Basic

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Terms modified by Basic

  • basic activity
  • basic amino acid residue
  • basic amino acids
  • basic approach
  • basic argument
  • basic aspect
  • basic assumption
  • basic belief
  • basic biological process
  • basic biology
  • basic building block
  • basic catalyst
  • basic category
  • basic cell function
  • basic character
  • basic characteristic
  • basic component
  • basic compound
  • basic concept
  • basic condition
  • basic cycle length
  • basic data
  • basic defect
  • basic demographic
  • basic demographic characteristic
  • basic demographic data
  • basic description
  • basic dimension
  • basic drug
  • basic education
  • basic element
  • basic environment
  • basic equation
  • basic feature
  • basic fgf
  • basic fibroblast growth
  • basic fibroblast growth factor
  • basic finding
  • basic form
  • basic framework
  • basic function
  • basic functional groups
  • basic guideline
  • basic health care
  • basic helix
  • basic human need
  • basic human right
  • basic hydrolysis
  • basic hypothesis
  • basic idea
  • basic income
  • basic information
  • basic ingredient
  • basic investigation
  • basic issues
  • basic knowledge
  • basic level
  • basic life support
  • basic measure
  • basic mechanism
  • basic media
  • basic medical science
  • basic medium
  • basic model
  • basic models
  • basic need
  • basic nitrogen
  • basic parameter
  • basic pattern
  • basic ph
  • basic ph value
  • basic physics
  • basic polypeptide
  • basic prediction
  • basic premise
  • basic principle
  • basic problem
  • basic procedure
  • basic process
  • basic property
  • basic protein
  • basic question
  • basic region
  • basic requirement
  • basic research
  • basic researcher
  • basic residue
  • basic resource
  • basic result
  • basic right
  • basic rock
  • basic rule
  • basic science
  • basic science studies
  • basic scientists
  • basic services
  • basic set
  • basic site
  • basic skill
  • basic solution
  • basic state
  • basic statistics
  • basic step
  • basic strategy
  • basic structural unit
  • basic structure
  • basic studies
  • basic study
  • basic system
  • basic taste
  • basic techniques
  • basic technology
  • basic tendency
  • basic tenet
  • basic theory
  • basic tool
  • basic training
  • basic type
  • basic understanding
  • basic unit
  • basic value

  • Selected Abstracts


    A digital simulation of the vibration of a two-mass two-spring system

    COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION, Issue 3 2010
    Wei-Pin Lee
    Abstract In this study, we developed a computer program to simulate the vibration of a two-mass two-spring system by using Visual BASIC. Users can enter data for the two-mass two-spring system. The software will derive the eigenvalue problem from the input data. Then the software solves the eigenvalue problem and illustrates the results numerically and graphically on the screen. In addition, the program uses animation to demonstrate the motions of the two masses. The displacements, velocities, and accelerations of the two bodies can be shown if the corresponding checkboxes are selected. This program can be used in teaching courses, such as Linear Algebra, Advanced Engineering Mathematics, Vibrations, and Dynamics. Use of the software may help students to understand the applications of eigenvalue problems and related topics such as modes of vibration, natural frequencies, and systems of differential equations. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 18: 563,573, 2010; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com; DOI 10.1002/cae.20241 [source]


    Fast food and neighborhood stroke risk,

    ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 2 2009
    Lewis B. Morgenstern MD
    Objective To investigate the association between the number of fast food restaurants and ischemic stroke in neighborhoods. Methods This work was a prespecified part of the Brain Attack in Corpus Christi (BASIC) project. Ischemic stroke cases were prospectively ascertained in Nueces County, Texas. Home addresses were geocoded and used to establish the census tract for each stroke case. Census tracts were used as proxies for neighborhoods (n = 64). Using a standard definition, fast food restaurants were identified from a commercial list. Poisson regression was used to study the association between the number of fast food restaurants in the neighborhood, using a 1-mile buffer around each census tract, and the risk of stroke in the neighborhood. Models were adjusted for demographics and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES). Results There were 1,247 completed ischemic strokes from January 2000 through June 2003 and 262 fast food restaurants. The median number of fast food restaurants per census tract including buffer was 22 (interquartile range, 12,33). Adjusting for neighborhood demographics and SES, the association of fast food restaurants with stroke was significant (p = 0.02). The association suggested that the risk of stroke in a neighborhood increased by 1% for every fast food restaurant (relative risk, 1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00,1.01). The relative risk of stroke comparing neighborhoods in the 75th to the 25th percentile of the distribution of fast food restaurants was 1.13 (95% CI, 1.02,1.25). Interpretation Controlling for demographic and SES factors, there was a significant association between fast food restaurants and stroke risk in neighborhoods in this community-based study. Ann Neurol 2009;66:165,170 [source]


