Models to predict both sensible and latent heat transfer in the respiratory tract of Morada Nova sheep under semiarid tropical environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fonseca, Vinícius Carvalho; Saraiva, Edilson Paes; Maia, Alex Sandro Campos; Nascimento, Carolina Cardoso Nagib; da Silva, Josinaldo Araújo; Pereira, Walter Esfraim; Filho, Edgard Cavalcanti Pimenta; Almeida, Maria Elivânia Vieira

2017-05-01

The aim of this study was to build a prediction model both sensible and latent heat transfer by respiratory tract for Morada Nova sheep under field conditions in a semiarid tropical environment, using easily measured physiological and environmental parameters. Twelve dry Morada Nova ewes with an average of 3 ± 1.2 years old and average body weight of 32.76 ± 3.72 kg were used in a Latin square design 12 × 12 (12 days of records and 12 schedules). Tidal volume, respiratory rate, expired air temperature, and partial vapor pressure of the expired air were obtained from the respiratory facial mask and using a physiological measurement system. Ewes were evaluated from 0700 to 1900 h in each day under shade. A simple nonlinear model to estimate tidal volume as a function of respiratory rate was developed. Equation to estimate the expired air temperature was built, and the ambient air temperature was the best predictor together with relative humidity and ambient vapor pressure. In naturalized Morada Nova sheep, respiratory convection seems to be a mechanism of heat transfer of minor importance even under mild air temperature. Evaporation from the respiratory system increased together with ambient air temperature. At ambient air temperature, up to 35 °C respiratory evaporation accounted 90 % of the total heat lost by respiratory system, on average. Models presented here allow to estimate the heat flow from the respiratory tract for Morada Nova sheep bred in tropical region, using easily measured physiological and environmental traits as respiratory rate, ambient air temperature, and relative humidity.

Delay Discounting and Frontostriatal Fiber Tracts: A Combined DTI and MTR Study on Impulsive Choices in Healthy Young Adults

PubMed Central

Peper, Jiska S.; Mandl, René C.W.; Braams, Barbara R.; de Water, Erik; Heijboer, Annemieke C.; Koolschijn, P. Cédric M.P.; Crone, Eveline A.

2013-01-01

Delay discounting, a measure of impulsive choice, has been associated with decreased control of the prefrontal cortex over striatum responses. The anatomical connectivity between both brain regions in delaying gratification remains unknown. Here, we investigate whether the quality of frontostriatal (FS) white matter tracts can predict individual differences in delay-discounting behavior. We use tract-based diffusion tensor imaging and magnetization transfer imaging to measure the microstructural properties of FS fiber tracts in 40 healthy young adults (from 18 to 25 years). We additionally explored whether internal sex hormone levels affect the integrity of FS tracts, based on the hypothesis that sex hormones modulate axonal density within prefrontal dopaminergic circuits. We calculated fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), longitudinal diffusivity, radial diffusivity (RD), and magnetization transfer ratio (MTR), a putative measure of myelination, for the FS tract. Results showed that lower integrity within the FS tract (higher MD and RD and lower FA), predicts faster discounting in both sexes. MTR was unrelated to delay-discounting performance. In addition, testosterone levels in males were associated with a lower integrity (higher RD) within the FS tract. Our study provides support for the hypothesis that enhanced structural integrity of white matter fiber bundles between prefrontal and striatal brain areas is associated with better impulse control. PMID:22693341

TRANSFER OF DRUG RESISTANCE BETWEEN ENTERIC BACTERIA INDUCED IN THE MOUSE INTESTINE

PubMed Central

Kasuya, Morimasa

1964-01-01

Kasuya, Morimasa (Nagoya University School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan). Transfer of drug resistance between enteric bacteria induced in the mouse intestine. J. Bacteriol. 88:322–328. 1964.—Transfer of multiple drug resistance in the intestines of germ-free and conventional mice was studied with strains of Shigella, Escherichia, and Klebsiella. The transfer experiment was carried out under antibiotic-free conditions to eliminate the production of drug-resistant bacteria by antibiotics. All resistance factors (chloramphenicol, streptomycin, tetracycline, and sulfathiazole) were transferred with ease in the intestinal tracts of mice, when donors and recipients multiplied freely, and acquired resistance was further transferred to other sensitive enteric bacteria in the intestinal tract. Bacteria to which resistance factors were transferred showed, in most of the experiments, exactly the same level and pattern of resistance as the donors. Based on the above, a hypothesis that the same process may possibly occur in the human intestine is presented. PMID:14203347

Zebrafish Axenic Larvae Colonization with Human Intestinal Microbiota.

PubMed

Arias-Jayo, Nerea; Alonso-Saez, Laura; Ramirez-Garcia, Andoni; Pardo, Miguel A

2018-04-01

The human intestine hosts a vast and complex microbial community that is vital for maintaining several functions related with host health. The processes that determine the gut microbiome composition are poorly understood, being the interaction between species, the external environment, and the relationship with the host the most feasible. Animal models offer the opportunity to understand the interactions between the host and the microbiota. There are different gnotobiotic mice or rat models colonized with the human microbiota, however, to our knowledge, there are no reports on the colonization of germ-free zebrafish with a complex human intestinal microbiota. In the present study, we have successfully colonized 5 days postfertilization germ-free zebrafish larvae with the human intestinal microbiota previously extracted from a donor and analyzed by high-throughput sequencing the composition of the transferred microbial communities that established inside the zebrafish gut. Thus, we describe for first time which human bacteria phylotypes are able to colonize the zebrafish digestive tract. Species with relevant interest because of their linkage to dysbiosis in different human diseases, such as Akkermansia muciniphila, Eubacterium rectale, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Prevotella spp., or Roseburia spp. have been successfully transferred inside the zebrafish digestive tract.

Prefrontal cortex white matter tracts in prodromal Huntington disease.

PubMed

Matsui, Joy T; Vaidya, Jatin G; Wassermann, Demian; Kim, Regina Eunyoung; Magnotta, Vincent A; Johnson, Hans J; Paulsen, Jane S

2015-10-01

Huntington disease (HD) is most widely known for its selective degeneration of striatal neurons but there is also growing evidence for white matter (WM) deterioration. The primary objective of this research was to conduct a large-scale analysis using multisite diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) tractography data to quantify diffusivity properties along major prefrontal cortex WM tracts in prodromal HD. Fifteen international sites participating in the PREDICT-HD study collected imaging and neuropsychological data on gene-positive HD participants without a clinical diagnosis (i.e., prodromal) and gene-negative control participants. The anatomical prefrontal WM tracts of the corpus callosum (PFCC), anterior thalamic radiations (ATRs), inferior fronto-occipital fasciculi (IFO), and uncinate fasciculi (UNC) were identified using streamline tractography of DWI. Within each of these tracts, tensor scalars for fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, radial diffusivity, and axial diffusivity coefficients were calculated. We divided prodromal HD subjects into three CAG-age product (CAP) groups having Low, Medium, or High probabilities of onset indexed by genetic exposure. We observed significant differences in WM properties for each of the four anatomical tracts for the High CAP group in comparison to controls. Additionally, the Medium CAP group presented differences in the ATR and IFO in comparison to controls. Furthermore, WM alterations in the PFCC, ATR, and IFO showed robust associations with neuropsychological measures of executive functioning. These results suggest long-range tracts essential for cross-region information transfer show early vulnerability in HD and may explain cognitive problems often present in the prodromal stage. Hum Brain Mapp 36:3717-3732, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Conjugation-Mediated Transfer of Antibiotic-Resistance Plasmids Between Enterobacteriaceae in the Digestive Tract of Blaberus craniifer (Blattodea: Blaberidae).

PubMed

Anacarso, I; Iseppi, R; Sabia, C; Messi, P; Condò, C; Bondi, M; de Niederhäusern, S

2016-05-01

Cockroaches, insects of the order Blattodea, seem to play a crucial role in the possible conjugation-mediated genetic exchanges that occur among bacteria that harbor in the cockroach intestinal tract. The gut of these insects can be thought of as an effective in vivo model for the natural transfer of antimicrobial resistance plasmids among bacteria. In our study, we evaluated the conjugation-mediated horizontal transfer of resistance genes between Escherichia coli and other microorganisms of the same Enterobacteriaceae family within the intestinal tract of Blaberus craniifer Burmeister, 1838 (Blattodea: Blaberidae). Different in vivo mating experiments were performed using E. coli RP4 harboring the RP4 plasmid carrying ampicillin, kanamycin, and tetracycline resistance genes as the donor and E. coli K12 resistant to nalidixic acid or Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis IMM39 resistant to streptomycin as the recipients. The RP4 plasmid was successfully transferred to both recipients, producing E. coli K12-RP4 and S. Enteritidis IMM39-RP4 transconjugants. Conjugation frequencies in vivo were similar to those previously observed in vitro. The transfer of the RP4 plasmid in all transconjugants was confirmed by small-scale plasmid isolation and agar gel electrophoresis, suggesting that the intestinal tract of cockroaches is an effective in vivo model for natural gene transfer. Our results confirm that cockroaches allow for the exchange of antimicrobial resistance plasmids among bacteria and may represent a potential reservoir for the dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in different environments. These findings are particularly significant to human health in the context of health care settings such as hospitals. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Transfer of IgG in the female genital tract by MHC class I-related neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) confers protective immunity to vaginal infection

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

IgG is a major immunoglobulin subclass in mucosal secretions of human female genital tract, where it predominates over the IgA isotype. Despite the abundance of IgG, surprisingly little is known about whether and how IgG enters the lumen of the genital tract and the exact role of local IgG may play ...

White and gray matter damage in primary progressive MS

PubMed Central

Chard, Declan; Altmann, Daniel R.; Tozer, Daniel; Miller, David H.; Thompson, Alan J.; Wheeler-Kingshott, Claudia; Ciccarelli, Olga

2016-01-01

Objective: The temporal relationship between white matter (WM) and gray matter (GM) damage in vivo in early primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) was investigated testing 2 hypotheses: (1) WM tract abnormalities predict subsequent changes in the connected cortex (“primary WM damage model”); and (2) cortical abnormalities predict later changes in connected WM tracts (“primary GM damage model”). Methods: Forty-seven patients with early PPMS and 18 healthy controls had conventional and magnetization transfer imaging at baseline; a subgroup of 35 patients repeated the protocol after 2 years. Masks of the corticospinal tracts, genu of the corpus callosum and optic radiations, and of connected cortical regions, were used for extracting the mean magnetization transfer ratio (MTR). Multiple regressions within each of 5 tract-cortex pairs were performed, adjusting for the dependent variable's baseline MTR; tract lesion load and MTR, spinal cord area, age, and sex were examined for potential confounding. Results: The baseline MTR of most regions was lower in patients than in healthy controls. The tract-cortex pair relationships in the primary WM damage model were significant for the bilateral motor pair and right visual pair, while those in the primary GM damage model were only significant for the right motor pair. Lower lesion MTR at baseline was associated with lower MTR in the same tract normal-appearing WM at 2 years in 3 tracts. Conclusion: These results are consistent with the hypothesis that in early PPMS, cortical damage is for the most part a sequela of normal-appearing WM pathology, which, in turn, is predicted by abnormalities within WM lesions. PMID:26674332

White and gray matter damage in primary progressive MS: The chicken or the egg?

PubMed

Bodini, Benedetta; Chard, Declan; Altmann, Daniel R; Tozer, Daniel; Miller, David H; Thompson, Alan J; Wheeler-Kingshott, Claudia; Ciccarelli, Olga

2016-01-12

The temporal relationship between white matter (WM) and gray matter (GM) damage in vivo in early primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) was investigated testing 2 hypotheses: (1) WM tract abnormalities predict subsequent changes in the connected cortex ("primary WM damage model"); and (2) cortical abnormalities predict later changes in connected WM tracts ("primary GM damage model"). Forty-seven patients with early PPMS and 18 healthy controls had conventional and magnetization transfer imaging at baseline; a subgroup of 35 patients repeated the protocol after 2 years. Masks of the corticospinal tracts, genu of the corpus callosum and optic radiations, and of connected cortical regions, were used for extracting the mean magnetization transfer ratio (MTR). Multiple regressions within each of 5 tract-cortex pairs were performed, adjusting for the dependent variable's baseline MTR; tract lesion load and MTR, spinal cord area, age, and sex were examined for potential confounding. The baseline MTR of most regions was lower in patients than in healthy controls. The tract-cortex pair relationships in the primary WM damage model were significant for the bilateral motor pair and right visual pair, while those in the primary GM damage model were only significant for the right motor pair. Lower lesion MTR at baseline was associated with lower MTR in the same tract normal-appearing WM at 2 years in 3 tracts. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that in early PPMS, cortical damage is for the most part a sequela of normal-appearing WM pathology, which, in turn, is predicted by abnormalities within WM lesions. © 2015 American Academy of Neurology.

Dependence of phonation threshold pressure on vocal tract acoustics and vocal fold tissue mechanics.

PubMed

Chan, Roger W; Titze, Ingo R

2006-04-01

Analytical and computer simulation studies have shown that the acoustic impedance of the vocal tract as well as the viscoelastic properties of vocal fold tissues are critical for determining the dynamics and the energy transfer mechanism of vocal fold oscillation. In the present study, a linear, small-amplitude oscillation theory was revised by taking into account the propagation of a mucosal wave and the inertive reactance (inertance) of the supraglottal vocal tract as the major energy transfer mechanisms for flow-induced self-oscillation of the vocal fold. Specifically, analytical results predicted that phonation threshold pressure (Pth) increases with the viscous shear properties of the vocal fold, but decreases with vocal tract inertance. This theory was empirically tested using a physical model of the larynx, where biological materials (fat, hyaluronic acid, and fibronectin) were implanted into the vocal fold cover to investigate the effect of vocal fold tissue viscoelasticity on Pth. A uniform-tube supraglottal vocal tract was also introduced to examine the effect of vocal tract inertance on Pth. Results showed that Pth decreased with the inertive impedance of the vocal tract and increased with the viscous shear modulus (G") or dynamic viscosity (eta') of the vocal fold cover, consistent with theoretical predictions. These findings supported the potential biomechanical benefits of hyaluronic acid as a surgical bioimplant for repairing voice disorders involving the superficial layer of the lamina propria, such as scarring, sulcus vocalis, atrophy, and Reinke's edema.

Mating-Induced Transcriptome Changes in the Reproductive Tract of Female Aedes aegypti

PubMed Central

Degner, Ethan C.; Avila, Frank W.; Villarreal, Susan M.; Pleiss, Jeffrey A.; Wolfner, Mariana F.; Harrington, Laura C.

2016-01-01

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is a significant public health threat, as it is the main vector of dengue and chikungunya viruses. Disease control efforts could be enhanced through reproductive manipulation of these vectors. Previous work has revealed a relationship between male seminal fluid proteins transferred to females during mating and female post-mating physiology and behavior. To better understand this interplay, we used short-read RNA sequencing to identify gene expression changes in the lower reproductive tract of females in response to mating. We characterized mRNA expression in virgin and mated females at 0, 6 and 24 hours post-mating (hpm) and identified 364 differentially abundant transcripts between mating status groups. Surprisingly, 60 transcripts were more abundant at 0hpm compared to virgin females, suggesting transfer from males. Twenty of these encode known Ae. aegypti seminal fluid proteins. Transfer and detection of male accessory gland-derived mRNA in females at 0hpm was confirmed by measurement of eGFP mRNA in females mated to eGFP-expressing males. In addition, 150 transcripts were up-regulated at 6hpm and 24hpm, while 130 transcripts were down-regulated at 6hpm and 24hpm. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that proteases, a protein class broadly known to play important roles in reproduction, were among the most enriched protein classes. RNAs associated with immune system and antimicrobial function were also up-regulated at 24hpm. Collectively, our results suggest that copulation initiates broad transcriptome changes across the mosquito female reproductive tract, “priming” her for important subsequent processes of blood feeding, egg development and immune defense. Our transcriptome analysis provides a vital foundation for future studies of the consequences of mating on female biology and will aid studies seeking to identify specific gene families, molecules and pathways that support key reproductive processes in the female mosquito. PMID:26901677

Singers' Vocal Function Knowledge Levels, Sensorimotor Self-awareness of Vocal Tract, and Impact of Functional Voice Rehabilitation on the Vocal Function Knowledge and Self-awareness of Vocal Tract.

PubMed

Sielska-Badurek, Ewelina; Osuch-Wójcikiewicz, Ewa; Sobol, Maria; Kazanecka, Ewa; Niemczyk, Kazimierz

2017-01-01

This study investigated vocal function knowledge and vocal tract sensorimotor self-awareness and the impact of functional voice rehabilitation on vocal function knowledge and self-awareness. This is a prospective, randomized study. Twenty singers (study group [SG]) completed a questionnaire before and after functional voice rehabilitation. Twenty additional singers, representing the control group, also completed the questionnaire without functional voice rehabilitation at a 3-month interval. The questionnaire consisted of three parts. The first part evaluated the singers' attitude to the anatomical and physiological knowledge of the vocal tract and their self-esteem of the knowledge level. The second part assessed the theoretical knowledge of the singers' vocal tract physiology. The third part of the questionnaire assessed singers' sensorimotor self-awareness of the vocal tract. The results showed that most singers indicated that knowledge of the vocal tract's anatomy and physiology is useful (59% SG, 67% control group). However, 75% of all participants defined their knowledge of the vocal tract's anatomy and physiology as weak or inadequate. In the SG, vocal function knowledge at the first assessment was 45%. After rehabilitation, the level increased to 67.7%. Vocal tract sensorimotor self-awareness initially was 38.9% in SG but rose to 66.7%. Findings of the study suggest that classical singers lack knowledge about the physiology of the vocal mechanism, especially the breathing patterns. In addition, they have low sensorimotor self-awareness of their vocal tract. The results suggest that singers would benefit from receiving services from phoniatrists and speech-language pathologists during their voice training. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Risk factors for urinary tract infection after renal transplantation and its impact on graft function in children and young adults.

PubMed

Silva, Andres; Rodig, Nancy; Passerotti, Carlo P; Recabal, Pedro; Borer, Joseph G; Retik, Alan B; Nguyen, Hiep T

2010-10-01

Urinary tract infection will develop in 40% of children who undergo renal transplantation. Post-transplant urinary tract infection is associated with earlier graft loss in adults. However, the impact on graft function in the pediatric population is less well-known. Additionally the risk factors for post-transplant urinary tract infection in children have not been well elucidated. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between pre-transplant and post-transplant urinary tract infections on graft outcome, and the risk factors for post-transplant urinary tract infection. A total of 87 patients underwent renal transplantation between July 2001 and July 2006. Patient demographics, cause of renal failure, graft outcome, and presence of pre-transplant and post-transplant urinary tract infections were recorded. Graft outcome was based on last creatinine and nephrological assessment. Median followup was 3.12 years. Of the patients 15% had pre-transplant and 32% had post-transplant urinary tract infections. Good graft function was seen in 60% of the patients and 21% had failed function. Graft function did not correlate with a history of pre-transplant or post-transplant urinary tract infection (p >0.2). Of transplanted patients with urological causes of renal failure 57% had post-transplant urinary tract infection, compared to only 20% of those with a medical etiology of renal failure (p <0.001). In this study there was no correlation between a history of urinary tract infection (either before or after transplant) and decreased graft function. History of pre-transplant urinary tract infection was suggestive of urinary tract infection after transplant. Patients with urological causes of renal failure may be at increased risk for post-transplant urinary tract infection. Copyright © 2010 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Molecular characterization of firefly nuptial gifts: a multi-omics approach sheds light on postcopulatory sexual selection.

PubMed

Al-Wathiqui, Nooria; Fallon, Timothy R; South, Adam; Weng, Jing-Ke; Lewis, Sara M

2016-12-22

Postcopulatory sexual selection is recognized as a key driver of reproductive trait evolution, including the machinery required to produce endogenous nuptial gifts. Despite the importance of such gifts, the molecular composition of the non-gametic components of male ejaculates and their interactions with female reproductive tracts remain poorly understood. During mating, male Photinus fireflies transfer to females a spermatophore gift manufactured by multiple reproductive glands. Here we combined transcriptomics of both male and female reproductive glands with proteomics and metabolomics to better understand the synthesis, composition and fate of the spermatophore in the common Eastern firefly, Photinus pyralis. Our transcriptome of male glands revealed up-regulation of proteases that may enhance male fertilization success and activate female immune response. Using bottom-up proteomics we identified 208 functionally annotated proteins that males transfer to the female in their spermatophore. Targeted metabolomic analysis also provided the first evidence that Photinus nuptial gifts contain lucibufagin, a firefly defensive toxin. The reproductive tracts of female fireflies showed increased gene expression for several proteases that may be involved in egg production. This study offers new insights into the molecular composition of male spermatophores, and extends our understanding of how nuptial gifts may mediate postcopulatory interactions between the sexes.

Physiology and culture of the human blastocyst.

PubMed

Gardner, David K; Lane, Michelle; Schoolcraft, William B

2002-01-01

The human embryo undergoes many changes in physiology during the first 4 days of life as it develops and differentiates from a fertilized oocyte to the blastocyst stage. Concomitantly, the embryo is exposed to gradients of nutrients within the female reproductive tract and exhibits changes in its own nutrient requirements and utilization. Determining the nature of such nutrient gradients in the female tract and the changing requirements of the embryo has facilitated the formulation of stage-specific culture media designed to support embryo development throughout the preimplantation period. Resultant implantation rates attained with the culture and transfer of human blastocysts are higher than those associated with the transfer of cleavage stage embryos to the uterus. Such increases in implantation rates have facilitated the establishment of high pregnancy rates while reducing the number of embryos transferred. With the introduction of new scoring systems for the blastocyst and the non-invasive assessment of metabolic activity of individual embryos, it should be possible to move to single blastocyst transfer for the majority of patients.

Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) for Assessment of LANL-Derived Residual Radionuclides in Soils within Tract A-16-d for Land Conveyance and Transfer

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

Gillis, Jessica Mcdonnel

2016-02-18

The A-16-D tract consists of the easternmost portion of DP mesa and is bounded on the North by the canyon bottom of DP canyon and on the South by the edge of the initial slope into Los Alamos Canyon (see Figure 1).

Inhibitory effect of PRO 2000, a candidate microbicide, on dendritic cell-mediated human immunodeficiency virus transfer.

PubMed

Teleshova, Natalia; Chang, Theresa; Profy, Albert; Klotman, Mary E

2008-05-01

Without an effective vaccine against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, topical microbicide development has become a priority. The sulfonated polyanion PRO 2000, a candidate topical microbicide now in phase II/III clinical trials, blocks HIV infection of cervical tissue in vitro. Dendritic cells (DC) are among the first cell types to contact HIV in the genital tract and facilitate the spread of the virus. Thus, interfering with virus-DC interactions is a desirable characteristic of topical microbicides as long as that does not interfere with the normal function of DC. PRO 2000 present during capture of the replication-defective HIV(JRFL) reporter virus or replication-competent HIV(BaL) by monocyte-derived DC (MDDC) inhibited subsequent HIV transfer to target cells. Continuous exposure to PRO 2000 during MDDC-target cell coculture effectively inhibited HIV infection of target cells. PRO 2000 inhibited HIV capture by MDDC. In addition, the compound blocked R5 and X4 HIV envelope-mediated cell-cell fusion. Interestingly, simultaneous exposure to PRO 2000 and lipopolysaccharide attenuated the cytokine production in response to stimulation, suggesting that the compound altered DC function. While efficient blocking of MDDC-mediated virus transfer and infection in the highly permissive MDDC-T-cell environment reinforces the potential value of PRO 2000 as a topical microbicide against HIV, the impact of PRO 2000 on immune cell functions warrants careful evaluation.

'Whose atlas I use, his song I sing?' - The impact of anatomical atlases on fiber tract contributions to cognitive deficits after stroke.

PubMed

de Haan, Bianca; Karnath, Hans-Otto

2017-12-01

Nowadays, different anatomical atlases exist for the anatomical interpretation of the results from neuroimaging and lesion analysis studies that investigate the contribution of white matter fiber tract integrity to cognitive (dys)function. A major problem with the use of different atlases in different studies, however, is that the anatomical interpretation of neuroimaging and lesion analysis results might vary as a function of the atlas used. This issue might be particularly prominent in studies that investigate the contribution of white matter fiber tract integrity to cognitive (dys)function. We used a single large-sample dataset of right brain damaged stroke patients with and without cognitive deficit (here: spatial neglect) to systematically compare the influence of three different, widely-used white matter fiber tract atlases (1 histology-based atlas and 2 DTI tractography-based atlases) on conclusions concerning the involvement of white matter fiber tracts in the pathogenesis of cognitive dysfunction. We both calculated the overlap between the statistical lesion analysis results and each long association fiber tract (topological analyses) and performed logistic regressions on the extent of fiber tract damage in each individual for each long association white matter fiber tract (hodological analyses). For the topological analyses, our results suggest that studies that use tractography-based atlases are more likely to conclude that white matter integrity is critical for a cognitive (dys)function than studies that use a histology-based atlas. The DTI tractography-based atlases classified approximately 10 times as many voxels of the statistical map as being located in a long association white matter fiber tract than the histology-based atlas. For hodological analyses on the other hand, we observed that the conclusions concerning the overall importance of long association fiber tract integrity to cognitive function do not necessarily depend on the white matter atlas used, but conclusions may vary as a function of atlas used at the level of individual fiber tracts. Moreover, these analyses revealed that hodological studies that express the individual extent of injury to each fiber tract as a binomial variable are more likely to conclude that white matter integrity is critical for a cognitive function than studies that express the individual extent of injury to each fiber tract as a continuous variable. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The transition of young adults with lifelong urological needs from pediatric to adult services: An international children's continence society position statement.

PubMed

Bower, Wendy F; Christie, Deborah; DeGennaro, Mario; Latthe, Pallavi; Raes, Ann; Romao, Rodrigo L P; Taghizadeh, Arash; Wood, Dan; Woodhouse, Christopher R J; Bauer, Stuart B

2017-03-01

Children with urinary tract disorders managed by teams, or individual pediatricians, urologists, nephrologists, gastroenterologists, neurologists, psychologists, and nurses at some point move from child-centered to adult-centered health systems. The actual physical change is referred to as the transfer whilst the process preceding this move constitutes transition of care. Our aims are twofold: to identify management and health-service problems related to children with congenital or acquired urological conditions who advance into adulthood and the clinical implications this has for long-term health and specialist care; and, to understand the issues facing both pediatric and adult-care clinicians and to develop a systems-approach model that meets the needs of young adults, their families and the clinicians working within adult services. Information was gleaned from presentations at an International Children's Continence Society meeting with collaboration from the International Continence Society, that discussed problems of transfer and transitioning such children. Several specialists attending this conference finalized this document identifying issues and highlighting ways to ease this transition and transfer of care for both patients and practitioners. The consensus was, urological patients with congenital or other lifelong care needs, are now entering adulthood in larger numbers than previously, necessitating new planning processes for tailored transfer of management. Adult teams must become familiar with new clinical problems in multiple organ systems and anticipate issues provoked by adolescence and physical growth. During this period of transitional care the clinician or team assists young patients to build attitudes, skills and understanding of processes needed to maximize function of their urinary tract-thus taking responsibility for their own healthcare needs. Preparation must also address, negotiating adult health care systems, psychosocial, educational or vocational issues, and mental wellbeing. Transitioning and transfer of children with major congenital anomalies to clinicians potentially unfamiliar with their conditions requires improved education both for receiving doctors and children's families. Early initiation of the transition process should allow the transference to take place at appropriate times based on the child's development, and environmental and financial factors. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:811-819, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Imaging of the Urinary Tract

MedlinePlus

... Process Research Training & Career Development Funded Grants & Grant History Research Resources Research at NIDDK Technology Advancement & Transfer Meetings & Workshops Health Information Diabetes Digestive ...

Gas in the Digestive Tract

MedlinePlus

... Process Research Training & Career Development Funded Grants & Grant History Research Resources Research at NIDDK Technology Advancement & Transfer Meetings & Workshops Health Information Diabetes Digestive ...

Fecal Microbiota Transfer for Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negatives: A Clinical Success Combined With Microbiological Failure.

PubMed

Stalenhoef, Janneke E; Terveer, Elisabeth M; Knetsch, Cornelis W; Van't Hof, Peter J; Vlasveld, Imro N; Keller, Josbert J; Visser, Leo G; Kuijper, Eduard J

2017-01-01

Combined fecal microbiota transfer and antibiotic treatment prevented recurrences of urinary tract infections with multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa , but it failed to eradicate intestinal colonization with MDR Escherichia coli . Based on microbiota analysis, failure was not associated with distinct diminished microbiota diversity.

Breastfeeding provides passive and likely long-lasting active immunity.

PubMed

Hanson, L A

1998-12-01

The reader of this review will learn about the mechanisms through which breastfeeding protects against infections during and most likely after lactation, as well as possibly against certain immunologic diseases, including allergy. I have followed the literature in the area closely for the last 30 to 40 years and have made repeated literature searches through MEDLINE, most recently in 1998. Textbooks and peer-reviewed journals have been sought for, as well as books representing meeting reports in English, French, German, and Spanish. Human milk protects against infections in the breastfed offspring mainly via the secretory IgA antibodies, but also most likely via several other factors like the bactericidal lactoferrin. It is striking that the defense factors of human milk function without causing inflammation, some components are even directly anti-inflammatory. Protection against infections has been well evidenced during lactation against, e.g., acute and prolonged diarrhea, respiratory tract infections, otitis media, urinary tract infection, neonatal septicemia, and necrotizing enterocolitis. There is also interesting evidence for an enhanced protection remaining for years after lactation against diarrhea, respiratory tract infections, otitis media, Haemophilus influenzae type b infections, and wheezing illness. In several instances the protection seems to improve with the duration of breastfeeding. Some, but not all studies have shown better vaccine responses among breastfed than non-breastfed infants. A few factors in milk like anti-antibodies (anti-idiotypic antibodies) and T and B lymphocytes have in some experimental models been able to transfer priming of the breastfed offspring. This together with transfer of numerous cytokines and growth factors via milk may add to an active stimulation of the infant's immune system. Consequently, the infant might respond better to both infections and vaccines. Such an enhanced function could also explain why breastfeeding may protect against immunologic diseases like coeliac disease and possibly allergy. Suggestions of protection against autoimmune diseases and tumors have also been published, but need confirmation. Breastfeeding may, in addition to the well-known passive protection against infections during lactation, have a unique capacity to stimulate the immune system of the offspring possibly with several long-term positive effects.

Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) in Children

MedlinePlus

... Process Research Training & Career Development Funded Grants & Grant History Research Resources Research at NIDDK Technology Advancement & Transfer Meetings & Workshops Health Information Diabetes Digestive ...

Urinary Tract and How It Works

MedlinePlus

... Process Research Training & Career Development Funded Grants & Grant History Research Resources Research at NIDDK Technology Advancement & Transfer Meetings & Workshops Health Information Diabetes Digestive ...

The standardization of terminology of lower urinary tract function in children and adolescents: update report from the Standardization Committee of the International Children's Continence Society.

PubMed

Austin, Paul F; Bauer, Stuart B; Bower, Wendy; Chase, Janet; Franco, Israel; Hoebeke, Piet; Rittig, Søren; Vande Walle, Johan; von Gontard, Alexander; Wright, Anne; Yang, Stephen S; Nevéus, Tryggve

2014-06-01

The impact of the original International Children's Continence Society terminology document on lower urinary tract function resulted in the global establishment of uniformity and clarity in the characterization of lower urinary tract function and dysfunction in children across multiple health care disciplines. The present document serves as a stand-alone terminology update reflecting refinement and current advancement of knowledge on pediatric lower urinary tract function. A variety of worldwide experts from multiple disciplines in the ICCS leadership who care for children with lower urinary tract dysfunction were assembled as part of the standardization committee. A critical review of the previous ICCS terminology document and the current literature was performed. In addition, contributions and feedback from the multidisciplinary ICCS membership were solicited. Following a review of the literature during the last 7 years the ICCS experts assembled a new terminology document reflecting the current understanding of bladder function and lower urinary tract dysfunction in children using resources from the literature review, expert opinion and ICCS member feedback. The present ICCS terminology document provides a current and consensus update to the evolving terminology and understanding of lower urinary tract function in children. For the complete document visit http://jurology.com/. Copyright © 2014 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Fertility on Gene Expression and Function of the Bovine Endometrium

PubMed Central

Minten, Megan A.; Bilby, Todd R.; Bruno, Ralph G. S.; Allen, Carolyn C.; Madsen, Crystal A.; Wang, Zeping; Sawyer, Jason E.; Tibary, Ahmed; Neibergs, Holly L.; Geary, Thomas W.; Bauersachs, Stefan; Spencer, Thomas E.

2013-01-01

Infertility and subfertility are important and pervasive reproductive problems in both domestic animals and humans. The majority of embryonic loss occurs during the first three weeks of pregnancy in cattle and women due, in part, to inadequate endometrial receptivity for support of embryo implantation. To identify heifers of contrasting fertility, serial rounds of artificial insemination (AI) were conducted in 201 synchronized crossbred beef heifers. The heifers were then fertility classified based on number of pregnancies detected on day 35 in four AI opportunities. Heifers, classified as having high fertility, subfertility or infertility, were selected for further study. The fertility-classified heifers were superovulated and flushed, and the recovered embryos were graded and then transferred to synchronized recipients. Quantity of embryos recovered per flush, embryo quality, and subsequent recipient pregnancy rates did not differ by fertility classification. Two in vivo-produced bovine embryos (stage 4 or 5, grade 1 or 2) were then transferred into each heifer on day 7 post-estrus. Pregnancy rates were greater in high fertility than lower fertility heifers when heifers were used as embryo recipients. The reproductive tracts of the classified heifers were obtained on day 14 of the estrous cycle. No obvious morphological differences in reproductive tract structures and histology of the uterus were observed in the heifers. Microarray analysis revealed differences in the endometrial transcriptome based on fertility classification. A genome-wide association study, based on SNP genotyping, detected 7 moderate associations with fertility across 6 different chromosomes. Collectively, these studies support the idea that innate differences in uterine function underlie fertility and early pregnancy loss in ruminants. Cattle with defined early pregnancy success or loss is useful to elucidate the complex biological and genetic mechanisms governing endometrial receptivity and uterine competency for pregnancy. PMID:23940519

Bone Symposium 󈨟 Held in Portland Oregon, on 17-20 July 1991

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-03-01

removed. Persistent drainage and/or sinus tract(s) are common. Multiple species of bacteria are usually isolated from biopsies of infected granulations...patients even years of intermittent drainage . The possibility of attenuating the infection is reduced when the integrity of the soft tissue surrounding...successful transfers had persistent drainage . Only 12 * patients walked without assistive devices in followup.51 The advantage of the Ilizarov technique is

Monitoring glycolipid transfer protein activity and membrane interaction with the surface plasmon resonance technique.

PubMed

Ohvo-Rekilä, Henna; Mattjus, Peter

2011-01-01

The glycolipid transfer protein (GLTP) is a protein capable of binding and transferring glycolipids. GLTP is cytosolic and it can interact through its FFAT-like (two phenylalanines in an acidic tract) motif with proteins localized on the surface of the endoplasmic reticulum. Previous in vitro work with GLTP has focused mainly on the complete transfer reaction of the protein, that is, binding and subsequent removal of the glycolipid from the donor membrane, transfer through the aqueous environment, and the final release of the glycolipid to an acceptor membrane. Using bilayer vesicles and surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy, we have now, for the first time, analyzed the binding and lipid removal capacity of GLTP with a completely label-free technique. This technique is focused on the initial steps in GLTP-mediated transfer and the parameters affecting these steps can be more precisely determined. We used the new approach for detailed structure-function studies of GLTP by examining the glycolipid transfer capacity of specific GLTP tryptophan mutants. Tryptophan 96 is crucial for the transfer activity of the protein and tryptophan 142 is an important part of the proteins membrane interacting domain. Further, we varied the composition of the used lipid vesicles and gained information on the effect of membrane properties on GLTP activity. GLTP prefers to interact with more tightly packed membranes, although GLTP-mediated transfer is faster from more fluid membranes. This technique is very useful for the study of membrane-protein interactions and lipid-transfer rates and it can easily be adapted to other membrane-interacting proteins. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Is the urothelium intelligent?

PubMed

Birder, L A; Kanai, A J; Cruz, F; Moore, K; Fry, C H

2010-04-01

The urothelium separates the urinary tract lumen from underlying tissues of the tract wall. Previously considered as merely an effective barrier between these two compartments it is now recognized as a more active tissue that senses and transduces information about physical and chemical conditions within the urinary tract, such as luminal pressure, urine composition, etc. To understand this sensory function it is useful to consider the urothelium and suburothelium as a functional unit; containing uroepithelial cells, afferent and efferent nerve fibers and suburothelial interstitial cells. This structure responds to alterations in its external environment through the release of diffusible agents, such as ATP and acetylcholine, and eventually modulates the activity of afferent nerves and underlying smooth muscles. This review considers different stresses the urothelium/suburothelium responds to; the particular chemicals released; the cellular receptors that are consequently affected; and how nerve and muscle function is modulated. Brief consideration is also to regional differences in the urothelium/suburothelium along the urinary tract. The importance of different pathways in relaying sensory information in the normal urinary tract, or whether they are significant only in pathological conditions is also discussed. An operational definition of intelligence is used, whereby a system (urothelium/suburothelium) responds to external changes, to maximize the possibility of the urinary tract achieving its normal function. If so, the urothelium can be regarded as intelligent. The advantage of this approach is that input-output functions can be mathematically formulated, and the importance of different components contributing to abnormal urinary tract function can be calculated. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

NKG2D is Required for Regulation of Lung Pathology and Dendritic Cell Function Following RSV Infection.

PubMed

Liu, Huan; Osterburg, Andrew R; Flury, Jennifer; Huang, Shuo; McCormack, Francis X; Cormier, Stephania A; Borchers, Michael T

2018-03-15

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of respiratory tract infection in vulnerable populations. Natural killer (NK) cells and dendritic cells (DC) are important for the effector functions of both cell types following infection. Wild type and NKG2D deficient mice were infected with RSV. Lung pathology, was assessed by histology. DC function and phenotype was evaluated by ELISA and flow cytometry. The expression of NKG2D ligands on lung and lymph node DCs was measured by immunostaining and flow cytometry. Adoptive transfer experiments were performed to assess the importance of NKG2D dependent DC function in RSV infection. NKG2D deficient mice exhibited greater lung pathology, marked by the accumulation of DCs following RSV infection.  DCs isolated from NKG2D deficient mice had impaired responses towards TLR ligands. DCs expressed NKG2D ligands on their surface, which was further increased in NKG2D deficient mice and during RSV infection. Adoptive transfer of DCs isolated from WT mice into the airways of NKG2D deficient mice ameliorated the enhanced inflammation in NKG2D deficient mice after RSV infection. NKG2D-dependent interactions with DCs control the phenotype and function of DCs and play a critical role in pulmonary host defenses against RSV infection.

Lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hypertrophy and vascular function: Role of the nitric oxide-phosphodiesterase type 5-cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate pathway.

PubMed

Higashi, Yukihito

2017-06-01

It is well known that there is an association of lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hypertrophy with cardiovascular disease, suggesting that lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hypertrophy is a risk factor for cardiovascular events. Vascular function, including endothelial function and vascular smooth muscle function, is involved in the pathogenesis, maintenance and development of atherosclerosis, leading to cardiovascular events. Vascular dysfunction per se should also contribute to lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hypertrophy. Both lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hypertrophy and vascular dysfunction have cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, aging, obesity and smoking. Inactivation of the phosphodiesterase type 5-cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate-nitric oxide pathway causes lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hypertrophy through an enhancement of sympathetic nervous activity, endothelial dysfunction, increase in Rho-associated kinase activity and vasoconstriction, and decrease in blood flow of pelvic viscera. Both endogenous nitric oxide and exogenous nitric oxide act as vasodilators on vascular smooth muscle cells through an increase in the content of cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate, which is inactivated by phosphodiesterase type 5. In a clinical setting, phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors are widely used in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hypertrophy. Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors might have beneficial effects on vascular function through not only inhibition of cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate degradation, but also increases in testosterone levels and nitric oxide bioavailability, increase in the number and improvement of the function of endothelial progenitor cells, and decrease in insulin resistance. In the present review, the relationships between lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hypertrophy, the phosphodiesterase type 5-nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate pathway, vascular function and cardiovascular outcomes are examined. © 2017 The Japanese Urological Association.

In vivo subsurface morphological and functional cellular and subcellular imaging of the gastrointestinal tract with confocal mini-microscopy

PubMed Central

Goetz, Martin; Memadathil, Beena; Biesterfeld, Stefan; Schneider, Constantin; Gregor, Sebastian; Galle, Peter R; Neurath, Markus F; Kiesslich, Ralf

2007-01-01

AIM: To evaluate a newly developed hand-held confocal probe for in vivo microscopic imaging of the complete gastrointestinal tract in rodents. METHODS: A novel rigid confocal probe (diameter 7 mm) was designed with optical features similar to the flexible endomicroscopy system for use in humans using a 488 nm single line laser for fluorophore excitation. Light emission was detected at 505 to 750 nm. The field of view was 475 μm × 475 μm. Optical slice thickness was 7 μm with a lateral resolution of 0.7 μm. Subsurface serial images at different depths (surface to 250 μm) were generated in real time at 1024 × 1024 pixels (0.8 frames/s) by placing the probe onto the tissue in gentle, stable contact. Tissue specimens were sampled for histopathological correlation. RESULTS: The esophagus, stomach, small and large intestine and meso, liver, pancreas and gall bladder were visualised in vivo at high resolution in n = 48 mice. Real time microscopic imaging with the confocal mini-microscopy probe was easy to achieve. The different staining protocols (fluorescein, acriflavine, FITC-labelled dextran and L. esculentum lectin) each highlighted specific aspects of the tissue, and in vivo imaging correlated excellently with conventional histology. In vivo blood flow monitoring added a functional quality to morphologic imaging. CONCLUSION: Confocal microscopy is feasible in vivo allowing the visualisation of the complete GI tract at high resolution even of subsurface tissue structures. The new confocal probe design evaluated in this study is compatible with laparoscopy and significantly expands the field of possible applications to intra-abdominal organs. It allows immediate testing of new in vivo staining and application options and therefore permits rapid transfer from animal studies to clinical use in patients. PMID:17465494

Novel function of LHFPL2 in female and male distal reproductive tract development.

PubMed

Zhao, Fei; Zhou, Jun; Li, Rong; Dudley, Elizabeth A; Ye, Xiaoqin

2016-03-11

Congenital reproductive tract anomalies could impair fertility. Female and male reproductive tracts are developed from Müllerian ducts and Wolffian ducts, respectively, involving initiation, elongation and differentiation. Genetic basis solely for distal reproductive tract development is largely unknown. Lhfpl2 (lipoma HMGIC fusion partner-like 2) encodes a tetra-transmembrane protein with unknown functions. It is expressed in follicle cells of ovary and epithelial cells of reproductive tracts. A spontaneous point mutation of Lhfpl2 (LHFPL2(G102E)) leads to infertility in 100% female mice, which have normal ovarian development, ovulation, uterine development, and uterine response to exogenous estrogen stimulation, but abnormal upper longitudinal vaginal septum and lower vaginal agenesis. Infertility is also observed in ~70% mutant males, which have normal mating behavior and sperm counts, but abnormal distal vas deferens convolution resulting in complete and incomplete blockage of reproductive tract in infertile and fertile males, respectively. On embryonic day 15.5, mutant Müllerian ducts and Wolffian ducts have elongated but their duct tips are enlarged and fail to merge with the urogenital sinus. These findings provide a novel function of LHFPL2 and a novel genetic basis for distal reproductive tract development; they also emphasize the importance of an additional merging phase for proper reproductive tract development.

Effects of Genetically Modified Milk Containing Human Beta-Defensin-3 on Gastrointestinal Health of Mice

PubMed Central

Yang, Yange; Shi, Zhaopeng; Gao, Ming-Qing; Zhang, Yong

2016-01-01

This study was performed to investigate the effects of genetically modified (GM) milk containing human beta-defensin-3 (HBD3) on mice by a 90-day feeding study. The examined parameters included the digestibility of GM milk, general physical examination, gastric emptying function, intestinal permeability, intestinal microflora composition of mice, and the possibility of horizontal gene transfer (HGT). The emphasis was placed on the effects on gastrointestinal (GI) tract due to the fact that GI tract was the first site contacting with food and played crucial roles in metabolic reactions, nutrition absorption and immunity regulation in the host. However, the traditional methods for analyzing the potential toxicological risk of GM product pay little attention on GI health. In this study, the results showed GM milk was easy to be digested in simulated gastric fluid, and it did not have adverse effects on general and GI health compared to conventional milk. And there is little possibility of HGT. This study may enrich the safety assessment of GM product on GI health. PMID:27438026

Influence of exogenous melatonin on horizontal transfer of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in experimentally infected sheep

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of the current research was to determine if exogenous melatonin would exert a “protective” effect on the gastrointestinal tract of sheep and prevent or reduce the horizontal transfer of E. coli O157:H7 from experimentally-infected to non-infected or “naïve” sheep. Sixteen crossbred ewe...

Environmental Baseline Survey Report for the Title Transfer of Parcel ED-9 at the East Tennessee Technology Park, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

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

SAIC

2010-05-01

This environmental baseline survey (EBS) report documents the baseline environmental conditions of the U. S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Parcel ED-9 at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP). Parcel ED-9 consists of about 13 acres that DOE proposes to transfer to Heritage Center, LLC (hereafter referred to as 'Heritage Center'), a subsidiary of the Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee (CROET). The 13 acres include two tracts of land, referred to as ED-9A (7.06 acres) and ED-9B (5.02 acres), and a third tract consisting of about 900 linear feet of paved road and adjacent right-of-way, referred to as ED-9C (0.98more » acres). Transfer of the title to ED-9 will be by deed under a Covenant Deferral Request (CDR) pursuant to Section 120(h)(3)(C) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). This report provides a summary of information to support the transfer of this government-owned property at ETTP to a non-federal entity.« less

What's in the Gift? Towards a Molecular Dissection of Nuptial Feeding in a Cricket.

PubMed

Pauchet, Yannick; Wielsch, Natalie; Wilkinson, Paul A; Sakaluk, Scott K; Svatoš, Aleš; ffrench-Constant, Richard H; Hunt, John; Heckel, David G

2015-01-01

Nuptial gifts produced by males and transferred to females during copulation are common in insects. Yet, their precise composition and subsequent physiological effects on the female recipient remain unresolved. Male decorated crickets Gryllodes sigillatus transfer a spermatophore to the female during copulation that is composed of an edible gift, the spermatophylax, and the ampulla that contains the ejaculate. After transfer of the spermatophore, the female detaches the spermatophylax and starts to eat it while sperm from the ampulla are evacuated into the female reproductive tract. When the female has finished consuming the spermatophylax, she detaches the ampulla and terminates sperm transfer. Hence, one simple function of the spermatophylax is to ensure complete sperm transfer by distracting the female from prematurely removing the ampulla. However, the majority of orally active components of the spermatophylax itself and their subsequent effects on female behavior have not been identified. Here, we report the first analysis of the proteome of the G. sigillatus spermatophylax and the transcriptome of the male accessory glands that make these proteins. The accessory gland transcriptome was assembled into 17,691 transcripts whilst about 30 proteins were detected within the mature spermatophylax itself. Of these 30 proteins, 18 were encoded by accessory gland encoded messages. Most spermatophylax proteins show no similarity to proteins with known biological functions and are therefore largely novel. A spermatophylax protein shows similarity to protease inhibitors suggesting that it may protect the biologically active components from digestion within the gut of the female recipient. Another protein shares similarity with previously characterized insect polypeptide growth factors suggesting that it may play a role in altering female reproductive physiology concurrent with fertilization. Characterization of the spermatophylax proteome provides the first step in identifying the genes encoding these proteins in males and in understanding their biological functions in the female recipient.

What’s in the Gift? Towards a Molecular Dissection of Nuptial Feeding in a Cricket

PubMed Central

Pauchet, Yannick; Wielsch, Natalie; Wilkinson, Paul A.; Sakaluk, Scott K.; Svatoš, Aleš

2015-01-01

Nuptial gifts produced by males and transferred to females during copulation are common in insects. Yet, their precise composition and subsequent physiological effects on the female recipient remain unresolved. Male decorated crickets Gryllodes sigillatus transfer a spermatophore to the female during copulation that is composed of an edible gift, the spermatophylax, and the ampulla that contains the ejaculate. After transfer of the spermatophore, the female detaches the spermatophylax and starts to eat it while sperm from the ampulla are evacuated into the female reproductive tract. When the female has finished consuming the spermatophylax, she detaches the ampulla and terminates sperm transfer. Hence, one simple function of the spermatophylax is to ensure complete sperm transfer by distracting the female from prematurely removing the ampulla. However, the majority of orally active components of the spermatophylax itself and their subsequent effects on female behavior have not been identified. Here, we report the first analysis of the proteome of the G. sigillatus spermatophylax and the transcriptome of the male accessory glands that make these proteins. The accessory gland transcriptome was assembled into 17,691 transcripts whilst about 30 proteins were detected within the mature spermatophylax itself. Of these 30 proteins, 18 were encoded by accessory gland encoded messages. Most spermatophylax proteins show no similarity to proteins with known biological functions and are therefore largely novel. A spermatophylax protein shows similarity to protease inhibitors suggesting that it may protect the biologically active components from digestion within the gut of the female recipient. Another protein shares similarity with previously characterized insect polypeptide growth factors suggesting that it may play a role in altering female reproductive physiology concurrent with fertilization. Characterization of the spermatophylax proteome provides the first step in identifying the genes encoding these proteins in males and in understanding their biological functions in the female recipient. PMID:26439494

Dynamic evolution of Geranium mitochondrial genomes through multiple horizontal and intracellular gene transfers.

PubMed

Park, Seongjun; Grewe, Felix; Zhu, Andan; Ruhlman, Tracey A; Sabir, Jamal; Mower, Jeffrey P; Jansen, Robert K

2015-10-01

The exchange of genetic material between cellular organelles through intracellular gene transfer (IGT) or between species by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has played an important role in plant mitochondrial genome evolution. The mitochondrial genomes of Geraniaceae display a number of unusual phenomena including highly accelerated rates of synonymous substitutions, extensive gene loss and reduction in RNA editing. Mitochondrial DNA sequences assembled for 17 species of Geranium revealed substantial reduction in gene and intron content relative to the ancestor of the Geranium lineage. Comparative analyses of nuclear transcriptome data suggest that a number of these sequences have been functionally relocated to the nucleus via IGT. Evidence for rampant HGT was detected in several Geranium species containing foreign organellar DNA from diverse eudicots, including many transfers from parasitic plants. One lineage has experienced multiple, independent HGT episodes, many of which occurred within the past 5.5 Myr. Both duplicative and recapture HGT were documented in Geranium lineages. The mitochondrial genome of Geranium brycei contains at least four independent HGT tracts that are absent in its nearest relative. Furthermore, G. brycei mitochondria carry two copies of the cox1 gene that differ in intron content, providing insight into contrasting hypotheses on cox1 intron evolution. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

Intraoperative diffusion tensor imaging predicts the recovery of motor dysfunction after insular lesions☆

PubMed Central

Li, Jinjiang; Chen, Xiaolei; Zhang, Jiashu; Zheng, Gang; Lv, Xueming; Li, Fangye; Hu, Shen; Zhang, Ting; Xu, Bainan

2013-01-01

Insular lesions remain surgically challenging because of the need to balance aggressive resection and functional protection. Motor function deficits due to corticospinal tract injury are a common complication of surgery for lesions adjacent to the internal capsule and it is therefore essential to evaluate the corticospinal tract adjacent to the lesion. We used diffusion tensor imaging to evaluate the corticospinal tract in 89 patients with insular lobe lesions who underwent surgery in Chinese PLA General Hospital from February 2009 to May 2011. Postoperative motor function evaluation revealed that 57 patients had no changes in motor function, and 32 patients suffered motor dysfunction or aggravated motor dysfunction. Of the affected patients, 20 recovered motor function during the 6–12-month follow-up, and an additional 12 patients did not recover over more than 12 months of follow-up. Following reconstruction of the corticospinal tract, fractional anisotropy comparison demonstrated that preoperative, intraoperative and follow-up normalized fractional anisotropy in the stable group was higher than in the transient deficits group or the long-term deficits group. Compared with the transient deficits group, intraoperative normalized fractional anisotropy significantly decreased in the long-term deficits group. We conclude that intraoperative fractional anisotropy values of the corticospinal tracts can be used as a prognostic indicator of motor function outcome. PMID:25206435

Dietary Proteins as Determinants of Metabolic and Physiologic Functions of the Gastrointestinal Tract

PubMed Central

Jahan-Mihan, Alireza; Luhovyy, Bohdan L.; Khoury, Dalia El; Anderson, G. Harvey

2011-01-01

Dietary proteins elicit a wide range of nutritional and biological functions. Beyond their nutritional role as the source of amino acids for protein synthesis, they are instrumental in the regulation of food intake, glucose and lipid metabolism, blood pressure, bone metabolism and immune function. The interaction of dietary proteins and their products of digestion with the regulatory functions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract plays a dominant role in determining the physiological properties of proteins. The site of interaction is widespread, from the oral cavity to the colon. The characteristics of proteins that influence their interaction with the GI tract in a source-dependent manner include their physico-chemical properties, their amino acid composition and sequence, their bioactive peptides, their digestion kinetics and also the non-protein bioactive components conjugated with them. Within the GI tract, these products affect several regulatory functions by interacting with receptors releasing hormones, affecting stomach emptying and GI transport and absorption, transmitting neural signals to the brain, and modifying the microflora. This review discusses the interaction of dietary proteins during digestion and absorption with the physiological and metabolic functions of the GI tract, and illustrates the importance of this interaction in the regulation of amino acid, glucose, lipid metabolism, and food intake. PMID:22254112

Changes in structural integrity are correlated with motor and functional recovery after post-stroke rehabilitation.

PubMed

Fan, Yang-teng; Lin, Keh-chung; Liu, Ho-ling; Chen, Yao-liang; Wu, Ching-yi

2015-01-01

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies indicate the structural integrity of the ipsilesional corticospinal tract (CST) and the transcallosal motor tract, which are closely linked to stroke recovery. However, the individual contribution of these 2 fibers on different levels of outcomes remains unclear. Here, we used DTI tractography to investigate whether structural changes of the ipsilesional CST and the transcallosal motor tracts associate with motor and functional recovery after stroke rehabilitation. Ten participants with post-acute stroke underwent the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and DTI before and after bilateral robotic training. All participants had marked improvements in motor performance, functional use of the affected arm, and independence in daily activities. Increased fractional anisotropy (FA) in the ipsilesional CST and the transcallosal motor tracts was noted from pre-treatment to the end of treatment. Participants with higher pre-to-post differences in FA values of the transcallosal motor tracts had greater gains in the WMFT and the FIM scores. A greater improvement on the FMA was coupled with increased FA changes along the ipsilesional CST. These findings suggest 2 different structural indicators for post-stroke recovery separately at the impairment-based and function-based levels.

Functional modifications associated with gastrointestinal tract organogenesis during metamorphosis in Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus).

PubMed

Gomes, Ana S; Kamisaka, Yuko; Harboe, Torstein; Power, Deborah M; Rønnestad, Ivar

2014-02-19

Flatfish metamorphosis is a hormone regulated post-embryonic developmental event that transforms a symmetric larva into an asymmetric juvenile. In altricial-gastric teleost fish, differentiation of the stomach takes place after the onset of first feeding, and during metamorphosis dramatic molecular and morphological modifications of the gastrointestinal (GI-) tract occur. Here we present the functional ontogeny of the developing GI-tract from an integrative perspective in the pleuronectiforme Atlantic halibut, and test the hypothesis that the multiple functions of the teleost stomach develop synchronously during metamorphosis. Onset of gastric function was determined with several approaches (anatomical, biochemical, molecular and in vivo observations). In vivo pH analysis in the GI-tract lumen combined with quantitative PCR (qPCR) of α and β subunits of the gastric proton pump (H+/K+-ATPase) and pepsinogen A2 indicated that gastric proteolytic capacity is established during the climax of metamorphosis. Transcript abundance of ghrelin, a putative orexigenic signalling molecule produced in the developing stomach, correlated (p < 0.05) with the emergence of gastric proteolytic activity, suggesting that the stomach's role in appetite regulation occurs simultaneously with the establishment of proteolytic function. A 3D models series of the GI-tract development indicated a functional pyloric sphincter prior to first feeding. Observations of fed larvae in vivo confirmed that stomach reservoir function was established before metamorphosis, and was thus independent of this event. Mechanical breakdown of food and transportation of chyme through the GI-tract was observed in vivo and resulted from phasic and propagating contractions established well before metamorphosis. The number of contractions in the midgut decreased at metamorphic climax synchronously with establishment of the stomach's proteolytic capacity and its increased peristaltic activity. Putative osmoregulatory competence of the GI-tract, inferred by abundance of Na+/K+-ATPase α transcripts, was already established at the onset of exogenous feeding and was unmodified by metamorphosis. The functional specialization of the GI-tract was not exclusive to metamorphosis, and its osmoregulatory capacity and reservoir function were established before first feeding. Nonetheless, acid production and the proteolytic capacity of the stomach coincided with metamorphic climax, and also marked the onset of the stomach's involvement in appetite regulation via ghrelin.

Bladder continence management in adult acquired brain injury.

PubMed

Caldwell, Sheena B; Wilson, Jennifer S; Smith, Daniel; McCann, John P; Walsh, Ian K

2014-01-01

Persistence of urinary incontinence post acquired brain injury (ABI) carries important prognostic significance. We undertook to document the incidence of urinary incontinence, its management and complications in rehabilitation inpatients following ABI and to assess adherence to post ABI bladder management guidelines. A retrospective chart survey of a convenience sample of consecutive admissions to two adult neurorehabilitation units Forster Green Hospital, Belfast, and the Scottish Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service, Edinburgh (SBIRSE). Bladder continence and management on transfer to and discharge from rehabilitation, trial removal of catheter, use of bladder drill, ultrasound investigation, anticholinergic medication and complications were recorded. One hundred and forty six patients were identified. Seventy-seven (52.7%) were independent and continent of urine at rehabilitation admission and 109 (74.7%) on discharge. In all, 13 patients had urinary tract infection, 7 had urethral stricture and 1 developed haematuria whilst catheterised. Ultrasound of renal tracts was underused. Trial removal of catheter after transfer to rehabilitation occurred at a median of 10 days. Urinary continence was achieved in almost half of incontinent ABI patients during rehabilitation. There is potential for increased use of investigation of the renal tracts. Rehabilitation physicians should consider urethral stricture in the management of continence post ABI.

Cortico-Cerebellar Structural Connectivity Is Related to Residual Motor Output in Chronic Stroke.

PubMed

Schulz, Robert; Frey, Benedikt M; Koch, Philipp; Zimerman, Maximo; Bönstrup, Marlene; Feldheim, Jan; Timmermann, Jan E; Schön, Gerhard; Cheng, Bastian; Thomalla, Götz; Gerloff, Christian; Hummel, Friedhelm C

2017-01-01

Functional imaging studies have argued that interactions between cortical motor areas and the cerebellum are relevant for motor output and recovery processes after stroke. However, the impact of the underlying structural connections is poorly understood. To investigate this, diffusion-weighted brain imaging was conducted in 26 well-characterized chronic stroke patients (aged 63 ± 1.9 years, 18 males) with supratentorial ischemic lesions and 26 healthy participants. Probabilistic tractography was used to reconstruct reciprocal cortico-cerebellar tracts and to relate their microstructural integrity to residual motor functioning applying linear regression modeling. The main finding was a significant association between cortico-cerebellar structural connectivity and residual motor function, independent from the level of damage to the cortico-spinal tract. Specifically, white matter integrity of the cerebellar outflow tract, the dentato-thalamo-cortical tract, was positively related to both general motor output and fine motor skills. Additionally, the integrity of the descending cortico-ponto-cerebellar tract contributed to rather fine motor skills. A comparable structure-function relationship was not evident in the controls. The present study provides first tract-related structural data demonstrating a critical importance of distinct cortico-cerebellar connections for motor output after stroke. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Transfer of zearalenone to the reproductive system of female rainbow trout spawners: A potential risk for aquaculture and fish consumers?

PubMed

Woźny, Maciej; Obremski, Kazimierz; Zalewski, Tomasz; Mommens, Maren; Łakomiak, Alicja; Brzuzan, Paweł

2017-09-01

To investigate whether ZEN transfers from the alimentary tract of fish to the somatic cells of ovaries or the oocytes, mature females of rainbow trout were orally exposed to ZEN at a dose of 1 mg·kg - 1 body mass. At sampling times of 2, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 96 h, tissues of the fish (intestine, liver, ovaries, oocytes, muscles, and plasma) were extracted to determine the concentration of ZEN and its metabolites using immunoaffinity columns and HPLC-FLD. Our results confirm that ZEN is transferred from the alimentary tract to the reproductive system of the fish, and indicate that the mycotoxin concentrates in the somatic cells of the ovaries. Importantly, ZEN transferred to the fishes' oocytes and muscles only to a limited extent. Our additional survey of fish hatcheries and local stores indicated only trace amounts of ZEN residuals in the samples that were collected in Poland and Norway between 2013 and 2015, which probably reflects good hygienic conditions for the feed used in these hatcheries. Furthermore, our results indicate that the health risk from dietary intake of ZEN from fish roe is negligible. However, the potential of ZEN to transfer to the fish ovaries may be of concern for aquaculture. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional correlates of central white matter maturation in perinatal period in rabbits.

PubMed

Drobyshevsky, Alexander; Jiang, Rugang; Derrick, Matthew; Luo, Kehuan; Tan, Sidhartha

2014-11-01

Anisotropy indices derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) are being increasingly used as biomarkers of central WM structural maturation, myelination and even functional development. Our hypothesis was that the rate of functional changes in central WM tracts directly reflects rate of changes in structural development as determined by DTI indices. We examined structural and functional development of four major central WM tracts with different maturational trajectories, including internal capsule (IC), corpus callosum (CC), fimbria hippocampi (FH) and anterior commissure (AC). Rabbits were chosen due to perinatal brain development being similar to humans, and four time points were studied: P1, P11, P18 and adults. Imaging parameters of structural maturation included fractional anisotropy (FA), mean and directional diffusivities derived from DTI, and T2 relaxation time. Axonal composition and degree of myelination were confirmed on electron microscopy. To assess functional maturation, conduction velocity was measured in myelinated and non-myelinated fibers by electrophysiological recordings of compound action potential in perfused brain slices. Diffusion indices and T2 relaxation time in rabbits followed a sigmoid curve during development similar to that for humans, with active changes even at premyelination stage. The shape of the developmental curve was different between the fiber tracts, with later onset but steeper rapid phase of development in IC and FH than in CC. The structural development was not directly related to myelination or to functional development. Functional properties in projection (IC) and limbic tracts (FH) matured earlier than in associative and commissural tracts (CC and AC). The rapid phase of changes in diffusion anisotropy and T2 relaxation time coincided with the development of functional responses and myelination in IC and FH between the second and third weeks of postnatal development in rabbits. In these two tracts, MRI indices could serve as surrogate markers of the early stage of myelination. However, the discordance between developmental change of diffusion indices, myelination and functional properties in CC and AC cautions against equating DTI index changes as biomarkers for myelination in all tracts. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative Genome Analysis of Campylobacter fetus Subspecies Revealed Horizontally Acquired Genetic Elements Important for Virulence and Niche Specificity

PubMed Central

Kienesberger, Sabine; Sprenger, Hanna; Wolfgruber, Stella; Halwachs, Bettina; Thallinger, Gerhard G.; Perez-Perez, Guillermo I.; Blaser, Martin J.; Zechner, Ellen L.; Gorkiewicz, Gregor

2014-01-01

Campylobacter fetus are important animal and human pathogens and the two major subspecies differ strikingly in pathogenicity. C. fetus subsp. venerealis is highly niche-adapted, mainly infecting the genital tract of cattle. C. fetus subsp. fetus has a wider host-range, colonizing the genital- and intestinal-tract of animals and humans. We report the complete genomic sequence of C. fetus subsp. venerealis 84-112 and comparisons to the genome of C. fetus subsp. fetus 82-40. Functional analysis of genes predicted to be involved in C. fetus virulence was performed. The two subspecies are highly syntenic with 92% sequence identity but C. fetus subsp. venerealis has a larger genome and an extra-chromosomal element. Aside from apparent gene transfer agents and hypothetical proteins, the unique genes in both subspecies comprise two known functional groups: lipopolysaccharide production, and type IV secretion machineries. Analyses of lipopolysaccharide-biosynthesis genes in C. fetus isolates showed linkage to particular pathotypes, and mutational inactivation demonstrated their roles in regulating virulence and host range. The comparative analysis presented here broadens knowledge of the genomic basis of C. fetus pathogenesis and host specificity. It further highlights the importance of surface-exposed structures to C. fetus pathogenicity and demonstrates how evolutionary forces optimize the fitness and host-adaptation of these pathogens. PMID:24416416

A Population of Projection Neurons that Inhibits the Lateral Horn but Excites the Antennal Lobe through Chemical Synapses in Drosophila

PubMed Central

Shimizu, Kazumichi; Stopfer, Mark

2017-01-01

In the insect olfactory system, odor information is transferred from the antennal lobe (AL) to higher brain areas by projection neurons (PNs) in multiple AL tracts (ALTs). In several species, one of the ALTs, the mediolateral ALT (mlALT), contains some GABAergic PNs; in the Drosophila brain, the great majority of ventral PNs (vPNs) are GABAergic and project through this tract to the lateral horn (LH). Most excitatory PNs (ePNs), project through the medial ALT (mALT) to the mushroom body (MB) and the LH. Recent studies have shown that GABAergic vPNs play inhibitory roles at their axon terminals in the LH. However, little is known about the properties and functions of vPNs at their dendritic branches in the AL. Here, we used optogenetic and patch clamp techniques to investigate the functional roles of vPNs in the AL. Surprisingly, our results show that specific activation of vPNs reliably elicits strong excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) in ePNs. Moreover, the connections between vPNs and ePNs are mediated by direct chemical synapses. Neither pulses of GABA, nor pharmagological, or genetic blockade of GABAergic transmission gave results consistent with the involvement of GABA in vPN-ePN excitatory transmission. These unexpected results suggest new roles for the vPN population in olfactory information processing. PMID:28515683

A Population of Projection Neurons that Inhibits the Lateral Horn but Excites the Antennal Lobe through Chemical Synapses in Drosophila.

PubMed

Shimizu, Kazumichi; Stopfer, Mark

2017-01-01

In the insect olfactory system, odor information is transferred from the antennal lobe (AL) to higher brain areas by projection neurons (PNs) in multiple AL tracts (ALTs). In several species, one of the ALTs, the mediolateral ALT (mlALT), contains some GABAergic PNs; in the Drosophila brain, the great majority of ventral PNs (vPNs) are GABAergic and project through this tract to the lateral horn (LH). Most excitatory PNs (ePNs), project through the medial ALT (mALT) to the mushroom body (MB) and the LH. Recent studies have shown that GABAergic vPNs play inhibitory roles at their axon terminals in the LH. However, little is known about the properties and functions of vPNs at their dendritic branches in the AL. Here, we used optogenetic and patch clamp techniques to investigate the functional roles of vPNs in the AL. Surprisingly, our results show that specific activation of vPNs reliably elicits strong excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) in ePNs. Moreover, the connections between vPNs and ePNs are mediated by direct chemical synapses. Neither pulses of GABA, nor pharmagological, or genetic blockade of GABAergic transmission gave results consistent with the involvement of GABA in vPN-ePN excitatory transmission. These unexpected results suggest new roles for the vPN population in olfactory information processing.

Determination of volume-time curves for the right ventricle and its outflow tract for functional analyses.

PubMed

Gabbert, Dominik D; Entenmann, Andreas; Jerosch-Herold, Michael; Frettlöh, Felicitas; Hart, Christopher; Voges, Inga; Pham, Minh; Andrade, Ana; Pardun, Eileen; Wegner, P; Hansen, Traudel; Kramer, Hans-Heiner; Rickers, Carsten

2013-12-01

The determination of right ventricular volumes and function is of increasing interest for the postoperative care of patients with congenital heart defects. The presentation of volumetry data in terms of volume-time curves allows a comprehensive functional assessment. By using manual contour tracing, the generation of volume-time curves is exceedingly time-consuming. This study describes a fast and precise method for determining volume-time curves for the right ventricle and for the right ventricular outflow tract. The method applies contour detection and includes a feature for identifying the right ventricular outflow tract volume. The segregation of the outflow tract is performed by four-dimensional curved smooth boundary surfaces defined by prespecified anatomical landmarks. The comparison with manual contour tracing demonstrates that the method is accurate and improves the precision of the measurement. Compared to manual contour tracing the bias is <0.1% ± 4.1% (right ventricle) and -2.6% ± 20.0% (right ventricular outflow tract). The standard deviations of inter- and intraobserver variabilities for determining the volume of the right ventricular outflow tract are reduced to less than half the values of manual contour tracing. The time consumption per patient is reduced from 341 ± 80 min (right ventricle) and 56 ± 11 min (right ventricular outflow tract) using manual contour tracing to 46 ± 9 min for a combined analysis of right ventricle and right ventricular outflow tract. The analysis of volume-time curves for the right ventricle and its outflow tract discloses new evaluation methods in clinical routine and science. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Vocal tract shapes in different singing functions used in musical theater singing-a pilot study.

PubMed

Echternach, Matthias; Popeil, Lisa; Traser, Louisa; Wienhausen, Sascha; Richter, Bernhard

2014-09-01

Singing styles in Musical Theater singing might differ in many ways from Western Classical singing. However, vocal tract adjustments are not understood in detail. Vocal tract shapes of a single professional Music Theater female subject were analyzed concerning different aspects of singing styles using dynamic real-time magnetic resonance imaging technology with a frame rate of 8 fps. The different tasks include register differences, belting, and vibrato strategies. Articulatory differences were found between head register, modal register, and belting. Also, some vibrato strategies ("jazzy" vibrato) do involve vocal tract adjustments, whereas others (classical vibrato) do not. Vocal tract shaping might contribute to the establishment of different singing functions in Musical Theater singing. Copyright © 2014 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Disturbances of gastrointestinal motility of the stomach in patients with chronic gastric erosions and biliary tract disease].

PubMed

Svintsitskyĭ, A S; Solovĭova, H A

2012-12-01

Article dwells on comparison data about motor function of the stomach in the three groups of patients: with gastric erosions and biliary tract diseases, duodenal ulcer disease, chronic gastritis. It is shown, that patients with gastric erosions and biliary tract diseases are characterized by slower evacuation function of the stomach, hypotonus of the stomach. Frequency of duodenal reflux in this group of patients is very high (85,9 %).

Atlasing the frontal lobe connections and their variability due to age and education: a spherical deconvolution tractography study.

PubMed

Rojkova, K; Volle, E; Urbanski, M; Humbert, F; Dell'Acqua, F; Thiebaut de Schotten, M

2016-04-01

In neuroscience, there is a growing consensus that higher cognitive functions may be supported by distributed networks involving different cerebral regions, rather than by single brain areas. Communication within these networks is mediated by white matter tracts and is particularly prominent in the frontal lobes for the control and integration of information. However, the detailed mapping of frontal connections remains incomplete, albeit crucial to an increased understanding of these cognitive functions. Based on 47 high-resolution diffusion-weighted imaging datasets (age range 22-71 years), we built a statistical normative atlas of the frontal lobe connections in stereotaxic space, using state-of-the-art spherical deconvolution tractography. We dissected 55 tracts including U-shaped fibers. We further characterized these tracts by measuring their correlation with age and education level. We reported age-related differences in the microstructural organization of several, specific frontal fiber tracts, but found no correlation with education level. Future voxel-based analyses, such as voxel-based morphometry or tract-based spatial statistics studies, may benefit from our atlas by identifying the tracts and networks involved in frontal functions. Our atlas will also build the capacity of clinicians to further understand the mechanisms involved in brain recovery and plasticity, as well as assist clinicians in the diagnosis of disconnection or abnormality within specific tracts of individual patients with various brain diseases.

Structural complexity and molecular heterogeneity of a butterfly ejaculate reflect a complex history of selection

PubMed Central

Cherwin, Tamara S.; Plakke, Melissa S.; Hill, Jason; Small, Brandon S.; Goetz, Breanna J.; Wheat, Christopher W.; Morehouse, Nathan I.

2017-01-01

Male ejaculates are often structurally complex, and this complexity is likely to influence key reproductive interactions between males and females. However, despite its potential evolutionary significance, the molecular underpinnings of ejaculate structural complexity have received little empirical attention. To address this knowledge gap, we sought to understand the biochemical and functional properties of the structurally complex ejaculates of Pieris rapae butterflies. Males in this species produce large ejaculates called spermatophores composed of an outer envelope, an inner matrix, and a bolus of sperm. Females are thought to benefit from the nutrition contained in the soluble inner matrix through increases in longevity and fecundity. However, the indigestible outer envelope of the spermatophore delays female remating, allowing males to monopolize paternity for longer. Here, we show that these two nonsperm-containing spermatophore regions, the inner matrix and the outer envelope, differ in their protein composition and functional properties. We also reveal how these divergent protein mixtures are separately stored in the male reproductive tract and sequentially transferred to the female reproductive tract during spermatophore assembly. Intriguingly, we discovered large quantities of female-derived proteases in both spermatophore regions shortly after mating, which may contribute to spermatophore digestion and hence, female control over remating rate. Finally, we report evidence of past selection on these spermatophore proteins and female proteases, indicating a complex evolutionary history. Our findings illustrate how structural complexity of ejaculates may allow functionally and/or spatially associated suites of proteins to respond rapidly to divergent selective pressures, such as sexual conflict or reproductive cooperation. PMID:28630352

Orchestrating change: The thyroid hormones and GI-tract development in flatfish metamorphosis.

PubMed

Gomes, A S; Alves, R N; Rønnestad, I; Power, D M

2015-09-01

Metamorphosis in flatfish (Pleuronectiformes) is a late post-embryonic developmental event that prepares the organism for the larval-to-juvenile transition. Thyroid hormones (THs) play a central role in flatfish metamorphosis and the basic elements that constitute the thyroid axis in vertebrates are all present at this stage. The advantage of using flatfish to study the larval-to-juvenile transition is the profound change in external morphology that accompanies metamorphosis making it easy to track progression to climax. This important lifecycle transition is underpinned by molecular, cellular, structural and functional modifications of organs and tissues that prepare larvae for a successful transition to the adult habitat and lifestyle. Understanding the role of THs in the maturation of organs and tissues with diverse functions during metamorphosis is a major challenge. The change in diet that accompanies the transition from a pelagic larvae to a benthic juvenile in flatfish is associated with structural and functional modifications in the gastrointestinal tract (GI-tract). The present review will focus on the maturation of the GI-tract during metamorphosis giving particular attention to organogenesis of the stomach a TH triggered event. Gene transcripts and biological processes that are associated with GI-tract maturation during Atlantic halibut metamorphosis are identified. Gene ontology analysis reveals core biological functions and putative TH-responsive genes that underpin TH-driven metamorphosis of the GI-tract in Atlantic halibut. Deciphering the specific role remains a challenge. Recent advances in characterizing the molecular, structural and functional modifications that accompany the appearance of a functional stomach in Atlantic halibut are considered and future research challenges identified. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Foreign bodies in the aerodigestive tract.

PubMed

Lawson, V G; Middleton, W G

1986-04-01

Foreign bodies in the aerodigestive tract are common. They may cause minimal disturbance of function, severe morbidity or even sudden death. They enter the aerodigestive tract because of haste during eating, disturbances in physical function, impairments due to extreme youth or age, or contamination of food with foreign bodies. Common symptoms are pain, dysphagia, odynophagia, cough, airway distress, hemoptysis and hematemesis. Signs include point tenderness, respiratory distress and surgical emphysema. Clinical, radiological and endoscopic investigations are described, as are principles of crisis and elective management.

Age-Related Differences In White Matter Tract Microstructure Are Associated With Cognitive Performance From Childhood to Adulthood

PubMed Central

Peters, Bart D.; Ikuta, Toshikazu; DeRosse, Pamela; John, Majnu; Burdick, Katherine E.; Gruner, Patricia; Prendergast, Daniel M.; Szeszko, Philip R.; Malhotra, Anil K.

