Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Increased Presence (increased + presence)
Selected AbstractsProteomic analysis of plasma from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: Increased presence of haptoglobin ,2 polypeptide chains over the ,1 isoformsPROTEINS: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND BIOINFORMATICS, Issue S1 2006Esther J. Pavón Abstract In the present study plasma samples from 15 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and 16 healthy controls of initially unknown haptoglobin (Hp) phenotype were separated by 2-DE, and tryptic digests of the excised Hp, polypeptide chain spots were analyzed by MALDI-TOF-MS. Selected tryptic peptides were sequenced by nano-(n)ESI-IT MS/MS. The six major Hp phenotypes were present, although with distinct frequencies in controls and SLE patients. Thus, there were an increased proportion of SLE patients with Hp 2,2, or Hp 2,1S phenotypes. The Hp phenotype distribution resulted in allele frequencies of 0,625 (Hp2), 0.281 (Hp1S), and 0.093 (Hp1F) in healthy controls, correlating fairly well with the allele frequencies of European populations. In contrast, the Hp allele frequencies of the SLE patients were 0.733 (Hp2), 0.233 (Hp1S), and 0.033 (Hp11F), which clearly indicated an increased frequency of Hp2, a similar proportion of Hp1S and a diminished proportion of Hp1F in SLE patients compared with that in healthy controls. Preferential Hp,2 expression in SLE patients may contribute to some of the clinical manifestations of the disease such as hypergammaglobulinemia, systemic vasculitis, and cardiovascular disorders. [source] The prognostic value of intraepithelial and stromal CD3-, CD117- and CD138-positive cells in non-small cell lung carcinomaAPMIS, Issue 5 2010KHALID AL-SHIBLI Al-Shibli K, Al-Saad S, Andersen S, Donnem T, Bremnes RM, Busund L-T. The prognostic value of intraepithelial and stromal CD3-, CD117- and CD138-positive cells in non-small cell lung carcinoma. APMIS 2010; 118: 371,82. The major value of prognostic markers in potentially curable non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) should be to guide therapy after surgical treatment. Although tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes and plasma cells have been documented in NSCLC, a clear association with clinical outcome, especially for the stromal component, has not been well established. The aim of this study was to elucidate the prognostic significance of these cells/markers in the epithelial and stromal compartments of NSCLC. Tissue microarrays from 335 resected, stage I-IIIA, NSCLC were constructed by duplicate cores from viable neoplastic epithelial and stromal areas. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the infiltration of CD3+, CD117+ as well as CD138+ cells in epithelial and stromal areas. In univariate analyses, increasing numbers of stromal CD3+ (p = 0.001) and epithelial CD3+ cells (p = 0.004) correlated significantly with an improved disease-specific survival. No such relation was noted with CD3+ or CD117+ cells. In the multivariate analysis, stromal CD3+ cells was an independent prognostic factor for disease-specific survival (HR 1.925, CI 1.21,3.04, p = 0.005). Increased presence of the pan T-cell marker, CD3, which is an independent factor, correlates with improved clinical outcome in NSCLC. This prognostic impact of T cells is clearer in the tumor stroma. Neither plasma cells nor mast cells were prognostic indicators in our cohort. [source] Evidence supporting an increased presence of reactive oxygen species in the diseased equine jointEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 5 2000A. N. Dimock Summary Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are capable of degrading many components of the joint in the presence of insufficient antioxidant defences, and as a result have been implicated in the pathogenesis of joint disease in horses. However, to our knowledge, evidence of ROS occurring in diseased joints of horses has not been reported. The objective of this experiment was to compare differences in synovial fluid protein carbonyl content (as a marker of oxidative modification of synovial fluid proteins by ROS) and the antioxidant status of synovial fluid between clinically normal and diseased equine joints. Synovial fluid was collected from the metacarpophalangeal, metatarsophalangeal, carpal and tarsal joints of 4 horses, age 2,5 years, as controls, and from diseased joints (metacarpophalangeal, metatarsophalangeal, carpal, tarsal and/or femoropatellar) of 61 horses, age 2,5 years. Synovial fluid protein carbonyl content was higher (P<0.01) in diseased joints as compared to controls. Antioxidant status of synovial fluid from diseased joints was higher, but not significantly, than that of controls (P = 0.0595). These findings require further study to determine their contribution to the overall disease process. [source] ,Allowed into a Man's World' Meanings of Work,Life Balance: Perspectives of Women Civil Engineers as ,Minority' Workers in ConstructionGENDER, WORK & ORGANISATION, Issue 1 2009Jacqueline H. Watts This article discusses how women working as civil engineers within the UK construction industry perceive work,life balance and considers strategies they use to achieve this. The findings are presented of a qualitative research project that explored the experiences of women in this role, focusing on the subcultural context of a profession