    Posters: Basic and clinical science posters: Beta-cells and islets

    DIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 2010
    Article first published online: 8 FEB 2010
    First page of article [source]


    Stroke Part I: Basic and Epidemiological Aspects

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 3 2009
    K. A. Jellinger
    No abstract is available for this article. [source]


    Post-stroke depression, executive dysfunction and functional outcome

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 3 2002
    T. Pohjasvaara
    The early diagnosis of vascular cognitive impairment has been challenged and executive control function has been suggested to be a rational basis for the diagnosis of vascular dementia. We sought to examine the correlates of executive dysfunction in a well-defined stroke cohort. A group of 256 patients from a consecutive cohort of 486 patients with ischaemic stroke, aged 55,85 years, was subjected to a comprehensive neuropsychological examination 3,4 months after ischaemic stroke and 188 of them in addition to detailed psychiatric examination. Basic and complex activities of daily living (ADLs) (bADLs and cADLs) post-stroke were assessed. The DSM-III-R criteria were used for the diagnosis of the depressive disorders. Altogether 40.6% (n=104) of the patients had executive dysfunction. The patients with executive dysfunction were older, had lower level of education, were more often dependent, did worse in bADLs and cADLs, had more often DSM-III dementia, had worse cognition as measured by Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and were more depressed as measured by the BECK depression scale, but not with the more detailed psychiatric evaluation. They had more often stroke in the anterior circulation and less often in the posterior circulation. The independent correlates of executive dysfunction were cADLs (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.03,1.16), each point of worsening in cognition by MMSE (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.42,1.97) and stroke in the posterior circulation area (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.18,0.84). Clinically significant executive dysfunction is frequent after ischaemic stroke and is closely connected with cADLs and to overall cognitive status but could be distinguished from depression by detailed neuropsychological examination. Executive measures may detect patients at risk of dementia and disability post-stroke. [source]


    A Vision for Growth: The Best of Basic, Clinical, and Translational Research

    JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 1 2004
    FRACP Editor-in-Chief, John Eisman MBBS
    No abstract is available for this article. [source]


    A Domain-level Approach to Describing Growth in Achievement

    JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENT, Issue 1 2005
    E. Matthew Schulz
    Descriptions of growth in educational achievement often rely on the notion that higher-level students can do whatever lower-level students can do, plus at least one more thing. This article presents a method of supporting such descriptions using the data of a subject-area achievement test. Multiple content domains with an expected order of difficulty were defined within the Grade 8 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in mathematics. Teachers were able to reliably classify items into the domains by content. Using expected percentage correct scores on the domains, it was possible to describe each achievement level boundary (Basic, Proficient, and Advanced) on the NAEP scale by patterns of skill that include both mastery and non-mastery, and to show that higher achievement levels are associated with mastery of more skills. We conclude that general achievement tests like NAEP can be used to provide criterion-referenced descriptions of growth in achievement as a sequential mastery of skills. [source]


    Transparency in government communication

    JOURNAL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, Issue 1 2007
    Jenille Fairbanks
    Basic to a successful democracy is the existence of a public informed about government actions. This requires government information to be open and accessible to the public. This study sought to understand how communicators in government value and practice transparency. Constant comparative thematic analysis of 18 semi-structured interviews of government communicators revealed a transparency model for government communication. This paper outlines that model and identifies practices and structures that promote transparent communication practices. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    A LEXICON FOR FLAVOR DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS OF GREEN TEA

