High-utilizing Crohn's disease patients under psychosomatic therapy*

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Jantschek Günther

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective Few studies have been published on health care utilization in Crohn's disease and the influence of psychological treatment on high utilizers. Methods The present sub study of a prospective multi center investigation conducted in 87 of 488 consecutive Crohn's disease (CD patients was designed to investigate the influence of the course of Crohn's disease on health care utilization (hospital days (HD and sick leave days (SLD collected by German insurance companies and to examine the conditions of high-utilizing patients. Predictors of health care utilization should be selected. Based on a standardized somatic treatment, high health care utilizing patients of the psychotherapy and control groups should be compared before and after a one-year treatment. Results Multivariate regression analysis identified disease activity at randomization as an important predictor of the clinical course (r2 = 0.28, p 2 = 0.15, p = 0.09. The patients' level of anxiety, depression and lack of control at randomization predicted their health-related quality of life at the end of the study (r2 = 0.51, p 2 = 0.22, p Among high utilizers, a significantly greater drop in HD (p Conclusion The course of Crohn's disease is influenced by psychological as well as somatic factors; especially depression seems important here. A significant drop of health care utilization demonstrates the benefit of psychological treatment in the subgroup of high-utilizing CD patients. Further studies are needed to replicate the findings of the clinical outcome in this CD subgroup.

Exploration of Disease Markers under Translational Medicine Model

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Rajagopal Krishnamoorthy

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Disease markers are defined as the biomarkers with specific characteristics during the general physical, pathological or therapeutic process, the detection of which can inform the progression of present biological process of organisms. However, the exploration of disease markers is complicated and difficult, and only a few markers can be used in clinical practice and there is no significant difference in the mortality of cancers before and after biomarker exploration. Translational medicine focuses on breaking the blockage between basic medicine and clinical practice. In addition, it also establishes an effective association between researchers engaged on basic scientific discovery and clinical physicians well informed of patients' requirements, and gives particular attentions on how to translate the basic molecular biological research to the most effective and appropriate methods for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases, hoping to translate basic research into the new therapeutic methods in clinic. Therefore, this study mainly summarized the exploration of disease markers under translational medicine model so as to provide a basis for the translation of basic research results into clinical application.

Conclusion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandøy, Helge; Kristiansen, Tore

2010-01-01

1. Comparing empirical findings with the “mountain peak model” In the introduction to this volume, we presented a “mountain peak model” of Nordic purism based on evidence showing that language scholars and lay people are very much in agreement as to where we find the more purist languages......-speaking Finland to Finnish-speaking Finland. In this conclusion to the volume, we will summarize the empirical findings presented in the volume, findings for use and attitudes alike, and compare them with the mountain peak model. That way, we may be able to estimate the nature of the cross-national ideological...

Conclusion; Zaklyuchenie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nikitin, V I

1961-07-01

In this chapter of book are present conclusions about work done by author, in particular that he found comparatively simple and available ways of synthesis of glycerin of acetylene line and glycerin of ethylen line which before was unknown or almost unknown in the chemical literature.

Mechanisms Underlying HIV-Associated Noninfectious Lung Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Presti, Rachel M; Flores, Sonia C; Palmer, Brent E; Atkinson, Jeffrey J; Lesko, Catherine R; Lau, Bryan; Fontenot, Andrew P; Roman, Jesse; McDyer, John F; Twigg, Homer L

2017-11-01

Pulmonary disease remains a primary source of morbidity and mortality in persons living with HIV (PLWH), although the advent of potent combination antiretroviral therapy has resulted in a shift from predominantly infectious to noninfectious pulmonary complications. PLWH are at high risk for COPD, pulmonary hypertension, and lung cancer even in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy. The underlying mechanisms of this are incompletely understood, but recent research in both human and animal models suggests that oxidative stress, expression of matrix metalloproteinases, and genetic instability may result in lung damage, which predisposes PLWH to these conditions. Some of the factors that drive these processes include tobacco and other substance use, direct HIV infection and expression of specific HIV proteins, inflammation, and shifts in the microbiome toward pathogenic and opportunistic organisms. Further studies are needed to understand the relative importance of these factors to the development of lung disease in PLWH. Copyright © 2017 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conclusions and recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-01-01

The FAO/IAEA/GSF/SIDA Co-ordinated Research Programme on Cereal Grain Protein Improvement by Nuclear Techniques was a follow-up to the FAO/IAEA/GSF Co-ordinated Research Programme on the Use of Nuclear Techniques for Seed Protein Improvement. It was initiated in 1969 and ended in 1981. The objectives of the meeting were to review and evaluate the achievements of the current and previous programmes in order to draw conclusions on the possibility of genetic improvement of cereal grain protein using nuclear techniques, to identify unsolved problems and to discuss and propose possible approaches for their solution. Through reviews and discussions, conclusions and recommendations were made by the participants

Epidemiologic study of end stage renal disease and related risk factors in patients under hemodialysis in Lorestan province

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babak Hadian

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Prevalence of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD is increasing in the world. Because of clinical importance of ESRD and absence of significant data, we studied the epidemiology of end stage renal failure in patients under hemodialysis in Lorestan province. Material and methods: This descriptive cross sectional study was carried out between January 2012 and January 2013 in dialysis centers of Lorestan university of medical sciences .Subject were selected by census method and data galhered using a questionnaire. At the end, collected data were analyzed by SPSS software, descriptive statistics and Chi-square test. Results: All the patients under hemodialysis were 318 cases, 182 out of them (57.2% and 136(42.8% were male and female respectively. The mean age of the subjects was 53.2± 16.4 years. The cause of renal failure in 38.1% of the patients were hypertension, diabetes (19.2% and unknown factors (27.4%. As well as 5.97% of the patients infected by HCV, HBV or HIV . A significant statistical difference was observed between causes of chronic renal failure and different ages of the subjects (p=0.002. Conclusion: Augmentation of screening programs and especially, early referral of high risk subjects to nephrologists is recommended for prevention of end stage renal disease.

Conclusion conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tubiana, M.

1997-01-01

Radioactive isotopes are the basis of spectacular advancements in biology, but also in medicine, not only indirectly with progress in disease and human body understanding, but also directly through nuclear medicine and radiotherapy. The important role of the Cea in the development of French radiotherapy, dosimetry and radioactive isotopes (especially cobalt) is reviewed

Under-reporting of notifiable infectious disease hospitalizations in a health board region in Ireland: room for improvement?

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Brabazon, E D

2008-02-01

Rapid notification of infectious diseases is essential for prompt public health action and for monitoring of these diseases in the Irish population at both a local and national level. Anecdotal evidence suggests, however, that the occurrence of notifiable infectious diseases is seriously underestimated. This study aims to assess the level of hospitalization for notifiable infectious diseases for a 6-year period in one health board region in Ireland and to assess whether or not there was any under-reporting during this period. All hospital in-patient admissions from 1997 to 2002 inclusive with a principal diagnosis relating to \\'infectious and parasitic diseases\\' (ICD codes 001-139) of residents from a health board region in Ireland were extracted from the Hospital In-Patient Enquiry System (HIPE). All notifiable infectious diseases were identified based on the 1981 Irish Infectious Disease Regulations and the data were analysed in the statistical package, JMP. These data were compared with the corresponding notification data. Analysis of the hospital in-patient admission data revealed a substantial burden associated with notifiable infectious diseases in this health board region: there were 2758 hospitalizations by 2454 residents, 17,034 bed days and 33 deaths. The statutory notification data comprises both general practitioner and hospital clinician reports of infectious disease. Therefore, only in cases where there are more hospitalizations than notifications can under-reporting be demonstrated. This occurred in nine out of 22 notifiable diseases and amounted to an additional 18% of notifications (or 572 cases) which were \\'missed\\' due to hospital clinician under-reporting. The majority of these under-reported cases were for viral meningitis (45%), infectious mononucleosis (27%), viral hepatitis C unspecified (15%) and acute encephalitis (5.8%). This study has highlighted the extent of under-reporting of hospitalized notifiable infectious diseases, in a

Overview of human health in the Arctic: conclusions and recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Donaldson, Shawn; Adlard, Bryan; Odland, Jon Øyvind

2016-01-01

This article is intended to provide an overview of the key conclusions, knowledge gaps and key recommendations based on the recent 2015 Arctic human health assessment under the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program. This assessment was based primarily on data from human health monitoring and research studies and peer-reviewed literature published since the last assessment in 2009.

General conclusions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tubiana, M.

1993-01-01

In conclusion, a general consensus of a number of points which the author endeavours to summarize in this article: -doctors are an excellent channel for passing on information to the public -doctors feel that they do not know enough about the subject and a training on radiobiology and radiation protection is a necessity for them -communication between doctors and the general public is poor in this field -research should be encouraged in numerous areas such as: carcinogenic effect of low doses of radiation, pedagogy and risk perception

Imaging of Brain Connectivity in Dementia: Clinical Implications for Diagnosis of its Underlying Diseases

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R. Meijboom (Rozanna)

2017-01-01

markdownabstractIn this thesis we investigated the use of advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques in identifying subtle brain abnormalities, associating brain abnormalities with disease symptomatology, and improving early (differential) diagnosis in several diseases underlying dementia.

Antagonism between phytohormone signalling underlies the variation in disease susceptibility of tomato plants under elevated CO2

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shuai; Li, Xin; Sun, Zenghui; Shao, Shujun; Hu, Lingfei; Ye, Meng; Zhou, Yanhong; Xia, Xiaojian; Yu, Jingquan; Shi, Kai

2015-01-01

Increasing CO2 concentrations ([CO2]) have the potential to disrupt plant–pathogen interactions in natural and agricultural ecosystems, but the research in this area has often produced conflicting results. Variations in phytohormone salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) signalling could be associated with variations in the responses of pathogens to plants grown under elevated [CO2]. In this study, interactions between tomato plants and three pathogens with different infection strategies were compared. Elevated [CO2] generally favoured SA biosynthesis and signalling but repressed the JA pathway. The exposure of plants to elevated [CO2] revealed a lower incidence and severity of disease caused by tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and by Pseudomonas syringae, whereas plant susceptibility to necrotrophic Botrytis cinerea increased. The elevated [CO2]-induced and basal resistance to TMV and P. syringae were completely abolished in plants in which the SA signalling pathway nonexpressor of pathogenesis-related genes 1 (NPR1) had been silenced or in transgenic plants defective in SA biosynthesis. In contrast, under both ambient and elevated [CO2], the susceptibility to B. cinerea highly increased in plants in which the JA signalling pathway proteinase inhibitors (PI) gene had been silenced or in a mutant affected in JA biosynthesis. However, plants affected in SA signalling remained less susceptible to this disease. These findings highlight the modulated antagonistic relationship between SA and JA that contributes to the variation in disease susceptibility under elevated [CO2]. This information will be critical for investigating how elevated CO2 may affect plant defence and the dynamics between plants and pathogens in both agricultural and natural ecosystems. PMID:25657213

5. Conclusion

OpenAIRE

Beerli, Monique Jo

2013-01-01

Attracted by conflict and war, starvation and disease, natural disasters and underdevelopment, discrimination and injustice, solidarity organizations and their supporters engage themselves in struggles for the acquisition of benefits that they themselves will not receive. In the absence of political solutions addressing the demands of a given people, non-state actors are capable of appropriating functions and responsibilities upon themselves which the state is unwilling or unable to perform. ...

Forecasting the future risk of Barmah Forest virus disease under climate change scenarios in Queensland, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Naish, Suchithra; Mengersen, Kerrie; Hu, Wenbiao; Tong, Shilu

2013-01-01

Mosquito-borne diseases are climate sensitive and there has been increasing concern over the impact of climate change on future disease risk. This paper projected the potential future risk of Barmah Forest virus (BFV) disease under climate change scenarios in Queensland, Australia. We obtained data on notified BFV cases, climate (maximum and minimum temperature and rainfall), socio-economic and tidal conditions for current period 2000-2008 for coastal regions in Queensland. Grid-data on future climate projections for 2025, 2050 and 2100 were also obtained. Logistic regression models were built to forecast the otential risk of BFV disease distribution under existing climatic, socio-economic and tidal conditions. The model was applied to estimate the potential geographic distribution of BFV outbreaks under climate change scenarios. The predictive model had good model accuracy, sensitivity and specificity. Maps on potential risk of future BFV disease indicated that disease would vary significantly across coastal regions in Queensland by 2100 due to marked differences in future rainfall and temperature projections. We conclude that the results of this study demonstrate that the future risk of BFV disease would vary across coastal regions in Queensland. These results may be helpful for public health decision making towards developing effective risk management strategies for BFV disease control and prevention programs in Queensland.

Measuring underreporting and under-ascertainment in infectious disease datasets: a comparison of methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibbons, Cheryl L; Mangen, Marie-Josée J; Plass, Dietrich; Havelaar, Arie H; Brooke, Russell John; Kramarz, Piotr; Peterson, Karen L; Stuurman, Anke L; Cassini, Alessandro; Fèvre, Eric M; Kretzschmar, Mirjam E E

2014-02-11

Efficient and reliable surveillance and notification systems are vital for monitoring public health and disease outbreaks. However, most surveillance and notification systems are affected by a degree of underestimation (UE) and therefore uncertainty surrounds the 'true' incidence of disease affecting morbidity and mortality rates. Surveillance systems fail to capture cases at two distinct levels of the surveillance pyramid: from the community since not all cases seek healthcare (under-ascertainment), and at the healthcare-level, representing a failure to adequately report symptomatic cases that have sought medical advice (underreporting). There are several methods to estimate the extent of under-ascertainment and underreporting. Within the context of the ECDC-funded Burden of Communicable Diseases in Europe (BCoDE)-project, an extensive literature review was conducted to identify studies that estimate ascertainment or reporting rates for salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis in European Union Member States (MS) plus European Free Trade Area (EFTA) countries Iceland, Norway and Switzerland and four other OECD countries (USA, Canada, Australia and Japan). Multiplication factors (MFs), a measure of the magnitude of underestimation, were taken directly from the literature or derived (where the proportion of underestimated, under-ascertained, or underreported cases was known) and compared for the two pathogens. MFs varied between and within diseases and countries, representing a need to carefully select the most appropriate MFs and methods for calculating them. The most appropriate MFs are often disease-, country-, age-, and sex-specific. When routine data are used to make decisions on resource allocation or to estimate epidemiological parameters in populations, it becomes important to understand when, where and to what extent these data represent the true picture of disease, and in some instances (such as priority setting) it is necessary to adjust for underestimation

Shared activity patterns arising at genetic susceptibility loci reveal underlying genomic and cellular architecture of human disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baillie, J Kenneth; Bretherick, Andrew; Haley, Christopher S

2018-01-01

Genetic variants underlying complex traits, including disease susceptibility, are enriched within the transcriptional regulatory elements, promoters and enhancers. There is emerging evidence that regulatory elements associated with particular traits or diseases share similar patterns...... the regulation of the OCT1 cation transporter and genetic variants underlying circulating cholesterol levels. NDA strongly implicates particular cell types and tissues in disease pathogenesis. For example, distinct groupings of disease-associated regulatory regions implicate two distinct biological processes...... in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis; a further two separate processes are implicated in Crohn's disease. Thus, our functional analysis of genetic predisposition to disease defines new distinct disease endotypes. We predict that patients with a preponderance of susceptibility variants in each group are likely...

Cases of Trichohepatoenteric Syndrome (Syndromic Diarrhea with Underlying Crohn’s Disease

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Е. А. Roslavtseva

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Tricho-hepato-enteric syndrome (syndromic, phenotypic diarrhea, SD/THES is a rare inborn disease, which affects bowels. It is caused by the mutation of genes SKIV2L or TTC37. Manifestations include intrauterine hypotrophy, severe chronic diarrhea, which starts in infancy, characteristic facial features and hair growth abnormalities, immune disorders. There are data on two patients dealing with tricho-hepato-enteric syndrome with underlying Crohn’s disease. This is the first description of cases of aggravated tricho-hepatoenteric syndrome ever found in Russian medical literature. 

Pulmonary aspergillosis in immunocompetent patients without air-meniscus sign and underlying lung disease: CT findings and histopathologic features

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoon, Soon Ho; Park, Chang Min; Goo, Jin Mo; Lee, Hyun Ju (Dept. of Radiology and Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National Univ. Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)), email: rosaceci@radiol.snu.ac.kr

2011-09-15

Background: Pulmonary aspergillosis in immunocompetent patients has been described as a saprophytic infection with pre-existing lung lesions showing an air-meniscus sign on chest radiograph or CT scans. There have been rare articles dealing with pulmonary aspergillosis in immunocompetent patients without pre-existing lung lesions. Purpose: To evaluate the CT findings of pulmonary aspergillosis in immunocompetent patients without air-meniscus and underlying lung disease and to correlate the CT findings and pathologic features of pulmonary aspergillosis in these patients. Material and Methods: A total of seven surgically proven pulmonary aspergillosis found in immunocompetent patients without an air-meniscus and underlying lung disease (M:F = 1:6; mean age 63.4 years) were included. On CT, the lesion shape, margin, type, location, diameter, presence of satellite nodules, presence of CT halo sign or hypodense sign, and interval growth were evaluated. Histopathologic features of each lesion were classified as one of the following; primary aspergilloma, chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis, or invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Correlation between CT findings and pathological features was performed. Results: All lesions presented as a nodule or mass unable to differentiate from malignancy. Most lesions had well-defined margins (n = 4), appeared as solid lesions (n = 7), and were located in the upper lobe (n = 5). Mean diameter of lesions was 2.3 cm. Satellite nodules (n = 2), CT halo sign (n = 1), and hypodense sign (n = 4) were found. Only one lesion increased in size during follow-up. Lesions were pathologically classified as primary aspergilloma (n = 3) and chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis (n = 4). The hypodense sign on CT was pathologically proved as dense fungal hyphae filled in bronchus and CT halo sign as parenchymal hemorrhage. Conclusion: Pulmonary aspergillosis predominantly presented as a nodule or mass mimicking malignancy in the upper lobes

Pulmonary aspergillosis in immunocompetent patients without air-meniscus sign and underlying lung disease: CT findings and histopathologic features

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Soon Ho; Park, Chang Min; Goo, Jin Mo; Lee, Hyun Ju

2011-01-01

Background: Pulmonary aspergillosis in immunocompetent patients has been described as a saprophytic infection with pre-existing lung lesions showing an air-meniscus sign on chest radiograph or CT scans. There have been rare articles dealing with pulmonary aspergillosis in immunocompetent patients without pre-existing lung lesions. Purpose: To evaluate the CT findings of pulmonary aspergillosis in immunocompetent patients without air-meniscus and underlying lung disease and to correlate the CT findings and pathologic features of pulmonary aspergillosis in these patients. Material and Methods: A total of seven surgically proven pulmonary aspergillosis found in immunocompetent patients without an air-meniscus and underlying lung disease (M:F = 1:6; mean age 63.4 years) were included. On CT, the lesion shape, margin, type, location, diameter, presence of satellite nodules, presence of CT halo sign or hypodense sign, and interval growth were evaluated. Histopathologic features of each lesion were classified as one of the following; primary aspergilloma, chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis, or invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Correlation between CT findings and pathological features was performed. Results: All lesions presented as a nodule or mass unable to differentiate from malignancy. Most lesions had well-defined margins (n = 4), appeared as solid lesions (n = 7), and were located in the upper lobe (n = 5). Mean diameter of lesions was 2.3 cm. Satellite nodules (n = 2), CT halo sign (n = 1), and hypodense sign (n = 4) were found. Only one lesion increased in size during follow-up. Lesions were pathologically classified as primary aspergilloma (n = 3) and chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis (n = 4). The hypodense sign on CT was pathologically proved as dense fungal hyphae filled in bronchus and CT halo sign as parenchymal hemorrhage. Conclusion: Pulmonary aspergillosis predominantly presented as a nodule or mass mimicking malignancy in the upper lobes

[Cardioprotective effects of glutamine in patients with ischemic heart disease operated under conditions of extracorporeal blood circulation].

Science.gov (United States)

Lomivorotov, V V; Efremov, S M; Shmyrev, V A; Ponomarev, D N; Sviatchenko, A V; Kniaz'kova, L G

2012-01-01

It was conducted a study of glutamine cardioptotective effects during perioperative use in patients with ischemic heart disease, operated under CB. Exclusion criteria were: left ventricular ejection fraction less than 50%, diabetes melitus, myocardial infarction less than 3 months ago, Patients of the study group (n=25) had glutamine (20% solution N(2)-L-alanine-L-glutamine ("Dipeptiven" Fresenius Kabi, Germany); 0.4 g/kg/day. Patients of control group (n=25) received placebo (0.9% NaCl solution). The main indicators were the dynamics of troponin I, as well as central hemodynamics parameters. On the 1-st day after operation the concentration of troponin I was significantly lower in the glutamine-group compared placebo-group (1.280 (0.840-2.230) 2.410 (1.060-6.600) ng/ml; p=0.035). 4 hours after CB in a glutamine-group also had significantly large indicators of cardiac index (2.58 (2.34-2.91) l/min/m2 vs 2.03 (1.76-2.32)) l/min/m2; p=0,002) and stroke index (32.8 (27.8-36.0.) ml/m2 vs 26.1 (22.6-31.8) ml/m2; p=0.023). Systemic vascular resistance index was significantly lower in glutamine-group (1942 (1828-2209) dyn x s/cm(-5)/m2 vs 2456 (2400-3265) dyn x s/cm(-5)/m2; p=0.001). Conclusion. Perioperative use of N(2)-L-alanine-L-glutamine during the first 24 hours ofperioperative period gives cardioprotective effect in patients with ischemic heart disease operated under CB.

Unraveling the mechanisms underlying postural instability in Parkinson's disease using dynamic posturography

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nonnekes, J.H.; Kam, D. de; Geurts, A.C.; Weerdesteijn, V.G.M.; Bloem, B.R.

2013-01-01

Postural instability, one of the cardinal symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD), has devastating consequences for affected patients. Better strategies to prevent falls are needed, but this calls for an improved understanding of the complex mechanisms underlying postural instability. We must also

Chagas disease: national survey of seroprevalence in children under five years of age conducted in 2008

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Graciela Russomando

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Since the early 1990s, programs to control Chagas disease in South America have focused on eradicating domiciliary Triatoma infestans, the main vector. Seroprevalence studies of the chagasic infection are included as part of the vector control programs; they are essential to assess the impact of vector control measures and to monitor the prevention of vector transmission. OBJECTIVE To assess the interruption of domiciliary vector transmission of Chagas disease by T. infestans in Paraguay by evaluating the current state of transmission in rural areas. METHODS A survey of seroprevalence of Chagas disease was carried out in a representative sample group of Paraguayans aged one to five years living in rural areas of Paraguay in 2008. Blood samples collected on filter paper from 12,776 children were tested using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Children whose serology was positive or undetermined (n = 41 were recalled to donate a whole blood sample for retesting. Their homes were inspected for current triatomine infestation. Blood samples from their respective mothers were also collected and tested to check possible transmission of the disease by a congenital route. FINDINGS A seroprevalence rate of 0.24% for Trypanosoma cruzi infection was detected in children under five years of age among the country’s rural population. Our findings indicate that T. cruzi was transmitted to these children vertically. The total number of infected children, aged one to five years living in these departments, was estimated at 1,691 cases with an annual incidence of congenital transmission of 338 cases per year. MAIN CONCLUSION We determined the impact of vector control in the transmission of T. cruzi, following uninterrupted vector control measures employed since 1999 in contiguous T. infestans-endemic areas of Paraguay, and this allowed us to estimate the degree of risk of congenital transmission in the country.

[Underlying Mechanisms and Management of Refractory Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Kwang Jae

2015-08-01

The prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in South Korea has increased over the past 10 years. Patients with erosive reflux disease (ERD) shows better response to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) than those with non-erosive reflux disease (NERD). NERD is a heterogeneous condition, showing pathological gastroesophageal reflux or esophageal hypersensitivity to reflux contents. NERD patients with pathological gastroesophageal reflux or hypersensitivity to acid may respond to PPIs. However, many patients with esophageal hypersensitivity to nonacid or functional heartburn do not respond to PPIs. Therefore, careful history and investigations are required when managing patients with refractory GERD who show poor response to conventional dose PPIs. Combined pH-impedance studies and a PPI diagnostic trial are recommended to reveal underlying mechanisms of refractory symptoms. For those with ongoing reflux-related symptoms, split dose administration, change to long-acting PPIs or PPIs less influenced by CYP2C19 genotypes, increasing dose of PPIs, and the addition of alginate preparations, prokinetics, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or tricyclic antidepressants can be considered. Pain modulators, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or tricyclic antidepressants are more likely to be effective for those with reflux-unrelated symptoms. Surgery or endoscopic per oral fundoplication may be effective in selected patients.

Early Activation of Patients after Surgery for Coronary Heart Disease under Extracorporeal Circulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. A. Kozlov

2008-01-01

patients, inactivated in the operating-room, from 16±1 hours (in 1995 to 7±1.2 hours (in 2006. Conclusion. The results of the goal-oriented studies, as well as the analysis of an array of clinical data suggest that early activation after myocardial revascularization under extracorporeal circulation is a safe and clinically effective methodological approach to anesthetic and intensive care management in cardiac surgical patients with coronary heart disease. Key words: early activation, myocardial revascularization, operations under extracorporeal circulation, tracheal extubation in the operating-room.

Forensic scientists' conclusions: how readable are they for non-scientist report-users?

Science.gov (United States)

Howes, Loene M; Kirkbride, K Paul; Kelty, Sally F; Julian, Roberta; Kemp, Nenagh

2013-09-10

Scientists have an ethical responsibility to assist non-scientists to understand their findings and expert opinions before they are used as decision-aids within the criminal justice system. The communication of scientific expert opinion to non-scientist audiences (e.g., police, lawyers, and judges) through expert reports is an important but under-researched issue. Readability statistics were used to assess 111 conclusions from a proficiency test in forensic glass analysis. The conclusions were written using an average of 23 words per sentence, and approximately half of the conclusions were expressed using the active voice. At an average Flesch-Kincaid Grade level of university undergraduate (Grade 13), and Flesch Reading Ease score of difficult (42), the conclusions were written at a level suitable for people with some tertiary education in science, suggesting that the intended non-scientist readers would find them difficult to read. To further analyse the readability of conclusions, descriptive features of text were used: text structure; sentence structure; vocabulary; elaboration; and coherence and unity. Descriptive analysis supported the finding that texts were written at a level difficult for non-scientists to read. Specific aspects of conclusions that may pose difficulties for non-scientists were located. Suggestions are included to assist scientists to write conclusions with increased readability for non-scientist readers, while retaining scientific integrity. In the next stage of research, the readability of expert reports in their entirety is to be explored. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Punction methods of diagnostics and treatment of thyroid diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.S. Tolstokorov

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The object of this research is to study the punction methods role under diagnostics and treatment of different thyroid diseases. The authors of this article present treatment methods of 121 patients with different thyroid diseases. The received results allow to draw a conclusion, that punction methods of diagnostics and treatment of thyroid disease can be used as independent methods of treatment and in a complex with other medication remedies

Effects of dispositional optimism on quality of life, emotional distress and disability in Parkinson's disease outpatients under rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Gison, Annalisa; Rizza, Federica; Bonassi, Stefano; Donati, Valentina; Giaquinto, Salvatore

2015-01-01

This study was performed with the aim of assessing dispositional optimism (DO) in a sample of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, in order to evaluate its association with clinical outcomes and its impact on rehabilitation. Before entering an outpatient rehabilitation program, 58 participants suffering from idiopathic PD completed the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) to evaluate their level of DO, the WHO-5 scale to evaluate their health-related quality of life (HR-QoL), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to identify emotional distress, and the Barthel Index to evaluate their level of disability. All the measures were repeated four months later, at their discharge from the program. Disease stage and severity measures (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale) were also taken into consideration. Correlations and multivariate regression analyses compared DO with the health-related variables. On admission a high level of DO was found to be associated with less severe disease, a better quality of life (QoL) and lower emotional distress, but not with level of disability (Barthel Index). Consistent results were found at discharge. The level of DO di not change after rehabilitation, while anxiety was significantly reduced, especially in subjects with low LOT-R and high HADS scores. The Barthel Index values significantly improved. At discharge, participants with high DO showed the best improvements in disability and in QoL. Effects of dispositional optimism on quality of life, emotional distress and disability in Parkinson's disease outpatients under rehabilitation In conclusion, a high level of DO was associated with QoL, HADS and UPDRS both on admission and at discharge. The level of DO remained stable after rehabilitation, while disability and anxiety were reduced. Participants with high DO generally had better QoL, and better clinical and psychological performances.

Spatial statistical analysis of basal stem root disease under natural field epidemic of oil palm

Science.gov (United States)

Kamu, Assis; Phin, Chong Khim; Seman, Idris Abu; Wan, Hoong Hak; Mun, Ho Chong

2015-02-01

Oil palm or scientifically known as Elaeis guineensis Jacq. is the most important commodity crop in Malaysia and has greatly contributed to the economy growth of the country. As far as disease is concerned in the industry, Basal Stem Rot (BSR) caused by Ganoderma boninence remains the most important disease. BSR disease is the most widely studied with information available for oil palm disease in Malaysia. However, there is still limited study on the spatial as well as temporal pattern or distribution of the disease especially under natural field epidemic condition in oil palm plantation. The objective of this study is to spatially identify the pattern of BSR disease under natural field epidemic using two geospatial analytical techniques, which are quadrat analysis for the first order properties of partial pattern analysis and nearest-neighbor analysis (NNA) for the second order properties of partial pattern analysis. Two study sites were selected with different age of tree. Both sites are located in Tawau, Sabah and managed by the same company. The results showed that at least one of the point pattern analysis used which is NNA (i.e. the second order properties of partial pattern analysis) has confirmed the disease is complete spatial randomness. This suggests the spread of the disease is not from tree to tree and the age of palm does not play a significance role in determining the spatial pattern of the disease. From the spatial pattern of the disease, it would help in the disease management program and for the industry in the future. The statistical modelling is expected to help in identifying the right model to estimate the yield loss of oil palm due to BSR disease in the future.

A prospective descriptive study of cryptococcal meningitis in HIV uninfected patients in Vietnam - high prevalence of Cryptococcus neoformans var grubii in the absence of underlying disease

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Baker Stephen

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Most cases of cryptococcal meningitis occur in patients with HIV infection: the course and outcome of disease in the apparently immunocompetent is much more poorly understood. We describe a cohort of HIV uninfected Vietnamese patients with cryptococcal meningitis in whom underlying disease is uncommon, and relate presenting features of patients and the characteristics of the infecting species to outcome. Methods A prospective descriptive study of HIV negative patients with cryptococcal meningitis based at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City. All patients had comprehensive clinical assessment at baseline, were cared for by a dedicated study team, and were followed up for 2 years. Clinical presentation was compared by infecting isolate and outcome. Results 57 patients were studied. Cryptococcus neoformans var grubii molecular type VN1 caused 70% of infections; C. gattii accounted for the rest. Most patients did not have underlying disease (81%, and the rate of underlying disease did not differ by infecting species. 11 patients died while in-patients (19.3%. Independent predictors of death were age ≥ 60 years and a history of convulsions (odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals 8.7 (1 - 76, and 16.1 (1.6 - 161 respectively. Residual visual impairment was common, affecting 25 of 46 survivors (54.3%. Infecting species did not influence clinical phenotype or outcome. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of flucytosine and amphotericin B were significantly higher for C. neoformans var grubii compared with C. gattii (p Conclusion In HIV uninfected individuals in Vietnam, cryptococcal meningitis occurs predominantly in people with no clear predisposing factor and is most commonly due to C. neoformans var grubii. The rates of mortality and visual loss are high and independent of infecting species. There are detectable differences in susceptibility to commonly used antifungal drugs between species, but the clinical

Under-ascertainment of Aboriginality in records of cardiovascular disease in hospital morbidity and mortality data in Western Australia: a record linkage study

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Katzenellenbogen Judy M

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Measuring the real burden of cardiovascular disease in Australian Aboriginals is complicated by under-identification of Aboriginality in administrative health data collections. Accurate data is essential to measure Australia's progress in its efforts to intervene to improve health outcomes of Australian Aboriginals. We estimated the under-ascertainment of Aboriginal status in linked morbidity and mortality databases in patients hospitalised with cardiovascular disease. Methods Persons with public hospital admissions for cardiovascular disease in Western Australia during 2000-2005 (and their 20-year admission history or who subsequently died were identified from linkage data. The Aboriginal status flag in all records for a given individual was variously used to determine their ethnicity (index positive, and in all records both majority positive or ever positive and stratified by region, age and gender. The index admission was the baseline comparator. Results Index cases comprised 62,692 individuals who shared a total of 778,714 hospital admissions over 20 years, of which 19,809 subsequently died. There were 3,060 (4.9% persons identified as Aboriginal on index admission. An additional 83 (2.7% Aboriginal cases were identified through death records, increasing to 3.7% when cases with a positive Aboriginal identifier in the majority (≥50% of previous hospital admissions over twenty years were added and by 20.8% when those with a positive flag in any record over 20 years were incorporated. These results equated to underestimating Aboriginal status in unlinked index admission by 2.6%, 3.5% and 17.2%, respectively. Deaths classified as Aboriginal in official records would underestimate total Aboriginal deaths by 26.8% (95% Confidence Interval 24.1 to 29.6%. Conclusions Combining Aboriginal determinations in morbidity and official death records increases ascertainment of unlinked cardiovascular morbidity in Western Australian

Radiographic findings of pulmonary tuberculosis in adult diabetic patients: comparison of diabetics with nondiabetics of no other underlying diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Hyun Mee; Shin, Cheol Yong; Kim, Tae Hoon; Young Shin So; Lee, Shin Hyung; Lee, Chang Joon; Gang, Hye Jung

1995-01-01

The purpose of our study is to evaluate the plain radiographic features of pulmonary tuberculosis in adult diabetic patients compared with those in patients without any underlying diseases. We analyzed the chest PA and lateral views of 100 patients having active pulmonary tuberculosis; 14 patients had diabetes mellitus and 60 patients had no other underlying diseases. Their images were assesed for anatomical distributions, extents of lesions, size and number of cavity and patterns of radiographic findings. Diabetic tuberculosis had higher prevalence and wider involvement of unusual segments for the tuberculosis such as anterior segment, lingular segment of upper lobe and basal segment of the lower lobe, and they showed the tendency of having more cavities than those who had no other underlying diseases, but there were no meaningful differences in the cavity size between the two groups. Pulmonary tuberculosis in diabetic patients tends to have wider extent with unusual segmental involvement and multiple cavities than in the patients who had no other underlying diseases

General conclusions on workshop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rustand, H.

2006-01-01

The author proposes a general conclusion on the second workshop on the indemnification of damage in the event of a nuclear accident, organized in Bratislava, the 18-20 May 2005. He pointed out the most important discussions and the results revealed during these two days. (A.L.B.)

AMBULATORY CARE - SENSITIVE CONDITIONS IN CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS

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Maria Aparecida Araújo Figueiredo

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Objective:analyzethe extent to which the incidence rate of primary care sensitivehospitalizations in children under five years is influenced by the percentage of coverage of theprimary care.Methods:This was a cross-sectional ecological study that combines coverage ofprimary careand theambulatorycare-sensitiveconditionsin 2000 and 2010. We used data from theHospital Information System (HIS and the Information System of Primary Care (SIAB.Results:The data revealed that the increased coverage providedprimary carereductionrateofhospitalization diseases studied. In 2000 the reduction was greater for gastroenteritis (51% inchildren under 01 years and 30% in children 01-04 years in 2010 for respiratory diseases (51% inchildren under 01years and 33% in children aged 01-04 years.Conclusion:we found an association between the coverage ofprimary careand admission rates, however seem to affect othervariables, suggesting the need for further studies.

Socio-demographic and environmental determinants of infectious disease morbidity in children under 5 years in Ghana

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Dickson A. Amugsi

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Globally, diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections (ARIs have been identified as major threats to child survival. In Ghana, the two conditions are among the top three causes of morbidity and mortality among children under 5 years. An in-depth analysis of the factors associated with these two diseases is warranted, because of their high degree of fatality and also it provides a basis for intervention planning. Objectives: To investigate socio-demographic and environmental factors associated with infectious disease morbidity in children under 5 years old in Ghana. Design: Population-based cross-sectional survey. The study sample comprised 2,790 children aged 0–59 months, drawn from the Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys. The mothers reported whether their children under age 5 had been ill with a cough accompanied by short, rapid breathing (ARI, or diarrhoea with the presence of blood or mucus in the stool, in the 2 weeks preceding the survey. Results: Children in the 6–11, 12–23, and 24–59 months age groups had, respectively, 3.48 (95% CI=2.23, 5.44, 4.57 (95% CI=3.03, 6.90, and 1.93 (95% CI=1.30, 2.87 increased odds of getting diarrhoea infection compared to those in the youngest age category (0–5. Similarly, children in the 6–11, 12–23, and 24–59 months age brackets were, respectively, 2.64 (95% CI=1.76, 3.97, 2.63 (95% CI=1.81, 3.83, and 1.83 (95% CI=1.29, 2.59 times more likely to have cough compared to children in 0–5 months age brackets. Children who were not breastfeeding had higher odds of childhood diarrhoea (OR=1.33, 95% CI=1.03, 1.73 compared to those who were breastfeeding. Compared to children who were living in households without co-wives, children who were living in households with co-wives had 1.74 increased odds of diarrhoea (95% CI=1.33, 2.27. A unit increase in maternal opinion regarding wife beating was associated with 14% reduced odds of diarrhoea (OR=0.86, 95% CI=0.80, 0.91, while a unit

Exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying the potentiation of exogenous growth hormone on alcohol-induced fatty liver diseases in mice

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Tian Ya-ping

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Growth hormone (GH is an essential regulator of intrahepatic lipid metabolism by activating multiple complex hepatic signaling cascades. Here, we examined whether chronic exogenous GH administration (via gene therapy could ameliorate liver steatosis in animal models of alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD and explored the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods Male C57BL/6J mice were fed either an alcohol or a control liquid diet with or without GH therapy for 6 weeks. Biochemical parameters, liver histology, oxidative stress markers, and serum high molecular weight (HMW adiponectin were measured. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting were also conducted to determine the underlying molecular mechanism. Results Serum HMW adiponectin levels were significantly higher in the GH1-treated control group than in the control group (3.98 ± 0.71 μg/mL vs. 3.07 ± 0.55 μg/mL; P P P P P Conclusions GH therapy had positive effects on AFLD and may offer a promising approach to prevent or treat AFLD. These beneficial effects of GH on AFLD were achieved through the activation of the hepatic adiponectin-SIRT1-AMPK and PPARα-AMPK signaling systems.

Shared activity patterns arising at genetic susceptibility loci reveal underlying genomic and cellular architecture of human disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baillie, J. Kenneth; Bretherick, Andrew; Haley, Christopher S.

2018-01-01

Genetic variants underlying complex traits, including disease susceptibility, are enriched within the transcriptional regulatory elements, promoters and enhancers. There is emerging evidence that regulatory elements associated with particular traits or diseases share similar patterns of transcrip...

Shared activity patterns arising at genetic susceptibility loci reveal underlying genomic and cellular architecture of human disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Baillie, J Kenneth; Bretherick, Andrew; Haley, Christopher S; Clohisey, Sara; Gray, Alan; Neyton, Lucile P A; Barrett, Jeffrey; Stahl, Eli A; Tenesa, Albert; Andersson, Robin; Brown, J Ben; Faulkner, Geoffrey J; Lizio, Marina; Schaefer, Ulf; Daub, Carsten; Itoh, Masayoshi; Kondo, Naoto; Lassmann, Timo; Kawai, Jun; Mole, Damian; Bajic, Vladimir B; Heutink, Peter; Rehli, Michael; Kawaji, Hideya; Sandelin, Albin; Suzuki, Harukazu; Satsangi, Jack; Wells, Christine A; Hacohen, Nir; Freeman, Thomas C; Hayashizaki, Yoshihide; Carninci, Piero; Forrest, Alistair R R; Hume, David A

2018-03-01

Genetic variants underlying complex traits, including disease susceptibility, are enriched within the transcriptional regulatory elements, promoters and enhancers. There is emerging evidence that regulatory elements associated with particular traits or diseases share similar patterns of transcriptional activity. Accordingly, shared transcriptional activity (coexpression) may help prioritise loci associated with a given trait, and help to identify underlying biological processes. Using cap analysis of gene expression (CAGE) profiles of promoter- and enhancer-derived RNAs across 1824 human samples, we have analysed coexpression of RNAs originating from trait-associated regulatory regions using a novel quantitative method (network density analysis; NDA). For most traits studied, phenotype-associated variants in regulatory regions were linked to tightly-coexpressed networks that are likely to share important functional characteristics. Coexpression provides a new signal, independent of phenotype association, to enable fine mapping of causative variants. The NDA coexpression approach identifies new genetic variants associated with specific traits, including an association between the regulation of the OCT1 cation transporter and genetic variants underlying circulating cholesterol levels. NDA strongly implicates particular cell types and tissues in disease pathogenesis. For example, distinct groupings of disease-associated regulatory regions implicate two distinct biological processes in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis; a further two separate processes are implicated in Crohn's disease. Thus, our functional analysis of genetic predisposition to disease defines new distinct disease endotypes. We predict that patients with a preponderance of susceptibility variants in each group are likely to respond differently to pharmacological therapy. Together, these findings enable a deeper biological understanding of the causal basis of complex traits.

Decisions under risk in Parkinson's disease: preserved evaluation of probability and magnitude.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharp, Madeleine E; Viswanathan, Jayalakshmi; McKeown, Martin J; Appel-Cresswell, Silke; Stoessl, A Jon; Barton, Jason J S

2013-11-01

Unmedicated Parkinson's disease patients tend to be risk-averse while dopaminergic treatment causes a tendency to take risks. While dopamine agonists may result in clinically apparent impulse control disorders, treatment with levodopa also causes shift in behaviour associated with an enhanced response to rewards. Two important determinants in decision-making are how subjects perceive the magnitude and probability of outcomes. Our objective was to determine if patients with Parkinson's disease on or off levodopa showed differences in their perception of value when making decisions under risk. The Vancouver Gambling task presents subjects with a choice between one prospect with larger outcome and a second with higher probability. Eighteen age-matched controls and eighteen patients with Parkinson's disease before and after levodopa were tested. In the Gain Phase subjects chose between one prospect with higher probability and another with larger reward to maximize their gains. In the Loss Phase, subjects played to minimize their losses. Patients with Parkinson's disease, on or off levodopa, were similar to controls when evaluating gains. However, in the Loss Phase before levodopa, they were more likely to avoid the prospect with lower probability but larger loss, as indicated by the steeper slope of their group psychometric function (t(24) = 2.21, p = 0.04). Modelling with prospect theory suggested that this was attributable to a 28% overestimation of the magnitude of loss, rather than an altered perception of its probability. While pre-medicated patients with Parkinson's disease show risk-aversion for large losses, patients on levodopa have normal perception of magnitude and probability for both loss and gain. The finding of accurate and normally biased decisions under risk in medicated patients with PD is important because it indicates that, if there is indeed anomalous risk-seeking behaviour in such a cohort, it may derive from abnormalities in components of

Controversies and research agenda in nephropathic cystinosis: conclusions from a "Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes" (KDIGO) Controversies Conference

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Langman, C.B.; Barshop, B.A.; Deschenes, G.; Emma, F.; Goodyer, P.; Lipkin, G.; Midgley, J.P.; Ottolenghi, C.; Servais, A.; Soliman, N.A.; Thoene, J.G.; Levtchenko, E.N.; Janssen, M.C.H.; Heuvel, L.P.W.J. van den

2016-01-01

Nephropathic cystinosis is an autosomal recessive metabolic, lifelong disease characterized by lysosomal cystine accumulation throughout the body that commonly presents in infancy with a renal Fanconi syndrome and, if untreated, leads to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in the later childhood years.

Funding source, conflict of interest and positive conclusions in neuro-oncology clinical trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Moraes, Fabio Y; Mendez, Lucas C; Taunk, Neil K; Raman, Srinivas; Suh, John H; Souhami, Luis; Slotman, Ben; Weltman, Eduardo; Spratt, Daniel E; Berlin, Alejandro; Marta, Gustavo N

2018-02-01

We aimed to test any association between authors' conclusions and self-reported COI or funding sources in central nervous system (CNS) studies. A review was performed for CNS malignancy clinical trials published in the last 5 years. Two investigators independently classified study conclusions according to authors' endorsement of the experimental therapy. Statistical models were used to test for associations between positive conclusions and trials characteristics. From February 2010 to February 2015, 1256 articles were retrieved; 319 were considered eligible trials. Positive conclusions were reported in 56.8% of trials with industry-only, 55.6% with academia-only, 44.1% with academia and industry, 77.8% with none, and 76.4% with not described funding source (p = 0.011). Positive conclusions were reported in 60.4% of trials with unrelated COI, 60% with related COI, and 60% with no COI reported (p = 0.997). Factors that were significantly associated with the presence of positive conclusion included trials design (phase 1) [OR 11.64 (95 CI 4.66-29.09), p source [OR 2.45 (95 CI 1.22-5.22), p = 0.011]. In a multivariable regression model, all these factors remained significantly associated with trial's positive conclusion. Funding source and self-reported COI did not appear to influence the CNS trials conclusion. Funding source information and COI disclosure were under-reported in 14.1 and 17.2% of the CNS trials. Continued efforts are needed to increase rates of both COI and funding source reporting.

Non-linear increase of respiratory diseases and their costs under severe air pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Ying; Wu, Yiyun; Chen, Guangdi; Van Grinsven, Hans J M; Wang, Xiaofeng; Gu, Baojing; Lou, Xiaoming

2017-05-01

China is experiencing severe and persistent air pollution, with concentrations of fine particulate matters (PM 2.5 ) reaching unprecedentedly high levels in many cities. Quantifying the detrimental effects on health and their costs derived from high PM 2.5 levels is crucial because of the unsolved challenges to mitigate air pollution in the following decades. Using the daily monitoring data on PM 2.5 concentrations and clinic visits, we found a non-linear increase of respiratory diseases, but not for other diseases (e.g., digestive diseases) under severe air pollution. We found an increase of respiratory diseases by 1% for each 10 μg m -3 increase in PM 2.5 when the annual average daily PM 2.5 concentration was less than 50 μg m -3 ; while this ratio was doubled (around 2%) with the daily PM 2.5 concentration larger than 50 μg m -3 . Under severe air pollution (PM 2.5 concentration >150 μg m -3 ), the respiratory diseases increased by over 50% compared to that in clean days. Children are more sensitive to the severe air pollution. The increase of clinic visits, especially for adults, was observed mainly in bigger (>500 beds) hospitals. Re-allocating medical resources (e.g., doctors) from big hospitals to community hospitals can benefit the respiratory patients due to air pollution. The total medical cost of clinic visits of respiratory diseases derived from PM 2.5 pollution was estimated at 17.2-57.0 billion Yuan in 2014 in China, accounting for 0.5-1.6% of national total health expenditure. Because these medical costs only represent a small part of total health cost derived from air pollution, the reduction of associated health costs would be an important co-benefit of implementation of air pollution preventive strategies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Snakebites in French Guiana: Conclusions of an international symposium.

Science.gov (United States)

Kallel, Hatem; Hommel, Didier; Mehdaoui, Hossein; Megarbane, Bruno; Resiere, Dabor

2018-05-01

A workshop on epidemiology and management of snakebites in French Guiana was performed at Cayenne, French Guiana from September 15 to September 16, 2017, under the auspices of the French Regional Health Agency (ARS) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). The activity was attended by experts from France (Angers, Martinique, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, and Paris), Costa Rica, Brazil, Saint Lucia, and Surinam. The epidemiology, clinical manifestations, clinical grading and the management of snakebite in French Guiana were discussed. The conclusions of this symposium illustrated the urgent need to ensure accessibility of effective and safe polyvalent viperid antivenom in French Guiana. Finally, the results of this symposium have forged ties based on mutual goals and objectives. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recurrent invasive pneumococcal disease in children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ingels, Helene; Lambertsen, Lotte; Harboe, Zitta B

2014-01-01

%, and 78% of the cases would have been covered by the 7-, 10-, and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, respectively. Conclusions: Of children with an IPD episode, 2.4% experienced rIPD, and an underlying disease was documented in 66% of these children. Investigation of underlying conditions...... laboratory-confirmed cases of IPD in children aged 0-15 y were identified from the Neisseria and Streptococcus Reference Laboratory, Statens Serum Institut, Denmark for the period 1980-2013. rIPD was defined as isolation of Streptococcus pneumoniae from any normally sterile site ≥ 30 days after an initial...... positive culture. Clinical data were obtained for all children with rIPD. Results: Of all children with IPD, 2.4% (59/2418) experienced at least 1 episode of rIPD, and an underlying condition was documented in 39 (66%). Immune deficiency due to transplantation (n = 9) was the most common disease; however...

Heat-related mortality projections for cardiovascular and respiratory disease under the changing climate in Beijing, China

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Tiantian; Ban, Jie; Horton, Radley M.; Bader, Daniel A.; Huang, Ganlin; Sun, Qinghua; Kinney, Patrick L.

2015-08-01

Because heat-related health effects tend to become more serious at higher temperatures, there is an urgent need to determine the mortality projection of specific heat-sensitive diseases to provide more detailed information regarding the variation of the sensitivity of such diseases. In this study, the specific mortality of cardiovascular and respiratory disease in Beijing was initially projected under five different global-scale General Circulation Models (GCMs) and two Representative Concentration Pathways scenarios (RCPs) in the 2020s, 2050s, and 2080s compared to the 1980s. Multi-model ensembles indicated cardiovascular mortality could increase by an average percentage of 18.4%, 47.8%, and 69.0% in the 2020s, 2050s, and 2080s under RCP 4.5, respectively, and by 16.6%,73.8% and 134% in different decades respectively, under RCP 8.5 compared to the baseline range. The same increasing pattern was also observed in respiratory mortality. The heat-related deaths under the RCP8.5 scenario were found to reach a higher number and to increase more rapidly during the 21st century compared to the RCP4.5 scenario, especially in the 2050s and the 2080s. The projection results show potential trends in cause-specific mortality in the context of climate change, and provide support for public health interventions tailored to specific climate-related future health risks.

Trends, causes, and risk factors of mortality among children under 5 in Ethiopia, 1990–2013: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amare Deribew

2016-11-01

diarrhea, LRI, and other common infections were attributable to childhood wasting. Similarly, 19% (43,759/229,333 of the total under-5 deaths and 45% (43,759/97,963 of the deaths due to diarrhea and LRI were attributable to wasting in 2013. Of the total diarrheal disease- and LRI-related deaths (n = 97,963 in 2013, 59% (57,923/97,963 of them were attributable to unsafe water supply, unsafe sanitation, household air pollution, and no handwashing with soap. Conclusions LRI, diarrheal diseases, and neonatal syndromes remain the major causes of under-5 deaths in Ethiopia. These findings call for better-integrated newborn and child survival interventions focusing on the main risk factors.

Triglycerides and Heart Disease, Still a Hypothesis?

Science.gov (United States)

Goldberg, Ira J.; Eckel, Robert H.; McPherson, Ruth

2011-01-01

The purpose of this article is to review the basic and clinical science relating plasma triglycerides and cardiovascular disease. Although many aspects of the basic physiology of triglyceride production, its plasma transport and tissue uptake have been known for several decades, the relationship of plasma triglyceride levels to vascular disease is uncertain. Are triglyceride rich lipoproteins, their influence on HDL and LDL, or the underlying diseases leading to defects in triglyceride metabolism the culprit? Animal models have failed to confirm that anything other than early fatty lesions can be produced by triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. Metabolic products of triglyceride metabolism can be toxic to arterial cells; however, these studies are primarily in vitro. Correlative studies of fasting and postprandial triglycerides and genetic diseases implicate VLDL and their remnants, and chylomicron remnants in atherosclerosis development; but the concomitant alterations in other lipoproteins and other risk factors obscure any conclusions about direct relationships between disease and triglycerides. Genes that regulate triglyceride levels also correlate with vascular disease. Human intervention trials, however, have lacked an appropriately defined population, and have produced outcomes without definitive conclusions. The time is more than ripe for new and creative approaches to understanding the relationship of triglycerides and heart disease. PMID:21527746

Histiocytoid Sweet Syndrome in a Child without Underlying Systemic Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeom, Seung Dohn; Ko, Hye Soo; Moon, Jong Hyuk; Kang, Min Ji; Byun, Ji Won; Choi, Gwang Seong; Shin, Jeonghyun

2017-10-01

Sweet syndrome (acute, febrile, neutrophilic dermatosis) is characterized by the acute onset of an eruption of painful nodules or erythematous or violaceous plaques on the limbs, face and neck. These symptoms are accompanied by fever. The diagnostic features include histopathological findings of dermal neutrophilic infiltration without leukocytoclastic vasculitis or peripheral blood leukocytosis. Sweet syndrome is associated with infection, malignancies, autoimmune disease, pregnancy, and drugs. Patients with Sweet syndrome demonstrate a complete and rapid response to systemic steroid administration. Recently, a distinct variant of Sweet syndrome was reported, termed "histiocytoid Sweet syndrome", in which the infiltration of myeloperoxidase-positive histiocytoid mononuclear cells are observed (in contrast to the infiltration of neutrophils). The other clinical features are similar to those of classic Sweet syndrome. Pediatric Sweet syndrome is uncommon, and the histiocytoid type is even rarer. To date, four cases of histiocytoid Sweet syndrome have been reported in children. Herein, we describe a case of histiocytoid Sweet syndrome in an otherwise healthy 10-year-old boy with no underlying systemic disease in whom non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug treatment was successful.

Association between competing interests and authors' conclusions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjaergard, Lise L; Als-Nielsen, Bodil

2002-01-01

To assess the association between competing interests and authors' conclusions in randomised clinical trials.......To assess the association between competing interests and authors' conclusions in randomised clinical trials....

Prevalence of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis by underlying cause in understudied ethnic groups: The multiethnic cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Setiawan, Veronica Wendy; Stram, Daniel O; Porcel, Jacqueline; Lu, Shelly C; Le Marchand, Loïc; Noureddin, Mazen

2016-12-01

Chronic liver disease (CLD) and cirrhosis are major sources of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Little is known about the epidemiology of these two diseases in ethnic minority populations in the United States. We examined the prevalence of CLD and cirrhosis by underlying etiologies among African Americans, Native Hawaiians, Japanese Americans, Latinos, and whites in the Multiethnic Cohort. CLD and cirrhosis cases were identified using Medicare claims between 1999 and 2012 among the fee-for-service participants (n = 106,458). We used International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision codes, body mass index, history of diabetes mellitus, and alcohol consumption from questionnaires to identify underlying etiologies. A total of 5,783 CLD (3,575 CLD without cirrhosis and 2,208 cirrhosis) cases were identified. The prevalence of CLD ranged from 3.9% in African Americans and Native Hawaiians to 4.1% in whites, 6.7% in Latinos, and 6.9% in Japanese. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was the most common cause of CLD in all ethnic groups combined (52%), followed by alcoholic liver disease (21%). NAFLD was the most common cause of cirrhosis in the entire cohort. By ethnicity, NAFLD was the most common cause of cirrhosis in Japanese Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Latinos, accounting for 32% of cases. Alcoholic liver disease was the most common cause of cirrhosis in whites (38.2%), while hepatitis C virus was the most common cause in African Americans (29.8%). We showed racial/ethnic variations in the prevalence of CLD and cirrhosis by underlying etiology; NAFLD was the most common cause of CLD and cirrhosis in the entire cohort, and the high prevalence of NAFLD among Japanese Americans and Native Hawaiians is a novel finding, warranting further studies to elucidate the causes. (Hepatology 2016;64:1969-1977). © 2016 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Classification of esophageal motor findings in gastro-esophageal reflux disease: Conclusions from an international consensus group

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gyawali, C. P.; Roman, S.; Bredenoord, A. J.; Fox, M.; Keller, J.; Pandolfino, J. E.; Sifrim, D.; Tatum, R.; Yadlapati, R.; Savarino, E.; Azpiroz, Fernando; Babaei, Arash; Bhatia, Shobna; Boeckxstaens, Guy; Bor, Serhat; Carlson, Dustin; Castell, Donald; Cicala, Michele; Clarke, John; de Bortoli, Nicola; Drug, Vasile; Frazzoni, Marzio; Holloway, Richard; Kahrilas, Peter; Kandulski, Arne; Katz, Phil; Katzka, David; Mittal, Ravinder; Mion, Francois; Novais, Luis; Patel, Amit; Penagini, Roberto; Ribolsi, Mentore; Richter, Joel; Salvador, Renato; Savarino, Vincenzo; Serra, Jordi; Schnoll-Sussman, Felice; Smout, Andre; Soffer, Edy; Sweis, Rami; Tack, Jan; Tolone, Salvatore; Tutuian, Radu; Vaezi, Michael; Vela, Marcelo; Woodland, Philip; Wu, Justin; Xiao, Yinglian; Zerbib, Frank

2017-01-01

BackgroundHigh-resolution manometry (HRM) has resulted in new revelations regarding the pathophysiology of gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). The impact of new HRM motor paradigms on reflux burden needs further definition, leading to a modern approach to motor testing in GERD. MethodsFocused

Chapter 6: Conclusions and recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

This chapter provides a brief summary of conclusions with respect to project implementation issues. Furthermore, the chapter contains recommendations on future applications of the modelling system and on water resources management in the project area

Acceleration toward the conclusion negotiation of bilateral nuclear cooperation agreements indispensable for globalization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitsumata, Hiroki; Hattori, Takuya; Ake, Yutaka

2011-01-01

According to Japan's basic policies of new growth strategy, it would be one option of the economic growth to increase exports of nuclear power plant system or its equipments. However, bilateral nuclear cooperation agreements are indispensable for business activities on nuclear power. Recently signature of agreement with Jordan, agreed conclusion negotiation with Vietnam and Korea, under negotiation with India and expected negotiation with Indonesia and Malaysia. Signed agreements with Russia and Kazakhstan will be coming into effect and contribute nuclear fuel supply at export of nuclear power system. This special article consists of four expert's papers titled as (1) necessity of conclusion negotiation of nuclear cooperation agreements with several countries simultaneously and in parallel, (2) Japan's nuclear cooperation in new era, (3) desirable acceleration of conclusion negotiation of nuclear cooperation agreements and (4) insurance of nuclear fuel supply fundamental for global business activities of Japan's nuclear industries-best choice to establish cooperative relations with US and Russia. (T. Tanaka)

42 CFR 413.210 - Conditions for payment under the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) prospective payment system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... disease (ESRD) prospective payment system. 413.210 Section 413.210 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE... § 413.210 Conditions for payment under the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) prospective payment system... prospective payment system described in § 413.215 through § 413.235 of this part. (a) Qualifications for...

