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Selected AbstractsSurgical treatment options for hidradenitis suppurativa and critical review of own experienceEXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2006Wolfgang Christian Marsch HS (acne inversa) is a chronic, progressive, initially inflammatory, ultimately a fistulating and scarring disease affecting apocrine gland-bearing skin areas. Late phases afford a broad surgical removal of affected skin areas including subcutaneous fatty tissue, with secondary mesh grafting after a period of granulation tissue formation. Fifty-three patients have been treated surgically at our Dermatology Department. Long-term results are excellent concerning satisfaction of the patients and functional objectives. Local recurrences or development of new lesions in formerly unaffected areas were noticed only in some patients who did not stop smoking. Patient details were as follows: gender distribution: male (M) 20 (38%), female (F) 33 (62%), age: M 19,62 (average 40.7), F 15,56 (average 35.4), onset: M 16,57 (32.2), F 8,50 (25.5), duration: 3 months to 37 years (8.0), F 6 months to 37 years (9.9). Sites mainly affected: axillary and perigenital. Specific regions for men: perineum and rima ani, for women: inguinal, submammary and abdominal. Multiple anatomical regions involved: men 40%, women 91%. Familiarity 0.4%. Associated acne papulo-pustulosa or nodulo-cystica (=conglobata): 19%. Cigarette smokers: men 100%, women 67%. Excised material from each operation was carefully examined histologically. The results endorse the concept of ,acne inversa' by recognizing a perifollicular accumulation of lymphocytes simultaneously at different infrainfundibula of terminal hair follicles. However, a follicular hyperkeratosis seems secondary to this, follicular perforation, and a combination of sinus, abscess and scar formation are most obviously tertiary events. Therefore, HS seems to be an inflammatory, probably an immunological disease with an initially strictly dermal target, even followed by an intradermal horizontal propagation. Laser flux imaging could visualize the subclinical peripheral extension of the basically dermal perifollicular inflammation. Biologics may have a beneficial effect on these early or perpetuating inflammatory events; however, thus far surgery remains the first-line therapy in late phases of the disease. [source] Early and transient ontogenetic expression of the cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript peptide in the rat mesencephalon: Correlation with tyrosine hydroxylase expressionDEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2002F. Brischoux Abstract The ontogeny of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) expression has been analyzed by immunohistochemistry in the mesencephalon of the rat central nervous system, and compared to the pattern of tyrosine hydroxylase- (TH-) expression. CART-producing neurons were first detected on the embryonic day 11 (E11) in the ventral mesencephalic vesicle. These neurons are among the first cells of the mantle layer to differentiate. From E13, a complementary pattern of distribution was observed, dividing the mantle layer into an external TH zone and an internal CART zone. Many TH-positive neurons were found to migrate from the neuroepithelium through the area containing the CART-immunoreactive neurons to settle more laterally. These TH cells exhibited prominent leading and trailing dendrites in the immediate vicinity of CART perikarya. On E16, the number of CART neurons appeared to diminish, and they were confined near the ventricle and around the fasciculus retroflexus. On E18 and E20, only the Edinger-Westphal nucleus exhibited a strong CART staining as described in the adult brain. Thus, the very early detection of CART during prenatal ontogeny led us to speculate that this peptide might have a role in the development of specific regions of the rat brain. In particular, our observations suggest that CART-expressing neurons might help the migration of the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 52: 221,229, 2002 [source] Sex differences in progesterone receptor immunoreactivity in neonatal mouse brain depend on estrogen receptor , expressionDEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2001Christine K. Wagner Abstract Around the time of birth, male rats express higher levels of progesterone receptors in the medial preoptic nucleus (MPN) than female rats, suggesting that the MPN may be differentially sensitive to maternal hormones in developing males and females. Preliminary evidence suggests that this sex difference depends on the activation of estrogen receptors around birth. To test whether estrogen receptor alpha (ER,) is involved, we compared progesterone receptor immunoreactivity (PRir) in the brains of male and female neonatal mice that lacked a functional ER, gene or were wild type for the disrupted gene. We demonstrate that males express much higher levels of PRir in the MPN and the ventromedial nucleus of the neonatal mouse brain than females, and that PRir expression is dependent on the expression of ER, in these regions. In contrast, PRir levels in neocortex are not altered by ER, gene disruption. The results of this study suggest that the induction of PR via ER, may render specific regions of the developing male brain more sensitive to progesterone than the developing female brain, and may thereby underlie sexual differentiation of these regions. