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Profound Effects (profound + effects)
Selected AbstractsObesity, serious mental illness and antipsychotic drugsDIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 7 2009Richard I. G. Holt The prevalence of overweight and obesity is higher in people with mental illness than in the general population. Body weight is tightly regulated by a complex system involving the cortex and limbic system, the hypothalamus and the gastrointestinal tract. While there are justifiable concerns about the weight gain associated with antipsychotic medication, it is too simplistic to ascribe all obesity in people with serious mental illness (SMI) to their drug treatment. The development of obesity in SMI results from the complex interaction of the genotype and environment of the person with mental illness, the mental illness itself and antipsychotic medication. There are dysfunctional reward mechanisms in SMI that may contribute to poor food choices and overeating. While it is clear that antipsychotics have profound effects to stimulate appetite, no one receptor interaction provides an adequate explanation for this effect, and many mechanisms are likely to be involved. The complexity of the system regulating body weight allows us to start to understand why some individuals appear much more prone to weight gain and obesity than others. [source] Thiazolidinediones and the preservation of ,-cell function, cellular proliferation and apoptosisDIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 8 2008Michael Decker The thiazolidinediones (TZDs) or glitazones are pharmaceutical agents that have profound effects on energy expenditure and conservation. They also exert significant anti-inflammatory effects and influence cell proliferation and cell death. The drugs are primarily used in clinical practice in the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, a disorder of insulin resistance that occurs when the pancreatic ,-cells are unable to produce adequate amounts of insulin to maintain euglycaemia. Loss of pancreatic ,-cell function in type 2 diabetes is progressive and often precedes overt diabetes by 10 years or more, as was shown by the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study. Any therapeutic or preventive approach that would limit or reverse loss of ,-cell function in diabetes would have profound effects on the morbidity associated with this widespread disease. Evidence suggesting a potential role of TZDs in preserving ,-cell function in type 2 diabetes as well as the ability of these agents to exert anti-inflammatory and proapoptotic anticancer effects, and their ability to promote cellular proliferation in various organs is reviewed. [source] Relative Price Variability and Inflation in EuropeECONOMICA, Issue 265 2000David Fielding The relationship between inflation and the relative variability of prices has been the subject of careful investigation in the United States using data for product groups at the city level. Yet in Europe, where the relationship could have profound effects on the viability of monetary integration, no attempt has been made to study the relationship. This paper fills the gap by examining data disaggregated to the commodity level across 10 EU countries. Evidence is found for logistic smooth transitions in the relative price variability measures within countries and within product groups. When this deterministic component isremoved, the stochastic element is not persistent and does not always have the positive relationship with inflation commonly found in US city data. [source] MANAGERIALISM, FUNDAMENTALISM, AND THE RESTRUCTURING OF FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY SCHOOLSEDUCATIONAL THEORY, Issue 2 2006Chaya Herman The essay is based on a larger research project that explores the profound effects of the ideological and managerial restructuring process in Johannesburg's Jewish community schools, the broader context for which has been South Africa's transformation to democracy. Herman suggests that these two dynamics are synergetic forces and that their accumulated effect has the power to shift the discourse of the community toward ghettoization and toward the creation of a homogenous community founded on a narrowly defined common identity. [source] Expression of a non-DNA-binding Ikaros isoform exclusively in B cells leads to autoimmunity but not leukemogenesisEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 4 2007Heather Wojcik Abstract Ikaros is a transcriptional regulator whose function is essential for B cell development. It is expressed in the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) through the mature B cell stage. Using genetically engineered mice in which the endogenous Ikaros gene is disrupted, it has been shown that a lack of Ikaros leads to a block in B cell development and that its severe diminution results in a hyperresponsive B cell compartment. Ikaros expression within the HSC has led to speculation as to whether the role of Ikaros in B cell biology is largely accomplished prior to B cell specification. In addition, widespread expression of Ikaros in hematopoietic cells leads to the possibility that some or all of the observed defects are not B cell autonomous. In this report, we demonstrate that over-expression of a dominant interfering Ikaros isoform exclusively in B cells has profound effects on mature B cell function. We provide evidence that continued high-level expression of Ikaros is essential for homeostasis of peripheral lymphocytes and maintenance of B cell tolerance. We also show that deregulation of Ikaros activity does not rapidly result in B cell leukemogenesis as it does with 100% penetrance within the T cell lineage. [source] Muscarinic control of graded persistent activity in lateral amygdala neuronsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 11 2006Alexei V. Egorov Abstract The cholinergic system is crucially involved in several cognitive processes including attention, learning and memory. Muscarinic actions have profound effects on the intrinsic firing pattern of neurons. In principal neurons of the entorhinal cortex (EC), muscarinic receptors activate an intrinsic cation current that causes multiple self-sustained spiking activity, which represents a potential mechanism for transiently sustaining information about novel items. The amygdala appears to be