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Consistent Changes (consistent + change)
Selected AbstractsComparative expressed sequence hybridization studies of high-hyperdiploid childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemiaGENES, CHROMOSOMES AND CANCER, Issue 3 2004Alicja M. Gruszka-Westwood The functional consequences of a high-hyperdiploid karyotype, found in up to one-third of cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), are unknown. Using the technique of comparative expressed sequence hybridization (CESH), we sought to address the question of whether increased chromosome copies in hyperdiploid ALL lead to increased gene expression. Relative expression of hyperdiploid ALL blasts versus peripheral blood mononuclear cells was analyzed in 18 patients. Common regions of overexpression corresponding to the presence of tri-/tetrasomies included: Xp22.1,22.2, 4q28, 6q14,15, 6q24, 10p13, 14q23,24, 17q21, 18q12, and 21q21, identified in 28,89% of cases. However, increased expression without underlying trisomy occurred at 3p21.3, 7q11.2, 8p21, and 8q24.1 in 39,90% of cases. High expression at 7q11.2, the most consistent change detected, was confirmed by quantitative PCR. Poor correlation between the presence of tri-/tetrasomy and overexpression was observed for chromosomes 14 and 17. Two cases were reanalyzed versus (i) B cells, (ii) transformed B cells, and (iii) CD34+19+ cells (the putative counterpart of the leukemic cell). A reduction in the number of relatively overexpressed regions was observed with CD34+19+ cells. In particular, the peak at 7q11.2 disappeared, suggesting up-regulation of genes from this region in the early ontology of normal B-cell development. In conclusion, we have shown that tri-/tetrasomies in hyperdiploid ALL lead to an increase in the expression of associated sequences. The choice of a biologically relevant reference is crucial for data interpretation. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Why do we need children's participation?JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 6 2001The importance of children's participation in changing the city Abstract After examining the characteristics of the degradation of the urban environment and the costs that this entails for the child's development, in particular as far as play experience and autonomous mobility are concerned, the article goes on to discuss the role of the children's contribution to the promotion of real and consistent change in the city. The reasons underlying the recent increase in the number of experiments of children's participation are examined together with the main characteristics of this strategy as a privileged access to knowledge concerning the needs of our younger citizens and as an innovative resource in solving the city's problems. It is shown how children's participation experiences can lead to the acquisition of a fresh sensitivity and competence by city administrators and technicians. An analysis is made of several proposals made by children in the course of participation experiments followed by the authors in cities in Italy and abroad during 10 year's of activities in the ,The Children's City' project. These proposals confirm the children's capacity to identify the city's problems as they emerge and to propose solutions that are often innovative or useful for all members of the population. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Induced Resistance by , -Aminobutyric Acid in Artichoke against White Mould Caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorumJOURNAL OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 10 2010Emanuela Marcucci Abstract ,-aminobutyric acid (BABA) was assessed for the ability to protect two artichoke cultivars, C3 and Exploter, against white mould caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, which represents a major problem in the cultivation of this crop in many growing areas of Central Italy. Changes in the activity and isoenzymatic profiles of the pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins ,-1,3-glucanase, chitinase and peroxidase in plantlets upon BABA treatment and following inoculation of the pathogen in plantlets and leaves detached from adult plants were also investigated as molecular markers of induced resistance and priming. BABA treatments by soil drenching induced a high level of resistance against S. sclerotiorum in artichoke plantlets of both cultivars C3 and Exploter with a similar level of protection and determined a consistent increase in peroxidase activity paralleled with the differential induction of alkaline isoenzyme with a pI 8.6. A consistent change was found in Exploter in the peroxidase activity following BABA treatments and pathogen inoculation and was paralleled with the expression of an anionic band in plantlets and both anionic and cationic bands in leaves. Our results showed a correlation between BABA-induced resistance (BABA-IR) and a augmented capacity to express basal defence responses, more pronounced in cultivar C3 and associated ,-1,3-glucanase accumulation in both plantlets and leaves inoculated with the pathogen, whereas chitinase resulted affected only at plantlet stage. The present results represent the first one showing the effect of BABA in inducing resistance in artichoke and associated