2013-01-01

Background Age-related differences in white matter (WM) tract microstructure have been well-established across the lifespan. In the present cross-sectional study we examined whether these differences are associated with neurocognitive performance from childhood to late adulthood. Methods Diffusion tensor imaging was performed in 296 healthy subjects aged 8–68 years (mean=29.6, SD=14.6). The corpus callosum, two projection tracts, and five association tracts were traced using probabilistic tractography. A neurocognitive test battery was used to assess speed of processing, attention, spatial working memory, verbal functioning, visual learning and executive functioning. Linear mediation models were used to examine whether differences in WM tract fractional anisotropy (FA) were associated with neurocognitive performance, independent of the effect of age. Results From childhood to early adulthood, higher FA of the cingulum bundle and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) was associated with higher executive functioning and global cognitive functioning, respectively, independent of the effect of age. When adjusting for speed of processing, FA of the IFOF was no longer associated with performance in the other cognitive domains with the exception of visual learning. From early adulthood to late adulthood, WM tract FA was not associated with cognitive performance independent of the age effect. Conclusions The cingulum bundle may play a critical role in protracted maturation of executive functioning. The IFOF may play a key role in maturation of visual learning, and may act as a central ‘hub’ in global cognitive maturation by subserving maturation of processing speed. PMID:23830668

The Nervous System and Gastrointestinal Function

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altaf, Muhammad A.; Sood, Manu R.

2008-01-01

The enteric nervous system is an integrative brain with collection of neurons in the gastrointestinal tract which is capable of functioning independently of the central nervous system (CNS). The enteric nervous system modulates motility, secretions, microcirculation, immune and inflammatory responses of the gastrointestinal tract. Dysphagia,…

The role of respiratory tract infections and the microbiome in the development of asthma: A narrative review.

PubMed

van Meel, Evelien R; Jaddoe, Vincent W V; Bønnelykke, Klaus; de Jongste, Johan C; Duijts, Liesbeth

2017-10-01

Asthma is a common disease in childhood, and might predispose for chronic obstructive respiratory morbidity in adolescence and adulthood. Various early-life risk factors might influence the risk of wheezing, asthma, and lower lung function in childhood. Cohort studies demonstrated that lower respiratory tract infections in the first years of life are associated with an increased risk of wheezing and asthma, while the association with lung function is less clear. Additionally, the gut and airway microbiome might influence the risk of wheezing and asthma. The interaction between respiratory tract infections and the microbiome complicates studies of their associations with wheezing, asthma, and lung function. Furthermore, the causality behind these observations is still unclear, and several other factors such as genetic susceptibility and the immune system might be of importance. This review is focused on the association of early-life respiratory tract infections and the microbiome with wheezing, asthma, and lung function, it is possible influencing factors and perspectives for future studies. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mating regulates neuromodulator ensembles at nerve termini innervating the Drosophila reproductive tract.

PubMed

Heifetz, Yael; Lindner, Moshe; Garini, Yuval; Wolfner, Mariana F

2014-03-31

Upon mating, regions of the female reproductive tract mature and alter their function [1-3], for example to facilitate storage of sperm or control the release of eggs [4-6]. The female's nervous system and neuromodulators play important roles in her responses to mating [7-13]. However, it is difficult to reconcile the reproductive tract's many changing but coordinated events with the small set of neuromodulators present [14-18]. We hypothesized that each part of the reproductive tract contains a characteristic combination of neuromodulators that confer unique identities on each region and that postmating changes in these combinations coordinate subsequent actions. We examined the presence, locations, and levels of neuromodulators and related molecules ("signaling molecules") in the reproductive tract of Drosophila melanogaster females before and after mating: the biogenic amine octopamine, which regulates ovulation rate in Drosophila and locusts [7, 14-20]; serotonin, which regulates muscle contraction in locust oviducts [21]; and the FMRF amide dromyosuppressin, which regulates contraction of Drosophila heart muscle [22] and may regulate muscle contractions in the reproductive tract, if it is expressed there. We find that separate aspects of mating (sperm, seminal proteins, and physical effects) independently modulate the release of signaling molecules. Each reproductive tract subregion displays a characteristic combination of signaling molecule release, resulting in a unique functional identity. These patterns, and thus functions, change reproducibly after mating. Thus, one event (mating) promotes new combinations of signaling molecules that endow different parts of the reproductive tract with unique temporal and spatial identities that facilitate many aspects of fertilization. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Network specific change in white matter integrity in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.

PubMed

Imamura, Hisaji; Matsumoto, Riki; Takaya, Shigetoshi; Nakagawa, Tomokazu; Shimotake, Akihiro; Kikuchi, Takayuki; Sawamoto, Nobukatsu; Kunieda, Takeharu; Mikuni, Nobuhiro; Miyamoto, Susumu; Fukuyama, Hidenao; Takahashi, Ryosuke; Ikeda, Akio

2016-02-01

To identify the specific change of white matter integrity that occurs in the brain network related to epileptic activity in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). We recruited 18 patients with MTLE and 18 healthy subjects. In MTLE patients, the remote functional-deficit zone was delineated using fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography as an extratemporal region showing glucose hypometabolism. Using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging tractography, we defined a seizure propagation tract (PT) as a white matter pathway that connects the focus with a remote functional deficit zone. We also used the corticospinal tract (CST) and inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) as control tracts in the hemisphere ipsilateral to the focus. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), and volume of the tracts were compared among PT, CST, and ILF. Tractographic analysis identified the uncinate fasciculus, arcuate fasciculus, and fornix as PTs. A decrease in FA was found in MTLE patients compared with healthy subjects in all tracts, but PTs showed a more significant decrease in FA than did the two control tracts. Although the change in MD was also found in MTLE patients compared with healthy controls, a tract-specific change was not observed. Although white-matter damage was observed in all candidate tracts examined, the integrity of white matter was most significantly decreased in PTs in MTLE. The change in white matter integrity occurs specifically in the pathways that connect the focus and remote functional deficit zones in patients with MTLE, i.e., the pathways that are assume to be associated with seizure propagation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A review of models for near-field exposure pathways of chemicals in consumer products.

PubMed

Huang, Lei; Ernstoff, Alexi; Fantke, Peter; Csiszar, Susan A; Jolliet, Olivier

2017-01-01

Exposure to chemicals in consumer products has been gaining increasing attention, with multiple studies showing that near-field exposures from products is high compared to far-field exposures. Regarding the numerous chemical-product combinations, there is a need for an overarching review of models able to quantify the multiple transfers of chemicals from products used near-field to humans. The present review therefore aims at an in-depth overview of modeling approaches for near-field chemical release and human exposure pathways associated with consumer products. It focuses on lower-tier, mechanistic models suitable for life cycle assessments (LCA), chemical alternative assessment (CAA) and high-throughput screening risk assessment (HTS). Chemicals in a product enter the near-field via a defined "compartment of entry", are transformed or transferred to adjacent compartments, and eventually end in a "human receptor compartment". We first focus on models of physical mass transfers from the product to 'near-field' compartments. For transfers of chemicals from article interior, adequate modeling of in-article diffusion and of partitioning between article surface and air/skin/food is key. Modeling volatilization and subsequent transfer to the outdoor is crucial for transfers of chemicals used in the inner space of appliances, on object surfaces or directly emitted to indoor air. For transfers from skin surface, models need to reflect the competition between dermal permeation, volatilization and fraction washed-off. We then focus on transfers from the 'near-field' to 'human' compartments, defined as respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract and epidermis, for which good estimates of air concentrations, non-dietary ingestion parameters and skin permeation are essential, respectively. We critically characterize for each exposure pathway the ability of models to estimate near-field transfers and to best inform LCA, CAA and HTS, summarizing the main characteristics of the potentially best-suited models. This review identifies large knowledge gaps for several near-field pathways and suggests research needs and future directions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Diverse roles of leptin in the gastrointestinal tract: Modulation of motility, absorption, growth, and inflammation

PubMed Central

Yarandi, Shadi S.; Hebbar, Gautam; Sauer, Cary G.; Cole, Conrad R.; Ziegler, Thomas R.

2011-01-01

Objective Leptin was discovered in 1994 as a hormone produced by adipose tissue with a modulatory effect on feeding behavior and weight control. Recently, the stomach has been identified as an important source of leptin and growing evidence has shown diverse functions for leptin in the gastrointestinal tract. Methods Using leptin as a keyword in PubMed, more than 17 000 articles were identified, of which more than 500 articles were related to the role of leptin in the gastrointestinal tract. Available abstracts were reviewed and more than 200 original articles were reviewed in detail. Results The available literature demonstrated that leptin can modulate several important functions of the gastrointestinal tract. Leptin interacts with the vagus nerve and cholecystokinin to delay gastric emptying and has a complex effect on motility of the small bowel. Leptin modulates absorption of macronutrients in the gastrointestinal tract differentially in physiologic and pathologic states. In physiologic states, exogenous leptin has been shown to decrease carbohydrate absorption and to increase the absorption of small peptides by the PepT1 di-/tripeptide transporter. In certain pathologic states, leptin has been shown to increase absorption of carbohydrates, proteins, and fat. Leptin has been shown to be upregulated in the colonic mucosa in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Leptin stimulates gut mucosal cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis. These functions have led to speculation about the role of leptin in tumorigenesis in the gastrointestinal tract, which is complicated by the multiple immunoregulatory effects of leptin. Conclusion Leptin is an important modulator of major aspects of gastrointestinal tract functions, independent of its more well-described roles in appetite regulation and obesity. PMID:20947298

Antigen-specific T-cell lines transfer protective immunity against Trichinella spiralis in vivo.

PubMed Central

Riedlinger, J; Grencis, R K; Wakelin, D

1986-01-01

T-cell lines specific for infective muscle larvae antigens of the intestinal nematode Trichinella spiralis have been generated in vitro. These antigen-specific T-cell lines express the L3T4+ Ly2- phenotype and secrete the lymphokines IL-2, IL-3 and gamma-IFN. They are stable in culture for up to 15 weeks and are protective when adoptively transferred into naive recipients. As few as 2 x 10(5) T. spiralis-specific tract. In addition, intestinal mastocytosis and peripheral blood eosinophilia were accelerated after adoptive transfer of T. spiralis-specific T-cell lines. PMID:2423438

The stability and degradation of dietary DNA in the gastrointestinal tract of mammals: implications for horizontal gene transfer and the biosafety of GMOs.

PubMed

Rizzi, Aurora; Raddadi, Noura; Sorlini, Claudia; Nordgrd, Lise; Nielsen, Kaare Magne; Daffonchio, Daniele

2012-01-01

The fate of dietary DNA in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of animals has gained renewed interest after the commercial introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMO). Among the concerns regarding GM food, are the possible consequences of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of recombinant dietary DNA to bacteria or animal cells. The exposure of the GIT to dietary DNA is related to the extent of food processing, food composition, and to the level of intake. Animal feeding studies have demonstrated that a minor amount of fragmented dietary DNA may resist the digestive process. Mammals have been shown to take up dietary DNA from the GIT, but stable integration and expression of internalized DNA has not been demonstrated. Despite the ability of several bacterial species to acquire external DNA by natural transformation, in vivo transfer of dietary DNA to bacteria in the intestine has not been detected in the few experimental studies conducted so far. However, major methodological limitations and knowledge gaps of the mechanistic aspects of HGT calls for methodological improvements and further studies to understand the fate of various types of dietary DNA in the GIT.

Establishment of Lactobacillus plantarum strain in honey bee digestive tract monitored using gfp fluorescence.

PubMed

Javorský, P; Fecskeová, L Kolesár; Hrehová, L; Sabo, R; Legáth, J; Pristas, P

2017-04-26

Lactic acid bacteria are symbiotic bacteria that naturally reside in the gastrointestinal tract of honey bees. They serve a multitude of functions and are considered beneficial and completely harmless. In our experiments Lactobacillus plantarum strain B35, isolated from honey bee digestive tract, was modified using pAD43-25 plasmid carrying a functional GFP gene sequence (gfpmut3a) and used as a model for monitoring and optimisation of the mode of application. The establishment of this strain in honey bee digestive tract was monitored using GFP fluorescence. Three different modes of oral application of this strain were tested: water suspension of lyophilised bacteria, aerosol application of these bacteria and consumption of sugar honey paste containing the lyophilised lactobacilli. Two days after administration the L. plantarum B35-gfp was present throughout the honey bee digestive tract with 10 4 -10 5 cfu/bee with highest count observed for aerosol application.

Designing synthetic RNAs to determine the relevance of structural motifs in picornavirus IRES elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez-Chamorro, Javier; Lozano, Gloria; Garcia-Martin, Juan Antonio; Ramajo, Jorge; Dotu, Ivan; Clote, Peter; Martinez-Salas, Encarnacion

2016-04-01

The function of Internal Ribosome Entry Site (IRES) elements is intimately linked to their RNA structure. Viral IRES elements are organized in modular domains consisting of one or more stem-loops that harbor conserved RNA motifs critical for internal initiation of translation. A conserved motif is the pyrimidine-tract located upstream of the functional initiation codon in type I and II picornavirus IRES. By computationally designing synthetic RNAs to fold into a structure that sequesters the polypyrimidine tract in a hairpin, we establish a correlation between predicted inaccessibility of the pyrimidine tract and IRES activity, as determined in both in vitro and in vivo systems. Our data supports the hypothesis that structural sequestration of the pyrimidine-tract within a stable hairpin inactivates IRES activity, since the stronger the stability of the hairpin the higher the inhibition of protein synthesis. Destabilization of the stem-loop immediately upstream of the pyrimidine-tract also decreases IRES activity. Our work introduces a hybrid computational/experimental method to determine the importance of structural motifs for biological function. Specifically, we show the feasibility of using the software RNAiFold to design synthetic RNAs with particular sequence and structural motifs that permit subsequent experimental determination of the importance of such motifs for biological function.

Lower urinary tract dysfunction in critical illness polyneuropathy.

PubMed

Reitz, André

2013-01-01

Critical illness polyneuropathy is a frequent complication of critical illness in intensive care units. Reports on autonomic systems like lower urinary tract and bowel functions in patients with CIP are not available in medical literature. This study performed during primary rehabilitation of patients with critical illness polyneuropathy explores if sensory and motor pathways controlling the lower urinary tract function are affected from the disease. Neurourological examinations, urodynamics, electromyography and lower urinary tract imaging were performed in 28 patients with critical illness polyneuropathy. Sacral sensation was impaired in 1 patient (4%). Sacral reflexes were absent in 8 patients (30%). Anal sphincter resting tone was reduced in 3 (12%), anal sphincter voluntary contraction was absent or reduced in 8 patients (30%). Urodynamic findings were detrusor overactivity and detrusor overactivity incontinence in 9 (37.5%), incomplete voiding in 8 (30%), abnormal sphincter activity in 4 (16%), abnormal bladder sensation in 4 (16%) and detrusor acontractility in 2 patients (8.3%). Morphological abnormalities of the lower urinary tract had 10 patients (41.6%). Sensory and motor pathways controlling the lower urinary tract might be affected from CIP. During urodynamics dysfunctions of the storage as well as the voiding phase were found. Morphological lower urinary tract abnormalities were common.

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

Pantelis, Evaggelos, E-mail: vpantelis@phys.uoa.g; Medical Physics Laboratory, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens; Papadakis, Nikolaos

Purpose: To study the efficacy of the integration of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging tractography data into stereotactic radiosurgery clinical practice. Methods and Materials: fMRI and tractography data sets were acquired and fused with corresponding anatomical MR and computed tomography images of patients with arteriovenous malformation (AVM), astrocytoma, brain metastasis, or hemangioma and referred for stereotactic radiosurgery. The acquired data sets were imported into a CyberKnife stereotactic radiosurgery system and used to delineate the target, organs at risk, and nearby functional structures and fiber tracts. Treatment plans with and without the incorporation of the functional structuresmore » and the fiber tracts into the optimization process were developed and compared. Results: The nearby functional structures and fiber tracts could receive doses of >50% of the maximum dose if they were excluded from the planning process. In the AVM case, the doses received by the Broadmann-17 structure and the optic tract were reduced to 700 cGy from 1,400 cGy and to 1,200 cGy from 2,000 cGy, respectively, upon inclusion into the optimization process. In the metastasis case, the motor cortex received 850 cGy instead of 1,400 cGy; and in the hemangioma case, the pyramidal tracts received 780 cGy instead of 990 cGy. In the astrocytoma case, the dose to the motor cortex bordering the lesion was reduced to 1,900 cGy from 2,100 cGy, and therefore, the biologically equivalent dose in three fractions was delivered instead. Conclusions: Functional structures and fiber tracts could receive high doses if they were not considered during treatment planning. With the aid of fMRI and tractography images, they can be delineated and spared.« less

[COMPLICATIONS OF STENTINGOF UPPER URINARY TRACT].

PubMed

Shkodkin, S V; Kogan, M I; Lyubushkin, A V; Miroshnichenko, O V

2015-01-01

Restoring the passage of urine through the upper urinary tract routinely is achieved by installing of external or internal drainage. Due to its objective advantages, internal drainage has been successfully used in surgery of the upper urinary tract. This review outlines the problems associated with the use ofinternal stents, namely difficultyin installation, migration, and reflux and stent obstruction, bacterial colonization of the stent, the development of functional and morphological changes in the drained segment of urinary tract.

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy of fiber tracts in children with traumatic brain injury: A combined MRS - Diffusion MRI study.

PubMed

Dennis, Emily L; Babikian, Talin; Alger, Jeffry; Rashid, Faisal; Villalon-Reina, Julio E; Jin, Yan; Olsen, Alexander; Mink, Richard; Babbitt, Christopher; Johnson, Jeffrey; Giza, Christopher C; Thompson, Paul M; Asarnow, Robert F

2018-05-10

Traumatic brain injury can cause extensive damage to the white matter (WM) of the brain. These disruptions can be especially damaging in children, whose brains are still maturing. Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) is the most commonly used method to assess WM organization, but it has limited resolution to differentiate causes of WM disruption. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) yields spectra showing the levels of neurometabolites that can indicate neuronal/axonal health, inflammation, membrane proliferation/turnover, and other cellular processes that are on-going post-injury. Previous analyses on this dataset revealed a significant division within the msTBI patient group, based on interhemispheric transfer time (IHTT); one subgroup of patients (TBI-normal) showed evidence of recovery over time, while the other showed continuing degeneration (TBI-slow). We combined dMRI with MRS to better understand WM disruptions in children with moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (msTBI). Tracts with poorer WM organization, as shown by lower FA and higher MD and RD, also showed lower N-acetylaspartate (NAA), a marker of neuronal and axonal health and myelination. We did not find lower NAA in tracts with normal WM organization. Choline, a marker of inflammation, membrane turnover, or gliosis, did not show such associations. We further show that multi-modal imaging can improve outcome prediction over a single modality, as well as over earlier cognitive function measures. Our results suggest that demyelination plays an important role in WM disruption post-injury in a subgroup of msTBI children and indicate the utility of multi-modal imaging. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

White matter changes linked to visual recovery after nerve decompression

PubMed Central

Paul, David A.; Gaffin-Cahn, Elon; Hintz, Eric B.; Adeclat, Giscard J.; Zhu, Tong; Williams, Zoë R.; Vates, G. Edward; Mahon, Bradford Z.

2015-01-01

The relationship between the integrity of white matter tracts and cortical function in the human brain remains poorly understood. Here we use a model of reversible white matter injury, compression of the optic chiasm by tumors of the pituitary gland, to study the structural and functional changes that attend spontaneous recovery of cortical function and visual abilities after surgical tumor removal and subsequent decompression of the nerves. We show that compression of the optic chiasm leads to demyelination of the optic tracts, which reverses as quickly as 4 weeks after nerve decompression. Furthermore, variability across patients in the severity of demyelination in the optic tracts predicts visual ability and functional activity in early cortical visual areas, and pre-operative measurements of myelination in the optic tracts predicts the magnitude of visual recovery after surgery. These data indicate that rapid regeneration of myelin in the human brain is a significant component of the normalization of cortical activity, and ultimately the recovery of sensory and cognitive function, after nerve decompression. More generally, our findings demonstrate the utility of diffusion tensor imaging as an in vivo measure of myelination in the human brain. PMID:25504884

Protocol for a prospective, randomized study on neurophysiological assessment of lower urinary tract function in a healthy cohort.

PubMed

van der Lely, Stéphanie; Stefanovic, Martina; Schmidhalter, Melanie R; Pittavino, Marta; Furrer, Reinhard; Liechti, Martina D; Schubert, Martin; Kessler, Thomas M; Mehnert, Ulrich

2016-11-25

Lower urinary tract symptoms are highly prevalent and a large proportion of these symptoms are known to be associated with a dysfunction of the afferent pathways. Diagnostic tools for an objective and reproducible assessment of afferent nerve function of the lower urinary tract are missing. Previous studies showed first feasibility results of sensory evoked potential recordings following electrical stimulation of the lower urinary tract in healthy subjects and patients. Nevertheless, a refinement of the methodology is necessary. This study is a prospective, randomized trial conducted at Balgrist University Hospital, Zürich, Switzerland. Ninety healthy subjects (forty females and fifty males) without lower urinary tract symptoms are planned to be included in the study. All subjects will undergo a screening visit (including standardized questionnaires, 3-day bladder diary, urinalysis, medical history taking, vital signs, physical examination, neuro-urological examination) followed by two measurement visits separated by an interval of 3 to 4 weeks. Electrical stimulations (0.5Hz-5Hz, bipolar, square wave, pulse width 1 ms) will be applied using a custom-made transurethral catheter at different locations of the lower urinary tract including bladder dome, trigone, proximal urethra, membranous urethra and distal urethra. Every subject will be randomly stimulated at one specific site of the lower urinary tract. Sensory evoked potentials (SEP) will be recorded using a 64-channel EEG cap. For an SEP segmental work-up we will place additional electrodes on the scalp (Cpz) and above the spine (C2 and L1). Visit two and three will be conducted identically for reliability assessment. The measurement of lower urinary tract SEPs elicited by electrical stimulation at different locations of the lower urinary tract has the potential to serve as a neurophysiological biomarker for lower urinary tract afferent nerve function in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms or disorders. For implementation of such a diagnostic tool into clinical practice, an optimized setup with efficient and reliable measurements and data acquisition is crucial. In addition, normative data from a larger cohort of healthy subjects would provide information on variability, potential confounding factors and cut-off values for investigations in patients with lower urinary tract dysfunction/symptoms. Clinicaltrials.gov; Identifier: NCT02272309 .

Experimental reduction of intromittent organ length reduces male reproductive success in a bug

PubMed Central

Dougherty, Liam R.; Rahman, Imran A.; Burdfield-Steel, Emily R.; Greenway, E. V. (Ginny); Shuker, David M.

2015-01-01

It is now clear in many species that male and female genital evolution has been shaped by sexual selection. However, it has historically been difficult to confirm correlations between morphology and fitness, as genital traits are complex and manipulation tends to impair function significantly. In this study, we investigate the functional morphology of the elongate male intromittent organ (or processus) of the seed bug Lygaeus simulans, in two ways. We first use micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and flash-freezing to reconstruct in high resolution the interaction between the male intromittent organ and the female internal reproductive anatomy during mating. We successfully trace the path of the male processus inside the female reproductive tract. We then confirm that male processus length influences sperm transfer by experimental ablation and show that males with shortened processi have significantly reduced post-copulatory reproductive success. Importantly, male insemination function is not affected by this manipulation per se. We thus present rare, direct experimental evidence that an internal genital trait functions to increase reproductive success and show that, with appropriate staining, micro-CT is an excellent tool for investigating the functional morphology of insect genitalia during copulation. PMID:25972470

A population-based prospective cohort study examining the influence of early-life respiratory tract infections on school-age lung function and asthma.

PubMed

van Meel, Evelien R; den Dekker, Herman T; Elbert, Niels J; Jansen, Pauline W; Moll, Henriëtte A; Reiss, Irwin K; de Jongste, Johan C; Jaddoe, Vincent W V; Duijts, Liesbeth

2018-02-01

Early-life respiratory tract infections could affect airway obstruction and increase asthma risk in later life. However, results from previous studies are inconsistent. We examined the associations of early-life respiratory tract infections with lung function and asthma in school-aged children. This study among 5197 children born between April 2002 and January 2006 was embedded in a population-based prospective cohort study. Information on physician-attended upper and lower respiratory tract infections until age 6 years (categorised into ≤ 3 and >3-6 years) was obtained by annual questionnaires. Spirometry measures and physician-diagnosed asthma were assessed at age 10 years. Upper respiratory tract infections were not associated with adverse respiratory outcomes. Compared with children without lower respiratory tract infections ≤3 years, children with lower respiratory tract infections ≤3 years had a lower FEV 1 , FVC, FEV 1 :FVC and forced expiratory flow at 75% of FVC (FEF 75 ) (Z-score (95% CI): ranging from -0.22 (-0.31 to -0.12) to -0.12 (-0.21 to -0.03)) and an increased risk of asthma (OR (95% CI): 1.79 (1.19 to 2.59)). Children with lower respiratory tract infections >3-6 years had an increased risk of asthma (3.53 (2.37 to 5.17)) only. Results were not mediated by antibiotic or paracetamol use and not modified by inhalant allergic sensitisation. Cross-lagged modelling showed that results were not bidirectional and independent of preschool wheezing patterns. Early-life lower respiratory tract infections ≤3 years are most consistently associated with lower lung function and increased risk of asthma in school-aged children. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

[Evaluation of upper urinary tract function in patients undergoing autoplastic surgery for hydronphrosis of the intrarenal pelvis].

PubMed

Kurbanaliev, R M; Usupbaev, A Ch; Kolesnichenko, I V; Sadyrbekov, N Zh; Sultanov, B M

2018-05-01

To investigate the functional state of the upper urinary tract in patients undergoing autoplastic surgery for a hydronophrosis of the intrarenal pelvis. The study comprised 78 patients with the intrarenal pelvis and impaired urinary outflow due to stricture of the ureteropelvic junction and vascular conflict (interatrial and arteriovenous narrowing), who underwent pyeloplasty using autologous tunica vaginalis. All patients underwent an incision of ureteropelvic stricture and resection of the parietal layer of the tunica vaginalis which was used to repair the obstruction site and internal stenting of the upper urinary tract. The patients were examined at baseline and during follow-up ranging from 3 months to 3 years. At three months after surgery, there was a decrease in the size of the renal pelvis and calyces with an improvement of all parameters of uro- and hemodynamics. At three years after surgery, the structural and functional parameters of the upper urinary tract were completely restored. Obstructive uropathy, resulting from the intrarenal pelvis, leads to persistently impaired urinary outflow from the upper urinary tract. Surgical intervention is the only curative treatment able to restore the urinary flow. In men with the intrarenal pelvis, the autoplastic surgery of the ureteropelvic junction obstruction using a parietal layer of the tunica vaginalis is an effective surgical modality improving renal pelvis capacity and contributing to the recovery of urinary outflow from the upper urinary tract.

FADTTS: functional analysis of diffusion tensor tract statistics.

PubMed

Zhu, Hongtu; Kong, Linglong; Li, Runze; Styner, Martin; Gerig, Guido; Lin, Weili; Gilmore, John H

2011-06-01

The aim of this paper is to present a functional analysis of a diffusion tensor tract statistics (FADTTS) pipeline for delineating the association between multiple diffusion properties along major white matter fiber bundles with a set of covariates of interest, such as age, diagnostic status and gender, and the structure of the variability of these white matter tract properties in various diffusion tensor imaging studies. The FADTTS integrates five statistical tools: (i) a multivariate varying coefficient model for allowing the varying coefficient functions in terms of arc length to characterize the varying associations between fiber bundle diffusion properties and a set of covariates, (ii) a weighted least squares estimation of the varying coefficient functions, (iii) a functional principal component analysis to delineate the structure of the variability in fiber bundle diffusion properties, (iv) a global test statistic to test hypotheses of interest, and (v) a simultaneous confidence band to quantify the uncertainty in the estimated coefficient functions. Simulated data are used to evaluate the finite sample performance of FADTTS. We apply FADTTS to investigate the development of white matter diffusivities along the splenium of the corpus callosum tract and the right internal capsule tract in a clinical study of neurodevelopment. FADTTS can be used to facilitate the understanding of normal brain development, the neural bases of neuropsychiatric disorders, and the joint effects of environmental and genetic factors on white matter fiber bundles. The advantages of FADTTS compared with the other existing approaches are that they are capable of modeling the structured inter-subject variability, testing the joint effects, and constructing their simultaneous confidence bands. However, FADTTS is not crucial for estimation and reduces to the functional analysis method for the single measure. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Zika Virus Trafficking and Interactions in the Human Male Reproductive Tract.

PubMed

da Silva, Lucia Regina Cangussu

2018-05-11

Sexual transmission of Zika virus (ZIKV) is a matter of great concern. Infectious viral particles can be shed in semen for as long as six months after infection and can be transferred to male and female sexual partners during unprotected sexual intercourse. The virus can be found inside spermatozoa and could be directly transferred to the oocyte during fertilization. Sexual transmission of ZIKV can contribute to the rise in number of infected individuals in endemic areas as well as in countries where the mosquito vector does not thrive. There is also the possibility, as has been demonstrated in mouse models, that the vaginal deposition of ZIKV particles present in semen could lead to congenital syndrome. In this paper, we review the current literature to understand ZIKV trafficking from the bloodstream to the human male reproductive tract and viral interactions with host cells in interstitial spaces, tubule walls, annexed glands and semen. We hope to highlight gaps to be filled by future research and potential routes for vaccine and antiviral development.

Inhibitory neurotransmission regulates vagal efferent activity and gastric motility

PubMed Central

McMenamin, Caitlin A; Travagli, R Alberto

2016-01-01

The gastrointestinal tract receives extrinsic innervation from both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, which regulate and modulate the function of the intrinsic (enteric) nervous system. The stomach and upper gastrointestinal tract in particular are heavily influenced by the parasympathetic nervous system, supplied by the vagus nerve, and disruption of vagal sensory or motor functions results in disorganized motility patterns, disrupted receptive relaxation and accommodation, and delayed gastric emptying, amongst others. Studies from several laboratories have shown that the activity of vagal efferent motoneurons innervating the upper GI tract is inhibited tonically by GABAergic synaptic inputs from the adjacent nucleus tractus solitarius. Disruption of this influential central GABA input impacts vagal efferent output, hence gastric functions, significantly. The purpose of this review is to describe the development, physiology, and pathophysiology of this functionally dominant inhibitory synapse and its role in regulating vagally determined gastric functions. PMID:27302177

Origin of the Cheney-Palouse Scabland tract

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patton, P. C.; Baker, V. R.

1978-01-01

The Cheney-Palouse tract of the channeled scabland is the largest continuous tract of scabland in eastern Washington. The tract is composed of a varied assortment of bedrock erosional forms, loess islands, and gravel bars. Prominent bedrock longitudinal grooves and inner channels formed by macroturbulent plucking erosion of the jointed rock. Loess island forms vary as a function of their position within the flow. The three major types (submerged, partially submerged, and subaerially exposed) created sedimentologic conditions and resulting bar forms distinct from one another. Other bar forms, notably expansion bars, account for most of the sedimentation in the tract.

Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine as applied to the gastrointestinal tract.

PubMed

Bitar, Khalil N; Zakhem, Elie

2013-10-01

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a complex system characterized by multiple cell types with a determined architectural arrangement. Tissue engineering of the GI tract aims to reinstate the architecture and function of all structural layers. The key point for successful tissue regeneration includes the use of cells/biomaterials that elucidate minimal immune response after implantation. Different biomaterial choices and cell sources have been proposed to engineer the GI tract. This review summarizes the recent advances in bioengineering the GI tract with emphasis on cell sources and scaffolding biomaterials. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in gastrointestinal tract function and structure in functional dyspepsia.

PubMed

Vanheel, Hanne; Farré, Ricard

2013-03-01

Functional dyspepsia is an extremely common disorder of gastrointestinal function. The disorder is thought to be heterogeneous, with different pathophysiological mechanisms underlying varied symptom patterns. A diversity of changes in gastrointestinal tract function and structure has been described in functional dyspepsia. These involve alterations in the stomach, such as impaired accommodation, delayed gastric emptying and hypersensitivity, and alterations in the duodenum, such as increased sensitivity to duodenal acid and/or lipids and low-grade inflammation. In this Review, we summarize all these abnormalities in an attempt to provide an integrated overview of the pathophysiological mechanisms in functional dyspepsia.

Tract-Specific Analyses of Diffusion Tensor Imaging Show Widespread White Matter Compromise in Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shukla, Dinesh K.; Keehn, Brandon; Muller, Ralph-Axel

2011-01-01

Background: Previous diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies have shown white matter compromise in children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which may relate to reduced connectivity and impaired function of distributed networks. However, tract-specific evidence remains limited in ASD. We applied tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS)…

EGFR ligands exert diverging effects on male reproductive organs.

PubMed

Schneider, Marlon R; Gratao, Ana A; Dahlhoff, Maik; Boersma, Auke; Hrabé de Angelis, Martin; Hoang-Vu, Cuong; Wolf, Eckhard; Klonisch, Thomas

2010-02-01

While the EGFR and most of its ligands are expressed in the male reproductive tract, their functions in male reproduction are poorly understood. Interestingly, male transgenic mice overexpressing EGF are sterile, and transgenic mice overexpressing TGFA, another EGFR ligand, show an enlarged coagulation gland (anterior prostate) due to severe hyperplasia with focal dysplasia. We studied the male reproductive tract of transgenic mice overexpressing betacellulin (BTC-tg) under the control of a promoter conferring widespread transgene expression. Despite strong overexpression of BTC in different parts of the male reproductive tract, the gross appearance and histology of the reproductive organs of BTC-tg males were normal and the same were true for sperm parameters and the in vitro fertilization rate. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that excess of BTC exerts no deleterious effects on the structure or function of the male reproductive tract in mice and indicates unique, non-overlapping functions of specific EGFR ligands in male reproduction. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Innate and adaptive immune responses in male and female reproductive tracts in homeostasis and following HIV infection

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Philip V; Kafka, Jessica K; Ferreira, Victor H; Roth, Kristy; Kaushic, Charu

2014-01-01

The male and female reproductive tracts are complex microenvironments that have diverse functional demands. The immune system in the reproductive tract has the demanding task of providing a protective environment for a fetal allograft while simultaneously conferring protection against potential pathogens. As such, it has evolved a unique set of adaptations, primarily under the influence of sex hormones, which make it distinct from other mucosal sites. Here, we discuss the various components of the immune system that are present in both the male and female reproductive tracts, including innate soluble factors and cells and humoral and cell-mediated adaptive immunity under homeostatic conditions. We review the evidence showing unique phenotypic and functional characteristics of immune cells and responses in the male and female reproductive tracts that exhibit compartmentalization from systemic immunity and discuss how these features are influenced by sex hormones. We also examine the interactions among the reproductive tract, sex hormones and immune responses following HIV-1 infection. An improved understanding of the unique characteristics of the male and female reproductive tracts will provide insights into improving clinical treatments of the immunological causes of infertility and the design of prophylactic interventions for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections. PMID:24976268

Neural Mechanisms Underlying Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction

PubMed Central

Ogawa, Teruyuki; Miyazato, Minoru; Kitta, Takeya; Furuta, Akira; Chancellor, Michael B.; Tyagi, Pradeep

2014-01-01

This article summarizes anatomical, neurophysiological, and pharmacological studies in humans and animals to provide insights into the neural circuitry and neurotransmitter mechanisms controlling the lower urinary tract and alterations in these mechanisms in lower urinary tract dysfunction. The functions of the lower urinary tract, to store and periodically release urine, are dependent on the activity of smooth and striated muscles in the bladder, urethra, and external urethral sphincter. During urine storage, the outlet is closed and the bladder smooth muscle is quiescent. When bladder volume reaches the micturition threshold, activation of a micturition center in the dorsolateral pons (the pontine micturition center) induces a bladder contraction and a reciprocal relaxation of the urethra, leading to bladder emptying. During voiding, sacral parasympathetic (pelvic) nerves provide an excitatory input (cholinergic and purinergic) to the bladder and inhibitory input (nitrergic) to the urethra. These peripheral systems are integrated by excitatory and inhibitory regulation at the levels of the spinal cord and the brain. Therefore, injury or diseases of the nervous system, as well as disorders of the peripheral organs, can produce lower urinary tract dysfunction, leading to lower urinary tract symptoms, including both storage and voiding symptoms, and pelvic pain. Neuroplasticity underlying pathological changes in lower urinary tract function is discussed. PMID:24578802

A video wireless capsule endoscopy system powered wirelessly: design, analysis and experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Guobing; Xin, Wenhui; Yan, Guozheng; Chen, Jiaoliao

2011-06-01

Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE), as a relatively new technology, has brought about a revolution in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal (GI) tract diseases. However, the existing WCE systems are not widely applied in clinic because of the low frame rate and low image resolution. A video WCE system based on a wireless power supply is developed in this paper. This WCE system consists of a video capsule endoscope (CE), a wireless power transmission device, a receiving box and an image processing station. Powered wirelessly, the video CE has the abilities of imaging the GI tract and transmitting the images wirelessly at a frame rate of 30 frames per second (f/s). A mathematical prototype was built to analyze the power transmission system, and some experiments were performed to test the capability of energy transferring. The results showed that the wireless electric power supply system had the ability to transfer more than 136 mW power, which was enough for the working of a video CE. In in vitro experiments, the video CE produced clear images of the small intestine of a pig with the resolution of 320 × 240, and transmitted NTSC format video outside the body. Because of the wireless power supply, the video WCE system with high frame rate and high resolution becomes feasible, and provides a novel solution for the diagnosis of the GI tract in clinic.

Evolution of Fe/S cluster biogenesis in the anaerobic parasite Blastocystis

PubMed Central

Tsaousis, Anastasios D.; Ollagnier de Choudens, Sandrine; Gentekaki, Eleni; Long, Shaojun; Gaston, Daniel; Stechmann, Alexandra; Vinella, Daniel; Py, Béatrice; Fontecave, Marc; Barras, Frédéric; Lukeš, Julius; Roger, Andrew J.

