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Multiple Changes (multiple + change)
Selected AbstractsGrowth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 levels and their relation to survival in children with bacterial sepsis and septic shockJOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 4 2004N Önenli-Mungan Objectives: Despite improved supportive care, the mortality of sepsis and septic shock is still high. Multiple changes in the neuroendocrine systems, at least in part, are responsible for the high morbidity and mortality. A reduced circulating level of insulin-like growth factor and an elevated level of growth hormone are the reported characteristic findings early in the course of sepsis and septic shock in adults. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes of growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor 1 axis in sepsis and septic shock and investigate the relationship between these hormones and survival. Methods: Fifty-one children with sepsis (S), 21 children with septic shock (SS) and 30 healthy, age- and sex-matched children (C) were enrolled in this study. Growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor 1 and cortisol levels of the sepsis and septic shock groups were obtained before administration of any inotropic agent. Results: Growth hormone levels were 32.3 ± 1.5 µIU/mL (range 4,56), 15.9 ± 0.6 µIU/mL (range 11,28) and 55.7 ± 2.7 µIU/mL (range 20,70) in S, C and SS groups, respectively. The difference between the growth hormone levels of the S and C groups, S and SS groups, and C and SS groups were significant (P < 0.001). Non-survivors (54.7 ± 1.6 µIU/mL) had significantly higher growth hormone levels than survivors (29.4 ± 1.5 µIU/mL) (P < 0.001). Insulin-like growth factor 1 levels were 38.1 ± 2.1 ng/mL (range 19,100), 122.9 ± 9.6 ng/mL (range 48,250) and 22.2 ± 1.9 ng/mL (range 10,46) in the S, C and SS groups, respectively, and the difference between the insulin-like growth factor 1 levels of the S and C, S and SS, and C and SS groups were significant (P < 0.001). Non-survivors (8.8 ± 1.1 µg/dL) had significantly lower cortisol levels than survivors (40.9 ± 2.1 µg/dL) (P < 0.001). We detected a significant difference between the levels of cortisol in non-survivors (19.7 ± 1.8 µg/dL) and survivors (33.9 ± 0.9 µg/dL) (P < 0.01). Conclusions: There were elevated levels of growth hormone with decreased levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 in children during sepsis and septic shock compared to healthy subjects. In addition, there were even higher levels of growth hormone and lower levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 in non-survivors than in survivors. We think that both growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 may have potential prognostic value to serve as a marker in bacterial sepsis and septic shock in children. As there is insufficient data in the paediatric age group, more studies including large numbers of patients and additionally evaluating cytokines and insulin-like growth factor binding proteins are needed. [source] The mitochondrial genome of the wine yeast Hanseniaspora uvarum: a unique genome organization among yeast/fungal counterpartsFEMS YEAST RESEARCH, Issue 1 2006Paraskevi V. Pramateftaki Abstract The complete sequence of the apiculate wine yeast Hanseniaspora uvarum mtDNA has been determined and analysed. It is an extremely compact linear molecule containing the shortest functional region ever found in fungi (11 094 bp long), flanked by Type 2 telomeric inverted repeats. The latter contained a 2704-bp-long subterminal region and tandem repeats of 839-bp units. In consequence, a population of mtDNA molecules that differed at the number of their telomeric reiterations was detected. The functional region of the mitochondrial genome coded for 32 genes, which included seven subunits of respiratory complexes and ATP synthase (the genes encoding for NADH oxidoreductase subunits were absent), two rRNAs and 23 tRNA genes which recognized codons for all amino acids. A single intron interrupted the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene. A number of reasons contributed towards its strikingly small size, namely: (1) the remarkable size reduction (by >40%) of the rns and rnl genes; (2) that most tRNA genes and five of the seven protein-coding genes were the shortest among known yeast homologs; and (3) that the noncoding regions were restricted to 5.1% of the genome. In addition, the genome showed multiple changes in the orientation of transcription and the gene order differed drastically from other yeasts. When all protein coding gene sequences were considered as one unit and were compared with the corresponding molecules from all other complete mtDNAs of yeasts, the phylogenetic trees constructed robustly supported its placement basal to the yeast species of the ,Saccharomyces complex', demonstrating the advantage of this approach over single-gene or multigene approaches of unlinked genes. [source] Seasonal sex role changes in the blenniid Petroscirtes breviceps, a nest brooder with paternal careJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2006J. Shibata The plasticity of the sex roles in the blenniid fish Petroscirtes breviceps, a nest brooder with exclusive paternal care, was studied throughout an 8 month breeding season. Males performed most courtships early and late in the breeding season, whereas females performed most in the middle of the season. These results indicated that the sex of individuals initiating courtship changed seasonally, with courtship role reversal in the middle of the season. Intrasexual aggression in both sexes occurred much more frequently in mid-season than in the early and late seasons. Males frequently fought when available nest sites were limited, regardless of the presence of females, suggesting that males competed for nests in order to qualify to mate (resource competition). In contrast, courting females fought only in mid-season, when females' relative success in entering nests decreased, indicating that females competed for limited mating opportunities (mating competition). The reversed courtship roles and female mating competition in mid-season suggested that the sex roles in P. breviceps changed seasonally from the conventional roles to reversed roles and back again during one breeding season. This study provides the first empirical evidence of multiple changes in the sex roles of animals within a breeding season. [source] Effects of interferon alpha therapy on the catalytic domains of the polymerase gene and basal core promoter, precore and core regions of hepatitis B virusJOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 6 2003ROBERT YUNG MING CHEN Aims: The aim of the present study was to examine the catalytic domains of the polymerase gene, the basal core promoter and the precore and core regions of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome for specific mutations. These may account for the response to interferon alpha (IFN-,) treatment, which may have prognostic value. Methods: Multiple serum samples were collected prospectively from 30 patients with chronic active hepatitis B who were treated with IFN-,. Patients were assigned to one of three groups: group A (n = 11) and group B (n = 10) individuals were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive prior to treatment. Group A patients underwent HBeAg seroconversion after treatment while group B patients did not. Group C (n = 9) patients were HBeAg-negative prior to treatment. The HBV DNA was extracted from the sera collected before, during and after treatment and the various genomic regions were amplified, sequenced and examined for mutations. Results: During IFN-, therapy, multiple changes were found in the catalytic domains of the HBV polymerase gene in all groups. The frequency of mutations and associated amino acid changes were highest in virus from group C patients and lowest in group A patients. The interdomain regions of the viral polymerase were the most affected. Multiple mutations were also found in the precore, core and core promoter regions. However, no specific mutations were associated with clinical response or outcome. Conclusions: During IFN-, treatment, multiple mutations occurred in the HBV genome, including the catalytic domains of the polymerase gene. Changes that did occur could not be correlated to the clinical response or treatment outcome. However, no mutations were found that have been linked to lamivudine escape, indicating that lamivudine therapy would be effective in IFN-, non-responder patients. [source] Changes in lipopolysaccharide structure induce the ,E -dependent response of Escherichia coliMOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2005Christina Tam Summary The envelope of Escherichia coli is composed of an asymmetric lipid bilayer containing lipopolysaccharide, phospholipid and outer membrane proteins (OMPs). Physical and chemical stresses impact on the integrity of the outer membrane envelope and trigger the ,E -dependent response, whereby E. coli activates the expression of genes that increase its capacity for folding OMPs and synthesizing lipopolysaccharide (LPS). While it has already been appreciated that misfolded OMPs induce the ,E response, a role for LPS in activating this pathway was hitherto unknown. Here we show that ammonium metavandate (NH4VO3) induces multiple changes in E. coli LPS structure and activates the ,E -dependent response without altering OMP. One such NH4VO3 -mediated LPS decoration, the CrcA/PagP-catalysed addition of palmitate to lipid A, appeared to be alone sufficient to activate transcription at ,E -dependent promoters. Furthermore, reduced acylation of LPS, caused by htrB or msbB mutations, also resulted in a constitutive expression of the ,E regulon above wild-type levels. Production of these aberrant outer membrane lipids did not noticeably affect the composition or the amount of OMPs. A model is proposed whereby structural intermediates of the LPS biosynthetic pathway or modified LPS molecules may function as signals that activate the ,E response. [source] Simulations of virtual plants reveal a role for SERRATE in the response of leaf development