accumulation of selected PRs. If confirmed in field tests, the use of BABA at early plant stages may represent a promising approach to the control soilborne pathogens, such as the early infection of S. sclerotiorum. [source] Mitochondrial morphology transition is an early indicator of subsequent cell death in ArabidopsisNEW PHYTOLOGIST, Issue 1 2008Iain Scott Summary ,,Mitochondrial morphology and dynamics were investigated during the onset of cell death in Arabidopsis thaliana. Cell death was induced by either chemical (reactive oxygen species (ROS)) or physical (heat) shock. ,,Changes in mitochondrial morphology in leaf tissue, or isolated protoplasts, each expressing mitochondrial-targeted green fluorescent protein (GFP), were observed by epifluorescence microscopy, and quantified. ,,Chemical induction of ROS production, or a mild heat shock, caused a rapid and consistent change in mitochondrial morphology (termed the mitochondrial morphology transition) that preceded cell death. Treatment of protoplasts with a cell-permeable superoxide dismutase analogue, TEMPOL, blocked this morphology change. Incubation of protoplasts in micromolar concentrations of the calcium channel-blocker lanthanum chloride, or the permeability transition pore inhibitor cyclosporin A, prevented both the mitochondrial morphology transition and subsequent cell death. ,,It is concluded that the observed mitochondrial morphology transition is an early and specific indicator of cell death and is a necessary component of the cell death process. [source] Reduced N -acetylaspartate is consistent with axonal dysfunction in cerebral small vessel diseaseNMR IN BIOMEDICINE, Issue 3 2009Arani Nitkunan Abstract Background: Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is an important cause of cognitive impairment, but the pathophysiological mechanisms remain unclear. We used 1H MRS to investigate brain metabolic differences between patients with SVD and controls and correlated this with cognition. Methods: 35 patients with SVD (lacunar stroke and radiological evidence of confluent leukoaraiosis) and 35 controls underwent multi-voxel spectroscopic imaging of white matter to obtain absolute metabolite concentrations of N -acetylaspartate (NAA), total creatines, total cholines, myo -inositol, and lactate. A range of cognitive tests was performed on patients with SVD, and composite scores were calculated. Results: Scans of sufficient quality for data analysis were available in 29 cases and 35 controls. NAA was significantly reduced in patients compared with controls (lower by 7.27%, P,=,0.004). However, when lesion load within each individual voxel (mean 22% in SVD vs 5% in controls, P,<,0.001) was added as a covariate, these differences were no longer significant, suggesting that the metabolite differences arose primarily from differences in lesioned tissue. In patients with SVD, there was no correlation between cognitive scores and any brain metabolite. No lactate, an indicator of anaerobic metabolism, was detected. Conclusions: The most consistent change in SVD is a reduction in NAA, a marker of neuronal integrity. The lack of correlation with cognition does not support the use of MRS as a surrogate disease marker. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Variable photosynthetic acclimation in consecutive cohorts of Scots pine needles during 3 years of growth at elevated CO2 and elevated temperaturePLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 5 2003E.-M. LUOMALA ABSTRACT In this experiment, the photosynthetic acclimation of successive needle cohorts of Scots pine were studied during 3 years of growth at elevated CO2 and temperature. Naturally regenerated Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees were subjected to elevated CO2 concentration (+CO2, 700 p.p.m), elevated temperature (+T, ambient +2 to +6 °C) and to a combination of elevated CO2 and temperature (+CO2 + T) in closed-top chambers, starting in August 1996. Trees growing in chambers with ambient CO2 and ambient temperature served as controls (AmbC). Elevated CO2 influenced the dark reactions more than the light reactions of photosynthesis, as in the 1996 and 1997 cohorts the carboxylation capacity of Rubisco was reduced in the first and second year of exposure, but there was no consistent change in chlorophyll fluorescence. Net photosynthesis measured at growth concentration of CO2 was higher at +CO2 than at AmbC on only one measuring occasion, was generally lower at +T and was not changed at +CO2 + T. However, trees grown at +T tended to invest more nitrogen (N) in Rubisco, as Rubisco/chlorophyll and the proportion of the total needle N bound to Rubisco occasionally increased. The interaction of +CO2 and +T on Rubisco was mostly negative; consequently, in the second and third year of the experiment the carboxylation capacity decreased at +CO2 + T. In the 1996, 1997 and 1998 cohorts, the structural N concentration of needles was lower at +CO2 than at AmbC. Elevated CO2 and elevated temperature generally had a positive interaction on N concentration; consequently, N concentration in needles decreased less at +CO2 + T than at +CO2. At +CO2 + T, the acclimation response of needles varied between years and was more pronounced in the 1-year-old needles of the 1997 cohort than in those of the 1998 cohort. Thus, acclimation was not always greater in 1-year-old needles than in current-year needles. In the +CO2 + T treatment, elevated temperature had a greater effect on acclimation of needles than elevated CO2. [source] Contact calls of common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus): influence of age of caller on antiphonal calling and other vocal responsesAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2009H.