Department of Psychiatry, Palacky University Olomouc, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, 2Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Liberec, Liberec, Czech Republic; 3Faculty of Social Science and Health Care, Department of Psychology Sciences, Constantine the Philosopher University, Nitra, Slovak Republic Introduction: Self-stigma arises from one’s acceptance of societal prejudices and is common in psychiatric patients. This investigation compares the self-stigma of a sample of patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD, schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SCH, major depressive disorder (MDD, bipolar affective disorder (BAD, and anxiety disorders (AD and explores of the self-stigma with the subjective and objective measures of the severity of the disorder and demographic factors. Methods: The total of 184 inpatients admitted to the psychotherapeutic department diagnosed with BPD, SCH, MDD, BAP, and AD were compared on the internalized stigma of mental illness (ISMI scale. The ISMI-total score was correlated with the subjective and objective evaluation of the disorder severity (clinical global impression, and clinical and demographic factors. Results: The self-stigma levels were statistically significantly different among the diagnostic groups (BPD 71.15±14.74; SCH 63.2±13.27; MDD 64.09±12.2; BAD 62.0±14.21; AD 57.62±15.85; one-way analysis of variance: F=8.698, df=183; P<0.005. However after applying the Bonferroni’s multiple comparison test, the only significant difference was between the BPD patients and the patients with AD (P<0.001. Stepwise regression analysis showed that the strongest factors connected with the higher level of self-stigma were being without partner, the number of hospitalization, and the severity of the disorder. Conclusion: The BPD patients

  17. X-ray diffraction evidence for myelin disorder in brain from humans with Alzheimer's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chia, L S; Thompson, J E; Moscarello, M A

    1984-09-05

    Wide-angle X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the lipid phase transition temperature of myelin from brain tissue of humans with Alzheimer's disease was about 12 degrees C lower than that of normal age-matched controls, indicating differences in the physical organization of the myelin lipid bilayer. Elevated levels of malondialdehyde and conjugated diene were found in brain tissue from humans with Alzheimer's disease, indicating an increased amount of lipid peroxidation over the controls. An increase in myelin disorder and in lipid peroxidation can both be correlated with aging in human brain, but the changes in myelin from humans with Alzheimer's disease are more pronounced than in normal aging. These changes might represent severe or accelerated aging.

  18. Neuronal and epithelial cell rescue resolves chronic systemic inflammation in the lipid storage disorder Niemann-Pick C.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopez, Manuel E; Klein, Andrés D; Hong, Jennifer; Dimbil, Ubah J; Scott, Matthew P

    2012-07-01

    Chronic systemic inflammation is thought to be a major contributor to metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. Since inflammatory components are shared among different disorders, targeting inflammation is an attractive option for mitigating disease. To test the significance of inflammation in the lipid storage disorder (LSD) Niemann-Pick C (NPC), we deleted the macrophage inflammatory gene Mip1a/Ccl3 from NPC diseased mice. Deletion of Ccl3 had been reported to delay neuronal loss in Sandhoff LSD mice by inhibiting macrophage infiltration. For NPC mice, in contrast, deleting Ccl3 did not retard neurodegeneration and worsened the clinical outcome. Depletion of visceral tissue macrophages also did not alter central nervous system (CNS) pathology and instead increased liver injury, suggesting a limited macrophage infiltration response into the CNS and a beneficial role of macrophage activity in visceral tissue. Prevention of neuron loss or liver injury, even at late stages in the disease, was achieved through specific rescue of NPC disease in neurons or in liver epithelial cells, respectively. Local epithelial cell correction was also sufficient to reduce the macrophage-associated pathology in lung tissue. These results demonstrate that elevated inflammation and macrophage activity does not necessarily contribute to neurodegeneration and tissue injury, and LSD defects in immune cells may not preclude an appropriate inflammatory response. We conclude that inflammation remains secondary to neuronal and epithelial cell dysfunction and does not irreversibly contribute to the pathogenic cascade in NPC disease. Without further exploration of possible beneficial roles of inflammatory mediators, targeting inflammation may not be therapeutically effective at ameliorating disease severity.

  19. Metabolic Disorder in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Patients: Towards a Personalized Approach Using Marine Drug Derivatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamonaca, Palma; Prinzi, Giulia; Kisialiou, Aliaksei; Cardaci, Vittorio; Fini, Massimo; Russo, Patrizia

    2017-03-20

    Metabolic disorder has been frequently observed in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. However, the exact correlation between obesity, which is a complex metabolic disorder, and COPD remains controversial. The current study summarizes a variety of drugs from marine sources that have anti-obesity effects and proposed potential mechanisms by which lung function can be modulated with the anti-obesity activity. Considering the similar mechanism, such as inflammation, shared between obesity and COPD, the study suggests that marine derivatives that act on the adipose tissues to reduce inflammation may provide beneficial therapeutic effects in COPD subjects with high body mass index (BMI).

  20. Serum and tissue angiotensin-converting enzyme in patients with alopecia areata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fahim, Shabnam; Montazer, Fatemeh; Tohidinik, Hamid Reza; Naraghi, Zahra Safaei; Abedini, Robabeh; Nasimi, Maryam; Ghandi, Narges

    2018-03-27

    Alopecia areata is an immune-dependent disorder characterized by the interaction of T-lymphocytes with follicular antigens. Recent studies have shown the existence of a local renin-angiotensin system in the skin, where angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) plays a role in autoimmunity and inflammation. The objective of this study was to evaluate serum and tissue ACE activity in patients with alopecia areata. This case-control study was conducted on patients with alopecia areata and healthy controls. Serum and tissue ACE activity were assessed and compared between the two groups. Twenty-five alopecia areata patients (60% male, mean age 32.1 ± 9.9 years) and 24 controls (50% male, mean age 37.4 ± 8.8 years) were included. Mean serum ACE activity was 52.1 ± 9 U/L in cases and 55.3 ± 14.7 U/L in controls (P = 0.37). Tissue ACE activity was significantly lower in cases in all parts of the skin i.e. epidermis (P = 0.016), follicular epithelium (P = 0.004), and endothelium (P = 0.037). Among cases, serum ACE activity was significantly higher in patients with more severe disease (P = 0.030), nonpatchy alopecia areata (alopecia universalis; ophiasis, patchy and ophiasis, diffuse) (P = 0.029), and with nail involvement (P = 0.027). The sample size was too small to draw definite conclusions. Further, most of the patients had only mild or moderate alopecia areata. Unlike in some other inflammatory diseases, the tissue level of ACE seems to be significantly lower in alopecia areata compared to normal controls. Serum ACE was significantly higher in patients with more severe disease.