2012-01-01

Iron/sulfur cluster (ISC)-containing proteins are essential components of cells. In most eukaryotes, Fe/S clusters are synthesized by the mitochondrial ISC machinery, the cytosolic iron/sulfur assembly system, and, in photosynthetic species, a plastid sulfur-mobilization (SUF) system. Here we show that the anaerobic human protozoan parasite Blastocystis, in addition to possessing ISC and iron/sulfur assembly systems, expresses a fused version of the SufC and SufB proteins of prokaryotes that it has acquired by lateral transfer from an archaeon related to the Methanomicrobiales, an important lineage represented in the human gastrointestinal tract microbiome. Although components of the Blastocystis ISC system function within its anaerobic mitochondrion-related organelles and can functionally replace homologues in Trypanosoma brucei, its SufCB protein has similar biochemical properties to its prokaryotic homologues, functions within the parasite’s cytosol, and is up-regulated under oxygen stress. Blastocystis is unique among eukaryotic pathogens in having adapted to its parasitic lifestyle by acquiring a SUF system from nonpathogenic Archaea to synthesize Fe/S clusters under oxygen stress. PMID:22699510

Use of genetically modified bacteria for drug delivery in humans: Revisiting the safety aspect.

PubMed

Wegmann, Udo; Carvalho, Ana Lucia; Stocks, Martin; Carding, Simon R

2017-05-23

The use of live, genetically modified bacteria as delivery vehicles for biologics is of considerable interest scientifically and has attracted significant commercial investment. We have pioneered the use of the commensal gut bacterium Bacteroides ovatus for the oral delivery of therapeutics to the gastrointestinal tract. Here we report on our investigations of the biological safety of engineered B. ovatus bacteria that includes the use of thymineless death as a containment strategy and the potential for the spread of transgenes in vivo in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract. We demonstrate the ability of GM-strains of Bacteroides to survive thymine starvation and overcome it through the exchange of genetic material. We also provide evidence for horizontal gene transfer in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract resulting in transgene-carrying wild type bacteria. These findings sound a strong note of caution on the employment of live genetically modified bacteria for the delivery of biologics.

THE BEHAVIOR OF POX VIRUSES IN THE RESPIRATORY TRACT

PubMed Central

Nelson, John B.

1941-01-01

Fowl pox virus from active skin lesions was established in the upper respiratory tract of normal chickens by nasal instillation and maintained for 12 successive passages. The nasal infection was not communicable by direct contact but did afford protection, for at least 6 weeks, against subsequent development of the virus in the skin. Multiplication of the virus in the nasal passages was only irregularly attended by specific mucosal changes and was not accompanied by the vigorous counter-reaction engendered by the causal agents of roup. The same strain of virus on propagation in embryonated eggs also survived and multiplied in the nasal tract but with somewhat reduced activity, the 34th egg transfer failing to afford complete protection. Nasal instillation in mice was followed only by a reaction in the lung from which the virus was recoverable through the 7th day. PMID:19871128

Dose Assessment of Los Alamos National Laboratory-Derived Residual Radionuclides in Soils within Tract A-18-2 for Land Conveyance and Transfer Decisions

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

Ruedig, Elizabeth; Whicker, Jeffrey Jay

In 2017, soil sampling for radiological materials was conducted within Tract A-18-2 specifically for land conveyance decisions. Measurements of radionuclides in soil samples were evaluated against a recreational use scenario, and all measurements were below screening action levels for each radionuclide. The total estimated dose was less than 1 mrem/y (< 10 μSv/y) for a hypothetical recreational user (compared to a dose limit of 25 mrem/y (250 μSv/y)). Dose estimates were based on the 95% upper confidence limits for radionuclide concentrations within the Tract. Additionally, dose estimates less than 3 mrem/y are considered to be As Low As Reasonably Achievable,more » so no follow-up analysis was conducted. Release of this property is consistent with the requirements of DOE Order 458.1 and Policy 412.« less

Industrial ammonia gassing

PubMed Central

Walton, M.

1973-01-01

Walton, M. (1972).British Journal of Industrial Medicine,30, 78-86. Industrial ammonia gassing. Seven cases of ammonia gassing are described with follow-up for five years of the six survivors and the post-mortem findings of the fatal case. All the survivors attributed continuing symptoms to the gassing. The study failed to demonstrate permanent ill effects in the one case of mild exposure. Of the more serious cases one has stopped smoking and taken up physical training teaching. He now has above average lung function. Two serious cases who continued to smoke have the lung function abnormalities expected from their smoking. In the other two seriously exposed cases, who also continued to smoke, there is a persistent reduction in ventilation and gas transfer which seems to be due to the ammonia gassing. The post-mortem findings in the fatal case showed acute congestion and oedema of the mucosa of the respiratory tract, the bronchial walls being stripped of their lining epithelium and the alveoli stuffed with red blood cells and oedema fluid. Images PMID:4685304

Chlamydia muridarum with Mutations in Chromosomal Genes tc0237 and/or tc0668 Is Deficient in Colonizing the Mouse Gastrointestinal Tract

PubMed Central

Shao, Lili; Zhang, Tianyuan; Liu, Quanzhong; Wang, Jie

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Chlamydiae colonize the gastrointestinal tracts of both animals and humans. However, their medical significance remains unknown. We have previously shown that wild-type Chlamydia muridarum spreads to and establishes stable colonization of the gastrointestinal tract following intravaginal inoculation. In the present study, we found that C. muridarum with mutations in chromosomal genes tc0237 and/or tc0668 was defective in spreading to the mouse gastrointestinal tract, which correlated with its attenuated pathogenicity in the upper genital tract. This correlation was more consistent than that of chlamydial pathogenicity with ascending infection in the genital tract, since attenuated C. muridarum spread significantly less to the gastrointestinal tract but maintained robust ascending infection of the upper genital tract. Transcervical inoculation further confirmed the correlation between C. muridarum spreading to the gastrointestinal tract and its pathogenicity in the upper genital tract. Finally, defective spreading of C. muridarum mutants was due to their inability to colonize the gastrointestinal tract since intragastric inoculation did not rescue the mutants' colonization. Thus, promoting C. muridarum colonization of the gastrointestinal tract may represent a primary function of the TC0237 and TC0668 proteins. Correlation of chlamydial colonization of the gastrointestinal tract with chlamydial pathogenicity in the upper genital tract suggests a potential role for gastrointestinal chlamydiae in genital tract pathogenicity. PMID:28584162

Phylogenetic Evidence for Lateral Gene Transfer in the Intestine of Marine Iguanas

PubMed Central

Nelson, David M.; Cann, Isaac K. O.; Altermann, Eric; Mackie, Roderick I.

2010-01-01

Background Lateral gene transfer (LGT) appears to promote genotypic and phenotypic variation in microbial communities in a range of environments, including the mammalian intestine. However, the extent and mechanisms of LGT in intestinal microbial communities of non-mammalian hosts remains poorly understood. Methodology/Principal Findings We sequenced two fosmid inserts obtained from a genomic DNA library derived from an agar-degrading enrichment culture of marine iguana fecal material. The inserts harbored 16S rRNA genes that place the organism from which they originated within Clostridium cluster IV, a well documented group that habitats the mammalian intestinal tract. However, sequence analysis indicates that 52% of the protein-coding genes on the fosmids have top BLASTX hits to bacterial species that are not members of Clostridium cluster IV, and phylogenetic analysis suggests that at least 10 of 44 coding genes on the fosmids may have been transferred from Clostridium cluster XIVa to cluster IV. The fosmids encoded four transposase-encoding genes and an integrase-encoding gene, suggesting their involvement in LGT. In addition, several coding genes likely involved in sugar transport were probably acquired through LGT. Conclusion Our phylogenetic evidence suggests that LGT may be common among phylogenetically distinct members of the phylum Firmicutes inhabiting the intestinal tract of marine iguanas. PMID:20520734

Estimates of internal-dose equivalent from inhalation and ingestion of selected radionuclides

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

Dunning, D.E.

1982-01-01

This report presents internal radiation dose conversion factors for radionuclides of interest in environmental assessments of nuclear fuel cycles. This volume provides an updated summary of estimates of committed dose equivalent for radionuclides considered in three previous Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) reports. Intakes by inhalation and ingestion are considered. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Task Group Lung Model has been used to simulate the deposition and retention of particulate matter in the respiratory tract. Results corresponding to activity median aerodynamic diameters (AMAD) of 0.3, 1.0, and 5.0 ..mu..m are given. The gastorintestinal (GI) tract has been representedmore » by a four-segment catenary model with exponential transfer of radioactivity from one segment to the next. Retention of radionuclides in systemic organs is characterized by linear combinations of decaying exponential functions, recommended in ICRP Publication 30. The first-year annual dose rate, maximum annual dose rate, and fifty-year dose commitment per microcurie intake of each radionuclide is given for selected target organs and the effective dose equivalent. These estimates include contributions from specified source organs plus the systemic activity residing in the rest of the body; cross irradiation due to penetrating radiations has been incorporated into these estimates. 15 references.« less

Lactobacillus casei Low-Temperature, Dairy-Associated Proteome Promotes Persistence in the Mammalian Digestive Tract.

PubMed

Lee, Bokyung; Tachon, Sybille; Eigenheer, Richard A; Phinney, Brett S; Marco, Maria L

2015-08-07

We found that incubation of probiotic Lactobacillus casei BL23 in milk at 4 °C prior to ingestion increased its survival in the mammalian digestive tract. To investigate the specific molecular adaptations of L. casei to milk, we used tandem mass spectrometry to compare proteins produced by L. casei BL23 at 4 °C in milk to those in exponential and stationary phase cells in laboratory culture medium at either 37 or 4 °C. These comparisons revealed a core of expressed L. casei proteins as well as proteins produced in either a growth-phase or temperature-specific manner. In total, 205 L. casei proteins were uniquely expressed or detected in higher abundance specifically as a result of incubation in milk and included an over-representation of proteins for cell surface modification, fatty acid metabolism, amino acid transport and metabolism, and inorganic ion transport. Genes for DltD (d-alanine transfer protein), FabH (3-oxoacyl-ACP synthase), RecA (recombinase A), and Sod (superoxide dismutase) were targeted for inactivation. The competitive fitness of the mutants was altered in the mouse intestine compared with wild-type cells. These results show that the food matrix can have a profound influence on dietary (probiotic) bacteria and their functional significance in the mammalian gut.

Neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and dysfunction of the female lower urinary tract: a review.

PubMed

Unger, Cécile A; Tunitsky-Bitton, Elena; Muffly, Tyler; Barber, Matthew D

2014-01-01

The 2 major functions of the lower urinary tract are the storage and emptying of urine. These processes are controlled by complex neurophysiologic mechanisms and are subject to injury and disease. When there is disruption of the neurologic control centers, dysfunction of the lower urinary tract may occur. This is sometimes referred to as the "neurogenic bladder." The manifestation of dysfunction depends on the level of injury and severity of disruption. Patients with lesions above the spinal cord often have detrusor overactivity with no disruption in detrusor-sphincter coordination. Patients with well-defined suprasacral spinal cord injuries usually present with intact reflex detrusor activity but have detrusor sphincter dyssynergia, whereas injuries to or below the sacral spinal cord usually lead to persistent detrusor areflexia. A complete gynecologic, urologic, and neurologic examination should be performed when evaluating patients with neurologic lower urinary tract dysfunction. In addition, urodynamic studies and neurophysiologic testing can be used in certain circumstances to help establish diagnosis or to achieve better understanding of a patient's vesicourethral functioning. In the management of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction, the primary goal is improvement of a patient's quality of life. Second to this is the prevention of chronic damage to the bladder and kidneys, which can lead to worsening impairment and symptoms. Treatment is often multifactorial, including behavioral modifications, bladder training programs, and pharmacotherapy. Surgical procedures are often a last resort option for management. An understanding of the basic neurophysiologic mechanisms of the lower urinary tract can guide providers in their evaluation and treatment of patients who present with lower urinary tract disorders. As neurologic diseases progress, voiding function often changes or worsens, necessitating a good understanding of the underlying physiology in question.

Vaccine for BK Polyomavirus-associated Infections in Transplant Recipients | NCI Technology Transfer Center | TTC

Cancer.gov

NCI researches identified a BK polyomavirus (BKV) virulent strain that causes chronic urinary tract infections, and the development of vaccine and therapeutic methods that would block BKV pathogenesis. The NCI Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, seek parties to license or co-develop this technology.

Intraspinal Rewiring of the Corticospinal Tract Requires Target-Derived Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Compensates Lost Function after Brain Injury

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ueno, Masaki; Hayano, Yasufumi; Nakagawa, Hiroshi; Yamashita, Toshihide

2012-01-01

Brain injury that results in an initial behavioural deficit is frequently followed by spontaneous recovery. The intrinsic mechanism of this functional recovery has never been fully understood. Here, we show that reorganization of the corticospinal tract induced by target-derived brain-derived neurotrophic factor is crucial for spontaneous recovery…

Benefits and limitations of animal models in partial bladder outlet obstruction for translational research.

PubMed

Kitta, Takeya; Kanno, Yukiko; Chiba, Hiroki; Higuchi, Madoka; Ouchi, Mifuka; Togo, Mio; Moriya, Kimihiko; Shinohara, Nobuo

2018-01-01

The functions of the lower urinary tract have been investigated for more than a century. Lower urinary tract symptoms, such as incomplete bladder emptying, weak urine stream, daytime urinary frequency, urgency, urge incontinence and nocturia after partial bladder outlet obstruction, is a frequent cause of benign prostatic hyperplasia in aging men. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. The use of animal models is absolutely imperative for understanding the pathophysiological processes involved in bladder dysfunction. Surgical induction has been used to study lower urinary tract functions of numerous animal species, such as pig, dog, rabbit, guinea pig, rat and mouse, of both sexes. Several morphological and functional modifications under partial bladder outlet obstruction have not only been observed in the bladder, but also in the central nervous system. Understanding the changes of the lower urinary tract functions induced by partial bladder outlet obstruction would also contribute to appropriate drug development for treating these pathophysiological conditions. In the present review, we discuss techniques for creating partial bladder outlet obstruction, the characteristics of several species, as well as issues of each model, and their translational value. © 2017 The Japanese Urological Association.

Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein engages human Siglec-9 to modulate neutrophil activation in the urinary tract

PubMed Central

Patras, Kathryn A.; Coady, Alison; Olson, Joshua; Ali, Syed Raza; RamachandraRao, Satish P.; Kumar, Satish; Varki, Ajit; Nizet, Victor

2017-01-01

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are a major problem in human medicine for which better understanding of native immune defenses may reveal new pathways for therapeutic intervention. Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein (THP), the most abundant urinary protein, interacts with bacteria including uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) as well host immune cells. In addition to its well-studied functions to antagonize bacterial colonization, we hypothesize that THP serves a critical host defense function through innate immune modulation. Using isolated human neutrophils, we found that THP binds neutrophils and that this interaction reduces reactive oxygen species generation, chemotaxis, and killing of UPEC. We discovered that THP engages the inhibitory neutrophil receptor sialic acid-binding Ig-like lectin-9 (Siglec-9), and mouse functional ortholog Siglec-E, in a manner dependent on sialic acid on its N-glycan moieties. THP-null mice have significantly more neutrophils present in the urine compared to WT mice, both with and without the presence of inflammatory stimuli. These data support THP as an important negative regulator of neutrophil activation in the urinary tract, with dual functions to counteract bacterial colonization and suppress excessive inflammation within the urinary tract. PMID:28829050

[Develooment of the lower urinary tract and its functional disorders].

PubMed

Peco-Antić, Amira; Miloševski-Lomić, Gordana

2015-01-01

A normal development of lower urinary tract function control evolves from involuntary bladder empting (incontinence) during infancy to daytime urinary continence, and finally a successful day and night continence that is generally achieved by the 5th to 7th year of age.This gradual process primarily depends on the progressive maturation of the neural control of the lower urinary tract, but it is also influenced by behavioral training that evolves through social support. Functional voiding disorders (bladder dysfunction) are common problems during childhood. They are present in 5-15 % of general pediatric population, and in one-fifth of school-age children or in over one-third of patients of the pediatric urologist or nephrologist. More than half of children with bladder dysfunction have vesicoureteral reflux, and more than two-thirds have recurrent urinary tract infections. There is also a frequent association of bladder dysfunction with constipation and encopresis (dysfunctional elimination syndrome). Bladder dysfunction may cause a permanent damage to the upper urinary tract and kidneys. In addition, urinary incontinence, as the most common manifestation of bladder dysfunction can be the cause of major stress in school- age children and have a negative effect on the child's feeling of self-esteem. Thus, a timely detection and treatment of this group of disorders in children is highly significant.

It takes two-coincidence coding within the dual olfactory pathway of the honeybee.

PubMed

Brill, Martin F; Meyer, Anneke; Rössler, Wolfgang

2015-01-01

To rapidly process biologically relevant stimuli, sensory systems have developed a broad variety of coding mechanisms like parallel processing and coincidence detection. Parallel processing (e.g., in the visual system), increases both computational capacity and processing speed by simultaneously coding different aspects of the same stimulus. Coincidence detection is an efficient way to integrate information from different sources. Coincidence has been shown to promote associative learning and memory or stimulus feature detection (e.g., in auditory delay lines). Within the dual olfactory pathway of the honeybee both of these mechanisms might be implemented by uniglomerular projection neurons (PNs) that transfer information from the primary olfactory centers, the antennal lobe (AL), to a multimodal integration center, the mushroom body (MB). PNs from anatomically distinct tracts respond to the same stimulus space, but have different physiological properties, characteristics that are prerequisites for parallel processing of different stimulus aspects. However, the PN pathways also display mirror-imaged like anatomical trajectories that resemble neuronal coincidence detectors as known from auditory delay lines. To investigate temporal processing of olfactory information, we recorded PN odor responses simultaneously from both tracts and measured coincident activity of PNs within and between tracts. Our results show that coincidence levels are different within each of the two tracts. Coincidence also occurs between tracts, but to a minor extent compared to coincidence within tracts. Taken together our findings support the relevance of spike timing in coding of olfactory information (temporal code).

Novel everting urologic access sheath: potential advantages of decreased cellular advancement.

PubMed

Camargo, Affonso H L A; Rubenstein, Jonathan N; Sozen, Sinan; Ershoff, Brent D; Stoller, Marshall L

2006-02-01

Axial forces are imposed on the urothelium during advancement of instruments across the urinary tract, potentially transferring cellular debris, bacteria, or urothelial carcinoma from one anatomic location to another. A prototype access sheath (Cystoglide; Percutaneous Systems, Mountain View, CA) was created that everts and radially dilates but does not provide axial forces during deployment that can be used in a variety of anatomic systems. We created a urinary-tract model to evaluate the in-vitro advancement of cells to compare this technology with using instruments alone. Blocks of sterile agar were created with 17F tracts of three lengths (2.7, 5.5, and 11 cm) with 5 mL of Luria-Bertani broth/ampicillin solution in a well at the end. The tips of a Cystoglide sheath and a traditional urologic instrument of the same diameter were dipped into a suspension of ampicillin-resistant Escherichia coli and advanced through the tracts. After a 10-second exposure, 4 mL of broth was collected and cultured. Bacterial growth was compared by measuring the optical density (OD) of the broth at multiple time points. The mean overall OD of the broth was significantly lower (P < 0.001) in the novel-sheath cultures than with a traditional instrument for all advancements at all tract lengths. The Cystoglide sheath significantly reduces the advancement of cells within an artificial urinary tract compared with a non-everting instrument. Clinical studies are needed to assess the utility of this technology in vivo.

[The reasonable use of right ventricular protection strategy in right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction].

PubMed

Zhang, Y; Yuan, H Y; Liu, X B; Wen, S S; Xu, G; Cui, H J; Zhuang, J; Chen, J M

2018-06-01

As a result of right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction, which is the important and basic step of complex cardiac surgery, the blood flow of right ventricular outflow tract is unobstructed, while pulmonary valve regurgitation and right heart dysfunction could be happened. These problems are often ignored in early days, more and more cases of right heart dysfunction need clinical intervention, which is quite difficult and less effective. How to protect effectively the right ventricular function is the focus. At present main methods to protect the right ventricular function include trying to avoid or reduce length of right ventricular incision, reserving or rebuilding the function of the pulmonary valve, using growth potential material for surgery. The protection of the right ventricular function is a systemic project, it involves many aspects, single measures is difficult to provide complete protection, only the comprehensive use of various protection strategy, can help to improve the long-term prognosis.

Classification and functions of enteroendocrine cells of the lower gastrointestinal tract

PubMed Central

Gunawardene, Ashok R; Corfe, Bernard M; Staton, Carolyn A

2011-01-01

With over thirty different hormones identified as being produced in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the gut has been described as ‘the largest endocrine organ in the body’ (Ann. Oncol., 12, 2003, S63). The classification of these hormones and the cells that produce them, the enteroendocrine cells (EECs), has provided the foundation for digestive physiology. Furthermore, alterations in the composition and function of EEC may influence digestive physiology and thereby associate with GI pathologies. Whilst there is a rapidly increasing body of data on the role and function of EEC in the upper GI tract, there is a less clear-cut understanding of the function of EEC in the lower GI. Nonetheless, their presence and diversity are indicative of a role. This review focuses on the EECs of the lower GI where new evidence also suggests a possible relationship with the development and progression of primary adenocarcinoma. PMID:21518048

Use of daptomycin in the treatment of vancomycin-resistant enterococcal urinary tract infections: a short case series.

PubMed

Ramaswamy, Divya Pradeep; Amodio-Groton, Maria; Scholand, Stephen J

2013-07-16

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci are a leading cause of hospital-acquired urinary tract infection and a growing concern for the clinician. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of daptomycin in the treatment of patients with vancomycin-resistant enterococcal urinary tract infection treated in our 200-bed community-based institution. Patients with confirmed symptomatic vancomycin-resistant enterococcal urinary tract infection identified by infectious disease consultation between January 1, 2007, and December 8, 2009, vancomycin-resistant enterococci-positive urine culture, and urinary symptoms and/or pyuria on urinalysis, and treated with daptomycin, were included in this case series. Daptomycin was generally administered at a planned dosage regimen of ≥ 5 mg/kg every 24 hours in patients with normal to moderately impaired kidney function or every 48 hours in patients with severe kidney disease. Microbiologic cure was defined as eradication of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in urine cultures taken after the completion of daptomycin treatment. Clinical cure was defined by symptom resolution, as assessed by the infectious disease clinician caring for the patient. Included in this case series are 10 patients who received daptomycin for confirmed vancomycin-resistant enterococcal urinary tract infection. Patients had a history of extensive hospital stays. Chart review revealed that all levels of kidney function (3, 2, 3, and 2 patients with kidney disease classified as normal, mild, moderate, and severe/kidney failure, respectively) were represented in the sample and that patients with (n = 5) or without (n = 5) previous urinary tract infection and with (n = 3) or without (n = 7) Foley catheters were included. Treatment with daptomycin achieved clinical cure and vancomycin-resistant enterococcal eradication in all cases in this series. Treatment with daptomycin was well tolerated and effective in all patients in this series, regardless of renal function, history of urinary tract infection, or Foley catheter use. This study adds to emerging clinical evidence that daptomycin is a valuable treatment for vancomycin-resistant enterococcal urinary tract infection.

Functional characterization of rare FOXP2 variants in neurodevelopmental disorder.

PubMed

Estruch, Sara B; Graham, Sarah A; Chinnappa, Swathi M; Deriziotis, Pelagia; Fisher, Simon E

2016-01-01

Heterozygous disruption of FOXP2 causes a rare form of speech and language impairment. Screens of the FOXP2 sequence in individuals with speech/language-related disorders have identified several rare protein-altering variants, but their phenotypic relevance is often unclear. FOXP2 encodes a transcription factor with a forkhead box DNA-binding domain, but little is known about the functions of protein regions outside this domain. We performed detailed functional analyses of seven rare FOXP2 variants found in affected cases, including three which have not been previously characterized, testing intracellular localization, transcriptional regulation, dimerization, and interaction with other proteins. To shed further light on molecular functions of FOXP2, we characterized the interaction between this transcription factor and co-repressor proteins of the C-terminal binding protein (CTBP) family. Finally, we analysed the functional significance of the polyglutamine tracts in FOXP2, since tract length variations have been reported in cases of neurodevelopmental disorder. We confirmed etiological roles of multiple FOXP2 variants. Of three variants that have been suggested to cause speech/language disorder, but never before been characterized, only one showed functional effects. For the other two, we found no effects on protein function in any assays, suggesting that they are incidental to the phenotype. We identified a CTBP-binding region within the N-terminal portion of FOXP2. This region includes two amino acid substitutions that occurred on the human lineage following the split from chimpanzees. However, we did not observe any effects of these amino acid changes on CTBP binding or other core aspects of FOXP2 function. Finally, we found that FOXP2 variants with reduced polyglutamine tracts did not exhibit altered behaviour in cellular assays, indicating that such tracts are non-essential for core aspects of FOXP2 function, and that tract variation is unlikely to be a highly penetrant cause of speech/language disorder. Our findings highlight the importance of functional characterization of novel rare variants in FOXP2 in assessing the contribution of such variants to speech/language disorder and provide further insights into the molecular function of the FOXP2 protein.

Gastrointestinal Physiology and Function.

PubMed

Greenwood-Van Meerveld, Beverley; Johnson, Anthony C; Grundy, David

2017-01-01

The gastrointestinal (GI) system is responsible for the digestion and absorption of ingested food and liquids. Due to the complexity of the GI tract and the substantial volume of material that could be covered under the scope of GI physiology, this chapter briefly reviews the overall function of the GI tract, and discusses the major factors affecting GI physiology and function, including the intestinal microbiota, chronic stress, inflammation, and aging with a focus on the neural regulation of the GI tract and an emphasis on basic brain-gut interactions that serve to modulate the GI tract. GI diseases refer to diseases of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, and rectum. The major symptoms of common GI disorders include recurrent abdominal pain and bloating, heartburn, indigestion/dyspepsia, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. GI disorders rank among the most prevalent disorders, with the most common including esophageal and swallowing disorders, gastric and peptic ulcer disease, gastroparesis or delayed gastric emptying, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Many GI disorders are difficult to diagnose and their symptoms are not effectively managed. Thus, basic research is required to drive the development of novel therapeutics which are urgently needed. One approach is to enhance our understanding of gut physiology and pathophysiology especially as it relates to gut-brain communications since they have clinical relevance to a number of GI complaints and represent a therapeutic target for the treatment of conditions including inflammatory diseases of the GI tract such as IBD and functional gut disorders such as IBS.

Preoperative urinary tract obstruction in scoliosis patients.

PubMed

Suzuki, Shigeru; Kotani, Toshiaki; Mori, Kazuetsu; Kawamura, Ken; Ohtake, Akira

2017-01-01

While the association between scoliosis and cardiac and respiratory function impairments has been well characterized in clinical practice and research, the potential effect of scoliosis on urinary tract structure and renal function has received little attention. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the preoperative clinical characteristics of urinary tract structure and renal function in pediatric patients with idiopathic scoliosis, using a combination of blood tests, urinalysis, and imaging. Preoperative measures of urinary tract structure and renal function were obtained for 16 patients, 13-17 years old, scheduled for corrective surgery for idiopathic scoliosis. Preoperative assessment included blood test and urinalysis, combined with structural imaging on ultrasound (US), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic resonance urography (MRU), and radioisotope tracing (RI), using technetium-99 m mercaptoacetyltriglycine ( 99m Tc-MAG3). Differences in blood and urine tests between patients with and without urinary tract obstruction (UTO) were evaluated for significance using Mann-Whitney U test. For all 16 patients, blood tests and MRU were within normal limits. Dilatation of the renal pelvis was identified on US in eight patients (50.0%). UTO was identified on RI in six patients (37.5%). UTO was associated with elevated β2-microglobulin concentration. Urinary β2-microglobulin concentration >0.7 μg/mg Cr differentiated patients with UTO from those without UTO, with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 70%. β2-Microglobulin concentration may be a useful marker to screen for asymptomatic UTO in patients with idiopathic scoliosis. © 2016 Japan Pediatric Society.

Diffusion imaging and transcranial magnetic stimulation assessment of transcallosal pathways in chronic stroke.

PubMed

Mang, Cameron S; Borich, Michael R; Brodie, Sonia M; Brown, Katlyn E; Snow, Nicholas J; Wadden, Katie P; Boyd, Lara A

2015-10-01

To examine the relationship of transcallosal pathway microstructure and transcallosal inhibition (TCI) with motor function and impairment in chronic stroke. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) data were collected from 24 participants with chronic stroke and 11 healthy older individuals. Post-stroke motor function (Wolf Motor Function Test) and level of motor impairment (Fugl-Meyer score) were evaluated. Fractional anisotropy (FA) of transcallosal tracts between prefrontal cortices and the mean amplitude decrease in muscle activity during the ipsilateral silent period evoked by TMS over the non-lesioned hemisphere (termed NL-iSPmean) were significantly associated with level of motor impairment and motor function after stroke (p<0.05). A regression model including age, post-stroke duration, lesion volume, lesioned corticospinal tract FA, transcallosal prefrontal tract FA and NL-iSPmean accounted for 84% of variance in motor impairment (p<0.01). Both transcallosal prefrontal tract FA (ΔR(2)=0.12, p=0.04) and NL-iSPmean (ΔR(2)=0.09, p=0.04) accounted for unique variance in motor impairment level. Prefrontal transcallosal tract microstructure and TCI are each uniquely associated with motor impairment in chronic stroke. Utilizing a multi-modal approach to assess transcallosal pathways may improve our capacity to identify important neural substrates of motor impairment in the chronic phase of stroke. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[The features in preventing recurrent lower urinary tract infection].

PubMed

Gadzhieva, Z K; Kazilov, Yu B

2016-08-01

This review outlines characteristics of medications most commonly used for preventing recurrent lower urinary tract infection (UTI). It shows that the treatment and prophylaxis of UTI should be comprehensive and include the restoration of the normal urogenital tract anatomy and use in addition to antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs, agents, normalizing the function of the lower urinary tract, as well as drugs for local and systemic immunoprophylaxis, protection of the urothelium from recurrent infection, local hormone replacement therapy in menopause, and dietary supplements to acidify the urine.

Absorption and distribution of estradiol from male seminal emissions during mating

PubMed Central

Pollock, Tyler

2016-01-01

Estradiol-17β (E2) plays critical roles in female maturation, sexual receptivity, ovulation and fertility. In many mammals, contact with males can similarly affect these female parameters, whereas male excretions contain significant quantities of E2. We administered radiolabeled estradiol ([3H]E2) to male mice in doses representing a small fraction of their endogenous E2. These males were paired with sexually receptive females, and radioactivity was traced into the females’ systems. In Experiment 1, males were given [3H]E2 at 24 and 1 h before mating. Male-to-female [3H]E2 transfer intensified with increasing numbers of intromissions and spiked in the uterus after insemination. In Experiment 2, sexually experienced young males received [3H]E2 at 72 and 24 h before mating, and all mated to ejaculation. The copulatory plug deposited in the female reproductive tract contained substantial levels of radioactivity. The uteri, other tissues and blood serum of females displayed radioactivity indicative of E2 transfer. In Experiment 3, radioactivity was observed 3 and 18 h after insemination in the females’ uteri and other tissues, including parts of the brain. In Experiment 4, we observed substantial levels of radioactivity in semen as well as the copulatory plugs retrieved from the females after mating. Transferred E2 could directly affect abundant estrogen receptors in the female reproductive tract without potential metabolism by the liver. Sexually transferred E2 may facilitate uterine preparation for blastocyst implantation. These data converge with several lines of evidence indicating that male-sourced E2 can transfer to proximate females in bioactive form, contributing to various mammalian pheromonal effects. PMID:27758953

TRP channel functions in the gastrointestinal tract.

PubMed

Yu, Xiaoyun; Yu, Mingran; Liu, Yingzhe; Yu, Shaoyong

2016-05-01

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are predominantly distributed in both somatic and visceral sensory nervous systems and play a crucial role in sensory transduction. As the largest visceral organ system, the gastrointestinal (GI) tract frequently accommodates external inputs, which stimulate sensory nerves to initiate and coordinate sensory and motor functions in order to digest and absorb nutrients. Meanwhile, the sensory nerves in the GI tract are also able to detect potential tissue damage by responding to noxious irritants. This nocifensive function is mediated through specific ion channels and receptors expressed in a subpopulation of spinal and vagal afferent nerve called nociceptor. In the last 18 years, our understanding of TRP channel expression and function in GI sensory nervous system has been continuously improved. In this review, we focus on the expressions and functions of TRPV1, TRPA1, and TRPM8 in primary extrinsic afferent nerves innervated in the esophagus, stomach, intestine, and colon and briefly discuss their potential roles in relevant GI disorders.

Alterations in the microstructure of white matter in children and adolescents with Tourette syndrome measured using tract-based spatial statistics and probabilistic tractography.

PubMed

Sigurdsson, Hilmar P; Pépés, Sophia E; Jackson, Georgina M; Draper, Amelia; Morgan, Paul S; Jackson, Stephen R

2018-04-12

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by repetitive and intermittent motor and vocal tics. TS is thought to reflect fronto-striatal dysfunction and the aetiology of the disorder has been linked to widespread alterations in the functional and structural integrity of the brain. The aim of this study was to assess white matter (WM) abnormalities in a large sample of young patients with TS in comparison to a sample of matched typically developing control individuals (CS) using diffusion MRI. The study included 35 patients with TS (3 females; mean age: 14.0 ± 3.3) and 35 CS (3 females; mean age: 13.9 ± 3.3). Diffusion MRI data was analysed using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) and probabilistic tractography. Patients with TS demonstrated both marked and widespread decreases in axial diffusivity (AD) together with altered WM connectivity. Moreover, we showed that tic severity and the frequency of premonitory urges (PU) were associated with increased connectivity between primary motor cortex (M1) and the caudate nuclei, and increased information transfer between M1 and the insula, respectively. This is to our knowledge the first study to employ both TBSS and probabilistic tractography in a sample of young patients with TS. Our results contribute to the limited existing literature demonstrating altered connectivity in TS and confirm previous results suggesting in particular, that altered insular function contributes to increased frequency of PU. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Modular "plug-and-play" capsules for multi-capsule environment in the gastrointestinal tract.

PubMed

Phee, S J; Ting, E K; Lin, L; Huynh, V A; Kencana, A P; Wong, K J; Tan, S L

2009-01-01

The invention of wireless capsule endoscopy has opened new ways of diagnosing and treating diseases in the gastrointestinal tract. Current wireless capsules can perform simple operations such as imaging and data collection (like temperature, pressure, and pH) in the gastrointestinal tract. Researchers are now focusing on adding more sophisticated functions such as drug delivery, surgical clips/tags deployment, and tissue samples collection. The finite on-board power on these capsules is one of the factors that limits the functionalities of these wireless capsules. Thus multiple application-specific capsules would be needed to complete an endoscopic operation. This would give rise to a multi-capsule environment. Having a modular "plug-and-play" capsule design would facilitate doctors in configuring multiple application-specific capsules, e.g. tagging capsule, for use in the gastrointestinal tract. This multi-capsule environment also has the advantage of reducing power consumption through asymmetric multi-hop communication.

Male reprotoxicity and endocrine disruption

PubMed Central

Campion, Sarah; Catlin, Natasha; Heger, Nicholas; McDonnell, Elizabeth V.; Pacheco, Sara E.; Saffarini, Camelia; Sandrof, Moses A.; Boekelheide, Kim

2013-01-01

Mammalian reproductive tract development is a tightly regulated process that can be disrupted following exposure to drugs, toxicants, endocrine disrupting chemicals or other compounds via alterations to gene and protein expression or epigenetic regulation. Indeed, the impacts of developmental exposure to certain toxicants may not be fully realized until puberty or adulthood when the reproductive tract becomes sexually mature and altered functionality is manifested. Exposures that occur later in life, once development is complete, can also disrupt the intricate hormonal and paracrine interactions responsible for adult functions, such as spermatogenesis. In this chapter, the biology and toxicology of the male reproductive tract is explored, proceeding through the various life stages including in utero development, puberty, adulthood and senescence. Special attention is given to the discussion of endocrine disrupting chemicals, chemical mixtures, low dose effects, transgenerational effects, and potential exposure-related causes of male reproductive tract cancers. PMID:22945574

Transcranial magnetic stimulation--may be useful as a preoperative screen of motor tract function.

PubMed

Galloway, Gloria M; Dias, Brennan R; Brown, Judy L; Henry, Christina M; Brooks, David A; Buggie, Ed W

2013-08-01

Transcranial motor stimulation with noninvasive cortical surface stimulation, using a high-intensity magnetic field referred to as transcranial magnetic stimulation generally, is considered a nonpainful technique. In contrast, transcranial electric stimulation of the motor tracts typically cannot be done in unanesthesized patients. Intraoperative monitoring of motor tract function with transcranial electric stimulation is considered a standard practice in many institutions for patients during surgical procedures in which there is potential risk of motor tract impairment so that the risk of paraplegia or paraparesis can be reduced. Because transcranial electric stimulation cannot be typically done in the outpatient setting, transcranial magnetic stimulation may be able to provide a well-tolerated method for evaluation of the corticospinal motor tracts before surgery. One hundred fifty-five patients aged 5 to 20 years were evaluated preoperatively with single-stimulation nonrepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for preoperative assessment. The presence of responses to transcranial magnetic stimulation reliably predicted the presence of responses to transcranial electric stimulation intraoperatively. No complications occurred during the testing, and findings were correlated to the clinical history and used in the setup of the surgical monitoring.

Long-term outcomes of urinary tract reconstruction in patients with neurogenic urinary tract dysfunction

PubMed Central

Johnson, E. U.; Singh, Gurpreet

2013-01-01

The advent of specialized spinal units and better understanding of the pathophysiology of neurogenic urinary tract dysfunction has made long-term survival of these patients a reality. This has, in turn, led to an increase in quality and choice of management modalities offered to these patients including complex anatomic urinary tract reconstructive procedures tailored to the unique needs of each individual with variable outcomes. We performed a literature review evaluating the long-term outcomes of these reconstructive procedures. To achieve this, we conducted a world-wide electronic literature search of long-term outcomes published in English. As the premise of this review is long-term outcomes, we have focused on pathologies where evidence of long-term outcome is available such as patients with spinal injuries and spina bifida. Therapeutic success following urinary tract reconstruction is usually measured by preservation of renal function, improvement in quality-of-life, the satisfactory achievement of agreed outcomes and the prevention of serious complications. Prognostic factors include neuropathic detrusor overactivity; sphincter dyssynergia; bladder over distension; high pressure storage and high leak point pressures; vesicoureteric reflex, stone formation and urinary tract infections. Although, the past decade has witnessed a reduction in the total number of bladder reconstructive surgeries in the UK, these procedures are essentially safe and effective; but require long-term clinical and functional follow-up/monitoring. Until tissue engineering and gene therapy becomes more mainstream, we feel there is still a place for urinary tract reconstruction in patients with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction. PMID:24235796

Assessment of lower urinary tract function in children with Down syndrome.