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Neurobiol 47: 176,182, 2001 [source] Structure of adhesive organ of the mountain-stream catfish, Pseudocheneis sulcatus (Teleostei: Sisoridae)ACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 4 2005Debasish Das Abstract The structure and ultrastructure of the adhesive organ (AO) in the catfish, Pseudocheneis sulcatus (Sisoridae), an inhabitant of the sub-Himalayan streams of India, is described. The surface of the AO is thrown into folds, the ridges of which bear curved spines. The AO epidermis consists of 10,12 tiers of filament-rich cells, of which the outer tier cells project spines lined with a thick plasma membrane and bear bundles of tonofilaments (TF). Their cytoplasm contains TF and large mucus-like granules, but no obvious organelles. A second tier of living cells with spines is present beneath the outer tier and seems to replace the latter when its spines are damaged or shed. The outer tier cells react positively with antibody to cytokeratin. Actin labelling is clearly absent from the outer tier, indicating that keratinization of the outer tier occurs in the absence of actin filaments. In the cells of the third to fifth tiers, the cytoplasm possesses abundant small mucous granules (0.1,0.3 µm), and fewer TF compared to the cytoplasm in the spines. The cells of the innermost tiers and the basal layer possess few TF bundles, but no mucous granules. The potential of AO filament cells to produce both mucous granules and keratin filaments is noteworthy. The observations provide evidence that specific regions of fish epidermis can actually undergo a true process of keratinization. [source] The Midline Thalamus: Alterations and a Potential Role in Limbic EpilepsyEPILEPSIA, Issue 8 2001Edward H. Bertram Summary: ,Purpose: In limbic or mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, much attention has been given to specific regions or cell populations (e.g., the hippocampus or dentate granule cells). Epileptic seizures may involve broader changes in neural circuits, and evidence suggests that subcortical regions may play a role. In this study we examined the midline thalamic regions for involvement in limbic seizures, changes in anatomy and physiology, and the potential role for this region in limbic seizures and epilepsy Methods: Using two rat models for limbic epilepsy (hippocampal kindled and chronic spontaneous limbic epilepsy) we examined the midline thalamus for evidence of involvement in seizure activity, alterations in structure, changes in the basic in vitro physiology of the thalamic neurons. We also explored how this region may influence limbic seizures. Results: The midline thalamus was consistently involved with seizure activity from the onset, and there was significant neuronal loss in the medial dorsal and reuniens/rhomboid nuclei. In addition, thalamic neurons had changes in synaptically mediated and voltage-gated responses. Infusion of lidocaine into the midline thalamus significantly shortened afterdischarge duration. Conclusions: These observations suggest that this thalamic region is part of the neural circuitry of limbic epilepsy and may play a significant role in seizure modulation. Local neuronal changes can enhance the excitability of the thalamolimbic circuits. [source] Hybrid reuteransucrase enzymes reveal regions important for glucosidic linkage specificity and the transglucosylation/hydrolysis ratioFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 23 2008Slavko Kralj The reuteransucrase enzymes of Lactobacillus reuteri strain 121 (GTFA) and L. reuteri strain ATCC 55730 (GTFO) convert sucrose into ,- d -glucans (labelled reuterans) with mainly ,-(1,4) glucosidic linkages (50% and 70%, respectively), plus ,-(1,6) linkages. In the present study, we report a detailed analysis of various hybrid GTFA/O enzymes, resulting in the identification of specific regions in the N-termini of the catalytic domains of these proteins as the main determinants of glucosidic linkage specificity. These regions were divided into three equal parts (A1,3; O1,3), and used to construct six additional GTFA/O hybrids. All hybrid enzymes were able to synthesize ,-glucans from sucrose, and oligosaccharides from sucrose plus maltose or isomaltose as acceptor substrates. Interestingly, not only the A2/O2 regions, with the three catalytic residues, affect glucosidic linkage specificity, but also the upstream A1/O1 regions make a strong contribution. Some GTFO derived hybrid/mutant enzymes displayed strongly increased transglucosylation/hydrolysis