Rabbit as an animal model for intravitreal pharmacokinetics: Clinical predictability and quality of the published data.

PubMed

Del Amo, Eva M; Urtti, Arto

2015-08-01

Intravitreal administration is the method of choice in drug delivery to the retina and/or choroid. Rabbit is the most commonly used animal species in intravitreal pharmacokinetics, but it has been criticized as being a poor model of human eye. The critique is based on some anatomical differences, properties of the vitreous humor, and observed differences in drug concentrations in the anterior chamber after intravitreal injections. We have systematically analyzed all published information on intravitreal pharmacokinetics in the rabbit and human eye. The analysis revealed major problems in the design of the pharmacokinetic studies. In this review we provide advice for study design. Overall, the pharmacokinetic parameters (clearance, volume of distribution, half-life) in the human and rabbit eye have good correlation and comparable absolute values. Therefore, reliable rabbit-to-man translation of intravitreal pharmacokinetics should be feasible. The relevant anatomical and physiological parameters in rabbit and man show only small differences. Furthermore, the claimed discrepancy between drug concentrations in the human and rabbit aqueous humor is not supported by the data analysis. Based on the available and properly conducted pharmacokinetic studies, the differences in the vitreous structure in rabbits and human patients do not lead to significant pharmacokinetic differences. This review is the first step towards inter-species translation of intravitreal pharmacokinetics. More information is still needed to dissect the roles of drug delivery systems, disease states, age and ocular manipulation on the intravitreal pharmacokinetics in rabbit and man. Anyway, the published data and the derived pharmacokinetic parameters indicate that the rabbit is a useful animal model in intravitreal pharmacokinetics. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Bariatric manipulation of gastric arteries: A systematic review on the potential concept for treatment of obesity.

PubMed

Shoar, Saeed; Saber, Alan A; Aladdin, Mohammaed; Bashah, Moataz M; AlKuwari, Mohammed J; Rizwan, Mohamed; Rosenthal, Raul J

2016-12-01

Gastric artery embolization (GAE) has recently received attention as a minimally invasive intervention in bariatric setting. The current systematic review aimed to gather and categorizes the existing data in the literature regarding bariatric gastric artery manipulation. This will highlight the importance of this potential concept as a therapeutic modality. A PubMed/Medline search was conducted to identify animal and human studies investigating the effect of gastric artery manipulation on weight, ghrelin, obesity, and tissue adiposity. A total of 9 studies including 6 animal experiments with 71 subjects and 3 human studies with a total of 25 patients were retrieved. Animal subjects underwent chemical embolization while particle embolization was only used in human subjects. Five animal studies and 1 human study reported decreased ghrelin concentration. Three animal experiments and 2 human studies showed a significant weight change following GAE. There was no report regarding a serious adverse event requiring surgical or interventional management. Currently, data regarding the potential role of gastric artery manipulation in decreasing the ghrelin and potential weight loss is scarce. Copyright © 2016 IJS Publishing Group Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

MortalityPredictors.org: a manually-curated database of published biomarkers of human all-cause mortality

PubMed Central

Winslow, Ksenia; Ho, Andrew; Fortney, Kristen; Morgen, Eric

2017-01-01

Biomarkers of all-cause mortality are of tremendous clinical and research interest. Because of the long potential duration of prospective human lifespan studies, such biomarkers can play a key role in quantifying human aging and quickly evaluating any potential therapies. Decades of research into mortality biomarkers have resulted in numerous associations documented across hundreds of publications. Here, we present MortalityPredictors.org, a manually-curated, publicly accessible database, housing published, statistically-significant relationships between biomarkers and all-cause mortality in population-based or generally healthy samples. To gather the information for this database, we searched PubMed for appropriate research papers and then manually curated relevant data from each paper. We manually curated 1,576 biomarker associations, involving 471 distinct biomarkers. Biomarkers ranged in type from hematologic (red blood cell distribution width) to molecular (DNA methylation changes) to physical (grip strength). Via the web interface, the resulting data can be easily browsed, searched, and downloaded for further analysis. MortalityPredictors.org provides comprehensive results on published biomarkers of human all-cause mortality that can be used to compare biomarkers, facilitate meta-analysis, assist with the experimental design of aging studies, and serve as a central resource for analysis. We hope that it will facilitate future research into human mortality and aging. PMID:28858850

MortalityPredictors.org: a manually-curated database of published biomarkers of human all-cause mortality.

PubMed

Peto, Maximus V; De la Guardia, Carlos; Winslow, Ksenia; Ho, Andrew; Fortney, Kristen; Morgen, Eric

2017-08-31

Biomarkers of all-cause mortality are of tremendous clinical and research interest. Because of the long potential duration of prospective human lifespan studies, such biomarkers can play a key role in quantifying human aging and quickly evaluating any potential therapies. Decades of research into mortality biomarkers have resulted in numerous associations documented across hundreds of publications. Here, we present MortalityPredictors.org , a manually-curated, publicly accessible database, housing published, statistically-significant relationships between biomarkers and all-cause mortality in population-based or generally healthy samples. To gather the information for this database, we searched PubMed for appropriate research papers and then manually curated relevant data from each paper. We manually curated 1,576 biomarker associations, involving 471 distinct biomarkers. Biomarkers ranged in type from hematologic (red blood cell distribution width) to molecular (DNA methylation changes) to physical (grip strength). Via the web interface, the resulting data can be easily browsed, searched, and downloaded for further analysis. MortalityPredictors.org provides comprehensive results on published biomarkers of human all-cause mortality that can be used to compare biomarkers, facilitate meta-analysis, assist with the experimental design of aging studies, and serve as a central resource for analysis. We hope that it will facilitate future research into human mortality and aging.

Successful Treatment of Human Plague with Oral Ciprofloxacin.

PubMed

Apangu, Titus; Griffith, Kevin; Abaru, Janet; Candini, Gordian; Apio, Harriet; Okoth, Felix; Okello, Robert; Kaggwa, John; Acayo, Sarah; Ezama, Geoffrey; Yockey, Brook; Sexton, Christopher; Schriefer, Martin; Mbidde, Edward Katongole; Mead, Paul

2017-03-01

The US Food and Drug Administration recently approved ciprofloxacin for treatment of plague (Yersina pestis infection) based on animal studies. Published evidence of efficacy in humans is sparse. We report 5 cases of culture-confirmed human plague treated successfully with oral ciprofloxacin, including 1 case of pneumonic plague.

Successful Treatment of Human Plague with Oral Ciprofloxacin

PubMed Central

Apangu, Titus; Griffith, Kevin; Abaru, Janet; Candini, Gordian; Apio, Harriet; Okoth, Felix; Okello, Robert; Kaggwa, John; Acayo, Sarah; Ezama, Geoffrey; Yockey, Brook; Sexton, Christopher; Schriefer, Martin; Mbidde, Edward Katongole

2017-01-01

The US Food and Drug Administration recently approved ciprofloxacin for treatment of plague (Yersina pestis infection) based on animal studies. Published evidence of efficacy in humans is sparse. We report 5 cases of culture-confirmed human plague treated successfully with oral ciprofloxacin, including 1 case of pneumonic plague. PMID:28125398

Ethics in Publishing: Complexity Science and Human Factors Offer Insights to Develop a Just Culture.

PubMed

Saurin, Tarcisio Abreu

2016-12-01

While ethics in publishing has been increasingly debated, there seems to be a lack of a theoretical framework for making sense of existing rules of behavior as well as for designing, managing and enforcing such rules. This letter argues that systems-oriented disciplines, such as complexity science and human factors, offer insights into new ways of dealing with ethics in publishing. Some examples of insights are presented. Also, a call is made for empirical studies that unveil the context and details of both retracted papers and the process of writing and publishing academic papers. This is expected to shed light on the complexity of the publication system as well as to support the development of a just culture, in which all participants are accountable.

Assessing the scientific research productivity of a leading toxicology journal: A case study of Human & Experimental Toxicology from 2003 to 2012

PubMed Central

Al-Jabi, Samah W; Sweileh, Waleed M; Awang, Rahmat

2014-01-01

Background: Bibliometric studies are increasingly being used for research assessments. Bibliometric indicators involve the application of statistical methods to scientific publications to obtain the bibliographics for each journal. The main objective of this study was to conduct a bibliometric evaluation of Human & Experimental Toxicology retrieved from the Scopus database. Methods: This study obtained data from Scopus published from 1 January 2003 till 31 December 2012. The keywords entered in Scopus to accomplish the objective of this study were ‘Human’, ‘Experimental’ and ‘Toxicology’ as ‘Source Title’. Research productivity was evaluated based on a methodology developed and used in other bibliometric studies by analysing (a) total and trends in Human & Experimental Toxicology contributions in research between 2003 and 2012; (b) Human & Experimental Toxicology authorship patterns and productivity; (c) collaboration patterns; and (d) the citations received by the publications. Results: There were 1229 research articles published in Human & Experimental Toxicology. Of the articles included, 947 (77.1%) were original articles and 104 (8.5%) were review articles. The Hirsch-index of the retrieved documents was 35. The largest number of publications in Human & Experimental Toxicology was from the United States (19.6%), followed by India (12.8%) and Turkey (10.9%). The total number of citations was 9119, with a median (interquartile range) of 3 (1–9) in 6797 documents. The highest median (interquartile range) number of citations was 8 (2.7–12.7) for France, followed by 7.5 (2–22.5) for Iran and 6 (3–13.5) for the United Kingdom. The country most often citing articles that were published in Human & Experimental Toxicology was the United States, which made citations in 1508 documents, followed by India with citations in 792 documents. Conclusion: The documents in Human & Experimental Toxicology focus principally on original data, with very few review articles. Review articles tend to have higher citation rates than original articles, and hence, the editors and authors of Human & Experimental Toxicology might usefully promote the submission of reviews in the future to improve the impact of the journal. PMID:26770709

Psychological Attributes, Coping Strategies and Other Factors Associated with Ultramarathon Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-01-01

Science, 3, 41-49. Klavora, P. and Daniel, J.V. (1979). Coach, athlete, and the sport psychologist. Human Kinetics Publishers. Knapik, J., Patton, J...Limits of Human Performance. Champaign: Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc., 70- 80. Morgan, W.P., Horstman, D.H., Cymerman, A. and Stokes, J. (1980...to mental training. Human Kinetics Publishers, Champaign, IL. Parrot, G.L., Mansour, J. and Underwood, A. (1979). Ultramarathoners: correlates of

Spontaneous pregnancy loss in humans and exposure to arsenic in drinking water.

PubMed

Bloom, Michael S; Fitzgerald, Edward F; Kim, Keewan; Neamtiu, Iulia; Gurzau, Eugen S

2010-11-01

Maternal exposure to high concentrations of inorganic arsenic (iAs) in naturally contaminated drinking groundwater sources has been associated with an increased risk for the spontaneous loss of clinically recognized pregnancies in several epidemiologic studies. Whereas a large worldwide population depends on drinking groundwater sources with high levels of iAs contamination, in quantities exceeding 10 parts per billion (ppb), an even larger population is likely to be exposed to mild-moderate drinking groundwater iAs contamination, in quantities <10ppb. Only a single epidemiologic study to date has considered spontaneous pregnancy loss in association with consumption of drinking water with mild-moderate iAs contamination; the vast majority of published studies of spontaneous loss addressed populations with substantial exposure. The aim of this review is to evaluate the published literature to assess the plausibility for a causal association between exposure to iAs-contaminated drinking water and the spontaneous loss of clinically recognized pregnancy. In spite of numerous methodologic limitations resulting from circumstance or design, a consistent pattern of increased risk for loss is suggested by the epidemiologic literature. Moreover, these study results are corroborated by a large number of experimental studies, albeit usually conducted at concentrations exceeding that to which humans are exposed via contaminated drinking water. In this review, we discuss sources of human iAs exposure, highlight several experimental studies pertinent to a possible causal link between iAs and spontaneous pregnancy loss in humans, and provide a critical review of published epidemiologic studies of pregnancy loss and drinking water iAs exposures, and their limitations. Based on a review of the published literature, we recommend the future conduct of a two-stage comprehensive prospective study of low-moderate iAs drinking water exposure and spontaneous pregnancy loss. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Human subject research: reporting ethics approval and informed consent in 3 chiropractic journals.

PubMed

Lawrence, Dana J

2011-11-01

To date, there have been no reports of ethics board approval or informed consent within the chiropractic literature or within chiropractic research. The purpose of this study was to assess the reporting of ethics approval and informed consent in articles published during the 2008 volume year of 3 chiropractic research journals included in PubMed. A quantitative assessment of the articles published in each journal for the 2008 volume year was performed. Information collected included if the article involved human subject research, if it reported ethics board approval, and if informed consent was given to subjects. Data were collected as descriptive statistics (frequency counts and percentages). In aggregate, 50 articles of a total of 143 published involved human subject research (35%). 44 reported ethics board approval (88%), and 28 reported that informed consent had been obtained (56%). Forty-five percent of articles published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics involved human subject research (39/87), of which 95% reported ethics board approval (37/39) and 64% reported informed consent (25/39); 12.5% of articles from the Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association involved human subject research (5/40), of which 80% reported ethics board approval (4/5) and 40% reported informed consent (2/5); and 37.5% of articles published in Chiropractic and Osteopathy involved human subject research (6/16), of which 50% reported ethics board approval (3/6) and 17% reported informed consent (1/6). Overall, most articles reported ethics approval, and more than half reported consent. This was harmonious with research on this topic from other disciplines. This situation indicates a need for continued quality improvement and for better instruction and dissemination of information on these issues to researchers, to manuscript reviewers, to journal editors, and to the readers. Copyright © 2011 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Why Publish?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaye, Sharon

2008-01-01

In humanities, there does not seem to be any good reason to privilege the academic journal over other venues. If the goal of humanities publishing is to spread new ideas, then it seems that creating a popular Internet blog would be the better choice. However, the goal of humanities publishing is not just to spread new ideas, but to spread "good"…

Yellow fever risk assessment in the Central African Republic.

PubMed

Ramos Junior, Alberto Novaes; Heukelbach, Jorg

2015-04-01

Yellow fever still causes high burden in several areas of sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. There are few well-designed epidemiological studies and limited data about yellow fever in Africa. Staples et al., in a recently published paper in Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene, performed a nationwide study in the Central African Republic (CAR) assessing infection risk and the operational impact of preventive measures. The rapid assessment of human, non-human and mosquito data call attention to the potential risk of future yellow fever outbreaks in the CAR and elsewhere. The study reinforces the need for intensified applied and operational research to address problems and human capacity needs in the realm of neglected tropical diseases in the post-2015 agenda. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Prevalence of Recommendations Made Within Dental Research Articles Using Uncontrolled Intervention or Observational Study Designs.

PubMed

Wilson, M K; Chestnutt, I G

2016-03-01

Evidence to inform clinical practice is reliant on research carried out using appropriate study design. The objectives of this work were to (i) identify the prevalence of articles reporting on human studies using uncontrolled intervention or observational research designs published in peer-reviewed dental journals and (ii) determine the nature of recommendations made by these articles. Six peer-reviewed dental journals were selected. Issues published in January to June 2013 were examined and the types of articles published categorized. Following pre-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria, human studies classified as using uncontrolled intervention or observational research designs were subject to detailed review by two independent investigators, to examine if they presented clinical, policy or research recommendations and if these recommendations were supported by the data presented. 52.9% (n = 156) of studies published during the time period met the inclusion criteria. Studies with uncontrolled intervention or observational research designs comprised a larger proportion of the primary research studies published in the journals with lower impact factors (73.3%; n = 107) compared to the high impact journals (38.9%; n = 49). Analysis showed that 60.9% (n = 95) of the included studies made recommendations for clinical practice/dental policy. In 28.2% (n = 44) of studies, the clinical/policy recommendations made were judged to not be fully supported by the data presented. Many studies published in the current dental literature, which are not considered to produce strong evidence, make recommendations for clinical practice or policy. There were some cases when the recommendations were not fully supported by the data presented. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cryptosporidium ubiquitum n.sp. in animals and humans

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A new species, Cryptosporidium ubiquitum, previously identified as the Cryptosporidium cervine genotype is described. In published studies the cervine genotype was reported in wild and domesticated ruminants, rodents, carnivores, and primates including humans. Molecular data for C. ubiquitum have b...

Buntaro Adachi (1865-1945): Japanese master of human anatomic variation.

PubMed

Watanabe, Koichi; Shoja, Mohammadali M; Loukas, Marios; Tubbs, R Shane

2012-11-01

Buntaro Adachi (1865-1945) was a Japanese physician, anatomist, and anthropologist and is most remembered for his study on human anatomic variation. At the end of 19th Century, one of the main focuses in anthropology was the comparison between the races. In Japan, anthropological studies of the origin of the modern Japanese race were carried out by Adachi and others. Adachi believed that differences went beyond the bones that were commonly studied in his day and, therefore, investigated soft tissues of the body. Two products of his intense study of variation of human anatomy were Das Arteriensystem der Japaner (The Arterial System of the Japanese) published in 1928 and Das Venensystem der Japaner (The Venous System of the Japanese) published in 1933 and 1940. These books received much attention and were praised by anatomists and anthropologists around the world. Even now, these books are invaluable as references for human anatomic variation. Herein, we provide an overview of the life and achievements of Buntaro Adachi and to our knowledge, this is the first such review in the English language. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Understanding the Human Genome Project: Using Stations to Provide a Comprehensive Overview

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soto, Julio G.

2005-01-01

A lesson was designed for lower division general education, non-major biology lecture-only course that included the historical and scientific context, some of the skills used to study the human genome, results, conclusions and ethical consideration. Students learn to examine and compare the published Human Genome maps, and employ the strategies…

Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis--incidences in milk and milk products, their isolation, enumeration, characterization, and role in human health.

PubMed

Patel, Ami; Shah, Nihir

2011-12-01

Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis (MAP), excreted in the feces and milk, is reported to be not easily inactivated by pasteurization and thermal treatments as other bacteria infecting humans and animals do. The D values of all MAP strains tested were considerably higher than those published for other pathogens. Culturing techniques for this organism are labor intensive. Although an increasing amount of scientific evidence suggests that this organism can be responsible for at least some cases of Crohn's disease (CD), there is controversy about MAP being a cause of CD in humans. In general, although some studies have described an association between the presence of MAP and CD, the role of Mycobacterium species and MAP in the etiology of this human disease remains unestablished. Although published reports indicate that it may not be completely inactivated by pasteurization of milk, the effectiveness of increasing the time or temperature in the pasteurization process has not been established and hence any potential benefit to human health cannot be determined. This article summarizes the incidences of MAP in milk and milk products with respect to human health and brief discussion of various serological as well as molecular techniques used for their isolation, enumeration, and characterization. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Sleep and Performance Research Center

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-01

upon the placement of the work period with respect to the circadian rhythm. Additional studies were published by SPRC care factually during the...Research Center (SPRC) conducts human and animal studies in laboratory and field settings in support of basic and applied sleep research at Washington...Program of Research Field Studies in Humans In a field study of serving police officers, Charles, et al. (2011) found that perceived shorter

GM crops and the rat digestive tract: a critical review.

PubMed

Zdziarski, I M; Edwards, J W; Carman, J A; Haynes, J I

2014-12-01

The aim of this review is to examine the relationship between genetically modified (GM) crops and health, based on histopathological investigations of the digestive tract in rats. We reviewed published long-term feeding studies of crops containing one or more of three specific traits: herbicide tolerance via the EPSPS gene and insect resistance via cry1Ab or cry3Bb1 genes. These genes are commonly found in commercialised GM crops. Our search found 21 studies for nine (19%) out of the 47 crops approved for human and/or animal consumption. We could find no studies on the other 38 (81%) approved crops. Fourteen out of the 21 studies (67%) were general health assessments of the GM crop on rat health. Most of these studies (76%) were performed after the crop had been approved for human and/or animal consumption, with half of these being published at least nine years after approval. Our review also discovered an inconsistency in methodology and a lack of defined criteria for outcomes that would be considered toxicologically or pathologically significant. In addition, there was a lack of transparency in the methods and results, which made comparisons between the studies difficult. The evidence reviewed here demonstrates an incomplete picture regarding the toxicity (and safety) of GM products consumed by humans and animals. Therefore, each GM product should be assessed on merit, with appropriate studies performed to indicate the level of safety associated with them. Detailed guidelines should be developed which will allow for the generation of comparable and reproducible studies. This will establish a foundation for evidence-based guidelines, to better determine if GM food is safe for human and animal consumption. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Developing the Digital Kyoto Collection in Education and Research.

PubMed

Hill, Mark Anthony

2018-04-16

The Kyoto embryo collection was begun in 1961 by Dr. Hideo Nishimura. The collection has been continuously developed and currently contains over 44,000 human normal and abnormal specimens. Beginning online in 1997, the internet provided an opportunity to make embryos from the collection widely available for research and educational purposes (http://tiny.cc/Embryo). These embryonic development resources have been continuously published and available from that time until today. Published in Japanese as an Atlas of Embryonic Development. Published online as the Kyoto Human Embryo Visualization Project (http://atlas.cac.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp) and also as the Human Embryo Atlas (http://tiny.cc/Human_Embryo_Atlas). Published now electronically as a digital eBook (http://tiny.cc/Kyoto_Collection_eBook). This new digital format allows incorporation of whole embryo and histology manipulable images, labels, and a linked glossary. New imaging modalities of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and episcopic fluorescence image capture (EFIC) can also be easily displayed as animations. For research, the collection specimens and histological sections have been extensively studied and published in several hundred papers, discussed here and elsewhere in this special edition. I will also describe how the Kyoto collection will now form a major partner of a new international embryology research group, the Digital Embryology Consortium (https://human-embryology.org). The digital Kyoto collection will be made available for remote researcher access, analysis, and comparison with other collections allowing new research and educational applications. This work was presented at the 40th Anniversary Commemoration Symposium of the Congenital Anomaly Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan, November, 2015. Anat Rec, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Therapeutic Effects of Medicinal Plants on Cutaneous Wound Healing in Humans: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

de Lara, Celia Eliane; Ferreira, Fabiana Borges Padilha; de Souza Terron Monich, Mariana; Mesquita da Silva, Claudinei; Felicetti Lordani, Claudia Regina; Giacomini Bueno, Fernanda; Vieira Teixeira, Jorge Juarez

2018-01-01

The pharmaceutical industry has made great strides in providing drugs that are able to stimulate the healing process, but only 1–3% of all drugs that are listed in Western pharmacopoeias are intended for use on the skin or cutaneous wounds. Of these, at least one-third are obtained from plants. We sought to review the therapeutic effects of medicinal plants on human skin lesions. For this systematic review, we searched the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases to identify clinical trials that were published from 1997 to 2017. We reviewed studies that described the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of skin lesions in humans. Ten studies were selected, eight of which were published from 2007 to 2016, with a total of 503 patients. Among the plant species that were used for the treatment of human skin lesions, 12 belonged to 11 families and were included in the analysis. All of the plant species that were studied presented high therapeutic potential for the treatment of cutaneous lesions. PMID:29805312

Identification of drug metabolites in human plasma or serum integrating metabolite prediction, LC-HRMS and untargeted data processing.

PubMed

Jacobs, Peter L; Ridder, Lars; Ruijken, Marco; Rosing, Hilde; Jager, Nynke Gl; Beijnen, Jos H; Bas, Richard R; van Dongen, William D

2013-09-01

Comprehensive identification of human drug metabolites in first-in-man studies is crucial to avoid delays in later stages of drug development. We developed an efficient workflow for systematic identification of human metabolites in plasma or serum that combines metabolite prediction, high-resolution accurate mass LC-MS and MS vendor independent data processing. Retrospective evaluation of predictions for 14 (14)C-ADME studies published in the period 2007-January 2012 indicates that on average 90% of the major metabolites in human plasma can be identified by searching for accurate masses of predicted metabolites. Furthermore, the workflow can identify unexpected metabolites in the same processing run, by differential analysis of samples of drug-dosed subjects and (placebo-dosed, pre-dose or otherwise blank) control samples. To demonstrate the utility of the workflow we applied it to identify tamoxifen metabolites in serum of a breast cancer patient treated with tamoxifen. Previously published metabolites were confirmed in this study and additional metabolites were identified, two of which are discussed to illustrate the advantages of the workflow.

The Frequency of Reporting Ethical Issues in Human Subject Articles Published in Iranian Medical Journals: 2009-2013.

PubMed

Astaneh, Behrooz; Khani, Parisa

2017-11-10

Researchers should strictly consider the participants' rights. They are required to document such protections as an ethical approval of the study proposal, the obtaining "informed consent", the authors' "conflict of interests", and the source of "financial support" in the published articles. The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency of reporting ethical issues in human subject articles published in Iranian medical journals during 2009-2013. In this cross-sectional study, we randomly reviewed 1460 human subject articles published in Iranian medical journals during 2009-2013 in two Persian and English language groups. Data collection was carried out by assessing articles, focusing on the documentation "ethics committee approval", patients' "informed consent", "financial support", "confidentiality", and "conflict of interest". Of 1460 evaluated articles, 443 (30.3%) reported "ethics committee approval", 686 (47.0%) reported "informed consent", 594 (40.7%) reported "financial support", and 341 (23.4%) reported "conflict of interest". 13% of the articles referred to patients' confidentiality in their text. There was a significant association between these ethical documentations and the year of publication. Articles published in English language journals reported "ethics committee approval", "financial support", and "conflict of interest" significantly more than Persian language journals, but the frequency of "informed consent" was similar. Ethical documentation rate in Iranian medical journals is not up to the expected standards of reputable journals which might be related to a lack of awareness and the education of the authors and the journal's editors. Precise reporting of ethical considerations in medical articles by authors are recommended. It is suggested journals and policymakers pay more attention to reporting this issue while providing standard guidelines in this regard.

Implementing human factors in clinical practice.

PubMed

Timmons, Stephen; Baxendale, Bryn; Buttery, Andrew; Miles, Giulia; Roe, Bridget; Browes, Simon

2015-05-01

To understand whether aviation-derived human factors training is acceptable and useful to healthcare professionals. To understand whether and how healthcare professionals have been able to implement human factors approaches to patient safety in their own area of clinical practice. Qualitative, longitudinal study using semi-structured interviews and focus groups, of a multiprofessional group of UK NHS staff (from the emergency department and operating theatres) who have received aviation-derived human factors training. The human factors training was evaluated positively, and thought to be both acceptable and relevant to practice. However, the staff found it harder to implement what they had learned in their own clinical areas, and this was principally attributed to features of the informal organisational cultures. In order to successfully apply human factors approaches in hospital, careful consideration needs to be given to the local context and informal culture of clinical practice. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Overview of human health in the Arctic: conclusions and recommendations.

PubMed

Donaldson, Shawn; Adlard, Bryan; Odland, Jon Øyvind

2016-01-01

This article is intended to provide an overview of the key conclusions, knowledge gaps and key recommendations based on the recent 2015 Arctic human health assessment under the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program. This assessment was based primarily on data from human health monitoring and research studies and peer-reviewed literature published since the last assessment in 2009.

An approximation to the temporal order in endogenous circadian rhythms of genes implicated in human adipose tissue metabolism

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Although it is well established that human adipose tissue (AT) shows circadian rhythmicity, published studies have been discussed as if tissues or systems showed only one or few circadian rhythms at a time. To provide an overall view of the internal temporal order of circadian rhythms in human AT in...

Publishing SNP genotypes of human embryonic stem cell lines: policy statement of the International Stem Cell Forum Ethics Working Party.

PubMed

Knoppers, Bartha M; Isasi, Rosario; Benvenisty, Nissim; Kim, Ock-Joo; Lomax, Geoffrey; Morris, Clive; Murray, Thomas H; Lee, Eng Hin; Perry, Margery; Richardson, Genevra; Sipp, Douglas; Tanner, Klaus; Wahlström, Jan; de Wert, Guido; Zeng, Fanyi

2011-09-01

Novel methods and associated tools permitting individual identification in publicly accessible SNP databases have become a debatable issue. There is growing concern that current technical and ethical safeguards to protect the identities of donors could be insufficient. In the context of human embryonic stem cell research, there are no studies focusing on the probability that an hESC line donor could be identified by analyzing published SNP profiles and associated genotypic and phenotypic information. We present the International Stem Cell Forum (ISCF) Ethics Working Party's Policy Statement on "Publishing SNP Genotypes of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines (hESC)". The Statement prospectively addresses issues surrounding the publication of genotypic data and associated annotations of hESC lines in open access databases. It proposes a balanced approach between the goals of open science and data sharing with the respect for fundamental bioethical principles (autonomy, privacy, beneficence, justice and research merit and integrity).

["The first stages of the human egg" by Auguste d'Eternod published one hundred years ago in the Comptes Rendus de l'Association des Anatomistes].

PubMed

Catala, M

2014-06-01

The development of the embryo and foetus fascinates, but its study in humans is difficult because of both technical and ethical problems. Auguste d'Eternod, Swiss embryologist, published in 1913 an article entitled "The early stages of the human egg" in the Comptes Rendus de l'Association des Anatomistes, the ancestor of the journal Morphologie. This work is focused not only on the early stages of development: fertilization, cleavage of the egg, blastocyst formation, gastrulation, but also on the extra-embryonic processes characteristic of mammals. On the occasion of the centenary of the publication of this work, I propose a critical review by placing the data published in the literature and historical context of the time. Finally, I try to extract from these observations the concepts that are still used today by embryologists. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Development of a Coping Strategies Questionnaire to Assess Endurance Performance,

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-10-16

Coach. athlete, and the sport psychologist. Human Kinetics Publishers, 1979. Kroll, W. Competitive athletic stress factors in athletes and coaches...Nideffer, R.M. Athlete’s guide to mental training. Human Kinetics Publishers, Champaign, IL., 1985. Posen, K.J., Munro, I., Mitchell, G.W., & Satterth.aite...psychological coping during a 100-mile race. In Sacks, M.H. and M.L. Sacks (Eds.). Psychology of running. Human Kinetics Publishers, Champaign, al

The use of nonhuman primates in research on seasonal, pandemic and avian influenza, 1893-2014.

PubMed

Davis, A Sally; Taubenberger, Jeffery K; Bray, Mike

2015-05-01

Attempts to reproduce the features of human influenza in laboratory animals date from the early 1890s, when Richard Pfeiffer inoculated apes with bacteria recovered from influenza patients and produced a mild respiratory illness. Numerous studies employing nonhuman primates (NHPs) were performed during the 1918 pandemic and the following decade. Most used bacterial preparations to infect animals, but some sought a filterable agent for the disease. Since the viral etiology of influenza was established in the early 1930s, studies in NHPs have been supplemented by a much larger number of experiments in mice, ferrets and human volunteers. However, the emergence of a novel swine-origin H1N1 influenza virus in 1976 and the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus in 1997 stimulated an increase in NHP research, because these agents are difficult to study in naturally infected patients and cannot be administered to human volunteers. In this paper, we review the published literature on the use of NHPs in influenza research from 1893 through the end of 2014. The first section summarizes observational studies of naturally occurring influenza-like syndromes in wild and captive primates, including serologic investigations. The second provides a chronological account of experimental infections of NHPs, beginning with Pfeiffer's study and covering all published research on seasonal and pandemic influenza viruses, including vaccine and antiviral drug testing. The third section reviews experimental infections of NHPs with avian influenza viruses that have caused disease in humans since 1997. The paper concludes with suggestions for further studies to more clearly define and optimize the role of NHPs as experimental animals for influenza research. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Towards a CRISPR view of early human development: applications, limitations and ethical concerns of genome editing in human embryos.

PubMed

Plaza Reyes, Alvaro; Lanner, Fredrik

2017-01-01

Developmental biologists have become increasingly aware that the wealth of knowledge generated through genetic studies of pre-implantation mouse development might not easily be translated to the human embryo. Comparative studies have been fueled by recent technological advances in single-cell analysis, allowing in-depth analysis of the human embryo. This field could shortly gain more momentum as novel genome editing technologies might, for the first time, also allow functional genetic studies in the human embryo. In this Spotlight article, we summarize the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system and discuss its potential applications and limitations in human pre-implantation embryos, and the ethical considerations thereof. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

75 FR 5329 - Agency Information Collection Request. 60-Day Public Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-02

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES [Document Identifier: OS-0990-New] Agency Information... Secretary (OS), Department of Health and Human Services, is publishing the following summary of a proposed... Health Record (Patient Perceptions of EHR) Study is to help policymakers understand how primary care...

Wellness at Air Command and Staff College: Impacting Total Force Readiness Through Tomorrow’s Leaders

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-04-01

Joseph P. Opatz, ed. [Association for Worksite Health Promotion], Economic Impact of Worksite Health Promotion (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers...Employee Health Promotion Programs (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers, 1992), viii. 23 Erfurt, et al., 272. 24 O’Donnell and Harris, xiii. 25 Ibid...Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers, 1992), viii-ix. 40 Glossary ACSC Air Command and Staff College AU Air University AWC Air War College AY Academic

The FAA Health Awareness Program: Results of the 1998 Customer Service Assessment Survey

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-02-01

pp. 131-45). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers. Baun, W., Bernacki, E., & Tsai, S. (1986). A prelimi- nary investigation: Effect of a...of health promotion. In R. L. Kaman (Ed.), "Worksite health promotion economic: Consensus and analy- sis: (pp. 33-54). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers...measuring health in dol- lars. In J.P. Opatz (Ed.), Economic impact of worksite health promotion^. 52-64). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers. 16

UV-B-Induced Erythema in Human Skin: The Circadian Clock Is Ticking.

PubMed

Sarkar, Soumyadeep; Gaddameedhi, Shobhan

2018-02-01

Acute exposure of skin to UV-B causes DNA damage and sunburn erythema in both mice and humans. Previous studies documented time-of-day-related differences in sunburn responses after UV-B exposure in mice. Because humans are diurnal and mice are nocturnal, the circadian rhythm in human skin was hypothesized to be in opposite phase to the rhythm in mice. A study by Nikkola et al. demonstrates that humans are more prone to sunburn erythema after evening exposure to solar UV-B radiation as compared with morning exposure. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Creation and Statistical Evaluation of a Deterministic Model of the Human Bronchial Tree from HRCT Images.

PubMed

Montesantos, Spyridon; Katz, Ira; Pichelin, Marine; Caillibotte, Georges

2016-01-01

A quantitative description of the morphology of lung structure is essential prior to any form of predictive modeling of ventilation or aerosol deposition implemented within the lung. The human lung is a very complex organ, with airway structures that span two orders of magnitude and having a multitude of interfaces between air, tissue and blood. As such, current medical imaging protocols cannot provide medical practitioners and researchers with in-vivo knowledge of deeper lung structures. In this work a detailed algorithm for the generation of an individualized 3D deterministic model of the conducting part of the human tracheo-bronchial tree is described. Distinct initial conditions were obtained from the high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) images of seven healthy volunteers. The algorithm developed is fractal in nature and is implemented as a self-similar space sub-division procedure. The expansion process utilizes physiologically realistic relationships and thresholds to produce an anatomically consistent human airway tree. The model was validated through extensive statistical analysis of the results and comparison of the most common morphological features with previously published morphometric studies and other equivalent models. The resulting trees were shown to be in good agreement with published human lung geometric characteristics and can be used to study, among other things, structure-function relationships in simulation studies.

The 100 Most-Cited Human Cleft Lip and Palate-Related Articles Published in Dentistry, Oral Surgery, and Medicine Journals.

PubMed

Christou, Panagiotis; Antonarakis, Gregory S

2015-07-01

To identify the 100 most-cited articles pertaining to human cleft lip and palate research published in dentistry, oral surgery, and medicine journals and to identify their principal bibliometric characteristics. Web-based bibliometric analysis. The Web of Science was searched to identify the 100 most-cited clinical articles related to cleft lip and/or palate. Information was extracted with regard to total number of citations, number of authors, affiliations, year, and journal of publication, Medical Subject Headings, type of study, specific area of study. Trends in citations were assessed. The 100 most-cited articles identified received between 437 and 58 citations. The oldest was published in 1954 and the most recent in 2008. The number of authors ranged from 1 to 12, with an average of three authors per article. Most of the first authors were affiliated with institutions in the United States, with the most prolific institution being the University of Iowa. More than 70% of the studies appeared in The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal. There was a significant negative correlation between average citations per year and time since publication (P < .001); whereas, a significant positive correlation was observed between average citations per year and number of total citations (P < .001). The 100 most-cited articles in human cleft lip and palate research published in dentistry, oral surgery, and medicine journals are listed and characterized. This can be used as a potential knowledge base for specialists in training or to produce relevant knowledge defining the direction of future research.

The application of piaget's theory to physiotherapy.

PubMed

Sheppard, J L

1977-12-01

Jean Piaget is a Swiss psychologist who has presented an extensive theory of the growth of the human intellect from birth to maturity. For more than fifty years he has been producing books and articles on human development, conducting research studies on thousands of children, especially those in the schools of Geneva. He is recognized as the world's foremost authority on cognitive development, and his work has led to the publishing of thousands of studies by other research workers around the world, particularly in the U.S.A., Canada, U.K., Australia, France and Scandinavia. He was 80 years of age in 1976, and in retirement has been producing publications at a consistently high rate. Copyright © 1977 Australian Physiotherapy Association. Published by . All rights reserved.

Humans and monkeys use different strategies to solve the same short-term memory tasks.

PubMed

Wittig, John H; Morgan, Barak; Masseau, Evan; Richmond, Barry J

2016-11-01

The neural mechanisms underlying human working memory are often inferred from studies using old-world monkeys. Humans use working memory to selectively memorize important information. We recently reported that monkeys do not seem to use selective memorization under experimental conditions that are common in monkey research, but less common in human research. Here we compare the performance of humans and monkeys under the same experimental conditions. Humans selectively remember important images whereas monkeys largely rely on recency information from nonselective memorization. Working memory studies in old-world monkeys must be interpreted cautiously when making inferences about the mechanisms underlying human working memory. © 2016 Wittig, et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Draft Map of Human Proteome Published | Office of Cancer Clinical Proteomics Research

Cancer.gov

In a recently published article in the journal Nature, researchers have developed a draft map of the human proteome.  Striving for the protein equivalent of the Human Genome Project, an international team of researchers has created an initial catalog of the human proteome. In total, using 30 different human tissues, the researchers identified proteins encoded by 17,294 genes, which is approximately 84 percent of all of the genes in the human genome predicted to encode proteins.

Team-Centered Perspective for Adaptive Automation Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prinzel, Lawrence J., III

2003-01-01

Automation represents a very active area of human factors research. The journal, Human Factors, published a special issue on automation in 1985. Since then, hundreds of scientific studies have been published examining the nature of automation and its interaction with human performance. However, despite a dramatic increase in research investigating human factors issues in aviation automation, there remain areas that need further exploration. This NASA Technical Memorandum describes a new area of automation design and research, called adaptive automation. It discusses the concepts and outlines the human factors issues associated with the new method of adaptive function allocation. The primary focus is on human-centered design, and specifically on ensuring that adaptive automation is from a team-centered perspective. The document shows that adaptive automation has many human factors issues common to traditional automation design. Much like the introduction of other new technologies and paradigm shifts, adaptive automation presents an opportunity to remediate current problems but poses new ones for human-automation interaction in aerospace operations. The review here is intended to communicate the philosophical perspective and direction of adaptive automation research conducted under the Aerospace Operations Systems (AOS), Physiological and Psychological Stressors and Factors (PPSF) project.

The Impact of a Novel Curriculum on Secondary Biology Teachers' Dispositions toward Using Authentic Data and Media in Their Human Impact and Ecology Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wyner, Yael

2013-01-01

This study examines how the implementation of a novel curriculum, that emphasizes the use of published scientific data and media to learn about human impact and ecological function, influenced ninth-grade biology teacher (N - 36) dispositions toward using data and media in their ecology and human impact lesson plans. It explores how integration of…

No Uniform Culture: Pattern of Collaborative Research in the Humanities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burroughs, Jennie M.

2017-01-01

This study uses a campus scholarly networking and expertise system to examine trends in coauthorship in order to measure the prevalence of deep collaboration and readiness for team research. Bibliometric analysis of publishing patterns in four departments in the humanities shows significant differences in the rate of coauthorship by type of…

Head of Human Genome Project Retracts 5 Journal Articles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haworth, Karla

1996-01-01

Five published leukemia studies have been retracted by the director of the Human Genome Project because they were based on falsified data from a graduate student, although some of the conclusions are still supported. Inconsistencies were discovered by a peer reviewer and were also found in the student's other work. (MSE)

Assessing Digital Humanities Tools: Use of Scalar at a Research University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tracy, Daniel G.

2016-01-01

As librarians increasingly support digital publication platforms, they must also understand the user experience of these tools. This case study assesses use of Scalar, a digital humanities publishing platform for media-rich projects, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Based on a survey, interviews, and content analysis, the study…

Human Rights and Peace Education in the Lebanese Civics Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shuayb, Maha

2015-01-01

In 1997 the Lebanese government published its newly developed curriculum and textbooks following a long and fierce civil war, which started in 1975. The new curriculum emphasized nation building, reconciliation and citizenship. This study aims to examine how the civics textbooks in Lebanon addressed human rights and peace education, both of which…

Psychological, Philosophical, and Educational Criticisms of Harry Frankfurt's Concept of and Views about "Bullshit" in Human Discourse, Discussions, and Exchanges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perla, Rocco J.; Carifio, James

2007-01-01

Princeton University Press recently published the American moral philosopher Harry Frankfurt's book "On Bullshit", which quickly made the New York Times best seller list. Originally published in the journal "Raritan" in 1986, Frankfurt's book has been heralded as an important theoretical development in the study of what he (and society)…

Evaluation of the adequacy of published studies of low-dose effects of bisphenol A on the rodent prostate for use in human risk assessment.

PubMed

Milman, Harry A; Bosland, Maarten C; Walden, Paul D; Heinze, John E

2002-06-01

Studies conducted in our laboratories and by others found no consistent correlation between prostate size, prostate pathology, or the development of prostate cancer under a variety of experimental conditions. Furthermore, an evaluation of eight published studies that were conducted in mice and rats following in utero exposure by oral treatment of dams with low levels of bisphenol A (BPA) and that focused on the prostate identified several discrepancies that affect their adequacy for use in human risk assessment. For example, there was inadequate reporting of the purity of BPA and the animal supplier used, and housing of offspring was not the same among the studies. In addition, there were differences between studies with mice and rats in exposure regimen, route of exposure, and numbers of dams or pups used per BPA dose group. Poor inter- and intraspecies correlation (i.e., mouse to rat or between mouse or rat strains) further complicates the ability to use results from these studies to predict potential prostate effects in humans. Thus, we conclude that a finding of increased prostate weight in rodent studies with perinatal exposure in the absence of associated pathologic and/or functional changes is meaningless and not indicative of a potential adverse effect in humans. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science (USA)

Advances in mechanisms of asthma, allergy, and immunology in 2011.

PubMed

Boyce, Joshua A; Bochner, Bruce; Finkelman, Fred D; Rothenberg, Marc E

2012-02-01

2011 was marked by rapid progress in the identification of basic mechanisms of allergic disease and the translation of these mechanisms into human cell systems. Studies published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology this year provided new insights into the molecular determinants of allergenicity, as well as the environmental, cellular, and genetic factors involved in sensitization to allergens. Several articles focused on mechanisms of allergen immunotherapy and the development of novel strategies to achieve tolerance to allergens. Additional studies identified substantial contributions from T(H)17-type cells and cytokines to human disease pathogenesis. Finally, new therapeutic applications of anti-IgE were identified. The highlights of these studies and their potential clinical implications are summarized in this review. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Advances in mechanisms of asthma, allergy, and immunology in 2010.

PubMed

Broide, David H; Finkelman, Fred; Bochner, Bruce S; Rothenberg, Marc E

2011-03-01

2010 was marked by rapid progress in our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of allergic inflammation and asthma. Studies published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology described advances in our knowledge of cells associated with allergic inflammation (mast cells, eosinophils, dendritic cells, and T cells), as well as IgE, cytokines, receptors, signaling molecules, and pathways. Studies used animal models, as well as human cells and tissues, to advance our understanding of mechanisms of asthma, eosinophilic esophagitis, food allergy, anaphylaxis and immediate hypersensitivity, mast cells and their disorders, atopic dermatitis, nasal polyposis, and hypereosinophilic syndromes. Additional studies provided novel information about the induction and regulation of allergic inflammation and the genetic contribution to allergic inflammation. Critical features of these studies and their potential effects on human atopic disorders are summarized here. Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Use and misuse of research in books on sex trafficking: implications for interdisciplinary researchers, practitioners, and advocates.

PubMed

Fedina, Lisa

2015-04-01

Recent articles have raised important questions about the validity of prevalence data on human trafficking, exposing flawed methodologies behind frequently cited statistics. While considerable evidence points to the fact that human trafficking does exist in the United States and abroad, many sources of literature continue to cite flawed data and some misuse research in ways that seemingly inflate the problem, which can have serious implications for anti-trafficking efforts, including victim services and anti-trafficking legislation and policy. This systematic review reports on the prevalence data used in 42 recently published books on sex trafficking to determine the extent to which published books rely on data estimates and just how they use or misuse existing data. The findings from this review reveal that the vast majority of published books do rely on existing data that were not rigorously produced and therefore may be misleading or at minimum, inaccurate. Implications for practice, research, and policy are discussed, as well as recommendations for future prevalence studies on human trafficking. © The Author(s) 2014.

Designing Methuselah: an ethical argument against germline genetic modification to prolong human longevity.

PubMed

Robertson, Isabelle L

2017-09-01

Precise editing of the human germline has been considered an unlikely and an unethical proposition. Recently, tools to edit the human germline have been developed and it is now a realistic prospect. Consequently, the ethical arguments around prohibiting human genome editing need to be re-evaluated. It is anticipatable that using it to eradicate disease-causing mutations will be acceptable if clinical risks can be shown to be sufficiently low. Some go further and advocate that genetically 'enhancing' humans will also be permissible. Here I argue that there are instances where human germline editing should be prohibited because harms can be anticipated from the results of studies of aspects of human psychology. The example I have chosen to illustrate this argument is prolongation of the human lifespan. Cohort and longitudinal studies demonstrate that a vital ingredient of human contentment and health is being integrated into a cohort of similarly aged people and experiencing life's trials and tribulations contemporaneously. A person genetically engineered to live longer than their peers will experience the loss of their cohort and many from the generation following them-an established risk factor for discontentment and ill health. Since germline genome editing precludes obtaining the consent of the individual in question, and that such a predictable harm will be commonly encountered, it is questionable that human germline editing to extend lifespan can ever be considered an ethical practice. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

A Case Study: Using Authentic Scientific Data for Teaching and Learning of Ecology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wyner, Yael

2013-01-01

This article describes a culminating assignment for students enrolled in a human ecology course in a Masters in Science Education program. The goal of this assignment was for students to use published scientific data to link daily life, human impact, and sustainability to ecological function. This activity required students to consider the…

Intervention Research and Its Influence on Nonintervention Research in Human Resource Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Sunyoung; Chae, Chungil

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify how intervention research weighed in nonintervention research in the field of human resource development (HRD) by examining the number, citation frequency and use of experimental studies in HRD academic journals. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 2,700 articles published between 1990 and 2014…

Why should ethics approval be required prior to publication of health promotion research?

PubMed

Newson, Ainsley J; Lipworth, Wendy

2015-12-01

Most academic journals that publish studies involving human participants require evidence that the research has been approved by a human research ethics committee (HREC). Yet journals continue to receive submissions from authors who have failed to obtain such approval. In this paper, we provide an ethical justification of why journals should not, in general, publish articles describing research that has no ethics approval, with particular attention to the health promotion context. Using theoretical bioethical reasoning and drawing on a case study, we first rebut some potential criticisms of the need for research ethics approval. We then outline four positive claims to justify a presumption that research should, in most instances, be published only if it has been undertaken with HREC approval. We present four justifications for requiring ethics approval before publication: (1) HREC approval adds legitimacy to the research; (2) the process of obtaining HREC approval can improve the quality of an intervention being investigated; (3) obtaining HREC approval can help mitigate harm; and (4) obtaining HREC approval demonstrates respect for persons. This paper provides a systematic and comprehensive assessment of why research ethics approval should generally be obtained before publishing in the health promotion context. So what? Journals such as the Health Promotion Journal of Australia have recently begun to require research ethics approval for publishing research. Health promotion researchers will be interested in learning the ethical justification for this change.

Skin Sensitizing Potency of Halogenated Platinum Salts.

EPA Science Inventory

The relationship between occupational exposure to halogenated platinum (Pt) salts and Pt-specific allergic sensitization is well-established. Although human case reports and clinical studies demonstrate that Pt salts are potent skin sensitizers, no studies have been published tha...

Vulnerability or Sensitivity to the Environment? Methodological Issues, Trends, and Recommendations in Gene-Environment Interactions Research in Human Behavior.

PubMed

Leighton, Caroline; Botto, Alberto; Silva, Jaime R; Jiménez, Juan Pablo; Luyten, Patrick

2017-01-01

Research on the potential role of gene-environment interactions (GxE) in explaining vulnerability to psychopathology in humans has witnessed a shift from a diathesis-stress perspective to differential susceptibility approaches. This paper critically reviews methodological issues and trends in this body of research. Databases were screened for studies of GxE in the prediction of personality traits, behavior, and mental health disorders in humans published between January 2002 and January 2015. In total, 315 papers were included. Results showed that 34 candidate genes have been included in GxE studies. Independent of the type of environment studied (early or recent life events, positive or negative environments), about 67-83% of studies have reported significant GxE interactions, which is consistent with a social susceptibility model. The percentage of positive results does not seem to differ depending on the gene studied, although publication bias might be involved. However, the number of positive findings differs depending on the population studied (i.e., young adults vs. older adults). Methodological considerations limit the ability to draw strong conclusions, particularly as almost 90% ( n  = 283/315) of published papers are based on samples from North America and Europe, and about 70% of published studies (219/315) are based on samples that were also used in other reports. At the same time, there are clear indications of methodological improvements over time, as is shown by a significant increase in longitudinal and experimental studies as well as in improved minimum genotyping. Recommendations for future research, such as minimum quality assessment of genes and environmental factors, specifying theoretical models guiding the study, and taking into account of cultural, ethnic, and lifetime perspectives, are formulated.

Population and clinical genetics of human transposable elements in the (post) genomic era

PubMed Central

Rishishwar, Lavanya; Wang, Lu; Clayton, Evan A.; Mariño-Ramírez, Leonardo; McDonald, John F.; Jordan, I. King

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Recent technological developments—in genomics, bioinformatics and high-throughput experimental techniques—are providing opportunities to study ongoing human transposable element (TE) activity at an unprecedented level of detail. It is now possible to characterize genome-wide collections of TE insertion sites for multiple human individuals, within and between populations, and for a variety of tissue types. Comparison of TE insertion site profiles between individuals captures the germline activity of TEs and reveals insertion site variants that segregate as polymorphisms among human populations, whereas comparison among tissue types ascertains somatic TE activity that generates cellular heterogeneity. In this review, we provide an overview of these new technologies and explore their implications for population and clinical genetic studies of human TEs. We cover both recent published results on human TE insertion activity as well as the prospects for future TE studies related to human evolution and health. PMID:28228978

Human immune system mouse models of Ebola virus infection.

PubMed

Spengler, Jessica R; Prescott, Joseph; Feldmann, Heinz; Spiropoulou, Christina F

2017-08-01

Human immune system (HIS) mice, immunodeficient mice engrafted with human cells (with or without donor-matched tissue), offer a unique opportunity to study pathogens that cause disease predominantly or exclusively in humans. Several HIS mouse models have recently been used to study Ebola virus (EBOV) infection and disease. The results of these studies are encouraging and support further development and use of these models in Ebola research. HIS mice provide a small animal model to study EBOV isolates, investigate early viral interactions with human immune cells, screen vaccines and therapeutics that modulate the immune system, and investigate sequelae in survivors. Here we review existing models, discuss their use in pathogenesis studies and therapeutic screening, and highlight considerations for study design and analysis. Finally, we point out caveats to current models, and recommend future efforts for modeling EBOV infection in HIS mice. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Human Cells Display Reduced Apoptotic Function Relative to Chimpanzee Cells

PubMed Central

McDonald, John F.

2012-01-01

Previously published gene expression analyses suggested that apoptotic function may be reduced in humans relative to chimpanzees and led to the hypothesis that this difference may contribute to the relatively larger size of the human brain and the increased propensity of humans to develop cancer. In this study, we sought to further test the hypothesis that humans maintain a reduced apoptotic function relative to chimpanzees by conducting a series of apoptotic function assays on human, chimpanzee and macaque primary fibroblastic cells. Human cells consistently displayed significantly reduced apoptotic function relative to the chimpanzee and macaque cells. These results are consistent with earlier findings indicating that apoptotic function is reduced in humans relative to chimpanzees. PMID:23029431

A review on human reinstatement studies: an overview and methodological challenges.

PubMed

Haaker, Jan; Golkar, Armita; Hermans, Dirk; Lonsdorf, Tina B

2014-09-01

In human research, studies of return of fear (ROF) phenomena, and reinstatement in particular, began only a decade ago and recently are more widely used, e.g., as outcome measures for fear/extinction memory manipulations (e.g., reconsolidation). As reinstatement research in humans is still in its infancy, providing an overview of its stability and boundary conditions and summarizing methodological challenges is timely to foster fruitful future research. As a translational endeavor, clarifying the circumstances under which (experimental) reinstatement occurs may offer a first step toward understanding relapse as a clinical phenomenon and pave the way for the development of new pharmacological or behavioral ways to prevent ROF. The current state of research does not yet allow pinpointing these circumstances in detail and we hope this review will aid the research field to advance in this direction. As an introduction, we begin with a synopsis of rodent work on reinstatement and theories that have been proposed to explain the findings. The review however mainly focuses on reinstatement in humans. We first describe details and variations of the experimental setup in reinstatement studies in humans and give a general overview of results. We continue with a compilation of possible experimental boundary conditions and end with the role of individual differences and behavioral and/or pharmacological manipulations. Furthermore, we compile important methodological and design details on the published studies in humans and end with open research questions and some important methodological and design recommendations as a guide for future research. © 2014 Haaker et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Safety, Efficacy, and Mechanistic Studies Regarding Citrus aurantium (Bitter Orange) Extract and p‐Synephrine

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Citrus aurantium L. (bitter orange) extracts that contain p‐synephrine as the primary protoalkaloid are widely used for weight loss/weight management, sports performance, appetite control, energy, and mental focus and cognition. Questions have been raised about the safety of p‐synephrine because it has some structural similarity to ephedrine. This review focuses on current human, animal, in vitro, and mechanistic studies that address the safety, efficacy, and mechanisms of action of bitter orange extracts and p‐synephrine. Numerous studies have been conducted with respect to p‐synephrine and bitter orange extract because ephedra and ephedrine were banned from use in dietary supplements in 2004. Approximately 30 human studies indicate that p‐synephrine and bitter orange extracts do not result in cardiovascular effects and do not act as stimulants at commonly used doses. Mechanistic studies suggest that p‐synephrine exerts its effects through multiple actions, which are discussed. Because p‐synephrine exhibits greater adrenergic receptor binding in rodents than humans, data from animals cannot be directly extrapolated to humans. This review, as well as several other assessments published in recent years, has concluded that bitter orange extract and p‐synephrine are safe for use in dietary supplements and foods at the commonly used doses. Copyright © 2017 The Authors Phytotherapy Research Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. PMID:28752649

In vitro eugenics.

PubMed

Sparrow, Robert

2014-11-01

A series of recent scientific results suggest that, in the not-too-distant future, it will be possible to create viable human gametes from human stem cells. This paper discusses the potential of this technology to make possible what I call 'in vitro eugenics': the deliberate breeding of human beings in vitro by fusing sperm and egg derived from different stem-cell lines to create an embryo and then deriving new gametes from stem cells derived from that embryo. Repeated iterations of this process would allow scientists to proceed through multiple human generations in the laboratory. In vitro eugenics might be used to study the heredity of genetic disorders and to produce cell lines of a desired character for medical applications. More controversially, it might also function as a powerful technology of 'human enhancement' by allowing researchers to use all the techniques of selective breeding to produce individuals with a desired genotype. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Health and human rights in scientific literature: a systematic review over a decade.

PubMed

Mpinga, Emmanuel Kabengele; Verloo, Henk; London, Leslie; Chastonay, Philippe

2011-12-15

Over the past decades, the health and human rights movement has become a public health actor that cannot and should not be ignored when defining public health policies. Little has been published about the scientific contribution of the movement, be it in terms of volume, topics, content, diffusion channels, production, or target sites. This article aims to characterize the scientific production of articles focusing on "health and human rights" and to describe its evolution over a decade. A systematic review of the literature was done. The following databases were considered: Medline, Embase, BDSP, Wholis, Saphir, Rero and Web of Science. The analysis focused on English and French contributions published between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2008. Nine hundred twenty eight articles, published in 377 different journals, were reviewed. Among these articles, 43.7% had been written by one author and 56.3% by two or more authors. Over the studied decade, the production volume increased threefold. Most frequent developed topics were related to health systems (18.3%), mental health (11.5%), HIV/AIDS (10.3%), reproductive health (9.2%). Emerging topics included: the rights of patients (2.7%), new technologies (2.5%), and handicap (2.5%). Studies were classified according to their design in social analysis (42.7%), reviews of the literature (19.8%), qualitative studies (17.9%), editorials (12.5%), epidemiological studies (6.8%). Most studies were published in public health (34.5%) and biomedical journals (29.0%), while some appeared in social science journals (4.7%). The studies were related to global issues/settings (43.9%) or more specifically to country settings, for example, the United States (9.3%), Great Britain (7.8%), South Africa (3.3%), Australia (3.0%), Canada (2.6%), France (2.3%), and India (1.9%). The authors were mainly from industrialized countries. The publication of articles on health and human rights issues is increasing, and new topics are being addressed. Yet more evidence-based studies might be necessary to scientifically strengthen the domain. Copyright © 2011 Mpinga, Verloo, London, and Chastonay. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Autonomous Vehicle Systems: Implications for Maritime Operations, Warfare Capabilities, and Command and Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

speed doubles approximately every 18 months, Nick Bostrom published a study in 1998 that equated computer processing power to that of the human...bits, this equates to 1017 operations per second, or 1011 millions of instructions per second (MIPS), for human brain performance ( Bostrom , 1998). In...estimates based off Moore’s Law put realistic, affordable computer processing power equal to that of humans somewhere in the 2020–2025 timeframe ( Bostrom

Human pancreas development.

PubMed

Jennings, Rachel E; Berry, Andrew A; Strutt, James P; Gerrard, David T; Hanley, Neil A

2015-09-15

A wealth of data and comprehensive reviews exist on pancreas development in mammals, primarily mice, and other vertebrates. By contrast, human pancreatic development has been less comprehensively reviewed. Here, we draw together those studies conducted directly in human embryonic and fetal tissue to provide an overview of what is known about human pancreatic development. We discuss the relevance of this work to manufacturing insulin-secreting β-cells from pluripotent stem cells and to different aspects of diabetes, especially permanent neonatal diabetes, and its underlying causes. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Variability of Practice and the Transfer of Training of Motor Skills

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-11-01

Christina (Eds.), Psychology of motor be- havior and sport (Vol. 2). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers, 1977. 36 Kerr, R., & Booth, B. Specific...motor behavior and sport (Vol. 1). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers, 1977. 38 061384

Bisphenol A and human health: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Rochester, Johanna R

2013-12-01

There is growing evidence that bisphenol A (BPA) may adversely affect humans. BPA is an endocrine disruptor that has been shown to be harmful in laboratory animal studies. Until recently, there were relatively few epidemiological studies examining the relationship between BPA and health effects in humans. However, in the last year, the number of these studies has more than doubled. A comprehensive literature search found 91 studies linking BPA to human health; 53 published within the last year. This review outlines this body of literature, showing associations between BPA exposure and adverse perinatal, childhood, and adult health outcomes, including reproductive and developmental effects, metabolic disease, and other health effects. These studies encompass both prenatal and postnatal exposures, and include several study designs and population types. While it is difficult to make causal links with epidemiological studies, the growing human literature correlating environmental BPA exposure to adverse effects in humans, along with laboratory studies in many species including primates, provides increasing support that environmental BPA exposure can be harmful to humans, especially in regards to behavioral and other effects in children. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A monograph proposing the use of canine mammary tumours as a model for the study of hereditary breast cancer susceptibility genes in humans.

PubMed

Goebel, Katie; Merner, Nancy D

2017-05-01

Canines are excellent models for cancer studies due to their similar physiology and genomic sequence to humans, companion status and limited intra-breed heterogeneity. Due to their affliction to mammary cancers, canines can serve as powerful genetic models of hereditary breast cancers. Variants within known human breast cancer susceptibility genes only explain a fraction of familial cases. Thus, further discovery is necessary but such efforts have been thwarted by genetic heterogeneity. Reducing heterogeneity is key, and studying isolated human populations have helped in the endeavour. An alternative is to study dog pedigrees, since artificial selection has resulted in extreme homogeneity. Identifying the genetic predisposition to canine mammary tumours can translate to human discoveries - a strategy currently underutilized. To explore this potential, we reviewed published canine mammary tumour genetic studies and proposed benefits of next generation sequencing canine cohorts to facilitate moving beyond incremental advances.