important for experience-dependent learning by emotional arousal, and cholinergic muscarinic influences are essential for the amygdala-mediated modulation of memory. Here we show that principal neurons from the lateral nucleus of the amygdala (LA) can generate intrinsic graded persistent activity that is similar to EC layer V cells. This firing behavior is linked to muscarinic activation of a calcium-sensitive non-specific cation current and can be mimicked by stimulation of cholinergic afferents that originate from the nucleus basalis of Meynert (n. M). Moreover, we demonstrate that the projections from the n. M. are essential and sufficient for the control and modulation of graded firing activity in LA neurons. We found that activation of these cholinergic afferents (i) is required to maintain and to increase firing rates in a graded manner, and (ii) is sufficient for the graded increases of stable discharge rates even without an associated up-regulation of Ca2+. The induction of persistent activity was blocked by flufenamic acid or 2-APB and remained intact after Ca2+ -store depletion with thapsigargin. The internal ability of LA neurons to generate graded persistent activity could be essential for amygdala-mediated memory operations. [source] Perceived legitimacy of intergroup status differences: its prediction by relative ingroup prototypicalityEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2002Ulrike Weber Research demonstrates that the perceived legitimacy of intergroup status differences has profound effects on intergroup attitudes, emotions and behavior. However, there has only been little intergroup research that predicts the perception of legitimacy. We hypothesize that the perception of legitimate or illegitime status relations depends upon the perceived relative prototypicality of the ingroup for the inclusive category. Since the prototype of the inclusive category provides a normative comparison standard for subgroup evaluation, similarity to this standard (i.e. prototypicality) should be positively evaluated and used to justify high status. A first study in a natural intergroup context (N,=,67) offered correlational data in support of the predicted relationship. The second study (N,=,60), using Germans as ingroup with Poles as outgroup and Europe as inclusive category, demonstrated that the link between prototypicality and legitimacy is contingent upon the valence of the inclusive category. In order to elucidate the causal direction, the third study manipulated relative prototypicality in an artificial intergroup context (N,=,94) and introduced status as a moderator variable. Overall, we found strong support for the hypothesis that legitimacy is related to prototypicality and that this relation is moderated by ingroup status and valence of the inclusive category. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF THE SUITABILITY AND LIMITATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS IN FAMILY COURTFAMILY COURT REVIEW, Issue 2 2007Steven K. Erickson Psychologists are frequently consulted by the courts to provide forensic evaluations in a variety of family court proceedings. As part of their evaluations, psychologists often use psychological tests to assess parents, guardians, and children. These tests can have profound effects on how psychologists arrive at their opinions and are often cited in their reports to the court. However, psychological tests vary substantially in their suitability for these purposes. Most projective tests in particular appear to possess little scientific merit for evaluations within family court proceedings. Despite these serious limitations, expert testimony derived from evaluations using both projective and objective tests is often admitted uncontested. This article reviews the psychometric properties of psychological tests that are widely used in family court proceedings, cautions against their unfettered use, and calls upon attorneys to inform themselves of the limitations of evaluations that incorporate these tests. [source] Species-specific responses of planktivorous fish to the introduction of a new piscivore: implications for prey fitnessFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 9 2007FRANZ HÖLKER Summary 1. Antipredator behaviour by the facultative planktivorous fish species roach (Rutilus rutilus), perch (Perca fluviatilis) and rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) was studied in a multi-year whole-lake experiment to evaluate species-specific behavioural and numerical responses to the stocking of pikeperch (Sander lucioperca), a predator with different foraging behaviour than the resident predators large perch (P. fluviatilis) and pike (Esox lucius). 2. Behavioural responses to pikeperch varied greatly during the night, ranging from reduced activity (roach and small perch) and a shift in habitat (roach), to no change in the habitat use and activity of rudd. The differing responses of the different planktivorous prey species highlight the potential variation in behavioural response to predation risk from species of similar vulnerability. 3. These differences had profound effects on fitness; the density of species that exhibited an antipredator response declined only slightly (roach) or even increased (small perch), whereas the density of the species that did not exhibit an antipredator response (rudd) decreased dramatically (by more than 80%). 4. The maladaptive behaviour of rudd can be explained by a ,behavioural syndrome', i.e. the interdependence of behaviours expressed in different contexts (feeding activity, antipredator) across different situations (different densities of predators). 