activity ratios. The reduced sucrose hydrolysis allowed the much improved conversion of sucrose into oligo- and polysaccharide products. Thus, the glucosidic linkage specificity and transglucosylation/hydrolysis ratios of reuteransucrase enzymes can be manipulated in a relatively simple manner. This engineering approach has yielded clear changes in oligosaccharide product profiles, as well as a range of novel reuteran products differing in ,-(1,4) and ,-(1,6) linkage ratios. [source] Candidate glioblastoma development gene identification using concordance between copy number abnormalities and gene expression level changesGENES, CHROMOSOMES AND CANCER, Issue 10 2007Ken C. Lo Copy number abnormalities (CNAs) in tumor cells are presumed to affect expression levels of genes located in region of abnormality. To investigate this relationship we have surveyed the losses, gains and amplifications in 30 glioblastomas using array comparative genome hybridization and compared these data with gene expression changes in the same tumors using the Affymetrix U133Plus2.0 oligonucleotide arrays. The two datasets were overlaid using our in-house overlay tool which highlights concordance between CNAs and expression level changes for the same tumors. In this survey we have highlighted genes frequently overexpressed in amplified regions on chromosomes 1, 4, 11, and 12 and have identified novel amplicons on these chromosomes. Deletions of specific regions on chromosomes 9, 10, 11, 14, and 15 have also been correlated with reduced gene expression in the regions of minimal overlap. In addition we describe a novel approach for comparing gene expression levels between tumors based on the presence or absence of chromosome CNAs. This genome wide screen provides an efficient and comprehensive survey of genes which potentially serve as the drivers for the CNAs in GBM. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Transgenic mouse lines expressing synaptopHluorin in hippocampus and cerebellar cortexGENESIS: THE JOURNAL OF GENETICS AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2005Rikita Araki Abstract We generated six transgenic mouse lines in which synaptopHluorin (SpH), one of green fluorescent protein-based sensors of vesicular exocytosis, was expressed under the control of neuron-specific Thy-1.2 promoter. In situ hybridization study revealed that SpH mRNA was expressed in a broad spectrum of brain regions in four of them, whereas in others it was expressed in the specific regions of the hippocampus. In one particular line, SpH immunoreactivity was specifically observed in the mossy fiber presynaptic terminals of both hippocampus and cerebellar cortex. The fluorescence intensity of these presynaptic terminals was somewhat decreased by acidic buffer superfusion and greatly increased by vesicular neutralization of pH, indicating that the SpH molecules are mainly distributed in the synaptic vesicles. The exocytosis-dependent fluorescence increment was measured upon activation of a single presynaptic terminal. These transgenic lines are expected to facilitate morphological and physiological studies of presynaptic terminals in a variety of regions of the brain. genesis 42:53,60, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Predicting potential impacts of climate change on the geographical distribution of enchytraeids: a meta-analysis approachGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 11 2007MARÍA JESÚS I. BRIONES Abstract The expectation that atmospheric warming will be most pronounced at higher latitudes means that Arctic and montane systems, with predominantly organic soils, will be particularly influenced by climate change. One group of soil fauna, the enchytraeids, is commonly the major soil faunal component in specific biomes, frequently exceeding above-ground fauna in biomass terms. These organisms have a crucial role in carbon turnover in organic rich soils and seem particularly sensitive to temperature changes. In order to predict the impacts of climate change on this important group of soil organisms we reviewed data from 44 published papers using a combination of conventional statistical techniques and meta-analysis. We focused on the effects of abiotic factors on total numbers of enchytraeids (a total of 611 observations) and, more specifically, concentrated on total numbers, vertical distribution and age groupings of the well-studied species Cognettia sphagnetorum (228 observations). The results highlight the importance of climatic factors, together with vegetation and soil type in determining global enchytraeid distribution; in particular, cold and wet environments with mild summers are consistently linked to greater densities of enchytraeids. Based on the upper temperature distribution limits reported in the literature, and identified from our meta-analyses, we also examined the probable future geographical limits of enchytraeid distribution in response to predicted global temperature changes using the HadCM3 model climate output for the period