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Bodily Fluids (bodily + fluid)
Selected AbstractsDecoding epithelial signals: critical role for the epidermal growth factor receptor in controlling intestinal transport functionACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 1 2009D. F. McCole Abstract The intestinal epithelium engages in bidirectional transport of fluid and electrolytes to subserve the physiological processes of nutrient digestion and absorption, as well as the elimination of wastes, without excessive losses of bodily fluids that would lead to dehydration. The overall processes of intestinal ion transport, which in turn drive the secretion or absorption of water, are accordingly carefully regulated. We and others have identified the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr) as a critical regulator of mammalian intestinal ion transport. In this article, we focus on our studies that have uncovered the intricate signalling mechanisms downstream of EGFr that regulate both chloride secretion and sodium absorption by colonocytes. Emphasis will be placed on the EGFr-associated regulatory pathways that dictate the precise outcome to receptor activation in response to signals that may seem, on their face, to be quite similar if not identical. The concepts to be discussed underlie the ability of the intestinal epithelium to utilize a limited set of signalling effectors to produce a variety of outcomes suitable for varying physiological and pathophysiological demands. Our findings therefore are relevant not only to basic biological principles, but also may ultimately point to new therapeutic targets in intestinal diseases where ion transport is abnormal. [source] The Surgical Looking Glass: A Readily Available Safeguard Against Eye Splash Injury/Contamination During Infiltration of Anesthesia for Cysts and Other "Porous" Lesions of the SkinDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 4 2002Patrick R. Carrington MD Background. "Breaks" in barrier precautions are a definite abrogating influence on the effectiveness of "universal precautions." Dermatologists and dermatologic surgeons are exposed to significant infectious agents on a daily basis, especially due to the high number of minor surgical procedures performed. Backsplash, spray, and eye splash of bodily fluids during these procedures place the surgeon at a high risk of contamination/infection via the conjunctival membranes. The surgical looking glass is a simple utility based on inexpensive equipment already in place in the physician's office which protects the eyes and face during infiltrative anesthesia or incision of cysts and other lesions. Objective. To offer a simple and inexpensive utility to assist with protection from and reduction of contamination/infection of the ocular mucous membranes during surgical procedures. Methods. Utilizing one or two readily available microscope slides overlying the injection site during local infiltrative anesthesia, backsplash or spray can be contained. Results. This utility is effective in containment of backsplash or spray of anesthesia or bodily fluids during even minor surgical procedures. Conclusion. The surgical looking glass can enhance safety and promote "universal precautions" during even minor surgical procedures or infiltration of anesthesia into more porous areas or lesions for the practicing dermatologist or dermatologic surgeon. The pragmatic, practical, and inexpensive nature of the surgical looking glass invites its use on a daily basis by the practicing dermatologist. [source] Role of the metastasis-promoting protein osteopontin in the tumour microenvironmentJOURNAL OF CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE, Issue 8 2010Pieter H. Anborgh Abstract Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted protein present in bodily fluids and tissues. It is subject to multiple post-translational modifications, including phosphorylation, glycosylation, proteolytic cleavage and crosslinking by transglutamination. Binding of OPN to integrin and CD44 receptors regulates signalling cascades that affect processes such as adhesion, migration, invasion, chemotaxis and cell survival. A variety of cells and tissues express OPN, including bone, vasculature, kidney, inflammatory cells and numerous secretory epithelia. Normal physiological roles include regulation of immune functions, vascular remodelling, wound repair and developmental processes. OPN also is expressed in many cancers, and elevated levels in patients' tumour tissue and blood are associated with poor prognosis. Tumour growth is regulated by interactions between tumour cells and their tissue microenvironment. Within a tumour mass, OPN can be expressed by both tumour cells and cellular components of the tumour microenvironment, and both tumour and normal cells may have receptors able to bind to OPN. OPN can also be found as a component of the extracellular matrix. The functional roles of OPN in a tumour are thus complex, with OPN secreted by both tumour cells and cells in the tumour microenvironment, both of which can in turn respond to OPN. Much remains to be learned about the cross-talk between normal and tumour cells within a tumour, and the role of multiple forms of OPN in these interactions. Understanding OPN-mediated interactions within a tumour will be important for the development of therapeutic strategies to target OPN. [source] Relationships Between Concentrations of Cocaine and Its Hydrolysates in Peripheral Blood, Heart Blood, Vitreous Humor and UrineJOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, Issue 2 2006Wayne C. Duer Ph.D. ABSTRACT: Cocaine is known to degrade in vivo and in vitro by several hydrolytic mechanisms. A previous study found that the initial amount of cocaine added to plasma could be accounted for by summing the molar concentrations of cocaine's hydrolysis products and the cocaine remaining after hydrolysis. The present study was undertaken to investigate whether or not relationships might exist between such molar concentration sums for different postmortem bodily fluids. Determinations of cocaine, benzoylecgonine, ecgonine methyl ester, and ecgonine were performed using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) with heart blood, femoral blood, vitreous humor (VH), and urine (UR). The results demonstrate a strong correlation between blood and VH concentrations (correlation coefficients of 0.88,0.94), weak correlation between the UR and blood concentrations (correlation coefficients of 0.61,0.64), and weak correlation between UR and VH concentrations (correlation coefficient of 0.59). The results demonstrate that ecgonine is a significant hydrolysate with concentrations on the same order of magnitude as benzoylecgonine. The results are consistent with rapid distribution of the parent drug and its hydrolysates in the blood and VH. The strong correlation between the blood and VH demonstrates that VH is an important medium for toxicology testing when attempting to make a determination of cocaine intoxication. [source] Changing epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease following increased coverage with the heptavalent conjugate vaccine in Navarre, SpainCLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION, Issue 11 2009M. Guevara Abstract The present study evaluated changes in the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and the pattern of serotypes isolated in Navarre, Spain, after the introduction and increased coverage of the heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7). All cases with isolation of pneumococcus from normally sterile bodily fluids were included. The incidence of IPD in children and adults was compared for the periods 2001,2002 and 2006,2007. By the end of 2002, only 11% of children aged <5 years had received any dose of PCV7, whereas, beginning in 2007, the proportion exceeded 50%. Among the cases of IPD aged <5 years, the percentage of those vaccinated increased from 7% during 2001,2002 to 53% during 2006,2007 (p <0.001). The incidence of IPD from PCV7-serotypes decreased by 85% in children <5 years (p <0.001), by 45% in the population aged 5,64 years (p 0.10) and by 68% in those ,65 years (p 0.004). By contrast, the incidence of IPD from non-PCV7 serotypes increased by 40% overall (p 0.006). The incidence of IPD from all serotypes did not change significantly in children <5 years (from 83 to 72 per 100 000) or in the total population (from 15.8 to 16.3 per 100 000). The percentage of cases as a result of serotypes 7 and 19A increased significantly in both children and adults. No significant changes were seen in the clinical forms of IPD. The pattern of serotypes causing IPD has changed, in both children and adults, following the increased coverage of PCV7, although the incidence has been reduced only slightly. [source] | ||||||||||