5. Our study extends previous studies, that have typically been limited to more controlled situations, by illustrating the variability in intensity of phenotypic responses to predators, and the consequences for population density, in a large whole-lake setting. [source] Single Negative Metamaterials in Unstructured Polymer Nanocomposites Toward Selectable and Controllable Negative PermittivityADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 41 2009Bin Li Negative permittivity is realized in unstructured imide polymer/carbon nanofiber (CNF) nanocomposites. The microstructure of CNFs is one of the factors that exert profound effects on the permittivity. Compared with cup-stacked CNFs-filled polyetherimide nanocomposites, the negative permittivity in the herringbone CNFs-filled nanocomposites is inhibited, occurring only at the frequencies near resonance, where the permittivity dips slightly into the negative region. [source] Analysis of suspended sediment yields after low impact forest harvestingHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 26 2007Norifumi Hotta Abstract Disturbances to forest catchments have profound effects on the environment of headwater streams and have an impact on suspended sediment (SS) management. Forest harvesting is a dominant factor in increasing SS yields. Road construction, skidder activity and ploughing associated with harvesting cause serious soil disturbance that results in SS increases. However, few studies have shown whether harvesting itself increases SS yields. This study examined how harvesting influenced SS yields in a steep forested area. During harvesting, soil surface disturbance was prevented as much as possible by using skyline logging treatments and piling branches and leaves at selected locations in the watershed. Using these methods, the representative SS rating curve did not change significantly after harvesting. The results also show that the characteristics of SS transport were related to the SS source area, and reveal that the riparian zone/stream bank was a dominant SS source area at the study site. Annual SS yields did not increase despite increasing annual water yields after harvesting. The limited water capacity of the soil at the study site likely led to only slight differences in pre- and post-harvest water discharge from heavy rainfall events. Most SS was transported during heavy rainfall events, and increases in SS yields were not detected after harvesting. We concluded that it is possible to prevent post-harvest SS increases by performing careful, low-impact harvesting procedures. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Schmorl's nodes: clinical significance and implications for the bioarchaeological recordINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OSTEOARCHAEOLOGY, Issue 1 2008K. J. Faccia Abstract Back pain is one of the major contributors to disability and loss of productivity in modern populations. However, osteological correlates of back pain are often absent or, as yet, unidentified. As bioarchaeologists depend on osteological evidence to interpret quality of life in the past, back pain, with its profound effects on modern populations, is largely overlooked in archaeological samples. This study addresses this shortcoming in bioarchaeological analysis by exploring the relationship between a defined vertebral osteological lesion, the Schmorl's node, and its effect on quality of life in a clinical population. Using patient insight, healthcare practitioner diagnoses and MR imaging analyses, this study investigates: (1) Schmorl's nodes and sociodemographic factors; (2) the number, location and quantitative aspects (e.g. length, depth, area) of Schmorl's nodes, and how these influence the reporting of pain; (3) the dynamic effects of Schmorl's nodes, in combination with other variables, in the reporting of pain; and (4) the perception and impact of pain that patients attribute to Schmorl's nodes with regard to quality-of-life issues. The results of this study indicate that Schmorl's nodes located in the central portion of the vertebral body are significantly associated with patient reporting of pain, and that the presence of osteophytes, in the affected vertebral region, may increase the likelihood that an individual will report pain. This finding provides bioarchaeologists with an osteological correlate to begin interpreting the presence and impact of pain in archaeological populations, with implications for scoring Schmorl's nodes. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Apathy in Alzheimer's DiseaseJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 12 2001Allan M. Landes MA Apathy, or loss of motivation, is arguably the most common change in behavior in Alzheimer's disease (AD) but is underrecognized. Apathy represents a form of executive cognitive dysfunction. Patients with apathy suffer from decreased daily function and specific cognitive deficits and rely on families to provide more care, which results in increased stress for families. Apathy is one of the primary syndromes associated with frontal and subcortical pathology, and apathy in AD appears to have multiple neuroanatomical correlates that implicate components of frontal subcortical networks. Despite the profound effects of this common syndrome, only a few instruments have been designed to specifically assess apathy, and these instruments have not been directly compared. Assessment of apathy in AD requires clinicians to distinguish loss of motivation from loss of ability due to cognitive decline. Although apathy may be misdiagnosed as depression because of an overlap in symptoms, current research has shown apathy to be a discrete syndrome. Distinguishing apathy from depression has important treatment implications, because these disorders respond to different interventions. Further research is required to clarify the specific neuroanatomical and neuropsychological correlates of apathy and to determine how correct diagnosis and treatment of apathy may improve patient functioning and ease caregiver burden. [source] Climatic niche partitioning following successive invasions by fruit flies in La RéunionJOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2006PIERRE-FRANÇOIS DUYCK Summary 1Biological invasions have profound effects on community structure. The community composition following invasions can be influenced by the habitat diversity and the species' responses to abiotic factors. 2We evaluated the tolerance to climatic factors and analysed the field distribution of four polyphagous fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) of La Réunion Island (three exotic species that successively invaded the island and the endemic species Ceratitis catoirii) in order to evaluate the opportunities of coexistence by niche differentiation. 3Atmospheric humidity and immersion in water in the laboratory greatly influence the survival of fruit fly pupae. While C. catoirii and C. rosa are very sensitive to desiccation, C. capitata and especially Bactrocera zonata are relatively tolerant. B. zonata also tolerated immersion in water much longer than did C. rosa and C. catoirii, that in turn were more resistant than C. capitata. Overall, field distributions agree with the predictions based on this study of humidity combined with previous data on the effects of temperature. 