between 2010 and 2100. Based on the existing data we identify that a maximum mean annual temperature threshold of 16 °C could be a critical limit for present distribution of field populations, above which their presence would decline markedly, with certain key species, such as C. sphagnetorum, being totally lost from specific regions. We discuss the potential implications for carbon turnover in these organic soils where these organisms currently dominate and, consequently, their future role as C sink/source in response to climate change. [source] The molecular analysis of von Willebrand disease: a guideline from the UK Haemophilia Centre Doctors' Organisation Haemophilia Genetics Laboratory NetworkHAEMOPHILIA, Issue 5 2008S. KEENEY Summary., von Willebrand disease (VWD) is a common autosomally inherited bleeding disorder associated with mucosal or trauma-related bleeding in affected individuals. VWD results from a quantitative or qualitative deficiency of von Willebrand factor (VWF), a glycoprotein that is essential for primary haemostasis and that carries and protects coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) in the circulation. Through characterization of the phenotype and identification of mutations in the VWF gene in patients with VWD, understanding of the genetics and biochemistry of VWF and VWD has advanced considerably. The importance of specific regions of VWF for its interaction with other components of the vasculature has been revealed, and this has facilitated the formal classification of VWD into three subtypes based upon quantitative (types 1 and 3) and qualitative (type 2) deficiency of VWF. The underlying genetic lesions and associated molecular pathology have been identified in many cases of the qualitative type 2 VWD variants (2A, 2B, 2M, 2N) and in the severe quantitative deficiency, type 3 VWD. However in the partial quantitative deficiency, type 1 VWD, the picture is less clear: there is a variable relationship between plasma levels of VWF and bleeding, there is incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity within affected families, the causative molecular defect is unknown in a substantial number of cases, and even in those cases where the causative mutation is known, the associated molecular pathology is not necessarily understood. This guideline aims to provide a framework for best laboratory practice for the genetic diagnosis of VWD, based upon current knowledge and understanding. [source] Enzyme-Responsive Hydrogels: Dynamic, 3D-Pattern Formation Within Enzyme-Responsive Hydrogels (Adv. Mater.ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 41 200941/2009) On p. 4148, Sarah Heilshorn and Karin Straley demonstrate the design of a family of adaptive protein polymers with highly tunable and predictable degradation rates suitable for complex tissue-engineering applications. The cover image shows fluorescently labeled neurons grow and extend neurites on a protein-engineered biomaterial. Enzymes secreted by the neurons trigger selective degradation of specific regions of the biomaterial, allowing dynamic 3D patterns to emerge over time. Microscope images were acquired by Karin Straley. Digital art by Chelsea Castillo. [source] Differential effect of hyperthyroidism on rat epididymal glycosidasesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY, Issue 4 2001R. R. M. Maran The impact of hyperthyroidism on epididymal glycosidases was studied in albino rats. Hyperthyroidism was induced in Wistar rats aged 30 days by daily injection of T4 (25 ,g/100 g body weight/day intramuscularly) for 30 or 60 days; control rats were injected with vehicle (alkaline saline, pH 7.8). One set of hyperthyroid rats was reverted to euthyroid status by withdrawing T4 treatment after 30 days of hyperthyroidism. To asses the direct effect of thyroid hormone on epididymal hexosaminidases, caput, corpus and cauda tissues were stimulated with 25, 50 or 100 ng/mL T3 for 24 h, after an initial culture of 24 h. The activity of ,-glucosidase decreased in caput, corpus and cauda epididymis of hyperthyroid rats. ,-Galactosidase activity increased in the caput epididymis irrespective of the duration of hyperthyroidism. While a similar decrease occurred in the corpus and cauda epididymis in the 30 day hyperthyroid group, an opposite trend was observed in 60 day hyperthyroid rats. Caput ,- N -acetylglucosaminidase activities increased at both time points, whereas activity decreased in the corpus and cauda in 30 day, but increased in 60 day hyperthyroid rats. Hyperthyroidism consistently increased caput and corpus ,- N -acetylgalactosaminidase activity irrespective of the duration. Cauda epididymal ,- N -acetylgalactosaminidase activity was decreased in 30 day and increased in 60 day hyperthyroid rats. Hyperthyroidism induced changes in caput ,-galactosidase, ,- N -acetylgalactosaminidases, corpus ,-N-acetylglucosaminidase and cauda ,- N -acetylgalactosaminidase which were irreversible while the remaining actvities were brought back to normal when