to light in Arabidopsis thalianaNEW PHYTOLOGIST, Issue 3 2007Karine Chenu Summary ,,The SERRATE gene (SE) was shown to determine leaf organogenesis and morphogenesis patterning in Arabidopsis thaliana. The se-1 mutant was used here to investigate the role of SE in leaf development in response to incident light. Virtual plants were modelled to analyse the phenotypes induced by this mutation. ,,Plants were grown under various levels of incident light. The amount of light absorbed by the plant was estimated by combining detailed characterizations of the radiative environment and virtual plant simulations. ,,Four major changes in leaf development were induced by the se-1 mutation. Two constitutive leaf growth variables were modified, with a lower initial expansion rate and a higher duration of expansion. Two original responses to a reduced incident light were identified, concerning the leaf-initiation rate and the duration of leaf expansion. ,,The se-1 mutation dramatically affects both changes in the leaf development pattern and the response to reduced incident light. Virtual plants helped to reveal the combined effects of the multiple changes induced by this mutation. [source] Proteomics of ischemia/reperfusion injury in rabbit myocardium reveals alterations to proteins of essential functional systemsPROTEINS: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND BIOINFORMATICS, Issue 5 2005Melanie Y. White Abstract Brief periods of myocardial ischemia prior to timely reperfusion result in prolonged, yet reversible, contractile dysfunction of the myocardium, or "myocardial stunning". It has been hypothesized that the delayed recovery of contractile function in stunned myocardium reflects damage to one or a few key sarcomeric proteins. However, damage to such proteins does not explain observed physiological alterations to myocardial oxygen consumption and ATP requirements observed following myocardial stunning, and therefore the impact of alterations to additional functional groups is unresolved. We utilized two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry to identify changes to the protein profiles in whole cell, cytosolic- and myofilament-enriched subcellular fractions from isolated, perfused rabbit hearts following 15 min or 60 min low-flow (1 mL/min) ischemia. Comparative gel analysis revealed 53 protein spot differences (> 1.5-fold difference in visible abundance) in reperfused myocardium. The majority of changes were observed to proteins from four functional groups: (i) the sarcomere and cytoskeleton, notably myosin light chain-2 and troponin C; (ii) redox regulation, in particular several components of the NADH ubiquinone oxidoreductase complex; (iii) energy metabolism, encompassing creatine kinase; and (iv) the stress response. Protein differences appeared to be the result of isoelectric point shifts most probably resulting from chemical modifications, and molecular mass shifts resulting from proteolytic or physical fragmentation. This is consistent with our hypothesis that the time course for the onset of injury associated with myocardial stunning is too brief to be mediated by large changes to gene/protein expression, but rather that more subtle, rapid and potentially transient changes are occurring to the proteome. The physical manifestation of stunned myocardium is therefore the likely result of the summed functional impairment resulting from these multiple changes, rather than a result of damage to a single key protein. [source] Proteomic profiling for cancer progression: Differential display analysis for the expression of intracellular proteins between regressive and progressive cancer cell linesPROTEINS: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND BIOINFORMATICS, Issue 4 2005Eiko Hayashi Abstract Tumor development and progression consist of a series of complex processes involving multiple changes in gene expression (Paolo et al. Physiol. Rev., 1993, 73, 161,195; Lance et al. Cell., 1991, 64, 327,336). Tumor cells acquire an invasive and metastatic phenotype that is the main cause of death for cancer patients. Therefore, for early diagnosis and effective therapeutic intervention, we need to detect the alterations associated with transition from benign to malignant tumor cells on a molecular basis. To unravel alterations concerned with tumor progression, the proteomic approach has attracted great attention because it can identify qualitative and quantitative changes in protein composition, including post-translational modifications. In this study, we performed proteomic differential display analysis for the expression of intracellular proteins in the regressive cancer cell line QR-32 and the inflammatory cell-promoting progressive cancer cell line QRsP-11 of murine fibrosarcoma by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry using an Agilent 1100 LC/MSD Trap XCT. We found 11,protein spots whose expression was different between QR-32 and QRsP-11 cells and identified nine proteins, seven of which, calreticulin precursor, tropomyosin,1 , chain, annexin,A5, heat shock protein (HSP)90-,, HSP90-,, PEBP, and Prx,II, were