PubMed

Kitamura, Atsuko; Kondoh, Tatsuro; Noguchi, Mitsuru; Hatada, Teppei; Tohbu, Shohei; Mori, Ken-Ichi; Matsuo, Manabu; Kunitsugu, Ichiro; Kanetake, Hiroshi; Moriuchi, Hiroyuki

2014-12-01

Despite the fact that functional lower urinary tract symptoms are common among people with Down syndrome (DS), their voiding function has not been studied precisely. Our goal was to assess the lower urinary tract functions in DS. Fifty-five DS children aged 5-15 years old and 35 age-matched control children were evaluated by ultrasonography and uroflowmetry. Eleven (20%) DS children had no uresiesthesia, 21 (38%) were urinated under guidance, nine (16%) urinated fewer than three times a day, two (4%) urinated more than 10 times a day, three (5%) used diapers, and 26 (47%) had urinary incontinence. Seven (13%), 15 (27%), and 10 (18%) DS children had weak, prolonged and intermittent urination, respectively, and seven (13%) had urination with straining. In contrast, none of the control subjects had urinary problems. In the uroflowmetrical analysis, 10 (18%), 20 (37%), 11 (20%) and five (9%) DS children showed "bell-shaped," "plateau," "staccato" and "interrupted" patterns, respectively; the remaining nine (16%) could not be analyzed. In contrast, 21 (60%), one (3%), four (11%), three (9%) and two (6%) control subjects showed bell-shaped, tower-shaped, plateau, staccato and interrupted patterns, respectively; the remaining four (11%) could not be analyzed. Residual urine was demonstrated in four (7%) DS children and one (3%) control child. Lower urinary tract symptoms and abnormal uroflowmetry findings, which can lead to further progressive renal and urinary disorders, are common in DS children. Therefore, lower urinary tract functions should be assessed at the life-long regular medical check-ups for subjects with DS. © 2014 The Authors. Pediatrics International published by Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd on behalf of Japan Pediatric Society.

A novel intracerebral hemorrhage-induced rat model of neurogenic voiding dysfunction: Analysis of lower urinary tract function

PubMed Central

CHO, YOUNG-SAM; KO, IL-GYU; KIM, CHANG-JU; KIM, KHAE-HAWN

2015-01-01

Neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) is a major problem in patients with various neurological disorders, and may result in debilitating symptoms and serious complications, including chronic renal failure and recurrent urinary tract infections. Clinically, stroke is associated with voiding dysfunction. However, lower urinary tract function evaluation in an intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) model has not, to the best of our knowledge, been reported. Therefore, in the present study, lower urinary tract function in ICH-induced rats was investigated and the results were compared with those obtained in normal rats. The effects of ICH on peripheral bladder function and central micturition centers [medial preoptic area, ventrolateral gray, pontaine micturition center and spinal cord (lumbar 4 (L4)-L5)] were also examined. Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups: Control ICH-induced. Induction of ICH in the hippocampal CA1 region was performed using a stereotaxic frame and type IV collagenase. The effects of ICH on the central micturition centers were investigated by simultaneously determining the extent of neuronal activation (c-Fos) and nerve growth factor (NGF) expression, and assessing voiding function (urodynamically using cystometry). The results revealed that induction of ICH significantly enhanced bladder contraction pressure and time, while simultaneously reducing voiding pressure and time. Furthermore, the c-Fos and NGF expression levels in the neuronal voiding centers were significantly increased in the rats with induced ICH as compared with the control rats. Therefore, this ICH-induced NLUTD rat model may be a more appropriate method to analyze NLUTD in stroke patients than a cerebral infarction model, as the former more accurately reflects the nature of the hemorrhage in the two types of stroke. PMID:25954993

Congenital Urinary Tract Obstruction: The Long View

PubMed Central

Chevalier, Robert L.

2015-01-01

Maldevelopment of the collecting system resulting in urinary tract obstruction (UTO) is the leading identifiable cause of CKD in children. Specific etiologies are unknown; most cases are suspected by discovering hydronephrosis on prenatal ultrasonography. Congenital UTO can reduce nephron number and cause bladder dysfunction, which contribute to ongoing injury. Severe UTO can impair kidney growth in utero, and animal models of unilateral ureteral obstruction show that ischemia and oxidative stress cause proximal tubular cell death, with later development of interstitial fibrosis. Congenital obstructive nephropathy therefore results from combined developmental and obstructive renal injury. Due to inadequacy of available biomarkers, criteria for surgical correction of upper tract obstruction are poorly established. Lower tract obstruction requires fetal or immediate postnatal intervention, and the rate of progression of CKD is highly variable. New biomarkers based on proteomics and determination of glomerular number by MRI should improve future care. Angiotensin inhibitors have not been effective in slowing progression, although avoidance of nephrotoxins and timely treatment of hypertension are important. Because congenital UTO begins in fetal life, smooth transfer of care from perinatologist to pediatric and adult urology and nephrology teams should optimize quality of life and ultimate outcomes for these patients. PMID:26088076

Myoinhibiting peptides are the ancestral ligands of the promiscuous Drosophila sex peptide receptor

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Male insects change behaviors of female partners by co-transferring accessory gland proteins (Acps) like sex peptide (SP), with their sperm. The Drosophila sex peptide receptor (SPR) is a G protein-coupled receptor expressed in the female’s nervous system and genital tract. While most Acps show a fa...

Sampling and Analysis Plan for Assessment of LANL-Derived Residual Radionuclides in Soils within Tract A-16-e for Land Conveyance

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

Gillis, Jessica; Ruedig, Elizabeth

2016-08-25

Public Law 105-119 directs the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to convey or transfer parcels of land to the Incorporated County of Los Alamos or their designees and to the Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, in trust for the Pueblo de San Ildefonso. Los Alamos National Security is tasked to support DOE in conveyance and/or transfer of identified land parcels no later than September 2022. Under DOE Order 458.1, Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment (O458.1, 2013), and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) implementing Policy 412 (P412, 2014a), real property with the potential to contain residualmore » radioactive material must meet the criteria for clearance and release to the public. This Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) investigates Tract A-16-e and proposes 50 project-specific soil samples for use in radiological clearance decisions consistent with LANL Procedure ENV-ES-TP-238 (2015a) and guidance in the Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM, 2000).« less

The processive kinetics of gene conversion in bacteria

PubMed Central

Paulsson, Johan; El Karoui, Meriem; Lindell, Monica

2017-01-01

Summary Gene conversion, non‐reciprocal transfer from one homologous sequence to another, is a major force in evolutionary dynamics, promoting co‐evolution in gene families and maintaining similarities between repeated genes. However, the properties of the transfer – where it initiates, how far it proceeds and how the resulting conversion tracts are affected by mismatch repair – are not well understood. Here, we use the duplicate tuf genes in Salmonella as a quantitatively tractable model system for gene conversion. We selected for conversion in multiple different positions of tuf, and examined the resulting distributions of conversion tracts in mismatch repair‐deficient and mismatch repair‐proficient strains. A simple stochastic model accounting for the essential steps of conversion showed excellent agreement with the data for all selection points using the same value of the conversion processivity, which is the only kinetic parameter of the model. The analysis suggests that gene conversion effectively initiates uniformly at any position within a tuf gene, and proceeds with an effectively uniform conversion processivity in either direction limited by the bounds of the gene. PMID:28256783

Motor network efficiency and disability in multiple sclerosis

PubMed Central

Yaldizli, Özgür; Sethi, Varun; Muhlert, Nils; Liu, Zheng; Samson, Rebecca S.; Altmann, Daniel R.; Ron, Maria A.; Wheeler-Kingshott, Claudia A.M.; Miller, David H.; Chard, Declan T.

2015-01-01

Objective: To develop a composite MRI-based measure of motor network integrity, and determine if it explains disability better than conventional MRI measures in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: Tract density imaging and constrained spherical deconvolution tractography were used to identify motor network connections in 22 controls. Fractional anisotropy (FA), magnetization transfer ratio (MTR), and normalized volume were computed in each tract in 71 people with relapse onset MS. Principal component analysis was used to distill the FA, MTR, and tract volume data into a single metric for each tract, which in turn was used to compute a composite measure of motor network efficiency (composite NE) using graph theory. Associations were investigated between the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and the following MRI measures: composite motor NE, NE calculated using FA alone, FA averaged in the combined motor network tracts, brain T2 lesion volume, brain parenchymal fraction, normal-appearing white matter MTR, and cervical cord cross-sectional area. Results: In univariable analysis, composite motor NE explained 58% of the variation in EDSS in the whole MS group, more than twice that of the other MRI measures investigated. In a multivariable regression model, only composite NE and disease duration were independently associated with EDSS. Conclusions: A composite MRI measure of motor NE was able to predict disability substantially better than conventional non-network-based MRI measures. PMID:26320199

Cadium pathways during gestation and lactation in control vs. metallothionein 1,2-knockout mice.

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

Brako, E. E.; Wilson, A. K.; Jonah, M. M.

2003-01-01

Effects of metallothionein (MT) on cadmium absorption and transfer pathways during gestation and lactation in mice were investigated. Female 129/SvJ metallothionein-knockout (MT1,2KO) and metallothionein-normal (MTN) mice received drinking water containing trace amounts of {sup 109}CdCl{sub 2} (0.15 ng Cd/ml; 0.074 {mu}Ci {sup 109}Cd/ml). {sup 109}Cd and MT in maternal, fetal, and pup tissues were measured on gestation days 7, 14, and 17 and lactation day 11. In dams, MT influenced both the amount of {sup 109}Cd transferred from intestine into body (two- to three-fold higher in MT1,2KO than MTN dams) and tissue-specific {sup 109}Cd distribution (higher liver/kidney ratio in MT1,2KOmore » dams). Placental {sup 109}Cd concentrations in MT1,2KO dams were three- and seven-fold higher on gestation days 14 and 17, respectively, than in MTN dams. Fetal {sup 109}Cd levels were low in both mouse types, but at least 10-fold lower in MTN fetuses. MT had no effect on the amount of {sup 109}Cd transferred to pups via milk; furthermore, 85--90% of total pup {sup 109}Cd was recovered in gastrointestinal tracts of both types, despite high duodenal MT only in MTN pups. A relatively large percentage of milk-derived intestinal {sup 109}Cd was transferred to other pup tissues in both MT1,2KO and MTN pups (14 and 10%, respectively). These results demonstrate that specific sequestration of cadmium by both maternal and neonatal intestinal tract does not require MT. Although MT decreased oral cadmium transfer from intestine to body tissues at low cadmium exposure levels, MT did not play a major role in restricting transfer of cadmium from dam to fetus via placenta and to neonate via milk.« less

[MODERN PROKINETICS AND THEIR ROLE IN THE TREATMENT OF GASTROENTEROLOGICAL PATHOLOGY].

PubMed

Sheptulin, A A; Belousova, I B

2016-01-01

The importance of prokinetics (drugs stimulating motor function of the gastrointestinal tract) arises from the high prevalence of gastroenterological pathology associated with primary or secondary disturbances of this function in esophagus, stomach, and intestines. The main groups of prokinetics are beta-blockers of dopamine receptors, inhibitors of acetylcholine esterase (or their combination with dopamine receptor blockers), 5-HT4-receptor agonists. They find wide application for the treatment of gastroesophgeal reflux disease, functional dyspepsia and constipation, obstipational form of irritable bowel syndrome, and other conditions accompanied by motor function disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

Regulation of Ion Transport in the Intestine by Free Fatty Acid Receptor 2 and 3: Possible Involvement of the Diffuse Chemosensory System

PubMed Central

Kuwahara, Atsukazu; Kuwahara, Yuko; Inui, Toshio; Marunaka, Yoshinori

2018-01-01

The diffuse chemosensory system (DCS) is well developed in the apparatuses of endodermal origin like gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The primary function of the GI tract is the extraction of nutrients from the diet. Therefore, the GI tract must possess an efficient surveillance system that continuously monitors the luminal contents for beneficial or harmful compounds. Recent studies have shown that specialized cells in the intestinal lining can sense changes in the luminal content. The chemosensory cells in the GI tract belong to the DCS which consists of enteroendocrine and related cells. These cells initiate various important local and remote reflexes. Although neural and hormonal involvements in ion transport in the GI tract are well documented, involvement of the DCS in the regulation of intestinal ion transport is much less understood. Since activation of luminal chemosensory receptors is a primary signal that elicits changes in intestinal ion transport and motility and failure of the system causes dysfunctions in host homeostasis, as well as functional GI disorders, study of the regulation of GI function by the DCS has become increasingly important. This review discusses the role of the DCS in epithelial ion transport, with particular emphasis on the involvement of free fatty acid receptor 2 (FFA2) and free fatty acid receptor 3 (FFA3). PMID:29510573

A methodology for assessing deployment trauma and its consequences in OEF/OIF/OND veterans: The TRACTS longitudinal prospective cohort study

PubMed Central

McGlinchey, Regina E.; Milberg, William P.; Fonda, Jennifer R.; Fortier, Catherine Brawn

2017-01-01

Many US veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq have multiple physical and psychiatric problems. A major focus of research has been on determining the effects of mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), but mTBI is rarely diagnosed in the absence of co-occurring conditions such as blast exposure, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, substance abuse, etc. These potentially interactive psychological and physical conditions produce complex patterns of cognitive, psychological, and physical symptoms that impede civilian reintegration and complicate efficient and effective treatment planning. The Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) has developed a multidisciplinary approach to the assessment of deployment trauma and its consequences in veterans of these wars. The prospective TRACTS longitudinal cohort study conducts state-of-the-art assessments in the domains of biomedical function, lifetime head trauma, psychological function encompassing deployment experience and lifetime exposure to traumatic events, neuropsychological function, and structural and functional neuroimaging. The TRACTS longitudinal cohort study is the first of its kind to comprehensively evaluate lifetime incidence of TBI and PTSD in these veterans, in addition to those incurred during military deployment. The protocol has begun to reveal information that will help improve understanding of the complex pathophysiology associated with co-occurring mTBI and related stress disorders. PMID:28211592

Compensatory Shift of Subcallosal Area and Paraterminal Gyrus White Matter Parameters on DTI in Patients with Alzheimer Disease.

PubMed

Kuchtova, Barbora; Wurst, Zdenek; Mrzilkova, Jana; Ibrahim, Ibrahim; Tintera, Jaroslav; Bartos, Ales; Musil, Vladimir; Kieslich, Karel; Zach, Petr

2018-01-01

Alzheimer disease is traditionally conceptualized as a disease of brain gray matter, however, studies with diffusion tensor imaging have demonstrated that Alzheimer disease also involves alterations in white matter integrity. We measured number of tracts, tracts length, tract volume, quantitative anisotropy and general fractional anisotropy of neuronal tracts in subcallosal area, paraterminal gyrus and fornix in patients with Alzheimer disease and healthy age-matched controls. Our hypothesis was that patients with Alzheimer disease should exhibit decrease in the integrity of these white matter structures that are crucial for semantic memory function. For our study were selected 24 patients with confirmed Alzheimer disease diagnosis and 24 healthy controls (AD center, Department of Neurology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic). Statistically significant differences between the patients with Alzheimer disease and the control group were found both on the left and right fornices but only concerning the tract numbers and tract length. The subcallosal area and paraterminal gyrus showed statistically significant differences between the patients with Alzheimer disease and the control group, but only on the left side and only associated with the tract volume and quantitative anisotropy. Our explanation for these findings lies in the severe hippocampal atrophy (and subsequent loss of function) with compensatory hypertrophy of the subcallosal area and paraterminal gyrus neuronal fibers that occurs in Alzheimer's disease, as an adaptation to the loss of projection from the hippocampal formation via fornix. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Polynomial Fitting of DT-MRI Fiber Tracts Allows Accurate Estimation of Muscle Architectural Parameters

PubMed Central

Damon, Bruce M.; Heemskerk, Anneriet M.; Ding, Zhaohua

2012-01-01

Fiber curvature is a functionally significant muscle structural property, but its estimation from diffusion-tensor MRI fiber tracking data may be confounded by noise. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of polynomial fitting of fiber tracts for improving the accuracy and precision of fiber curvature (κ) measurements. Simulated image datasets were created in order to provide data with known values for κ and pennation angle (θ). Simulations were designed to test the effects of increasing inherent fiber curvature (3.8, 7.9, 11.8, and 15.3 m−1), signal-to-noise ratio (50, 75, 100, and 150), and voxel geometry (13.8 and 27.0 mm3 voxel volume with isotropic resolution; 13.5 mm3 volume with an aspect ratio of 4.0) on κ and θ measurements. In the originally reconstructed tracts, θ was estimated accurately under most curvature and all imaging conditions studied; however, the estimates of κ were imprecise and inaccurate. Fitting the tracts to 2nd order polynomial functions provided accurate and precise estimates of κ for all conditions except very high curvature (κ=15.3 m−1), while preserving the accuracy of the θ estimates. Similarly, polynomial fitting of in vivo fiber tracking data reduced the κ values of fitted tracts from those of unfitted tracts and did not change the θ values. Polynomial fitting of fiber tracts allows accurate estimation of physiologically reasonable values of κ, while preserving the accuracy of θ estimation. PMID:22503094

Diffusion-tensor imaging of white matter tracts in patients with cerebral neoplasm.

PubMed

Witwer, Brian P; Moftakhar, Roham; Hasan, Khader M; Deshmukh, Praveen; Haughton, Victor; Field, Aaron; Arfanakis, Konstantinos; Noyes, Jane; Moritz, Chad H; Meyerand, M Elizabeth; Rowley, Howard A; Alexander, Andrew L; Badie, Behnam

2002-09-01

Preserving vital cerebral function while maximizing tumor resection is a principal goal in surgical neurooncology. Although functional magnetic resonance imaging has been useful in the localization of eloquent cerebral cortex, this method does not provide information about the white matter tracts that may be involved in invasive, intrinsic brain tumors. Recently, diffusion-tensor (DT) imaging techniques have been used to map white matter tracts in the normal brain. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the role of DT imaging in preoperative mapping of white matter tracts in relation to cerebral neoplasms. Nine patients with brain malignancies (one pilocytic astrocytoma, five oligodendrogliomas, one low-grade oligoastrocytoma, one Grade 4 astrocytoma, and one metastatic adenocarcinoma) underwent DT imaging examinations prior to tumor excision. Anatomical information about white matter tract location, orientation, and projections was obtained in every patient. Depending on the tumor type and location, evidence of white matter tract edema (two patients), infiltration (two patients), displacement (five patients), and disruption (two patients) could be assessed with the aid of DT imaging in each case. Diffusion-tensor imaging allowed for visualization of white matter tracts and was found to be beneficial in the surgical planning for patients with intrinsic brain tumors. The authors' experience with DT imaging indicates that anatomically intact fibers may be present in abnormal-appearing areas of the brain. Whether resection of these involved fibers results in subtle postoperative neurological deficits requires further systematic study.

The ionic DTI model (iDTI) of dynamic diffusion tensor imaging (dDTI)

PubMed Central

Makris, Nikos; Gasic, Gregory P.; Garrido, Leoncio

2014-01-01

Measurements of water molecule diffusion along fiber tracts in CNS by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) provides a static map of neural connections between brain centers, but does not capture the electrical activity along axons for these fiber tracts. Here, a modification of the DTI method is presented to enable the mapping of active fibers. It is termed dynamic diffusion tensor imaging (dDTI) and is based on a hypothesized “anisotropy reduction due to axonal excitation” (“AREX”). The potential changes in water mobility accompanying the movement of ions during the propagation of action potentials along axonal tracts are taken into account. Specifically, the proposed model, termed “ionic DTI model”, was formulated as follows.•First, based on theoretical calculations, we calculated the molecular water flow accompanying the ionic flow perpendicular to the principal axis of fiber tracts produced by electrical conduction along excited myelinated and non-myelinated axons.•Based on the changes in molecular water flow we estimated the signal changes as well as the changes in fractional anisotropy of axonal tracts while performing a functional task.•The variation of fractional anisotropy in axonal tracts could allow mapping the active fiber tracts during a functional task. Although technological advances are necessary to enable the robust and routine measurement of this electrical activity-dependent movement of water molecules perpendicular to axons, the proposed model of dDTI defines the vectorial parameters that will need to be measured to bring this much needed technique to fruition. PMID:25431757

Comparative placental transfer, localization, and effects of radionuclides in experimental animal and human pregnancies

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

Sikov, M.R.; Meznarich, H.K.; Traub, R.J.

1991-11-01

Estimating radiation doses to the human embryo/fetus from radionuclides and predicting effects requires extrapolation of data from studies of laboratory species, with scaling for species-specific developmental stage and gestational time relationships and maturities at birth. Combinations of fetal-to-maternal ratios of concentrations, patterns of deposition, transfer kinetics, and compartmental and physiologic models are used to predict radioactivity levels and radiation doses to the conceptus. There is agreement between values expressing fractional transfer across the placenta ({theta}) with tabulated values for fractional absorption (f{sub 1}) from gastrointestinal (GI) tract or lung for most substances commonly involved in metabolic processes. A tendency towardmore » disagreement for some other materials is thought to involve explanations based on their physicochemistry, toxicity, or the influence of target tissue development on placental transfer kinetics.« less

Lipid Encapsulation Provides Insufficient Total-Tract Digestibility to Achieve an Optimal Transfer Efficiency of Fatty Acids to Milk Fat

PubMed Central

Bainbridge, Melissa; Kraft, Jana

2016-01-01

Transfer efficiencies of rumen-protected n-3 fatty acids (FA) to milk are low, thus we hypothesized that rumen-protection technologies allow for biohydrogenation and excretion of n-3 FA. The objectives of this study were to i) investigate the ruminal protection and post-ruminal release of the FA derived from the lipid-encapsulated echium oil (EEO), and ii) assess the bioavailability and metabolism of the EEO-derived FA through measuring the FA content in plasma lipid fractions, feces, and milk. The EEO was tested for rumen stability using the in situ nylon bag technique, then the apparent total-tract digestibility was assessed in vivo using six Holstein dairy cattle. Diets consisted of a control (no EEO); 1.5% of dry matter (DM) as EEO and 1.5% DM as encapsulation matrix; and 3% DM as EEO. The EEO was rumen-stable and had no effect on animal production. EEO-derived FA were incorporated into all plasma lipid fractions, with the highest proportion of n-3 FA observed in cholesterol esters. Fecal excretion of EEO-derived FA ranged from 7–14%. Biohydrogenation products increased in milk, plasma, and feces with EEO supplementation. In conclusion, lipid-encapsulation provides inadequate digestibility to achieve an optimal transfer efficiency of n-3 FA to milk. PMID:27741299

Spermatodesm reorganization in the spermatophore and in the spermatheca of the bushcricket Tylopsis liliifolia (Fabricius) (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae).

PubMed

Viscuso, Renata; Vitale, Danilo G M

2015-05-01

Spermatozoa of Tettigoniidae are usually transferred to the female by means of a spermatophore which is also the site of feather-shaped spermatodesm formation. These spermatodesms are then transferred to a spermatheca, composed of a spermathecal duct and of a seminal receptacle, involved in storing spermatozoa. In order to extend the knowledge about sperm transfer and spermatodesms reorganization in the Tettigoniidae, a morpho-structural investigation was carried out on spermatophore and spermatheca of Tylopsis liliifolia and on the reorganization of the gametes from the spermatophore. Our results show that the spermatodesms undergo disorganization in the spermatophore; unlike other Tettigoniidae, however, feather-shaped spermatodesms are never found. The epithelium of the spermatheca consists of two cell types, the cuticle-forming and the gland cells, with secretory features. The gland cells, absent in the distal tract of the seminal receptacle, release their secretion in a "reservoir" where an efferent duct opens. In the distal tract of the spermathecal duct, adjacent epithelial cells show diversified ultrastructural characteristics whose probable role is discussed. A particular feature of T. liliifolia is the genesis of the feather-shaped spermatodesms in the seminal receptacle. This feature and the peculiar organization of the feather-shaped spermatodesm are a possible autapomorphy of T. liliifolia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association of nutritional status and functional capacity in gastrointestinal cancer patients.

PubMed

Pérez-Cruz, Elizabeth; Camacho-Limas, Christian Patricio

To determine the nutritional status and its association with functional capacity in patients with digestive tract cancer. We retrospectively studied all adult patients hospitalized who were diagnosed as having a cancer of the digestive tract. Nutritional status and functional capacity were assessed. Descriptive statistic and odds ratio were used to determine the association in SPSS 14.0. 57 patients were included, 96% had weight loss. Using subjective global assessment (SGA) as a method of screening, 82.5% of the patients were found malnutrition and by biochemical and immunological test 82% and 65% respectively. Functional capacity was assessed by Karnofsky index, finding that 75.5% of the patients have some activity limitation. Results show an association between malnutrition by SGA and limitation in functional capacity (c2 = 1.56; p = 0.212; OR: 2.46; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.581-10.465). In addition, we observe an association between the total lymphocyte count and limitation in functional capacity (χ2 = 6.94; p = 0.008; OR: 5.23; 95% CI: 1.441-19.025). Malnutrition in patients with digestive tract cancer was associated with limitation in functional capacity. Copyright: © 2017 SecretarÍa de Salud

The role of diffusion tensor imaging tractography for Gamma Knife thalamotomy planning.

PubMed

Gomes, João Gabriel Ribeiro; Gorgulho, Alessandra Augusta; de Oliveira López, Amanda; Saraiva, Crystian Wilian Chagas; Damiani, Lucas Petri; Pássaro, Anderson Martins; Salvajoli, João Victor; de Oliveira Siqueira, Ludmila; Salvajoli, Bernardo Peres; De Salles, Antônio Afonso Ferreira

2016-12-01

OBJECTIVE The role of tractography in Gamma Knife thalamotomy (GK-T) planning is still unclear. Pyramidal tractography might reduce the risk of radiation injury to the pyramidal tract and reduce motor complications. METHODS In this study, the ventralis intermedius nucleus (VIM) targets of 20 patients were bilaterally defined using Iplannet Stereotaxy Software, according to the anterior commissure-posterior commissure (AC-PC) line and considering the localization of the pyramidal tract. The 40 targets and tractography were transferred as objects to the GammaPlan Treatment Planning System (GP-TPS). New targets were defined, according to the AC-PC line in the functional targets section of the GP-TPS. The target offsets required to maintain the internal capsule (IC) constraint of < 15 Gy were evaluated. In addition, the strategies available in GP-TPS to maintain the minimum conventional VIM target dose at > 100 Gy were determined. RESULTS A difference was observed between the positions of both targets and the doses to the IC. The lateral (x) and the vertical (z) coordinates were adjusted 1.9 mm medially and 1.3 mm cranially, respectively. The targets defined considering the position of the pyramidal tract were more medial and superior, based on the constraint of 15 Gy touching the object representing the IC in the GP-TPS. The best strategy to meet the set constraints was 90° Gamma angle (GA) with automatic shaping of dose distribution; this was followed by 110° GA. The worst GA was 70°. Treatment time was substantially increased by the shaping strategy, approximately doubling delivery time. CONCLUSIONS Routine use of DTI pyramidal tractography might be important to fine-tune GK-T planning. DTI tractography, as well as anisotropy showing the VIM, promises to improve Gamma Knife functional procedures. They allow for a more objective definition of dose constraints to the IC and targeting. DTI pyramidal tractography introduced into the treatment planning may reduce the incidence of motor complications and improve efficacy. This needs to be validated in a large clinical series.

From structure to function, via dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stetter, O.; Soriano, J.; Geisel, T.; Battaglia, D.

2013-01-01

Neurons in the brain are wired into a synaptic network that spans multiple scales, from local circuits within cortical columns to fiber tracts interconnecting distant areas. However, brain function require the dynamic control of inter-circuit interactions on time-scales faster than synaptic changes. In particular, strength and direction of causal influences between neural populations (described by the so-called directed functional connectivity) must be reconfigurable even when the underlying structural connectivity is fixed. Such directed functional influences can be quantified resorting to causal analysis of time-series based on tools like Granger Causality or Transfer Entropy. The ability to quickly reorganize inter-areal interactions is a chief requirement for performance in a changing natural environment. But how can manifold functional networks stem "on demand" from an essentially fixed structure? We explore the hypothesis that the self-organization of neuronal synchronous activity underlies the control of brain functional connectivity. Based on simulated and real recordings of critical neuronal cultures in vitro, as well as on mean-field and spiking network models of interacting brain areas, we have found that "function follows dynamics", rather than structure. Different dynamic states of a same structural network, characterized by different synchronization properties, are indeed associated to different functional digraphs (functional multiplicity). We also highlight the crucial role of dynamics in establishing a structure-to-function link, by showing that whenever different structural topologies lead to similar dynamical states, than the associated functional connectivities are also very similar (structural degeneracy).

[A Case of Hyperammonemia Caused by Urinary Tract Infection Due to Urease-Producing Bacteria].

PubMed

Emura, Masahiro; Tsuchihashi, Kazunari; Shimizu, Yosuke; Kanamaru, Sojun; Matoba, Shun; Ito, Noriyuki

2016-08-01

We present here a rare case of hyperammonemia without liver dysfunction or portal-systemic shunting. The patient was an 80-year-old woman with a history of neurogenic bladder. She was admitted to a nearby hospital for vomiting, diarrhea and consciousness disturbance. Two days after admission, she was transferred to our hospital because of persistant consciousness disturbance. Laboratory data revealed hyperammonemia, but there was no indication of liver dysfunction. Moreover abdominal computed tomography did not reveal any clear finding of liver disease or portal-systemic shunting, but we noted multiple large bladder diverticula. Antibiotic therapy, tracheal intubation, ventilator management and bladder catheterization were performed. The patient's level of consciousness improved rapidly. Urinary culture revealed Bacteroides ureolyticus (urease-producing bacteria). The patient was diagnosed with hyperammonemia and a urinary tract infection due to urease-producing bacteria. Thus, physicians should be aware that obstructive urinary tract infections due to urease-producing bacteria can also be the cause of hyperammonemia.

Dose Assessment of Los Alamos National Laboratory-Derived Residual Radionuclides in Soils within C Tracts (C-2, C-3, and C-4) for Land Transfer Decisions

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

Gillis, Jessica M.; Whicker, Jeffrey J.

2016-01-26

Three separate Sampling and Analysis Plans (SAPs) were prepared for tracts C-2, C-3, and C-4. The objective of sampling was to confirm, within the stated statistical confidence limits, that the mean levels of potential radioactive residual contamination in soils in the C Tracts are documented, in appropriate units, and are below the 15 mrem/y (150 μSv/y) Screening Action Levels (SALs). Results show that radionuclide concentration upper-bound 95% confidence levels were close to background levels, with the exception of Pu-239 and Cs-137 being slightly elevated above background, and all measurements were below the ALs and meet the real property release criteriamore » for future construction or recreational use. A follow-up ALARA analysis showed that the costs of cleanup of the soil in areas of elevated concentration and confirmatory sampling would far exceed any benefit from dose reduction.« less

Ovulation in Drosophila is controlled by secretory cells of the female reproductive tract

PubMed Central

Sun, Jianjun; Spradling, Allan C

2013-01-01

How oocytes are transferred into an oviduct with a receptive environment remains poorly known. We found that glands of the Drosophila female reproductive tract, spermathecae and/or parovaria, are required for ovulation and to promote sperm storage. Reducing total secretory cell number by interferring with Notch signaling during development blocked ovulation. Knocking down expression after adult eclosion of the nuclear hormone receptor Hr39, a master regulator of gland development, slowed ovulation and blocked sperm storage. However, ovulation (but not sperm storage) continued when only canonical protein secretion was compromised in adult glands. Our results imply that proteins secreted during adulthood by the canonical secretory pathway from female reproductive glands are needed to store sperm, while a non-canonical glandular secretion stimulates ovulation. Our results suggest that the reproductive tract signals to the ovary using glandular secretions, and that this pathway has been conserved during evolution. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00415.001 PMID:23599892

Bound Pool Fractions Complement Diffusion Measures to Describe White Matter Micro and Macrostructure

PubMed Central

Stikov, Nikola; Perry, Lee M.; Mezer, Aviv; Rykhlevskaia, Elena; Wandell, Brian A.; Pauly, John M.; Dougherty, Robert F.

2010-01-01

Diffusion imaging and bound pool fraction (BPF) mapping are two quantitative magnetic resonance imaging techniques that measure microstructural features of the white matter of the brain. Diffusion imaging provides a quantitative measure of the diffusivity of water in tissue. BPF mapping is a quantitative magnetization transfer (qMT) technique that estimates the proportion of exchanging protons bound to macromolecules, such as those found in myelin, and is thus a more direct measure of myelin content than diffusion. In this work, we combine BPF estimates of macromolecular content with measurements of diffusivity within human white matter tracts. Within the white matter, the correlation between BPFs and diffusivity measures such as fractional anisotropy and radial diffusivity was modest, suggesting that diffusion tensor imaging and bound pool fractions are complementary techniques. We found that several major tracts have high BPF, suggesting a higher density of myelin in these tracts. We interpret these results in the context of a quantitative tissue model. PMID:20828622

Dose Assessment of Los Alamos National Laboratory-Derived Residual Radionuclides in Soils within Tract A-18-2 for Land Conveyance and Transfer Decisions

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

Ruedig, Elizabeth; Whicker, Jeffrey Jay

In 2017, soil sampling for radiological materials was conducted within Tract A-18-2 at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) for land conveyance decisions. Measurements of radionuclides in soil samples were evaluated against a recreational use scenario, and all measurements were below screening action levels for each radionuclide. The total estimated dose was less than 1 mrem/yr (<10 μSv/yr) for a hypothetical recreational user (compared with a dose limit of 25 mrem/yr [250 μSv/yr]). Dose estimates were based on the 95% upper confidence levels for radionuclide concentrations within the Tract. Dose estimates less than 3 mrem/yr are considered to be as lowmore » as reasonably achievable (ALARA), therefore no follow-up analysis was conducted. Release of this property is consistent with the requirements of DOE Order 458.1 (DOE 2013) and Policy 412 (LANL 2014).« less

Recurrent urinary tract infections in women: diagnosis and management.

PubMed

Kodner, Charles M; Thomas Gupton, Emily K

2010-09-15

Recurrent urinary tract infections, presenting as dysuria or irritative voiding symptoms, are most commonly caused by reinfection with the original bacterial isolate in young, otherwise healthy women with no anatomic or functional abnormalities of the urinary tract. Frequency of sexual intercourse is the strongest predictor of recurrent urinary tract infections in patients presenting with recurrent dysuria. In those who have comorbid conditions or other predisposing factors, recurrent complicated urinary tract infections represent a risk for ascending infection or urosepsis. Escherichia coli is the most common organism in all patient groups, but Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, Proteus, and other organisms are more common in patients with certain risk factors for complicated urinary tract infections. A positive urine culture with greater than 102 colony-forming units per mL is the standard for diagnosing urinary tract infections in symptomatic patients, although culture is often unnecessary for diagnosing typical symptomatic infection. Women with recurrent symptomatic urinary tract infections can be treated with continuous or postcoital prophylactic antibiotics; other treatment options include self-started antibiotics, cranberry products, and behavioral modification. Patients at risk of complicated urinary tract infections are best managed with broad-spectrum antibiotics initially, urine culture to guide subsequent therapy, and renal imaging studies if structural abnormalities are suspected.

Altered tract-specific white matter microstructure is related to poorer cognitive performance: The Rotterdam Study.

PubMed

Cremers, Lotte G M; de Groot, Marius; Hofman, Albert; Krestin, Gabriel P; van der Lugt, Aad; Niessen, Wiro J; Vernooij, Meike W; Ikram, M Arfan

2016-03-01

White matter microstructural integrity has been related to cognition. Yet, the potential role of specific white matter tracts on top of a global white matter effect remains unclear, especially when considering specific cognitive domains. Therefore, we determined the tract-specific effect of white matter microstructure on global cognition and specific cognitive domains. In 4400 nondemented and stroke-free participants (mean age 63.7 years, 55.5% women), we obtained diffusion magnetic resonance imaging parameters (fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity) in 14 white matter tracts using probabilistic tractography and assessed cognitive performance with a cognitive test battery. Tract-specific white matter microstructure in all supratentorial tracts was associated with poorer global cognition. Lower fractional anisotropy in association tracts, primarily the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, and higher mean diffusivity in projection tracts, in particular the posterior thalamic radiation, most strongly related to poorer cognition. Altered white matter microstructure related to poorer information processing speed, executive functioning, and motor speed, but not to memory. Tract-specific microstructural changes may aid in better understanding the mechanism of cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Required, tissue-specific roles for Fgf8 in outflow tract formation and remodeling.

PubMed

Park, Eon Joo; Ogden, Lisa A; Talbot, Amy; Evans, Sylvia; Cai, Chen-Leng; Black, Brian L; Frank, Deborah U; Moon, Anne M

2006-06-01

Fibroblast growth factor 8 (Fgf8) is a secreted signaling protein expressed in numerous temporospatial domains that are potentially relevant to cardiovascular development. However, the pathogenesis of complex cardiac and outflow tract defects observed in Fgf8-deficient mice, and the specific source(s) of Fgf8 required for outflow tract formation and subsequent remodeling are unknown. A detailed examination of the timing and location of Fgf8 production revealed previously unappreciated expression in a subset of primary heart field cells; Fgf8 is also expressed throughout the anterior heart field (AHF) mesoderm and in pharyngeal endoderm at the crescent and early somite stages. We used conditional mutagenesis to examine the requirements for Fgf8 function in these different expression domains during heart and outflow tract morphogenesis. Formation of the primary heart tube and the addition of right ventricular and outflow tract myocardium depend on autocrine Fgf8 signaling in cardiac crescent mesoderm. Loss of Fgf8 in this domain resulted in decreased expression of the Fgf8 target gene Erm, and aberrant production of Isl1 and its target Mef2c in the anterior heart field, thus linking Fgf8 signaling with transcription factor networks that regulate survival and proliferation of the anterior heart field. We further found that mesodermal- and endodermal-derived Fgf8 perform specific functions during outflow tract remodeling: mesodermal Fgf8 is required for correct alignment of the outflow tract and ventricles, whereas activity of Fgf8 emanating from pharyngeal endoderm regulates outflow tract septation. These findings provide a novel insight into how the formation and remodeling of primary and anterior heart field-derived structures rely on Fgf8 signals from discrete temporospatial domains.