    JOURNAL OF SENSORY STUDIES, Issue 3 2007
    JEEHYUN LEE
    ABSTRACT A lexicon for describing green tea was developed using descriptive analysis methods. A highly trained, descriptive sensory panel identified, defined and referenced 31 flavor attributes for green tea. One-hundred and thirty-eight green tea samples from nine countries , China, India, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tanzania and Vietnam , were selected to represent a wide range of green teas. Attributes could be categorized as "Green" (asparagus, beany, Brussels sprout, celery, parsley, spinach, green beans, green herb-like); "Brown" (ashy/sooty, brown spice, burnt/scorched, nutty, tobacco); "Fruity/Floral" (fruity, floral/perfumy, citrus, fermented); "Mouthfeel" (astringent, tooth-etching); "Basic Tastes" (overall sweet, bitter); and other attributes (almond, animalic, grain, musty/new leather, mint, seaweed, straw-like). Some attributes, such as green, brown, bitter, astringent and tooth-etching, were found in most samples, but many attributes were found in only a few samples. Green tea processors, food industry, researchers and consumers will benefit from this lexicon with precise definitions and references that reliably differentiate and characterize the sensory attributes of green teas. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Green tea (and white tea) processors, food industrialists, researchers and consumers will benefit from this lexicon with precise definitions and references that reliably differentiate and characterize the sensory attributes of green tea. [source]


    Alcohol Metabolism: Role in Toxicity and Carcinogenesis

    ALCOHOLISM, Issue 2 2003
    Thomas M. Badger
    This article contains the proceedings of a symposium at the 2002 RSA Meeting in San Francisco, organized and co-chaired by Thomas M. Badger, Paul Shih-Jiun Yin, and Helmut Seitz. The presentations were (1) First-pass metabolism of ethanol: Basic and clinical aspects, by Charles Lieber; (2) Intracellular CYP2E1 transport, oxidative stress, cytokine release, and ALD, by Magnus Ingelman-Sundberg; (3) Pulsatile ethanol metabolism in intragastric infusion models: Potential role in toxic outcomes, by Thomas M. Badger and Martin J.J. Ronis; (4) Free radicals, adducts, and autoantibodies resulting from ethanol metabolism: Role in ethanol-associated toxicity, by Emanuele Albano; and (5) Gastrointestinal metabolism of ethanol and its possible role in carcinogenesis, by Helmut Seitz. [source]


    Prior academic background and student performance in assessment in a graduate entry programme

    MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 11 2004
    P L Craig
    Objectives, This study aims to identify whether non-science graduates perform as well as science graduates in Basic and Clinical Sciences (B & CS) assessments during Years 1,3 of a four-year graduate-entry programme at the University of Sydney (the ,USydMP'). Methods, Students were grouped into five categories: Health Professions (HP), Biomedical Sciences (BMS), Other Biology (BIOL), Physical Sciences (PHYS) or Non-Science (NONS). We examined the performance rank of students in each of the five groups for single best answer (SBA) and modified essay (MEQ) assessments separately, and also calculated the relative risk of failure in the summative assessments in Years 2 and 3. Results, Students with science-based prior degrees performed better in the SBA assessments. The same occurred initially in the MEQs, but the effect diminished with time. The HP students performed consistently better but converged with other groups over time, particularly in the MEQs. Relative performance by the NONS students improved with time in both assessment formats. Overall, differences between the highest and lowest groups were small and very few students failed to meet the overall standard for the summative assessments. HP and BMS students had the lowest failure rate. NONS students were more likely to fail the assessments in Year 2 and 3, but their pass rates were still high. Female students performed significantly better overall at the end of Year 2 and in Year 3. There were only minor differences between Australian resident and International students. Conclusion, While there are small differences in performance in B & CS early in the programme, these lessen with time. The study results will inform decisions regarding timing of summative assessments, selection policy and for providing additional support to students who need it to minimize their risk of failure. Readers should note that this paper refers to student performance in only one of the four curriculum themes, where health professional and science graduates would be expected to have a significant advantage. [source]