CONCLUSIONS Urban Children and Adolescents

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

CONCLUSIONS Urban Children and Adolescents. Increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity and measures of regional (central) adiposity. High prevalence of markers of dysmetabolic state in urban adolescents. ~10% prevalence of dysglycemia in overweight / obese school children.

Music and Memory in Alzheimer's Disease and The Potential Underlying Mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Peck, Katlyn J; Girard, Todd A; Russo, Frank A; Fiocco, Alexandra J

2016-01-01

With population aging and a projected exponential expansion of persons diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD), the development of treatment and prevention programs has become a fervent area of research and discovery. A growing body of evidence suggests that music exposure can enhance memory and emotional function in persons with AD. However, there is a paucity of research that aims to identify specific underlying neural mechanisms associated with music's beneficial effects in this particular population. As such, this paper reviews existing anecdotal and empirical evidence related to the enhancing effects of music exposure on cognitive function and further provides a discussion on the potential underlying mechanisms that may explain music's beneficial effect. Specifically, this paper will outline the potential role of the dopaminergic system, the autonomic nervous system, and the default network in explaining how music may enhance memory function in persons with AD.

A neural network underlying intentional emotional facial expression in neurodegenerative disease

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Kelly A. Gola

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Intentional facial expression of emotion is critical to healthy social interactions. Patients with neurodegenerative disease, particularly those with right temporal or prefrontal atrophy, show dramatic socioemotional impairment. This was an exploratory study examining the neural and behavioral correlates of intentional facial expression of emotion in neurodegenerative disease patients and healthy controls. One hundred and thirty three participants (45 Alzheimer's disease, 16 behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, 8 non-fluent primary progressive aphasia, 10 progressive supranuclear palsy, 11 right-temporal frontotemporal dementia, 9 semantic variant primary progressive aphasia patients and 34 healthy controls were video recorded while imitating static images of emotional faces and producing emotional expressions based on verbal command; the accuracy of their expression was rated by blinded raters. Participants also underwent face-to-face socioemotional testing and informants described participants' typical socioemotional behavior. Patients' performance on emotion expression tasks was correlated with gray matter volume using voxel-based morphometry (VBM across the entire sample. We found that intentional emotional imitation scores were related to fundamental socioemotional deficits; patients with known socioemotional deficits performed worse than controls on intentional emotion imitation; and intentional emotional expression predicted caregiver ratings of empathy and interpersonal warmth. Whole brain VBMs revealed a rightward cortical atrophy pattern homologous to the left lateralized speech production network was associated with intentional emotional imitation deficits. Results point to a possible neural mechanisms underlying complex socioemotional communication deficits in neurodegenerative disease patients.

Summary and conclusions [Chapter 11

Science.gov (United States)

Daniel G. Neary; John N. Rinne; Alvin L.. Medina

2012-01-01

Summaries and conclusions of each chapter are compiled here to provide a “Quick Reference” guide of major results and recommendations for the UVR. More detail can be obtained from individual chapters.

Heat-Related Mortality Projections for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Disease Under the Changing Climate in Beijing, China

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Tiantian; Ban, Jie; Horton, Radley M.; Bader, Daniel A.; Huang, Ganlin; Sun, Qinghua; Kinney, Patrick L.

2015-01-01

Because heat-related health effects tend to become more serious at higher temperatures, there is an urgent need to determine the mortality projection of specific heat-sensitive diseases to provide more detailed information regarding the variation of the sensitivity of such diseases. In this study, the specific mortality of cardiovascular and respiratory disease in Beijing was initially projected under five different global-scale General Circulation Models (GCMs) and two Representative Concentration Pathways scenarios (RCPs) in the 2020s, 2050s, and 2080s compared to the 1980s. Multi-model ensembles indicated cardiovascular mortality could increase by an average percentage of 18.4 percent, 47.8 percent, and 69.0 percent in the 2020s, 2050s, and 2080s under RCP 4.5, respectively, and by 16.6 percent, 73.8 percent and 134 percent in different decades respectively, under RCP 8.5 compared to the baseline range. The same increasing pattern was also observed in respiratory mortality. The heat-related deaths under the RCP 8.5 scenario were found to reach a higher number and to increase more rapidly during the 21st century compared to the RCP4.5 scenario, especially in the 2050s and the 2080s. The projection results show potential trends in cause-specific mortality in the context of climate change, and provide support for public health interventions tailored to specific climate-related future health risks.

Results of surgical treatment for secondary spontaneous pneumothorax according to underlying diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Ichinose, Junji; Nagayama, Kazuhiro; Hino, Haruaki; Nitadori, Jun-ichi; Anraku, Masaki; Murakawa, Tomohiro; Nakajima, Jun

2016-04-01

The outcome of surgical treatment for secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP) has rarely been investigated. We retrospectively reviewed 183 patients who underwent surgery for SSP. We categorized the patients into three groups according to underlying diseases: Group A (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), Group B (interstitial pneumonia [IP]) and Group C (others). We defined treatment success as surgery without hospital mortality, postoperative complications, death within 6 months or ipsilateral recurrence of pneumothorax within 2 years. We assessed the risk factors for unsuccessful treatment using a Cox regression hazard model. There were 123 patients in Group A, 20 in Group B and 40 in Group C. The hospital mortality rates were 2, 15 and 0% in Groups A, B and C, respectively. The hospital mortality, morbidity and pneumothorax recurrence rates in the IP group were higher than in the other groups. The 5-year overall survival rates were 78, 32 and 84% in Groups A, B and C, respectively; the prognosis of the IP group was significantly poorer. The treatment success rates were 86, 45 and 83% in Groups A, B and C, respectively. SSPs caused by IP and SSPs requiring open surgery were identified as the risk factors for unsuccessful treatment. Surgery for SSP caused by underlying diseases other than IP yielded favourable results. However, a careful examination of surgical indication and a realistic disclosure for informed consent are required for patients with SSP caused by IP, because of the high treatment failure rate. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy under Ultrasound Guidance in Patients with Renal Calculi and Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease: A Report of 11 Cases

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Xiao Wang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Nephrolithiasis accelerates the renal failure in the patients with ADPKD. In order to evaluate the role of percutaneous nephrolithotomy in management of calculus in these patients, 11 patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and renal stones were included in the study. Two patients had bilateral renal stones. All patients were treated by percutaneous nephrolithotomy under ultrasound guidance. 13 percutaneous nephrolithotomy procedures were performed in 1 stage by the urology team under ultrasound guidance. 5 people received second operation with flexible nephroscopy in lateral position. The success rate and morbidity and mortality of the technique and hospital stay were recorded. Results. The puncture procedure was fully successful in all cases. The renal function improved in these patients. 5 patients had moderate fever after the surgery. 5 patients received flexible nephroscopy to take out the residual calculi. 2 persons had ESWL therapy after the surgery. Conclusion. PCNL is an ideal, safe, and effective method to remove the stones from those patients with no definite increase in the risk of complication. The outcome and stone-free rate are satisfactory comparable to the PCNL in the patients without ADPKD.

7. Conclusions and reflections

OpenAIRE

Nettle, Daniel

2016-01-01

But now your eyes sing the sad, sad song,Of how you lived so fast and died so young. Introduction We’ve now finished the data chapters of this book, and some conclusions are in order. In this chapter, I summarise what strike me as the main things we have learned, and suggest what their implications might be. I then devote a more extended discussion to the issue of causes of patterns of social behaviour, and how our data might bear on it. From this follows a brief consideration of what kinds o...

Delayed pneumothorax after laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy in a patient without underlying lung disease

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Richie K Huynh

2014-10-01

Full Text Available We present an unusual case of a delayed pneumothorax occurring approximately 72 h post-operatively in a patient without any underlying lung disease who had undergone laparoscopic sigmoid colon resection. The patient was in her mid-40s with a body mass index of 28.0 and had no history of smoking. Her spontaneous pneumothorax manifested without any precipitating events or complications during recovery. There was no evidence of any infectious process. There were no central line attempts and all ports were placed intra-peritoneally, and there was no evidence of any subcutaneous emphysema. One possible mechanism of injury that we propose is barotrauma from an extended period of time in Trendelenburg position. Notably, the only abnormal finding throughout the entire post-operative period preceding the delayed pneumothorax was a PO 2 desaturation the day before. This case highlights the necessity to examine and investigate any desaturation post-operatively and deliberate its possible significance. Furthermore, it demonstrates that, even during a normal recovery period for a patient without any underlying lung disease or risk factors, spontaneous pneumothorax could still develop in a delayed fashion multiple days post-operatively from a laparoscopic procedure.

Dissecting diabetes/metabolic disease mechanisms using pluripotent stem cells and genome editing tools

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Adrian Kee Keong Teo

2015-09-01

Major conclusions: hPSCs and the advancing genome editing tools appear to be a timely and potent combination for probing molecular mechanism(s underlying diseases such as diabetes and metabolic syndromes. The knowledge gained from these hiPSC-based disease modeling studies can potentially be translated into the clinics by guiding clinicians on the appropriate type of medication to use for each condition based on the mechanism of action of the disease.

CONCLUSIONS New Delhi Birth Cohort

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

CONCLUSIONS New Delhi Birth Cohort. Crossing BMI centiles and early adiposity rebound associated with adult metabolic syndrome. BMI gain in infancy and early childhood – associated more with adult lean mass. BMI gain in later childhood / adolescence – associated more with adult fat mass and constituents of ...

Changes in some coronary disease risk factors under influence of treatment with Swieradow radon waters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szczeklik, E; Halawa, B; Kwiatkowski, J

1977-01-01

In 66 patients subbivided into group of patients with coronary disease and group of control subjects the effect of radioactive waterbath and climatotherapy in Swieradow upon coronary disease risk factors was studied. The following risk factors were taken into account: cholesterol level, triglicerides, LDL, uric acid, the serum glucose level, arterial tension and weight. The results obtained indicate that the therapy with radon waters of Swieradow complexed with climatotherapy decreases the content of some coronary disease risk factors. The decrease of the urin acid in the serum, the lowering of arterial tension and decrease of body weight was noted. The lipid level in the serum did not change under effect of radioactive waters.

Summary and conclusions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bates, T.D.

1980-01-01

Various aspects of a clinical session on 'High dose-rate afterloading in the treatment of cancer of the uterus' at the International Workshop, London in April 1978 are discussed. The results of high dose-rate afterloading treatment were at least as good as those of conventional low dose-rate therapy. However, there is still a need to optimize dose fractionation and technique according to the type and stage of the disease to achieve the best results with the least distress for the patient. It would appear that, at the doses used, side effects with high dose-rate afterloading were few and probably related to the external rather than to the intracavitary therapy. High dose-rate afterloading therapy has obvious social and economic advantages and is thus of interest to all countries. (U.K.)

Turbulent dispersivity under conditions relevant to airborne disease transmission between laboratory animals

Science.gov (United States)

Halloran, Siobhan; Ristenpart, William

2013-11-01

Virologists and other researchers who test pathogens for airborne disease transmissibility often place a test animal downstream from an inoculated animal and later determine whether the test animal became infected. Despite the crucial role of the airflow in pathogen transmission between the animals, to date the infectious disease community has paid little attention to the effect of airspeed or turbulent intensity on the probability of transmission. Here we present measurements of the turbulent dispersivity under conditions relevant to experimental tests of airborne disease transmissibility between laboratory animals. We used time lapse photography to visualize the downstream transport and turbulent dispersion of smoke particulates released from a point source downstream of an axial fan, thus mimicking the release and transport of expiratory aerosols exhaled by an inoculated animal. We show that for fan-generated turbulence the plume width is invariant with the mean airspeed and, close to the point source, increases linearly with downstream position. Importantly, the turbulent dispersivity is insensitive to the presence of meshes placed downstream from the point source, indicating that the fan length scale dictates the turbulent intensity and corresponding dispersivity.

CAN MOTHERS CARE FOR ACUTE DIARRHOEAL DISEASE OF THEIR UNDER FIVE CHILDREN EFFECTIVELY AT HOME? A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY IN SLUM COMMUNITY IN BANKURA

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Eashin

2015-09-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND : Diarrhea is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in under - five children in developing world like India. WHO & Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness ( IMNCI diarrheal management guidelines encourage mothers and caretakers to treat diarrhoea at home by giving ORS and oral rehydration therapy (ORT to reduce the duration , severity , hospitalization , overall medical costs and death . OBJECTIVES : i t o assess the Knowledge , Attitude and Practice (KAP of mothers on home care of acu te diarrhoeal diseases and ii To find out the factors affecting it , if any. MATERIALS AND METHODS : Community based cross - sectional study was conducted for three months duration among 76 mothers of slum - dwelling under five children (2 - 59 months in Bankura . Information about KAP on management of acute diarrhoeal diseases was obtained by interview of mother using schedule based on WHO & IMNCI diarrheal management guidelines. RESULTS: In this study , majority mothers (64.7% of children were of BPL category an d mean schooling years of mothers was 7.97±4.12. Majority of mothers’ knowledge was average (66.2% and favourable attitude was (76.5%. While 72.2% mothers performed average practice ; only 9.3% of mothers performed good practice. Education , occupation and socio - economic status (SES were the influencing factors of KAP on home care of diarrhea. Conclusions : A lot of gap was still present in knowledge , attitude and practice of home management of acute diarrheal diseases in an urban slum of Bankura. Health pro viders are needed to be skilled , motivated to percolate the information to mothers regarding home care of diarrhea.

Number of objectives and conclusions in dissertations and thesis

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Liebano Richard Eloin

2005-01-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: To analyze the number of objectives and conclusions presented in dissertations and thesis defended at Federal University of São Paulo - Paulista School of Medicine (UNIFESP - EPM. METHODS: It was realized a search in the master degree dissertations and doctor degree thesis defended at Federal University of São Paulo - Paulista School of Medicine in the years 2002 and 2003 that were found available in the central library of this university. RESULTS: From 723 master dissertations analyzed, 62 (8,57% presented only one objective and one conclusion, 134 (18,53% presented one objective and more than one conclusion and 527 (72,89% had more than one objective and more than one conclusion. From 502 doctor thesis analyzed, 23 (4,58% presented only one objective and one conclusion, 123 (24,50% presented one objective and more than one conclusion and 376 (74,90% had more than one objective and more than one conclusion.. CONCLUSIONS: It wasn't found in researched literature the number of objectives and conclusions a scientific work must have. A highest number of thesis and dissertations presented more than one objective and more than one conclusion.

Visual control improves the accuracy of hand positioning in Huntington’s disease

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Emilia J. Sitek

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Background: The study aimed at demonstrating dependence of visual feedback during hand and finger positioning task performance among Huntington’s disease patients in comparison to patients with Parkinson’s disease and cervical dystonia. Material and methods: Eighty-nine patients participated in the study (23 with Huntington’s disease, 25 with Parkinson’s disease with dyskinesias, 21 with Parkinson’s disease without dyskinesias, and 20 with cervical dystonia, scoring ≥20 points on Mini-Mental State Examination in order to assure comprehension of task instructions. Neurological examination comprised of the motor section from the Unified Huntington’s Disease Rating Scale for Huntington’s disease, the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Part II–IV for Parkinson’s disease and the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale for cervical dystonia. In order to compare hand position accuracy under visually controlled and blindfolded conditions, the patient imitated each of the 10 examiner’s hand postures twice, once under the visual control condition and once with no visual feedback provided. Results: Huntington’s disease patients imitated examiner’s hand positions less accurately under blindfolded condition in comparison to Parkinson’s disease without dyskinesias and cervical dystonia participants. Under visually controlled condition there were no significant inter-group differences. Conclusions: Huntington’s disease patients exhibit higher dependence on visual feedback while performing motor tasks than Parkinson’s disease and cervical dystonia patients. Possible improvement of movement precision in Huntington’s disease with the use of visual cues could be potentially useful in the patients’ rehabilitation.

Genome Sequencing Reveals Loci under Artificial Selection that Underlie Disease Phenotypes in the Laboratory Rat

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Atanur, Santosh S.; Diaz, Ana Garcia; Maratou, Klio; Sarkis, Allison; Rotival, Maxime; Game, Laurence; Tschannen, Michael R.; Kaisaki, Pamela J.; Otto, Georg W.; Ma, Man Chun John; Keane, Thomas M.; Hummel, Oliver; Saar, Kathrin; Chen, Wei; Guryev, Victor; Gopalakrishnan, Kathirvel; Garrett, Michael R.; Joe, Bina; Citterio, Lorena; Bianchi, Giuseppe; McBride, Martin; Dominiczak, Anna; Adams, David J.; Serikawa, Tadao; Flicek, Paul; Cuppen, Edwin; Hubner, Norbert; Petretto, Enrico; Gauguier, Dominique; Kwitek, Anne; Jacob, Howard; Aitman, Timothy J.

2013-01-01

Large numbers of inbred laboratory rat strains have been developed for a range of complex disease phenotypes. To gain insights into the evolutionary pressures underlying selection for these phenotypes, we sequenced the genomes of 27 rat strains, including 11 models of hypertension, diabetes, and

Chronic Venous Disease under pressure

NARCIS (Netherlands)

S.W.I. Reeder (Suzan)

2013-01-01

textabstractIn chapter 1 we provide a general introduction of this thesis. Chronic venous disease (CVD) is a common medical condition that affects 2-64% of the worldwide population and leads to leg ulcers in 1% of the Western population. Venous leg ulceration (VLU) has an unfavorable prognosis with

Celiac disease and fulminant T lymphoma detected too late in a 35-year-old female patient: Case report

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Marinko Marušić

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Celiac disease is the most common chronic gastroenterological autoimmune disease characterized by gluten intolerance. The diagnosis of celiac disease and enteropathy-associated T cell lymphoma is often made when it is too late.Case report describes a 35-year-old female patient managed for one year under the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease and admitted to our hospital for exacerbation of the underlying disease. However, inflammatory bowel disease was ruled out by diagnostic work-up, while the clinical picture and the findings obtained raised suspicion of lymphoma. The patient’s condition was additionally complicated by fulminant course of the disease and ileus.Conclusion:Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of the disease, and follow up of family members are crucial to prevent intestinal lymphoma development.

Declining Prevalence of Disease Vectors Under Climate Change

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Escobar, Luis E.; Romero-Alvarez, Daniel; Leon, Renato

2016-01-01

More than half of the world population is at risk of vector-borne diseases including dengue fever, chikungunya, zika, yellow fever, leishmaniasis, chagas disease, and malaria, with highest incidences in tropical regions. In Ecuador, vector-borne diseases are present from coastal and Amazonian...

Disease Burden of 32 Infectious Diseases in the Netherlands, 2007-2011

Science.gov (United States)

Bouwknegt, Martijn; Kretzschmar, Mirjam E.; Mangen, Marie-Josée J.; Wallinga, Jacco; de Melker, Hester E.

2016-01-01

Background Infectious disease burden estimates provided by a composite health measure give a balanced view of the true impact of a disease on a population, allowing the relative impact of diseases that differ in severity and mortality to be monitored over time. This article presents the first national disease burden estimates for a comprehensive set of 32 infectious diseases in the Netherlands. Methods and Findings The average annual disease burden was computed for the period 2007–2011 for selected infectious diseases in the Netherlands using the disability-adjusted life years (DALY) measure. The pathogen- and incidence-based approach was adopted to quantify the burden due to both morbidity and premature mortality associated with all short and long-term consequences of infection. Natural history models, disease progression probabilities, disability weights, and other parameters were adapted from previous research. Annual incidence was obtained from statutory notification and other surveillance systems, which was corrected for under-ascertainment and under-reporting. The highest average annual disease burden was estimated for invasive pneumococcal disease (9444 DALYs/year; 95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 8911–9961) and influenza (8670 DALYs/year; 95% UI: 8468–8874), which represents 16% and 15% of the total burden of all 32 diseases, respectively. The remaining 30 diseases ranked by number of DALYs/year from high to low were: HIV infection, legionellosis, toxoplasmosis, chlamydia, campylobacteriosis, pertussis, tuberculosis, hepatitis C infection, Q fever, norovirus infection, salmonellosis, gonorrhoea, invasive meningococcal disease, hepatitis B infection, invasive Haemophilus influenzae infection, shigellosis, listeriosis, giardiasis, hepatitis A infection, infection with STEC O157, measles, cryptosporidiosis, syphilis, rabies, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, tetanus, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, and poliomyelitis. The very low burden for the latter five

[Challenge and strategy of prevention and control of important parasitic diseases under the Belt and Road Initiative].

Science.gov (United States)

Chun-Li, Cao; Jia-Gang, Guo

2018-04-17

China was once a country with the heaviest burden of parasitic diseases. Under the leadership of the Communist Party and national authority, after more than 60 years' efforts of prevention and control, the remarkable results have been achieved in China. However, affected by the social and economic development and environmental changes, the prevention and control of parasitic diseases, especially imported parasitic diseases, are facing new challenges, and the parasitic diseases, such as malaria, schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis, filariasis and trypanosomiasis, appear increasingly. With the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, the transmission risks of these diseases are more increased. The purpose of this paper is to describe the experience and results of parasitic disease prevention and control in China, understand the present parasitic disease epidemic situation of the Belt and Road Initiative related countries, analyze the transmission risks of important parasitic diseases, and present some relevant suggestions, so as to provide the evidence for the health administrative department formulating the prevention and control strategies of such parasitic diseases timely and effectively.

Combined heat and gamma-irradiation treatments for the control of strawberry diseases under market conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brodrick, H.T.; Thomas, A.C.; Van Tonder, A.J.; Terblanche, J.C.

1977-02-01

The spoilage of strawberries under local market conditions was investigated. It was confirmed that the major losses are due to 'leak' disease caused by Rhizopus stolonifer (Ehr. ex Fr.) Lind. It was also established that further fruit losses in summer are due to anthracnose caused by the fungus Colletotrichum acutatum Simmonds. This is the first time that the latter pathogen has been isolated and identified and recognised as a problem on strawberries in South Africa. Studies with R. stolonifer in culture showed that 46 degrees Celsius for 20 min (the previous international standard heat treatment for fruit) was disappointing, while a treatment at 50 degrees Celsius for 10 min effectively inhibited spore germination. Irradiation studies with cultures of R. stolonifer and C. acutatum showed that a dose of 200 and 100 krad, respectively, resulted in excellent inhibition of spore germination. However, irradiating in nitrogen gas resulted in a tenfold reduction in the effectiveness of the irradiation treatments. The use of nitrogen during irradiation, therefore, cannot be considered, especially where an effective control of the fungal pathogens is desired. Investigations with different cultivars clearly demonstrated the synergistic effect on disease control obtained when combining heat and irradiation treatments. The combination treatment (moist heat at 50-52 degrees Celsius for 10 min plus 200 krad), besides effectively controlling both diseases in strawberries, did not adversely affect berry quality. In simulated transport tests it was shown that a minimal amount of berry softening did occur with this treatment, but this adverse effect was negligible compared with the beneficial effect obtained from disease control. In semi-commercial experiments it was shown that the combination heat and irradiation treatment effectively controlled spoilage diseases for a period of several days from picking, thus allowing sufficient time to market the fruit under local market

Normal and mutant HTT interact to affect clinical severity and progression in Huntington disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aziz, N A; Jurgens, C K; Landwehrmeyer, G B

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Huntington disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the HD gene (HTT). We aimed to assess whether interaction between CAG repeat sizes in the mutant and normal allele could affect disease severity and progression. METHODS: Using...... with less severe symptoms and pathology. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing CAG repeat size in normal HTT diminishes the association between mutant CAG repeat size and disease severity and progression in Huntington disease. The underlying mechanism may involve interaction of the polyglutamine domains of normal...

Angiocardiographic technique of congenital heart disease in children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Ming; Zhai Hongyuan; Zhong Yumin

2005-01-01

Objective: To evaluate different angiocardiographic techniques of congenital heart disease in children. Methods: 11045 pediatric patients with congenital heart disease were performed angiocardiography using cut film, cine film and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) equipment. Different angiocardiographic techniques were used. Results: The diagnostic accuracy of cut film with conventional AP and lateral views was 80.5%, the diagnostic accuracy of cine film with angulated views was 90.0% and the diagnostic accuracy of DSA using non-ionic contrast medium with angulated views was 96.5%. Conclusion: Dynamic picture angiography with digital subtraction using non-ionic contrast medium under rapid injection is the key for claiming the high quality imaging diagnosis of congenital heart disease in children. (authors)

A fallacious jar? The peculiar relation between descriptive premises and normative conclusions in neuroethics.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, Nils-Frederic; Northoff, Georg

2015-06-01

Ethical questions have traditionally been approached through conceptual analysis. Inspired by the rapid advance of modern brain imaging techniques, however, some ethical questions appear in a new light. For example, hotly debated trolley dilemmas have recently been studied by psychologists and neuroscientists alike, arguing that their findings can support or debunk moral intuitions that underlie those dilemmas. Resulting from the wedding of philosophy and neuroscience, neuroethics has emerged as a novel interdisciplinary field that aims at drawing conclusive relationships between neuroscientific observations and normative ethics. A major goal of neuroethics is to derive normative ethical conclusions from the investigation of neural and psychological mechanisms underlying ethical theories, as well as moral judgments and intuitions. The focus of this article is to shed light on the structure and functioning of neuroethical arguments of this sort, and to reveal particular methodological challenges that lie concealed therein. We discuss the methodological problem of how one can--or, as the case may be, cannot--validly infer normative conclusions from neuroscientific observations. Moreover, we raise the issue of how preexisting normative ethical convictions threaten to invalidate the interpretation of neuroscientific data, and thus arrive at question-begging conclusions. Nonetheless, this is not to deny that current neuroethics rightly presumes that moral considerations about actual human lives demand empirically substantiated answers. Therefore, in conclusion, we offer some preliminary reflections on how the discussed methodological challenges can be met.

The grand leap of the whale up the Niagara Falls: converting philosophical conclusions into policy prescriptions.

Science.gov (United States)

Holm, Søren

2015-04-01

This article analyzes a neat conjuring trick employed in bioethics, that is, the immediate conversion of a philosophical conclusion into a policy prescription, and compares it to the "grand leap of the whale up the Niagara Falls" mentioned by Benjamin Franklin. It is shown that there is no simple and easy way to achieve the conversion, by considering arguments falling under four headings: (1) reasonable disagreement about values and theories, (2) general jurisprudential arguments, (3) the differences between policymaking and philosophy, and (4) the messy world of implementation. The particular issue used to illustrate the difficulties in moving from philosophical conclusion to policy description is infanticide of healthy infants, but the analysis is general, and the conclusion that the immediate move to policy is illegitimate is quite general.

Altered kinematics of arm swing in Parkinson's disease patients indicates declines in gait under dual-task conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Baron, Elise I; Miller Koop, Mandy; Streicher, Matthew C; Rosenfeldt, Anson B; Alberts, Jay L

2018-03-01

Declines in simultaneous performance of a cognitive and motor task are present in Parkinson's disease due to compromised basal ganglia function related to information processing. The aim of this project was to determine if biomechanical measures of arm swing could be used as a marker of gait function under dual-task conditions in Parkinson's disease patients. Twenty-three patients with Parkinson's disease completed single and dual-task cognitive-motor tests while walking on a treadmill at a self-selected rate. Multiple cognitive domains were evaluated with five cognitive tests. Cognitive tests were completed in isolation (single-task) and simultaneously with gait (dual-task). Upper extremity biomechanical data were gathered using the Motek CAREN system. Primary outcomes characterizing arm swing were: path length, normalized jerk, coefficient of variation of arm swing time, and cognitive performance. Performance on the cognitive tasks were similar across single and dual-task conditions. However, biomechanical measures exhibited significant changes between single and dual-task conditions, with the greatest changes occurring in the most challenging conditions. Arm swing path length decreased significantly from single to dual-task, with the greatest decrease of 21.16%. Jerk, characterizing smoothness, increased significantly when moving from single to dual-task conditions. The simultaneous performance of a cognitive and gait task resulted in decrements in arm swing while cognitive performance was maintained. Arm swing outcomes provide a sensitive measure of declines in gait function in Parkinson's disease under dual-task conditions. The quantification of arm swing is a feasible approach to identifying and evaluating gait related declines under dual-task conditions. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Forest pathogens and diseases under changing climate-A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raza, M. M.; Khan, M. A.; Aslam, H. M. U.; Riaz, K.

2015-01-01

Changing climate threatens tree health by affecting the likelihood, frequency of occurrence, types and severity of forest diseases caused by diverse pests, resultantly altering the forest ecosystems. The present review covers the relationship between climate and diverse cases of forest diseases and potential shocks of climate change on pathogens and diseases. Biotic diseases, cankers, decays, declines, foliar diseases, root diseases and stem rust of pine have been reviewed with some illustrations of potential disease effects with predicted changing climate. The impact of changing climate on host, pathogen, and their interaction will have frequent and mostly unsympathetic outcomes to forest ecosystems. By employing the proactive and modern scientific management strategies like monitoring, modeling prediction, risk rating, planning, genetic diversity and facilitated migration, genetic protection and breeding for disease resistance and relating results to forest policy, planning as well as decision making, the suspicions innate to climate change effects can be minimized. (author)

Support for research towards understanding the population health vulnerabilities to vector-borne diseases: increasing resilience under climate change conditions in Africa

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Bernadette Ramirez

2017-01-01

Background:Diseases transmitted to humans by vectors account for 17％ of all infectious diseases and remain significant public health problems.Through the years,great strides have been taken towards combatting vectorborne diseases (VBDs),most notably through large scale and coordinated control programmes,which have contributed to the decline of the global mortality attributed to VBDs.However,with environmental changes,including climate change,the impact on VBDs is anticipated to be significant,in terms of VBD-related hazards,vulnerabilities and exposure.While there is growing awareness on the vulnerability of the African continent to VBDs in the context of climate change,there is still a paucity of research being undertaken in this area,and impeding the formulation of evidence-based health policy change.Main body:One way in which the gap in knowledge and evidence can be filled is for donor institutions to support research in this area.The collaboration between the WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) and the International Centre for Research and Development (IDRC) builds on more than 10 years of partnership in research capacity-building in the field of tropical diseases.From this partnership was born yet another research initiative on VBDs and the impact of climate change in the Sahel and sub-Saharan Africa.This paper lists the projects supported under this research initiative and provides a brief on some of the policy and good practice recommendations emerging from the ongoing implementation of the research projects.Conclusion:Data generated from the research initiative are expected to be uptaken by stakeholders (including communities,policy makers,public health practitioners and other relevant partners) to contribute to a better understanding of the impacts of social,environmental and climate change on VBDs(i.e.the nature of the hazard,vulnerabilities,exposure),and improve the ability of African countries to adapt to and

Workshop on iodine aspects of severe accident management. Summary and conclusions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-03-01

Following a recommendation of the OECD Workshop on the Chemistry of Iodine in Reactor Safety held in Wuerenlingen (Switzerland) in June 1996 [Summary and Conclusions of the Workshop, Report NEA/CSNI/R(96)7], the CSNI decided to sponsor a Workshop on Iodine Aspects of Severe Accident Management, and their planned or effective implementation. The starting point for this conclusion was the realization that the consolidation of the accumulated iodine chemistry knowledge into accident management guidelines and procedures remained, to a large extent, to be done. The purpose of the meeting was therefore to help build a bridge between iodine research and the application of its results in nuclear power plants, with particular emphasis on severe accident management. Specifically, the Workshop was expected to answer the following questions: - what is the role of iodine in severe accident management? - what are the needs of the utilities? - how can research fulfill these needs? The Workshop was organized in Vantaa (Helsinki), Finland, from 18 to 20 May 1999, in collaboration with Fortum Engineering Ltd. It was attended by forty-six specialists representing fifteen Member countries and the European Commission. Twenty-eight papers were presented. These included four utility papers, representing the views of Electricite de France (EDF), Teollisuuden Voima Oy and Fortum Engineering Ltd (Finland), the Nuclear Energy Institute (USA), and Japanese utilities. The papers were presented in five sessions: - iodine speciation; - organic compound control; - iodine control; - modeling; - iodine management; A sixth session was devoted to a general discussion on iodine management under severe accident conditions. This report summarizes the content of the papers and the conclusions of the workshop

Frequency of undiagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in patients with coronary artery disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ullah, R.; Ghaffar, T.; Khan, I.; Muhammad, R.; Salman, S.

2017-01-01

Chronic obstructive airway disease (COPD) is considered as risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) along with other risk factors. This study was conducted to determine the frequency of undiagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in patients with coronary artery disease. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Pulmonology and Cardiology wards/OPD's of Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar. Patients more than 35 years of age, diagnosed with CAD of either gender were included. Patients already diagnosed with COPD, recent myocardial infarction (within 7 days), left ventricular impairment, pneumothorax, bronchiectasis, comatose patient, asthmatic and those with chest trauma were excluded. All the patients underwent spirometry examination before and after administration of salbutamol (5 mg for 5 minutes) via nebulizer. FEV1/FVC less than 70% confirmed the presence of COPD. Results: Out of 151 patients, 57 (37.7%) were found to have COPD. Among them, 39 (68.42%) were male and 18 (31.57%) were female. Among male patients with COPD, 82.05% (n=32) were smokers and 17.94% (n=7) were nonsmokers while in females with COPD no one was smoker. Conclusion: COPD is an under-diagnosed progressive disease in patients with high risk patients with coronary artery disease. (author)

Data, model, conclusion, doing it again

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Molenaar, W.

1998-01-01

This paper explores the robustness of conclusions from a statistical model against variations in model choice (rather than variations in random sampling and random assignment to treatments, which are the usual variations covered by inferential statistics). After the problem formulation in section 1,

Regulation of sorLA in general and in Alzheimer's disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Olav Michael; Poulsen, Annemarie Svane Aavild; Zole, Egija

Background: The Sortillin-related receptor (sorLA) is involved in cellular trafficking and processing of the Amyloid precursor protein (APP). A decrease in sorLA expression has been identified in brain tissue from patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD), suggesting that sorLA may be a key...... tissue from patients with Alzheimer's disease. Conclusions: We have investigated the regulation of sorLA expression and identified several cis - and trans -regulatory elements important for the proper expression of sorLA. These studies may help to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the observ ed down...... regulation of sorLA and the linkage to disease onset of SORL1 SNPs in AD patients....

Transcriptomic Analysis and the Expression of Disease-Resistant Genes in Oryza meyeriana under Native Condition.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bin He

Full Text Available Oryza meyeriana (O. meyeriana, with a GG genome type (2n = 24, accumulated plentiful excellent characteristics with respect to resistance to many diseases such as rice shade and blast, even immunity to bacterial blight. It is very important to know if the diseases-resistant genes exist and express in this wild rice under native conditions. However, limited genomic or transcriptomic data of O. meyeriana are currently available. In this study, we present the first comprehensive characterization of the O. meyeriana transcriptome using RNA-seq and obtained 185,323 contigs with an average length of 1,692 bp and an N50 of 2,391 bp. Through differential expression analysis, it was found that there were most tissue-specifically expressed genes in roots, and next to stems and leaves. By similarity search against protein databases, 146,450 had at least a significant alignment to existed gene models. Comparison with the Oryza sativa (japonica-type Nipponbare and indica-type 93-11 genomes revealed that 13% of the O. meyeriana contigs had not been detected in O. sativa. Many diseases-resistant genes, such as bacterial blight resistant, blast resistant, rust resistant, fusarium resistant, cyst nematode resistant and downy mildew gene, were mined from the transcriptomic database. There are two kinds of rice bacterial blight-resistant genes (Xa1 and Xa26 differentially or specifically expressed in O. meyeriana. The 4 Xa1 contigs were all only expressed in root, while three of Xa26 contigs have the highest expression level in leaves, two of Xa26 contigs have the highest expression profile in stems and one of Xa26 contigs was expressed dominantly in roots. The transcriptomic database of O. meyeriana has been constructed and many diseases-resistant genes were found to express under native condition, which provides a foundation for future discovery of a number of novel genes and provides a basis for studying the molecular mechanisms associated with disease

Homozygosity mapping and targeted sanger sequencing reveal genetic defects underlying inherited retinal disease in families from pakistan.

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Maleeha Maria

Full Text Available Homozygosity mapping has facilitated the identification of the genetic causes underlying inherited diseases, particularly in consanguineous families with multiple affected individuals. This knowledge has also resulted in a mutation dataset that can be used in a cost and time effective manner to screen frequent population-specific genetic variations associated with diseases such as inherited retinal disease (IRD.We genetically screened 13 families from a cohort of 81 Pakistani IRD families diagnosed with Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA, retinitis pigmentosa (RP, congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB, or cone dystrophy (CD. We employed genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP array analysis to identify homozygous regions shared by affected individuals and performed Sanger sequencing of IRD-associated genes located in the sizeable homozygous regions. In addition, based on population specific mutation data we performed targeted Sanger sequencing (TSS of frequent variants in AIPL1, CEP290, CRB1, GUCY2D, LCA5, RPGRIP1 and TULP1, in probands from 28 LCA families.Homozygosity mapping and Sanger sequencing of IRD-associated genes revealed the underlying mutations in 10 families. TSS revealed causative variants in three families. In these 13 families four novel mutations were identified in CNGA1, CNGB1, GUCY2D, and RPGRIP1.Homozygosity mapping and TSS revealed the underlying genetic cause in 13 IRD families, which is useful for genetic counseling as well as therapeutic interventions that are likely to become available in the near future.

Mitochondrial dysfunction underlying outer retinal diseases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lefevere, Evy; Toft-Kehler, Anne Katrine; Vohra, Rupali

2017-01-01

Dysfunction of photoreceptors, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) or both contribute to the initiation and progression of several outer retinal disorders. Disrupted Müller glia function might additionally subsidize to these diseases. Mitochondrial malfunctioning is importantly associated with outer...

Premature conclusions about psychotherapy for dysthymia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cuijpers, P.

2009-01-01

Dr Cuijpers and Colleagues Reply To the Editor: We thank Dr Gaudiano and colleagues for their contribution to the discussion about psychotherapy for dysthymia. We agree very much with Gaudiano et al that we should be careful about drawing definite conclusions about the comparative efficacy of

Review Article: Celiac Disease, New Approaches to Therapy

Science.gov (United States)

Rashtak, Shahrooz; Murray, Joseph A

2014-01-01

STRUCTURED SUMMARY Background Celiac disease is managed by life-long gluten withdrawal from the diet. However strict adherence to a gluten-free diet is difficult and is not always effective. Novel therapeutic approaches are needed to supplement or even replace the dietary treatment. Aims To review recent advances in new therapeutic options for celiac disease. Methods A literature search was performed on MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, DDW.org and ClinicalTrial.gov for English articles and abstracts. The search terms used include but not limited to “Celiac disease”, “new”, “novel”, Advances”, “alternatives” and “Drug therapy”. The cited articles were selected based on the relevancy to the review objective. Results Several new therapeutic approaches for celiac disease are currently under development by targeting its underlying pathogenesis. Alternative therapies range from reproduction of harmless wheat strains to immunomodulatory approaches. Some of these therapies such as enzymatic cleavage of gluten and permeability inhibitors have shown promise in clinical studies. Conclusion Gluten-free diet is still the only practical treatment for patients with celiac disease. Novel strategies provide promise of alternative adjunctive approaches to diet restriction alone for patients with this disorder. PMID:22324389

Histology Verification Demonstrates That Biospectroscopy Analysis of Cervical Cytology Identifies Underlying Disease More Accurately than Conventional Screening: Removing the Confounder of Discordance

Science.gov (United States)

Gajjar, Ketan; Ahmadzai, Abdullah A.; Valasoulis, George; Trevisan, Júlio; Founta, Christina; Nasioutziki, Maria; Loufopoulos, Aristotelis; Kyrgiou, Maria; Stasinou, Sofia Melina; Karakitsos, Petros; Paraskevaidis, Evangelos; Da Gama-Rose, Bianca; Martin-Hirsch, Pierre L.; Martin, Francis L.

2014-01-01

. Scores plots of IR spectra exhibit marked crossover of spectral points between different cytological categories. Although, significant differences between spectral bands in different categories are noted, crossover samples point to the potential for poor specificity and hampers the development of biospectroscopy as a diagnostic tool. However, when histology-based categories are used to conduct analyses, the scores plot of IR spectra exhibit markedly better segregation. Conclusions Histology demonstrates that ATR-FTIR spectroscopy of liquid-based cytology identifies the presence of underlying atypia or disease missed in conventional cytology screening. This study points to an urgent need for a future biospectroscopy study where categories are based on such histology. It will allow for the validation of this approach as a screening tool. PMID:24404130

Cardiovascular Disease and Chronic Inflammation in End Stage Kidney Disease

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Sofia Zyga

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD is one of the most severe diseases worldwide. In patients affected by CKD, a progressive destruction of the nephrons is observed not only in structuralbut also in functional level. Atherosclerosis is a progressive disease of large and medium-sized arteries. It is characterized by the deposition of lipids and fibrous elements and is a common complication of the uremic syndrome because of the coexistence of a wide range of risk factors. High blood pressure, anaemia, insulin resistance, inflammation, high oxidative stress are some of the most common factors that cause cardiovascular disease and atherogenesis in patients suffering from End Stage Kidney Disease (ESRD. At the same time, the inflammatory process constitutes a common element in the apparition and development of CKD. A wide range of possible causes can justify the development of inflammation under uremic conditions. Such causes are oxidative stress, oxidation, coexistentpathological conditions as well as factors that are due to renal clearance techniques. Patients in ESRD and coronary disease usually show increased acute phase products. Pre-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6 and TNF-a, and acute phase reactants, such as CRP and fibrinogen, are closely related. The treatment of chronic inflammation in CKD is of high importance for the development ofthe disease as well as for the treatment of cardiovascular morbidity.Conclusions: The treatment factors focus on the use of renin-angiotensic system inhibitors, acetylsalicylic acid, statins and anti-oxidant treatment in order to prevent the action of inflammatorycytokines that have the ability to activate the mechanisms of inflammation.

Maremar, prevalence of chronic kidney disease, how to avoid over-diagnosis and under-diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

De Broe, Marc E; Gharbi, Mohammed Benghanem; Elseviers, Monique

2016-04-01

Chronic kidney disease is considered as a major public health problem. Recent studies mention a prevalence rate between 8%-12%. Several editorials, comments, short reviews described the weaknesses (lack of confirmation of proteinuria, and of chronicity of decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate) of a substantial number of studies and the irrational of using a single arbitrary set point, i.e. diagnosis of chronic kidney disease whenever the estimated glomerular filtration rate is less than 60mL/min/1.73m(2). Maremar (Maladies rénales chroniques au Maroc) is a prevalence study of chronic kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes and obesity in a randomized, representative, high response rate (85%), sample of the adult population of Morocco, strictly applying the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. Compared to the vast majority of the available studies, Maremar has a low prevalence of chronic kidney disease (2.9% adjusted to the actual adult population of Morocco). The population pyramid, and particularly the confirmation of proteinuria and "chronicity" of the decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate are the main reasons for this low prevalence of chronic kidney disease. The choice of arbitrary single threshold of estimated glomerular filtration rate for classifying stage 3-5 chronic kidney disease inevitably leads to "over-diagnosis" (false positives) of the disease in the elderly, particularly those without proteinuria, hematuria or hypertension, and to "under-diagnosed" (false negatives) in younger individuals with an estimated glomerular filtration rate above 60mL/min/1.73m(2) and below the 3rd percentile of their age/gender category. There is an urgent need for quality studies using in a correct way the recent KDIGO guidelines when investigating the prevalence of chronic kidney disease, in order to avoid a 50 to 100% overestimation of a disease state with potential dramatic consequences. The combination of the general population

Jumping to the wrong conclusions? An investigation of the mechanisms of reasoning errors in delusions.

Science.gov (United States)

Jolley, Suzanne; Thompson, Claire; Hurley, James; Medin, Evelina; Butler, Lucy; Bebbington, Paul; Dunn, Graham; Freeman, Daniel; Fowler, David; Kuipers, Elizabeth; Garety, Philippa

2014-10-30

Understanding how people with delusions arrive at false conclusions is central to the refinement of cognitive behavioural interventions. Making hasty decisions based on limited data ('jumping to conclusions', JTC) is one potential causal mechanism, but reasoning errors may also result from other processes. In this study, we investigated the correlates of reasoning errors under differing task conditions in 204 participants with schizophrenia spectrum psychosis who completed three probabilistic reasoning tasks. Psychotic symptoms, affect, and IQ were also evaluated. We found that hasty decision makers were more likely to draw false conclusions, but only 37% of their reasoning errors were consistent with the limited data they had gathered. The remainder directly contradicted all the presented evidence. Reasoning errors showed task-dependent associations with IQ, affect, and psychotic symptoms. We conclude that limited data-gathering contributes to false conclusions but is not the only mechanism involved. Delusions may also be maintained by a tendency to disregard evidence. Low IQ and emotional biases may contribute to reasoning errors in more complex situations. Cognitive strategies to reduce reasoning errors should therefore extend beyond encouragement to gather more data, and incorporate interventions focused directly on these difficulties. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Neural correlates underlying micrographia in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Tao; Zhang, Jiarong; Hallett, Mark; Feng, Tao; Hou, Yanan; Chan, Piu

2016-01-01

Micrographia is a common symptom in Parkinson's disease, which manifests as either a consistent or progressive reduction in the size of handwriting or both. Neural correlates underlying micrographia remain unclear. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate micrographia-related neural activity and connectivity modulations. In addition, the effect of attention and dopaminergic administration on micrographia was examined. We found that consistent micrographia was associated with decreased activity and connectivity in the basal ganglia motor circuit; while progressive micrographia was related to the dysfunction of basal ganglia motor circuit together with disconnections between the rostral supplementary motor area, rostral cingulate motor area and cerebellum. Attention significantly improved both consistent and progressive micrographia, accompanied by recruitment of anterior putamen and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Levodopa improved consistent micrographia accompanied by increased activity and connectivity in the basal ganglia motor circuit, but had no effect on progressive micrographia. Our findings suggest that consistent micrographia is related to dysfunction of the basal ganglia motor circuit; while dysfunction of the basal ganglia motor circuit and disconnection between the rostral supplementary motor area, rostral cingulate motor area and cerebellum likely contributes to progressive micrographia. Attention improves both types of micrographia by recruiting additional brain networks. Levodopa improves consistent micrographia by restoring the function of the basal ganglia motor circuit, but does not improve progressive micrographia, probably because of failure to repair the disconnected networks. © The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Decision-making when data and inferences are not conclusive: risk-benefit and acceptable regret approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Hozo, Iztok; Schell, Michael J; Djulbegovic, Benjamin

2008-07-01

The absolute truth in research is unobtainable, as no evidence or research hypothesis is ever 100% conclusive. Therefore, all data and inferences can in principle be considered as "inconclusive." Scientific inference and decision-making need to take into account errors, which are unavoidable in the research enterprise. The errors can occur at the level of conclusions that aim to discern the truthfulness of research hypothesis based on the accuracy of research evidence and hypothesis, and decisions, the goal of which is to enable optimal decision-making under present and specific circumstances. To optimize the chance of both correct conclusions and correct decisions, the synthesis of all major statistical approaches to clinical research is needed. The integration of these approaches (frequentist, Bayesian, and decision-analytic) can be accomplished through formal risk:benefit (R:B) analysis. This chapter illustrates the rational choice of a research hypothesis using R:B analysis based on decision-theoretic expected utility theory framework and the concept of "acceptable regret" to calculate the threshold probability of the "truth" above which the benefit of accepting a research hypothesis outweighs its risks.

Results and conclusion; Resultados e conclusoes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2009-10-15

This chapter shows the results and conclusions of the ordered studies by the Science and Technology Ministry from Brazil to the Center of Management and Strategic Studies (CGEE), executed by a multidisciplinary team, most of UNICAMP - State University of Campinas, SP - for evaluation of Brazilian capacity and potential in the production of fuel bioethanol.

Are the educational differences in incidence of cardiovascular disease explained by underlying familial factors?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Mia; Andersen, Per Kragh; Gerster, Mette

2014-01-01

To isolate the effect of education from the influence of potential underlying factors, we investigated the association of education with the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and ischemic heart disease (IHD) using twin data to adjust for familial factors shared within twins, including genetic...... make-up and childhood environment. The study was based on data from the Danish Twin Registry linked to administrative and heath registers in Statistics Denmark. A total of 11,968 monozygotic and 20,464 dizygotic same sexed twins were followed from 1980 to 2009, including more than 8000 events of CVD....... Unpaired and intra-pair analyses were compared. In the unpaired analyses, an inverse educational gradient in CVD- and IHD risk was observed. This association was not replicated in the intra-pair analyses that control for shared familial factors exploiting that twins share their intrauterine- and childhood...

Summary of the discussion, Conclusion of the meeting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crutzen, S.

1997-01-01

The discussion was organised in three major periods corresponding to the main themes developed by the programme of the meeting: the qualification approaches, the qualification experience accumulated so far, one particular frame or motivation of the ISI qualification: the risk based (or informed) ISI. The qualification approaches presented by national representatives raised few questions. More discussion was induced on the qualification concepts, responsibilities, need and writing of the technical justification, motivation for the open trials, similitude between concepts, benefit deriving from the qualification of inspection procedures and further motivation. the conclusion could be as the following: the evolution of qualification applications, even if issued from harmonised concepts, appears to be nationalistically based. It is a thought that emulation and harmonisation could actually produce both savings and improvements in this area. 'The wheel does not have to be re-invented in each country' and it is the declared objective of ENIQ. There seems to be a need for some international agreement in the setting of standards for qualification. One area which seems to continue to be of underlying concern is in the characterisation of defects. There seems to be a need for appropriate 'defected blocks' satisfying the criteria of representativeness, quality, low cost, reproducibility, etc. More specific cases of Technical Justification development are needed to serve as examples and incentive for the case of this element of inspection qualification

Neural correlates underlying micrographia in Parkinson’s disease

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jiarong; Hallett, Mark; Feng, Tao; Hou, Yanan; Chan, Piu

2016-01-01

Micrographia is a common symptom in Parkinson’s disease, which manifests as either a consistent or progressive reduction in the size of handwriting or both. Neural correlates underlying micrographia remain unclear. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate micrographia-related neural activity and connectivity modulations. In addition, the effect of attention and dopaminergic administration on micrographia was examined. We found that consistent micrographia was associated with decreased activity and connectivity in the basal ganglia motor circuit; while progressive micrographia was related to the dysfunction of basal ganglia motor circuit together with disconnections between the rostral supplementary motor area, rostral cingulate motor area and cerebellum. Attention significantly improved both consistent and progressive micrographia, accompanied by recruitment of anterior putamen and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Levodopa improved consistent micrographia accompanied by increased activity and connectivity in the basal ganglia motor circuit, but had no effect on progressive micrographia. Our findings suggest that consistent micrographia is related to dysfunction of the basal ganglia motor circuit; while dysfunction of the basal ganglia motor circuit and disconnection between the rostral supplementary motor area, rostral cingulate motor area and cerebellum likely contributes to progressive micrographia. Attention improves both types of micrographia by recruiting additional brain networks. Levodopa improves consistent micrographia by restoring the function of the basal ganglia motor circuit, but does not improve progressive micrographia, probably because of failure to repair the disconnected networks. PMID:26525918

Changes in Ionic Conductance Signature of Nociceptive Neurons Underlying Fabry Disease Phenotype

Science.gov (United States)

Namer, Barbara; Ørstavik, Kirstin; Schmidt, Roland; Mair, Norbert; Kleggetveit, Inge Petter; Zeidler, Maximillian; Martha, Theresa; Jorum, Ellen; Schmelz, Martin; Kalpachidou, Theodora; Kress, Michaela; Langeslag, Michiel

2017-01-01

The first symptom arising in many Fabry patients is neuropathic pain due to changes in small myelinated and unmyelinated fibers in the periphery, which is subsequently followed by a loss of sensory perception. Here we studied changes in the peripheral nervous system of Fabry patients and a Fabry mouse model induced by deletion of α-galactosidase A (Gla−/0). The skin innervation of Gla−/0 mice resembles that of the human Fabry patients. In Fabry diseased humans and Gla−/0 mice, we observed similar sensory abnormalities, which were also observed in nerve fiber recordings in both patients and mice. Electrophysiological recordings of cultured Gla−/0 nociceptors revealed that the conductance of voltage-gated Na+ and Ca2+ currents was decreased in Gla−/0 nociceptors, whereas the activation of voltage-gated K+ currents was at more depolarized potentials. Conclusively, we have observed that reduced sensory perception due to small-fiber degeneration coincides with altered electrophysiological properties of sensory neurons. PMID:28769867

Changes in Ionic Conductance Signature of Nociceptive Neurons Underlying Fabry Disease Phenotype

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Namer

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The first symptom arising in many Fabry patients is neuropathic pain due to changes in small myelinated and unmyelinated fibers in the periphery, which is subsequently followed by a loss of sensory perception. Here we studied changes in the peripheral nervous system of Fabry patients and a Fabry mouse model induced by deletion of α-galactosidase A (Gla−/0. The skin innervation of Gla−/0 mice resembles that of the human Fabry patients. In Fabry diseased humans and Gla−/0 mice, we observed similar sensory abnormalities, which were also observed in nerve fiber recordings in both patients and mice. Electrophysiological recordings of cultured Gla−/0 nociceptors revealed that the conductance of voltage-gated Na+ and Ca2+ currents was decreased in Gla−/0 nociceptors, whereas the activation of voltage-gated K+ currents was at more depolarized potentials. Conclusively, we have observed that reduced sensory perception due to small-fiber degeneration coincides with altered electrophysiological properties of sensory neurons.

Deformability of Erythrocytes and Oxidative Damage in Alzheimer Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mukerrem Betul Yerer

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Purpose: A lowered cerebral perfusion as a consequence of hemodynamic microcirculatory insufficiency is one of the factors underlying in Alzheimer's disease, which is a neurodegenerative disorder leading to progressive cognitive impairment. Erythrocyte deformability is one of the major factors affecting the microcirculatory hemodynamics which is closely related to the oxidative damage. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the erythrocyte deformability, nitric oxide levels and oxidative stress in Alzheimer's disease. Methods: The blood samples of 30 elderly people in three groups consisting of healthy control and different severities of the disease (low and severe were used. Then the erythrocytes were isolated and the deformability of erythrocytes was determined by Rheodyne SSD evaluating the elongation indexes of the erythrocytes under different shear stress. The catalase, glutathione peroxidase and plasma nitric oxide levels were measured spectrophotometric ally. Results: The plasma nitric oxide levels, catalase activities were found significantly higher and glutathione peroxidase activity was significantly lower in severe Alzheimer's disease patients compared to the control group. However, the deformability of erythrocytes was not significantly affected from these alterations. Conclusion: the oxidant-antioxidant status is dramatically changed in Alzheimer's disease patients with the severity of the disease and similar alterations were seen in the nitric oxide levels without any significant change in erythrocyte deformability. [Cukurova Med J 2012; 37(2.000: 65-75

In Search of 'Birth Month Genes': Using Existing Data Repositories to Locate Genes Underlying Birth Month-Disease Relationships.

Science.gov (United States)

Boland, Mary Regina; Tatonetti, Nicholas P

2016-01-01

Prenatal and perinatal exposures vary seasonally (e.g., sunlight, allergens) and many diseases are linked with variance in exposure. Epidemiologists often measure these changes using birth month as a proxy for seasonal variance. Likewise, Genome-Wide Association Studies have associated or implicated these same diseases with many genes. Both disparate data types (epidemiological and genetic) can provide key insights into the underlying disease biology. We developed an algorithm that links 1) epidemiological data from birth month studies with 2) genetic data from published gene-disease association studies. Our framework uses existing data repositories - PubMed, DisGeNET and Gene Ontology - to produce a bipartite network that connects enriched seasonally varying biofactorss with birth month dependent diseases (BMDDs) through their overlapping developmental gene sets. As a proof-of-concept, we investigate 7 known BMDDs and highlight three important biological networks revealed by our algorithm and explore some interesting genetic mechanisms potentially responsible for the seasonal contribution to BMDDs.

Factors associated with chronic diseases among the elderly receiving treatment under the Family Health Strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Pimenta, Fernanda Batista; Pinho, Lucinéia; Silveira, Marise Fagundes; Botelho, Ana Cristina de Carvalho

2015-08-01

The profile of a sample population of elderly receiving treatment under the Family Health Strategy in the municipality of Teófilo Otoni, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, is described, and the factors associated with diseases prevalence examined. Using simple random sampling, 385 elderly were interviewed using Form A and Elderly Form from the Primary Health Care Information System. The majority of the sample (83.1%) self-reported at least one disease, 69.9% had hypertension, and 17.7% had diabetes. Poisson regression analysis showed that the main factors associated with hypertension and other diseases were being non-white, having a low level of education, medication use, dental prosthesis use, and lack of a private health plan. The prevalence of diabetes was greater among women and individuals who depended on other people to live. It can be concluded that this sample population of elderly has a generally low socioeconomic status and are more susceptible to developing diseases, particularly hypertension. Diabetes should be controlled although had relatively low prevalence. It is suggested investments in structuring the health system network to provide adequate care for the elderly and in training health professionals to play an effective role in improving the quality of life of the elderly in Brazil.