4Climatic niche partitioning promotes coexistence between some but not all pairs of invasive species. Thus, C. rosa can coexist with both C. capitata and B. zonata at the regional scale, while climatic niches are not different enough to promote coexistence of the latter two species. The endemic species has no private climatic niche either and this now very rare species could be in the process of extinction. 5By promoting coexistence or not, climatic diversity in invaded areas can directly affect the community composition following invasions. [source] Gain functions for large herbivores: tests of alternative modelsJOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2005KATE R. SEARLE Summary 1The gain function describes the amount of food consumed in a patch as a function of patch residence time. Gain functions play a central role in foraging theory but alternative functional forms portraying dynamics of gain have not been evaluated. We evaluated the strength of evidence in the data for alternative gain functions of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus, Rafinesque 1817) and blue duikers (Cephalophus monticola, Blythe 1848) feeding in patches composed of different plant species and plant sizes. 2Gain functions decelerated with patch residence time, but there was considerable variation among individual animals and patch types in the nature of this response. Asymptotic and piecewise-linear models received the greatest support in the data. 3Deceleration in gain was caused by a composite of effects that retarded instantaneous intake rate, including reductions in bite mass and increases in bite interval (time between successive bites). Bite interval increased as a result of increases in processing time of accumulated forage in the mouth, rather than increases in time allocated to cropping. 4We demonstrated that unwarranted assumptions about the shape of gain functions can have profound effects on predictions of patch models. Predictions of the classical patch model using purely asymptotic gain functions contrasted sharply with predictions of model-averaged gain functions that were supported by the data. [source] Deep genealogies and the mid-peninsular seaway of Baja CaliforniaJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 8 2006Johan Lindell Abstract Geological forces and long-term climate changes can have profound effects on species. Such effects may be manifested in the pattern and magnitude of genealogical diversity, as revealed by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) lineages. The relative importance of the different forces on a regional biota must be evaluated along with a good understanding of geological and climatological history. The peninsula of Baja California of north-western Mexico is one area where both geology and climate have affected the historical biogeography of the regional biota. Molecular studies based on the genealogical relationships among mtDNA lineages have contributed greatly towards elucidating the historical biogeography of Baja California. Perhaps most noticeably, numerous concordant breaks in mtDNA genealogies half-way along the peninsula suggest a vicariant history in which the mid-peninsula was temporarily submerged. This vicariant explanation has recently been criticized, as no conclusive geological evidence exists for a continuous submergence of the mid-peninsula. As an alternative, a scenario based on climatological factors has been suggested. Here we discuss the validity of the hypothesized mid-peninsular vicariance event and the climate-based alternative in explaining the concordant genealogical breaks. We argue that, despite the significant changes in climate brought about by the glacial cycles throughout the Quaternary, a vicariant history involving a mid-peninsular seaway remains the most parsimonious explanation of the observed patterns in mtDNA genealogies. [source] Monitoring Teriparatide-Associated Changes in Vertebral Microstructure by High-Resolution CT In Vivo: Results From the EUROFORS Study,JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 9 2007Christian Graeff Dipl-Ing Abstract We introduce a method for microstructural analysis of vertebral trabecular bone in vivo based on HRCT. When applied to monitor teriparatide treatment, changes in structural variables exceeded and were partially independent of changes in volumetric BMD. Introduction: Monitoring of osteoporosis therapy based solely on bone densitometry is insufficient to assess anti-fracture efficacy. Assessing bone microstructure in vivo is therefore of importance. We studied whether it is possible to monitor effects of teriparatide on vertebral trabecular microstructure independent of BMD by high-resolution CT (HRCT). Materials and Methods: In a subset of 65 postmenopausal women with established osteoporosis who participated in the EUROFORS study, HRCT scans of T12, quantitative CT of L1,L3, and DXA of L1,L4 were performed after 0, 6, and 12 mo of teriparatide treatment (20 ,g/d). We compared BMD and 3D microstructural variables in three groups of women, based on prior antiresorptive treatment: treatment-naïve; pretreated; and pretreated women showing inadequate response to treatment. Results: We found statistically highly significant increases in most microstructural variables and BMD 6 mo after starting teriparatide. After 12 mo, apparent bone volume fraction (app. BV/TV) increased by 30.6 ± 4.4% (SE), and apparent trabecular number (app. Tb.N.) increased by 19.0 ± 3.2% compared with 6.4 ± 0.7% for areal and 19.3 ± 2.6% for volumetric BMD. The structural changes were partially independent of BMD as shown by a significantly larger standardized increase and a standardized long-term precision at least as good as DXA. Patients who had shown inadequate response to prior osteoporosis treatment did show improvements in BMD and structural measures comparable to treatment-naïve patients. Conclusions: HRCT is a feasible method for longitudinal microstructural analysis of human vertebrae in vivo, offers information beyond BMD, and is sufficiently precise to show profound effects of teriparatide after 12 mo. [source] Coding and documentation: Medicare severity diagnosis-related groups and