    THE TRANSPORTABILITY OF JOB INFORMATION ACROSS COUNTRIES

    PERSONNEL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 1 2008
    PAUL J. TAYLOR
    Three Occupational Information Network (O*NET) instruments (Generalized Work Activities, Basic and Cross-Functional Skills, Work Styles) were administered to 1,007 job incumbents, from 369 organizations, performing 1 of 3 jobs (first-line supervisor, office clerk, computer programmer) in New Zealand, China, and Hong Kong. Data from these countries were compared with archival data collected from 370 incumbents holding similar jobs in the United States. Hypothesized country differences, derived from cross-cultural theory, received limited support. The magnitude of differences in mean item ratings between incumbents from the United States and the other 3 countries were generally small to moderate in size, and rank-orderings of the importance and level of work activities and job requirements were quite similar, suggesting that, for most applications, job information is likely to transport quite well across countries. [source]


    Renal corpuscle of the sturgeon kidney: An ultrastructural, chemical dissection, and lectin-binding study

    THE ANATOMICAL RECORD : ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2003
    José L. Ojeda
    Abstract The sturgeon is an ancient species of fish that thrives in a wide range of ecological environments, from freshwater to seawater. Basic in this process of adaptation is the ability of the kidney to control fluid filtration and urine formation. However, the morphological basis of this process is mostly unknown. The aim of the present study was to use microdissection techniques (scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and lectin-binding histochemistry) to examine the structure of the renal corpuscle of the sturgeon Acipenser nacarii in order to reveal morphologic features that could be related to function, phylogeny, and habitat. The renal corpuscles are aligned along the intrarrenal arteries. The urinary pole shows a siphon-like neck segment (NS) in 92% of the nephrons, whose structural characteristics are different from those of other fish. The podocytes have cuboidal cellular bodies, intercellular contacts, and poorly developed cell processes. The podocyte glycocalyx contains N-acetylglucosamine and lacks sialic acid. The structural and lectin-binding patterns are similar to those found in the immature mammalian kidney. The glomerular basement membrane (GBM) is very thick and consists of three layers: a lamina rara externa, a lamina densa, and a thick subendothelial lamina. The latter contains tubular microfibrils, collagen fibers, and long mesangial cell processes. Frequently, the podocyte bodies attach directly to the GBM, and the area occupied by the filtration slits is very small. Furthermore, the GBM shows a glycosylation pattern different from that observed in most vertebrates. Contrary to what would be expected in sturgeons living in freshwater, the A. nacarii renal corpuscle morphology suggests a low glomerular filtration rate. Anat Rec Part A 272A: 563,573, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Minimally Invasive Thyroidectomy: Basic and Advanced Techniques

    THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 3 2006
    David J. Terris MD
    Abstract Objective: Minimal access surgery in the thyroid compartment has evolved considerably over the past 10 years and now takes many forms. We advocate at least two distinct approaches, depending on the disease process and multiple patient factors. The technical aspects are explored in depth with liberal use of videographic demonstration. Methods: The authors conducted a comparison of two distinct surgical techniques with photographic and videographic documentation of two distinct minimal access approaches to the thyroid compartment termed minimally invasive thyroidectomy (MITh) and minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy (MIVAT). Both historic and previously unpublished data (age, gender, pathology, incision length, and complications) are systematically analyzed. Results: Patients who underwent minimally invasive thyroidectomy (n = 31) had a mean age of 39.4 ± 10.7 years; seven were male and 24 were female. The most common diagnosis was follicular or Hürthle cell adenoma (29%), followed by papillary or follicular cancer (26%). The mean incision length was 4.9 ± 1.0 cm. One patient developed a hypertrophic scar and one patient developed thrombophlebitis of the anterior jugular vein. There were 14 patients in the MIVAT group with a mean age of 43.7 ± 11.4 years; one was male and 13 were female. The majority of patients had follicular adenoma (42.9%) or papillary carcinoma (21.4%) as their primary diagnosis. The mean incision length was 25 ± 4.3 mm (range, 20,30 mm), and there were no complications. Conclusions: Two distinct approaches to minimal access thyroid surgery are now available. The choice of approach depends on a number of patient and disease factors. Careful patient selection will result in continued safe and satisfactory performance of minimally invasive thyroid surgery. [source]


    Glossar zu Begriffen mit Bezug zu Kinetik, Thermodynamik und Mechanismen von Polymerisationen,

    ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE, Issue 50 2009
    Ulrich Jonas Dr.
    Abstract Im Folgenden werden empfohlene Definitionen von grundlegenden Begriffen mit Bezug zu Polymerisationsprozessen vorgestellt. Neuere Entwicklungen im Hinblick auf die Kinetik, die Thermodynamik und die Mechanismen von Polymerisationen machen die Einführung neuer Begriffe und einige Revisionen oder Erweiterungen von Begriffen notwendig, die zuvor im "Compendium of Chemical Terminology" oder im "Glossary of Basic Terms in Polymer Science" definiert wurden. [source]


    Optimal Structure of Technology Adoption and Creation: Basic versus Development Research in Relation to the Distance from the Technological Frontier,

    ASIAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL, Issue 3 2009
    Joonkyung Ha
    O31; O47 Many economists maintain that in order to advance economic growth Asian countries should focus more on basic research than on technology adoption, and more on the supply of skilled workers than the supply of unskilled workers. In this context, this paper presents a theoretical model and empirical evidence to explain the observation that a country in which the level of technology approaches the technology frontier tends to rely more on technology creation than adoption, and invest more in basic research than in development. The model shows that technology creation involves both basic and development research processes, whereas technology adoption uses only the latter process. Therefore, R&D investment in our model involves three different processes: basic research in technology creation, development in technology creation, and development in technology adoption. The results suggest first that the rate of growth is positively correlated with the level of basic research activities in the technology creation sector, if a country's technology gap with the technology frontier is small enough. Second, an increase in the efficiency of the education system for highly skilled workers raises the level of basic research and the rate of growth. Third, verifying these theoretical results, empirical analyses using panel data from Korea, Japan and Taipei, China show that the narrower the distance to the technological frontier, the higher the growth effect of basic R&D, which indicates that the share of basic R&D matters for economic growth. Finally, the results also show that the quality of tertiary education has a significantly positive effect on the productivity of R&D. [source]


    This article has been retracted: Safety Pharmacology, Acute Toxicity and Pharmacokinetics of SCP-123 and Acetaminophen

    BASIC AND CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY, Issue 2 2010
    Donna J. Millington
    The following article from Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, ,Safety Pharmacology, Acute Toxicity and Pharmacokinetics of SCP-123 and Acetaminophen' by Donna J. Millington, Cristina Villanueva, Jason Obirek, Jean Kaufman and Christopher Smith, published online on 12 April 2010 (DOI: 10.1111/j.1742-7843.2010.00562.x) in Wiley InterScience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com), has been retracted by agreement between the authors, the journal Editor in Chief, Kim Brøsen, and John Wiley and Sons A/S. The retraction has been agreed due to incorrect author affiliation. [source]


    The European Association for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics and the Journal Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology

    BASIC AND CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY, Issue 1 2007
    Michael Orme Chairman of EACPT 200
    No abstract is available for this article. [source]


    Basic and applied research in India: Present and future

    BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL, Issue 3 2009
    Thirumalachari Ramasami
    Models for supporting organized applied research programs Position of India in the global scenario of basic research New policy initiatives and programs Conclusion [source]


    Basic One- and Two-Dimensional NMR Spectroscopy.

    CHEMPHYSCHEM, Issue 6 2005
    Completely Revised, Fourth, Updated Edition.
    No abstract is available for this article. [source]


    Basic and complex emotions in depression and anxiety

    CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY (AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF THEORY & PRACTICE), Issue 1 2007
    M. J. Power
    The current study was designed to assess the emotion states that occur across the clinical disorders of depression, anxiety and mixed anxiety depression. The emotion states were assessed using the Basic Emotions Scale, which includes a set of simple and complex emotions rationally derived from the basic emotions of sadness, anger, fear, disgust and happiness. The profiles of emotion states across the clinical disorders and across a matched healthy control group supported an analysis in which emotions related to sadness and disgust were elevated in the depressed and mixed disorders, whereas increased levels of anger and fear, and decreased levels of happiness did not distinguish between clinical groups but were found in all disorders in comparison to healthy controls. Further factor analyses gave support for the proposed basic emotions model and did not support alternative models such as the Positive Affect-Negative Affect model. The findings demonstrate how a theoretically based emotion analysis can provide a useful foundation from which to explore the emotional disorders.,Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Guidelines for treatment of neonatal jaundice.

    ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 3 2001
    Is there a place for evidence-based medicine?
    Treatment of neonatal jaundice continues to be a controversial issue. Arguments that traditional practice results in over-treatment have led to the adoption of more liberal guidelines in some countries. The importation of liberal guidelines from one country to the next, however, is fraught with danger, because differences in epidemiology, sociology and healthcare delivery systems between countries may not be adequately reflected. The unreflected extension of liberalization to non-target groups of patients can expose the latter to significant risk. It is not clear that the evidence on which guidelines for treatment of neonatal jaundice are based satisfy the requirements for evidence-based medicine. Evidence of adequate quality may be hard to obtain. Conclusions: Introduction of more liberal guidelines for the treatment of neonatal jaundice, if at all contemplated, must be adapted to local circumstances, and any available evidence pertaining to local epidemiology, sociology and healthcare organization has to be carefully weighed and incorporated. The time is ripe for a joint international effort to secure adequate funding for basic and applied research within the mechanisms of bilirubin encephalopathy in the newborn. [source]


    BNP Consensus Panel 2004: A Clinical Approach for the Diagnostic, Prognostic, Screening, Treatment Monitoring, and Therapeutic Roles of Natriuretic Peptides in Cardiovascular Diseases

    CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE, Issue 2004
    Marc A. Silver MD
    Among the most exciting developments in the field of heart failure in recent times has been the rediscovery of the natriuretic peptide system and its pleuripotent effects on cardiac structure and function. This is particularly true of its natriuretic and hemodynamic effects. There has been an explosion of the knowledge base seeking to understand the wide range of homeostatic, regulatory, and counter-regulatory functions in which the natriuretic peptide system participates. Additional interest has been stimulated by advances in technology such as point-of-care and core laboratory BNP assays and the use of the recombinant B-type natriuretic peptide nesiritide as a treatment option. Despite this recent interest, the available literature lacks a comprehensive expert review of the current science and roles of natriuretic peptides for diagnostic, prognostic, screening, treatment monitoring, and therapeutic purposes. More importantly, a summary updating and guiding the clinician on most of these advances was lacking. An expert Consensus Panel with basic, methodological, and clinical expertise was convened to summarize current knowledge in these areas and the findings and consensus statements are contained herein. [source]


    Hypocretin/orexin and narcolepsy: new basic and clinical insights

    ACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 3 2010
    S. Nishino
    Abstract Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder, characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), cataplexy, sleep paralysis and hypnagogic hallucinations. Both sporadic (95%) and familial (5%) forms of narcolepsy exist in humans. The major pathophysiology of human narcolepsy has been recently discovered based on the discovery of narcolepsy genes in animals; the genes involved in the pathology of the hypocretin/orexin ligand and its receptor. Mutations in hypocretin-related genes are rare in humans, but hypocretin ligand deficiency is found in a large majority of narcolepsy with cataplexy. Hypocretin ligand deficiency in human narcolepsy is probably due to the post-natal cell death of hypocretin neurones. Although a close association between human leucocyte antigen (HLA) and human narcolepsy with cataplexy suggests an involvement of autoimmune mechanisms, this has not yet been proved. Hypocretin deficiency is also found in symptomatic cases of narcolepsy and EDS with various neurological conditions, including immune-mediated neurological disorders, such as Guillain,Barre syndrome, MA2-positive paraneoplastic syndrome and neuromyelitis optica (NMO)-related disorder. The findings in symptomatic narcoleptic cases may have significant clinical relevance to the understanding of the mechanisms of hypocretin cell death and choice of treatment option. The discoveries in human cases lead to the establishment of the new diagnostic test of narcolepsy (i.e. low cerebrospinal fluid hypocretin-1 levels for ,narcolepsy with cataplexy' and ,narcolepsy due to medical condition'). As a large majority of human narcolepsy patients are ligand deficient, hypocretin replacement therapy may be a promising new therapeutic option, and animal experiments using gene therapy and cell transplantations are in progress. [source]