-C. Chen Abstract Marmosets, as do many other primates, live in forest environments, are group living and constantly at risk of predation. Retaining contact with one another is therefore a matter of survival. We ask here whether their contact calls (phee and twitter vocalizations) are in some way ordered acoustically by sex or age and whether the calls of older marmosets elicit different responses than those of younger marmosets. In our study, marmosets (2,14 years) were visually isolated from conspecifics and the vocal responses to each isolated caller by other marmosets in the colony were recorded. Vocal responses to phee calls largely consisted of phee calls and, less commonly, twitter calls. No differences between the responses to calls by males and females were apparent. However, we found a strong positive and significant correlation between the caller's age and the percentage of its phee calls receiving a phee response, and a significant negative correlation between the caller's age and the percentage of its phee calls receiving a twitter response. The older the marmoset, the more antiphonal calling occurred. Two-syllable phee calls were emitted more often by older marmosets (10,14 years) than by younger ones (2,6 years). Hence, we have found age-dependent differences in phee-call production and a consistent change in the response received across the adult life-span. This age-dependent effect was independent of kinship relations. This is the first evidence that marmosets distinguish age by vocal parameters alone and make social decisions based on age. Am. J. Primatol. 71:165,170, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] How much does Gleason grade of follow-up biopsy differ from that of initial biopsy in untreated, Gleason score 4,7, clinically localized prostate cancer?THE PROSTATE, Issue 15 2007R. Choo Abstract OBJECTIVE To compare histologic grades between an initial biopsy and a follow-up biopsy in untreated, Gleason score (GS) 4,7, clinically localized prostate cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS In a prospective single-arm cohort study, clinically localized, GS 4,7, prostate cancer was managed with active surveillance alone, provided that a pre-defined definition of disease progression was not met. One hundred five (63%) of a total of 168 eligible patients underwent a follow-up prostate biopsy during surveillance. Median time to a follow-up biopsy was 22 months (range: 7,81). Histologic grades between these two biopsies were compared to evaluate the extent of histologic grade change. RESULTS On the follow-up biopsy, GS was unchanged in 33 patients (31%), upgraded in 37 (35%), and downgraded in 34 (32%). Eleven (10%) had upgrading by 2 Gleason points or more. Eight (8%) had upgrading to GS 8 (none to GS 9 or 10); of these, six were among those with upgrading by 2 Gleason points or more. Twenty-seven (26%) had no malignancy on the follow-up biopsy. Negative follow-up biopsy was more prevalent in patients with a small volume of malignancy in the initial biopsy and a low baseline PSA. CONCLUSIONS No consistent change in histologic grade was observed on the follow-up biopsy at a median of 22 months in untreated, GS 4,7, clinically localized prostate cancer. Upgrading to GS ,8 or by 2 Gleason points or more was relatively uncommon. Prostate 67: 1614,1620, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Survival and neurodevelopmental morbidity at 1 year of age following extremely preterm delivery over a 20-year period: a single centre cohort studyACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 2 2008K Riley Abstract Aim: To assess survival and neurodevelopmental outcome of extremely preterm infants over a 20-year period at a single tertiary neonatal centre. Methods: All infants between 22 and 25+6 weeks of gestation admitted to a single UK neonatal centre between 1981 and 2000 were enrolled prospectively. Infants in the same gestational age range who were born alive at the hospital but not admitted to the neonatal unit were also identified over the period 1991,2000. All surviving infants received neurological and developmental assessment at a corrected age of 1 year. Results: There was a progressive increase in survival at all gestational ages over the 20-year period. Overall survival rose from 32% to 71% as a proportion of all admissions. The proportion of survivors with adverse neurodevelopmental outcome at 1 year of age showed no consistent change over the same period. Conclusion: In this single centre cohort study, marked improvements in survival over a 20-year period were not accompanied by a significant increase in neurodevelopmental morbidity. [source] Anti-Predator Strategies and Grouping Patterns in White-Tailed Deer and Mule DeerETHOLOGY, Issue 4 2001Susan Lingle White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and mule deer (O. hemionus) are closely related species of similar