Epigenetic alterations induced by genotoxic occupational and environmental human chemical carcinogens: A systematic literature review.

PubMed

Chappell, Grace; Pogribny, Igor P; Guyton, Kathryn Z; Rusyn, Ivan

2016-01-01

Accumulating evidence suggests that epigenetic alterations play an important role in chemically-induced carcinogenesis. Although the epigenome and genome may be equally important in carcinogenicity, the genotoxicity of chemical agents and exposure-related transcriptomic responses have been more thoroughly studied and characterized. To better understand the evidence for epigenetic alterations of human carcinogens, and the potential association with genotoxic endpoints, we conducted a systematic review of published studies of genotoxic carcinogens that reported epigenetic endpoints. Specifically, we searched for publications reporting epigenetic effects for the 28 agents and occupations included in Monograph Volume 100F of the International Agency for the Research on Cancer (IARC) that were classified as "carcinogenic to humans" (Group 1) with strong evidence of genotoxic mechanisms of carcinogenesis. We identified a total of 158 studies that evaluated epigenetic alterations for 12 of these 28 carcinogenic agents and occupations (1,3-butadiene, 4-aminobiphenyl, aflatoxins, benzene, benzidine, benzo[a]pyrene, coke production, formaldehyde, occupational exposure as a painter, sulfur mustard, and vinyl chloride). Aberrant DNA methylation was most commonly studied, followed by altered expression of non-coding RNAs and histone changes (totaling 85, 59 and 25 studies, respectively). For 3 carcinogens (aflatoxins, benzene and benzo[a]pyrene), 10 or more studies reported epigenetic effects. However, epigenetic studies were sparse for the remaining 9 carcinogens; for 4 agents, only 1 or 2 published reports were identified. While further research is needed to better identify carcinogenesis-associated epigenetic perturbations for many potential carcinogens, published reports on specific epigenetic endpoints can be systematically identified and increasingly incorporated in cancer hazard assessments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How Is HRD Doing in Research and Publications? An Assessment of Journals by AHRD (2005-2011)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Judy; Wang, Greg G.

2013-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to examine human resource development (HRD) research as represented by the citations to the publications in the four journals sponsored by the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) from 2005 to 2011. Design/methodology/approach: The authors collected citation data from Google Scholar (GS) using Publish or Perish 3…

"Publish or Perish" as citation metrics used to analyze scientific output in the humanities: International case studies in economics, geography, social sciences, philosophy, and history.

PubMed

Baneyx, Audrey

2008-01-01

Traditionally, the most commonly used source of bibliometric data is the Thomson ISI Web of Knowledge, in particular the (Social) Science Citation Index and the Journal Citation Reports, which provide the yearly Journal Impact Factors. This database used for the evaluation of researchers is not advantageous in the humanities, mainly because books, conference papers, and non-English journals, which are an important part of scientific activity, are not (well) covered. This paper presents the use of an alternative source of data, Google Scholar, and its benefits in calculating citation metrics in the humanities. Because of its broader range of data sources, the use of Google Scholar generally results in more comprehensive citation coverage in the humanities. This presentation compares and analyzes some international case studies with ISI Web of Knowledge and Google Scholar. The fields of economics, geography, social sciences, philosophy, and history are focused on to illustrate the differences of results between these two databases. To search for relevant publications in the Google Scholar database, the use of "Publish or Perish" and of CleanPoP, which the author developed to clean the results, are compared.

Human Fear Chemosignaling: Evidence from a Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

de Groot, Jasper H B; Smeets, Monique A M

2017-10-01

Alarm pheromones are widely used in the animal kingdom. Notably, there are 26 published studies (N = 1652) highlighting a human capacity to communicate fear, stress, and anxiety via body odor from one person (66% males) to another (69% females). The question is whether the findings of this literature reflect a true effect, and what the average effect size is. These questions were answered by combining traditional meta-analysis with novel meta-analytical tools, p-curve analysis and p-uniform-techniques that could indicate whether findings are likely to reflect a true effect based on the distribution of P-values. A traditional random-effects meta-analysis yielded a small-to-moderate effect size (Hedges' g: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.31-0.41), p-curve analysis showed evidence diagnostic of a true effect (ps < 0.0001), and there was no evidence for publication bias. This meta-analysis did not assess the internal validity of the current studies; yet, the combined results illustrate the statistical robustness of a field in human olfaction dealing with the human capacity to communicate certain emotions (fear, stress, anxiety) via body odor. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Epidemiologic studies of the human microbiome and cancer.

PubMed

Vogtmann, Emily; Goedert, James J

2016-02-02

The human microbiome, which includes the collective genome of all bacteria, archaea, fungi, protists, and viruses found in and on the human body, is altered in many diseases and may substantially affect cancer risk. Previously detected associations of individual bacteria (e.g., Helicobacter pylori), periodontal disease, and inflammation with specific cancers have motivated studies considering the association between the human microbiome and cancer risk. This short review summarises microbiome research, focusing on published epidemiological associations with gastric, oesophageal, hepatobiliary, pancreatic, lung, colorectal, and other cancers. Large, prospective studies of the microbiome that employ multidisciplinary laboratory and analysis methods, as well as rigorous validation of case status, are likely to yield translational opportunities to reduce cancer morbidity and mortality by improving prevention, screening, and treatment.

Epidemiologic studies of the human microbiome and cancer

PubMed Central

Vogtmann, Emily; Goedert, James J

2016-01-01

The human microbiome, which includes the collective genome of all bacteria, archaea, fungi, protists, and viruses found in and on the human body, is altered in many diseases and may substantially affect cancer risk. Previously detected associations of individual bacteria (e.g., Helicobacter pylori), periodontal disease, and inflammation with specific cancers have motivated studies considering the association between the human microbiome and cancer risk. This short review summarises microbiome research, focusing on published epidemiological associations with gastric, oesophageal, hepatobiliary, pancreatic, lung, colorectal, and other cancers. Large, prospective studies of the microbiome that employ multidisciplinary laboratory and analysis methods, as well as rigorous validation of case status, are likely to yield translational opportunities to reduce cancer morbidity and mortality by improving prevention, screening, and treatment. PMID:26730578

Persistent estrus rat models of polycystic ovary disease: an update.

PubMed

Singh, Krishna B

2005-10-01

To critically review published articles on polycystic ovary (PCO) disease in rat models, with a focus on delineating its pathophysiology. Review of the English-language literature published from 1966 to March 2005 was performed through PubMed search. Keywords or phrases used were persistent estrus, chronic anovulation, polycystic ovary, polycystic ovary disease, and polycystic ovary syndrome. Articles were also located via bibliographies of published literature. University Health Sciences Center. Articles on persistent estrus and PCO in rats were selected and reviewed regarding the methods for induction of PCO disease. Changes in the reproductive cycle, ovarian morphology, hormonal parameters, and factors associated with the development of PCO disease in rat models were analyzed. Principal methods for inducing PCO in the rat include exposure to constant light, anterior hypothalamic and amygdaloidal lesions, and the use of androgens, estrogens, antiprogestin, and mifepristone. The validated rat PCO models provide useful information on morphologic and hormonal disturbances in the pathogenesis of chronic anovulation in this condition. These studies have aimed to replicate the morphologic and hormonal characteristics observed in the human PCO syndrome. The implications of these studies to human condition are discussed.

Protective Effect of Boric Acid on Oxidative DNA Damage In Chinese Hamster Lung Fibroblast V79 Cell Lines

PubMed Central

Yılmaz, Sezen; Ustundag, Aylin; Cemiloglu Ulker, Ozge; Duydu, Yalcın

2016-01-01

Objective Many studies have been published on the antioxidative effects of boric acid (BA) and sodium borates in in vitro studies. However, the boron (B) concentrations tested in these in vitro studies have not been selected by taking into account the realistic blood B concentrations in humans due to the lack of comprehensive epidemiological studies. The recently published epidemiological studies on B exposure conducted in China and Turkey provided blood B concentrations for both humans in daily life and workers under extreme exposure conditions in occupational setting. The results of these studies have made it possible to test antioxidative effects of BA in in vitro studies within the concentra- tion range relevant to humans. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective ef- fects of BA against oxidative DNA damage in V79 (Chinese hamster lung fibroblast) cells. The concentrations of BA tested for its protective effect was selected by taking the blood B concentrations into account reported in previously published epidemiological studies. Therefore, the concentrations of BA tested in this study represent the exposure levels for humans in both daily life and occupational settings. Materials and Methods In this experimental study, comet assay and neutral red uptake (NRU) assay methods were used to determinacy to toxicity and genotoxicity of BA and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Results The results of the NRU assay showed that BA was not cytotoxic within the tested concentrations (3, 10, 30, 100 and 200 µM). These non-cytotoxic concentrations were used for comet assay. BA pre-treatment significantly reduced (P<0.05, one-way ANOVA) the DNA damaging capacity of H2O2 at each tested BA concentrations in V79 cells. Conclusion Consequently, pre-incubation of V79 cells with BA has significantly reduced the H2O2-induced oxidative DNA damage in V79 cells. The protective effect of BA against oxidative DNA damage in V79 cells at 5, 10, 50, 100 and 200 μM (54, 108, 540, 1080, and 2161 ng/ml B equivalents) concentrations was proved in this in vitro study. PMID:26862534

Protective Effect of Boric Acid on Oxidative DNA Damage In Chinese Hamster Lung Fibroblast V79 Cell Lines.

PubMed

Yılmaz, Sezen; Ustundag, Aylin; Cemiloglu Ulker, Ozge; Duydu, Yalcın

2016-01-01

Many studies have been published on the antioxidative effects of boric acid (BA) and sodium borates in in vitro studies. However, the boron (B) concentrations tested in these in vitro studies have not been selected by taking into account the realistic blood B concentrations in humans due to the lack of comprehensive epidemiological studies. The recently published epidemiological studies on B exposure conducted in China and Turkey provided blood B concentrations for both humans in daily life and workers under extreme exposure conditions in occupational setting. The results of these studies have made it possible to test antioxidative effects of BA in in vitro studies within the concentra- tion range relevant to humans. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective ef- fects of BA against oxidative DNA damage in V79 (Chinese hamster lung fibroblast) cells. The concentrations of BA tested for its protective effect was selected by taking the blood B concentrations into account reported in previously published epidemiological studies. Therefore, the concentrations of BA tested in this study represent the exposure levels for humans in both daily life and occupational settings. In this experimental study, comet assay and neutral red uptake (NRU) assay methods were used to determinacy to toxicity and genotoxicity of BA and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The results of the NRU assay showed that BA was not cytotoxic within the tested concentrations (3, 10, 30, 100 and 200 µM). These non-cytotoxic concentrations were used for comet assay. BA pre-treatment significantly reduced (P<0.05, one-way ANOVA) the DNA damaging capacity of H2O2 at each tested BA concentrations in V79 cells. Consequently, pre-incubation of V79 cells with BA has significantly reduced the H2O2-induced oxidative DNA damage in V79 cells. The protective effect of BA against oxidative DNA damage in V79 cells at 5, 10, 50, 100 and 200 μM (54, 108, 540, 1080, and 2161 ng/ml B equivalents) concentrations was proved in this in vitro study.

Spatiotemporal analysis of putative notochordal cell markers reveals CD24 and keratins 8, 18, and 19 as notochord-specific markers during early human intervertebral disc development.

PubMed

Rodrigues-Pinto, Ricardo; Berry, Andrew; Piper-Hanley, Karen; Hanley, Neil; Richardson, Stephen M; Hoyland, Judith A

2016-08-01

In humans, the nucleus pulposus (NP) is composed of large vacuolated notochordal cells in the fetus but, soon after birth, becomes populated by smaller, chondrocyte-like cells. Although animal studies indicate that notochord-derived cells persist in the adult NP, the ontogeny of the adult human NP cell population is still unclear. As such, identification of unique notochordal markers is required. This study was conducted to determine the spatiotemporal expression of putative human notochordal markers to aid in the elucidation of the ontogeny of adult human NP cells. Human embryos and fetuses (3.5-18 weeks post-conception (WPC)) were microdissected to isolate the spine anlagens (notochord and somites/sclerotome). Morphology of the developing IVD was assessed using hematoxylin and eosin. Expression of keratin (KRT) 8, KRT18, KRT19, CD24, GAL3, CD55, BASP1, CTGF, T, CD90, Tie2, and E-cadherin was assessed using immunohistochemistry. KRT8, KRT18, KRT19 were uniquely expressed by notochordal cells at all spine levels at all stages studied; CD24 was expressed at all stages except 3.5 WPC. While GAL3, CD55, BASP1, CTGF, and T were expressed by notochordal cells at specific stages, they were also co-expressed by sclerotomal cells. CD90, Tie2, and E-cadherin expression was not detectable in developing human spine cells at any stage. This study has identified, for the first time, the consistent expression of KRT8, KRT18, KRT19, and CD24 as human notochord-specific markers during early IVD development. Thus, we propose that these markers can be used to help ascertain the ontogeny of adult human NP cells. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Orthopaedic Research Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:1327-1340, 2016. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Orthopaedic Research Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fluzone High-Dose Seasonal Influenza Vaccine

MedlinePlus

... research. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine indicated that the high-dose vaccine ... TTY: 888-232-6348 Email CDC-INFO U.S. Department of Health & Human Services HHS/Open USA.gov ...

Use of fractional factorial design to study the compatibility of viral ribonucleoprotein gene segments of human H7N9 virus and circulating human influenza subtypes.

PubMed

Chin, Alex W H; Mok, Chris K P; Zhu, Huachen; Guan, Yi; Peiris, Joseph S M; Poon, Leo L M

2014-09-01

Avian H7N9 influenza viruses may pose a further threat to humans by reassortment with human viruses, which could lead to generation of novel reassortants with enhanced polymerase activity. We previously established a novel statistical approach to study the polymerase activity of reassorted vRNPs (Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2013;7:969-78). Here, we report the use of this method to study recombinant vRNPs with subunits derived from human H1N1, H3N2, and H7N9 viruses. Our results demonstrate that some reassortant vRNPs with subunits derived from the H7N9 and other human viruses can have much higher polymerase activities than the wild-type levels. © 2014 The Authors. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Empirical analyses of the influence of diet on human concentrations of persistent organic pollutants: a systematic review of all studies conducted in Spain.

PubMed

Gasull, Magda; Bosch de Basea, Magda; Puigdomènech, Elisa; Pumarega, José; Porta, Miquel

2011-10-01

Numerous studies analyzed concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in human samples, and in many types of foods; however, food consumption is less commonly included in studies on the determinants of POP concentrations in humans, and these approaches are rarely integrated with surveys of food intake to estimate the amount and safety of human POP intake from food. To analyze the main characteristics and findings of all studies conducted in Spain that quantitatively assessed the influence of diet on human concentrations of POPs. Studies published until December 2010 (with no other time restrictions) were identified through Medline/PubMed, ISI-Thomson, ScienceDirect, and SciELO databases. We identified 25 papers, from 19 different studies. Twelve papers were published in 2009-2010. All studies but one were based on subgroups not representative of the general population, and over half were limited to women. Serum was the most used biological matrix, while p,p'-DDE, HCB and PCBs were the most frequently analyzed compounds. Food intakes were measured with heterogeneous food frequency questionnaires. The most consistent association was between fish consumption and PCBs and HCB, followed by dairy products and PCBs. A few studies observed a relationship between meat and some POPs, whilst intake of vegetables, fruits and cereals was rarely related to POP levels. Only 3 studies did not find any relationship between dietary habits and POP concentrations. In spite of methodological heterogeneity, the studies were able to quantify to what extent consumption of foods from animal origin (fish, milk, dairy products and meat) is related to higher body concentrations of POPs. As in a few other countries, in Spain food consumption is increasingly analyzed as a major determinant of human POP intake. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Are There Changes in the Fatty Acid Profile of Breast Milk with Supplementation of Omega-3 Sources? A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Amaral, Yasmin Notarbartolo di Villarosa do; Marano, Daniele; Silva, Leila Maria Lopes da; Guimarães, Aline Carnevale Lia Dias; Moreira, Maria Elisabeth Lopes

2017-03-01

Purpose  To evaluate the effect of supplementation with omega-3 sources on the fatty acid composition of human milk. Methods  The review consisted of the search for articles published in PubMed, Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde (Virtual Health Library[VHL]) and Web of Science databases using the following keywords: fatty acids , omega-3 , human milk and supplementation ; for this purpose, we have used the program of research to integrate the services for the maintenance of autonomy (PRISMA) checklist. The following selection criteria were used: articles in English, Portuguese, Spanish or Italian, published between 2000 and 2015, and about studies performed in humans. We found 710 articles that met the established criteria; however, only 22 of them were selected to be part of this study. Results  All studies found a positive relationship between the consumption of omega-3 sources and their concentration in human milk. The differences in the findings are due to the distinct methods used, such as the specific time of the omega-3 supplementation, the type of omega-3 source offered, as well as the sample size. Conclusion  Although the studies were different in several methodological aspects, it was possible to observe the importance of omega-3 supplementation during gestation and/or the puerperium. Thieme-Revinter Publicações Ltda Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Quality of registration for clinical trials published in emergency medicine journals.

PubMed

Jones, Christopher W; Platts-Mills, Timothy F

2012-10-01

In 2005, the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors established clinical trial registration as a requirement for articles submitted to member journals, with the goal of improving the transparency of clinical research. The objective of this study is to characterize the registration of clinical trials published in emergency medicine journals. Randomized trials involving human subjects and published between June 1, 2008, and May 31, 2011 in the 5 emergency medicine journals with the highest impact factors were included. We assessed the clarity of registered primary outcomes, timing of registration relative to patient enrollment, and consistency between registered and published outcomes. Of the 123 trials included, registry entries were identified for 57 (46%). Of the 57 registered studies, 45 (79%) were registered after the initiation of subject enrollment, 9 (16%) had registered outcomes that were unclear, and 26 (46%) had discrepancies between registered and published outcomes. Only 5 studies were registered before patient enrollment with a clear primary outcome that was consistent with the published primary outcome. Annals of Emergency Medicine was the only journal in which the majority of trials were registered. Current compliance with clinical trial registration guidelines is poor among trials published in emergency medicine journals. Copyright © 2012. Published by Mosby, Inc.

The value of Institute of Human Virology meeting abstracts and beyond

PubMed Central

Jeang, Kuan-Teh

2005-01-01

This month Retrovirology publishes the meeting abstracts from the 10th annual Institute of Human Virology conference held August 29th to September 2nd, 2005 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. In this editorial, the rationale for publishing meeting abstracts is discussed.

Environmental pollutants and dysregulation of male puberty--a comparison among species.

PubMed

Magnusson, Ulf; Ljungvall, Karl

2014-04-01

The scientific literature on altered onset of puberty predominantly involves studies on females. This paper reviews current knowledge on the role of environmental pollutants in dysregulation of male puberty in humans, laboratory rodents and farm animals. The methods used to determine the onset of puberty are well developed in humans and farm animals, and standardized across studies in humans. In laboratory rodents standardized external morphological endpoints are used. There is an increasing weight of evidence from epidemiological studies in humans, as well as from experiments in animals, indicating that environmental pollutants dysregulate puberty in males. Most data are from studies on "classical" persistent environmental pollutants. Assessing the effect of multichemical environmental pollution on dysregulation of puberty in humans is more challenging; further solid epidemiological data would likely contribute most to our understanding, especially if combined with systematically collected field-data from selected wildlife. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Estimated anthropogenic nitrogen and phosphorus inputs to the land surface of the conterminous United States--1992, 1997, and 2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sprague, Lori A.; Gronberg, Jo Ann M.

2013-01-01

Anthropogenic inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus to each county in the conterminous United States and to the watersheds of 495 surface-water sites studied as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program were quantified for the years 1992, 1997, and 2002. Estimates of inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus from biological fixation by crops (for nitrogen only), human consumption, crop production for human consumption, animal production for human consumption, animal consumption, and crop production for animal consumption for each county are provided in a tabular dataset. These county-level estimates were allocated to the watersheds of the surface-water sites to estimate watershed-level inputs from the same sources; these estimates also are provided in a tabular dataset, together with calculated estimates of net import of food and net import of feed and previously published estimates of inputs from atmospheric deposition, fertilizer, and recoverable manure. The previously published inputs are provided for each watershed so that final estimates of total anthropogenic nutrient inputs could be calculated. Estimates of total anthropogenic inputs are presented together with previously published estimates of riverine loads of total nitrogen and total phosphorus for reference.

Safety and efficacy of shilajit (mumie, moomiyo).

PubMed

Stohs, Sidney J

2014-04-01

Shilajit (mumie; moomiyo, mummiyo) has been used for a wide variety of illnesses and conditions for many years. However, relatively few well-controlled human studies have been conducted on the effects of shiliajit, although a growing number of studies have been published in recent years involving animal and in vitro systems. The safety of shilajit is well documented based on animal and human studies. Various research studies indicate that shilajit exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, adaptogenic, immunomodulatory, and anti-dyslipidemic properties. Animal and human studies indicate that shilajit enhances spermatogenesis. Furthermore, animal and human data support its use as a 'revitalizer', enhancing physical performance and relieving fatigue with enhanced production of ATP. Key constituents in shilajit responsible for these effects appear to be dibenzo-α-pyrones and fulvic acid and their derivatives. Various mechanistic studies provide support for the above observed effects. Additional well-controlled human and animal studies involving the use of standardized products are needed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Expression and regulation of human endogenous retrovirus W elements.

PubMed

Li, Fang; Karlsson, Håkan

2016-01-01

Human endogenous retroviruses (HERV) comprise 8% of the human genome and can be classified into at least 31 families. A typical HERV provirus consists of internal gag, pol and env genes, flanked by two long terminal repeats (LTRs). No single provirus is capable of engendering infectious particles. HERV are by nature repetitive and have with few notable exceptions lost their protein-coding capacity. Therefore, HERV have consistently been excluded from array-based expression studies and hence little is known of their expression, regulation, and potential functional significance. An increasing number of studies have, however, observed expression of the W family of HERV in various human tissues and cells, predominantly in placenta. HERV-W LTRs act as promoters in directing transcription of HERV-W members, contribute to their tissue-specific and highly diversified expression pattern. Furthermore, leaky transcription originating from adjacent genes plays a role in the transcription initiation of HERV-W psudoelements. It has been reported that HERV-W elements, including ERVWE1 (the so far only known HERV-W locus harboring a gene (env) functionally adopted by the human host to critically participate in placenta biogenesis), can become transactivated in a range of human non-placental cell-lines during exogenous virus infections. Aberrant expression of HERV-W has been associated with human diseases, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and schizophrenia. Based on published reports, transcriptional activities of HERV-W appear to be influenced by several mechanisms; binding of transcription factors to LTR promoters and enhancers outside of LTRs, genetic variation and alteration in DNA methylation and histone modification. Emerging mechanistic studies support the notion that HERV-W represents a potential marker or mediator of environmental exposures (e.g., virus infection) in the development of chronic complex diseases. © 2016 APMIS. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A beating heart cell model to predict cardiotoxicity: effects of the dietary supplement ingredients higenamine, phenylethylamine, ephedrine and caffeine.

PubMed

Calvert, Richard; Vohra, Sanah; Ferguson, Martine; Wiesenfeld, Paddy

2015-04-01

Some dietary supplements may contain cardiac stimulants and potential cardiotoxins. In vitro studies may identify ingredients of concern. A beating human cardiomyocyte cell line was used to evaluate cellular effects following phenylethylamine (PEA), higenamine, ephedrine or caffeine treatment. PEA and higenamine exposure levels simulated published blood levels in humans or animals after intravenous administration. Ephedrine and caffeine levels approximated published blood levels following human oral intake. At low or midrange levels, each chemical was examined plus or minus 50 µM caffeine, simulating human blood levels reported after consumption of caffeine-enriched dietary supplements. To measure beats per minute (BPM), peak width, etc., rhythmic rise and fall in intracellular calcium levels following 30 min of treatment was examined. Higenamine 31.3 ng/ml or 313 ng/ml significantly increased BPM in an escalating manner. PEA increased BPM at 0.8 and 8 µg/ml, while 80 µg/ml PEA reduced BPM and widened peaks. Ephedrine produced a significant BPM dose response from 0.5 to 5.0 µM. Caffeine increased BPM only at a toxic level of 250 µM. Adding caffeine to PEA or higenamine but not ephedrine further increased BPM. These in vitro results suggest that additional testing may be warranted in vivo to further evaluate these effects. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Past, Present, and Future of Soils and Human Health Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brevik, E. C.; Sauer, T. J.

2012-04-01

The idea that human health is tied to the soil is not a new one. As far back as approximately 1400 B.C. the Bible depicts Moses as understanding that fertile soil was essential to the well-being of his people. While exploring Canaan, Moses charged the men he sent to evaluate the fertility of the soil. In 400 B.C. the Greek philosopher Hippocrates provided a list of things that should be considered in a proper medical evaluation, including the ground. By the late 1700 and early 1800s, American farmers had recognized that soil properties had some connection to human health. In "Letters from an American Farmer", published in 1792, J. Hector St. John De Crèvecoeur stated "Men are like plants; the goodness and flavor of the fruit proceeds from the peculiar soil and exposition in which they grow". And in "Larding the Lean Earth", published in 2002, S. Stoll noted that North American farmers in the early 1800s recognized a link between an enduring agriculture and an enduring society, leading them to become concerned about the fertility of their soils and to seek ways of improving the soil in order to insure a healthy society. Continuing into the first half of the 20th Century, a 1940 publication by the International Harvester Company noted that poor soils lead to "stoop-shouldered, poverty-stricken people." Then, in 1947, Sir Albert Howard published his landmark work "The Soil and Health: A Study of Organic Agriculture", a work that took a critical look at modern production agriculture and at the link between soil fertility and health. Despite these various lines of evidence of some earlier level of understanding that healthy soils are required for healthy people, the scientific study of the relationship between soils and human health is a fairly new undertaking. In his 1997 work "Soil and Human Health: A Review", M.A. Oliver states "… there is a dearth of quantitative information on the relations between elements in the soil and human health;…there is much speculation and anecdotal evidence." So, the scientific study of soils and human health is a recent undertaking, but the idea that healthy soils are required for healthy people is not a particularly new one. In the modern world, we recognize that soils have a distinct influence on human health. We recognize that soils influence 1) food availability and quality (food security), 2) human contact with various chemicals, and 3) human contact with various pathogens. Soils and human health studies include investigations into nutrient supply through the food web and routes of exposure to chemicals and pathogens. However, making strong, scientific connections between soils and human health can be difficult. There are multiple variables to consider in the soil environment, meaning traditional scientific studies that seek to isolate and manipulate a single variable often do not provide meaningful data. The complete study of soils and human health also involves many different specialties such as soil scientists, toxicologists, medical professionals, anthropologists, etc. These groups do not traditionally work together on research projects, and do not always effectively communicate with one another. Climate change and how it will affect the soil environment/ecosystem going into the future is another variable we need to get a better understanding of. Future successes in soils and human health research will require effectively addressing difficult issues such as these.

Systematic review of the diagnosis of scabies in therapeutic trials.

PubMed

Thompson, M J; Engelman, D; Gholam, K; Fuller, L C; Steer, A C

2017-07-01

Human scabies (infestation with the mite Sarcoptes scabiei var hominis) causes a significant disease burden worldwide, yet there are no agreed diagnostic guidelines. We aimed to determine whether a consistent approach to diagnosing scabies has been used for published scabies therapeutic trials. The data sources used were the MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane databases, from 1946 to 29 August 2013. Eligible studies were trials of therapeutic interventions against scabies in human subjects, published in English, enrolling patients with scabies, and using various therapeutic interventions. Language was a limitation of this study as some relevant trials published in languages other than English may have been excluded. Each study was reviewed by two independent authors, who assessed the clinical examination and testing approaches used for scabies diagnosis in the included studies. We found that of 71 included trials, 40 (56%) specified which clinical findings were used for diagnosis, which were predominantly rash, rash distribution, pruritus and mite burrows. Parasitological testing was used in 63% of trials (n = 45) and was used more frequently in clinic-based than in field studies. Nearly one-quarter of trials (24%, n = 17) did not define the diagnostic method used. Overall, the diagnostic approaches were poorly described, prohibiting accurate comparison of existing studies. This review further supports the need for consensus diagnostic guidelines for scabies. © 2017 British Association of Dermatologists.

Acute and sub-chronic oral toxicity studies of erythritol in Beagle dogs.

PubMed

Eapen, Alex K; de Cock, Peter; Crincoli, Christine M; Means, Charlotte; Wismer, Tina; Pappas, Christopher

2017-07-01

Polyols, also known as sugar alcohols, are widely used in the formulation of tooth-friendly and reduced-calorie foods. Considering the significant health benefits of polyols in products formulated for human use, there is increased interest in evaluating potential uses in companion animal applications. Erythritol and xylitol are two polyols which are currently widely used in products ranging from reduced-sugar foods to personal care and cosmetics. Published studies have shown that both of these compounds are well-tolerated in rodents. Their toxicity profiles differ when comparing canine safety data. Doses of xylitol as low as 0.15 g/kg-BW in dogs can result in life-threatening hypoglycemia and acute liver failure, whereas erythritol is well-tolerated in dogs with reported No Adverse Effect Levels upwards of 5 g/kg-BW/day in repeat-dose studies. While pivotal studies substantiating the safe use of erythritol in humans have been published, there are limited published studies to support the safe use of erythritol in dogs. Here we present the results of an acute oral and a sub-chronic oral toxicity study in Beagle dogs. Given the potential health benefits of oral products formulated with erythritol and the data presented herein substantiating the safe use in dogs, erythritol can be safely used in products for canines. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CTP synthase forms the cytoophidium in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Chang, Chia-Chun; Jeng, Yung-Ming; Peng, Min; Keppeke, Gerson Dierley; Sung, Li-Ying; Liu, Ji-Long

2017-12-15

CTP synthase (CTPS) can aggregate into an intracellular macrostructure, the cytoophidium, in various organisms including human cells. Previous studies have shown that assembly of human CTPS cytoophidia may be correlated with the cellular metabolic status, and is able to promote the activity of CTPS. A correlation between the cytoophidium and cancer metabolism has been proposed but not yet been revealed. In the current study we provide clear evidence of the presence of CTPS cytoophidia in various human cancers and some non-cancerous tissues. Moreover, among 203 tissue samples of hepatocellular carcinoma, 56 (28%) samples exhibited many cytoophidia, whereas no cytoophidia were detected in adjacent non-cancerous hepatocytes for all samples. Our findings suggest that the CTPS cytoophidium may participate in the adaptive metabolism of human hepatocellular carcinoma. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Documenting the Emergence of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems as a Disruptive Technology in Nicotine and Tobacco Science

PubMed Central

Correa, John B.; Ariel, Idan; Menzie, Nicole S.; Brandon, Thomas H.

2016-01-01

Background The emergence of the electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS, or “e-cigarettes”) has resulted in nicotine and tobacco scientists committing increased resources to studying these products. Despite this surge of research on various topics related to e-cigarettes, it is important to characterize the evolving e-cigarette research landscape as a way to identify important future research directions. The purpose of this review was to broadly categorize published scholarly work on e-cigarettes using a structured, multi-level coding scheme. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted to collect articles on e-cigarettes that were published in peer-reviewed journals from 2006 through 2014. Studies were classified through 3 coding waves. Articles were first divided into research reports, literature reviews and opinions/editorials. Research reports were further categorized to determine the proportion of these studies using human participants. Finally, human studies were classified based on their methodologies: descriptive, predictive, explanatory, and intervention. Results Research reports (n = 224) and opinions/editorials (n = 248) were published at similar rates during this time period. All types of articles showed exponential rates of increase in more recent years. 76.3% of human research studies tended to be descriptive in nature, with very little research employing experimental (6.8%) or intervention-based methodologies (5.4%). Conclusions This review reinforces the idea that e-cigarettes are a disruptive technology exerting substantial influence on nicotine and tobacco science. This review also suggests that opinions on e-cigarettes may be outpacing our scientific understanding of these devices. Our findings highlight the need for more e-cigarette research involving experimental, intervention, and longitudinal designs. PMID:27816664

Documenting the emergence of electronic nicotine delivery systems as a disruptive technology in nicotine and tobacco science.

PubMed

Correa, John B; Ariel, Idan; Menzie, Nicole S; Brandon, Thomas H

2017-02-01

The emergence of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS, or "e-cigarettes") has resulted in nicotine and tobacco scientists committing increased resources to studying these products. Despite this surge of research on various topics related to e-cigarettes, it is important to characterize the evolving e-cigarette research landscape as a way to identify important future research directions. The purpose of this review was to broadly categorize published scholarly work on e-cigarettes using a structured, multi-level coding scheme. A systematic literature search was conducted to collect articles on e-cigarettes that were published in peer-reviewed journals from 2006 through 2014. Studies were classified through 3 coding waves. Articles were first divided into research reports, literature reviews and opinions/editorials. Research reports were further categorized to determine the proportion of these studies using human participants. Finally, human studies were classified based on their methodologies: descriptive, predictive, explanatory, and intervention. Research reports (n=224) and opinions/editorials (n=248) were published at similar rates during this time period. All types of articles showed exponential rates of increase in more recent years. 76.4% of human research studies were descriptive in nature, with very little research employing experimental (6.8%) or intervention-based methodologies (5.4%). This review reinforces the idea that e-cigarettes are a disruptive technology exerting substantial influence on nicotine and tobacco science. This review also suggests that opinions on e-cigarettes may be outpacing our scientific understanding of these devices. Our findings highlight the need for more e-cigarette research involving experimental, intervention, and longitudinal designs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamics of climate-based malaria transmission model with age-structured human population

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Addawe, Joel; Pajimola, Aprimelle Kris

2016-10-01

In this paper, we proposed to study the dynamics of malaria transmission with periodic birth rate of the vector and an age-structure for the human population. The human population is divided into two compartments: pre-school (0-5 years) and the rest of the human population. We showed the existence of a disease-free equilibrium point. Using published epidemiological parameters, we use numerical simulations to show potential effect of climate change in the dynamics of age-structured malaria transmission. Numerical simulations suggest that there exists an asymptotically attractive solution that is positive and periodic.

Does hyperbaric oxygen have a cancer-causing or -promoting effect? A review of the pertinent literature.

PubMed

Feldmeier, J J; Heimbach, R D; Davolt, D A; Brakora, M J; Sheffield, P J; Porter, A T

1994-12-01

We reviewed all known published reports or studies related to a possible cancer-causing or growth-enhancing effect by hyperbaric oxygen. Published articles were retrieved using Medline searches for the period 1960-1993. Additional references were obtained from bibliographies included in those articles discovered in the computer search. Also, hyperbaric medicine text books and the published proceedings of international hyperbaric conferences were visually searched. Studies and reports discovered in this fashion and related to the topic were included in the review. Twenty-four references were found: 12 were clinical reports, 11 were animal studies, and 1 reported both an animal study and a clinical report. Three clinical reports suggested a positive cancer growth enhancement, whereas 10 clinical reports showed no cancer growth enhancement. Two animal studies suggested a positive cancer-enhancing effect, and 10 animal studies showed no such effect. (The report that included both animals and humans is counted in both groups). The vast majority of published reports show no cancer growth enhancement by HBO exposure. Those studies that do show growth enhancement are refuted by larger subsequent studies, are mixed studies, or are highly anecdotal. A review of published information fails to support a cancer-causing or growth-enhancing effect by HBO.

New Radiation Dosimetry Estimates for [18F]FLT based on Voxelized Phantoms.

PubMed

Mendes, B M; Ferreira, A V; Nascimento, L T C; Ferreira, S M Z M D; Silveira, M B; Silva, J B

2018-04-25

3'-Deoxy-3-[ 18 F]fluorothymidine, or [ 18 F]FLT, is a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer used in clinical studies for noninvasive assessment of proliferation activity in several types of cancer. Although the use of this PET tracer is expanding, to date, few studies concerning its dosimetry have been published. In this work, new [ 18 F]FLT dosimetry estimates are determined for human and mice using Monte Carlo simulations. Modern voxelized male and female phantoms and [ 18 F]FLT biokinetic data, both published by the ICRP, were used for simulations of human cases. For most human organs/tissues the absorbed doses were higher than those reported in ICRP Publication 128. An effective dose of 1.70E-02 mSv/MBq to the whole body was determined, which is 13.5% higher than the ICRP reference value. These new human dosimetry estimates obtained using more realistic human phantoms represent an advance in the knowledge of [ 18 F]FLT dosimetry. In addition, mice biokinetic data were obtained experimentally. These data and a previously developed voxelized mouse phantom were used for simulations of animal cases. Concerning animal dosimetry, absorbed doses for organs/tissues ranged from 4.47 ± 0.75 to 155.74 ± 59.36 mGy/MBq. The obtained set of organ/tissue radiation doses for healthy Swiss mice is a useful tool for application in animal experiment design.

Area Handbook Series: Romania: A Country Study.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

school outing, Cluj-Napoca Courtesy Sam and Sarah Stulberg State theater in Drobeta-Turnu Severin Courtesy Harriet Gei ber 119 Romania: A Country Study...Political Economy, and Human Welfare. Boston: Martinus Nij- hoff Publishing, 1980., _ "The Romanian Communist Party and Its Central Com- mittee: Patterns of

Creating human organs in chimaera pigs: an ethical source of immunocompatible organs?

PubMed

Shaw, David; Dondorp, Wybo; Geijsen, Niels; de Wert, Guido

2015-12-01

New techniques in regenerative medicine may soon enable the creation of human organs inside animals using induced pluripotent stem cells. This technology has the potential to solve the organ scarcity problem by providing a limitless source of personalised organs for transplantation, but also raises several ethical issues, particularly concerning animal welfare, the 'human features' problem and human dignity. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Critical medical humanities: embracing entanglement, taking risks.

PubMed

Viney, William; Callard, Felicity; Woods, Angela

2015-06-01

What can the medical humanities achieve? This paper does not seek to define what is meant by the medical humanities, nor to adjudicate the exact disciplinary or interdisciplinary knowledges it should offer, but rather to consider what it might be capable of doing. Exploring the many valences of the word 'critical', we argue here for a critical medical humanities characterised by: (i) a widening of the sites and scales of 'the medical' beyond the primal scene of the clinical encounter; (ii) greater attention not simply to the context and experience of health and illness, but to their constitution at multiple levels; (iii) closer engagement with critical theory, queer and disability studies, activist politics and other allied fields; (iv) recognition that the arts, humanities and social sciences are best viewed not as in service or in opposition to the clinical and life sciences, but as productively entangled with a 'biomedical culture'; and, following on from this, (v) robust commitment to new forms of interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration. We go on to introduce the five other articles published in this special issue of the journal, reflecting on the ways in which collaboration and critique are articulated in their analyses of immunology, critical neuroscience, toxicity, global clinical labour, and psychological coercion and workfare. As these articles demonstrate, embracing the complex role of critical collaborator--one based on notions of entanglement, rather than servility or antagonism--will, we suggest, develop the imaginative and creative heterodox qualities and practices which have long been recognised as core strengths of the medical humanities. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Watershed and Economic Data InterOperability (WEDO) System

EPA Science Inventory

Hydrologic modeling is essential for environmental, economic, and human health decision-making. However, sharing of modeling studies is limited within the watershed modeling community. Distribution of hydrologic modeling research typically involves publishing summarized data in p...

Watershed and Economic Data InterOperability (WEDO) System (presentation)

EPA Science Inventory

Hydrologic modeling is essential for environmental, economic, and human health decision- making. However, sharing of modeling studies is limited within the watershed modeling community. Distribution of hydrologic modeling research typically involves publishing summarized data in ...

A critical benefit analysis of artificial gravity as a microgravity countermeasure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaderka, Justin; Young, Laurence R.; Paloski, William H.

2010-11-01

Deconditioning of astronauts during long duration spaceflight, especially with regard to the cardiovascular, musculo-skeletal, and neurological systems, is a well-recognized problem that has stimulated significant investments in countermeasure research over the past five decades. Because of its potential salutary effects on all of these systems, artificial gravity via centrifugation has been one of the most persistently discussed countermeasures; however, to date, few studies have tested its efficacy, particularly in comparison to other, system-specific countermeasures. This paper reports results of a meta-analysis we performed to compare previously published results from artificial gravity studies with those from studies utilizing traditional countermeasures, such as resistive exercise, aerobic exercise, lower body negative pressure (LBNP), or some variation of these countermeasures. Published and non-published literature involving human bed rest and immersion studies, human non-bed rest studies, and flight data were examined. Our analyses were confounded by differences in research design from study to study, including subject selection criteria, deconditioning paradigm, physiological systems assessed, and dependent measures employed. Nevertheless we were able to draw comparisons between studies that had some consistency across these variables. Results indicate that for prolonged spaceflight an artificial gravity-based countermeasure may provide benefits equivalent to traditional countermeasures for the cardiovascular system. Too few comparable studies have been performed to draw any conclusions for the musculo-skeletal system. Gaps in the current knowledge of artificial gravity are identified and provide the basis for a discussion of future topics for ground-based research using this countermeasure.

Chimeric mice with humanized liver: Application in drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics studies for drug discovery.

PubMed

Naritomi, Yoichi; Sanoh, Seigo; Ohta, Shigeru

2018-02-01

Predicting human drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (PK) is key to drug discovery. In particular, it is important to predict human PK, metabolite profiles and drug-drug interactions (DDIs). Various methods have been used for such predictions, including in vitro metabolic studies using human biological samples, such as hepatic microsomes and hepatocytes, and in vivo studies using experimental animals. However, prediction studies using these methods are often inconclusive due to discrepancies between in vitro and in vivo results, and interspecies differences in drug metabolism. Further, the prediction methods have changed from qualitative to quantitative to solve these issues. Chimeric mice with humanized liver have been developed, in which mouse liver cells are mostly replaced with human hepatocytes. Since human drug metabolizing enzymes are expressed in the liver of these mice, they are regarded as suitable models for mimicking the drug metabolism and PK observed in humans; therefore, these mice are useful for predicting human drug metabolism and PK. In this review, we discuss the current state, issues, and future directions of predicting human drug metabolism and PK using chimeric mice with humanized liver in drug discovery. Copyright © 2017 The Japanese Society for the Study of Xenobiotics. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Consensus Model of Human Apolipoprotein A-I in its Monomeric and Lipid-free State

PubMed Central

Melchior, John T.; Walker, Ryan G.; Cooke, Allison L.; Morris, Jamie; Castleberry, Mark; Thompson, Thomas B.; Jones, Martin K.; Song, Hyun D.; Rye, Kerry-Anne; Oda, Mike N.; Sorci-Thomas, Mary G.; Thomas, Michael J.; Heinecke, Jay W.; Mei, Xiaohu; Atkinson, David; Segrest, Jere P.; Lund-Katz, Sissel; Phillips, Michael C.; Davidson, W. Sean

2017-01-01

Apolipoprotein (apo)A-I is an organizing scaffold protein that is critical to high density lipoprotein (HDL) structure and metabolism, likely mediating many of its cardioprotective properties. However, HDL biogenesis is poorly understood as lipid-free apoA-I has been notoriously resistant to high resolution structural study. Published models from low resolution techniques share certain features but vary considerably in shape and secondary structure. To tackle this central issue in lipoprotein biology, we assembled an unprecedented team of lipoprotein structural biologists and set out to build a consensus model of monomeric lipid-free human apoA-I. Combining novel and published cross-link constraints, small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), hydrogen-deuterium exchange (H-DX) and crystallography data, we propose a time averaged model consistent with much of the experimental data published over the last 40 years. The model provides a long sought platform for understanding and testing details of HDL biogenesis, structure and function. PMID:29131142

The safety of green tea and green tea extract consumption in adults - Results of a systematic review.

PubMed

Hu, Jiang; Webster, Donna; Cao, Joyce; Shao, Andrew

2018-06-01

A systematic review of published toxicology and human intervention studies was performed to characterize potential hazards associated with consumption of green tea and its preparations. A review of toxicological evidence from laboratory studies revealed the liver as the target organ and hepatotoxicity as the critical effect, which was strongly associated with certain dosing conditions (e.g. bolus dose via gavage, fasting), and positively correlated with total catechin and epigallocatechingallate (EGCG) content. A review of adverse event (AE) data from 159 human intervention studies yielded findings consistent with toxicological evidence in that a limited range of concentrated, catechin-rich green tea preparations resulted in hepatic AEs in a dose-dependent manner when ingested in large bolus doses, but not when consumed as brewed tea or extracts in beverages or as part of food. Toxico- and pharmacokinetic evidence further suggests internal dose of catechins is a key determinant in the occurrence and severity of hepatotoxicity. A safe intake level of 338 mg EGCG/day for adults was derived from toxicological and human safety data for tea preparations ingested as a solid bolus dose. An Observed Safe Level (OSL) of 704 mg EGCG/day might be considered for tea preparations in beverage form based on human AE data. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Potential Vaccines and Post-Exposure Treatments for Filovirus Infections

PubMed Central

Friedrich, Brian M.; Trefry, John C.; Biggins, Julia E.; Hensley, Lisa E.; Honko, Anna N.; Smith, Darci R.; Olinger, Gene G.

2012-01-01

Viruses of the family Filoviridae represent significant health risks as emerging infectious diseases as well as potentially engineered biothreats. While many research efforts have been published offering possibilities toward the mitigation of filoviral infection, there remain no sanctioned therapeutic or vaccine strategies. Current progress in the development of filovirus therapeutics and vaccines is outlined herein with respect to their current level of testing, evaluation, and proximity toward human implementation, specifically with regard to human clinical trials, nonhuman primate studies, small animal studies, and in vitro development. Contemporary methods of supportive care and previous treatment approaches for human patients are also discussed. PMID:23170176

Osteoarthritis year in review 2016: imaging.

PubMed

Boesen, M; Ellegaard, K; Henriksen, M; Gudbergsen, H; Hansen, P; Bliddal, H; Bartels, E M; Riis, R G

2017-02-01

The current narrative review covers original research related to imaging in osteoarthritis (OA) in humans published in English between April 1st 2015 and March 31st 2016, in peer reviewed journals available in Medline via PubMed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/). Relevant studies in humans, subjectively decided by the authors, contributing significantly to the OA imaging field, were selected from an extensive Medline search using the terms "Osteoarthritis" in combination with "MRI", "Imaging", "Radiography", "X-rays", "Ultrasound", "Computed tomography", "Nuclear medicine", "PET-CT", "PET-MRI", "Scintigraphy", "SPECT". Publications were sorted according to relevance for the OA imaging research community with an emphasis on high impact special interest journals using the software for systematic reviews www.covidence.org. An overview of newly published studies compared to studies reported previous years is presented, followed by a review of selected imaging studies of primarily knee, hip and hand OA focussing on (1) results for detection of OA and OA-related pathology (2) studies dealing with treatments and (3) studies focussing on prognosis of disease progression or joint replacement. A record high number of 1420 articles were published, among others, of new technologies and tools for improved morphological and pathophysiological understanding of OA-related changes in joints. Also, imaging data were presented of monitoring treatment effect and prognosis of OA progression, primarily using established radiographic, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasound (US) methods. Imaging continues to play an important role in OA research, where several exciting new technologies and computer aided analysis methods are emerging to complement the conventional imaging approaches. Copyright © 2016 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The developmental neurotoxicity of arsenic: cognitive and behavioral consequences of early life exposure.

PubMed

Tolins, Molly; Ruchirawat, Mathuros; Landrigan, Philip

2014-01-01

More than 200 million people worldwide are chronically exposed to arsenic. Arsenic is a known human carcinogen, and its carcinogenic and systemic toxicity have been extensively studied. By contrast, the developmental neurotoxicity of arsenic has been less well described. The aim of this review was to provide a comprehensive review of the developmental neurotoxicity of arsenic. We reviewed the published epidemiological and toxicological literature on the developmental neurotoxicity of arsenic. Arsenic is able to gain access to the developing brain and cause neurotoxic effects. Animal models link prenatal and early postnatal exposure to reduction in brain weight, reductions in numbers of glia and neurons, and alterations in neurotransmitter systems. Animal and in vitro studies both suggest that oxidative stress may be a mechanism of arsenic neurotoxicity. Fifteen epidemiological studies indicate that early life exposure is associated with deficits in intelligence and memory. These effects may occur at levels of exposure below current safety guidelines, and some neurocognitive consequences may become manifest only later in life. Sex, concomitant exposures, and timing of exposure appear to modify the developmental neurotoxicity of arsenic. Four epidemiological studies failed to show behavioral outcomes of arsenic exposure. The published literature indicates that arsenic is a human developmental neurotoxicant. Ongoing and future prospective birth cohort studies will allow more precise definition of the developmental consequences of arsenic exposure in early life. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Human-armadillo interaction in Ceará, Brazil: Potential for transmission of Mycobacterium leprae.

PubMed

Kerr, Ligia; Kendall, Carl; Sousa, Cesar Augusto Barros de; Frota, Cristiane Cunha; Graham, Jove; Rodrigues, Laura; Fernandes, Rafael Lima; Barreto, Maurício Lima

2015-12-01

Several factors suggest that armadillos present an important risk for human leprosy infection. This study uses semi-structured interviews to better illustrate how human interaction with armadillos may increase the risk of leprosy transmission. The participants were all residents of the state of Ceará, in northeastern Brazil, all acknowledged contact with armadillos either through hunting, through cooking, or through consumption of its meat. This study raises important issues about contact between human beings and armadillos. The interviews provide evidence of numerous situations in which leprosy transmission via the armadillo is possible. At a minimum, people who hunt armadillos need to be made aware of the risk of infection. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Gist of Dr. Katsusaburo Yamagiwa's papers entitled "Experimental study on the pathogenesis of epithelial tumors" (I to VI reports).

PubMed

Fujiki, Hirota

2014-02-01

The concept of cancer and inflammation has a long history. Virchow's irritation theory based on human cancer engendered the essential role of inflammation in carcinogenesis. Drs. Yamagiwa and Ichikawa first published a comprehensive paper entitled "Experimental study on the pathogenesis of epithelial tumors" (I report) in 1915 in German, and went on to publish five more reports (1915-1924) under the same title. They succeeded in demonstrating that inflammation is an important carcinogenic factor, and the mechanisms are now being investigated by numerous scientists all over the world. In order to introduce Yamagiwa's work to modern cancer researchers, the essentials of their six reports have been translated into English as a short review. Scientists' comments on Yamagiwa's contribution are attached by way of introduction. © 2013 The Authors. Cancer Science published by Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

New insights on therapeutic touch: a discussion of experimental methodology and design that resulted in significant effects on normal human cells and osteosarcoma.

PubMed

Monzillo, Eloise; Gronowicz, Gloria

2011-01-01

Our purpose is to discuss the study design and innovative approaches that led to finding significant effects of one energy medicine therapy, Therapeutic Touch (TT), on cells. In the original published studies, TT was shown to significantly increase human osteoblast DNA synthesis, differentiation, and mineralization; increase in a dose-dependent manner the growth of other human cell types; and decrease the differentiation and mineralization of a human osteosarcoma-derived cell line. A unique feature of the study's methodology and design that contributed to the success of the findings was that a basic level of skill and maturity of the TT practitioner was quantified for producing observable and replicable outcomes in a test administered to all TT practitioners. Only those practitioners that passed the test were selected for the study. (2) The practitioners were required to keep a journal, which appeared to promote their ability to stay centered and replicate their treatments over months of cell experimentation. (3) The origin of the cells that the practitioners were treating was explained to them, although they were blinded to cell type during the experiments. (4) Only early passage cells were used to maintain a stable cell phenotype. (5) Standard protocols for performing TT in the room were followed to ensure reproducible conditions. (6) Placebo controls and untreated controls were used for each experiment. (7) The principal investigator and technicians performing the assays were blinded as to the experimental groups, and all assays and procedures were well established in the laboratory prior to the start of the TT experiments. The absence of studies on the human biofield from mainstream scientific literature is also discussed by describing the difficulties encountered in publishing. These roadblocks contribute to our lack of understanding of the human biofield and energy medicine modalities in science. In conclusion, this report seeks to encourage well-designed, evidence-based studies on the human biofield and the therapeutic potential of the human biofield. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Economic impact of routine opt-out antenatal human immune deficiency virus screening: A systematic review.

PubMed

Ibekwe, Everistus; Haigh, Carol; Duncan, Fiona; Fatoye, Francis

2017-12-01

To evaluate the economic impact of routine testing of human immune deficiency virus in antenatal settings. Many children are being infected with human immune deficiency virus through mother-to-child transmission of the virus. Most of these infections are preventable if the mothers' human immune deficiency virus status is identified in a timely manner and appropriate interventions put in place. Routine human immune deficiency virus testing is widely acclaimed as a strategy for universal access to human immune deficiency virus testing and is being adopted by developed and developing poor income countries without recourse to the economic impact. A systematic review of published articles. Extensive electronic searches for relevant journal articles published from 1998-2015 when countries began to implement routine antenatal HIV testing on their own were conducted in the following databases: Science Direct, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, JSTOR, CINAHL and PubMed with search terms as listed in Box 2. Manual searches were also performed to complement the electronic identification of high-quality materials. There were no geographical restrictions, but language was limited to English. Fifty-five articles were retrieved; however, ten were eligible and included in the review. The findings showed that many programmes involving routine human immune deficiency virus testing for pregnant women compared to the alternatives were cost-effective and cost saving. Data from the reviewed studies showed cost savings between $5,761.20-$3.69 million per case of previously undiagnosed maternal human immune deficiency virus-positive infection prevented. Overall, cost-effectiveness was strongly associated with the prevalence rate of human immune deficiency virus in the various settings. Routine human immune deficiency virus testing is both cost-effective and cost saving compared to the alternatives. However, there are wide variations in the methodological approaches to the studies. Adopting standard reporting format would facilitate comparison between studies and generalisability of economic evaluations. (i) Healthcare decision-makers should understand that routine antenatal screening for human immune deficiency virus is both cost-effective and cost saving. (ii) Addressing late identification of prenatal human immune deficiency virus is crucial to reducing mother-to-child transmission at minimal healthcare spending. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Use of materials derived from cattle in human food and cosmetics; reopening of the comment period. Interim final rule; reopening of the comment period.

PubMed

2013-03-04

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or ``we'') is reopening the comment period for the interim final rule entitled "Use of Materials Derived From Cattle in Human Food and Cosmetics'' that published in the Federal Register of July 14, 2004 (69 FR 42256). The interim final rule prohibited the use of certain cattle material to address the potential risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in human food, including dietary supplements, and cosmetics. In the Federal Register of September 7, 2005 (70 FR 53063), we amended the interim final rule to make changes, including providing that the small intestine of cattle, formerly prohibited cattle material, could be used in human food and cosmetics if the distal ileum was removed by a specified procedure or one that the establishment could demonstrate is equally effective in ensuring complete removal of the distal ileum. Since 2005, peer-reviewed studies have been published showing the presence of infectivity in the proximal ileum, jejunum, ileocecal junction, and colon of cattle with BSE. Therefore, we are reopening the comment period for the interim final rule to give interested parties an opportunity to comment on the new studies concerning infectivity in parts of the small intestine other than the distal ileum.

The human skin/chick chorioallantoic membrane model accurately predicts the potency of cosmetic allergens.

PubMed

Slodownik, Dan; Grinberg, Igor; Spira, Ram M; Skornik, Yehuda; Goldstein, Ronald S

2009-04-01

The current standard method for predicting contact allergenicity is the murine local lymph node assay (LLNA). Public objection to the use of animals in testing of cosmetics makes the development of a system that does not use sentient animals highly desirable. The chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of the chick egg has been extensively used for the growth of normal and transformed mammalian tissues. The CAM is not innervated, and embryos are sacrificed before the development of pain perception. The aim of this study was to determine whether the sensitization phase of contact dermatitis to known cosmetic allergens can be quantified using CAM-engrafted human skin and how these results compare with published EC3 data obtained with the LLNA. We studied six common molecules used in allergen testing and quantified migration of epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) as a measure of their allergic potency. All agents with known allergic potential induced statistically significant migration of LC. The data obtained correlated well with published data for these allergens generated using the LLNA test. The human-skin CAM model therefore has great potential as an inexpensive, non-radioactive, in vivo alternative to the LLNA, which does not require the use of sentient animals. In addition, this system has the advantage of testing the allergic response of human, rather than animal skin.

Immediate implants placed in fresh sockets associated to periapical infectious processes. A systematic review

PubMed Central

Álvarez-Camino, Juan C.; Valmaseda-Castellón, Eduard

2013-01-01

Objetives: The development of treated implant surfaces, added to the increase of the aesthetic requirements by the patients has led to a change in the treatment protocols as well as the development of techniques such as the one-fase implants and the immediate prosthetic loading. One of the usual contraindications of the implant treatment is the presence of periapical disease associated to the tooth to be replaced. The aim of this paper is to review the published literature on immediate implant placement in extraction sockets of teeth with periapical pathology, considering the level of scientific evidence, and following the principles of medicine and evidence-based Dentistry. Material and Methods: A search of articles published between 1982 and 2012 was conducted. The search terms immediate, dental implant, extraction, infected, periapical pathology were used. Search was limited to studies in animals and humans, published in english language. Results: 16 articles were selected from a total of 438, which were stratified according to their level of scientific evidence using the SORT criteria (Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy). Studies in both animals and humans presented high rates of implant survival, but human studies are limited to a small number of cases. Discussion and Conclusions: There is a limited evidence regarding implant placement immediately to the extraction of teeth affected by chronic periapical pathology. Following analysis of the articles, and in function of their scientific quality, a type B recommendation is given in favor of the immediate implant placement in fresh sockets associated to periapical infectious processes. Key words:Immediate implant, periapical pathology. PMID:23722139

Biometeorology for cities.

PubMed

Hondula, David M; Balling, Robert C; Andrade, Riley; Scott Krayenhoff, E; Middel, Ariane; Urban, Aleš; Georgescu, Matei; Sailor, David J

2017-09-01

Improvements in global sustainability, health, and equity will largely be determined by the extent to which cities are able to become more efficient, hospitable, and productive places. The development and evolution of urban areas has a significant impact on local and regional weather and climate, which subsequently affect people and other organisms that live in and near cities. Biometeorologists, researchers who study the impact of weather and climate on living creatures, are well positioned to help evaluate and anticipate the consequences of urbanization on the biosphere. Motivated by the 60th anniversary of the International Society of Biometeorology, we reviewed articles published in the Society's International Journal of Biometeorology over the period 1974-2017 to understand if and how biometeorologists have directed attention to urban areas. We found that interest in urban areas has rapidly accelerated; urban-oriented articles accounted for more than 20% of all articles published in the journal in the most recent decade. Urban-focused articles in the journal span five themes: measuring urban climate, theoretical foundations and models, human thermal comfort, human morbidity and mortality, and ecosystem impacts. Within these themes, articles published in the journal represent a sizeable share of the total academic literature. More explicit attention from urban biometeorologists publishing in the journal to low- and middle-income countries, indoor environments, animals, and the impacts of climate change on human health would help ensure that the distinctive perspectives of biometeorology reach the places, people, and processes that are the foci of global sustainability, health, and equity goals.

Study IDs Genetic Markers that Speed AIDS Progression | Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

A study published in the journal Science sheds new light on how a set of human genes can accelerate progression of AIDS-related illness in people living with HIV who are not on treatment. South African scientists led the international research team,

77 FR 29667 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-18

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study SUMMARY: In compliance with the... Institutes of Health (NIH) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects to be submitted to the Office...

PREFACE TO SPECIAL SECTION ON PARTICULATE MATTER: ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES, EXPOSURE, AND THE FOURTH COLLOQUIUM ON PARTICULATE MATTER AND HUMAN HEALTH

EPA Science Inventory

In response to epidemiological studies published over twenty years ago, at least three research communities have been intensively studying airborne particulate matter (PM). These efforts have been coordinated by approaching the source - atmospheric accumulation/receptor - exposu...

The Future of Humanities Labor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bauerlein, Mark

2008-01-01

"Publish or perish" has long been the formula of academic labor at research universities, but for many humanities professors that imperative has decayed into a simple rule of production. The publish-or-perish model assumed a peer-review process that maintained quality, but more and more it is the bare volume of printed words that counts. When…

Detection of T-2 Toxin by a Modified Radioimmunoassay.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-08-06

Mehlman (ed.), Mycotoxins in human and animal health . Pathotox Publishers Inc., Park Forest South, Ill. 2. Lutsky, I, N. Mor, B. Yagen, and A. Z. Joffe...human and animal health . Pathotox Publishers Inc., Park Forest South, Il. 5. Wallace, E.M., S. V. Pathre, C. J. Mirocha, T. S. Robinson, and S. W

Biotransport of transuranium radionuclides in dairy animals: a data summary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sutton, W.W.; Patzer, R.G.; Potter, G.D.