present-on-admission documentationJOURNAL OF HOSPITAL MEDICINE, Issue 2 2009Noel H. Ballentine MD Abstract Effective October 1, 2007, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has changed its methodology for determining the diagnosis-related group for hospitalized patients. In an effort to more accurately reflect severity of illness, the 538 diagnosis-related groups have been converted to 745 new Medicare severity diagnosis-related groups. In addition, selected hospital-acquired complications not identified as present on admission will no longer be reimbursed. The changes will have profound effects on reimbursement for hospitalizations. To minimize financial losses under the new rules, hospitals and physicians will have to devote significant resources and attention to improved documentation. This article will discuss the new payment system, the physician's role in ensuring that all clinically important diagnoses are captured by coding specialists, and strategies that can be employed to respond proactively to the challenge. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2009;4:124,130. © 2009 Society of Hospital Medicine. [source] Putative Nitrogen Sensing Systems in Higher PlantsJOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY, Issue 8 2006Hon-Ming Lam Abstract Nitrogen (N) metabolism is essential for the biosynthesis of vital biomolecules. N status thus exerts profound effects on plant growth and development, and must be closely monitored. In bacteria and fungi, a few sophisticated N sensing systems have been extensively studied. In animals, the ability to receive amino acid signals has evolved to become an integral part of the nervous coordination system. In this review, we will summarize recent developments in the search for putative N sensing systems in higher plants based on homologous systems in bacteria, fungi, and animals. Apparently, although plants have separated and diversified from other organisms during the evolution process, striking similarities can be found in their N sensing systems compared with those of their counterparts; however, our understanding of these systems is still incomplete. Significant modifications of the N sensing systems (including cross-talk with other signal transduction pathways) in higher plants may be a strategy of adaptation to their unique mode of life. (Managing editor: Ping He) [source] China's WTO accession, state enterprise reform, and spatial economic restructuringJOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, Issue 4 2002Simon Xiaobin Zhao China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) promises to have profound effects on the development of the nation's economy and on nationwide enterprise reorganization. This paper attempts to address the relationship between China's WTO accession and state enterprise reforms, and their impacts on the performance of China's spatial economy, including the possible rise and fall of several large national financial centres, such as Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. It is argued that China's new international ties will enhance current enterprise reforms and promote changes in the existing pattern of enterprise organization, with enterprise mergers, acquisitions, takeover activity and the formation of large multinational corporations (MNCs) becoming dominant trends within China's industrial development. Alongside these changes, some economic sectors, such as information technology (IT) and advanced professional services are predicted to become concentrated in several national information ,heartlands,' each having its own well-developed information infrastructure and other comparative advantages over traditional industrial centers. Meanwhile traditional industrial enterprises, while continuing to rely upon their pre-assigned resource priorities, will certainly face fierce international competition in the turbulent global market. The spatial shift of production and trade undoubtedly requires that Chinese enterprises, especially those that are state-owned, reorganize their production-trade systems according to the global ,rules of the game'. All of these changes, due to take effect imminently with China's WTO accession, will fundamentally restructure China's spatial economic landscape, including the creation of a new information heartland and hinterland that will in turn determine the life or death of the country's national financial centres. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Significant differences in proton trimethyl ammonium signals between human gastrocnemius and soleus muscleJOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, Issue 5 2004Jiani Hu PhD Abstract Purpose To study the apparent heterogeneous characteristics of trimethyl ammonium (TMA) in healthy human muscles at rest, and to illustrate the importance of establishing the baseline characteristics of proton metabolites in muscles with a West Nile patient. Materials and Methods Point-resolved spectroscopy (PRESS) magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging (MRSI) with lipid suppression and optional outer-volume presaturation were used to acquire 1H spectra of human muscles at rest at 1.5 Tesla. A total of 28 subjects (27 normal volunteers and 1 patient with West Nile disease) between the ages of 22 and 76 participated in the study. Results The apparent T2 values of TMA for soleus and gastrocnemius muscles in normal volunteers are 180 ± 50 and 80 ± 20 msec, respectively. This difference has profound effects on the apparent spectral pattern of 1H metabolites. The TMA/total creatine (tCr) spectral pattern of the soleus muscle of a West Nile patient resembles that of gastrocnemius muscle of healthy volunteers. Conclusion There are significant differences in the apparent T2 values of TMA between healthy soleus and gastrocnemius muscles at rest. It is important to establish the baseline characteristics of proton metabolites before clinical or physiological studies can be performed. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2004;19:617,622. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] A molecular recognition paradigm: promiscuity associated with the ligand,receptor interactions of the activin members of the TGF-, superfamilyJOURNAL OF MOLECULAR RECOGNITION, Issue 5 2005Hooi Hong Keah Abstract The structure,function properties of the pleiotropic activins and their relationship to other members of the transforming growth factor-, superfamily of proteins are described. In order to highlight the molecular promiscuity of these growth factors, emphasis has been placed on molecular features associated with the recognition by activin A and the bone morphogenic proteins of the corresponding extracellular domains of the ActRI and ActRII receptors. The available evidence suggests that the homodimeric activin A in its various functional roles has the propensity to fulfill key tasks in the regulation of mammalian cell behaviour, through coordination of numerous transcriptional and translational processes. Because of these profound effects, under physiologically normal conditions, activin A levels are closely controlled by a variety of binding partners, such as follistatin-288 and follistatin-315, ,2 -macroglobulin and other proteins. Moreover, the subunits of other members of the activin subfamily, such as activin B or activin C, are able to form heterodimers with the activin A subunit, thus providing a further avenue to positively or negatively control the physiological concentrations of activin A that are available for interaction with specific receptors and induction of cell signaling events. Based on data from X-ray crystallographic studies and homology modeling experiments, the molecular architecture of the ternary receptor,activin ligand complexes has been dissected, permitting rationalization in structural terms of the pattern of interactions that are the hallmark of this protein family. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Mental health practitioner's attitude towards maintenance neuroleptic treatment for people with schizophreniaJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 2 2007N. HARRIS phd bsc(hons) rmn rgn Pharmacological relapse prevention treatment for people with schizophrenia can last for years if not the person's lifetime. The attitude mental health practitioners (MHPs) hold regarding this treatment can have profound effects on service users' decisions related to treatment. The small number of studies focusing on this issue concentrates on the use of ,depot' preparations. To develop a validated inventory to assess the attitudes of MHPs towards treatment and evaluate the attitudes of a sample of MHPs. The inventory was developed in three stages; item selection, piloting and psychometric testing. The validated inventory was administered to a sample of 50 MHPs undertaking a degree level course in the psycho-social management of psychosis. The final inventory consisted of 21 attitudinal items and four items related to the practitioner's confidence. Results from the sample revealed areas of agreement, variation and uncertainty. A valid and reliable inventory has been developed. The administration of the inventory to 50 MHPs returned results which reflect variable attitudes and perceptions of competency towards maintenance neuroleptic treatment. This diversity in attitudes may have an impact on management of people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and clinical outcomes. [source] EFFECT OF NaCl AND WATER CONTENT ON EXPANSION AND COLOR OF CASSAVA AND POTATO STARCHES ON BAKINGJOURNAL OF TEXTURE STUDIES, Issue 6 2009A. FARAHNAKY ABSTRACT Due to the importance of the role of NaCl in starch-based systems, the effect of NaCl and water content on specific volume, color parameters and moisture loss of cassava and potato starches was studied and response surface methodology was used to find and estimate any nonlinearity between the parameters under study. Glass transition (Tg) is one of the main factors determining the quality parameters of toasted and baked samples. Therefore, Tg of two starch systems (cassava and potato) at low water levels (<20%) as affected by NaCl and water content was investigated. Using experimental modeling, equations were obtained to relate expansion, color change and moisture loss of baked samples to salt level and water content. Differential scanning calorimetry-measured Tg showed that NaCl had negative impact on glass/rubber transition temperature of starch,salt mixtures compared with the samples without NaCl. This could have practical implications in baking, toasting and extrusion processing of starch-based systems. PRACTICAL APPLICATION Due to concerns over health-related issues of high intake of salt by the consumers, recently, the reduction of salt in different food products has become the focus of many industrial projects, conferences and workshops. In breakfast cereals, other than starch type, other added ingredients such as sugar and salt can have profound effects on the physical characteristics of final products. The inclusion of salt in breakfast cereals has some important technological roles, e.g., structure formation and flavor and color generation. Salt plays a key role in the expansion of low-moisture extruded starch-based products. Using the findings of this paper, one may quantify the effects of salt level on expansion and color of baked, toasted or extruded starch-based cereal products and relate the changes to the glass rubber transition of the system. [source] Effects of cassava processing methods on antinutritional components and health status of children,JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 3 2002Omorogieva Ojo Abstract This study was conducted to evaluate cassava processing methods in Nigeria, its antinutritional components and the possible impact on the health status of children. The traditional method of cassava processing involved peeling of cassava tubers with a knife, manual grating, dewatering with logs of wood and/or stones, sieving with a cane-woven sieve and frying in a local metal fryer on a wood fire. In contrast, the modern method involved the use of knives for peeling, a mechanical grater, a hydraulic press for dewatering, iron sieves for sieving and an improved metal fryer for frying on a coal fire. The products of both methods included gari (accounting for 70% of Nigeria's total cassava consumption) and lafun. The intake of gari and other foods in 129 3,5-year-old children in Benin City, Nigeria was also assessed based on a food frequency questionnaire. The children were classified into normal and protein-deficient groups using lower/middle/upper-arm circumference and clinical features of malnutrition. Based on the number of households in villages around Benin City who were