size that differ in their anti-predator behavior. White-tails flee from coyotes (Canis latrans), whereas mule deer typically stand their ground and attack this predator. I used observations of coyotes hunting deer to identify: (i) changes in group structure made in response to coyotes; and (ii) the relationship between group structure and the risk of predation for each species. In response to coyotes, groups of mule deer merged with other groups and individuals bunched together. Predation attempts were more likely to escalate when groups split and individuals failed to bunch. Coyotes typically attacked mule deer that were in outlying positions, and these deer had to move to central positions to end attacks. Due to the high frequency of attacks on small groups as well as to the level of dilution of risk, individuals in small mule deer groups were at high risk of being attacked compared with those in larger groups. In contrast to mule deer, white-tails made no consistent changes in group size or formation, and coyotes attacked individuals in central as well as in outlying positions. Variation in aspects of group cohesion was not related to the vulnerability of white-tails, and there was no obvious difference in the risk of attack facing individuals in groups of different size. These results suggest that coyote predation selects for relatively large, cohesive groups in mule deer, apparently because this type of group improves their ability to deter coyotes. Coyote predation does not have similar effects on groups formed by white-tails, which use flight rather than deterrence to avoid predation. The benefits of responding cohesively, occupying certain positions within groups, and forming groups of a certain size can vary widely depending on the anti-predator strategies used by an animal. [source] Contrasts in cortical magnesium, phospholipid and energy metabolism between migraine syndromes.HEADACHE, Issue 4 2003MD Boska Neurology. 2002;58:1227-1233. BACKGROUND: Previous single voxel (31)P MRS pilot studies of migraine patients have suggested that disordered energy metabolism or Mg(2+) deficiencies may be responsible for hyperexcitability of neuronal tissue in migraine patients. These studies were extended to include multiple brain regions and larger numbers of patients by multislice (31)P MR spectroscopic imaging. METHODS: Migraine with aura (MWA), migraine without aura (MwoA), and hemiplegic migraine patients were studied between attacks by (31)P MRS imaging using a 3-T scanner. RESULTS: Results were compared with those in healthy control subjects without headache. In MwoA, consistent increases in phosphodiester concentration [PDE] were measured in most brain regions, with a trend toward increase in [Mg(2+)] in posterior brain. In MWA, phosphocreatine concentration ([PCr]) was decreased to a minor degree in anterior brain regions and a trend toward decreased [Mg(2+)] was observed in posterior slice 1, but no consistent changes were found in phosphomonoester concentration [PME], [PDE], inorganic phosphate concentration ([Pi]), or pH. In hemiplegic migraine patients, [PCr] had a tendency to be lower, and [Mg(2+)] was significantly lower than in the posterior brain regions of control subjects. Trend analysis showed a significant decrease of brain [Mg(2+)] and [PDE] in posterior brain regions with increasing severity of neurologic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the results support no substantial or consistent abnormalities of energy metabolism, but it is hypothesized that disturbances in magnesium ion homeostasis may contribute to brain cortex hyperexcitability and the pathogenesis of migraine syndromes associated with neurologic symptoms. In contrast, migraine patients without a neurologic aura may exhibit compensatory changes in [Mg(2+)] and membrane phospholipids that counteract cortical excitability. Comment: If the theory of hyperexcitability of migraine brain is correct, basic scientists will need to find clear markers for the neuronal abnormalities that underlie this excitability. Using their techniques, these researchers could not find such markers. SJT [source] Effects of long-term exposure to ramelteon, a melatonin receptor agonist, on endocrine function in adults with chronic insomniaHUMAN PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY: CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL, Issue 2 2009Gary Richardson Abstract Objective To evaluate the effects of ramelteon, an MT1/MT2 melatonin receptor agonist used to treat insomnia, on endocrine function in adults with chronic insomnia. Methods This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, trial of adults (18,45 years) with chronic insomnia. Subjects received either ramelteon 16,mg or placebo nightly for 6 months. Hormonal measures of the thyroid, reproductive, and adrenal axes were analyzed monthly and compared with baseline and placebo values. Results While isolated changes were detected at some time points, there were no consistent statistically significant differences between treatments on measures of thyroid function (total T4, free T4, TSH, and total T3), adrenal function (AM cortisol, and ACTH), or on most reproductive endocrine measures [LH, FSH, estradiol (women), total, and free testosterone (men)]. Prolactin concentrations were increased overall in women in the ramelteon group compared with placebo (p,=,0.003). No clinical effects of elevated prolactin were reported; average menstrual cycle length, duration of menses, and ovulation probability did not differ between groups. Conclusions Long-term exposure to ramelteon 16,mg, a potent melatonin receptor agonist, resulted in mild, transient increase in prolactin, in women only, that were not associated with measurable reproductive effects. There were no consistent changes in other endocrine measures. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Idiopathic salivary gland enlargement (sialadenosis) in dogs: a microscopic studyJOURNAL OF SMALL ANIMAL PRACTICE, Issue 6 2000M. Sozmen A histological, histochemical and morphometric study was performed on submandibular salivary glands from 13 dogs which had presented with a submandibular mass or swelling that proved to be a portion of non-inflammatory and non-neoplastic submandibular salivary gland. There were no consistent changes in lectin-binding histochemistry or immunohistochemical expression of various cell markers, and, in most cases, there was no measurable difference in acinar size in the affected gland. The possible explanation for the clinical salivary gland enlargement is therefore unclear. [source] Guaranteed inconsistency avoidance during software evolutionJOURNAL OF SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE AND EVOLUTION: RESEARCH AND PRACTICE, Issue 6 2003Keith Gallagher Abstract The attempt to design and integrate consistent changes to an existing system is the essence of software maintenance. Software developers also confront similar problems: there are changes during testing and the release of new system builds. Whether in development or maintenance, changes to evolving systems must be made consistently; that is, without damaging correct computations. It is difficult for the programmer to ascertain the complete effect of a code change; the programmer may make a change to a program that is syntactically and semantically legal, but which has ripples into the parts of the program that were intended to remain unchanged. Using the standard denotational semantics for procedural programming languages, this paper formalizes decomposition slicing, which identifies interferences between software components and isolates the components to be changed. We enumerate the conditions for changing one component in ways that will guarantee that changes to it will not interact inconsistently and prove that changes made under these conditions are sound. Thus, the programmer can then execute changes secure in the knowledge that the semantics of the new system are guaranteed to be consistent with the projection of the semantics of the original for which it behaved correctly. Validating that the changes do not interfere not only guarantees consistency with respect to previous unchanging behaviors, but can also be achieved with a complexity proportional to the size of the change to be made. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Treatment of classic Kaposi sarcoma with a nicotine dermal patch: a phase II clinical trialJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 9 2008JJ Goedert Abstract Background, Kaposi sarcoma (KS), a malignancy of dermal endothelial cells that is caused by human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) infection, is sensitive to perturbations of immunity. Nicotine might be effective against KS because of its immunologic and vascular effects and because smoking is associated with a low risk of KS. Objective and study design, We conducted a masked, randomized phase 2 clinical trial of transdermal nicotine and placebo patches to assess the safety and efficacy of nicotine against classic KS (cKS). Subjects and methods, Three cKS lesions, predominantly nodules, in each of 24 non-smoking patients were randomly assigned to 15 weeks continuous treatment with nicotine patch (escalated to 7 mg), identical masked placebo patch or no patch. Changes in lesion area and elevation from baseline through six follow-up visits, by direct measurement and by two independent readers using digital photographs of the lesions, were compared using non-parametric and regression methods. Changes in longitudinal levels of HHV8 antibodies and DNA in blood cells were similarly assessed. Results, There were no systemic or serious adverse events, and compliance was good. One patient resumed smoking and discontinued patches, and two patients withdrew at week 12 for unrelated indications. Six (29%) of the remaining 21 suspended use of patches to relieve local skin irritation; four of these six completed the trial at reduced dose. Treatment assignment was not associated with significant or consistent changes in cKS lesion area or elevation, HHV8 viral load or antibodies. Conclusion, Transdermal nicotine and placebo patches caused no serious toxicities but had no demonstrable effect on nodular cKS lesions or HHV8 levels. [source] Laser scanner analysis in reconstruction of traumatic laceration of the facial nerveLASER PHYSICS LETTERS, Issue 6 2007D.F. Kalbermatten Abstract To present a new concept of outcome analysis after immediate reconstruction of traumatic lesions of the frontal branch of the facial nerve. With the aid of laser surface scanning, changes induced by frontal muscle