T4 treatment was withdrawn. In vitro studies showed that T3 stimulates epididymal hexosaminidases (,- N -acetylglucosaminidase and ,- N -acetylgalactosaminidase) irrespective of the dose. These data suggest that thyroid hormones have a specific and direct influence on glycosidases in specific regions of the epididymis. [source] A sixteenth-century warrior grave from Uppsala, Sweden: the Battle of Good FridayINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OSTEOARCHAEOLOGY, Issue 1 2005A. KjellströmArticle first published online: 6 SEP 200 Abstract Little is known about the Battle of Good Friday in Uppsala. The historical records are scarce and of limited extent. Moreover, the more spectacular event of the Stockholm Bloodbath has drawn most of the attention from both the contemporary public and later historians. This is why the discovery of a mass grave in the steep slope of Uppsala Castle in 2001 has provoked much interest. An analysis of the osseous material showed that the remains of at least 60 male individuals, mostly between 25,34 years of age, were buried in the excavated area. The demographic profile is largely similar to other European war-related skeletal assemblages of the same era. Sharp force trauma was exhibited primarily on the skulls, with no obvious dominance to either side. The trauma distribution pattern suggests that the battle was not fought face-to-face. Blade wounds concentrated in specific regions imply a standardised technique when delivering the blows. The combination of commingled bones and articulated elements suggests that the individuals were in different stages of skeletonisation when buried. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Novel stem/progenitor cells with neuronal differentiation potential reside in the leptomeningeal nicheJOURNAL OF CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE, Issue 9b 2009Francesco Bifari Abstract Stem cells capable of generating neural differentiated cells are recognized by the expression of nestin and reside in specific regions of the brain, namely, hippocampus, subventricular zone and olfactory bulb. For other brain structures, such as leptomeninges, which contribute to the correct cortex development and functions, there is no evidence so far that they may contain stem/precursor cells. In this work, we show for the first time that nestin-positive cells are present in rat leptomeninges during development up to adulthood. The newly identified nestin-positive cells can be extracted and expanded in vitro both as neurospheres, displaying high similarity with subventricular zone,derived neural stem cells, and as homogeneous cell population with stem cell features. In vitro expanded stem cell population can differentiate with high efficiency into excitable cells with neuronal phenotype and morphology. Once injected into the adult brain, these cells survive and differentiate into neurons, thus showing that their neuronal differentiation potential is operational also in vivo. In conclusion, our data provide evidence that a specific population of immature cells endowed of neuronal differentiation potential is resident in the leptomeninges throughout the life. As leptomeninges cover the entire central nervous system, these findings could have relevant implications for studies on cortical development and for regenerative medicine applied to neurological disorders. [source] Regulation of development of oligodendrocytesJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 2002K. Ikenaka Oligodendrocyte (OL) is the myelin-forming glial cell in the central nervous system. In the spinal cord, molecular markers for OL precursor cells (OPCs), such as PDGF a-receptor (PDGFR a), are first expressed in a strictly restricted focus of the ventral ventricular lumen at E12.5 in mouse and later spread throughout the cord. To investigate how they originate from these specific regions, we used an explant culture system of E12 mouse cervical spinal cord. When we cultured the ventral and dorsal spinal cords separately, a robust increase in the number of O4+ cells was observed in the ventral fragment. This phenomenon suggests the presence of factors inhibiting OL development from dorsal spinal cord. BMP4 is secreted from dorsal spinal cord and is a strong candidate for this factor; however, it did not affect OL development in our system. Here we show that Wnt-1 and Wnt-3a, in contrast, may have a role in OL maturation. The developmental profile of wnt-1/3a gene expressions in the dorsal spinal cord showed a significant correlation with that of the dorsal activity, which was very strong at E11, and then reduced to an undetectable level by E14. When Wnt-3a was added to the dissociation culture prepared from E14 mouse ventral cervical cords, the numbers of OL decreased. b-Catenin and LEF family proteins are known to form a transcription factor complex at the down stream of Wnt signalling. OL,like differentiation of CG4 cells was inhibited by constitutively active LEF-b-Catenin, supporting the idea that Wnt