that is dominated by the values of presenteeism and infinite availability. A feminist post-structuralist framework is used to analyse how women negotiate their personal and professional time and the extent to which their other roles as carers and nurturers unsettle male work practices in this highly gendered profession. There are gradually increasing numbers of women in professional construction roles and their success appears to depend on being able to fit in to the dominant masculine culture of long working hours and the male pub gathering. Despite an increased presence, women's minority status in construction continues to challenge their professional identity and this is central to the conflict many face between the dual roles of corporate worker and private non-work person. [source] An update on the neuropathology of HIV in the HAART eraHISTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 6 2004J E Bell This review compares the neuropathology of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-treated HIV+ individuals with the reported central nervous system (CNS) findings from the pre-HAART era. HAART has had considerable success in combating HIV-related immune collapse and has prevented many of the former end-stage complications of AIDS. However, with increased survival times the prevalence of minor HIV-associated cognitive impairment appears to be rising among treated patients and this may be a particular risk for older individuals. HIV encephalitis (HIVE) is still prevalent in treated patients although attenuated forms of HIVE and CNS opportunistic disorders are also observed. Some subjects show very significant CNS lymphocytic infiltrates in the context of HAART-induced immune reconstitution. HIV-associated cognitive impairment correlates best with the increased presence of activated, though not necessarily infected, microglia and CNS macrophages. This suggests that indirect mechanisms of neuronal injury and loss occur in HIV/AIDS as a basis for dementia since neurones are not themselves productively infected. Research to elucidate the mechanisms of neuronal injury in HIV/AIDS may contribute to the understanding of CNS function not only in HAART-treated subjects but also in other neurodegenerative disorders. [source] Stop female genital mutilation: appeal to the international dermatologic communityINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2002Aldo Morrone MD Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a traditional cultural practice, but also a form of violence against girls, which affects their lives as adult women. FGM comprises a wide range of procedures: the excision of the prepuce; the partial or total excision of the clitoris (clitoridectomy) and labia; or the stitching and narrowing of the vaginal orifice (infibulation). The number of girls and women who have been subjected to FGM is estimated at around 137 million worldwide and 2 million girls per year are considered at risk. Most females who have undergone mutilation live in 28 African countries. Globalization and international migration have brought an increased presence of circumcised women in Europe and developed countries. Healthcare specialists need to be made aware and trained in the physical, psychosexual, and cultural aspects and effects of FGM and in the response to the needs of genitally mutilated women. Health education programs targeted at immigrant communities should include information on sexuality, FGM, and reproduction. Moreover, healthcare workers should both discourage women from performing FGM on their daughters and receive information on codes of conduct and existing laws. The aim is the total eradication of all forms of FGM. [source] Response of Nutrients, Plankton Communities and Macrophytes to Fish Manipulation in a Small Eutrophic Wetland LakeINTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF HYDROBIOLOGY, Issue 5-6 2005István Tátrai Abstract A food web manipulation experiment was started in 1999 in a small shallow eutrophic (Major Lake as a part of the wetland area, the Kis-Balaton Water Protection System, KBWPS). The development of submerged macrophytes, the structure and biomass of phytoplankton and crustacean plankton responded rapidly to the removal of 60% of omnivorous cyprinid fish. An increase in transparency and a decrease in the concentrations of chlorophyll- a, phytoplankton and phosphorus occurred simultaneously with the increased presence of submerged macrophytes, which covered 45% of the lake area compared with <10% during the premanipulation period. The success of fish manipulation demonstrated the potential of this measure as a short-term management strategy. Our data also indicated that the clear water state was not stable in the long term. As long as phosphorus level is high, there is a risk that macrophytes will not successfully establish for longer period. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] ,It Takes Two Hands to Clap': How Gaddi Shepherds in the Indian Himalayas Negotiate Access to GrazingJOURNAL OF AGRARIAN CHANGE, Issue 1 2007RICHARD AXELBY This article examines the effects of state intervention on the workings of informal institutions that coordinate the communal use and management of natural resources. Specifically it focuses on the case of the nomadic Gaddi shepherds and official attempts to regulate their access to grazing pastures in the Indian Himalayas. It is often predicted that the increased presence of the modern state critically undermines locally appropriate and community-based resource management arrangements. Drawing on the work of Pauline Peters and Francis Cleaver, I identify key instances of socially embedded ,common' management institutions and explain the evolution of these arrangements through dynamic interactions between individuals, communities and the agents of the state. Through describing the ,living space' of Gaddi shepherds across the annual cycle of nomadic migration with their flocks I explore the ways in which they have been able to creatively reinterpret external interventions, and suggest how contemporary arrangements for accessing pasture at different moments of the annual cycle involve complex combinations of the formal and the informal, the ,traditional' and the ,modern'. [source] The latest cosmeceutical approaches for anti-agingJOURNAL OF COSMETIC DERMATOLOGY, Issue 2007Zoe Diana Draelos MD Summary Background, Cosmeceuticals provide a new therapeutic frontier for anti-aging in dermatology. The most dramatic signs of cutaneous aging include the lack of skin surface regularity, the formation of rhagades, and the increased presence of dyspigmentation. Background, The objective of this review is to illustrate how these three needs of maturing skin can be met by novel ingredients incorporated into carefully constructed formulations designed to deliver scientifically measurable and visibly noticeable improvement. Conclusion, Skin surface irregularity can be improved through increased skin turnover facilitated by topical niacinamide, while the appearance of fine lines can be diminished through the application of moisturizers containing engineered peptides and over-the-counter retinoids, such as retinyl propionate. Finally, skin pigmentation can become more regular with the topical application of N-acetyl glucosamine and ultraviolet A photoprotective ingredients. Furthermore, combining cosmeceutical ingredients in a moisturizing vehicle can magnify benefits and profoundly improve skin appearance. [source] Changes in immune and enzyme histochemical phenotypes of cells in the intestinal mucosa of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., with soybean meal-induced enteritisJOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES, Issue 2 2000A M Bakke-McKellep Extracted soybean meal (SBM) in the diet for Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., causes an inflammatory response in the distal intestine. The morphological changes of the epithelial cells and a characterization of the inflammatory cell infiltrate of the distal intestinal mucosa were studied using a panel of enzyme and immunohistochemical markers. The salmon (average body weight 927 g) used in the study were fed either a fishmeal-based diet (control diet) or a diet in which 30% of the fishmeal protein was replaced with SBM protein (SBM diet). In salmon fed SBM, there were markedly reduced enzyme reactivities in the distal intestinal epithelial cells, both in the brush border [5,-nucleotidase (5,N), Mg2+-ATPase, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and leucine aminopeptidase (LAP)] and in the intracellular structures [alkaline and acid phosphatase, non-specific esterase (NSE) and alanine aminopeptidase (AAP)]. There appeared to be an increased presence of cells of monocytic lineage, including macrophages, as well as neutrophilic granulocytes and immunoglobulin (Ig) M in the lamina propria of the SBM-fed fish. The mid intestine showed little response to the diet. The results suggest that toxic/antigenic component(s) of SBM affect the differentiation of the distal intestinal epithelial cells and may help explain the reduced nutrient digestibilities previously reported in salmonids fed extracted SBM. [source] The Effects of Bacillus pumilus, Isolated from Wheat Rhizosphere, on Resistance in Wheat Seedling Roots against the Take-all Fungus, Gaeumannomyces graminis var. triticiJOURNAL OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 11-12 2007E. Sari Abstract The aim of this study was to verify that induced resistance was another mechanism through which Bacillus pumilus 7 km can suppress Gaeumannomyces graminis (Sacc.) Von Arx and Oliver var. tritici Walker (Ggt). Also, plant growth-promotion activity of B. pumilus 7 km and its effect on disease severity of take-all were evaluated. Soil was drenched with B. pumilus 7 km and disease severity, root and shoot fresh weights and root and shoot heights were evaluated. The activities of soluble peroxidase (SPOX), ionically cell wall-bound peroxidase (CWPOX), , -1,3-glucanase, , -1,4-glucanase and the contents of total phenolic compounds were also determined. The results indicated that disease severity in the bacterized roots was significantly less than the pathogen control roots. Also this isolate promoted root height, root and shoot fresh weights, compared with the healthy control plants. Wheat plants treated with B. pumilus 7 km showed increased presence of SPOX, CWPOX, , -1,3-glucanase, , -1,4-glucanase and phenolic compounds in bacterized roots challenged with the pathogen. In this treatment, maximum SPOX, , -1,3-glucanase and , -1,4-glucanase activities on day 4 and CWPOX activity on day 8 were recorded. Also, maximum total phenolic concentration on day 6 was recorded. The results suggest that the inhibitory effect of B. pumilus 7 km on the take-all may be related to its ability to enhance defense responses in the