Transient receptor potential channel superfamily: Role in lower urinary tract function.

PubMed

Ogawa, Teruyuki; Imamura, Tetsuya; Nakazawa, Masaki; Hiragata, Shiro; Nagai, Takashi; Minagawa, Tomonori; Yokoyama, Hitoshi; Ishikawa, Masakuni; Domen, Takahisa; Ishizuka, Osamu

2015-11-01

Lower urinary tract symptoms associated with neurogenic bladder and overactive bladder syndrome are mediated in part by members of the transient receptor potential channel superfamily. The best studied member of this superfamily is the vanilloid receptor. Other transient receptor potential channels, such as the melastatin receptor and the ankyrin receptor, are also active in the pathogenesis of lower urinary tract dysfunction. However, the detailed mechanisms by which the transient receptor potential channels contribute to lower urinary tract symptoms are still not clear, and the therapeutic benefits of modulating transient receptor potential channel activity have not been proved in the clinical setting. In the present review, to better understand the pathophysiology and therapeutic potential for lower urinary tract symptoms, we summarize the presence and role of different members of the transient receptor potential channel superfamily in the lower urinary tract. © 2015 The Japanese Urological Association.

White matter tracts of speech and language.

PubMed

Smits, Marion; Jiskoot, Lize C; Papma, Janne M

2014-10-01

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been used to investigate the white matter (WM) tracts underlying the perisylvian cortical regions known to be associated with language function. The arcuate fasciculus is composed of 3 segments (1 long and 2 short) whose separate functions correlate with traditional models of conductive and transcortical motor or sensory aphasia, respectively. DTI mapping of language fibers is useful in presurgical planning for patients with dominant hemisphere tumors, particularly when combined with functional magnetic resonance imaging. DTI has found damage to language networks in stroke patients and has the potential to influence poststroke rehabilitation and treatment. Assessment of the WM tracts involved in the default mode network has been found to correlate with mild cognitive impairment, potentially explaining language deficits in patients with apparently mild small vessel ischemic disease. Different patterns of involvement of language-related WM structures appear to correlate with different clinical subtypes of primary progressive aphasias. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Gastrointestinal Tract of the White-Throated Woodrat (Neotoma albigula) Harbors Distinct Consortia of Oxalate-Degrading Bacteria

PubMed Central

Kohl, Kevin D.; Dearing, M. Denise

2014-01-01

The microbiota inhabiting the mammalian gut is a functional organ that provides a number of services for the host. One factor that may regulate the composition and function of gut microbial communities is dietary toxins. Oxalate is a toxic plant secondary compound (PSC) produced in all major taxa of vascular plants and is consumed by a variety of animals. The mammalian herbivore Neotoma albigula is capable of consuming and degrading large quantities of dietary oxalate. We isolated and characterized oxalate-degrading bacteria from the gut contents of wild-caught animals and used high-throughput sequencing to determine the distribution of potential oxalate-degrading taxa along the gastrointestinal tract. Isolates spanned three genera: Lactobacillus, Clostridium, and Enterococcus. Over half of the isolates exhibited significant oxalate degradation in vitro, and all Lactobacillus isolates contained the oxc gene, one of the genes responsible for oxalate degradation. Although diverse potential oxalate-degrading genera were distributed throughout the gastrointestinal tract, they were most concentrated in the foregut, where dietary oxalate first enters the gastrointestinal tract. We hypothesize that unique environmental conditions present in each gut region provide diverse niches that select for particular functional taxa and communities. PMID:24362432

A Multiphase Flow in the Antroduodenal Portion of the Gastrointestinal Tract: A Mathematical Model

PubMed Central

Trusov, P. V.

2016-01-01

A group of authors has developed a multilevel mathematical model that focuses on functional disorders in a human body associated with various chemical, physical, social, and other factors. At this point, the researchers have come up with structure, basic definitions and concepts of a mathematical model at the “macrolevel” that allow describing processes in a human body as a whole. Currently we are working at the “mesolevel” of organs and systems. Due to complexity of the tasks, this paper deals with only one meso-fragment of a digestive system model. It describes some aspects related to modeling multiphase flow in the antroduodenal portion of the gastrointestinal tract. Biochemical reactions, dissolution of food particles, and motor, secretory, and absorbing functions of the tract are taken into consideration. The paper outlines some results concerning influence of secretory function disorders on food dissolution rate and tract contents acidity. The effect which food density has on inflow of food masses from a stomach to a bowel is analyzed. We assume that the future development of the model will include digestive enzymes and related reactions of lipolysis, proteolysis, and carbohydrates breakdown. PMID:27413393

International lower urinary tract function basic spinal cord injury data set.

PubMed

Biering-Sørensen, F; Craggs, M; Kennelly, M; Schick, E; Wyndaele, J-J

2008-05-01

To create the International Lower Urinary Tract Function Basic Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Data Set within the framework of the International SCI Data Sets. International working group. The draft of the Data Set was developed by a working group consisting of the members appointed by the International Continence Society, the European Association of Urology, the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA), the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) and a representative of the Executive Committee of the International SCI Standards and Data Sets. The final version of the Data Set was developed after review and comments by the members of the Executive Committee of the International SCI Standards and Data Sets, the ISCoS Scientific Committee, ASIA Board, relevant and interested (international) organizations and societies (around 40) and persons, and the ISCoS Council. Endorsement of the Data Set by relevant organizations and societies will be obtained. To make the Data Set uniform, each variable and each response category within each variable have been specifically defined in a way that is designed to promote the collection and reporting of comparable minimal data. Variables included in the International Lower Urinary Tract Function Basic SCI Data Set are as follows: date of data collection, urinary tract impairment unrelated to spinal cord lesion, awareness of the need to empty the bladder, bladder emptying, average number of voluntary bladder emptyings per day during the last week, incontinence within the last 3 months, collecting appliances for urinary incontinence, any drugs for the urinary tract within the last year, surgical procedures on the urinary tract and any change in urinary symptoms within the last year. Complete instruction for data collection, data sheet and training cases available at the website of ISCoS (www.iscos.org.uk) and ASIA (www.asia-spinalinjury.org).

Numerical Simulation of Convective Heat and Mass Transfer in a Two-Layer System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myznikova, B. I.; Kazaryan, V. A.; Tarunin, E. L.; Wertgeim, I. I.

The results are presented of mathematical and computer modeling of natural convection in the “liquid-gas” two-layer system, filling a vertical cylinder surrounded by solid heat conductive tract. The model describes approximately the conjugate heat and mass transfer in the underground oil product storage, filled partially by a hydrocarbon liquid, with natural gas layer above the liquid surface. The geothermal gradient in a rock mass gives rise to the intensive convection in the liquid-gas system. The consideration is worked out for laminar flows, laminar-turbulent transitional regimes, and developed turbulent flows.

SnapShot: Hormones of the gastrointestinal tract.

PubMed

Coate, Katie C; Kliewer, Steven A; Mangelsdorf, David J

2014-12-04

Specialized endocrine cells secrete a variety of peptide hormones all along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, making it one of the largest endocrine organs in the body. Nutrients and developmental and neural cues trigger the secretion of gastrointestinal (GI) hormones from specialized endocrine cells along the GI tract. These hormones act in target tissues to facilitate digestion and regulate energy homeostasis. This SnapShot summarizes the production and functions of GI hormones. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A colitogenic memory CD4+ T cell population mediates gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease

PubMed Central

Zhou, Vivian; Agle, Kimberle; Chen, Xiao; Beres, Amy; Komorowski, Richard; Belle, Ludovic; Taylor, Carolyn; Zhu, Fenlu; Haribhai, Dipica; Williams, Calvin B.; Verbsky, James; Blumenschein, Wendy; Sadekova, Svetlana; Bowman, Eddie; Ballantyne, Christie; Weaver, Casey; Serody, David A.; Vincent, Benjamin; Serody, Jonathan; Cua, Daniel J.; Drobyski, William R.

2016-01-01

Damage to the gastrointestinal tract is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and is attributable to T cell–mediated inflammation. In this work, we identified a unique CD4+ T cell population that constitutively expresses the β2 integrin CD11c and displays a biased central memory phenotype and memory T cell transcriptional profile, innate-like properties, and increased expression of the gut-homing molecules α4β7 and CCR9. Using several complementary murine GVHD models, we determined that adoptive transfer and early accumulation of β2 integrin–expressing CD4+ T cells in the gastrointestinal tract initiated Th1-mediated proinflammatory cytokine production, augmented pathological damage in the colon, and increased mortality. The pathogenic effect of this CD4+ T cell population critically depended on coexpression of the IL-23 receptor, which was required for maximal inflammatory effects. Non–Foxp3-expressing CD4+ T cells produced IL-10, which regulated colonic inflammation and attenuated lethality in the absence of functional CD4+Foxp3+ T cells. Thus, the coordinate expression of CD11c and the IL-23 receptor defines an IL-10–regulated, colitogenic memory CD4+ T cell subset that is poised to initiate inflammation when there is loss of tolerance and breakdown of mucosal barriers. PMID:27500496

Vocal Tract Morphology in Inhaling Singing: An MRI-Based Study.

PubMed

Moerman, Mieke; Vanhecke, Françoise; Van Assche, Lieven; Vercruysse, Johan; Daemers, Kristin; Leman, Marc

2016-07-01

Inhaling singing is a recently developed singing technique explored by the soprano singer Françoise Vanhecke. It is based on an inspiratory airflow instead of an expiratory airflow. This article describes the anatomical structural differences of the vocal tract between inhaling and exhaling singing. We hypothesize that the vocal tract alters significantly in inhaling singing, especially concerning the configuration of the anatomical structures in the oral cavity and the subglottal region. This is a prospective study. A professional singer (F.V.) performed sustained tones from F5 chromatically rising up to Bb5 on the vowel /a/. Vocal tract anatomy is assessed by magnetic resonance imaging. Wilcoxon directional testing demonstrates (1) that the vocal tract volume above the glottal region does not differ statistically in contrast to the subglottal region and (2) significant changes in the configuration of the tongue, the upright position of the epiglottis, the length of the floor of mouth, and the distance between the teeth. The narrowing of the subglottis is considered to be secondary to suction forces used in the inhaling singing technique. The changes in the anatomical structures above the vocal folds possibly suggest a valve-like function controlling the air inlet together with the regulator function of the resonator capacities of the vocal tract. Copyright © 2016 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

INFLUENZA VIRUS HOST RESISTANCE MODELS IN MICE AND RATS: UTILIZATION FOR UMMUNE FUNCTION ASSESSMENT AND IMMUNOTOXICOLOGY

EPA Science Inventory

Each year influenza viruses are responsible for epidemic respiratory diseases with excess morbidity and mortality. he severity of influenza disease ranges from mid upper respiratory tract infections to severe lower respiratory tract infections involving pneumonia, bronchiolitis a...

Psychophysiological Associations with Gastrointestinal Symptomatology in Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Ferguson, Bradley J.; Marler, Sarah; Altstein, Lily L.; Lee, Evon Batey; Akers, Jill; Sohl, Kristin; McLaughlin, Aaron; Hartnett, Kaitlyn; Kille, Briana; Mazurek, Micah; Macklin, Eric A.; McDonnell, Erin; Barstow, Mariah; Bauman, Margaret L.; Margolis, Kara Gross; Veenstra-VanderWeele, Jeremy; Beversdorf, David Q.

2017-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often accompanied by gastrointestinal disturbances, which also may impact behavior. Alterations in autonomic nervous system functioning are also frequently observed in ASD. The relationship between these findings in ASD is not known. We examined the relationship between gastrointestinal symptomatology, examining upper and lower gastrointestinal tract symptomatology separately, and autonomic nervous system functioning, as assessed by heart rate variability and skin conductance level, in a sample of 120 individuals with ASD. Relationships with co-occurring medical and psychiatric symptoms were also examined. While the number of participants with significant upper gastrointestinal tract problems was small in this sample, 42.5% of participants met criteria for functional constipation, a disorder of the lower gastrointestinal tract. Heart rate variability, a measure of parasympathetic modulation of cardiac activity, was found to be positively associated with lower gastrointestinal tract symptomatology at baseline. This relationship was particularly strong for participants with co-occurring diagnoses of anxiety disorder and for those with a history of regressive ASD or loss of previously acquired skills. These findings suggest that autonomic function and gastrointestinal problems are intertwined in children with ASD; although it is not possible to assess causality in this data set. Future work should examine the impact of treatment of gastrointestinal problems on autonomic function and anxiety, as well as the impact of anxiety treatment on gastrointestinal problems. Clinicians should be aware that gastrointestinal problems, anxiety, and autonomic dysfunction may cluster in children with ASD and should be addressed in a multidisciplinary treatment plan. PMID:27321113

Transport for language south of the Sylvian fissure: The routes and history of the main tracts and stations in the ventral language network.

PubMed

Bajada, Claude J; Lambon Ralph, Matthew A; Cloutman, Lauren L

2015-08-01

It is now ten years since a 'ventral language pathway' was demonstrated in vivo in the human brain. In the intervening decade, this result has been replicated and expanded to include multiple possible pathways and functions. Despite this considerable level of research interest, age-old debates regarding the origin, course, termination and, indeed, the very existence of the tracts identified still remain. The current review examines four major tracts associated with the ventral 'semantic' language network, with the aim of elucidating and clarifying their structural and functional roles. Historical and modern conceptualisations of the tracts' neuroanatomical origins and terminations will be discussed, and key discrepancies and debates examined. It is argued that much of the controversy regarding the language pathways has resulted from inconsistencies in terminology, and the lack of a white matter 'lingua franca'. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Pathophysiology of nocturnal lower urinary tract symptoms in older patients with urinary incontinence.

PubMed

Denys, Marie-Astrid; Decalf, Veerle; Kumps, Candy; Petrovic, Mirko; Goessaert, An-Sofie; Everaert, Karel

2017-11-01

To explore the mismatch between functional bladder capacity and nocturnal urine production, and to study the pathophysiology of an increased nocturnal urine production in older patients with urinary incontinence. The present prospective observational study included adults aged ≥65 years with urinary incontinence. Participants completed questionnaires, frequency volume charts and renal function profiles. The nocturnal lower urinary tract symptom index was defined as nocturnal urine output/maximum voided volume; the nocturnal polyuria index as nocturnal/24 h urine output. The median age (n = 95) was 74 years (69-79), 87% were women and 73% had nocturnal lower urinary tract symptoms (nocturnal urinary incontinence or nocturia ≥2). Participants with nocturnal lower urinary tract symptoms had a significantly higher nocturnal urine output (809 mL vs 650 mL; P = 0.001) and no significant difference in maximum voided volume (350 mL vs 437 mL; P = 0.079) compared with participants without nocturnal lower urinary tract symptoms. Participants (nocturnal polyuria index >33% [n = 56], nocturnal polyuria index >40% [n = 42], nocturnal lower urinary tract symptom index >1.87 [n = 51]) showed higher night-time diuresis rates, free water and sodium clearance compared with during the daytime. Controls (nocturnal polyuria index ≤33% [n = 26], nocturnal polyuria index ≤40% [n = 40], nocturnal lower urinary tract symptom index ≤1.87 [n = 44]) had no circadian rhythm in their diuresis rate or sodium clearance, but more nocturnal free water clearance compared with during the daytime. The majority of older adults with urinary incontinence present nocturnal lower urinary tract symptoms. An increased nocturnal sodium diuresis seems to be the only mechanism differentiating patients with nocturnal lower urinary tract symptoms from controls. © 2017 The Japanese Urological Association.

The relationship between histological prostatitis and lower urinary tract symptoms and sexual function.

PubMed

Kumsar, Sukru; Kose, Osman; Aydemir, Huseyin; Halis, Fikret; Gokce, Ahmet; Adsan, Oztug; Akkaya, Zeynep Kahyaoglu

2016-01-01

This prospective analysis assessed the effect of histological prostatitis on lower urinary tract functions and sexual function. The patients were separated into two groups as histologically observed prostatitis (Group A) and no prostatitis (Group B) according to the biopsy outcomes. International prostate symptom score, international index of erectile function-5 scores, maximal and average flow rate, and residual urine volumes were compared statistically between groups. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in baseline age (t=0.64), body mass index value (t=0.51), prostate volume (t=0.87), prostate-specific antigen levels (t=0.43), maximal (t=0.84) and average flow rate (t=0.59), and post-void residual urine volume (t=0.71). Mean international prostate symptom score in patients with prostatitis was numerically but not significantly higher than that in those without prostatitis (t=0.794, P=0.066). Mean international index of erectile function-5 score in the prostatitis group was significantly lower than that in those without prostatitis (t=1.854, P=0.013). Histological prostatitis notably affected sexual function of patients and may serve as a major risk factor for sexual dysfunction while having little effect on lower urinary tract symptoms.

An In Vitro Chicken Gut Model Demonstrates Transfer of a Multidrug Resistance Plasmid from Salmonella to Commensal Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Card, Roderick M; Cawthraw, Shaun A; Nunez-Garcia, Javier; Ellis, Richard J; Kay, Gemma; Pallen, Mark J; Woodward, Martin J; Anjum, Muna F

2017-07-18

The chicken gastrointestinal tract is richly populated by commensal bacteria that fulfill various beneficial roles for the host, including helping to resist colonization by pathogens. It can also facilitate the conjugative transfer of multidrug resistance (MDR) plasmids between commensal and pathogenic bacteria which is a significant public and animal health concern as it may affect our ability to treat bacterial infections. We used an in vitro chemostat system to approximate the chicken cecal microbiota, simulate colonization by an MDR Salmonella pathogen, and examine the dynamics of transfer of its MDR plasmid harboring several genes, including the extended-spectrum beta-lactamase bla CTX-M1 We also evaluated the impact of cefotaxime administration on plasmid transfer and microbial diversity. Bacterial community profiles obtained by culture-independent methods showed that Salmonella inoculation resulted in no significant changes to bacterial community alpha diversity and beta diversity, whereas administration of cefotaxime caused significant alterations to both measures of diversity, which largely recovered. MDR plasmid transfer from Salmonella to commensal Escherichia coli was demonstrated by PCR and whole-genome sequencing of isolates purified from agar plates containing cefotaxime. Transfer occurred to seven E. coli sequence types at high rates, even in the absence of cefotaxime, with resistant strains isolated within 3 days. Our chemostat system provides a good representation of bacterial interactions, including antibiotic resistance transfer in vivo It can be used as an ethical and relatively inexpensive approach to model dissemination of antibiotic resistance within the gut of any animal or human and refine interventions that mitigate its spread before employing in vivo studies. IMPORTANCE The spread of antimicrobial resistance presents a grave threat to public health and animal health and is affecting our ability to respond to bacterial infections. Transfer of antimicrobial resistance via plasmid exchange is of particular concern as it enables unrelated bacteria to acquire resistance. The gastrointestinal tract is replete with bacteria and provides an environment for plasmid transfer between commensals and pathogens. Here we use the chicken gut microbiota as an exemplar to model the effects of bacterial infection, antibiotic administration, and plasmid transfer. We show that transfer of a multidrug-resistant plasmid from the zoonotic pathogen Salmonella to commensal Escherichia coli occurs at a high rate, even in the absence of antibiotic administration. Our work demonstrates that the in vitro gut model provides a powerful screening tool that can be used to assess and refine interventions that mitigate the spread of antibiotic resistance in the gut before undertaking animal studies. Copyright © 2017 Card et al.

THE EFFECT OF RIGHT VENTRICULAR PACEMAKER LEAD POSITION ON FUNCTIONAL STATUS IN PATIENTS WITH PRESERVED LEFT VENTRICULAR EJECTION FRACTION.

PubMed

Mitov, Vladimir M; Perisic, Zoran; Jolic, Aleksandar; Kostic, Tomislav; Aleksic, Aleksandar; Aleksic, Zeljka

2016-07-01

The study was aimed at assessing the difference between the right ventricle apex versus the right ventricular outflow tract lead position in functional capacity in the patients with the preserved left ventricular ejection fraction after 12 months of pacemaker stimulation. This was a prospective, randomized, follow-up study, which lasted for 12 months. The study sample included 132 consecutive patients who were implanted with permanent anti-bradicardiac pacemaker. Regarding the right ventricular lead position the patients were divided into two groups: the right ventricle apex group consisting of 61 patients with right ventricular apex lead position. The right ventricular outflow tract group included 71 patients with right ventricular outflow tract lead position. Functional capacity was assessed by Minnesota Living With Heart Failure score, New York Heart Association class and Six Minute Walk Test. Left ventricular ejection fraction was assessed by echocardiography. Minnesota Living With Heart Failure score and New York Heart Association class had a statistically significant improvement in both study groups. The patients from right ventricle apex group walked 20.95% (p=O.03) more in comparison to starting values. The patients from right ventricular outflow tract group walked only 13.63% (p=0.09) longer distance than the startingoneConclusion. Analysis of tests of functional status New York Heart Association class and Minnesota Living With Heart Failure questionnaire showed an even improvement in the right ventricle apex and right ventricular outflow tract groups. Analysis of 6 minute walk test showed that only the patients with the preserved left ventricular ejection fraction from the right ventricle apex group had a significant improvement after 12 months of pacemaker stimulation..

Extracting the inclination angle of nerve fibers within the human brain with 3D-PLI independent of system properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reckfort, Julia; Wiese, Hendrik; Dohmen, Melanie; Grässel, David; Pietrzyk, Uwe; Zilles, Karl; Amunts, Katrin; Axer, Markus

2013-09-01

The neuroimaging technique 3D-polarized light imaging (3D-PLI) has opened up new avenues to study the complex nerve fiber architecture of the human brain at sub-millimeter spatial resolution. This polarimetry technique is applicable to histological sections of postmortem brains utilizing the birefringence of nerve fibers caused by the regular arrangement of lipids and proteins in the myelin sheaths surrounding axons. 3D-PLI provides a three-dimensional description of the anatomical wiring scheme defined by the in-section direction angle and the out-of-section inclination angle. To date, 3D-PLI is the only available method that allows bridging the microscopic and the macroscopic description of the fiber architecture of the human brain. Here we introduce a new approach to retrieve the inclination angle of the fibers independently of the properties of the used polarimeters. This is relevant because the image resolution and the signal transmission inuence the measured birefringent signal (retardation) significantly. The image resolution was determined using the USAF- 1951 testchart applying the Rayleigh criterion. The signal transmission was measured by elliptical polarizers applying the Michelson contrast and histological slices of the optic tract of a postmortem brain. Based on these results, a modified retardation-inclination transfer function was proposed to extract the fiber inclination. The comparison of the actual and the inclination angles calculated with the theoretically proposed and the modified transfer function revealed a significant improvement in the extraction of the fiber inclinations.

Delayed reconstruction of the upper digestive tract in a patient following total pharyngolaryngectomy with resection of the cervical oesophagus

PubMed Central

Szewczyk, Mateusz; Pazdrowski, Jakub; Golusiński, Paweł; Golusiński, Wojciech

2015-01-01

Carcinoma of the hypopharynx is an uncommon disease, with an annual incidence of approximately 1 in 100,000. Post-cricoid carcinoma is more common in women and is not usually associated with tobacco and alcohol abuse. Reconstruction of large pharyngeal defects following surgery for squamous cell carcinoma is complex and often requires microvascular free tissue transfer to achieve the best oncological and functional outcomes. The most common complications of such procedures include fistulas and strictures of the neopharynx. Here, we describe a case of a female patient admitted to the Head and Neck Department at our hospital to undergo delayed reconstruction following pharyngolaryngectomy and removal of the cervical oesophagus. Several complications occurred during post-operative care, including stricture and skin dehiscence. At present, the patient is able to swallow saliva and is currently being prepared to return to a normal diet. PMID:25949230

Comparison of diffusion tensor imaging tractography of language tracts and intraoperative subcortical stimulations.

PubMed

Leclercq, Delphine; Duffau, Hugues; Delmaire, Christine; Capelle, Laurent; Gatignol, Peggy; Ducros, Mathieu; Chiras, Jacques; Lehéricy, Stéphane

2010-03-01

Diffusion tensor (DT) imaging tractography is increasingly used to map fiber tracts in patients with surgical brain lesions to reduce the risk of postoperative functional deficit. There are few validation studies of DT imaging tractography in these patients. The aim of this study was to compare DT imaging tractography of language fiber tracts by using intraoperative subcortical electrical stimulations. The authors included 10 patients with low-grade gliomas or dysplasia located in language areas. The MR imaging examination included 3D T1-weighted images for anatomical coregistration, FLAIR, and DT images. Diffusion tensors and fiber tracts were calculated using in-house software. Four tracts were reconstructed in each patient including the arcuate fasciculus, the inferior occipitofrontal fasciculus, and 2 premotor fasciculi (the subcallosal medialis fiber tract and cortical fibers originating from the medial and lateral premotor areas). The authors compared fiber tracts reconstructed using DT imaging with those evidenced using intraoperative subcortical language mapping. Seventeen (81%) of 21 positive stimulations were concordant with DT imaging fiber bundles (located within 6 mm of a fiber tract). Four positive stimulations were not located in the vicinity of a DT imaging fiber tract. Stimulations of the arcuate fasciculus mostly induced articulatory and phonemic/syntactic disorders and less frequently semantic paraphasias. Stimulations of the inferior occipitofrontal fasciculus induced semantic paraphasias. Stimulations of the premotor-related fasciculi induced dysarthria and articulatory planning deficit. There was a good correspondence between positive stimulation sites and fiber tracts, suggesting that DT imaging fiber tracking is a reliable technique but not yet optimal to map language tracts in patients with brain lesions. Negative tractography does not rule out the persistence of a fiber tract, especially when invaded by the tumor. Stimulations of the different tracts induced variable language disorders that were specific to each fiber tract.

Prolonged Expression of an Anti-HIV-1 gp120 Minibody to the Female Rhesus Macaque Lower Genital Tract by AAV Gene Transfer

PubMed Central

Abdel-Motal, Ussama M.; Harbison, Carole; Han, Thomas; Pudney, Jeffrey; Anderson, Deborah J.; Zhu, Quan; Westmoreland, Susan; Marasco, Wayne A.

2014-01-01

Topical microbicides are a leading strategy for prevention of HIV mucosal infection to women, however, numerous pharmacokinetic limitations associated with coitally-related dosing strategy have contributed to their limited success. Here we test the hypothesis that adeno-associated virus (AAV) mediated delivery of the b12 human anti-HIV-1 gp120 minibody gene to the lower genital tract of female rhesus macaques (Rh) can provide prolonged expression of b12 minibodies in the cervical-vaginal secretions. Gene transfer studies demonstrated that, of various GFP-expressing AAV serotypes, AAV-6 most efficiently transduced freshly immortalized and primary genital epithelial cells (PGECs) of female Rh in vitro. In addition, AAV-6-b12 minibody transduction of Rh PGECs led to inhibition of SHIV162p4 transmigration and virus infectivity in vitro. AAV-6-GFP could also successfully transduce vaginal epithelial cells of Rh when applied intra-vaginally, including p63+ epithelial stem cells. Moreover, intra-vaginal application of AAV-6-b12 to female Rh resulted in prolonged minibody detection in their vaginal secretions throughout the 79 day study period. These data provide proof-of-principle that AAV-6-mediated delivery of anti-HIV broadly neutralizing antibody (BnAb) genes to the lower genital tract of female Rh results in persistent minibody detection for several months. This strategy offers promise that an anti-HIV-1 genetic microbicide strategy may be possible in which topical application of AAV vector, with periodic reapplication as needed, may provide sustained local BnAb expression and protection. PMID:24965083

Prolonged expression of an anti-HIV-1 gp120 minibody to the female rhesus macaque lower genital tract by AAV gene transfer.

PubMed

Abdel-Motal, U M; Harbison, C; Han, T; Pudney, J; Anderson, D J; Zhu, Q; Westmoreland, S; Marasco, W A

2014-09-01

Topical microbicides are a leading strategy for prevention of HIV mucosal infection to women; however, numerous pharmacokinetic limitations associated with coitally related dosing strategy have contributed to their limited success. Here we test the hypothesis that adeno-associated virus (AAV) mediated delivery of the b12 human anti-HIV-1 gp120 minibody gene to the lower genital tract of female rhesus macaques (Rh) can provide prolonged expression of b12 minibodies in the cervical-vaginal secretions. Gene transfer studies demonstrated that, of various green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing AAV serotypes, AAV-6 most efficiently transduced freshly immortalized and primary genital epithelial cells (PGECs) of female Rh in vitro. In addition, AAV-6-b12 minibody transduction of Rh PGECs led to inhibition of SHIV162p4 transmigration and virus infectivity in vitro. AAV-6-GFP could also successfully transduce vaginal epithelial cells of Rh when applied intravaginally, including p63+ epithelial stem cells. Moreover, intravaginal application of AAV-6-b12 to female Rh resulted in prolonged minibody detection in their vaginal secretions throughout the 79-day study period. These data provide proof of principle that AAV-6-mediated delivery of anti-HIV broadly neutralizing antibody (BnAb) genes to the lower genital tract of female Rh results in persistent minibody detection for several months. This strategy offers promise that an anti-HIV-1 genetic microbicide strategy may be possible in which topical application of AAV vector, with periodic reapplication as needed, may provide sustained local BnAb expression and protection.

Development and application of a dosimetry model (ExDoM2) for calculating internal dose of specific particle-bound metals in the human body.

PubMed

Chalvatzaki, Eleftheria; Lazaridis, Mihalis

2015-01-01

The objective of the current study was to develop a dosimetry model (ExDoM2) for calculating internal dose of specific particle-bound metals (As, Pb, Cd, Cr and Mn) in the human body. The ExDoM2 is a revised version of a respiratory tract model (ExDoM) incorporating a new particle clearance mechanism in the respiratory tract model and a Physiologically-Based PharmacoKinetic (PBPK) model. The revised respiratory tract model was used to calculate the deposition, clearance and retention of particles in the human respiratory tract and the mass transferred to the oesophagus (gastrointestinal tract) and blood. The PBPK module was used to analyze the distribution of metals (As, Pb, Cd, Cr and Mn) from the blood circulation system to other organs or tissues like liver, kidneys, heart, brain, muscle and bone. The model was applied to calculate the internal human dose for an adult Caucasian male exposed to particulate mass matter (PM), PMPb, PMCd, PMMn and PMCr in an urban area (Athens, Greece). The analysis showed that at the end of the exposure (one day exposure scenario) to PMPb, the major accumulation occurs in the bone, blood and muscle, whereas as regards PMCd the major accumulation occurs in the other tissues, like kidney and liver. In addition, for PMMn, the major accumulation occurs in the other tissues and lungs, whereas as regards PMCr the major accumulation occurs in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and lungs. Therefore, ExDoM2 is an important feature in studying deposition of particles in the human body.

Towards a vaccine against Escherichia coli-associated urinary tract infections.

PubMed

Serino, Laura; Moriel, Danilo Gomes; Rappuoli, Rino; Pizza, Mariagrazia

2010-03-01

Evaluation of: Alteri CJ, Hagan EC, Sivick KE, Smith SN, Mobley HLT: Mucosal immunization with iron receptor antigens protects against urinary tract infections. PLoS Pathog. 5(9), E1000586 (2009). Urinary tract infection is one of the most common infections in humans. The eradication of uropathogenic Escherichia coli-mediated urinary tract infections has still not been achieved and no effective licensed vaccines are currently available. To overcome the limitations of previous approaches in developing an efficacious vaccine, Alteri et al., through a functional genomic approach, identified six novel vaccine candidates shown to be protective against urinary tract infection in a mouse model. The six proteins all belong to the class of outer membrane iron receptors, are upregulated in iron-restricted conditions and were demonstrated to induce, upon mucosal vaccination, antigen-specific antibodies and cytokine responses, which correlated with protection in a mouse model of urinary tract infection. Therefore, for the first time, antigens that were previously recognized as necessary for bacterial pathogenesis, being involved in iron acquisition in an iron-limited environment such as the urinary tract, are now proposed as potential candidates for the development of a vaccine against uropathogenic strain-associated urinary tract infections.

Vocal tract resonances in speech, singing, and playing musical instruments

PubMed Central

Wolfe, Joe; Garnier, Maëva; Smith, John

2009-01-01

In both the voice and musical wind instruments, a valve (vocal folds, lips, or reed) lies between an upstream and downstream duct: trachea and vocal tract for the voice; vocal tract and bore for the instrument. Examining the structural similarities and functional differences gives insight into their operation and the duct-valve interactions. In speech and singing, vocal tract resonances usually determine the spectral envelope and usually have a smaller influence on the operating frequency. The resonances are important not only for the phonemic information they produce, but also because of their contribution to voice timbre, loudness, and efficiency. The role of the tract resonances is usually different in brass and some woodwind instruments, where they modify and to some extent compete or collaborate with resonances of the instrument to control the vibration of a reed or the player’s lips, and∕or the spectrum of air flow into the instrument. We give a brief overview of oscillator mechanisms and vocal tract acoustics. We discuss recent and current research on how the acoustical resonances of the vocal tract are involved in singing and the playing of musical wind instruments. Finally, we compare techniques used in determining tract resonances and suggest some future developments. PMID:19649157

Vocal tract resonances in speech, singing, and playing musical instruments.

PubMed

Wolfe, Joe; Garnier, Maëva; Smith, John

2009-01-01

IN BOTH THE VOICE AND MUSICAL WIND INSTRUMENTS, A VALVE (VOCAL FOLDS, LIPS, OR REED) LIES BETWEEN AN UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM DUCT: trachea and vocal tract for the voice; vocal tract and bore for the instrument. Examining the structural similarities and functional differences gives insight into their operation and the duct-valve interactions. In speech and singing, vocal tract resonances usually determine the spectral envelope and usually have a smaller influence on the operating frequency. The resonances are important not only for the phonemic information they produce, but also because of their contribution to voice timbre, loudness, and efficiency. The role of the tract resonances is usually different in brass and some woodwind instruments, where they modify and to some extent compete or collaborate with resonances of the instrument to control the vibration of a reed or the player's lips, andor the spectrum of air flow into the instrument. We give a brief overview of oscillator mechanisms and vocal tract acoustics. We discuss recent and current research on how the acoustical resonances of the vocal tract are involved in singing and the playing of musical wind instruments. Finally, we compare techniques used in determining tract resonances and suggest some future developments.

Biokinetic modelling development and analysis of arsenic dissolution into the gastrointestinal tract using SAAM II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perama, Yasmin Mohd Idris; Siong, Khoo Kok

2018-04-01

A mathematical model comprising 8 compartments were designed to describe the kinetic dissolution of arsenic (As) from water leach purification (WLP) waste samples ingested into the gastrointestinal system. A totally reengineered software system named Simulation, Analysis and Modelling II (SAAM II) was employed to aid in the experimental design and data analysis. As a powerful tool that creates, simulate and analyze data accurately and rapidly, SAAM II computationally creates a system of ordinary differential equations according to the specified compartmental model structure and simulates the solutions based upon the parameter and model inputs provided. The experimental design of in vitro DIN approach was applied to create an artificial gastric and gastrointestinal fluids. These synthetic fluids assay were produced to determine the concentrations of As ingested into the gastrointestinal tract. The model outputs were created based upon the experimental inputs and the recommended fractional transfer rates parameter. As a result, the measured and predicted As concentrations in gastric fluids were much similar against the time of study. In contrast, the concentrations of As in the gastrointestinal fluids were only similar during the first hour and eventually started decreasing until the fifth hours of study between the measured and predicted values. This is due to the loss of As through the fractional transfer rates of q2 compartment to corresponding compartments of q3 and q5 which are involved with excretion and distribution to the whole body, respectively. The model outputs obtained after best fit to the data were influenced significantly by the fractional transfer rates between each compartment. Therefore, a series of compartmental model created with the association of fractional transfer rates parameter with the aid of SAAM II provides better estimation that simulate the kinetic behavior of As ingested into the gastrointestinal system.

Effect of probiotics and prebiotics on food animal immunity

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the largest interface between an animal’s internal milieu and its exterior environment. As such, it forms a physical barrier between both environments. However, the function of the GI tract in the well-being of an animal is more complex than this passive role. Th...

Identification and characterization of functional aquaporin water channel protein from alimentary tract of whitefly, Bemisia tabaci

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Some hemipteran xylem and phloem feeding insects have evolved specialized alimentary structures or filter chambers that rapidly transport water for excretion or osmoregulation. In the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, mass movement of water through opposing alimentary tract tissues within the filter chamber...

The animal food supplement sepiolite promotes a direct horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance plasmids between bacterial species.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Beltrán, Jerónimo; Rodríguez-Rojas, Alexandro; Yubero, Elva; Blázquez, Jesús

2013-06-01

Animal fodder is routinely complemented with antibiotics together with other food supplements to improve growth. For instance, sepiolite is currently used as a dietary coadjuvant in animal feed, as it increases animal growth parameters and improves meat and derived final product quality. This type of food additive has so far been considered innocuous for the development and spread of antibiotic resistance. In this study, we demonstrate that sepiolite promotes the direct horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance plasmids between bacterial species. The conditions needed for plasmid transfer (sepiolite and friction forces) occur in the digestive tracts of farm animals, which routinely receive sepiolite as a food additive. Furthermore, this effect may be aggravated by the use of antibiotics supplied as growth promoters.

Metaphylogenomic and potential functionality of the limpet Patella pellucida's gastrointestinal tract microbiome.

PubMed

Dudek, Magda; Adams, Jessica; Swain, Martin; Hegarty, Matthew; Huws, Sharon; Gallagher, Joe

2014-10-20

This study investigated the microbial diversity associated with the digestive tract of the seaweed grazing marine limpet Patella pellucida. Using a modified indirect DNA extraction protocol and performing metagenomic profiling based on specific prokaryotic marker genes, the abundance of bacterial groups was identified from the analyzed metagenome. The members of three significantly abundant phyla of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were characterized through the literature and their predicted functions towards the host, as well as potential applications in the industrial environment assessed.

Essentials of equine renal and urinary tract physiology.