In recent years, the Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory at Las Vegas, Nevada (EMSL-LV) has carried out a series of studies on the biological transport of plutonium, americium, neptunium, and curium in lactating dairy cattle and goats. Ruminants in general and cattle in particular form one of the more important links in the human food chain. Milk and milk products constitute a significant portion of the human diet, especially for children. This summary consists of a compilation of detailed data from a series of previously published studies. It has been prepared to present the data from all of these studies inmore » a single source to be used by regulatory agencies in their transport modeling and hazard assessment activities. Selected source materials for the data presented in this document have been published either in the Proceedings of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) or as EMSL-LV publications and are listed in the References section.« less

Stachybotrys: relevance to human disease.

PubMed

Terr, A I

2001-12-01

Recent public concern about the danger of environmental fungi has focused attention on one particular mold, Stachybotrys. The purpose of this review is to examine and critique the published literature on Stachybotrys for objective scientific and clinical evidence of disease caused by the presence of this fungal organism in the environment. Data were obtained from all published research and reviews of Stachybotrys indexed in MEDLINE since 1966. The publications used for this review were those that contained information about human health effects of this microorganism. The critique of these publications is the author's. Stachybotrys is a minor component of the indoor mycoflora, found on certain building material surfaces in water-damaged buildings, but airborne spores are present in very low concentrations. Published reports fail to establish inhalation of Stachybotrys spores as a cause of human disease even in water-damaged buildings. A possible exception may be mycotoxin-caused pulmonary hemorrhage/hemosiderosis in infants, although scientific evidence to date is suggestive but not conclusive. Based on old reports ingestion of food prepared from Stachybotrys-contaminated grains may cause a toxic gastroenteropathy. No convincing cases of human allergic disease or infection from this mold have been published. The current public concern for adverse health effects from inhalation of Stachybotrys spores in water-damaged buildings is not supported by published reports in the medical literature.

Mission Command in an Age of Persistent Conflict: Historical And Theoretical Approaches to Developing Mission Command

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

2011): 288. 31 Ibid., 288. 32 Littlejohn, Theories of Human Communication , 3. 33 Franklin Fearing, “Toward a Psychological Theory of Human ...Stephen W. Theories of Human Communication . Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1983. Paul, Richard. The Thinker’s Guide to the Nature and... Communication ,” in Foundations of Communication Theory, ed. Kenneth K. Sereno et al. (New York: Harper and Row, Publishers, 1970), 48-49. 34 Peter A. Facione

The Validity of Communication Experiments Using Human Subjects: A Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rossiter, Charles M.

1976-01-01

Reviews sixty-eight experiments published in various journals in 1973 and 1974 and concludes that communication experimentation may be severely limited by the nature of the subjects studied and the inappropriate handling of experimental reactivity. (MH)

Statistical and methodological considerations for the interpretation of intranasal oxytocin studies

PubMed Central

Walum, Hasse; Waldman, Irwin D.; Young, Larry J.

2015-01-01

Over the last decade, oxytocin (OT) has received focus in numerous studies associating intranasal administration of this peptide with various aspects of human social behavior. These studies in humans are inspired by animal research, especially in rodents, showing that central manipulations of the OT system affect behavioral phenotypes related to social cognition, including parental behavior, social bonding and individual recognition. Taken together, these studies in humans appear to provide compelling, but sometimes bewildering evidence for the role of OT in influencing a vast array of complex social cognitive processes in humans. In this paper we investigate to what extent the human intranasal OT literature lends support to the hypothesis that intranasal OT consistently influences a wide spectrum of social behavior in humans. We do this by considering statistical features of studies within this field, including factors like statistical power, pre-study odds and bias. Our conclusion is that intranasal OT studies are generally underpowered and that there is a high probability that most of the published intranasal OT findings do not represent true effects. Thus the remarkable reports that intranasal OT influences a large number of human social behaviors should be viewed with healthy skepticism, and we make recommendations to improve the reliability of human OT studies in the future. PMID:26210057

NEESPI focus issues in Environmental Research Letters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norman, Julian; Groisman, Pavel; Soja, Amber J.

2010-05-01

In 2007 and 2009 Environmental Research Letters published focus issues (edited by Pavel Groisman and Amber J Soja) made up of work carried out by NEESPI participants. Here, we present the content of those focus issues as an invaluable resource for researchers working in the NEESPI study area. The first of the two issues, published in 2007 with title 'Northern Hemisphere High Latitude Climate and Environmental Change', presents a diverse collection of articles that are assembled into five groups devoted to studies of climate and hydrology, land cover and land use, the biogeochemical cycle and its feedbacks, the cryosphere, and human dimensions. The second issue, published in 2009, with title 'Climatic and Environmental Change in Northern Eurasia' presents diverse, assorted studies of different aspects of contemporary change, representing the diversity of climates and ecosystems across Northern Eurasia.

Description of research design of articles published in four Brazilian physical therapy journals

PubMed Central

Saragiotto, Bruno T.; Costa, Lucíola C. M.; Oliveira, Ronaldo F.; Lopes, Alexandre D.; Moseley, Anne M.; Costa, Leonardo O. P.

2014-01-01

Background While the research design of articles published in medical journals and in some physical therapy journals has already been evaluated, this has not been investigated in Brazilian physical therapy journals. Objective To describe the research design used in all articles published in Brazilian scientific journals that are freely available, have high Qualis rankings, and are relevant to physical therapy over a 7-year period. Method We extracted the bibliometric data, research design, research type (human or animal), and clinical area for all articles published. The articles were grouped into their level of evidence, and descriptive analyses were performed. We calculated the frequency, proportions of articles, and 95% confidence interval of these proportions with each research design in each journal. We cross-tabulated the clinical areas with research designs (expressed as number and percentages). Results A total of 1,458 articles from four Brazilian journals were found: Revista Brasileira de Fisioterapia, Revista Fisioterapia em Movimento, Revista Fisioterapia e Pesquisa, and Revista Acta Fisiátrica. The majority of articles were classified as level II of evidence (60%), followed by level III (29%) and level I (10%). The most prevalent research designs were cross-sectional studies (38%), single-case or case-series studies, and narrative reviews. Most articles reported human research and were in the musculoskeletal, neurologic, and cardiothoracic areas. Conclusions Most of the research published in Brazilian physical therapy journals used levels II and III of evidence. Increasing the publication rate of systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials would provide more high-quality evidence to guide evidence-based physical therapy practice. PMID:24675913

Description of research design of articles published in four Brazilian physical therapy journals.

PubMed

Saragiotto, Bruno T; Costa, Lucíola C M; Oliveira, Ronaldo F; Lopes, Alexandre D; Moseley, Anne M; Costa, Leonardo O P

2014-01-01

While the research design of articles published in medical journals and in some physical therapy journals has already been evaluated, this has not been investigated in Brazilian physical therapy journals. Objective : To describe the research design used in all articles published in Brazilian scientific journals that are freely available, have high Qualis rankings, and are relevant to physical therapy over a 7-year period. We extracted the bibliometric data, research design, research type (human or animal), and clinical area for all articles published. The articles were grouped into their level of evidence, and descriptive analyses were performed. We calculated the frequency, proportions of articles, and 95% confidence interval of these proportions with each research design in each journal. We cross-tabulated the clinical areas with research designs (expressed as number and percentages). A total of 1,458 articles from four Brazilian journals were found: Revista Brasileira de Fisioterapia, Revista Fisioterapia em Movimento, Revista Fisioterapia e Pesquisa, and Revista Acta Fisiátrica. The majority of articles were classified as level II of evidence (60%), followed by level III (29%) and level I (10%). The most prevalent research designs were cross-sectional studies (38%), single-case or case-series studies, and narrative reviews. Most articles reported human research and were in the musculoskeletal, neurologic, and cardiothoracic areas. Most of the research published in Brazilian physical therapy journals used levels II and III of evidence. Increasing the publication rate of systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials would provide more high-quality evidence to guide evidence-based physical therapy practice.

Systematic review of the association between oil and natural gas extraction processes and human reproduction.

PubMed

Balise, Victoria D; Meng, Chun-Xia; Cornelius-Green, Jennifer N; Kassotis, Christopher D; Kennedy, Rana; Nagel, Susan C

2016-09-15

This systematic review identified 45 original published research articles related to oil and gas extraction activities and human reproductive endpoints. Reproductive outcomes were categorized as [1] birth outcomes associated with maternal exposure, [2] semen quality, fertility, and birth outcomes associated with adult paternal exposure, [3] reproductive cancers, and [4] disruption of human sex steroid hormone receptors. The results indicate there is moderate evidence for an increased risk of preterm birth, miscarriage, birth defects, decreased semen quality, and prostate cancer. The quality of the evidence is low and/or inadequate for stillbirth, sex ratio, and birth outcomes associated with paternal exposure, and testicular cancer, female reproductive tract cancers, and breast cancer, and the evidence is inconsistent for an increased risk of low birth weight; therefore, no conclusions can be drawn for these health effects. There is ample evidence for disruption of the estrogen, androgen, and progesterone receptors by oil and gas chemicals, which provides a mechanistic rationale for how exposure to oil and gas activities may increase the health risks we have outlined. The results from this systematic review suggest there is a negative impact on human reproduction from exposure to oil and gas activities. Many of the 45 studies reviewed identified potential human health effects. Most of these studies focused on conventional oil and gas activities. Few studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact of unconventional oil and gas operations on human health. The impact of unconventional oil and gas activities may be greater than that of conventional activity, given that unconventional activities employ many of the same approaches and use dozens of known endocrine-disrupting chemicals in hydraulic fracturing. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Brain regions with mirror properties: a meta-analysis of 125 human fMRI studies.

PubMed

Molenberghs, Pascal; Cunnington, Ross; Mattingley, Jason B

2012-01-01

Mirror neurons in macaque area F5 fire when an animal performs an action, such as a mouth or limb movement, and also when the animal passively observes an identical or similar action performed by another individual. Brain-imaging studies in humans conducted over the last 20 years have repeatedly attempted to reveal analogous brain regions with mirror properties in humans, with broad and often speculative claims about their functional significance across a range of cognitive domains, from language to social cognition. Despite such concerted efforts, the likely neural substrates of these mirror regions have remained controversial, and indeed the very existence of a distinct subcategory of human neurons with mirroring properties has been questioned. Here we used activation likelihood estimation (ALE), to provide a quantitative index of the consistency of patterns of fMRI activity measured in human studies of action observation and action execution. From an initial sample of more than 300 published works, data from 125 papers met our strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. The analysis revealed 14 separate clusters in which activation has been consistently attributed to brain regions with mirror properties, encompassing 9 different Brodmann areas. These clusters were located in areas purported to show mirroring properties in the macaque, such as the inferior parietal lobule, inferior frontal gyrus and the adjacent ventral premotor cortex, but surprisingly also in regions such as the primary visual cortex, cerebellum and parts of the limbic system. Our findings suggest a core network of human brain regions that possess mirror properties associated with action observation and execution, with additional areas recruited during tasks that engage non-motor functions, such as auditory, somatosensory and affective components. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Retinal angiography with real-time speckle variance optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Xu, Jing; Han, Sherry; Balaratnasingam, Chandrakumar; Mammo, Zaid; Wong, Kevin S K; Lee, Sieun; Cua, Michelle; Young, Mei; Kirker, Andrew; Albiani, David; Forooghian, Farzin; Mackenzie, Paul; Merkur, Andrew; Yu, Dao-Yi; Sarunic, Marinko V

2015-10-01

This report describes a novel, non-invasive and label-free optical imaging technique, speckle variance optical coherence tomography (svOCT), for visualising blood flow within human retinal capillary networks. This imaging system uses a custom-built swept source OCT system operating at a line rate of 100 kHz. Real-time processing and visualisation is implemented on a consumer grade graphics processing unit. To investigate the quality of microvascular detail acquired with this device we compared images of human capillary networks acquired with svOCT and fluorescein angiography. We found that the density of capillary microvasculature acquired with this svOCT device was visibly greater than fluorescein angiography. We also found that this svOCT device had the capacity to generate en face images of distinct capillary networks that are morphologically comparable with previously published histological studies. Finally, we found that this svOCT device has the ability to non-invasively illustrate the common manifestations of diabetic retinopathy and retinal vascular occlusion. The results of this study suggest that graphics processing unit accelerated svOCT has the potential to non-invasively provide useful quantitative information about human retinal capillary networks. Therefore svOCT may have clinical and research applications for the management of retinal microvascular diseases, which are a major cause of visual morbidity worldwide. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

How well does climate change and human health research match the demands of policymakers? A scoping review.

PubMed

Hosking, Jamie; Campbell-Lendrum, Diarmid

2012-08-01

In 2008, the World Health Organization (WHO) Member States passed a World Health Assembly resolution that identified the following five priority areas for research and pilot projects on climate change and human health: health vulnerability, health protection, health impacts of mitigation and adaptation policies, decision-support and other tools, and costs of health protection from climate change. To assess the extent to which recently published research corresponds to these priorities, we undertook a scoping review of original research on climate change and human health. Scoping reviews address topics that are too broad for a systematic review and commonly aim to identify research gaps in existing literature. We also assessed recent publication trends for climate change and health research. We searched for original quantitative research published from 2008 onward. We included disease burden studies that were specific to climate change and health and included intervention studies that focused on climate change and measured health outcomes. We used MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science databases and extracted data on research priority areas, geographic regions, health fields, and equity (systematic differences between advantaged and disadvantaged social groups). We identified 40 eligible studies. Compared with other health topics, the number of climate change publications has grown rapidly, with a larger proportion of reviews or editorials. Recent original research addressed four of the five priority areas identified by the WHO Member States, but we found no eligible studies of health adaptation interventions, and most of the studies focused on high-income countries. Climate change and health is a rapidly growing area of research, but quantitative studies remain rare. Among recently published studies, we found gaps in adaptation research and a deficit of studies in most developing regions. Funders and researchers should monitor and respond to research gaps to help ensure that the needs of policymakers are met.

Cardiovascular Fitness and Cognitive Spatial Learning in Rodents and in Humans.

PubMed

Barak, Boaz; Feldman, Noa; Okun, Eitan

2015-09-01

The association between cardiovascular fitness and cognitive functions in both animals and humans is intensely studied. Research in rodents shows that a higher cardiovascular fitness has beneficial effects on hippocampus-dependent spatial abilities, and the underlying mechanisms were largely teased out. Research into the impact of cardiovascular fitness on spatial learning in humans, however, is more limited, and involves mostly behavioral and imaging studies. Herein, we point out the state of the art in the field of spatial learning and cardiovascular fitness. The differences between the methodologies utilized to study spatial learning in humans and rodents are emphasized along with the neuronal basis of these tasks. Critical gaps in the study of spatial learning in the context of cardiovascular fitness between the two species are discussed. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America.

The importance of selecting the right internal control gene to study the effects of antenatal glucocorticoid administration in human placenta.

PubMed

Gütling, H; Bionaz, M; Sloboda, D M; Ehrlich, L; Braun, F; Gramzow, A K; Henrich, W; Plagemann, A; Braun, T

2016-08-01

RT-qPCR requires a suitable set of internal control genes (ICGs) for an accurate normalization. The usefulness of 7 previously published ICGs in the human placenta was analyzed according to the effects of betamethasone treatment, sex and fetal age. Raw RT-qPCR data of the ICGs were evaluated using published algorithms. The algorithms revealed that a reliable normalization was achieved using the geometrical mean of PPIA, RPL19, HMBS and SDHA. The use of a different subset ICGs out of the 7 investigated, although not statistically affected by the conditions, biased the results, as demonstrated through changes in expression of glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) mRNA as a target gene. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

2015 Evidence Analysis Library Systematic Review on Advanced Technology in Food Production.

PubMed

Edge, Marianne Smith; Kunkel, Mary Elizabeth; Schmidt, Jennifer; Papoutsakis, Constantina

2018-03-08

In the late 20th century, plant breeders began using molecular biology techniques such as recombinant DNA, also known as genetic engineering, along with traditional cross-breeding. Ten plant and one animal food have been approved for commercialization in the United States. Today, foods and ingredients from genetically engineered (GE) crops are present throughout the food supply, which has led to varying levels of acceptance. Much discussion exists among consumers and health professionals about the believability of statements made regarding benefits or risks of GE foods. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the evidence on the association of consumption of GE foods and ingredients derived from them on human health, specifically allergenicity, food safety, pesticide consumption, nutrient adequacy, inflammation, and antibiotic resistance. An expert panel conducted a systematic review on advanced technology in food production. The 30 developed questions focused on effects of human consumption of GE foods and the effects of human consumption of foods containing pesticide residues on human health. Primary research published from 1994 to 2014 were identified using PubMed and Agricultural Online Access databases. Additional studies were identified by searching references of review articles. Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. Relevant research addressed five of 30 questions. Four questions focused on food allergenicity, the fifth on nutrient adequacy, and all received a Grade III (limited/weak) rating. No human studies addressed 25 questions on the consumption of foods produced using genetic engineering technologies on gene translocation, cancer, food safety, phenotype expression, inflammation and inflammatory markers, or antibiotic resistance. These questions received a Grade V (grade not assignable). Evidence from human studies did not reveal an association between adverse health effects and consumption of foods produced using genetic engineering technologies. Although the number of available human studies is small, they support that there are no clear adverse health effects-as they relate to allergenicity and nutrient adequacy-associated with consumption of GE foods. The present systematic review is aligned with a recent report by the National Academy of Sciences that included human and animal research. Copyright © 2018 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Plasma ET-1 Concentrations Are Elevated in Pregnant Women with Hypertension -Meta-Analysis of Clinical Studies.

PubMed

Lu, Yong-Ping; Hasan, Ahmed Abdallah; Zeng, Shufei; Hocher, Berthold

2017-01-01

The ET system might be involved in the pathogenesis of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy. The objective is to analyse the impact of ET-1 in hypertensive pregnant women by a strict meta-analysis of published human clinical studies. Based on the principle of Cochrane systematic reviews, Cohort studies in PubMed (Medline), Google Scholar and China Biological Medicine Database (CBM-disc) designed to identify the role of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in the pathophysiology of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia were screened. Review Manager Version 5.0 (Rev-Man 5.0) was applied for statistical analysis. Mean difference and 95% confidence interval (CI) were shown in inverse variance (IV) fixed-effects model or IV random-effects model. Sixteen published cohort studies including 1739 hypertensive cases and 409 controls were used in the meta-analysis. ET-1 plasma concentrations were higher in hypertensive pregnant women as compared to the controls (mean difference between groups: 19.02 [15.60～22.44], P < 0.00001,). These finding were driven by severity of hypertension and/or degree of proteinuria. Plasma ET-1 concentrations are elevated in hypertensive disorders during human pregnancy. In particular women with preeclampsia (hypertensive pregnant women with proteinuria) have substantially elevated plasma ET-1 concentration as compared to pregnant women with normal blood pressure. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

Advancing the management and control of typhoid fever: a review of the historical role of human challenge studies.

PubMed

Waddington, Claire S; Darton, Thomas C; Woodward, William E; Angus, Brian; Levine, Myron M; Pollard, Andrew J

2014-05-01

Typhoid infection causes considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in settings where lack of clean water and inadequate sanitation facilitate disease spread through faecal-oral transmission. Improved understanding of the pathogenesis, immune control and microbiology of Salmonella Typhi infection can help accelerate the development of improved vaccines and diagnostic tests necessary for disease control. S. Typhi is a human-restricted pathogen; therefore animal models are limited in their relevance to human infection. During the latter half of the 20th century, induced human infection ("challenge") studies with S. Typhi were used effectively to assess quantitatively the human host response to challenge and to measure directly the efficacy of typhoid vaccines in preventing clinical illness. Here, the findings of these historic challenge studies are reviewed, highlighting the pivotal role that challenge studies have had in improving our understanding of the host-pathogen interaction, and illustrating issues relevant to modern typhoid challenge model design. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dog obesity--the need for identifying predisposing genetic markers.

PubMed

Switonski, M; Mankowska, M

2013-12-01

Incidence of overweight and obesity in dogs exceeds 30%, and several breeds are predisposed to this heritable phenotype. Rapid progress of canine genomics and advanced knowledge on the genetic background of human obesity bring a unique opportunity to perform such studies in dogs. Natural candidate genes for obesity are these encoding adipokines. Extended studies in humans indicated that polymorphisms of three of them, i.e. ADIPOQ, IL1 and TNF, are associated with predisposition to obesity. On the other hand, the use of genome-wide association studies revealed an association between human obesity and polymorphism of more than 50 other genes. Until now only few preliminary reports on polymorphism of canine FTO, MC4R, MC3R and PPARG genes have been published. Since the dog is a valuable model organism for human diseases one can foresee that such studies may also contribute to an in-depth understanding of human obesity pathogenesis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of Articles About Human Papillomavirus Vaccination in Japanese Newspapers: Time-Series Analysis Study.

PubMed

Ueda, Nao; Yokouchi, Ryoki; Onoda, Taro; Ogihara, Atsushi

2017-12-19

Media coverage and reports have a major influence on individual vaccination and other health-related activities. People use the media to seek information and knowledge on health-related behaviors. They obtain health-related information from media such as television and newspapers, and they trust such information. While several studies have examined the relation between media coverage and individual health, there is a lack of studies that have analyzed media reports of health information. In particular, we have found no analyses related to cervical cancer (human papillomavirus [HPV]) vaccine. This study aimed to identify mentions of cervical cancer vaccine in Japan's printed news media and to determine their characteristics. We used the archival databases of 2 Japanese newspapers, Yomiuri Shimbun (Yomidasu Rekishikan) and Asahi Shimbun (Kikuzo II Visual), for text mining. First, we created a database by extracting articles published between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2014, that matched the terms "cervical cancer" AND "vaccination" in a keyword search. Then, we tallied the extracted articles based on the month of publication and number of characters in order to conduct a time-series analysis. We extracted a total of 219 articles. Of these, 154 (70.3%) were positive and 51 (23.3%) were negative toward HPV vaccination. Of the 51 negative articles, 4 (7.8%) were published before June 2013, when routine vaccination was temporarily discontinued due to concerns regarding side effects, and 47 (92.2%) were published since then. The negative reports commonly cited side effects, although prior to June 2013, these issues were hardly mentioned. Although foreign media reports mentioned side effects before routine vaccination was temporarily discontinued, fewer articles mentioned side effects than recommendations for vaccination. Furthermore, on June 13, 2013, the World Health Organization's advisory body Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety issued a statement regarding the safety of HPV vaccines, but hardly any articles reported this statement. Rather, several articles were published about the side effects after June 2013. Since we consider media coverage to be a factor affecting human health behavior, the media should extensively report on the cost of not receiving cervical cancer vaccination, global trends concerning cervical cancer vaccination, and statements released by various agencies on the subject. ©Nao Ueda, Ryoki Yokouchi, Taro Onoda, Atsushi Ogihara. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (http://publichealth.jmir.org), 19.12.2017.

Immunotoxicity -- The Risk is Real

EPA Science Inventory

Several papers published over the last year represent significant progress in closing the gap between rodent immunotoxicity data and human risk and indicate that, at least for the developing immune system, the concern raised by rodent data is justified. The studies reviewed here...

The Human Element of Project Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillard, Sharlett

2017-01-01

Much research and dialogue have been published about project management. Studies have been conducted regarding the impact of size, member location, gender composition, cross-functional structure, stakeholder influence, confidence issues, technology usage, management style, generational differences, technical expertise vs. people skills, and a…

DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN BIOMARKERS OF EXPOSURE TO WATERBORNE PATHOGENS

EPA Science Inventory

Contaminated drinking water is major source of waterborne diseases. EPA has published a drinking water contaminant candidate list (CCL) that contains a number of pathogens that potentially could be regulated in drinking water. Studies indicate that certain viral pathogens (adenov...

Critical evaluation of key evidence on the human health hazards of exposure to bisphenol A

PubMed Central

Hengstler, JG; Foth, H; Gebel, T; Kramer, P-J; Lilienblum, W; Schweinfurth, H; Völkel, W; Wollin, K-M; Gundert-Remy, U

2011-01-01

Despite the fact that more than 5000 safety-related studies have been published on bisphenol A (BPA), there seems to be no resolution of the apparently deadlocked controversy as to whether exposure of the general population to BPA causes adverse effects due to its estrogenicity. Therefore, the Advisory Committee of the German Society of Toxicology reviewed the background and cutting-edge topics of this BPA controversy. The current tolerable daily intake value (TDI) of 0.05 mg/kg body weight [bw]/day, derived by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), is mainly based on body weight changes in two- and three-generation studies in mice and rats. Recently, these studies and the derivation of the TDI have been criticized. After having carefully considered all arguments, the Committee had to conclude that the criticism was scientifically not justified; moreover, recently published additional data further support the reliability of the two-and three-generation studies demonstrating a lack of estrogen-dependent effects at and below doses on which the current TDI is based. A frequently discussed topic is whether doses below 5 mg/ kg bw/day may cause adverse health effects in laboratory animals. Meanwhile, it has become clear that positive results from some explorative studies have not been confirmed in subsequent studies with higher numbers of animals or a priori defined hypotheses. Particularly relevant are some recent studies with negative outcomes that addressed effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and the prostate in rodents for extrapolation to the human situation. The Committee came to the conclusion that rodent data can well be used as a basis for human risk evaluation. Currently published conjectures that rats are insensitive to estrogens compared to humans can be refuted. Data from toxicokinetics studies show that the half-life of BPA in adult human subjects is less than 2 hours and BPA is completely recovered in urine as BPA-conjugates. Tissue deconjugation of BPA-glucuronide and -sulfate may occur. Because of the extremely low quantities, it is only of minor relevance for BPA toxicity. Biomonitoring studies have been used to estimate human BPA exposure and show that the daily intake of BPA is far below the TDI for the general population. Further topics addressed in this article include reasons why some studies on BPA are not reproducible; the relevance of oral versus non-oral exposure routes; the degree to which newborns are at higher systemic BPA exposure; increased BPA exposure by infusions in intensive care units; mechanisms of action other than estrogen receptor activation; and the current regulatory status in Europe, as well as in the USA, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. Overall, the Committee concluded that the current TDI for BPA is adequately justified and that the available evidence indicates that BPA exposure represents no noteworthy risk to the health of the human population, including newborns and babies. PMID:21438738

Clinical and molecular evidence of the consumption of broccoli, glucoraphanin and sulforaphane in humans.

PubMed

Conzatti, Adriana; Fróes, Fernanda Carolina Telles da Silva; Schweigert Perry, Ingrid Dalira; Souza, Carolina Guerini de

2014-11-30

Sulforaphane (SFN) is an isothiocyanate derived from glucoraphanin (GRA), which is found in great amounts especially in broccoli. Its consumption has been reported to be associated with a lower risk of myocardial infarction and cancer development. Additionally, its effects have been studied in neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and atherosclerosis, most of the times using animal models and cell cultures. Given the promising results of SFN, this review aimed to investigate evidence documented in human intervention studies with broccoli, GRA and SFN. A search was performed on PubMed and Virtual Health Library databases by two independent researchers using the descriptors "broccoli" or "glucoraphanin" or "sulforaphane", which should appear on the study's title or abstract. This review included randomized clinical trials performed in humans that were published in English and Portuguese from 2003 to 2013 and that considered clinical and molecular parameters of cell damage as outcomes of interest. Seventeen studies were selected, and the predominant type of intervention was broccoli sprouts. More consistent results were obtained for the clinical parameters blood glucose and lipid profile and for molecular parameters of oxidative stress, indicating that there was an improvement in these parameters after intervention. Less solid evidence was found with regard to decreased inflammation, Helicobacter pylori colonization, and protection against cancer. Although being relevant, the evidence for the use of broccoli, GRA and SFN in humans are limited; thus, further intervention studies are needed to evaluate outcomes more consistently and reach better grounded conclusions. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Human polyomavirus 9 in immunocompromised patients in the University Hospital in Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.

PubMed

Fajfr, Miroslav; Pliskova, Lenka; Kutova, Radka; Matyskova-Kubisova, Michaela; Navratil, Pavel; Radocha, Jakub; Valenta, Zbynek; Dusilova-Sulkova, Sylvie

2017-12-01

Human polyomaviruses such as JC polyomavirus and BK polyomavirus have long been well known pathogens of immunocompromised patients. Several new members of this viral family have been described during the last decade. Human polyomavirus 9 seems to be a novel pathogen of transplanted patients according to some studies. The aim of our study was to determine the presence of human polyomavirus 9 in patients after kidney or stem cell transplantation (SCT) at the University Hospital in Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. Overall 100 patients, 65 after kidney transplantation and 35 after SCT, were included into the study. At least three follow-up samples from each patient were examined for human polyomavirus 9 DNA presentation with the two previously described in-house PCR protocols. Despite the frequent reactivation of human CMV (14.3% in kidney transplantation and 63.3% after SCT) or BK polyomavirus in our patient group, there was no positivity for human polyomavirus 9 either in blood samples or urine samples. One of the possible reasons for this discrepancy versus previous published studies could be a relatively low proportion of patients treated by induction therapy before kidney transplantation in our study cohort. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparative Epidemiology and Outcomes of Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Non-HIV Non-transplant, and Solid Organ Transplant Associated Cryptococcosis: A Population-Based Study.

PubMed

George, Ige A; Spec, Andrej; Powderly, William G; Santos, Carlos A Q

2018-02-01

In this population-based study in the contemporary era in the United States, the proportion of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative patients with cryptococcosis approaches that in HIV-infected patients. Cryptococcosis is associated with higher mortality rates in HIV-negative patients (including organ transplant recipients). © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

3D engineered cardiac tissue models of human heart disease: learning more from our mice.

PubMed

Ralphe, J Carter; de Lange, Willem J

2013-02-01

Mouse engineered cardiac tissue constructs (mECTs) are a new tool available to study human forms of genetic heart disease within the laboratory. The cultured strips of cardiac cells generate physiologic calcium transients and twitch force, and respond to electrical pacing and adrenergic stimulation. The mECT can be made using cells from existing mouse models of cardiac disease, providing a robust readout of contractile performance and allowing a rapid assessment of genotype-phenotype correlations and responses to therapies. mECT represents an efficient and economical extension to the existing tools for studying cardiac physiology. Human ECTs generated from iPSCMs represent the next logical step for this technology and offer significant promise of an integrated, fully human, cardiac tissue model. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The first Seriatum study of growth by R. E. Scammon.

PubMed

Miller, Elizabeth M

2018-03-01

Richard E. Scammon's article, "The First Seriatim Study of Human Growth," provided one of the best-known visuals in the field of human biology. Scammon resurrected longitudinal height data of one child from Buffon's Histoire Naturelle, converted them to metric, and plotted these measurements as a function of age. The result was the first graph of one individual's growth curve from birth to 18 years of age. This image was subsequently reproduced in numerous texts on human growth and biology. Published in 1927, Scammon's article provides a snapshot of the state of growth research at the time and gives a (literal) picture of the future of human biology. The graph of the growth of one child symbolizes the importance of process and variation in biological anthropology. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

East Asia: A Bibliography for Undergraduate Libraries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillin, Donald; And Others

This bibliography, similar to others on Asia and Africa, contains over 2000 titles relevant to the study of East Asia. Book, journal, and a few government citations -- the majority of which have been published within the last twenty years -- emphasize the humanities and social studies. Intended as a book selection guide, entries are graded as to…

Dimensions of Genocide: The Circumplex Model Meets Violentization Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winton, Mark A.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the use of Olson's (1995, 2000) family therapy based circumplex model and Athens' (1992, 1997, 2003) violentization theory in explaining genocide. The Rwandan genocide of 1994 is used as a case study. Published texts, including interviews with perpetrators, research reports, human rights reports, and court…

76 FR 12916 - Benzocaine; Weight Control Drug Products for Over-the-Counter Human Use

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-09

... endpoint. Reports purporting to be two studies by Collipp (one published and one unpublished) were..., OTC weight control drug products containing benzocaine will require an approved NDA or ANDA. Studies...., a manufacturer of OTC weight control drug products, submitted two citizen petitions, one in 1990 and...

Using Interval-Based Systems to Measure Behavior in Early Childhood Special Education and Early Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, Justin D.; Ledford, Jennifer R.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this article is to summarize the current literature on the accuracy and reliability of interval systems using data from previously published experimental studies that used either human observations of behavior or computer simulations. Although multiple comparison studies provided mathematical adjustments or modifications to interval…

Understanding safety and production risks in rail engineering planning and protection.

PubMed

Wilson, John R; Ryan, Brendan; Schock, Alex; Ferreira, Pedro; Smith, Stuart; Pitsopoulos, Julia

2009-07-01

Much of the published human factors work on risk is to do with safety and within this is concerned with prediction and analysis of human error and with human reliability assessment. Less has been published on human factors contributions to understanding and managing project, business, engineering and other forms of risk and still less jointly assessing risk to do with broad issues of 'safety' and broad issues of 'production' or 'performance'. This paper contains a general commentary on human factors and assessment of risk of various kinds, in the context of the aims of ergonomics and concerns about being too risk averse. The paper then describes a specific project, in rail engineering, where the notion of a human factors case has been employed to analyse engineering functions and related human factors issues. A human factors issues register for potential system disturbances has been developed, prior to a human factors risk assessment, which jointly covers safety and production (engineering delivery) concerns. The paper concludes with a commentary on the potential relevance of a resilience engineering perspective to understanding rail engineering systems risk. Design, planning and management of complex systems will increasingly have to address the issue of making trade-offs between safety and production, and ergonomics should be central to this. The paper addresses the relevant issues and does so in an under-published domain - rail systems engineering work.

Knowledge production status of Iranian researchers in the gastric cancer area: based on the medline database.

PubMed

Ghojazadeh, Morteza; Naghavi-Behzad, Mohammad; Nasrolah-Zadeh, Raheleh; Bayat-Khajeh, Parvaneh; Piri, Reza; Mirnia, Keyvan; Azami-Aghdash, Saber

2014-01-01

Scientometrics is a useful method for management of financial and human resources and has been applied many times in medical sciences during recent years. The aim of this study was to investigate the status of science production by Iranian scientists in the gastric cancer field based on the Medline database. In this descriptive-cross sectional study Iranian science production concerning gastric cancer during 2000-2011 was investigated based on Medline. After two stages of searching, 121 articles were found, then we reviewed publication date, authors names, journal title, impact factor (IF), and cooperation coefficient between researchers. SPSS.19 was used for statistical analysis. There was a significant increase in published articles about gastric cancer by Iranian researchers in Medline database during 2006-2011. Mean cooperation coefficient between researchers was 6.14±3.29 person per article. Articles of this field were published in 19 countries and 56 journals. Those basex in Thailand, England, and America had the most published Iranian articles. Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Mohammadreza Zali had the most outstanding role in publishing scientific articles. According to results of this study, improving cooperation of researchers in conducting research and scientometric studies about other fields may have an important role in increasing both quality and quantity of published studies.

Convergent integration of animal model and human studies of bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness).

PubMed

Le-Niculescu, Helen; Patel, Sagar D; Niculescu, Alexander B

2010-10-01

Animal models and human studies of bipolar disorder and other psychiatric disorders are becoming increasingly integrated, prompted by recent successes. Particularly for genomics, the convergence and integration of data across species, experimental modalities and technical platforms is providing a fit-to-disease way of extracting reproducible and biologically important signal, in sharp contrast to the fit-to-cohort effect, disappointing findings to date, and limited reproducibility of human genetic analyses alone. Such work in psychiatry can provide an example of how to address other genetically complex disorders, and in turn will benefit by incorporating concepts from other areas, such as cancer biology and diabetes. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A systematic review on human exposure to organophosphorus pesticides in Iran.

PubMed

Shadboorestan, Amir; Vardanjani, Hossein Molavi; Abdollahi, Mohammad; Goharbari, Mohammad Hadi; Khanjani, Narges

2016-07-02

Human exposure to organophosphorus (OP) pesticides is a serious health challenge. We conducted a systematic review by searching international and national databases for published literature on any human exposure to OPs in Iran from 1990 to March 2015. Qualified papers were in two categories including studies in which biomarkers of exposure were assessed (n = 13; total no. of subjects = 759) and studies that had reported prevalence of OPs-induced poisoning (OPP) and mortality (n = 26; total no. of subjects = 5428). The mean level of activity of acetyl-cholinesterase and butyryl-cholinesterase were 68.65% and 74.2%, respectively. Overall proportion (%) of OPP was estimated (16; 95% CI, 14 to 19).

The high-affinity receptor for IgG, FcγRI, of humans and non-human primates.

PubMed

Chenoweth, Alicia M; Trist, Halina M; Tan, Peck-Szee; Wines, Bruce D; Hogarth, P Mark

2015-11-01

Non-human primate (NHP) models, especially involving macaques, are considered important models of human immunity and have been essential in preclinical testing for vaccines and therapeutics. Despite this, much less characterization of macaque Fc receptors has occurred compared to humans or mice. Much of the characterization of macaque Fc receptors so far has focused on the low-affinity Fc receptors, particularly FcγRIIIa. From these studies, it is clear that there are distinct differences between the human and macaque low-affinity receptors and their interaction with human IgG. Relatively little work has been performed on the high-affinity IgG receptor, FcγRI, especially in NHPs. This review will focus on what is currently known of how FcγRI interacts with IgG, from mutation studies and recent crystallographic studies of human FcγRI, and how amino acid sequence differences in the macaque FcγRI may affect this interaction. Additionally, this review will look at the functional consequences of differences in the amino acid sequences between humans and macaques. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Development of a Publicly Available, Comprehensive Database of Fiber and Health Outcomes: Rationale and Methods

PubMed Central

Livingston, Kara A.; Chung, Mei; Sawicki, Caleigh M.; Lyle, Barbara J.; Wang, Ding Ding; Roberts, Susan B.; McKeown, Nicola M.

2016-01-01

Background Dietary fiber is a broad category of compounds historically defined as partially or completely indigestible plant-based carbohydrates and lignin with, more recently, the additional criteria that fibers incorporated into foods as additives should demonstrate functional human health outcomes to receive a fiber classification. Thousands of research studies have been published examining fibers and health outcomes. Objectives (1) Develop a database listing studies testing fiber and physiological health outcomes identified by experts at the Ninth Vahouny Conference; (2) Use evidence mapping methodology to summarize this body of literature. This paper summarizes the rationale, methodology, and resulting database. The database will help both scientists and policy-makers to evaluate evidence linking specific fibers with physiological health outcomes, and identify missing information. Methods To build this database, we conducted a systematic literature search for human intervention studies published in English from 1946 to May 2015. Our search strategy included a broad definition of fiber search terms, as well as search terms for nine physiological health outcomes identified at the Ninth Vahouny Fiber Symposium. Abstracts were screened using a priori defined eligibility criteria and a low threshold for inclusion to minimize the likelihood of rejecting articles of interest. Publications then were reviewed in full text, applying additional a priori defined exclusion criteria. The database was built and published on the Systematic Review Data Repository (SRDR™), a web-based, publicly available application. Conclusions A fiber database was created. This resource will reduce the unnecessary replication of effort in conducting systematic reviews by serving as both a central database archiving PICO (population, intervention, comparator, outcome) data on published studies and as a searchable tool through which this data can be extracted and updated. PMID:27348733

Safety of the HPV Bivalent and Quadrivalent Vaccines During Pregnancy.

PubMed

Forinash, Alicia B; Yancey, Abigail M; Pitlick, Jamie M; Myles, Thomas D

2011-02-01

To evaluate the safety of the human papillomavirus (HPV) bivalent and quadrivalent vaccines in pregnancy. PubMed (1966-August 2010) was searched using the terms human papillomavirus, human papillomavirus vaccine, and pregnancy. References were reviewed for relevant information. All studies including humans that were published in English with data describing HPV vaccine administration in pregnancy were evaluated. Two combined analyses of 7 Phase 3 efficacy trials have retrospectively evaluated the safety of unintentional administration of either the bivalent (n = 1786) or quadrivalent (n = 2085) HPV vaccine during pregnancy. In addition, postmarketing pregnancy registry surveillance data (prospective, n = 787; retrospective, n = 76) for the quadrivalent HPV vaccine have been published. However, only 279 pregnancies from the studies and 90 pregnancies from the registry occurred within 30 days of receiving the vaccination. Overall, the vaccine does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion, fetal malformations, or adverse pregnancy outcomes beyond that found in the general population. Although the data are limited, neither HPV vaccine appears to be associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, limitations of the data include small patient populations, minimal to no adjustments for factors known to influence pregnancy outcomes or malformations, and the majority of the available pregnancy data are from retrospective analysis of Phase 3 efficacy trials. Neither HPV vaccine should be routinely administered during pregnancy. If a pregnancy occurs midseries, the remaining vaccines should be given after pregnancy completion. Further studies are required to determine actual risk. © 2011 SAGE Publications.

Effects of exposure to oil spills on human health: Updated review.

PubMed

Laffon, Blanca; Pásaro, Eduardo; Valdiglesias, Vanessa

2016-01-01

Oil spills may involve health risks for people participating in the cleanup operations and coastal inhabitants, given the toxicological properties of the oil components. In spite of this, only after a few major oil spills (crude oil or fuel oil no. 6) have studies on effects of exposure to diverse aspects of human health been performed. Previously, Aguilera et al. (2010) examined all documents published to that date dealing with any type of human health outcome in populations exposed to oil spills. The aim of the present review was to compile all new information available and determine whether evidence reported supports the existence of an association between exposure and adverse human health risks. Studies were classified in three groups according to type of health outcome addressed: (i) effects on mental health, (ii) physical/physiological effects, and (iii) genotoxic, immunotoxic, and endocrine toxicity. New studies published on oil-spill-exposed populations-coastal residents in the vicinity of the spills or participants in cleanup operations-provide additional support to previous evidence on adverse health effects related to exposure regarding different parameters in all three categories considered. Some of the observed effects even indicated that several symptoms may persist for some years after exposure. Hence, (1) health protection in these individuals should be a matter of concern; and (2) health risk assessment needs to be carried out not only at the time of exposure but also for prolong periods following exposure, to enable early detection of any potential exposure-related harmful effects.

Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus strains involved in human and bovine mastitis.

PubMed

Delgado, Susana; García, Pilar; Fernández, Leonides; Jiménez, Esther; Rodríguez-Baños, Mercedes; del Campo, Rosa; Rodríguez, Juan M

2011-07-01

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the main etiological agents of mastitis in different mammalian species. At present, it is unknown whether strains isolated from human mastitis cases share phenotypic properties and genetic background with those obtained from animal mastitis cases. Therefore, the objective of this study was to characterize S. aureus strains isolated from women with lactational mastitis and to compare them with the strains responsible for bovine mastitis and noninfectious strains. All the strains were genotyped by both pulsed field gel electrophoresis and multilocus sequence typing and submitted to a characterization scheme that included diverse assays related to pathogenic potential and antibiotic resistance. Apart from siderophore production, no significant association was observed between the strains from bovine and human mastitis. Statistical differences between human- and bovine-mastitis-associated strains were detected for some traits and virulence determinants, such as the presence of prophages and cna and hlb genes, which were more frequently found within the bovine group. On the contrary, resistance to penicillin was significantly higher among strains isolated from human lactational mastitis, probably related to the common presence of the blaZ gene. A high genetic diversity was found among the strains involved in mastitis in breastfeeding women. © 2011 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human health risk assessment of triclosan in land-applied biosolids.

PubMed

Verslycke, Tim; Mayfield, David B; Tabony, Jade A; Capdevielle, Marie; Slezak, Brian

2016-09-01

Triclosan (5-chloro-2-[2,4-dichlorophenoxy]-phenol) is an antimicrobial agent found in a variety of pharmaceutical and personal care products. Numerous studies have examined the occurrence and environmental fate of triclosan in wastewater, biosolids, biosolids-amended soils, and plants and organisms exposed to biosolid-amended soils. Triclosan has a propensity to adhere to organic carbon in biosolids and biosolid-amended soils. Land application of biosolids containing triclosan has the potential to contribute to multiple direct and indirect human health exposure pathways. To estimate exposures and human health risks from biosolid-borne triclosan, a risk assessment was conducted in general accordance with the methodology incorporated into the US Environmental Protection Agency's Part 503 biosolids rule. Human health exposures to biosolid-borne triclosan were estimated on the basis of published empirical data or modeled using upper-end environmental partitioning estimates. Similarly, a range of published triclosan human health toxicity values was evaluated. Margins of safety were estimated for 10 direct and indirect exposure pathways, both individually and combined. The present risk assessment found large margins of safety (>1000 to >100 000) for potential exposures to all pathways, even under the most conservative exposure and toxicity assumptions considered. The human health exposures and risks from biosolid-borne triclosan are concluded to be de minimis. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2358-2367. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

The Oligopoly of Academic Publishers in the Digital Era.

PubMed

Larivière, Vincent; Haustein, Stefanie; Mongeon, Philippe

2015-01-01

The consolidation of the scientific publishing industry has been the topic of much debate within and outside the scientific community, especially in relation to major publishers' high profit margins. However, the share of scientific output published in the journals of these major publishers, as well as its evolution over time and across various disciplines, has not yet been analyzed. This paper provides such analysis, based on 45 million documents indexed in the Web of Science over the period 1973-2013. It shows that in both natural and medical sciences (NMS) and social sciences and humanities (SSH), Reed-Elsevier, Wiley-Blackwell, Springer, and Taylor & Francis increased their share of the published output, especially since the advent of the digital era (mid-1990s). Combined, the top five most prolific publishers account for more than 50% of all papers published in 2013. Disciplines of the social sciences have the highest level of concentration (70% of papers from the top five publishers), while the humanities have remained relatively independent (20% from top five publishers). NMS disciplines are in between, mainly because of the strength of their scientific societies, such as the ACS in chemistry or APS in physics. The paper also examines the migration of journals between small and big publishing houses and explores the effect of publisher change on citation impact. It concludes with a discussion on the economics of scholarly publishing.

The use of nonhuman primates in research on seasonal, pandemic and avian influenza, 1893–2014

PubMed Central

Davis, A. Sally; Taubenberger, Jeffery K.; Bray, Mike

2015-01-01

Attempts to reproduce the features of human influenza in laboratory animals date from the early 1890s, when Richard Pfeiffer inoculated apes with bacteria recovered from influenza patients and produced a mild respiratory illness. Numerous studies employing nonhuman primates (NHPs) were performed during the 1918 pandemic and the following decade. Most used bacterial preparations to infect animals, but some sought a filterable agent for the disease. Since the viral etiology of influenza was established in the early 1930s, studies in NHPs have been supplemented by a much larger number of experiments in mice, ferrets and human volunteers. However, the emergence of a novel swine-origin H1N1 influenza virus in 1976 and the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus in 1997 stimulated an increase in NHP research, because these agents are difficult to study in naturally infected patients and cannot be administered to human volunteers. In this paper, we review the published literature on the use of NHPs in influenza research from 1893 through the end of 2014. The first section summarizes observational studies of naturally occurring influenza-like syndromes in wild and captive primates, including serologic investigations. The second provides a chronological account of experimental infections of NHPs, beginning with Pfeiffer’s study and covering all published research on seasonal and pandemic influenza viruses, including vaccine and antiviral drug testing. The third section reviews experimental infections of NHPs with avian influenza viruses that have caused disease in humans since 1997. The paper concludes with suggestions for further studies to more clearly define and optimize the role of NHPs as experimental animals for influenza research. PMID:25746173

Early Life Metabolism of Bisphenol A: A Systematic Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Nachman, Rebecca M.; Hartle, Jennifer C.; Lees, Peter S. J.; Groopman, John D.

2014-01-01

When a comprehensive report on BPA was published in 2008, few data were available to assess the extent to which known poor glucuronidation capacity impacts BPA internal dose in infants and young children. In this paper, evidence that has emerged since the 2008 report is summarized, including: 1) human biomarker studies in children aged 0–5 years; 2) animal studies of neonatal toxicokinetics; and 3) physically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models. To address limitations in these studies, we recommend more human biomonitoring studies in children aged 0–5 years in which unmetabolized (free) BPA and BPA metabolites are separately quantified and detailed quality-control data are reported, investigation of metabolic differences between humans and animal species used for the study of BPA metabolism, and enzyme ontogeny studies, which along with biomonitoring studies would reduce uncertainty in PBPK models of early-life BPA metabolism. PMID:25838989

Toxicology of microcystins with reference to cases of human intoxications and epidemiological investigations of exposures to cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins.

PubMed

Svirčev, Zorica; Drobac, Damjana; Tokodi, Nada; Mijović, Biljana; Codd, Geoffrey A; Meriluoto, Jussi

2017-02-01

Blooms of cyanobacteria have been documented throughout history, all over the world. Mass populations of these organisms typically present hazards to human health and are known for the production of a wide range of highly toxic metabolites-cyanotoxins, of which among the most common and most investigated are the microcystins. The toxicity of the family of microcystin congeners to animal and cell models has received much attention; however, less is known about their negative effects on human health, whether via acute or chronic exposure. Useful information may be acquired through epidemiological studies since they can contribute to knowledge of the relationships between cyanotoxins and human health in environmental settings. The aim of this review is to compile and evaluate the available published reports and epidemiological investigations of human health incidents associated with exposure to mass populations of cyanobacteria from throughout the world and to identify the occurrence and likely role of microcystins in these events. After an initial screening of 134 publications, 42 publications (25 on the chronic and 17 on the acute effects of cyanotoxins) describing 33 cases of poisonings by cyanobacterial toxins in 11 countries were reviewed. The countries were Australia, China, Sri Lanka, Namibia, Serbia, Sweden, UK, Portugal, Brazil, USA, and Canada. At least 36 publications link cyanobacteria/cyanotoxins including microcystins to adverse human health effects. The studies were published between 1960 and 2016. Although the scattered epidemiological evidence does not provide a definitive conclusion, it can serve as additional information for the medical assessment of the role of microcystins in cancer development and other human health problems. This paper discusses the major cases of cyanotoxin poisonings as well as the strengths, weaknesses, and importance of the performed epidemiological research. This study also proposes some recommendations for future epidemiological work.

Acknowledging tissue donation: Human cadaveric specimens in musculoskeletal research.

PubMed

Winkelmann, Andreas; Heinze, Anne-Kathrin; Hendrix, Sven

2016-01-01

Human cadaveric specimens are an important resource for research, particularly in biomechanical studies, but their use also raises ethical questions and cannot simply be taken for granted. It was asked how much information authors publishing musculoskeletal research actually give about such specimens and about how they were acquired. The aim was to formulate recommendations on how this reporting might be improved. Relevant articles published between 2009 and 2012 in four North American or European journals were scanned for information regarding the characteristics of the human specimens used, their institutional source and the ethical or legal context of their acquisition. While the majority of articles report biological characteristics of specimens (sex, age at death, preservation method), only 40% of articles refer to body donation, only 23% report the institution that provided specimens, and only 17% refer to some kind of formalized approval of their research. There were regional and journal-to-journal differences. No standard for reporting studies involving human specimens could be detected. It is suggested that such a standard be developed by researchers and editors. Information on the source of specimens and on the ethical or legal basis should be regularly reported to acknowledge this unique research resource and to preserve the good relationship between researchers and the communities, that provide the required specimens by body donation and upon which researchers depend. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Contending Claims to Causality: A Critical Review of Mediation Research in HRD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghosh, Rajashi; Jacobson, Seth

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to conduct a critical review of the mediation studies published in the field of Human Resource Development (HRD) to discern if the study designs, the nature of data collection and the choice of statistical methods justify the causal claims made in those studies. Design/methodology/approach: This paper conducts…

The effect of cryopreservation on the genome of gametes and embryos: principles of cryobiology and critical appraisal of the evidence.

PubMed

Kopeika, Julia; Thornhill, Alan; Khalaf, Yacoub

2015-01-01

Cryopreservation has been extensively used in assisted reproductive technology, agriculture and conservation programmes for endangered species. The literature reports largely positive results regarding the survival of frozen-thawed cells and clinical outcomes. Nonetheless, it is unclear whether or not cryopreservation of sperm, oocytes and embryos causes any disruption in their genetic integrity. Drawing on the available published evidence, this review paper describes in detail the physical and biochemical factors of cryopreservation that could potentially affect genomic integrity. A critical review of the published literature using PubMed with particular emphasis on studies which include assessment of genetic stability after cryopreservation of oocyte, sperm and embryos. The search was performed in 2014 and covered the period from the beginning of electronic records until July 2014. No language restrictions were applied. Cryopreservation is associated with extensive damage to cell membranes, and results in alteration of the functional and metabolic status of the cells and mitochondria. Some evidence suggests an increase in DNA single-strand breaks, and degree of DNA condensation or fragmentation in sperm after cryopreservation. The extent of these changes may vary between different individuals and different techniques. The addition of antioxidants to the cryopreservation media and the use of well-controlled cooling regimes could potentially improve such outcomes. Limited numbers of studies on oocytes provide controversial results regarding the effect on DNA fragmentation, sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and aneuploidy. The only study on human embryos suggested that vitrification affects DNA integrity to a much lesser extent than slow freezing. Animal studies show increases in mitochondrial DNA mutations in embryos after cryopreservation. The limited numbers of long-term follow-up studies in humans provide reassurance that derives mostly from retrospective studies with some methodological weaknesses. This review provides an overview of studies performed to date on the effect of cryopreservation on the oocyte, sperm and embryos. Controversy of the reported data has highlighted the gaps in our knowledge not only for clinical studies, but also for basic research in human embryos. New perspectives for future research are proposed. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[News items on human papillomavirus and its vaccine in the Valencian press (2006-2011)].

PubMed

Tuells, José; Duro Torrijos, José Luis; Chilet Rosell, Elisa; Pastor Villalba, Eliseo; Portero Alonso, Antonio; Navarro Ortiz, Carmen; Galiana de la Villa, Eva María

2013-01-01

The process of introducing the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine aimed at teenage girls has not been entirely without controversy in Spain. This vaccine was originally hyped as a preventive measure in the fight against cervical cancer but the resulting euphoria was tempered by a message calling for evidence. During administration of the second dose of the vaccine in February 2009, an unexpected turn of events attracted vast media coverage when two teenagers experienced adverse effects after immunization in Valencia (Spain). This study analyzes the scope and content of news items on HPV, immunization and cervical cancer published between 2006 and 2011 in two widely disseminated regional newspapers in Valencia. We also discuss the extent to which the messages transmitted may have influenced acceptability of the vaccine. Copyright © 2012 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Studying Sex: A Content Analysis of Sexuality Research in Counseling Psychology

PubMed Central

Crowell, Candice; Mosley, Della V.; Stevens-Watkins, Danelle

2016-01-01

Using a sex positive framework, the authors conducted a 61-year (1954–2015) content analysis of sexuality research in the flagship counseling psychology journals, the Journal of Counseling Psychology and The Counseling Psychologist. Given counseling psychology’s core strengths- and multiculturalism-related values, this study aimed to uncover which human sexuality topics were published most, whether publications aligned with a sex positive, neutral, or negative discourse, what methodologies were used, and differences in how populations were investigated across race. Researchers used an integrative approach to content analysis and human coding (Neuendorf, 2011). Results highlighted that out of 188 articles meeting criteria, a slight majority (38.05%) focused on sexual orientation, identity, and minorities topics. Only 4.78% utilized a sex-positive perspective. Quantitative and conceptual pieces were most published, and publications disproportionately focused on primarily White populations. When people of color were included, the discourse was sex negative. Implications for research and practice are discussed. PMID:28867823

Human Factor Studies on a Mars Analogue During Crew 100b International Lunar Exploration Working Group EuroMoonMars Crew: Proposed New Approaches for Future Human Space and Interplanetary Missions.

PubMed

Rai, Balwant; Kaur, Jasdeep

2012-11-01

Knowing the risks, costs, and complexities associated with human missions to Mars, analogue research can be a great (low-risk) tool for exploring the challenges associated with the preparation for living, operating, and undertaking research in interplanetary missions. Short-duration analogue studies, such as those being accomplished at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), offer the chance to study mission operations and human factors in a simulated environment, and therefore contribute to exploration of the Moon and Mars in planned future missions. This article is based upon previously published articles, abstracts, and presentations by a series of independent authors, human factor studies performed on mars analogue station by Crew 100B. The MDRS Crew 100B performed studies over 15 days providing a unique insight into human factor issues in simulated short-duration Mars mission. In this study, 15 human factors were evaluated and analyzed by subjective and objective means, and from the summary of results it was concluded that optimum health of an individual and the crew as a whole is a necessity in order to encourage and maintain high performance and the satisfaction of project goals.

Human Factor Studies on a Mars Analogue During Crew 100b International Lunar Exploration Working Group EuroMoonMars Crew: Proposed New Approaches for Future Human Space and Interplanetary Missions

PubMed Central

Rai, Balwant; Kaur, Jasdeep

2012-01-01

Knowing the risks, costs, and complexities associated with human missions to Mars, analogue research can be a great (low-risk) tool for exploring the challenges associated with the preparation for living, operating, and undertaking research in interplanetary missions. Short-duration analogue studies, such as those being accomplished at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), offer the chance to study mission operations and human factors in a simulated environment, and therefore contribute to exploration of the Moon and Mars in planned future missions. This article is based upon previously published articles, abstracts, and presentations by a series of independent authors, human factor studies performed on mars analogue station by Crew 100B. The MDRS Crew 100B performed studies over 15 days providing a unique insight into human factor issues in simulated short-duration Mars mission. In this study, 15 human factors were evaluated and analyzed by subjective and objective means, and from the summary of results it was concluded that optimum health of an individual and the crew as a whole is a necessity in order to encourage and maintain high performance and the satisfaction of project goals. PMID:23181225

Epigenetic alterations induced by genotoxic occupational and environmental human chemical carcinogens: A systematic literature review

PubMed Central

Chappell, Grace; Pogribny, Igor P.; Guyton, Kathryn Z.; Rusyn, Ivan

2016-01-01

Accumulating evidence suggests that epigenetic alterations play an important role in chemically-induced carcinogenesis. Although the epigenome and genome may be equally important in carcinogenicity, the genotoxicity of chemical agents and exposure-related transcriptomic responses have been more thoroughly studied and characterized. To better understand the evidence for epigenetic alterations of human carcinogens, and the potential association with genotoxic endpoints, we conducted a systematic review of published studies of genotoxic carcinogens that reported epigenetic endpoints. Specifically, we searched for publications reporting epigenetic effects for the 28 agents and occupations included in Monograph Volume 100F of the International Agency for the Research on Cancer (IARC) that were classified as “carcinogenic to humans” (Group 1) with strong evidence of genotoxic mechanisms of carcinogenesis. We identified a total of 158 studies that evaluated epigenetic alterations for 12 of these 28 carcinogenic agents and occupations (1,3-butadiene, 4-aminobiphenyl, aflatoxins, benzene, benzidine, benzo[a]pyrene, coke production, formaldehyde, occupational exposure as a painter, sulfur mustard, and vinyl chloride). Aberrant DNA methylation was most commonly studied, followed by altered expression of non-coding RNAs and histone changes (totaling 85, 59 and 25 studies, respectively). For 3 carcinogens (aflatoxins, benzene and benzo[a]pyrene), 10 or more studies reported epigenetic effects. However, epigenetic studies were sparse for the remaining 9 carcinogens; for 4 agents, only 1 or 2 published reports were identified. While further research is needed to better identify carcinogenesis-associated epigenetic perturbations for many potential carcinogens, published reports on specific epigenetic endpoints can be systematically identified and increasingly incorporated in cancer hazard assessments. PMID:27234561

Alloimmune Responses of Humanized Mice to Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapeutics.

PubMed

Kooreman, Nigel G; de Almeida, Patricia E; Stack, Jonathan P; Nelakanti, Raman V; Diecke, Sebastian; Shao, Ning-Yi; Swijnenburg, Rutger-Jan; Sanchez-Freire, Veronica; Matsa, Elena; Liu, Chun; Connolly, Andrew J; Hamming, Jaap F; Quax, Paul H A; Brehm, Michael A; Greiner, Dale L; Shultz, Leonard D; Wu, Joseph C

2017-08-22

There is growing interest in using embryonic stem cell (ESC) and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) derivatives for tissue regeneration. However, an increased understanding of human immune responses to stem cell-derived allografts is necessary for maintaining long-term graft persistence. To model this alloimmunity, humanized mice engrafted with human hematopoietic and immune cells could prove to be useful. In this study, an in-depth analysis of graft-infiltrating human lymphocytes and splenocytes revealed that humanized mice incompletely model human immune responses toward allogeneic stem cells and their derivatives. Furthermore, using an "allogenized" mouse model, we show the feasibility of reconstituting immunodeficient mice with a functional mouse immune system and describe a key role of innate immune cells in the rejection of mouse stem cell allografts. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Novel transcriptional networks regulated by CLOCK in human neurons.