    Agoraphobia: a review of the diagnostic classificatory position and criteria,,

    DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 2 2010
    Hans-Ulrich Wittchen Ph.D.
    Abstract The status of agoraphobia (AG) as an independent diagnostic category is reviewed and preliminary options and recommendations for the fifth edition of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-V) are presented. The review concentrates on epidemiology, psychopathology, neurobiology, vulnerability and risk factors, clinical course and outcome, and correlates and consequences of AG since 1990. Differences and similarities across conventions and criteria of DSM and ICD-10 are considered. Three core questions are addressed. First, what is the evidence for AG as a diagnosis independent of panic disorder? Second, should AG be conceptualized as a subordinate form of panic disorder (PD) as currently stipulated in DSM-IV-TR? Third, is there evidence for modifying or changing the current diagnostic criteria? We come to the conclusion that AG should be conceptualized as an independent disorder with more specific criteria rather than a subordinate, residual form of PD as currently stipulated in DSM-IV-TR. Among other issues, this conclusion was based on psychometric evaluations of the construct, epidemiological investigations which show that AG can exist independently of panic disorder, and the impact of agoraphobic avoidance upon clinical course and outcome. However, evidence from basic and clinic validation studies remains incomplete and partly contradictory. The apparent advantages of a more straightforward, simpler classification without implicit hierarchies and insufficiently supported differential diagnostic considerations, plus the option for improved further research, led to favoring the separate diagnostic criteria for AG as a diagnosis independent of panic disorder. Depression and Anxiety, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Advancement Flaps: A Basic Theme with Many Variations

    DERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 2005
    Ravi Krishnan MD
    Background. The advancement flap involves the linear advancement of tissue in one direction. Despite its straightforwardness and simple concept, it can be used to close a variety of defects, ranging from small defects on the scalp or extremities to large, complicated defects involving cosmetic units on the face. Objectives. To provide a basic and useful review for the indications, advantages, disadvantages, and techniques for the use of advancement flaps in the reconstruction of defects in dermatologic surgery. Materials and Methods. We performed a literature search for articles discussing advancement flaps and compiled a brief review of our findings. Results. The movement of the advancement flap must be balanced by the blood supply of the flap. The excision of Burow's triangles along various aspects of the advancement flap can increase movement and improve cosmesis of the flap. The types of advancement flaps discussed include the single advancement flap, double advancement flap, A-T flap (O-T flap), Burow's triangle flap (Burow's wedge flap), crescenteric advancement flap, island pedicle flap (V-Y flap), helical rim advancement flap, and facelift flap. Conclusion. Advancement flaps are versatile and useful basic flaps for repairing defects. [source]


    Activity-based restorative therapies: Concepts and applications in spinal cord injury-related neurorehabilitation

    DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES RESEARCH REVIEW, Issue 2 2009
    Cristina L. Sadowsky
    Abstract Physical rehabilitation following spinal cord injury-related paralysis has traditionally focused on teaching compensatory techniques, thus enabling the individual to achieve day-to-day function despite significant neurological deficits. But the concept of an irreparable central nervous system (CNS) is slowly being replaced with evidence related to CNS plasticity, repair, and regeneration, all related to persistently maintaining appropriate levels of neurological activity both below and above the area where the damage occurred. It is now possible to envision functional repair of the nervous system by implementing rehabilitative interventions. Making the transition from "bench to bedside" requires careful analysis of existing basic science evidence, strategic focus of clinical research, and pragmatic implementation of new therapeutic tools. Activity, defined as both function specific motor task and exercise appears to be a necessity for optimization of functional, metabolic, and neurological status in chronic paralysis. Crafting a comprehensive rehabilitative intervention focused on functional improvement through neurological gains seems logical. The terms activity-based restorative therapies, activity-based therapies, and activity-based rehabilitation have been coined in the last 10 years to describe a new fundamental approach to deficits induced by neurological paralysis. The goal of this approach is to achieve activation of the neurological levels located both above and below the injury level using rehabilitation therapies. This article reviews basic and clinical science evidence pertaining to implementation of physical activity and exercise as a therapeutic tool in the management of chronic spinal cord-related neurological paralysis. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Dev Disabil Res Rev 2009;15:112,116. [source]


    Changes in the cytologic distribution of heparin/heparan sulfate interacting protein/ribosomal protein L29 (HIP/RPL29) during in vivo and in vitro mouse mammary epithelial cell expression and differentiation

    DEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 1 2002
    Catherine B. Kirn-Safran
    Abstract HIP/RPL29 is a small, highly basic, heparin/heparan sulfate interacting protein identical to ribosomal protein L29 and present in most adult epithelia. In the present study, we show that mouse HIP/RPL29 is ubiquitously present in adult mammary epithelia and is significantly increased during pregnancy and lactation. We observed for the first time that HIP/RPL29 intracellular expression and distribution varies, depending on the growth/differentiation state of the luminal epithelium. HIP/RPL29 was detected at low levels in mammary glands of virgin animals, increased markedly during lactation, and was lost again during involution. HIP/RPL29, preferentially found in the expanded cytoplasm of mature epithelial cells secreting milk, is present also in the nucleus of proliferating and differentiating ductal and alveolar elements. We used COMMA-D cells as an in vitro model for mammary-specific differentiation and examined similar intracellular redistribution of HIP/RPL29 associated with functional differentiation. However, no changes in HIP/RPL29 expression levels were detected in response to lactogenic hormones. Finally, the cellular distribution of HIP/RPL29 in both nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments was confirmed by transfecting a normal mammary epithelial cell line, NMuMG, with a fusion protein of HIP/RPL29 and EGFP. Collectively, these data support the idea that HIP/RPL29 plays more than one role during adult mammary gland development. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Curiosity and cure: Translational research strategies for neural repair-mediated rehabilitation

    DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 9 2007
    Bruce H. Dobkin
    Abstract Clinicians who seek interventions for neural repair in patients with paralysis and other impairments may extrapolate the results of cell culture and rodent experiments into the framework of a preclinical study. These experiments, however, must be interpreted within the context of the model and the highly constrained hypothesis and manipulation being tested. Rodent models of repair for stroke and spinal cord injury offer examples of potential pitfalls in the interpretation of results from developmental gene activation, transgenic mice, endogeneous neurogenesis, cellular transplantation, axon regeneration and remyelination, dendritic proliferation, activity-dependent adaptations, skills learning, and behavioral testing. Preclinical experiments that inform the design of human trials ideally include a lesion of etiology, volume and location that reflects the human disease; examine changes induced by injury and by repair procedures both near and remote from the lesion; distinguish between reactive molecular and histologic changes versus changes critical to repair cascades; employ explicit training paradigms for the reacquisition of testable skills; correlate morphologic and physiologic measures of repair with behavioral measures of task reacquisition; reproduce key results in more than one laboratory, in different strains or species of rodent, and in a larger mammal; and generalize the results across several disease models, such as axonal regeneration in a stroke and spinal cord injury platform. Collaborations between basic and clinical scientists in the development of translational animal models of injury and repair can propel experiments for ethical bench-to-bedside therapies to augment the rehabilitation of disabled patients. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2007 [source]


    Foot temperature in diabetic polyneuropathy: innocent bystander or unrecognized accomplice?

    DIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 3 2005
    S. B. Rutkove
    Abstract Aim To explore mechanisms by which temperature could influence the pathogenesis and symptoms of diabetic polyneuropathy. Methods We conducted a literature review attempting to identify mechanisms by which diabetic polyneuropathy could be affected by temperature. Results Cooling can theoretically hasten the progression of diabetic polyneuropathy through several different mechanisms. Specifically, cooling can enhance neuronal ischaemia, increase formation of reactive oxygen species, slow axonal transport, increase protein kinase C activity, and interfere with immune function. Short-term temperature fluctuations (both warming and cooling) can initiate and exacerbate neuropathic pain by causing neuronal hyperexcitability and functional deafferentation. Although normal fluctuations of distal extremity temperature may be sufficient for these effects, impaired thermoregulation may make the distal extremities more susceptible to temperature extremes. Eventually, a ,vicious cycle' may ensue, resulting in neuronal deterioration with further disruption of temperature regulation. Limited epidemiological data suggest a higher prevalence of diabetic polyneuropathy in populations living in colder locations, supporting our hypothesis. Conclusions Variations in foot temperature may play an important but as yet unrecognized role in the development and symptoms of diabetic polyneuropathy. Further basic and clinical research exploring this concept could help elucidate the natural history of diabetic polyneuropathy and lead to novel therapeutic strategies. [source]