PubMed

Toribio, Ramiro E

2007-12-01

Knowledge of urinary tract anatomy and the numerous functions of the kidney in regulating fluids, electrolytes, acid-base balance, and waste products improves the ability of the clinician to diagnose, treat, and make appropriate recommendations for the management of the horse with renal disease. Several conditions can directly or indirectly affect renal function on a temporary or permanent basis. Endogenous and exogenous compounds (eg, drugs, toxins, hemoglobin) alone or in combination with inappropriate renal blood flow can promote or exacerbate renal disease.

Biological assessment for the transfer of the DP land tract

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

Keller, D.C.

1996-10-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to transfer to the County of Los Alamos up to 10-ha (25-ac) of federal land located in Technical Area-21 to be developed for commercial uses. Previous studies for the proposed land transfer area indicate that potential habitat for four threatened, endangered, and sensitive species occurs in or adjacent to the proposed land transfer area. These include the northern goshawk (federal species of concern), Mexican spotted owl (federal threatened), the spotted bat (federal species of concern, state threatened), die peregrine falcon (federal endangered, state endangered), and the. In order to determine the possible influencesmore » of the land transfer on these organisms, information from species-specific surveys was collected. These surveys were used to confirm the presence of these species or to infer their absence in or near the project area. It was concluded that none of die above mentioned species occur in the project area. Stretches of the stream channel within Los Alamos Canyon have been identified as palustrine and riverine, temporarily flooded wetlands. The proposed land transfer should not affect these wetlands.« less

An Approach for Treating the Hepatobiliary Disease of Cystic Fibrosis by Somatic Gene Transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yiping; Raper, Steven E.; Cohn, Jonathan A.; Engelhardt, John F.; Wilson, James M.

1993-05-01

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disease of epithelial cell ion transport that is associated with pathology in multiple organ systems, including lung, pancreas, and liver. As treatment of the pulmonary manifestations of CF has improved, management of CF liver disease has become increasingly important in adult patients. This report describes an approach for treating CF liver disease by somatic gene transfer. In situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry analysis of rat liver sections indicated that the endogenous CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) gene is primarily expressed in the intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells. To specifically target recombinant genes to the biliary epithelium in vivo, recombinant adenoviruses expressing lacZ or human CFTR were infused retrograde into the biliary tract through the common bile duct. Conditions were established for achieving recombinant gene expression in virtually all cells of the intrahepatic bile ducts in vivo. Expression persisted in the smaller bile ducts for the duration of the experiment, which was 21 days. These studies suggest that it may be feasible to prevent CF liver disease by genetically reconstituting CFTR expression in the biliary tract, using an approach that is clinically feasible.

Application of memory metallic stents to urinary tract disorders in pediatric patients.

PubMed

Kamata, Shinkichi; Usui, Noriaki; Kamiyama, Masafumi; Yoneda, Akihiro; Tazuke, Yuko; Ooue, Takaharu

2005-03-01

The use of memory metallic stents for the urinary tract in pediatric patients has not been reported. The authors report on 2 patients with urinary tract disorders who were successfully treated with a memory metallic stent. A thermoexpandable, nickel-titanium alloy stent was placed at the urethroureteral junction of a 4-year-old boy with ureteral stenosis associated with cloacal exstrophy for 18 months and at the urethra of a 2-year-old girl with ischuria after a repair of cloacal anomaly for 6 months. Temporary insertion of a memory metallic stent is a safe and effective alternative for organic stricture or functional obstruction of the urinary tract in pediatric patients.

Microstructural White Matter Changes Underlying Cognitive and Behavioural Impairment in ALS – An In Vivo Study Using DTI

PubMed Central

Kasper, Elisabeth; Schuster, Christina; Machts, Judith; Kaufmann, Joern; Bittner, Daniel; Vielhaber, Stefan; Benecke, Reiner; Teipel, Stefan; Prudlo, Johannes

2014-01-01

Background A relevant fraction of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) exhibit a fronto-temporal pattern of cognitive and behavioural disturbances with pronounced deficits in executive functioning and cognitive control of behaviour. Structural imaging shows a decline in fronto-temporal brain areas, but most brain imaging studies did not evaluate cognitive status. We investigated microstructural white matter changes underlying cognitive impairment using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in a large cohort of ALS patients. Methods We assessed 72 non-demented ALS patients and 65 matched healthy control subjects using a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery and DTI. We compared DTI measures of fiber tract integrity using tract-based spatial statistics among ALS patients with and without cognitive impairment and healthy controls. Neuropsychological performance and behavioural measures were correlated with DTI measures. Results Patients without cognitive impairment demonstrated white matter changes predominantly in motor tracts, including the corticospinal tract and the body of corpus callosum. Those with impairments (ca. 30%) additionally presented significant white matter alterations in extra-motor regions, particularly the frontal lobe. Executive and memory performance and behavioural measures were correlated with fiber tract integrity in large association tracts. Conclusion In non-demented cognitively impaired ALS patients, white matter changes measured by DTI are related to disturbances of executive and memory functions, including prefrontal and temporal regions. In a group comparison, DTI is able to observe differences between cognitively unimpaired and impaired ALS patients. PMID:25501028

Congenital anomalies of the urinary tract.

PubMed

Pohl, Hans G; Belman, A Barry

2014-01-01

The upper urinary tract forms as a consequence of the reciprocal inductive signals between the metanephric mesenchyme and ureteric bud. A clue to the timing of events leading to an abnormality of the upper urinary tract can be the presence also of associated anomalies of internal genitalia since separation of these systems occurs at about the 10th week of gestation. Prenatal sonography has facilitated the detection of urological abnormalities presenting with hydronephrosis. Hydronephrosis suggests obstruction, but by itself cannot be equated with it. Instead, further radiographic imaging is required to delineate anatomy and function. Now, moreover, non-surgical management of CAKUT should be considered whenever possible. Despite the widespread use of prenatal screening sonography that usually identifies the majority of congenital anomalies of the urinary tract, many children still present with febrile urinary tract infection (UTI). Regardless of the etiology for the presentation, the goal of management is preservation of renal function through mitigation of the risk for recurrent UTI and/or obstruction. In the past many children underwent surgical repair aimed at normalization of the appearance of the urinary tract. Today, management has evolved such that in most cases surgical reconstruction is performed only after a period of observation - with or without urinary prophylaxis. The opinions presented in this section are not espoused by all pediatric urologists but represent instead the practice that has evolved at Children's National Medical Center (Washington DC) based significantly on information obtained by nuclear renography, in addition to sonography and contrast cystography.

Are we justified in suggesting change to caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated drink intake in lower urinary tract disease? Report from the ICI-RS 2015.

PubMed

Robinson, Dudley; Hanna-Mitchell, Ann; Rantell, Angie; Thiagamoorthy, Gans; Cardozo, Linda

2017-04-01

There is increasing evidence that diet may have a significant role in the development of lower urinary tract symptoms. While fluid intake is known to affect lower urinary tract function the effects of alcohol, caffeine, carbonated drinks, and artificial sweeteners are less well understood and evidence from epidemiological studies is mixed and sometimes contradictory. The aim of this paper is to appraise the available evidence on the effect of caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated drinks on lower urinary tract function and dysfunction in addition to suggesting proposals for further research. Literature review based on a systematic search strategy using the terms "fluid intake," "caffeine," "alcohol," "carbonated" and "urinary incontinence," "detrusor overactivity," "Overactive Bladder," "OAB." In addition to fluid intake, there is some evidence to support a role of caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated beverages in the pathogenesis of OAB and lower urinary tract dysfunction. Although some findings are contradictory, others clearly show an association between the ingestion of caffeine, carbonated drinks, and alcohol with symptom severity. CONCLUSIONS Given the available evidence lifestyle interventions and fluid modification may have an important role in the primary prevention of lower urinary tract symptoms. However, more research is needed to determine the precise role of caffeine, carbonated drinks, and alcohol in the pathogenesis and management of these symptoms. The purpose of this paper is to stimulate that research. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:876-881, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A clinically viable capsule endoscopy video analysis platform for automatic bleeding detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Steven; Jiao, Heng; Xie, Jean; Mui, Peter; Leighton, Jonathan A.; Pasha, Shabana; Rentz, Lauri; Abedi, Mahmood

2013-02-01

In this paper, we present a novel and clinically valuable software platform for automatic bleeding detection on gastrointestinal (GI) tract from Capsule Endoscopy (CE) videos. Typical CE videos for GI tract run about 8 hours and are manually reviewed by physicians to locate diseases such as bleedings and polyps. As a result, the process is time consuming and is prone to disease miss-finding. While researchers have made efforts to automate this process, however, no clinically acceptable software is available on the marketplace today. Working with our collaborators, we have developed a clinically viable software platform called GISentinel for fully automated GI tract bleeding detection and classification. Major functional modules of the SW include: the innovative graph based NCut segmentation algorithm, the unique feature selection and validation method (e.g. illumination invariant features, color independent features, and symmetrical texture features), and the cascade SVM classification for handling various GI tract scenes (e.g. normal tissue, food particles, bubbles, fluid, and specular reflection). Initial evaluation results on the SW have shown zero bleeding instance miss-finding rate and 4.03% false alarm rate. This work is part of our innovative 2D/3D based GI tract disease detection software platform. While the overall SW framework is designed for intelligent finding and classification of major GI tract diseases such as bleeding, ulcer, and polyp from the CE videos, this paper will focus on the automatic bleeding detection functional module.

FADTTSter: accelerating hypothesis testing with functional analysis of diffusion tensor tract statistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noel, Jean; Prieto, Juan C.; Styner, Martin

2017-03-01

Functional Analysis of Diffusion Tensor Tract Statistics (FADTTS) is a toolbox for analysis of white matter (WM) fiber tracts. It allows associating diffusion properties along major WM bundles with a set of covariates of interest, such as age, diagnostic status and gender, and the structure of the variability of these WM tract properties. However, to use this toolbox, a user must have an intermediate knowledge in scripting languages (MATLAB). FADTTSter was created to overcome this issue and make the statistical analysis accessible to any non-technical researcher. FADTTSter is actively being used by researchers at the University of North Carolina. FADTTSter guides non-technical users through a series of steps including quality control of subjects and fibers in order to setup the necessary parameters to run FADTTS. Additionally, FADTTSter implements interactive charts for FADTTS' outputs. This interactive chart enhances the researcher experience and facilitates the analysis of the results. FADTTSter's motivation is to improve usability and provide a new analysis tool to the community that complements FADTTS. Ultimately, by enabling FADTTS to a broader audience, FADTTSter seeks to accelerate hypothesis testing in neuroimaging studies involving heterogeneous clinical data and diffusion tensor imaging. This work is submitted to the Biomedical Applications in Molecular, Structural, and Functional Imaging conference. The source code of this application is available in NITRC.

Motor function outcomes of pediatric patients with hemiplegic cerebral palsy after rehabilitation treatment: a diffusion tensor imaging study

PubMed Central

Kim, Jin Hyun; Kwon, Yong Min; Son, Su Min

2015-01-01

Previous diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies regarding pediatric patients with motor dysfunction have confirmed the correlation between DTI parameters of the injured corticospinal tract and the severity of motor dysfunction. There is also evidence that DTI parameters can help predict the prognosis of motor function of patients with cerebral palsy. But few studies are reported on the DTI parameters that can reflect the motor function outcomes of pediatric patients with hemiplegic cerebral palsy after rehabilitation treatment. In the present study, 36 pediatric patients with hemiplegic cerebral palsy were included. Before and after rehabilitation treatment, DTI was used to measure the fiber number (FN), fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of bilateral corticospinal tracts. Functional Level of Hemiplegia scale (FxL) was used to assess the therapeutic effect of rehabilitative therapy on clinical hemiplegia. Correlation analysis was performed to assess the statistical interrelationship between the change amount of DTI parameters and FxL. DTI findings obtained at the initial and follow-up evaluations demonstrated that more affected corticospinal tract yielded significantly decreased FN and FA values and significantly increased ADC value compared to the less affected corticospinal tract. Correlation analysis results showed that the change amount of FxL was positively correlated to FN and FA values, and the correlation to FN was stronger than the correlation to FA. The results suggest that FN and FA values can be used to evaluate the motor function outcomes of pediatric patients with hemiplegic cerebral palsy after rehabilitation treatment and FN is of more significance for evaluation. PMID:26170825

Intravaginal infection with herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) generates a functional effector memory T cell population that persists in the murine genital tract.

PubMed

Tang, Vera A; Rosenthal, Kenneth L

2010-12-01

Although the female genital tract is the main portal of entry for sexually transmitted infections in women, we still have limited understanding of the generation, maintenance and characteristics of memory T cells in the local tissue. Here, we utilized a mouse model of intravaginal HSV-2 infection and tetramers against the immunodominant HSV glycoprotein B epitope recognized by CD8+ T cells to examine the generation, maintenance and characteristics of anti-HSV memory T cells in the genital tract following acute infection. Our results show that the highest percentage of HSVgB-specific CD8+ T cells was found in the genital tract compared to the spleen or iliac lymphnode. Indeed, although the actual number of CD8+ T cells contracted following viral clearance, approximately one quarter of the CD8+ population that remained in the genital tissue was HSVgB-specific. Memory gB-tetramer+CD8 T cells in the genital tract were positive for CD127 and KLRG1 and negative for CD62L and CCR7, thus confirming that HSV-specific CD8 cells were effector memory T cells that lack the capacity for homing to lymphoid tissues. Functionally, both memory CD8+ and CD4+ HSV-specific populations in the genital tract produced IFNγ when stimulated in vitro and CD4+ cells also produced TNFα. Genital HSVgB-specific memory T cells expressed tissue-homing integrins CD103 (αE integrin) and CD49a (VLA-1 or α1 integrin). Our findings suggest that HSV-specific memory T cells are retained in the genital tract, poised to act as an early line of defense against future virus encounter. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of dietary uranium on reproductive endpoints--fecundity, survival, reproductive success--of the fish Danio rerio.

PubMed

Simon, Olivier; Mottin, Elmina; Geffroy, Benjamin; Hinton, Thomas

2011-01-01

Exposure to metal-contaminated water has been shown to result in a number of reproductive abnormalities in adult and larvae fish, such as failure of oocyte maturation and teratogenic effects. Recently, dietary uptake of metals by fish has been recognized as a critical route of exposure, however, the mechanisms of metal uptake and toxicity are poorly understood and in need of further investigation. The objectives of the present study are to quantify uranium (U dietary transfers from spiked artificial diets) in Danio rerio tissues and embryos, as well as establish its effect on reproduction and embryonic development. Uranium's environmental prominence is currently increasing because of new mining and milling activities. Uranium concentrations range from 0.02 µg/L in natural waters to 2 mg/L. The focus of this study was to examine the trophic transfer and effects of U following exposure modalities (dose, exposure duration 1 to 20 d). Two different isotopes were used to distinguish between chemical and radioactivity toxicity of U. Results showed that U trophic transfer was low (0.52%). Uranium tissue distributions showed that accumulation occurred in digestive organs (liver, digestive tract) following dietary exposure. High levels of U were measured in the gonads (female in particular, >20% of relative burden). High U accumulation levels in eggs indicated maternal transfer of the contaminant. Moreover, U trophic exposure led to a reduction in reproduction success as a function of U accumulated levels. High U exposure conditions strongly reduced the total number of eggs (50%) and their viability at 10 d (reduction of the clutch number, low quality of eggs). © 2010 SETAC.

Cow’s Milk and Immune Function in the Respiratory Tract: Potential Mechanisms

PubMed Central

Perdijk, Olaf; van Splunter, Marloes; Savelkoul, Huub F. J.; Brugman, Sylvia; van Neerven, R. J. Joost

2018-01-01

During the last decades, the world has witnessed a dramatic increase in allergy prevalence. Epidemiological evidence shows that growing up on a farm is a protective factor, which is partly explained by the consumption of raw cow’s milk. Indeed, recent studies show inverse associations between raw cow’s milk consumption in early life and asthma, hay fever, and rhinitis. A similar association of raw cow’s milk consumption with respiratory tract infections is recently found. In line with these findings, controlled studies in infants with milk components such as lactoferrin, milk fat globule membrane, and colostrum IgG have shown to reduce respiratory infections. However, for ethical reasons, it is not possible to conduct controlled studies with raw cow’s milk in infants, so formal proof is lacking to date. Because viral respiratory tract infections and aeroallergen exposure in children may be causally linked to the development of asthma, it is of interest to investigate whether cow’s milk components can modulate human immune function in the respiratory tract and via which mechanisms. Inhaled allergens and viruses trigger local immune responses in the upper airways in both nasal and oral lymphoid tissue. The components present in raw cow’s milk are able to promote a local microenvironment in which mucosal immune responses are modified and the epithelial barrier is enforced. In addition, such responses may also be triggered in the gut after exposure to allergens and viruses in the nasal cavity that become available in the GI tract after swallowing. However, these immune cells that come into contact with cow’s milk components in the gut must recirculate into the blood and home to the (upper and lower) respiratory tract to regulate immune responses locally. Expression of the tissue homing-associated markers α4β7 and CCR9 or CCR10 on lymphocytes can be influenced by vitamin A and vitamin D3, respectively. Since both vitamins are present in milk, we speculate that raw milk may influence homing of lymphocytes to the upper respiratory tract. This review focuses on potential mechanisms via which cow’s milk or its components can influence immune function in the intestine and the upper respiratory tract. Unraveling these complex mechanisms may contribute to the development of novel dietary approaches in allergy and asthma prevention. PMID:29483908

Cow's Milk and Immune Function in the Respiratory Tract: Potential Mechanisms.

PubMed

Perdijk, Olaf; van Splunter, Marloes; Savelkoul, Huub F J; Brugman, Sylvia; van Neerven, R J Joost

2018-01-01

During the last decades, the world has witnessed a dramatic increase in allergy prevalence. Epidemiological evidence shows that growing up on a farm is a protective factor, which is partly explained by the consumption of raw cow's milk. Indeed, recent studies show inverse associations between raw cow's milk consumption in early life and asthma, hay fever, and rhinitis. A similar association of raw cow's milk consumption with respiratory tract infections is recently found. In line with these findings, controlled studies in infants with milk components such as lactoferrin, milk fat globule membrane, and colostrum IgG have shown to reduce respiratory infections. However, for ethical reasons, it is not possible to conduct controlled studies with raw cow's milk in infants, so formal proof is lacking to date. Because viral respiratory tract infections and aeroallergen exposure in children may be causally linked to the development of asthma, it is of interest to investigate whether cow's milk components can modulate human immune function in the respiratory tract and via which mechanisms. Inhaled allergens and viruses trigger local immune responses in the upper airways in both nasal and oral lymphoid tissue. The components present in raw cow's milk are able to promote a local microenvironment in which mucosal immune responses are modified and the epithelial barrier is enforced. In addition, such responses may also be triggered in the gut after exposure to allergens and viruses in the nasal cavity that become available in the GI tract after swallowing. However, these immune cells that come into contact with cow's milk components in the gut must recirculate into the blood and home to the (upper and lower) respiratory tract to regulate immune responses locally. Expression of the tissue homing-associated markers α4β7 and CCR9 or CCR10 on lymphocytes can be influenced by vitamin A and vitamin D3, respectively. Since both vitamins are present in milk, we speculate that raw milk may influence homing of lymphocytes to the upper respiratory tract. This review focuses on potential mechanisms via which cow's milk or its components can influence immune function in the intestine and the upper respiratory tract. Unraveling these complex mechanisms may contribute to the development of novel dietary approaches in allergy and asthma prevention.

White matter alterations and their associations with motor function in young adults born preterm with very low birth weight.

PubMed

Hollund, Ingrid Marie Husby; Olsen, Alexander; Skranes, Jon; Brubakk, Ann-Mari; Håberg, Asta K; Eikenes, Live; Evensen, Kari Anne I

2018-01-01

Very low birth weight (VLBW: ≤ 1500 g) individuals have an increased risk of white matter alterations and neurodevelopmental problems, including fine and gross motor problems. In this hospital-based follow-up study, the main aim was to examine white matter microstructure and its relationship to fine and gross motor function in 31 VLBW young adults without cerebral palsy compared with 31 term-born controls, at mean age 22.6 ± 0.7 years. The participants were examined with tests of fine and gross motor function (Trail Making Test-5: TMT-5, Grooved Pegboard, Triangle from Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2: MABC-2 and High-level Mobility Assessment Tool: HiMAT) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Probabilistic tractography of motor pathways of the corticospinal tract (CST) and corpus callosum (CC) was performed. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was calculated in non-crossing (capsula interna in CST, body of CC) and crossing (centrum semiovale) fibre regions along the tracts and examined for group differences. Associations between motor test scores and FA in the CST and CC were investigated with linear regression. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) was used to examine group differences in DTI metrics in all major white matter tracts. The VLBW group had lower scores on all motor tests compared with controls, however, only statistically significant for TMT-5. Based on tractography, FA in the VLBW group was lower in non-crossing fibre regions and higher in crossing fibre regions of the CST compared with controls. Within the VLBW group, poorer fine motor function was associated with higher FA in crossing fibre regions of the CST, and poorer bimanual coordination was additionally associated with lower FA in crossing fibre regions of the CC. Poorer gross motor function was associated with lower FA in crossing fibre regions of the CST and CC. There were no associations between motor function and FA in non-crossing fibre regions of the CST and CC within the VLBW group. In the TBSS analysis, the VLBW group had lower FA and higher mean diffusivity compared with controls in all major white matter tracts. The findings in this study may indicate that the associations between motor function and FA are caused by other tracts crossing the CST and CC, and/or by alterations in the periventricular white matter in the centrum semiovale. Some of the associations were in the opposite direction than hypothesized, thus higher FA does not always indicate better function. Furthermore, widespread white matter alterations in VLBW individuals persist into young adulthood.

The relationship between histological prostatitis and lower urinary tract symptoms and sexual function

PubMed Central

Kumsar, Sukru; Kose, Osman; Aydemir, Huseyin; Halis, Fikret; Gokce, Ahmet; Adsan, Oztug; Akkaya, Zeynep Kahyaoglu

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT This prospective analysis assessed the effect of histological prostatitis on lower urinary tract functions and sexual function. The patients were separated into two groups as histologically observed prostatitis (Group A) and no prostatitis (Group B) according to the biopsy outcomes. International prostate symptom score, international index of erectile function-5 scores, maximal and average flow rate, and residual urine volumes were compared statistically between groups. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in baseline age (t=0.64), body mass index value (t=0.51), prostate volume (t=0.87), prostate-specific antigen levels (t=0.43), maximal (t=0.84) and average flow rate (t=0.59), and post-void residual urine volume (t=0.71). Mean international prostate symptom score in patients with prostatitis was numerically but not significantly higher than that in those without prostatitis (t=0.794, P=0.066). Mean international index of erectile function-5 score in the prostatitis group was significantly lower than that in those without prostatitis (t=1.854, P=0.013). Histological prostatitis notably affected sexual function of patients and may serve as a major risk factor for sexual dysfunction while having little effect on lower urinary tract symptoms. PMID:27286118

Impaired functional but preserved structural connectivity in limbic white matter tracts in youth with conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder plus psychopathic traits.

PubMed

Finger, Elizabeth Carrie; Marsh, Abigail; Blair, Karina Simone; Majestic, Catherine; Evangelou, Iordanis; Gupta, Karan; Schneider, Marguerite Reid; Sims, Courtney; Pope, Kayla; Fowler, Katherine; Sinclair, Stephen; Tovar-Moll, Fernanda; Pine, Daniel; Blair, Robert James

2012-06-30

Youths with conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder and psychopathic traits (CD/ODD+PT) are at high risk of adult antisocial behavior and psychopathy. Neuroimaging studies demonstrate functional abnormalities in orbitofrontal cortex and the amygdala in both youths and adults with psychopathic traits. Diffusion tensor imaging in psychopathic adults demonstrates disrupted structural connectivity between these regions (uncinate fasiculus). The current study examined whether functional neural abnormalities present in youths with CD/ODD+PT are associated with similar white matter abnormalities. Youths with CD/ODD+PT and comparison participants completed 3.0 T diffusion tensor scans and functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. Diffusion tensor imaging did not reveal disruption in structural connections within the uncinate fasiculus or other white matter tracts in youths with CD/ODD+PT, despite the demonstration of disrupted amygdala-prefrontal functional connectivity in these youths. These results suggest that disrupted amygdala-frontal white matter connectivity as measured by fractional anisotropy is less sensitive than imaging measurements of functional perturbations in youths with psychopathic traits. If white matter tracts are intact in youths with this disorder, childhood may provide a critical window for intervention and treatment, before significant structural brain abnormalities solidify. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advances in Cell and Gene-based Therapies for Cystic Fibrosis Lung Disease

PubMed Central

Oakland, Mayumi; Sinn, Patrick L; McCray Jr, Paul B

2012-01-01

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a disease characterized by airway infection, inflammation, remodeling, and obstruction that gradually destroy the lungs. Direct delivery of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene to airway epithelia may offer advantages, as the tissue is accessible for topical delivery of vectors. Yet, physical and host immune barriers in the lung present challenges for successful gene transfer to the respiratory tract. Advances in gene transfer approaches, tissue engineering, and novel animal models are generating excitement within the CF research field. This review discusses current challenges and advancements in viral and nonviral vectors, cell-based therapies, and CF animal models. PMID:22371844

Characterization of a gastrointestinal tract microscale cell culture analog used to predict drug toxicity

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The lining of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the largest surface exposed to the external environment in the human body. One of the main functions of the small intestine is absorption, and intestinal absorption is a route used by essential nutrients, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals to enter the sy...

The effects of pre- and probiotics on the host immune response

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the largest interface between an animal’s internal milieu and its exterior environment. As such, it forms a physical barrier between both environments. However, the function of the GI tract in the well-being of an animal is more complex than this passive role. T...

The Drosophila hnRNP F/H Homolog Glorund Uses Two Distinct RNA-Binding Modes to Diversify Target Recognition.

PubMed

Tamayo, Joel V; Teramoto, Takamasa; Chatterjee, Seema; Hall, Traci M Tanaka; Gavis, Elizabeth R

2017-04-04

The Drosophila hnRNP F/H homolog, Glorund (Glo), regulates nanos mRNA translation by interacting with a structured UA-rich motif in the nanos 3' untranslated region. Glo regulates additional RNAs, however, and mammalian homologs bind G-tract sequences to regulate alternative splicing, suggesting that Glo also recognizes G-tract RNA. To gain insight into how Glo recognizes both structured UA-rich and G-tract RNAs, we used mutational analysis guided by crystal structures of Glo's RNA-binding domains and identified two discrete RNA-binding surfaces that allow Glo to recognize both RNA motifs. By engineering Glo variants that favor a single RNA-binding mode, we show that a subset of Glo's functions in vivo is mediated solely by the G-tract binding mode, whereas regulation of nanos requires both recognition modes. Our findings suggest a molecular mechanism for the evolution of dual RNA motif recognition in Glo that may be applied to understanding the functional diversity of other RNA-binding proteins. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Drosophila hnRNP F/H homolog glorund uses two distinct RNA-binding modes to diversify target recognition

DOE PAGES

Tamayo, Joel V.; Teramoto, Takamasa; Chatterjee, Seema; ...

2017-04-04

The Drosophila hnRNP F/H homolog, Glorund (Glo), regulates nanos mRNA translation by interacting with a structured UA-rich motif in the nanos 3' untranslated region. Glo regulates additional RNAs, however, and mammalian homologs bind G-tract sequences to regulate alternative splicing, suggesting that Glo also recognizes G-tract RNA. To gain insight into how Glo recognizes both structured UA-rich and G-tract RNAs, we used mutational analysis guided by crystal structures of Glo’s RNA-binding domains and identified two discrete RNA-binding surfaces that allow Glo to recognize both RNA motifs. By engineering Glo variants that favor a single RNA-binding mode, we show that a subsetmore » of Glo’s functions in vivo is mediated solely by the G-tract binding mode, whereas regulation of nanos requires both recognition modes. Lastly, our findings suggest a molecular mechanism for the evolution of dual RNA motif recognition in Glo that may be applied to understanding the functional diversity of other RNA-binding proteins.« less

The Drosophila hnRNP F/H Homolog Glorund Uses Two Distinct RNA-Binding Modes to Diversify Target Recognition

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

Tamayo, Joel V.; Teramoto, Takamasa; Chatterjee, Seema

The Drosophila hnRNP F/H homolog, Glorund (Glo), regulates nanos mRNA translation by interacting with a structured UA-rich motif in the nanos 3' untranslated region. Glo regulates additional RNAs, however, and mammalian homologs bind G-tract sequences to regulate alternative splicing, suggesting that Glo also recognizes G-tract RNA. To gain insight into how Glo recognizes both structured UA-rich and G-tract RNAs, we used mutational analysis guided by crystal structures of Glo’s RNA-binding domains and identified two discrete RNA-binding surfaces that allow Glo to recognize both RNA motifs. By engineering Glo variants that favor a single RNA-binding mode, we show that a subsetmore » of Glo’s functions in vivo is mediated solely by the G-tract binding mode, whereas regulation of nanos requires both recognition modes. Our findings suggest a molecular mechanism for the evolution of dual RNA motif recognition in Glo that may be applied to understanding the functional diversity of other RNA-binding proteins.« less

The Drosophila hnRNP F/H homolog glorund uses two distinct RNA-binding modes to diversify target recognition

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

Tamayo, Joel V.; Teramoto, Takamasa; Chatterjee, Seema

The Drosophila hnRNP F/H homolog, Glorund (Glo), regulates nanos mRNA translation by interacting with a structured UA-rich motif in the nanos 3' untranslated region. Glo regulates additional RNAs, however, and mammalian homologs bind G-tract sequences to regulate alternative splicing, suggesting that Glo also recognizes G-tract RNA. To gain insight into how Glo recognizes both structured UA-rich and G-tract RNAs, we used mutational analysis guided by crystal structures of Glo’s RNA-binding domains and identified two discrete RNA-binding surfaces that allow Glo to recognize both RNA motifs. By engineering Glo variants that favor a single RNA-binding mode, we show that a subsetmore » of Glo’s functions in vivo is mediated solely by the G-tract binding mode, whereas regulation of nanos requires both recognition modes. Lastly, our findings suggest a molecular mechanism for the evolution of dual RNA motif recognition in Glo that may be applied to understanding the functional diversity of other RNA-binding proteins.« less

How botulinum toxin in neurogenic detrusor overactivity can reduce upper urinary tract damage?

PubMed Central

Baron, Maximilien; Grise, Philippe; Cornu, Jean-Nicolas

2016-01-01

Intradetrusor injections of botulinum toxin are the cornerstone of medical treatment of neurogenic detrusor overactivity. The primary aim of this treatment is to ensure a low pressure regimen in the urinary bladder, but the mechanisms leading to long-term protection of the urinary tract remain poorly understood. In this paper, we highlight the potential benefits of intradetrusor injections of botulinum toxin regarding local effects on the bladder structures, urinary tract infections, stone disease, vesico ureteral reflux, hydronephrosis, renal function based on a comprehensive literature review. PMID:26981445

Tract specific analysis in patients with sickle cell disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chai, Yaqiong; Coloigner, Julie; Qu, Xiaoping; Choi, Soyoung; Bush, Adam; Borzage, Matt; Vu, Chau; Lepore, Natasha; Wood, John

2015-12-01

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hereditary blood disorder in which the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin molecule in red blood cells is abnormal. It affects numerous people in the world and leads to a shorter life span, pain, anemia, serious infections and neurocognitive decline. Tract-Specific Analysis (TSA) is a statistical method to evaluate white matter alterations due to neurocognitive diseases, using diffusion tensor magnetic resonance images. Here, for the first time, TSA is used to compare 11 major brain white matter (WM) tracts between SCD patients and age-matched healthy subjects. Alterations are found in the corpus callosum (CC), the cortico-spinal tract (CST), inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFO), inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), and uncinated fasciculus (UNC). Based on previous studies on the neurocognitive functions of these tracts, the significant areas found in this paper might be related to several cognitive impairments and depression, both of which are observed in SCD patients.

Simulation of phenomena occurring during digestion of foods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakalis, Serafim; Jaime-Fonseca, Monica R.; Fryer, Peter

2015-01-01

The increasing incidence of dietary related diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, emphasize the importance to understand digestion and absorption of nutrients and to develop models that could be able to predict the food behavior through the gastrointestinal tract. In order to achieve this, an in vitro Small Intestine Model (SIM) was used to build starch digestion and glucose absorption as function of food viscosity. The effect of mixing and food formulation was evaluated and correlated to changes on glucose absorption. Significant differences on glucose delivery rates were found between the control and fluids containing viscous biopolymers. Results showed that the segmentation motion significantly increases (up to 30%) glucose rate of absorption across the membrane and that the influence of segmentation decreases as viscosity increases. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that addition of about 0.5 % (w/v) guar gum can result in a threefold decrease of absorption rate and mass transfer. Velocity fields obtained using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) showed the effect of segmentation on nutrients absorption. Velocities profiles indicated that concentric contractions results in an increasing of micromixing and thus enhances mass transfer. This in vitro behaviour could be correlated within blood glucose levels in humans to understand the mechanisms by which biopolymers improves glucose tolerance.

Computational identification of potent inhibitors for Streptomycin 3″-adenylyltransferase of Serratia marcescens.

PubMed

Prabhu, Dhamodharan; Vidhyavathi, Ramasamy; Jeyakanthan, Jeyaraman

2017-02-01

Serratia marcescens is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for the respiratory and urinary tract infections in humans. The antibiotic resistance mechanism of S. marcescens is mediated through aminoglycoside modification enzyme that transfer adenyl group from substrate to antibiotic through regiospecific transfers for the inactivation of antibiotics. Streptomycin 3 ″ -adenylyltransferase acts on the 3' position of the antibiotic and considered as a novel drug target to overcome bacterial antibiotic resistance. Till now, there is no experimentally solved crystal structure of Streptomycin 3″-adenylyltransferase in S. marcescens. Hence, the present study was initiated to construct the three dimensional structure of Streptomycin 3″-adenylyltransferase in order to understand the binding mechanism. The modeled structure was subjected to structure-based virtual screening to identify potent compounds from the five chemical structure databases. Furthermore, different computational methods such as molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, ADME toxicity assessment, free energy and density functional theory calculations predicted the structural, binding and pharmacokinetic properties of the best five compounds. Overall, the results suggested that stable binding confirmation of the five potent compounds were mediated through hydrophobic, π-π stacking, salt bridges and hydrogen bond interactions. The identified compounds could pave way for the development of anti-pathogenic agents as potential drug entities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hospital admissions for lower respiratory tract infections among infants in the Canadian Arctic: a cohort study

PubMed Central

Banerji, Anna; Panzov, Val; Young, Michael; Robinson, Joan; Lee, Bonita; Moraes, Theo; Mamdani, Muhammad; Giles, B. Louise; Jiang, Depeng; Bisson, Danny; Dennis, Marguerite; Morel, Johanne; Hall, Judith; Hui, Charles; Paes, Bosco; Mahony, James B.

2016-01-01

Background: It is unknown whether this burden of disease of lower respiratory tract infections is comparable across the Canadian Arctic. The objectives of this surveillance study were to compare the rates of hospital admission for lower respiratory tract infection and the severity of infection across Arctic Canada, and to describe the responsible viruses. Methods: We performed a prospective multicentre surveillance study of infants less than 1 year of age admitted in 2009 with lower respiratory tract infection to all hospitals (5 regional, 4 tertiary) in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Nunavik to assess for regional differences. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were processed by means of a polymerase chain reaction respiratory viral panel, testing for 20 respiratory viruses and influenza A (H1N1). The role of coinfection was assessed by means of regression analysis for length of stay (short: < 7 d; long: > 14 d). Outcomes compared included rates of lower respiratory tract infection, respiratory syncytial virus infection, transfer to tertiary hospital and severe lower respiratory tract infection (respiratory failure, intubation and mechanical ventilation, and/or cardiopulmonary resuscitation). Results: There were 348 admissions for lower respiratory tract infection in the population of interest in 2009. Rates of admission per 1000 live births varied significantly, from 39 in the Northwest Territories to 456 in Nunavik (p < 0.001). The rates of tertiary admissions and severe lower respiratory tract infection per 1000 live births in the Northwest Territories were 5.6 and 1.4, respectively, compared to 55.9 and 17.1, respectively, in Nunavut and 52.0 and 20.0, respectively, in Nunavik (p ≤ 0.001). Respiratory syncytial virus was the most common virus identified (124 cases [41.6% of those tested]), and coinfection was detected in 51 cases (41.1%) of infection with this virus. Longer length of stay was associated with coinfection (odds ratio [OR] 2.64) and underlying risk factors (OR 4.39). Length of stay decreased by 32.2% for every 30-day increase in age (OR 0.68). Interpretation: Nunavut and Nunavik have very elevated rates of lower respiratory tract infection, with severe outcomes. Respiratory syncytial virus was the most common virus identified, and coinfection was associated with longer length of stay. Targeted public health interventions are required to reduce the burden of disease for infants residing in these Arctic regions. PMID:28018874

Effect of the losses in the vocal tract on determination of the area function.

PubMed

Gülmezoğlu, M Bilginer; Barkana, Atalay

2003-01-01

In this work, the cross-sectional areas of the vocal tract are determined for the lossy and lossless cases by using the pole-zero models obtained from the electrical equivalent circuit model of the vocal tract and the system identification method. The cross-sectional areas are used to compare the lossy and lossless cases. In the lossy case, the internal losses due to wall vibration, heat conduction, air friction and viscosity are considered, that is, the complex poles and zeros obtained from the models are used directly. Whereas, in the lossless case, only the imaginary parts of these poles and zeros are used. The vocal tract shapes obtained for the lossy case are close to the actual ones.

The association between white-matter tract abnormalities, and neuropsychiatric and cognitive symptoms in retired professional football players with multiple concussions.

PubMed

Multani, Namita; Goswami, Ruma; Khodadadi, Mozhgan; Ebraheem, Ahmed; Davis, Karen D; Tator, Charles H; Wennberg, Richard; Mikulis, David J; Ezerins, Leo; Tartaglia, Maria Carmela

2016-07-01

Retired professional athletes, who have suffered repetitive concussions, report symptoms of depression, anxiety, and memory impairment over time. Moreover, recent imaging data suggest chronic white-matter tract deterioration in sport-related concussion. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of repetitive concussions in retired professional football players on white-matter tracts, and relate these changes to neuropsychological function. All subjects (18 retired professional football players and 17 healthy controls) underwent imaging, neuropsychological assessment, and reported on concussion-related symptoms. Whole brain tract-based spatial statistics analysis revealed increased axial diffusivity in the right hemisphere of retired players in the (1) superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), (2) corticospinal tract, and (3) anterior thalamic radiations, suggesting chronic axonal degeneration in these tracts. Moreover, retired players report significantly higher neuropsychiatric and cognitive symptoms than healthy controls, and worsening of these symptoms since their last concussion. Loss of integrity in the right SLF significantly correlated with participants' visual learning ability. In sum, these results suggest that repetitive concussions in retired professional football players are associated with focal white-matter tract abnormalities that could explain some of the neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognitive deficits experienced by these retired athletes.