involved in cassava processing, 90% used the traditional processing method compared with 10% using the modern method, although the latter controlled the commercial production and sale of gari. There were significantly (P,<,0.05) higher intakes of protein and energy in normal compared with protein-deficient children, but the latter group obtained higher percentages of protein and energy from gari. In addition, the correlation between the amount of gari consumed and clinical scores of malnutrition was low (R2,<,0.2). This may be due to the children consuming gari from both methods and also from different sources. The average gari intake for these children was 320,g,day,1 and HCN levels may be as high as 10.24,mg,day,1. Some children who are exposed to these levels with poor nutritional status and lack of access to food varieties may develop sublethal effects in the short term. The higher protein intake by the normal children may also reduce the toxicity of HCN. We conclude that methods of processing cassava have profound effects on HCN retention and chemical composition of cassava products. In addition, the modern processing method is more efficient than the traditional method, with significantly reduced processing losses, labour input and levels of HCN. The HCN content in combination with the quantity and quality of protein in the diet has significant impact on the health status of children. Therefore, in susceptible children with poor nutritional status who consume inadequately processed cassava products with limited food choice, these may predispose them to the effects of HCN and thiocyanate. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Distinct C-terminus of the B subunit of factor XIII in a population-associated major phenotype: the first case of complete allele-specific alternative splicing products in the coagulation and fibrinolytic systemsJOURNAL OF THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS, Issue 7 2009H. IWATA Summary.,Objectives: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the molecular bases of the heterogeneity of the B subunit of coagulation factor XIII (FXIII-B), classified by isoelectric focusing into its three population-associated major phenotypes. Methods and Results: By genetic sequencing and polymerase chain reaction (PCR),restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses, a C-to-G change was identified in intron K for the Asian-associated major phenotype FXIII-B*3. A transcript containing the novel exon XII, was detected by reverse transcription PCR using hepatocyte cell lines with this allele. The exclusive existence of a novel C-terminal peptide in a homozygote of FXIII-B*3 was also detected by matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry. The FXIII-B*3 isoform had a C-terminus 15 residues longer than the other isoforms, containing two additional basic amino acids and one extra acidic amino acid. Accordingly, the C-to-G nucleotide substitution created an efficient splice acceptor AG dinucleotide, which resulted in allele-specific alternative splicing in intron K. When compared with FXIII-B*1, the third major phenotype, FXIII-B*2, had an A-to-G change in exon III, converting His95 to Arg, and a rare phenotype, FXIII-B*4, had an A-to-T change in exon VII, converting Glu368 to Val. Conclusions: We found an extremely rare event of complete allele-specific alternative splicing for FXIII-B. The FXIII-B*3 isoform had a distinct C-terminal peptide, while the FXIII-B*2 and FXIII-B*4 isoforms had His95 to Arg and Glu368 to Val substitutions, respectively, which led to differential isoelectric points of these isoforms. Such variations in the amino acid sequence of FXIII-B may have profound effects on its structure,function relationship, plasma FXIII levels, and disease susceptibility. [source] Modulation of immune response with cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 immunoglobulin-induced anergic T cells in chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura,JOURNAL OF THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS, Issue 1 2008X.-L. ZHANG Summary.,Background:,Platelet glycoprotein (GP)-reactive CD4+ T cells are essential for the stimulation and maintenance of antiplatelet autoantibody production in chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Blocking costimulatory signals could result in platelet-specific T-cell anergy. Methods:,GP-specific CD4+ T cells from patients with ITP were made anergic using cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 immunoglobulin (CTLA4-Ig). The CTLA4-Ig-induced GP-specific anergic T cells were investigated for their inhibitory function on GP-reactive T-cell proliferation and antibody production with in vitro culture systems. To further analyze their tolerizing mechanisms, we cocultured GP-anergic T cells with dendritic cells (DCs) from patients with ITP. Results:,Our studies demonstrated that the anergized GP-specific T cells have profound effects on both GP-specific T-cell proliferation and antibody production. These anergic T cells exerted their suppressive effects mainly in a cell contact-dependent manner, and they were not constitutively suppressive but required specific antigen stimulation to make DCs tolerogenic. The anergic T-cell-modulated DCs could induce the autoreactive T cells to be tolerant, and this effect was not restricted to T cells of the same specificity. Conclusion:,Our studies demonstrate the efficacy of CTLA4-Ig in suppressing the pathologic autoimmune responses in ITP. These findings provide new insights into the underlying mechanisms of anergy induction in chronic ITP. [source] Optimal methods for fluorescence and diffuse reflectance measurements of tissue biopsy samplesLASERS IN SURGERY AND MEDICINE, Issue 3 2002Gregory M. Palmer BS Abstract Background and Objective In developing fluorescence spectroscopy systems for the in vivo detection of pre-cancer and cancer, it is often necessary to perform preliminary testing on tissue biopsies. Current standard protocols call for the tissue to be immediately frozen after biopsy and later thawed for spectroscopic analysis, but this process can have profound effects on the spectroscopic properties of tissue. This study investigates the optimal tissue handling methods for in vitro fluorescence spectroscopy studies. Study Design/Materials and Methods The epithelial tissue of the Golden Syrian hamster cheek pouch