Medical irradiation of children. Beware of too fast conclusion; Irradiation medicale de l'enfant. Attention aux conclusions hatives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brisse, H. [Institut Curie, Dept. d' Imagerie, 75 - Paris (France); Sirinelli, D. [Hopital Clocheville, Service de Radiologie et Echographie, 37 - Tours (France); Adamsbaum, C. [Hopital Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Service de Radiologie, 75 - Paris (France); Chateil, J.F. [Hopital Pellegrin, Unite de Radiopediatrie, 33 - Bordeaux (France); Claudon, M. [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Nancy-Hopital Brabois Enfants, Service de Radiologie, 54 - Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy (France); Geoffray, A. [Fondation Lenval, Service de Radiologie, 06 - Nice (France); Petit, P. [Hopital de la Timone, Service de Radiologie, 13 - Marseille (France); Rausin, L. [Centre Hospitalier Regional de la Citadelle, Service de Radiologie, Liege (Belgium); Panuel, M. [Hopital Nord, Service de Radiologie, 13 - Marseille (France)

2004-10-01

The publication in january 2004 in the British medical journal of the article of P. Hall and coll. 'Effect of low doses of ionizing irradiation in infancy on cognitive function in adulthood: Swedish population based cohort study, has been noticed by the Radiation protection group of the French speaking society of pediatrics imaging. The authors evaluate the psycho-motor development of less eighteen months years old children and irradiated between 1930 and 1959 for a face angioma. They study for each dose of irradiation ( from 0 to 250 m Gy) the level of school attendance and their results to the psycho-motor tests made during conscription medical examination. They noticed a diminution of 50% of the access success rate to university for the children having received an irradiation dose of 250 mG. No effect is noticed under the irradiation dose of 100 mGy. In their conclusions the authors compare these irradiation doses to these ones delivered in brain scanner examination. These results seem overestimated compared with the work made on fetuses ( publication 84 of ICRP) then the fetus is considered as more sensitive to ionizing radiations than the infant. The dose of 120 mGy is found in the literature and now the dose delivered in pediatrics are in the area of 0 and 100 mGy where no effect has been revealed in the cohort of irradiated children. The article does not include the principle of justification that is used nowadays and the replacement by the trans fontanel echography has allowed to reduce the number of brain scanner, used only for limited cases where the benefit is superior the the risk of irradiation. (N.C.)

Jumping to the wrong conclusions? An investigation of the mechanisms of reasoning errors in delusions

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Jolley, Suzanne; Thompson, Claire; Hurley, James; Medin, Evelina; Butler, Lucy; Bebbington, Paul; Dunn, Graham; Freeman, Daniel; Fowler, David; Kuipers, Elizabeth; Garety, Philippa

2014-01-01

Understanding how people with delusions arrive at false conclusions is central to the refinement of cognitive behavioural interventions. Making hasty decisions based on limited data (‘jumping to conclusions’, JTC) is one potential causal mechanism, but reasoning errors may also result from other processes. In this study, we investigated the correlates of reasoning errors under differing task conditions in 204 participants with schizophrenia spectrum psychosis who completed three probabilistic reasoning tasks. Psychotic symptoms, affect, and IQ were also evaluated. We found that hasty decision makers were more likely to draw false conclusions, but only 37% of their reasoning errors were consistent with the limited data they had gathered. The remainder directly contradicted all the presented evidence. Reasoning errors showed task-dependent associations with IQ, affect, and psychotic symptoms. We conclude that limited data-gathering contributes to false conclusions but is not the only mechanism involved. Delusions may also be maintained by a tendency to disregard evidence. Low IQ and emotional biases may contribute to reasoning errors in more complex situations. Cognitive strategies to reduce reasoning errors should therefore extend beyond encouragement to gather more data, and incorporate interventions focused directly on these difficulties. PMID:24958065

Potential distribution of pine wilt disease under future climate change scenarios.

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Akiko Hirata

Full Text Available Pine wilt disease (PWD constitutes a serious threat to pine forests. Since development depends on temperature and drought, there is a concern that future climate change could lead to the spread of PWD infections. We evaluated the risk of PWD in 21 susceptible Pinus species on a global scale. The MB index, which represents the sum of the difference between the mean monthly temperature and 15 when the mean monthly temperatures exceeds 15°C, was used to determine current and future regions vulnerable to PWD (MB ≥ 22. For future climate conditions, we compared the difference in PWD risks among four different representative concentration pathways (RCPs 2.6, 4.5, 6.0, and 8.5 and two time periods (2050s and 2070s. We also evaluated the impact of climate change on habitat suitability for each Pinus species using species distribution models. The findings were then integrated and the potential risk of PWD spread under climate change was discussed. Within the natural Pinus distribution area, southern parts of North America, Europe, and Asia were categorized as vulnerable regions (MB ≥ 22; 16% of the total Pinus distribution area. Representative provinces in which PWD has been reported at least once overlapped with the vulnerable regions. All RCP scenarios showed expansion of vulnerable regions in northern parts of Europe, Asia, and North America under future climate conditions. By the 2070s, under RCP 8.5, an estimated increase in the area of vulnerable regions to approximately 50% of the total Pinus distribution area was revealed. In addition, the habitat conditions of a large portion of the Pinus distribution areas in Europe and Asia were deemed unsuitable by the 2070s under RCP 8.5. Approximately 40% of these regions overlapped with regions deemed vulnerable to PWD, suggesting that Pinus forests in these areas are at risk of serious damage due to habitat shifts and spread of PWD.

Evaluation of cardiovascular risk in patients with Parkinson disease under levodopa treatment.

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Günaydın, Zeki Yüksel; Özer, Fahriye Feriha; Karagöz, Ahmet; Bektaş, Osman; Karataş, Mehmet Baran; Vural, Aslı; Bayramoğlu, Adil; Çelik, Abdullah; Yaman, Mehmet

2016-01-01

Levodopa is the indispensable choice of medial therapy in patients with Parkinson disease (PD). Since L-dopa treatment was shown to increase serum homocysteine levels, a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular disorders, the patients with PD under L-dopa treatment will be at increased risk for future cardiovascular events. The objective of this study is to evaluate cardiovascular risk in patients with PD under levodopa treatment. The study population consisted of 65 patients with idiopathic PD under L-dopa treatment. The control group included 32 age and gender matched individuals who had no cognitive decline. Echocardiographic measurements, serum homocysteine levels and elastic parameters of the aorta were compared between the patients with PD and controls. As an expected feature of L-dopa therapy, the Parkinson group had significantly higher homocystein levels (15.1 ± 3.9 µmol/L vs. 11.5 ± 3.2 µmol/L, P = 0.02). Aortic distensibility was significantly lower in the patients with PD when compared to controls (4.8 ± 1.5 dyn/cm(2) vs. 6.2 ± 1.9 dyn/cm(2), P = 0.016). Additionally, the patients with PD had higher aortic strain and aortic stiffness index (13.4% ± 6.4% vs. 7.4% ± 3.6%, P homocysteine levels were found to be positively correlated with aortic stiffness index and there was a negative correlation between aortic distensibility and levels of serum homocysteine (r = 0.674, P homocysteine levels may be a possible pathophysiological mechanism.

Survival Analysis of Patients with End Stage Renal Disease

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Urrutia, J. D.; Gayo, W. S.; Bautista, L. A.; Baccay, E. B.

2015-06-01

This paper provides a survival analysis of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) under Kaplan-Meier Estimates and Weibull Distribution. The data were obtained from the records of V. L. MakabaliMemorial Hospital with respect to time t (patient's age), covariates such as developed secondary disease (Pulmonary Congestion and Cardiovascular Disease), gender, and the event of interest: the death of ESRD patients. Survival and hazard rates were estimated using NCSS for Weibull Distribution and SPSS for Kaplan-Meier Estimates. These lead to the same conclusion that hazard rate increases and survival rate decreases of ESRD patient diagnosed with Pulmonary Congestion, Cardiovascular Disease and both diseases with respect to time. It also shows that female patients have a greater risk of death compared to males. The probability risk was given the equation R = 1 — e-H(t) where e-H(t) is the survival function, H(t) the cumulative hazard function which was created using Cox-Regression.

Oral-Fluid Thiol-Detection Test Identifies Underlying Active Periodontal Disease Not Detected by the Visual Awake Examination.

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Queck, Katherine E; Chapman, Angela; Herzog, Leslie J; Shell-Martin, Tamara; Burgess-Cassler, Anthony; McClure, George David

Periodontal disease in dogs is highly prevalent but can only be accurately diagnosed by performing an anesthetized oral examination with periodontal probing and dental radiography. In this study, 114 dogs had a visual awake examination of the oral cavity and were administered an oral-fluid thiol-detection test prior to undergoing a a full-mouth anesthetized oral examination and digital dental radiographs. The results show the visual awake examination underestimated the presence and severity of active periodontal disease. The thiol-detection test was superior to the visual awake examination at detecting the presence and severity of active periodontal disease and was an indicator of progression toward alveolar bone loss. The thiol-detection test detected active periodontal disease at early stages of development, before any visual cues were present, indicating the need for intervention to prevent periodontal bone loss. Early detection is important because without intervention, dogs with gingivitis (active periodontal disease) progress to irreversible periodontal bone loss (stage 2+). As suggested in the current AAHA guidelines, a thiol-detection test administered in conjunction with the visual awake examination during routine wellness examinations facilitates veterinarian-client communication and mitigates under-diagnosis of periodontal disease and underutilization of dental services. The thiol-detection test can be used to monitor the periodontal health status of the conscious patient during follow-up examinations based on disease severity.

Summary and Conclusions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

This section summarizes the presentations and Panel discussions of the 4 technical sessions of the workshop: 1 - Regulatory cooperation on generic and design specific issues, MDEP working groups (EPR, AP1000), vendor inspection co-operation, digital I and C, and codes and standards (7 presentations); 2 - Regulatory positions on siting practices and enhancements as a result of lessons learned from Fukushima accident (5 presentations); 3 - Construction experience and regulatory oversight of new reactor construction activities (6 presentations); 4 - Lessons learned from regulatory licensing reviews of new reactor designs (6 presentations). The main workshop conclusions are listed as follows: - Harmonization is a long term goal and significant progress has been made. However, this long term objective needs to be associated with short term measurable steps; - MDEP approach to tackle on one side with specific technical subjects, and to strive harmonisation on generic topics was considered appropriate; - Convergence on technical requirements is more realistic than harmonization of codes and standard; - Beneficial early engagement of different stakeholders specially at the siting stage has been acknowledged; - Need to characterise the hazards and to keep updated the safety assessment (PSR); - Land use issues are important particularly after Fukushima; - Commissioning aspects (e.g. training aspects for inspectors) should be addressed by WGRNR taking into account MDEP interaction; - Importance of WGRNR ConEx Programme: construction experience sharing is a leverage for quality and so for a future safe operation of NPPs; - Capability of licensee to follow the responsibility of design changes (could be an issue for small utilities); - Importance of Periodic Safety Reviews to review and account for the design. Finally, the WGRNR has convened that a third conference should be held in about two years time (2014- 2015)

Proliferative kidney disease in brown trout: infection level, pathology and mortality under field conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt-Posthaus, Heike; Hirschi, Regula; Schneider, Ernst

2015-05-21

Proliferative kidney disease (PKD) is an emerging disease threatening wild salmonid populations. In temperature-controlled aquaria, PKD can cause mortality rates of up to 85% in rainbow trout. So far, no data about PKD-related mortality in wild brown trout Salmo trutta fario are available. The aim of this study was to investigate mortality rates and pathology in brown trout kept in a cage within a natural river habitat known to harbor Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae. Young-of-the-year (YOY) brown trout, free of T. bryosalmonae, were exposed in the River Wutach, in the northeast of Switzerland, during 3 summer months. Samples of wild brown trout caught by electrofishing near the cage location were examined in parallel. The incidence of PKD in cage-exposed animals (69%) was not significantly different to the disease prevalence of wild fish (82 and 80% in the upstream and downstream locations, respectively). The mortality in cage-exposed animals, however, was as low as 15%. At the termination of the exposure experiment, surviving fish showed histological lesions typical for PKD regression, suggesting that many YOY brown trout survive the initial infection. Our results at the River Wutach suggest that PKD in brown trout does not always result in high mortality under natural conditions.

Platelets of patients with chronic kidney disease demonstrate deficient platelet reactivity in vitro

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van Bladel Esther R

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In patients with chronic kidney disease studies focusing on platelet function and properties often are non-conclusive whereas only few studies use functional platelet tests. In this study we evaluated a recently developed functional flow cytometry based assay for the analysis of platelet function in chronic kidney disease. Methods Platelet reactivity was measured using flow cytometric analysis. Platelets in whole blood were triggered with different concentrations of agonists (TRAP, ADP, CRP. Platelet activation was quantified with staining for P-selectin, measuring the mean fluorescence intensity. Area under the curve and the concentration of half-maximal response were determined. Results We studied 23 patients with chronic kidney disease (9 patients with cardiorenal failure and 14 patients with end stage renal disease and 19 healthy controls. Expression of P-selectin on the platelet surface measured as mean fluorescence intensity was significantly less in chronic kidney disease patients compared to controls after maximal stimulation with TRAP (9.7 (7.9-10.8 vs. 11.4 (9.2-12.2, P = 0.032, ADP (1.6 (1.2-2.1 vs. 2.6 (1.9-3.5, P = 0.002 and CRP (9.2 (8.5-10.8 vs. 11.5 (9.5-12.9, P = 0.004. Also the area under the curve was significantly different. There was no significant difference in half-maximal response between both groups. Conclusion In this study we found that patients with chronic kidney disease show reduced platelet reactivity in response of ADP, TRAP and CRP compared to controls. These results contribute to our understanding of the aberrant platelet function observed in patients with chronic kidney disease and emphasize the significance of using functional whole blood platelet activation assays.

The investigation and comparison of the underlying needs of common disruptive behaviours in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

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Wang, Chi-Jane; Pai, Ming-Chyi; Hsiao, Hua-Shan; Wang, Jing-Jy

2015-12-01

Management of the disruptive behaviours is one of the most challenging aspects of caring for patients with Alzheimer's dementia (PwAD). The underlying needs of disruptive behaviours in PwAD had rarely been studied, especially the comparison of the underlying needs of disruptive behaviours in PwAD have never been mentioned. The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the underlying needs of five common disruptive behaviours including hoarding, aggressive behaviour, repetitive behaviour, altered eating behaviour and delusion in PwAD, as perceived by family caregivers, and to relate these needs from the perspective of Maslow's hierarchy. An exploratory research design with qualitative data collection techniques was employed. Informed consent was obtained from each participant prior to the data collection. A total of 65 pairs of caregiver-patient with Alzheimer's disease participated in the study. A semi-structured interview guide was used during the interview, and the directed content analysis method was conducted to analyse data. Four themes related to the underlying needs of the five selected disruptive behaviours emerged from the data, and these included a desire for comfort (physical and psychological), a desire for security (psychological and economic), a need for a sense of belonging (including a need to connect with the outside world and a need for attention) and a need for self-control. These behaviour features were found closely related to Maslow's hierarchy model of human needs. Although the data were gathered from the caregivers, and the views of the patients were thus not included in the analysis, the findings provide information for health providers that can enable them to better understand the underlying needs of common disruptive behaviours in patients with Alzheimer's disease and thus help develop better patient-centred care plans. © 2015 Nordic College of Caring Science.

[Sexual child abuse: correlation between medical certificates' conclusions and judiciary sanctions].

Science.gov (United States)

Soumah, M M; Bah, H; Mbaye, I; Fall, M C; Yetognon, C; Sow, M L

2005-01-01

Sexual child abuse, comprises of indecency attitudes and physical misbehaviours, directed towards children are dominated by rape. The objective of our study was to assess in sexual child abuse the relation between the conclusion of medical certificates and court decision. It is a retrospective study carried out from 1994 to 1998 on the clerk's office correctional repertories in Dakar regional court. An overall number of 79 cases of child abuse were collected in 5 years period. Children under 18 years old of of both sex, were concerned. Data found were correlated with a review of requisition cases received by the of gynaecology and obstetrics clinic of Aristide Dantec Hospital. This facilitates the establishement of the relationship between the offences and the pronounced sanctions, as well as the initial medical certificate and these sanctions. The sanctions were severe whenever rape had been retained. Some cases were disqualified in indecent assault and were judged as such. The judge decision, which follow the medical certificate conclusions in 11 cases out of 14 shows the importance and reliability of this medical document. All files reviewed at the medical and legal level were incomplete. The difficulty of the materiality of the rape and the psychological consequences in the long run and especially HIV infection should invite to a multidisciplinary, specialized and organized management of sexual child abuse. This study has shown the importance of a correct and complete drafting of the medical certificate, to enable the establishment by the judge the materiality of the facts.

Proteins Encoded in Genomic Regions Associated with Immune-Mediated Disease Physically Interact and Suggest Underlying Biology

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Rossin, Elizabeth J.; Lage, Kasper; Raychaudhuri, Soumya; Xavier, Ramnik J.; Tatar, Diana; Benita, Yair

2011-01-01

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have defined over 150 genomic regions unequivocally containing variation predisposing to immune-mediated disease. Inferring disease biology from these observations, however, hinges on our ability to discover the molecular processes being perturbed by these risk variants. It has previously been observed that different genes harboring causal mutations for the same Mendelian disease often physically interact. We sought to evaluate the degree to which this is true of genes within strongly associated loci in complex disease. Using sets of loci defined in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Crohn's disease (CD) GWAS, we build protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks for genes within associated loci and find abundant physical interactions between protein products of associated genes. We apply multiple permutation approaches to show that these networks are more densely connected than chance expectation. To confirm biological relevance, we show that the components of the networks tend to be expressed in similar tissues relevant to the phenotypes in question, suggesting the network indicates common underlying processes perturbed by risk loci. Furthermore, we show that the RA and CD networks have predictive power by demonstrating that proteins in these networks, not encoded in the confirmed list of disease associated loci, are significantly enriched for association to the phenotypes in question in extended GWAS analysis. Finally, we test our method in 3 non-immune traits to assess its applicability to complex traits in general. We find that genes in loci associated to height and lipid levels assemble into significantly connected networks but did not detect excess connectivity among Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) loci beyond chance. Taken together, our results constitute evidence that, for many of the complex diseases studied here, common genetic associations implicate regions encoding proteins that physically interact in a preferential manner, in

The application of transcatheter closure procedure in congenital heart diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Haoxue; Liu Shuyong; Jiang Rutong; Bai Hongcan; Wang Yanwei; Du Yuying; Yang Qiaoji; Qin Yongwen

2003-01-01

Objective: To explore and evaluate the value of transcatheter closure procedure in congenital heart diseases. Methods: Transcatheter closure was performed in 12 patients with congenital heart diseases including 6 ventricular septal defect (VSD), 4 atrial septal defect (ASD), 2 patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), by the Amplatzer occlusion device under local or general anesthesia. Results: The procedure was successful in all patients outcoming with the disappearance of cardiac murmur. All of them could get out of the bed within 6 to 12 hours postoperatively, and were discharged from hospital after 4 to 6 days. Conclusions: Transcatheter treatment of congenital cardiac defects by Amplatzer occlusion device is less traumatic, with good effect, simultaneously

The application of transcatheter closure procedure in congenital heart diseases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haoxue, Guo; Shuyong, Liu; Rutong, Jiang; Hongcan, Bai; Yanwei, Wang; Yuying, Du; Qiaoji, Yang; Yongwen, Qin [Henan Provincial Corps Hospital, Chinese People' s Police Forces, Zhengzhou (China). Dept. of Surgery

2003-10-01

Objective: To explore and evaluate the value of transcatheter closure procedure in congenital heart diseases. Methods: Transcatheter closure was performed in 12 patients with congenital heart diseases including 6 ventricular septal defect (VSD), 4 atrial septal defect (ASD), 2 patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), by the Amplatzer occlusion device under local or general anesthesia. Results: The procedure was successful in all patients outcoming with the disappearance of cardiac murmur. All of them could get out of the bed within 6 to 12 hours postoperatively, and were discharged from hospital after 4 to 6 days. Conclusions: Transcatheter treatment of congenital cardiac defects by Amplatzer occlusion device is less traumatic, with good effect, simultaneously.

Prying into the Prion Hypothesis for Parkinson's Disease.

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Brundin, Patrik; Melki, Ronald

2017-10-11

In Parkinson's disease, intracellular α-synuclein inclusions form in neurons. We suggest that prion-like behavior of α-synuclein is a key component in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis. Although multiple molecular changes are involved in the triggering of the disease process, we propose that neuron-to-neuron transfer is a crucial event that is essential for Lewy pathology to spread from one brain region to another. In this review, we describe key findings in human postmortem brains, cultured cells, and animal models of disease that support the idea that α-synuclein can act as a prion. We consider potential triggers of the α-synuclein misfolding and why the aggregates escape cellular degradation under disease conditions. We also discuss whether different strains of α-synuclein fibrils can underlie differences in cellular and regional distribution of aggregates in different synucleinopathies. Our conclusion is that α-synuclein probably acts as a prion in human diseases, and a deeper understanding of this step in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease can facilitate the development of disease-modifying therapies in the future. Dual Perspectives Companion Paper: Parkinson's Disease Is Not Simply a Prion Disorder, by D. James Surmeier, José A. Obeso, and Glenda M. Halliday. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/379808-11$15.00/0.

Effect of Maize Hybrid and Foliar Fungicides on Yield Under Low Foliar Disease Severity Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Mallowa, Sally O; Esker, Paul D; Paul, Pierce A; Bradley, Carl A; Chapara, Venkata R; Conley, Shawn P; Robertson, Alison E

2015-08-01

Foliar fungicide use in the U.S. Corn Belt increased in the last decade; however, questions persist pertaining to its value and sustainability. Multistate field trials were established from 2010 to 2012 in Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, and Wisconsin to examine how hybrid and foliar fungicide influenced disease intensity and yield. The experimental design was in a split-split plot with main plots consisting of hybrids varying in resistance to gray leaf spot (caused by Cercospora zeae-maydis) and northern corn leaf blight (caused by Setosphaera turcica), subplots corresponding to four application timings of the fungicide pyraclostrobin, and sub-subplots represented by inoculations with either C. zeae-maydis, S. turcica, or both at two vegetative growth stages. Fungicide application (VT/R1) significantly reduced total disease severity relative to the control in five of eight site-years (P<0.05). Disease was reduced by approximately 30% at Wisconsin in 2011, 20% at Illinois in 2010, 29% at Iowa in 2010, and 32 and 30% at Ohio in 2010 and 2012, respectively. These disease severities ranged from 0.2 to 0.3% in Wisconsin in 2011 to 16.7 to 22.1% in Illinois in 2010. The untreated control had significantly lower yield (P<0.05) than the fungicide-treated in three site-years. Fungicide application increased the yield by approximately 6% at Ohio in 2010, 5% at Wisconsin in 2010 and 6% in 2011. Yield differences ranged from 8,403 to 8,890 kg/ha in Wisconsin 2011 to 11,362 to 11,919 kg/ha in Wisconsin 2010. Results suggest susceptibility to disease and prevailing environment are important drivers of observed differences. Yield increases as a result of the physiological benefits of plant health benefits under low disease were not consistent.

Underlying role of mitochondrial mutagenesis in the pathogenesis of a disease and current approaches for translational research.

Science.gov (United States)

Paraskevaidi, Maria; Martin-Hirsch, Pierre L; Kyrgiou, Maria; Martin, Francis L

2017-05-01

Mitochondrial diseases have been extensively investigated over the last three decades, but many questions regarding their underlying aetiologies remain unanswered. Mitochondrial dysfunction is not only responsible for a range of neurological and myopathy diseases but also considered pivotal in a broader spectrum of common diseases such as epilepsy, autism and bipolar disorder. These disorders are a challenge to diagnose and treat, as their aetiology might be multifactorial. In this review, the focus is placed on potential mechanisms capable of introducing defects in mitochondria resulting in disease. Special attention is given to the influence of xenobiotics on mitochondria; environmental factors inducing mutations or epigenetic changes in the mitochondrial genome can alter its expression and impair the whole cell's functionality. Specifically, we suggest that environmental agents can cause damage in mitochondrial DNA and consequently lead to mutagenesis. Moreover, we describe current approaches for handling mitochondrial diseases, as well as available prenatal diagnostic tests, towards eliminating these maternally inherited diseases. Undoubtedly, more research is required, as current therapeutic approaches mostly employ palliative therapies rather than targeting primary mechanisms or prophylactic approaches. Much effort is needed into further unravelling the relationship between xenobiotics and mitochondria, as the extent of influence in mitochondrial pathogenesis is increasingly recognised. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the UK Environmental Mutagen Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Nitrate fluxes to groundwater under citrus orchards in a Mediterranean climate: Observations, calibrated models, simulations and agro-hydrological conclusions

Science.gov (United States)

Kurtzman, Daniel; Shapira, Roi H.; Bar-Tal, Asher; Fine, Pinchas; Russo, David

2013-08-01

Nitrate contamination of groundwater under land used for intensive-agriculture is probably the most worrisome agro-hydrological sustainability problem worldwide. Vadose-zone samples from 0 to 9 m depth under citrus orchards overlying an unconfined aquifer were analyzed for variables controlling water flow and the fate and transport of nitrogen fertilizers. Steady-state estimates of water and NO3-N fluxes to groundwater were found to vary spatially in the ranges of 90-330 mm yr- 1 and 50-220 kg ha- 1 yr- 1, respectively. Calibration of transient models to two selected vadose-zone profiles required limiting the concentration of NO3-N in the solution that is taken up by the roots to 30 mg L- 1. Results of an independent lysimeter experiment showed a similar nitrogen-uptake regime. Simulations of past conditions revealed a significant correlation between NO3-N flux to groundwater and the previous year's precipitation. Simulations of different nitrogen-application rates showed that using half of the nitrogen fertilizer added to the irrigation water by farmers would reduce average NO3-N flux to groundwater by 70%, decrease root nitrogen uptake by 20% and reduce the average pore water NO3-N concentration in the deep vadose zone to below the Israeli drinking water standard; hence this rate of nitrogen application was found to be agro-hydrologically sustainable. Beyond the investigation of nitrate fluxes to groundwater under citrus orchards and the interesting case-study aspects, this work demonstrates a methodology that enables skillful decisions concerning joint sustainability of both the water resource and agricultural production in a common environmental setting.

Airway distensibility in Chronic Obstructive Airway Disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Winkler Wille, Mathilde Marie; Pedersen, Jesper Holst; Dirksen, Asger

2013-01-01

Rationale – Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a combination of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, which both may lead to airway obstruction. Under normal circumstances, airway dimensions vary as a function of inspiration level. We aim to study the influence of COPD and emphysema......-20% (mild), 20%-30% (moderate) or >30% (severe). Spirometry was performed annually and participants were divided into severity groups according to the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD). Data were analysed in a mixed effects regression model with log(airway lumen diameter...... and emphysema, respectively. Conclusions – Airway distensibility decreases significantly with increasing severity of both GOLD status and emphysema, indicating that in COPD the dynamic change in airway calibre during respiration is compromised. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema appear to be interacting...

Role of regional anesthesia for placement of peritoneal dialysis catheter under ultrasound guidance: Our experience with 52 end-stage renal disease patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Smaranjit Chatterjee

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: The number of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD has shown a consistent rise in India in recent years. Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD remains one of the safe and effective forms of treatment. In this study, we have tried to assess the effectiveness of field block technique for analgesia during catheter placement surgery until 24 h postoperatively, also, if it can obviate the need for general anesthesia in these high-risk patients. Materials and Methods: We studied 52 ESRD patients from 2010 to 2012 who were posted for CAPD catheterization in the Department of Urology, Care Hospital, Hyderabad, India. Under ultrasound guidance, "unilateral posterior" and "unilateral subcostal" transversus abdominis plane block anesthesia were given for the placement of CAPD catheter. Patient′s intra-operative pain and post-operative pain were recorded with visual analog scores (VAS and analyzed. Results: All patients in our study belonged to American Society of Anesthesiologists category 2 or 3 with multiple co-morbidities. 41 out of 52 patients required no supplemental analgesia during the procedure; 8 patients needed additional infiltration of local anesthetic during skin incisions. Three patients required supplemental analgesia and were considered as failure. A VAS of two was noted in 30 patients and 1 in 19 Patients. No Patient had significant pain 24 h post operatively. No local complication was noted in any patient. Conclusion: CAPD Catheterization under regional field block remains safe and effective options for ESRD patients.

Conclusiveness of the Cochrane reviews in gynaecological cancer: A systematic analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Shande; Chuai, Yunhai; Wang, Aiming; Zhang, Lanmei

2015-06-01

To assess the conclusiveness of Cochrane reviews in the field of gynaecological cancer. The Cochrane Library was searched for reviews regarding gynaecological cancer published between 1 January 2000 and 1 November 2014. Data were extracted from each paper and the conclusiveness of each review was assessed. The study included 66 reviews, 41 (62.1%) of which were conclusive. Of these, 58 included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 37 (63.8%) of which were conclusive. Conclusive reviews of RCTs included significantly more patients than inconclusive reviews, but there was no difference in the number of included studies. Of the eight reviews of nonrandomized studies, four (50.0%) were conclusive. The majority of reviews recognized the need for additional studies. In the field of gynaecological cancer, reviews are more likely to be conclusive when they include RCTs, as well as large numbers of patients. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Cognitive assessment on elderly people under ambulatory care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruna Zortea

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: to evaluate the cognitive state of elderly people under ambulatory care and investigating the connection between such cognitive state and sociodemographic variables, health conditions, number of and adhesion to medicine. Methods: transversal, exploratory, and descriptive study, with a quantitative approach, realized with 107 elderly people under ambulatory care in a university hospital in southern Brazil, in november, 2013. The following variables were used: gender, age, civil status, income, schooling, occupation, preexisting noncommunicable diseases, number and type of prescribed medications, adhesion, mini-mental state examination score, and cognitive status. Data was analyzed through inferential and descriptive statistics. Results: the prevalence of cognitive deficit was of 42.1% and had a statistically significant connection to schooling, income, civil status, hypertension, and cardiopathy. Conclusion: nurses can intervene to avoid the increase of cognitive deficit through an assessment of the elderly person, directed to facilitative strategies to soften this deficit.

Celiac Disease in Oman: A Tertiary Centre Experience

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Tawfiq Taki Al-Lawati

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: To describe the frequency of encounter of celiac disease in Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman.Methods: Retrospective study of records of all adult and pediatric patients in Royal Hospital from the period of 1/4/2006 to 31/3/2012. Data regarding symptoms, anthropometry of the patients, haemoglobuin levels, liver and thyroid functions were retrieved. Diagnosis of celiac disease was established based on combination of serological detection of anti tissues transglutaminase (tTG or anti endomysial antibodies (EMA with duodenal biopsy.Results: Only 9 children were identified in the hospital during the period of study. Two children were identified by screening protocol for Insulin Dependent Diabetes Melitus (IDDM and one child from short stature workup. Six children presented with abdominal pain and diarrhea. Four children were severely wasted and stunted. No adult patients were identified with celiac disease. Anaemia was noted in 3 children and none had deranged thyroid functions.Conclusion: Celiac disease is infrequently encountered in Royal Hospital and might be under diagnosed. The low rate of celiac disease in children with IDDM might indicate a different genetic composition. Awareness about celiac disease and family screening should be implemented in Oman.

Basic mechanisms of rTMS: Implications in Parkinson's disease

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Arias-Carrión Oscar

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Basic and clinical research suggests a potential role for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. However, compared to the growing number of clinical studies on its putative therapeutic properties, the studies on the basic mechanisms of rTMS are surprisingly scarce. Results Animal studies have broadened our understanding of how rTMS affects brain circuits and the causal chain in brain-behavior relationships. The observed changes are thought to be to neurotransmitter release, transsynaptic efficiency, signaling pathways and gene transcription. Furthermore, recent studies suggest that rTMS induces neurogenesis, neuronal viability and secretion of neuroprotective molecules. Conclusion The mechanisms underlying the disease-modifying effects of these and related rTMS in animals are the principle subject of the current review. The possible applications for treatment of Parkinson's disease are discussed.

Radiologically- detectable sacroiliac involvement in behcet's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nadji, A.; Shabani, M.; Jamshidi, A.; Shahram, F.; Davatchi, F.

2003-01-01

Background: The association of Behcet's disease and ankylosing spondylitis is still a matter of debate. Objective: As the presence of sacroiliac joint involvement is an essential criterion in diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis . We decided to determined the prevalence of sacroiliac joint involvement in Behcet's disease and compare it with that of a control group. Patients and Methods: We randomly selected two groups of 199 Behcet's disease patients and 168 non- Behcet's disease cases (the controls). All cases were over 20 years of ages. Standard anteroposterior radiographs of the sacroiliac joint were obtained and interpreted by two rheumatologists and a radiologists blinded to the diagnosis. To determined the severity of the condition, the following 5-point scale was employed: Normal (O), pseudo-widening (1), sclerosis (2), erosion (3), and bony fusion (4). The eliminate any doubt, only grades 3 and 4 were considered as sacroiliitis. Both group were separately evaluated for age (≤ 30, and ≥ 30), and gender. Results were compared using Chi square test. Results: The groups were matched for age and sex: There were 98 (49.2%) females in Behcet's disease vs. 91 (54.2%) in the control group (p=O.35). The mean ±SD age was 35±8.3 years in Behcet's disease and 35 ±10 in control group (p=1). The sacroiliac joint was involved in 9 (4.6%) patients in Behcet's disease and 7 (4.2%) patients in control group (p=O.93). Comparisons between the results of the unisexual cohorts revealed to significance either (p=O.68 for males, and p=O.64 for females). The age subdivisions (under- and over-30) again showed no significant difference (p=O.96 and p=O.69 for under- and over -30 patients, respectively). Conclusion: The presence of radiographic signs of sacroiliac joint involvement is not mandatory for the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis

Under the lash: Demodex mites in human diseases.

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Lacey, Noreen; Kavanagh, Kevin; Tseng, Scheffer C G

2009-08-01

Demodex mites, class Arachnida and subclass Acarina, are elongated mites with clear cephalothorax and abdomens, the former with four pairs of legs. There are more than 100 species of Demodex mite, many of which are obligatory commensals of the pilosebaceous unit of mammals including cats, dogs, sheep, cattle, pigs, goats, deer, bats, hamsters, rats and mice. Among them, Demodex canis, which is found ubiquitously in dogs, is the most documented and investigated. In excessive numbers D. canis causes the inflammatory disease termed demodicosis (demodectic mange, follicular mange or red mange), which is more common in purebred dogs and has a hereditary predisposition in breeding kennels1. Two distinct Demodex species have been confirmed as the most common ectoparasite in man. The larger Demodex folliculorum, about 0.3-0.4 mm long, is primarily found as a cluster in the hair follicle (Figure 1a), while the smaller Demodex brevis, about 0.2-0.3 mm long with a spindle shape and stubby legs, resides solitarily in the sebaceous gland (Figure 1b). These two species are also ubiquitously found in all human races without gender preference. The pathogenic role of Demodex mites in veterinary medicine is not as greatly disputed as in human diseases. In this article, we review the key literature and our joint research experience regarding the pathogenic potential of these two mites in causing inflammatory diseases of human skin and eye. We hope that the evidence summarized herein will invite readers to take a different look at the life of Demodex mites in several common human diseases.

Diagnostic and therapeutic impact of MR enterography in Crohn's disease

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Hafeez, R. [Department of Surgery, University College London Hospitals, NW1 2BU (United Kingdom); Punwani, S. [Centre for Medical Imaging, University College London (United Kingdom); Department of Specialist X-Ray, University College London Hospitals, NW1 2BU (United Kingdom); Boulos, P. [Department of Surgery, University College London Hospitals, NW1 2BU (United Kingdom); Bloom, S.; McCartney, S. [Department of Gastroenterology, University College London Hospitals, NW1 2BU (United Kingdom); Halligan, S. [Centre for Medical Imaging, University College London (United Kingdom); Department of Specialist X-Ray, University College London Hospitals, NW1 2BU (United Kingdom); Taylor, S.A., E-mail: csytaylor@yahoo.co.uk [Centre for Medical Imaging, University College London (United Kingdom); Department of Specialist X-Ray, University College London Hospitals, NW1 2BU (United Kingdom)

2011-12-15

Aim: To assess the impact of magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) on clinician diagnostic confidence and therapeutic strategy in patients under investigation for small bowel Crohn's disease. Material and methods: Gastroenterologists completed a proforma before and following MRE in 51 patients (mean age 35 years, 26 female) under investigation for small bowel Crohn's disease, indicating percentage confidence for presence/absence of small bowel involvement. In suspected disease, diagnostic confidence (using a scoring system from 1 = no to 6 = yes) was scored for subcategories: extent >30 cm (DE), terminal ileum (lTI), jejunal (JD), colonic disease (CoD), strictures (ST), activity (AD), extraluminal complications (EL), and surgical need (NS). Therapeutic strategy was recorded. Patients were divided into three groups: 1 = suspected disease, MRE normal (n = 15); 2 = suspected disease, MRE abnormal (n = 30); 3 = no suspected disease, MRE normal (n = 6). Binomial exact and paired t-tests were use to compare confidence pre and post-MRE. Results: Mean percentage confidence for the presence/absence of small bowel disease increased from 62 to 84% (p = 0.003), 87 to 98% (p = 0.0001), and 83 to 98% (p = 0.005) after MRE for groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In suspected disease, confidence changed significantly for all of the subcategories (p < 0.001) except EL in group 1. The percentage of patients with a confidence change ranged from 40% (CoD) to 87% (lTI; group 1) and from 7% (EL) to 93% (DE; group 2). Therapeutic strategy changed in 31/51 (61%, 95% CI 47-74%), 14 with a reduction in planned therapy and 17 with an increase. Conclusion: MRE had a positive diagnostic impact in patients under investigation for small bowel Crohn's disease and this influenced therapeutic strategy in 61% of the patients.

Fungal diseases of tree stands under urbanized conditions of Moscow

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Smirnova Oksana G.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Phytosanitary and ecological estimation of tree-stands has been con­ducted at the Forest Experimental Station of Moscow Agricultural Academy and parks of Northeast of Moscow in 2007-2011. Fomes fomentarius was proved to be a very serious pathogen of trees under conditions of Moscow, Piptoporus betulinus, Phellinus igniarius, and Fomitopsis pinicola also occurred and caused damage to trees. This rather bad phytosanitary situation depends on alarming ecological situation in Moscow. At the Forest Experimental Station of Moscow Agricultural Academy a number and cover of lichens decreased. In general, all trees in Moscow are in dynamic equilibrium with the urbanized environment. In connection with this, the following classification of tree-stands was proposed for the urbanized environment: 1 - healthy trees, 2 - affected trees which can be managed, 3 - dry woods, 3a - very diseased. Many tree-stands in investigated regions of Moscow are found to belong to the groups 2 and 3c. All tree-stands must be carefully monitored and managed in order to provide a well-timed decision on the support system for preservation of trees as ‘lungs of city’ and avoid unpredictable tree falling which put people and traffic at risk.

Disease patterns and causes of death of hospitalized HIV-positive adults in West Africa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lewden, Charlotte; Drabo, Youssoufou J; Zannou, Djimon M

2014-01-01

%) and cerebral toxoplasmosis (10%). Overall, 315 (38%) patients died during hospitalization and the underlying cause of death was AIDS (63%), non-AIDS-defining infections (26%), other diseases (7%) and non-specific illness or unknown cause (4%). Among them, the most frequent fatal diseases were: tuberculosis (36......%), cerebral toxoplasmosis (10%), cryptococcosis (9%) and sepsis (7%). Older age, clinical WHO stage 3 and 4, low CD4 count, and AIDS-defining infectious diagnoses were associated with hospital fatality. CONCLUSIONS: AIDS-defining conditions, primarily tuberculosis, and bacterial infections were the most...

Ebola Virus Disease Candidate Vaccines Under Evaluation in Clinical Trials

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2016-06-02

evidence that oral vaccines fail in populations with disturbed microbiota, poor nutrition , and high intestinal inflammation [102-104]. Additionally...countermeasure development against Ebola virus disease becoming a global public- health priority. This review summarizes the status quo of candidate...members of the mononegaviral family Filoviridae) cause two diseases recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO): Ebola virus disease (EVD) can be

Follow up of Crohn's disease under therapy with hydro-MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganten, M.; Flosdorff, P.; Grueber-Hoffmann, B.; Erb, G.; Hansmann, J.; Encke, J.

2003-01-01

Evaluation of typical MRI-findings in patients with Crohn's disease receiving therapy.Correlation with the course of disease.Patients and methods 81 follow-up MRI-studies in 25 patients conducted within a period of 3 weeks to 4 years were evaluated retrospectively.Therapy consisted in various combinations of antibiotics and immunosuppressive agents and if necessary operation. The findings of the MRI-studies were correlated with clinical data (e.g.operation of Crohn's complications) and the subjective perception during therapy. The morphological substrate of Crohn's disease in the Hydro-MRI images is reliably detected. Especially in a delineation of extraluminal changes MRI is superior to endoscopy and enteroclysis.Independent from clinical symptoms short- and middleterm follow-up showed inflammatory changes of the intestinal wall in all 25 patients. In 24/81 studies there was persistence or even progression of Crohn's disease in the MRI-studies, although patients were free of symptoms by the time of image acquisition. Hydro-MRI is a modality for the evaluation of inflammatory changes in patients with Crohn's disease.Independent from clinical symptoms persistence of Crohn's disease is detectable. (orig.) [de

Tremor frequency characteristics in Parkinson's disease under resting-state and stress-state conditions.

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Lee, Hong Ji; Lee, Woong Woo; Kim, Sang Kyong; Park, Hyeyoung; Jeon, Hyo Seon; Kim, Han Byul; Jeon, Beom S; Park, Kwang Suk

2016-03-15

Tremor characteristics-amplitude and frequency components-are primary quantitative clinical factors for diagnosis and monitoring of tremors. Few studies have investigated how different patient's conditions affect tremor frequency characteristics in Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, we analyzed tremor characteristics under resting-state and stress-state conditions. Tremor was recorded using an accelerometer on the finger, under resting-state and stress-state (calculation task) conditions, during rest tremor and postural tremor. The changes of peak power, peak frequency, mean frequency, and distribution of power spectral density (PSD) of tremor were evaluated across conditions. Patients whose tremors were considered more than "mild" were selected, for both rest (n=67) and postural (n=25) tremor. Stress resulted in both greater peak powers and higher peak frequencies for rest tremor (pstate condition. The distributions of PSD of tremor were symmetrical, regardless of conditions. Tremor is more evident and typical tremor characteristics, namely a lower frequency as amplitude increases, are different in stressful condition. Patient's conditions directly affect neural oscillations related to tremor frequencies. Therefore, tremor characteristics in PD should be systematically standardized across patient's conditions such as attention and stress levels. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Analysing and exemplifying forensic conclusion criteria in terms of Bayesian decision theory.

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Biedermann, A; Bozza, S; Taroni, F

2018-03-01

There is ongoing discussion in forensic science and the law about the nature of the conclusions reached based on scientific evidence, and on how such conclusions - and conclusion criteria - may be justified by rational argument. Examples, among others, are encountered in fields such as fingermarks (e.g., 'this fingermark comes from Mr. A's left thumb'), handwriting examinations (e.g., 'the questioned signature is that of Mr. A'), kinship analyses (e.g., 'Mr. A is the father of child C') or anthropology (e.g., 'these are human remains'). Considerable developments using formal methods of reasoning based on, for example (Bayesian) decision theory, are available in literature, but currently such reference principles are not explicitly used in operational forensic reporting and ensuing decision-making. Moreover, applied examples, illustrating the principles, are scarce. A potential consequence of this in practical proceedings, and hence a cause of concern, is that underlying ingredients of decision criteria (such as losses quantifying the undesirability of adverse decision consequences), are not properly dealt with. There is merit, thus, in pursuing the study and discussion of practical examples, demonstrating that formal decision-theoretic principles are not merely conceptual considerations. Actually, these principles can be shown to underpin practical decision-making procedures and existing legal decision criteria, though often not explicitly apparent as such. In this paper, we will present such examples and discuss their properties from a Bayesian decision-theoretic perspective. We will argue that these are essential concepts for an informed discourse on decision-making across forensic disciplines and the development of a coherent view on this topic. We will also emphasize that these principles are of normative nature in the sense that they provide standards against which actual judgment and decision-making may be compared. Most importantly, these standards are

Estimating genetic effect sizes under joint disease-endophenotype models in presence of gene-environment interactions

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Alexandre eBureau

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Effects of genetic variants on the risk of complex diseases estimated from association studies are typically small. Nonetheless, variants may have important effects in presence of specific levels of environmental exposures, and when a trait related to the disease (endophenotype is either normal or impaired. We propose polytomous and transition models to represent the relationship between disease, endophenotype, genotype and environmental exposure in family studies. Model coefficients were estimated using generalized estimating equations and were used to derive gene-environment interaction effects and genotype effects at specific levels of exposure. In a simulation study, estimates of the effect of a genetic variant were substantially higher when both an endophenotype and an environmental exposure modifying the variant effect were taken into account, particularly under transition models, compared to the alternative of ignoring the endophenotype. Illustration of the proposed modeling with the metabolic syndrome, abdominal obesity, physical activity and polymorphisms in the NOX3 gene in the Quebec Family Study revealed that the positive association of the A allele of rs1375713 with the metabolic syndrome at high levels of physical activity was only detectable in subjects without abdominal obesity, illustrating the importance of taking into account the abdominal obesity endophenotype in this analysis.

[Natural progression of premature pubarche and underlying diseases].

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Sancho Rodríguez, María Luisa; Bueno Lozano, Gloria; Labarta Aizpún, José Ignacio; de Arriba Muñoz, Antonio

2018-04-25

Premature pubarche (PP) is generally thought to be a benign condition, but it can also be the first sign of underlying disease. To analyse the aetiology and the evolution of the anthropometric, analytical and metabolic risk parameters of a group of patients with PP. A descriptive and analytical retrospective study of 92 patients affected by PP. Anthropometry, analyses, bone age and indicators of lipid metabolism were all evaluated. The sample included 92 patients with PP (67 female and 25 male), with a mean age of 7.1±0.6 for girls and 8.3±0.7 for boys. Small for gestational age was recorded in 7.7%. There was an accelerated bone age (1.20±0.1 years). A total of 21 patients were classified as idiopathic (23%), 60 as idiopathic premature adrenarche (65%), and 11 with non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (12%). Puberty was reached early (11+0.9 years old in boys and 9.9±0.8 in girls), as was menstruation age (11.8+1.1 years old), P<.001. The stature finally reached was close to their genetic stature. There is a positive correlation between body mass index, blood glucose and LDL cholesterol, as well as a tendency towards hyperinsulinaemia. The present study shows that PP is a benign condition in the majority of cases, but non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (12%) is not uncommon. Menstruation and puberty started early and bone age was accelerated. Growth was normal, and more or less in line with genetic size. PP associated with obesity is linked with analytical variations of metabolic risks. Copyright © 2017. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

Relationship between funding source and conclusion among nutrition-related scientific articles.

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Lesser, Lenard I; Ebbeling, Cara B; Goozner, Merrill; Wypij, David; Ludwig, David S

2007-01-01

Industrial support of biomedical research may bias scientific conclusions, as demonstrated by recent analyses of pharmaceutical studies. However, this issue has not been systematically examined in the area of nutrition research. The purpose of this study is to characterize financial sponsorship of scientific articles addressing the health effects of three commonly consumed beverages, and to determine how sponsorship affects published conclusions. Medline searches of worldwide literature were used to identify three article types (interventional studies, observational studies, and scientific reviews) about soft drinks, juice, and milk published between 1 January, 1999 and 31 December, 2003. Financial sponsorship and article conclusions were classified by independent groups of coinvestigators. The relationship between sponsorship and conclusions was explored by exact tests and regression analyses, controlling for covariates. 206 articles were included in the study, of which 111 declared financial sponsorship. Of these, 22% had all industry funding, 47% had no industry funding, and 32% had mixed funding. Funding source was significantly related to conclusions when considering all article types (p = 0.037). For interventional studies, the proportion with unfavorable conclusions was 0% for all industry funding versus 37% for no industry funding (p = 0.009). The odds ratio of a favorable versus unfavorable conclusion was 7.61 (95% confidence interval 1.27 to 45.73), comparing articles with all industry funding to no industry funding. Industry funding of nutrition-related scientific articles may bias conclusions in favor of sponsors' products, with potentially significant implications for public health.

Sensitivity and specificity of thallium-201 perfusion scintigrams under exercise in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verani, M.S.; Marcus, M.L.; Razzak, M.A.; Ehrhardt, J.C.

1978-01-01

The specificity and sensitivity of thallium-201 myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), under exercise, in patients with suspected coronary-obstructive disease was compared with graded exercise ECG tests (GTX) in patients with angiographically normal (N = 34) and obstructed (N = 48) coronary arteries. Of the 34 patients with normal coronaries, only one had a perfusion defect on the MPI (specificity 97%). Of the 48 patients with coronary obstructive disease (>50% obstruction of at least one coronary vessel), MPI was positive in 38 (sensitivity 79%). In contrast, the GTX had a specificity of 62% and sensitivity of 88% if nondiagnostic GTX tests are excluded. When the MPI and the GTX were used in combination, however, the sensitivity of detecting patients with coronary obstructive disease was increased to 94% (p < 0.01). The MPI was particularly useful in the evaluation of the 26 patients with nondiagnostic GTX. In this group, 24 of the 26 patients were correctly identified by the MPI with respect to the presence or absence of coronary-obstructive disease. In the 14 patients with a history of classical angina but with normal coronaries, the MPI was negative in 13 and positive in one, thus suggesting that in the majority of these patients transient transmural myocardial ischemia probably does not occur during exercise. The presence or absence of angiographically demonstrable coronary collateral vessels did not seem to influence the exercise MPI in patients with coronary-obstructive disease. Thus, although the MPI does not correctly identify all patients with either coronary-obstructive disease or normal coronary arteries, it is helpful in patients who have a nondiagnostic GTX. Furthermore, when used in combination with the GTX, the MPI significantly increases the likelihood that significant coronary-obstructive disease is present when both tests are positive, and that coronary disease is absent when both tests are negative

A Case of Multiple Sclerosis and Celiac Disease

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H. Z. Batur-Caglayan

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. Multiple sclerosis (MS is an inflammatory autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system (CNS. Since a correlation between gluten intake and incidence of MS had been reported, the relationship of antigliadin antibodies and MS was debated. Case Report. We report the case of a 45-year-old female MS patient who is under interferon treatment. After seven years of monitoring, during her routine gastroenterological assessment, she was diagnosed with celiac disease. Conclusion. Beside the neurological manifestations that have been demonstrated in about 10% of celiac disease (CD patients, white-matter abnormalities in brain MRI are uncommon and controversial. But in the literature, MS seems to be associated with CD as in our patient. We suggest that MS patients with gastroenterological complaints should undergo an assessment for CD.

Estimating the total number of susceptibility variants underlying complex diseases from genome-wide association studies.

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Hon-Cheong So

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Recently genome-wide association studies (GWAS have identified numerous susceptibility variants for complex diseases. In this study we proposed several approaches to estimate the total number of variants underlying these diseases. We assume that the variance explained by genetic markers (Vg follow an exponential distribution, which is justified by previous studies on theories of adaptation. Our aim is to fit the observed distribution of Vg from GWAS to its theoretical distribution. The number of variants is obtained by the heritability divided by the estimated mean of the exponential distribution. In practice, due to limited sample sizes, there is insufficient power to detect variants with small effects. Therefore the power was taken into account in fitting. Besides considering the most significant variants, we also tried to relax the significance threshold, allowing more markers to be fitted. The effects of false positive variants were removed by considering the local false discovery rates. In addition, we developed an alternative approach by directly fitting the z-statistics from GWAS to its theoretical distribution. In all cases, the "winner's curse" effect was corrected analytically. Confidence intervals were also derived. Simulations were performed to compare and verify the performance of different estimators (which incorporates various means of winner's curse correction and the coverage of the proposed analytic confidence intervals. Our methodology only requires summary statistics and is able to handle both binary and continuous traits. Finally we applied the methods to a few real disease examples (lipid traits, type 2 diabetes and Crohn's disease and estimated that hundreds to nearly a thousand variants underlie these traits.

Optimisation of Surgical Results in de-Quervain’s Disease

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B Jagannath Kamath

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Background: De Quervain’s disease poses more problems with respect to management than the diagnosis. Surgery is resorted to when the conservative methods fail. There are known complications of the surgical intervention. Surgeon contemplating the surgery should be aware of these and make every attempt to optimize the results and avoid the above mentioned complication. Methods: Sixty symptomatic wrists in 57 individuals suffering from de Quervain’s disease who needed surgery were studied preoperatively with ultrasound. Number of tendons and the sub septae identified in the ultrasound examination preoperatively were confirmed on the table during the surgery. The release was brought about under local anesthesia, with magnification taking care to avoid injury to the cephalic vein and superficial branch of radial nerve, not to violate the anterior margin of the sheath, thus preventing complications. A negative post release finkelstein test was ensured before the wound closure. Results: All 60 patients who underwent release for de Quervain’s disease were symptom free, satisfied and fully functional. Conclusions: De-Quervain's disease not relieved by conservative methods needs surgical release under local anesthesia with a transverse incision with Preoperative ultrasound examination for the number of tendons and subseptae. Avoiding the violation of the volar aspect of the sheath, loupe magnification, tourniquet and post release Finkelstein’s test before wound closure, will ensure optimal results.

Unraveling the mechanisms underlying postural instability in Parkinson's disease using dynamic posturography.

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Nonnekes, Jorik; de Kam, Digna; Geurts, Alexander C H; Weerdesteyn, Vivian; Bloem, Bastiaan R

2013-12-01

Postural instability, one of the cardinal symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD), has devastating consequences for affected patients. Better strategies to prevent falls are needed, but this calls for an improved understanding of the complex mechanisms underlying postural instability. We must also improve our ability to timely identify patients at risk of falling. Dynamic posturography is a promising avenue to achieve these goals. The latest moveable platforms can deliver 'real-life' balance perturbations, permitting study of everyday fall circumstances. Dynamic posturography studies have shown that PD patients have fundamental problems in scaling their postural responses in accordance with the need of the actual balance task at hand. On-going studies evaluate the predictive ability of impaired posturography performance for daily life falls. We also review recent work aimed at exploring balance correcting steps in PD, and the presumed interaction between startle pathways and postural responses.

Imiglucerase in the management of Gaucher disease type 1: an evidence-based review of its place in therapy

Science.gov (United States)

Serratrice, Christine; Carballo, Sebastian; Serratrice, Jacques; Stirnemann, Jérome

2016-01-01

Introduction Gaucher disease is the first lysosomal disease to benefit from enzyme replacement therapy, thus serving as model for numerous other lysosomal diseases. Alglucerase was the first glucocerebrosidase purified from placental extracts, and this was then replaced by imiglucerase – a Chinese hamster ovary cell-derived glucocerebrosidase. Aim The aim was to review the evidence underlying the use of imiglucerase in Gaucher disease type 1 Evidence review Data from clinical trials and Gaucher Registries were analyzed. Conclusion Imiglucerase has been prescribed and found to have an excellent efficacy and safety profile. We report herein the evidence-based data published for 26 years justifying the use of imiglucerase. PMID:27790078

[Automutilation with indistinct underlying disease--difficulties of care in the community].

Science.gov (United States)

Gehb, Iris; Reuhl, Joachim; Volk, Stephan; Urban, Reinhard

2009-11-01

Self-mutilation is well-known in various psychiatric diseases and represents a challenge for forensic pathologists as regards the differentiation of accidental versus self-inflicted injuries, especially when a criminal charge is likely to emerge. A case of extraordinarily severe self-inflicted injuries is presented as well as the related implications concerning clinical and ambulatory care for patients, whose underlying motivation remains unknown. A 60 year-old worker exhibited an open scull fracture and 14 abdominal wounds with protrusion of small intestine, from which a part of 160 cm length was completely removed beforehand. The patient claimed the wounds having been caused accidentally. When examined by a psychiatrist, disturbances in orientation, unrest and ill concentration were found, but no symptoms related to psychosis, depression or suicidal behaviour. Although the need for more detailed examination seemed to be clearly evident, the medical authorities did not take action. Consequently, no further psychiatric treatment was initiated. The implications of this case on the background of the literature are discussed. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart.New York.

Prevalence of low bone mineral density in children and adolescents with celiac disease under treatment

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Maria Eugênia Farias Almeida Motta

Full Text Available CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Low bone mineral density may be a finding among children and adolescents with celiac disease, including those undergoing treatment with a gluten-free diet, but the data are contradictory. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of bone mineral density abnormalities in patients on a gluten-free diet, considering age at diagnosis and duration of dietary treatment. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional prevalence study at the Pediatric Gastroenterology Outpatient Clinic of Instituto Materno Infantil Professor Fernando Figueira. METHODS: Thirty-one patients over five years of age with celiac disease and on a gluten-free diet were enrolled. Bone mineral density (in g/cm² was measured in the lumbar spine and whole body using bone densitometry and categorized using the criteria of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry, i.e. low bone mineral density for chronological age < -2.0 Z-scores. Age at diagnosis and duration of dietary treatment were confirmed according to the date of starting the gluten-free diet. RESULTS: Low bone density for chronological age was present in 3/31 patients in the lumbar spine and 1/31 in the whole body (also with lumbar spine abnormality. At diagnosis, three patients with low bone mineral density for the chronological age were more than 7.6 years old. These patients had been on a gluten-free diet for six and seven months and 3.4 years. CONCLUSION: Pediatric patients with celiac disease on long-term treatment are at risk of low bone mineral density. Early diagnosis and long periods of gluten-free diet are directly implicated in bone density normalization.