signalling directly inhibits OL differentiation. [source] The Salt-Inducible Kinase, SIK, Is Induced by Depolarization in BrainJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 6 2000Jonathan D. Feldman Abstract: Membrane depolarization of neurons is thought to lead to changes in gene expression that modulate neuronal plasticity. We used representational difference analysis to identify a group of cDNAs that are induced by membrane depolarization or by forskolin, but not by neurotrophins or growth factors, in PC12 pheochromocytoma cells. One of these genes, SIK (salt- inducible kinase), is a member of the sucrose-nonfermenting 1 protein kinase/AMP-activated protein kinase protein kinase family that was also recently identified from the adrenal gland of rats treated with high-salt diets. SIK mRNA is induced up to eightfold in specific regions of the hippocampus and cortex in rats, following systemic kainic acid administration and seizure induction. [source] Collagen gene expression and mechanical properties of intervertebral disc cell,alginate culturesJOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH, Issue 1 2001Anthony E. Baer Cells of the intervertebral disc have a limited capacity for matrix repair that may contribute to the onset and progression of degenerative disc changes. In this study, the biosynthetic capacity of cells isolated from specific regions of the porcine intervertebral disc was evaluated in vitro. Using a competitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction technique, gene expression levels for types I and II collagen were quantified in cells cultured for up to 21 d in a three-dimensional alginate culture system and compared to levels obtained for cells in vivo. The mechanical properties of cell-alginate constructs were measured in compression and shear after periods of culture up to 16 weeks. Cells from the anulus fibrosus expressed the most type I collagen mRNA in vivo and in vitro, while cells from the transition zone expressed the most type II collagen mRNA in vivo and in vitro. Mechanical testing results indicate that a mechanically functional matrix did not form at any time during the culture period; rather, decreases of up to 50% were observed in the compressive and shear moduli of the cell,alginate constructs compared to alginate with no cells. Together with results of prior studies, these results suggest that intervertebral disc cells maintain characteristics of their phenotype when cultured in alginate, but the molecules they synthesize are not able to form a mechanically functional matrix in vitro. © 2001 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. [source] Rapid T1 mapping using multislice echo planar imagingMAGNETIC RESONANCE IN MEDICINE, Issue 4 2001Stuart Clare Abstract Determination of neurological pathology in white matter disease can be made in a semiquantitative way from T1 - or T2 -weighted images. A higher level of quantification based on measured T1 or T2 values has been either limited to specific regions of interest or to low-resolution maps. Higher-resolution T1 maps have proved difficult to obtain due to the excessively long scan times required using conventional techniques. In this study, clinically acceptable images are obtained by using single-shot echo planar imaging (EPI) with an acquisition scheme that maximizes signal-to-noise while minimizing the scan time. Magn Reson Med 45:630,634, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Development of recombinant OmpA and OmpB proteins as diagnostic antigens for rickettsial diseaseMICROBIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 7 2009Eun-Ju Do ABSTRACT In this study the diagnostic potential of Rickettsia conorii recombinant antigens was analyzed. For this, site-specific PCR primers were used to clone the OmpA and OmpB genes of R. conorii into pMAL-c2X plasmids. Six fragments of OmpA and four of OmpB were expressed as fusion proteins with maltose-binding protein in Escherichia coli. OmpA1350-1784, OmpB801-1269, and OmpB1227-1634 regions from truncated proteins were selected as diagnostic candidate antigens by ELISA using control sera. ELISA results of three antigens were compared to the results obtained by using a commercial ELISA kit which contained whole OmpA and OmpB antigens from R. conorii. For this analysis, 40 serum samples taken from febrile patients and uninfected controls were tested. Of the 20 R. conorii test results which were positive with the commercial kit, 18 were shown to be positive by ELISA using OmpA1350-1784 (a sensitivity of 90%). The specificity of the ELISA was 100%; all of the 20 samples shown to be negative using the commercial kit were also negative in our assay. The sensitivities of the ELISA using the OmpB801-1269 and OmpB1227-1634 were 90% and 95%, respectively. The specificities of the OmpB801-1269 and the OmpB1227-1634 were 100% and 95%, respectively. These results suggest that specific regions of OmpA and OmpB effectively detect antibodies against R. conorii, and the truncated recombinant