PubMed

Fontenot, Miles R; Berto, Stefano; Liu, Yuxiang; Werthmann, Gordon; Douglas, Connor; Usui, Noriyoshi; Gleason, Kelly; Tamminga, Carol A; Takahashi, Joseph S; Konopka, Genevieve

2017-11-01

The molecular mechanisms underlying human brain evolution are not fully understood; however, previous work suggested that expression of the transcription factor CLOCK in the human cortex might be relevant to human cognition and disease. In this study, we investigated this novel transcriptional role for CLOCK in human neurons by performing chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing for endogenous CLOCK in adult neocortices and RNA sequencing following CLOCK knockdown in differentiated human neurons in vitro. These data suggested that CLOCK regulates the expression of genes involved in neuronal migration, and a functional assay showed that CLOCK knockdown increased neuronal migratory distance. Furthermore, dysregulation of CLOCK disrupts coexpressed networks of genes implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders, and the expression of these networks is driven by hub genes with human-specific patterns of expression. These data support a role for CLOCK-regulated transcriptional cascades involved in human brain evolution and function. © 2017 Fontenot et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

The contribution of human/non-human animal chimeras to stem cell research.

PubMed

Levine, Sonya; Grabel, Laura

2017-10-01

Chimeric animals are made up of cells from two separate zygotes. Human/non-human animal chimeras have been used for a number of research purposes, including human disease modeling. Pluripotent stem cell (PSC) research has relied upon the chimera approach to examine the developmental potential of stem cells, to determine the efficacy of cell replacement therapies, and to establish a means of producing human organs. Based on ethical issues, this work has faced pushback from various sources including funding agencies. We discuss here the essential role these studies have played, from gaining a better understanding of human biology to providing a stepping stone to human disease treatments. We also consider the major ethical issues, as well as the current status of support for this work in the United States. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chromium VI and stomach cancer: a meta-analysis of the current epidemiological evidence.

PubMed

Welling, Roberta; Beaumont, James J; Petersen, Scott J; Alexeeff, George V; Steinmaus, Craig

2015-02-01

Chromium VI (hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI)) is an established cause of lung cancer, but its association with gastrointestinal cancer is less clear. The goal of this study was to examine whether the current human epidemiological research on occupationally inhaled Cr(VI) supports the hypothesis that Cr(VI) is associated with human stomach cancer. Following a thorough literature search and review of individual studies, we used meta-analysis to summarise the current epidemiological literature on inhaled Cr(VI) and stomach cancer, explore major sources of heterogeneity, and assess other elements of causal inference. We identified 56 cohort and case-control studies and 74 individual relative risk (RR) estimates on stomach cancer and Cr(VI) exposure or work in an occupation associated with high Cr(VI) exposure including chromium production, chrome plating, leather work and work with Portland cement. The summary RR for all studies combined was 1.27 (95% CI 1.18 to 1.38). In analyses limited to only those studies identifying increased risks of lung cancer, the summary RR for stomach cancer was higher (RR=1.41, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.69). Overall, these results suggest that Cr(VI) is a stomach carcinogen in humans, which is consistent with the tumour results reported in rodent studies. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Human-Machine Teams: The Social Frontier

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

Trust & Interaction Branch December 2015 Interim Report Distribution A. Approved for public release AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY 711TH HUMAN...711th Human Performance Wing Air Force Research Laboratory This report is published in the interest of scientific and technical information exchange... Research Laboratory 711th Human Performance Wing Human Effectiveness Directorate Human Centered ISR Division Human Trust & Interaction Branch Wright

Inactivation of Zika virus in human breast milk by prolonged storage or pasteurization.

PubMed

Pfaender, Stephanie; Vielle, Nathalie J; Ebert, Nadine; Steinmann, Eike; Alves, Marco P; Thiel, Volker

2017-01-15

Zika virus infection during pregnancy poses a serious risk for pregnant women as it can cause severe birth defects. Even though the virus is mainly transmitted via mosquitos, human-to-human transmission has been described. Infectious viral particles have been detected in breast milk of infected women which raised concerns regarding the safety of breastfeeding in areas of Zika virus transmission or in case of a suspected or confirmed Zika virus infection. In this study, we show that Zika virus is effectively inactivated in human breast milk after prolonged storage or upon pasteurization of milk. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of the biotin content of select foods using accurate and sensitive HPLC/avidin binding

PubMed Central

Staggs, C.G.; Sealey, W.M.; McCabe, B.J.; Teague, A.M.; Mock, D.M.

2006-01-01

Assessing dietary biotin content, biotin bioavailability, and resulting biotin status are crucial in determining whether biotin deficiency is teratogenic in humans. Accuracy in estimating dietary biotin is limited both by data gaps in food composition tables and by inaccuracies in published data. The present study applied sensitive and specific analytical techniques to determine values for biotin content in a select group of foods. Total biotin content of 87 foods was determined using acid hydrolysis and the HPLC/avidin-binding assay. These values are consistent with published values in that meat, fish, poultry, egg, dairy, and some vegetables are relatively rich sources of biotin. However, these biotin values disagreed substantially with published values for many foods. Assay values varied between 247 times greater than published values for a given food to as much as 36% less than the published biotin value. Among 51 foods assayed for which published values were available, only seven agreed within analytical variability (720%). We conclude that published values for biotin content of foods are likely to be inaccurate. PMID:16648879

Newspaper coverage of human-pig chimera research: A qualitative study on select media coverage of scientific breakthrough.

PubMed

Hagan-Brown, Abena; Favaretto, Maddalena; Borry, Pascal

2017-07-01

A recently published article in the journal Cell by scientists from the Salk Institute highlighted the successful integration of stem cells from humans in pig embryos. This marks the first step toward the goal of growing human organs in animals for transplantation. There has, to date, been no research performed on the presentation of this breakthrough in the media. We thus assessed early newspaper coverage of the chimera study, looking into the descriptions as well as the benefits and concerns raised by the study mentioned by newspaper sources. We looked at newspaper coverage of the human-pig chimera study in the two weeks after the publication of the article describing the breakthrough in Cell. This time period spanned from January 26 to February 9, 2017. We used the LexisNexis Academic database and identified articles using the search string "hybrid OR chimera AND pig OR human OR embryo." The relevant articles were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Two researchers openly coded the articles independently using themes that emerged from the raw texts. Our search yielded 31 unique articles, after extensive screening for relevance and duplicates. Through our analysis, we were able to identify several themes in a majority of the texts. Almost every article gave descriptive information about the chimera experiment with details about the study findings. All of the articles mentioned the benefits of the study, citing both immediate- and long-term goals, which included creating transplantable human organs, disease and drug development, and personalized medicine, among others. Some of the articles highlighted some ethical, social, and health concerns that the study and its future implications pose. Many of the articles also offered reassurances over the concerns brought up by the experiment. Our results appeared to align with similar research performed on the media representation of sensitive scientific news coverage. We also explored the inconsistency between the tone of the titles and the articles that followed. However, it is still too early to speculate what impact the media will play in the public perception of this particular research. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Pharmacokinetic modeling: Prediction and evaluation of route dependent dosimetry of bisphenol A in monkeys with extrapolation to humans

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fisher, Jeffrey W., E-mail: jeffrey.fisher@fda.hhs.gov; Twaddle, Nathan C.; Vanlandingham, Michelle

A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was developed for bisphenol A (BPA) in adult rhesus monkeys using intravenous (iv) and oral bolus doses of 100 {mu}g d6-BPA/kg (). This calibrated PBPK adult monkey model for BPA was then evaluated against published monkey kinetic studies with BPA. Using two versions of the adult monkey model based on monkey BPA kinetic data from and , the aglycone BPA pharmacokinetics were simulated for human oral ingestion of 5 mg d16-BPA per person (Voelkel et al., 2002). Voelkel et al. were unable to detect the aglycone BPA in plasma, but were able to detectmore » BPA metabolites. These human model predictions of the aglycone BPA in plasma were then compared to previously published PBPK model predictions obtained by simulating the Voelkel et al. kinetic study. Our BPA human model, using two parameter sets reflecting two adult monkey studies, both predicted lower aglycone levels in human serum than the previous human BPA PBPK model predictions. BPA was metabolized at all ages of monkey (PND 5 to adult) by the gut wall and liver. However, the hepatic metabolism of BPA and systemic clearance of its phase II metabolites appear to be slower in younger monkeys than adults. The use of the current non-human primate BPA model parameters provides more confidence in predicting the aglycone BPA in serum levels in humans after oral ingestion of BPA. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A bisphenol A (BPA) PBPK model for the infant and adult monkey was constructed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The hepatic metabolic rate of BPA increased with age of the monkey. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The systemic clearance rate of metabolites increased with age of the monkey. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Gut wall metabolism of orally administered BPA was substantial across all ages of monkeys. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Aglycone BPA plasma concentrations were predicted in humans orally given oral doses of deuterated BPA.« less

The Status of Intervention Research in HRD: Assessment of an Applied Discipline and Potential for Advancement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalis, Lindsay Elizabeth; Garza, Natalie M.; Chermack, Thomas J.; Dzirasa, Victor A.; Hutt, Mark J.

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the quantity, nature and frequency of intervention research published in Human Resource Development (HRD) journals. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology for this study was a literature review, analysis and synthesis with specific attention to locating intervention research in HRD journals.…

The Oligopoly of Academic Publishers in the Digital Era

PubMed Central

Larivière, Vincent; Haustein, Stefanie; Mongeon, Philippe

2015-01-01

The consolidation of the scientific publishing industry has been the topic of much debate within and outside the scientific community, especially in relation to major publishers’ high profit margins. However, the share of scientific output published in the journals of these major publishers, as well as its evolution over time and across various disciplines, has not yet been analyzed. This paper provides such analysis, based on 45 million documents indexed in the Web of Science over the period 1973-2013. It shows that in both natural and medical sciences (NMS) and social sciences and humanities (SSH), Reed-Elsevier, Wiley-Blackwell, Springer, and Taylor & Francis increased their share of the published output, especially since the advent of the digital era (mid-1990s). Combined, the top five most prolific publishers account for more than 50% of all papers published in 2013. Disciplines of the social sciences have the highest level of concentration (70% of papers from the top five publishers), while the humanities have remained relatively independent (20% from top five publishers). NMS disciplines are in between, mainly because of the strength of their scientific societies, such as the ACS in chemistry or APS in physics. The paper also examines the migration of journals between small and big publishing houses and explores the effect of publisher change on citation impact. It concludes with a discussion on the economics of scholarly publishing. PMID:26061978

The necessity of animal models in pain research.

PubMed

Mogil, Jeffrey S; Davis, Karen D; Derbyshire, Stuart W

2010-10-01

There exists currently a fair degree of introspection in the pain research community about the value of animal research. This review represents a defense of animal research in pain. We discuss the inherent advantage of animal models over human research as well as the crucial complementary roles animal studies play vis-à-vis human imaging and genetic studies. Finally, we discuss recent developments in animal models of pain that should improve the relevance and translatability of findings using laboratory animals. We believe that pain research using animal models is a continuing necessity-to understand fundamental mechanisms, identify new analgesic targets, and inform, guide and follow up human studies-if novel analgesics are to be developed for the treatment of chronic pain. Copyright © 2010 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

What Is the Methodologic Quality of Human Therapy Studies in ISI Surgical Publications?

PubMed Central

Manterola, Carlos; Pineda, Viviana; Vial, Manuel; Losada, Héctor

2006-01-01

Objective: To determine the methodologic quality of therapy articles about humans published in ISI surgical journals, and to explore the association between methodologic quality, origin, and subject matter. Summary Background Data: It is supposed that ISI journals contain the best methodologic articles. Methods: This is a bibliometric study. All journals listed in the 2002 ISI under the subject heading of “Surgery” were included. A simple randomized sampling was conducted for selected journals (Annals of Surgery, The American Surgeon, Archives of Surgery, British Journal of Surgery, European Journal of Surgery, Journal of the American College of Surgeons, Surgery, and World Journal of Surgery). Published articles related to therapy on humans of the selected journals were reviewed and analyzed. All kinds of clinical designs were considered, excluding editorials, review articles, letters to the editor, and experimental studies. The variables considered were: place of origin, design, and the methodologic quality of articles, which was determined by applying a valid and reliable scale. The review was performed interchangeably and independently by 2 research teams. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used. Statistical significance was defined as P values less than 1%. Results: A total of 653 articles were studied. Studies came predominantly from the United States and Europe (43.6% and 36.8%, respectively). The subject areas most frequently found were digestive and hepatobiliopancreatic surgery (29.1% and 24.5%, respectively). Average and median methodologic quality scores of the entire series were 11.6 ± 4.9 points and 11 points, respectively. The association between methodologic quality and journals was determined. Also, the association between methodologic quality and origin was observed, but no association with subject area was verified. Conclusions: The methodologic quality of therapy articles published in the journals analyzed is low; however, statistical significance was determined between them. Association was observed between methodologic quality and origin, but not with subject matter. PMID:17060778

Hormones in Dairy Foods and Their Impact on Public Health - A Narrative Review Article

PubMed Central

MALEKINEJAD, Hassan; REZABAKHSH, Aysa

2015-01-01

Background: The presence of hormones in milk and dairy foods was discussed decades ago but rather more concerns attended to that with respect to finding hormones as biomarkers in milk for diseases and pregnancy diagnosis. Moreover, considerable amount of studies demonstrated that existing of hormones in humans and animals milk are essential for infants growing and immunity. During the last couple of years, increasing body of evidence are indicating another property of hormones in dairy products as possible impact on human health including the role of some estrogens and insulin-like growth factor-1 in initiation and provoking of breast, prostate and endometrial tumours. Methods: Data was gathered from the published articles in database such as MEDLINE, science direct, Google scholar and web of science. We put no limitation on date of published date. Moreover, our own published and conducted methods and results also are presented. In this review we concentrated on several aspects of presence of hormones in dairy foods with especial emphasize on cow’s milk as a major source of consuming milk for humans especially for children. Results: The collected data from other researchers and our own data are indicating that the presence of steroid hormones in dairy products could be counted as an important risk factor for various cancers in humans. Conclusion: Our gathered data in this review paper may suggest more sophisticate analytical detection methods for oestrogens determination and also could be considered as a remarkable concern for consumers, producers and public health authorities. PMID:26258087

Effects of HIV-1 on Cognition in Humanized NSG Mice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akhter, Sidra Pervez

Host species specificity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) creates a challenge to study the pathology, diagnostic tools, and therapeutic agents. The closely related simian immunodeficiency virus and studies of neurocognitive impairments on transgenic animals expressing partial viral genome have significant limitations. The humanized mice model provides a small animal system in which a human immune system can be engrafted and immunopathobiology of HIV-1 infection can be studied. However, features of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) were not evaluated in this model. Open field activity test was selected to characterize behavior of original strain NOD/scid-IL-2Rgammac null (NSG) mice, effects of engraftment of human CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and functional human immune system (huNSG), and finally, investigate the behavior changes induced by chronic HIV-1 infection. Long-term infected HuNSG mice showed the loss of working memory and increased anxiety in the open field. Additionally, these animals were utilized for evaluation of central nervous system metabolic and structural changes. Detected behavioral abnormalities are correlated with obtained neuroimaging and histological abnormalities published.

Human Norovirus prevalence in Africa: a review of studies from 1990 to 2013.

PubMed

Kabue, Jean Pierre; Meader, Emma; Hunter, Paul R; Potgieter, Natasha

2016-01-01

To assess the contribution of Human Norovirus to diarrhoeal diseases in Africa. We conducted a systematic review of the PubMed and EMBASE databases for published articles of Human Norovirus in Africa between 1990 and 2013. Data were extracted from selected studies and analysed. A total of 208 eligible studies were identified, of which 55 (from 19 countries) met the inclusion criteria. Many cases were of sporadic gastroenteritis (70.9%) in children (82%), 65.4% of which were seen in an outpatient setting. Over half (59.4%) of the affected children were under 5 years of age. The pooled prevalence rate of Human NoV was 11% (95% CI 8-14%), and the meta-analysis indicated significant heterogeneity between the studies. However, the conditional negative binomial regression could not clearly find the factors affecting the Human NoV prevalence rates reported. A close relationship was found between Human Norovirus strains from environmental and clinical samples. Unreported sporadic gastroenteritis cases of Human Norovirus are common in Africa. Most are community-associated infections. Possible environmental transmission routes have been documented. Combined environmental and clinical studies are required for targeted actions to control transmission of Human Norovirus in Africa. Systematic surveillance of Human Norovirus is needed to measure the burden of Norovirus-induced gastroenteritis in Africa and support any requirements for vaccine development. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Nutritional modifications in male infertility: a systematic review covering 2 decades.

PubMed

Giahi, Ladan; Mohammadmoradi, Shayan; Javidan, Aida; Sadeghi, Mohammad Reza

2016-02-01

Studies suggest that appropriate nutritional modifications can improve the natural conception rate of infertile couples. The purpose of this study was to review the human trials that investigated the relation between nutrition and male infertility. A comprehensive systematic review of published human studies was carried out by searching scientific databases. Article selection was carried out in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The American Dietetic Association Research Design and Implementation Checklist was also used for quality assessment. A total of 502 articles were identified, of which 23 studies met the inclusion criteria. Results indicated that a healthy diet improves at least one measure of semen quality, while diets high in lipophilic foods, soy isoflavones, and sweets lower semen quality. The role of daily nutrient exposure and dietary quality needs to be highlighted in male infertility. Mechanistic studies addressing the responsible underlying mechanisms of action of dietary modifications are highly warranted. PROSPERO 2013: CRD42013005953. Available at: http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.asp?ID=CRD42013005953. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Health effects of intermittent fasting: hormesis or harm? A systematic review.

PubMed

Horne, Benjamin D; Muhlestein, Joseph B; Anderson, Jeffrey L

2015-08-01

Intermittent fasting, alternate-day fasting, and other forms of periodic caloric desistance are gaining popularity in the lay press and among animal research scientists. Whether clinical evidence exists for or is strong enough to support the use of such dietary regimens as health interventions is unclear. This review sought to identify rigorous, clinically relevant research studies that provide high-quality evidence that therapeutic fasting regimens are clinically beneficial to humans. A systematic review of the published literature through January 2015 was performed by using sensitive search strategies to identify randomized controlled clinical trials that evaluated the effects of fasting on either clinically relevant surrogate outcomes (e.g., weight, cholesterol) or actual clinical event endpoints [e.g., diabetes, coronary artery disease (CAD)] and any other studies that evaluated the effects of fasting on clinical event outcomes. Three randomized controlled clinical trials of fasting in humans were identified, and the results were published in 5 articles, all of which evaluated the effects of fasting on surrogate outcomes. Improvements in weight and other risk-related outcomes were found in the 3 trials. Two observational clinical outcomes studies in humans were found in which fasting was associated with a lower prevalence of CAD or diabetes diagnosis. No randomized controlled trials of fasting for clinical outcomes were identified. Clinical research studies of fasting with robust designs and high levels of clinical evidence are sparse in the literature. Whereas the few randomized controlled trials and observational clinical outcomes studies support the existence of a health benefit from fasting, substantial further research in humans is needed before the use of fasting as a health intervention can be recommended. © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

Bioactive peptides derived from human milk proteins--mechanisms of action.

PubMed

Wada, Yasuaki; Lönnerdal, Bo

2014-05-01

Human milk contains a multitude of bioactive proteins with very diverse functions, which are beneficial for the rapidly growing neonate. The large variety of bioactivities is accomplished by the combination of bioactive proteins per se and gastrointestinal release of bioactive peptides derived from them. The bioactivities exerted by these peptides include enhancement of mineral absorption, immunomodulation, opioid, antihypertensive and antimicrobial activities. Notably, several of the activities are not attributed to the parental proteins, but exclusively to released bioactive peptides. This article reviews studies on bioactive peptides derived from major human milk proteins, such as caseins, α-lactalbumin and lactoferrin, during gastrointestinal digestion. Studies of bovine milk counterparts are also cited as a comparison. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Human prosthetic joint infections are associated with myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs): Implications for infection persistence.

PubMed

Heim, Cortney E; Vidlak, Debbie; Odvody, Jessica; Hartman, Curtis W; Garvin, Kevin L; Kielian, Tammy

2017-11-15

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a devastating complication of joint arthroplasty surgery typified by biofilm formation. Currently, mechanisms whereby biofilms persist and evade immune-mediated clearance in immune competent patients remain largely ill-defined. Therefore, the current study characterized leukocyte infiltrates and inflammatory mediator expression in tissues from patients with PJI compared to aseptic loosening. CD33 + HLA-DR - CD66b + CD14 -/low granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (G-MDSCs) were the predominant leukocyte population at sites of human PJI compared to aseptic tissues. MDSCs inhibit T cell proliferation, which coincided with reduced T cells in PJIs compared to aseptic tissues. IL-10, IL-6, and CXCL1 were significantly elevated in PJI tissues and have been implicated in MDSC inhibitory activity, expansion, and recruitment, respectively, which may account for their preferential increase in PJIs. This bias towards G-MDSC accumulation during human PJI could account for the chronicity of these infections by preventing the pro-inflammatory, antimicrobial actions of immune effector cells. Animal models of PJI have revealed a critical role for MDSCs and IL-10 in promoting infection persistence; however, whether this population is prevalent during human PJI and across distinct bacterial pathogens remains unknown. This study has identified that granulocytic-MDSC infiltrates are unique to human PJIs caused by distinct bacteria, which are not associated with aseptic loosening of prosthetic joints. Better defining the immune status of human PJIs could lead to novel immune-mediated approaches to facilitate PJI clearance in combination with conventional antibiotics. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Wetlands as Sinks for Reactive Nitrogen at Continental and Global Scales: a Meta-Analysis

EPA Science Inventory

Wetlands perform physical and ecological functions that can result in valuable services to society and human well-being, including removal of reactive nitrogen (Nr) from surface water and groundwater. We compiled and analyzed published data from wetland studies worldwide to estim...

Cancell/Cantron/Protocel (PDQ®)—Health Professional Version

Cancer.gov

Cancell, Cantron, and Protocel have been promoted by its manufacturers as an effective therapy for cancer and other diseases. No animal or human study has been published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal to show safety or effectiveness in treating cancer. Learn more in this clinician summary.

BRAIN AND BLOOD TIN LEVELS IN A DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROTOXICITY STUDY OF DIBUTYLTIN.

EPA Science Inventory

Dibutyltin (DBT), a widely used plastic stabilizer, is detected in the environment and human tissues. While teratological and developmental effects are known, we could find no published report of DBT effects on the developing nervous system. As part of a developmental neurotoxi...

Where is smoking research published?

PubMed Central

Liguori, A.; Hughes, J. R.

1996-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To identify journals that have a focus on human nicotine/smoking research and to investigate the coverage of smoking in "high-impact" journals. DESIGN: The MEDLINE computer database was searched for English-language articles on human studies published in 1988-1992 using "nicotine", "smoking", "smoking cessation", "tobacco", or "tobacco use disorder" as focus descriptors. This search was supplemented with a similar search of the PSYCLIT computer database. Fifty-eight journals containing at least 20 nicotine/smoking articles over the five years were analysed for impact factor (IF; citations per article). RESULTS: Among the journals with the highest percentage of nicotine- or smoking-focused articles (that is, 9-39% of their articles were on nicotine/smoking), Addiction, American Journal of Public Health, Cancer Causes and Control, Health Psychology, and Preventive Medicine had the greatest IF (range = 1.3-2.6). Among the journals highest in impact factor (IF > 3), only American Journal of Epidemiology, American Review of Respiratory Disease, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, and Journal of the American Medical Association published more than 10 nicotine/smoking articles per year (3-5% of all articles). Of these, only Journal of the American Medical Association published a large number of nicotine/smoking articles (32 per year). CONCLUSIONS: Although smoking causes 20% of all mortality in developed countries, the topic is not adequately covered in high-impact journals. Most smoking research is published in low-impact journals. 




 PMID:8795857

Proceedings of the Symposium on the Role of Behavioral Science in Physical Security (7th Annual), The Human Element in Organizational Sensitivity, Held at White Oak, Maryland, 16-17 November 1982

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-11-16

ANOMIE--DEFINITIONAL BOUNDS AND DIAGNOSIS The term anomie first was used by Emile Durkheim in his famous study Suicide, published in 1897. He... Emile Durkheim , Suicide (1897), translated by John A. Spaulding and George Simpson, New York: The Free Press, 1951. 6. Quoted in B. H. Stoodley, Society...34 of anomous into French as ]’Anomie. As part of the study, Durkheim developed a theory of human needs and aspirations to explain variations in

90-Day Inhalation Toxicity Study of Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) Bio-Based Jet Fuel in Rats (Rattus norvegicus) with Neurotoxicity Testing and Genotoxicity Assay

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

fuel in a five gallon drum was shipped by the sponsor to NAMRU-Dayton and stored in a well- ventilated area at room temperature . The method of...April 2012 Air Force Research Laboratory 711 th Human Performance Wing Human Effectiveness Directorate Bioeffects Division Molecular Bioeffects... Effectiveness Directorate 71le Humaa Performance Wing Air Force Research Laboratory This report is published in the interest of scientific and technical

Effects of organic food consumption on human health; the jury is still out!

PubMed

Barański, Marcin; Rempelos, Leonidas; Iversen, Per Ole; Leifert, Carlo

2017-01-01

The most recent systematic literature reviews and meta-analyses have indicated significant and nutritionally-relevant composition differences between organic and conventional foods. This included higher antioxidant, but lower cadmium and pesticide levels in organic crops, and higher omega-3 fatty acids concentrations in organic meat and dairy products. Also, results from a small number of human cohort studies indicate that there are positive associations between organic food consumption and reduced risk/incidence of certain acute diseases (e.g. pre-eclampsia, hypospadias) and obesity. Concerns about potential negative health impacts of organic food consumption (e.g. risks linked to lower iodine levels in organic milk) have also been raised, but are not currently supported by evidence from human cohort studies. However, there is virtually no published data from (1) long-term cohort studies focusing on chronic diseases (e.g. cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative conditions) and (2) controlled human dietary intervention studies comparing effects of organic and conventional diets. It is therefore currently not possible to quantify to what extent organic food consumption may affect human health.

Effects of organic food consumption on human health; the jury is still out!

PubMed Central

Barański, Marcin; Rempelos, Leonidas; Iversen, Per Ole; Leifert, Carlo

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The most recent systematic literature reviews and meta-analyses have indicated significant and nutritionally-relevant composition differences between organic and conventional foods. This included higher antioxidant, but lower cadmium and pesticide levels in organic crops, and higher omega-3 fatty acids concentrations in organic meat and dairy products. Also, results from a small number of human cohort studies indicate that there are positive associations between organic food consumption and reduced risk/incidence of certain acute diseases (e.g. pre-eclampsia, hypospadias) and obesity. Concerns about potential negative health impacts of organic food consumption (e.g. risks linked to lower iodine levels in organic milk) have also been raised, but are not currently supported by evidence from human cohort studies. However, there is virtually no published data from (1) long-term cohort studies focusing on chronic diseases (e.g. cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative conditions) and (2) controlled human dietary intervention studies comparing effects of organic and conventional diets. It is therefore currently not possible to quantify to what extent organic food consumption may affect human health. PMID:28326003

Retrospective Study of Leptospirosis in Malaysia.

PubMed

Garba, Bashiru; Bahaman, Abdul Rani; Khairani-Bejo, Siti; Zakaria, Zunita; Mutalib, Abdul Rahim

2017-06-01

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease transmitted to humans and animals by direct or indirect contact with urine or body fluids from infected animals especially rodents. Infection can be associated with wide clinical spectrum varying from asymptomatic to severe multi-organ syndrome with life-threatening consequences. We conducted a review of published studies on incidences, case reports, sero-epidemiological surveys from year 2000 to 2015 using different electronic data bases. Our study revealed that majority of the studies were conducted in Peninsular Malaysia and predominantly among high-risk human groups. Most of the studies on domestic animals were conducted in the 1980s; hence, the current status of leptospirosis among domestic animal population remains largely unknown. There tend to be a sharp rise in incidence rate among human population in the year 2014 which was attributed to flooding and heavy rainfall experienced as well as recreational activities. Several gaps in epidemiological knowledge were also disclosed.

Potential cancer immunotherapy drug shows promise against HIV | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

An immunotherapy currently being tested in a clinical trial as a treatment for metastatic cancer has now shown potential in an animal study to reduce recalcitrant pools of SHIV, a laboratory-designed virus used to study human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The study, published online February 23 in PLoS Pathogens, is the result of a collaborative effort by CCR, the

Enhancement, ethics and society: towards an empirical research agenda for the medical humanities and social sciences.

PubMed

Pickersgill, Martyn; Hogle, Linda

2015-12-01

For some time now, bioethicists have paid close attention to issues associated with 'enhancement'; specifically, the appropriate use and regulation of substances and artefacts understood by some to improve the functioning of human bodies beyond that associated with 'normal' function. Medical humanities scholars (aside from philosophers and lawyers) and social scientists have not been frequent participants in debates around enhancement, but could shine a bright light on the range of dilemmas and opportunities techniques of enhancement are purported to introduce. In this paper, we argue that empirical research into the notion and practice of enhancement is necessary and timely. Such work could fruitfully engage with-and further develop-existing conceptual repertoires within the medical humanities and social sciences in ways that would afford benefit to scholars in those disciplines. We maintain that empirical engagements could also provide important resources to bioethicists seeking to regulate new enhancements in ways that are sensitive to societal context and cultural difference. To this end, we outline an empirical agenda for the medical humanities and social sciences around enhancement, emphasising especially how science and technology studies could bring benefits to-and be benefitted by-research in this area. We also use the example of (pharmaceutical) cognitive enhancement to show how empirical studies of actual and likely enhancement practices can nuance resonant bioethical debates. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Modeling aspects of human memory for scientific study.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Caudell, Thomas P.; Watson, Patrick; McDaniel, Mark A.

Working with leading experts in the field of cognitive neuroscience and computational intelligence, SNL has developed a computational architecture that represents neurocognitive mechanisms associated with how humans remember experiences in their past. The architecture represents how knowledge is organized and updated through information from individual experiences (episodes) via the cortical-hippocampal declarative memory system. We compared the simulated behavioral characteristics with those of humans measured under well established experimental standards, controlling for unmodeled aspects of human processing, such as perception. We used this knowledge to create robust simulations of & human memory behaviors that should help move the scientific community closermore » to understanding how humans remember information. These behaviors were experimentally validated against actual human subjects, which was published. An important outcome of the validation process will be the joining of specific experimental testing procedures from the field of neuroscience with computational representations from the field of cognitive modeling and simulation.« less

A Humanized Mouse Model Generated Using Surplus Neonatal Tissue.

PubMed

Brown, Matthew E; Zhou, Ying; McIntosh, Brian E; Norman, Ian G; Lou, Hannah E; Biermann, Mitch; Sullivan, Jeremy A; Kamp, Timothy J; Thomson, James A; Anagnostopoulos, Petros V; Burlingham, William J

2018-04-10

Here, we describe the NeoThy humanized mouse model created using non-fetal human tissue sources, cryopreserved neonatal thymus and umbilical cord blood hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Conventional humanized mouse models are made by engrafting human fetal thymus and HSCs into immunocompromised mice. These mice harbor functional human T cells that have matured in the presence of human self-peptides and human leukocyte antigen molecules. Neonatal thymus tissue is more abundant and developmentally mature and allows for creation of up to ∼50-fold more mice per donor compared with fetal tissue models. The NeoThy has equivalent frequencies of engrafted human immune cells compared with fetal tissue humanized mice and exhibits T cell function in assays of ex vivo cell proliferation, interferon γ secretion, and in vivo graft infiltration. The NeoThy model may provide significant advantages for induced pluripotent stem cell immunogenicity studies, while bypassing the requirement for fetal tissue. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In defence of utility: the medical humanities and medical education.

PubMed

Blease, Charlotte

2016-06-01

The idea that a study of the humanities helps to humanise doctors has become a leitmotif within the field. It is argued that the humanities (especially, literature) help to foster insights beyond those provided by biomedical training. Healthy young medics, it is claimed, can thereby gain significant insights into patienthood, and obtain important skills that may be valuable for their professional life. But the instrumentality of the humanities is not the only justification proffered for its inclusion in medical curricula. In this paper I critically examine the two overarching justifications recurrently cited in the mainstream literature-namely, (1) the instrumental worth and (2) the intrinsic value of the medical humanities in educating doctors. Examining these theses (and focusing on the views of a leading medical humanities scholar) I show that the bifurcation into instrumental versus non-instrumental justifications is not supported by the argumentation. Instead, I find that the particulars of the supposedly intrinsic justifications amount to an unambiguously instrumental defence of the humanities. Contextualizing the present investigation to probe further, I describe a long history of debate about the role of the humanities in British education and find that it rests on unsupported dichotomies (utility vs non-utility, theoretical vs applied, educated vs trained). I conclude that the medical humanities' manifesto would be more intellectually honest and coherent, and provide a more robust defence of its value in medical education, if it chose to embrace a wholly instrumental rationale for its role. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Epidemiology of Enterocytozoon bieneusi Infection in Humans.

PubMed

Matos, Olga; Lobo, Maria Luisa; Xiao, Lihua

2012-01-01

A review was conducted to examine published works that focus on the complex epidemiology of Enterocytozoon bieneusi infection in humans. Studies on the prevalence of these emerging microsporidian pathogens in humans, in developed and developing countries, the different clinical spectra of E. bieneusi intestinal infection in children, in different settings, and the risk factors associated with E. bieneusi infection have been reviewed. This paper also analyses the impact of the recent application of PCR-based molecular methods for species-specific identification and genotype differentiation has had in increasing the knowledge of the molecular epidemiology of E. bieneusi in humans. The advances in the epidemiology of E. bieneusi, in the last two decades, emphasize the importance of epidemiological control and prevention of E. bieneusi infections, from both the veterinary and human medical perspectives.

Novel ITS1 Fungal Primers for Characterization of the Mycobiome

PubMed Central

Usyk, Mykhaylo; Zolnik, Christine P.; Patel, Hitesh; Levi, Michael H.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Studies of the human microbiome frequently omit characterization of fungal communities (the mycobiome), which limits our ability to investigate how fungal communities influence human health. The internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region of the eukaryotic ribosomal cluster has features allowing for wide taxonomic coverage and has been recognized as a suitable barcode region for species-level identification of fungal organisms. We developed custom ITS1 primer sets using iterative alignment refinement. Primer performance was evaluated using in silico testing and experimental testing of fungal cultures and human samples. Using an expanded novel reference database, SIS (18S-ITS1-5.8S), the newly designed primers showed an average in silico taxonomic coverage of 79.9% ± 7.1% compared to a coverage of 44.6% ± 13.2% using previously published primers (P = 0.05). The newly described primer sets recovered an average of 21,830 ± 225 fungal reads from fungal isolate culture samples, whereas the previously published primers had an average of 3,305 ± 1,621 reads (P = 0.03). Of note was an increase in the taxonomic coverage of the Candida genus, which went from a mean coverage of 59.5% ± 13% to 100.0% ± 0.0% (P = 0.0015) comparing the previously described primers to the new primers, respectively. The newly developed ITS1 primer sets significantly improve general taxonomic coverage of fungal communities infecting humans and increased read depth by an order of magnitude over the best-performing published primer set tested. The overall best-performing primer pair in terms of taxonomic coverage and read recovery, ITS1-30F/ITS1-217R, will aid in advancing research in the area of the human mycobiome. IMPORTANCE The mycobiome constitutes all the fungal organisms within an environment or biological niche. The fungi are eukaryotes, are extremely heterogeneous, and include yeasts and molds that colonize humans as part of the microbiome. In addition, fungi can also infect humans and cause disease. Characterization of the bacterial component of the microbiome was revolutionized by 16S rRNA gene fragment amplification, next-generation sequencing technologies, and bioinformatics pipelines. Characterization of the mycobiome has often not been included in microbiome studies because of limitations in amplification systems. This report revisited the selection of PCR primers that amplify the fungal ITS1 region. We have identified primers with superior identification of fungi present in the database. We have compared the new primer sets against those previously used in the literature and show a significant improvement in read count and taxon identification. These primers should facilitate the study of fungi in human physiology and disease states. PMID:29242834

76 FR 27092 - Public Availability of the National Endowment for the Humanities FY 2010 Service Contract Inventory

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-10

... NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES Public Availability of the National Endowment for the Humanities FY 2010 Service Contract Inventory AGENCY: National Endowment for the Humanities... National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is publishing this notice to advise the public of the...

78 FR 9071 - Public Availability of the National Endowment for the Humanities FY 2012 Service Contract Inventory

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-07

... NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES Public Availability of the National Endowment for the Humanities FY 2012 Service Contract Inventory AGENCY: National Endowment for the Humanities... National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is publishing this notice to advise the public of the...

Towards Quantum Experiments with Human Eye Detectors Based on Cloning via Stimulated Emission ?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Martini, Francesco

2010-05-01

In a recent theoretical paper published in Physical Review Letters, Sekatsky, Brunner, Branciard, Gisin, Simon report an extended investigation on some properties of the human eye that affect its behavior as a quantum detector. We believe that the content of this work, albeit appealing at fist sight, is highly questionable simply because the human eye cannot be adopted as a sensing device within any quantum measurement apparatus. Furthermore, the criticism raised by these Authors against a real experiment on Micro—Macro entanglement recently published in Physical Review Letters (100, 253601, 2008) is found misleading and misses its target.

Isolation of bacterial extrachromosomal DNA from human dental plaque associated with periodontal disease, using transposon-aided capture (TRACA).

PubMed

Warburton, Philip J; Allan, Elaine; Hunter, Stephanie; Ward, John; Booth, Veronica; Wade, William G; Mullany, Peter

2011-11-01

The human oral cavity is host to a complex microbial community estimated to comprise >700 bacterial species, of which at least half are thought to be not yet cultivable in vitro. To investigate the plasmids present in this community, we used a transposon-aided capture system, which allowed the isolation of plasmids from human oral supra- and subgingival plaque samples. Thirty-two novel plasmids and a circular molecule that could be an integrase-generated circular intermediate were isolated. © 2011 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Supplier Relationships and Training. Contractor Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tornatzky, Louis G.; And Others

A study was undertaken to describe how changes in the network of transactions that occur between manufacturers and suppliers have affected the scope and nature of training and related human resource practices within supplier firms. Data came from the published literature, expert opinion, and a phone survey of 15 individuals ranging from…

Evaluation of the ToxRTool's ability to rate the reliability of toxicological data for human health hazard assessments

EPA Science Inventory

Regulatory agencies often utilize results from peer reviewed publications for hazard assessments.A problem in doing so is the lack of well-accepted tools to objectively, efficiently and systematically assess the quality of published toxicological studies. Herein, we evaluated the...

Factors That Impact Nurses’ Utilization of Electronic Mail (E-Mail).

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-05-21

of a system but did little to influence behavior. A study by Golden, Beauclair , & Sussman (1992) surveyed 200 electronic mail account holders at an...Aldine Publishing. Golden, P. A., Beauclair , R., & Sussman, L. (1992). Factors affecting electronic mail use. Computers in Human Behavior, 8, 297-311

The Critical and the Appreciative Attitudes to Dance in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curl, Gordon

2005-01-01

-This paper was presented to the VII Commonwealth and International Conference on Sport, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance in Brisbane in 1982 (1200 delegates) and was subsequently published in Volume 1 (Dance) of the Conference Proceedings by the Department of Human Movement Studies, University of Queensland Australia. The Conference…

Human Capital Reform in Cincinnati Public Schools. Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Teacher Project, 2009

2009-01-01

In late 2008, Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) participated in The New Teacher Project's (TNTP's) research for a national study, "The Widget Effect," published in June 2009. In summer 2009, CPS, the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers (CFT) and the Cincinnati Association of Administrators and Supervisors (CAAS) asked TNTP to explore a…

Vitamin E concentration in human milk and associated factors: a literature review.

PubMed

Lima, Mayara S R; Dimenstein, Roberto; Ribeiro, Karla D S

2014-01-01

To systematize information about vitamin E concentration in human milk and the variables associated with this composition in order to find possible causes of deficiency, supporting strategies to prevent it in postpartum women and infants. Studies published between 2004 and 2014 that assayed alpha-tocopherol in human milk of healthy women by high performance liquid chromatography were evaluated. The keywords used were "vitamin E", "alpha-tocopherol", "milk, human", "lactation", and equivalents in Portuguese, in the BIREME, CAPES, PubMed, SciELO, ISI Web of Knowledge, HighWire Press, Ingenta, and Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations databases. Of the 41 publications found on the subject, 25 whose full text was available and met the inclusion criteria were selected. The alpha-tocopherol concentrations found in milk were similar in most populations studied. The variable phase of lactation was shown to influence vitamin E content in milk, which is reduced until the mature milk appears. Maternal variables parity, anthropometric nutritional status, socioeconomic status, and habitual dietary intake did not appear to affect the alpha-tocopherol levels in milk. However, the influence of the variables maternal age, gestational age, biochemical nutritional status in alpha-tocopherol, and maternal supplementation with vitamin E had conflicting results in the literature. Alpha-tocopherol concentration in milk decreases during lactation, until the mature milk appears. To confirm the influence of some maternal and child variables on milk vitamin E content, further studies with adequate design are needed. Copyright © 2014 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

A pilot study of neurointerventional research level of evidence and collaboration.

PubMed

Fargen, Kyle M; Mocco, J; Spiotta, Alejandro M; Rai, Ansaar; Hirsch, Joshua A

2017-07-01

No studies have sought to provide a quantitative or qualitative critique of research in the field of neurointerventional surgery. To analyze recent publications from the Journal of Neurointerventional Surgery ( JNIS ) to test a new method for assessing research and collaboration. We reviewed all JNIS Online First publications from 25 February 2015 to 24 February 2016. All publications-human or non-human research, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, or literature reviews-were included; editorials and commentaries were excluded. For each publication, study design, number of patients, authors, contributing centers, and study subject were recorded. Level of evidence was defined using a new scale. A total of 206 articles met inclusion criteria. Only 4% were prospective studies. Twenty-eight per cent of scientific research featured patient series of nine or less. The majority of publications were categorized as low-level evidence (91%). Forty-seven per cent involved individuals from a single center, with 87% having collaboration from three or fewer centers. International collaboration was present in 19%. While 256 institutions from 31 countries were represented, 66% were represented in only one publication. We queried JNIS Online First articles from a 1-year period in a pilot study to test a new method of analyzing research quality and collaboration. The methodology appears to adequately quantify the studies into evidence tiers that emulate previously published, widely accepted scales. This may be useful for future comparison of peer-reviewed journals or for studying the quality of research being performed in different disease processes or medical specialties. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever in Humanized Mice Reveals Glial Cells as Primary Targets of Neurological Infection.

PubMed

Spengler, Jessica R; Kelly Keating, M; McElroy, Anita K; Zivcec, Marko; Coleman-McCray, JoAnn D; Harmon, Jessica R; Bollweg, Brigid C; Goldsmith, Cynthia S; Bergeron, Éric; Keck, James G; Zaki, Sherif R; Nichol, Stuart T; Spiropoulou, Christina F

2017-12-12

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne viral hemorrhagic disease seen exclusively in humans. Central nervous system (CNS) infection and neurological involvement have also been reported in CCHF. In the current study, we inoculated NSG-SGM3 mice engrafted with human hematopoietic CD34+ stem cells with low-passage CCHF virus strains isolated from human patients. In humanized mice, lethal disease develops, characterized by histopathological change in the liver and brain. To date, targets of neurological infection and disease have not been investigated in CCHF. CNS disease in humanized mice was characterized by gliosis, meningitis, and meningoencephalitis, and glial cells were identified as principal targets of infection. Humanized mice represent a novel lethal model for studies of CCHF countermeasures, and CCHF-associated CNS disease. Our data suggest a role for astrocyte dysfunction in neurological disease and identify key regions of infection in the CNS for future investigations of CCHF. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2017. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Pesticide exposures and respiratory health in general populations.

PubMed

Ye, Ming; Beach, Jeremy; Martin, Jonathan W; Senthilselvan, Ambikaipakan

2017-01-01

Human exposures to pesticides can occur in the workplace, in the household and through the ambient environment. While several articles have reviewed the impact of pesticide exposures on human respiratory health in occupational settings, to the best of our knowledge, this article is the first one to review published studies on the association between pesticide exposures and human respiratory health in the general populations. In this article, we critically reviewed evidences up to date studying the associations between non-occupational pesticide exposures and respiratory health in general populations. This article also highlighted questions arising from these studies, including our recent analyses using the data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS), for future research. We found few studies have addressed the impact of environmental pesticide exposures on respiratory health, especially on lung function, in general populations. In the studies using the data from CHMS Cycle 1, exposures to OP insecticides, pyrethroid insecticides, and the organochlorine pesticide DDT were associated with impaired lung function in the Canadian general population, but no significant associations were observed for the herbicide 2,4-D. Future research should focus on the potential age-specific and pesticide-specific effect on respiratory health in the general population, and repeated longitudinal study design is critical for assessing the temporal variations in pesticide exposures. Research findings from current studies of non-occupational pesticide exposures and their health impact in general population will help to improve the role of regulatory policies in mitigating pesticide-related public health problems, and thereafter providing greater benefit to the general population. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Human and animal research guidelines: aligning ethical constructs with new scientific developments.

PubMed

Ferdowsian, Hope

2011-10-01

Both human research and animal research operate within established standards and procedures. Although the human research environment has been criticized for its sometimes inefficient and imperfect process, reported abuses of human subjects in research served as the impetus for the establishment of the Nuremberg Code, Declaration of Helsinki, and the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research and the resulting Belmont Report. No similar, comprehensive and principled effort has addressed the use of animals in research. Although published policies regarding animal research provide relevant regulatory guidance, these policies have not emerged from the process of specifying consistent and reasoned ethical principles. The lack of a fundamental effort to explore the ethical issues and principles regarding the use of animals in research has led to unclear and disparate policies. Recent studies have increased our understanding of animal cognition and emotion, suggesting that animals' potential for experiencing a wide variety of harms, such as pain and fear, is greater than has been previously appreciated. Furthermore, relationships between methods of captivity and certain laboratory procedures and the resulting adverse physical, social and psychological effects have been established. In light of this information, current protections may need to be reconsidered and modified. This paper explores the historical convergence and divergence in the creation of human and animal research guidelines, as well as opportunities to align ethical frameworks with new scientific discoveries. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Potential of human twin embryos generated by embryo splitting in assisted reproduction and research.

PubMed

Noli, Laila; Ogilvie, Caroline; Khalaf, Yacoub; Ilic, Dusko

2017-03-01

Embryo splitting or twinning has been widely used in veterinary medicine over 20 years to generate monozygotic twins with desirable genetic characteristics. The first human embryo splitting, reported in 1993, triggered fierce ethical debate on human embryo cloning. Since Dolly the sheep was born in 1997, the international community has acknowledged the complexity of the moral arguments related to this research and has expressed concerns about the potential for reproductive cloning in humans. A number of countries have formulated bans either through laws, decrees or official statements. However, in general, these laws specifically define cloning as an embryo that is generated via nuclear transfer (NT) and do not mention embryo splitting. Only the UK includes under cloning both embryo splitting and NT in the same legislation. On the contrary, the Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine does not have a major ethical objection to transferring two or more artificially created embryos with the same genome with the aim of producing a single pregnancy, stating that 'since embryo splitting has the potential to improve the efficacy of IVF treatments for infertility, research to investigate the technique is ethically acceptable'. Embryo splitting has been introduced successfully to the veterinary medicine several decades ago and today is a part of standard practice. We present here an overview of embryo splitting experiments in humans and non-human primates and discuss the potential of this technology in assisted reproduction and research. A comprehensive literature search was carried out using PUBMED and Google Scholar databases to identify studies on embryo splitting in humans and non-human primates. 'Embryo splitting' and 'embryo twinning' were used as the keywords, alone or in combination with other search phrases relevant to the topics of biology of preimplantation embryos. A very limited number of studies have been conducted in humans and non-human primates. The published material, especially the studies with human embryos, is controversial. Some reports suggest that twinning technology will find clinical use in reproductive medicine in the future, whereas others conclude the opposite that human twin embryos created in vitro are unsuitable not only for clinical, but also for research, purposes. The blastomere biopsy technique of embryo splitting seems to be unsuitable for either clinical or research purposes; however, embryo bisection, a preferable method of cloning in veterinary medicine, has not yet been tested on human embryos. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Weighing serological evidence of human exposure to animal influenza viruses - a literature review.

PubMed

Sikkema, Reina Saapke; Freidl, Gudrun Stephanie; de Bruin, Erwin; Koopmans, Marion

2016-11-03

Assessing influenza A virus strains circulating in animals and their potential to cross the species barrier and cause human infections is important to improve human influenza surveillance and preparedness. We reviewed studies describing serological evidence of human exposure to animal influenza viruses. Comparing serological data is difficult due to a lack of standardisation in study designs and in laboratory methods used in published reports. Therefore, we designed a scoring system to assess and weigh specificity of obtained serology results in the selected articles. Many studies report reliable evidence of antibodies to swine influenza viruses among persons occupationally exposed to pigs. Most avian influenza studies target H5, H7 and H9 subtypes and most serological evidence of human exposure to avian influenza viruses is reported for these subtypes. Avian influenza studies receiving a low grade in this review often reported higher seroprevalences in humans compared with studies with a high grade. Official surveillance systems mainly focus on avian H5 and H7 viruses. Swine influenza viruses and avian subtypes other than H5 and H7 (emphasising H9) should be additionally included in official surveillance systems. Surveillance efforts should also be directed towards understudied geographical areas, such as Africa and South America. This article is copyright of The Authors, 2016.

Weighing serological evidence of human exposure to animal influenza viruses − a literature review

PubMed Central

Sikkema, Reina Saapke; Freidl, Gudrun Stephanie; de Bruin, Erwin; Koopmans, Marion

2016-01-01

Assessing influenza A virus strains circulating in animals and their potential to cross the species barrier and cause human infections is important to improve human influenza surveillance and preparedness. We reviewed studies describing serological evidence of human exposure to animal influenza viruses. Comparing serological data is difficult due to a lack of standardisation in study designs and in laboratory methods used in published reports. Therefore, we designed a scoring system to assess and weigh specificity of obtained serology results in the selected articles. Many studies report reliable evidence of antibodies to swine influenza viruses among persons occupationally exposed to pigs. Most avian influenza studies target H5, H7 and H9 subtypes and most serological evidence of human exposure to avian influenza viruses is reported for these subtypes. Avian influenza studies receiving a low grade in this review often reported higher seroprevalences in humans compared with studies with a high grade. Official surveillance systems mainly focus on avian H5 and H7 viruses. Swine influenza viruses and avian subtypes other than H5 and H7 (emphasising H9) should be additionally included in official surveillance systems. Surveillance efforts should also be directed towards understudied geographical areas, such as Africa and South America. PMID:27874827

Burnout among workers in a pediatric health care system.

PubMed

Jacobs, Linda M; Nawaz, Muhammad K; Hood, Joyce L; Bae, Sejong

2012-08-01

Burnout among health care workers is recognized as an organizational risk contributing to absenteeism, presenteeism, excessive turnover, or illness, and may also manifest as decreased patient satisfaction. Pediatric health care may add stressors including worried parents of ill or dying children, child custody issues, child abuse, and workplace violence. The purpose of this study was to measure burnout among workers in a regional pediatric health care system and report whether burnout in a pediatric health care system is different from previously published data on human service workers. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) were used to measure burnout. Pediatric health care workers expressed significantly less burnout as compared to published MBI-HSS scores and client-related CBI scores. Personal burnout CBI scores were not different, but work-related CBI scores were significantly higher than normative scores. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic toolkit to evaluate environmental exposures: Applications of the dioxin model to study real life exposures.

PubMed

Emond, Claude; Ruiz, Patricia; Mumtaz, Moiz

2017-01-15

Chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (CDDs) are a series of mono- to octa-chlorinated homologous chemicals commonly referred to as polychlorinated dioxins. One of the most potent, well-known, and persistent member of this family is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). As part of translational research to make computerized models accessible to health risk assessors, we present a Berkeley Madonna recoded version of the human physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the recent dioxin assessment. This model incorporates CYP1A2 induction, which is an important metabolic vector that drives dioxin distribution in the human body, and it uses a variable elimination half-life that is body burden dependent. To evaluate the model accuracy, the recoded model predictions were compared with those of the original published model. The simulations performed with the recoded model matched well with those of the original model. The recoded model was then applied to available data sets of real life exposure studies. The recoded model can describe acute and chronic exposures and can be useful for interpreting human biomonitoring data as part of an overall dioxin and/or dioxin-like compounds risk assessment. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Important influence of respiration on human R-R interval power spectra is largely ignored

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, T. E.; Beightol, L. A.; Koh, J.; Eckberg, D. L.

1993-01-01

Frequency-domain analyses of R-R intervals are used widely to estimate levels of autonomic neural traffic to the human heart. Because respiration modulates autonomic activity, we determined for nine healthy subjects the influence of breathing frequency and tidal volume on R-R interval power spectra (fast-Fourier transform method). We also surveyed published literature to determine current practices in this burgeoning field of scientific inquiry. Supine subjects breathed at rates of 6, 7.5, 10, 15, 17.1, 20, and 24 breaths/min and with nominal tidal volumes of 1,000 and 1,500 ml. R-R interval power at respiratory and low (0.06-0.14 Hz) frequencies declined significantly as breathing frequency increased. R-R interval power at respiratory frequencies was significantly greater at a tidal volume of 1,500 than 1,000 ml. Neither breathing frequency nor tidal volume influenced average R-R intervals significantly. Our review of studies reporting human R-R interval power spectra showed that 51% of the studies controlled respiratory rate, 11% controlled tidal volume, and 11% controlled both respiratory rate and tidal volume. The major implications of our analyses are that breathing parameters strongly influence low-frequency as well as respiratory frequency R-R interval power spectra and that this influence is largely ignored in published research.

Visual salience metrics for image inpainting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ardis, Paul A.; Singhal, Amit

2009-01-01

Quantitative metrics for successful image inpainting currently do not exist, with researchers instead relying upon qualitative human comparisons to evaluate their methodologies and techniques. In an attempt to rectify this situation, we propose two new metrics to capture the notions of noticeability and visual intent in order to evaluate inpainting results. The proposed metrics use a quantitative measure of visual salience based upon a computational model of human visual attention. We demonstrate how these two metrics repeatably correlate with qualitative opinion in a human observer study, correctly identify the optimum uses for exemplar-based inpainting (as specified in the original publication), and match qualitative opinion in published examples.

Automation and Robotics for Human Mars Exploration (AROMA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hofmann, Peter; von Richter, Andreas

2003-01-01

Automation and Robotics (A&R) systems are a key technology for Mars exploration. All over the world initiatives in this field aim at developing new A&R systems and technologies for planetary surface exploration. From December 2000 to February 2002 Kayser-Threde GmbH, Munich, Germany lead a study called AROMA (Automation and Robotics for Human Mars Exploration) under ESA contract in order to define a reference architecture of A&R elements in support of a human Mars exploration program. One of the goals of this effort is to initiate new developments and to maintain the competitiveness of European industry within this field. c2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

Generation of a human CDX2 knock-in reporter iPSC line (MHHi007-A-1) to model human trophoblast differentiation.

PubMed

Malysheva, Svitlana V; Wunderlich, Stephanie; Haase, Alexandra; Göhring, Gudrun; Martin, Ulrich; Merkert, Sylvia

2018-05-19

Caudal-type homeobox 2 (CDX2) transcription factor is an important marker for early trophoblast lineages and intestinal epithelium. Due to its nuclear expression the immunostaining and sorting of viable CDX2 pos cells is not possible. In this paper we report the generation and describe key characteristics of a CDX2 Venus knock-in reporter hiPSC-cell line (MHHi007-A-1) which can serve as an in vitro tool to study human trophoblast and intestinal differentiation. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automation and Robotics for Human Mars Exploration (AROMA).

PubMed

Hofmann, Peter; von Richter, Andreas

2003-01-01

Automation and Robotics (A&R) systems are a key technology for Mars exploration. All over the world initiatives in this field aim at developing new A&R systems and technologies for planetary surface exploration. From December 2000 to February 2002 Kayser-Threde GmbH, Munich, Germany lead a study called AROMA (Automation and Robotics for Human Mars Exploration) under ESA contract in order to define a reference architecture of A&R elements in support of a human Mars exploration program. One of the goals of this effort is to initiate new developments and to maintain the competitiveness of European industry within this field. c2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

Presentation of Original Research at the European Congress of Radiology 2010: Frequency of Publication in Medline-Indexed Journals Within 5 Years After Presentation.

PubMed

Dollinger, Marco; Zeman, Florian; Müller-Wille, René; Beyer, Lukas Philipp; Stroszczynski, Christian; Bley, Thorsten Alexander; Wiggermann, Philipp

2018-04-01

 To determine the rate at which original studies presented orally at the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) 2010 were published in Medline-indexed journals and to identify factors predictive of publication.  A total of 869 abstracts were included in the study. A Medline search of articles published between March 2010 and February 2015 was conducted to identify articles written by the first, second, and/or last authors of all abstracts published in the Scientific Program of ECR 2010. The publication year, journal, country of origin, subspecialty and nature of the research (i. e., human, animal or technical) were recorded.  Between March 2010 and February 2015 a total of 450 abstracts (publication rate, 51.8 %) were subsequently published in 125 Medline-indexed journals, chiefly in European Radiology (11.1 %). 443/450 (98.4 %) articles were published in English language. The subspecialties of molecular imaging and cardiac imaging had the highest publication rates (75.0 % and 62.0 %, respectively), while computer application studies had the lowest (27.6 %). The nature of research, origin of the abstract and subspecialty significantly influenced the subsequent publication rate.  More than half of the original studies presented orally at ECR 2010 were subsequently published in Medline-indexed journals. More articles were published in the journal European Radiology than in any other identified journal.   · ECR 2010 had a high subsequent publication rate. · Most subsequently published articles were published in radiology journals. · Nearly all articles were published in the English language. · Dollinger M, Zeman F, Müller-Wille R et al. Presentation of Original Research at the European Congress of Radiology 2010: Frequency of Publication in Medline-Indexed Journals Within 5 Years After Presentation. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2017; 190: 327 - 333. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

A rapid method for selecting suitable animal species for studying pathogen interactions with plasma protein ligands in vivo.

PubMed

Naudin, Clément; Schumski, Ariane; Salo-Ahen, Outi M H; Herwald, Heiko; Smeds, Emanuel

2017-05-01

Species tropism constitutes a serious problem for developing relevant animal models of infection. Human pathogens can express virulence factors that show specific selectivity to human proteins, while their affinity for orthologs from other species can vary significantly. Suitable animal species must be used to analyse whether virulence factors are potential targets for drug development. We developed an assay that rapidly predicts applicable animal species for studying virulence factors binding plasma proteins. We used two well-characterized Staphylococcus aureus proteins, SSL7 and Efb, to develop an ELISA-based inhibition assay using plasma from different animal species. The interaction between SSL7 and human C5 and the binding of Efb to human fibrinogen and human C3 was studied. Affinity experiments and Western blot analyses were used to validate the assay. Human, monkey and cat plasma interfered with binding of SSL7 to human C5. Binding of Efb to human fibrinogen was blocked in human, monkey, gerbil and pig plasma, while human, monkey, gerbil, rabbit, cat and guinea pig plasma inhibited the binding of Efb to human C3. These results emphasize the importance of choosing correct animal models, and thus, our approach is a rapid and cost-effective method that can be used to prevent unnecessary animal experiments. © 2017 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

Physical and mental health outcomes of prenatal maternal stress in human and animal studies: a review of recent evidence.

PubMed

Beydoun, Hind; Saftlas, Audrey F

2008-09-01

Prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) has been linked with adverse health outcomes in the offspring through experimental studies using animal models and epidemiological studies of human populations. The purpose of this review article is to establish a parallel between animal and human studies, while focusing on methodological issues and gaps in knowledge. The review examines the quality of recent evidence for prevailing PNMS theoretical models, namely the biopsychosocial model for adverse pregnancy outcomes and the fetal programming model for chronic diseases. The investigators used PubMed (2000-06) to identify recently published original articles in the English language literature. A total of 103 (60 human and 43 animal) studies were examined. Most human studies originated from developed countries, thus limiting generalisability to developing nations. Most animal studies were conducted on non-primates, rendering extrapolation of findings to pregnant women less straightforward. PNMS definition and measurement were heterogeneous across studies examining similar research questions, thus precluding the conduct of meta-analyses. In human studies, physical health outcomes were often restricted to birth complications while mental health outcomes included postnatal developmental disorders and psychiatric conditions in children, adolescents and adults. Diverse health outcomes were considered in animal studies, some being useful models for depression, schizophrenia or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in human populations. The overall evidence is consistent with independent effects of PNMS on perinatal and postnatal outcomes. Intervention studies and large population-based cohort studies combining repeated multi-dimensional and standardised PNMS measurements with biomarkers of stress are needed to further understand PNMS aetiology and pathophysiology in human populations.

Choline acetyltransferase immunoreactivity in the human vestibular end-organs.

