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Convincing Data (convincing + data)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	50%

Selected Abstracts

Which comes first: atypical antipsychotic treatment or cardiometabolic risk?

ACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 3 2009
S. M. Stahl
Objective:, To provide an overview for practicing clinicians on the pharmacological basis of cardiometabolic risk induced by antipsychotic drugs in patients with serious mental illness, to propose hypotheses to explain these risks and to give tips for managing cardiometabolic risk during antipsychotic treatment. Method:, A MEDLINE search using terms for atypical antipsychotics (including individual drug names), metabolic, cardiovascular, weight gain and insulin resistance, cross-referenced with schizophrenia was performed on articles published between 1990 and May 2008. Results:, Strong evidence exists for significant cardiometabolic risk differences among several antipsychotic agents. Histamine H1 and serotonin 5HT2C antagonism are associated with risk of weight gain, but receptor targets for dyslipidemia and insulin resistance have not yet been identified. Convincing data indicate that hypertriglyceridemia and insulin resistance may occur in the absence of weight gain with certain antipsychotics. Conclusion:, Although lifestyle and genetics may contribute independent risks of cardiometabolic dysfunction in schizophrenia and other serious mental illness, antipsychotic treatment also represents an important contributor to risk of cardiometabolic dysfunction, particularly for certain drugs and for vulnerable patients. Mental health professionals must learn to recognize the clinical signposts indicating antipsychotic-related cardiometabolic problems to forestall progression to type II diabetes, cardiovascular events and premature death. [source]

Comparative psychology is still alive but may be losing relevance

DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2004
Victor H. Denenberg
Abstract Greenberg et al., in their perspective on the current state and fate of comparative psychology, present convincing data that the field is viable and that comparative psychologists are making important contributions to the research literature. The central feature of the field is its emphasis upon evolution. This is also its weakness since advances in genetic techniques permit researchers to create laboratory animals that have no counterpart in the natural world, and thus have no evolutionary history. These "unnatural" animals are widely used in behavioral, biological, and medical studies, but the findings cannot be interpreted within a comparative psychology framework. As the use of these preparations expand, the relevance of comparative psychology diminishes. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 44: 21,25, 2004. [source]

Does gastroesophageal reflux contribute to the development of chronic sinusitis?

DISEASES OF THE ESOPHAGUS, Issue 6 2006
A review of the evidence
SUMMARY., Although recent studies suggest that gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may contribute to a variety of ear, nose and throat and pulmonary diseases, the cause-and-effect relationship for the vast majority remains far from proven. In this article, the evidence supporting a possible causal association between GERD and chronic sinusitis has been reviewed. The evidence would suggest that: (i) a higher prevalence of GERD and a different esophagopharyngeal distribution of the gastric refluxate occurs in patients with chronic sinusitis unresponsive to conventional medical and surgical therapy compared to the general population; (ii) a biologically plausible pathogenetic mechanism exists whereby GERD may result in chronic sinusitis; and (iii) clinical manifestations of chronic sinusitis respond variably to antireflux therapy. While these findings suggest that GERD may contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic sinusitis in some patients, it is apparent that the quality of the evidence supporting each of these three lines of evidence is low and therefore does not conclusively establish a cause-and-effect relationship. A number of unresolved issues regarding prevalence, pathophysiological mechanism, diagnosis and treatment exist that deserve further investigation in order to solidify the relationship between GERD and chronic sinusitis. In conclusion, given the possible relationship between GERD and chronic sinusitis, until more convincing data are available, it may be prudent to investigate for GERD as a potential cofactor or initiating factor in patients with chronic sinusitis when no other etiology exists, or in those whose symptoms are unresponsive to conventional therapies. [source]

Utilizing a library of synthetic affinity ligands for the enrichment, depletion and one-step purification of leech proteins

JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR RECOGNITION, Issue 3 2008
Dexian Dong
Abstract Although the concept of affinity purification using synthetic ligands had been utilized for many years, there are few articles related to this research area, and they focus only on the affinity purification of specific protein by a defined library of synthetic ligands. This study presents the design and construction of a 700-member library of synthetic ligands in detail. We selected 297 ligand columns from a 700-member library of synthetic ligands to screen leech protein extract. Of the 297, 154 columns had an enrichment effect, 83 columns had a depletion effect, 36 columns had a one-step purification effect, and 58 columns had a one-step purification via flowthrough effect. The experimental results achieved by this large library of affinity ligands provide solid convincing data for the theory that affinity chromatography could be used for the enrichment of proteins that are present in low abundance, the depletion of high abundance proteins, and one-step purification of special proteins. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]