antigens could be used for development of diagnostic tools for rickettsial disease. [source] A vision from the President of the CouncilMUSEUM INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2009E. Blaine Cliver Fifty-three years ago a proposal was made to create an inter-governmental centre for the study and improvement of methods for conserving and restoring the cultural heritage of the world. In 1959 this agreement materialized as the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, an inter-governmental organization located in Rome. Now called ICCROM, it has grown to become the premier international centre for conservation, training and information in cultural heritage. Over the past five decades ICCROM has grown and, in so doing, has evolved into the institution we have today. In this process of evolution ICCROM has continued to maintain its standards, though changing to meet the new needs of a diverse world community. Courses are now taught in many places around the globe, some of them specially developed for specific regions. However, ICCROM must adjust to the changing needs and challenges, especially financial ones, if it is to remain meaningful in today's heritage community. [source] Developmental Expression of Aquaporin 2 in the Mouse Inner Ear ,THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 11 2000Michele Merves Abstract Objectives The maintenance of endolymph homeostasis is critical for the inner ear to perform its functions of hearing and maintaining balance. The identification and cloning of aquaporins (a family of water channel proteins) has allowed the study of a novel cellular mechanism potentially involved in endolymph homeostasis. The objective of the present study was to define the developmental temporal and spatial e-pression pattern of aquaporin 2 (Aqp2) in the developing mouse inner ear. Study Design A systematic immunohistochemical study of Aqp2 protein e-pression was performed on embryonic mouse inner ears ranging from embryonic day 10 (otocyst stage) to embryonic day 18 (just before birth). Methods Serial cryosections of embryonic mouse inner ears were used for immunohistochemical e-periments. A rabbit polyclonal antisera raised against a synthetic Aqp2 peptide was used with a standard nickel intensified 3,3-diaminobenzidine reaction protocol for immunolocalization of Aqp2 in tissue sections. Results Aquaporin 2 is e-pressed diffusely in the early otocyst, then becomes progressively restricted as the inner ear matures. During early cochlear duct formation (embryonic days 12 and 13), e-pression of Aqp2 is homogeneous; later, it becomes restricted to specific regions of the endolymphatic compartment (embryonic days 15 and 18). Similar restriction of e-pression patterns could be noted for the vestibular structures. Endolymphatic duct and sac and stria vascularis e-pression of Aqp2 was noted to occur fairly late during development but demonstrated a distinct pattern of immunolabeling. Conclusions Aquaporin 2 shows an early and specific pattern of e-pression in the developing mouse inner ear, suggesting a significant role for this water channel protein in the development of endolymph homeostasis and meriting further functional studies of Aqp2 in the inner ear. [source] Microarray analysis of chromatin-immunoprecipitated DNA identifies specific regions of tobacco genes associated with acetylated histonesTHE PLANT JOURNAL, Issue 6 2004Yii Leng Chua Summary The acetylation states of histones present on the upstream, promoter, coding or intronic regions of 88 tobacco genes were examined with chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) experiments using antibodies that recognised acetylated histone H4. The DNA sequences enriched in the immunoprecipitates were amplified by ligation-mediated PCR, labelled with Cy-dUTP and hybridised to DNA microarrays. In green tobacco shoots, histone H4 acetylation was localised to 300,600-bp sequences in the promoters or coding regions of 31 genes, or occurred extensively over several kilobase-pair regions containing the upstream, promoter and/or coding regions of 25 genes. Genes associated with high histone H4 acetylation levels at promoters were actively expressed, whereas genes depleted in acetylated histone H4 were non-transcribed or expressed at very low levels, suggesting a correlation between histone H4 acetylation and gene activity. Trichostatin A (TA), an inhibitor of histone deacetylases (HDAs), did not alter histone H4 acetylation states globally but increased acetylation levels at specific tobacco sequences, suggesting that HDAs are targeted to particular nucleosomes. Genes that were upregulated by TA were associated with increased histone H4 acetylation at promoter or coding regions, indicating that acetylation of histones on coding regions may activate transcription. Increased histone H4 acetylation leading to elevated expression was observed on genes with diverse functions, suggesting that histone H4 acetylation is involved in regulation of many plant