PubMed

Ishiyama, A; Lopez, I; Wackym, P A

1994-10-01

Acetylcholine (ACh) is believed to play a major role in the efferent vestibular system in several animal models, however no information regarding the role of ACh in the human efferent vestibular system has been published. Post-embedding immunohistochemistry in a hydrophilic resin was used to investigate the choline acetyltransferase immunoreactivity (ChATi) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) histochemistry in human vestibular end-organs. ChATi and AChE activity was found in numerous bouton-type terminals at the basal area of the vestibular hair cells. These terminals were found to contact type II vestibular hair cells and the afferent chalices surrounding type I hair cells. This study provides the first evidence that the human efferent vestibular axons and terminals are cholinergic.

Teroxirone motivates apoptotic death in tumorspheres of human lung cancer cells.

PubMed

Ni, Yu-Ling; Hsieh, Chang-Heng; Wang, Jing-Ping; Fang, Kang

2018-06-13

Therapy by targeting cancer stem cells (CSCs) is an eligible method to eradicate malignant human tumors. A synthetic triepoxide derivative, teroxirone, was reported effective against growth of human lung cancer cells by injuring cellular mitochondria functions. And yet it remains unclear if the residual but malicious CSCs can be effectively dissipated as a result of treatment. The current study further affirmed that teroxirone inhibited propagation of CSCs as enriched from NSCLC cells by inducing p53 that lead to ultimate apoptosis. More evidence supported that the reduced stemness of the spheroids was associated with apoptotic death. The results consolidate the notion that teroxirone is a viable and effective therapeutic agent for eradicating human lung cancer. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Generation of a KLF15 homozygous knockout human embryonic stem cell line using paired CRISPR/Cas9n, and human cardiomyocytes derivation.

PubMed

Noack, Claudia; Haupt, Luis Peter; Zimmermann, Wolfram-Hubertus; Streckfuss-Bömeke, Katrin; Zelarayán, Laura Cecilia

2017-08-01

Krueppel-like factor 15 (KLF15) is abundantly expressed in liver, kidney, and muscle, including myocardium. In the adult heart KLF15 is important to maintain homeostasis and to repress hypertrophic remodeling. We generated a homozygous hESC KLF15 knockout (KO) line using paired CRISPR/Cas9n. KLF15-KO cells maintained full pluripotency and differentiation potential as well as genomic integrity. We demonstrated that KLF15-KO cells can be differentiated into morphologically normal cardiomyocytes turning them into a valuable tool for studying human KLF15-mediated mechanisms resulting in human cardiac dysfunction. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

UPLC/MS MS data of testosterone metabolites in human and zebrafish liver microsomes and whole zebrafish larval microsomes.

PubMed

Saad, Moayad; Bijttebier, Sebastiaan; Matheeussen, An; Verbueken, Evy; Pype, Casper; Casteleyn, Christophe; Van Ginneken, Chris; Maes, Louis; Cos, Paul; Van Cruchten, Steven

2018-02-01

This article represents data regarding a study published in Toxicology in vitro entitled " in vitro CYP-mediated drug metabolism in the zebrafish (embryo) using human reference compounds" (Saad et al., 2017) [1]. Data were acquired with ultra-performance liquid chromatography - accurate mass mass spectrometry (UPLC-amMS). A full spectrum scan was conducted for the testosterone (TST) metabolites from the microsomal stability assay in zebrafish and humans. The microsomal proteins were extracted from adult zebrafish male (MLM) and female (FLM) livers, whole body homogenates of 96 h post fertilization larvae (EM) and a pool of human liver microsomes from 50 donors (HLM). Data are expressed as the abundance from the extracted ion chromatogram of the metabolites.

Environmental Enrichment Protects against Functional Deficits caused by Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-11-01

Herman University of Cincinnati November 2012 Interim Report AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY 711 HUMAN PERFORMANCE WING, HUMAN EFFECTIVENESS DIRECTORATE...Chief, Warfighter Interface Division Human Effectiveness Directorate 711 Human Performance Wing Air Force Research Laboratory This report is published...MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S) Air Force Materiel Command Air Force Research Laboratory 711th Human Performance Wing Human Effectiveness Directorate Warfighter

Review and standardization of cell phone exposure calculations using the SAM phantom and anatomically correct head models.

PubMed

Beard, Brian B; Kainz, Wolfgang

2004-10-13

We reviewed articles using computational RF dosimetry to compare the Specific Anthropomorphic Mannequin (SAM) to anatomically correct models of the human head. Published conclusions based on such comparisons have varied widely. We looked for reasons that might cause apparently similar comparisons to produce dissimilar results. We also looked at the information needed to adequately compare the results of computational RF dosimetry studies. We concluded studies were not comparable because of differences in definitions, models, and methodology. Therefore we propose a protocol, developed by an IEEE standards group, as an initial step in alleviating this problem. The protocol calls for a benchmark validation study comparing the SAM phantom to two anatomically correct models of the human head. It also establishes common definitions and reporting requirements that will increase the comparability of all computational RF dosimetry studies of the human head.

Review and standardization of cell phone exposure calculations using the SAM phantom and anatomically correct head models

PubMed Central

Beard, Brian B; Kainz, Wolfgang

2004-01-01

We reviewed articles using computational RF dosimetry to compare the Specific Anthropomorphic Mannequin (SAM) to anatomically correct models of the human head. Published conclusions based on such comparisons have varied widely. We looked for reasons that might cause apparently similar comparisons to produce dissimilar results. We also looked at the information needed to adequately compare the results of computational RF dosimetry studies. We concluded studies were not comparable because of differences in definitions, models, and methodology. Therefore we propose a protocol, developed by an IEEE standards group, as an initial step in alleviating this problem. The protocol calls for a benchmark validation study comparing the SAM phantom to two anatomically correct models of the human head. It also establishes common definitions and reporting requirements that will increase the comparability of all computational RF dosimetry studies of the human head. PMID:15482601

Puberty and structural brain development in humans.

PubMed

Herting, Megan M; Sowell, Elizabeth R

2017-01-01

Adolescence is a transitional period of physical and behavioral development between childhood and adulthood. Puberty is a distinct period of sexual maturation that occurs during adolescence. Since the advent of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), human studies have largely examined neurodevelopment in the context of age. A breadth of animal findings suggest that sex hormones continue to influence the brain beyond the prenatal period, with both organizational and activational effects occurring during puberty. Given the animal evidence, human MRI research has also set out to determine how puberty may influence otherwise known patterns of age-related neurodevelopment. Here we review structural-based MRI studies and show that pubertal maturation is a key variable to consider in elucidating sex- and individual- based differences in patterns of human brain development. We also highlight the continuing challenges faced, as well as future considerations, for this vital avenue of research. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Cytopathic effect of Human cosavirus (HCoSV) on primary cell cultures of human embryonic lung MRC5.

PubMed

Rezig, Dorra; Touzi, Henda; Meddeb, Zina; Triki, Henda

2014-10-01

Human cosaviruses (HCoSVs) are newly discovered viruses in Picornaviridae family. Until now, most published studies reported HCoSV detection using molecular techniques and genetic characterization of the virus. Nevertheless, no laboratory has yet reported the replication of these viruses in cultured cell lines. In the present work, the propagation of HCoSV strains isolated from human fecal specimens in MRC5 cell line and their induced cytopathic effects (CPE) was studied. The first sign of virus growth was observed 24-48h after inoculation. The cells rounded up and clumped together rapidly; empty areas became visible and, on the third day of CPE, a remarkable decrease in live cells was observed. This represents the first report on in vitro model of HCoSV replication which opens up opportunities for future investigations of these new viruses. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Encapsulation of anthocyanins from bilberries - Effects on bioavailability and intestinal accessibility in humans.

PubMed

Mueller, Dolores; Jung, Kathrin; Winter, Manuel; Rogoll, Dorothee; Melcher, Ralph; Kulozik, Ulrich; Schwarz, Karin; Richling, Elke

2018-05-15

Anthocyanins are flavonoids that have been suggested to provide beneficial health effects. The biological activity of anthocyanins is influenced by their pharmacokinetic properties, but anthocyanins are associated with limited bioavailability in humans. In the presented study, we investigated how the encapsulation of bilberry extract (BE), a source of anthocyanins, with either whey protein or citrus pectin influences the bioavailability and intestinal accessibility of anthocyanins in humans. We performed an intervention study that analyzed anthocyanins and their degradation products in the urine, plasma, and ileal effluent of healthy volunteers and ileostomists (subjects without an intact colon). We were able to show, that whey protein encapsulation modulated short-term bioavailability and that citrus pectin encapsulation increased intestinal accessibility during passage through the small intestine and modulated the formation of the degradation product phloroglucinol aldehyde (PGAL) in human plasma. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Robust generation and expansion of skeletal muscle progenitors and myocytes from human pluripotent stem cells.

PubMed

Shelton, Michael; Kocharyan, Avetik; Liu, Jun; Skerjanc, Ilona S; Stanford, William L

2016-05-15

Human pluripotent stem cells provide a developmental model to study early embryonic and tissue development, tease apart human disease processes, perform drug screens to identify potential molecular effectors of in situ regeneration, and provide a source for cell and tissue based transplantation. Highly efficient differentiation protocols have been established for many cell types and tissues; however, until very recently robust differentiation into skeletal muscle cells had not been possible unless driven by transgenic expression of master regulators of myogenesis. Nevertheless, several breakthrough protocols have been published in the past two years that efficiently generate cells of the skeletal muscle lineage from pluripotent stem cells. Here, we present an updated version of our recently described 50-day protocol in detail, whereby chemically defined media are used to drive and support muscle lineage development from initial CHIR99021-induced mesoderm through to PAX7-expressing skeletal muscle progenitors and mature skeletal myocytes. Furthermore, we report an optional method to passage and expand differentiating skeletal muscle progenitors approximately 3-fold every 2weeks using Collagenase IV and continued FGF2 supplementation. Both protocols have been optimized using a variety of human pluripotent stem cell lines including patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells. Taken together, our differentiation and expansion protocols provide sufficient quantities of skeletal muscle progenitors and myocytes that could be used for a variety of studies. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Esprit: A Humanities Magazine.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Donald G.; Capella, Barry John

In March 1984, the first issue of "Esprit," a semi-annual humanities magazine for the 56 two-year colleges in New York State, was published. The magazine seeks to confront the apparent decline of student interest in the humanities, community doubts about the relevance of the humanities, and the seeming indifference to the special truths…

Decolonizing Education: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Post-Secondary Humanities Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harper, Kimberly C.

2012-01-01

This dissertation examines nine post-secondary humanities textbooks published between 2001 and 2011 using an approach that includes both qualitative and quantitative methodology to analyze the written and visual content of humanities textbooks. This dissertation engages in current debates that address bias in humanities textbooks and contributes…

Gastrointestinal effects of low-digestible carbohydrates.

PubMed

Grabitske, Hollie A; Slavin, Joanne L

2009-04-01

Low-digestible carbohydrates (LDCs) are carbohydrates that are incompletely or not absorbed in the small intestine but are at least partly fermented by bacteria in the large intestine. Fiber, resistant starch, and sugar alcohols are types of LDCs. Given potential health benefits (including a reduced caloric content, reduced or no effect on blood glucose levels, non-cariogenic effect) the prevalence of LDCs in processed foods is increasing. Many of the benefits of LDCs are related to the inability of human digestive enzymes to break down completely the carbohydrates into absorbable saccharides and the subsequent fermentation of unabsorbed carbohydrates in the colon. As a result, LDCs may affect laxation and cause gastrointestinal effects, including abdominal discomfort, flatus, and diarrhea, especially at higher or excessive intakes. Such responses, though transient, affect the perception of the well-being of consumers and their acceptance of food products containing LDCs. Current recommendations for fiber intake do not consider total LDC consumption nor recommend an upper limit for LDC intake based on potential gastrointestinal effects. Therefore, a review of published studies reporting gastrointestinal effects of LDCs was conducted. We included only studies published in refereed journals in English. Additionally, we excluded studies of subjects with incomplete or abnormal functioning gastrointestinal tracts or where antibiotics, stimulant laxatives, or other drugs affecting motility were included. Only in studies with a control period, either placebo treatment or no LDC treatment, were included. Studies must have included an acceptable measure of gastrointestinal effect. Sixty-eight studies and six review articles were evaluated. This review describes definitions, classifications, and mechanisms of LDCs, evaluates published human feeding studies of fifteen LDCs for associations between gastrointestinal effects and levels of LDC intake, and presents recommendations for LDC consumption and further research.

Sex Reporting in Preclinical Microbiological and Immunological Research.

PubMed

Potluri, Tanvi; Engle, Kyrra; Fink, Ashley L; Vom Steeg, Landon G; Klein, Sabra L

2017-11-14

Both sex (i.e., biological construct of male and female) and gender (i.e., social construct of masculine and feminine) impact the pathogenesis of diseases, including those caused by microbial infections. Following the 2015 NIH policy for consideration of sex as a biological variable in preclinical research, in 2018, authors of papers published in primary-research American Society for Microbiology (ASM) journals will be asked to report the sex of the research subjects and animals and of materials derived directly from them. To address the need for sex reporting in ASM journals, we systematically reviewed 2,928 primary-research articles published in six primary-research ASM journals ( Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy , Clinical and Vaccine Immunology , Infection and Immunity , Journal of Bacteriology , Journal of Virology , and mBio ) in 2016. Approximately 37% of animal studies and 9% of primary cell culture papers published in 2016 would have been affected by the new sex-reporting policy. For animal studies (i.e., studies with any nonhuman vertebrate hosts), most published papers either did not report the sex of the animals or used only female animals, and a minority used only males or both sexes. For published studies using primary cells from diverse animal species (i.e., humans and nonhuman vertebrates), almost all studies failed to report the sex of donors from which the cells were isolated. We believe that reporting the sex of animals and even of the donors of derived cells could improve the rigor and reproducibility of research conducted in microbiology and immunology and published in ASM journals. Copyright © 2017 Potluri et al.

Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A and hyperactivity in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Rochester, Johanna R; Bolden, Ashley L; Kwiatkowski, Carol F

2018-05-01

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has increased in prevalence in the past decade. Studies attempting to identify a specific genetic component have not been able to account for much of the heritability of ADHD, indicating there may be gene-environment interactions underlying the disorder, including early exposure to environmental chemicals. Based on several relevant studies, we chose to examine bisphenol A (BPA) as a possible contributor to ADHD in humans. BPA is a widespread environmental chemical that has been shown to disrupt neurodevelopment in rodents and humans. Using the Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) framework, a systematic review and meta-analysis was designed to determine the relationship between early life exposure to BPA and hyperactivity, a key diagnostic criterion of ADHD. Searches of PubMed, Web of Science, and Toxline were completed for all literature to January 1, 2017. For inclusion, the studies had to publish original data, be in the English language, include a measure of BPA exposure, and assess if BPA exposure affected hyperactive behaviors in mice, rats or humans. Exposure to BPA had to occur at <3 months of age for humans, up to postnatal day 35 for rats and up to postnatal day 40 for mice. Exposure could occur either gestationally (via maternal exposure) or directly to the offspring. Studies were evaluated using the OHAT risk of bias tool. The effects in humans were assessed qualitatively. For rodents exposed to 20 μg/kg/day BPA, we evaluated the study findings in a random effects meta-analytical model. A review of the literature identified 29 rodent and 3 human studies. A random effects meta-analysis showed significantly increased hyperactivity in male rodents. In humans, early BPA exposure was associated with hyperactivity in boys and girls. We concluded that early life BPA exposure is a presumed human hazard for the development of hyperactivity. Possible limitations of this systematic review include deficiencies in author reporting, exclusion of some literature based on language, and insufficient similarity between human studies. SRs that result in hazard-based conclusions are the first step in assessing and mitigating risks. Given the widespread exposure of BPA and increasing diagnoses of ADHD, we recommend immediate actions to complete such risk analyses and take next steps for the protection of human health. In the meantime, precautionary measures should be taken to reduce exposure in pregnant women, infants and children. The present analysis also discusses potential mechanisms by which BPA affects hyperactivity, and the most effective avenues for future research. Not available. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Emotional reactions to human reproductive cloning.

PubMed

May, Joshua

2016-01-01

Extant surveys of people's attitudes towards human reproductive cloning focus on moral judgements alone, not emotional reactions or sentiments. This is especially important given that some (especially Leon Kass) have argued against such cloning on the ground that it engenders widespread negative emotions, like disgust, that provide a moral guide. To provide some data on emotional reactions to human cloning, with a focus on repugnance, given its prominence in the literature. This brief mixed-method study measures the self-reported attitudes and emotions (positive or negative) towards cloning from a sample of participants in the USA. Most participants condemned cloning as immoral and said it should be illegal. The most commonly reported positive sentiment was by far interest/curiosity. Negative emotions were much more varied, but anxiety was the most common. Only about a third of participants selected disgust or repugnance as something they felt, and an even smaller portion had this emotion come to mind prior to seeing a list of options. Participants felt primarily interested and anxious about human reproductive cloning. They did not primarily feel disgust or repugnance. This provides initial empirical evidence that such a reaction is not appropriately widespread. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

[Trisomy 21 in visual art].

PubMed

Stahl, A; Tourame, P

2013-12-01

In 1866, J. Langdon Down published a paper on "an ethnic classification of idiots" and noted their facial resemblance with individuals of the Mongolian people. In 1959, J. Lejeune, M. Gautier, and R. Turpin demonstrated that the children with Down syndrome had an extra copy of chromosome 21. There is now a debate within the medical literature on the age of trisomy 21 as a disease affecting mankind. Since it was not described before 1866, some authors questioned whether this disease is an old or new condition in humans. Three methods of investigation are useful for demonstrating that trisomy 21 has been present in humans for a long time: the figuration of this condition in historical paintings, figurines, and pottery; its presence in old skeletal remains; and the origin of human chromosome 21 during primate phylogeny. Figurines strongly suggestive of trisomy 21 have been found in the Greco-Roman world, in many Central and South American pre-Columbian cultures, and in Khmer temples. In Europe, during the Renaissance, Italian and Flemish artists represented trisomy 21 in paintings of religious inspiration. Studies on the origin and pathology of chromosome 21 have shown that the ancestral human chromosome 21 arose 30-50 million years ago and that trisomy 21 has existed since time immemorial. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier SAS.

Antibody humanization by molecular dynamics simulations-in-silico guided selection of critical backmutations.

PubMed

Margreitter, Christian; Mayrhofer, Patrick; Kunert, Renate; Oostenbrink, Chris

2016-06-01

Monoclonal antibodies represent the fastest growing class of biotherapeutic proteins. However, as they are often initially derived from rodent organisms, there is a severe risk of immunogenic reactions, hampering their applicability. The humanization of these antibodies remains a challenging task in the context of rational drug design. "Superhumanization" describes the direct transfer of the complementarity determining regions to a human germline framework, but this humanization approach often results in loss of binding affinity. In this study, we present a new approach for predicting promising backmutation sites using molecular dynamics simulations of the model antibody Ab2/3H6. The simulation method was developed in close conjunction with novel specificity experiments. Binding properties of mAb variants were evaluated directly from crude supernatants and confirmed using established binding affinity assays for purified antibodies. Our approach provides access to the dynamical features of the actual binding sites of an antibody, based solely on the antibody sequence. Thus we do not need structural data on the antibody-antigen complex and circumvent cumbersome methods to assess binding affinities. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Molecular Recognition Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Molecular Recognition Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Fluorides in the human bones – selected issues].

PubMed

Palczewska-Komsa, Mirona; Kalisińska, Elżbieta; Stogiera, Anna; Szmidt, Monika

Long -term intake of luoride leads to skeletal luorosis. The toxicity of luoride, not only for the human body, but also the entire ecosystem makes it necessary to constantly monitor their content in the environment. Accordingly, there is a need to control the level of luorides (F⁻) in humans, particularly in bone tissue, which relects long -term accumulation of these compounds. The aim of the study was to determine the concentration of luoride in the human bones depending on biological factors and environmental conditions on the basis of the published literature. Given the importance of bone tissue as the main reservoir of luoride ions is an important issue to continue to monitor the concentration of F⁻ in this tissue, particularly for people living in the polluted environment luorine compounds. There are numerous works on concentrations of this element in human bones in world literature which proves the great interest in the subject. It should be underlined the need for further study of this issue for people living in different regions of Poland.

Biomarkers for equine joint injury and osteoarthritis.

PubMed

McIlwraith, C Wayne; Kawcak, Christopher E; Frisbie, David D; Little, Christopher B; Clegg, Peter D; Peffers, Mandy J; Karsdal, Morten A; Ekman, Stina; Laverty, Sheila; Slayden, Richard A; Sandell, Linda J; Lohmander, L S; Kraus, Virginia B

2018-03-01

We report the results of a symposium aimed at identifying validated biomarkers that can be used to complement clinical observations for diagnosis and prognosis of joint injury leading to equine osteoarthritis (OA). Biomarkers might also predict pre-fracture change that could lead to catastrophic bone failure in equine athletes. The workshop was attended by leading scientists in the fields of equine and human musculoskeletal biomarkers to enable cross-disciplinary exchange and improve knowledge in both. Detailed proceedings with strategic planning was written, added to, edited and referenced to develop this manuscript. The most recent information from work in equine and human osteoarthritic biomarkers was accumulated, including the use of personalized healthcare to stratify OA phenotypes, transcriptome analysis of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscal injuries in the human knee. The spectrum of "wet" biomarker assays that are antibody based that have achieved usefulness in both humans and horses, imaging biomarkers and the role they can play in equine and human OA was discussed. Prediction of musculoskeletal injury in the horse remains a challenge, and the potential usefulness of spectroscopy, metabolomics, proteomics, and development of biobanks to classify biomarkers in different stages of equine and human OA were reviewed. The participants concluded that new information and studies in equine musculoskeletal biomarkers have potential translational value for humans and vice versa. OA is equally important in humans and horses, and the welfare issues associated with catastrophic musculoskeletal injury in horses add further emphasis to the need for good validated biomarkers in the horse. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:823-831, 2018. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Human milk fortifier with high versus standard protein content for promoting growth of preterm infants: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Liu, Tian-Tian; Dang, Dan; Lv, Xiao-Ming; Wang, Teng-Fei; Du, Jin-Feng; Wu, Hui

2015-06-01

To compare the growth of preterm infants fed standard protein-fortified human milk with that containing human milk fortifier (HMF) with a higher-than-standard protein content. Published articles reporting randomized controlled trials and prospective observational intervention studies listed on the PubMed®, Embase®, CINAHL and Cochrane Library databases were searched using the keywords 'fortifier', 'human milk', 'breastfeeding', 'breast milk' and 'human milk fortifier'. The mean difference with 95% confidence intervals was used to compare the effect of HMF with a higher-than-standard protein content on infant growth characteristics. Five studies with 352 infants with birth weight ≤ 1750 g and a gestational age ≤ 34 weeks who were fed human milk were included in this meta-analysis. Infants in the experimental groups given human milk with higher-than-standard protein fortifier achieved significantly greater weight and length at the end of the study, and greater weight gain, length gain, and head circumference gain, compared with control groups fed human milk with the standard HMF. HMF with a higher-than-standard protein content can improve preterm infant growth compared with standard HMF. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Ethical issues in human genome epidemiology: a case study based on the Japanese American Family Study in Seattle, Washington.

PubMed

Austin, Melissa A

2002-04-01

Recent completion of the draft sequence of the human genome has been greeted with both excitement and skepticism, and the potential of this accomplishment for advancing public health has been tempered by ethical concerns about the protection of human subjects. This commentary explores ethical issues arising in human genome epidemiology by using a case study approach based on the ongoing Japanese American Family Study at the University of Washington in Seattle (1994-2003). Ethical issues encountered in designing the study, collecting the data, and reporting the study results are considered. When developing studies, investigators must consider whether to restrict the study to specific racial or ethnic groups and whether community involvement is appropriate. Once the study design is in place, further ethical issues emerge, including obtaining informed consent for DNA banking and protecting the privacy and confidentiality of family members. Finally, investigators must carefully consider whether to report genotype results to study participants and whether pedigrees illustrating the results of the study will be published. Overall, the promise of genomics for improving public health must be pursued based on the fundamental ethical principles of respect for persons, beneficence, and justice.

Women's awareness of the human papilloma virus and related health problems.

PubMed

Akyuz, Aygul; Yılmaz, Cevriye; Yenen, Müfit Cemal; Yavan, Tülay; Kılıç, Ayşe

2011-12-01

This paper is a report of a study of women's awareness of the human papilloma virus and related health problems. Cervical cancer is an important cause of mortality, making up approximately 12% of all cancers in women. Awareness on the part of carriers of human papilloma virus is crucial in preventing transmission of the infection and protecting against cervical cancer. The study was performed as a cross-sectional descriptive study. The study consists of 79 human papilloma virus-positive women who had not been diagnosed with cervical cancer and 150 women who had not been diagnosed with human papilloma virus. Data were collected via questionnaires between November 2007 and April 2008. Percentages and chi-square test were used. A significantly higher percentage of women with positive human papilloma virus knew the definition of human papilloma virus, the fact that it is transmitted via sexual contact and that it can lead to cervical cancer than did women with negative human papilloma virus. It was established that approximately half the women with positive human papilloma virus presented at the hospital with a genital wart. None of the women knew that a Pap smear test was a necessary tool in the prevention of cervical cancer. Women with positive human papilloma virus have insufficient knowledge of human papilloma virus, sexually transmitted diseases, the health risks associated with human papilloma virus and the means of preventing these risks. It is therefore necessary to evaluate the education of health workers, and especially of nurses, on human papilloma virus and its prevention. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Animal models of disease shed light on Nipah virus pathogenesis and transmission.

PubMed

de Wit, Emmie; Munster, Vincent J

2015-01-01

Nipah virus is an emerging virus infection that causes yearly disease outbreaks with high case fatality rates in Bangladesh. Nipah virus causes encephalitis and systemic vasculitis, sometimes in combination with respiratory disease. Pteropus species fruit bats are the natural reservoir of Nipah virus and zoonotic transmission can occur directly or via an intermediate host; human-to-human transmission occurs regularly. In this review we discuss the current state of knowledge on the pathogenesis and transmission of Nipah virus, focusing on dissemination of the virus through its host, known determinants of pathogenicity and routes of zoonotic and human-to-human transmission. Since data from human cases are sparse, this knowledge is largely based on the results of studies performed in animal models that recapitulate Nipah virus disease in humans. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

[Research progress in human artificial chromosomes(HACs) and the potentials in application].

PubMed

Zuo, Guo-Wei; Lü, Feng-Lin

2005-11-01

Since the first report of the establishment of human artificial chromosome(HAC) was published in 1997, several types of HAC have been created by different strategies. Compared to other artificial chromosomes, such as yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) and bacterial artificial chromosome(BAC), HAC exists in a cell independently, in other words, HAC does not integrated into the cellular genome, and can undergo normal mitosis and meiosis from generation to generation in vitro and in vivo. Recent results proved that HAC, as a DNA carrier, is able to host a large fragment of DNA or mini-chromosome, thus it could be a very important tool in the study of human gene expression and regulation, human chromosome function and minimum functional elements and animal models for human diseases. In the near future, HAC can also be used in gene therapy for human genetic diseases.

Modeling of milk flow in mammary ducts in lactating human female breast.

PubMed

Mortazavi, S Negin; Geddes, Donna; Hassanipour, Fatemeh

2014-01-01

A transient laminar Newtonian three-dimensional CFD simulation has been studied for milk flow in a phantom model of the 6-generations human lactating breast branching system. Milk is extracted by the cyclic pattern of suction from the alveoli through the duct and to the nipple. The real negative (suction) pressure data are applied as an outlet boundary condition in nipple. In this study, the commercial CFD code (Fluent Inc., 2004) is employed for the numerical solution of the milk flow. The milk intake flow rate from simulation is compared to the real clinical data from published paper. The results are in good agreement. It is believed that the methodology of the lactating human breast branching modeling proposed here can provide potential guidelines for further clinical and research application.

The Arab genome: Health and wealth.

PubMed

Zayed, Hatem

2016-11-05

The 22 Arab nations have a unique genetic structure, which reflects both conserved and diverse gene pools due to the prevalent endogamous and consanguineous marriage culture and the long history of admixture among different ethnic subcultures descended from the Asian, European, and African continents. Human genome sequencing has enabled large-scale genomic studies of different populations and has become a powerful tool for studying disease predictions and diagnosis. Despite the importance of the Arab genome for better understanding the dynamics of the human genome, discovering rare genetic variations, and studying early human migration out of Africa, it is poorly represented in human genome databases, such as HapMap and the 1000 Genomes Project. In this review, I demonstrate the significance of sequencing the Arab genome and setting an Arab genome reference(s) for better understanding the molecular pathogenesis of genetic diseases, discovering novel/rare variants, and identifying a meaningful genotype-phenotype correlation for complex diseases. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Exposing unethical human research: the transatlantic correspondence of Beecher and Pappworth.

PubMed

Gaw, Allan

2012-01-17

Henry K. Beecher and Maurice H. Pappworth were the 2 most prominent medical whistleblowers in research ethics of the 20th century. Independently, both wrote highly controversial and ultimately influential articles and books. Although their work is now well-known in clinical research circles, their collaboration is not. Pappworth's article "Human Guinea Pigs: A Warning" was published in 1962; in it, he discussed a series of published studies that he considered unethical. Beecher read it and wrote to Pappworth seeking help. The current article reconstructs, from Beecher and Pappworth's correspondence in 1965-1966, an important juncture in the genesis of modern clinical research ethics. Although they shared much in common, they differed radically in the strategies they adopted: Beecher chose to conceal the identities of individuals, whereas Pappworth believed that only by naming and shaming could any exposé act as a deterrent. Their correspondence reveals how the 2 men shared their ideas and their material and provided each other with much-needed support. It also tracks the development of Beecher's shift from a position initially indistinguishable from Pappworth's toward the one he adopted when his seminal article of 1966 was published.

Bibliometric analysis of scientific literature on intestinal parasites in Argentina during the period 1985-2014.

PubMed

Basualdo, Juan A; Grenóvero, María S; Bertucci, Evangelina; Molina, Nora B

2016-01-01

The study of scientific production is a good indicator of the progress in research and knowledge generation. Bibliometrics is a scientific discipline that uses a set of indicators to quantitatively express the bibliographic characteristics of scientific publications. The scientific literature on the epidemiology of intestinal parasites in Argentina is scattered in numerous sources, hindering access and visibility to the scientific community. Our purpose was to perform a quantitative, bibliometric study of the scientific literature on intestinal parasites in humans in Argentina published in the period 1985-2014. This bibliometric analysis showed an increase in the number of articles on intestinal parasites in humans in Argentina published over the past 30 years. Those articles showed a collaboration index similar to that of the literature, with a high index of institutionality for national institutions and a very low one for international collaboration. The original articles were published in scientific journals in the American Continent, Europe and Asia. The use of bibliometric indicators can provide a solid tool for the diagnosis and survey of the research on epidemiology of intestinal parasites and contributes to the dissemination and visibility of information on the scientific production developed in Argentina. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Human innate lymphoid cells.

PubMed

Montaldo, Elisa; Vacca, Paola; Vitale, Chiara; Moretta, Francesca; Locatelli, Franco; Mingari, Maria Cristina; Moretta, Lorenzo

2016-11-01

The interest in innate lymphoid cells (ILC) has rapidly grown during the last decade. ILC include distinct cell types that are collectively involved in host protection against pathogens and tumor cells and in the regulation of tissue homeostasis. Studies in mice enabled a broad characterization of ILC function and of their developmental requirements. In humans all mature ILC subsets have been characterized and their role in the pathogenesis of certain disease is emerging. Nonetheless, still limited information is available on human ILC development. Indeed, only the cell precursors committed toward NK cells or ILC3 have been described. Here, we review the most recent finding on human mature ILC, discussing their tissue localization and function. Moreover, we summarize the available data regarding human ILC development. Copyright © 2016 European Federation of Immunological Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants exposed in utero to antipsychotics: a systematic review of published data.

PubMed

Gentile, Salvatore; Fusco, Maria Luigia

2017-06-01

The proportion of pregnancies exposed to either second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) or first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs) varies between 0.3%-2% of all pregnancies, but, until now, little is known about the potential neurobehavioral teratogenicity of antipsychotics. Assessing this safety facet is the aim of this article. PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched for eligible articles. PubMed (1954 to May 2016) was searched using several medical subject headings, variously combined. PubMed search results were also limited using the search filter for human studies published in English. Scopus and Google Scholar searches were filtered for article title (antipsychotics/neuroleptics, pregnancy). After excluding duplicates, 9,250 articles were identified and 29 met the following inclusion criteria: only articles that provided original/primary data on neurodevelopmental outcome in human offspring older than 4 months of age, independently of the study design, were selected for review. Indeed, some relevant neurodevelopmental milestones are achieved at this time. Length of study and neurodevelopmental assessment methodology did not influence the study selection. Unfortunately, published data on neurodevelopmental teratogenicity of SGAs mainly derive from case reports and small case-series studies. Even findings emerging from case-control and prospective/retrospective studies are of limited clinical relevance because of their small sample sizes. Limited data are also available on FGAs. Hence, we have to conclude that the long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes for children exposed in utero remain unclear. Low to very low quality evidence of retrieved data makes impossible to confirm or exclude potential long-lasting untoward effects on infant neurocognitive development associate with antenatal exposure to either SGAs or FGAs.

Metal casts showing the three-dimensional structure of the human inner ear were converted into jewelry.

PubMed

Heywood, Peter

2015-06-01

This article describes a straightforward method for making metal casts of the human inner ear developed in 1937 by M. Wharton Young of Howard University College of Medicine. These casts were used to study anatomy, but there do not appear to be any published photographs of the casts. Inner ear casts converted into jewelry provide the only known images of this work. Later, Young studied the inner ear in living rhesus monkeys by injecting mercury into their membranous labyrinths. Young's investigations indicated a blind-ending perilymphatic sac that was not in continuity with the subarachnoid space.

Binding pattern of intermediate UDP-4-keto-xylose to human UDP-xylose synthase: Synthesis and STD NMR of model keto-saccharides.

PubMed

Puchner, Claudia; Eixelsberger, Thomas; Nidetzky, Bernd; Brecker, Lothar

2017-01-02

Human UDP-xylose synthase (hUXS1) exclusively converts UDP-glucuronic acid to UDP-xylose via intermediate UDP-4-keto-xylose (UDP-Xyl-4O). Synthesis of model compounds like methyl-4-keto-xylose (Me-Xyl-4O) is reported to investigate the binding pattern thereof to hUXS1. Hence, selective oxidation of the desired hydroxyl function required employment of protecting group chemistry. Solution behavior of synthesized keto-saccharides was studied without enzyme via 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopy with respect to existent forms in deuterated potassium phosphate buffer. Keto-enol tautomerism was observed for all investigated keto-saccharides, while gem-diol hydrate forms were only observed for 4-keto-xylose derivatives. Saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR was used to study binding of synthesized keto-gylcosides to wild type hUXS1. Resulting epitope maps were correlated to earlier published molecular modeling studies of UDP-Xyl-4O. STD NMR results of Me-Xyl-4O are in good agreement with simulations of the intermediate UDP-Xyl-4O indicating a strong interaction of proton H3 with the enzyme, potentially caused by active site residue Ala 79 . In contrast, pyranoside binding pattern studies of methyl uronic acids showed some differences compared to previously published STD NMR results of UDP-glycosides. In general, obtained results can contribute to a better understanding in binding of UDP-glycosides to other UXS enzyme family members, which have high structural similarities in the active site. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Human and ape: the legend, the history and the DNA

PubMed Central

Diamandopoulos, AA; Goudas, CP

2007-01-01

A vast amount of papers is published every year about species evolution, the most interesting being those recently published in the journal "Nature", concerning the human-ape relationship. The results and the new theories generated from this research are sometimes astonishing, rising not only biological, but also social, religious and cultural questions. One of the new questions concerns the role of species interbreeding as a means of evolution. In the subject of species interbreeding between human and ape we found some interesting historical and mythical information that sort of back-up this theory of interbreeding, with a historical and cultural side of view. PMID:19582186

Structural violence and marginalisation. The sexual and reproductive health experiences of separated young people on the move. A rapid review with relevance to the European humanitarian crisis.

PubMed

Mason-Jones, A J; Nicholson, P

2018-05-01

To explore the main sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues for separated young migrants. We conducted a rapid review. The search for articles published between 2000 and June 2017 including peer-reviewed and 'grey' published literature from a range of databases including MEDLINE, AMED, Embase, ASSIA, Scopus, Web of Science and websites of international organisations (Missing Children Alliance, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Human Rights Watch, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and FBX Centre for Health and Human Rights) took place over 4 months. Themes emerging from the included studies and articles were synthesised. We found 44 articles from a range of countries of which 64% were peer-reviewed and 36% were from 'grey' literature. Structural violence and marginalisation were the key analytical themes that emerged and included young people's vulnerability to violence, unmet knowledge and service needs, barriers and stigma and poor SRH outcomes. This is the first known review to summarise the key SRH issues for separated young migrants. As Europe hosts the greatest number of separated young people in recent history, their unique SRH concerns risk being overlooked. Public health practitioners and policy makers are encouraged to challenge the gaps that exist in their services. Copyright © 2018 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reminiscences of a journeyman scientist: studies of thermoregulation in non-human primates and humans.

PubMed

Adair, Eleanor Reed

2008-12-01

After graduating from Mount Holyoke College in 1948 where I majored in experimental psychology I worked at the College for 2 years with the Johns Hopkins Thermophysiological Unit. My graduate work later at the University of Wisconsin, centering on sensory psychology, culminated in my 1955 PhD thesis on human dark adaptation. I continued work in sensory psychology later with Neal Miller at Yale and then moved to the John B. Pierce Foundation--a Yale affiliate--where I began the studies of thermoregulation that constitute the center of my scientific career. Those studies were largely--later wholly--conducted using microwave energy as a thermal load and were thus published in Bioelectromagnetics even as I played an active role in the Bioelectromagnetics Society. In the beginning this work was centered on the responses of Squirrel Monkeys to thermal loads. Later, serving as Senior Scientist at the Air Force Research Laboratory at San Antonio, I completed an extensive analysis of thermal regulation in humans. I consider this work of special note inasmuch as the extraordinary human thermoregulatory ability was surely among the attributes that were paramount in initially separating humans from the other anthropoid primates.

A brief review of the estimated economic burden of sexually transmitted diseases in the United States: inflation-adjusted updates of previously published cost studies.

PubMed

Chesson, Harrell W; Gift, Thomas L; Owusu-Edusei, Kwame; Tao, Guoyu; Johnson, Ana P; Kent, Charlotte K

2011-10-01

We conducted a literature review of studies of the economic burden of sexually transmitted diseases in the United States. The annual direct medical cost of sexually transmitted diseases (including human immunodeficiency virus) has been estimated to be $16.9 billion (range: $13.9-$23.0 billion) in 2010 US dollars.

Studies in Motor Behavior: 75 Years of Research in Motor Development, Learning, and Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ulrich, Beverly D.; Reeve, T. Gilmour

2005-01-01

Research focused on human motor development, learning, and control has been a prominent feature in the Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport (RQES) since it was first published in 1930. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the papers in the RQES that demonstrate the journal's contributions to the study of motor development,…

Examining Values, Use, and Role in Evaluation: Prospects for a Broadened View

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boulay, David A.; Han, Heeyoung

2008-01-01

This article reviews evaluation studies published in the HRD (human resource development) field. The authors further discuss general evaluation theories in terms of value, use, and evaluator role. The comparison of this literature suggests that evaluation in HRD has been limited by narrow perspectives. The authors attribute this narrow notion of…

Tuberculosis Detection by Giant African Pouched Rats

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poling, Alan; Weetjens, Bart; Cox, Christophe; Beyene, Negussie; Durgin, Amy; Mahoney, Amanda

2011-01-01

In recent years, operant discrimination training procedures have been used to teach giant African pouched rats to detect tuberculosis (TB) in human sputum samples. This article summarizes how the rats are trained and used operationally, as well as their performance in studies published to date. Available data suggest that pouched rats, which can…

What is the Purpose of Biology in Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliver, J. Steve; Nichols, B. Kim

1998-01-01

Summarizes a debate over biology education that took place during a symposium sponsored by the School Science and Mathematics editors in 1908. The six published symposium contributions were meant to address such questions as whether zoology, botany, and human physiology should be studied in one biology course, and what the general purposes for…

Werner Jaeger's "Paideia" and His 'Third Humanism'

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horn, Christoph

2018-01-01

Werner Jaeger (1888-1961) was at his time the most brilliant and the most influential German classicist. His most important project was a tripartite study that he finally published under the title of "Paideia. Die Formung des griechischen Menschen" (1933-1947). "Paideia" was much more than a detailed scholarly book on pedagogy…

75 FR 66195 - Schedules of Controlled Substances: Placement of Propofol Into Schedule IV

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-27

... published abuse liability studies of propofol in humans in which the reinforcement and reward effects have... reporting by the subject feeling ``high,'' relative to the placebo. The motivation for abuse of propofol is... Reporting System (AERS) DataMart database). In the AERS database, there are reports of propofol diversion...

Classifying oxidative stress by F2-isoprostane levels across human diseases: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

van 't Erve, Thomas J; Kadiiska, Maria B; London, Stephanie J; Mason, Ronald P

2017-08-01

The notion that oxidative stress plays a role in virtually every human disease and environmental exposure has become ingrained in everyday knowledge. However, mounting evidence regarding the lack of specificity of biomarkers traditionally used as indicators of oxidative stress in human disease and exposures now necessitates re-evaluation. To prioritize these re-evaluations, published literature was comprehensively analyzed in a meta-analysis to quantitatively classify the levels of systemic oxidative damage across human disease and in response to environmental exposures. In this meta-analysis, the F 2 -isoprostane, 8-iso-PGF 2α , was specifically chosen as the representative marker of oxidative damage. To combine published values across measurement methods and specimens, the standardized mean differences (Hedges' g) in 8-iso-PGF 2α levels between affected and control populations were calculated. The meta-analysis resulted in a classification of oxidative damage levels as measured by 8-iso-PGF 2α across 50 human health outcomes and exposures from 242 distinct publications. Relatively small increases in 8-iso-PGF 2α levels (g<0.8) were found in the following conditions: hypertension (g=0.4), metabolic syndrome (g=0.5), asthma (g=0.4), and tobacco smoking (g=0.7). In contrast, large increases in 8-iso-PGF 2α levels were observed in pathologies of the kidney, e.g., chronic renal insufficiency (g=1.9), obstructive sleep apnoea (g=1.1), and pre-eclampsia (g=1.1), as well as respiratory tract disorders, e.g., cystic fibrosis (g=2.3). In conclusion, we have established a quantitative classification for the level of 8-iso-PGF 2α generation in different human pathologies and exposures based on a comprehensive meta-analysis of published data. This analysis provides knowledge on the true involvement of oxidative damage across human health outcomes as well as utilizes past research to prioritize those conditions requiring further scrutiny on the mechanisms of biomarker generation. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Potential human exposures to neonicotinoid insecticides: A review.

PubMed

Zhang, Q; Li, Z; Chang, C H; Lou, J L; Zhao, M R; Lu, C

2018-05-01

Due to their systemic character and high efficacy to insect controls, neonicotinoid insecticides (neonics) have been widely used in global agriculture since its introduction in early 1990. Recent studies have indicated that neonics may be ubiquitous, have longer biological half-lives in the environment once applied, and therefore implicitly suggested the increasing probability for human exposure to neonics. Despite of neonics' persistent characters and widespread uses, scientific literature in regard of pathways in which human exposure could occur is relatively meager. In this review, we summarized results from peer-reviewed articles published prior to 2017 that address potential human exposures through ingestion and inhalation, as well as results from human biomonitoring studies. In addition, we proposed the use of relative potency factor approach in order to facilitate the assessment of concurrent exposure to a mixture of neonics with similar chemical structures and toxicological endpoints. We believe that the scientific information that we presented in this review will aid to future assessment of total neonic exposure and subsequently human health risk characterization. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Discovery of novel transcripts of the human tissue kallikrein (KLK1) and kallikrein-related peptidase 2 (KLK2) in human cancer cells, exploiting Next-Generation Sequencing technology.

PubMed

Adamopoulos, Panagiotis G; Kontos, Christos K; Scorilas, Andreas

2018-03-31

Tissue kallikrein, kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs), and plasma kallikrein form the largest group of serine proteases in the human genome, sharing many structural and functional properties. Several KLK transcripts have been found aberrantly expressed in numerous human malignancies, confirming their prognostic or/and diagnostic values. However, the process of alternative splicing can now be studied in-depth due to the development of Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS). In the present study, we used NGS to discover novel transcripts of the KLK1 and KLK2 genes, after nested touchdown PCR. Bioinformatics analysis and PCR experiments revealed a total of eleven novel KLK transcripts (two KLK1 and nine KLK2 transcripts). In addition, the expression profiles of each novel transcript were investigated with nested PCR experiments using variant-specific primers. Since KLKs are implicated in human malignancies, qualifying as potential biomarkers, the quantification of the presented novel transcripts in human samples may have clinical applications in different types of cancer. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Teaching medical humanities in the digital world: affordances of technology-enhanced learning.

PubMed

Kemp, Sandra Joy; Day, Giskin

2014-12-01

Medical humanities courses are typically taught in face-to-face teaching environments, but now medical humanities educators, alongside educators from other disciplines, are facing shifts in higher education towards online (and sometimes open) courses. For the medical humanities educator, there is limited guidance regarding how technology-enhanced learning design can support the learning outcomes associated with medical humanities. This article aims to provide useful direction for such educators on how digital technologies can be used through learner-focused pedagogies. Specific examples are provided as to how the affordances of Web 2.0 and other tools can be realised in innovative ways to help achieve skills development within the medical humanities. The guidance, alongside the practical suggestions for implementation, can provide important conceptual background for medical humanities educators who wish to embrace technology-enhanced learning, and reconceptualise or redesign medical humanities for an online or blended teaching environment. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Crestal bone loss around submerged and nonsubmerged dental implants: A systematic review.

PubMed

Al Amri, Mohammad D

2016-05-01

To my knowledge, there is no systematic review of crestal bone loss (CBL) around submerged and nonsubmerged dental implants. The purpose of this review was to systematically assess CBL around submerged and nonsubmerged dental implants. The addressed focused question was, "Does crestal and subcrestal placement of dental implants influence crestal bone levels?" Databases were searched from 1986 through October 2015 using different combinations of the following keywords: crestal, sub-crestal, bone loss, dental implant, submerged, and nonsubmerged. Reference lists of potentially relevant original and review articles were hand-searched to identify any further studies. Letters to the editor, case reports, commentaries, studies on platform-switched implants, and studies published in languages other than English were excluded. In total, 13 studies (6 human and 7 animal), which were performed at universities, were included. In the human studies, the number of participants ranged from 8 to 84 individuals. The follow-up period ranged from 1 to 5 years. CBL at the test sites ranged from 0.17 mm to 0.9 mm and at control sites from 0.02 mm to 1.4 mm. Five human studies reported no significant difference in CBL around implants placed at the test and control sites. All animal studies were performed in dogs with a mean age ranging from 1 to approximately 2 years. The follow-up period ranged from 2 to 6 months. Four animal studies reported no significant difference in CBL around submerged and nonsubmerged implants. No significant difference in CBL was found around submerged and nonsubmerged dental implants. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Insulin-Sensitizing Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Lost in Translation?

PubMed Central

Lalia, Antigoni Z.; Lanza, Ian R.

2016-01-01

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) of marine origin, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have been long studied for their therapeutic potential in the context of type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and glucose homeostasis. Glaring discordance between observations in animal and human studies precludes, to date, any practical application of n-3 PUFA as nutritional therapeutics against insulin resistance in humans. Our objective in this review is to summarize current knowledge and provide an up-to-date commentary on the therapeutic value of EPA and DHA supplementation for improving insulin sensitivity in humans. We also sought to discuss potential mechanisms of n-3 PUFA action in target tissues, in specific skeletal muscle, based on our recent work, as well as in liver and adipose tissue. We conducted a literature search to include all preclinical and clinical studies performed within the last two years and to comment on representative studies published earlier. Recent studies support a growing consensus that there are beneficial effects of n-3 PUFA on insulin sensitivity in rodents. Observational studies in humans are encouraging, however, the vast majority of human intervention studies fail to demonstrate the benefit of n-3 PUFA in type 2 diabetes or insulin-resistant non-diabetic people. Nevertheless, there are still several unanswered questions regarding the potential impact of n-3 PUFA on metabolic function in humans. PMID:27258299

A Guide to Studying Human Hair Follicle Cycling In Vivo.

PubMed

Oh, Ji Won; Kloepper, Jennifer; Langan, Ewan A; Kim, Yongsoo; Yeo, Joongyeub; Kim, Min Ji; Hsi, Tsai-Ching; Rose, Christian; Yoon, Ghil Suk; Lee, Seok-Jong; Seykora, John; Kim, Jung Chul; Sung, Young Kwan; Kim, Moonkyu; Paus, Ralf; Plikus, Maksim V

2016-01-01

Hair follicles (HFs) undergo lifelong cyclical transformations, progressing through stages of rapid growth (anagen), regression (catagen), and relative "quiescence" (telogen). Given that HF cycling abnormalities underlie many human hair growth disorders, the accurate classification of individual cycle stages within skin biopsies is clinically important and essential for hair research. For preclinical human hair research purposes, human scalp skin can be xenografted onto immunocompromised mice to study human HF cycling and manipulate long-lasting anagen in vivo. Although available for mice, a comprehensive guide on how to recognize different human hair cycle stages in vivo is lacking. In this article, we present such a guide, which uses objective, well-defined, and reproducible criteria, and integrates simple morphological indicators with advanced, (immuno)-histochemical markers. This guide also characterizes human HF cycling in xenografts and highlights the utility of this model for in vivo hair research. Detailed schematic drawings and representative micrographs provide examples of how best to identify human HF stages, even in suboptimally sectioned tissue, and practical recommendations are given for designing human-on-mouse hair cycle experiments. Thus, this guide seeks to offer a benchmark for human hair cycle stage classification, for both hair research experts and newcomers to the field. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Applying human factors principles to alert design increases efficiency and reduces prescribing errors in a scenario-based simulation.

PubMed

Russ, Alissa L; Zillich, Alan J; Melton, Brittany L; Russell, Scott A; Chen, Siying; Spina, Jeffrey R; Weiner, Michael; Johnson, Elizabette G; Daggy, Joanne K; McManus, M Sue; Hawsey, Jason M; Puleo, Anthony G; Doebbeling, Bradley N; Saleem, Jason J

2014-10-01

To apply human factors engineering principles to improve alert interface design. We hypothesized that incorporating human factors principles into alerts would improve usability, reduce workload for prescribers, and reduce prescribing errors. We performed a scenario-based simulation study using a counterbalanced, crossover design with 20 Veterans Affairs prescribers to compare original versus redesigned alerts. We redesigned drug-allergy, drug-drug interaction, and drug-disease alerts based upon human factors principles. We assessed usability (learnability of redesign, efficiency, satisfaction, and usability errors), perceived workload, and prescribing errors. Although prescribers received no training on the design changes, prescribers were able to resolve redesigned alerts more efficiently (median (IQR): 56 (47) s) compared to the original alerts (85 (71) s; p=0.015). In addition, prescribers rated redesigned alerts significantly higher than original alerts across several dimensions of satisfaction. Redesigned alerts led to a modest but significant reduction in workload (p=0.042) and significantly reduced the number of prescribing errors per prescriber (median (range): 2 (1-5) compared to original alerts: 4 (1-7); p=0.024). Aspects of the redesigned alerts that likely contributed to better prescribing include design modifications that reduced usability-related errors, providing clinical data closer to the point of decision, and displaying alert text in a tabular format. Displaying alert text in a tabular format may help prescribers extract information quickly and thereby increase responsiveness to alerts. This simulation study provides evidence that applying human factors design principles to medication alerts can improve usability and prescribing outcomes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Towards cultural materialism in the medical humanities: the case of blood rejuvenation.

PubMed

Oakley, Catherine

2018-03-01

This paper argues for an approach within the medical humanities that draws on the theoretical legacy of cultural materialism as a framework for reading cultural practices and their relationship to the social and economic order. It revisits the origins and development of cultural materialism in cultural studies and literary studies between the 1970s and 1990s and considers how, with adaptation, this methodology might facilitate ideological criticism focused on material formations of health, disease and the human body. I outline three key characteristics of a medicocultural materialist approach along these lines: (a) interdisciplinary work on a broad range of medical and cultural sources, including those drawn from 'popular' forms of culture; (b) the combination of historicist analysis with scrutiny of present-day contexts; (c) analyses that engage with political economy perspectives and/or the work of medical sociology in this area. The subsequent sections of the paper employ a medicocultural materialist approach to examine conjectural understandings of, and empirical investigations into, the capacity of transfused human blood to rejuvenate the ageing body. I trace textual faultlines that expose the structures of power which inform the movement of blood between bodies in 'medical gothic' fictions from the 19th-century fin de siècle, including Mary Elizabeth Braddon's 'Good Lady Ducayne' (1896) and Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897). I conclude with a critique of biomedical innovations in blood rejuvenation in the era of medical neoliberalism, before considering the potential applications of medicocultural materialism to other topics within the field of the medical humanities. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Fecal Microbial Therapy – Promises and Pitfalls

PubMed Central

Merenstein, Daniel; El-Nachef, Najwa; Lynch, Susan V.

2015-01-01

A rapidly-expanding range of diverse human diseases are now associated with perturbations to the gastrointestinal microbiome. Fecal microbial transfer (FMT) has been used with high rates of efficacy to treat gastrointestinal microbiome perturbation associated with recurrent Clostridium difficile infection, and is now being considered for other indications. Here we discuss the gut microbiome, review published and on-going studies using FMT as a treatment modality for human disease, consider the regulatory aspects of FMT and outline some factors that should be considered in cases where this therapeutic strategy is being contemplated. PMID:24796803

Cadaveric and in vivo human joint imaging based on differential phase contrast by X-ray Talbot-Lau interferometry.

PubMed

Tanaka, Junji; Nagashima, Masabumi; Kido, Kazuhiro; Hoshino, Yoshihide; Kiyohara, Junko; Makifuchi, Chiho; Nishino, Satoshi; Nagatsuka, Sumiya; Momose, Atsushi

2013-09-01

We developed an X-ray phase imaging system based on Talbot-Lau interferometry and studied its feasibility for clinical diagnoses of joint diseases. The system consists of three X-ray gratings, a conventional X-ray tube, an object holder, an X-ray image sensor, and a computer for image processing. The joints of human cadavers and healthy volunteers were imaged, and the results indicated sufficient sensitivity to cartilage, suggesting medical significance. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Fatal human eosinophilic meningo-encephalitis caused by CNS co-infection with Halicephalobus gingivalis and West Nile virus.

PubMed

Anwar, M A; Gokozan, H N; Ball, M K; Otero, J; McGwire, B S

2015-10-01

The saprophytic nematode Halicephalobus is a rare cause of fatal human meningo-encephalitis, and West Nile virus is neurotropic flavivirus implicated in a variety of clinical neurologic syndromes. Here we report a case of rapidly progressive CNS encephalopathy and death. Serologic, immuno-histochemical, histopathologic and nucleic acid studies demonstrate the presence of active Halicephalobus and West Nile virus in the CNS tissue. This is the first reported case of co-infection with these neurotropic pathogens. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Antidepressive and anxiolytic effects of ayahuasca: a systematic literature review of animal and human studies.

PubMed

Dos Santos, Rafael G; Osório, Flávia L; Crippa, José Alexandre S; Hallak, Jaime E C

2016-03-01

To conduct a systematic literature review of animal and human studies reporting anxiolytic or antidepressive effects of ayahuasca or some of its isolated alkaloids (dimethyltryptamine, harmine, tetrahydroharmine, and harmaline). Papers published until 3 April 2015 were retrieved from the PubMed, LILACS and SciELO databases following a comprehensive search strategy and using a predetermined set of criteria for article selection. Five hundred and fourteen studies were identified, of which 21 met the established criteria. Studies in animals have shown anxiolytic and antidepressive effects of ayahuasca, harmine, and harmaline, and experimental studies in humans and mental health assessments of experienced ayahuasca consumers also suggest that ayahuasca is associated with reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms. A pilot study reported rapid antidepressive effects of a single ayahuasca dose in six patients with recurrent depression. Considering the need for new drugs that produce fewer adverse effects and are more effective in reducing anxiety and depression symptomatology, the described effects of ayahuasca and its alkaloids should be further investigated.

Search protocols for hidden forensic objects beneath floors and within walls.

PubMed

Ruffell, Alastair; Pringle, Jamie K; Forbes, Shari

2014-04-01

The burial of objects (human remains, explosives, weapons) below or behind concrete, brick, plaster or tiling may be associated with serious crime and are difficult locations to search. These are quite common forensic search scenarios but little has been published on them to-date. Most documented discoveries are accidental or from suspect/witness testimony. The problem in locating such hidden objects means a random or chance-based approach is not advisable. A preliminary strategy is presented here, based on previous studies, augmented by primary research where new technology or applications are required. This blend allows a rudimentary search workflow, from remote desktop study, to non-destructive investigation through to recommendations as to how the above may inform excavation, demonstrated here with a case study from a homicide investigation. Published case studies on the search for human remains demonstrate the problems encountered when trying to find and recover sealed-in and sealed-over locations. Established methods include desktop study, photography, geophysics and search dogs: these are integrated with new technology (LiDAR and laser scanning; photographic rectification; close-quarter aerial imagery; ground-penetrating radar on walls and gamma-ray/neutron activation radiography) to propose this possible search strategy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developmental toxicity study of sodium molybdate dihydrate administered in the diet to Sprague Dawley rats.

PubMed

Jay Murray, F; Tyl, Rochelle W; Sullivan, Frank M; Tiwary, Asheesh K; Carey, Sandra

2014-11-01

Molybdenum is an essential nutrient for humans and animals and is a constituent of several important oxidase enzymes. It is normally absorbed from the diet and to a lesser extent from drinking water and the typical human intake is around 2μg/kg bodyweight per day. No developmental toxicity studies to contemporary standards have been published and regulatory decisions have been based primarily on older studies where the nature of the test material, or the actual dose levels consumed is uncertain. In the current study the developmental toxicity of sodium molybdate dihydrate as a representative of a broad class of soluble molybdenum(VI) compounds, was given in the diet to Sprague Dawley rats in accordance with OECD Test Guideline 414. Dose levels of 0, 3, 10, 20 and 40mgMo/kgbw/day were administered from GD6 to GD20. No adverse effects were observed at any dose level on the dams, or on embryofetal survival, fetal bodyweight, or development, with no increase in malformations or variations. Significant increases in serum and tissue copper levels were observed but no toxicity related to these was observed. The NOAEL observed in this study was 40mgMo/kgbw/day, the highest dose tested. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Is it time to reassess current safety standards for glyphosate-based herbicides?

PubMed

Vandenberg, Laura N; Blumberg, Bruce; Antoniou, Michael N; Benbrook, Charles M; Carroll, Lynn; Colborn, Theo; Everett, Lorne G; Hansen, Michael; Landrigan, Philip J; Lanphear, Bruce P; Mesnage, Robin; Vom Saal, Frederick S; Welshons, Wade V; Myers, John Peterson

2017-06-01

Use of glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) increased ∼100-fold from 1974 to 2014. Additional increases are expected due to widespread emergence of glyphosate-resistant weeds, increased application of GBHs, and preharvest uses of GBHs as desiccants. Current safety assessments rely heavily on studies conducted over 30 years ago. We have considered information on GBH use, exposures, mechanisms of action, toxicity and epidemiology. Human exposures to glyphosate are rising, and a number of in vitro and in vivo studies challenge the basis for the current safety assessment of glyphosate and GBHs. We conclude that current safety standards for GBHs are outdated and may fail to protect public health or the environment. To improve safety standards, the following are urgently needed: (1) human biomonitoring for glyphosate and its metabolites; (2) prioritisation of glyphosate and GBHs for hazard assessments, including toxicological studies that use state-of-the-art approaches; (3) epidemiological studies, especially of occupationally exposed agricultural workers, pregnant women and their children and (4) evaluations of GBHs in commercially used formulations, recognising that herbicide mixtures likely have effects that are not predicted by studying glyphosate alone. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

New insights into the endocrine disrupting effects of brominated flame retardants.

PubMed

Legler, Juliette

2008-09-01

The objective of this review is to provide an overview of recent studies demonstrating the endocrine disrupting (ED) effects of brominated flame retardants (BFRs), while highlighting interesting data presented at the recent international BFR workshop in Amsterdam in April, 2007. A review written in 2002 was used as a starting point and about 60 publications published since 2003 were reviewed. New insights into the in vivo effects of BFRs on thyroid hormone, estrogen and androgen pathways in both mammalian and non-mammalian models are provided, and novel (in vitro) findings on the mechanisms underlying ED effects are highlighted. Special attention is also given to reports on neurotoxicological effects at relatively low doses of BFRs, although an endocrine-related mechanism is disputable. Convincing evidence has been published showing that BFRs and importantly, BFR metabolites, have the potential to disrupt endocrine systems at multiple target sites. While some studies suggest a wide margin of safety between effect concentrations in rodent models and levels encountered in humans and the environment, other studies demonstrate that exposure to low doses relevant for humans and wildlife at critical time points in development can result in profound effects on both endocrine pathways and (neuro)development.