contraction, i.e. frowning, in skin surface area on the forehead were measured in nine patients after repair of traumatic transection of the frontal branch of the facial nerve and in 10 healthy volunteers. With laser surface scanning analysis, consistent changes in surface area on the forehead were measured in both patients and healthy volunteers. Symmetry of 74 ± 15% in forehead wrinkling was obtained 12 months after coaptation of the transected nerve. Laser surface scanning is a promising tool to assess outcome after repair of facial nerve laceration. It is easy to use, yields reproducible results and might be used in the future for other procedures. (© 2007 by Astro Ltd., Published exclusively by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA) [source] Changes in serum lactate dehydrogenase activity in children with atopic dermatitisPEDIATRICS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2010Yasuyuki Morishima Abstract Background:, In recent years an increase has been seen in the number of patients with severe atopic dermatitis (AD) accompanied with generalized typical eruptions. Some markers indicating the severity of the disease and symptom changes are very useful, and therefore the purpose of the present study was to investigate serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) as such a marker. Methods:, A total of 58 children with AD were enrolled. The severity of the disease was graded on the basis of the extent of eruptions and the severity of atopic symptoms. The fraction of serum LDH, number of eosinocytes in the peripheral blood, and serum IgE levels were also determined. Results and Conclusion:, There was a close correlation between the severity of cutaneous symptoms and serum LDH activity, and between severity and eosinocyte count, but no relationship was seen between serum IgE levels and severity of the disease. The aforementioned factors were determined in a time-related way. As the patients' condition improved, serum LDH activity tended to decline, but there were no consistent changes in eosinocyte count in the peripheral blood or serum IgE level. On LDH isozyme the levels of LDH4 and LDH5 were high. Tissue showed high LDH activity, especially in epidermides. These results suggest that serum LDH activity is a useful marker. [source] Superior effect of intravenous anti-D compared with IV gammaglobulin in the treatment of HIV-thrombocytopenia: Results of a small, randomized prospective comparisonAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2007Andromachi Scaradavou Abstract This small, prospective, randomized study compared increases in platelet counts and duration of response after intravenous gammaglobulin (IVIG) and IV anti-D in patients with HIV-related thrombocytopenia (HIV-TP). Nine Rh+, nonsplenectomized HIV-positive patients with thrombocytopenia were treated sequentially, in random order, with IVIG and IV anti-D in a cross over design, receiving each therapy for 3 months. Peak platelet counts and duration of effect after each treatment were compared. In addition, viral load measurements and CD4 counts were followed serially, as well as thrombopoietin levels. IV anti-D resulted in a mean peak platelet count of 77 x 109/L compared to only 29 x 109/L after IVIG (P = 0.07). The mean duration of response was significantly longer in patients treated with anti-D (41 days) compared to IVIG (19 days, P = 0.01). No consistent changes were seen in the CD4 counts or viral load measurements as a result of either therapy. Thrombopoietin levels were normal in all patients despite often severe thrombocytopenia. Anti-D was more efficacious than IVIG for the treatment of HIV-TP, confirming and extending previous results. Anti-D should be the first line therapy in HIV-positive, Rh+ patients, when antiretroviral agents are not indicated, not effective, or there is an urgent need to increase the platelet count. Am. J. Hematol. 82: 2007. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Longitudinal course of depression, fatigue, and quality of life in patients with high risk melanoma receiving adjuvant interferonPSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 8 2004Peter C. Trask Purpose: Treatment of malignant melanoma with interferon- , has been associated with a variety of side effects ranging from fatigue to depression, and a concomitant impact on quality of life (QOL), in a variety of case reports and cross-sectional clinical trials. Few, if any, studies have been conducted with the express purpose of assessing the longitudinal course of depression, fatigue, and QOL before and during interferon therapy. Description of study: The current study reports on 16 patients who were assessed at 6 points in time: baseline, post high dose, and 1, 2, 3, and 6 months post high dose treatment with interferon- , with the Brief Symptom Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Revised Piper Fatigue Scale, and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Biological Response Modifiers. Results: Results revealed consistent changes from baseline through 6 month assessment. Specifically, increased somatic complaints, depression, and fatigue were observed on the BSI, BDI, and RPFS, respectively. Additional reductions in QOL on the FACT-BRM were also identified. Clinical implications: The findings suggest that IFN has a significant effect on QOL, but that it may be the somatic symptoms of fatigue that contribute to changes on measures of mood. Limiting the amount of fatigue and depression would appear to be significant if individuals are to successfully complete IFN therapy. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Activated Carbon as a Restoration Tool: Potential for Control of Invasive Plants in Abandoned Agricultural FieldsRESTORATION ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2006Andrew Kulmatiski Abstract Exotic plants have been found to use allelochemicals, positive plant,soil feedbacks, and high concentrations of soil nutrients to exercise a competitive advantage over native plants. Under laboratory conditions, activated carbon (AC) has shown the potential to reduce these advantages by sequestering organic compounds. It is not known, however, if AC can effectively sequester organics or reduce exotic plant growth under field conditions. On soils dominated by exotic plants, we found that AC additions (1% AC by mass in the top 10 cm of soil) reduced concentrations of extractable organic C and N and induced consistent changes in plant community composition. The cover of two dominant exotics, Bromus tectorum and Centaurea diffusa, decreased on AC plots compared to that on control plots (14,8% and 4,0.1%, respectively), and the cover of native perennial grasses increased on AC plots compared to that on control plots (1.4,3% cover). Despite promising responses to AC by these species, some exotic species responded positively to AC and some native species responded negatively to AC. Consequently, AC addition did not result in native plant communities similar to uninvaded sites, but AC did demonstrate potential as a soil-based exotic plant control tool, especially for B. tectorum and C. diffusa. [source] Differential effects of antiepileptic drugs on steroidogenesis in a human in vitro cell modelACTA NEUROLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2009M. W. Gustavsen Objectives, To better understand the interaction of antiepileptic drugs and production of sex hormones, possible effects of valproate (VPA), levetiracetam (LEV) and carbamazepine (CBZ) on steroidogenesis were investigated in the human adrenal carcinoma cell line H295R. Materials and methods, H295R cells were exposed to different concentrations of VPA, LEV or CBZ for 48 h. Sex hormone concentrations and mRNA expression levels were analyzed via radioimmunoassay and quantitative real time (RT)-PCR, respectively. Results, In VPA-exposed cells estradiol levels decreased in a dose-dependent manner, while testosterone and progesterone levels were unaffected. Expression of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGR), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), CYP11a, CYP17, CYP21, 3,HSD2, 17,HSD1 was downregulated and expression of CYP11,2 was upregulated. No effect on sex hormone production was observed under influence of LEV or CBZ. Expression of StAR, CYP17, CYP19 and 3,HSD2 was downregulated in LEV-exposed cells, and expression of HMGR, CYP11,2 and CYP17 was downregulated in CBZ-exposed cells. Conclusions, VPA exposure resulted in a decrease in estradiol levels and a general downregulation of expression of genes encoding for enzymes early in steroidogenesis. No consistent changes were seen with LEV or CBZ exposure. [source] The Infant as Onlooker: Learning From Emotional Reactions Observed in a Television ScenarioCHILD DEVELOPMENT, Issue 1 2003Donna L. Mumme Two studies investigated whether 10, and 12,month,olds can use televised emotional reactions to guide their behavior. Infants watched an actress orient toward 1 of 2 novel objects and react with neutral affect during baseline and with positive or negative affect during test. Infants then had 30 s to interact with the objects. In Study 1, 12,month,olds (N = 32) avoided the target object and showed increases in negative affect after observing the negative,emotion scenario. Twelve,month,olds' responses to positive vs. neutral signals did not differ significantly. In Study 2, 10,month,olds (N = 32) attended to the televised presentations but showed no consistent changes in their object interactions or affect. Thus, 12,month,olds used social information presented on television and associated emotional signals with the intended target. [source] Allergic rhinitis and quality of life: where are we?CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY REVIEWS, Issue 3 2003G. Majani Summary Health-Related Quality of Life (QoL) considers the impact of both illness and treatment on a patient's life as perceived by the patient himself. As well as providing information on how a disease affects a patient's life, QoL instruments could provide important information concerning the treatment outcomes. The SF-36 enlighted a significant impairment in eight of the nine QoL domains in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis, compared to healthy subjects. In seasonal rhinitis a patient's satisfaction profile does not show consistent changes before and after the pollen season. Adherence to treatment and caregivers' and relatives' QoL assessment still deserve more attention. In conclusion there is still a long way to go towards a full knowledge of QoL in allergic rhinitis. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||