over-expressed, and two, Anp32e and HDGF, which were down-regulated. The results suggest an important complementary role for proteomics in identification of molecular abnormalities in tumor progression. [source] Institutional learning and adaptation: Developing state audit capacity in ChinaPUBLIC ADMINISTRATION & DEVELOPMENT, Issue 1 2009Ting GongArticle first published online: 20 JAN 200 Abstract In recent decades, the Chinese state has been confronted by a dual challenge: to monitor and regulate the country's rapid socioeconomic development and, at the same time, to reform itself, as centrally planned state, in order to adapt to market-driven changes. This has made it an imperative for the state to remake as well as strengthen its capacity. How has the Chinese state taken up the challenge? To what extent has state capacity been shaped or reshaped in the process? Is the state's endeavour to strengthen and institutionalise its capacity successful? This article examines China's experience with building a powerful audit regime to answer these questions. It explores the driving forces behind institutional change and capacity development. As the findings show, the evolution of the state audit capacity in China is not a simple, linear process, but rather it is associated with multiple changes in the legal and regulatory framework, inter-institutional relations and the norms guiding the behaviour of institutional actors. The development of the state audit in China reveals both the dynamics and dilemmas of state capacity development. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Complexity in choice experiments: choice of the status quo alternative and implications for welfare measurement,AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL & RESOURCE ECONOMICS, Issue 4 2009Peter Boxall We examine the propensity of respondents to choose the status quo (SQ) or current situation alternative as a function of complexity in two separate state-of-the-world choice experiments. Complexity in each choice set was characterized as the number of single and multiple changes in levels of attributes from the current situation and the order of the choice task in the sequence of multiple tasks provided to respondents. We show that increasing complexity leads to increased choice of the SQ and that a respondent's age and level of education also influenced this choice. We outline the effects of the alternate approaches for incorporating the SQ into welfare measurement. These findings have implications for the design of stated preference experiments, examining passive use values and for empirical analysis leading to welfare measurement. [source] Baculovirus-mediated immediate-early gene expression and nuclear reorganization in human cellsCELLULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2008Johanna P. Laakkonen Summary Baculovirus, Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV), has the ability to transduce mammalian cell lines without replication. The general objective of this study was to detect the transcription and expression of viral immediate-early genes in human cells and to examine the interactions between viral components and subnuclear structures. Viral capsids were seen in large, discrete foci in nuclei of both dividing and non-dividing human cells. Concurrently, the transcription of viral immediate-early transregulator genes (ie-1, ie-2) and translation of IE-2 protein were detected. Quantitative microscopy imaging and analysis showed that virus transduction altered the size of promyelocytic leukaemia nuclear bodies, which are suggested to be involved in replication and transcription of various viruses. Furthermore, altered distribution of the chromatin marker Draq5Ô and histone core protein (H2B) in transduced cells indicated that the virus was able to induce remodelling of the host cell chromatin. To conclude, this study shows that the non-replicative insect virus, baculovirus and its proteins can induce multiple changes in the cellular machinery of human cells. [source] Helicobacter pylori,host cell interactions mediated by type IV secretionCELLULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 7 2005Kevin M. Bourzac Summary Helicobacter pylori is a human-specific gastric pathogen that colonizes over half the world's population. Infection with this bacterium is associated with a spectrum of gastric pathologies ranging from mild gastritis to peptic ulcers and gastric cancer. A strong predictor of severe disease outcome is infection with a bacterial strain harbouring the cag (cytotoxin associated gene) pathogenicity island (PAI), a 40 kb stretch of DNA that encodes homologues of several components of a type IV secretion system (TFSS). One gene within the cag PAI, cagA, has been shown to encode a substrate for the TFSS which is translocated into host cells and causes multiple changes in host cell signalling. Here we review recent advances in the characterization of type IV secretion, the activities of CagA and CagA-independent effects of the TFSS, which are contributing to our understanding of H. pylori pathogenesis. [source] | |||||||||||||