New Issues for New Methods: Ethical and Editorial Challenges for an Experimental Philosophy.

PubMed

Polonioli, Andrea

2017-08-01

This paper examines a constellation of ethical and editorial issues that have arisen since philosophers started to conduct, submit and publish empirical research. These issues encompass concerns over responsible authorship, fair treatment of human subjects, ethicality of experimental procedures, availability of data, unselective reporting and publishability of research findings. This study aims to assess whether the philosophical community has as yet successfully addressed such issues. To do so, the instructions for authors, submission process and published research papers of 29 main journals in philosophy have been considered and analyzed. In light of the evidence reported here, it is argued that the philosophical community has as yet failed to properly tackle such issues. The paper also delivers some recommendations for authors, reviewers and editors in the field.

Urinary, Circulating, and Tissue Biomonitoring Studies Indicate Widespread Exposure to Bisphenol A

PubMed Central

Vandenberg, Laura N.; Chahoud, Ibrahim; Heindel, Jerrold J.; Padmanabhan, Vasantha; Paumgartten, Francisco J.R.; Schoenfelder, Gilbert

2010-01-01

Background Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the highest-volume chemicals produced worldwide, and human exposure to BPA is thought to be ubiquitous. Thus, there are concerns that the amount of BPA to which humans are exposed may cause adverse health effects. Importantly, results from a large number of biomonitoring studies are at odds with the results from two toxicokinetic studies. Objective We examined several possibilities for why biomonitoring and toxicokinetic studies could come to seemingly conflicting conclusions. Data sources We examined > 80 published human biomonitoring studies that measured BPA concentrations in human tissues, urine, blood, and other fluids, along with two toxicokinetic studies of human BPA metabolism. Data extraction and synthesis The > 80 biomonitoring studies examined included measurements in thousands of individuals from several different countries, and these studies overwhelmingly detected BPA in individual adults, adolescents, and children. Unconjugated BPA was routinely detected in blood (in the nanograms per milliliter range), and conjugated BPA was routinely detected in the vast majority of urine samples (also in the nanograms per milliliter range). In stark contrast, toxicokinetic studies proposed that humans are not internally exposed to BPA. Some regulatory agencies have relied solely on these toxicokinetic models in their risk assessments. Conclusions Available data from biomonitoring studies clearly indicate that the general population is exposed to BPA and is at risk from internal exposure to unconjugated BPA. The two toxicokinetic studies that suggested human BPA exposure is negligible have significant deficiencies, are directly contradicted by hypothesis-driven studies, and are therefore not reliable for risk assessment purposes. PMID:20338858

Robots and humans: synergy in planetary exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, Geoffrey A.

2004-01-01

How will humans and robots cooperate in future planetary exploration? Are humans and robots fundamentally separate modes of exploration, or can humans and robots work together to synergistically explore the solar system? It is proposed that humans and robots can work together in exploring the planets by use of telerobotic operation to expand the function and usefulness of human explorers, and to extend the range of human exploration to hostile environments. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Silkworm: A Promising Model Organism in Life Science.

PubMed

Meng, Xu; Zhu, Feifei; Chen, Keping

2017-09-01

As an important economic insect, silkworm Bombyx mori (L.) (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) has numerous advantages in life science, such as low breeding cost, large progeny size, short generation time, and clear genetic background. Additionally, there are rich genetic resources associated with silkworms. The completion of the silkworm genome has further accelerated it to be a modern model organism in life science. Genomic studies showed that some silkworm genes are highly homologous to certain genes related to human hereditary disease and, therefore, are a candidate model for studying human disease. In this article, we provided a review of silkworm as an important model in various research areas, including human disease, screening of antimicrobial agents, environmental safety monitoring, and antitumor studies. In addition, the application potentiality of silkworm model in life sciences was discussed. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.

Orthopoxvirus variola infection of Cynomys ludovicianus (North American black tailed prairie dog).

PubMed

Carroll, Darin S; Olson, Victoria A; Smith, Scott K; Braden, Zach H; Patel, Nishi; Abel, Jason; Li, Yu; Damon, Inger K; Karem, Kevin L

2013-09-01

Since the eradication of Smallpox, researchers have attempted to study Orthopoxvirus pathogenesis and immunity in animal models in order to correlate results human smallpox. A solely human pathogen, Orthopoxvirus variola fails to produce authentic smallpox illness in any other animal species tested to date. In 2003, an outbreak in the USA of Orthopoxvirus monkeypox, revealed the susceptibility of the North American black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) to infection and fulminate disease. Prairie dogs infected with Orthopoxvirus monkeypox present with a clinical scenario similar to ordinary smallpox, including prodrome, rash, and high mortality. This study examines if Black-tailed prairie dogs can become infected with O. variola and serve as a surrogate model for the study of human smallpox disease. Substantive evidence of infection is found in immunological seroconversion of animals to either intranasal or intradermal challenges with O. variola, but in the absence of overt illness. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Immunological changes in human skeletal muscle and blood after eccentric exercise and multiple biopsies

PubMed Central

Malm, Christer; Nyberg, Pernilla; Engström, Marianne; Sjödin, Bertil; Lenkei, Rodica; Ekblom, Björn; Lundberg, Ingrid

2000-01-01

A role of the immune system in muscular adaptation to physical exercise has been suggested but data from controlled human studies are scarce. The present study investigated immunological events in human blood and skeletal muscle by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry after eccentric cycling exercise and multiple biopsies. Immunohistochemical detection of neutrophil- (CD11b, CD15), macrophage- (CD163), satellite cell- (CD56) and IL-1β-specific antigens increased similarly in human skeletal muscle after eccentric cycling exercise together with multiple muscle biopsies, or multiple biopsies only. Changes in immunological variables in blood and muscle were related, and monocytes and natural killer (NK) cells appeared to have governing functions over immunological events in human skeletal muscle. Delayed onset muscle soreness, serum creatine kinase activity and C-reactive protein concentration were not related to leukocyte infiltration in human skeletal muscle. Eccentric cycling and/or muscle biopsies did not result in T cell infiltration in human skeletal muscle. Modes of stress other than eccentric cycling should therefore be evaluated as a myositis model in human. Based on results from the present study, and in the light of previously published data, it appears plausible that muscular adaptation to physical exercise occurs without preceding muscle inflammation. Nevertheless, leukocytes seem important for repair, regeneration and adaptation of human skeletal muscle. PMID:11080266

Studying the neurobiology of human social interaction: Making the case for ecological validity.

PubMed

Hogenelst, Koen; Schoevers, Robert A; aan het Rot, Marije

2015-01-01

With this commentary we make the case for an increased focus on the ecological validity of the measures used to assess aspects of human social functioning. Impairments in social functioning are seen in many types of psychopathology, negatively affecting the lives of psychiatric patients and those around them. Yet the neurobiology underlying abnormal social interaction remains unclear. As an example of human social neuroscience research with relevance to biological psychiatry and clinical psychopharmacology, this commentary discusses published experimental studies involving manipulation of the human brain serotonin system that included assessments of social behavior. To date, these studies have mostly been laboratory-based and included computer tasks, observations by others, or single-administration self-report measures. Most laboratory measures used so far inform about the role of serotonin in aspects of social interaction, but the relevance for real-life interaction is often unclear. Few studies have used naturalistic assessments in real life. We suggest several laboratory methods with high ecological validity as well as ecological momentary assessment, which involves intensive repeated measures in naturalistic settings. In sum, this commentary intends to stimulate experimental research on the neurobiology of human social interaction as it occurs in real life.

Teachers Who Write: Poems from Phillips Exeter Academy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Independent School, 2017

2017-01-01

The humanities are thriving at Phillips Exeter Academy (New Hampshire), and not just in the classroom. Though Exeter teachers need not publish or perish, publish many do, in the departments of History, Religion, and most of all English. An array of published poets at Phillips Exeter Academy present excerpts of their work in this article: (1)…

Human Skin Is the Largest Epithelial Surface for Interaction with Microbes.

PubMed

Gallo, Richard L

2017-06-01

Human skin contains an abundant and diverse population of microbial organisms. Many of these microbes inhabit follicular structures of the skin. Furthermore, numerous studies have shown that the interaction of some members of the skin microbiome with host cells will result in changes in cell function. However, estimates of the potential for the microbiome to influence human health through skin have ignored the inner follicular surface, and therefore vastly underestimated the potential of the skin microbiome to have a systemic effect on the human body. By calculating the surface area of follicular and the interfollicular epithelial surface it is shown that skin provides a vast interface for interactions with the microbiome. Copyright © 2017 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The fine structure of human germ layers in vivo: clues to the early differentiation of embryonic stem cells in vitro.

PubMed

Sathananthan, Henry; Selvaraj, Kamala; Clark, Joan

2011-08-01

The fine structure of the three germ layers in human ectopic embryos (stage 7) have been documented by digital light and electron microscopy. The formation of ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm and notochordal cells, and also the extraembryonic membranes, amnion and yolk sac, are imaged. The germ layers give rise to all the cells and tissues of the human body. Possible clues to the early differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESC) in vitro were obtained, since these events are more or less mimicked in cultures of ESC derived from the inner cell mass of human blastocysts. The findings are discussed with reference to previous studies on the fine structure of ESC using the same technique. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Calibrating Bayesian Network Representations of Social-Behavioral Models

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Whitney, Paul D.; Walsh, Stephen J.

2010-04-08

While human behavior has long been studied, recent and ongoing advances in computational modeling present opportunities for recasting research outcomes in human behavior. In this paper we describe how Bayesian networks can represent outcomes of human behavior research. We demonstrate a Bayesian network that represents political radicalization research – and show a corresponding visual representation of aspects of this research outcome. Since Bayesian networks can be quantitatively compared with external observations, the representation can also be used for empirical assessments of the research which the network summarizes. For a political radicalization model based on published research, we show this empiricalmore » comparison with data taken from the Minorities at Risk Organizational Behaviors database.« less

A hundred-year-old insight into the gut microbiome!

PubMed

Aziz, Ramy Karam

2009-12-07

As the National Institutes of Health-funded Human Microbiome Project enters its second phase, and as a major part of this project focuses on the human gut microbiome and its effects on human health, it might help us to travel a century back in time and examine how microbiologists dealt with microbiome-related challenges similar to those of the 21st century using the tools of their time. An article by Arthur I. Kendall, published in The Journal of Biological Chemistry in November 1909 (Some observations on the study of the intestinal bacteria J Biol Chem 1909, 6:499-507), offers a visionary insight into many of today's hot research questions.

Generation of a human induced pluripotent stem cell line from urinary cells of a healthy donor using integration free Sendai virus technology.

PubMed

Rossbach, Bella; Hildebrand, Laura; El-Ahmad, Linda; Stachelscheid, Harald; Reinke, Petra; Kurtz, Andreas

2017-05-01

We have generated a human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line derived from urinary cells of a 28year old healthy female donor. The cells were reprogrammed using a non-integrating viral vector and have shown full differentiation potential. Together with the iPSC line, the donor provided blood cells for the study of immunological effects of the iPSC line and its derivatives in autologous and allogeneic settings. The line is available and registered in the human pluripotent stem cell registry as BCRTi005-A. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Generation of a human induced pluripotent stem cell line from urinary cells of a healthy donor using an integration free vector.

PubMed

Rossbach, Bella; Hildebrand, Laura; El-Ahmad, Linda; Stachelscheid, Harald; Reinke, Petra; Kurtz, Andreas

2016-03-01

We have generated a human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line derived from urinary cells of a 30 year old healthy female donor. The cells were reprogrammed using a non-integrating viral vector and have shown full differentiation potential. Together with the iPSC-line, the donor provided blood cells for the study of immunological effects of the iPSC line and its derivatives in autologous and allogeneic settings. The line is available and registered in the human pluripotent stem cell registry as BCRTi004-A. Copyright © 2016 University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Variation of Metabolite and Hormone Contents in Human Milk.

PubMed

Demmelmair, Hans; Koletzko, Berthold

2017-03-01

Animal studies show that the lactation period contributes to metabolic programming of the offspring and that oral leptin and insulin show bioactivity. Stage of lactation, duration of gestation, maternal body composition, and maternal diet seem to influence the concentrations of small molecules in human milk. Variability of small molecule concentrations seems higher in preterm milk than in term milk. Insulin in human milk shows concentrations similar to plasma. Leptin concentration is lower in milk than in plasma and reflects maternal body mass index. Early in lactation, leptin could contribute to mediating the association between maternal and infant body composition. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis pipelines and packages for Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (450k) data.

PubMed

Morris, Tiffany J; Beck, Stephan

2015-01-15

The Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip has become a popular platform for interrogating DNA methylation in epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) and related projects as well as resource efforts such as the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and the International Human Epigenome Consortium (IHEC). This has resulted in an exponential increase of 450k data in recent years and triggered the development of numerous integrated analysis pipelines and stand-alone packages. This review will introduce and discuss the currently most popular pipelines and packages and is particularly aimed at new 450k users. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An in vitro approach for comparative interspecies metabolism of agrochemicals.

PubMed

Whalley, Paul M; Bartels, Michael; Bentley, Karin S; Corvaro, Marco; Funk, Dorothee; Himmelstein, Matthew W; Neumann, Birgit; Strupp, Christian; Zhang, Fagen; Mehta, Jyotigna

2017-08-01

The metabolism and elimination of a xenobiotic has a direct bearing on its potential to cause toxicity in an organism. The confidence with which data from safety studies can be extrapolated to humans depends, among other factors, upon knowing whether humans are systemically exposed to the same chemical entities (i.e. a parent compound and its metabolites) as the laboratory animals used to study toxicity. Ideally, to understand a metabolite in terms of safety, both the chemical structure and the systemic exposure would need to be determined. However, as systemic exposure data (i.e. blood concentration/time data of test material or metabolites) in humans will not be available for agrochemicals, an in vitro approach must be taken. This paper outlines an in vitro experimental approach for evaluating interspecies metabolic comparisons between humans and animal species used in safety studies. The aim is to ensure, where possible, that all potential human metabolites are also present in the species used in the safety studies. If a metabolite is only observed in human in vitro samples and is not present in a metabolic pathway defined in the toxicological species already, the toxicological relevance of this metabolite must be evaluated. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Hot topics of circulating tumor DNA testing in breast cancer].

PubMed

Liu, Y H; Zhou, B; Xu, L; Xin, L

2017-02-01

The progress of gene detection technologies represented by next generation sequencing (NGS) and digital PCR laid a foundation for studies of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in breast cancer. In 2014, the NGS workgroup organized by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) published the College of American Pathologists ' Laboratory Standards for Next - Generation Sequencing Clinical Tests, which provides a blueprint for the standardization of gene testing. In 2015, the Guidelines for Diagnostic Next - generation Sequencing published by the European Society of Human Genetics claimed that NGS is unacceptable in clinical practice before studies guided by guidelines are approved. Although existing studies show the benefits of ctDNA testing in disease monitoring and prognosis analyzing, we have a ways to go to normalize the procedure and build strict detection criteria.

In vitro Dermal Absorption of Hydroquinone: Protocol Validation and Applicability on Illegal Skin-Whitening Cosmetics.

PubMed

Desmedt, Bart; Ates, Gamze; Courselle, Patricia; De Beer, Jacques O; Rogiers, Vera; Hendrickx, Benoit; Deconinck, Eric; De Paepe, Kristien

2016-01-01

In Europe, hydroquinone is a forbidden cosmetic ingredient. It is, however, still abundantly used because of its effective skin-whitening properties. The question arises as to whether the quantities of hydroquinone used become systemically available and may cause damage to human health. Dermal absorption studies can provide this information. In the EU, dermal absorption has to be assessed in vitro since the Cosmetic Regulation 1223/2009/EC forbids the use of animals. To obtain human-relevant data, a Franz diffusion cell protocol was validated using human skin. The results obtained were comparable to those from a multicentre validation study. The protocol was applied to hydroquinone and the dermal absorption ranged between 31 and 44%, which is within the range of published in vivo human values. This shows that a well-validated in vitro dermal absorption study using human skin provides relevant human data. The validated protocol was used to determine the dermal absorption of illegal skin-whitening cosmetics containing hydroquinone. All samples gave high dermal absorption values, rendering them all unsafe for human health. These results add to our knowledge of illegal cosmetics on the EU market, namely that they exhibit a negative toxicological profile and are likely to induce health problems. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Atlas-guided volumetric diffuse optical tomography enhanced by generalized linear model analysis to image risk decision-making responses in young adults.

PubMed

Lin, Zi-Jing; Li, Lin; Cazzell, Mary; Liu, Hanli

2014-08-01

Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) is a variant of functional near infrared spectroscopy and has the capability of mapping or reconstructing three dimensional (3D) hemodynamic changes due to brain activity. Common methods used in DOT image analysis to define brain activation have limitations because the selection of activation period is relatively subjective. General linear model (GLM)-based analysis can overcome this limitation. In this study, we combine the atlas-guided 3D DOT image reconstruction with GLM-based analysis (i.e., voxel-wise GLM analysis) to investigate the brain activity that is associated with risk decision-making processes. Risk decision-making is an important cognitive process and thus is an essential topic in the field of neuroscience. The Balloon Analog Risk Task (BART) is a valid experimental model and has been commonly used to assess human risk-taking actions and tendencies while facing risks. We have used the BART paradigm with a blocked design to investigate brain activations in the prefrontal and frontal cortical areas during decision-making from 37 human participants (22 males and 15 females). Voxel-wise GLM analysis was performed after a human brain atlas template and a depth compensation algorithm were combined to form atlas-guided DOT images. In this work, we wish to demonstrate the excellence of using voxel-wise GLM analysis with DOT to image and study cognitive functions in response to risk decision-making. Results have shown significant hemodynamic changes in the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) during the active-choice mode and a different activation pattern between genders; these findings correlate well with published literature in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and fNIRS studies. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Leptin and its potential interest in assisted reproduction cycles.

PubMed

Catteau, A; Caillon, H; Barrière, P; Denis, M G; Masson, D; Fréour, T

2016-04-01

Leptin, an adipose hormone, has been shown to control energy homeostasis and food intake, and exert many actions on female reproductive function. Consequently, this adipokine is a pivotal factor in studies conducted on animal models and humans to decipher the mechanisms behind the infertility often observed in obese women. A systematic PubMed search was conducted on all articles, published up to January 2015 and related to leptin and its actions on energy balance and reproduction, using the following key words: leptin, reproduction, infertility, IVF and controlled ovarian stimulation. The available literature was reviewed in order to provide an overview of the current knowledge on the physiological roles of leptin, its involvement in female reproductive function and its potential interest as a prognostic marker in IVF cycles. Animal and human studies show that leptin communicates nutritional status to the central nervous system and emerging evidence has demonstrated that leptin is involved in the control of reproductive functions by acting both directly on the ovaries and indirectly on the central nervous system. With respect to the clinical use of leptin as a biomarker in IVF cycles, a systematic review of the literature suggested its potential interest as a predictor of IVF outcome, as high serum and/or follicular fluid leptin concentrations have correlated negatively with cycle outcome. However, these preliminary results remain to be confirmed. Leptin regulates energy balance and female reproductive function, mainly through its action on hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian function, whose molecular and cellular aspects are progressively being deciphered. Preliminary studies evaluating leptin as a biomarker in human IVF seem promising but need further confirmation. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Combining 3D human in vitro methods for a 3Rs evaluation of novel titanium surfaces in orthopaedic applications.

PubMed

Stevenson, G; Rehman, S; Draper, E; Hernández-Nava, E; Hunt, J; Haycock, J W

2016-07-01

In this study, we report on a group of complementary human osteoblast in vitro test methods for the preclinical evaluation of 3D porous titanium surfaces. The surfaces were prepared by additive manufacturing (electron beam melting [EBM]) and plasma spraying, allowing the creation of complex lattice surface geometries. Physical properties of the surfaces were characterized by SEM and profilometry and 3D in vitro cell culture using human osteoblasts. Primary human osteoblast cells were found to elicit greater differences between titanium sample surfaces than an MG63 osteoblast-like cell line, particularly in terms of cell survival. Surface morphology was associated with higher osteoblast metabolic activity and mineralization on rougher titanium plasma spray coated surfaces than smoother surfaces. Differences in osteoblast survival and metabolic activity on titanium lattice structures were also found, despite analogous surface morphology at the cellular level. 3D confocal microscopy identified osteoblast organization within complex titanium surface geometries, adhesion, spreading, and alignment to the biomaterial strut geometries. Mineralized nodule formation throughout the lattice structures was also observed, and indicative of early markers of bone in-growth on such materials. Testing methods such as those presented are not traditionally considered by medical device manufacturers, but we suggest have value as an increasingly vital tool in efficiently translating pre-clinical studies, especially in balance with current regulatory practice, commercial demands, the 3Rs, and the relative merits of in vitro and in vivo studies. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2016;113: 1586-1599. © 2015 The Authors. Biotechnology and Bioengineering Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 The Authors. Biotechnology and Bioengineering Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Substance P reduces TNF-α-induced apoptosis in human tenocytes through NK-1 receptor stimulation.

PubMed

Backman, Ludvig J; Eriksson, Daniella E; Danielson, Patrik

2014-10-01

It has been hypothesised that an upregulation of the neuropeptide substance P (SP) and its preferred receptor, the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1 R), is a causative factor in inducing tenocyte hypercellularity, a characteristic of tendinosis, through both proliferative and antiapoptotic stimuli. We have demonstrated earlier that SP stimulates proliferation of human tenocytes in culture. The aim of this study was to investigate whether SP can mediate an antiapoptotic effect in tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced apoptosis of human tenocytes in vitro. A majority (approximately 75%) of tenocytes in culture were immunopositive for TNF Receptor-1 and TNF Receptor-2. Exposure of the cells to TNF-α significantly decreased cell viability, as shown with crystal violet staining. TNF-α furthermore significantly increased the amount of caspase-10 and caspase-3 mRNA, as well as both BID and cleaved-poly ADP ribosome polymerase (c-PARP) protein. Incubation of SP together with TNF-α resulted in a decreased amount of BID and c-PARP, and in a reduced lactate dehydrogenase release, as compared to incubation with TNF-α alone. The SP effect was blocked with a NK-1 R inhibitor. This study shows that SP, through stimulation of the NK-1 R, has the ability to reduce TNF-α-induced apoptosis of human tenocytes. Considering that SP has previously been shown to stimulate tenocyte proliferation, the study confirms SP as a potent regulator of cell-turnover in tendon tissue, capable of stimulating hypercellularity through different mechanisms. This gives further support for the theory that the upregulated amount of SP seen in tendinosis could contribute to hypercellularity. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Eurycoma Longifolia as a potential adoptogen of male sexual health: a systematic review on clinical studies.

PubMed

Thu, Hnin Ei; Mohamed, Isa Naina; Hussain, Zahid; Jayusman, Putri Ayu; Shuid, Ahmad Nazrun

2017-01-01

Eurycoma longifolia (EL) has been well recognized as a booster of male sexual health. Over the past few decades, numerous in vivo animal studies and human clinical trials have been conducted across the globe to explore the promising role of EL in managing various male sexual disorders, which include erectile dysfunction, male infertility, low libido, and downregulated testosterone levels. The aim of the present review is to analyze and summarize the literature on human clinical trials which revealed the clinical significance and therapeutic feasibility of EL in improving male sexual health. This systematic review is focused on the following databases: Medline, Wiley Online Library, BioMed Central, Hindawi, Web of Knowledge, PubMed Central and Google Scholar, using search terms such as "Eurycoma longifolia", "EL", "Tongkat Ali", "male sexual health", "sexual infertility", "erectile dysfunction", "male libido", and "testosterone levels". Notably, only human clinical studies published between 2000 and 2014 were selected and thoroughly reviewed for relevant citations. Out of 150 articles, 11 met the inclusion criteria. The majority of articles included were randomized placebo-controlled trials, multiple cohort studies, or pilot trials. All these studies demonstrated considerable effects of EL on male sexual health disorders. Among them, 7 studies revealed remarkable association between the use of EL and the efficacy in the treatment of male sexual disorders, and remaining 4 studies failed to demonstrate sufficient effects on male sexual health. In summary, there is convincing evidence for the prominence of EL in improving the male sexual health. The review also substantiates the use of current methodology in the development of novel and more rationale natural herbal medicines for the management of male sexual disorders. Copyright © 2017 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An assessment system for rating scientific journals in the field of ergonomics and human factors.

PubMed

Dul, Jan; Karwowski, Waldemar

2004-05-01

A method for selecting and rating scientific and professional journals representing the discipline of ergonomics and human factors is proposed. The method is based upon the journal list, impact factors and citations provided by the Institute of Scientific Information (ISI), and the journal list published in the Ergonomics Abstracts. Three groups of journals were distinguished. The 'ergonomics journals' focus exclusively on ergonomics and human factors. The 'related journals' focus on other disciplines than ergonomics and human factors, but regularly publish ergonomics/human factors papers. The 'basic journals' focus on other technical, medical or social sciences than ergonomics, but are important for the development of ergonomics/human factors. Journal quality was rated using a maximum of four categories: top quality (A-level), high quality (B-level), good quality (C-level)) and professional (P-level). The above methods were applied to develop the Ergonomics Journal List 2004. A total of 25 'ergonomics journals', 58 'related journals' and 142 'basic journals' were classified.

Study of twenty preparations of human albumin solution which failed in quality control testing due to elevated sodium content, a poor internal quality control at manufacturing unit.

PubMed

Prasad, J P; Madhu, Y; Singh, Surinder; Soni, G R; Agnihotri, N; Singh, Varsha; Kumar, Pradeep; Jain, Nidhi; Prakash, Anu; Singh, Varun

2016-11-01

Current study is conducted in our laboratory due to failure in quality control testing of twenty batches of Human Albumin solution in which sodium content is higher than the prescribed limit. These batches are received in short duration from indigenous manufacturer and is the first incident of failure of Human albumin preparation in sodium content of manufacturer. On request of manufacturer, study is conducted to rule out the cause. Repeat testing of each out of specification batch is conducted and a trend analysis is drawn between our findings and manufacturer's results, also study of trend analysis of manufacturer for the last one year. Trend analysis data indicated towards poor consistency of batches with major shift at various time intervals in sodium content of human albumin preparation. Further analysis rule out that non-traceable quality of standard used in the internal quality control testing by manufacturer is the root cause of the problem. Copyright © 2016 International Alliance for Biological Standardization. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human somatic cell nuclear transfer and cloning.

PubMed

2012-10-01

This document presents arguments that conclude that it is unethical to use somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) for infertility treatment due to concerns about safety; the unknown impact of SCNT on children, families, and society; and the availability of other ethically acceptable means of assisted reproduction. This document replaces the ASRM Ethics Committee report titled, "Human somatic cell nuclear transfer (cloning)," last published in Fertil Steril 2000;74:873-6. Copyright © 2012 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The 'bioscience problem' for nursing students: an integrative review of published evaluations of Year 1 bioscience, and proposed directions for curriculum development.

PubMed

McVicar, Andrew; Andrew, Sharon; Kemble, Ross

2015-03-01

The difficulties that nursing students have in learning human biosciences have given cause for concern for over 20 years but the problem remains. To conduct an integrative review of published primary research into the 'bioscience problem', evaluate their outcomes, and provide a contemporary analysis of potential directions for curriculum planners. A systematic search of electronic databases CINAHL, Medline, British Nursing Index and Google Scholar was conducted for empirical research studies, published between 1990 and 2013, designed to either predict performance of students in bioscience assessments in Year 1 of their studies or identify in-course curriculum delivery issues. The search generated nineteen papers that met inclusion criteria. Twelve papers involved predictive factors for bioscience attainment and seven surveyed student views on curriculum issues. Four others that surveyed reflections of later-year students or qualified nurses on Year 1 outcomes were also retained for additional context. Prediction based on pre-admission academic achievement was not reliable. Student factors including age at entry, self-efficacy in science, and having appropriate study skills in particular appear to be confounding factors. In-course influences such as teaching strategy or lecturer skills are also inconsistent and likely to represent confounders operating at local, institutional level. The integrative review approach enabled analysis of incongruencies between studies that have been a barrier to curriculum development. Sound admissions criteria based on pre-university academic performance show promise in resolving the 'bioscience problem' but will likely be contingent on innovative support early in Year 1 for study skills and the fundamentals of human bioscience, plus attention to local quality assurance for curriculum delivery. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling human infertility with pluripotent stem cells.

PubMed

Chen, Di; Gell, Joanna J; Tao, Yu; Sosa, Enrique; Clark, Amander T

2017-05-01

Human fertility is dependent upon the correct establishment and differentiation of the germline. This is because no other cell type in the body is capable of passing a genome and epigenome from parent to child. Terminally differentiated germline cells in the adult testis and ovary are called gametes. However, the initial specification of germline cells occurs in the embryo around the time of gastrulation. Most of our knowledge regarding the cell and molecular events that govern human germline specification involves extrapolating scientific principles from model organisms, most notably the mouse. However, recent work using next generation sequencing, gene editing and differentiation of germline cells from pluripotent stem cells has revealed that the core molecular mechanisms that regulate human germline development are different from rodents. Here, we will discuss the major molecular pathways required for human germline differentiation and how pluripotent stem cells have revolutionized our ability to study the earliest steps in human embryonic lineage specification in order to understand human fertility. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A draft map of the human ovarian proteome for tissue engineering and clinical applications.

PubMed

Ouni, Emna; Vertommen, Didier; Chiti, Maria Costanza; Dolmans, Marie-Madeleine; Amorim, Christiani Andrade

2018-02-23

Fertility preservation research in women today is increasingly taking advantage of bioengineering techniques to develop new biomimetic materials and solutions to safeguard ovarian cell function and microenvironment in vitro and in vivo. However, available data on the human ovary are limited and fundamental differences between animal models and humans are hampering researchers in their quest for more extensive knowledge of human ovarian physiology and key reproductive proteins that need to be preserved. We therefore turned to multi-dimensional label-free mass spectrometry to analyze human ovarian cortex, as it is a high-throughput and conclusive technique providing information on the proteomic composition of complex tissues like the ovary. In-depth proteomic profiling through two-dimensional liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, western blot, histological and immunohistochemical analyses, and data mining helped us to confidently identify 1,508 proteins. Moreover, our method allowed us to chart the most complete representation so far of the ovarian matrisome, defined as the ensemble of extracellular matrix proteins and associated factors, including more than 80 proteins. In conclusion, this study will provide a better understanding of ovarian proteomics, with a detailed characterization of the ovarian follicle microenvironment, in order to enable bioengineers to create biomimetic scaffolds for transplantation and three-dimensional in vitro culture. By publishing our proteomic data, we also hope to contribute to accelerating biomedical research into ovarian health and disease in general. Published under license by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

The Importance of Cholesterol in Psychopathology: A Review of Recent Contributions.

PubMed

Pereira, Henrique

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to describe systematically recent studies that show the importance of cholesterol in psychopathology. This study was a review. The following databases were searched for relevant published articles on human studies: MEDLINE, Web of Science, EBSCOhost Academic Search Complete, and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection (papers from January 2012 to March 2016). Eighteen recent papers were selected, and thematic dimensions showing correlations between cholesterol and behavioral and psychopathological variables were depression, suicide, personality, and aggression. This paper demonstrates that recent research corroborates the idea that cholesterol plays an important role in governing behavior and psychopathology in humans. Deepening the studies in this field could be a promising avenue for future research, with implications for treating people with behavior or mental health problems.

A novel model to study neonatal Escherichia coli sepsis and the effect of treatment on the human immune system using humanized mice.

PubMed

Schlieckau, Florian; Schulz, Daniela; Fill Malfertheiner, Sara; Entleutner, Kathrin; Seelbach-Goebel, Birgit; Ernst, Wolfgang

2018-04-19

Neonatal sepsis is a serious threat especially for preterm infants. As existing in vitro and in vivo models have limitations, we generated a novel neonatal sepsis model using humanized mice and tested the effect of Betamethasone and Indomethacin which are used in the clinic in case of premature birth. Humanized mice were infected with Escherichia coli (E. coli). Subsequently, the effect of the infection itself, and treatment with Betamethasone and Indomethacin on survival, recovery, bacterial burden, leukocyte populations, and cytokine production, was analyzed. The human immune system in the animals responded with leukocyte trafficking to the site of infection and granulopoiesis in the bone marrow. Treatment with Indomethacin had no pronounced effect on the immune system or bacterial burden. Betamethasone induced a decline of splenocytes. The human immune system in humanized mice responds to the infection, making them a suitable model to study neonatal E. coli sepsis and the immune response of the neonatal immune system. Treatment with Betamethasone could have potential negative long-term effects for the immune system of the child. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Whole genome sequencing of a rare rotavirus from archived stool sample demonstrates independent zoonotic origin of human G8P[14] strains in Hungary.

PubMed

Marton, Szilvia; Dóró, Renáta; Fehér, Enikő; Forró, Barbara; Ihász, Katalin; Varga-Kugler, Renáta; Farkas, Szilvia L; Bányai, Krisztián

2017-01-02

Genotype P[14] rotaviruses in humans are thought to be zoonotic strains originating from bovine or ovine host species. Over the past 30 years only few genotype P[14] strains were identified in Hungary totaling<0.1% of all human rotaviruses whose genotype had been determined. In this study we report the genome sequence and phylogenetic analysis of a human genotype G8P[14] strain, RVA/Human-wt/HUN/182-02/2001/G8P[14]. The whole genome constellation (G8-P[14]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A11-N2-T6-E2-H3) of this strain was shared with another Hungarian zoonotic G8P[14] strain, RVA/Human-wt/HUN/BP1062/2004/G8P[14], although phylogenetic analyses revealed the two rotaviruses likely had different progenitors. Overall, our findings indicate that human G8P[14] rotavirus detected in Hungary in the past originated from independent zoonotic events. Further studies are needed to assess the public health risk associated with infections by various animal rotavirus strains. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Published sequences do not support transfer of oseltamivir resistance mutations from avian to human influenza A virus strains.

PubMed

Norberg, Peter; Lindh, Magnus; Olofsson, Sigvard

2015-03-28

Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate ester, OE) is a widely used antiviral active against influenza A virus. Its active metabolite, oseltamivir carboxylate (OC), is chemically stable and secreted into wastewater treatment plants. OC contamination of natural habitats of waterfowl might induce OC resistance in influenza viruses persistently infecting waterfowl, and lead to transfer of OC-resistance from avian to human influenza. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether such has occurred. A genomics approach including phylogenetic analysis and probability calculations for homologous recombination was applied on altogether 19,755 neuraminidase (N1 and N2) genes from virus sampled in humans and birds, with and without resistance mutations. No evidence for transfer of OE resistance mutations from avian to human N genes was obtained, and events suggesting recombination between human and avian influenza virus variants could not be traced in the sequence material studied. The results indicate that resistance in influenza viruses infecting humans is due to the selection pressure posed by the global OE administration in humans rather than transfer from avian influenza A virus strains carrying mutations induced by environmental exposure to OC.

Potential release of in vivo trace metals from metallic medical implants in the human body: from ions to nanoparticles--a systematic analytical review.

PubMed

Matusiewicz, Henryk

2014-06-01

Metal ion release from metallic materials, e.g. metallic alloys and pure metals, implanted into the human body in dental and orthopedic surgery is becoming a major cause for concern. This review briefly provides an overview of both metallic alloys and pure metals used in implant materials in dental and orthopedic surgery. Additionally, a short section is dedicated to important biomaterials and their corrosive behavior in both real solutions and various types of media that model human biological fluids and tissues. The present review gives an overview of analytical methods, techniques and different approaches applied to the measurement of in vivo trace metals released into body fluids and tissues from patients carrying metal-on-metal prostheses and metal dental implants. Reference levels of ion concentrations in body fluids and tissues that have been determined by a host of studies are compiled, reviewed and presented in this paper. Finally, a collection of published clinical data on in vivo released trace metals from metallic medical implants is included. Copyright © 2014 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human population history revealed by a supertree approach

PubMed Central

Duda, Pavel; Jan Zrzavý

2016-01-01

Over the past two decades numerous new trees of modern human populations have been published extensively but little attention has been paid to formal phylogenetic synthesis. We utilized the “matrix representation with parsimony” (MRP) method to infer a composite phylogeny (supertree) of modern human populations, based on 257 genetic/genomic, as well as linguistic, phylogenetic trees and 44 admixture plots from 200 published studies (1990–2014). The resulting supertree topology includes the most basal position of S African Khoisan followed by C African Pygmies, and the paraphyletic section of all other sub-Saharan peoples. The sub-Saharan African section is basal to the monophyletic clade consisting of the N African–W Eurasian assemblage and the consistently monophyletic Eastern superclade (Sahul–Oceanian, E Asian, and Beringian–American peoples). This topology, dominated by genetic data, is well-resolved and robust to parameter set changes, with a few unstable areas (e.g., West Eurasia, Sahul–Melanesia) reflecting the existing phylogenetic controversies. A few populations were identified as highly unstable “wildcard taxa” (e.g. Andamanese, Malagasy). The linguistic classification fits rather poorly on the supertree topology, supporting a view that direct coevolution between genes and languages is far from universal. PMID:27431856

High adult mortality among Hiwi hunter-gatherers: implications for human evolution.

PubMed

Hill, Kim; Hurtado, A M; Walker, R S

2007-04-01

Extant apes experience early sexual maturity and short life spans relative to modern humans. Both of these traits and others are linked by life-history theory to mortality rates experienced at different ages by our hominin ancestors. However, currently there is a great deal of debate concerning hominin mortality profiles at different periods of evolutionary history. Observed rates and causes of mortality in modern hunter-gatherers may provide information about Upper Paleolithic mortality that can be compared to indirect evidence from the fossil record, yet little is published about causes and rates of mortality in foraging societies around the world. To our knowledge, interview-based life tables for recent hunter-gatherers are published for only four societies (Ache, Agta, Hadza, and Ju/'hoansi). Here, we present mortality data for a fifth group, the Hiwi hunter-gatherers of Venezuela. The results show comparatively high death rates among the Hiwi and highlight differences in mortality rates among hunter-gatherer societies. The high levels of conspecific violence and adult mortality in the Hiwi may better represent Paleolithic human demographics than do the lower, disease-based death rates reported in the most frequently cited forager studies.

Trend of different molecular markers in the last decades for studying human migrations.

PubMed

Kundu, Sharbadeb; Ghosh, Sankar Kumar

2015-02-10

Anatomically modern humans are known to have widely migrated throughout history. Different scientific evidences suggest that the entire human population descended from just several thousand African migrants. About 85,000 years ago, the first wave of human migration was out of Africa, that followed the coasts through the Middle East, into Southern Asia via Sri Lanka, and in due course around Indonesia and into Australia. Another wave of migration between 40,000 and 12,000 years ago brought humans northward into Europe. However, the frozen north limited human expansion in Europe, and created a land bridge, "Bering land bridge", connecting Asia with North America about 25,000 years ago. Although fossil data give the most direct information about our past, it has certain anomalies. So, molecular archeologists are now using different molecular markers to trace the "most recent common ancestor" and also the migration pattern of modern humans. In this study, we have studied the trend of molecular markers and also the methodologies implemented in the last decades (2003-2014). From our observation, we can say that D-loop region of mtDNA and Y chromosome based markers are predominant. Nevertheless, mtDNA, especially the D-loop region, has some unique features, which makes it a more effective marker for tracing prehistoric footprints of modern human populations. Although, natural selection should also be taken into account in studying mtDNA based human migration. As per technology is concerned, Sanger sequencing is the major technique that is being used in almost all studies. But, the emergence of different cost-effective-and-easy-to-handle NGS platforms has increased its popularity over Sanger sequencing in studying human migration. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Models of acute and chronic pancreatitis.

PubMed

Lerch, Markus M; Gorelick, Fred S

2013-06-01

Animal models of acute and chronic pancreatitis have been created to examine mechanisms of pathogenesis, test therapeutic interventions, and study the influence of inflammation on the development of pancreatic cancer. In vitro models can be used to study early stage, short-term processes that involve acinar cell responses. Rodent models reproducibly develop mild or severe disease. One of the most commonly used pancreatitis models is created by administration of supraphysiologic concentrations of caerulein, an ortholog of cholecystokinin. Induction of chronic pancreatitis with factors thought to have a role in human disease, such as combinations of lipopolysaccharide and chronic ethanol feeding, might be relevant to human disease. Models of autoimmune chronic pancreatitis have also been developed. Most models, particularly of chronic pancreatitis, require further characterization to determine which features of human disease they include. Copyright © 2013 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring the implications of social change for human development: perspectives, issues and future directions.

PubMed

Chen, Xinyin

2015-02-01

Researchers have investigated the implications of social change for human development from different perspectives. The studies published in this special section were conducted within Greenfield's theoretical framework (2009). The findings concerning links between specific sociodemographic features (e.g., commercial activities, schooling) and individual cognition and social behaviour are particularly interesting because they tap the underlying forces that drive human development. To further understand the issues in these studies and in the field, a pluralist-constructive perspective is discussed, which emphasises the integration of diverse values and practices in both Western and non-Western societies and its effects on the development of sophisticated competencies in individual adaptation to the changing global community. In addition, several issues are highlighted and some suggestions are provided for future explorations in this field. © 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.

77 FR 18820 - Agency Information Collection Request; 30-Day Public Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-28

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES [Document Identifier OS-0990-0260; 30-Day Notice] Agency... of the Secretary (OS), Department of Health and Human Services, is publishing the following summary... Human Subjects: Assurance of Compliance with Federal Policy/IRB Review/IRB Recordkeeping/Informed...

Adverse effects of gluten ingestion and advantages of gluten withdrawal in nonceliac autoimmune disease.

PubMed

Lerner, Aaron; Shoenfeld, Yehuda; Matthias, Torsten

2017-12-01

In light of the coincident surge in overall gluten intake and the incidence of autoimmune diseases, the possible biological adverse effects of gluten were explored. PubMed, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library databases were screened for reports published between 1964 and 2016 regarding the adverse effects of gluten as well as the effects of a gluten-free diet on autoimmune diseases. In vitro and in vivo studies describing gluten intake in animal models or cell lines and gluten-free diets in human autoimmune diseases were reviewed. Multiple detrimental aspects of gluten affect human health, including gluten-dependent digestive and extradigestive manifestations mediated by potentially immunological or toxic reactions that induce gastrointestinal inadequacy. Gluten affects the microbiome and increases intestinal permeability. It boosts oxidative stress and affects epigenetic behavior. It is also immunogenic, cytotoxic, and proinflammatory. Gluten intake increases apoptosis and decreases cell viability and differentiation. In certain nonceliac autoimmune diseases, gluten-free diets may help curtail the adverse effects of gluten. Additional in vivo studies are needed to unravel the puzzle of gluten effects in humans and to explore the potential beneficial effects of gluten-free diets in autoimmune diseases. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Oceans and Human Health: a rising tide of challenges and opportunities for Europe.

PubMed

Fleming, L E; McDonough, N; Austen, M; Mee, L; Moore, M; Hess, P; Depledge, M H; White, M; Philippart, K; Bradbrook, P; Smalley, A

2014-08-01

The European Marine Board recently published a position paper on linking oceans and human health as a strategic research priority for Europe. With this position paper as a reference, the March 2014 Cornwall Oceans and Human Health Workshop brought together key scientists, policy makers, funders, business, and non governmental organisations from Europe and the US to review the recent interdisciplinary and cutting edge research in oceans and human health specifically the growing evidence of the impacts of oceans and seas on human health and wellbeing (and the effects of humans on the oceans). These impacts are a complex mixture of negative influences (e.g. from climate change and extreme weather to harmful algal blooms and chemical pollution) and beneficial factors (e.g. from natural products including seafood to marine renewable energy and wellbeing from interactions with coastal environments). Integrated approaches across disciplines, institutions, and nations in science and policy are needed to protect both the oceans and human health and wellbeing now and in the future. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Highly efficient biallelic genome editing of human ES/iPS cells using a CRISPR/Cas9 or TALEN system.

PubMed

Takayama, Kazuo; Igai, Keisuke; Hagihara, Yasuko; Hashimoto, Rina; Hanawa, Morifumi; Sakuma, Tetsushi; Tachibana, Masashi; Sakurai, Fuminori; Yamamoto, Takashi; Mizuguchi, Hiroyuki

2017-05-19

Genome editing research of human ES/iPS cells has been accelerated by clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) and transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN) technologies. However, the efficiency of biallelic genetic engineering in transcriptionally inactive genes is still low, unlike that in transcriptionally active genes. To enhance the biallelic homologous recombination efficiency in human ES/iPS cells, we performed screenings of accessorial genes and compounds. We found that RAD51 overexpression and valproic acid treatment enhanced biallelic-targeting efficiency in human ES/iPS cells regardless of the transcriptional activity of the targeted locus. Importantly, RAD51 overexpression and valproic acid treatment synergistically increased the biallelic homologous recombination efficiency. Our findings would facilitate genome editing study using human ES/iPS cells. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Molecular characterization of the human microbiome from a reproductive perspective.

PubMed

Mor, Amir; Driggers, Paul H; Segars, James H

2015-12-01

The process of reproduction inherently poses unique microbial challenges because it requires the transfer of gametes from one individual to the other, meanwhile preserving the integrity of the gametes and individuals from harmful microbes during the process. Advances in molecular biology techniques have expanded our understanding of the natural organisms living on and in our bodies, including those inhabiting the reproductive tract. Over the past two decades accumulating evidence has shown that the human microbiome is tightly related to health and disease states involving the different body systems, including the reproductive system. Here we introduce the science involved in the study of the human microbiome. We examine common methods currently used to characterize the human microbiome as an inseparable part of the reproductive system. Finally, we consider a few limitations, clinical implications, and the critical need for additional research in the field of human fertility. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Low calorie sweeteners: Evidence remains lacking for effects on human gut function.

PubMed

Bryant, Charlotte; Mclaughlin, John

2016-10-01

The importance of nutrient induced gut-brain signalling in the regulation of human food intake has become an increasing focus of research. Much of the caloric excess consumed comes from dietary sugars, but our knowledge about the mechanisms mediating the physiological and appetitive effects of sweet tastants in the human gut and gut-brain axis is far from complete. The comparative effects of natural sugars vs low calorie sweeteners are also poorly understood. Research in animal and cellular models has suggested a key functional role in gut endocrine cells for the sweet taste receptors previously well described in oral taste. However human studies to date have very consistently failed to show that activation of the sweet taste receptor by low calorie sweeteners placed in the human gut fails to replicate any of the effects on gastric motility, gut hormones or appetitive responses evoked by caloric sugars. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Evaluating the evidence for macrophage presence in skeletal muscle and its relation to insulin resistance in obese mice and humans: a systematic review protocol.

PubMed

Bhatt, Meha; Rudrapatna, Srikesh; Banfield, Laura; Bierbrier, Rachel; Wang, Pei-Wen; Wang, Kuan-Wen; Thabane, Lehana; Samaan, M Constantine

2017-08-08

The current global rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes are staggering. In order to implement effective management strategies, it is imperative to understand the mechanisms of obesity-induced insulin resistance and diabetes. Macrophage infiltration and inflammation of the adipose tissue in obesity is a well-established paradigm, yet the role of macrophages in muscle inflammation, insulin resistance and diabetes is not adequately studied. In this systematic review, we will examine the evidence for the presence of macrophages in skeletal muscle of obese humans and mice, and will assess the association between muscle macrophages and insulin resistance. We will identify published studies that address muscle macrophage content and phenotype, and its association with insulin resistance. We will search MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science for eligible studies. Grey literature will be searched in ProQuest. Quality assessment will be conducted using the Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation risk of bias Tool for animal studies. The findings of this systematic review will shed light on immune-metabolic crosstalk in obesity, and allow the consideration of targeted therapies to modulate muscle macrophages in the treatment and prevention of diabetes. The review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at conferences.

Efficacy and Safety of White Willow Bark (Salix alba) Extracts.

PubMed

Shara, Mohd; Stohs, Sidney J

2015-08-01

Willow bark extract has been used for thousands of years as an anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and analgesic. In spite of its long history of use, relatively few human and animal studies have been published that confirm anecdotal observations. A small number of clinical studies have been conducted that support the use of willow bark extracts in chronic lower back and joint pain and osteoarthritis. Willow bark extracts also are widely used in sports performance and weight loss products presumably because of anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities, although no human studies have been published that specifically and directly document beneficial effects. In recent years, various in vitro and animal studies have demonstrated that the anti-inflammatory activity of willow bark extract is associated with down regulation of the inflammatory mediators tumor necrosis factor-α and nuclear factor-kappa B. Although willow bark extracts are generally standardized to salicin, other ingredients in the extracts including other salicylates as well as polyphenols, and flavonoids may also play prominent roles in the therapeutic actions. Adverse effects appear to be minimal as compared to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs including aspirin. The primary cause for concern may relate to allergic reactions in salicylate-sensitive individuals. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Brain aging in humans, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta): magnetic resonance imaging studies of macro- and microstructural changes

PubMed Central

Chen, Xu; Errangi, Bhargav; Li, Longchuan; Glasser, Matthew F.; Westlye, Lars T.; Fjell, Anders M.; Walhovd, Kristine B.; Hu, Xiaoping; Herndon, James G.; Preuss, Todd M.; Rilling, James K.

2013-01-01

Among primates, humans are uniquely vulnerable to many age-related neurodegenerative disorders. We used structural and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine the brains of chimpanzees and rhesus monkeys across each species' adult lifespan, and compared these results with published findings in humans. As in humans, gray matter volume decreased with age in chimpanzees and rhesus monkeys. Also like humans, chimpanzees showed a trend for decreased white matter volume with age, but this decrease occurred proportionally later in the chimpanzee lifespan than in humans. Diffusion MRI revealed widespread age-related decreases in fractional anisotropy and increases in radial diffusivity in chimpanzees and macaques. However, both the fractional anisotropy decline and the radial diffusivity increase started at a proportionally earlier age in humans than in chimpanzees. Thus, even though overall patterns of gray and white matter aging are similar in humans and chimpanzees, the longer lifespan of humans provides more time for white matter to deteriorate before death, with the result that some neurological effects of aging may be exacerbated in our species. PMID:23623601

Intuitive Cognition and Models of Human-Automation Interaction.

PubMed

Patterson, Robert Earl

2017-02-01

The aim of this study was to provide an analysis of the implications of the dominance of intuitive cognition in human reasoning and decision making for conceptualizing models and taxonomies of human-automation interaction, focusing on the Parasuraman et al. model and taxonomy. Knowledge about how humans reason and make decisions, which has been shown to be largely intuitive, has implications for the design of future human-machine systems. One hundred twenty articles and books cited in other works as well as those obtained from an Internet search were reviewed. Works were deemed eligible if they were published within the past 50 years and common to a given literature. Analysis shows that intuitive cognition dominates human reasoning and decision making in all situations examined. The implications of the dominance of intuitive cognition for the Parasuraman et al. model and taxonomy are discussed. A taxonomy of human-automation interaction that incorporates intuitive cognition is suggested. Understanding the ways in which human reasoning and decision making is intuitive can provide insight for future models and taxonomies of human-automation interaction.

Nonneutral mitochondrial DNA variation in humans and chimpanzees

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nachman, M.W.; Aquadro, C.F.; Brown, W.M.

1996-03-01

We sequenced the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 3 (ND3) gene from a sample of 61 humans, five common chimpanzees, and one gorilla to test whether patterns of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation are consistent with a neutral model of molecular evolution. Within humans and within chimpanzees, the ratio of replacement to silent nucleotide substitutions was higher than observed in comparisons between species, contrary to neutral expectations. To test the generality of this result, we reanalyzed published human RFLP data from the entire mitochondrial genome. Gains of restriction sites relative to a known human mtDNA sequence were used to infer unambiguous nucleotide substitutions.more » We also compared the complete mtDNA sequences of three humans. Both the RFLP data and the sequence data reveal a higher ratio of replacement to silent nucleotide substitutions within humans than is seen between species. This pattern is observed at most or all human mitochondrial genes and is inconsistent with a strictly neutral model. These data suggest that many mitochondrial protein polymorphisms are slightly deleterious, consistent with studies of human mitochondrial diseases. 59 refs., 2 figs., 8 tabs.« less

Assessment of an extended dataset of in vitro human dermal absorption studies on pesticides to determine default values, opportunities for read-across and influence of dilution on absorption.

PubMed

Aggarwal, M; Fisher, P; Hüser, A; Kluxen, F M; Parr-Dobrzanski, R; Soufi, M; Strupp, C; Wiemann, C; Billington, R

2015-06-01

Dermal absorption is a key parameter in non-dietary human safety assessments for agrochemicals. Conservative default values and other criteria in the EFSA guidance have substantially increased generation of product-specific in vitro data and in some cases, in vivo data. Therefore, data from 190 GLP- and OECD guideline-compliant human in vitro dermal absorption studies were published, suggesting EFSA defaults and criteria should be revised (Aggarwal et al., 2014). This follow-up article presents data from an additional 171 studies and also the combined dataset. Collectively, the data provide consistent and compelling evidence for revision of EFSA's guidance. This assessment covers 152 agrochemicals, 19 formulation types and representative ranges of spray concentrations. The analysis used EFSA's worst-case dermal absorption definition (i.e., an entire skin residue, except for surface layers of stratum corneum, is absorbed). It confirmed previously proposed default values of 6% for liquid and 2% for solid concentrates, irrespective of active substance loading, and 30% for all spray dilutions, irrespective of formulation type. For concentrates, absorption from solvent-based formulations provided reliable read-across for other formulation types, as did water-based products for solid concentrates. The combined dataset confirmed that absorption does not increase linearly beyond a 5-fold increase in dilution. Finally, despite using EFSA's worst-case definition for absorption, a rationale for routinely excluding the entire stratum corneum residue, and ideally the entire epidermal residue in in vitro studies, is presented. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Protecting the fetus against HIV infection: a systematic review of placental transfer of antiretrovirals.

PubMed

McCormack, Shelley A; Best, Brookie M

2014-11-01

Maternal-to-fetal transfer of antiretroviral drugs contributes to prevention of vertical transmission of HIV. This systematic review discusses published studies containing data pertaining to the pharmacokinetics of placental transfer of antiretrovirals in humans, including paired cord and maternal plasma samples collected at the time of delivery as well as ex vivo placental perfusion models. Articles pertaining to placental transfer of antiretrovirals were identified from PubMed, from references of included articles, and from US Department of Health and Human Services Panel on Treatment of HIV-infected Pregnant Women and Prevention of Perinatal Transmission guidelines. Articles from non-human animal models or that had no original maternal-to-fetal transfer data were excluded. PRISMA guidelines were followed. A total of 103 published studies were identified. Data across studies appeared relatively consistent for the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and the non-nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), with cord to maternal ratios approaching 1 for many of these agents. The protease inhibitors atazanavir and lopinavir exhibited consistent maternal-to-fetal transfer across studies, although the transfer may be influenced by variations in drug-binding proteins. The protease inhibitors indinavir, nelfinavir, and saquinavir exhibited unreliable placental transport, with cord blood concentrations that were frequently undetectable. Limited data, primarily from case reports, indicate that darunavir and raltegravir provide detectable placental transfer. These findings appear consistent with current guidelines of using two NRTIs plus an NNRTI, atazanavir/ritonavir, or lopinavir/ritonavir to maximize placental transfer as well as to optimally suppress maternal viral load. Darunavir/ritonavir and raltegravir may reasonably serve as second-line agents.

A mechanical jig for measuring ankle supination and pronation torque in vitro and in vivo.

PubMed

Fong, Daniel Tik-Pui; Chung, Mandy Man-Ling; Chan, Yue-Yan; Chan, Kai-Ming

2012-07-01

This study presents the design of a mechanical jig for evaluating the ankle joint torque on both cadaver and human ankles. Previous study showed that ankle sprain motion was a combination of plantarflexion and inversion. The device allows measurement of ankle supination and pronation torque with one simple axis in a single step motion. More importantly, the ankle orientation allows rotation starting from an anatomical position. Six cadaveric specimens and six human subjects were tested with simulated and voluntary rotation respectively. The presented mechanical jig makes possible the determination of supination torque for studying ankle sprain injury and the estimation of pronation torque for examining peroneal muscle response. Copyright © 2012 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Mass Communication Programs to Change HIV/AIDS-Related Behaviors in Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertrand, Jane T.; O'Reilly, Kevin; Denison, Julie; Anhang, Rebecca; Sweat, Michael

2006-01-01

This review systematically examined the effectiveness of 24 mass media interventions on changing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors. The intervention studies were published from 1990 through 2004, reported data from developing countries and compared outcomes using (i) pre- and post-intervention data, (ii)…

The glycosaminoglycan content of the liver in bovine GM1 gangliosidosis.

PubMed

Johnson, A H; Donnelly, W J; Sheahan, B J

1977-03-01

Chemical analysis of the livers from four calves with GM1 gangliosidosis was negative for significantly elevated levels of glycosaminoglycans. The chemical findings confirmed morphological studies in which hepatic changes were minimal or absent. The findings were compared with the published evidence for the hepatic storage of glycosaminoglycans in human GM1 gangliosidosis.

Environmental education as a catalyst for behavior change: a study of the effects of Coastwatch Magazine on subscriber environmental knowledge and behavior

Treesearch

David Graefe; Hans Vogelsong

2008-01-01

Environmental degradation resulting from human habits and behaviors has become an increasingly important issue in contemporary society. One organization working to encourage coastal environmental sustainability is North Carolina Sea Grant, which publishes the educational magazine Coastwatch. It is NC Sea Grant's desire that coast-related...

A Developing Curriculum in English: Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve. Second Edition. Studies in Curriculum Development No. 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbs, Vanita; Mullican, James

This monograph describes a curriculum first published 14 years ago that is based on students' human development. The described curriculum utilizes a framework of the language arts of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and literature understanding and leaves to the imagination and skill of the individual teacher how the curriculum is…

Dealing with the positive publication bias: Why you should really publish your negative results.

PubMed

Mlinarić, Ana; Horvat, Martina; Šupak Smolčić, Vesna

2017-10-15

Studies with positive results are greatly more represented in literature than studies with negative results, producing so-called publication bias. This review aims to discuss occurring problems around negative results and to emphasize the importance of reporting negative results. Underreporting of negative results introduces bias into meta-analysis, which consequently misinforms researchers, doctors and policymakers. More resources are potentially wasted on already disputed research that remains unpublished and therefore unavailable to the scientific community. Ethical obligations need to be considered when reporting results of studies on human subjects as people have exposed themselves to risk with the assurance that the study is performed to benefit others. Some studies disprove the common conception that journal editors preferably publish positive findings, which are considered as more citable. Therefore, all stakeholders, but especially researchers, need to be conscious of disseminating negative and positive findings alike.

77 FR 4819 - Agency Information Collection Request; 60-Day Public Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-31

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES [Document Identifier OS-0990-0260] Agency Information... Secretary (OS), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is publishing the following summary of a... Clearance Officer at the above email address within 60 days. Proposed Project: Protection of Human Subjects...

EPA Critical Path Science Plan Projects 19, 20 and 21: Human and Bovine Source Detection

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. EPA Critical Path Science Plan Projects are: Project 19: develop novel bovine and human host-specific PCR assays and complete performance evaluation with other published methods. Project 20: Evaluate human-specific assays with water samples impacted with different lev...

COMPARING BEHAVIORAL DOSE-EFFECT CURVES FOR HUMANS AND LABORATORY ANIMALS ACUTELY EXPOSED TO TOLUENE.

EPA Science Inventory

The utility of laboratory animal data in toxicology depends upon the ability to generalize the results quantitatively to humans. To compare the acute behavioral effects of inhaled toluene in humans to those in animals, dose-effect curves were fitted by meta-analysis of published...

Twenty-Three Species of Hypobarophilic Bacteria Recovered from Diverse Ecosystems Exhibit Growth under Simulated Martian Conditions at 0.7 kPa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuerger, Andrew C.; Nicholson, Wayne L.

2016-05-01

On 27 April 2016, after acceptance and publication of the above article, the senior author learned that the University of Florida (UF) Institutional Review Board (IRB) review and approval process for using human subjects in a minimal risk scientific research project was not properly followed. Since that date, the senior author has worked closely with the UF/IRB team, the editorial staff at the journal Astrobiology, and the publisher Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. to discuss and rectify the situation. At the time the research was performed (Nov. 2012 through March 2013), the three human volunteers mentioned in the article were clearly informed of the intended use of the samples outlined in the study, were informed that the results (if meritorious) would be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, and were informed that all samples would be destroyed by autoclaving and then incineration at the conclusion of the research. No identifiable metadata related to the volunteers was recorded. The authors stand by the original results and interpretations of the research, but must now retract the paper because the guidelines for working with human subjects were not followed. We apologize for the error, and look forward to reworking the manuscript into a new paper with the human data removed, and submitting it to an appropriate peer-reviewed astrobiology publication venue.