Polycystic ovary syndrome and periodontal disease: Underlying links- A review

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Sri Chandana Tanguturi

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS is the most common endocrine disorder among women of reproductive age, which negatively affects various health systems. There is an extensive literature regarding the association of PCOS and other systemic conditions such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and psychological disorders. However, there is a lack of literature in associating PCOS and periodontal disease. Hence, PubMed search was done for various articles related to PCOS and its association with other comorbidities, including periodontal diseases. Analysis was done and data were synthesized and compiled in a sequential and presentable paradigm. This literature review of the pathophysiological mechanisms linking the two diseases suggests a positive relation between the two comorbidities. However, multicenter studies, with larger sample sizes, are to be conducted to establish a clearer and stronger association.

Shift work and chronic disease: the epidemiological evidence

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Armstrong, M. E. G.; Cairns, B. J.; Key, T. J.; Travis, R. C.

2011-01-01

Background Shift work, including night work, has been hypothesized to increase the risk of chronic diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD), metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Recent reviews of evidence relating to these hypotheses have focussed on specific diseases or potential mechanisms, but no general summary of the current data on shift work and chronic disease has been published. Methods Systematic and critical reviews and recent original studies indexed in PubMed prior to 31 December 2009 were retrieved, aided by manual searches of reference lists. The main conclusions from reviews and principle results from recent studies are presented in text and tables. Results Published evidence is suggestive but not conclusive for an adverse association between night work and breast cancer but limited and inconsistent for cancers at other sites and all cancers combined. Findings on shift work, in relation to risks of CVD, metabolic syndrome and diabetes are also suggestive but not conclusive for an adverse relationship. Conclusions Heterogeneity of study exposures and outcomes and emphasis on positive but non-significant results make it difficult to draw general conclusions. Further data are needed for additional disease endpoints and study populations. PMID:21355031

Wild rodents as a model to discover genes and pathways underlying natural variation in infectious disease susceptibility.

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Turner, A K; Paterson, S

2013-11-01

Individuals vary in their susceptibility to infectious disease, and it is now well established that host genetic factors form a major component of this variation. The discovery of genes underlying susceptibility has the potential to lead to improved disease control, through the identification and management of vulnerable individuals and the discovery of novel therapeutic targets. Laboratory rodents have proved invaluable for ascertaining the function of genes involved in immunity to infection. However, these captive animals experience conditions very different to the natural environment, lacking the genetic diversity and environmental pressures characteristic of natural populations, including those of humans. It has therefore often proved difficult to translate basic laboratory research to the real world. In order to further our understanding of the genetic basis of infectious disease resistance, and the evolutionary forces that drive variation in susceptibility, we propose that genetic research traditionally conducted on laboratory animals is expanded to the more ecologically valid arena of natural populations. In this article, we highlight the potential of using wild rodents as a new resource for biomedical research, to link the functional genetic knowledge gained from laboratory rodents with the variation in infectious disease susceptibility observed in humans and other natural populations. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Periodontal disease in pediatric rheumatic diseases].

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Fabri, Gisele M C; Savioli, Cynthia; Siqueira, José T; Campos, Lucia M; Bonfá, Eloisa; Silva, Clovis A

2014-01-01

Gingivitis and periodontitis are immunoinflammatory periodontal diseases characterized by chronic localized infections usually associated with insidious inflammation This narrative review discusses periodontal diseases and mechanisms influencing the immune response and autoimmunity in pediatric rheumatic diseases (PRD), particularly juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (C-SLE) and juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM). Gingivitis was more frequently observed in these diseases compared to health controls, whereas periodontitis was a rare finding. In JIA patients, gingivitis and periodontitis were related to mechanical factors, chronic arthritis with functional disability, dysregulation of the immunoinflammatory response, diet and drugs, mainly corticosteroids and cyclosporine. In C-SLE, gingivitis was associated with longer disease period, high doses of corticosteroids, B-cell hyperactivation and immunoglobulin G elevation. There are scarce data on periodontal diseases in JDM population, and a unique gingival pattern, characterized by gingival erythema, capillary dilation and bush-loop formation, was observed in active patients. In conclusion, gingivitis was the most common periodontal disease in PRD. The observed association with disease activity reinforces the need for future studies to determine if resolution of this complication will influence disease course or severity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Renal disease in patients with celiac disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Boonpheng, Boonphiphop; Cheungpasitporn, Wisit; Wijarnpreecha, Karn

2018-04-01

Celiac disease, an inflammatory disease of small bowel caused by sensitivity to dietary gluten and related protein, affects approximately 0.5-1% of the population in the Western world. Extra-intestinal symptoms and associated diseases are increasingly recognized including diabetes mellitus type 1, thyroid disease, dermatitis herpetiformis and ataxia. There have also been a number of reports of various types of renal involvement in patients with celiac disease including diabetes nephropathy, IgA nephropathy, membranous nephropathy, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, nephrotic syndrome related to malabsorption, oxalate nephropathy, and associations of celiac disease with chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease. This review aims to present the current literature on possible pathologic mechanisms underlying renal disease in patients with celiac disease.

Consistency of the MLE under mixture models

OpenAIRE

Chen, Jiahua

2016-01-01

The large-sample properties of likelihood-based statistical inference under mixture models have received much attention from statisticians. Although the consistency of the nonparametric MLE is regarded as a standard conclusion, many researchers ignore the precise conditions required on the mixture model. An incorrect claim of consistency can lead to false conclusions even if the mixture model under investigation seems well behaved. Under a finite normal mixture model, for instance, the consis...

Under-diagnosis of rickettsial disease in clinical practice: A systematic review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Eekeren, Louise E.; de Vries, Sophia G.; Wagenaar, Jiri F. P.; Spijker, René; Grobusch, Martin P.; Goorhuis, Abraham

2018-01-01

Rickettsial diseases present as acute febrile illnesses, sometimes with inoculation eschars. We performed a systematic review of studies published between 1997 and 2017 to assess the underestimation of non-eschar rickettsial disease (NERD) relative to eschar rickettsial disease (ERD), as a cause of

Health policy for sickle cell disease in Africa: experience from Tanzania on interventions to reduce under-five mortality.

Science.gov (United States)

Makani, Julie; Soka, Deogratias; Rwezaula, Stella; Krag, Marlene; Mghamba, Janneth; Ramaiya, Kaushik; Cox, Sharon E; Grosse, Scott D

2015-02-01

Tanzania has made considerable progress towards reducing childhood mortality, achieving a 57% decrease between 1980 and 2011. This epidemiological transition will cause a reduction in the contribution of infectious diseases to childhood mortality and increase in contribution from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Haemoglobinopathies are amongst the most common childhood NCDs, with sickle cell disease (SCD) being the commonest haemoglobinopathy in Africa. In Tanzania, 10,313 children with SCD under 5 years of age (U5) are estimated to die every year, contributing an estimated 7% of overall deaths in U5 children. Key policies that governments in Africa are able to implement would reduce mortality in SCD, focusing on newborn screening and comprehensive SCD care programmes. Such programmes would ensure that interventions such as prevention of infections using penicillin plus prompt diagnosis and treatment of complications are provided to all individuals with SCD. © 2014 The Authors. Tropical Medicine & International Health Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluating sociodemographic and medical conditions of patients under home care service

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tolga Önder

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: In our study, we aimed to reveal medical conditions and the sociodemographic conditions of patients under home care service. Methods: Our study is planned on 52 patients who are under home care service at Sarıkamış State Hospital between June 2013 and May 2014. Patients' sex, education, social security status, comorbid diseases and general health status were recorded. Results: Fifty-two patients enrolled. 21 of them (40.4% were men, 31 of them (59.6 % were women. It is revealed that In 36 patients (69.2% did not receive formal education throughout their lives, while16 (30.8% of them had only primary education. All female patients were housewives. The most frequent diseases in home care patients were cerebrovascular disease in 18 (34.6% subjects, Alzheimer's disease in 9 (17.3%, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 4 (7.7% d. 38 patients (73.1% needed routine follow-up. Most of the patients (61.5% had green card health insurance. Only 6 patients (11.5% were in need of narcotic analgesics. Thirteen patients had pressure ulcers due to immobilization. Evaluating the exercise capacity of the patients; 43 (82.7% could not dressed themselves, 38 (73.1% could not use phone. Thirty-two patients had urinary incontinence and 31 had fecal incontinence. Conclusion: Today, population of patients who need home care service is increasing due to ease access to home care service and increase in survival. For a better care of patients, home care providers should be well educated and differences on features of patients and medical conditions it should be taken into consideration.

The prospects for nuclear power in the UK. Conclusions of the Government's nuclear review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-05-01

The conclusions of the United Kingdom government's review of the nuclear industry in Britain were presented to Parliament in May 1995. The provision of public sector support for a new nuclear power station is deemed unwarranted against the background of the current electricity market. In reaching this conclusion the government considered possible environmental and strategic advantages, the question of diversity of fuel sources, and wider economic benefits. It is intended to privatize parts of Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear in 1996 as subsidiaries of a single holding company to take over the UK's AGR and PWR stations together with a significant level of their associated liabilities. A publicly owned company will continue to run the magnox stations and retain their liabilities. British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL) will continue to offer nuclear fuel services and to receive government support in developing business in overseas markets. Since their formation in 1990, Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear have improved their financial performance significantly. At privatisation the nuclear component of the fossil fuel levy will cease to be paid to Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear will no longer receive the current premium price paid under the Nuclear Energy Agreement. The current regulatory regime and rigorous safety standards for nuclear power will remain substantially unchanged. (UK)

[Controversies and dilemmas on the use of beta-blockers in treatment of associated cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Pescaru, Camelia; Tudorache, Voicu; Oancea, Cristian

2010-01-01

In the last decade, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been considered a syndrome with multiple phenotypical facets and systemic components. Chronic diseases are associated, in time, with several comorbidities. Cardiovascular disease represents the most common comorbidity in COPD, increases its handicap and mortality indices. Most entities associated with cardiovascular disease require treatment with beta-blockers. However, beta-blockers are a "two-edged sword" when administered in obstructive pulmonary disorder. The use of beta-blockers should be assessed by their action on three areas: their effect on FEV1, their effect on bronchial hyperreactivity, the result obtained when additionally administering beta-agonists. The result of beta-blocker administration is influenced by the involvement of several other factors: the cardioselectivity of the beta-blocker, the dosage, the concomitant administration of beta-agonists, the stage of the disease (stable or exacerbation of COPD), smoker status etc. Their administration under strict monitoring results in a decreased morbidity and mortality, including in patients who had undergone cardiovascular surgery. The overall conclusion is that beta-blockers may be administered in COPD associated with cardiac comorbidity, but this administration requires utmost care.

Exploring the genetics underlying autoimmune diseases with network analysis and link prediction

KAUST Repository

Alanis Lobato, Gregorio; Cannistraci, Carlo; Ravasi, Timothy

2014-01-01

Ever since the first Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) was carried out we have seen an important number of discoveries of biological and clinical relevance. However, there are some scientists that consider that these research outcomes and their utility are far from what was expected from this experimental design. We instead believe that the thousands of genetic variants associated with complex disorders by means of GWASs are an extremely valuable source of information that needs to be mined in a different way. Based on this philosophy, we followed a holistic perspective to analyze GWAS data and explored the structural properties of the network representation of one of these datasets with the aim to advance our understanding of the genetic intricacies underlying autoimmune human diseases. The simplicity, computational efficiency and precision of the tools proposed in this paper represent a new means to address GWAS data and contribute to the better exploitation of these rich sources of information. © 2014 IEEE.

Exploring the genetics underlying autoimmune diseases with network analysis and link prediction

KAUST Repository

Alanis Lobato, Gregorio

2014-02-01

Ever since the first Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) was carried out we have seen an important number of discoveries of biological and clinical relevance. However, there are some scientists that consider that these research outcomes and their utility are far from what was expected from this experimental design. We instead believe that the thousands of genetic variants associated with complex disorders by means of GWASs are an extremely valuable source of information that needs to be mined in a different way. Based on this philosophy, we followed a holistic perspective to analyze GWAS data and explored the structural properties of the network representation of one of these datasets with the aim to advance our understanding of the genetic intricacies underlying autoimmune human diseases. The simplicity, computational efficiency and precision of the tools proposed in this paper represent a new means to address GWAS data and contribute to the better exploitation of these rich sources of information. © 2014 IEEE.

Plurihormonal cells of normal anterior pituitary: Facts and conclusions

Science.gov (United States)

Mitrofanova, Lubov B.; Konovalov, Petr V.; Krylova, Julia S.; Polyakova, Victoria O.; Kvetnoy, Igor M.

2017-01-01

Introduction plurihormonality of pituitary adenomas is an ability of adenoma cells to produce more than one hormone. After the immunohistochemical analysis had become a routine part of the morphological study, a great number of adenomas appeared to be multihormonal in actual practice. We hypothesize that the same cells of a normal pituitary gland releases several hormones simultaneously. Objective To analyse a possible co-expression of hormones by the cells of the normal anterior pituitary of adult humans in autopsy material. Materials and methods We studied 10 pituitary glands of 4 women and 6 men with cardiovascular and oncological diseases. Double staining immunohistochemistry using 11 hormone combinations was performed in all the cases. These combinations were: prolactin/thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), prolactin/luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin/follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin/adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), growth hormone (GH)/TSH, GH/LH, GH/FSH, GH/ACTH, TSH/LH, TSH/FSH, TSH/ACTH. Laser Confocal Scanning Microscopy with a mixture of primary antibodies was performed in 2 cases. These mixtures were ACTH/prolactin, FSH/prolactin, TSH/prolactin, ACTH/GH, and FSH/GH. Results We found that the same cells of the normal adenohypophysis can co-express prolactin with ACTH, TSH, FSH, LH; GH with ACTH, TSH, FSH, LH, and TSH with ACTH, FSH, LH. The comparison of the average co-expression coefficients of prolactin, GH and TSH with other hormones showed that the TSH co-expression coefficient was significantly the least (9,5±6,9%; 9,6±7,8%; 1,0±1,3% correspondingly). Conclusion Plurihormonality of normal adenohypophysis is an actually existing phenomenon. Identification of different hormones in pituitary adenomas enables to find new ways to improve both diagnostic process and targeted treatment. PMID:28418929

Pachydermoperiostosis in a Patient with Crohn's Disease: Treatment and Literature Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Mobini, Maryam; Akha, Ozra; Fakheri, Hafez; Majidi, Hadi; Fattahi, Sanam

2018-01-01

Pachydermoperiostosis (PDP) is a rare disorder characterized by pachydermia, digital clubbing, periostitis, and an excess of affected males. It is the primary form of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (HOA) and there are some rare associations of PDP with other disorders. Here we describe a patient with Crohn's disease associated with PDP. A 26-year-old man, who was a known case of Crohn's disease, referred with diffuse swelling in the upper and lower limbs and cutis verticis gyrata since 7 years ago. PDP was suspected and endocrinological and radiological studies were conducted for the evaluation of underlying disease. He was prescribed celecoxib, low-dose prednisolone, and pamidronate to control the swelling, periostitis, azathiopurine, and mesalazine according to gastrointestinal involvement. In conclusion, it is important to identify this condition since a misdiagnosis might subject the patient to unnecessary investigations.

Endometriosis: a high-risk population for major chronic diseases?

Science.gov (United States)

Kvaskoff, Marina; Mu, Fan; Terry, Kathryn L.; Harris, Holly R.; Poole, Elizabeth M.; Farland, Leslie; Missmer, Stacey A.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND Despite an estimated prevalence of 10% in women, the etiology of endometriosis remains poorly understood. Over recent decades, endometriosis has been associated with risk of several chronic diseases, such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, asthma/atopic diseases and cardiovascular diseases. A deeper understanding of these associations is needed as they may provide new leads into the causes or consequences of endometriosis. This review summarizes the available epidemiological findings on the associations between endometriosis and other chronic diseases and discusses hypotheses for underlying mechanisms, potential sources of bias and methodological complexities. METHODS We performed a comprehensive search of the PubMed/Medline and ISI Web of Knowledge databases for all studies reporting on the associations between endometriosis and other diseases published in English through to May 2014, using numerous search terms. We additionally examined the reference lists of all identified papers to capture any additional articles that were not identified through computer searches. RESULTS We identified 21 studies on the associations between endometriosis and ovarian cancer, 14 for breast cancer, 8 for endometrial cancer, 4 for cervical cancer, 12 for cutaneous melanoma and 3 for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, as well as 9 on the links between endometriosis and autoimmune diseases, 6 on the links with asthma and atopic diseases, and 4 on the links with cardiovascular diseases. Endometriosis patients were reported to be at higher risk of ovarian and breast cancers, cutaneous melanoma, asthma, and some autoimmune, cardiovascular and atopic diseases, and at decreased risk of cervical cancer. CONCLUSIONS Increasing evidence suggests that endometriosis patients are at higher risk of several chronic diseases. Although the underlying mechanisms are not yet understood, the available data to date suggest that endometriosis is not harmless with respects to women's long-term health. If

Association between environmental exposure to pesticides and neurodegenerative diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parrón, Tesifón; Requena, Mar; Hernández, Antonio F.; Alarcón, Raquel

2011-01-01

Preliminary studies have shown associations between chronic pesticide exposure in occupational settings and neurological disorders. However, data on the effects of long-term non-occupational exposures are too sparse to allow any conclusions. This study examines the influence of environmental pesticide exposure on a number of neuropsychiatric conditions and discusses their underlying pathologic mechanisms. An ecological study was conducted using averaged prevalence rates of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebral degeneration, polyneuropathies, affective psychosis and suicide attempts in selected Andalusian health districts categorized into areas of high and low environmental pesticide exposure based on the number of hectares devoted to intensive agriculture and pesticide sales per capita. A total of 17,429 cases were collected from computerized hospital records (minimum dataset) between 1998 and 2005. Prevalence rates and the risk of having Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and suicide were significantly higher in districts with greater pesticide use as compared to those with lower pesticide use. The multivariate analyses showed that the population living in areas with high pesticide use had an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease and suicide attempts and that males living in these areas had increased risks for polyneuropathies, affective disorders and suicide attempts. In conclusion, this study supports and extends previous findings and provides an indication that environmental exposure to pesticides may affect the human health by increasing the incidence of certain neurological disorders at the level of the general population. -- Highlights: ► Environmental exposure to pesticides and neurodegenerative–psychiatric disorders. ► Increased risk for Alzheimer's disease and suicide attempts in high exposure areas. ► Males from areas with high pesticide exposure had a higher risk of polyneuropathy. �

Prevalence of sickle cell disease among Grenadian newborns.

Science.gov (United States)

Antoine, Magdalene; Lee, Ketty; Donald, Tyhiesia; Belfon, Yonni; Drigo, Ali; Polson, Sharon; Martin, Francis; Mitchell, George; Etienne-Julan, Maryse; Hardy-Dessources, Marie-Dominique

2018-03-01

Objective To establish the birth prevalence of sickle cell disease in Grenada, with a view to assess the requirement for a population-based neonatal screening programme. Methods A two-year pilot neonatal screening programme, involving the Ministry of Health of Grenada, the Sickle Cell Association of Grenada, and the diagnostic laboratory of hemoglobinopathies of the University Hospital of Guadeloupe, was implemented in 2014-2015 under the auspices of the Caribbean Network of Researchers on Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassemia. Results Analysis of 1914 samples processed identified the following abnormal phenotypes: 10 FS, 2 FSC, 183 FAS, 63 FAC. These data indicate β s and β c allele frequencies of 0.054 and 0.018, respectively. Conclusion Neonatal screening conducted in the framework of this Caribbean cooperation can allow rapid detection and earlier management of affected children.

[Advances on pharmacokinetics of traditional Chinese medicine under disease states].

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Zi-peng; Chen, Ying; Zhang, Rui-jie; Yang, Qing; Zhu, Xiao-xin

2015-01-01

In recent years, more and more research shows that the pharmacokinetic parameter of traditional Chinese medicine can be affected by the disease states. It's possible that drug metabolic enzymes, transporters, cell membrane permeability and the change of microbes group could be interfered with physiological and pathological changes, which enables the pharmacokinetics of traditional Chinese medicine in the body to be altered, including the process of absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion, and then the pharmacokinetic parameters of traditional chinese medicine are altered. It's found that investigating the pharmacokinetic of traditional Chinese medicine in the pathological state is more useful than that of in normal state because the great part of traditional Chinese medicine is mainly used to treat disease. This article reflects the latest research on the pharmacokinetic of traditional Chinese medicine in the disease state such as diabete, cerebral ischemia, liver injury, inflammatory disease, nervous system disorders and fever in order to provide certain reference for clinicians designing reasonable administration dose.

Trends, causes, and risk factors of mortality among children under 5 in Ethiopia, 1990-2013: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Deribew, Amare; Tessema, Gizachew Assefa; Deribe, Kebede; Melaku, Yohannes Adama; Lakew, Yihunie; Amare, Azmeraw T; Abera, Semaw F; Mohammed, Mesoud; Hiruye, Abiy; Teklay, Efrem; Misganaw, Awoke; Kassebaum, Nicholas

2016-01-01

Ethiopia has made remarkable progress in reducing child mortality over the last two decades. However, the under-5 mortality rate in Ethiopia is still higher than the under-5 mortality rates of several low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). On the other hand, the patterns and causes of child mortality have not been well investigated in Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to investigate the mortality trend, causes of death, and risk factors among children under 5 in Ethiopia during 1990-2013. We used Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2013 data. Spatiotemporal Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) was applied to generate best estimates of child mortality with 95% uncertainty intervals (UI). Causes of death by age groups, sex, and year were measured using Cause of Death Ensemble modeling (CODEm). For estimation of HIV/AIDS mortality rate, the modified UNAIDS EPP-SPECTRUM suite model was used. Between 1990 and 2013 the under-5 mortality rate declined from 203.9 deaths/1000 live births to 74.4 deaths/1000 live births with an annual rate of change of 4.6%, yielding a total reduction of 64%. Similarly, child (1-4 years), post-neonatal, and neonatal mortality rates declined by 75%, 64%, and 52%, respectively, between 1990 and 2013. Lower respiratory tract infection (LRI), diarrheal diseases, and neonatal syndromes (preterm birth complications, neonatal encephalopathy, neonatal sepsis, and other neonatal disorders) accounted for 54% of the total under-5 deaths in 2013. Under-5 mortality rates due to measles, diarrhea, malaria, protein-energy malnutrition, and iron-deficiency anemia declined by more than two-thirds between 1990 and 2013. Among the causes of under-5 deaths, neonatal syndromes such as sepsis, preterm birth complications, and birth asphyxia ranked third to fifth in 2013. Of all risk-attributable deaths in 1990, 25% of the total under-5 deaths (112,288/435,962) and 48% (112,288/232,199) of the deaths due to diarrhea, LRI, and other common infections were

20 CFR 901.48 - Proposed findings and conclusions.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Law Judge, before making his/her decision, shall give the parties a reasonable opportunity to submit... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Proposed findings and conclusions. 901.48 Section 901.48 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE...

The epidemiologic study of children diseases under one year in Tehran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Babaeei Gh

2001-07-01

Full Text Available Infant mortality and morbidity present important challenges to those concerned with community health. We did this research to study epidemiology of diseases of infancy in city of Tehran. During 15 days, of 6395 deliveries in Tehran hospitals a cohort of 6267 live births entered this study. Follow up data were gathered in 1st, 3rd, 6th and 12th months of birth. In this period, 5382 occurrence of disease were reported. The most frequent were cardiopulmonary (52.3% and Gastrointestinal (26.6% diseases. Most of the events were seen in 6-12 months age group (30.5%. The lowest frequencies of infant diseases were seen in 19-35 years of maternal age (15.3%, as compared with >35 (35.4% and <19 (49.3% groups. Mortality ratio was 32/1000 live birth (198 death. The most common causes of death were cardiopulmonary (38%, infectious (21% and gastrointestinal (18% diseases. Control of infectious disease, development of educational programs for breast feeding and planning of proper age and interval of pregnancy are effective measures for reducing infant mortality and morbidity.

Evaluation of clinical characteristics and prognosis of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis depending on the underlying lung diseases: Emphysema vs prior tuberculosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Koyama, Kazuya; Ohshima, Nobuharu; Suzuki, Junko; Kawashima, Masahiro; Okuda, Kenichi; Sato, Ryota; Suzukawa, Maho; Nagai, Hideaki; Matsui, Hirotoshi; Ohta, Ken

2015-11-01

There have been scarce data evaluating the differences of clinical characteristics and prognosis of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) depending on underlying pulmonary diseases. We tried to clarify them in CPA patients who had pulmonary emphysema or previous pulmonary tuberculosis. We reviewed and evaluated CPA patients diagnosed between 2007 and 2013 with pulmonary emphysema (PE group; n = 29), with previous pulmonary tuberculosis (PT group; n = 47) and with combination of these 2 underlying conditions (CTE group; n = 24). In CT findings, fungus balls were rare in PE group (7% in PE group and 36% in PT group; p = 0.006). Compared with PT group, PE group patients exhibited more frequent preceding antibiotics administration (45% vs 11%; p = 0.002) and fever (52% vs 17%; p = 0.002), less frequent hemosputum (24% vs 57%; p = 0.008), and more frequent consolidations in imaging (79% vs 38%; p = 0.001) and respiratory failure (34% vs 13%; p = 0.020), possibly suggesting more acute clinical manifestations of CPA in emphysematous patients. Trend of the differences between PT and PE group was not changed when patients with fungal balls were excluded. Multivariate Cox regression analysis of risks for all-cause mortality revealed age (HR, 1.079; p = 0.002) and emphysema (HR, 2.45; p = 0.040) as risk factors. Assessment of underlying lung diseases is needed when we estimate prognosis and consider treatment of CPA patients. Particularly, emphysematous patients can be presented as refractory pneumonia and show poor prognosis. Copyright © 2015 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Summary and conclusions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

authorities, reactor designers, and operators/ licensees perspectives on the various practices used in the regulation of nuclear power plant siting (selection, evaluation and site preparation). This session was also aimed to address issues on sites where a mixture of activities are taking place (e.g., operating units, new construction, decommissioning, etc.) including organisation of the regulators and licensee/engineering organisation, methods, systems, etc. Conclusions: In general workshop participants agreed on the need to regularly have these kind of forums to discuss relevant regulatory issues for new builds. One important aspect of this workshop was the participation of 'New Entrants'. The interaction between NEA member countries with mature nuclear power plants and newcomers was quite important since it gave newcomers the possibility to benefit of mature international practices in order to focus their regulatory oversight and control. NEA members could also benefit from insights the New Entrants discover as they develop or enhance their regulatory controls. In addition technical exchanges associated with construction experience of New Entrants as they begin to license, build and operate NPP could benefit NEA members

Managing nuclear waste: a better idea (Excerpt of conclusions and recommendations)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-12-01

The panel concludes that an immediate effort must be made to improve the credibility, internal flexibility and cost-effectiveness of the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM). However, in recognition that no modification to DOE/OCRWM organization would necessarily provide adequate stability and continuity, it is our principal recommendation that investigation of the specific steps necessary to implement, for example, a dedicated federally chartered corporation (the first choice of the Panel voting on organizational tests), should be undertaken immediately so that Congress can have a precise understanding of the legislative changes required to bring about such an organization. The main thrust of the Panel study has dealt with the structure and capabilities of various organizational alternatives for managing the high-level radioactive waste management program. The Panel also gave consideration to the financing processes of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA), and to certain financing alternatives which might be substituted for the existing mechanisms. In doing so, the Panel encountered an array of financial uncertainties which confront the radioactive waste management program as it moves forward over the next two decades. At this juncture, it is extremely difficult to predict how future events, programmatic developments, and economic influences will affect the financing structure and cost level over the term of the program. It is the Panel's conclusion that the financing mechanism provided by Congress under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act appears to be fair, amenable to administrative implementation and cost controls, and sufficiently flexible to accommodate the full-recovery requirement of the legislation. Under NWPA, utilities are assessed a fee of 1 mill per kilowatthour of nuclear-generated electricity, plus a one-time fee for spent fuel accumulated prior to April 7, 1983

Anthroposophic therapy for children with chronic disease: a two-year prospective cohort study in routine outpatient settings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Willich Stefan N

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Many children with chronic disease use complementary therapies. Anthroposophic treatment for paediatric chronic disease is provided by physicians and differs from conventional treatment in the use of special therapies (art therapy, eurythmy movement exercises, rhythmical massage therapy and special medications. We studied clinical outcomes in children with chronic diseases under anthroposophic treatment in routine outpatient settings. Methods In conjunction with a health benefit program, consecutive outpatients starting anthroposophic treatment for any chronic disease participated in a prospective cohort study. Main outcome was disease severity (Disease and Symptom Scores, physicians' and caregivers' assessment on numerical rating scales 0–10. Disease Score was documented after 0, 6, and 12 months, Symptom Score after 0, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Results A total of 435 patients were included. Mean age was 8.2 years (standard deviation 3.3, range 1.0–16.9 years. Most common indications were mental disorders (46.2% of patients; primarily hyperkinetic, emotional, and developmental disorders, respiratory disorders (14.0%, and neurological disorders (5.7%. Median disease duration at baseline was 3.0 years (interquartile range 1.0–5.0 years. The anthroposophic treatment modalities used were medications (69.2% of patients, eurythmy therapy (54.7%, art therapy (11.3%, and rhythmical massage therapy (6.7%. Median number of eurythmy/art/massage therapy sessions was 12 (interquartile range 10–20, median therapy duration was 118 days (interquartile range 78–189 days. From baseline to six-month follow-up, Disease Score improved by average 3.00 points (95% confidence interval 2.76–3.24 points, p Conclusion Children under anthroposophic treatment had long-term improvement of chronic disease symptoms. Although the pre-post design of the present study does not allow for conclusions about comparative effectiveness, study

[Temperature that modifies the effect of air pollution on emergency room visits for circulatory and respiratory diseases in Beijing, China].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, L L; Zhang, Q; Bai, R H; Mi, B B; Yan, H

2017-08-10

Objective: To analyze the temperature modification effect on emergency room visits for circulatory and respiratory diseases caused by air pollution, in Beijing. Methods: Data on both circulatory and respiratory diseases in 2010 and 2011 were collected, Both meteorological and air pollutants related data were obtained from the National Scientific Data Sharing Platform for Population and Health. By using the stratified time-series models, we analyzed the effects of air pollution on emergency room visits for circulatory and respiratory diseases under different temperature zones, from 2010 to 2011, in Beijing. Results: Low temperature (daily average temperatureeffect of air pollution index (API) on emergency room visits for circulatory diseases, Under 10 units of API, the relative risks and confidence interval appeared as 1.067 (1.054-1.080). However, high (daily average temperature between 24.4 ℃ and 28.5 ℃) and extra-high temperature (daily average temperature >28.5 ℃) could enhance the effect of API on emergency room visits for respiratory diseases, Under 10 units of API, the relative risks and confidence interval were 1.021 (1.015-1.028) and 1.006 (1.003-1.008), respectively. Conclusion: Temperature seemed to have modified the association between air pollution and both circulatory and respiratory diseases.

Conclusion Chapters in Doctoral Theses: Some International Findings

Science.gov (United States)

Trafford, Vernon; Leshem, Shosh; Bitzer, Eli

2014-01-01

This study investigated how candidates claimed to have made an original contribution to knowledge in the conclusion chapters of 100 PhD theses. Documentary analysis was used to discover how this was explained within theses at selected universities in three countries. No other documents were accessed and neither were candidates, supervisors or…

Massively parallel sequencing and targeted exomes in familial kidney disease can diagnose underlying genetic disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Mallett, Andrew J; McCarthy, Hugh J; Ho, Gladys; Holman, Katherine; Farnsworth, Elizabeth; Patel, Chirag; Fletcher, Jeffery T; Mallawaarachchi, Amali; Quinlan, Catherine; Bennetts, Bruce; Alexander, Stephen I

2017-12-01

Inherited kidney disease encompasses a broad range of disorders, with both multiple genes contributing to specific phenotypes and single gene defects having multiple clinical presentations. Advances in sequencing capacity may allow a genetic diagnosis for familial renal disease, by testing the increasing number of known causative genes. However, there has been limited translation of research findings of causative genes into clinical settings. Here, we report the results of a national accredited diagnostic genetic service for familial renal disease. An expert multidisciplinary team developed a targeted exomic sequencing approach with ten curated multigene panels (207 genes) and variant assessment individualized to the patient's phenotype. A genetic diagnosis (pathogenic genetic variant[s]) was identified in 58 of 135 families referred in two years. The genetic diagnosis rate was similar between families with a pediatric versus adult proband (46% vs 40%), although significant differences were found in certain panels such as atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (88% vs 17%). High diagnostic rates were found for Alport syndrome (22 of 27) and tubular disorders (8 of 10), whereas the monogenic diagnostic rate for congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract was one of 13. Quality reporting was aided by a strong clinical renal and genetic multidisciplinary committee review. Importantly, for a diagnostic service, few variants of uncertain significance were found with this targeted, phenotype-based approach. Thus, use of targeted massively parallel sequencing approaches in inherited kidney disease has a significant capacity to diagnose the underlying genetic disorder across most renal phenotypes. Copyright © 2017 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Classification of esophageal motor findings in gastro-esophageal reflux disease: Conclusions from an international consensus group.

Science.gov (United States)

Gyawali, C P; Roman, S; Bredenoord, A J; Fox, M; Keller, J; Pandolfino, J E; Sifrim, D; Tatum, R; Yadlapati, R; Savarino, E

2017-12-01

High-resolution manometry (HRM) has resulted in new revelations regarding the pathophysiology of gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). The impact of new HRM motor paradigms on reflux burden needs further definition, leading to a modern approach to motor testing in GERD. Focused literature searches were conducted, evaluating pathophysiology of GERD with emphasis on HRM. The results were discussed with an international group of experts to develop a consensus on the role of HRM in GERD. A proposed classification system for esophageal motor abnormalities associated with GERD was generated. Physiologic gastro-esophageal reflux is inherent in all humans, resulting from transient lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxations that allow venting of gastric air in the form of a belch. In pathological gastro-esophageal reflux, transient LES relaxations are accompanied by reflux of gastric contents. Structural disruption of the esophagogastric junction (EGJ) barrier, and incomplete clearance of the refluxate can contribute to abnormally high esophageal reflux burden that defines GERD. Esophageal HRM localizes the LES for pH and pH-impedance probe placement, and assesses esophageal body peristaltic performance prior to invasive antireflux therapies and antireflux surgery. Furthermore, HRM can assess EGJ and esophageal body mechanisms contributing to reflux, and exclude conditions that mimic GERD. Structural and motor EGJ and esophageal processes contribute to the pathophysiology of GERD. A classification scheme is proposed incorporating EGJ and esophageal motor findings, and contraction reserve on provocative tests during HRM. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Congenital Heart Disease and Impacts on Child Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Alievi Mari

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective: To evaluate the child development and evaluate a possible association with the commitment by biopsychosocial factors of children with and without congenital heart disease. Methods: Observational study of case-control with three groups: Group 1 - children with congenital heart disease without surgical correction; Group 2 - children with congenital heart disease who underwent surgery; and Group 3 - healthy children. Children were assessed by socio-demographic and clinical questionnaire and the Denver II Screening Test. Results: One hundred and twenty eight children were evaluated, 29 in Group 1, 43 in Group 2 and 56 in Group 3. Of the total, 51.56% are girls and ages ranged from two months to six years (median 24.5 months. Regarding the Denver II, the children with heart disease had more "suspicious" and "suspect/abnormal" ratings and in the group of healthy children 53.6% were considered with "normal" development (P≤0.0001. The biopsychosocial variables that were related to a possible developmental delay were gender (P=0.042, child's age (P=0.001 and income per capita (P=0.019. Conclusion: The results suggest that children with congenital heart disease are likely to have a developmental delay with significant difference between children who have undergone surgery and those awaiting surgery under clinical follow-up.

Underlying congenital heart disease in Nigerian children with ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Pneumonia is a common cause of childhood morbidity and mortality globally. Some congenital heart disease(CHD) may predispose their sufferer to bronchopneumonia. Objective: To evaluate the contribution of CHD to pneumonia in children seen in a tertiary hospital. Methods: Over a year, consecutive ...

[Emerging noninfectious diseases].

Science.gov (United States)

Consiglio, Ezequiel

2008-11-01

In recent years, emerging diseases were defined as being infectious, acquiring high incidence, often suddenly, or being a threat or an unexpected phenomenon. This study discusses the hallmarks of emerging diseases, describing the existence of noninfectious emerging diseases, and elaborating on the advantages of defining noninfectious diseases as emerging ones. From the discussion of various mental health disorders, nutritional deficiencies, external injuries and violence outcomes, work injuries and occupational health, and diseases due to environmental factors, the conclusion is drawn that a wide variety of noninfectious diseases can be defined as emergent. Noninfectious emerging diseases need to be identified in order to improve their control and management. A new definition of "emergent disease" is proposed, one that emphasizes the pathways of emergence and conceptual traits, rather than descriptive features.

Underlying congenital heart disease in Nigerian children with ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

EB

2013-09-03

Sep 3, 2013 ... Abstract. Background: Pneumonia is a common cause of childhood morbidity and mortality globally. Some congenital heart disease. (CHD) may predispose their sufferer to bronchopneumonia. Objective: To evaluate the contribution of CHD to pneumonia in children seen in a tertiary hospital. Methods: Over ...

Superiority in value and the repugnant conclusion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Karsten Klint

2007-01-01

superiority does not amount to a radical value difference at all. I then spell out the consequences of these results for different interpretations of Griffin's suggestion regarding population ethics. None of them comes out very successful, but perhaps they nevertheless retain some interest.......James Griffin has considered a weak form of superiority in value a possible remedy to the Repugnant Conclusion. In this paper, I demonstrate that, in a context where value is additive, this weaker form collapses into a stronger form of superiority. And in a context where value is non-additive, weak...

A fine-grained analysis of the jumping-to-conclusions bias in schizophrenia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steffen Moritz

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Impaired decision behavior has been repeatedly observed in schizophrenia patients. We investigated several cognitive mechanisms that might contribute to the jumping-to-conclusions bias (JTC seen in schizophrenia patients: biases in information-gathering, information weighting and integration, and overconfidence, using the process tracing paradigm Mouselab. Mouselab allows for an in-depth exploration of various decision-making processes in a structured information environment. A total of 37 schizophrenia patients and 30 healthy controls participated in the experiment. Although showing less focused and systematic information search, schizophrenia patients practically considered all pieces of information and showed no JTC in the sense of collecting less pieces of evidence. Choices of patients and controls both approximated a rational solution quite well, but patients showed more extreme confidence ratings. Both groups mainly used weighted additive decision strategies for information integration and only a small proportion relied on simple heuristics. Under high stress induced by affective valence plus time pressure, however, schizophrenia patients switched to equal weighting strategies: less valid cues and more valid ones were weighted equally.

The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Scientific Report: Development and Major Conclusions.

Science.gov (United States)

Millen, Barbara E; Abrams, Steve; Adams-Campbell, Lucile; Anderson, Cheryl Am; Brenna, J Thomas; Campbell, Wayne W; Clinton, Steven; Hu, Frank; Nelson, Miriam; Neuhouser, Marian L; Perez-Escamilla, Rafael; Siega-Riz, Anna Maria; Story, Mary; Lichtenstein, Alice H

2016-05-01

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) is published every 5 y jointly by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the USDA and provides a framework for US-based food and nutrition programs, health promotion and disease prevention initiatives, and research priorities. Summarized in this report are the methods, major conclusions, and recommendations of the Scientific Report of the 2015 US Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC). Early in the process, the DGAC developed a conceptual model and formulated questions to examine nutritional risk and determinants and impact of dietary patterns in relation to numerous health outcomes among individuals aged ≥2 y. As detailed in the report, an expansive, transparent, and comprehensive process was used to address each question, with multiple opportunities for public input included. Consensus was reached on all DGAC's findings, including each conclusion and recommendation, and the entire report. When research questions were answered by original systematic literature reviews and/or with existing, high-quality expert reports, the quality and strength of the evidence was formally graded. The report was organized around the following 5 themes: 1) food and nutrient intakes and health: current status and trends; 2) dietary patterns, foods and nutrients, and health outcomes; 3) diet and physical activity behavior change; 4) food and physical activity environments; and 5) food sustainability and food safety. The following 3 cross-cutting topics were addressed: 1) sodium, 2) saturated fat, and 3) added sugars. Physical activity recommendations from recent expert reports were endorsed. The overall quality of the American diet was assessed to identify overconsumed and underconsumed nutrients of public health concern. Common food characteristics of healthy dietary patterns were determined. Features of effective interventions to change individual and population diet and physical activity behaviors in clinical, public

Parkinson's Disease Videos

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Parkinson's Disease: One Voice, Many Listeners Expert Briefings: Medical Therapies: What's in the Parkinson's Pipeline? Expert Briefings: Under-recognized Nonmotor Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease Expert Briefings: Gait, Balance and Falls in Parkinson's Disease Expert Briefings: Coping ...

Pachydermoperiostosis in a Patient with Crohn’s Disease: Treatment and Literature Review

Science.gov (United States)

Mobini, Maryam; Akha, Ozra; Fakheri, Hafez; Majidi, Hadi; Fattahi, Sanam

2018-01-01

Pachydermoperiostosis (PDP) is a rare disorder characterized by pachydermia, digital clubbing, periostitis, and an excess of affected males. It is the primary form of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (HOA) and there are some rare associations of PDP with other disorders. Here we describe a patient with Crohn’s disease associated with PDP. A 26-year-old man, who was a known case of Crohn’s disease, referred with diffuse swelling in the upper and lower limbs and cutis verticis gyrata since 7 years ago. PDP was suspected and endocrinological and radiological studies were conducted for the evaluation of underlying disease. He was prescribed celecoxib, low-dose prednisolone, and pamidronate to control the swelling, periostitis, azathiopurine, and mesalazine according to gastrointestinal involvement. In conclusion, it is important to identify this condition since a misdiagnosis might subject the patient to unnecessary investigations. PMID:29398756

Medical irradiation of children. Beware of too fast conclusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brisse, H.; Sirinelli, D.; Adamsbaum, C.; Chateil, J.F.; Claudon, M.; Geoffray, A.; Petit, P.; Rausin, L.; Panuel, M.

2004-01-01

The publication in january 2004 in the British medical journal of the article of P. Hall and coll. 'Effect of low doses of ionizing irradiation in infancy on cognitive function in adulthood: Swedish population based cohort study, has been noticed by the Radiation protection group of the French speaking society of pediatrics imaging. The authors evaluate the psycho-motor development of less eighteen months years old children and irradiated between 1930 and 1959 for a face angioma. They study for each dose of irradiation ( from 0 to 250 m Gy) the level of school attendance and their results to the psycho-motor tests made during conscription medical examination. They noticed a diminution of 50% of the access success rate to university for the children having received an irradiation dose of 250 mG. No effect is noticed under the irradiation dose of 100 mGy. In their conclusions the authors compare these irradiation doses to these ones delivered in brain scanner examination. These results seem overestimated compared with the work made on fetuses ( publication 84 of ICRP) then the fetus is considered as more sensitive to ionizing radiations than the infant. The dose of 120 mGy is found in the literature and now the dose delivered in pediatrics are in the area of 0 and 100 mGy where no effect has been revealed in the cohort of irradiated children. The article does not include the principle of justification that is used nowadays and the replacement by the trans fontanel echography has allowed to reduce the number of brain scanner, used only for limited cases where the benefit is superior the the risk of irradiation. (N.C.)

Estrogen-related and other disease diagnoses preceding Parkinson's disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Latourelle, Jeanne C; Dybdal, Merete; Destefano, Anita L

2010-01-01

Estrogen exposure has been associated with the occurrence of Parkinson's disease (PD), as well as many other disorders, and yet the mechanisms underlying these relations are often unknown. While it is likely that estrogen exposure modifies the risk of various diseases through many different...... mechanisms, some estrogen-related disease processes might work in similar manners and result in association between the diseases. Indeed, the association between diseases need not be due only to estrogen-related factors, but due to similar disease processes from a variety of mechanisms....

Hygiene and sanitation risk factors of diarrhoeal disease among under-five children in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Oloruntoba, Elizabeth Omoladun; Folarin, Taiwo Bukola; Ayede, Adejumoke Idowu

2014-12-01

Diarrhoea diseases are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in under-five-children (U-5C) in Nigeria. Inadequate safe water, sanitation, and hygiene account for the disease burden. Cases of diarrhoea still occur in high proportion in the study area despite government-oriented interventions. To determine the hygiene and sanitation risk factors predisposing U-5C to diarrhoea in Ibadan, Nigeria. Two hundred and twenty pairs of children, matched on age, were recruited as cases and controls over a period of 5 months in Ibadan. Questionnaire and observation checklist were used to obtain information on hygiene practices from caregivers/mothers and sanitation conditions in the households of 30% of the consenting mothers/caregivers. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Caregivers/mothers' mean ages were 31.3 ±7.5 (cases) and 30.6 ±6.0(controls) years. The risk of diarrhoea was significantly higher among children whose mothers did not wash hands with soap before food preparation (OR=3.0, pHygiene and sanitation conditions within households were risk factors for diarrhoea. This study revealed the feasibility of developing and implementing an adequate model to establish intervention priorities in sanitation in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroid disease in patients with Graves' disease: clinical manifestations, follow-up, and outcomes.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Tamagno, Gianluca

2012-02-01

BACKGROUND: The encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroid disease (EAATD) is characterized by neurological\\/psychiatric symptoms, high levels of anti-thyroid antibodies, increased cerebrospinal fluid protein concentration, non-specific electroencephalogram abnormalities, and responsiveness to the corticosteroid treatment in patients with an autoimmune thyroid disease. Almost all EAATD patients are affected by Hashimoto\\'s thyroiditis (HT), although fourteen EAATD patients with Graves\\' disease (GD) have been also reported. METHODS: We have recorded and analyzed the clinical, biological, radiological, and electrophysiological findings and the data on the therapeutic management of all GD patients with EAATD reported so far as well as the clinical outcomes in those followed-up in the long term. RESULTS: Twelve of the fourteen patients with EAATD and GD were women. The majority of GD patients with EAATD presented with mild hyperthyroidism at EAATD onset or shortly before it. Active anti-thyroid autoimmunity was detected in all cases. Most of the patients dramatically responded to corticosteroids. The long term clinical outcome was benign but EAATD can relapse, especially at the time of corticosteroid dose tapering or withdrawal. GD and HT patients with EAATD present with a similar clinical, biological, radiological, and electrophysiological picture and require an unaffected EAATD management. CONCLUSIONS: GD and HT equally represent the possible background condition for the development of EAATD, which should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all patients with encephalopathy of unknown origin and an autoimmune thyroid disease, regardless of the nature of the underlying autoimmune thyroid disease.

Encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroid disease in patients with Graves' disease: clinical manifestations, follow-up, and outcomes

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Tamagno, Gianluca

2010-04-28

Abstract Background The encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroid disease (EAATD) is characterized by neurological\\/psychiatric symptoms, high levels of anti-thyroid antibodies, increased cerebrospinal fluid protein concentration, non-specific electroencephalogram abnormalities, and responsiveness to the corticosteroid treatment in patients with an autoimmune thyroid disease. Almost all EAATD patients are affected by Hashimoto\\'s thyroiditis (HT), although fourteen EAATD patients with Graves\\' disease (GD) have been also reported. Methods We have recorded and analyzed the clinical, biological, radiological, and electrophysiological findings and the data on the therapeutic management of all GD patients with EAATD reported so far as well as the clinical outcomes in those followed-up in the long term. Results Twelve of the fourteen patients with EAATD and GD were women. The majority of GD patients with EAATD presented with mild hyperthyroidism at EAATD onset or shortly before it. Active anti-thyroid autoimmunity was detected in all cases. Most of the patients dramatically responded to corticosteroids. The long term clinical outcome was benign but EAATD can relapse, especially at the time of corticosteroid dose tapering or withdrawal. GD and HT patients with EAATD present with a similar clinical, biological, radiological, and electrophysiological picture and require an unaffected EAATD management. Conclusions GD and HT equally represent the possible background condition for the development of EAATD, which should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all patients with encephalopathy of unknown origin and an autoimmune thyroid disease, regardless of the nature of the underlying autoimmune thyroid disease.

Encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroid disease in patients with Graves' disease: clinical manifestations, follow-up, and outcomes.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Tamagno, Gianluca

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND: The encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroid disease (EAATD) is characterized by neurological\\/psychiatric symptoms, high levels of anti-thyroid antibodies, increased cerebrospinal fluid protein concentration, non-specific electroencephalogram abnormalities, and responsiveness to the corticosteroid treatment in patients with an autoimmune thyroid disease. Almost all EAATD patients are affected by Hashimoto\\'s thyroiditis (HT), although fourteen EAATD patients with Graves\\' disease (GD) have been also reported. METHODS: We have recorded and analyzed the clinical, biological, radiological, and electrophysiological findings and the data on the therapeutic management of all GD patients with EAATD reported so far as well as the clinical outcomes in those followed-up in the long term. RESULTS: Twelve of the fourteen patients with EAATD and GD were women. The majority of GD patients with EAATD presented with mild hyperthyroidism at EAATD onset or shortly before it. Active anti-thyroid autoimmunity was detected in all cases. Most of the patients dramatically responded to corticosteroids. The long term clinical outcome was benign but EAATD can relapse, especially at the time of corticosteroid dose tapering or withdrawal. GD and HT patients with EAATD present with a similar clinical, biological, radiological, and electrophysiological picture and require an unaffected EAATD management. CONCLUSIONS: GD and HT equally represent the possible background condition for the development of EAATD, which should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all patients with encephalopathy of unknown origin and an autoimmune thyroid disease, regardless of the nature of the underlying autoimmune thyroid disease.

Hypothyroidism in late-onset Pompe disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph Schneider

2016-09-01

Conclusions: Hypothyroidism was found at a higher prevalence in patients with late-onset Pompe disease compared to the general adult population at UMMC. Studies in larger populations of patients with Pompe disease would be needed to confirm an association of Pompe disease and hypothyroidism. Challenges include finding an adequate sample size, due the rarity of Pompe disease.

Socio-demographic and environmental determinants of infectious disease morbidity in children under 5 years in Ghana.

Science.gov (United States)

Amugsi, Dickson A; Aborigo, Raymond A; Oduro, Abraham R; Asoala, Victor; Awine, Timothy; Amenga-Etego, Lucas

2015-01-01

Globally, diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections (ARIs) have been identified as major threats to child survival. In Ghana, the two conditions are among the top three causes of morbidity and mortality among children under 5 years. An in-depth analysis of the factors associated with these two diseases is warranted, because of their high degree of fatality and also it provides a basis for intervention planning. To investigate socio-demographic and environmental factors associated with infectious disease morbidity in children under 5 years old in Ghana. Population-based cross-sectional survey. The study sample comprised 2,790 children aged 0-59 months, drawn from the Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys. The mothers reported whether their children under age 5 had been ill with a cough accompanied by short, rapid breathing (ARI), or diarrhoea with the presence of blood or mucus in the stool, in the 2 weeks preceding the survey. Children in the 6-11, 12-23, and 24-59 months age groups had, respectively, 3.48 (95% CI=2.23, 5.44), 4.57 (95% CI=3.03, 6.90), and 1.93 (95% CI=1.30, 2.87) increased odds of getting diarrhoea infection compared to those in the youngest age category (0-5). Similarly, children in the 6-11, 12-23, and 24-59 months age brackets were, respectively, 2.64 (95% CI=1.76, 3.97), 2.63 (95% CI=1.81, 3.83), and 1.83 (95% CI=1.29, 2.59) times more likely to have cough compared to children in 0-5 months age brackets. Children who were not breastfeeding had higher odds of childhood diarrhoea (OR=1.33, 95% CI=1.03, 1.73) compared to those who were breastfeeding. Compared to children who were living in households without co-wives, children who were living in households with co-wives had 1.74 increased odds of diarrhoea (95% CI=1.33, 2.27). A unit increase in maternal opinion regarding wife beating was associated with 14% reduced odds of diarrhoea (OR=0.86, 95% CI=0.80, 0.91), while a unit change in the women's attitude towards sex index was associated with 14

Allele-specific MMP-3 transcription under in vivo conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chaoyong, Zhu [Atherosclerosis Research Unit, King Gustav V Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (Sweden); Odeberg, Jacob [Atherosclerosis Research Unit, King Gustav V Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (Sweden); Department of Biotechnology, AlbaNova University Center, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm (Sweden); Hamsten, Anders [Atherosclerosis Research Unit, King Gustav V Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (Sweden); Eriksson, Per [Atherosclerosis Research Unit, King Gustav V Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (Sweden)

2006-09-29

A common matrix metalloproteinases-3 (MMP-3) -1612 5A/6A promoter polymorphism is associated with risk for cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other diseases. Here we used the haplotype chromatin immunoprecipitation method to study allele-specific MMP-3 expression under in vivo conditions in heterozygous THP-1 cells. Pyrosequencing was used to analyse the ratio of 5A-allele to 6A-allele after chromatin immunoprecipitation using an antibody against phosphorylated active RNA polymerase II. There was no allele-specific difference in transcriptional activity during basal conditions, i.e., in unstimulated monocytic THP-1 cells. However, after stimulation of MMP-3 expression by monocyte differentiation or incubation with IL-1{beta}, the haplotype containing the 5A-allele was associated with higher transcriptional activity compared with the 6A-containing haplotype. Electromobility shift assay demonstrated increased binding of nuclear proteins to the 5A-allele after monocyte differentiation. In conclusion, the common MMP-3 5A/6A promoter polymorphism appears to be functional only during specific environmental conditions involving inflammation.

It pays to be green. A premature conclusion?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Telle, K.

2006-01-01

It has been claimed that good environmental performance can improve firms' economic performance. However, because of e.g. data limitations, the methods applied in most previous quantitative empirical studies on effects of environmental performance on economic performance of firms suffer from several shortcomings. We discuss these shortcomings and conclude that previously applied methods are unsatisfactory as support for a conclusion that it pays for firms to be green. Then we illustrate the consequences of these shortcomings by performing several regression analyses of the effect of environmental performance on economic performance using a panel data set of Norwegian plants. A pooled regression where observable firm characteristics like e.g. size or industry are controlled for, confirms a positive effect of environmental performance on economic performance. However, the estimated positive effect could be due to omitted unobserved variables like management or technology. When the regression model controls for unobserved plant heterogeneity, the effect is generally no longer statistically significant. Hence, although greener plants tend to perform economically better, the analysis provides little support for the claim that it is because they are greener. These empirical findings further indicate that a conclusion that it pays to be green is premature

CSNI/NEA Rasplav seminar 2000. Summary and conclusions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

The objective of the RASPLAV Project was to provide data on the behaviour of molten core materials on the RPV lower head under severe accident conditions, and to assess the possible physicochemical interactions between molten corium and the vessel wall. Data were also obtained to confirm heat transfer modelling for a large convective corium pool within the lower head. The project consisted of the following components: - To provide data from large-scale integral experiments on the behaviour and interactions of prototypic core-melt materials within the lower head; - To perform small-scale corium experiments to measure the thermophysical properties (density, electrical and thermal conductivity, viscosity, etc.) required for performing and interpreting the integral (large-scale) tests; - To determine the uncertainties introduced by using non-prototypic conditions and materials by means of the small-scale corium experiments; - To carry out the molten-salt experiments with the following objectives: - To study heat transfer processes in the melt; - To justify the choice of procedures for large-scale experiments, such as the heating method; To develop an understanding of relevant phenomena, such as crust formation, and non-eutectic materials behaviour; - To develop computer tools and models for analysis of results from the large-scale integral tests and the supporting small-scale experiments. During the first phase of the RASPLAV Project (1994-97) the large-scale experiments demonstrated clearly that behaviour of corium melts differed from that of simulant materials. Under certain conditions, the corium would separate into two layers that were enriched in zirconium or in uranium. The second phase of the RASPLAV Project started in July 1997 and concentrated on exploring the physical and chemical phenomena occurring in a convective molten pool. The effect of different corium compositions, the potential for and the effects of material stratification and the influence of

CSNI/NEA Rasplav seminar 2000. Summary and conclusions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-01-15

The objective of the RASPLAV Project was to provide data on the behaviour of molten core materials on the RPV lower head under severe accident conditions, and to assess the possible physicochemical interactions between molten corium and the vessel wall. Data were also obtained to confirm heat transfer modelling for a large convective corium pool within the lower head. The project consisted of the following components: - To provide data from large-scale integral experiments on the behaviour and interactions of prototypic core-melt materials within the lower head; - To perform small-scale corium experiments to measure the thermophysical properties (density, electrical and thermal conductivity, viscosity, etc.) required for performing and interpreting the integral (large-scale) tests; - To determine the uncertainties introduced by using non-prototypic conditions and materials by means of the small-scale corium experiments; - To carry out the molten-salt experiments with the following objectives: - To study heat transfer processes in the melt; - To justify the choice of procedures for large-scale experiments, such as the heating method; To develop an understanding of relevant phenomena, such as crust formation, and non-eutectic materials behaviour; - To develop computer tools and models for analysis of results from the large-scale integral tests and the supporting small-scale experiments. During the first phase of the RASPLAV Project (1994-97) the large-scale experiments demonstrated clearly that behaviour of corium melts differed from that of simulant materials. Under certain conditions, the corium would separate into two layers that were enriched in zirconium or in uranium. The second phase of the RASPLAV Project started in July 1997 and concentrated on exploring the physical and chemical phenomena occurring in a convective molten pool. The effect of different corium compositions, the potential for and the effects of material stratification and the influence of

Bilateral corneal denting after surgery under general anesthesia: A case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Satsuki Obata

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To report a case of temporary bilateral corneal denting in a patient who underwent cardiovascular surgery under general anesthesia. Observations: A 71-year-old male with no history of ophthalmological disease experienced bilateral corneal denting immediately after undergoing surgery for aneurysm of the thoracic aorta under general anesthesia. Anesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with rocuronium bromide and remifentanil hydrochloride. The initial examination revealed significant denting on the surface of both the corneas and ocular hypotension. Visual evaluation could not be performed due to the patient's low level of consciousness resulting from delayed emergence from anesthesia. After applying tropicamide and phenylephrine ophthalmic solution for fundus examination, the ocular morphology improved. Ocular pressure was normal on the day after surgery, and creasing on the surface of the corneas had disappeared. Conclusions: and Importance: We experienced a patient with bilateral corneal denting following a cardiovascular surgery under general anesthesia. The dents could be attributed to augmentation of ocular hypotension using several types of anesthesia at relatively high doses. Keywords: General anesthesia, Cornea denting, Complication, Cardiovascular surgery

Coxiella burnetii as a possible cause of autoimmune liver disease: a case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaech Chloe

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Q fever is a zoonotic infection that may cause severe hepatitis. Q-fever hepatitis has not yet been associated with autoimmune hepatitis and/or primary biliary cirrhosis. Case presentation We describe a 39-year-old man of Sri Lankan origin with chronic Q-fever hepatitis who developed autoantibodies compatible with autoimmune hepatitis/primary biliary cirrhosis overlap syndrome. Ursodeoxycholic acid in addition to antibiotic therapy markedly improved hepatic enzyme levels suggesting that autoimmunity, potentially triggered by the underlying infection, was involved in the pathogenesis of liver damage. Conclusion We suggest that Coxiella burnetii might trigger autoimmune liver disease. Patients with Q-fever hepatitis who respond poorly to antibiotics should be investigated for serological evidence of autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis or overlap syndrome, as these patients could benefit from adjunctive therapy with ursodeoxycholic acid. Conversely, C. burnetii serology might be necessary in patients with autoimmune liver disease in order to exclude underlying Coxiella infection.