was used in this study. Three specific experiments were carried out. First, the fluorescence properties of tissues in vivo and of frozen and thawed tissue biopsies were characterized at multiple excitation wavelengths spanning the ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectrum. Next, comparison of tissue fluorescence emission spectra in vivo, ex vivo (immediately after biopsy), and after the freeze and thaw process were systematically carried out at the excitation wavelengths corresponding to the previously identified fluorescence peaks. Lastly, intensities at the excitation and emission wavelength pairs corresponding to the fluorescence peaks were measured as a function of time after biopsy. Diffuse reflectance measurements over the UV-VIS spectrum were also made to evaluate the effects of oxygenation, blood volume, and scattering on the tissue fluorescence at these different excitation,emission wavelengths. Results This study indicates that the freezing and thawing process produces a significant deviation in intensity and lineshape relative to the in vivo fluorescence emission spectral data over the entire UV-VIS range between 300 and 700 nm. By contrast, examination of ex vivo emission spectra reveals that it closely preserves both the intensity and lineshape of the in vivo emission spectra except between 500 and 700 nm. The observed deviations can be explained by the diffuse reflectance measurements, which suggest increased hemoglobin deoxygenation and wavelength dependent changes in scattering in ex vivo tissues, and increased total hemoglobin absorption in the frozen and thawed samples. Furthermore, it was found that over a time window of 1.5 hours, spectroscopic changes brought about by degradation of the tissue due to biopsy or other factors are significantly smaller (10,30% variations in intensity) than those associated with the freezing and thawing process (50,70% decrease in intensity). Conclusions It was found that the effects of freezing and thawing on the fluorescence properties of tissue are greater than any changes brought about by degradation of tissue over a time frame of 90 minutes after biopsy. Performing ex vivo fluorescence measurements within a reasonable time window has the advantage of more accurately reproducing the clinically relevant in vivo conditions in the case of the hamster cheek pouch tissue. Therefore, in tissue biopsy studies, the tissue sample should ideally be maintained in an unfrozen state prior to measurement. Lasers Surg. Med. 30:191-200, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Lineage diversification and historical demography of a sky island salamander, Plethodon ouachitae, from the Interior HighlandsMOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 24 2008DONALD B. SHEPARD Abstract Sky islands provide ideal opportunities for understanding how climatic changes associated with Pleistocene glacial cycles influenced species distributions, genetic diversification, and demography. The salamander Plethodon ouachitae is largely restricted to high-elevation, mesic forest on six major mountains in the Ouachita Mountains. Because these mountains are separated by more xeric, low-elevation valleys, the salamanders appear to be isolated on sky islands where gene flow among populations on different mountains may be restricted. We used DNA sequence data along with ecological niche modelling and coalescent simulations to test several hypotheses related to diversifications in sky island habitats. Our results revealed that P. ouachitae is composed of seven well-supported lineages structured across six major mountains. The species originated during the Late Pliocene, and lineage diversification occurred during the Middle Pleistocene in a stepping stone fashion with a cyclical pattern of dispersal to a new mountain followed by isolation and divergence. Diversification occurred primarily on an east,west axis, which is likely related to the east,west orientation of the Ouachita Mountains and the more favourable cooler and wetter environmental conditions on north slopes compared to south-facing slopes and valleys. All non-genealogical coalescent methods failed to detect significant population expansion in any lineages. Bayesian skyline plots showed relatively stable population sizes over time, but indicated a slight to moderate amount of population growth in all lineages starting approximately 10 000,12 000 years ago. Our results provide new insight into sky island diversifications from a previously unstudied region, and further demonstrate that climatic changes during the Pleistocene had profound effects on lineage diversification and demography, especially in species from environmentally sensitive habitats in montane regions. [source] Aggressiveness is associated with genetic diversity in landlocked salmon (Salmo salar)MOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 9 2003Katriina Tiira Abstract The amount of intraindividual genetic variation has often been found to have profound effects on life history traits. However, studies concerning the relationship between behaviour and genetic diversity are scarce. Aggressiveness is an important component of competitive ability in juvenile salmonids affecting their later performance and survival. In this study, we used an experimental approach to test the prediction that juveniles with low estimated genetic diversity should be less aggressive than juveniles with high estimated genetic diversity in fry from a highly endangered population of land-locked salmon (Salmo salar). This was achieved by using a method enabling the accurate estimation of offspring genetic diversity based on parental microsatellite genotype data. This allowed us to create two groups of offspring expected to have high or low genetic diversity in which aggressive behaviour could be compared. Salmon fry with low estimated genetic diversity were significantly less aggressive than fry with high estimated genetic diversity. Closer analysis of the data suggested that this difference was due to differences in more costly acts of aggression. Our result may reflect a direct effect of genetic variation on a fitness-related trait; however, we cannot rule out an alternative explanation of allele-specific phenotype matching, where lowered aggression is expressed towards genetically more similar individuals. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||