Effect of rejuvenation hormones on spermatogenesis.

PubMed

Moss, Jared L; Crosnoe, Lindsey E; Kim, Edward D

2013-06-01

To review the current literature for the effect of hormones used in rejuvenation clinics on the maintenance of spermatogenesis. Review of published literature. Not applicable. Men who have undergone exogenous testosterone (T) and/or anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) therapies. None. Semen analysis, pregnancy outcomes, and time to recovery of spermatogenesis. Exogenous testosterone and anabolic androgenic steroids suppress intratesticular testosterone production, which may lead to azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia. Therapies that protect spermatogenesis involve human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) therapy and selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs). The studies examining the effect of human growth hormone (HGH) on infertile men are uncontrolled and unconvincing, but they do not appear to negatively impact spermatogenesis. At present, routine use of aromatase inhibitors is not recommended based on a lack of long-term data. The use of hormones for rejuvenation is increasing with the aging of the Baby Boomer population. Men desiring children at a later age may be unaware of the side-effect profile of hormones used at rejuvenation centers. Testosterone and anabolic androgenic steroids have well-established detrimental effects on spermatogenesis, but recovery may be possible with cessation. Clomiphene citrate, human growth hormone (HGH)/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and aromatase inhibitors do not appear to have significant negative effects on sperm production, but quality data are lacking. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Animal models of human immunodeficiency virus infection. Public Health Service Animal Models Committee.

PubMed

Spertzel, R O

1989-12-01

The search for a model of HIV infection continues. While much of the initial work focussed on animal models of AIDS, more recent efforts have sought animal models of HIV infection in which one or more signs of AIDS may be reproduced. Most initial small animal modelling efforts were negative and many such efforts remain unpublished. In 1988, the Public Health Service (PHS) AIDS Animal Model Committee conducted a survey among PHS agencies to identify published and unpublished data on animal models of HIV. To date, the chimpanzee is the only animal to be reliably infected with HIV albeit without development of signs and symptoms normally associated with human AIDS. One recent study has shown the gibbon to be similarly susceptible to infection with HIV. Mice carrying a chimera of elements of the human immune system have been shown to support the growth of HIV and F1 progeny of transgenic mice containing intact copies of HIV proviral DNA, have developed a disease that resembles some aspects of human AIDS. Rabbits, baboons and rhesus monkeys have also been shown to be infected under certain conditions and/or with selected strains of HIV but again without the development of AIDS symptomatology. This report briefly summarizes published and available unpublished data on these efforts to develop an animal model of HIV infection.

Novel Hybrid Molecules on the Basis of Steroids and (5Z,9Z)-Tetradeca-5,9-dienoic Acid: Synthesis, Anti-Cancer Studies and Human Topoisomerase I Inhibitory Activity.

PubMed

D'yakonov, Vladimir A; Dzhemileva, Lilya U; Tuktarova, Regina A; Ishmukhametova, Svetlana R; Yunusbaeva, Milyausha M; Ramazanova, Ilfir R; Dzhemilev, Usein M

2017-01-01

Novel steroid derivatives of 5Z,9Z-dienoic acids were prepared by the DCC/DMAP-catalyzed esterification of (5Z,9Z)-tetradeca-5,9-dienoic acid with hydroxy steroids. High cytotoxicity towards the HEK293, Jurkat, K562 cancer cell lines and human topoisomerase I (hTop1) inhibitory activity in vitro were found for the synthesized acids. A probable mechanism of topoisomerase I inhibition was hypothesized on the basis of in silico studies resorting to docking. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

IL-27 Found to Play Significant Role in Conferring HIV Resistance | Poster

Cancer.gov

By Nancy Parrish, Staff Writer The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) targets specific immune cells in the body known as macrophages because these are the cells that eliminate foreign material such as bacteria or viruses. HIV is able to reproduce and spread throughout the body if it can avoid destruction by macrophages. A recent study by Lue Dai, Ph.D., and colleagues revealed that the human cytokine IL-27 helps promote the body’s production of macrophages that are resistant to HIV. The study further found that IL-27 suppresses a gene known as SPTBN1, which facilitates the survival of HIV cells. This breakthrough research was recently published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.

Central Processing of the Chemical Senses: An Overview

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Our knowledge regarding the neural processing of the three chemical senses has been considerably lagging behind that of our other senses. It is only during the last 25 years that significant advances have been made in our understanding of where in the human brain odors, tastants, and trigeminal stimuli are processed. Here, we provide an overview of the current knowledge of how the human brain processes chemical stimuli based on findings in neuroimaging studies using positron emission tomography and functional magnetic resonance imaging. Additionally, we provide new insights from recent meta-analyses, on the basis of all published neuroimaging studies of the chemical senses, of where the chemical senses converge in the brain. PMID:21503268

Genetics of the extracellular matrix in aortic aneurysmal diseases.

PubMed

Lin, Chien-Jung; Lin, Chieh-Yu; Stitziel, Nathan O

2018-04-12

Aortic aneurysms are morbid conditions that can lead to rupture or dissection and are categorized as thoracic (TAA) or abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) depending on their location. While AAA shares overlapping risk factors with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, TAA exhibits strong heritability. Human genetic studies in the past two decades have successfully identified numerous genes involved in both familial and sporadic forms of aortic aneurysm. In this review we will discuss the genetic basis of aortic aneurysm, focusing on the extracellular matrix and how insights from these studies have informed our understanding of human biology and disease pathogenesis. Copyright © 2017 International Society of Matrix Biology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Best practices in nursing homes. Clinical supervision, management, and human resource practices.

PubMed

Dellefield, Mary Ellen

2008-07-01

Human resource practices including supervision and management are associated with organizational performance. Evidence supportive of such an association in nursing homes is found in the results of numerous research studies conducted during the past 17 years. In this article, best practices related to this topic have been culled from descriptive, explanatory, and intervention studies in a range of interdisciplinary research journals published between 1990 and 2007. Identified best practices include implementation of training programs on supervision and management for licensed nurses, certified nursing assistant job enrichment programs, implementation of consistent nursing assignments, and the use of electronic documentation. Organizational barriers and facilitators of these best practices are described. Copyright 2009, SLACK Incorporated.

Fukushima nuclear accident: preliminary assessment of the risks to non-human biota.

PubMed

Aliyu, Abubakar Sadiq; Ramli, Ahmad Termizi; Garba, Nuraddeen Nasiru; Saleh, Muneer Aziz; Gabdo, Hamman Tukur; Liman, Muhammad Sanusi

2015-02-01

This study assesses the 'radio-ecological' impacts of Fukushima nuclear accident on non-human biota using the ERICA Tool, which adopts an internationally verified methodology. The paper estimates the impacts of the accident on terrestrial and marine biota based on the environmental data reported in literature for Japan, China, South Korea and the USA. Discernible impacts have been detected in the marine biota around Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. This study confirms that the Fukushima accident had caused heavier damage to marine bionts compared with terrestrial flora and fauna, in Japan. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Research Guidelines in the Era of Large-scale Collaborations: An Analysis of Genome-wide Association Study Consortia

PubMed Central

Austin, Melissa A.; Hair, Marilyn S.; Fullerton, Stephanie M.

2012-01-01

Scientific research has shifted from studies conducted by single investigators to the creation of large consortia. Genetic epidemiologists, for example, now collaborate extensively for genome-wide association studies (GWAS). The effect has been a stream of confirmed disease-gene associations. However, effects on human subjects oversight, data-sharing, publication and authorship practices, research organization and productivity, and intellectual property remain to be examined. The aim of this analysis was to identify all research consortia that had published the results of a GWAS analysis since 2005, characterize them, determine which have publicly accessible guidelines for research practices, and summarize the policies in these guidelines. A review of the National Human Genome Research Institute’s Catalog of Published Genome-Wide Association Studies identified 55 GWAS consortia as of April 1, 2011. These consortia were comprised of individual investigators, research centers, studies, or other consortia and studied 48 different diseases or traits. Only 14 (25%) were found to have publicly accessible research guidelines on consortia websites. The available guidelines provide information on organization, governance, and research protocols; half address institutional review board approval. Details of publication, authorship, data-sharing, and intellectual property vary considerably. Wider access to consortia guidelines is needed to establish appropriate research standards with broad applicability to emerging forms of large-scale collaboration. PMID:22491085

New formulas to estimate age at death in Maya populations using histomorphological changes in the fourth human rib*.

PubMed

Pavón, Margarita Valencia; Cucina, Andrea; Tiesler, Vera

2010-03-01

This study develops new histomorphological algorithms for Maya populations' human ribs and tests the applicability of published algorithms. Thin sections from the fourth rib of 36 individuals of known age were analyzed under polarized light microscopy. Osteon population density (OPD, the concentration of intact and fragmented osteons per mm(2)), cortical area (CA), and osteon size (OS) were recorded. Seven algorithms were calculated, using all combinations of variables, and compared to the performance of published formulas. The OPD-based formulas deviate from the known age 8.7 years on average, while those from OS and CA deviate between 10.7 and 12.8 years. In comparison, our OPD-based algorithms perform better than the one by Stout and Paine and much better than Cho et al. In conclusion, algorithms should be developed using OPD for different ethnic groups; although Stout and Paine's can be used for Maya and maybe Mesoamerican individuals.

The global catalogue of microorganisms 10K type strain sequencing project: closing the genomic gaps for the validly published prokaryotic and fungi species.

PubMed

Wu, Linhuan; McCluskey, Kevin; Desmeth, Philippe; Liu, Shuangjiang; Hideaki, Sugawara; Yin, Ye; Moriya, Ohkuma; Itoh, Takashi; Kim, Cha Young; Lee, Jung-Sook; Zhou, Yuguang; Kawasaki, Hiroko; Hazbón, Manzour Hernando; Robert, Vincent; Boekhout, Teun; Lima, Nelson; Evtushenko, Lyudmila; Boundy-Mills, Kyria; Bunk, Boyke; Moore, Edward R B; Eurwilaichitr, Lily; Ingsriswang, Supawadee; Shah, Heena; Yao, Su; Jin, Tao; Huang, Jinqun; Shi, Wenyu; Sun, Qinglan; Fan, Guomei; Li, Wei; Li, Xian; Kurtböke, Ipek; Ma, Juncai

2018-05-01

Genomic information is essential for taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional studies to comprehensively decipher the characteristics of microorganisms, to explore microbiomes through metagenomics, and to answer fundamental questions of nature and human life. However, large gaps remain in the available genomic sequencing information published for bacterial and archaeal species, and the gaps are even larger for fungal type strains. The Global Catalogue of Microorganisms (GCM) leads an internationally coordinated effort to sequence type strains and close gaps in the genomic maps of microorganisms. Hence, the GCM aims to promote research by deep-mining genomic data.

Oocyte-somatic cell interactions in the human ovary-novel role of bone morphogenetic proteins and growth differentiation factors.

PubMed

Chang, Hsun-Ming; Qiao, Jie; Leung, Peter C K

2016-12-01

Initially identified for their capability to induce heterotopic bone formation, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are multifunctional growth factors that belong to the transforming growth factor β superfamily. Using cellular and molecular genetic approaches, recent studies have implicated intra-ovarian BMPs as potent regulators of ovarian follicular function. The bi-directional communication of oocytes and the surrounding somatic cells is mandatory for normal follicle development and oocyte maturation. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the physiological role and molecular determinants of these ovarian regulatory factors within the human germline-somatic regulatory loop. The regulation of ovarian function remains poorly characterized in humans because, while the fundamental process of follicular development and oocyte maturation is highly similar across species, most information on the regulation of ovarian function is obtained from studies using rodent models. Thus, this review focuses on the studies that used human biological materials to gain knowledge about human ovarian biology and disorders and to develop strategies for preventing, diagnosing and treating these abnormalities. Relevant English-language publications describing the roles of BMPs or growth differentiation factors (GDFs) in human ovarian biology and phenotypes were comprehensively searched using PubMed and the Google Scholar database. The publications included those published since the initial identification of BMPs in the mammalian ovary in 1999 through July 2016. Studies using human biological materials have revealed the expression of BMPs, GDFs and their putative receptors as well as their molecular signaling in the fundamental cells (oocyte, cumulus/granulosa cells (GCs) and theca/stroma cells) of the ovarian follicles throughout follicle development. With the availability of recombinant human BMPs/GDFs and the development of immortalized human cell lines, functional studies have demonstrated the physiological role of intra-ovarian BMPs/GDFs in all aspects of ovarian functions, from follicle development to steroidogenesis, cell-cell communication, oocyte maturation, ovulation and luteal function. Furthermore, there is crosstalk between these potent ovarian regulators and the endocrine signaling system. Dysregulation or naturally occurring mutations within the BMP system may lead to several female reproductive diseases. The latest development of recombinant BMPs, synthetic BMP inhibitors, gene therapy and tools for BMP-ligand sequestration has made the BMP pathway a potential therapeutic target in certain human fertility disorders; however, further clinical trials are needed. Recent studies have indicated that GDF8 is an intra-ovarian factor that may play a novel role in regulating ovarian functions in the human ovary. Intra-ovarian BMPs/GDFs are critical regulators of folliculogenesis and human ovarian functions. Any dysregulation or variations in these ligands or their receptors may affect the related intracellular signaling and influence ovarian functions, which accounts for several reproductive pathologies and infertility. Understanding the normal and pathological roles of intra-ovarian BMPs/GDFs, especially as related to GC functions and follicular fluid levels, will inform innovative approaches to fertility regulation and improve the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian disorders. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.

Plasma ET-1 Concentrations are Elevated in Patients with Hypertension - Meta-Analysis of Clinical Studies.

PubMed

Xu, Mei; Lu, Yong-Ping; Hasan, Ahmed Abdallah; Hocher, Berthold

2017-01-01

A recent study revealed that global overexpression of ET-1 causes a slight reduction in systemic blood pressure. Moreover, heterozygous ET-1 knockout mice are hypertensive. The role of ET-1 in human hypertension was so far not addressed by a strict meta-analysis of published human clinical studies. We included studies published between January 1, 1990 and February 28, 2017. We included case control studies analyzing untreated essential hypertension or hypertensive patients where antihypertensive medication was discontinued for at least two weeks. Based on the principle of Cochrane systematic reviews, case control studies (CCSs) in PubMed (Medline) and Google Scholar designed to identify the role of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in the pathophysiological of hypertension were screened. Review Manager Version 5.0 (Rev-Man 5.0) was applied for statistical analysis. Mean difference and 95% confidence interval (CI) were shown in inverse variance (IV) fixed-effects model or IV random-effects models. Eleven studies fulfilling our in- and exclusion criteria were eligible for this meta-analysis. These studies included 450 hypertensive patients and 328 controls. Our meta-analysis revealed that ET-1 plasma concentrations were higher in hypertensive patients as compared to the control patients [mean difference between groups 1.57 pg/mL, 95%CI [0.47∼2.68, P = 0.005]. These finding were driven by patients having systolic blood pressure higher than 160 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure higher than 100 mmHg. This meta-analysis showed that hypertensive patients do have elevated plasma ET-1 concentrations. This finding is driven by those patients with high systolic/diastolic blood pressure. Given that the ET-1 gene did not appear in any of the whole genome association studies searching for hypertension associated gene loci, it is very likely that the elevated plasma ET-1 concentrations in hypertensive patients are secondary to hypertension and may reflect endothelial cell damage. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

Development of a bolus injection system for regional deposition studies of nanoparticles in the human respiratory system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koujalagi, V.; Ramesh, S. L.; Gunarathne, G. P. P.; Semple, S.; Ayres, J. G.

2009-02-01

This study presents the work carried out in developing a precision bolus injection system in order to understand the regional deposition of nanoparticles (NP) in human lung. A real-time control system has been developed that is capable of storing graphite NP, assessing human breathing pattern and delivering a bolus of the stored NP at a pre-determined instance of the inhalation phase of breathing. This will form the basis for further development of a system to deliver radioactive nanoparticles to enable 3-dimensional lung imaging using techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET). The system may then be used to better understand the actual regional deposition in human lung, which could validate or challenge the current computational lung models such as that published by the International Commission for Radiation Protection (ICRP-1994). A dose related response to inhaled PM can possibly be shown, which can be used to review the current workplace exposure limits (WELs).

ZikaBase: An integrated ZIKV- Human Interactome Map database.

PubMed

Gurumayum, Sanathoi; Brahma, Rahul; Naorem, Leimarembi Devi; Muthaiyan, Mathavan; Gopal, Jeyakodi; Venkatesan, Amouda

2018-01-15

Re-emergence of ZIKV has caused infections in more than 1.5 million people. The molecular mechanism and pathogenesis of ZIKV is not well explored due to unavailability of adequate model and lack of publically accessible resources to provide information of ZIKV-Human protein interactome map till today. This study made an attempt to curate the ZIKV-Human interaction proteins from published literatures and RNA-Seq data. 11 direct interaction, 12 associated genes are retrieved from literatures and 3742 Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) are obtained from RNA-Seq analysis. The genes have been analyzed to construct the ZIKV-Human Interactome Map. The importance of the study has been illustrated by the enrichment analysis and observed that direct interaction and associated genes are enriched in viral entry into host cell. Also, ZIKV infection modulates 32% signal and 27% immune system pathways. The integrated database, ZikaBase has been developed to help the virology research community and accessible at https://test5.bicpu.edu.in. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The first human infection with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in Shaanxi Province, China.

PubMed

Wei, Jing; Li, Shen; Dong, Jian-Hua; Tian, Hui; Chowell, Gerardo; Tian, Huai-Yu; Lv, Wen; Han, Zong-Qi; Xu, Bing; Yu, Peng-Bo; Wang, Jing-Jun

2015-06-01

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease discovered in China in 2009. In July 2013, the first human infection with SFTS virus (SFTSV) was detected in Shaanxi Province, Western China. A seroprevalence study among humans was carried out in an SFTS endemic village; specifically, serum samples were collected from 363 farmers in an SFTS endemic village in Shaanxi Province. The presence of SFTSV antibodies in serum was determined using an ELISA. SFTSV antibodies were found in a total of 20 people (5.51%), with no significant difference between males and females (6.93% and 4.42%, respectively; Chi-square=1.29, p=0.25). Moreover, the SFTSV antibody positive rate was not significantly different across different age groups (Chi-square=2.23, p=0.69). SFTSV readily infects humans with outdoor exposure. The results of the serological study indicate that the virus circulates widely in Shaanxi Province. SFTSV represents a public health threat in China. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Comprehensive characterization of the in vitro and in vivo metabolites of limonin in human samples using LC-Q-TOF/MS.

PubMed

Liu, Shijia; Chen, Peidong; Zhang, Nongshan; Sun, Luning; Dai, Guoliang; Zhu, Lei; Li, Changyin; Zhao, Yang; Zhang, Li; Fu, Haiyan; Ju, Wenzheng

2017-11-15

Limonin is a bitter triterpenoid dilactone in the genus Citrus with potential medicinal value. In this study, the metabolism of limonin in human was characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-Q-TOF-MS). A total of 7 metabolites were identified from human samples. Among them, 3 metabolites of M1, M2 and M4 were detected in urine and feces, and the others were found in intestinal bacteria sample. Notably, M1 and M3 were chemically synthesized, of which the structures were further confirmed by NMR spectra data. The metabolism of limonin involved three major pathways, namely, reduction, hydrolysis and methylation. The reduction and hydrolysis were commonly observed in ring D of limonin. The metabolites showed decomposition in ring A. This study provides data for the metabolism of limonin in humans, and will contribute to explain its biological activity. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The internal dosimetry of Rubidium-82 based on dynamic PET/CT imaging in humans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunter, Chad R.

Rubidium-82 (Rb-82) is a useful blood flow tracer, and has become important in recent years due to the shutdown of the Chalk River reactor. Published effective dose estimates for Rb-82 vary widely, and as yet no comprehensive study in man has been conducted with PET/CT, and no effective dose estimates for Rb-82 during pharmacological stress testing has been published. 30 subjects were recruited for rest, and 25 subjects were recruited for stress. The subjects consisted of both cardiac patients and normal subjects. For rest, a total of 283 organs were measured across 60 scans. For stress, a total of 171 organs were measured across 25 scans. Effective dose estimates were calculated using the ICRP 60, 80, and 103 tissue weighting factors. Relative differences between this study and the published in-vivo estimates showed agreement for the lungs. Relative differences between this study and the blood flow models showed differences> 5 times in the thyroid contribution to the effective dose demonstrating a limitation in these models. Comparisons between rest and stress effective dose estimates revealed no significant difference. The average 'adult' effective dose for Rb-82 was found to be 0.00084+/-0.00018 mSv/MBq. The highest dose organs were the lungs, kidneys and stomach wall. These dose estimates for Rb-82 are the first to be measured directly with PET/CT in humans, and are 4 times lower than previous ICRP 60 values based on a theoretical blood flow model. The total adult effective dose from a typical Rb-82 study including CT for attenuation correction and potential Sr-85 breakthrough is 1.5 +/- 0.4 mSv.

Adaptive cultural transmission biases in children and nonhuman primates.

PubMed

Price, Elizabeth E; Wood, Lara A; Whiten, Andrew

2017-08-01

Comparative and evolutionary developmental analyses seek to discover the similarities and differences between humans and non-human species that might illuminate both the evolutionary foundations of our nature that we share with other animals, and the distinctive characteristics that make human development unique. As our closest animal relatives, with whom we last shared common ancestry, non-human primates have been particularly important in this endeavour. Such studies have focused on social learning, traditions, and culture, and have discovered much about the 'how' of social learning, concerned with key underlying processes such as imitation and emulation. One of the core discoveries is that the adaptive adjustment of social learning options to different contexts is not unique to human, therefore multiple new strands of research have begun to focus on more subtle questions about when, from whom, and why such learning occurs. Here we review illustrative studies on both human infants and young children and on non-human primates to identify the similarities shared more broadly across the primate order, and the apparent specialisms that distinguish human development. Adaptive biases in social learning discussed include those modulated by task comprehension, experience, conformity to majorities, and the age, skill, proficiency and familiarity of potential alternative cultural models. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Oxytonergic circuitry sustains and enables creative cognition in humans.

PubMed

De Dreu, Carsten K W; Baas, Matthijs; Roskes, Marieke; Sligte, Daniel J; Ebstein, Richard P; Chew, Soo Hong; Tong, Terry; Jiang, Yushi; Mayseless, Naama; Shamay-Tsoory, Simone G

2014-08-01

Creativity enables humans to adapt flexibly to changing circumstances, to manage complex social relations and to survive and prosper through social, technological and medical innovations. In humans, chronic, trait-based as well as temporary, state-based approach orientation has been linked to increased capacity for divergent rather than convergent thinking, to more global and holistic processing styles and to more original ideation and creative problem solving. Here, we link creative cognition to oxytocin, a hypothalamic neuropeptide known to up-regulate approach orientation in both animals and humans. Study 1 (N = 492) showed that plasma oxytocin predicts novelty-seeking temperament. Study 2 (N = 110) revealed that genotype differences in a polymorphism in the oxytocin receptor gene rs1042778 predicted creative ideation, with GG/GT-carriers being more original than TT-carriers. Using double-blind placebo-controlled between-subjects designs, Studies 3-6 (N = 191) finally showed that intranasal oxytocin (vs matching placebo) reduced analytical reasoning, and increased holistic processing, divergent thinking and creative performance. We conclude that the oxytonergic circuitry sustains and enables the day-to-day creativity humans need for survival and prosperity and discuss implications. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The prosocial effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA): Controlled studies in humans and laboratory animals.

PubMed

Kamilar-Britt, Philip; Bedi, Gillinder

2015-10-01

Users of ±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; 'ecstasy') report prosocial effects such as sociability and empathy. Supporting these apparently unique social effects, data from controlled laboratory studies indicate that MDMA alters social feelings, information processing, and behavior in humans, and social behavior in rodents. Here, we review this growing body of evidence. In rodents, MDMA increases passive prosocial behavior (adjacent lying) and social reward while decreasing aggression, effects that may involve serotonin 1A receptor mediated oxytocin release interacting with vasopressin receptor 1A. In humans, MDMA increases plasma oxytocin and produces feelings of social affiliation. It decreases identification of negative facial expressions (cognitive empathy) and blunts responses to social rejection, while enhancing responses to others' positive emotions (emotional empathy) and increasing social approach. Thus, consistent with drug folklore, laboratory administration of MDMA robustly alters social processing in humans and increases social approach in humans and animals. Effects are consistent with increased sociability, with mixed evidence about enhanced empathy. These neurobiologically-complex prosocial effects likely motivate recreational ecstasy use. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Using experimental human influenza infections to validate a viral dynamic model and the implications for prediction.

PubMed

Chen, S C; You, S H; Liu, C Y; Chio, C P; Liao, C M

2012-09-01

The aim of this work was to use experimental infection data of human influenza to assess a simple viral dynamics model in epithelial cells and better understand the underlying complex factors governing the infection process. The developed study model expands on previous reports of a target cell-limited model with delayed virus production. Data from 10 published experimental infection studies of human influenza was used to validate the model. Our results elucidate, mechanistically, the associations between epithelial cells, human immune responses, and viral titres and were supported by the experimental infection data. We report that the maximum total number of free virions following infection is 10(3)-fold higher than the initial introduced titre. Our results indicated that the infection rates of unprotected epithelial cells probably play an important role in affecting viral dynamics. By simulating an advanced model of viral dynamics and applying it to experimental infection data of human influenza, we obtained important estimates of the infection rate. This work provides epidemiologically meaningful results, meriting further efforts to understand the causes and consequences of influenza A infection.

Detection of human-induced evapotranspiration using GRACE satellite observations in the Haihe River Basin of China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Yun; Zhang, Chong; Gong, Huili; Yeh, Pat J.-F.; Shen, Yanjun; Guo, Ying; Huang, Zhiyong; Li, Xiaojuan

2017-04-01

Regional evapotranspiration (ET) can be enhanced by human activities such as irrigation or reservoir impoundment. Here the potential of using Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) terrestrial water storage data in water budget calculations to detect human-induced ET change is investigated over the Haihe River basin of China. Comparison between GRACE-based monthly ET estimate (2005-2012) and Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS)-modeled ET indicates that human-induced ET due to intensive groundwater irrigation from March to May can only be detected by GRACE. GRACE-based ET (521.7±21.1 mm/yr), considerably higher than GLDAS ET (461.7±29.8 mm/yr), agrees well with existing estimates found in the literature and indicates that human activities contribute to a 12% increase in ET. The double-peak seasonal pattern of ET (in May and August) as reported in published studies is well reproduced by GRACE-based ET estimate. This study highlights the unique capability of GRACE in detecting anthropogenic signals over regions with large groundwater consumption.

Detection of human-induced evapotranspiration using GRACE satellite observations in the Haihe River basin of China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Yun; Zhang, Chong; Gong, Huili; Yeh, Pat J.-F.; Shen, Yanjun; Guo, Ying; Huang, Zhiyong; Li, Xiaojuan

2017-01-01

Regional evapotranspiration (ET) can be enhanced by human activities such as irrigation or reservoir impoundment. Here the potential of using Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) terrestrial water storage data in water budget calculations to detect human-induced ET change is investigated over the Haihe River basin of China. Comparison between GRACE-based monthly ET estimate (2005-2012) and Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS)-modeled ET indicates that human-induced ET due to intensive groundwater irrigation from March to May can only be detected by GRACE. GRACE-based ET (521.7 ± 21.1 mm/yr), considerably higher than GLDAS ET (461.7 ± 29.8 mm/yr), agrees well with existing estimates found in the literature and indicates that human activities contribute to a 12% increase in ET. The double-peak seasonal pattern of ET (in May and August) as reported in published studies is well reproduced by GRACE-based ET estimate. This study highlights the unique capability of GRACE in detecting anthropogenic signals over regions with large groundwater consumption.

Meta-Analysis of the Changes of Peripheral Blood T Cell Subsets in Patients with Brucellosis

PubMed Central

Zheng, Rongjiong; Xie, Songsong; Niyazi, Shaniya; Lu, Xiaobo; Zhou, Yan

2018-01-01

Brucellosis is one of the most prevalent zoonotic diseases in the world, but its pathogenesis is not very clear. At present, it is thought that it may be related to the immunity of T cells. The conclusions of related studies are inconsistent, and its clinical significance is not explicit. We searched published articles in electronic databases up to December 2017 identified as relating to the clinical features of human brucellosis in China. Only eight studies had sufficient quality for data extraction. Meta-analysis showed a significantly decreased proportion of CD4+ T cells in human brucellosis patients compared to healthy subject individuals. The frequency of CD8+ T cells was significantly higher in human brucellosis patients than that in the healthy control group. The pooled analysis presented a significant decrease of the CD4+/CD8+ ratio in human brucellosis patients compared to healthy subjects. There is immunologic dysfunction of T lymphocyte in patients with human brucellosis, the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells might be the important factors affecting the progress of brucellosis. PMID:29888294

The role of steroid receptor coactivator-3 (SRC-3) in human malignant disease.

PubMed

Gojis, O; Rudraraju, B; Alifrangis, C; Krell, J; Libalova, P; Palmieri, C

2010-03-01

The p160 steroid receptor coactivator (SRC) family is critical to the transcriptional activation function of nuclear hormone receptors. A key member of this family is SRC-3, initially found to be amplified and expressed in breast cancer it has subsequent been shown to be expressed in malignant disease arising from a wide range of other organs. An understanding of the potential role of SRC-3 in the pathogenesis and its possible prognostic role in a broad range of tumours will improve our general understanding of carcinogenesis as well as potentially leading to a new prognostic marker as well as new therapeutic targets. Relevant papers were identified by searching the PubMed and MEDLINE databases for article published until 28th February 2009. Only articles published in English were considered. The search terms included "SRC-3", "AIB1" in association with the following terms: "human", "cancer" and "malignant disease". The search focused on malignant disease arising outside of the mammary gland. Full articles were obtained and references were checked for additional material when appropriate. SRC-3 is amplified and expressed in a wide spectrum of human malignant diseases and appears to be a potential prognostic marker in a number of different tumours. SRC-3 appears to be implicated in the possible risk of developing prostate and ovarian cancer. Its presence appears to be a marker of aggressive disease. Further research is required to determine its predictive and prognostic utility given the relative paucity of studies for each specific malignant disease. Copyright (c) 2009. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Status quo, issues, and challenges for acupuncture research evidence: an overview of clinical and fundamental studies.

PubMed

Cai, Yujia; Shen, Jiantong; Zhong, Dake; Li, Youping; Wu, Taixiang

2012-02-01

To systematically review the status quo, issues, and challenges from home and abroad for acupuncture research evidence, in order to identify global acupuncture research datum lines and policy-making evidence for future research direction. To carry out computed searching through the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, CNKI, SCI, WHO-ICTRP, and Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (ChiCTR) (up to January, 2010) for acupuncture-related secondary studies (systematic reviews and meta-analysis), animal randomized controlled trials (RCTs), published human RCTs (fundamental research with the human body or human body specimens as subjects), and registered on-going clinical trials (regardless of subject recruiting), and to analyze yearly publishing trends and research hotspots on subject headings for secondary studies and published and registered RCTs. (1) 63.7% of acupuncture clinical RCTs were published in the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), while RCTs published in MEDLINE, SCI, and CNKI each accounted for a third of all acupuncture fundamental RCTs. Publishing trends of acupuncture clinical RCTs indicated three periods - a period of slow growth before 1998, a period of gradual growth between 1999 and 2005, and a period of rapid growth after 2005. While few fundamental acupuncture RCTs were published before 2004, the period after 2005 demonstrated an increasing trend, but did not exhibit the same rapid growth as with clinical RCTs. Publication of Cochrane systematic reviews (CSRs) exhibited a time-dependent effect with acupuncture clinical RCTs, a trend that became more pronounced as time passed, while time intervals between CSR and acupuncture clinical RCT publications decreased. (2) Nine SRs were published in China, accounting for 30% of the global total of 29, while China's 68 RCTs accounted for 21% of global RCTs. Among five CSRs affirming the effects of acupuncture, only one contained four RCTs from China, which accounted for 10% of all RCTs included in that CSR. All information provided above demonstrates a deficiency of high-quality evidence from China affirming the efficiency of acupuncture. (3) Nine CSRs published by Chinese researchers included 38 RCTs (44%) from China, as well as 48 foreign RCTs; four of these CSRs included RCTs from China only. (4) Over 70% of acupuncture fundamental RCTs were carried out by China alone while only 11% of acupuncture clinical RCTs included in SCI were from China, both of which suggest the methodology quality of acupuncture clinical RCTs in China should be raised to meet international standards. (5) Clinical research was the primary focus of acupuncture studies in Europe and the US. (6) Acupuncture studies were divided into nine research areas according to the top 50 disease-related high-frequency words in acupuncture RCTs. The first three disease categories, comprehensively ranked using published clinical RCTs, were pain and analgesia, cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, and the neuropsychological system. The top three disease categories of both on-going clinical RCTs and acupuncture fundamental RCTs, respectively, were in accordance with those of published clinical RCTs. (1) CL CTRD is the key database in searching for published acupuncture clinical RCTs, and thus should be used first. Databases such as MEDLINE, SCI, and CNKI are all indispensable in retrieving acupuncture fundamental RCTs. (2) China leads the world in terms of both clinical and acupuncture fundamental RCTs, but while publication occurs rapidly, there is a lack of high-quality RCTs, suggesting future acupuncture clinical RCTs in China should place a higher emphasis on quality. Further development of acupuncture fundamental studies with little clinical research is a coming challenge for China. The US provides many of the RCTs published in SCI and on-going RCTs registered in WHO-ICTRP. Its small but high-quality publication will increasingly strengthen its impact on acupuncture research. (3) The fact that the top three disease categories of on-going clinical RCTs and of acupuncture fundamental RCTs, respectively, were in accordance with published clinical RCTs indicate that pain, cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, and neuropsychological diseases are major treatment disease categories for acupuncture and also primary development directions for the future. (4) CSRs will achieve synchronized updates with acupuncture clinical RCTs and its influence in guiding acupuncture clinical RCTs will grow clearer day by day. (5) Though registration of on-going RCTs is still in its initial stage and the number of RCTs registered is still relatively small, that the continued operation of the WHO-ICTRP will boost both the number of acupuncture RCTs registered and their quality. Innovation and time in acupuncture methodology will definitely advance the development of acupuncture research, while national and international cooperative programs in acupuncture research need evidence to support their claims throughout the course of project approval to implementation to inspection and acceptance to transformation to follow-up appraisal, in order to supply scientific and transparent research, thus improving credibility and practicality of the results. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd and Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University.

Deficiencies of effectiveness of intervention studies in veterinary medicine: a cross-sectional survey of ten leading veterinary and medical journals

PubMed Central

Meursinge Reynders, Reint

2016-01-01

The validity of studies that assess the effectiveness of an intervention (EoI) depends on variables such as the type of study design, the quality of their methodology, and the participants enrolled. Five leading veterinary journals and 5 leading human medical journals were hand-searched for EoI studies for the year 2013. We assessed (1) the prevalence of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) among EoI studies, (2) the type of participants enrolled, and (3) the methodological quality of the selected studies. Of 1707 eligible articles, 590 were EoI articles and 435 RCTs. Random allocation to the intervention was performed in 52% (114/219; 95%CI:45.2–58.8%) of veterinary EoI articles, against 87% (321/371; 82.5–89.7%) of human EoI articles (adjusted OR:9.2; 3.4–24.8). Veterinary RCTs were smaller (median: 26 animals versus 465 humans) and less likely to enroll real patients, compared with human RCTs (OR:331; 45–2441). Only 2% of the veterinary RCTs, versus 77% of the human RCTs, reported power calculations, primary outcomes, random sequence generation, allocation concealment and estimation methods. Currently, internal and external validity of veterinary EoI studies is limited compared to human medical ones. To address these issues, veterinary interventional research needs to improve its methodology, increase the number of published RCTs and enroll real clinical patients. PMID:26835187

Percutaneous Creation of a Central Iliac Arteriovenous Anastomosis for the Treatment of Arterial Hypertension.

PubMed

Bertog, Stefan C; Sobotka, Nathan A; Sobotka, Paul A; Lobo, Melvin D; Sievert, Kolja; Vaskelyte, Laura; Sievert, Horst; Schmieder, Roland E

2018-03-19

Provision of a summary on the physiologic effects of arteriovenous fistula creation and description of previously published human data on the efficacy of a percutaneously implanted device creating an arteriovenous fistula. Though antihypertensive therapy is effective, some patient's blood pressure remains poorly controlled despite adherence to optimal medical therapy. Moreover, some patients are not compliant with recommended medical therapy due to side effects or personal decision. This has prompted exploration of alternative, device-based antihypertensive therapies including, among others, the percutaneous creation of an arteriovenous fistula. An arteriovenous fistula is accompanied by a number of favorable physiologic changes that may lower blood pressure. These physiologic changes, conduction of the procedure, and previously published human experience are summarized in this review article. The results of a recently published trial comparing arteriovenous fistula creation and standard antihypertensive therapy versus standard antihypertensive therapy alone are summarized. Creation of an arteriovenous fistula is accompanied by a significant blood pressure reduction likely related to a reduction in total arterial resistance, perhaps blood volume reduction, inhibition of the baroreceptor reflex, and release of natriuretic peptides. These findings foster further interest in studying the impact of an arteriovenous fistula and arterial blood pressure. The design of a large randomized trial comparing arteriovenous fistula creation to sham control is outlined.

Stachybotrys, a mycotoxin-producing fungus of increasing toxicologic importance.

PubMed

Fung, F; Clark, R; Williams, S

1998-01-01

Stachybotrys as a fungus has been implicated as a source of mycotoxins. While the toxicity of several well-known mycotoxins (aflatoxins) is well documented, recent studies on Stachybotrys have raised the question that mycotoxins produced by this fungus may be responsible for the health effects of occupants in water-damaged buildings. Published articles regarding Stachybotrys-related mycotoxins were reviewed with particular focus on human toxicity. A critical review of papers, reports, and studies on Stachybotrys mycotoxins revealed only descriptive reports of suspected animal and human poisoning secondary to consumption of mold-contaminated food products. No studies of good toxicologic and epidemiologic designs answer whether airborne mycotoxins produced by Stachybotrys could produce specific human toxicity. Current data on the toxicology of mycotoxins produced by Stachybotrys demonstrate that this group of mycotoxins is capable of producing immunosuppression and inflammatory insults to gastrointestinal and pulmonary systems. Case control study and case reports have suggested a possible association with environmental exposure to Stachybotrys mycotoxins, although a firm causal relationship has not been firmly established. Additional studies are needed to document that humans with sufficient exposure to these mycotoxins develop compatible clinical and pathologic pictures as demonstrated in animal models.

Human-to-human transmission of Brucella - a systematic review.

PubMed

Tuon, Felipe F; Gondolfo, Regina B; Cerchiari, Natacha

2017-05-01

The most common form of transmitting human brucellosis is through contaminated food or direct contact with infected animals. Human-to-human transmission (HHT) has been described as isolated case reports. The aim of this systematic review was to describe all cases of HHT of human brucellosis reported in the medical literature. A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus and Scielo databases using specific search terms published until March 2016. Two investigators independently determined study eligibility. All clinical data were evaluated to construct a table comprising the most important clinical aspects, age, gender, confirmed infection and detection method, transmission method and HHT confirmation and potential source of infection for human transmission. No statistical method was employed in this study. The initial search resulted in 615 publications, but only 35 were included. 45 brucellosis HHT cases were identified. 61% of patients who acquired brucellosis from another human were <1 year old (newborn and breastfeeding). Other cases include sexual transmission, blood transfusion, bone marrow transplantation and aerosol from an infected patient. Most patients (40/45) presented symptoms upon diagnosis. Diagnostic tests included culture, molecular methods and serum testing. Human brucellosis is a disease liable to transmission between humans by placental barrier, lactation, sexual and tissues such as blood and bone marrow. The indication for screening in tissue banks, transplants, blood and pregnancy is not yet established. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Using populations of human and microbial genomes for organism detection in metagenomes.

PubMed

Ames, Sasha K; Gardner, Shea N; Marti, Jose Manuel; Slezak, Tom R; Gokhale, Maya B; Allen, Jonathan E

2015-07-01

Identifying causative disease agents in human patients from shotgun metagenomic sequencing (SMS) presents a powerful tool to apply when other targeted diagnostics fail. Numerous technical challenges remain, however, before SMS can move beyond the role of research tool. Accurately separating the known and unknown organism content remains difficult, particularly when SMS is applied as a last resort. The true amount of human DNA that remains in a sample after screening against the human reference genome and filtering nonbiological components left from library preparation has previously been underreported. In this study, we create the most comprehensive collection of microbial and reference-free human genetic variation available in a database optimized for efficient metagenomic search by extracting sequences from GenBank and the 1000 Genomes Project. The results reveal new human sequences found in individual Human Microbiome Project (HMP) samples. Individual samples contain up to 95% human sequence, and 4% of the individual HMP samples contain 10% or more human reads. Left unidentified, human reads can complicate and slow down further analysis and lead to inaccurately labeled microbial taxa and ultimately lead to privacy concerns as more human genome data is collected. © 2015 Ames et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Diabetes and chocolate: friend or foe?

PubMed

Mellor, Duane D; Sathyapalan, Thozhukat; Kilpatrick, Eric S; Atkin, Stephen L

2015-11-18

Polyphenols and other compounds found in cocoa and chocolate have therapeutic potential in the management of diabetes in humans. Polyphenol benefits have been proposed supported by in vitro studies, animal work, and clinical trials, which have been conducted mostly in healthy volunteers. The energy-dense formulations of many cocoa and chocolate products, which can be up to 50% sugar by weight, have given the perception that chocolate may be harmful through its contribution to obesity. A review of both clinical trial databases and published literature yielded 15 registered trials and 7 published studies. The published data interventions reported are diverse and vary widely in quality, including poor selection of control products or inadequate blinding procedures. There are also inconsistencies in reporting of data with limited information on the effect of cocoa and chocolate supplementation on weight and glycemic control despite the potential benefits reported with respect to the cardiovascular risk factors of endothelial function and lipids. More studies are required powered for primary clinical outcomes together with the development of standardized product formulations that optimize the dose of polyphenols within a palatable and energy-restricted product.

[Trends of research articles in the Korean Journal of Medical Education by social network analysis].

PubMed

Yoo, Hyo Hyun; Shin, Sein

2015-12-01

This aim of this study is to examine trends in medical education research in the Korean Journal of Medical Education(KJME) and suggest improvements for medical education research. The main variables were keywords from research papers that were published in KJME. Abstracts of papers (n=499) that were published from 1991 through 2015 were analyzed by social network analysis (NetMiner 4.0) a common research methodfor trends in academic subjects. The most central keywords were "medical education," "clinical competence," "medical student," and "curriculum." After introduction into graduate medical school, newly appearing keywords were "professional behavior," "medical humanities," "communication,"and "physician-patient relation." Based on these results, we generated a schematic of the network, in which the five groups before introduction to graduate medical school expanded to nine groups after introduction. Medical education research has been improving qualitatively and quantitatively, and research subjects have been expanded, subdivided, and specific. While KJME has encompassed medical education studies comprehensively, studies on medical students have risen in number. Thus, the studies that are published in KJME were consistent with the direction of journal and a new study on the changes in medical education is being conducted.

Potential use of mesenchymal stem cells in human meniscal repair: current insights

PubMed Central

Pak, Jaewoo; Lee, Jung Hun; Park, Kwang Seung; Jeon, Jeong Ho; Lee, Sang Hee

2017-01-01

The menisci of the human knee play an important role in maintaining normal functions to provide stability and nutrition to the articular cartilage, and to absorb shock. Once injured, these important structures have very limited natural healing potential. Unfortunately, the traditional arthroscopic meniscectomy performed on these damaged menisci may predispose the joint toward early development of osteoarthritis. Although a very limited number of studies are available, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been investigated as an alternative therapeutic modality to repair human knee meniscal tears. This review summarizes the results of published applications of MSCs in human patients, which showed that the patients who received MSCs (autologous adipose tissue-derived stem cells or culture-expanded bone marrow-derived stem cells) presented symptomatic improvements, along with magnetic resonance imaging evidences of the meniscal repair. PMID:28356779

A proteome-scale map of the human interactome network

PubMed Central

Rolland, Thomas; Taşan, Murat; Charloteaux, Benoit; Pevzner, Samuel J.; Zhong, Quan; Sahni, Nidhi; Yi, Song; Lemmens, Irma; Fontanillo, Celia; Mosca, Roberto; Kamburov, Atanas; Ghiassian, Susan D.; Yang, Xinping; Ghamsari, Lila; Balcha, Dawit; Begg, Bridget E.; Braun, Pascal; Brehme, Marc; Broly, Martin P.; Carvunis, Anne-Ruxandra; Convery-Zupan, Dan; Corominas, Roser; Coulombe-Huntington, Jasmin; Dann, Elizabeth; Dreze, Matija; Dricot, Amélie; Fan, Changyu; Franzosa, Eric; Gebreab, Fana; Gutierrez, Bryan J.; Hardy, Madeleine F.; Jin, Mike; Kang, Shuli; Kiros, Ruth; Lin, Guan Ning; Luck, Katja; MacWilliams, Andrew; Menche, Jörg; Murray, Ryan R.; Palagi, Alexandre; Poulin, Matthew M.; Rambout, Xavier; Rasla, John; Reichert, Patrick; Romero, Viviana; Ruyssinck, Elien; Sahalie, Julie M.; Scholz, Annemarie; Shah, Akash A.; Sharma, Amitabh; Shen, Yun; Spirohn, Kerstin; Tam, Stanley; Tejeda, Alexander O.; Trigg, Shelly A.; Twizere, Jean-Claude; Vega, Kerwin; Walsh, Jennifer; Cusick, Michael E.; Xia, Yu; Barabási, Albert-László; Iakoucheva, Lilia M.; Aloy, Patrick; De Las Rivas, Javier; Tavernier, Jan; Calderwood, Michael A.; Hill, David E.; Hao, Tong; Roth, Frederick P.; Vidal, Marc

2014-01-01

SUMMARY Just as reference genome sequences revolutionized human genetics, reference maps of interactome networks will be critical to fully understand genotype-phenotype relationships. Here, we describe a systematic map of ~14,000 high-quality human binary protein-protein interactions. At equal quality, this map is ~30% larger than what is available from small-scale studies published in the literature in the last few decades. While currently available information is highly biased and only covers a relatively small portion of the proteome, our systematic map appears strikingly more homogeneous, revealing a “broader” human interactome network than currently appreciated. The map also uncovers significant inter-connectivity between known and candidate cancer gene products, providing unbiased evidence for an expanded functional cancer landscape, while demonstrating how high quality interactome models will help “connect the dots” of the genomic revolution. PMID:25416956

Derivation of mouse embryonic stem cell lines from tyrosine hydroxylase reporter mice crossed with a human SNCA transgenic mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Chumarina, Margarita; Azevedo, Carla; Bigarreau, Julie; Vignon, Clémentine; Kim, Kwang-Soo; Li, Jia-Yi; Roybon, Laurent

2017-03-01

Mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) lines were derived by crossing heterozygous transgenic (tg) mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the rat tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) promoter, with homozygous alpha-synuclein (aSYN) mice expressing human mutant SNCA A53T under the control of the mouse Prion promoter (MoPrP), or wildtype (WT) mice. The expression of GFP and human aSYN was validated by immunocytochemistry in midbrain neuron cultures upon differentiation of mESC lines using stromal cell-derived inducing activity. These mESC lines can help to study the impact of human aSYN expression in neurons and oligodendrocytes, and also trace GFP-expressing midbrain neurons. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pathogenesis of varicelloviruses in primates.

PubMed

Ouwendijk, Werner J D; Verjans, Georges M G M

2015-01-01

Varicelloviruses in primates comprise the prototypic human varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and its non-human primate homologue, simian varicella virus (SVV). Both viruses cause varicella as a primary infection, establish latency in ganglionic neurons and reactivate later in life to cause herpes zoster in their respective hosts. VZV is endemic worldwide and, although varicella is usually a benign disease in childhood, VZV reactivation is a significant cause of neurological disease in the elderly and in immunocompromised individuals. The pathogenesis of VZV infection remains ill-defined, mostly due to the species restriction of VZV that impedes studies in experimental animal models. SVV infection of non-human primates parallels virological, clinical, pathological and immunological features of human VZV infection, thereby providing an excellent model to study the pathogenesis of varicella and herpes zoster in its natural host. In this review, we discuss recent studies that provided novel insight in both the virus and host factors involved in the three elementary stages of Varicellovirus infection in primates: primary infection, latency and reactivation. Copyright © 2014 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The effects of corrosive substances on human bone, teeth, hair, nails, and soft tissue.

PubMed

Hartnett, Kristen M; Fulginiti, Laura C; Di Modica, Frank

2011-07-01

This research investigates the effects of household chemicals on human tissues. Five different human tissues (bone, tooth, hair, fingernails, and skin/muscle/fat) were immersed into six different corrosive agents. These agents consisted of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, lye, bleach, organic septic cleaner, and Coca-Cola(®) soda. Tap water was used as a control. Tissue samples were cut to consistent sizes and submerged in the corrosive liquids. Over time, the appearance, consistency, and weight were documented. Hydrochloric acid was the most destructive agent in this study, consuming most tissues within 24 h. Sulfuric acid was the second most destructive agent in this study. Bleach, lye, and cola had no structural effects on the hard tissues of the body, but did alter the appearance or integrity of the hair, nails, or flesh in some way. The organic septic cleaner and tap water had no effect on any of the human tissue tested during the timeframe of the study. 2011 American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Published 2011. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the U.S.A.

[Antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella spp isolated animal food for human consumption].

PubMed

Quesada, Adriana; Reginatto, Gabriel A; Ruiz Español, Ayelen; Colantonio, Lisandro D; Burrone, María Soledad

2016-03-01

To analyze all information available on antimicrobial-resistant Salmonella species isolated from foods of animal origin that are used for human consumption in Latin America. A systematic review of observational epidemiological studies conducted in Latin America between 2003 and 2014 was carried out using the PubMed and LILACS databases. Studies conducted as part of analyses of outbreaks or cases of human infection were not included. Three reviewers independently participated in the study selection. Additionally, the studies included underwent quality assessment. A total of 25 studies met the inclusion criteria. The studies included were conducted in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and Venezuela. Salmonella spp. isolates were obtained mainly from animal-based foods derived from cattle, swine, and poultry, revealing that Salmonella typhimurium and S. enteritidis were the most frequently isolated serotypes (17 and 11 studies, respectively). In 23 studies, Salmonella spp. showed resistance to more than one antibiotic, including nalidixic acid, streptomycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, and cephalosporins. Salmonella spp. isolates obtained mainly from animal-based foods for human consumption in the countries analyzed often show resistance to several antibiotics. It is important that more countries in Latin America carry out and publish studies on Salmonella spp. resistance in order to establish and monitor adequate control strategies.

Advancing Pre-Health Humanities as Intensive Research Practice: Principles and Recommendations from a Cross-Divisional Baccalaureate Setting.

PubMed

Singer, Sarah Ann; Weed, Kym; Edwell, Jennifer; Jack, Jordynn; Thrailkill, Jane F

2017-12-01

This essay argues that pre-health humanities programs should focus on intensive research practice for baccalaureate students and provides three guiding principles for implementing it. Although the interdisciplinary nature of health humanities permits baccalaureate students to use research methods from the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities, pre-health humanities coursework tends to force students to adopt only one of many disciplinary identities. Alternatively, an intensive research approach invites students to critically select and combine methods from multiple (and seemingly opposing) disciplines to ask and answer questions about health problems more innovatively. Using the authors' experiences with implementing health humanities baccalaureate research initiatives at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the authors contend that pre-health humanities programs should teach and study multiple disciplinary research methods and their values; examine how health humanities research might transfer across disciplines; and focus on mentoring opportunities for funding, presenting, and publishing research. These recommendations have the potential to create unprecedented research experiences for baccalaureate students as they prepare to enter careers within and beyond the allied health professions.

Immunocytochemical detection of choline acetyltransferase in the human organ of Corti.

PubMed

Schrott-Fischer, A; Egg, G; Kong, W J; Renard, N; Eybalin, M

1994-08-01

In the mammalian cochlea acetylcholine has been considered a major neurotransmitter of the lateral and medial efferent fibers. The aims of the present study were to investigate the expression of ChAT in the human cochlea and to develop a new method for immunohistochemical investigations in the human cochlea both at the light and electronmicroscopic level. We thus examined the ChAT-like immunoreactivity in the human inner ear using light and electron microscopy with a pre-embedding technique. Our present results agree with the previously published data acquired in rodent species. The ChAT-like immunostaining could be found in the inner spiral fibers, the inner spiral bundle, tunnel crossing fibers and at the base of the outer hair cells. No staining was noted in the negative controls experiments, while rat cochleas used as positive controls showed the usual ChAT-like immunostaining as described above. The main difference between human and rat cochleas was that the efferent nerve supply seems to be less pronounced in the human cochleas.

Determination of platinum surface contamination in veterinary and human oncology centres using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Janssens, T; Brouwers, E E M; de Vos, J P; de Vries, N; Schellens, J H M; Beijnen, J H

2015-09-01

The objective of this study was to determine the surface contamination with platinum-containing antineoplastic drugs in veterinary and human oncology centres. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to measure platinum levels in surface samples. In veterinary and human oncology centres, 46.3 and 68.9% of the sampled surfaces demonstrated platinum contamination, respectively. Highest platinum levels were found in the preparation rooms (44.6 pg cm(-2)) in veterinary centres, while maximal levels in human centres were found in oncology patient-only toilets (725 pg cm(-2)). Transference of platinum by workers outside areas where antineoplastic drugs were handled was observed in veterinary and human oncology centres. In conclusion, only low levels of platinum contamination attributable to carboplatin were found in the sampled veterinary oncology centres. However, dispersion of platinum outside areas where antineoplastic drugs were handled was detected in veterinary and human oncology centres. Consequently, not only personnel, but also others may be exposed to platinum. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Drug residues and endocrine disruptors in drinking water: risk for humans?

PubMed

Touraud, Evelyne; Roig, Benoit; Sumpter, John P; Coetsier, Clémence

2011-11-01

The presence of pharmaceuticals and endocrine disruptors in the environment raises many questions about risk to the environment and human health. Environmental exposure has been largely studied, providing to date a realistic picture of the degree of contamination of the environment by pharmaceuticals and hormones. Conversely, little information is available regarding human exposure. NSAIDS, carbamazepine, iodinated contrast media, β-blockers, antibiotics have been detected in drinking water, mostly in the range of ng/L. it is questioned if such concentrations may affect human health. Currently, no consensus among the scientific community exists on what risk, if any, pharmaceuticals and endocrine disruptors pose to human health. Future European research will focus, on one hand, on genotoxic and cytotoxic anti-cancer drugs and, on the other hand, on the induction of genetic resistance by antibiotics. This review does not aim to give a comprehensive overview of human health risk of drug residues and endocrine disruptors in drinking water but rather highlight important topics of discussion. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

A review of low-level air pollution and adverse effects on human health: implications for epidemiological studies and public policy

PubMed Central

Olmo, Neide Regina Simões; do Nascimento Saldiva, Paulo Hilário; Braga, Alfésio Luís Ferreira; Lin, Chin An; de Paula Santos, Ubiratan; Pereira, Luiz Alberto Amador

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to review original scientific articles describing the relationship between atmospheric pollution and damage to human health. We also aimed to determine which of these studies mentioned public policy issues. Original articles relating to atmospheric pollution and human health published between 1995 and 2009 were retrieved from the PubMed database and analyzed. This study included only articles dealing with atmospheric pollutants resulting primarily from vehicle emissions. Three researchers were involved in the final selection of the studies, and the chosen articles were approved by at least two of the three researchers. Of the 84 non-Brazilian studies analyzed, 80 showed an association between atmospheric pollution and adverse effects on human health. Moreover, 66 showed evidence of adverse effects on human health, even at levels below the permitted emission standards. Three studies mentioned public policies aimed at changing emission standards. Similarly, the 29 selected Brazilian studies reported adverse associations with human health, and 27 showed evidence of adverse effects even at levels below the legally permitted emission standards. Of these studies, 16 mentioned public policies aimed at changing emission standards. Based on the Brazilian and non-Brazilian scientific studies that have been conducted, it can be concluded that, even under conditions that are compliant with Brazilian air quality standards, the concentration of atmospheric pollutants in Brazil can negatively affect human health. However, as little discussion of this topic has been generated, this finding demonstrates the need to incorporate epidemiological evidence into decisions regarding legal regulations and to discuss the public policy implications in epidemiological studies. PMID:21655765

A case for human systems neuroscience.

PubMed

Gardner, J L

2015-06-18

Can the human brain itself serve as a model for a systems neuroscience approach to understanding the human brain? After all, how the brain is able to create the richness and complexity of human behavior is still largely mysterious. What better choice to study that complexity than to study it in humans? However, measurements of brain activity typically need to be made non-invasively which puts severe constraints on what can be learned about the internal workings of the brain. Our approach has been to use a combination of psychophysics in which we can use human behavioral flexibility to make quantitative measurements of behavior and link those through computational models to measurements of cortical activity through magnetic resonance imaging. In particular, we have tested various computational hypotheses about what neural mechanisms could account for behavioral enhancement with spatial attention (Pestilli et al., 2011). Resting both on quantitative measurements and considerations of what is known through animal models, we concluded that weighting of sensory signals by the magnitude of their response is a neural mechanism for efficient selection of sensory signals and consequent improvements in behavioral performance with attention. While animal models have many technical advantages over studying the brain in humans, we believe that human systems neuroscience should endeavor to validate, replicate and extend basic knowledge learned from animal model systems and thus form a bridge to understanding how the brain creates the complex and rich cognitive capacities of humans. Copyright © 2014 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fox transcription factors: from development to disease.

PubMed

Golson, Maria L; Kaestner, Klaus H

2016-12-15

Forkhead box (Fox) transcription factors are evolutionarily conserved in organisms ranging from yeast to humans. They regulate diverse biological processes both during development and throughout adult life. Mutations in many Fox genes are associated with human disease and, as such, various animal models have been generated to study the function of these transcription factors in mechanistic detail. In many cases, the absence of even a single Fox transcription factor is lethal. In this Primer, we provide an overview of the Fox family, highlighting several key Fox transcription factor families that are important for mammalian development. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Human somatic cell nuclear transfer and reproductive cloning: an Ethics Committee opinion.

PubMed

2016-04-01

This document presents arguments that conclude that it is unethical to use somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) for infertility treatment due to concerns about safety; the unknown impact of SCNT on children, families, and society; and the availability of other ethically acceptable means of assisted reproduction. This document replaces the ASRM Ethics Committee report titled, "Human somatic cell nuclear transfer and cloning," last published in Fertil Steril 2012;98:804-7. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Etiologic agents of dermatophyte infection in Lebanon.

PubMed

Araj, George F; Racoubian, Eddie S; Daher, Nemat K

2004-01-01

Dermatophytes are common and cause important human fungal infections in many parts of the world, including Lebanon. The prevalence of these fungi, however, tends to vary with time and geographic location. In our region, studies on the prevalence of dermatophytoses and the distribution of the various dermatophyte species involved are rare. In Lebanon, only one study was published on this subject over the last forty years. This study was undertaken to shed light on the types and prevalence of dermatophytes recovered at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), and to compare the findings with those of the only study from the same hospital published in the early 1960s. Records from the clinical microbiology section were reviewed for the patients on whom dermatophyte cultures were requested between 1996 and 2002. All positive cultures were identified and analyzed. Among 1631 submitted specimens for culture (one per patient), 208 (12.7%) yielded 11 species of dermatophytes, dominated by Trichophyton spp. (89.9%), followed by Microsporum spp. (9.1%), Epidermophyton floccosum (0.4%) and Trichosporum beigelii (0.4%). The male to female ratio was almost 1:1, and the age range was 1 to 77 yrs for both sexes; 14% were children (< or = 15 yrs). The most commonly recovered species were: T. tonsurans (54.8%), T. mentagrophytes (24.5%), M. canis (7.7%), T. rubrum (5.3%) and T. verrucosum (4%). The distribution of infection according to body sites was : tinea unguium (44.2%), tinea corporis (43.2%), tinea capitis (7.7%) and tinea pedis (4.8%). Compared to the previous study from AUBMC in 1962, the current study showed an overall lower prevalence of dermatophytoses (12.7 vs 18.5%, p = 0.001) and variations in the prevalence rates of the dermatophyte species involved (dominated by T. tonsurans and T. mentagrophytes in the current study compared to E. floccosum and T. rubrum recovered in 1962). Based on the source of infection the current study showed higher transmission from human to human (anthropophylic) (86.5 vs 66.3%) and animal to human (zoophylic) (12.5 vs 1.1 %), but lower transmission from soil to human (geophylic) (1% vs 32.6%). The prevalence of dermatophytoses remains high in this country. The recognition of the changing prevalence in the causative dermatophyte species should help with the treatment approach and for potential implementation of control measures.