Association between pregnancy losses in women and risk of atherosclerotic disease in their relatives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ranthe, Mattis Flyvholm; Diaz, Lars Jorge; Behrens, Ida

2016-01-01

) and the atherosclerotic endpoint (brothers). Parents whose daughters had stillbirths had 1.14 (95% CI 1.05-1.24) and 1.07 (95% CI 0.96-1.18) times the rates of MI and CVI, respectively, as parents whose daughters had no stillbirths. CONCLUSION: Certain pregnancy losses and atherosclerotic diseases in both heart and brain......AIMS: A common underlying mechanism with a genetic component could link pregnancy losses with vascular disease. We examined whether pregnancy losses (miscarriages and stillbirths) and atherosclerotic outcomes co-aggregated in families. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using Danish registers, we identified...... women with pregnancies in 1977-2008, and their parents (>1 million) and brothers (>435 000). We followed parents for incident ischaemic heart disease (IHD), myocardial infarction (MI), and cerebrovascular infarction (CVI), and brothers for a broader combined atherosclerotic endpoint. Using Cox...

Legionnaires’ Disease: Clinicoradiological Comparison of Sporadic Versus Outbreak Cases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hafiz Rizwan Talib Hashmi

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Background: In 2015, New York City experienced the worst outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in the history of the city. We compare patients seen during the 2015 outbreak with sporadic cases of Legionella during the past 5 years. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 90 patients with Legionnaires’ disease, including sporadic cases of Legionella infection admitted from 2010 to 2015 (n = 55 and cases admitted during the 2015 outbreak (n = 35. Results: We saw no significant differences between the 2 groups regarding demographics, smoking habits, alcohol intake, underlying medical disease, or residence type. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that patients with sporadic case of Legionella had a longer stay in the hospital and intensive care unit as well as an increased stay in mechanical ventilation. Short-term mortality, discharge disposition, and most clinical parameters did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. Conclusions: We found no specific clinicoradiological characteristics that could differentiate sporadic from epidemic cases of Legionella . Early recognition and high suspicion for Legionnaires’ disease are critical to provide appropriate treatment. Cluster of cases should increase suspicion for an outbreak.

Is Photodynamic Therapy with Adjunctive Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy Effective in the Treatment of Periodontal Disease under Immunocompromised Conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Javed, F.; Hezaimi, K.A.; Qadri, T.; Ahmed, H.B.; Corbet, F.E.; Romanos, G.E.

2013-01-01

The aim was to assess whether or not photodynamic therapy (PDT) with adjunctive scaling-and-root-planing (SRP) is effective in the treatment of periodontitis under immunocompromised conditions. PubMed/Medline and Google-Scholar databases were searched from 1967 to May 2013 using various key words. Six studies (five experimental and one clinical) were included. In the clinical study, SRP with PDT was reported to be ineffective in treating chronic periodontitis in T2DM patients. All experimental studies reported significantly less bone loss in periodontal defects treated with SRP+PDT than those treated with SRP alone. Efficacy of PDT+SRP in the treatment of periodontal disease under immunocompromised conditions remains unclear. (author)

Is Photodynamic Therapy with Adjunctive Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy Effective in the Treatment of Periodontal Disease under Immunocompromised Conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Javed, F.; Hezaimi, K. A. [King Saud Univ., Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). College of Applied Medical Sciences; Qadri, T. [Karolinska Inst., Huddinge (Sweden). Dept. of Dental Medicine; Ahmed, H. B. [Al-Farabi Dental College, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). Dept. of Dentistry; Corbet, F. E. [University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (Hong Kong). Dept. of Periodontology; Romanos, G. E. [Stony Brook University, New York (United States). School of Dental Medicine

2013-10-15

The aim was to assess whether or not photodynamic therapy (PDT) with adjunctive scaling-and-root-planing (SRP) is effective in the treatment of periodontitis under immunocompromised conditions. PubMed/Medline and Google-Scholar databases were searched from 1967 to May 2013 using various key words. Six studies (five experimental and one clinical) were included. In the clinical study, SRP with PDT was reported to be ineffective in treating chronic periodontitis in T2DM patients. All experimental studies reported significantly less bone loss in periodontal defects treated with SRP+PDT than those treated with SRP alone. Efficacy of PDT+SRP in the treatment of periodontal disease under immunocompromised conditions remains unclear. (author)

Symptoms of main Callistephus chinensis L. Nees. diseases under Ukrainian urban ecosystem conditions of the forest-steppe zone

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Marchenko Alla

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Phytopathological monitoring of C. chinensis (L. Nees. has proven withering and root rot to be the dominating diseases in agrobiocenoses under Ukrainian urban ecosystem conditions of the forest-steppe zone. Their spread was 5,1 and 4 times more than one of spotting. The complex of plant pathogenic overground and underground microflora consists of 24 causative agents. B. cinerea, F. oxysporum, V. albo-atrum have been found on all the vegetative and reproductive parts of Callistephus chinensis (L. Nees., , Ph. cactorum – on plant overground and underground parts, Rh. solani – on underground parts and seeds, A. zinniae – on overground parts and seeds. The main C. chinensis (L. Nees. disease symptoms have been diagnosed (leaf spots, powdery mildew, verticillium wilt, rust, ramularia spot, septoria spots, botrytis blight, grey mold rot, late blight, fusarium blight, black stem.

Review conclusions by Ernst and Canter regarding spinal manipulation refuted

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Evans Roni

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract In the April 2006 issue of the Journal of Royal Society of Medicine, Ernst and Canter authored a review of the most recent systematic reviews on the effectiveness of spinal manipulation for any condition. The authors concluded that, except for back pain, spinal manipulation is not an effective intervention for any condition and, because of potential side effects, cannot be recommended for use at all in clinical practice. Based on a critical appraisal of their review, the authors of this commentary seriously challenge the conclusions by Ernst and Canter, who did not adhere to standard systematic review methodology, thus threatening the validity of their conclusions. There was no systematic assessment of the literature pertaining to the hazards of manipulation, including comparison to other therapies. Hence, their claim that the risks of manipulation outweigh the benefits, and thus spinal manipulation cannot be recommended as treatment for any condition, was not supported by the data analyzed. Their conclusions are misleading and not based on evidence that allow discrediting of a large body of professionals using spinal manipulation.

Hypogonadism in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: relationship with airflow limitation, muscle weakness and systemic inflammation

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Rasha Galal Daabis

2016-03-01

Conclusion: Hypogonadism is highly prevalent in clinically stable COPD patients and is particularly related to the severity of the airway obstruction. Systemic inflammation is present in stable COPD patients and its intensity is related to the severity of the underlying disease and it predisposes to skeletal muscle weakness and exercise intolerance. However, we failed to find a significant association between hypogonadism and muscle weakness or systemic inflammation.

Gallstone disease and mortality

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Shabanzadeh, Daniel Mønsted; Sørensen, Lars Tue; Jørgensen, Torben

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this cohort study was to determine whether subjects with gallstone disease identified by screening of a general population had increased overall mortality when compared to gallstone-free participants and to explore causes of death. METHODS: The study population (N...... built. RESULTS: Gallstone disease was present in 10%. Mortality was 46% during median 24.7 years of follow-up with 1% lost. Overall mortality and death from cardiovascular diseases were significantly associated to gallstone disease. Death from unknown causes was significantly associated to gallstone...... disease and death from cancer and gastrointestinal disease was not associated. No differences in mortality for ultrasound-proven gallstones or cholecystectomy were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Gallstone disease is associated with increased overall mortality and to death from cardiovascular disease. Gallstones...

PSYCHIATRIC CO - MORBIDITY IN PERSONS WITH HANSEN’S DISEASE

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Anita

2015-05-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To estimate prevalence of psychiatric co - morbidity and its effect on quality of life in persons with Hansen’s disease. METHOD: The study was conducted on around 80 persons above 18 year age with Hansen’s disease in out - patient department dermatology and i n leprosy home. Participants were diagnosed cases of Hansen’s disease, selected randomly and were evaluated with socio demographic questionnaire, Duke’s general health questionnaire, DSM - 5 self rated level 1 cross cutting symptom measure – adult and WHO - QO L - BREF. The period of data collection was from October 2014 to March 2015. RESULTS: The assessment showed that prevalence of at least one psychiatric co morbidity was 83.75% (67/80 patients and of these 67 patients 18(26.86% have one diagnosis, 26(38.80% have two diagnoses and 23(34.32% have 3 or more psychiatric diagnoses. Among all depression was most prevalent (28.35% mental disorder; followed by anxiety disorder (23.88%. Quality of life was significantly impaired in almost all persons with Hansen’ s disease. CONCLUSION: Persons with Hansen’s disease have significantly high prevalence of mental disorders which have much impact on their quality of life which were under diagnosed and thus remained untreated

A disease state fingerprint for evaluation of Alzheimer's disease

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Mattila, Jussi; Koikkalainen, Juha; Virkki, Arho

2011-01-01

Diagnostic processes of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are evolving. Knowledge about disease-specific biomarkers is constantly increasing and larger volumes of data are being measured from patients. To gain additional benefits from the collected data, a novel statistical modeling and data visualization...... interpretation of the information. To model the AD state from complex and heterogeneous patient data, a statistical Disease State Index (DSI) method underlying the DSF has been developed. Using baseline data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), the ability of the DSI to model disease...

Resistance Potential of Bread Wheat Genotypes Against Yellow Rust Disease Under Egyptian Climate.

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Mahmoud, Amer F; Hassan, Mohamed I; Amein, Karam A

2015-12-01

Yellow rust (stripe rust), caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, is one of the most destructive foliar diseases of wheat in Egypt and worldwide. In order to identify wheat genotypes resistant to yellow rust and develop molecular markers associated with the resistance, fifty F8 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between resistant and susceptible bread wheat landraces were obtained. Artificial infection of Puccinia striiformis was performed under greenhouse conditions during two growing seasons and relative resistance index (RRI) was calculated. Two Egyptian bread wheat cultivars i.e. Giza-168 (resistant) and Sakha-69 (susceptible) were also evaluated. RRI values of two-year trial showed that 10 RILs responded with RRI value >6 2 rust. However, further molecular analyses would be performed to confirm markers associated with the resistance and suitable for marker-assisted selection. Resistant RILs identified in the study could be efficiently used to improve the resistance to yellow rust in wheat.

Underlying mechanism of antimicrobial activity of chitosan microparticles and implications for the treatment of infectious diseases.

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Soo Jin Jeon

Full Text Available The emergence of antibiotic resistant microorganisms is a great public health concern and has triggered an urgent need to develop alternative antibiotics. Chitosan microparticles (CM, derived from chitosan, have been shown to reduce E. coli O157:H7 shedding in a cattle model, indicating potential use as an alternative antimicrobial agent. However, the underlying mechanism of CM on reducing the shedding of this pathogen remains unclear. To understand the mode of action, we studied molecular mechanisms of antimicrobial activity of CM using in vitro and in vivo methods. We report that CM are an effective bactericidal agent with capability to disrupt cell membranes. Binding assays and genetic studies with an ompA mutant strain demonstrated that outer membrane protein OmpA of E. coli O157:H7 is critical for CM binding, and this binding activity is coupled with a bactericidal effect of CM. This activity was also demonstrated in an animal model using cows with uterine diseases. CM treatment effectively reduced shedding of intrauterine pathogenic E. coli (IUPEC in the uterus compared to antibiotic treatment. Since Shiga-toxins encoded in the genome of bacteriophage is often overexpressed during antibiotic treatment, antibiotic therapy is generally not recommended because of high risk of hemolytic uremic syndrome. However, CM treatment did not induce bacteriophage or Shiga-toxins in E. coli O157:H7; suggesting that CM can be a potential candidate to treat infections caused by this pathogen. This work establishes an underlying mechanism whereby CM exert antimicrobial activity in vitro and in vivo, providing significant insight for the treatment of diseases caused by a broad spectrum of pathogens including antibiotic resistant microorganisms.

Alteration of laboratory findings after radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma: relationship to severity of the underlying liver disease and the ablation volume

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Sang-Wook Shin

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Background/AimsTo investigate sequential changes in laboratory markers after radiofrequency ablation (RFA of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC and the relationship of these changes to the severity of the underlying liver disease.MethodsThis retrospective analysis included 65 patients (44 males, 21 females who underwent RFA of HCC. Hematologic and biochemical markers were assessed at the pre-RFA period and 1 day, 2-3 days, and 1-2 weeks after RFA. We classified the subjects into two groups: Child-Pugh A (n=41 and Child-Pugh B (n=24. The ablative margin volume (AMV of each patient was measured. We analyzed the changes in laboratory profiles from the baseline, and investigated whether these laboratory changes were correlated with the AMV and the Child-Pugh classification.ResultsMost of the laboratory values peaked at 2-3 days after RFA. AMV was significantly correlated with changes in WBC count, hemoglobin level, and serum total bilirubin level (Pearson's correlation coefficient, 0.324-0.453; P<0.05. The alanine aminotransferase (ALT level varied significantly over time (P=0.023.ConclusionsMost of the measured laboratory markers changed from baseline, peaking at 2-3 days. The ALT level was the only parameter for which there was a significant difference after RFA between Child-Pugh A and B patients: it increased significantly more in the Child-Pugh A patients.

Surficial uranium deposits: summary and conclusions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otton, J.K.

1984-01-01

Uranium occurs in a variety of surficial environments in calcretes, gypcretes, silcretes, dolocretes and in organic sediments. Groundwater moving on low gradients generates these formations and, under favourable circumstances, uranium deposits. A variety of geomorphic settings can be involved. Most surficial deposits are formed in desert, temperate wetland, tropical, or transitional environments. The largest deposits known are in sedimentary environments in arid lands. The deposits form largely by the interaction of ground or surface waters on the geomorphic surface in favourable geologic terrains and climates. The deposits are commonly in the condition of being formed or reconstituted, or being destroyed. Carnotite is common in desert deposits while in wetland deposits no uranium minerals may be seen. Radioactive disequilibrium is common, particularly in wetland deposits. Granites and related rocks are major source rocks and most large deposits are in regions with enriched uranium contents, i.e. significantly greater than 5 ppm uranium. Uranium dissolution and transport is usually under oxidizing conditions. Transport in desert conditions is usually as a bicarbonate. A variety of fixation mechanisms operate to extract the uranium and form the deposits. Physical barriers to groundwater flow may initiate ore deposition. Mining costs are likely to be low because of the near surface occurrence, but there may be processing difficulties as clay may be present and the saline or carbonate content may be high. (author)

Do heart failure disease management programs make financial sense under a bundled payment system?

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Eapen, Zubin J; Reed, Shelby D; Curtis, Lesley H; Hernandez, Adrian F; Peterson, Eric D

2011-05-01

Policy makers have proposed bundling payments for all heart failure (HF) care within 30 days of an HF hospitalization in an effort to reduce costs. Disease management (DM) programs can reduce costly HF readmissions but have not been economically attractive for caregivers under existing fee-for-service payment. Whether a bundled payment approach can address the negative financial impact of DM programs is unknown. Our study determined the cost-neutral point for the typical DM program and examined whether published HF DM programs can be cost saving under bundled payment programs. We used a decision analytic model using data from retrospective cohort studies, meta-analyses, 5 randomized trials evaluating DM programs, and inpatient claims for all Medicare beneficiaries discharged with an HF diagnosis from 2001 to 2004. We determined the costs of DM programs and inpatient care over 30 and 180 days. With a baseline readmission rate of 22.9%, the average cost for readmissions over 30 days was $2,272 per patient. Under base-case assumptions, a DM program that reduced readmissions by 21% would need to cost $477 per patient to be cost neutral. Among evaluated published DM programs, 2 of the 5 would increase provider costs (+$15 to $283 per patient), whereas 3 programs would be cost saving (-$241 to $347 per patient). If bundled payments were broadened to include care over 180 days, then program saving estimates would increase, ranging from $419 to $1,706 per patient. Proposed bundled payments for HF admissions provide hospitals with a potential financial incentive to implement DM programs that efficiently reduce readmissions. Copyright © 2011 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Periodontal disease and inflammatory blood cytokines in patients with stable coronary artery disease

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Cassio KAMPITS

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Periodontal disease has been associated with elevations of blood cytokines involved in atherosclerosis in systemically healthy individuals, but little is known about this association in stable cardiovascular patients. The aim of this study was to assess the association between periodontal disease (exposure and blood cytokine levels (outcomes in a target population of patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD. Material and Methods This cross-sectional study included 91 patients with stable CAD who had been under optimized cardiovascular care. Blood levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IFN-γ, and TNF-α were measured by Luminex technology. A full-mouth periodontal examination was conducted to record probing depth (PD and clinical attachment (CA loss. Multiple linear regression models, adjusting for gender, body mass index, oral hypoglycemic drugs, smoking, and occurre:nce of acute myocardial infarction were applied. Results CAD patients that experienced major events had higher concentrations of IFN-γ (median: 5.05 pg/mL vs. 3.01 pg/mL; p=0.01, IL-10 (median: 2.33 pg/mL vs. 1.01 pg/mL; p=0.03, and TNF-α (median: 9.17 pg/mL vs. 7.47 pg/mL; p=0.02. Higher numbers of teeth with at least 6 mm of CA loss (R2=0.07 and PD (R2=0.06 were significantly associated with higher IFN-γ log concentrations. Mean CA loss (R2=0.05 and PD (R2=0.06 were significantly related to IL-10 concentrations. Elevated concentrations of TNF-α were associated with higher mean CA loss (R2=0.07. Conclusion Periodontal disease is associated with increased systemic inflammation in stable cardiovascular patients. These findings provide additional evidence supporting the idea that periodontal disease can be a prognostic factor in cardiovascular patients.

The Mechanisms of Traditional Chinese Medicine Underlying the Prevention and Treatment of Parkinson's Disease

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Xiaoliang Li

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Parkinson's disease (PD, characterized with bradykinesia, static tremor, rigidity and disturbances in balance, is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. Along with the largely aging population in the world, the incidence is increasing year by year, which imposes the negative impacts on patients, their families and the whole society. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM has a positive prospect for the prevention and cure of PD due to its advantages of less side effects and multi-target effects. At present, the pathogenesis of PD is not yet fully discovered. This paper elaborates the mechanisms of TCM underlying the prevention and treatment of PD with regards to the inhibition of oxidative stress, the regulation of mitochondrial dysfunction, the reduction of toxic excitatory amino acids (EAA, the inhibition of neuroinflammation, the inhibition of neuronal apoptosis, and the inhibition of abnormal protein aggregation.

Influence of religious leaders in the health-disease process

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Elton Lima Macêdo

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Religion has helped the lower classes to raise the perspective of "divine justice" in the struggle for survival by allowing their believers to seek, in their practices, under the influence of religious leaders, the main guidelines to alleviate the suffering from the health-disease process. Objective: Unveil the limits and potentialities of religious leaders' influence on the health-disease process. Materials and Methods: Exploratory-type research, with a qualitative approach, based methodologically on the Historical Dialectical Materialism. For the data analysis, one used the discourse analysis technique proposed by Fiorin. Results: From the empirical universe, two analytical categories emerged: (1. Limits and possibilities of religious influence in relation to the health-disease process; 2. Vulnerabilities of the Unified Health System and the complementarity of religion: Interfaces of the health-disease process in postmodernity, in which religious practices, institutions and leaders express positively health care in the face of the disease process. However, the religious leader's power relations over the community and religious fanaticism make the search for religion to have a negative influence on people's health-disease process. Conclusion: Religious leaders encourage the complementarity between religion and medicine only at times when their believers need medium and high-complexity assistance, showing little attention to the preventive aspects of self-care, which reinforces the need to invest in new studies in the area.

Conclusion: imaging in strategy of endocrine diagnosis and therapeutics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mornex, R.

1995-01-01

Images in medicine have to help the doctor in a diagnostic or therapeutic aim. The choice must be made in function of pathology or organ as known (it is not necessary to ask for a computed tomography where we know that only an echography can give the answer to the question we ask ), the criteria must stay the best performance for the cheapest price, but the quality of interpretation is a more important thing. It is important to avoid a lot of examinations which do not give better informations but are heavy to endure for the patients. In conclusion, the aim of this kind of proceedings is to assure to the patients who come confidently to us, the best service at the less constraints price without forgetting that a conclusion depends on a given methodological situation and reminding of beside machines we have not to forget the men

Amino acid-responsive Crohn's disease: a case study

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Alvin Stein

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Alvin Stein1, Marty Hinz2, Thomas Uncini31Stein Orthopedic Associates, Plantation, FL, USA; 2Clinical Research, NeuroResearch Clinics Inc., Cape Coral, FL, USA; 3Laboratory, Fairview Regional Medical Center-Mesabi, Hibbing, MN, USAPurpose: This paper reviews the clinical course of a case of severe Crohn's disease and discusses the scientific ramifications of a novel treatment approach.Patients and methods: A case study of a 37-year-old male with a 22-year history of Crohn's disease whose clinical course had experienced no sustained remissions. The patient was treated with a protocol that utilized serotonin and dopamine amino acid precursors administered under the guidance of organic cation transporter assay interpretation.Results: Within 5 days of achieving the necessary balance of serotonin and dopamine, the patient experienced remission of symptoms. This remission has been sustained without the use of any Crohn's disease medications.Conclusion: In Crohn's disease, it is known that there is an increase of both synthesis and tissue levels of serotonin in specific locations. It is asserted that this is prima facie evidence of a significant imbalance in the serotonin–dopamine system, leading to serotonin toxicity. The hypothesis formulated is that improperly balanced serotonin and dopamine transport, synthesis, and metabolism is a primary defect contributing to the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease.Keywords: serotonin, dopamine, organic cation transporters, OCT

Chagas disease: national survey of seroprevalence in children under five years of age conducted in 2008.

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Russomando, Graciela; Cousiño, Blanca; Sanchez, Zunilda; Franco, Laura X; Nara, Eva M; Chena, Lilian; Martínez, Magaly; Galeano, María E; Benitez, Lucio

2017-05-01

Since the early 1990s, programs to control Chagas disease in South America have focused on eradicating domiciliary Triatoma infestans, the main vector. Seroprevalence studies of the chagasic infection are included as part of the vector control programs; they are essential to assess the impact of vector control measures and to monitor the prevention of vector transmission. To assess the interruption of domiciliary vector transmission of Chagas disease by T. infestans in Paraguay by evaluating the current state of transmission in rural areas. A survey of seroprevalence of Chagas disease was carried out in a representative sample group of Paraguayans aged one to five years living in rural areas of Paraguay in 2008. Blood samples collected on filter paper from 12,776 children were tested using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Children whose serology was positive or undetermined (n = 41) were recalled to donate a whole blood sample for retesting. Their homes were inspected for current triatomine infestation. Blood samples from their respective mothers were also collected and tested to check possible transmission of the disease by a congenital route. A seroprevalence rate of 0.24% for Trypanosoma cruzi infection was detected in children under five years of age among the country's rural population. Our findings indicate that T. cruzi was transmitted to these children vertically. The total number of infected children, aged one to five years living in these departments, was estimated at 1,691 cases with an annual incidence of congenital transmission of 338 cases per year. We determined the impact of vector control in the transmission of T. cruzi, following uninterrupted vector control measures employed since 1999 in contiguous T. infestans-endemic areas of Paraguay, and this allowed us to estimate the degree of risk of congenital transmission in the country.

Proximal Limb Weakness in a Patient with Celiac Disease: Copper Deficiency, Gluten Sensitivity, or Both as the Underlying Cause?

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J. David Avila

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Celiac disease has been associated with several neurologic disorders which may result from micronutrient deficiencies, coexisting autoimmune conditions, or gluten sensitivity. Copper deficiency can produce multiple neurologic manifestations. Myeloneuropathy is the most common neurologic syndrome and it is often irreversible, despite copper replacement. We report the case of a 55-year-old man who presented with progressive proximal limb weakness and weight loss in the setting of untreated celiac disease without gastrointestinal symptoms. He had anemia, neutropenia, and severe hypocupremia. The pattern of weakness raised the suspicion that there was an underlying myopathy, although this was not confirmed by electrodiagnostic studies. Weakness and hematologic abnormalities resolved completely within 1 month of total parenteral nutrition with copper supplementation and a gluten-free diet. Myopathy can rarely occur in patients with celiac disease, but the mechanism is unclear. Pure proximal limb weakness has not been previously reported in copper deficiency. We propose that this may represent a novel manifestation of hypocupremia and recommend considering copper deficiency and gluten sensitivity in patients presenting with proximal limb weakness.

Association between environmental exposure to pesticides and neurodegenerative diseases

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Parron, Tesifon [University of Almeria, Department of Neurosciences and Health Sciences, Almeria (Spain); Andalusian Council of Health at Almeria province, Almeria (Spain); Requena, Mar [Andalusian Council of Health at Almeria province, Almeria (Spain); Hernandez, Antonio F., E-mail: ajerez@ugr.es [University of Granada School of Medicine, Granada (Spain); Alarcon, Raquel [Andalusian Council of Health at Almeria province, Almeria (Spain)

2011-11-15

Preliminary studies have shown associations between chronic pesticide exposure in occupational settings and neurological disorders. However, data on the effects of long-term non-occupational exposures are too sparse to allow any conclusions. This study examines the influence of environmental pesticide exposure on a number of neuropsychiatric conditions and discusses their underlying pathologic mechanisms. An ecological study was conducted using averaged prevalence rates of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebral degeneration, polyneuropathies, affective psychosis and suicide attempts in selected Andalusian health districts categorized into areas of high and low environmental pesticide exposure based on the number of hectares devoted to intensive agriculture and pesticide sales per capita. A total of 17,429 cases were collected from computerized hospital records (minimum dataset) between 1998 and 2005. Prevalence rates and the risk of having Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and suicide were significantly higher in districts with greater pesticide use as compared to those with lower pesticide use. The multivariate analyses showed that the population living in areas with high pesticide use had an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease and suicide attempts and that males living in these areas had increased risks for polyneuropathies, affective disorders and suicide attempts. In conclusion, this study supports and extends previous findings and provides an indication that environmental exposure to pesticides may affect the human health by increasing the incidence of certain neurological disorders at the level of the general population. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Environmental exposure to pesticides and neurodegenerative-psychiatric disorders. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Increased risk for Alzheimer's disease and suicide attempts in high exposure areas. Black

Multiple systemic embolism in infective endocarditis underlying in Barlow's disease.

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Yu, Ziqing; Fan, Bing; Wu, Hongyi; Wang, Xiangfei; Li, Chenguang; Xu, Rende; Su, Yangang; Ge, Junbo

2016-08-11

Systemic embolism, especially septic embolism, is a severe complication of infective endocarditis (IE). However, concurrent embolism to the brain, coronary arteries, and spleen is very rare. Because of the risk of hemorrhage or visceral rupture, anticoagulants are recommended only if an indication is present, e.g. prosthetic valve. Antiplatelet therapy in IE is controversial, but theoretically, this therapy has the potential to prevent and treat thrombosis and embolism in IE. Unfortunately, clinical trial results have been inconclusive. We describe a previously healthy 50-year-old man who presented with dysarthria secondary to bacterial endocarditis with multiple cerebral, coronary, splenic, and peripheral emboli; antibiotic therapy contributed to the multiple emboli. Emergency splenectomy was performed, with subsequent mitral valve repair. Pathological examination confirmed mucoid degeneration and mitral valve prolapse (Barlow's disease) as the underlying etiology of the endocardial lesion. Continuous antibiotics were prescribed, postoperatively. Transthoracic echocardiography at 1.5, 3, and 6 months after the onset of his illness showed no severe regurgitation, and there was no respiratory distress, fever, or lethargy during follow-up. Although antibiotic use in IE carries a risk of septic embolism, these drugs have bactericidal and antithrombotic benefits. It is important to consider that negative blood culture and symptom resolution do not confirm complete elimination of bacteria. However, vegetation size and Staphylococcus aureus infection accurately predict embolization. It is also important to consider that bacteria can be segregated from the microbicide when embedded in platelets and fibrin. Therefore, antimicrobial therapy with concurrent antiplatelet therapy should be considered carefully.

Application of CT-guided percutaneous thyroid biopsy in basic study of interventional therapy for Graves disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yi Genfa; Zhao Wei; Hu Jihong; Jin Cangzheng; Yang Huiying

2007-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the value of application of CT-guided percutaneous thyroid biopsy in basic study of interventional treatment for Graves disease. Methods: Fifteen patients of hyperthyroidism caused by Graves' disease had been undertaken transcathter arterial embolizsation with PVA micropheres including 52 core needle biopsy(CNB)of pre-or post-interventional procedure. All procedures were divided into 2 groups according to the size of the thyroid enlargement: (1) II degree enlargement (n=19)under palpation puncture. (2) No enlargement or under II degree enlargement (n=33)with palpation and CT-guided puncture. Results: In group (1), 17 of the 19 procedures with palpation puncture were succeeded, reaching a successful rate of 89.5%. For group (2), the successful rate of CT-guided puncture was 91.7%. The difference between the successful rate of two groups showed statistical significance (P<0.05). No complication occurred during procedures in all cases. Conclusions: CT-guided thyroid core needle biopsy is an accurate, safe and high successful procedure providing the basic study for post-interventional treatment of Graves disease. (authors)

Encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroid disease in patients with Graves' disease: clinical manifestations, follow-up, and outcomes

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Lee Byung I

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroid disease (EAATD is characterized by neurological/psychiatric symptoms, high levels of anti-thyroid antibodies, increased cerebrospinal fluid protein concentration, non-specific electroencephalogram abnormalities, and responsiveness to the corticosteroid treatment in patients with an autoimmune thyroid disease. Almost all EAATD patients are affected by Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT, although fourteen EAATD patients with Graves' disease (GD have been also reported. Methods We have recorded and analyzed the clinical, biological, radiological, and electrophysiological findings and the data on the therapeutic management of all GD patients with EAATD reported so far as well as the clinical outcomes in those followed-up in the long term. Results Twelve of the fourteen patients with EAATD and GD were women. The majority of GD patients with EAATD presented with mild hyperthyroidism at EAATD onset or shortly before it. Active anti-thyroid autoimmunity was detected in all cases. Most of the patients dramatically responded to corticosteroids. The long term clinical outcome was benign but EAATD can relapse, especially at the time of corticosteroid dose tapering or withdrawal. GD and HT patients with EAATD present with a similar clinical, biological, radiological, and electrophysiological picture and require an unaffected EAATD management. Conclusions GD and HT equally represent the possible background condition for the development of EAATD, which should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all patients with encephalopathy of unknown origin and an autoimmune thyroid disease, regardless of the nature of the underlying autoimmune thyroid disease.

Prenatal Diagnosis Of Tay-Sachs Disease

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Özgür Özyüncü

2010-04-01

CONCLUSION: Tay-Sachs disease can be diagnosed prenatally by measuring hexosaminidase enzyme activity in fetal tissue samples with an acceptable complication rate. Prenatal diagnosis should be offered to families who have affected siblings with Tay-Sachs disease.

A Novel Ex Vivo Model to Investigate the Underlying Mechanisms in Alzheimer’s Disease

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Emanuele Brai

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Currently there is no widely accepted animal model reproducing the full pathological profile of Alzheimer’s disease (AD, since the basic mechanisms of neurodegeneration are still poorly understood. We have proposed that the interaction between the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR and a recently discovered toxic peptide, cleaved from the acetylcholinesterase (AChE C-terminus, could account for the aberrant processes occurring in AD. In this article we describe a new application on ex vivo model procedure, which combines the advantages of both in vivo and in vitro preparations, to study the effects of the AChE-derived peptide on the rat basal forebrain (BF. Western blot analysis showed that the levels of α7-nAChR, p-Tau and Aβ are differentially expressed upon the AChE-peptide administration, in a selective site-dependent manner. In conclusion, this methodology demonstrates the action of a novel peptide in triggering an AD-like phenotype and proposes a new ex vivo approach for manipulating and monitoring neurochemical processes contributing to neurodegeneration, in a time-dependent and site-specific manner.

Affective disorders in neurological diseases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nilsson, F M; Kessing, L V; Sørensen, T M

2003-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the temporal relationships between a range of neurological diseases and affective disorders. METHOD: Data derived from linkage of the Danish Psychiatric Central Register and the Danish National Hospital Register. Seven cohorts with neurological index diagnoses and two...... of affective disorder was lower than the incidence in the control groups. CONCLUSION: In neurological diseases there seems to be an increased incidence of affective disorders. The elevated incidence was found to be particularly high for dementia and Parkinson's disease (neurodegenerative diseases)....

Move Analysis of the Conclusion Sections of Research Papers in Persian and English

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Zamani, Gerannaz; Ebadi, Saman

2016-01-01

The structure of the conclusion sections in Research Papers (RPs) is of significance in academic writing. The conclusion section in spite of providing an outline of the article, states other essential components, such as recommendations, implications and statements of possible lines of future research. This paper analyses the conclusion parts of…

Clinical course and therapeutic approach to varicella zoster virus infection in children with rheumatic autoimmune diseases under immunosuppression.

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Leuvenink, Raphael; Aeschlimann, Florence; Baer, Walter; Berthet, Gerald; Cannizzaro, Elvira; Hofer, Michael; Kaiser, Daniela; Schroeder, Silke; Heininger, Ulrich; Woerner, Andreas

2016-06-02

To analyze the clinical presentation and complications of varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection in children with rheumatic diseases treated with immunosuppressive medication such as biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) and/or conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (cDMARDs), and to analyze the therapeutic approach to VZV infections with respect to the concomitant immunosuppressive treatment. Retrospective multicenter study using the Swiss Pediatric Rheumatology registry. Children with rheumatic diseases followed in a Swiss center for pediatric rheumatology and treated with cDMARD and/or bDMARD with a clinical diagnosis of varicella or herpes zoster between January 2004 and December 2013 were included. Twenty-two patients were identified, of whom 20 were treated for juvenile idiopathic arthritis, 1 for a polyglandular autoimmune syndrome type III, and 1 for uveitis. Of these 22 patients, 16 had varicella and 6 had herpes zoster. Median age at VZV disease was 7.6 years (range 2 to 17 years), with 6.3 years (range 2 to 17 years) for those with varicella and 11.6 years (range 5 to 16 years) for those with herpes zoster. The median interval between start of immunosuppression and VZV disease was 14.1 months (range 1 to 63 months). Two patients had received varicella vaccine (1 dose each) prior to start of immunosuppression. Concomitant immunosuppressive therapy was methotrexate (MTX) monotherapy (n = 9) or bDMARD monotherapy (n = 2), or a combination of bDMARD with prednisone, MTX or Leflunomide (n = 11). Four patients experienced VZV related complications: cellulitis in 1 patient treated with MTX, and cellulitis, sepsis and cerebellitis in 3 patients treated with biological agents and MTX combination therapy. Six children were admitted to hospital (range of duration: 4 to 9 days) and 12 were treated with valaciclovir or aciclovir. The clinical course of varicella and herpes zoster in children under

Male fertility potential alteration in rheumatic diseases: a systematic review

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Bruno Camargo Tiseo

2016-02-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Background Improved targeted therapies for rheumatic diseases were developed recently resulting in a better prognosis for affected patients. Nowadays, patients are living longer and with improved quality of life, including fertility potential. These patients are affected by impaired reproductive function and the causes are often multifactorial related to particularities of each disease. This review highlights how rheumatic diseases and their management affect testicular function and male fertility. Materials and Methods A systematic review of literature of all published data after 1970 was conducted. Data was collected about fertility abnormalities in male patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, dermatomyositis, ankylosing spondylitis, Behçet disease and gout. Two independent researchers carried out the search in online databases. Results A total of 19 articles were included addressing the following diseases: 7 systemic lupus erythematosus, 6 Behçet disease, 4 ankylosing spondylitis, 2 rheumatoid arthritis, 2 dermatomyositis and one gout. Systemic lupus erythematosus clearly affects gonadal function impairing spermatogenesis mainly due to antisperm antibodies and cyclophosphamide therapy. Behçet disease, gout and ankylosing spondylitis patients, including those under anti-TNF therapy in the latter disease, do not seem to have reduced fertility whereas in dermatomyositis, the fertility potential is hampered by disease activity and by alkylating agents. Data regarding rheumatoid arthritis is scarce, gonadal dysfunction observed as consequence of disease activity and antisperm antibodies. Conclusions Reduced fertility potential is not uncommon. Its frequency and severity vary among the different rheumatic diseases. Permanent infertility is rare and often associated with alkylating agent therapy.

Malnutrition in a sample of community-dwelling people with Parkinson's disease.

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Jamie M Sheard

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Malnutrition results in poor health outcomes, and people with Parkinson's disease may be more at risk of malnutrition. However, the prevalence of malnutrition in Parkinson's disease is not yet well defined. The aim of this study is to provide an estimate of the extent of malnutrition in community-dwelling people with Parkinson's disease. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of people with Parkinson's disease residing within a 2 hour driving radius of Brisbane, Australia. The Subjective Global Assessment (SGA and scored Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA were used to assess nutritional status. Body weight, standing or knee height, mid-arm circumference and waist circumference were measured. RESULTS: Nineteen (15% of the participants were moderately malnourished (SGA-B. The median PG-SGA score of the SGA-B group was 8 (4-15, significantly higher than the SGA-A group, U = 1860.5, p<.05. The symptoms most influencing intake were loss of appetite, constipation, early satiety and problems swallowing. CONCLUSIONS: As with other populations, malnutrition remains under-recognised and undiagnosed in people with Parkinson's disease. Regular screening of nutritional status in people with Parkinson's disease by health professionals with whom they have regular contact should occur to identify those who may benefit from further nutrition assessment and intervention.

Celiac disease prevalence is not increased in patients with functional dyspepsia

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Juan LASA

Full Text Available ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Previous evidence trying to assess the risk of celiac disease among dyspeptic patients has been inconclusive, showing in some cases notorious discrepancies. OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of celiac disease in patients with dyspepsia compared to healthy controls without dyspepsia. METHODS Adult patients under evaluation for dyspepsia were invited to participate. These patients were offered an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with duodenal biopsies. On the other hand, asymptomatic adult volunteers who performed a preventive visit to their primary care physician were invited to participate and agreed to undertake an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with duodenal biopsies as well. Those patients with histologic signs of villous atrophy were furtherly evaluated and serological tests were performed in order to determine celiac disease diagnosis. Celiac disease prevalence was compared between groups. RESULTS Overall, 320 patients with dyspepsia and 320 healthy controls were recruited. There were no significant differences in terms of gender or age between groups. Celiac disease diagnosis was made in 1.25% (4/320 of patients in the dyspepsia group versus 0.62% (2/320 in the control group. CONCLUSION Patients with dyspepsia who underwent routine duodenal biopsies did not show an increased risk for celiac disease when compared to healthy individuals.

Influence of socioeconomic and demographic status on spirometry testing in patients initiating medication targeting obstructive lung disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koefoed, Mette M; Søndergaard, Jens; Christensen, René Depont

2013-01-01

a possible association between education, income, labour market affiliation, cohabitation status and having spirometry performed when initiating medication targeting obstructive pulmonary disease. METHODS: We conducted a population-based cohort study. Danish national registers were linked, retrieving data...... on prescriptions, spirometry testing, socioeconomic and demographic variables in all first time users of medication targeting obstructive lung disease in 2008. RESULTS: A total of 37,734 persons were included and approximately half of the cohort had spirometry performed. Among medication users under 65 years...... spirometry performed among men (OR = 0.78, CI = 0.69-0.88). CONCLUSION: Social inequity in spirometry testing among patients initiating medication targeting obstructive lung disease was confirmed in this study. Increased focus on spirometry testing among elderly men living alone, among the unemployed...

Use of the emergency department for less-urgent care among type 2 diabetics under a disease management program

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Myers Leann

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This study analyzed the likelihood of less-urgent emergency department (ED visits among type 2 diabetic patients receiving care under a diabetes disease management (DM program offered by the Louisiana State University Health Care Services Division (LSU HCSD. Methods All ED and outpatient clinic visits made by 6,412 type 2 diabetic patients from 1999 to 2006 were extracted from the LSU HCSD Disease Management (DM Evaluation Database. Patient ED visits were classified as either urgent or less-urgent, and the likelihood of a less-urgent ED visit was compared with outpatient clinic visits using the Generalized Estimating Equation methodology for binary response to time-dependent variables. Results Patients who adhered to regular clinic visit schedules dictated by the DM program were less likely to use the ED for less urgent care with odds ratio of 0.1585. Insured patients had 1.13 to 1.70 greater odds of a less-urgent ED visit than those who were uninsured. Patients with better-managed glycated hemoglobin (A1c or HbA1c levels were 82 times less likely to use less-urgent ED visits. Furthermore, being older, Caucasian, or a longer participant in the DM program had a modestly lower likelihood of less-urgent ED visits. The patient's Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI, gender, prior hospitalization, and the admitting facility showed no effect. Conclusion Patients adhering to the DM visit guidelines were less likely to use the ED for less-urgent problems. Maintaining normal A1c levels for their diabetes also has the positive impact to reduce less-urgent ED usages. It suggests that successful DM programs may reduce inappropriate ED use. In contrast to expectations, uninsured patients were less likely to use the ED for less-urgent care. Patients in the DM program with Medicaid coverage were 1.3 times more likely to seek care in the ED for non-emergencies while commercially insured patients were nearly 1.7 times more likely to do so. Further

HBV reactivation in rheumatic diseases patients under therapy: A meta-analysis.

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Moghoofei, Mohsen; Mostafaei, Shayan; Ashraf-Ganjouei, Amir; Kavosi, Hoda; Mahmoudi, Mahdi

2018-01-01

Hepatitis B is one of the most common infectious diseases worldwide. In patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy such as rheumatic diseases, reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is considered clinically important. This systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to determine the prevalence rate of HBV reactivation in rheumatic patients from different parts of the world. The authors performed a systematic literature review from several reliable databases including Scopus, ISI Web of Science and PubMed. Furthermore, the keywords of this research were "Hepatitis B virus", "Rheumatic diseases", "HBV reactivation", "Anti-TNF", "DMARDs" and "Biologic agents". The authors selected 30 studies out of 983 for the present review. The overall estimation of the prevalence of HBV reactivation was 1.4 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3-1.6). Also, the heterogeneity in estimating the pooled prevalence among the studies was shown; Cochran Q test, P HBV were in Italy and France respectively. Rheumatic disease patients with resolved hepatitis B should be tightly monitored for possible HBV reactivation by elevation of liver enzymes and HBV DNA levels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Echocardiographic specrtrum of heart disease in a secondary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

HHD (58%) was the most common heart disease followed by dilated cardiomyopathy (7.4%) and valvular heart disease(6.1%).61(8.1%) subjects had normal echocardiogram. Conclusion:Hypertensive heart disease is the most common indication for echocardiography and also the predominant cause of heart disease in ...

Scale-Dependent Assessment of Relative Disease Resistance to Plant Pathogens

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Peter Skelsey

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Phenotyping trials may not take into account sufficient spatial context to infer quantitative disease resistance of recommended varieties in commercial production settings. Recent ecological theory—the dispersal scaling hypothesis—provides evidence that host heterogeneity and scale of host heterogeneity interact in a predictable and straightforward manner to produce a unimodal (“humpbacked” distribution of epidemic outcomes. This suggests that the intrinsic artificiality (scale and design of experimental set-ups may lead to spurious conclusions regarding the resistance of selected elite cultivars, due to the failure of experimental efforts to accurately represent disease pressure in real agricultural situations. In this model-based study we investigate the interaction of host heterogeneity and scale as a confounding factor in the inference from ex-situ assessment of quantitative disease resistance to commercial production settings. We use standard modelling approaches in plant disease epidemiology and a number of different agronomic scenarios. Model results revealed that the interaction of heterogeneity and scale is a determinant of relative varietal performance under epidemic conditions. This is a previously unreported phenomenon that could provide a new basis for informing the design of future phenotyping platforms, and optimising the scale at which quantitative disease resistance is assessed.

Novel mutations underlying argininosuccinic aciduria in Saudi Arabia

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Rashed Mohamed S

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Argininosuccinic aciduria (ASAuria is an autosomal recessive disorder of the urea cycle relatively common in Saudi Arabia as a consequence of extensive consanguinity. It is the most common urea cycle disorder identified in the Saudi population, which therefore prioritizes the need to delineate the underlying molecular defects leading to disease. Findings We utilized Whole Genome Amplification (WGA, PCR and direct sequencing to identify mutations underlying ASAuria cases diagnosed by our institution. A missense mutation that accounts for 50% of Saudi ASAuria patients was recently reported by our laboratory. In this study we report a further six novel mutations (and one previously reported found in Saudi patients with ASAuria. The novel four missense, one nonsense and one splice-site mutation were confirmed by their absence in >300 chromosomes from the normal population. Pathogenicity of the novel splice-site mutation was also confirmed using reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis. Cross species amino acid conservation at the substituted residues described were observed in some but not all instances. Conclusions Together, the eight mutations described by our laboratory, encompass >90% of ASAuria patients in Saudi Arabia and add to about 45 other ASAuria mutations reported worldwide.

ADDICTION IS NOT A BRAIN DISEASE

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Elisardo Becoña

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The idea that addiction is a “brain disease” has gradually been consolidated in the medical-psychiatric field over the last years, as it appears in the current DSM-5. In this paper we analyse the way this idea has arisen and been consolidated, as well as the criticisms that it has received, the professional consequences if this model becomes hegemonic, and the underlying interests. The conclusion defends the need to show, as psychologists, our clear contributions to the field of addictions, and the psychological variables that are necessary in order to understand and prevent addictions, as well as the central role of psychological treatment due to its effectiveness. We must also denounce the reductionism that the model of brain disease represents in comparison with a biopsychosocial model of addiction.

Systems biology elucidates common pathogenic mechanisms between nonalcoholic and alcoholic-fatty liver disease.

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Silvia Sookoian

Full Text Available The abnormal accumulation of fat in the liver is often related either to metabolic risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome in the absence of alcohol consumption (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, NAFLD or to chronic alcohol consumption (alcoholic fatty liver disease, AFLD. Clinical and histological studies suggest that NAFLD and AFLD share pathogenic mechanisms. Nevertheless, current data are still inconclusive as to whether the underlying biological process and disease pathways of NAFLD and AFLD are alike. Our primary aim was to integrate omics and physiological data to answer the question of whether NAFLD and AFLD share molecular processes that lead to disease development. We also explored the extent to which insulin resistance (IR is a distinctive feature of NAFLD. To answer these questions, we used systems biology approaches, such as gene enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction networks, and gene prioritization, based on multi-level data extracted by computational data mining. We observed that the leading disease pathways associated with NAFLD did not significantly differ from those of AFLD. However, systems biology revealed the importance of each molecular process behind each of the two diseases, and dissected distinctive molecular NAFLD and AFLD-signatures. Comparative co-analysis of NAFLD and AFLD clarified the participation of NAFLD, but not AFLD, in cardiovascular disease, and showed that insulin signaling is impaired in fatty liver regardless of the noxa, but the putative regulatory mechanisms associated with NAFLD seem to encompass a complex network of genes and proteins, plausible of epigenetic modifications. Gene prioritization showed a cancer-related functional map that suggests that the fatty transformation of the liver tissue is regardless of the cause, an emerging mechanism of ubiquitous oncogenic activation. In conclusion, similar underlying disease mechanisms lead to NAFLD and AFLD, but specific ones depict a

Chronic Kidney Diseases

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... Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Chronic Kidney Diseases KidsHealth / For Kids / Chronic Kidney Diseases What's ... re talking about your kidneys. What Are the Kidneys? Your kidneys are tucked under your lower ribs ...

Advances and Limitations of Disease Biogeography Using Ecological Niche Modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Escobar, Luis E; Craft, Meggan E

2016-01-01

Mapping disease transmission risk is crucial in public and animal health for evidence based decision-making. Ecology and epidemiology are highly related disciplines that may contribute to improvements in mapping disease, which can be used to answer health related questions. Ecological niche modeling is increasingly used for understanding the biogeography of diseases in plants, animals, and humans. However, epidemiological applications of niche modeling approaches for disease mapping can fail to generate robust study designs, producing incomplete or incorrect inferences. This manuscript is an overview of the history and conceptual bases behind ecological niche modeling, specifically as applied to epidemiology and public health; it does not pretend to be an exhaustive and detailed description of ecological niche modeling literature and methods. Instead, this review includes selected state-of-the-science approaches and tools, providing a short guide to designing studies incorporating information on the type and quality of the input data (i.e., occurrences and environmental variables), identification and justification of the extent of the study area, and encourages users to explore and test diverse algorithms for more informed conclusions. We provide a friendly introduction to the field of disease biogeography presenting an updated guide for researchers looking to use ecological niche modeling for disease mapping. We anticipate that ecological niche modeling will soon be a critical tool for epidemiologists aiming to map disease transmission risk, forecast disease distribution under climate change scenarios, and identify landscape factors triggering outbreaks.

The burden of rotavirus disease in Denmark 2009-2010

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fischer, Thea Kølsen; Rungø, Christine; Jensen, Claus Sixtus

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND: This study sought to determine the incidence and the burden of severe diarrheal disease in Denmark with emphasis on rotavirus (RV) disease. METHODS: This study was designed as a national prospective disease surveillance of children gastroenteritis...... in Denmark during March 2009 to April 2010, using rapid RV and adenovirus antigen detection. RESULTS: A total of 3100 hospitalizations annually among Danish children gastroenteritis and 1210 (39%) of these to RV disease. The majority of RV...... demonstrated RV-associated hospitalizations throughout the year. Genotyping of a subset of RV-samples demonstrated high frequency of G1 (39%) and G4 (32%). Adenovirus was detected in 350 acute gastroenteritis-associated hospitalizations (11.2%). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we present national disease burden...

Parkinson's disease--the debate on the clinical phenomenology, aetiology, pathology and pathogenesis.

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Jenner, Peter; Morris, Huw R; Robbins, Trevor W; Goedert, Michel; Hardy, John; Ben-Shlomo, Yoav; Bolam, Paul; Burn, David; Hindle, John V; Brooks, David

2013-01-01

The definition of Parkinson's disease (PD) is changing with the expansion of clinical phenomenology and improved understanding of environmental and genetic influences that impact on the pathogenesis of the disease at the cellular and molecular level. This had led to debate and discussion with as yet, no general acceptance of the direction that change should take either at the level of diagnosis or of what should and should not be sheltered under an umbrella of PD. This article is one contribution to this on-going discussion. There are two different themes running through the article--widening the definition of PD/LBD/synucleinopathies and the heterogeneity that exists within PD itself from a clinical, pathological and genetic perspective. The conclusion reached is that in the future, further diagnostic categories will need to be recognized. These are likely to include--Parkinson's syndrome, Parkinson's syndrome likely to be Lewy body PD, clinical PD (defined by QSBB criteria), Lewy body disease (PD, LBD, REM SBD) and synucleinopathies (including LBD, MSA).

Social support of adults and elderly with chronic kidney disease on dialysis

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Simone Márcia da Silva

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate the instrumental and emotional social support of patients with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis. Method: descriptive cross-sectional study. The sample was sized for convenience and included 103 participants under treatment in a Renal Replacement Therapy Unit. Data were collected through individual interviews, using the Social Support Scale. Results: the mean scores of the emotional and instrumental social support were 3.92 (± 0.78 and 3.81 (± 0.69 respectively, an indication of good support received. The most frequent sources of instrumental and emotional social support mentioned by participants were partners, spouse, companion or boyfriend and friends. Conclusion: patients with chronic kidney disease have high social support, both instrumental and emotional, and the main support comes from the family.

Chronic Kidney Disease and Associated Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Chinese with Type 2 Diabetes

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Qing-Lin Lou

2012-12-01

Full Text Available BackgroundTo determine the frequency of chronic kidney disease (CKD and its associated risk factors in Chinese type 2 diabetic patients, we conducted a cross-sectional study in Nanjing, China, in the period between January 2008 and December 2009.MethodsPatients with type 2 diabetes under the care by Jiangsu Province Official Hospital, Nanjing, China were invited for assessment. CKD was defined as the presence of albuminuria or estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Albuminuria was defined as urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥30 mg/g.ResultsWe recruited 1,521 urban Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes (mean age, 63.9±12.0 years. The frequency of CKD and albuminuria was 31.0% and 28.9%, respectively. After adjusted by age and sex, hypertension, anemia and duration of diabetes were significantly associated with CKD with odds ratio (95% confidence interval being 1.93 (1.28 to 2.93, 1.70 (1.09 to 2.64, and 1.03 (1.00 to 1.06, respectively.ConclusionIn conclusion, CKD was common in the urban Nanjing Chinese with type 2 diabetes. Strategies to prevent or delay progression of kidney disease in diabetes should be carried out at the early disease course of type 2 diabetes.

Effect of multidisciplinary disease management for hospitalized heart failure under a national health insurance programme.

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Mao, Chun-Tai; Liu, Min-Hui; Hsu, Kuang-Hung; Fu, Tieh-Cheng; Wang, Jong-Shyan; Huang, Yu-Yen; Yang, Ning-I; Wang, Chao-Hung

2015-09-01

Multidisciplinary disease management programmes (MDPs) for heart failure have been shown to be effective in Western countries. However, it is not known whether they improve outcomes in a high population density country with a national health insurance programme. In total, 349 patients hospitalized because of heart failure were randomized into control and MDP groups. All-cause death and re-hospitalization related to heart failure were analyzed. The median follow-up period was approximately 2 years. Mean patient age was 60 years; 31% were women; and 50% of patients had coronary artery disease. MDP was associated with fewer all-cause deaths [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.27-0.91, P = 0.02] and heart failure-related re-hospitalizations (HR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.25-0.77, P = 0.004). MDP was still associated with better outcomes for all-cause death (HR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.29-0.98, P = 0.04) and heart failure-related re-hospitalization (HR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.26-0.81, P = 0.007), after adjusting for age, diuretics, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, sodium, and albumin. However, MDPs' effect on all-cause mortality and heart failure-related re-hospitalization was significantly attenuated after adjusting for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers or β-blockers. A stratified analysis showed that MDP combined with guideline-based medication had synergistic effects. MDP is effective in lowering all-cause mortality and re-hospitalization rates related to heart failure under a national health insurance programme. MDP synergistically improves the effectiveness of guidelines-based medications for heart failure.

The Number of Candidate Variants in Exome Sequencing for Mendelian Disease under No Genetic Heterogeneity

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Jo Nishino

2013-01-01

Full Text Available There has been recent success in identifying disease-causing variants in Mendelian disorders by exome sequencing followed by simple filtering techniques. Studies generally assume complete or high penetrance. However, there are likely many failed and unpublished studies due in part to incomplete penetrance or phenocopy. In this study, the expected number of candidate single-nucleotide variants (SNVs in exome data for autosomal dominant or recessive Mendelian disorders was investigated under the assumption of “no genetic heterogeneity.” All variants were assumed to be under the “null model,” and sample allele frequencies were modeled using a standard population genetics theory. To investigate the properties of pedigree data, full-sibs were considered in addition to unrelated individuals. In both cases, particularly regarding full-sibs, the number of SNVs remained very high without controls. The high efficacy of controls was also confirmed. When controls were used with a relatively large total sample size (e.g., N=20, 50, filtering incorporating of incomplete penetrance and phenocopy efficiently reduced the number of candidate SNVs. This suggests that filtering is useful when an assumption of no “genetic heterogeneity” is appropriate and could provide general guidelines for sample size determination.

Three Mile Island unit 2 vessel investigation project. Conclusions and significance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beckjord, E.S.

1994-01-01

At the conclusion of the TMI-2 Vessel Investigation Project, additional insights about the accident have been gained, specifically in the area of reactor vessel integrity and the conditions of the lower head of the reactor vessel. This paper discusses three topics: the evolving views about the TMI-2 accident scenario over time, the technical conclusions of the TMI-2 VIP (recovery of samples from the vessel lower head), and the broad significance of these findings (accident management). 4 refs

Genetic evaluation of Addison's disease in the Portuguese Water Dog

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Belanger JM

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Addison's disease, also known as hypoadrenocorticism, has been reported in many individual dogs, although some breeds exhibit a greater incidence than the population as a whole. Addison's is presumed to be an autoimmune mediated hereditary defect but the mode of inheritance remains unclear. In particular, the heritability and mode of inheritance have not been defined for the Portuguese Water Dog although Addison's is known to be prevalent in the breed. Results The analyses present clear evidence that establishes Addison's disease as an inherited disorder in the Portuguese Water Dog with an estimate of heritability of 0.49 (± 0.16; there were no differences in risk for disease across sexes (p > 0.49. Further, the complex segregation analysis provides suggestive evidence that Addison's disease in the Portuguese Water Dog is inherited under the control of a single, autosomal recessive locus. Conclusion The high heritability and mode of inheritance of Addison's disease in the Portuguese Water Dog should enable the detection of segregating markers in a genome-wide scan and the identification of a locus linked to Addison's. Though the confirmation of Addison's disease as an autosomal recessive disorder must wait until the gene is identified, breeders of these dogs may wish to keep the present findings in mind as they plan their breeding programs to select against producing affected dogs.