wheat roots. [source] Does the School Nurse-to-Student Ratio Make a Difference?JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, Issue 1 2004Martha Guttu ABSTRACT: Public schools must provide an appropriate education for students with complex health needs. Chronic illnesses such as asthma and diabetes, social morbidities, injuries, and conditions that limit learning such as poor vision commonly affect school-aged children. School nurses often assume a leadership role in providing services for these children. However, although a national standard for school nurse/student ratio has been proposed, little research has examined the relationship between different school nurse-to-student ratios, level of health services provided in schools, and student outcomes. This study examined data in a 21-county region in eastern North Carolina served by a regional school nurse consultant. The school nurse-to-student ratio in these counties ranged from 1:451 to 1:7,440 based on full-time equivalencies. Two systems offered no school nursing services.*** Data from school years ending in 2000,2002 were considered in the analysis. A significant correlation was found between the increased presence of school nurses and services provided to children with diabetes (r = ,.52, p = .000) and asthma (r = ,.43, p = .002). Schools with better ratios provided more counseling services to children for social conditions such as depression and unintended pregnancy (r = ,.38, p = .006), and more follow-up for school-related injuries (r = ,.43, p = .003), and a higher percentage of children with vision problems received follow-up care (r = ,.37, p = .007). A case analysis of one school district that experienced a significant improvement in nurse/student ratio over the study period provides further evidence that school nurses make a difference. [source] Using mixed methods research in medical education: basic guidelines for researchersMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 7 2009Karen E Schifferdecker Context, Mixed methods research involves the collection, analysis and integration of both qualitative and quantitative data in a single study. The benefits of a mixed methods approach are particularly evident when studying new questions or complex initiatives and interactions, which is often the case in medical education research. Basic guidelines for when to use mixed methods research and how to design a mixed methods study in medical education research are not readily available. Methods, The purpose of this paper is to remedy that situation by providing an overview of mixed methods research, research design models relevant for medical education research, examples of each research design model in medical education research, and basic guidelines for medical education researchers interested in mixed methods research. Conclusions, Mixed methods may prove superior in increasing the integrity and applicability of findings when studying new or complex initiatives and interactions in medical education research. They deserve an increased presence and recognition in medical education research. [source] Restless legs syndrome in Parkinson's diseaseMOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 13 2007Juan C. Gómez-Esteban MD Abstract The present study explores the frequency of RLS in PD and focuses on the clinical differences between patients with and without restless legs syndrome (RLS). A cross-sectional study was designed, comprising 114 patients diagnosed with PD. Those patients positive for RLS were assessed for intensity of the syndrome (IRLS). We compared the clinical characteristics of the patients with and without RLS, using specific scales: Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS I-IV), quality of life (Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire, PDQ 39), sleep symptoms (Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale, PDSS), and diurnal hypersomnia (Epworth Sleepiness Scale). Twenty-five patients (21.9%) out of a total of 114 subjects diagnosed with PD met the RLS diagnostic criteria. RLS was more frequent in women (68%). The patients with RLS showed poorer scores on the PDSS (PD-RLS+: 102.4 ± 15.1 vs PD-RLS-: 113.2 ± 16.4) (P = 0.005) and in the bodily discomfort dimension of the PDQ-39 (PD-RLS+ 6.1 ± 3.4 vs PD-RLS- 3.8 ± 2.6) (P = 0.002). Analysis of the subscales of the PDSS showed significant differences (P < 0.001) between both groups of patients in items 4 and 10, and to a lesser degree in items 5 (P = 0.01) and 11 (P = 0.02) There was no increased incidence of diurnal hypersomnia in the group of patients with RLS. There were no differences in the rest of the variables. RLS is frequent in patients with PD, though this condition doesn't apparently affect quality of life or lead to an increased presence of diurnal hypersomnia. It would be advisable to validate the diagnostic criteria of RLS in this specific group of patients. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society [source] Time and the Price Impact of a TradeTHE JOURNAL OF FINANCE, Issue 6 2000Alfonso Dufour We use Hasbrouck's (1991) vector autoregressive model for prices and trades to empirically test and assess the role played by the waiting time between consecutive transactions in the process of price formation. We find that as the time duration between transactions decreases, the price impact of trades, the speed of price adjustment to trade-related information, and the positive autocorrelation of signed trades all increase. This suggests that times when markets are most active are times when there is an increased presence of informed traders; we interpret such markets as having reduced liquidity. [source] A hierarchical analysis of transcriptome alterations in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) reveals common pathophysiological pathways in mammals,THE JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY, Issue 3 2007C Buffat Abstract Intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a frequent disease, affecting up to 10% of human pregnancies and responsible for increased perinatal morbidity and mortality. Moreover, low birth weight is an important cause of the metabolic syndrome in the adult. Protein depletion during the gestation of rat females has been widely used as a model for human IUGR. By transcriptome analysis of control and protein-deprived rat placentas, we were able to identify 2543 transcripts modified more than 2.5 fold (1347 induced and 1196 repressed). Automatic functional classification enabled us to identify clusters of induced genes affecting chromosome structure, transcription, intracellular transport, protein modifications and apoptosis. In particular, we suggest the existence of a complex balance regulating apoptosis. Among repressed genes, we noted several groups of genes involved in immunity, signalling and degradation of noxious chemicals. These observations suggest that IUGR placentas have a decreased resistance to external aggression. The promoters of the most induced and most repressed genes were contrasted for their composition in putative transcription factor binding sites. There was an over-representation of Znfinger (ZNF) proteins and Pdx1 (pancreatic and duodenal homeobox protein 1) putative binding sites. Consistently, Pdx1 and a high proportion of ZNF genes were induced at the transcriptional level. A similar analysis of ZNF promoters showed an increased presence of putative binding sites for the Tata box binding protein (Tbp). Consistently again, we showed that the Tbp and TBP-associated factors (Tafs) were up-regulated in IUGR placentas. Also, samples of human IUGR and control placentas showed that human orthologous ZNFs and PDX1 were transcriptionnally induced, especially in non-vascular IUGR. Immunohistochemistry revealed increased expression of PDX1 in IUGR human placentas. In conclusion, our approach permitted the proposition of hypotheses on a hierarchy of gene inductions/repressions leading to massive transcriptional alterations in the IUGR placenta, in humans and in rodents. Copyright © 2007 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Assessing children's statements: the impact of a repeated experience on CBCA and RM ratingsAPPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 6 2004Leif A. Strömwall This study examined the extent to which the Criteria-based Content Analysis (CBCA) technique and the Reality Monitoring (RM) technique were affected by the number of times children had experienced or imagined an event. Children (age 10,13, N,=87,) participated in an experiment where half the sample experienced a health examination (either one or four times), and the other half imagined (either one or four times) that they took part in a health examination. One week after the final occasion, the children were interviewed. The results showed that RM was sensitive to both the authenticity of the statements (increased presence of the criteria for real events) and whether the event had been repeatedly experienced/imagined (increased presence of the criteria for the repeated actions). The CBCA did not successfully distinguish the real from the imagined. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Glycosaminoglycan in cerebrum, cerebellum and brainstem of young sheep brain with particular reference to compositional and structural variations of chondroitin,dermatan sulfate and hyaluronanBIOMEDICAL CHROMATOGRAPHY, Issue 9 2008Virginia Kilia Abstract Recent advances in the structural biology of chondroitin sulfate chains have suggested important biological functions in the development of the brain. Several studies have demonstrated that the composition of chondroitin sulfate chains changes with aging and normal brain maturation. In this study, we determined the concentration of all glycosaminoglycan types, i.e. chondroitin sulfate, dermatan sulfate, keratan sulfate, heparan sulfate, hyaluronan and chondroitin in cerebrum, cerebellum and brainstem of young sheep brain. In all cases, chondroitin sulfate was the predominant glycosaminoglycan type, comprising about 54,58% of total glycosaminoglycans, with hyaluronan being present also in significant amounts of about 19,28%. Of particular interest was the increased presence of the disulfated disaccharides and dermatan sulfate in cerebellum and brainstem, respectively, as well as the detectable and measurable occurrence of chondroitin in young sheep brain. Among the three brain areas, cerebrum was found to be significantly richer in chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronan, two major extracellular matrix components. These findings imply that the extracellular matrix of the cerebrum is different from those of cerebellum and brainstem, and probably this fact is related to the particular histological and functional characteristics of each anatomic area of the brain. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||