An age-specific biokinetic model for iodine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leggett, Richard Wayne

This study reviews age-specific biokinetic data for iodine in humans and extends to pre-adult ages the baseline parameter values of the author’s previously published model for systemic iodine in adult humans. Compared with the ICRP’s current age-specific model for iodine introduced in Publication 56 (1989), the present model provides a more detailed description of the behavior of iodine in the human body; predicts greater cumulative (integrated) activity in the thyroid for short-lived isotopes of iodine; predicts similar cumulative activity in the thyroid for isotopes with half-time greater than a few hours; and, for most iodine isotopes, predicts much greater cumulativemore » activity in salivary glands, stomach wall, liver, and kidneys.« less

An age-specific biokinetic model for iodine

DOE PAGES

Leggett, Richard Wayne

2017-10-26

This study reviews age-specific biokinetic data for iodine in humans and extends to pre-adult ages the baseline parameter values of the author’s previously published model for systemic iodine in adult humans. Compared with the ICRP’s current age-specific model for iodine introduced in Publication 56 (1989), the present model provides a more detailed description of the behavior of iodine in the human body; predicts greater cumulative (integrated) activity in the thyroid for short-lived isotopes of iodine; predicts similar cumulative activity in the thyroid for isotopes with half-time greater than a few hours; and, for most iodine isotopes, predicts much greater cumulativemore » activity in salivary glands, stomach wall, liver, and kidneys.« less

Sam68 Allows Selective Targeting of Human Cancer Stem Cells.

PubMed

Benoit, Yannick D; Mitchell, Ryan R; Risueño, Ruth M; Orlando, Luca; Tanasijevic, Borko; Boyd, Allison L; Aslostovar, Lili; Salci, Kyle R; Shapovalova, Zoya; Russell, Jennifer; Eguchi, Masakatsu; Golubeva, Diana; Graham, Monica; Xenocostas, Anargyros; Trus, Michael R; Foley, Ronan; Leber, Brian; Collins, Tony J; Bhatia, Mickie

2017-07-20

Targeting of human cancer stem cells (CSCs) requires the identification of vulnerabilities unique to CSCs versus healthy resident stem cells (SCs). Unfortunately, dysregulated pathways that support transformed CSCs, such as Wnt/β-catenin signaling, are also critical regulators of healthy SCs. Using the ICG-001 and CWP family of small molecules, we reveal Sam68 as a previously unappreciated modulator of Wnt/β-catenin signaling within CSCs. Disruption of CBP-β-catenin interaction via ICG-001/CWP induces the formation of a Sam68-CBP complex in CSCs that alters Wnt signaling toward apoptosis and differentiation induction. Our study identifies Sam68 as a regulator of human CSC vulnerability. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulation of bone-conducted sound transmission in a three-dimensional finite-element model of a human skull

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, You; Kim, Namkeun; Stenfelt, Stefan

2015-12-01

Bone conduction (BC) is the transmission of sound to the inner ear through the bones of the skull. This type of transmission is used in humans fitted with BC hearing aids as well as to classify between conductive and sensorineural hearing losses. The objective of the present study is to develop a finite-element (FE) model of the human skull based on cryosectional images of a female cadaver head in order to gain better understanding of the sound transmission. Further, the BC behavior was validated in terms of sound transmission against experimental data published in the literature. Results showed the responses of the simulated skull FE model were consistent with the experimentally reported data.

Research trends in human osteology: a content analysis of papers published in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology.

PubMed

Stojanowski, Christopher M; Buikstra, Jane E

2005-09-01

This paper explores recent research trends in human osteology, based on articles published in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology (AJPA) during two 5-year intervals: 1980--1984 and 1996--2000. Topical "visibility" is measured in terms of article counts; "impact" is estimated through citation indices. Our results indicate that human osteologists continue to publish a range of methodological, analytical, and descriptive research papers that address a broad array of subjects. Analytical articles are cited more frequently than descriptive articles and thus have higher impact, reflecting the discipline's continued commitment to problem-oriented research. Differences in publication patterns exist between scholars during early and later stages of their careers. Articles published by students and Ph.D.s within 2 years of their doctoral degree are more frequently descriptive than analytical, when compared to people with longer career histories. Topics such as pathology, forensic anthropology, and biodistance modeling remain highly visible, while articles on the dentition have waned. An increase in functional research directed toward the postcranial skeleton is also reflected in our data. While continued visibility for morphological investigations is apparent, the impact of recently developed applications in bone chemistry and molecular anthropology is amply documented in our data, particularly during the more recent survey years. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Exercise-induced neuroplasticity in human Parkinson's disease: What is the evidence telling us?

PubMed

Hirsch, Mark A; Iyer, Sanjay S; Sanjak, Mohammed

2016-01-01

While animal models of exercise and PD have pushed the field forward, few studies have addressed exercise-induced neuroplasticity in human PD. As a first step toward promoting greater international collaboration on exercise-induced neuroplasticity in human PD, we present data on 8 human PD studies (published between 2008 and 2015) with 144 adults with PD of varying disease severity (Hoehn and Yahr stage 1 to stage 3), using various experimental (e.g., randomized controlled trial) and quasi-experimental designs on the effects of cognitive and physical activity on brain structure or function in PD. We focus on plasticity mechanisms of intervention-induced increases in maximal corticomotor excitability, exercise-induced changes in voxel-based gray matter volume changes and increases in exercise-induced serum levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Finally, we provide a future perspective for promoting international, collaborative research on exercise-induced neuroplasticity in human PD. An emerging body of evidence suggests exercise triggers several plasticity related events in the human PD brain including corticomotor excitation, increases and decreases in gray matter volume and changes in BDNF levels. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Animal and human models to understand ageing.

PubMed

Lees, Hayley; Walters, Hannah; Cox, Lynne S

2016-11-01

Human ageing is the gradual decline in organ and tissue function with increasing chronological time, leading eventually to loss of function and death. To study the processes involved over research-relevant timescales requires the use of accessible model systems that share significant similarities with humans. In this review, we assess the usefulness of various models, including unicellular yeasts, invertebrate worms and flies, mice and primates including humans, and highlight the benefits and possible drawbacks of each model system in its ability to illuminate human ageing mechanisms. We describe the strong evolutionary conservation of molecular pathways that govern cell responses to extracellular and intracellular signals and which are strongly implicated in ageing. Such pathways centre around insulin-like growth factor signalling and integration of stress and nutritional signals through mTOR kinase. The process of cellular senescence is evaluated as a possible underlying cause for many of the frailties and diseases of human ageing. Also considered is ageing arising from systemic changes that cannot be modelled in lower organisms and instead require studies either in small mammals or in primates. We also touch briefly on novel therapeutic options arising from a better understanding of the biology of ageing. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Human evaluation in association to the mathematical analysis of arch forms: Two-dimensional study.

PubMed

Zabidin, Nurwahidah; Mohamed, Alizae Marny; Zaharim, Azami; Marizan Nor, Murshida; Rosli, Tanti Irawati

2018-03-01

To evaluate the relationship between human evaluation of the dental-arch form, to complete a mathematical analysis via two different methods in quantifying the arch form, and to establish agreement with the fourth-order polynomial equation. This study included 64 sets of digitised maxilla and mandible dental casts obtained from a sample of dental arch with normal occlusion. For human evaluation, a convenient sample of orthodontic practitioners ranked the photo images of dental cast from the most tapered to the less tapered (square). In the mathematical analysis, dental arches were interpolated using the fourth-order polynomial equation with millimetric acetate paper and AutoCAD software. Finally, the relations between human evaluation and mathematical objective analyses were evaluated. Human evaluations were found to be generally in agreement, but only at the extremes of tapered and square arch forms; this indicated general human error and observer bias. The two methods used to plot the arch form were comparable. The use of fourth-order polynomial equation may be facilitative in obtaining a smooth curve, which can produce a template for individual arch that represents all potential tooth positions for the dental arch. Copyright © 2018 CEO. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Freezing and thawing effects on fat, protein, and lactose levels of human natural milk administered by gavage and continuous infusion.

PubMed

Abranches, Andrea D; Soares, Fernanda V M; Junior, Saint-Clair G; Moreira, Maria Elisabeth L

2014-01-01

to analyze the changes in human milk macronutrients: fat, protein, and lactose in natural human milk (raw), frozen and thawed, after administration simulation by gavage and continuous infusion. an experimental study was performed with 34 human milk samples. The infrared spectrophotometry using the infrared analysis equipment MilkoScan Minor® (Foss, Denmark) equipment was used to analyze the macronutrients in human milk during the study phases. The analyses were performed in natural (raw) samples and after freezing and fast thawing following two steps: gavage and continuous infusion. The non-parametric Wilcoxon test for paired samples was used for the statistical analysis. the fat content was significantly reduced after administration by continuous infusion (p<0.001) during administration of both raw and thawed samples. No changes in protein and lactose content were observed between the two forms of infusion. However, the thawing process significantly increased the levels of lactose and milk protein. the route of administration by continuous infusion showed the greatest influence on fat loss among all the processes required for human milk administration. Copyright © 2014 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Xenotransplantation as a model for human testicular development.

PubMed

Hutka, Marsida; Smith, Lee B; Mitchell, Rod T

The developing male reproductive system may be sensitive to disruption by a wide range of exogenous 'endocrine disruptors'. In-utero exposure to environmental chemicals and pharmaceuticals have been hypothesized to have an impact in the increasing incidence of male reproductive disorders. The vulnerability to adverse effects as a consequence of such exposures is elevated during a specific 'window of susceptibility' in fetal life referred to as the masculinisation programing window (MPW). Exposures that occur during prepuberty, such as chemotherapy treatment for cancer during childhood, may also affect future fertility. Much of our current knowledge about fetal and early postnatal human testicular development derives from studies conducted in animal models predictive for humans. Therefore, over recent years, testicular transplantation has been employed as a 'direct' approach to understand the development of human fetal and prepubertal testis in health and disease. In this review we describe the potential use of human testis xenotransplantation to study testicular development and its application for (i) assessing the effects of environmental exposures in humans, and (ii) establishing fertility preservation options for prepubertal boys with cancer. Copyright © 2017 International Society of Differentiation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Defining the optimal animal model for translational research using gene set enrichment analysis.

PubMed

Weidner, Christopher; Steinfath, Matthias; Opitz, Elisa; Oelgeschläger, Michael; Schönfelder, Gilbert

2016-08-01

The mouse is the main model organism used to study the functions of human genes because most biological processes in the mouse are highly conserved in humans. Recent reports that compared identical transcriptomic datasets of human inflammatory diseases with datasets from mouse models using traditional gene-to-gene comparison techniques resulted in contradictory conclusions regarding the relevance of animal models for translational research. To reduce susceptibility to biased interpretation, all genes of interest for the biological question under investigation should be considered. Thus, standardized approaches for systematic data analysis are needed. We analyzed the same datasets using gene set enrichment analysis focusing on pathways assigned to inflammatory processes in either humans or mice. The analyses revealed a moderate overlap between all human and mouse datasets, with average positive and negative predictive values of 48 and 57% significant correlations. Subgroups of the septic mouse models (i.e., Staphylococcus aureus injection) correlated very well with most human studies. These findings support the applicability of targeted strategies to identify the optimal animal model and protocol to improve the success of translational research. © 2016 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Game-Based Training: A Controlled Study with Dismounted Infantry Teams

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

commencing at DSTO she worked as a lecturer in Psychology and Human Factors at the University of Queensland and Queensland University of Technology...Army1 and conducted by scientists from the DSTO’s Land Operations Division working on the Training and Preparedness (ARM 07/163) task...comprehensive summary of published work in this area. In this review, studies examining the effectiveness of computer-based instruction methods

Information Security: A Scientometric Study of the Profile, Structure, and Dynamics of an Emerging Scholarly Specialty

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-01

documents (e.g., articles, books ). C ita tio n A n a ly sis Scientometrics The analysis, quantification, and measurement of science. The...the development of mechanical devices for cryptology around the early 1900s. These devices, known as rotor machines, drastically increased the...similar study, Fernandez-Alles and Ramos-Rodriguez (2009) argued that since human resources management was dominated by published books instead of journal

A comprehensive database of the geographic spread of past human Ebola outbreaks

PubMed Central

Mylne, Adrian; Brady, Oliver J.; Huang, Zhi; Pigott, David M.; Golding, Nick; Kraemer, Moritz U.G.; Hay, Simon I.

2014-01-01

Ebola is a zoonotic filovirus that has the potential to cause outbreaks of variable magnitude in human populations. This database collates our existing knowledge of all known human outbreaks of Ebola for the first time by extracting details of their suspected zoonotic origin and subsequent human-to-human spread from a range of published and non-published sources. In total, 22 unique Ebola outbreaks were identified, composed of 117 unique geographic transmission clusters. Details of the index case and geographic spread of secondary and imported cases were recorded as well as summaries of patient numbers and case fatality rates. A brief text summary describing suspected routes and means of spread for each outbreak was also included. While we cannot yet include the ongoing Guinea and DRC outbreaks until they are over, these data and compiled maps can be used to gain an improved understanding of the initial spread of past Ebola outbreaks and help evaluate surveillance and control guidelines for limiting the spread of future epidemics. PMID:25984346

A comprehensive database of the geographic spread of past human Ebola outbreaks.

PubMed

Mylne, Adrian; Brady, Oliver J; Huang, Zhi; Pigott, David M; Golding, Nick; Kraemer, Moritz U G; Hay, Simon I

2014-01-01

Ebola is a zoonotic filovirus that has the potential to cause outbreaks of variable magnitude in human populations. This database collates our existing knowledge of all known human outbreaks of Ebola for the first time by extracting details of their suspected zoonotic origin and subsequent human-to-human spread from a range of published and non-published sources. In total, 22 unique Ebola outbreaks were identified, composed of 117 unique geographic transmission clusters. Details of the index case and geographic spread of secondary and imported cases were recorded as well as summaries of patient numbers and case fatality rates. A brief text summary describing suspected routes and means of spread for each outbreak was also included. While we cannot yet include the ongoing Guinea and DRC outbreaks until they are over, these data and compiled maps can be used to gain an improved understanding of the initial spread of past Ebola outbreaks and help evaluate surveillance and control guidelines for limiting the spread of future epidemics.

Human papillomavirus genome integration in squamous carcinogenesis: what have next-generation sequencing studies taught us?

PubMed

Groves, Ian J; Coleman, Nicholas

2018-05-01

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is associated with ∼5% of all human cancers, including a range of squamous cell carcinomas. Persistent infection by high-risk HPVs (HRHPVs) is associated with the integration of virus genomes (which are usually stably maintained as extrachromosomal episomes) into host chromosomes. Although HRHPV integration rates differ across human sites of infection, this process appears to be an important event in HPV-associated neoplastic progression, leading to deregulation of virus oncogene expression, host gene expression modulation, and further genomic instability. However, the mechanisms by which HRHPV integration occur and by which the subsequent gene expression changes take place are incompletely understood. The advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) of both RNA and DNA has allowed powerful interrogation of the association of HRHPVs with human disease, including precise determination of the sites of integration and the genomic rearrangements at integration loci. In turn, these data have indicated that integration occurs through two main mechanisms: looping integration and direct insertion. Improved understanding of integration sites is allowing further investigation of the factors that provide a competitive advantage to some integrants during disease progression. Furthermore, advanced approaches to the generation of genome-wide samples have given novel insights into the three-dimensional interactions within the nucleus, which could act as another layer of epigenetic control of both virus and host transcription. It is hoped that further advances in NGS techniques and analysis will not only allow the examination of further unanswered questions regarding HPV infection, but also direct new approaches to treating HPV-associated human disease. Copyright © 2018 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2018 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A comparative evaluation of models to predict human intestinal metabolism from nonclinical data.

PubMed

Yau, Estelle; Petersson, Carl; Dolgos, Hugues; Peters, Sheila Annie

2017-04-01

Extensive gut metabolism is often associated with the risk of low and variable bioavailability. The prediction of the fraction of drug escaping gut wall metabolism as well as transporter-mediated secretion (F g ) has been challenged by the lack of appropriate preclinical models. The purpose of this study is to compare the performance of models that are widely employed in the pharmaceutical industry today to estimate F g and, based on the outcome, to provide recommendations for the prediction of human F g during drug discovery and early drug development. The use of in vitro intrinsic clearance from human liver microsomes (HLM) in three mechanistic models - the ADAM, Q gut and Competing Rates - was evaluated for drugs whose metabolism is dominated by CYP450s, assuming that the effect of transporters is negligible. The utility of rat as a model for human F g was also explored. The ADAM, Q gut and Competing Rates models had comparable prediction success (70%, 74%, 69%, respectively) and bias (AFE = 1.26, 0.74 and 0.81, respectively). However, the ADAM model showed better accuracy compared with the Q gut and Competing Rates models (RMSE =0.20 vs 0.30 and 0.25, respectively). Rat is not a good model (prediction success =32%, RMSE =0.48 and AFE = 0.44) as it seems systematically to under-predict human F g . Hence, we would recommend the use of rat to identify the need for F g assessment, followed by the use of HLM in simple models to predict human F g . © 2017 Merck KGaA. Biopharmaceutics & Drug Disposition Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. © 2017 Merck KGaA. Biopharmaceutics & Drug Disposition Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Reforming the politics of animal research.

PubMed

Levin, Lisa Hara; Reppy, William A

2015-07-01

An unfortunate tension exists between the biomedical research and animal welfare/rights communities. We believe that despite the mistrust between these groups, there are individuals on both sides of the controversy who seek to better understand the other. We recommend an update of institutional policies that will better inform the public about the use of non-human animals in biomedical research and improve a dialogue on such use between concerned individuals who either support or oppose non-human animal-based biomedical research. Such interactions may well determine the longevity of using non-human animals as experimental subjects. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

When the time seems ripe: eugenics, the annals, and the subtle persistence of typological thinking.

PubMed

Weiss, Kenneth M; Lambert, Brian W

2011-05-01

This journal began in 1925 as the Annals of Eugenics. Much has changed since then. The original Editors' primary eugenic objective was not achieved, and eugenics justifiably became notorious for racism and gross abuse of human rights. But one founding aim was to publish advances in statistical genetics, and that objective prospered in the journal's pages from its beginning to the present day. The online availability of the original issues will be useful to those interested in the history of both eugenics and human genetics and will provide a reminder of how the careless use of genetical concepts can go astray. © 2010 The Authors Annals of Human Genetics © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/University College London.

75 FR 47598 - Solicitation of Nomination for Appointment to the Advisory Committee on Minority Health; Correction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-06

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Solicitation of Nomination for Appointment to the Advisory Committee on Minority Health; Correction AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the.... SUMMARY: The Department of Health and Human Services published a document in the Federal Register on...

77 FR 72254 - New Animal Drugs; Updating Tolerances for Residues of New Animal Drugs in Food

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-05

... concentrations, FDA considered food consumption values and human body weight. Consumption was estimated as a... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration 21 CFR Parts 500, 520, 522... for the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to establish and publish regulations...

75 FR 69912 - Pipeline Safety: Control Room Management/Human Factors

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-16

... 192 and 195 [Docket ID PHMSA-2007-27954] RIN 2137-AE64 Pipeline Safety: Control Room Management/Human... rulemaking; Extension of comment period. SUMMARY: On September 17, 2010, PHMSA published a Control Room... Control Room Management/Human Factors rule at 49 CFR 192.631 and 195.446. The NPRM proposes to expedite...

21 CFR 530.24 - Procedure for announcing analytical methods for drug residue quantification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS EXTRALABEL DRUG USE IN ANIMALS Specific Provisions Relating to Extralabel Use of Animal and Human Drugs in Food... approved human drug or an approved animal drug. The agency will publish in the Federal Register a notice of...

Journal of Human Services Abstracts. Volume 3, Number 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Washington, DC. Project Share.

This index, containing 450 abstracts on human services, is published quarterly to make available a broad range of documents to those responsible for the planning, management, and delivery of human services. The entries are arranged alphabetically by title and indexed by subject matter. Each entry includes the title, order number, source, price,…

78 FR 46969 - Human Immunodeficiency Virus Patient-Focused Drug Development and Human Immunodeficiency Virus...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-02

... for the notice of public meeting entitled ``Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Patient-Focused Drug Development and HIV Cure Research,'' published in the Federal Register of May 21, 2013 (78 FR 29755). In that... HIV, symptoms experienced because of HIV or its treatment, and issues related to HIV cure research...

Landmarks in the Literature: Two Views of Human Nature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bordin, Edward S.

1981-01-01

The author contrasts the psychological theories of Carl Rogers and B. F. Skinner as developed in their books, "Client-Centered Therapy" and "Science and Human Behavior," published in the early 1950s. He traces the continuing impact of these two theories on psychology, education, and the debate between humanism and science. (SJL)

78 FR 64254 - Advisory Committee for Education and Human Resources; Cancellation of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-28

... NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Advisory Committee for Education and Human Resources; Cancellation of... Foundation is issuing this notice to cancel the November 6-7, 2013 Advisory Committee for Education and Human Resources meeting. The public notice for this committee was published in the Federal Register on October 3...

Anti-colorectal cancer effects of tripolinolate A from Tripolium vulgare.

PubMed

Chen, Lu; Wang, Wen-Ling; Song, Teng-Fei; Xie, Xin; Ye, Xue-Wei; Liang, Ying; Huang, Hao-Cai; Yan, Shi-Lun; Lian, Xiao-Yuan; Zhang, Zhi-Zhen

2017-08-01

Tripolinolate A (TLA) is recently identified as a new compound from a halophyte plant Tripolium vulgare and has been shown to have significant in vitro activity against the proliferation of colorectal cancer and glioma cells. This study was designed to further investigate the effects of TLA on the proliferation of human normal cells, and the apoptosis and cell cycle in colorectal cancer cells, and the growth of tumors in the colorectal cancer-bearing animals. The data obtained from this study demonstrated that: 1) TLA had much less cytotoxicity in the human normal cells than the colorectal cancer cells; 2) TLA remarkably induced apoptosis in the human colorectal cancer cells and blocked cell cycle at G 2 /M phase, and 3) TLA had significant anti-colorectal cancer activity in the tumor-bearing animals. Copyright © 2017 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fact Sheet: Revised National Recommended Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Human Health

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2003 Revised National Recommended Ambient Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Human Health. 15 Pollutants revised criteria will be published including, chlorobenzene, cyanide, endrin, ethylbenzene, lindane, thallium, toluene, and more.

Not Scotch, but Rum: The Scope and Diffusion of the Scottish Presence in the Published Record

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lavoie, Brian

2013-01-01

Big data sets and powerful computing capacity have transformed scholarly inquiry across many disciplines. While the impact of data-intensive research methodologies is perhaps most distinct in the natural and social sciences, the humanities have also benefited from these new analytical tools. While full-text data is necessary to study topics such…

Accuracy of Health and Wellness Messages Provided by "ChaCha", the Mobile Answers Text Message Service

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bliss, Kadi; Lodyga, Marc; Bochantin, Shelley; Null, Dawn

2010-01-01

A relatively new mobile text message service, "ChaCha," describes itself as "a smart search engine powered by human intelligence." The service claims to provide high-quality, accurate information, yet there is no research published to date substantiating this claim. The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which health and…

Procedures of Exercise Physiology Laboratories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bishop, Phillip A.; Fortney, Suzanne; Greenisen, Michael; Siconolfi, Steven F.; Bamman, Marcas M.; Moore, Alan D., Jr.; Squires, William

1998-01-01

This manual describes the laboratory methods used to collect flight crew physiological performance data at the Johnson Space Center. The Exercise Countermeasures Project Laboratory is a standard physiology laboratory; only the application to the study of human physiological adaptations to spaceflight is unique. In the absence of any other recently published laboratory manual, this manual should be a useful document staffs and students of other laboratories.

The Effect of a Therapy Dog on the Communication Skills of an Adult with Aphasia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaFrance, Caroline; Garcia, Linda J.; Labreche, Julianne

2007-01-01

Little evidence-based research has been published within the field of communication disorders on the role of dogs as catalysts for human communication. This single participant study, a point of entry into this realm of research, explores the effects of a therapy dog on the communication skills of a patient with aphasia receiving intensive speech…

More than a scenic mountain landscape: Valles Caldera National Preserve land use history

Treesearch

Kurt F. Anschuetz; Thomas Merlan

2007-01-01

This study focuses on the cultural-historical environment of the 88,900-acre (35,560-ha) Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) over the past four centuries of Spanish, Mexican, and U.S. governance. It includes a review and synthesis of available published and unpublished historical, ethnohistorical, and ethnographic literature about the human occupation of the area...

A Comprehensive and Critical Review of the Methodology and Findings in Color Investigations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamberski, Richard J.

Intended to serve as a primer for future investigators, this paper surveys and analyzes research studies published between 1945 and 1980 which focus on the effect(s) of color on human cognitive learning. The question of whether or not color as a variable in the design of instructional materials enhances learning has been approached by researchers…

Does spending time outdoors reduce stress? A review of real-time stress response to outdoor environments

Treesearch

Michelle C. Kondo; Sara F. Jacoby; Eugenia C. South

2018-01-01

Everyday environmental conditions impact human health. One mechanism underlying this relationship is the experience of stress. Through systematic review of published literature, we explore how stress has been measured in real-time non-laboratory studies of stress responses to deliberate exposure to outdoor environments. The types of exposures evaluated in this review...

Human myiasis in New Zealand: imported and indigenously-acquired cases: the species of concern and clinical aspects.

PubMed

Derraik, Jose G B; Heath, Allen C G; Rademaker, Marius

2010-09-10

Reports of myiasis in humans in New Zealand are somewhat rare, and little attention has been paid to this issue in the local medical literature. A number of Diptera (fly) families present in New Zealand have been associated with cases of human myiasis: Calliphoridae (7 species), Fanniidae (2 species), Muscidae (3 species), Oestridae (4 species), Phoridae (3 species), Psychodidae (1 species), Sarcophagidae (2 species), Stratiomyidae (1 species) and Syrphidae (1 species). Despite these numbers, there have only been 6 published records and we obtained further 16 unpublished reports of myiasis acquired in New Zealand. Records of imported myiasis in humans are also rare, with only 2 published and 6 unpublished cases obtained. As many medical practitioners are unaware of myiasis or encounter it rarely, we provide a brief discussion of the clinical features and treatment.

ESCAPE: database for integrating high-content published data collected from human and mouse embryonic stem cells.

PubMed

Xu, Huilei; Baroukh, Caroline; Dannenfelser, Ruth; Chen, Edward Y; Tan, Christopher M; Kou, Yan; Kim, Yujin E; Lemischka, Ihor R; Ma'ayan, Avi

2013-01-01

High content studies that profile mouse and human embryonic stem cells (m/hESCs) using various genome-wide technologies such as transcriptomics and proteomics are constantly being published. However, efforts to integrate such data to obtain a global view of the molecular circuitry in m/hESCs are lagging behind. Here, we present an m/hESC-centered database called Embryonic Stem Cell Atlas from Pluripotency Evidence integrating data from many recent diverse high-throughput studies including chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by deep sequencing, genome-wide inhibitory RNA screens, gene expression microarrays or RNA-seq after knockdown (KD) or overexpression of critical factors, immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry proteomics and phosphoproteomics. The database provides web-based interactive search and visualization tools that can be used to build subnetworks and to identify known and novel regulatory interactions across various regulatory layers. The web-interface also includes tools to predict the effects of combinatorial KDs by additive effects controlled by sliders, or through simulation software implemented in MATLAB. Overall, the Embryonic Stem Cell Atlas from Pluripotency Evidence database is a comprehensive resource for the stem cell systems biology community. Database URL: http://www.maayanlab.net/ESCAPE

Conformational flexibility of human casein kinase catalytic subunit explored by metadynamics.

PubMed

Gouron, Aurélie; Milet, Anne; Jamet, Helene

2014-03-04

Casein kinase CK2 is an essential enzyme in higher organisms, catalyzing the transfer of the γ phosphate from ATP to serine and threonine residues on protein substrates. In a number of animal tumors, CK2 activity has been shown to escape normal cellular control, making it a potential target for cancer therapy. Several crystal structures of human CK2 have been published with different conformations for the CK2α catalytic subunit. This variability reflects a high flexibility for two regions of CK2α: the interdomain hinge region, and the glycine-rich loop (p-loop). Here, we present a computational study simulating the equilibrium between three conformations involving these regions. Simulations were performed using well-tempered metadynamics combined with a path collective variables approach. This provides a reference pathway describing the conformational changes being studied, based on analysis of free energy surfaces. The free energies of the three conformations were found to be close and the paths proposed had low activation barriers. Our results indicate that these conformations can exist in water. This information should be useful when designing inhibitors specific to one conformation. Copyright © 2014 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Alloantibodies in Organ Transplant: A Review of Data Published in 2015.

PubMed

Maehara, Curtis; Everly, Matthew J

2015-01-01

In recent years, there have been multiple studies published on longitudinal and retrospective analysis of anti-human leukocyte antigen (anti-HLA) antibodies. The focus of these reports was to determine specific characteristics of the impact of donor specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSA) in organ transplantation. There has been a growing concern about DSA in a multitude of organ transplants. Research efforts are attempting to gain a better understanding of DSA and possible treatment implications for patients with DSA. In 2015, many studies confirm and expand upon both the understanding of the humoral theory and the clinical applications of DSA in transplantation. This review highlights some of these publications and their contributions to the humoral theory of transplantation. Copyright© 2016 by the Terasaki Foundation Laboratory.

Toward an understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying dual-task performance: Contribution of comparative approaches using animal models.

PubMed

Watanabe, Kei; Funahashi, Shintaro

2018-01-01

The study of dual-task performance in human subjects has received considerable interest in cognitive neuroscience because it can provide detailed insights into the neural mechanisms underlying higher-order cognitive control. Despite many decades of research, our understanding of the neurobiological basis of dual-task performance is still limited, and some critical questions are still under debate. Recently, behavioral and neurophysiological studies of dual-task performance in animals have begun to provide intriguing evidence regarding how dual-task information is processed in the brain. In this review, we first summarize key evidence in neuroimaging and neuropsychological studies in humans and discuss possible reasons for discrepancies across studies. We then provide a comprehensive review of the literature on dual-task studies in animals and provide a novel working hypothesis that may reconcile the divergent results in human studies toward a unified view of the mechanisms underlying dual-task processing. Finally, we propose possible directions for future dual-task experiments in the framework of comparative cognitive neuroscience. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The capacity of diagnostic laboratories in Kenya for detecting infectious diseases.

PubMed

Slotved, H-C; Yatich, Kennedy K; Sam, Shem Otoi; Ndhine, Edwardina Otieno

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to present data of the diagnostic capacity of Kenyan laboratories to diagnose a number of human pathogens. The study is based on the data obtained from a biosecurity survey conducted in Kenya in 2014/2015 and data from the Statistical Abstract of Kenya for 2015. The biosecurity survey has previously been published; however, the survey also included information on laboratory capacity to handle a number of pathogens, which have not been published. Data were retrieved from the survey on 86 laboratory facilities. The data include information from relevant categories such as training laboratories, human diagnostic laboratories, veterinary diagnostic laboratories, and research laboratories. The disease incidence in Kenya ranges widely from malaria and diarrhea with an incidence rate of around 10.000 per year to diseases such as cholera and yellow fever with an incidence rate of 1 per year or less for all age groups. The data showed that diseases with the highest number of diagnostic facilities were mainly malaria-, HIV-, tuberculosis-, and diarrhea-related infectious diseases. The study generally shows that the laboratory facilities have the capacity of detecting the infectious diseases with the highest incidence rates. Furthermore, it seems that the number of facilities able to detect a particular disease is related to the incidence rate of the disease.

Consensus on consensus: a synthesis of consensus estimates on human-caused global warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, John; Oreskes, Naomi; Doran, Peter T.; Anderegg, William R. L.; Verheggen, Bart; Maibach, Ed W.; Carlton, J. Stuart; Lewandowsky, Stephan; Skuce, Andrew G.; Green, Sarah A.; Nuccitelli, Dana; Jacobs, Peter; Richardson, Mark; Winkler, Bärbel; Painting, Rob; Rice, Ken

2016-04-01

The consensus that humans are causing recent global warming is shared by 90%-100% of publishing climate scientists according to six independent studies by co-authors of this paper. Those results are consistent with the 97% consensus reported by Cook et al (Environ. Res. Lett. 8 024024) based on 11 944 abstracts of research papers, of which 4014 took a position on the cause of recent global warming. A survey of authors of those papers (N = 2412 papers) also supported a 97% consensus. Tol (2016 Environ. Res. Lett. 11 048001) comes to a different conclusion using results from surveys of non-experts such as economic geologists and a self-selected group of those who reject the consensus. We demonstrate that this outcome is not unexpected because the level of consensus correlates with expertise in climate science. At one point, Tol also reduces the apparent consensus by assuming that abstracts that do not explicitly state the cause of global warming (‘no position’) represent non-endorsement, an approach that if applied elsewhere would reject consensus on well-established theories such as plate tectonics. We examine the available studies and conclude that the finding of 97% consensus in published climate research is robust and consistent with other surveys of climate scientists and peer-reviewed studies.

Probiotics, antibiotics and the immune responses to vaccines.

PubMed

Praharaj, Ira; John, Sushil M; Bandyopadhyay, Rini; Kang, Gagandeep

2015-06-19

Orally delivered vaccines have been shown to perform poorly in developing countries. There are marked differences in the structure and the luminal environment of the gut in developing countries resulting in changes in immune and barrier function. Recent studies using newly developed technology and analytic methods have made it increasingly clear that the intestinal microbiota activate a multitude of pathways that control innate and adaptive immunity in the gut. Several hypotheses have been proposed for the underperformance of oral vaccines in developing countries, and modulation of the intestinal microbiota is now being tested in human clinical trials. Supplementation with specific strains of probiotics has been shown to have modulatory effects on intestinal and systemic immune responses in animal models and forms the basis for human studies with vaccines. However, most studies published so far that have evaluated the immune response to vaccines in children and adults have been small and results have varied by age, antigen, type of antibody response and probiotic strain. Use of anthelminthic drugs in children has been shown to possibly increase immunogenicity following oral cholera vaccination, lending further support to the rationale for modulation of the immune response to oral vaccination through the intestinal microbiome. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

[Gradual knowledge of the structure and function of the cardiovascular system].

PubMed

de Micheli Serra, Alfredo; Iturralde Torres, Pedro; Aranda Fraustro, Alberto

2013-01-01

The first anatomical lexicon was established in old Egypt, Alexandría by the priests who ritually offered all the parts of the human corpses to their gods. About 500 years b. C. studies of comparative anatomy began due to the physician Alcmeon of Croton, author of the text seriously starting the history of scientific pathology according to Laín Entralgo. It was only during the III century b. C. that dissections of human corpses began at the famous Alexandrian School of Medicine in Ptolemaic Egypt. During the Roman era and in high Middle Ages, physicians carried out anatomical studies in humans in order to dismiss or confirm poisoning suspicions or to extrapolate their flindings in animals (monkeys, pigs, etc) to humans. However, in low Middle Ages (XIV century), direct studies in human corpses were performed once again. These studies reached their pinnacle in the XVI century allowing the discovery of the lesser blood circulation and later of the greater blood circulation. The XVII century saw the coming of microscopic anatomy and the XVIII century witnessed the zenith of pathological anatomy. These studies developed during the following century into clinical-anatomical comparison. Today the help of technological studies is mandatory. Copyright © 2012 Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

The Influence of Social Conditions Across the Life Course on the Human Gut Microbiota: A Pilot Project With the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Herd, Pamela; Schaeffer, Nora Cate; DiLoreto, Kerryann; Jacques, Karen; Stevenson, John; Rey, Federico; Roan, Carol

2017-12-15

To test the feasibility of collecting and integrating data on the gut microbiome into one of the most comprehensive longitudinal studies of aging and health, the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS). The long-term goal of this integration is to clarify the contribution of social conditions in shaping the composition of the gut microbiota late in life. Research on the microbiome, which is considered to be of parallel importance to human health as the human genome, has been hindered by human studies with nonrandomly selected samples and with limited data on social conditions over the life course. No existing population-based longitudinal study had collected fecal specimens. Consequently, we created an in-person protocol to collect stool specimens from a subgroup of WLS participants. We collected 429 stool specimens, yielding a 74% response rate and one of the largest human samples to date. The addition of data on the gut microbiome to the WLS-and to other population based longitudinal studies of aging-is feasible, under the right conditions, and can generate innovative research on the relationship between social conditions and the gut microbiome. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The ethics of human volunteer studies involving experimental exposure to pesticides: unanswered dilemmas

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

The controversy about the use of data from human volunteer studies involving experimental exposure to pesticides as part of regulatory risk assessment has been widely discussed, but the complex and interrelated scientific and ethical issues remain largely unresolved. This discussion paper, generated by authors who comprised a workgroup of the ICOH Scientific Committee on Rural Health, reviews the use of human experimental studies in regulatory risk assessment for pesticides with a view to advancing the debate as to when, if ever, such studies might be ethically justifiable. The discussion is based on three elements: (a) a review of discussion papers on the topic of human testing of pesticides and the positions adopted by regulatory agencies in developed countries; (b) an analysis of published and unpublished studies involving human testing with pesticides, both in the peer-reviewed literature and in the JMPR database; and (c) application of an ethical analysis to the problem. The paper identifies areas of agreement which include general principles that may provide a starting point on which to base criteria for judgements as to the ethical acceptability of such studies. However, the paper also highlights ongoing unresolved differences of opinion inherent in ethical analysis of contentious issues, which we propose should form a starting point for further debate and the development of guidelines to achieve better resolution of this matter. PMID:20718963

Macro- and Micronutrients of Human Milk Composition: Are They Related to Maternal Diet? A Comprehensive Systematic Review.

PubMed

Keikha, Mojtaba; Bahreynian, Maryam; Saleki, Mohammad; Kelishadi, Roya

2017-11-01

This study aims at systematically reviewing the observational and interventional studies on the association of maternal macro- and micronutrient intake with breast milk content. We systematically searched the Medline via PubMed, Scopus, and ISI Web of Knowledge till October 2016 with the following search strategy: ("human milk" OR "breast milk" OR "breast milk composition" OR "human breast milk composition" OR "composition breast milk" OR "mother milk" OR "human breast milk") AND ("maternal diet" OR "maternal nutrition"). We also searched Google scholar for increasing the sensitivity of our search. The search was not limited to title and abstract due to the possibility that the desired outcome might have been considered a secondary aim. We excluded conference papers, editorials, letters, commentary, short survey, and notes. The search was refined to English language, and we did not consider any time limitation. To increase the sensitivity and to select more studies, the reference list of the published studies was checked as well. This review included 59 observational and 43 interventional studies on maternal diet related to breast milk composition. Different studies determined the associations and effects of some maternal dietary intake of micro and macronutrients and its reflection in human milk. Maternal dietary intake, particularly fatty acids, and some micronutrients, including fat soluble vitamins, vitamin B 1 , and vitamin C, was related to their content in breast milk composition.

The stress hormone cortisol blocks perceptual learning in humans.

PubMed

Dinse, Hubert R; Kattenstroth, J C; Lenz, M; Tegenthoff, M; Wolf, O T

2017-03-01

Cortisol, the primary glucocorticoid (GC) in humans, influences neuronal excitability and plasticity by acting on mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptors. Cellular studies demonstrated that elevated GC levels affect neuronal plasticity, for example through a reduction of hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP). At the behavioural level, after treatment with GCs, numerous studies have reported impaired hippocampal function, such as impaired memory retrieval. In contrast, relatively little is known about the impact of GCs on cortical plasticity and perceptual learning in adult humans. Therefore, in this study, we explored the impact of elevated GC levels on human perceptual learning. To this aim, we used a training-independent learning approach, where lasting changes in human perception can be induced by applying passive repetitive sensory stimulation (rss), the timing of which was determined from cellular LTP studies. In our placebo-controlled double-blind study, we used tactile LTP-like stimulation to induce improvements in tactile acuity (spatial two-point discrimination). Our results show that a single administration of hydrocortisone (30mg) completely blocked rss-induced changes in two-point discrimination. In contrast, the placebo group showed the expected rss-induced increase in two-point discrimination of over 14%. Our data demonstrate that high GC levels inhibit rss-induced perceptual learning. We suggest that the suppression of LTP, as previously reported in cellular studies, may explain the perceptual learning impairments observed here. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Publishing bioethics and bioethics--reflections on academic publishing by a journal editor.

PubMed

Schüklenk, Udo

2011-02-01

This article by one of the Editors of Bioethics, published in the 25th anniversary issue of the journal, describes some of the revolutionary changes academic publishing has undergone during the last decades. Many humanities journals went from typically small print-runs, counting by the hundreds, to on-line availability in thousands of university libraries worldwide. Article up-take by our subscribers can be measured efficiently. The implications of this and other changes to academic publishing are discussed. Important ethical challenges need to be addressed in areas such as the enforcement of plagiarism-related policies, the so-called 'impact factor' and its impact on academic integrity, and the question of whether on-line only publishing can currently guarantee the integrity of academic publishing histories. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Potential cancer immunotherapy drug shows promise against HIV | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

An immunotherapy currently being tested in a clinical trial as a treatment for metastatic cancer has now shown potential in an animal study to reduce recalcitrant pools of SHIV, a laboratory-designed virus used to study human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The study, published online February 23 in PLoS Pathogens, is the result of a collaborative effort by CCR, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research. Read more…

Oligonucleotide Antiviral Therapeutics: Antisense and RNA Interference for Highly Pathogenic RNA Viruses

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

siRNA delivery method in his animal model, it remains to be studied whether this general pproach is safe in humans. Often cited as an advantage of siRNAs...way studying the intravenous delivery f ASO drug candidates targeting Bcl-2 (Genasense®, Genta) nd c-myc (Resten-NG®, AVI BioPharma), while completed... studies have been published investigating MOs as a treatment for EBOV infection, with both showing fficacy in animal models. PMOs were designed to

The pathological consequences of impaired genome integrity in humans; disorders of the DNA replication machinery.

PubMed

O'Driscoll, Mark

2017-01-01

Accurate and efficient replication of the human genome occurs in the context of an array of constitutional barriers, including regional topological constraints imposed by chromatin architecture and processes such as transcription, catenation of the helical polymer and spontaneously generated DNA lesions, including base modifications and strand breaks. DNA replication is fundamentally important for tissue development and homeostasis; differentiation programmes are intimately linked with stem cell division. Unsurprisingly, impairments of the DNA replication machinery can have catastrophic consequences for genome stability and cell division. Functional impacts on DNA replication and genome stability have long been known to play roles in malignant transformation through a variety of complex mechanisms, and significant further insights have been gained from studying model organisms in this context. Congenital hypomorphic defects in components of the DNA replication machinery have been and continue to be identified in humans. These disorders present with a wide range of clinical features. Indeed, in some instances, different mutations in the same gene underlie different clinical presentations. Understanding the origin and molecular basis of these features opens a window onto the range of developmental impacts of suboptimal DNA replication and genome instability in humans. Here, I will briefly overview the basic steps involved in DNA replication and the key concepts that have emerged from this area of research, before switching emphasis to the pathological consequences of defects within the DNA replication network; the human disorders. Copyright © 2016 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The ethics of biosafety considerations in gain-of-function research resulting in the creation of potential pandemic pathogens.

PubMed

Evans, Nicholas Greig; Lipsitch, Marc; Levinson, Meira

2015-11-01

This paper proposes an ethical framework for evaluating biosafety risks of gain-of-function (GOF) experiments that create novel strains of influenza expected to be virulent and transmissible in humans, so-called potential pandemic pathogens (PPPs). Such research raises ethical concerns because of the risk that accidental release from a laboratory could lead to extensive or even global spread of a virulent pathogen. Biomedical research ethics has focused largely on human subjects research, while biosafety concerns about accidental infections, seen largely as a problem of occupational health, have been ignored. GOF/PPP research is an example of a small but important class of research where biosafety risks threaten public health, well beyond the small number of persons conducting the research.We argue that bioethical principles that ordinarily apply only to human subjects research should also apply to research that threatens public health, even if, as in GOF/PPP studies, the research involves no human subjects. Specifically we highlight the Nuremberg Code's requirements of 'fruitful results for the good of society, unprocurable by other methods', and proportionality of risk and humanitarian benefit, as broad ethical principles that recur in later documents on research ethics and should also apply to certain types of research not involving human subjects. We address several potential objections to this view, and conclude with recommendations for bringing these ethical considerations into policy development. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Infections Among Urban Homeless and Marginalized People in the United States and Europe, 1990-2014.

PubMed

Leibler, Jessica H; Zakhour, Christine M; Gadhoke, Preety; Gaeta, Jessie M

2016-07-01

In high-income countries, homeless individuals in urban areas often live in crowded conditions with limited sanitation and personal hygiene. The environment of homelessness in high-income countries may result in intensified exposure to ectoparasites and urban wildlife, which can transmit infections. To date, there have been no systematic evaluations of the published literature to assess vector-borne and zoonotic disease risk to these populations. The primary objectives of this study were to identify diversity, prevalence, and risk factors for vector-borne and zoonotic infections among people experiencing homelessness and extreme poverty in urban areas of high-income countries. We conducted a systematic review and narrative synthesis of published epidemiologic studies of zoonotic and vector-borne infections among urban homeless and very poor people in the United States and Europe from 1990 to 2014. Thirty-one observational studies and 14 case studies were identified (n = 45). Seroprevalence to the human louse-borne pathogen Bartonella quintana (seroprevalence range: 0-37.5%) was identified most frequently, with clinical disease specifically observed among HIV-positive individuals. Seropositivity to Bartonella henselae (range: 0-10.3%) and Rickettsia akari (range: 0-16.2%) was noted in multiple studies. Serological evidence of exposure to Rickettsia typhi, Rickettsia prowazekii, Bartonella elizabethae, West Nile virus, Borellia recurrentis, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, Wohlfartiimonas chitiniclastica, Seoul hantavirus (SEOV), and Leptospira species was also identified in published studies, with SEOV associated with chronic renal disease later in life. HIV infection, injection drug use, and heavy drinking were noted across multiple studies as risk factors for infection with vector-borne and zoonotic pathogens. B. quintana was the most frequently reported vector-borne infection identified in our article. Delousing efforts and active surveillance among HIV-positive individuals, who are at elevated risk of complication from B. quintana infection, are advised to reduce morbidity. Given documented exposure to rodent-borne zoonoses among urban homeless and marginalized people, reducing human contact with rodents remains an important public health priority.

Fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE); comparative accumulation in human and guinea pig hair as a biomarker for prenatal alcohol exposure.

PubMed

Kulaga, Vivian; Caprara, Daniela; Iqbal, Umar; Kapur, Bhushan; Klein, Julia; Reynolds, James; Brien, James; Koren, Gideon

2006-01-01

To compare the incorporation rate (ICR) of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) in hair between guinea pigs and humans, and to assess the relationship between ethanol exposure and FAEE concentrations in hair. Published data from pregnant guinea pigs, including maximum blood ethanol concentration (BEC), dosage regimen, and total hair FAEE concentration, were compared with published data from alcoholic patients, where dose of ethanol consumed and total hair FAEE concentration were reported. Mean values of ethanol Vmax for pregnant guinea pigs and humans were obtained from published data (26.2 and 24 mg/dl/h, respectively). Total and individual FAEE ICRs, defined as the ratio of hair FAEE to the area under the BEC-time curve (total systemic ethanol exposure), were found to be on average an order of magnitude lower in the guinea pig than in the human. The profiles of ester incorporation also differed slightly between species, with ethyl stearate being highly incorporated in guinea pig hair and less so in human hair. The results may reflect in the human greater FAEE production, greater FAEE deposition in hair, slower FAEE catabolism, differential sebum production and composition, or a combination thereof. Also, ethyl oleate was found to correlate with total systemic ethanol exposure for both guinea pigs and humans, correlation coefficients equalling 0.67 (P < 0.05) and 0.49 (P < 0.05), respectively. No other ethyl esters, nor total FAEE, were found to correlate with systemic ethanol exposure. When extrapolating FAEE concentrations in hair from guinea pigs to humans, an order of magnitude difference should be considered, with humans incorporating more FAEE per unit of ethanol exposure. Also, the results suggest caution should be taken when interpreting values of single esters because of their differential incorporation among species. Lastly, our findings suggest ethyl oleate may be of keen interest in FAEE hair analysis, particularly across species.

Comparison of protein expression between human livers and the hepatic cell lines HepG2, Hep3B, and Huh7 using SWATH and MRM-HR proteomics: Focusing on drug-metabolizing enzymes.

PubMed

Shi, Jian; Wang, Xinwen; Lyu, Lingyun; Jiang, Hui; Zhu, Hao-Jie

2018-04-01

Human hepatic cell lines are widely used as an in vitro model for the study of drug metabolism and liver toxicity. However, the validity of this model is still a subject of debate because the expressions of various proteins in the cell lines, including drug-metabolizing enzymes (DMEs), can differ significantly from those in human livers. In the present study, we first conducted an untargeted proteomics analysis of the microsomes of the cell lines HepG2, Hep3B, and Huh7, and compared them to human livers using a sequential window acquisition of all theoretical mass spectra (SWATH) method. Furthermore, high-resolution multiple reaction monitoring (MRM-HR), a targeted proteomic approach, was utilized to compare the expressions of pre-selected DMEs between human livers and the cell lines. In general, the SWATH quantifications were in good agreement with the MRM-HR analysis. Over 3000 protein groups were quantified in the cells and human livers, and the proteome profiles of human livers significantly differed from the cell lines. Among the 101 DMEs quantified with MRM-HR, most were expressed at substantially lower levels in the cell lines. Thus, appropriate caution must be exercised when using these cell lines for the study of hepatic drug metabolism and toxicity. Copyright © 2018 The Japanese Society for the Study of Xenobiotics. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrating Household Risk Mitigation Behavior in Flood Risk Analysis: An Agent-Based Model Approach.

PubMed

Haer, Toon; Botzen, W J Wouter; de Moel, Hans; Aerts, Jeroen C J H

2017-10-01

Recent studies showed that climate change and socioeconomic trends are expected to increase flood risks in many regions. However, in these studies, human behavior is commonly assumed to be constant, which neglects interaction and feedback loops between human and environmental systems. This neglect of human adaptation leads to a misrepresentation of flood risk. This article presents an agent-based model that incorporates human decision making in flood risk analysis. In particular, household investments in loss-reducing measures are examined under three economic decision models: (1) expected utility theory, which is the traditional economic model of rational agents; (2) prospect theory, which takes account of bounded rationality; and (3) a prospect theory model, which accounts for changing risk perceptions and social interactions through a process of Bayesian updating. We show that neglecting human behavior in flood risk assessment studies can result in a considerable misestimation of future flood risk, which is in our case study an overestimation of a factor two. Furthermore, we show how behavior models can support flood risk analysis under different behavioral assumptions, illustrating the need to include the dynamic adaptive human behavior of, for instance, households, insurers, and governments. The method presented here provides a solid basis for exploring human behavior and the resulting flood risk with respect to low-probability/high-impact risks. © 2016 The Authors Risk Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Risk Analysis.

Critical review of the current literature on the safety of sucralose.

PubMed

Magnuson, Bernadene A; Roberts, Ashley; Nestmann, Earle R

2017-08-01

Sucralose is a non-caloric high intensity sweetener that is approved globally for use in foods and beverages. This review provides an updated summary of the literature addressing the safety of use of sucralose. Studies reviewed include chemical characterization and stability, toxicokinetics in animals and humans, assessment of genotoxicity, and animal and human feeding studies. Endpoints evaluated include effects on growth, development, reproduction, neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, carcinogenicity and overall health status. Human clinical studies investigated potential effects of repeated consumption in individuals with diabetes. Recent studies on the safety of sucralose focused on carcinogenic potential and the effect of sucralose on the gut microflora are reviewed. Following the discovery of sweet taste receptors in the gut and studies investigating the activation of these receptors by sucralose lead to numerous human clinical studies assessing the effect of sucralose on overall glycemic control. Estimated daily intakes of sucralose in different population subgroups, including recent studies on children with special dietary needs, consistently find that the intakes of sucralose in all members of the population remain well below the acceptable daily intake. Collectively, critical review of the extensive database of research demonstrates that sucralose is safe for its intended use as a non-caloric sugar alternative. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Identification and Prioritization of Relationships between Environmental Stressors and Adverse Human Health Impacts.

PubMed

Bell, Shannon M; Edwards, Stephen W

2015-11-01

There are > 80,000 chemicals in commerce with few data available describing their impacts on human health. Biomonitoring surveys, such as the NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey), offer one route to identifying possible relationships between environmental chemicals and health impacts, but sparse data and the complexity of traditional models make it difficult to leverage effectively. We describe a workflow to efficiently and comprehensively evaluate and prioritize chemical-health impact relationships from the NHANES biomonitoring survey studies. Using a frequent itemset mining (FIM) approach, we identified relationships between chemicals and health biomarkers and diseases. The FIM method identified 7,848 relationships between 219 chemicals and 93 health outcomes/biomarkers. Two case studies used to evaluate the FIM rankings demonstrate that the FIM approach is able to identify published relationships. Because the relationships are derived from the vast majority of the chemicals monitored by NHANES, the resulting list of associations is appropriate for evaluating results from targeted data mining or identifying novel candidate relationships for more detailed investigation. Because of the computational efficiency of the FIM method, all chemicals and health effects can be considered in a single analysis. The resulting list provides a comprehensive summary of the chemical/health co-occurrences from NHANES that are higher than expected by chance. This information enables ranking and prioritization on chemicals or health effects of interest for evaluation of published results and design of future studies. Bell SM, Edwards SW. 2015. Identification and prioritization of relationships between environmental stressors and adverse human health impacts. Environ Health Perspect 123:1193-1199; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409138.

Finite element models of the human shoulder complex: a review of their clinical implications and modelling techniques.

PubMed

Zheng, Manxu; Zou, Zhenmin; Bartolo, Paulo Jorge Da Silva; Peach, Chris; Ren, Lei

2017-02-01

The human shoulder is a complicated musculoskeletal structure and is a perfect compromise between mobility and stability. The objective of this paper is to provide a thorough review of previous finite element (FE) studies in biomechanics of the human shoulder complex. Those FE studies to investigate shoulder biomechanics have been reviewed according to the physiological and clinical problems addressed: glenohumeral joint stability, rotator cuff tears, joint capsular and labral defects and shoulder arthroplasty. The major findings, limitations, potential clinical applications and modelling techniques of those FE studies are critically discussed. The main challenges faced in order to accurately represent the realistic physiological functions of the shoulder mechanism in FE simulations involve (1) subject-specific representation of the anisotropic nonhomogeneous material properties of the shoulder tissues in both healthy and pathological conditions; (2) definition of boundary and loading conditions based on individualised physiological data; (3) more comprehensive modelling describing the whole shoulder complex including appropriate three-dimensional (3D) representation of all major shoulder hard tissues and soft tissues and their delicate interactions; (4) rigorous in vivo experimental validation of FE simulation results. Fully validated shoulder FE models would greatly enhance our understanding of the aetiology of shoulder disorders, and hence facilitate the development of more efficient clinical diagnoses, non-surgical and surgical treatments, as well as shoulder orthotics and prosthetics. © 2016 The Authors. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Biomedical Engineering published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. © 2016 The Authors. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Biomedical Engineering published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

What could you do with 400 years of biological history on african americans? Evaluating the potential scientific benefit of systematic studies of dental and skeletal materials on African Americans from the 17th through 20th centuries.

PubMed

Jackson, Fatimah; Jackson, Latifa; Cross, Christopher; Clarke, Cameron

2016-07-01

How important is it to be able to reconstruct the lives of a highly diverse, historically recent macroethnic group over the course of 400 years? How many insights into human evolutionary biology and disease susceptibilities could be gained, even with this relatively recent window into the past? In this article, we explore the potential ramifications of a newly constructed dataset of Four Centuries of African American Biological Variation (4Cs). This article provides initial lists of digitized variables formatted as SQL tables for the 17th and 18th century samples and for the 19th and 20th century samples. This database is dynamic and new information is added yearly. The database provides novel opportunities for significant insights into the past biological history of this group and three case study applications are detailed for comparative computational systems biology studies of (1) hypertension, (2) the oral microbiome, and (3) mental health disorders. The 4Cs dataset is ideal for interdisciplinary "next generation" science research and these data represent a unique step toward the accumulation of historically contextualized Big Data on an underrepresented group known to have experienced differential survival over time. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:510-513, 2016. © 2016 The Authors American Journal of Human Biology Published byWiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 The Authors American Journal of Human Biology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Non-Typhoidal Salmonella Colonization in Chickens and Humans in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam.

PubMed

Trung, N V; Carrique-Mas, J J; Nghia, N H; Tu, L T P; Mai, H H; Tuyen, H T; Campbell, J; Nhung, N T; Nhung, H N; Minh, P V; Chieu, T T B; Hieu, T Q; Mai, N T N; Baker, S; Wagenaar, J A; Hoa, N T; Schultsz, C

2017-03-01

Salmonellosis is a public health concern in both the developed and developing countries. Although the majority of human non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica (NTS) cases are the result of foodborne infections or person-to-person transmission, NTS infections may also be acquired by environmental and occupational exposure to animals. While a considerable number of studies have investigated the presence of NTS in farm animals and meat/carcasses, very few studies have investigated the risk of NTS colonization in humans as a result of direct animal exposure. We investigated asymptomatic NTS colonization in 204 backyard chicken farms, 204 farmers and 306 matched individuals not exposed to chicken farming, in southern Vietnam. Pooled chicken faeces, collected using boot or handheld swabs on backyard chicken farms, and rectal swabs from human participants were tested. NTS colonization prevalence was 45.6%, 4.4% and 2.6% for chicken farms, farmers and unexposed individuals, respectively. Our study observed a higher prevalence of NTS colonization among chicken farmers (4.4%) compared with age-, sex- and location- matched rural and urban individuals not exposed to chickens (2.9% and 2.0%). A total of 164 chicken NTS strains and 17 human NTS strains were isolated, and 28 serovars were identified. Salmonella Weltevreden was the predominant serovar in both chickens and humans. NTS isolates showed resistance (20-40%) against tetracycline, chloramphenicol, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim and ampicillin. Our study reflects the epidemiology of NTS colonization in chickens and humans in the Mekong delta of Vietnam and emphasizes the need of larger, preferably longitudinal studies to study the transmission dynamics of NTS between and within animal and human host populations. © 2016 The Authors. Zoonoses and Public Health Published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Identification of Candidate B-Lymphoma Genes by Cross-Species Gene Expression Profiling

PubMed Central

Tompkins, Van S.; Han, Seong-Su; Olivier, Alicia; Syrbu, Sergei; Bair, Thomas; Button, Anna; Jacobus, Laura; Wang, Zebin; Lifton, Samuel; Raychaudhuri, Pradip; Morse, Herbert C.; Weiner, George; Link, Brian; Smith, Brian J.; Janz, Siegfried

2013-01-01

Comparative genome-wide expression profiling of malignant tumor counterparts across the human-mouse species barrier has a successful track record as a gene discovery tool in liver, breast, lung, prostate and other cancers, but has been largely neglected in studies on neoplasms of mature B-lymphocytes such as diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and Burkitt lymphoma (BL). We used global gene expression profiles of DLBCL-like tumors that arose spontaneously in Myc-transgenic C57BL/6 mice as a phylogenetically conserved filter for analyzing the human DLBCL transcriptome. The human and mouse lymphomas were found to have 60 concordantly deregulated genes in common, including 8 genes that Cox hazard regression analysis associated with overall survival in a published landmark dataset of DLBCL. Genetic network analysis of the 60 genes followed by biological validation studies indicate FOXM1 as a candidate DLBCL and BL gene, supporting a number of studies contending that FOXM1 is a therapeutic target in mature B cell tumors. Our findings demonstrate the value of the “mouse filter” for genomic studies of human B-lineage neoplasms for which a vast knowledge base already exists. PMID:24130802

[Establishment of a keloid model by transplanting human keloid onto the backs of nude mice].

PubMed

Philandrianos, C; Gonnelli, D; Andrac-Meyer, L; Bruno, M; Magalon, G; Mordon, S

2014-08-01

Keloid scar is a proliferative healing dysfunction formed by an excessive build-up of collagen fibers on the dermis. It is responsible of aesthetic and functional disabilities. There is no ideal treatment and recurrence occurs very often. Keloid scars occur only to human, that's why animal model needs to be made to study this pathology and new treatments. Few models have been described using human keloid scars implanted into subcutaneous tissue of nude mice or rat. To allow study of topical and laser treatment we have developed a new animal model using human keloid scar fragment with epidermal and dermal tissue implanted into back of nude mice like a full thickness skin graft. Keloid fragments from five donors have been grafted onto 40 nudes mice. Macroscopic and microscopic studies have been made at day 28, 56, 84 and 112. We observed integration of the fragments in all cases. Hyalinized collagen bundles were observed in all implant biopsies confirming the stability of the keloid architecture within 112 days. This model is easily reproducible and allows the study of topical treatment and laser due to the accessibility of the keloid. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.