A disease state fingerprint for evaluation of Alzheimer's disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mattila, Jussi; Koikkalainen, Juha; Virkki, Arho

2011-01-01

Diagnostic processes of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are evolving. Knowledge about disease-specific biomarkers is constantly increasing and larger volumes of data are being measured from patients. To gain additional benefits from the collected data, a novel statistical modeling and data visualization...... interpretation of the information. To model the AD state from complex and heterogeneous patient data, a statistical Disease State Index (DSI) method underlying the DSF has been developed. Using baseline data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), the ability of the DSI to model disease......'s degree of similarity to previously diagnosed disease population. A summary of patient data and results of the computation are displayed in a succinct Disease State Fingerprint (DSF) visualization. The visualization clearly discloses how patient data contributes to the AD state, facilitating rapid...

Disease course and management strategy of pouch neoplasia in patients with underlying inflammatory bowel diseases.

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Wu, Xian-Rui; Remzi, Feza H; Liu, Xiu-Li; Lian, Lei; Stocchi, Luca; Ashburn, Jean; Shen, Bo

2014-11-01

To evaluate the disease course and management strategy for pouch neoplasia. Patients undergoing ileal pouch surgery for underlying ulcerative colitis who developed low-grade dysplasia (LGD), high-grade dysplasia, or adenocarcinoma in the pouch were identified. All eligible 44 patients were evaluated. Of the 22 patients with initial diagnosis of pouch LGD, 6 (27.3%) had persistence or progression after a median follow-up of 9.5 (4.1-17.6) years. Family history of colorectal cancer was shown to be a risk factor associated with persistence or progression of LGD (P = 0.03). Of the 12 patients with pouch high-grade dysplasia, 5 (41.7%) had a history of (n = 2, 16.7%) or synchronous (n = 4, 33.3%) pouch LGD. Pouch high-grade dysplasia either persisted or progressed in 3 patients (25.0%) after the initial management, during a median time interval of 5.4 (2.2-9.2) years. Of the 14 patients with pouch adenocarcinoma, 12 (85.7%) had a history of (n = 2, 14.3%) or synchronous dysplasia (n = 12, 85.7%). After a median follow-up of 2.1 (0.6-5.2) years, 6 patients with pouch cancer (42.9%) died. Comparison of patients with a final diagnosis of pouch adenocarcinoma (14, 32.6%), and those with dysplasia (29, 67.4%) showed that patients with adenocarcinoma were older (P = 0.04) and had a longer duration from IBD diagnosis or pouch construction to the detection of pouch neoplasia (P = 0.007 and P = 0.0013). The risk for progression of pouch dysplasia can be stratified. The presence of family history of colorectal cancer seemed to increase the risk for persistence or progression for patients with pouch LGD. The prognosis for pouch adenocarcinoma was poor.

OXIDATIVE MODIFICATION OF PROTEINS AND GLUTATHIONE SYSTEM IN ADIPOCYTES UNDER DIABETES

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Ye. V. Shakhristova

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Currently, diabetes ranks third in relation to medical and social significance after cardiovascular diseases and cancer and is the leading cause of blindness; it greatly increases the risk of myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, nephropathy and hypertension in patients with this disorder; therefore clinical and experimental studies aimed at investigation of diabetes emergence and development mechanisms are urgent.The aim of the study was to investigate the status of oxidative modification of proteins and glutathionedependent antioxidant defense system in adipocytes of rats with alloxan diabetes under conditions of oxidative stress.Material and methods. Development of type 1 diabetes was induced in rats by alloxan administration (90 mg/kg of body mass. Adipocytes were obtained from epididymal adipose tissue of rats. The level of carbonyl derivatives of proteins, oxidized tryptophan, bityrosine, general, reduced, oxygenated and protein-bound glutathione, as well as glutathione peroxidase activity in adipocytes of rats was determined.Results. In adipocytes of rats with alloxan diabetes, concentration of carbonyl derivatives of proteins, bityrosine and oxidized tryptophan increased on the background of redox-potential of glutathione system and glutathione peroxidase activity decrease.Conclusion. The obtained data indicate the activation of free-radical oxidation of proteins and reduction of antioxidant defense under conditions of oxidative stress in the adipose tissue of rats with alloxan diabetes; this process plays an important role in pathogenesis of diabetes and its complications development.

Status of maintenance in the US nuclear power industry 1985. Volume 1. Findings and conclusions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-06-01

This report presents the findings, conclusions and recommendations derived from activities performed under Phase I of the NRC Maintenance and Surveillance Program (MSP). Findings are based on trends and patterns derived from operational data compiled by the NRC for the period 1980 through 1985, site surveys conducted at eight plants, and questionnaires administered to NRC Resident Inspectors to characterize nuclear power plant maintenance programs and practices. These activities have shown that plant maintenance programs and practices are highly variable from plant-to-plant and are currently undergoing major changes. While measured plant performance has improved overall since 1980, the maintenance-related contribution to reportable events and challenges to safety systems remains high and is increasing by some measures. The findings of Phase I of the MSP confirmed a number of problems in nuclear power plant maintenance which warrant further NRC and industry attention

Disease and drug-induced arrhythmias : the example of obstructive pulmonary disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Warnier, M.J.

2014-01-01

Notwithstanding the clinical importance of cardiac arrhythmias, relevant information about the background risk and the exact underlying mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias in patients with obstructive pulmonary disease (asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD]) is still lacking. The

Is disease a natural kind?

Science.gov (United States)

D'Amico, R

1995-10-01

In The Nature of Disease, Lawrie Reznek argues that disease is not a natural kind term. I raise objections to Reznek's two central arguments for establishing that disease is not a natural kind. In criticizing his a priori, conceptual argument against naturalism, I argue that his conclusion rests on a weaker argument that appeals to the empirical diversity in the symptoms and manifestations of disease. I also raise questions about the account of natural kinds which Reznek utilizes and his point that conventions for classification are excluded by there being natural kinds.

20 CFR 410.471 - Conclusion by physician regarding miner's disability or death.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Conclusion by physician regarding miner's disability or death. 410.471 Section 410.471 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, TITLE IV-BLACK LUNG BENEFITS (1969- ) Total Disability or Death Due to Pneumoconiosis § 410.471 Conclusion...

Indirect Genetic Effects and the Spread of Infectious Disease: Are We Capturing the Full Heritable Variation Underlying Disease Prevalence?

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Lipschutz-Powell, Debby; Woolliams, John A.; Bijma, Piter; Doeschl-Wilson, Andrea B.

2012-01-01

Reducing disease prevalence through selection for host resistance offers a desirable alternative to chemical treatment. Selection for host resistance has proven difficult, however, due to low heritability estimates. These low estimates may be caused by a failure to capture all the relevant genetic variance in disease resistance, as genetic analysis currently is not taylored to estimate genetic variation in infectivity. Host infectivity is the propensity of transmitting infection upon contact with a susceptible individual, and can be regarded as an indirect effect to disease status. It may be caused by a combination of physiological and behavioural traits. Though genetic variation in infectivity is difficult to measure directly, Indirect Genetic Effect (IGE) models, also referred to as associative effects or social interaction models, allow the estimation of this variance from more readily available binary disease data (infected/non-infected). We therefore generated binary disease data from simulated populations with known amounts of variation in susceptibility and infectivity to test the adequacy of traditional and IGE models. Our results show that a conventional model fails to capture the genetic variation in infectivity inherent in populations with simulated infectivity. An IGE model, on the other hand, does capture some of the variation in infectivity. Comparison with expected genetic variance suggests that there is scope for further methodological improvement, and that potential responses to selection may be greater than values presented here. Nonetheless, selection using an index of estimated direct and indirect breeding values was shown to have a greater genetic selection differential and reduced future disease risk than traditional selection for resistance only. These findings suggest that if genetic variation in infectivity substantially contributes to disease transmission, then breeding designs which explicitly incorporate IGEs might help reduce disease

Estimation of under-reported visceral Leishmaniasis (Vl cases in Bihar: a Bayesian approach

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A Ranjan

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL is a major health problem in the state of Bihar and adjoining areas in India. In absence of any active surveillance mechanism for the disease, there seems to be gross under-reporting of VL cases. Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate extent of under-reporting of VL cases in Bihar using pooled analysis of published papers. Method: We calculated the pooled common ratio (RRMH based on three studies and combined it with a prior distribution of ratio using inverse-variance weighting method. Bayesian method was used to estimate the posterior distribution of the “under-reporting factor” (ratio of unreported to reported cases. Results: The posterior distribution of ratio of unreported to reported cases yielded a mean of 3.558, with 95% posterior limits of 2.81 and 4.50. Conclusion: Bayesian approach gives evidence to the fact that the total number of VL cases in the state may be nearly more than three times that of currently reported figures. 

Seroprevalence of viral and bacterial diseases among the bovines in Himachal Pradesh, India

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Shailja Katoch

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Aim: The study was designed to measure the seroprevalence of viral and bacterial diseases: Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, bovine viral diarrhea, bovine leukemia, bovine parainfluenza, bovine respiratory syncytial disease, brucellosis, and paratuberculosis among bovine of Himachal Pradesh during the year 2013-2015. Materials and Methods: The serum samples were collected from seven districts of state, namely, Bilaspur, Kangra, Kinnaur, Lahul and Spiti, Mandi, Sirmour, and Solan. The samples were screened using indirect ELISA kits to measure the seroprevalence of viral and bacterial diseases. Results: The overall seroprevalence of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis was 24.24%, bovine viral diarrhea 1.52%, bovine leukemia 9.09%, bovine parainfluenza 57.58%, bovine respiratory syncytial disease 50%, brucellosis 19.69%, and paratuberculosis 9.09% in Himachal Pradesh. The seroprevalence of bovine rhinotracheitis, bovine leukemia, bovine parainfluenza, bovine respiratory syncytial disease, and paratuberculosis in the state varied significantly (p0.01. Multiple seropositivity has been observed in this study. Bovine parainfluenza virus 3 was observed commonly in mixed infection with almost all viruses and bacteria under study. Conclusion: The viral and bacterial diseases are prevalent in the seven districts of Himachal Pradesh investigated in the study. Therefore, appropriate management practices and routine vaccination programs should be adopted to reduce the prevalence of these diseases.

Quality of life of individuals with sickle cell disease followed at referral centers in Alagoas, Brazil

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Rosana Quintella Brandão Vilela

2012-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Sickle cell disease is a genetic, hereditary and chronic disease that affects the health of its carriers and might impair their health-related quality of life. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current study was to assess the health-related quality of life of individuals with sickle cell disease followed at referral centers in Alagoas, Brazil. METHODS: A total of 40 individuals with sickle cell disease aged 12 to 43 years old were evaluated by means of sociodemographic and clinical questionnaires, the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey and the Beck Depression Inventory. The latter was applied only to adults. RESULTS: Most participants were adults (62.5% with a predominance of the SS genotype (85% with pain being the commonest complication (95%. Mood disorder was found in 40% of the adults. The patients exhibited overall impairment of quality of life, which was more pronounced among the adults and under 15-year-old adolescents. Married adults exhibited less impairment of most quality of life domains compared to unmarried adults, and the adults with mood disorder exhibited greater impairment of all quality of life domains. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that interventions that aim to improve vitality, pain, and mental health might contribute to maintaining high levels of quality of life in patients with sickle cell disease, especially among adults and under 15-year-old adolescents.

Extramammary Perianal Paget’s Disease

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M.N. Al Hallak

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Perianal Paget’s disease is a rare malignancy. It is rarely isolated and often associated with an underlying adenocarcinoma. It usually presents with anal itchiness and discomfort and can be misdiagnosed as hemorrhoids. Once the diagnosis of perianal Paget’s disease is granted, extensive work-up to find an underlying primary malignancy is crucial. Surgery is the standard modality of treatment of extramammary Paget’s disease (EMPD with recurrence rates of 44–60%. Other different treatment modalities including radiotherapy, laser therapy, topical and systemic chemotherapy and the new emerging, promising photodynamic therapy are in the field of study. A 76-year-old man was referred to our hospital with a one-year history of anal itchiness and intermittent rectal bleeding. Skin shave and punch biopsies from the perianal area were reported back as perianal Paget’s disease with no underlying adenocarcinoma. The immunohistochemical stains were positive for cytokeratin 7 but also positive for cytokeratin 20 and CEA which indicated the essentiality of extensive investigations to find a primary malignancy. Skin exam showed no primary source. The investigations were unable to find the primary malignancy. Given the results of immunohistochemical stains we recommended local perianal Paget’s disease resection. The intraoperative frozen section showed adenocarcinoma around the anal sphincter. Ten days later the patient underwent an abdominoperineal resection and the final pathology report showed extensive adenocarcinoma in three quadrants of the perianal area with focal involvement of the rectal mucosa. We recommended an adjuvant chemotherapy with FOLFOX following surgery given the bulkiness of the disease. We conclude that once perianal Paget’s disease is diagnosed, an extensive work-up should be done to find the underlying primary malignancy. Immunohistochemical stains are helpful in raising the suspicion of underlying primary malignancy

Executive summary and conclusions from the European Hydration Institute Expert Conference on human hydration, health, and performance.

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Benton, D; Braun, H; Cobo, J C; Edmonds, C; Elmadfa, I; El-Sharkawy, A; Feehally, J; Gellert, R; Holdsworth, J; Kapsokefalou, M; Kenney, W L; Leiper, J B; Macdonald, I A; Maffeis, C; Maughan, R J; Shirreffs, S M; Toth-Heyn, P; Watson, P

2015-09-01

On April 7-8, 2014, the European Hydration Institute hosted a small group of experts at Castle Combe Manor House, United Kingdom, to discuss a range of issues related to human hydration, health, and performance. The meeting included 18 recognized experts who brought a wealth of experience and knowledge to the topics under review. Eight selected topics were addressed, with the key issues being briefly presented before an in-depth discussion. Presented here is the executive summary and conclusions from this meeting. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Morgellons Disease

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Ohn, Jungyoon; Park, Seon Yong; Moon, Jungyoon; Choe, Yun Seon; Kim, Kyu Han

2017-01-01

Morgellons disease is a rare disease with unknown etiology. Herein, we report the first case of Morgellons disease in Korea. A 30-year-old woman presented with a 2-month history of pruritic erythematous patches and erosions on the arms, hands, and chin. She insisted that she had fiber-like materials under her skin, which she had observed through a magnifying device. We performed skin biopsy, and observed a fiber extruding from the dermal side of the specimen. Histopathological examination sho...

Underlying—Disease Risk for Antispasmodic Premedication in Older Patients Undergoing Investigations of the Gastrointestinal Tract

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Noboru Saito

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose Improve risk management of patients undergoing investigations of the gastrointestinal (GI tract, in regard to underlying diseases and choice of premedication. According to a nationwide survey in Japan, 74% of the deaths associated with premedication were patients aged 60 years or over. Methods Subjects were 418 patients undergoing investigations of the GI tract (367 endoscopy, 51 barium contrast radiography between October 2001 and January 2004. Age distribution peaked in the 65-69 years group, and 40% of subjects were aged 65 years and over. Using a questionnaire, each subject was interviewed prior to the investigation to determine contraindications for anticholinergic agents or glucagon preparations. To confirm the risk associated with antispasmodic agents in elderly subjects, the group was subdivided into those aged under 65 years and those aged 65 and over, and compared. Results Anticholinergic agents were contraindicated in more than 50% of subjects aged 65 years and over, and glucagon was contraindicated in 11% of subjects aged 65 years and over. The proportion of elderly subjects in whom antispasmodic agents, including anticholinergics and glucagon, were contraindicated was significantly greater than for subjects aged under 65 years. Conclusions Using a written questionnaire at the time of obtaining informed consent facilitates the identification of underlying diseases and selection of appropriate premedication.

Profile of Breast Diseases in Eastern Nepal

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Amir Bajracharya

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Background & Objectives: Breast problems, benign or malignant are common in occurrence worldwide. Breast problems can present themselves in a number of ways like breast pain, nipple discharge, cystic lesions and more commonly a lump. Breast diseases are under reported and cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality in women. This prospective study was undertaken with an aim to study the profile of various breast diseases in eastern Nepal.Materials & Methods:  This is a prospective study of women with breast diseases conducted from March 2011 to February 2012. Inclusion criteria were women irrespective of age with breast diseases with or without complaints. Exclusion criteria were women having breast abscess and mammary fistula.Results: Out of 125 breast diseases 39 cases (31% had malignancy and 86 cases (69% had BBD. The overall mean age for BBD was 25.9 years, with range of 10-60 years. The mean age for malignant breast diseases was 45.6 years, with range of 28-67 years. All of the cases had breast lump as their presenting complaints whether they came out benign or malignant. 52.8% had no significant pain associated with lump; in malignant cases 35.8% had pain associated with lump. In benign cases 68.7% had no perceptible change in lump size. On ultrasound scan, 69% of the lesions were designated benign compared to 31% malignant features. FNAC resulted in 68% lesions to be classified as of benign nature and 32% as malignant /suspicious malignancy.Conclusion: BBD constituted 69% of breast diseases, and mostly fibroadenoma and FCC/FCD and commonest malignant lesion was infiltrating ductal carcinoma. The BBD peaked at the age of 21-30 years.

Oxidative modifications, mitochondrial dysfunction, and impaired protein degradation in Parkinson's disease: how neurons are lost in the Bermuda triangle

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Malkus Kristen A

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract While numerous hypotheses have been proposed to explain the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, the theory of oxidative stress has received considerable support. Although many correlations have been established and encouraging evidence has been obtained, conclusive proof of causation for the oxidative stress hypothesis is lacking and potential cures have not emerged. Therefore it is likely that other factors, possibly in coordination with oxidative stress, contribute to neuron death. Using Parkinson's disease (PD as the paradigm, this review explores the hypothesis that oxidative modifications, mitochondrial functional disruption, and impairment of protein degradation constitute three interrelated molecular pathways that execute neuron death. These intertwined events are the consequence of environmental exposure, genetic factors, and endogenous risks and constitute a "Bermuda triangle" that may be considered the underlying cause of neurodegenerative pathogenesis.

To develop a public private partnership model of disease notification as a part of integrated disease surveillance project (IDSP for private medical practitioners in Mumbai City, India

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Ratnendra R. Shinde

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background The main objective of Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP was early detection of disease outbreaks. This could be possible only when the public health authorities have a strong and effective surveillance system in collaboration with Private Health Sector. Objectives 1 To assess knowledge, attitude & practice about notification of diseases amongst Private Medical Practitioners (PMPs. 2 To find out barriers experienced by PMPs in reporting of diseases under surveillance. 3 To assess feasibility of various alternative ways of reporting convenient for PMPs. 4 To develop a Public Private Partnership Model of disease notification based on feasible options obtained in the study. Materials and Methods This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in the F South Municipal ward of Mumbai city during April-May 2011. Two stage simple random sampling was used to select 104 PMPs for the study. Results and Conclusions Nearly 98% PMPs felt importance of notification in health system, but only 46% had practiced it. Most common reason for non-reporting was lack of information about reporting system. The convenient way of reporting for PMPs was to report to the nearest health post personally or to District Surveillance Unit through SMS/phone call and both at weekly interval.

Molecular mechanisms underlying the potential antiobesity-related diseases effect of cocoa polyphenols

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ali, F.; Ismail, A.; Kersten, A.H.

2014-01-01

Obesity and related metabolic diseases (e.g., type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and hypertension) are the most prevailing nutrition-related issues in the world. An emerging feature of obesity is their relationship with chronic inflammation that begins in white adipose tissue and eventually

Knowledge, perception, and management skills of mothers with under-five children about diarrhoeal disease in indigenous and resettlement communities in Assosa District, Western Ethiopia.

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Merga, Nigatu; Alemayehu, Tadesse

2015-03-01

As primary caregiver to under-five children in Ethiopia, mothers' knowledge, perception, and management skills are important to minimize the effects of morbidity and mortality associated with diarrhoeal diseases. A community-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in Abramo and Megele 37 kebeles (the last administration division) in Assosa district of western Ethiopia in July 2010. Quantitative data were obtained by a structured questionnaire from 232 randomly-selected mothers having children aged less than five years regarding their knowledge, perception, and management. Qualitative data were also collected by arranging four focus group discussions involving mothers from the two communities. The prevalence of diarrhoeal diseases among under-five children was 33.2%, and the knowledge of mothers about the causes, transmission, and prevention of diarrhoea in the study area was 37.5%. The prevalence of diarrhoeal disease was higher in the settlement area whereas mothers' knowledge was better in the indigenous community; 62.9% of mothers were categorized as having good attitude on causes, transmission, and prevention of diarrhoeal disease. Community water source, water storage container, and knowledge of mothers remained a strong predictor of diarrhoeal morbidity after conducting logistic regression analysis (OR=8.4, CI 3.59-31.85; OR=2.2, CI 1.02-4.89; and OR=3.62, CI 1.23-4.71 respectively). Diarrhoeal morbidity was high in the study areas. On the contrary, knowledge and attitude of mothers, recognizing the danger sign of dehydration due to diarrhoea, and the prevention and management of childhood diarrhoeal diseases were not adequate. Information, education and communication strategy may help increase the knowledge and create positive attitude among mothers regarding the cause, prevention, and management of diarrhoea.

Adult Congenital Heart Disease Patients Experience Similar Symptoms of Disease Activity.

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Cedars, Ari M; Stefanescu Schmidt, Ada; Broberg, Craig; Zaidi, Ali; Opotowsky, Alexander; Grewal, Jasmine; Kay, Joseph; Bhatt, Ami B; Novak, Eric; Spertus, John

2016-03-01

There is a lack of objective data on the symptoms characterizing disease activity among adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD). The purpose of this study was to elicit the most important symptoms from patients across the spectrum of ACHD and to examine whether reported symptoms were similar across the spectrum of ACHD as a foundation for creating a patient-reported outcome measure(s). We constructed a 39-item survey using input from physicians specializing in ACHD to assess the symptoms patients associate with disease activity. Patients (n=124) prospectively completed this survey, and the results were analyzed based on underlying anatomy and disease complexity. A confirmatory cohort of patients (n=40) was then recruited prospectively to confirm the validity of the initial data. When grouped based on underlying anatomy, significant differences in disease-related symptom rankings were found for only 6 of 39 symptoms. Six symptoms were identified which were of particular significance to patients, regardless of underlying anatomy. Patients with anatomy of great complexity experienced greater overall symptom severity than those with anatomy of low or moderate complexity, attributable exclusively to higher ranking of 5 symptoms. The second patient cohort had symptom experiences similar to those of the initial cohort, differing in only 5 of 39 symptoms. This study identified 6 symptoms relevant to patients across the spectrum of ACHD and remarkable homogeneity of patient experience, suggesting that a single disease-specific patient-reported outcome can be created for quality and outcome assessments. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Inflammatory bowel disease increases the risk of Parkinson's disease

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Villumsen, Marie; Aznar, Susana; Pakkenberg, Bente

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Intestinal inflammation has been suggested to play a role in development of Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA). To test the hypothesis that IBD is associated with risk of PD and MSA, we performed a nationwide population-based cohort study. DESIGN: The cohort...... patients with UC (HR=1.35; 95% CI 1.20 to 1.52) and not significantly different among patients with Crohn's disease (HR=1.12; 95% CI 0.89 to 1.40). CONCLUSIONS: This nationwide, unselected, cohort study shows a significant association between IBD and later occurrence of PD, which is consistent with recent...

The Interferon-signature of Sjögren’s Syndrome: How Unique Biomarkers Can Identify Underlying Inflammatory and Immunopathological Mechanisms of Specific Diseases

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Cuong eNguyen

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Innate immune responses direct the nature and specificity of downstream adaptive responses in autoimmune diseases. One of the strongest markers of innate immunity is the up-regulated expression of interferon (IFN and IFN-responsive/stimulated genes (IRGs/ISGs. While multiple IRGs are induced during the innate phase of host responses, transcriptome data suggest unique IRG-signatures for different diseases. Sjögren’s syndrome (SjS is characterized by chronic immune attacks against exocrine glands leading to exocrine dysfunction, plus strong up-regulated expressions of IFN IRG transcripts. Genome-wide transcriptome analyses indicate that differentially-expressed IRGs are restricted during disease development and therefore define underlying etiopathological mechanisms. Here we review the innate immune-associated IFN-signature of SjS and show how differential gene expressions of IRG/ISG sets interact molecularly and biologically to identify critical details of SjS etiopathogenesis.

The soluble mannose receptor (sMR) is elevated in alcoholic liver disease and associated with disease severity, portal hypertension, and mortality in cirrhosis patients

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Sandahl, Thomas Damgaard; Støy, Sidsel Hyldgaard; Laursen, Tea Lund

2017-01-01

Background and aims Hepatic macrophages (Kupffer cells) are involved in the immunopathology of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). The mannose receptor (MR, CD206), expressed primarily by macrophages, mediates endocytosis, antigen presentation and T-cell activation. A soluble form, sMR, has recently b...... level predicts portal hypertension and long-term mortality in AC patients....... and long-term (4 years) in AC patients. We measured plasma sMR by ELISA. Results Median sMR concentrations were significantly elevated in AH 1.32(IQR:0.69) and AC 0.46 (0.5) compared to HC 0.2(0.06) mg/L; pportal...... hypertension (HVPG ≥10 mmHg) with an area under the Receiver Operator Characteristics curve of 0.86 and a high sMR cut-off (>0.43 mg/l) was associated with increased mortality (p = 0.005). Conclusion The soluble mannose receptor is elevated in alcoholic liver disease, especially in patients with AH. Its blood...

The soluble mannose receptor (sMR) is elevated in alcoholic liver disease and associated with disease severity, portal hypertension, and mortality in cirrhosis patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandahl, Thomas Damgaard; Støy, Sidsel Hyldgaard; Laursen, Tea Lund

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hepatic macrophages (Kupffer cells) are involved in the immunopathology of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). The mannose receptor (MR, CD206), expressed primarily by macrophages, mediates endocytosis, antigen presentation and T-cell activation. A soluble form, sMR, has recently ...... level predicts portal hypertension and long-term mortality in AC patients....... and long-term (4 years) in AC patients. We measured plasma sMR by ELISA. RESULTS: Median sMR concentrations were significantly elevated in AH 1.32(IQR:0.69) and AC 0.46(0.5) compared to HC 0.2(0.06) mg/L; pportal...... hypertension (HVPG ≥10 mmHg) with an area under the Receiver Operator Characteristics curve of 0.86 and a high sMR cut-off (>0.43 mg/l) was associated with increased mortality (p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: The soluble mannose receptor is elevated in alcoholic liver disease, especially in patients with AH. Its blood...

Ischemic heart disease after mantlefield irradiation for Hodgkin's disease in long-term follow-up

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reinders, J.G.; Heijmen, B.J.M.; Olofsen-van Acht, M.J.J.; Putten, W.L.J. van; Levendag, P.C.

1999-01-01

Background and purpose: In patients with Hodgkin's disease treated by radiotherapy with a moderate total dose and a low (mean) fraction dose to the heart, the risk of ischemic heart disease was investigated during long-term follow-up.Materials and methods: The medical records of 258 patients treated in the period 1965-1980 with radiotherapy alone as the primary treatment were reviewed. The median follow-up was 14.2 years (range 0.7-26.2). The mean total dose and fraction dose to the heart were 37.2 Gy (SD 2.9) and 1.64 Gy (SD 0.09), respectively. The impact on the development of ischemic heart disease of treatment-related parameters, such as the applied (fraction) dose, irradiation technique (one or two fields per day), and chemotherapy in case of a relapse, was investigated. The incidence of ischemic heart disease in this patient population was compared with the expected incidence based on gender, age and calendar period-specific data for the Dutch population.Results: Thirty-one patients (12%) experienced ischemic heart disease (actuarial risk at 20-25 years: 21.2% (95% C.I. 15-30). Twenty-five of them were hospitalized. When compared with the expected incidence, the relative risk (RR) of hospital admission for ischemic heart disease was 2.7 (95% C.I. 1.7-4.0). There were 12 deaths (4.7%) due to ischemic myocardial or sudden death (actuarial risk at 25 years: 10.2% (95% C.I. 5.3-19), compared to 2.3 cases that were expected to have died from these causes, yielding a standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of 5.3 (95% C.I. 2.7-9.3). Gender (male), pretreatment cardiac medical history and increasing age appeared to be the only significant factors for the development of ischemic heart disease.Conclusions: Despite the moderate total dose and the low (mean) fraction dose to the heart, the observed incidence of ischemic heart disease is high, especially after long follow-up periods. Treatment related cardiac disease in patients treated for Hodgkin's disease has only been

Nondipping in Parkinson's Disease

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Sita Sommer

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. The aim of this study was to identify patients with Parkinson's disease who showed loss or decrease of nocturnal blood pressure fall (nondipper patients as a marker of autonomic dysfunction. Presence or absence of orthostatic hypotension was considered to investigate whether alterations in circadian blood pressure pattern are associated with posture-related dysregulation of blood pressure. Methods. 40 patients with Parkinson's disease underwent 24-hour blood pressure monitoring. 21 patients were diagnosed with arterial hypertension and received anti-hypertensive drugs. Nondipper patients were defined as having nocturnal decrease of mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure less than 10%. Presence or absence of orthostatic hypotension was determined by Schellong's test. Results. We identified 35 nondipper patients (88%. Nondipping was detected in 20 patients with orthostatic hypotension (95% and in 15 patients without orthostatic hypotension (79%. 18 patients with hypertensive and 22 patients with normal blood pressure values were detected. Conclusions. In conclusion 24-hour blood pressure monitoring showed a high prevalence of nondipping in 40 patients with Parkinson's disease with and without orthostatic hypotension independent of coexisting arterial hypertension and antihypertensive treatment. 24-hour blood pressure monitoring may be useful to identify non-dipping as a marker of autonomic dysfunction in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Cushing’s Disease Presented by Reversible Dilated Cardiomyopathy

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Berna İmge Aydoğan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Dilated cardiomyopathy is rarely reported among CS patients especially without hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy. Materials and Methods. We hereby report a Cushing’s syndrome case presenting with dilated cardiomyopathy. Results. A 48-year-old female patient was admitted to our clinic with severe proximal myopathy and dilated cardiomyopathy without ventricular hypertrophy. Cushing’s disease was diagnosed and magnetic-resonance imaging of the pituitary gland revealed a microadenoma. Under diuretic and ketoconazole treatments, she underwent a successful transnasal/transsphenoidal adenomectomy procedure. Full recovery of symptoms and echocardiographic features was achieved after six months of surgery. Conclusion. Cushing’s syndrome must be kept in mind as a reversible cause of dilated cardiomyopathy. Recovery of cardiomyopathy is achieved with successful surgery.

Low LDL cholesterol, PCSK9 and HMGCR genetic variation, and risk of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease: Mendelian randomisation study.

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Benn, Marianne; Nordestgaard, Børge G; Frikke-Schmidt, Ruth; Tybjærg-Hansen, Anne

2017-04-24

Objective  To test the hypothesis that low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol due to genetic variation in the genes responsible for LDL cholesterol metabolism and biosynthesis( PCSK9 and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase ( HMGCR ), respectively) is associated with a high risk of Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, any dementia, and Parkinson's disease in the general population. Design  Mendelian randomisation study. Setting  Copenhagen General Population Study and Copenhagen City Heart Study. Participants  111 194 individuals from the Danish general population. Main outcome measures  Risk of Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, all dementia, and Parkinson's disease. Results  In observational analyses, the multifactorially adjusted hazard ratio for Parkinson's disease in participants with an LDL cholesterol level LDL cholesterol level. In genetic, causal analyses adjusted for age, sex, and year of birth, the risk ratios for a lifelong 1 mmol/L lower LDL cholesterol level were 0.57 (0.27 to 1.17) for Alzheimer's disease, 0.81 (0.34 to 1.89) for vascular dementia, 0.66 (0.34 to 1.26) for any dementia, and 1.02 (0.26 to 4.00) for Parkinson's disease. Summary level data from the International Genomics of Alzheimer's Project using Egger Mendelian randomisation analysis gave a risk ratio for Alzheimer's disease of 0.24 (0.02 to 2.79) for 26 PCSK9 and HMGCR variants, and of 0.64 (0.52 to 0.79) for 380 variants of LDL cholesterol level lowering. Conclusion  Low LDL cholesterol levels due to PCSK9 and HMGCR variants had no causal effect on high risk of Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, any dementia, or Parkinson's disease; however, low LDL cholesterol levels may have a causal effect in reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Economically optimal timing for crop disease control under uncertainty: an options approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ndeffo Mbah, M.L.; Forster, G.; Wesseler, J.H.H.; Gilligan, C.A.

2010-01-01

Severe large-scale disease and pest infestations in agricultural regions can cause significant economic damage. Understanding if and when disease control measures should be taken in the presence of risk and uncertainty is a key issue. We develop a framework to examine the economically optimal timing

Oxidative Stress and Huntington's Disease: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Amit; Ratan, Rajiv R

2016-10-01

Redox homeostasis is crucial for proper cellular functions, including receptor tyrosine kinase signaling, protein folding, and xenobiotic detoxification. Under basal conditions, there is a balance between oxidants and antioxidants. This balance facilitates the ability of oxidants, such as reactive oxygen species, to play critical regulatory functions through a direct modification of a small number of amino acids (e.g. cysteine) on signaling proteins. These signaling functions leverage tight spatial, amplitude, and temporal control of oxidant concentrations. However, when oxidants overwhelm the antioxidant capacity, they lead to a harmful condition of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has long been held to be one of the key players in disease progression for Huntington's disease (HD). In this review, we will critically review this evidence, drawing some intermediate conclusions, and ultimately provide a framework for thinking about the role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of HD.

Intergenerational associations of chronic disease and polycystic ovary syndrome.

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Michael J Davies

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS is a common female endocrine disorder of heterogeneous clinical presentation, high disease burden, and unknown aetiology. The disease and associated conditions cluster in families, suggesting that PCOS may be the reproductive consequence of underlying chronic disease susceptibility. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether parents of young women with PCOS were more likely to have a history of diabetes or cardiovascular disease in later adult life. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Structured interviews with 715 members of a cohort constructed by tracing female infants born at a single general hospital in Adelaide between 1973 and 1975. Participants were asked whether they had a pre-existing medical diagnosis of PCOS, and whether each parent had ever had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, stroke, or heart disease. Maternal high blood pressure during pregnancy was taken from the medical record of the pregnancy with the study participant. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Mothers of women with PCOS were more likely than mothers of other women to have any cardiovascular disease (RR 1.78, 95% CI 1.29, 2.47, and nearly twice as likely to have high blood pressure (RR 1.95, 95% CI 1.38, 2.76. Fathers of women with PCOS were more than twice as likely to have heart disease (RR 2.36, 95% CI 1.44, 3.88 and over four times as likely to have had a stroke (RR 4.37, 95% CI 1.97, 9.70. Occurrence of cardiovascular disease in both mother and father are associated with the risk of PCOS in daughters. Further detailed study is required to elucidate the precise pathways that may be causally related to the observations.

Conclusions

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Confounding effect of obesity and associated co-morbidities (especially on metabolic abnormalities, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular morbidity) should be clearly dissected out in future studies ...

Conclusion

OpenAIRE

Rainhorn, Jean-Daniel; Boudamoussi, Samira El

2017-01-01

“Science without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”—François Rabelais, 1542 A special feature of this book is to bring together the work of researchers coming from different disciplines and having various themes of reflection or practices in the field of biomedicine. While the general trend of science goes towards increasing specialization, the project of this book is to look at the use of medical advances in a transversal perspective. In other words, it intends to highlight what unregu...

Conclusions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mandil, C.

1994-01-01

The renewable energies and the nuclear one are complementary. They belong to the french energy policy, which has three aims: strategic, economic and environmental. They contribute to the diversification of the energy balance and to the energy competitiveness. Energy savings might be achieved and renewable energies might be developed for the future

Conclusions

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In long-term better adapted varieties are needed to adapt to multiple stresses linked with climate change. ... and water management are available which can help minimize negative impacts. ... Adaptation practices take time to become effective.

Conclusions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brookes, L.G.; Motamen, H.

1984-01-01

The paper covers the following: economics of nuclear power; nuclear or fossil-fuel plants; power systems; methods of capital investment appraisal; size factor; nuclear industry; uranium demand; fuel cycle; fast reactors; choice of reactors; case studies from France; power plants in USA and West Germany; electricity tariffs; nuclear energy in Middle Eastern states; energy growth and economic growth; nuclear energy as macroeconomic influence; future energy options. (U.K.)

Conclusion

OpenAIRE

Houmed Soulé, Aramis

2018-01-01

Au cours de son règne qui a duré plus d’une quarantaine d’années, en une période cruciale de l’histoire de la Corne de l’Afrique, Maḥammad Ḥanfaré parvient à préserver son sultanat, à défaut de l’ensemble du pays ‘Afar, des visées impérialistes d’où qu’elles viennent. Malheureusement, l’indépendance de cette entité politique ‘Afar ne lui survit pas, du moins sur le plan international. Des luttes fratricides pour sa succession qui opposent ses nombreux héritiers et dont les prémices apparaisse...

Conclusion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

de Vreese, Claes; Reinemann, Carsten; Esser, Frank

2017-01-01

At the outset, we asked if there is any good news about the news and, if so, where the good news is. In academic research and public discussions about news and democracy, one fi nds different interpretations of the state of current news provision. A tendency towards pessimism about current news...... is seen as having a negative impact on the quality of political life and democracy. Set against the pessimism and caution in the public debate and literature on news quality and the performance of political journalism, we were not optimistic that we would fi nd good-quality news or that we would be able...... to offer some good news as a positive antidote, so to speak, to the pervasive pessimism in the literature....

Conclusion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Christian Helms; Wallo, Andreas; Toiviainen, Hanna

2015-01-01

Work in times of globalisation and uncertainty is undergoing considerable changes, which has strengthened the importance of work as a site of learning. New trends in production, such as digitalisation, challenge traditional modes of producing goods and services. Emerging forms of flexible...... production and knowledge-work offer growing learning opportunities to people throughout their active working life. In contrast to the stable and standardised modes of Fordist production, modern working life is characterised by rapid changes and employees interacting across globally distributed professional...... explores the challenges of working and learning on the boundaries between education and working life. Globalisation affects the transition patterns from vocational education to the labour market in many ways (Schoon & Silbereisen, 2009), even though the specific challenges to national-level policies vary...

Conclusion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grignon, F.; Mazrui, A.; Rutten, M.M.E.M.; Rutten, M.M.E.M.; Mazrui, A.; Grignon, F.

2001-01-01

The outcome of a three-day conference held at the African Studies Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands, in September 1998, this book on the 1997 Kenya general elections is organized in four parts: the direct pre-electoral background; technical and national analysis of the general elections, including the

Conclusion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fahnøe, Kristian Relsted; Warming, Hanne

2017-01-01

analysis approach reveal how clients’ struggles in intimate and societal life, and in public and private spaces, are intertwined with geo-politics and global flows of governance strategies, e.g. neoliberalism and managerialism, which also condition social work practices. Indeed, social work constitutes......Fahnøe and Warming provide a cogent overview of how a lived citizenship approach enables critical analyses of social work and social policies by addressing challenges related to rights, recognition, participation, belonging and identity. The sub-concept of intimate citizenship and a spatial...... a kind of sociological magnifying glass through which broader social changes can be studied, including dynamics of inclusion and exclusion, new conflicts and modes of resistance, and new social pathologies....

Conclusion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Warming, Hanne; Fahnøe, Kristian

2017-01-01

analysis approach reveal how clients’ struggles in intimate and societal life, and in public and private spaces, are intertwined with geo-politics and global flows of governance strategies, e.g. neoliberalism and managerialism, which also condition social work practices. Indeed, social work constitutes......Warming and Fahnøe provide a cogent overview of how a lived citizenship approach enables critical analyses of social work and social policies by addressing challenges related to rights, recognition, participation, belonging and identity. The sub-concept of intimate citizenship and a spatial...... a kind of sociological magnifying glass through which broader social changes can be studied, including dynamics of inclusion and exclusion, new conflicts and modes of resistance, and new social pathologies....

Conclusions

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

First page Back Continue Last page Overview Graphics. First study on fHSC. First study on fHSC. fHSC exhibit embryonic stem cell like properties. fHSC therapy results in myocardial regeneration in rat model of MI. fHSC may be a novel stem cell type for cardiovascular regeneration.

Conclusions

Science.gov (United States)

Ahonen, Pasi; Alahuhta, Petteri; Daskala, Barbara; Delaitre, Sabine; Hert, Paul De; Lindner, Ralf; Maghiros, Ioannis; Moscibroda, Anna; Schreurs, Wim; Verlinden, Michiel

Some say that an increase in security does not necessarily mean a further encroachment on privacy - indeed, security is necessary to protect personal data and our privacy. Networks must be secure, our personal devices, reliable, dependable and trustworthy. But security is a multifaceted term, with many dimensions. We are of the view that an increase in security most likely will encroach upon our privacy in an ambient intelligence world. Surveillance cameras will continue to proliferate. We assume that, whatever the law is, whatever privacy protections government and business say they honour, our telecommunications, e-mails and Internet usage will be monitored to an increasing degree. The same will be true of our interfaces with the world of ambient intelligence.

Conclusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ainul Hayati Daud; Hazmimi Kasim

2010-01-01

In Asia, Japan and the Republic of Korea have conducted similar studies but relying on statistical data and used inputs and outputs (I-O) methodology, utilizing on general macro-level data. In contrast, this study captures data directly through surveys using questionnaires, face-to-face interviews, case studies and focus group discussions. The impact of nuclear technology applications in Malaysia were evaluated both quantitatively and qualitatively. These impacts are then linked to a broader objective associated with technological development, namely wealth generation, knowledge generation and societal well-being. In the process of the study, users and practitioners of the technology highlighted issues and challenges faced by them. To cap the study, the level of activities of nuclear technology in Malaysia was benchmarked against those in Japan and the Republic of Korea. This chapter highlights the results of the study, the outcome of the study, followed by recommendations as response to issues and challenges raised by respondents, and finally the way forward for monitoring and charting further progress of nuclear technology in the country. (author)

Conclusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

In the monograph peculiarities of radioinduced sexual dysfunctions of Chernobyl accident liquidators are described. It is shown, that ones of principal clinical manifestations of stochastic radio-genetic effects are sexual dysfunctions. Assessment in point of view of stages and components of copulative cycle is carried out. Authors made attempt to take in account all involved in sexual dysfunctions systems for examined contingent. It is noted, that genesis of radioinduced sexual dysfunctions is complex and it includes both the influence of vegetative nervous system damage and the direct damage of gonads. During clinical examination with patients it is revealed that both vegetative-vascular dysfunctions and asteno-neurotic dysfunctions are dominating. Authors noting that mentioned sexual dysfunctions are caused by low dose irradiation, and they have certain distinctions. Measures for comprehensive rehabilitation of suffered contingent in late period after irradiation are developed

Conclusions

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Microbial organisms play a major role in assimilation of P from the water column and also from the interstitial waters. Mineralisation of microbial bodies is a very rapid process and autophosphatization may occur within few hours or days after death. Geo-microbiology is an important subject and needs to be developed.

Conclusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Timofeev, Yu.M.; Zikiryakhodjaev, D.Z.

1997-01-01

In this chapter of book authors made following summary: the cancerous growths of anal canal is rare form of growths; extension of anal canal depends from sex, age, weight and growth of patient; the developed schemes of classification and staging of cancerous growths of anal canal have important role for growths systematization; typical symptoms are blood in excrement, pains in anus, presence of swelling in anus, the treatment of the cancerous growths of anal canal must be varied

Actual Problems of Conclusion and Discharge of Urgent Labour Contracts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shevelyova A. A.

2013-05-01

Full Text Available This article is devoted to the consideration of the questions connected with the conclusion and the termination of the urgent labour contract. The author, analyzing judicial practice, allocates the problems of separate regulation of the RF labour legislation enforcement.

Predicting disease risks from highly imbalanced data using random forest

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chakraborty Sounak

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We present a method utilizing Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP dataset for predicting disease risk of individuals based on their medical diagnosis history. The presented methodology may be incorporated in a variety of applications such as risk management, tailored health communication and decision support systems in healthcare. Methods We employed the National Inpatient Sample (NIS data, which is publicly available through Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP, to train random forest classifiers for disease prediction. Since the HCUP data is highly imbalanced, we employed an ensemble learning approach based on repeated random sub-sampling. This technique divides the training data into multiple sub-samples, while ensuring that each sub-sample is fully balanced. We compared the performance of support vector machine (SVM, bagging, boosting and RF to predict the risk of eight chronic diseases. Results We predicted eight disease categories. Overall, the RF ensemble learning method outperformed SVM, bagging and boosting in terms of the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC curve (AUC. In addition, RF has the advantage of computing the importance of each variable in the classification process. Conclusions In combining repeated random sub-sampling with RF, we were able to overcome the class imbalance problem and achieve promising results. Using the national HCUP data set, we predicted eight disease categories with an average AUC of 88.79%.

Suicide and patients with neurologic diseases. Methodologic problems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stenager, E N; Stenager, Egon

1992-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The suicide risk in patients with many neurologic diseases has been reported to be greater than that in the general population. Studies on the subject are, however, often encumbered with methodologic problems. We appraised these problems and, based on an evaluation, reappraised knowledge...... of the suicide risk in patients with specific neurologic diseases. DATA SOURCE: Using the computerized database MEDLINE, we identified all published reports with the key words suicide, attempted suicide, and neurologic diseases. STUDY SELECTION: We assessed and reviewed studies concerning the most common...... of the studies, the methods used gave rise to uncertainty about the conclusion presented. CONCLUSION: An increased suicide risk was found in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis and spinal cord lesions as well as in selected groups of patients with epilepsy. In other neurologic diseases, the suicide risk...

Conclusive identification of quantum channels via monogamy of quantum correlations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Asutosh; Singha Roy, Sudipto; Pal, Amit Kumar; Prabhu, R.; Sen, Aditi; Sen, Ujjwal

2016-01-01

We investigate the action of global noise and local channels, namely, amplitude-damping, phase-damping, and depolarizing channels, on monogamy of quantum correlations, such as negativity and quantum discord, in three-qubit systems. We discuss the monotonic and non-monotonic variation, and robustness of the monogamy scores. By using monogamy scores, we propose a two-step protocol to conclusively identify the noise applied to the quantum system, by using generalized Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger and generalized W states as resource states. We discuss a possible generalization of the results to higher number of parties. - Highlights: • Monogamy score monotonically decays with noise for generalized GHZ state as input. • Non-monotonically decaying monogamy score with noise for generalized W state as input. • Characterizing the dynamics of monogamy score. • Dynamics terminal quantifying robustness of monogamy score against noise. • Conclusively identifying the type of noise using monogamy score.

Conclusive identification of quantum channels via monogamy of quantum correlations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, Asutosh; Singha Roy, Sudipto; Pal, Amit Kumar [Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Chhatnag Road, Jhunsi, Allahabad 211019 (India); Homi Bhaba National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094 (India); Prabhu, R. [Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Chhatnag Road, Jhunsi, Allahabad 211019 (India); Homi Bhaba National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094 (India); Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Patna, Bihta 801103, Bihar (India); Sen, Aditi, E-mail: aditi@hri.res.in [Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Chhatnag Road, Jhunsi, Allahabad 211019 (India); Homi Bhaba National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094 (India); Sen, Ujjwal [Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Chhatnag Road, Jhunsi, Allahabad 211019 (India); Homi Bhaba National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094 (India)

2016-10-23

We investigate the action of global noise and local channels, namely, amplitude-damping, phase-damping, and depolarizing channels, on monogamy of quantum correlations, such as negativity and quantum discord, in three-qubit systems. We discuss the monotonic and non-monotonic variation, and robustness of the monogamy scores. By using monogamy scores, we propose a two-step protocol to conclusively identify the noise applied to the quantum system, by using generalized Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger and generalized W states as resource states. We discuss a possible generalization of the results to higher number of parties. - Highlights: • Monogamy score monotonically decays with noise for generalized GHZ state as input. • Non-monotonically decaying monogamy score with noise for generalized W state as input. • Characterizing the dynamics of monogamy score. • Dynamics terminal quantifying robustness of monogamy score against noise. • Conclusively identifying the type of noise using monogamy score.

High prevalence of food sensitization among adults with allergic diseases who live in the Guadalajara metropolitan area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martín Bedolla-Barajas

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Background: The prevalence of food sensitization in adults shows differences owing to geographic, regional and cultural circumstances. Objective: To identify the prevalence and factors associated with food sensitization in adults with allergic diseases. Methods: Cross-sectional study, where medical records of adult patients with any allergic disease and who tested positive to airborne allergens on at least one skin test were reviewed. Age, sex, underlying allergic disease and skin test result were recorded. Statistical analyses included food sensitization prevalence with the corresponding confidence intervals (CI, as well as a multivariate analysis to determine associated factors. Results: We included 258 patients with a mean of 36 years of age; 75 % were of the female sex. The most common underlying condition was allergic rhinitis (59 %. The prevalence of food sensitization was 37 % (95 % CI, 31.5-43.3 and it did not vary significantly according to sex or allergic disease in question. The most sensitizing food was soybeans (44.8 %, and associated factors were sensitization to cat dander (OR = 1.8; 95 % CI, 1.03-3.2 and 5 or more positive skin tests (OR = 4.3, 95 % CI 2.3-8.1. Conclusions: The prevalence of food sensitization in people with allergic disease was 40 %. Further studies are required to determine its prevalence in the general population.

Chronic diseases in elderly men

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Morten Frost Munk; Wraae, Kristian; Gudex, Claire

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVE: prevalence estimates for chronic diseases and associated risk factors are needed for priority setting and disease prevention strategies. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to estimate the self-reported and clinical prevalence of common chronic disorders in elderly men. STUDY......-reported data on risk factors and disease prevalence were compared with data from hospital medical records. RESULTS: physical inactivity, smoking and excessive alcohol intake were reported by 27, 22 and 17% of the study population, respectively. Except for diabetes, all the chronic diseases investigated......, including hypertension, musculoskeletal and respiratory diseases were underreported by study participants. Erectile dysfunction and hypogonadism were substantially underreported in the study population even though these diseases were found to affect 48 and 21% of the participants, respectively. CONCLUSIONS...

A robust TDT-type association test under informative parental missingness.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, J H; Cheng, K F

2011-02-10

Many family-based association tests rely on the random transmission of alleles from parents to offspring. Among them, the transmission/disequilibrium test (TDT) may be considered to be the most popular statistical test. The TDT statistic and its variations were proposed to evaluate nonrandom transmission of alleles from parents to the diseased children. However, in family studies, parental genotypes may be missing due to parental death, loss, divorce, or other reasons. Under some missingness conditions, nonrandom transmission of alleles may still occur even when the gene and disease are not associated. As a consequence, the usual TDT-type tests would produce excessive false positive conclusions in association studies. In this paper, we propose a novel TDT-type association test which is not only simple in computation but also robust to the joint effect of population stratification and informative parental missingness. Our test is model-free and allows for different mechanisms of parental missingness across subpopulations. We use a simulation study to compare the performance of the new test with TDT and point out the advantage of the new method. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abnormal activity of corneal cold thermoreceptors underlies the unpleasant sensations in dry eye disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Kovács, Illés; Luna, Carolina; Quirce, Susana; Mizerska, Kamila; Callejo, Gerard; Riestra, Ana; Fernández-Sánchez, Laura; Meseguer, Victor M; Cuenca, Nicolás; Merayo-Lloves, Jesús; Acosta, M Carmen; Gasull, Xavier; Belmonte, Carlos; Gallar, Juana

2016-02-01

Dry eye disease (DED) affects >10% of the population worldwide, and it provokes an unpleasant sensation of ocular dryness, whose underlying neural mechanisms remain unknown. Removal of the main lachrymal gland in guinea pigs caused long-term reduction of basal tearing accompanied by changes in the architecture and density of subbasal corneal nerves and epithelial terminals. After 4 weeks, ongoing impulse activity and responses to cooling of corneal cold thermoreceptor endings were enhanced. Menthol (200 μM) first excited and then inactivated this augmented spontaneous and cold-evoked activity. Comparatively, corneal polymodal nociceptors of tear-deficient eyes remained silent and exhibited only a mild sensitization to acidic stimulation, whereas mechanonociceptors were not affected. Dryness-induced changes in peripheral cold thermoreceptor responsiveness developed in parallel with a progressive excitability enhancement of corneal cold trigeminal ganglion neurons, primarily due to an increase of sodium currents and a decrease of potassium currents. In corneal polymodal nociceptor neurons, sodium currents were enhanced whereas potassium currents remain unaltered. In healthy humans, exposure of the eye surface to menthol vapors or to cold air currents evoked unpleasant sensations accompanied by increased blinking frequency that we attributed to cold thermoreceptor stimulation. Notably, stimulation with menthol reduced the ongoing background discomfort of patients with DED, conceivably due to use-dependent inactivation of cold thermoreceptors. Together, these data indicate that cold thermoreceptors contribute importantly to the detection and signaling of ocular surface wetness, and develop under chronic eye dryness conditions an injury-evoked neuropathic firing that seems to underlie the unpleasant sensations experienced by patients with DED.

A searchable cross-platform gene expression database reveals connections between drug treatments and disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Williams Gareth

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Transcriptional data covering multiple platforms and species is collected and processed into a searchable platform independent expression database (SPIED. SPIED consists of over 100,000 expression fold profiles defined independently of control/treatment assignment and mapped to non-redundant gene lists. The database is thus searchable with query profiles defined over genes alone. The motivation behind SPIED is that transcriptional profiles can be quantitatively compared and ranked and thus serve as effective surrogates for comparing the underlying biological states across multiple experiments. Results Drug perturbation, cancer and neurodegenerative disease derived transcriptional profiles are shown to be effective descriptors of the underlying biology as they return related drugs and pathologies from SPIED. In the case of Alzheimer's disease there is high transcriptional overlap with other neurodegenerative conditions and rodent models of neurodegeneration and nerve injury. Combining the query signature with correlating profiles allows for the definition of a tight neurodegeneration signature that successfully highlights many neuroprotective drugs in the Broad connectivity map. Conclusions Quantitative querying of expression data from across the totality of deposited experiments is an effective way of discovering connections between different biological systems and in particular that between drug action and biological disease state. Examples in cancer and neurodegenerative conditions validate the utility of SPIED.

19 CFR 210.40 - Proposed findings and conclusions and briefs.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Proposed findings and conclusions and briefs. 210.40 Section 210.40 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION INVESTIGATIONS OF UNFAIR PRACTICES IN IMPORT TRADE ADJUDICATION AND ENFORCEMENT Prehearing Conferences and Hearings § 210...

Perianal disease, small bowel disease, smoking, prior steroid or early azathioprine/biological therapy are predictors of disease behavior change in patients with Crohn’s disease

Science.gov (United States)

Lakatos, Peter Laszlo; Czegledi, Zsofia; Szamosi, Tamas; Banai, Janos; David, Gyula; Zsigmond, Ferenc; Pandur, Tunde; Erdelyi, Zsuzsanna; Gemela, Orsolya; Papp, Janos; Lakatos, Laszlo

2009-01-01

AIM: To assess the combined effect of disease phenotype, smoking and medical therapy [steroid, azathioprine (AZA), AZA/biological therapy] on the probability of disease behavior change in a Caucasian cohort of patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). METHODS: Three hundred and forty well-characterized, unrelated, consecutive CD patients were analyzed (M/F: 155/185, duration: 9.4 ± 7.5 years) with a complete clinical follow-up. Medical records including disease phenotype according to the Montreal classification, extraintestinal manifestations, use of medications and surgical events were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were interviewed on their smoking habits at the time of diagnosis and during the regular follow-up visits. RESULTS: A change in disease behavior was observed in 30.8% of patients with an initially non-stricturing, non-penetrating disease behavior after a mean disease duration of 9.0 ± 7.2 years. In a logistic regression analysis corrected for disease duration, perianal disease, smoking, steroid use, early AZA or AZA/biological therapy use were independent predictors of disease behavior change. In a subsequent Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and a proportional Cox regression analysis, disease location (P = 0.001), presence of perianal disease (P < 0.001), prior steroid use (P = 0.006), early AZA (P = 0.005) or AZA/biological therapy (P = 0.002), or smoking (P = 0.032) were independent predictors of disease behavior change. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that perianal disease, small bowel disease, smoking, prior steroid use, early AZA or AZA/biological therapy are all predictors of disease behavior change in CD patients. PMID:19630105

Biogeochemistry of uranium mill wastes program overview and conclusions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dreesen, D.R.

1981-05-01

The major findings and conclusions are summarized for research on uranium mill tailings for the US Department of Energy and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. An overview of results and interpretations is presented for investigations of 222 Rn emissions, revegetation of tailings and mine spoils, and trace element enrichment, mobility, and bioavailability. A brief discussion addresses the implications of these findings in relation to tailings disposal technology and proposed uranium recovery processes

Intestinal parasitic infections among children under five years of age presenting with diarrhoeal diseases to two public health facilities in Hawassa, South Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mulatu, Getamesay; Zeynudin, Ahmed; Zemene, Endalew; Debalke, Serkadis; Beyene, Getenet

2015-11-04

Diarrhoea is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years of age in developing countries, including Ethiopia. It is caused by a wide range of pathogens, including parasites, bacteria and viruses. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of infection with intestinal parasites (IPs) (and types) among children under 5 years of age with diarrhoeal diseases. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Adare Hospital and Millennium Health Centre, both located in Hawassa, South Ethiopia, from June 6 to October 28, 2011. Children under 5 years of age with diarrhoea who visited these health facilities during the study period were included in the study. Data relating to demography and risk factors associated with intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) were gathered using a structured questionnaire. Single, fresh stool specimens were examined for IPs using the direct wet mount examination, followed by Ziehl-Neelsen staining of formol-ether concentrated samples, as per standard procedures. Data were analysed using SPSS Statistics 20 software. A total of 158 children (51.3 % male and 48.7 % female) participated in the study. Overall, the prevalence of IPs was 26.6 % (42/158). Two species of IPs were detected in six children (3.8 %). Entamoeba histolytica/dispar/moshkovskii was the predominant parasite identified (11.4 %), followed by Giardia duodenalis (7.0 %). The multivariable analysis revealed that the age group ≥24 months was significantly associated (AOR = 0.221, 95 %CI: 0.085-0.576) with prevalence of IPIs. This study found that intestinal parasites are common among children with diarrheal diseases. The most frequently detected species was E. histolytica/dispar/moshkovskii. Health information about how to prevent diarrheal diseases in general and IPIs in particular should be provided to parents of young children.