processes. [source] Injuries in Youth Football: National Emergency Department Visits during 2001,2005 for Young and Adolescent PlayersACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 3 2009Michael J. Mello MD Abstract Objectives:, Limited research exists describing youth football injuries, and many of these are confined to specific regions or communities. The authors describe U.S. pediatric football injury patterns receiving emergency department (ED) evaluation and compare injury patterns between the younger and older youth football participants. Methods:, A retrospective analysis of ED data on football injuries was performed using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System,All Injury Program. Injury risk estimates were calculated over a 5-year period (2001,2005) using participation data from the National Sporting Goods Association. Injury types are described for young (7,11 years) and adolescent (12,17 years) male football participants. Results:, There were an estimated total of 1,060,823 visits to U.S. EDs for males with football-related injuries. The most common diagnoses in the younger group (7,11 years) were fracture/dislocation (29%), sprain/strain (27%), and contusion (27%). In the older group (ages 12,17 years), diagnoses included sprain/strain (31%), fracture/dislocation (29%), and contusion (23%). Older participants had a significantly higher injury risk of injury over the 5-year study period: 11.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 9.2 to 12.8) versus 6.1 (95% CI = 4.8 to 7.3) per 1,000 participants/year. Older participants had a higher injury risk across all categories, with the greatest disparity being with traumatic brain injury (TBI), 0.8 (95% CI = 0.6 to 1.0) versus 0.3 (95% CI = 0.2 to 0.4) per 1,000 participants/year. Conclusions:, National youth football injury patterns are similar to those previously reported in community and cohort studies. Older participants have a significantly higher injury risk, especially with TBI. [source] Visuospatial encoding deficits and compensatory strategies in schizophrenia revealed by eye movement analysis during a working memory taskACTA NEUROPSYCHIATRICA, Issue 2 2009Luca Cocchi Objective: To investigate scanpath abnormalities during the encoding of static stimuli in schizophrenia and their interaction with visuospatial working memory (VSWM) dysfunction. Methods: Outpatients with schizophrenia and control subjects were asked to encode a static pattern for subsequent recognition after a short delay. We measured the number of correct and incorrect choices. We also assessed the number and the distribution of fixations, the scanning time in specific regions of interest (ROIs) and the head movements during the encoding of the stimuli. The distributions of fixations and scanning time in definite ROIs during the discrimination of the correct pattern from the foils were also measured. Results: Patients recognised fewer correct patterns than controls. Correct trials in patients were characterised by a specific exploration of the central part of the stimulus during its presentation, whereas this feature was absent in incorrect trials. However, the scanning time and the numbers of fixations and head movements during encoding were similar in both groups and unrelated to recognition accuracy. In both groups, correct trials were associated with a selective exploration of the correct pattern amongst the six possibilities during recognition. Furthermore, patients gave more attention to incorrect patterns with a leftmost element identical to that of the correct response and also those approximating its global structure. Conclusion: Patients showed a VSWM deficit independent of oculomotor dysfunctions and head movements during encoding. Patients' correct trials were related to specific scanning during encoding and discrimination phases. Analysis of these patterns suggests that patients try to compensate for reduced VSWM ability by using specific encoding strategies. [source] Quantitative neuropathological analysis of Sudden Infant Death SyndromeCHILD: CARE, HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2002T. Ansari Abstract Detailed stereological analyses of specific regions of brains of children who had died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) was undertaken to determine whether global evidence of an underlying pathology exists, contributing to an increased susceptibility to SIDS. A significant reduction in the total number of neocortical neurones and neurone volume was observed in SIDS normal birth weight (NBW) infants in comparison to controls. A significant reduction in both volume and total neurone number were also noted in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus in SIDS NBW group when compared with controls. Anomalies in regions of the brain involved with cardiorespiratory control (brainstem) and arousal (brainstem and neocortex) may play a crucial role in the chain of events resulting in a SIDS event. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||