			Home About us Contact

Latest Data (latest + data)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	50%

Selected Abstracts

Neurological manifestations of antiphospholipid syndrome

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION, Issue 4 2010
Carlos E. M. Rodrigues
Eur J Clin Invest 2010; 40 (4): 350,359 Abstract Background, Neurologic disorders are among the most common and important clinical manifestations associated with the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). It is characterized by diverse neurological manifestations. These include stroke, transient ischaemic attack, Sneddon's syndrome, convulsions/epilepsy, dementia, cognitive deficits, headaches/migraine, chorea, multiple sclerosis-like, transverse myelitis, ocular symptoms and Guillain,Barré syndrome. Material and methods, We review the latest data about neurologic disorders and APS. Results, In patients under 45 years of age, 20% of strokes are potentially associated with APS. Our study group recently reported a correlation between primary APS and peripheral neuropathy. Only one study investigated the occurrence of peripheral neuropathy in patients diagnosed with PAPS through electrophysiological study and showed alterations in 35% of patients. The mechanism of nervous system involvement in APS is considered to be primarily thrombotic. However, other mechanisms have been described, such as antiphospholipid antibodies that bind to the neural tissue, deregulating their functions and having an immediate pathogenic effect. Conclusions, This review summarizes the latest data regarding the clinical aspects, radiological and therapeutic of major neurologic manifestations associated with antiphospholipid antibodies. [source]

Synthesis and transport of creatine in the CNS: importance for cerebral functions

JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2010
Elidie Béard
J. Neurochem. (2010) 115, 297,313. Abstract Apart of its well known function of ,energetic buffer' through the creatine/phosphocreatine/creatine kinase system allowing the regeneration of ATP, creatine has been recently suggested as a potential neuromodulator of even true neurotransmitter. Moreover, the recent discovery of primary creatine deficiency syndromes, due to deficiencies in l -arginine : glycine amidinotransferase or guanidinoacetate methyltransferase (the two enzymes allowing creatine synthesis) or in the creatine transporter, has shed new light on creatine synthesis, metabolism and transport, in particular in CNS which appears as the main tissue affected by these creatine deficiencies. Recent data suggest that creatine can cross blood-brain barrier but only with a poor efficiency, and that the brain must ensure parts of its needs in creatine by its own endogenous synthesis. Finally, the recent years have demonstrated the interest to use creatine as a neuroprotective agent in a growing number of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases. This article aims at reviewing the latest data on creatine metabolism and transport in the brain, in relation to creatine deficiencies and to the potential use of creatine as neuroprotective molecule. Emphasis is also given to the importance of creatine for cerebral function. [source]

Populating the Galaxy with low-mass X-ray binaries

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 3 2006
Paul D. Kiel
ABSTRACT We perform binary population-synthesis calculations to investigate the incidence of low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) and their birth rate in the Galaxy. We use a binary-evolution algorithm that models all the relevant processes including tidal circularization and synchronization. Parameters in the evolution algorithm that are uncertain and may affect X-ray binary formation are allowed to vary during the investigation. We agree with previous studies that under standard assumptions of binary evolution the formation rate and number of black hole (BH) LMXBs predicted by the model are more than an order of magnitude less than what is indicated by observations. We find that the common-envelope process cannot be manipulated to produce significant numbers of BH LMXBs. However, by simply reducing the mass-loss rate from helium stars adopted in the standard model, to a rate that agrees with the latest data, we produce a good match to the observations. Including LMXBs that evolve from intermediate-mass systems also leads to favourable results. We stress that constraints on the X-ray binary population provided by observations are used here merely as a guide as surveys suffer from incompleteness and much uncertainty is involved in the interpretation of results. [source]

Prevalence of obesity in Denmark

OBESITY REVIEWS, Issue 3 2007
P. Due
Summary There has been a pronounced, distinctive increase of the prevalence of obesity within almost all age groups of the Danish population, during the last 25,30 years. The largest increase has been documented in studies based on objective data from total populations and the latest data show the increase will continue. The Danish studies show heterogeneity in the development of the obesity epidemic. A close association with birth cohorts indicates a need for further aetiological research, not only into behavioural factors, but also into early life factors that may explain some of this developmental pattern. [source]

Drug-resistant tuberculosis: Past, present, future

RESPIROLOGY, Issue 3 2010
Chen-Yuan CHIANG
ABSTRACT In a population of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, random chromosomal mutation that results in genetic resistance to anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs occurs at a relatively low frequency. Anti-TB drugs impose selection pressure so that mycobacterial mutants gradually outnumber susceptible bacilli and emerge as the dominant strains. Resistance to two or more anti-TB drugs represents cumulative results of sequential mutation. The fourth report on global anti-TB drug resistance provides the latest data on the extent of such problem in the world. The median prevalence of multi-drug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) in new TB cases was 1.6%, and in previously treated TB cases 11.7%. Of the half a million MDR-TB cases estimated to have emerged in 2006, 50% were in China and India. The optimal duration of any given combination of anti-TB drugs for treatment of MDR- and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) has not been defined in controlled clinical trials. Standardized treatment may be feasible for MDR-TB patients not previously treated with second-line drugs, but a different strategy needs to be applied in the treatment of MDR-TB patients who have received second-line drugs before. Unfortunately, the reliability of drug susceptibility testing of most second-line anti-TB drugs is still questionable. Drug-resistant TB is not necessarily less virulent. Findings from modelling exercise warned that if MDR-TB case detection and treatment rates increase to the World Health Organization target of 70%, without simultaneously increasing MDR-TB cure rates, XDR-TB prevalence could increase exponentially. Prevention of development of drug resistance must be accorded the top priority in the era of MDR-/XDR-TB. [source]

Output Gaps In Real Time: How Reliable Are They?

THE ECONOMIC RECORD, Issue 252 2005
DAVID GRUEN
The output gap is of central interest to policymakers. Being unobservable, however, its estimation is prone to error, particularly in real time. Errors result from revisions to the data and unavoidable end-point problems associated with the econometric techniques used to estimate it. This is the first study of the seriousness of these problems for Australia. Over a 28-year period, we obtain real-time output-gap estimates which are unbiased and highly correlated with final estimates derived with the latest data and the benefit of hindsight. We conclude that reasonably reliable output gap estimates can be obtained in real time. [source]