Target priority transboundary animal diseases and zoonoses in the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Overall, Rift Valley fever had the highest rank, followed by Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia, Newcastle Disease, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, Lumpy Skin Disease, Peste des Petits des Ruminants, Rabies, Brucellosis, Bovine Tuberculosis, Foot-and Mouth Disease and Sheep and Goat Pox. In conclusion, the ...

19 CFR 210.63 - Proposed findings and conclusions and briefs.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Proposed findings and conclusions and briefs. 210.63 Section 210.63 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION INVESTIGATIONS OF UNFAIR PRACTICES IN IMPORT TRADE ADJUDICATION AND ENFORCEMENT Temporary Relief § 210.63 Proposed findings...

Under- and overnutrition and evidence of metabolic disease risk in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Conclusion: Stunting levels were higher in the boys than in the girls in mid to late childhood in a rural setting in South Africa, while the girls had a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity than the boys. Pre-hypertension prevalence in the boys and girls was high. Other metabolic risk factors, i.e. impaired FG and lipids, ...

Ménière's Disease and Underlying Medical and Mental Conditions: Towards Factors Contributing to the Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamed, Shwan; Khan, Imran; Iliodromiti, Stamatina; Gaggini, Margaret; Kontorinis, Georgios

2016-01-01

To investigate the relation of Ménière's disease (MD) with medical comorbidity or mental conditions. Demographic data, medical and mental comorbidities were retrospectively collected and compared from 3 groups of 30 patients each: a group with patients with definite MD, a second one with patients with vestibulopathies other than MD (non-Ménière's vertigo, NMV) and a third one with patients without any vestibular symptoms (control). The level of significance was set at 0.05. The prevalence of mental conditions was 26.7, 23.3 and 6.7% for the MD, the NMV and the control group, respectively. Medical comorbidity was found in 80% of patients in the MD, 63% in the NMV and 20% in the control group. Arthritis was encountered in 8 patients with MD, 3 with NMV and none from the control group. The differences in prevalence of mental disease, comorbidities and arthritis between the MD and the control group were statistically significant (p = 0.02, p disease. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The resistance response of sunflower genotypes to black stem disease under controlled conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reza DARVISHZADEH

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Phoma black stem, caused by Phoma macdonaldii, is one of the most important diseases of sunflower in the world. The sources of resistance to Phoma black stem were investigated. A total of 184 genotypes, including some recombinant inbred lines (RILs, several M6 mutant lines obtained by gamma irradiation of seed of the genotype AS 613, and other genotypes from different countries, were evaluated against an aggressive French isolate (MP6 in controlled conditions. The study was carried out in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Each replicate consisted of 10–12 seedlings. Twenty μL of spore suspension (106 pycnidiospores mL-1 were deposited on the intersection of the cotyledon petiole and the hypocotyl of sunflower plantlets at the two-leaf stage. The percentage of the area exhibiting disease symptoms was scored on the two cotyledon petioles of each of the plantlets three, five and seven days after inoculation. The disease progress rate (rd, as the slope of the regression line for disease severity against time, was also calculated. Analysis of variance detected significant differences among sunflower genotypes for disease severity 7 days after inoculation,as well as for the disease progress rate. A strong correlation (r=0.96, P<0.01 was found between disease severity 7 days after inoculation and the disease progress rate. The inbred lines F1250/03 (origin: Hungary, M5-54-1, M6-862-1 (mutant lines, SDR 18 (origin: USA and two wild Helianthus accessions, 1012 Nebraska and 211 Illinois, (wild type were highly resistant to Phoma black stem. These findings will assist breeders in choosing parent plants for breeding durable resistance to Phoma black stem.

Coronary heart disease after radiotherapy for peptic ulcer disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carr, Zhanat A.; Land, Charles E.; Kleinerman, Ruth A.; Weinstock, Robert W.; Stovall, Marilyn; Griem, Melvin L.; Mabuchi, Kiyohiko

2005-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and cerebrovascular disease after radiotherapy (RT) for peptic ulcer disease. Methods and materials: Peptic ulcer disease patients treated with RT (n = 1859) or by other means (n = 1860) at the University of Chicago Medical Center between 1936 and 1965, were followed through 1997. The observed numbers of cause-specific deaths were compared with the expected numbers from the general population rates. During RT, 5% of the heart was in the treatment field and the remainder of the heart mostly received scattered radiation. A volume-weighted cardiac dose was computed to describe the average tissue dose to the entire organ. We used Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to analyze the CHD and cerebrovascular disease risk associated with RT, adjusting for confounding factors. Results: Greater than expected CHD mortality was observed among the irradiated patients. The irradiated patients received volume-weighted cardiac doses ranging from 1.6 to 3.9 Gy and the portion of the heart directly in the field received doses of 7.6-18.4 Gy. The CHD risk increased with the cardiac dose (p trend = 0.01). The cerebrovascular disease risk was not associated with the surrogate carotid dose. Conclusion: The excess CHD risk in patients undergoing RT for peptic ulcer disease decades previously indicates the need for long-term follow-up for cardiovascular disease after chest RT

"Jumping to conclusions" in delusion-prone participants: an experimental economics approach.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Leer, Leslie; McKay, Ryan

2014-01-01

That delusional and delusion-prone individuals "jump to conclusions" on probabilistic reasoning tasks is a key finding in cognitive neuropsychiatry. Here we focused on a less frequently investigated aspect of "jumping to conclusions" (JTC): certainty judgments. We incorporated rigorous procedures from experimental economics to eliminate potential confounds of miscomprehension and motivation and systematically investigated the effect of incentives on task performance. Low- and high-delusion-prone participants (n = 109) completed a series of computerised trials; on each trial, they were shown a black or a white fish, caught from one of the two lakes containing fish of both colours in complementary ratios. In the betting condition, participants were given £4 to distribute over the two lakes as they wished; in the control condition, participants simply provided an estimate of how probable each lake was. Deviations from Bayesian probabilities were investigated. Whereas high-delusion-prone participants in both the control and betting conditions underestimated the Bayesian probabilities (i.e. were conservative), low-delusion-prone participants in the control condition underestimated but those in the betting condition provided accurate estimates. In the control condition, there was a trend for high-delusion-prone participants to give higher estimates than low-delusion-prone participants, which is consistent with previous reports of "jumping to conclusions" in delusion-prone participants. However, our findings in the betting condition, where high-delusion-prone participants provided lower estimates than low-delusion-prone participants (who were accurate), are inconsistent with the jumping-to-conclusions effect in both a relative and an absolute sense. Our findings highlight the key role of task incentives and underscore the importance of comparing the responses of delusion-prone participants to an objective rational standard as well as to the responses of non

OligoPVP: Phenotype-driven analysis of individual genomic information to prioritize oligogenic disease variants

KAUST Repository

Boudellioua, Imene

2018-05-02

Purpose: An increasing number of Mendelian disorders have been identified for which two or more variants in one or more genes are required to cause the disease, or significantly modify its severity or phenotype. It is difficult to discover such interactions using existing approaches. The purpose of our work is to develop and evaluate a system that can identify combinations of variants underlying oligogenic diseases in individual whole exome or whole genome sequences. Methods: Information that links patient phenotypes to databases of gene-phenotype associations observed in clinical research can provide useful information and improve variant prioritization for Mendelian diseases. Additionally, background knowledge about interactions between genes can be utilized to guide and restrict the selection of candidate disease modules. Results: We developed OligoPVP, an algorithm that can be used to identify variants in oligogenic diseases and their interactions, using whole exome or whole genome sequences together with patient phenotypes as input. We demonstrate that OligoPVP has significantly improved performance when compared to state of the art pathogenicity detection methods. Conclusions: Our results show that OligoPVP can efficiently detect oligogenic interactions using a phenotype-driven approach and identify etiologically important variants in whole genomes.

Radiation therapy for resistant sternal hydatid disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ulger, S.; Barut, H.; Tunc, M.; Aydinkarahaliloglu, E.; Aydin, E.; Karaoglanoglu, N.; Gokcek, A.

2013-01-01

Hydatid disease is a zoonotic infectious disease for which there are known treatment procedures and effective antibiotics; however, there are resistant cases that do not respond to medication or surgery. We report a case diagnosed as hydatid disease of the chest wall and treated with radiation therapy (RT) after medical and surgical therapy had failed. In conclusion, RT represents an alternative treatment modality in resistant cases. (orig.)

Twenty years of children’s health monitoring: organization, results, conclusions

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Aleksandra Anatol’evna Shabunova

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Deep understanding of human potential reproduction, presenting it as a continuous cycle and reflecting the continuity of generations, is significant for the formation of health and development of children. Today’s children will determine the future of Russian society. It is they who in 10–15 years will be a major part of the labor and creative population, a demographic base of the country. The research into children’s problems through the prism of socio-economic development helps identify targets of the state many-sided policy. The article presents results of the long-term medical sociological monitoring on the formation of child health carried out by the Institute of Socio-Economic Development of Territories of RAS with the support of the Vologda Oblast Healthcare Department since 1995. The special monitoring study of health dynamics in real time is unique not only for the Vologda Oblast, but for Russia as well. It reveals the transformation of a personality and the dependence of these changes on direct and indirect factors. The work’s feature is that it addresses an extremely important and wide range of issues: whether man was born healthy or not, if he/she is unhealthy, then why and why he/she was born unhealthy; whether his/her health after the birth is improving or deteriorating; if health is changing, what causes the changes. The 15 year observations disclose the dynamics of child health in the conditions of transformation processes taking place in the country. If the official statistics only records certain health trends, the monitoring results allow us to talk about them at a qualitatively new level. They reveal the underlying causes of demographic processes. The conclusion is, on the one hand, obvious and, on the other hand, it can not be neglected: economic stability and orderly development of the social sphere are critical for family well-being and child health. The reverse situation leads to the destruction of the family

Discovering hidden relationships between renal diseases and regulated genes through 3D network visualizations

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Bhavnani Suresh K

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In a recent study, two-dimensional (2D network layouts were used to visualize and quantitatively analyze the relationship between chronic renal diseases and regulated genes. The results revealed complex relationships between disease type, gene specificity, and gene regulation type, which led to important insights about the underlying biological pathways. Here we describe an attempt to extend our understanding of these complex relationships by reanalyzing the data using three-dimensional (3D network layouts, displayed through 2D and 3D viewing methods. Findings The 3D network layout (displayed through the 3D viewing method revealed that genes implicated in many diseases (non-specific genes tended to be predominantly down-regulated, whereas genes regulated in a few diseases (disease-specific genes tended to be up-regulated. This new global relationship was quantitatively validated through comparison to 1000 random permutations of networks of the same size and distribution. Our new finding appeared to be the result of using specific features of the 3D viewing method to analyze the 3D renal network. Conclusions The global relationship between gene regulation and gene specificity is the first clue from human studies that there exist common mechanisms across several renal diseases, which suggest hypotheses for the underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, the study suggests hypotheses for why the 3D visualization helped to make salient a new regularity that was difficult to detect in 2D. Future research that tests these hypotheses should enable a more systematic understanding of when and how to use 3D network visualizations to reveal complex regularities in biological networks.

Triglycerides and cardiovascular disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nordestgaard, Børge G; Varbo, Anette

2014-01-01

cholesterol might not cause cardiovascular disease as originally thought has now generated renewed interest in raised concentrations of triglycerides. This renewed interest has also been driven by epidemiological and genetic evidence supporting raised triglycerides, remnant cholesterol, or triglyceride......-rich lipoproteins as an additional cause of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. Triglycerides can be measured in the non-fasting or fasting states, with concentrations of 2-10 mmol/L conferring increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and concentrations greater than 10 mmol/L conferring increased risk...... of acute pancreatitis and possibly cardiovascular disease. Although randomised trials showing cardiovascular benefit of triglyceride reduction are scarce, new triglyceride-lowering drugs are being developed, and large-scale trials have been initiated that will hopefully provide conclusive evidence...

Hypothesis, Prediction, and Conclusion: Using Nature of Science Terminology Correctly

Science.gov (United States)

Eastwell, Peter

2012-01-01

This paper defines the terms "hypothesis," "prediction," and "conclusion" and shows how to use the terms correctly in scientific investigations in both the school and science education research contexts. The scientific method, or hypothetico-deductive (HD) approach, is described and it is argued that an understanding of the scientific method,…

Optimal conclusive teleportation of a d-dimensional two-particle unknown quantum state

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Yang Yu-Guang; Wen Qiao-Yan; Zhu Fu-Chen

2006-01-01

A conclusive teleportation protocol of a d-dimensional two-particle unknown quantum state using three ddimensional particles in an arbitrary pure state is proposed. A sender teleports the unknown state conclusively to a receiver by using the positive operator valued measure(POVM) and introducing an ancillary qudit to perform the generalized Bell basis measurement. We calculate the optimal teleportation fidelity. We also discuss and analyse the reason why the information on the teleported state is lost in the course of the protocol.

The prevalence of severe fatigue in rheumatic diseases: an international study.

Science.gov (United States)

Overman, Cécile L; Kool, Marianne B; Da Silva, José A P; Geenen, Rinie

2016-02-01

Fatigue is a common, disabling, and difficult-to-manage problem in rheumatic diseases. Prevalence estimates of fatigue within rheumatic diseases vary considerably. Data on the prevalence of severe fatigue across multiple rheumatic diseases using a similar instrument is missing. Our aim was to provide an overview of the prevalence of severe fatigue across a broad range of rheumatic diseases and to examine its association with clinical and demographic variables. Online questionnaires were filled out by an international sample of 6120 patients (88 % female, mean age 47) encompassing 30 different rheumatic diseases. Fatigue was measured with the RAND(SF)-36 Vitality scale. A score of ≤35 was taken as representing severe fatigue (90 % sensitivity and 81 % specificity for chronic fatigue syndrome). Severe fatigue was present in 41 to 57 % of patients with a single inflammatory rheumatic disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis, Sjögren's syndrome, psoriatic arthritis, and scleroderma. Severe fatigue was least prevalent in patients with osteoarthritis (35 %) and most prevalent in patients with fibromyalgia (82 %). In logistic regression analysis, severe fatigue was associated with having fibromyalgia, having multiple rheumatic diseases without fibromyalgia, younger age, lower education, and language (French: highest prevalence; Dutch: lowest prevalence). In conclusion, one out of every two patients with a rheumatic disease is severely fatigued. As severe fatigue is detrimental to the patient, the near environment, and society at large, unraveling the underlying mechanisms of fatigue and developing optimal treatment should be top priorities in rheumatologic research and practice.

Defining normal liver stiffness range in a normal healthy Chinese population without liver disease.

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James Fung

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: For patients with chronic liver disease, different optimal liver stiffness cut-off values correspond to different stages of fibrosis, which are specific for the underlying liver disease and population. AIMS: To establish the normal ranges of liver stiffness in the healthy Chinese population without underlying liver disease. METHODS: This is a prospective cross sectional study of 2,528 healthy volunteers recruited from the general population and the Red Cross Transfusion Center in Hong Kong. All participants underwent a comprehensive questionnaire survey, measurement of weight, height, and blood pressure. Fasting liver function tests, glucose and cholesterol was performed. Abdominal ultrasound and transient elastography were performed on all participants. RESULTS: Of the 2,528 subjects, 1,998 were excluded with either abnormal liver parenchyma on ultrasound, chronic medical condition, abnormal blood tests including liver enzymes, fasting glucose, fasting cholesterol, high body mass index, high blood pressure, or invalid liver stiffness scan. The reference range for the 530 subjects without known liver disease was 2.3 to 5.9 kPa (mean 4.1, SD 0.89. The median liver stiffness was higher in males compared with females (4.3 vs 4.0 kPa respectively, p55 years (p=0.001. CONCLUSIONS: The healthy reference range for liver stiffness in the Chinese population is 2.3 to 5.9 kPa. Female gender and older age group was associated with a lower median liver stiffness.

In depth analysis of risk factors for coeliac disease amongst children under 18 years Old in the Gaza strip. A cross sectional study

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Al-Raee Mohammad B

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Coeliac disease is an important clinical disorder affecting the human gastrointestinal tract leading to multiple signs and symptoms in different body organs. This disease was the subject of a cross sectional descriptive-analytic study conducted in the Gaza Strip during 2010. Objectives were oriented to identify and verify several variables and attributes affecting the prognosis of coeliac disease in the patients. Ninety five children out of 113 patients were arranged into two groups according to age from 2 to 11 years and from 12 to 18 years old. Results showed the poor interest of health professionals regarding coeliac disease in the Gaza Strip. The mean age of study population was 5.47 years for males and 8.93 years for females. The lifestyle of coeliac patients was directly proportional with better nutritional indictors. Poor recognition of the emblem illustrating gluten in foods implicates effective health awareness or promotion. The more knowledgeable patients or mothers (P = 0.036 were the more compliant. The compliance to giving gluten free foods outside home was statistically significant (P = 0.037. Similarly, cautious approach when buying foods or detergents (P = 0.011. According to BMI 74.4%, 23.4% and 3.2% of all patients were normal, underweight and overweight respectively. Albumin blood level was normal in 32.6% and low in 67.4%. Meanwhile, blood calcium level was normal in 76.8%, low in 21.1% and high in 2.1% of all patients. Conclusion: The study showed that recreation and social activities for coeliac patients are substantially missing in the Gaza Strip. Moreover, the study proved that AEI is a reliable centre for care of coeliac disease patients and conducting relevant studies. Recommendation: There is a need for thorough and continuous community and institutional mobilization regarding coeliac disease in the Gaza Strip and in Palestine.

Expression of self-complementary hairpin RNA under the control of the rolC promoter confers systemic disease resistance to plum pox virus without preventing local infection

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Spena Angelo

2003-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Homology-dependent selective degradation of RNA, or post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS, is involved in several biological phenomena, including adaptative defense mechanisms against plant viruses. Small interfering RNAs mediate the selective degradation of target RNA by guiding a multicomponent RNAse. Expression of self-complementary hairpin RNAs within two complementary regions separated by an intron elicits PTGS with high efficiency. Plum pox virus (PPV is the etiological agent of sharka disease in Drupaceae, although it can also be transmitted to herbaceous species (e.g. Nicotiana benthamiana. Once inside the plant, PPV is transmitted via plasmodesmata from cell to cell, and at longer distances, via phloem. The rolC promoter drives expression in phloem cells. RolC expression is absent in both epidermal and mesophyll cells. The aim of the present study was to confer systemic disease resistance without preventing local viral infection. Results In the ihprolC-PP197 gene (intron hair pin rolC PPV 197, a 197 bp sequence homologous to the PPV RNA genome (from base 134 to 330 was placed as two inverted repeats separated by the DNA sequence of the rolA intron. This hairpin construct is under the control of the rolC promoter.N. benthamiana plants transgenic for the ihprolC-PP197 gene contain siRNAs homologous to the 197 bp sequence. The transgenic progeny of ihprolC-PP197 plants are resistant to PPV systemic infection. Local infection is unaffected. Most (80% transgenic plants are virus free and symptomless. Some plants (20% contain virus in uninoculated apical leaves; however they show only mild symptoms of leaf mottling. PPV systemic resistance cosegregates with the ihprolC-PP197 transgene and was observed in progeny plants of all independent transgenic lines analyzed. SiRNAs of 23–25 nt homologous to the PPV sequence used in the ihprolC-PP197 construct were detected in transgenic plants before and after inoculation

Alpers' Disease

Science.gov (United States)

... underlying liver disease, failure to thrive, infection-associated encephalopathy, spasticity, myoclonus (involuntary jerking of a muscle or group of muscles), seizures, or liver failure. An increased protein level is seen in ...

Menopause and Rheumatic Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Talsania, Mitali; Scofield, Robert Hal

2017-05-01

Menopause occurs naturally in women at about 50 years of age. There is a wealth of data concerning the relationship of menopause to systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis; there are limited data concerning other rheumatic diseases. Age at menopause may affect the risk and course of rheumatic diseases. Osteoporosis, an integral part of inflammatory rheumatic diseases, is made worse by menopause. Hormone replacement therapy has been studied; its effects vary depending on the disease and even different manifestations within the same disease. Cyclophosphamide can induce early menopause, but there is underlying decreased ovarian reserve in rheumatic diseases. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Management of adynamic bone disease in chronic kidney disease: A brief review

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Swathi K. Sista

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO work group released recommendations in 2006 to define the bone-related pathology associated with chronic kidney disease as renal osteodystrophy. In 2009, KDIGO released revised clinical practice guidelines which redefined systemic disorders of bone and mineral metabolism due to chronic kidney disease as chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorders. Conditions under this overarching term include osteitis fibrosa cystica, osteomalacia, and adynamic bone disease. We aim to provide a brief review of the histopathology, pathophysiology, epidemiology, and diagnostic features of adynamic bone disease, focusing on current trends in the management of this complex bone disorder.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Primary Immunodeficiencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelsen, Judith R; Sullivan, Kathleen E

2017-08-01

Inflammatory bowel disease is most often a polygenic disorder with contributions from the intestinal microbiome, defects in barrier function, and dysregulated host responses to microbial stimulation. There is, however, increasing recognition of single gene defects that underlie a subset of patients with inflammatory bowel disease, particularly those with early-onset disease, and this review focuses on the primary immunodeficiencies associated with early-onset inflammatory bowel disease. The advent of next-generation sequencing has led to an improved recognition of single gene defects underlying some cases of inflammatory bowel disease. Among single gene defects, immune response genes are the most frequent category identified. This is also true of common genetic variants associated with inflammatory bowel disease, supporting a pivotal role for host responses in the pathogenesis. This review focuses on practical aspects related to diagnosis and management of children with inflammatory bowel disease who have underlying primary immunodeficiencies.

The role of fecal calprotectin in investigating inflammatory bowel diseases

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Mustafa Erbayrak

2009-05-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Invasive and non-invasive tests can be used to evaluate the activity of inflammatory bowel diseases. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of fecal calprotectin in evaluating inflammatory bowel disease activity and the correlation of fecal calprotectin with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C reactive protein values in inflammatory bowel disease. METHOD: Sixty-five patients affected with inflammatory bowel disease were enrolled. Twenty outpatients diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease comprised the control group. RESULTS: In the present study, all patients in the control group had an fecal calprotectin value lower than the cut-off point (50 mg/kg. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, fecal calprotectin was found to be strongly associated with colorectal inflammation indicating organic disease. Fecal calprotectin is a simple and non-invasive method for assessing excretion of macrophages into the gut lumen. Fecal calprotectin values can be used to evaluate the response to treatment, to screen asymptomatic patients, and to predict inflammatory bowel disease relapses.

A cross sectional study of Infectious Bursal Disease and Newcastle Disease in poultry in Narsingdi district of Bangladesh

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Shariful Islam

2016-12-01

Conclusion: IBD and ND are highly prevalent in the study area. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct effective control measures to reduce the prevalence of these diseases. This study can help in designing appropriate control measures considering risk factors of these diseases. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2016; 3(4.000: 406-412

Manipulating the gut microbiota to maintain health and treat disease

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Karen P. Scott

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Background: The intestinal microbiota composition varies between healthy and diseased individuals for numerous diseases. Although any cause or effect relationship between the alterations in the gut microbiota and disease is not always clear, targeting the intestinal microbiota might offer new possibilities for prevention and/or treatment of disease. Objective: Here we review some examples of manipulating the intestinal microbiota by prebiotics, probiotics, and fecal microbial transplants. Results: Prebiotics are best known for their ability to increase the number of bifidobacteria. However, specific prebiotics could potentially also stimulate other species they can also stimulate other species associated with health, like Akkermansia muciniphila, Ruminococcus bromii, the Roseburia/Enterococcus rectale group, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. Probiotics have beneficial health effects for different diseases and digestive symptoms. These effects can be due to the direct effect of the probiotic bacterium or its products itself, as well as effects of the probiotic on the resident microbiota. Probiotics can influence the microbiota composition as well as the activity of the resident microbiota. Fecal microbial transplants are a drastic intervention in the gut microbiota, aiming for total replacement of one microbiota by another. With numerous successful studies related to antibiotic-associated diarrhea and Clostridium difficile infection, the potential of fecal microbial transplants to treat other diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and metabolic and cardiovascular disorders is under investigation. Conclusions: Improved knowledge on the specific role of gut microbiota in prevention and treatment of disease will help more targeted manipulation of the intestinal microbiota. Further studies are necessary to see the (long term effects for health of these interventions.

Crohn's disease.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Shanahan, Fergus

2012-02-03

Crohn\\'s disease is a disorder mediated by T lymphocytes which arises in genetically susceptible individuals as a result of a breakdown in the regulatory constraints on mucosal immune responses to enteric bacteria. Regulation of immune reactivity to enteric antigens has improved understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of Crohn\\'s disease, and has expanded therapeutic options for patients with this disorder. Disease heterogeneity is probable, with various underlying defects associated with a similar pathophysiological outcome. Although most conventional drug treatments are directed at modification of host response, therapeutic manipulation of the enteric flora is becoming a realistic option.

Conclusion of the I.C.T. benchmark exercise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giacometti, A.

1991-01-01

The ICT Benchmark exercise made within the RIV working group of ESARDA on reprocessing data supplied by COGEMA for 53 routines reprocessing input batches made of 110 irradiated fuel assemblies from KWO Nuclear Power Plant was finally evaluated. The conclusions are: all seven different ICT methods applied verified the operator data on plutonium within about one percent; anomalies intentionally introduced to the operator data were detected in 90% of the cases; the nature of the introduced anomalies, which were unknown to the participants, was completely resolved for the safeguards relevant cases; the false alarm rate was in a few percent range. The ICT Benchmark results shows that this technique is capable of detecting and resolving anomalies in the reprocessing input data to the order of a percent

Analysis of underlying and multiple-cause mortality data.

Science.gov (United States)

Moussa, M A; El Sayed, A M; Sugathan, T N; Khogali, M M; Verma, D

1992-01-01

"A variety of life table models were used for the analysis of the (1984-86) Kuwaiti cause-specific mortality data. These models comprised total mortality, multiple-decrement, cause-elimination, cause-delay and disease dependency. The models were illustrated by application to a set of four chronic diseases: hypertensive, ischaemic heart, cerebrovascular and diabetes mellitus. The life table methods quantify the relative weights of different diseases as hazards to mortality after adjustment for other causes. They can also evaluate the extent of dependency between underlying cause of death and other causes mentioned on [the] death certificate using an extended underlying-cause model." (SUMMARY IN FRE AND ITA) excerpt

Anti-glomerular basement membrane disease superimposed on membranous nephropathy: a case report and review of the literature

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Nivera Noel

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Anti-glomerular basement membrane disease is a rare autoimmune disorder characterized by pulmonary hemorrhage, crescentic glomerulonephritis and the presence of circulating anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies. The simultaneous occurrence of both anti-glomerular basement membrane disease and membranous nephropathy is rare. Case presentation A 59-year-old Hispanic man presented with acute onset of nausea and vomiting and was found to have renal insufficiency. Work-up included a kidney biopsy, which revealed anti-glomerular basement membrane disease with underlying membranous nephropathy. He was treated with emergent hemodialysis, intravenous corticosteroids, plasmapheresis, and cyclophosphamide without improvement in his renal function. Conclusion Simultaneous anti-glomerular basement membrane disease and membranous nephropathy is very rare. There have been 16 previous case reports in the English language literature that have been associated with a high mortality and morbidity, and a very high rate of renal failure resulting in hemodialysis. Co-existence of membranous nephropathy and anti-glomerular basement membrane disease may be immune-mediated, although the exact mechanism is not clear.

Biosafety level-2 laboratory diagnosis of Zaire Ebola virus disease imported from Liberia to Nigeria

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Olumuyiwa B. Salu

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Global travel is an efficient route of transmission for highly infectious pathogens and increases the chances of such pathogens moving from high disease-endemic areas to new regions. We describe the rapid and safe identification of the first imported case of Ebola virus disease in a traveler to Lagos, Nigeria, using conventional reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR in a biosafety level (BSL-2 facility. Case presentation: On 20 July 2014, a traveler arrived from Liberia at Lagos International Airport and was admitted to a private hospital in Lagos, with clinical suspicion of Ebola virus disease. Methodology and Outcome: Blood and urine specimens were collected, transported to the Virology Unit Laboratory at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, and processed under stringent biosafety conditions for viral RNA extraction. RT-PCR was set-up to query the Ebola, Lassa and Dengue fever viruses. Amplicons for pan-filoviruses were detected as 300 bp bands on a 1.5% agarose gel image; there were no detectable bands for Lassa and Dengue viral RNA. Nucleotide BLAST and phylogenetic analysis of sequence data of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (L gene confirmed the sequence to be Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV/Hsap/ NGA/2014/LIB-NIG 01072014; Genbank: KM251803.1. Conclusion: Our BSL-2 facility in Lagos, Nigeria, was able to safely detect Ebola virus disease using molecular techniques, supporting the reliability of molecular detection of highly infectious viral pathogens under stringent safety guidelines in BSL-2 laboratories. This is a significant lesson for the many under-facilitated laboratories in resource-limited settings, as is predominantly found in sub-Saharan Africa.

Change in the intrathyroidal kinetics of radioiodine under continued and discontinued antithyroid medication in Graves' disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dunkelmann, Simone; Kuenstner, Hubertus; Nabavi, Elham; Rohde, Bettina; Groth, Peter; Schuemichen, Carl [University of Rostock, Clinic of Nuclear Medicine, Rostock (Germany)

2007-02-15

This study evaluated the thyroidal kinetics of radioiodine in Graves' disease under continued thiamazole medication and after discontinuation of thiamazole for 1-2 days, with a view to keeping the period of discontinuation as short as possible and to exploring the underlying mechanism of a postulated radioprotective effect of antithyroid drugs. In 316 patients, diagnostic and therapeutic radioiodine kinetics were followed up for 2 days by ten uptake measurements each and were defined mathematically by a two-compartment model. Without thiamazole or when thiamazole was discontinued for at least 2 days, all uptake curves could be fitted perfectly by a simple in- and output function; the mean square error (mse) was 0.38 (test) and 0.28 (therapy). Under continued thiamazole medication (11.0{+-}7.0 mg/day), the energy dose delivered to the thyroid was lowered by factor of 2.5. Uptake curves were deformed (mse: 1.06, test and 0.86, therapy) and appeared two peaked, suggesting coexistence of follicles with blocked and follicles with intact hormone synthesis and hence heterogeneous radioiodine uptake in the thyroid. In patients with maximally altered uptake curves, the success rate was as low as 31%. One day after discontinuation of thiamazole, mse was still increased (0.78, test), while 2 days afterwards it had normalised (0.36, test) and 3 days afterwards (mse: 0.24, therapy) the success rate was 87%. Efficacy of radioiodine therapy under continued thiamazole medication is reduced not only by a lower uptake and shorter half-life of radioiodine, but also by a heterogeneous energy dose distribution in the thyroid. Discontinuation of thiamazole (but probably not of propylthiouracil) for at least 2 days is required to restore the efficacy of radioiodine. (orig.)

Immunologic lung disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harman, E.M.

1985-01-01

The term immunologic lung disease comprises a broad spectrum of disease. The authors have covered a few entities in which recent studies have been particularly helpful in elucidating pathophysiology though not in uncovering the inciting cause. Common to all of these entities is the problem of finding appropriate methods of defining disease activity and response to treatment. As exemplified by the improved outlook for Goodpasture's syndrome with elucidation of its underlying immunopathology, it is likely that better understanding of the immunologic basis of sarcoid and interstitial disease may be helpful in planning more effective treatment strategies. 44 references

Novel combined management approaches to patients with diabetes, chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Spaak, J

2017-03-01

Most patients we care for today suffer from more than one chronic disease, and multimorbidity is a rapidly growing challenge. Concomitant cardiovascular disease, renal dysfunction and diabetes represent a large proportion of all patients in cardiology, nephrology and diabetology. These entities commonly overlap due to their negative effects on vascular function and an accelerated atherosclerosis progression. At the same time, a progressive subspecialisation has caused the cardiologist to treat 'only' the heart, nephrologists 'only' the kidneys and endocrinologists' 'only' diabetes. Studies and guidelines follow the same pattern. This often requires patients to visit specialists for each field, with a risk of both under-diagnosis and under-treatment. From the patient's perspective, there is a great need for coordination and facilitation of the care, not only to reduce disease progression but also to improve quality of life. Person-centred integrated clinics for patients with cardiovascular disease, renal dysfunction and diabetes are a promising approach for complex chronic disease management.

Similarity-based search of model organism, disease and drug effect phenotypes

KAUST Repository

Hoehndorf, Robert

2015-02-19

Background: Semantic similarity measures over phenotype ontologies have been demonstrated to provide a powerful approach for the analysis of model organism phenotypes, the discovery of animal models of human disease, novel pathways, gene functions, druggable therapeutic targets, and determination of pathogenicity. Results: We have developed PhenomeNET 2, a system that enables similarity-based searches over a large repository of phenotypes in real-time. It can be used to identify strains of model organisms that are phenotypically similar to human patients, diseases that are phenotypically similar to model organism phenotypes, or drug effect profiles that are similar to the phenotypes observed in a patient or model organism. PhenomeNET 2 is available at http://aber-owl.net/phenomenet. Conclusions: Phenotype-similarity searches can provide a powerful tool for the discovery and investigation of molecular mechanisms underlying an observed phenotypic manifestation. PhenomeNET 2 facilitates user-defined similarity searches and allows researchers to analyze their data within a large repository of human, mouse and rat phenotypes.

An analysis of workers’ rights under the EU Directive on takeover bids : Conclusion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cremers, Jan; Vitols, Sigurt; Cremers, Jan; Vitols, Sigurt

2016-01-01

The chapters in this book cover much ground and indicate significant variation between countries regarding the strength of the rights that workers have in takeover situations. The company case studies also indicate wide variation in the degree to which workers can defend their interests in such

Coeliac disease in Asians in a single centre in southern Derbyshire

Science.gov (United States)

Holmes, Geoffrey KT; Moor, Fiona

2012-01-01

Background Coeliac disease affects adult Asians from north India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in the UK but how commonly this occurs is unknown. An audit of coeliac disease was therefore conducted in a well-defined area in southern Derbyshire. Methods All white and Asian patients with biopsy-confirmed coeliac disease diagnosed between 1958 and 2008 were identified. Population data from the Office of National Statistics allowed the calculation of prevalence. Presenting symptoms, adherence to a gluten-free diet and follow-up record were determined for Asians and compared with matched white patients. Results Among 1305 coeliac patients diagnosed between 1958 and 2008, 82 were Asian. Coeliac disease occurred significantly more frequently in Asian than white individuals and this could be attributed to the significantly higher prevalence in women 16 years and older and under 60 years of age. No Asian man over the age of 65 years was diagnosed with coeliac disease. Asians are more likely to present with anaemia and less likely to present with diarrhoea than white individuals. Asians are less likely to adhere to a strict gluten-free diet than white patients. Conclusions This baseline audit indicates that increased efforts should be directed towards diagnosing coeliac disease in Asian men over the age of 65 years, in whom at present it is unrepresented. Strategies also need to be developed to help more Asian patients adhere strictly to the gluten-free diet. PMID:28839681

The diversity–disease relationship

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huang, Z.Y.X.; Langevelde, van F.; Estrada-Peña, A.; Suzán, G.; Boer, de W.F.

2016-01-01

The dilution effect, that high host species diversity can reduce disease risk, has attracted much attention in the context of global biodiversity decline and increasing disease emergence. Recent studies have criticized the generality of the dilution effect and argued that it only occurs under

Ultrasonographic differentiation between Kikuchi's disease and lymphoma in patients with cervical lymphadenopathy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lo, Wu-Chia; Chang, Wen-Cheng; Lin, Yu-Chin; Hsu, Yao-Peng; Liao, Li-Jen

2012-01-01

Purpose: Kikuchi's disease, or histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, is a self-limited necrotizing lymphadenitis. Clinically, it resembles lymphoma. We want to compare the sonographic features between Kikuchi's disease and lymphoma in patients with cervical lymphadenopathy. Materials and methods: The study protocol was approved by the institutional review board. Two hundred and twenty six cervical lymph nodes (137 nodes from 21 Kikuchi's disease patients and 89 nodes from 20 malignant lymphoma patients) were examined. The demographic and ultrasonographic characteristics of lymph nodes were collected and analyzed. Results: The Kikuchi's disease patients (mean age, 24.2 years; range, 8–57 years) were younger than those with lymphoma (mean age, 54 years; range, 13–81 years). There was no difference in laterality of nodes (p = 0.19). The nodal distribution demonstrated most enlarged neck lymph nodes located at level II, III and V. The ranges of short-axis and long-axis length were 6.5 ± 2.3 mm (mean ± SD) versus 13.4 ± 5.1 mm and 13.4 ± 5.0 mm versus 21.2 ± 9.2 mm for Kikuchi's disease versus lymphoma (p 0.05). Conclusion: Analysis of basic ultrasonographic characteristics (size, shape, rims, matting and echotexture) helps differentiate cervical lymph nodes in patients with Kikuchi's disease and lymphoma. Cervical lymphadenopathies in patients with Kikuchi's disease have smaller size, less round, less micronodular reticular echotexture, and more signs of matting and cortical widening than those with lymphoma examined under ultrasound.

A study on periodontal disease and systemic disease relationship a hospital based study in Bangalore

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Sukhvinder Singh Oberoi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Periodontal deterioration has been reported to be associated with various systemic conditions like Cardiovascular disease, Diabetes, Respiratory disease, Liver cirrhosis, Bacterial Pneumonia, Nutritional deficiencies and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Aim: To assess the periodontal disease among patients with systemic disease/conditions. Materials and Method: A total of 500 patients with systemic disease/conditions (Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease, Respiratory disease and Renal disease and 500-age and gender matched controls without systemic disease/conditions were selected from the Government Hospitals in Bangalore City. The medical conditions were recorded and the periodontal status of the study population was assessed using the CPITN index. Results: The prevalence of CPITN Code 4 was found to be more among the patients with systemic disease/conditions (46.2%. The mean number of sextants with CPITN code 3 and 4 were more among the patients with systemic disease/conditions. The prevalence of CPITN code was found to be more among the patients with Respiratory disease whereas the mean number of sextants was found to be more among the patients with Diabetes, Cardiovascular and Renal disease. Conclusion: It may be concluded that the systemic diseases/conditions are associated with higher severity of periodontal disease.

Gulf War Illnesses: DOD's Conclusions about U.S. Troops' Exposure Cannot Be Adequately Supported

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Rhodes, Keith

2004-01-01

... (MOD) conclusions about troops' exposure. The GAO found that DoD's and MOD's conclusions about troops' exposure to CW agents, based on DoD and CIA plume modeling, cannot be adequately supported...

Modeling systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease in rats under the adverse weather conditions

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Yegudina Ye.D.

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Changes in the lungs, heart and kidneys are found in all animals with experimental systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease and respectively in 47%, 47% and 40% of cases of intact rats in a hostile environment with xenobiotics air pollution (ammonia + benzene + formalin, herewith in every third or fourth individual lesions of visceral vessels developed. The negative environmental situation increases the frequency of morphological signs of the disease, such as proliferation of endothelial vessels of the heart by 68% and renal arterioles by 52%, in addition, there are direct correlations of angiopathy degree in individual organs; this depends on the nature of pathological process modeling and demonstrates air pollution as a risk factor of disease in humans. The impact of pulmonary vessels sclerosis on the development of bronhosclerosis, perivascular infiltration of the heart muscle on the lymphocyte-macrophage infiltration of the stroma of the myocardium and sclerosis of renal arterioles on the degree of nephroslerosis of stroma is directly associated, with the model of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases whereas air pollution by xenobiotics determines dependences of the degree of cellular infiltration of alveolar septa from perivascular pulmonary infiltration, the development of cardiomyocytes hypertrophy from proliferation of the heart endothelial vessels, increase of kidney mesangial matrix from the proliferation of endothelial glomerular capillaries.

Is α‐T catenin (VR22) an Alzheimer's disease risk gene?

Science.gov (United States)

Bertram, Lars; Mullin, Kristina; Parkinson, Michele; Hsiao, Monica; Moscarillo, Thomas J; Wagner, Steven L; Becker, K David; Velicelebi, Gonul; Blacker, Deborah; Tanzi, Rudolph E

2007-01-01

Background Recently, conflicting reports have been published on the potential role of genetic variants in the α‐T catenin gene (VR22; CTNNA3) on the risk for Alzheimer's disease. In these papers, evidence for association is mostly observed in multiplex families with Alzheimer's disease, whereas case–control samples of sporadic Alzheimer's disease are predominantly negative. Methods After sequencing VR22 in multiplex families with Alzheimer's disease linked to chromosome 10q21, we identified a novel non‐synonymous (Ser596Asn; rs4548513) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). This and four non‐coding SNPs were assessed in two independent samples of families with Alzheimer's disease, one with 1439 subjects from 437 multiplex families with Alzheimer's disease and the other with 489 subjects from 217 discordant sibships. Results A weak association with the Ser596Asn SNP in the multiplex sample, predominantly in families with late‐onset Alzheimer's disease (p = 0.02), was observed. However, this association does not seem to contribute substantially to the chromosome 10 Alzheimer's disease linkage signal that we and others have reported previously. No evidence was found of association with any of the four additional SNPs tested in the multiplex families with Alzheimer's disease. Finally, the Ser596Asn change was not associated with the risk for Alzheimer's disease in the independent discordant sibship sample. Conclusions This is the first study to report evidence of an association between a potentially functional, non‐synonymous SNP in VR22 and the risk for Alzheimer's disease. As the underlying effects are probably small, and are only seen in families with multiple affected members, the population‐wide significance of this finding remains to be determined. PMID:17209133

Integrated molecular landscape of Parkinson's disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klemann, C.J.H.M.; Martens, G.J.; Sharma, M.; Martens, M.B.; Isacson, O.; Gasser, T.; Visser, J.E.; Poelmans, G.J.V.

2017-01-01

Parkinson's disease is caused by a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors. Although a number of independent molecular pathways and processes have been associated with familial Parkinson's disease, a common mechanism underlying especially sporadic Parkinson's disease is still largely

On an experimental curiosity that if undetected may lead to erroneous far-reaching conclusions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noninski, V.C.; Ciottone, J.L.; White, P.J.

1997-01-01

This letter gives a brief discussion of the possibilities of inducing nuclear effects by carrying out only chemical reactions. Undoubtedly, this interest is a result of the still unresolved problem of 'cold fusion,' and some colleagues tend to see a clear connection, and even an extension of the studies, between cold fusion and the alleged chemical transmutation of elements. While we have already published thorough reports (negative so far) of our studies with regard to the claimed increase of gamma-ray emission and beta decay after burning of a mixture of chemicals, this letter informs the Fusion Technology readership of an experimental curiosity that is encountered during similar studies that initially led us to an erroneous conclusion. As in previous studies, we compared certain radiochemical properties of a mixture of chemicals before and after a chemical reaction (burning). Under discussion here is a peak that we observed in the range of 412 keV in the gamma spectrum in one of the burned samples after neutron activating it for 3 min at 1 kW. This peak was ostensibly not present in the same sample unburned. 4 refs., 2 figs

The molecular basis for oat intolerance in patients with celiac disease.

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Helene Arentz-Hansen

2004-10-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Celiac disease is a small intestinal inflammatory disorder characterized by malabsorption, nutrient deficiency, and a range of clinical manifestations. It is caused by an inappropriate immune response to dietary gluten and is treated with a gluten-free diet. Recent feeding studies have indicated oats to be safe for celiac disease patients, and oats are now often included in the celiac disease diet. This study aimed to investigate whether oat intolerance exists in celiac disease and to characterize the cells and processes underlying this intolerance. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We selected for study nine adults with celiac disease who had a history of oats exposure. Four of the patients had clinical symptoms on an oats-containing diet, and three of these four patients had intestinal inflammation typical of celiac disease at the time of oats exposure. We established oats-avenin-specific and -reactive intestinal T-cell lines from these three patients, as well as from two other patients who appeared to tolerate oats. The avenin-reactive T-cell lines recognized avenin peptides in the context of HLA-DQ2. These peptides have sequences rich in proline and glutamine residues closely resembling wheat gluten epitopes. Deamidation (glutamine-->glutamic acid conversion by tissue transglutaminase was involved in the avenin epitope formation. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that some celiac disease patients have avenin-reactive mucosal T-cells that can cause mucosal inflammation. Oat intolerance may be a reason for villous atrophy and inflammation in patients with celiac disease who are eating oats but otherwise are adhering to a strict gluten-free diet. Clinical follow-up of celiac disease patients eating oats is advisable.

Prevalence of Lyme disease among forestry workers

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Piotr Paweł Kocbach

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Background: The aim of the study is to assess the incidence of Lyme disease, established diagnosis based on medical history and clinical symptoms, serology, duration of exposure in the workplace and occupational disease certification among forestry workers in selected districts of the Warmia and Mazury region. Material and Methods: The study consisted of annual screening of 332 employees in 6 forest districts under the supervision of the Health Center Medica in Ostróda. Serological tests were performed in all serum samples and IgG and IgM antibodies were determined by ELISA test. Positive results were confirmed by Western-blot test. Diagnosis was made based on medical history and clinical symptoms. Results were presented by the division of selected forest districts, gender, duration of exposure in the workplace and genospecies of spirochete Borrelia responsible for the disease development. Results: Lyme disease incidence was found in all selected forest districts. Positive results in Western-blot test were determined in 120 people (63.1% of all the surveyed. However, after taking a detailed medical history of the patients Lyme disease was diagnosed in 91 people which makes 27.4% of all the examined. Among patients with diagnosed disease, IgG antibodies were found in 76 people, IgM in 25 people, while both IgM and IgG in 10 people. There was also variation in the involvement of genospecies generating the disease; spirochete B. afzeli – 46% for IgG antibodies, whereas spirochete B. burgdorferi – 50% of all cases for IgM antibodies. At the same time the relationship between the extended duration of occupational exposure to tick bites and the increased incidence of Lyme disease was confirmed, indicating the group of workers employed for at least 25 years. Conclusions: Forestry districts of the Warmia and Mazury region, creates extremely dangerous occupational conditions because of exposure to tick bites. At the same time the duration of

Disease candidate gene identification and prioritization using protein interaction networks

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Aronow Bruce J

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although most of the current disease candidate gene identification and prioritization methods depend on functional annotations, the coverage of the gene functional annotations is a limiting factor. In the current study, we describe a candidate gene prioritization method that is entirely based on protein-protein interaction network (PPIN analyses. Results For the first time, extended versions of the PageRank and HITS algorithms, and the K-Step Markov method are applied to prioritize disease candidate genes in a training-test schema. Using a list of known disease-related genes from our earlier study as a training set ("seeds", and the rest of the known genes as a test list, we perform large-scale cross validation to rank the candidate genes and also evaluate and compare the performance of our approach. Under appropriate settings – for example, a back probability of 0.3 for PageRank with Priors and HITS with Priors, and step size 6 for K-Step Markov method – the three methods achieved a comparable AUC value, suggesting a similar performance. Conclusion Even though network-based methods are generally not as effective as integrated functional annotation-based methods for disease candidate gene prioritization, in a one-to-one comparison, PPIN-based candidate gene prioritization performs better than all other gene features or annotations. Additionally, we demonstrate that methods used for studying both social and Web networks can be successfully used for disease candidate gene prioritization.

Hyperosmia in Lyme disease

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Basant K. Puri

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Neurological involvement in Lyme disease has been reported to include meningitis, cranial neuropathy and radiculoneuritis. While it is known that in some cases of asceptic meningitis patients may develop hyperosmia, the association between hyperosmia and Lyme disease has not previously been studied. Objective To carry out the first systematic study to ascertain whether hyperosmia is also a feature of Lyme disease. Method A questionnaire regarding abnormal sensory sensitivity in respect of the sense of smell was administered to 16 serologically positive Lyme disease patients and to 18 control subjects. Results The two groups were matched in respect of age, sex and body mass. None of the 34 subjects was suffering from migraine. Eight (50% of the Lyme patients and none (0% of the controls suffered from hyperosmia (p=0.0007. Conclusion This first systematic controlled study showed that Lyme disease is associated with hyperosmia.

Position paper: periodontal diseases of children and adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Califano, Joseph V

2003-11-01

Children and adolescents are subject to several periodontal diseases. Although there is a much lower prevalence of destructive periodontal diseases in children than in adults, children can develop severe forms of periodontitis. In some cases, this destructive disease is a manifestation of a known underlying systemic disease. In other young patients, the underlying cause for increased susceptibility and early onset of disease is unknown. These diseases are often familial, suggesting a genetic predisposition for aggressive disease. Current modalities for managing periodontal diseases of children and adolescents may include antibiotic therapy in combination with non-surgical and/or surgical therapy. Since early diagnosis ensures the greatest chance for successful treatment, it is important that children receive a periodontal examination as part of their routine dental visits.

Influence of air pollution on hospital admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in Niš, Serbia

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Milošević Zoran

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. In studies that investigate the health effects of short-term air pollution exposure, population-wide changes in acute outcomes such as mortality, hospital admissions and healthcare visits are linked to short-term variations in ambient pollutant concentrations. The aim of this study was to estimate the association between daily outdoor black smoke and sulphur dioxide levels and hospital admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in Niš, within a period 2001-2005. Methods. A time series analysis was performed using separated regression models for each pollutant and disease group, by age groups and population as a whole. The effects of copollutant, meteorological factors and cyclic oscillations in hospitalization numbers were controlled. Results. A significant increase in hospital admissions was associated with a 10 μg/m3 increase in the concentration of black smoke, for cardiovascular diseases: 3.14% (< 0.01 in children and youth under 19 years of age, 1.85% (< 0.001 in 19-64 age group, and 0.84% (< 0.05 in all ages, and for respiratory diseases: 1.77% (< 0.05 in 19-64 age group, and 0.91% (< 0.05 in all ages. The effects on hospitalizations for respiratory diseases in children and youth under 19 years of age, and for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in the elderly were not statistically significant. The increase of sulphur dioxide level was associated with the increased number of hospitalizations, for both cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in all age groups, but the influence was not statistically significant. Conclusion. Outdoor pollutants concentrations in urban area of Niš were below regulated limit values during most of the investigated period days but it is shown that even such a level of pollution has a significant effect on hospital admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

Cosmological Gamma-Ray Bursts and Hypernovae Conclusively Linked

Science.gov (United States)

2003-06-01

. Thousands of years prior to this explosion, a very massive star, running out of hydrogen fuel, let loose much of its outer envelope, transforming itself into a bluish Wolf-Rayet star [3]. The remains of the star contained about 10 solar masses worth of helium, oxygen and heavier elements. In the years before the explosion, the Wolf-Rayet star rapidly depleted its remaining fuel. At some moment, this suddenly triggered the hypernova/gamma-ray burst event. The core collapsed, without the outer part of the star knowing. A black hole formed inside, surrounded by a disk of accreting matter. Within a few seconds, a jet of matter was launched away from that black hole. The jet passed through the outer shell of the star and, in conjunction with vigorous winds of newly formed radioactive nickel-56 blowing off the disk inside, shattered the star. This shattering, the hypernova, shines brightly because of the presence of nickel. Meanwhile, the jet plowed into material in the vicinity of the star, and created the gamma-ray burst which was recorded some 2,650 million years later by the astronomers on Earth. The detailed mechanism for the production of gamma rays is still a matter of debate but it is either linked to interactions between the jet and matter previously ejected from the star, or to internal collisions inside the jet itself. This scenario represents the "collapsar" model, introduced by American astronomer Stan Woosley (University of California, Santa Cruz) in 1993 and a member of the current team, and best explains the observations of GRB 030329. " This does not mean that the gamma-ray burst mystery is now solved ", says Woosley . " We are confident now that long bursts involve a core collapse and a hypernova, likely creating a black hole. We have convinced most skeptics. We cannot reach any conclusion yet, however, on what causes the short gamma-ray bursts, those under two seconds long ."

Toward an open-access global database for mapping, control, and surveillance of neglected tropical diseases.

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Eveline Hürlimann

2011-12-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: After many years of general neglect, interest has grown and efforts came under way for the mapping, control, surveillance, and eventual elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs. Disease risk estimates are a key feature to target control interventions, and serve as a benchmark for monitoring and evaluation. What is currently missing is a georeferenced global database for NTDs providing open-access to the available survey data that is constantly updated and can be utilized by researchers and disease control managers to support other relevant stakeholders. We describe the steps taken toward the development of such a database that can be employed for spatial disease risk modeling and control of NTDs. METHODOLOGY: With an emphasis on schistosomiasis in Africa, we systematically searched the literature (peer-reviewed journals and 'grey literature', contacted Ministries of Health and research institutions in schistosomiasis-endemic countries for location-specific prevalence data and survey details (e.g., study population, year of survey and diagnostic techniques. The data were extracted, georeferenced, and stored in a MySQL database with a web interface allowing free database access and data management. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: At the beginning of 2011, our database contained more than 12,000 georeferenced schistosomiasis survey locations from 35 African countries available under http://www.gntd.org. Currently, the database is expanded to a global repository, including a host of other NTDs, e.g. soil-transmitted helminthiasis and leishmaniasis. CONCLUSIONS: An open-access, spatially explicit NTD database offers unique opportunities for disease risk modeling, targeting control interventions, disease monitoring, and surveillance. Moreover, it allows for detailed geostatistical analyses of disease distribution in space and time. With an initial focus on schistosomiasis in Africa, we demonstrate the proof-of-concept that the establishment

Toward an Open-Access Global Database for Mapping, Control, and Surveillance of Neglected Tropical Diseases

Science.gov (United States)

Hürlimann, Eveline; Schur, Nadine; Boutsika, Konstantina; Stensgaard, Anna-Sofie; Laserna de Himpsl, Maiti; Ziegelbauer, Kathrin; Laizer, Nassor; Camenzind, Lukas; Di Pasquale, Aurelio; Ekpo, Uwem F.; Simoonga, Christopher; Mushinge, Gabriel; Saarnak, Christopher F. L.; Utzinger, Jürg; Kristensen, Thomas K.; Vounatsou, Penelope

2011-01-01

Background After many years of general neglect, interest has grown and efforts came under way for the mapping, control, surveillance, and eventual elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Disease risk estimates are a key feature to target control interventions, and serve as a benchmark for monitoring and evaluation. What is currently missing is a georeferenced global database for NTDs providing open-access to the available survey data that is constantly updated and can be utilized by researchers and disease control managers to support other relevant stakeholders. We describe the steps taken toward the development of such a database that can be employed for spatial disease risk modeling and control of NTDs. Methodology With an emphasis on schistosomiasis in Africa, we systematically searched the literature (peer-reviewed journals and ‘grey literature’), contacted Ministries of Health and research institutions in schistosomiasis-endemic countries for location-specific prevalence data and survey details (e.g., study population, year of survey and diagnostic techniques). The data were extracted, georeferenced, and stored in a MySQL database with a web interface allowing free database access and data management. Principal Findings At the beginning of 2011, our database contained more than 12,000 georeferenced schistosomiasis survey locations from 35 African countries available under http://www.gntd.org. Currently, the database is expanded to a global repository, including a host of other NTDs, e.g. soil-transmitted helminthiasis and leishmaniasis. Conclusions An open-access, spatially explicit NTD database offers unique opportunities for disease risk modeling, targeting control interventions, disease monitoring, and surveillance. Moreover, it allows for detailed geostatistical analyses of disease distribution in space and time. With an initial focus on schistosomiasis in Africa, we demonstrate the proof-of-concept that the establishment and running of a

Musculoskeletal Findings in Behcet's Disease

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Ali Bicer

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Behcet's disease is a multisystem disease characterized by recurrent oral and genital ulcers, relapsing uveitis, mucocutaneous, articular, gastrointestinal, neurologic, and vascular manifestations. Rheumatologic manifestations may also occur in Behcet's disease, and arthritis and arthralgia are the most common musculoskeletal findings followed by enthesopathy, avascular necrosis, myalgia, and myositis. Although the main pathology of Behcet's disease has been known to be the underlying vasculitis, the etiology and exact pathogenesis of the disease are still unclear. Musculoskeletal findings of Behcet's disease, the relationship between Behcet's disease and spondyloarthropathy disease complex, and the status of bone metabolism in patients with Behcet's disease were discussed in this paper.

Recent developments in Alzheimer's disease therapeutics

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Aisen Paul S

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Alzheimer's disease is a devastating neurological disorder that affects more than 37 million people worldwide. The economic burden of Alzheimer's disease is massive; in the United States alone, the estimated direct and indirect annual cost of patient care is at least $100 billion. Current FDA-approved drugs for Alzheimer's disease do not prevent or reverse the disease, and provide only modest symptomatic benefits. Driven by the clear unmet medical need and a growing understanding of the molecular pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease, the number of agents in development has increased dramatically in recent years. Truly *disease-modifying' therapies that target the underlying mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease have now reached late stages of human clinical trials. Primary targets include beta-amyloid, whose presence and accumulation in the brain is thought to contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease, and tau protein which, when hyperphosphorylated, results in the self-assembly of tangles of paired helical filaments also believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. In this review, we briefly discuss the current status of Alzheimer's disease therapies under study, as well the scientific context in which they have been developed.

Bacterial profiling of White Plague Disease across corals and oceans indicates a conserved and distinct disease microbiome

KAUST Repository

Roder, C.

2014-01-29

Coral diseases are characterized by microbial community shifts in coral mucus and tissue, but causes and consequences of these changes are vaguely understood due to the complexity and dynamics of coral-associated bacteria. We used 16S rRNA gene microarrays to assay differences in bacterial assemblages of healthy and diseased colonies displaying White Plague Disease (WPD) signs from two closely related Caribbean coral species, Orbicella faveolata and Orbicella franksi. Analysis of differentially abundant operational taxonomic units (OTUs) revealed strong differences between healthy and diseased specimens, but not between coral species. A subsequent comparison to data from two Indo-Pacific coral species (Pavona duerdeni and Porites lutea) revealed distinct microbial community patterns associated with ocean basin, coral species and health state. Coral species were clearly separated by site, but also, the relatedness of the underlying bacterial community structures resembled the phylogenetic relationship of the coral hosts. In diseased samples, bacterial richness increased and putatively opportunistic bacteria were consistently more abundant highlighting the role of opportunistic conditions in structuring microbial community patterns during disease. Our comparative analysis shows that it is possible to derive conserved bacterial footprints of diseased coral holobionts that might help in identifying key bacterial species related to the underlying etiopathology. Furthermore, our data demonstrate that similar-appearing disease phenotypes produce microbial community patterns that are consistent over coral species and oceans, irrespective of the putative underlying pathogen. Consequently, profiling coral diseases by microbial community structure over multiple coral species might allow the development of a comparative disease framework that can inform on cause and relatedness of coral diseases. 2013 The Authors Molecular Ecology John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Health-related needs of people with multiple chronic diseases: differences and underlying factors.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hopman, P.; Schellevis, F.G.; Rijken, M.

2016-01-01

Purpose: To examine the health-related needs of people with multiple chronic diseases in the Netherlands compared to people with one chronic disease, and to identify different subgroups of multimorbid patients based on differences in their health problems. Methods: Participants were 1092 people with

Hypercoagulability in end-stage liver disease: prevalence and its correlation with severity of liver disease and portal vein thrombosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Singhal, Ashish; Karachristos, Andreas; Bromberg, Michael; Daly, Ellen; Maloo, Manoj; Jain, Ashok Kumar

2012-11-01

Contrary to well-recognized bleeding diathesis in chronic liver disease, thrombotic events can occur in these patients due to reduction or loss of synthesis of anticoagulant proteins. Forty-seven consecutive patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) were investigated for activity of protein C, protein S, antithrombin, and factor V Leiden mutation. Forty-two (89.4%) patients had low levels of at least 1 while 33 (70.2%) patients were deficient for all anticoagulant proteins studied. Forty-six (97.9%) patients were negative for factor V Leiden mutation. The deficiencies were more marked in hepatitis C virus-positive patients and patients with model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score >15. Six (12.8%) patients had portal vein thrombosis (PVT), and all had diminished protein S activity. In conclusions, deficiency of anticoagulant proteins occur in early phase of chronic liver disease. The severity of deficiency is proportional to the severity of liver disease. Despite the high prevalence of hypercoagulability, the incidence of PVT is low. Further studies with larger cohort of patients are needed to support these conclusions and to study other associated factors.

Disease Burden of 32 Infectious Diseases in the Netherlands, 2007-2011.

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Alies van Lier

Full Text Available Infectious disease burden estimates provided by a composite health measure give a balanced view of the true impact of a disease on a population, allowing the relative impact of diseases that differ in severity and mortality to be monitored over time. This article presents the first national disease burden estimates for a comprehensive set of 32 infectious diseases in the Netherlands.The average annual disease burden was computed for the period 2007-2011 for selected infectious diseases in the Netherlands using the disability-adjusted life years (DALY measure. The pathogen- and incidence-based approach was adopted to quantify the burden due to both morbidity and premature mortality associated with all short and long-term consequences of infection. Natural history models, disease progression probabilities, disability weights, and other parameters were adapted from previous research. Annual incidence was obtained from statutory notification and other surveillance systems, which was corrected for under-ascertainment and under-reporting. The highest average annual disease burden was estimated for invasive pneumococcal disease (9444 DALYs/year; 95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 8911-9961 and influenza (8670 DALYs/year; 95% UI: 8468-8874, which represents 16% and 15% of the total burden of all 32 diseases, respectively. The remaining 30 diseases ranked by number of DALYs/year from high to low were: HIV infection, legionellosis, toxoplasmosis, chlamydia, campylobacteriosis, pertussis, tuberculosis, hepatitis C infection, Q fever, norovirus infection, salmonellosis, gonorrhoea, invasive meningococcal disease, hepatitis B infection, invasive Haemophilus influenzae infection, shigellosis, listeriosis, giardiasis, hepatitis A infection, infection with STEC O157, measles, cryptosporidiosis, syphilis, rabies, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, tetanus, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, and poliomyelitis. The very low burden for the latter five diseases can be

Disease Burden of 32 Infectious Diseases in the Netherlands, 2007-2011.

Science.gov (United States)

van Lier, Alies; McDonald, Scott A; Bouwknegt, Martijn; Kretzschmar, Mirjam E; Havelaar, Arie H; Mangen, Marie-Josée J; Wallinga, Jacco; de Melker, Hester E

2016-01-01

Infectious disease burden estimates provided by a composite health measure give a balanced view of the true impact of a disease on a population, allowing the relative impact of diseases that differ in severity and mortality to be monitored over time. This article presents the first national disease burden estimates for a comprehensive set of 32 infectious diseases in the Netherlands. The average annual disease burden was computed for the period 2007-2011 for selected infectious diseases in the Netherlands using the disability-adjusted life years (DALY) measure. The pathogen- and incidence-based approach was adopted to quantify the burden due to both morbidity and premature mortality associated with all short and long-term consequences of infection. Natural history models, disease progression probabilities, disability weights, and other parameters were adapted from previous research. Annual incidence was obtained from statutory notification and other surveillance systems, which was corrected for under-ascertainment and under-reporting. The highest average annual disease burden was estimated for invasive pneumococcal disease (9444 DALYs/year; 95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 8911-9961) and influenza (8670 DALYs/year; 95% UI: 8468-8874), which represents 16% and 15% of the total burden of all 32 diseases, respectively. The remaining 30 diseases ranked by number of DALYs/year from high to low were: HIV infection, legionellosis, toxoplasmosis, chlamydia, campylobacteriosis, pertussis, tuberculosis, hepatitis C infection, Q fever, norovirus infection, salmonellosis, gonorrhoea, invasive meningococcal disease, hepatitis B infection, invasive Haemophilus influenzae infection, shigellosis, listeriosis, giardiasis, hepatitis A infection, infection with STEC O157, measles, cryptosporidiosis, syphilis, rabies, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, tetanus, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, and poliomyelitis. The very low burden for the latter five diseases can be attributed to the

Evaluation of Asymptomatic Peripheral Arterial Disease by Ankle-brachial Index in Patients with Concomitant Coronary Arterial Disease

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Hosein Vakili

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Peripheral arterial disease is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. As such, it is found that screening for peripheral arterial disease (PAD improves risk assessment. Thus, intensive risk factor modification and medical treatment in these patients are necessary. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease in patients with concomitant coronary arterial disease. Methods: Asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease was investigated in 400 patients (60% males, 40% females, aged 59.7± 11.3 with a documented coronary arterial disease. Results: Among patients with documented CAD, 12% had asymptomatic PAD with the ABI ratio of less than 0.9. Conclusions: It is advisable to screen for PAD not only as a disease but also as a risk assessment method for atherosclerosis.

Maternal and neonatal outcomes in pregnant patients with cardiac diseases referred for labour in northwest Iran

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaghoubi, A.; Mirinazhad, M.

2013-01-01

Objective: To evaluate maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity rates in women with different types of significant heart diseases. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary heart care centre in Tabriz, Iran, and comprised 200 pregnant women between March 2007 and March 2012 who had different cardiac diseases and were admitted in labour wards first and then transferred to the heart center for child-bearing (vaginal delivery or caesarean section). They were categorised based on the underlying etiology into valvular heart disease, dilated cardiomyopathy, congenital heart disease and other etiologies. SPSS 18 was used for statistical analysis. Results: The mean age of the 200 subjects was 29.4+-4.28 years. Caesarean section was performed on 152 (76%) cases, while 48 (24%) underwent vaginal delivery. There were 216 neonates as 16 (8%) women had twins. Overall, 164 (75.9%) were female, and 52 (24.1%) male. Maternal and neonatal mortality rates were 4.0% (n=8) and 10% (n=22) respectively. Pregnant women with Congenital heart disease experienced more maternal (p<0.022) and neonatal (p<0.031) mortality rates than other cardiac diseases. Conclusion: Pregnant women with cardiac diseases are prone to higher maternal and neonatal mortality rates in northwest Iran. (author)

Thermal hydraulic behavior of a PWR under beyond-design-basis accident conditions: Conclusions from an experimental program in a 4-loop test facility (PKL)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umminger, K.J.; Kastner, W.; Mandl, R.M.; Weber, P.

1993-01-01

Within the scope of German reactor safety research, extensive experiments covering the behavior of nuclear power plants under accident conditions have been carried out in the PKL test facility which simulates a 4-loop, 1,300 MWe KWU-designed PWR. While the investigations dealing with design-basis accidents and with the efficiency of the emergency core cooling systems have been largely completed, the main interest nowadays concentrates on the investigation of beyond-design-basis accidents to demonstrate the safety margins of nuclear power plants and to investigate the contribution of the built-in safety features for a further reduction of the residual risk. The thermal hydraulic behavior of a PWR under these extreme accident conditions was experimentally investigated within the PKL III B test program. This paper presents the fundamental findings with some of the most important results being discussed in detail. Future plans are also outlined

The lysosomal storage disease continuum with ageing-related neurodegenerative disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Lloyd-Evans, Emyr; Haslett, Luke J

2016-12-01

Lysosomal storage diseases and diseases of ageing share many features both at the physiological level and with respect to the mechanisms that underlie disease pathogenesis. Although the exact pathophysiology is not exactly the same, it is astounding how many similar pathways are altered in all of these diseases. The aim of this review is to provide a summary of the shared disease mechanisms, outlining the similarities and differences and how genetics, insight into rare diseases and functional research has changed our perspective on the causes underlying common diseases of ageing. The lysosome should no longer be considered as just the stomach of the cell or as a suicide bag, it has an emerging role in cellular signalling, nutrient sensing and recycling. The lysosome is of fundamental importance in the pathophysiology of diseases of ageing and by comparing against the LSDs we not only identify common pathways but also therapeutic targets so that ultimately more effective treatments can be developed for all neurodegenerative diseases. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A cross-sectional survey to study the relationship of periodontal disease with cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes mellitus

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Sukhvinder Singh Oberoi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Periodontal deterioration has been reported to be associated with systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD, diabetes mellitus, respiratory disease, liver cirrhosis, bacterial pneumonia, nutritional deficiencies, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Aim: The present study assessed the periodontal disease among patients with systemic conditions such as diabetes, CVD, and respiratory disease. Materials and Methods: The study population consisted of 220 patients each of CVD, respiratory disease, and diabetes mellitus, making a total of 660 patients in the systemic disease group. A control group of 340 subjects were also included in the study for comparison purpose. The periodontal status of the patients with these confirmed medical conditions was assessed using the community periodontal index of treatment needs (CPITNs index. Results: The prevalence of CPITN code 4 was found to be greater among the patients with respiratory disease whereas the mean number of sextants with score 4 was found to be greater among the patients with diabetes mellitus and CVD. The treatment need 0 was found to be more among the controls (1.18% whereas the treatment need 1, 2, and 3 were more among the patients with respiratory disease (100%, 97.73%, and 54.8%, diabetes mellitus (100%, 100% and 46.4%, and CVD (100%, 97.73%, and 38.1%, in comparison to the controls (6.18%. Conclusion: From the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that diabetes mellitus, CVD, and respiratory disease are associated with a higher severity of periodontal disease.

Sclerotherapy of Plummer's disease - A critical ten year review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandrock, D.; Humplik, B.I.; Munz, D.L.

2002-01-01

Aim: Since ten years sclerotherapy with ethanol is proposed for the treatment of Plummer's disease (unifocal autonomy). Hence, it was the aim of this study to evaluate critically all the sclerotherapies performed in our institution. Special attention should be given to the long-term results. Material and Methods: In the study enrolled were 47 consecutive patients with Plummer's disease, who were referred to sclerotherapy with ethanol since 1991 (10 men, 37 women, aged 24-79 years). The diagnosis of unifocal autonomy was proven in all patients by scintigraphy under TSH-suppressed conditions. 31 patients had latent, 16 manifest hyperthyroidism, 12 of these under antithyroid medication. All patients received ultrasound guided infiltrations of 0.5-2 ml 96 % ethanol into the autonomy. The procedure was repeated at intervals (individually between 1 week and 3 months) until there was A) sufficient success, B) partial success or C) the patient refused further infiltrations. Results: Overall, 407 infiltrations were performed. The number of infiltrations per patient reached from 1 to 63 (mean 7). The side effects included 2 cases of a (transient) paresis of the recurrent nerve and pain/discomfort in 32 %. The therapy was finished successfully (group A; normal TSH, normalisation of the scintigraphic pattern) in 17 patients, partially successfully (group B; change from manifest to latent hyperthyroidism and/or TSH > 0.1 mU/l, scintigram not completely normalized) in 12 patients, and without success (group C) in 16 patients - 2 changed to surgery, 4 to radioiodine therapy, 3 continued antithyroid medication and 4 refused therapy without further comments. Excluding 2 patients from group B (with 35 and 61 infiltrations, respectively) there was no significant difference between A, B, and C in the parameters uptake under suppression, volume of the autonomy, laboratory values, number of infiltrations, age or sex. Conclusion: The sclerotherapy with ethanol, consequently performed, is

Approach to Anemia in Hospitalized Patients with Infectious Diseases; Is it Appropriate?

Science.gov (United States)

Entezari-Maleki, Taher; Khalili, Hossein; Karimzadeh, Iman; Jafari, Sirous

2015-01-01

Anemia of chronic diseases (ACD) is a common problem in patients with infectious diseases and can influence the quality of life and patients' survival. Despite the clinical importance of ACD, data are still lacking regarding this problem in the infectious diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence, related factors, outcome and approaches to anemia in the infectious diseases ward. This retrospective study was performed to review the medical records of patients admitted to the infectious diseases department of Imam Khomeini hospital during a two-year period between 2009 and 2011. A standard protocol was developed to evaluate anemia. Patients' demographic data approaches to manage anemia and routine laboratory tests were recorded and compared with the protocol. Totally, 1,120 medical records were reviewed. ACD was recognized in 705 patients (63%). Only 5.1% of diagnostic and 8.7% of treatment approaches was based on the protocol. The majority of patients (89.4%) were received inappropriate treatment regarding. Mortality rate of patients with ACD was 3.4%. Moreover, a significant correlation between anemia and mortality was detected (r = 0.131; p = 0.026). A statistically significant correlation was also identified between patients' Hgb and ESR, CRP, reasons of admission, number of medications, and underlying diseases. In conclusion, results of this study suggested that ACD is a common problem in infectious diseases patients and significantly associated with patients' mortality. Moreover, the majority of studied patients were not received an appropriate diagnostic and treatment approach which arises more concerns regarding the management of ACD in infectious diseases setting.

Morgellons Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohn, Jungyoon; Park, Seon Yong; Moon, Jungyoon; Choe, Yun Seon; Kim, Kyu Han

2017-04-01

Morgellons disease is a rare disease with unknown etiology. Herein, we report the first case of Morgellons disease in Korea. A 30-year-old woman presented with a 2-month history of pruritic erythematous patches and erosions on the arms, hands, and chin. She insisted that she had fiber-like materials under her skin, which she had observed through a magnifying device. We performed skin biopsy, and observed a fiber extruding from the dermal side of the specimen. Histopathological examination showed only mild lymphocytic infiltration, and failed to reveal evidence of any microorganism. The polymerase chain reaction for Borrelia burgdorferi was negative in her serum.

Cognitive Development in Infantile-Onset Pompe Disease Under Very Early Enzyme Replacement Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Chih-Jou; Hsu, Ting-Rong; Yang, Chia-Feng; Chen, Shyi-Jou; Chuang, Ya-Chin; Niu, Dau-Ming

2016-12-01

Most patients with infantile-onset Pompe disease die in early infancy before beginning enzyme replacement therapy, which has made it difficult to evaluate the impact of Pompe disease on cognitive development. Patients with infantile-onset Pompe disease can survive with enzyme replacement therapy, and physicians can evaluate cognitive development in these patients. We established an effective newborn screening program with quick clinical diagnostic criteria. Cognitive and motor development were evaluated using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-Third Edition at 6, 12, and 24 months of age. The patients who were treated very early demonstrate normal cognitive development with no significant change in cognition during this period (P = .18 > .05). The cognitive development was positively correlated with motor development (r = 0.533, P = .011). The results indicated that very early enzyme replacement therapy could protect cognitive development in patients with infantile-onset Pompe disease up to 24 months of age. © The Author(s) 2016.

Developmental orthopaedic diseases in foals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Şİrİn, Özlem; Alkan, Zeki

2010-01-01

Developmental Orthopaedic Diseases (DOD) is seen frequently in horses which completed their maturity. Osteochondrosis, physitis, angular limb deformities, flexural deformities, juvenil arthritis, cervical vertebral anomalies, cuboidal bone abnormalities are problems investigated under Developmental Orthopaedic Diseases title. This diseases can develop single or some together in fast growing, heavy animals (especially Arabian and English Thoroughbreds). Multifactorial causes of this diseases etiopathogenesis can be listed as genetic predisposition, trauma, nutrition, vitamins/minerals and endocrine disorders. But the exact causes of these diseases are not known. In this review detailed information are given about the diseases mentioned above

A etiological factors of chronic liver disease in children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tahir, A.; Malik, F.R.; Akhtar, P.

2011-01-01

Background: Chronicity of liver disease is determined either by duration of liver disease or by evidence of either severe liver disease or physical stigmata of chronic liver disease. Chronic liver disease may be caused commonly by persistent viral infections, metabolic diseases, drugs, autoimmune hepatitis, or unknown factors. The objective of this study was to find out the aetiology of chronic liver disease (CLD) in children. Methodology: It was a descriptive, prospective study which used a structured proforma designed to collect data of cases of CLD from both indoor and outdoor Paediatrics units of Fauji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi, and Children Hospital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad. All children under 12 years having either clinical or biochemical evidence of liver disease and/or elevated liver enzymes for more than 3 months were included in this study. Results: Sixty cases of CLD were enrolled from indoor and outdoor units from January 2010 to July 201. Thirty nine (65%) cases were male and 21 (35%) were female. Eleven children were less than 1 year, 18 were 1-5 years old and 31 were 5-12 years of age. Viral hepatitis was the most common cause found in 22 (36.7%) cases. Out of these 22 patients with viral aetiology 19 (31.66%) patients had Hepatitis C and 3 (5%) had Hepatitis B. Glycogen storage disease was seen in 8.3% cases, and biliary atresia and Wilson disease in 6.7% each. Other less commonly found cases were autoimmune hepatitis, TORCH infections, hepatoma and drug induced hepatitis (1.7% each). Cause couldn't be established in 35% cases which remained idiopathic. Conclusion: Viral hepatitis is the leading cause of chronic liver disease in children, with the highest incidence of chronic Hepatitis C followed by metabolic disorders (glycogen storage disease and Wilson disease) and biliary atresia. Chronic viral hepatitis was most prevalent between 11 months to 12 years of age. Wilson disease was common in 3-7 years age group, and

Nonnecrotizing anterior scleritis mimicking orbital inflammatory disease

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Lynch MC

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Michelle Chen Lynch,1 Andrew B Mick21Optometry Clinic, Ocala West Veterans Affairs Specialty Clinic, Ocala, FL, USA; 2Eye Clinic, San Francisco VA Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USABackground: Anterior scleritis is an uncommon form of ocular inflammation, often associated with coexisting autoimmune disease. With early recognition and aggressive systemic therapy, prognosis for resolution is good. The diagnosis of underlying autoimmune disease involves a multidisciplinary approach.Case report: A 42-year-old African American female presented to the Eye Clinic at the San Francisco Veteran Affairs Medical Center, with a tremendously painful left eye, worse on eye movement, with marked injection of conjunctiva. There was mild swelling of the upper eyelid. Visual acuity was unaffected, but there was a mild red cap desaturation. The posterior segment was unremarkable. The initial differential diagnoses included anterior scleritis and orbital inflammatory disease. Oral steroid treatment was initiated with rapid resolution over a few days. Orbital imaging was unremarkable, and extensive laboratory work-up was positive only for antinuclear antibodies. The patient was diagnosed with idiopathic diffuse, nonnecrotizing anterior scleritis and has been followed for over 5 years without recurrence. The rheumatology clinic monitors the patient closely, as suspicion remains for potential arthralgias including human leukocyte antigen-B27-associated arthritis, lupus-associated arthritis, seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, recurrent juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and scleroderma, based on her constitutional symptoms and clinical presentation, along with a positive anti-nuclear antibody lab result.Conclusion: Untreated anterior scleritis can progress to formation of cataracts, glaucoma, uveitis, corneal melting, and posterior segment disease with significant risk of vision loss. Patients with anterior scleritis must be aggressively treated with systemic anti

Jumping to conclusions in schizophrenia

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Evans SL

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Simon L Evans,1 Bruno B Averbeck,2 Nicholas Furl31School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex, UK; 2Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; 3Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey, UKAbstract: Schizophrenia is a mental disorder associated with a variety of symptoms, including hallucinations, delusions, social withdrawal, and cognitive dysfunction. Impairments on decision-making tasks are routinely reported: evidence points to a particular deficit in learning from and revising behavior following feedback. In addition, patients tend to make hasty decisions when probabilistic judgments are required. This is known as “jumping to conclusions” (JTC and has typically been demonstrated by presenting participants with colored beads drawn from one of two “urns” until they claim to be sure which urn the beads are being drawn from (the proportions of colors vary in each urn. Patients tend to make early decisions on this task, and there is evidence to suggest that a hasty decision-making style might be linked to delusion formation and thus be of clinical relevance. Various accounts have been proposed regarding what underlies this behavior. In this review, we briefly introduce the disorder and the decision-making deficits associated with it. We then explore the evidence for each account of JTC in the context of a wider decision-making deficit and then go on to summarize work exploring JTC in healthy controls using pharmacological manipulations and functional imaging. Finally, we assess whether JTC might have a role in therapy.Keywords: ketamine, decision making, delusions, fMRI, urn task

Improving venous thromboembolic disease prophylaxis in medical inpatients: a role for education and audit.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Kent, B D

2012-02-01

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolic disease (VTED) prophylaxis is a key strategy in reducing preventable deaths in medical inpatients. We assessed compliance with internationally published guidelines for VTED prophylaxis in at-risk medical patients before and 1 month after an educational intervention to enhance compliance with such guidelines. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty patients were assessed on each occasion. Pre-intervention, VTED prophylaxis was prescribed in only 48% of at-risk cases. Compliance was best among patients under stroke services and worst for those under acute medical teams. Patients within specialist units were more likely to be prescribed prophylaxis than those in general wards (75 vs. 53%; p = 0.0019). Post-intervention, overall compliance improved to 63% (p = 0.041 for comparison). There was a significant improvement among general medical teams (48 vs. 75%; p = 0.001), and in general wards (52 vs. 74%; p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Thromboprophylaxis is under-prescribed in medical inpatients, but compliance with international guidelines can be significantly enhanced with targeted educational intervention.

Interplay of host genetics and gut microbiota underlying the onset and clinical presentation of inflammatory bowel disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Imhann, Floris; Vich Vila, Arnau; Bonder, Marc Jan; Fu, Jingyuan; Gevers, Dirk; Visschedijk, Marijn C; Spekhorst, Lieke M; Alberts, Rudi; Franke, Lude; van Dullemen, Hendrik M; Ter Steege, Rinze W F; Huttenhower, Curtis; Dijkstra, Gerard; Xavier, Ramnik J; Festen, Eleonora A M; Wijmenga, Cisca; Zhernakova, Alexandra; Weersma, Rinse K

2018-01-01

Patients with IBD display substantial heterogeneity in clinical characteristics. We hypothesise that individual differences in the complex interaction of the host genome and the gut microbiota can explain the onset and the heterogeneous presentation of IBD. Therefore, we performed a case-control analysis of the gut microbiota, the host genome and the clinical phenotypes of IBD. Stool samples, peripheral blood and extensive phenotype data were collected from 313 patients with IBD and 582 truly healthy controls, selected from a population cohort. The gut microbiota composition was assessed by tag-sequencing the 16S rRNA gene. All participants were genotyped. We composed genetic risk scores from 11 functional genetic variants proven to be associated with IBD in genes that are directly involved in the bacterial handling in the gut: NOD2 , CARD9 , ATG16L1 , IRGM and FUT2 . Strikingly, we observed significant alterations of the gut microbiota of healthy individuals with a high genetic risk for IBD: the IBD genetic risk score was significantly associated with a decrease in the genus Roseburia in healthy controls (false discovery rate 0.017). Moreover, disease location was a major determinant of the gut microbiota: the gut microbiota of patients with colonic Crohn's disease (CD) is different from that of patients with ileal CD, with a decrease in alpha diversity associated to ileal disease (p=3.28×10 -13 ). We show for the first time that genetic risk variants associated with IBD influence the gut microbiota in healthy individuals. Roseburia spp are acetate-to-butyrate converters, and a decrease has already been observed in patients with IBD. 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/.

Obturator Hernia: diagnosis and management under conditions of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

85.7%) underwent full resection and anastomosis, and one (14.3%) had partial resection. Hernia defect was closed in four (57.1%). Wound infection was common (71.4%) and three (43%) died. Conclusion: Obturator hernia is mainly a disease ...

Imaging of Spinal Metastatic Disease

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Lubdha M. Shah

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Metastases to the spine can involve the bone, epidural space, leptomeninges, and spinal cord. The spine is the third most common site for metastatic disease, following the lung and the liver. Approximately 60–70% of patients with systemic cancer will have spinal metastasis. Materials/Methods. This is a review of the imaging techniques and typical imaging appearances of spinal metastatic disease. Conclusions. Awareness of the different manifestations of spinal metastatic disease is essential as the spine is the most common site of osseous metastatic disease. Imaging modalities have complimentary roles in the evaluation of spinal metastatic disease. CT best delineates osseous integrity, while MRI is better at assessing soft tissue involvement. Physiologic properties, particularly in treated disease, can be evaluated with other imaging modalities such as FDG PET and advanced MRI sequences. Imaging plays a fundamental role in not only diagnosis but also treatment planning of spinal metastatic disease.

Conclusiveness of fine needle aspiration in 2419 histologically confirmed benign and malignant breast lesions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kooistra, B.; Wauters, C.; Wobbes, T.; Strobbe, L.

2011-01-01

We aimed to retrospectively assess (1) the conclusiveness of breast fine needle aspiration (FNA) in a histologically confirmed population and (2) the clinical and radiologic determinants of a conclusive diagnosis. Aspirates were diagnosed as inadequate, benign, atypical, suspicious or malignant. We

Diffusion versus linear ballistic accumulation: different models but the same conclusions about psychological processes?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Donkin, C.; Brown, S.; Heathcote, A.; Wagenmakers, E.-J.

2011-01-01

Quantitative models for response time and accuracy are increasingly used as tools to draw conclusions about psychological processes. Here we investigate the extent to which these substantive conclusions depend on whether researchers use the Ratcliff diffusion model or the Linear Ballistic

Emerging infectious diseases: a guide to diseases, causative agents, and surveillance

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Beltz, Lisa A

2011-01-01

"This important resource offers a comprehensive introduction to emerging and reemerging infectious disease, including the underlying mechanisms of microbial emergence, the technology used to detect...

Rescue of foot-and-mouth disease viruses that are pathogenic for cattle from preserved viral RNA samples.

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Graham J Belsham

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Foot and mouth disease is an economically important disease of cloven-hoofed animals including cattle, sheep and pigs. It is caused by a picornavirus, foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV, which has a positive sense RNA genome which, when introduced into cells, can initiate virus replication. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A system has been developed to rescue infectious FMDV from RNA preparations generated from clinical samples obtained under experimental conditions and then applied to samples collected in the "field". Clinical samples from suspect cases of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD were obtained from within Pakistan and Afghanistan. The samples were treated to preserve the RNA and then transported to National Veterinary Institute, Lindholm, Denmark. Following RNA extraction, FMDV RNA was quantified by real-time RT-PCR and samples containing significant levels of FMDV RNA were introduced into susceptible cells using electroporation. Progeny viruses were amplified in primary bovine thyroid cells and characterized using antigen ELISA and also by RT-PCR plus sequencing. FMD viruses of three different serotypes and multiple lineages have been successfully rescued from the RNA samples. Two of the rescued viruses (of serotype O and Asia 1 were inoculated into bull calves under high containment conditions. Acute clinical disease was observed in each case which spread rapidly from the inoculated calves to in-contact animals. Thus the rescued viruses were highly pathogenic. The availability of the rescued viruses enabled serotyping by antigen ELISA and facilitated genome sequencing. CONCLUSIONS: The procedure described here should improve the characterization of FMDVs circulating in countries where the disease is endemic and thus enhance disease control globally.

SURGICAL TREATMENT IN PATIENTS WITH WILSON’S DISEASE

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Radka Cholakova

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Wilson’s disease is an autosomal recessive disorder due to mutation in ATB 7B gene, which is a membrane-bound copper-transporting ATPase. The impaired excretion of copper results in an increase in serum levels and accumulation of copper in the body. Various signs can be observed in liver, nervous system, kidneys, eyes, heart. There are also changes in blood chemistry. Objective: A forty-six-year-old female patient presents with Wilson’s disease in the treatment rooms at the Faculty of Dentistry in Plovdiv. She needs complete dental care. She has also had an ischaemic stroke. Methods and results: As the treatment plan started with extraction, of teeth under local anesthesia, a complete blood count and INR test were performed. Oral mucosa and bone were obtained by biopsy for evidence of pigments in these tissues. The biopsy results showed accumulation of copper in them as well. Conclusion: It’s a rare disorder, approximately 1 in 40 000, severely affecting the liver and nervous system. It requires in-depth analysis and discussion over the clinical and paraclinical approach with a view to avoid possible complications and achieve the desired results.

Exhaled volatile organic compounds for phenotyping chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a cross-sectional study

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Basanta Maria

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Non-invasive phenotyping of chronic respiratory diseases would be highly beneficial in the personalised medicine of the future. Volatile organic compounds can be measured in the exhaled breath and may be produced or altered by disease processes. We investigated whether distinct patterns of these compounds were present in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD and clinically relevant disease phenotypes. Methods Breath samples from 39 COPD subjects and 32 healthy controls were collected and analysed using gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Subjects with COPD also underwent sputum induction. Discriminatory compounds were identified by univariate logistic regression followed by multivariate analysis: 1. principal component analysis; 2. multivariate logistic regression; 3. receiver operating characteristic (ROC analysis. Results Comparing COPD versus healthy controls, principal component analysis clustered the 20 best-discriminating compounds into four components explaining 71% of the variance. Multivariate logistic regression constructed an optimised model using two components with an accuracy of 69%. The model had 85% sensitivity, 50% specificity and ROC area under the curve of 0.74. Analysis of COPD subgroups showed the method could classify COPD subjects with far greater accuracy. Models were constructed which classified subjects with ≥2% sputum eosinophilia with ROC area under the curve of 0.94 and those having frequent exacerbations 0.95. Potential biomarkers correlated to clinical variables were identified in each subgroup. Conclusion The exhaled breath volatile organic compound profile discriminated between COPD and healthy controls and identified clinically relevant COPD subgroups. If these findings are validated in prospective cohorts, they may have diagnostic and management value in this disease.

MCID/Low Disease Activity State Workshop: low disease activity state in rheumatoid arthritis.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wells, G.A.; Boers, M.; Shea, B.; Anderson, J.; Felson, D.T.; Johnson, K.; Kirwan, J.; Lassere, M.N.; Robinson, V.; Simon, L.S.; Strand, V.; Riel, P.L.C.M. van; Tugwell, P.S.

2003-01-01

The MCID (minimal clinically important difference) module of OMERACT 5 developed a research agenda that led to the conclusion that a state of low disease activity for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) would need to be defined. To develop such a definition the various concepts and terminologies, the process

Metabolic syndrome and dementia associated with Parkinson's disease: impact of age and hypertension

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Arthur Oscar Schelp

2012-02-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To determine correlations between age and metabolic disorders in Parkinson's disease (PD patients. METHODS: This observational cross-sectional study included brief tests for dementia and the Mattis test. Signals of metabolic syndrome were evaluated. RESULTS: There was no significant effect from the presence of hypertension (OR=2.36 for patients under 65 years old and OR=0.64 for patients over 65, diabetes or hypercholesterolemia regarding occurrences of dementia associated with PD (24% of the patients. The study demonstrated that each year of age increased the estimated risk of dementia in PD patients by 9% (OR=1.09; 95%CI: 1.01-1.17. CONCLUSION: There was no evidence to correlate the presence of metabolic syndrome with the risk of dementia that was associated with PD. The study confirmed that dementia in PD is age dependent and not related to disease duration.

Natural History of Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease in Stages ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Natural History of Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease in Stages 4 and 5. ... Conclusion: Low serum bicarbonate level and high urinary protein excretion at baseline are independent predictors of progression in stage 4 and 5 CKD. Keywords: Chronic kidney disease; End stage renal disease; Glomerular filtration rate; ...

Comparing Clinical Profiles in Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease Dementia

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Martin R. Farlow

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Greater understanding of differences in baseline impairment and disease progression in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD and Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD may improve the interpretation of drug effects and the design of future studies. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of three randomized, double-blind rivastigmine databases (one in PDD, two in AD. Impairment on the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog, Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL scale, 10-item Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI-10 and the ADCS-Clinical Global Impression of Change (CGIC was compared [standardized difference (Cohen's d, similar if Results: Patients with AD or PDD had similar levels of impairment on the ADAS-cog and NPI-10. Scores on the ADCS-ADL scale (standardized difference = 0.47 and the ADAS-cog memory domain (total, 0.33; items, 0.10-0.58 were higher in AD; PDD patients were more impaired in the language (0.23 and praxis (0.34 domains. AD patients receiving placebo showed greater deterioration on the ADAS-cog (0.14 and improvement on the NPI-10 (0.11 compared with patients with PDD. Conclusion: Differing patterns of impairment occur in AD and PDD.

Eye Disease and Development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Thomas Barnebeck; Dalgaard, Carl-Johan Lars; Selaya, Pablo

This research advances the hypothesis that cross-country variation in the historical incidence of eye disease has influenced the current global distribution of per capita income. The theory is that pervasive eye disease diminished the incentive to accumulate skills, thereby delaying the fertility...... transition and the take-off to sustained economic growth. In order to estimate the influence from eye disease incidence empirically, we draw on an important fact from the field of epidemiology: Exposure to solar ultraviolet B radiation (UVB-R) is an underlying determinant of several forms of eye disease...

Vision from next generation sequencing: multi-dimensional genome-wide analysis for producing gene regulatory networks underlying retinal development, aging and disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Hyun-Jin; Ratnapriya, Rinki; Cogliati, Tiziana; Kim, Jung-Woong; Swaroop, Anand

2015-05-01

Genomics and genetics have invaded all aspects of biology and medicine, opening uncharted territory for scientific exploration. The definition of "gene" itself has become ambiguous, and the central dogma is continuously being revised and expanded. Computational biology and computational medicine are no longer intellectual domains of the chosen few. Next generation sequencing (NGS) technology, together with novel methods of pattern recognition and network analyses, has revolutionized the way we think about fundamental biological mechanisms and cellular pathways. In this review, we discuss NGS-based genome-wide approaches that can provide deeper insights into retinal development, aging and disease pathogenesis. We first focus on gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that govern the differentiation of retinal photoreceptors and modulate adaptive response during aging. Then, we discuss NGS technology in the context of retinal disease and develop a vision for therapies based on network biology. We should emphasize that basic strategies for network construction and analyses can be transported to any tissue or cell type. We believe that specific and uniform guidelines are required for generation of genome, transcriptome and epigenome data to facilitate comparative analysis and integration of multi-dimensional data sets, and for constructing networks underlying complex biological processes. As cellular homeostasis and organismal survival are dependent on gene-gene and gene-environment interactions, we believe that network-based biology will provide the foundation for deciphering disease mechanisms and discovering novel drug targets for retinal neurodegenerative diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Type I Gaucher disease: extraosseous extension of skeletal disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poll, L.W.; Koch, J.A.; Moedder, U.; Dahl, S. vom; Haeussinger, D.; Sarbia, M.; Niederau, C.

2000-01-01

Objective. To investigate the frequency and morphology of extraosseous extension in patients with Gaucher disease type I.Design and patients. MRI examinations of the lower extremities were analyzed in 70 patients with Gaucher disease type I. Additionally, the thoracic spine and the midface were investigated on MRI in two patients.Results. Four cases are presented in which patients with Gaucher disease type I and severe skeletal involvement developed destruction or protrusion of the cortex with extraosseous extension into soft tissues. In one patient, Gaucher cell deposits destroyed the cortex of the mandible and extended into the masseter muscle. In the second patient, multiple paravertebral masses with localized destruction of the cortex were apparent in the thoracic spine. In the third and fourth patient, cortical destruction with extraosseous tissue extending into soft tissues was seen in the lower limbs.Conclusions. Extraosseous extension is a rare manifestation of Gaucher bone disease. While an increased risk of cancer, especially hematopoietic in origin, is known in patients with Gaucher disease, these extraosseous benign manifestations that may mimic malignant processes should be considered in the differential diagnosis of extraosseous extension into soft tissues. A narrow neck of tissue was apparent in all cases connecting bone and extraosseous extensions. (orig.)

Selecting Therapeutic Targets in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (STRIDE)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Peyrin-Biroulet, L; Sandborn, W; Sands, B E

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The Selecting Therapeutic Targets in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (STRIDE) program was initiated by the International Organization for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IOIBD). It examined potential treatment targets for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to be used for a "treat-t...... target. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence- and consensus-based recommendations for selecting the goals for treat-to-target strategies in patients with IBD are made available. Prospective studies are needed to determine how these targets will change disease course and patients' quality of life....

Summary and Conclusions. Final chapter of Scholarly Communication for Librarians.

OpenAIRE

Morrison, Heather

2008-01-01

Summary and Conclusions of Scholarly Communication for Librarians, a book designed to provide librarians at all levels with the basics of how scholarly communication works, an understanding of the academic library as an essential support for scholarly communication, the impact of the decisions librarians make, and emerging roles for libraries and librarians in scholarly communication. Includes major points from all chapters, on: scholarship, scholarly journals, the scholarly publishing indus...

Determinants of physician empathy during medical education: hypothetical conclusions from an exploratory qualitative survey of practicing physicians

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

�� awareness of the psycho-social dimension of disease, and of the impact of peer influence and role modeling, seems promising in this regard, too. Stress and well-being seem to be closely related to physician empathy, and their modulation must take into account individual, social, and organizational factors. Further research should investigate whether or how these hypothetical conclusions can deepen our understanding of the determinants of physician empathy in order to help its promotion. PMID:24952736

Morgellons disease: Analysis of a population with clinically confirmed microscopic subcutaneous fibers of unknown etiology

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Virginia R Savely

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Virginia R Savely1, Raphael B Stricker21TBD Medical Associates, San Francisco, CA, USA; 2International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, Bethesda, MD, USABackground: Morgellons disease is a controversial illness in which patients complain of stinging, burning, and biting sensations under the skin. Unusual subcutaneous fibers are the unique objective finding. The etiology of Morgellons disease is unknown, and diagnostic criteria have yet to be established. Our goal was to identify prevalent symptoms in patients with clinically confirmed subcutaneous fibers in order to develop a case definition for Morgellons disease.Methods: Patients with subcutaneous fibers observed on physical examination (designated as the fiber group were evaluated using a data extraction tool that measured clinical and demographic characteristics. The prevalence of symptoms common to the fiber group was then compared with the prevalence of these symptoms in patients with Lyme disease and no complaints of skin fibers.Results: The fiber group consisted of 122 patients. Significant findings in this group were an association with tick-borne diseases and hypothyroidism, high numbers from two states (Texas and California, high prevalence in middle-aged Caucasian women, and an increased prevalence of smoking and substance abuse. Although depression was noted in 29% of the fiber patients, pre-existing delusional disease was not reported. After adjusting for nonspecific symptoms, the most common symptoms reported in the fiber group were: crawling sensations under the skin; spontaneously appearing, slow-healing lesions; hyperpigmented scars when lesions heal; intense pruritus; seed-like objects, black specks, or “fuzz balls” in lesions or on intact skin; fine, thread-like fibers of varying colors in lesions and intact skin; lesions containing thick, tough, translucent fibers that are highly resistant to extraction; and a sensation of something trying to penetrate the skin from

Enfermedades emergentes no infecciosas Emerging noninfectious diseases

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Ezequiel Consiglio

2008-11-01

Full Text Available In recent years, emerging diseases were defined as being infectious, acquiring high incidence, often suddenly, or being a threat or an unexpected phenomenon. This study discusses the hallmarks of emerging diseases, describing the existence of noninfectious emerging diseases, and elaborating on the advantages of defining noninfectious diseases as emerging ones. From the discussion of various mental health disorders, nutritional deficiencies, external injuries and violence outcomes, work injuries and occupational health, and diseases due to environmental factors, the conclusion is drawn that a wide variety of noninfectious diseases can be defined as emergent. Noninfectious emerging diseases need to be identified in order to improve their control and management. A new definition of "emergent disease" is proposed, one that emphasizes the pathways of emergence and conceptual traits, rather than descriptive features.

Life-threatening hyperkalemia following zoledronic acid infusion for Paget's disease: a case report

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Naysmith Morag

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Zoledronic acid is a highly effective treatment in Paget's disease for persistent bone pain and prevention of further progression of the disease. The commonest electrolyte abnormality is hypocalcemia. To the best of our knowledge this is the first case of hyperkalemia secondary to zoledronic acid to be published in the world literature. The commonest arrhythmia related to zoledronic acid is atrial fibrillation. Case presentation We describe the case of an 80-year-old Caucasian man, with a history of ischemic heart disease, who had an in-hospital cardiac arrest related to hyperkalemia. Increasing potassium levels were noted following his first zoledronic acid infusion for symptomatic control of bone pain secondary to Paget's disease. Our patient suffered a cardiac arrest 10 days following the zoledronic acid infusion. Our patient's biochemistry and electrocardiogram output were monitored until his death 26 days after his cardiac arrest. Our patient developed paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in the post-resuscitation period and there was persistent hyperkalemia that required prolonged treatment with calcium resonium. All other possible causes of hyperkalemia were excluded. Conclusion In our patient's case persistent hyperkalemia and life-threatening arrhythmias were associated with use of zoledronic acid. These side effects have not been reported before and the causative mechanism is far from clear as there are no obvious systemic effects of zoledronic acid. The combination of zoledronic acid with predisposing factors such as structural heart disease might account for the clinical picture we witnessed. As a result, electrolyte monitoring should be adopted early in zoledronic acid use. Further studies are required to elucidate the underlying mechanism of hyperkalemia and identify the target group of patients where zoledronic acid can be safely administered. Great caution is advised in patients with underlying heart conditions.

Human sewage identified as likely source of white pox disease of the threatened Caribbean elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata.

Science.gov (United States)

Sutherland, Kathryn Patterson; Porter, James W; Turner, Jeffrey W; Thomas, Brian J; Looney, Erin E; Luna, Trevor P; Meyers, Meredith K; Futch, J Carrie; Lipp, Erin K

2010-05-01

Caribbean elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, has been decimated in recent years, resulting in the listing of this species as threatened under the United States Endangered Species Act. A major contributing factor in the decline of this iconic species is white pox disease. In 2002, we identified the faecal enterobacterium, Serratia marcescens, as an etiological agent for white pox. During outbreaks in 2003 a unique strain of S. marcescens was identified in both human sewage and white pox lesions. This strain (PDR60) was also identified from corallivorious snails (Coralliophila abbreviata), reef water, and two non-acroporid coral species, Siderastrea siderea and Solenastrea bournoni. Identification of PDR60 in sewage, diseased Acropora palmata and other reef invertebrates within a discrete time frame suggests a causal link between white pox and sewage contamination on reefs and supports the conclusion that humans are a likely source of this disease.

Disease-modifying drugs in Alzheimer's disease

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Ghezzi L

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Laura Ghezzi, Elio Scarpini, Daniela Galimberti Neurology Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Fondazione Cà Granda, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy Abstract: Alzheimer's disease (AD is an age-dependent neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia. The early stages of AD are characterized by short-term memory loss. Once the disease progresses, patients experience difficulties in sense of direction, oral communication, calculation, ability to learn, and cognitive thinking. The median duration of the disease is 10 years. The pathology is characterized by deposition of amyloid beta peptide (so-called senile plaques and tau protein in the form of neurofibrillary tangles. Currently, two classes of drugs are licensed by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of AD, ie, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors for mild to moderate AD, and memantine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, for moderate and severe AD. Treatment with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors or memantine aims at slowing progression and controlling symptoms, whereas drugs under development are intended to modify the pathologic steps leading to AD. Herein, we review the clinical features, pharmacologic properties, and cost-effectiveness of the available acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and memantine, and focus on disease-modifying drugs aiming to interfere with the amyloid beta peptide, including vaccination, passive immunization, and tau deposition. Keywords: Alzheimer's disease, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, memantine, disease-modifying drugs, diagnosis, treatment

Diagnosis and pathology of endocrine diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shriver, B.D.

1988-01-01

This book contains 22 papers under the headings of Diagnosis and Pathology of endocrine diseases. Topics covered include: Laboratory tests in the diagnosis and management of thyroid disorders, Pathology of thyroid diseases, Diagnosis of adrenourtical disease, Radiologic techniques in evaluating endocrine disorders; and the Pituitary and adrenal glands

Diagnosis and pathology of endocrine diseases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shriver, B.D.

1988-01-01

This book contains 22 papers under the headings of Diagnosis and Pathology of endocrine diseases. Topics covered include: Laboratory tests in the diagnosis and management of thyroid disorders, Pathology of thyroid diseases, Diagnosis of adrenourtical disease, Radiologic techniques in evaluating endocrine disorders; and the Pituitary and adrenal glands.

Paediatric magnetic resonance enteroclysis under general anaesthesia - initial experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sadigh, Sophie; Chopra, Mark; Olsen, Oeystein E.; Watson, Tom A.; Sury, Michael R.; Shah, Neil

2017-01-01

MR enterography is the accepted imaging reference standard for small bowel assessment in inflammatory bowel disease. There is an increasing cohort of children with inflammatory bowel disease presenting at an early age (<5 years) with severe disease. Younger children present a technical challenge for enterography because of the need for sedation/general anaesthesia to allow image optimisation and the need for oral contrast to allow adequate luminal assessment. Through our experiences, MR enteroclysis under general anaesthesia has proven to be a successful imaging technique for the work-up of these patients. In this paper, we present our institutional practice for performing MR enteroclysis under general anaesthesia. (orig.)

Paediatric magnetic resonance enteroclysis under general anaesthesia - initial experience

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sadigh, Sophie; Chopra, Mark; Olsen, Oeystein E.; Watson, Tom A. [Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Paediatric Radiology, London (United Kingdom); Sury, Michael R. [Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Paediatric Anaesthetics, London (United Kingdom); Shah, Neil [Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, London (United Kingdom)

2017-06-15

MR enterography is the accepted imaging reference standard for small bowel assessment in inflammatory bowel disease. There is an increasing cohort of children with inflammatory bowel disease presenting at an early age (<5 years) with severe disease. Younger children present a technical challenge for enterography because of the need for sedation/general anaesthesia to allow image optimisation and the need for oral contrast to allow adequate luminal assessment. Through our experiences, MR enteroclysis under general anaesthesia has proven to be a successful imaging technique for the work-up of these patients. In this paper, we present our institutional practice for performing MR enteroclysis under general anaesthesia. (orig.)

Cerebrovascular Diseases and Early Seizure

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Ayşegül Gündüz

2006-08-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Cerebrovascular disease is one of the important causes of seizures and epilepsy among the advanced age group. Seziures are found to be associated with lesion localization and size in previous studies. METHODS: Here, we aimed to detect prevelance of seizure, relation of seizure and lesion localization, and observed seizure types. RESULTS: Three hundred seventy eight patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease or intraparenchymal hemorrhage who were followed in Cerrahpasa IVIedical School clinic were studied retrospectively and probability of seizure occurence within 1 month after stroke was evaluated. CONCLUSION: Among 378 patients hospitalized by acute stroke, 339 were diagnosed as ischemic cerebrovascular disease and 39 (10.3% had primary intraparenchymal hematoma. Seizures were observed in 16 patients (4.2%, 2 (%5.1 in intraparenchymal hematoma group and 14 (%4.1 in ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Early seizures were detected in 33% of patients with anterior cerebral artery, in 6.8% of posterior cerebral artery and in 3.3% of middle cerebral artery infarcts and in three patients out of 12 who were known to have epilepsy. Seizure types were secondarily generalised tonic-clonic seizure in nine cases (57%. Among whole group status epilepticus was observed in four patients (1.1%. Conclusion: Early seizure rates are found to be high among patients with anterior cerebral artery infarct and known epilepsy

The Spectrum of Epidemiology Underlying Sudden Cardiac Death

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi, Meiso; Shimizu, Wataru; Albert, Christine M.

2015-01-01

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) from cardiac arrest is a major international public health problem accounting for an estimated 15–20% of all deaths. Although resuscitation rates are generally improving throughout the world, the majority of individuals who suffer a sudden cardiac arrest will not survive. SCD most often develops in older adults with acquired structural heart disease, but it also rarely occurs in the young, where it is more commonly due to inherited disorders. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is known to be the most common pathology underlying SCD, followed by cardiomyopathies, inherited arrhythmia syndromes, and valvular heart disease. Over the past three decades, declines in SCD rates have not been as steep as for other causes of CHD deaths, and there is a growing fraction of SCDs not due to CHD and/or ventricular arrhythmias, particularly among certain subsets of the population. The growing heterogeneity of the pathologies and mechanisms underlying SCD present major challenges for SCD prevention, which are magnified further by a frequent lack of recognition of the underlying cardiac condition prior to death. Multifaceted preventative approaches, which address risk factors in seemingly low risk and known high-risk populations will be required to decrease the burden of SCD. In this Compendium, we review the wide-ranging spectrum of epidemiology underlying SCD within both the general population and in high-risk subsets with established cardiac disease placing an emphasis on recent global trends, remaining uncertainties, and potential targeted preventive strategies. PMID:26044246

Parkinson’s Disease – the Debate on the Clinical Phenomenology, Aetiology, Pathology and Pathogenesis

Science.gov (United States)

Jenner, Peter; Morris, Huw R.; Robbins, Trevor W.; Goedert, Michel; Hardy, John; Ben-Shlomo, Yoav; Bolam, Paul; Burn, David; Hindle, John V.; Brooks, David

2014-01-01

The definition of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is changing with the expansion of clinical phenomenology and improved understanding of environmental and genetic influences that impact on the pathogenesis of the disease at the cellular and molecular level. This had led to debate and discussion with as yet, no general acceptance of the direction that change should take either at the level of diagnosis or of what should and should not be sheltered under an umbrella of PD. This article is one contribution to this on-going discussion. There are two different themes running through the article - widening the definition of PD/LBD/synucleinopathies and the heterogeneity that exists within PD itself from a clinical, pathological and genetic per-spective. The conclusion reached is that in the future, further diagnostic categories will need to be recognized. These are likely to include - Parkinson’s syndrome, Parkinson’s syndrome likely to be Lewy body PD, clinical PD (defined by QSBB criteria), Lewy body disease (PD, LBD, REM SBD) and synucleinopathies (including LBD, MSA). PMID:23938306

Application of Artificial Neural Networks in the Heart Electrical Axis Position Conclusion Modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Bakanovskaya, L. N.

2016-08-01

The article touches upon building of a heart electrical axis position conclusion model using an artificial neural network. The input signals of the neural network are the values of deflections Q, R and S; and the output signal is the value of the heart electrical axis position. Training of the network is carried out by the error propagation method. The test results allow concluding that the created neural network makes a conclusion with a high degree of accuracy.

Association between obesity and periodontal disease. A systematic review of epidemiological studies and controlled clinical trials

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez-Herrera, Mayte; Silvestre-Rangil, Javier

2017-01-01

Background Obesity is a very prevalent chronic disease worldwide and has been suggested to increase susceptibility of periodontitis. The aim of this paper was to provide a systematic review of the association between obesity and periodontal disease, and to determine the possible mechanisms underlying in this relationship. Material and Methods A literature search was carried out in the databases PubMed-Medline and Embase. Controlled clinical trials and observational studies identifying periodontal and body composition parameters were selected. Each article was subjected to data extraction and quality assessment. Results A total of 284 articles were identified, of which 64 were preselected and 28 were finally included in the review. All the studies described an association between obesity and periodontal disease, except two articles that reported no such association. Obesity is characterized by a chronic subclinical inflammation that could exacerbate other chronic inflammatory disorders like as periodontitis. Conclusions The association between obesity and periodontitis was consistent with a compelling pattern of increased risk of periodontitis in overweight or obese individuals. Although the underlying pathophysiological mechanism remains unclear, it has been pointed out that the development of insulin resistance as a consequence of a chronic inflammatory state and oxidative stress could be implicated in the association between obesity and periodontitis. Further prospective longitudinal studies are needed to define the magnitude of this association and to elucidate the causal biological mechanisms. Key words:Periodontal disease, periodontitis, periodontal infection, obesity, abdominal obesity. PMID:29053651

[Sense of smell, physiological ageing and neurodegenerative diseases: II. Ageing and neurodegenerative diseases].

Science.gov (United States)

Fusari, A; Molina, J A

The sense of smell, which was once studied because of its biological and evolutionary significance, is today one of the centres of interest in research on normal and pathological ageing. The latest scientific developments point to an inversely proportional relationship between age and olfactory sensitivity. In certain neurodegenerative diseases this sensory decline is one of the first symptoms of the disorder and is correlated with the progression of the disease. In this work we are going to review the scientific knowledge on loss of sense of smell in ageing and in neurodegenerative diseases, with special attention given to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. A survey of studies that have examined the olfactory deficits in ageing and in some neurodegenerative diseases offers conclusive results about the presence of these impairments in the early stages of these disorders and even among healthy elderly persons. Although a number of causes contribute to these sensory losses in physiological ageing, a common neurological foundation has been proposed for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Nevertheless, despite certain initial similarities, the olfactory deficits shown in these disorders seem to be qualitatively different.

Randomised intervention study to assess the prevalence of subclinical vascular disease and hidden kidney disease and its impact on morbidity and mortality: The ILERVAS project

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Àngels Betriu

2016-07-01

Conclusions: The ILERVAS project will reveal the prevalence of subclinical vascular disease and hidden kidney disease, determine whether or not their early diagnosis brings health benefits and will also allow investigation of new risk factors.

Thoracic complications of rheumatoid disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Massey, H.; Darby, M.; Edey, A.

2013-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis is a relatively common multisystem disease associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Thoracic disease, both pleural and pulmonary, is a frequent extra-articular manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis and responsible for approximately 20% of rheumatoid-associated mortality. Rheumatoid disease and its associated therapies can affect all compartments of the lung inciting a range of stereotyped pathological responses and it is not infrequent for multiple disease entities to co-exist. In some instances, development of pulmonary complications may precede typical rheumatological presentation of the disease and be the first indication of an underlying connective tissue disease. The spectrum of thoracic disease related to rheumatoid arthritis is reviewed

Paget Disease of the Breast

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... under a microscope; they may be found as single cells or as small groups of cells within the epidermis. Who gets Paget disease of the breast? Paget disease of the breast occurs in both women and men, but most cases occur in women. ...

Energy 2000: effects of the program and conclusions from its evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balthasar, A.

2000-01-01

The action program Energy 2000 has been continually reviewed by independent experts in view of its effects. This resulted in around 50 scientific studies between 1991 and 1999, dealing with different aspects of the program. In the book 'Energy 2000: effects of the program and conclusions from its evaluation', the results of these evaluations are summarised, and conclusions for the design of the follow-up program are drawn. The organisational frame of the program is presented and the question answered whether the determining principles of the program proved practical. Besides, the effects of state intervention, of the conflict solving groups and the voluntary actions of Energy 2000 are appraised. A separate chapter is dedicated to the evaluation strategy of the program, its implementation and the benefits of the evaluations. Propositions for the evaluation of the follow-up program are formulated as well. Dr. Andreas Balthasar is President of the Swiss Evaluation Society. (author)

Genes Underlying Positive Influence Of Prenatal Environmental ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Genes Underlying Positive Influence Of Prenatal Environmental Enrichment And ... Prenatal environmental enrichment (EE) has been proven to positively affect but ... Conclusion: The negative-positive prenatal effect could contribute to altered ...

Dynamics of cardiovascular parameters in combined aortic malformations under the influence of a physical therapy program during the rehabilitation process

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Serhii Kalmykov

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose: to study hemodynamic parameters and the reaction of the cardiovascular system to the dosed physical load of patients combined aortic defect with heart failure of the I degree under the influence of the complex physical therapy program developed by us during the rehabilitation process. Material & Methods: the study involved 26 middle-aged men with a diagnosis: combined aortic valve disease, HF I st. Result: dynamics of functional parameters of the cardiovascular system of patients under the influence of the physical therapy program is analyzed. Conclusion: the combination of morning hygienic gymnastics, therapeutic gymnastics, independent activities and dosed walking with a therapeutic massage contributes to the normalization of vascular tone, motor-vascular reflexes and blood pressure, increasing the tolerance of the cardiovascular system to physical activity.

Association between polymorphic markers of IL-10 gene and chronic diseases of the upper respiratory tract in children living under technogenic pressure