Correlation of quantitative sensorimotor tractography with clinical grade of cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Trivedi, Richa; Agarwal, Shruti; Shah, Vipul; Goyel, Puneet; Paliwal, Vimal K; Rathore, Ram K S; Gupta, Rakesh K

2010-08-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether tract-specific diffusion tensor imaging measures in somatosensory and motor pathways correlate with clinical grades as defined using the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) in cerebral palsy (CP) children. Quantitative diffusion tensor tractography was performed on 39 patients with spastic quadriparesis (mean age = 8 years) and 14 age/sex-matched controls. All patients were graded on the basis of GMFCS scale into grade II (n = 12), grade IV (n = 22), and grade V (n = 5) CP and quantitative analysis reconstruction of somatosensory and motor tracts performed. Significant inverse correlation between clinical grade and fractional anisotropy (FA) was observed in both right and left motor and sensory tracts. A significant direct correlation of mean diffusivity values from both motor and sensory tracts was also observed with clinical grades. Successive decrease in FA values was observed in all tracts except for left motor tracts moving from age/sex-matched controls to grade V through grades II and IV. We conclude that white matter tracts from both the somatosensory and the motor cortex play an important role in the pathophysiology of motor disability in patients with CP.

Anatomy and Physiology of the Urinary Tract: Relation to Host Defense and Microbial Infection

PubMed Central

HICKLING, DUANE R.; SUN, TUNG-TIEN; WU, XUE-RU

2015-01-01

The urinary tract exits to a body surface area that is densely populated by a wide range of microbes. Yet, under most normal circumstances, it is typically considered sterile, i.e., devoid of microbes, a stark contrast to the gastrointestinal and upper respiratory tracts where many commensal and pathogenic microbes call home. Not surprisingly, infection of the urinary tract over a healthy person’s lifetime is relatively infrequent, occurring once or twice or not at all for most people. For those who do experience an initial infection, the great majority (70% to 80%) thankfully do not go on to suffer from multiple episodes. This is a far cry from the upper respiratory tract infections, which can afflict an otherwise healthy individual countless times. The fact that urinary tract infections are hard to elicit in experimental animals except with inoculum 3–5 orders of magnitude greater than the colony counts that define an acute urinary infection in humans (105 cfu/ml), also speaks to the robustness of the urinary tract defense. How can the urinary tract be so effective in fending off harmful microbes despite its orifice in a close vicinity to that of the microbe-laden gastrointestinal tract? While a complete picture is still evolving, the general consensus is that the anatomical and physiological integrity of the urinary tract is of paramount importance in maintaining a healthy urinary tract. When this integrity is breached, however, the urinary tract can be at a heightened risk or even recurrent episodes of microbial infections. In fact, recurrent urinary tract infections are a significant cause of morbidity and time lost from work and a major challenge to manage clinically. Additionally, infections of the upper urinary tract often require hospitalization and prolonged antibiotic therapy. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the basic anatomy and physiology of the urinary tract with an emphasis on their specific roles in host defense. We also highlight the important structural and functional abnormalities that predispose the urinary tract to microbial infections. PMID:26350322

Anatomy and Physiology of the Urinary Tract: Relation to Host Defense and Microbial Infection.

PubMed

Hickling, Duane R; Sun, Tung-Tien; Wu, Xue-Ru

2015-08-01

The urinary tract exits to a body surface area that is densely populated by a wide range of microbes. Yet, under most normal circumstances, it is typically considered sterile, i.e., devoid of microbes, a stark contrast to the gastrointestinal and upper respiratory tracts where many commensal and pathogenic microbes call home. Not surprisingly, infection of the urinary tract over a healthy person's lifetime is relatively infrequent, occurring once or twice or not at all for most people. For those who do experience an initial infection, the great majority (70% to 80%) thankfully do not go on to suffer from multiple episodes. This is a far cry from the upper respiratory tract infections, which can afflict an otherwise healthy individual countless times. The fact that urinary tract infections are hard to elicit in experimental animals except with inoculum 3-5 orders of magnitude greater than the colony counts that define an acute urinary infection in humans (105 cfu/ml), also speaks to the robustness of the urinary tract defense. How can the urinary tract be so effective in fending off harmful microbes despite its orifice in a close vicinity to that of the microbe-laden gastrointestinal tract? While a complete picture is still evolving, the general consensus is that the anatomical and physiological integrity of the urinary tract is of paramount importance in maintaining a healthy urinary tract. When this integrity is breached, however, the urinary tract can be at a heightened risk or even recurrent episodes of microbial infections. In fact, recurrent urinary tract infections are a significant cause of morbidity and time lost from work and a major challenge to manage clinically. Additionally, infections of the upper urinary tract often require hospitalization and prolonged antibiotic therapy. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the basic anatomy and physiology of the urinary tract with an emphasis on their specific roles in host defense. We also highlight the important structural and functional abnormalities that predispose the urinary tract to microbial infections.

Upper Aerodigestive Tract Neurofunctional Mechanisms: Lifelong Evolution and Exercise

PubMed Central

Robbins, JoAnne

2013-01-01

The transformation of the upper aerodigestive tract – oral cavity, pharynx and larynx – serves the functions of eating, speaking and breathing during sleeping and waking hours. These life-sustaining functions may be produced by a central neural sensorimotor system that shares certain neuroanatomic networks while maintaining separate neural functional systems and network structures. Current understanding of development, maturation, underlying neural correlates and integrative factors are discussed in light of currently available imaging modalities and recently emerging interventions. Exercise and an array of additional treatments together appear to provide promising translational pathways for evidence-based innovation, novel habilitation and rehabilitation strategies and delay, or even prevent neuromuscular decline cross-cutting functions and supporting quality of life throughout increasingly enduring lifespans. PMID:21910155

Metaphylogenomic and Potential Functionality of the Limpet Patella pellucida’s Gastrointestinal Tract Microbiome

PubMed Central

Dudek, Magda; Adams, Jessica; Swain, Martin; Hegarty, Matthew; Huws, Sharon; Gallagher, Joe

2014-01-01

This study investigated the microbial diversity associated with the digestive tract of the seaweed grazing marine limpet Patella pellucida. Using a modified indirect DNA extraction protocol and performing metagenomic profiling based on specific prokaryotic marker genes, the abundance of bacterial groups was identified from the analyzed metagenome. The members of three significantly abundant phyla of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were characterized through the literature and their predicted functions towards the host, as well as potential applications in the industrial environment assessed. PMID:25334059

First Insights into the Diverse Human Archaeome: Specific Detection of Archaea in the Gastrointestinal Tract, Lung, and Nose and on Skin

PubMed Central

Koskinen, Kaisa; Pausan, Manuela R.; Perras, Alexandra K.; Beck, Michael; Bang, Corinna; Mora, Maximilian; Schilhabel, Anke; Schmitz, Ruth

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Human-associated archaea remain understudied in the field of microbiome research, although in particular methanogenic archaea were found to be regular commensals of the human gut, where they represent keystone species in metabolic processes. Knowledge on the abundance and diversity of human-associated archaea is extremely limited, and little is known about their function(s), their overall role in human health, or their association with parts of the human body other than the gastrointestinal tract and oral cavity. Currently, methodological issues impede the full assessment of the human archaeome, as bacteria-targeting protocols are unsuitable for characterization of the full spectrum of Archaea. The goal of this study was to establish conservative protocols based on specifically archaea-targeting, PCR-based methods to retrieve first insights into the archaeomes of the human gastrointestinal tract, lung, nose, and skin. Detection of Archaea was highly dependent on primer selection and the sequence processing pipeline used. Our results enabled us to retrieve a novel picture of the human archaeome, as we found for the first time Methanobacterium and Woesearchaeota (DPANN superphylum) to be associated with the human gastrointestinal tract and the human lung, respectively. Similar to bacteria, human-associated archaeal communities were found to group biogeographically, forming (i) the thaumarchaeal skin landscape, (ii) the (methano)euryarchaeal gastrointestinal tract, (iii) a mixed skin-gastrointestinal tract landscape for the nose, and (iv) a woesearchaeal lung landscape. On the basis of the protocols we used, we were able to detect unexpectedly high diversity of archaea associated with different body parts. PMID:29138298

CD4+ T cell expression of MyD88 is essential for normal resolution of Chlamydia muridarum genital tract infection.

PubMed

Frazer, Lauren C; Sullivan, Jeanne E; Zurenski, Matthew A; Mintus, Margaret; Tomasak, Tammy E; Prantner, Daniel; Nagarajan, Uma M; Darville, Toni

2013-10-15

Resolution of Chlamydia genital tract infection is delayed in the absence of MyD88. In these studies, we first used bone marrow chimeras to demonstrate a requirement for MyD88 expression by hematopoietic cells in the presence of a wild-type epithelium. Using mixed bone marrow chimeras we then determined that MyD88 expression was specifically required in the adaptive immune compartment. Furthermore, adoptive transfer experiments revealed that CD4(+) T cell expression of MyD88 was necessary for normal resolution of genital tract infection. This requirement was associated with a reduced ability of MyD88(-/-)CD4(+) T cells to accumulate in the draining lymph nodes and genital tract when exposed to the same inflammatory milieu as wild-type CD4(+) T cells. We also demonstrated that the impaired infection control we observed in the absence of MyD88 could not be recapitulated by deficiencies in TLR or IL-1R signaling. In vitro, we detected an increased frequency of apoptotic MyD88(-/-)CD4(+) T cells upon activation in the absence of exogenous ligands for receptors upstream of MyD88. These data reveal an intrinsic requirement for MyD88 in CD4(+) T cells during Chlamydia infection and indicate that the importance of MyD88 extends beyond innate immune responses by directly influencing adaptive immunity.

Impact of Strategically Located White Matter Hyperintensities on Cognition in Memory Clinic Patients with Small Vessel Disease.

PubMed

Biesbroek, J Matthijs; Weaver, Nick A; Hilal, Saima; Kuijf, Hugo J; Ikram, Mohammad Kamran; Xu, Xin; Tan, Boon Yeow; Venketasubramanian, Narayanaswamy; Postma, Albert; Biessels, Geert Jan; Chen, Christopher P L H

2016-01-01

Studies on the impact of small vessel disease (SVD) on cognition generally focus on white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume. The extent to which WMH location relates to cognitive performance has received less attention, but is likely to be functionally important. We examined the relation between WMH location and cognition in a memory clinic cohort of patients with sporadic SVD. A total of 167 patients with SVD were recruited from memory clinics. Assumption-free region of interest-based analyses based on major white matter tracts and voxel-wise analyses were used to determine the association between WMH location and executive functioning, visuomotor speed and memory. Region of interest-based analyses showed that WMHs located particularly within the anterior thalamic radiation and forceps minor were inversely associated with both executive functioning and visuomotor speed, independent of total WMH volume. Memory was significantly associated with WMH volume in the forceps minor, independent of total WMH volume. An independent assumption-free voxel-wise analysis identified strategic voxels in these same tracts. Region of interest-based analyses showed that WMH volume within the anterior thalamic radiation explained 6.8% of variance in executive functioning, compared to 3.9% for total WMH volume; WMH volume within the forceps minor explained 4.6% of variance in visuomotor speed and 4.2% of variance in memory, compared to 1.8% and 1.3% respectively for total WMH volume. Our findings identify the anterior thalamic radiation and forceps minor as strategic white matter tracts in which WMHs are most strongly associated with cognitive impairment in memory clinic patients with SVD. WMH volumes in individual tracts explained more variance in cognition than total WMH burden, emphasizing the importance of lesion location when addressing the functional consequences of WMHs.

Desalted deep-sea water improves cognitive function in mice by increasing the production of insulin-like growth factor-I in the hippocampus.

PubMed

Harada, Naoaki; Zhao, Juan; Kurihara, Hiroki; Nakagata, Naomi; Okajima, Kenji

2011-08-01

The stimulation of sensory neurons in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract improves cognitive function by increasing the hippocampal production of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in mice. In the current study, we examined whether oral administration of desalted deep-sea water (DSW) increases the hippocampal production of IGF-I by stimulating sensory neurons in the GI tract, thereby improving cognitive function in mice. Desalted DSW increased calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) release from dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons isolated from wild-type (WT) mice by activating transient receptor potential vanilloid 1. The plasma levels of IGF-I and tissue levels of CGRP, IGF-I, and IGF-I mRNA in the hippocampus were increased by oral administration of desalted DSW in WT mice. In these animals, nociceptive information originating from the GI tract was transmitted to the hippocampus via the spinothalamic pathway. Improvement of spatial learning was observed in WT mice after administration of desalted DSW. Distilled DSW showed results similar to those of desalted DSW in vitro and in vivo. None of the effects of desalted DSW in WT mice were observed after the administration of desalted DSW in CGRP-knockout (CGRP-/-) mice. No volatile compounds were detected in distilled DSW on GC-MS analysis. These observations suggest that desalted DSW may increase the hippocampal IGF-I production via sensory neuron stimulation in the Gl tract, thereby improving cognitive function in mice. Such effects of desalted DSW might not be dependent on the minerals but are dependent on the function of the water molecule itself. Copyright © 2011 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging with Concurrent Urodynamic Testing Identifies Brain Structures Involved in Micturition Cycle in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

PubMed

Khavari, Rose; Karmonik, Christof; Shy, Michael; Fletcher, Sophie; Boone, Timothy

2017-02-01

Neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction, which is common in patients with multiple sclerosis, has a significant impact on quality of life. In this study we sought to determine brain activity processes during the micturition cycle in female patients with multiple sclerosis and neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction. We report brain activity on functional magnetic resonance imaging and simultaneous urodynamic testing in 23 ambulatory female patients with multiple sclerosis. Individual functional magnetic resonance imaging activation maps at strong desire to void and at initiation of voiding were calculated and averaged at Montreal Neuroimaging Institute. Areas of significant activation were identified in these average maps. Subgroup analysis was performed in patients with elicitable neurogenic detrusor overactivity or detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia. Group analysis of all patients at strong desire to void yielded areas of activation in regions associated with executive function (frontal gyrus), emotional regulation (cingulate gyrus) and motor control (putamen, cerebellum and precuneus). Comparison of the average change in activation between previously reported healthy controls and patients with multiple sclerosis showed predominantly stronger, more focal activation in the former and lower, more diffused activation in the latter. Patients with multiple sclerosis who had demonstrable neurogenic detrusor overactivity and detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia showed a trend toward distinct brain activation at full urge and at initiation of voiding respectively. We successfully studied brain activation during the entire micturition cycle in female patients with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction and multiple sclerosis using a concurrent functional magnetic resonance imaging/urodynamic testing platform. Understanding the central neural processes involved in specific parts of micturition in patients with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction may identify areas of interest for future intervention. Copyright © 2017 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

IBS and Non-GI Functional Disorders

MedlinePlus

... than is considered normal). Most diagnostic tests (laboratory tests, radiology, endoscopy, and isotope scans) are designed to identify structural problems, but not disorders of function. There are many examples of functional disorders in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. ...

Relationships between the decoupled and coupled transfer functions: Theoretical studies and experimental validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zengwei; Zhu, Ping; Liu, Zhao

2018-01-01

A generalized method for predicting the decoupled transfer functions based on in-situ transfer functions is proposed. The method allows predicting the decoupled transfer functions using coupled transfer functions, without disassembling the system. Two ways to derive relationships between the decoupled and coupled transfer functions are presented. Issues related to immeasurability of coupled transfer functions are also discussed. The proposed method is validated by numerical and experimental case studies.

Advancing a Comprehensive Approach to the Study of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms.

PubMed

Bavendam, Tamara G; Norton, Jenna M; Kirkali, Ziya; Mullins, Chris; Kusek, John W; Star, Robert A; Rodgers, Griffin P

2016-11-01

Lower urinary tract symptoms are common in the United States population, leading to significant economic, quality of life and public health issues. The burden will increase as the population ages, and risk factors for lower urinary tract symptoms, including diabetes and obesity, remain highly prevalent. Improving clinical management and establishing the knowledge base to prevent lower urinary tract symptoms will require a comprehensive research approach that examines factors beyond the lower urinary tract. While the study of extra-lower urinary tract factors has increased recently, current urological research does not systematically account for the broad set of potential contributing factors spanning biological, behavioral, psychological/executive function and sociocultural factors. A comprehensive assessment of potential contributors to risk, treatment response and progression is necessary to reduce the burden of this condition in the United States. We considered challenges to continuing the predominantly lower urinary tract dysfunction centric approach that has dominated previous research of lower urinary tract symptoms. We developed a new, comprehensive framework for urology research that includes a broader set of potential factors contributing to lower urinary tract symptoms. This framework aims to broaden research to consider a comprehensive set of potential contributing factors and to engage a broad range of researchers in the investigation of as many extra-lower urinary tract factors as possible, with the goal of improving clinical care and prevention. We propose a new framework for future urology research, which should help to reduce the medical and economic burden of lower urinary tract symptoms in the United States population. Copyright © 2016 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Microsurgical and Tractographic Anatomy of the Supplementary Motor Area Complex in Humans.

PubMed

Bozkurt, Baran; Yagmurlu, Kaan; Middlebrooks, Erik H; Karadag, Ali; Ovalioglu, Talat Cem; Jagadeesan, Bharathi; Sandhu, Gauravjot; Tanriover, Necmettin; Grande, Andrew W

2016-11-01

To evaluate the microsurgical anatomy of the fiber tract connections of the supplementary motor area (SMA) and pre-SMA, and examine its potential functional role with reference to clinical trials in the literature. Ten postmortem formalin-fixed human brains (20 sides) and 1 cadaveric head were prepared following Klingler's method. The fiber dissection was performed in a stepwise fashion, from lateral to medial and also from medial to lateral, under an operating microscope, with 3D images captured at each stage. Our findings were supported by in vivo magnetic resonance imaging tractography in 2 healthy subjects. The connections of the SMA complex, composed of the pre-SMA and the SMA proper, are composed of short "U" association fibers and the superior longitudinal fasciculus I, cingulum, claustrocortical fibers, callosal fibers, corticospinal tract, frontal aslant tract, and frontostriatal tract. The claustrocortical fibers may play an important role in the integration of motor, language, and limbic functions of the SMA complex. The frontostriatal tract connects the pre-SMA to the putamen and caudate nucleus, and also forms parts of both the internal capsule and the dorsal external capsule. The SMA complex has numerous connections throughout the cerebrum. An understanding of these connections is important for presurgical planning for lesions in the frontal lobe and helps explain symptoms related to SMA injury. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Urinary tract infections in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: review of prevalence, diagnosis, and management

PubMed Central

Nitzan, Orna; Elias, Mazen; Chazan, Bibiana; Saliba, Walid

2015-01-01

Urinary tract infections are more common, more severe, and carry worse outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. They are also more often caused by resistant pathogens. Various impairments in the immune system, poor metabolic control, and incomplete bladder emptying due to autonomic neuropathy may all contribute to the enhanced risk of urinary tract infections in these patients. The new anti-diabetic sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors have not been found to significantly increase the risk of symptomatic urinary tract infections. Symptoms of urinary tract infection are similar to patients without diabetes, though some patients with diabetic neuropathy may have altered clinical signs. Treatment depends on several factors, including: presence of symptoms, severity of systemic symptoms, if infection is localized in the bladder or also involves the kidney, presence of urologic abnormalities, accompanying metabolic alterations, and renal function. There is no indication to treat diabetic patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria. Further studies are needed to improve the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes and urinary tract infections. PMID:25759592

The iliopubic tract: an important anatomical landmark in surgery

PubMed Central

TEOH, LAURENCE S. G.; HINGSTON, GUY; AL-ALI, SAAD; DAWSON, BRENDA; WINDSOR, JOHN A.

1999-01-01

A band of fascial thickening, termed the iliopubic tract, lies on the posterior aspect of the inguinal region and has been described in the surgical literature as playing an important role during herniorraphy. This study was undertaken to examine the gross and microscopic anatomy of the iliopubic tract in 12 cadavers. The results confirmed that the iliopubic tract can be readily identified as a thickening of the transversalis fascia running deep and parallel to the inguinal ligament. It attaches to the superomedial part of the pubic bone medially, but laterally its fibres fan out within the fascia transversalis and fascia iliaca without bony attachment to the iliac spines. In contrast to the inguinal ligament, the histological analysis of the iliopubic tract shows a high elastin to collagen ratio. The functional signficance of this structure merits further study, but there is no doubt that it is important in many approaches to inguinal herniorraphy. For this reason it is considered that the iliopubic tract deserves greater emphasis in the anatomy teaching of the inguinal region. PMID:10227675

Changes in language white matter tract microarchitecture associated with cognitive deficits in patients with presumed low-grade glioma.

PubMed

Incekara, Fatih; Satoer, Djaina; Visch-Brink, Evy; Vincent, Arnaud; Smits, Marion

2018-06-08

OBJECTIVE The authors conducted a study to determine whether cognitive functioning of patients with presumed low-grade glioma is associated with white matter (WM) tract changes. METHODS The authors included 77 patients with presumed low-grade glioma who underwent awake surgery between 2005 and 2013. Diffusion tensor imaging with deterministic tractography was performed preoperatively to identify the arcuate, inferior frontooccipital, and uncinate fasciculi and to obtain the mean fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity per tract. All patients were evaluated preoperatively using an extensive neuropsychological protocol that included assessments of the language, memory, and attention/executive function domains. Linear regression models were used to analyze each cognitive domain and each diffusion tensor imaging metric of the 3 WM tracts. RESULTS Significant correlations (corrected for multiple testing) were found between FA of the arcuate fasciculus and results of the repetition test for the language domain (β = 0.59, p < 0.0001) and between FA of the inferior frontooccipital fasciculus and results of the imprinting test for the memory domain (β = -0.55, p = 0.002) and the attention test for the attention and executive function domain (β = -0.62, p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS In patients with glioma, language deficits in repetition of speech, imprinting, and attention deficits are associated with changes in the microarchitecture of the arcuate and inferior frontooccipital fasciculi.

Sulphate respiration from hydrogen in Desulfovibrio bacteria: a structural biology overview.

PubMed

Matias, Pedro M; Pereira, Inês A C; Soares, Cláudio M; Carrondo, Maria Arménia

2005-11-01

Sulphate-reducing organisms are widespread in anaerobic enviroments, including the gastrointestinal tract of man and other animals. The study of these bacteria has attracted much attention over the years, due also to the fact that they can have important implications in industry (in biocorrosion and souring of oil and gas deposits), health (in inflamatory bowel diseases) and the environment (bioremediation). The characterization of the various components of the electron transport chain associated with the hydrogen metabolism in Desulfovibrio has generated a large and comprehensive list of studies. This review summarizes the more relevant aspects of the current information available on the structural data of various molecules associated with hydrogen metabolism, namely hydrogenases and cytochromes. The transmembrane redox complexes known to date are also described and discussed. Redox-Bohr and cooperativity effects, observed in a few cytochromes, and believed to be important for their functional role, are discussed. Kinetic studies performed with these redox proteins, showing clues to their functional inter-relationship, are also addressed. These provide the groundwork for the application of a variety of molecular modelling approaches to understanding electron transfer and protein interactions among redox partners, leading to the characterization of several transient periplasmic complexes. In contrast to the detailed understanding of the periplasmic hydrogen oxidation process, very little is known about the cytoplasmic side of the respiratory electron transfer chain, in terms of molecular components (with exception of the terminal reductases), their structure and the protein-protein interactions involved in sulphate reduction. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the sulphate respiratory chain in Desulfovibrio remains a challenging task.

Elements of functional genital asymmetry in the cow.

PubMed

Trigal, B; Díez, C; Muñoz, M; Caamaño, J N; Goyache, F; Correia-Alvarez, E; Corrales, F J; Mora, M I; Carrocera, S; Martin, D; Gómez, E

2014-01-01

Asymmetry in the cow affects ovarian function and pregnancy. In this work we studied ovarian and uterine asymmetry. Synchronised animals, in which in vitro-produced embryos (n=30-60) had been transferred on Day 5 to the uterine horn ipsilateral to the corpus luteum (CL), were flushed on Day 8. Ovulatory follicle diameter, oestrus response and total protein flushed did not differ between sides. However, a corpus luteum in the right ovary led to plasma progesterone concentrations that were higher than when it was present in the left ovary. Fewer embryos were recovered from the left than the right horn. Among 60 uterine proteins identified by difference gel electrophoresis, relative abundance of nine (acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, very long chain; twinfilin, actin-binding protein, homologue 1; enolase 1; pyruvate kinase isozymes M1/M2 (rabbit); complement factor B Bb fragment ; albumin; fibrinogen gamma-B chain; and ezrin differed (P<0.05) between horns. Glucose concentration was higher, and fructose concentration lower, in the left horn. In a subsequent field trial, pregnancy rates after embryo transfer did not differ between horns (51.0±3.6, right vs 53.2±4.7, left). However, Day 7 blood progesterone concentrations differed (P=0.018) between pregnant and open animals in the left (15.9±1.7 vs 8.3±1.2) but not in the right horn (12.4±1.3 vs 12.4±1.2). Progesterone effects were independent of CL quality (P=0.55). Bilateral genital tract asymmetry in the cow affects progesterone, proteins and hexoses without altering pregnancy rates.

The gut microbiota and gastrointestinal surgery.

PubMed

Guyton, Kristina; Alverdy, John C

2017-01-01

Surgery involving the gastrointestinal tract continues to prove challenging because of the persistence of unpredictable complications such as anastomotic leakage and life-threatening infections. Removal of diseased intestinal segments results in substantial catabolic stress and might require complex reconstructive surgery to maintain the functional continuity of the intestinal tract. As gastrointestinal surgery necessarily involves a breach of an epithelial barrier colonized by microorganisms, preoperative intestinal antisepsis is used to reduce infection-related complications. The current approach to intestinal antisepsis varies widely across institutions and countries with little understanding of its mechanism of action, effect on the gut microbiota and overall efficacy. Many of the current approaches to intestinal antisepsis before gastrointestinal surgery run counter to emerging concepts of intestinal microbiota contributing to immune function and recovery from injury. Here, we review evidence outlining the role of gut microbiota in recovery from gastrointestinal surgery, particularly in the development of infections and anastomotic leak. To make surgery safer and further reduce complications, a molecular, genetic and functional understanding of the response of the gastrointestinal tract to alterations in its microbiota is needed. Methods can then be developed to preserve the health-promoting functions of the microbiota while at the same time suppressing their harmful effects.

White matter microstructural variability mediates the relation between obesity and cognition in healthy adults.

PubMed

Zhang, Rui; Beyer, Frauke; Lampe, Leonie; Luck, Tobias; Riedel-Heller, Steffi G; Loeffler, Markus; Schroeter, Matthias L; Stumvoll, Michael; Villringer, Arno; Witte, A Veronica

2018-05-15

Obesity has been linked with structural and functional brain changes. However, the impact of obesity on brain and cognition in aging remains debatable, especially for white matter. We therefore aimed to determine the effects of obesity on white matter microstructure and potential implications for cognition in a well-characterized large cohort of healthy adults. In total, 1255 participants (50% females, 19-80 years, BMI 16.8-50.2 kg/m 2 ) with diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging at 3T were analysed. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) probed whether body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were related to fractional anisotropy (FA). We conducted partial correlations and mediation analyses to explore whether obesity or regional FA were related to cognitive performance. Analyses were adjusted for demographic, genetic, and obesity-associated confounders. Results showed that higher BMI and higher WHR were associated with lower FA in multiple white matter tracts (p < 0.05, FWE-corrected). Mediation analyses provided evidence for indirect negative effects of higher BMI and higher WHR on executive functions and processing speed through lower FA in fiber tracts connecting (pre)frontal, visual, and associative areas (indirect paths, |ß| ≥ 0.01; 99% |CI| > 0). This large cross-sectional study showed that obesity is correlated with lower FA in multiple white matter tracts in otherwise healthy adults, independent of confounders. Moreover, although effect sizes were small, mediation results indicated that visceral obesity was linked to poorer executive functions and lower processing speed through lower FA in callosal and associative fiber tracts. Longitudinal studies are needed to support this hypothesis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Trophic transfer of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems: Identifying critical research needs.

PubMed

Au, Sarah Y; Lee, Cindy M; Weinstein, John E; van den Hurk, Peter; Klaine, Stephen J

2017-05-01

To evaluate the process of trophic transfer of microplastics, it is important to consider various abiotic and biotic factors involved in their ingestion, egestion, bioaccumulation, and biomagnification. Toward this end, a review of the literature on microplastics has been conducted to identify factors influencing their uptake and absorption; their residence times in organisms and bioaccumulation; the physical effects of their aggregation in gastrointestinal tracts; and their potential to act as vectors for the transfer of other contaminants. Limited field evidence from higher trophic level organisms in a variety of habitats suggests that trophic transfer of microplastics may be a common phenomenon and occurs concurrently with direct ingestion. Critical research needs include standardizing methods of field characterization of microplastics, quantifying uptake and depuration rates in organisms at different trophic levels, quantifying the influence that microplastics have on the uptake and/or depuration of environmental contaminants among different trophic levels, and investigating the potential for biomagnification of microplastic-associated chemicals. More integrated approaches involving computational modeling are required to fully assess trophic transfer of microplastics. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:505-509. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

White matter reorganization after surgical resection of brain tumors and vascular malformations.

PubMed

Lazar, M; Alexander, A L; Thottakara, P J; Badie, B; Field, A S

2006-01-01

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and white matter tractography (WMT) are promising techniques for estimating the course, extent, and connectivity patterns of the white matter (WM) structures in the human brain. In this study, DTI and WMT were used to evaluate WM tract reorganization after the surgical resection of brain tumors and vascular malformations. Pre- and postoperative DTI data were obtained in 6 patients undergoing surgical resection of brain lesions. WMT using a tensor deflection algorithm was used to reconstruct WM tracts adjacent to the lesions. Reconstructed tracts included corticospinal tracts, the corona radiata, superior longitudinal and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculi, cingulum bundles, and the corpus callosum. WMT revealed a series of tract alteration patterns including deviation, deformation, infiltration, and apparent tract interruption. In general, the organization of WM tracts appeared more similar to normal anatomy after resection, with either disappearance or reduction of the deviation, deformation, or infiltration present preoperatively. In patients whose lesions were associated with corticospinal tract involvement, the WMT reconstructions showed that the tract was preserved during surgery and improved in position and appearance, and this finding correlated with improvement or preservation of motor function as determined by clinical assessment. WMT is useful for appreciating the complex relationships between specific WM structures and the anatomic distortions created by brain lesions. Further studies with intraoperative correlation are necessary to confirm these initial findings and to determine WMT utility for presurgical planning and evaluation of surgical treatments.

Three-dimensional topographic fiber tract anatomy of the cerebrum.

PubMed

Yagmurlu, Kaan; Vlasak, Alexander L; Rhoton, Albert L

2015-06-01

The fiber tracts of the cerebrum may be a more important determinant of resection limits than the cortex. Better knowledge of the 3-dimensional (3-D) anatomic organization of the fiber pathways is important in planning safe and accurate surgery for lesions within the cerebrum. To examine the topographic anatomy of fiber tracts and subcortical gray matter of the human cerebrum and their relationships with consistent cortical, ventricular, and nuclear landmarks. Twenty-five formalin-fixed human brains and 4 whole cadaveric heads were examined by fiber dissection technique and ×6 to ×40 magnification. The fiber tracts and central core structures, including the insula and basal ganglia, were examined and their relationships captured in 3-D photography. The depth between the surface of the cortical gyri and selected fiber tracts was measured. The topographic relationships of the important association, projection, and commissural fasciculi within the cerebrum and superficial cortical landmarks were identified. Important landmarks with consistent relationships to the fiber tracts were the cortical gyri and sulci, limiting sulci of the insula, nuclear masses in the central core, and lateral ventricles. The fiber tracts were also organized in a consistent pattern in relation to each other. The anatomic findings are briefly compared with functional data from clinicoradiological analysis and intraoperative stimulation of fiber tracts. An understanding of the 3-D anatomic organization of the fiber tracts of the brain is essential in planning safe and accurate cerebral surgery.

Prostasomes--their effects on human male reproduction and fertility.

PubMed

Burden, H P; Holmes, C H; Persad, R; Whittington, K

2006-01-01

The prostate is a glandular male accessory sex organ vital for normal fertility. It provides the prostatic component of seminal plasma which nourishes and protects sperm following ejaculation. Prostasomes are small (40-500 nm) membrane-bound vesicles produced by epithelial cells lining the prostate acini and are a component of prostatic secretions. Although the existence of these particles has been known for many years, their full function and relevance to reproductive health are largely unknown. Proteomic studies have shown a wide range of proteins (enzymes, structural proteins and novel, unannotated proteins) present in or on the surface of prostasomes providing them with a diverse nature. Interestingly prostasomes are able to fuse with sperm, this event and the associated transfer of proteins lies at the heart of many of their proposed functions. Sperm motility is increased by the presence of prostasomes and their fusion prevents premature acrosome reactions. Prostasomes have been shown to aid protection of sperm within the female reproductive tract because of immunosuppressive, antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Clinically these functions imply a role for prostasomes in male factor infertility. However, the very functions that promote fertility may have negative connotations in later life; recent work has suggested that prostasomes are involved in prostate cancer. Clearly more work is needed to clarify the role of these novel particles and their impact on men's health.

Monkey to human comparative anatomy of the frontal lobe association tracts.

PubMed

Thiebaut de Schotten, Michel; Dell'Acqua, Flavio; Valabregue, Romain; Catani, Marco

2012-01-01

The greater expansion of the frontal lobes along the phylogeny scale has been interpreted as the signature of evolutionary changes underlying higher cognitive abilities in humans functions in humans. However, it is unknown how an increase in number of gyri, sulci and cortical areas in the frontal lobe have coincided with a parallel increase in connectivity. Here, using advanced tractography based on spherical deconvolution, we produced an atlas of human frontal association connections that we compared with axonal tracing studies of the monkey brain. We report several similarities between human and monkey in the cingulum, uncinate, superior longitudinal fasciculus, frontal aslant tract and orbito-polar tract. These similarities suggest to preserved functions across anthropoids. In addition, we found major differences in the arcuate fasciculus and the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus. These differences indicate possible evolutionary changes in the connectional anatomy of the frontal lobes underlying unique human abilities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Srl. All rights reserved.

Compensatory role of the cortico-rubro-spinal tract in motor recovery after stroke

PubMed Central

Rüber, Theodor

2012-01-01

Objectives: Studies on nonhuman primates have demonstrated that the cortico-rubro-spinal system can compensate for damage to the pyramidal tract (PT). In humans, so-called alternate motor fibers (aMF), which may comprise the cortico-rubro-spinal tract, have been suggested to play a similar role in motor recovery after stroke. Using diffusion tensor imaging, we examined PT and aMF in the context of human motor recovery by relating their microstructural properties to functional outcome in chronic stroke patients. Methods: PT and aMF were reconstructed based on their origins in primary motor, dorsal premotor, and supplementary motor cortices in 18 patients and 10 healthy controls. The patients' degree of motor recovery was assessed using the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT). Results: Compared to controls, fractional anisotropy (FA) was lower along ipsilesional PT and aMF in chronic stroke patients, but clusters of higher FA were found bilaterally in aMF within the vicinity of the red nuclei. FA along ipsilesional PT and aMF and within the red nuclei correlated significantly with WMFT scores. Probabilistic connectivity of aMF originating from ipsilesional primary motor cortex was higher in patients, whereas the ipsilesional PT exhibited lower connectivity compared to controls. Conclusions: The strong correlations observed between microstructural properties of bilateral red nuclei and the level of motor function in chronic stroke patients indicate possible remodeling during recovery. Our results shed light on the role of different corticofugal motor tracts, and highlight a compensatory function of the cortico-rubro-spinal system which may be used as a target in future restorative treatments. PMID:22843266

Variation in White Matter Connectivity Predicts the Ability to Remember Faces and Discriminate Their Emotions

PubMed Central

Unger, Ashley; Alm, Kylie H.; Collins, Jessica A.; O’Leary, Jacqueline M.; Olson, Ingrid R.

2017-01-01

Objective The extended face network contains clusters of neurons that perform distinct functions on facial stimuli. Regions in the posterior ventral visual stream appear to perform basic perceptual functions on faces, while more anterior regions, such as the ventral anterior temporal lobe and amygdala, function to link mnemonic and affective information to faces. Anterior and posterior regions are interconnected by a long-range white matter tracts however it is not known if variation in connectivity of these pathways explains cognitive performance. Methods Here, we used diffusion imaging and deterministic tractography in a cohort of 28 neurologically normal adults ages 18–28 to examine microstructural properties of visual fiber pathways and their relationship to certain mnemonic and affective functions involved in face processing. We investigated how inter-individual variability in two tracts, the inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) and the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), related to performance on tests of facial emotion recognition and face memory. Results Results revealed that microstructure of both tracts predicted variability in behavioral performance indexed by both tasks, suggesting that the ILF and IFOF play a role in facilitating our ability to discriminate emotional expressions in faces, as well as to remember unique faces. Variation in a control tract, the uncinate fasciculus, did not predict performance on these tasks. Conclusions These results corroborate and extend the findings of previous neuropsychology studies investigating the effects of damage to the ILF and IFOF, and demonstrate that differences in face processing abilities are related to white matter microstructure, even in healthy individuals. PMID:26888615

Association between urinary symptoms at 7 years old and previous urinary tract infection.

PubMed Central

Hellström, A; Hanson, E; Hansson, S; Hjälmås, K; Jodal, U

1991-01-01

The association between current micturition habits and previous urinary tract infection was analysed among 3553 school entrants aged 7 years by means of a questionnaire. A high incidence of urinary infection, confirmed by urine culture, was found (145 (8.4%) in the 1719 girls and 32 (1.7%) in the 1834 boys). There was a significant association between current symptoms that were suggestive of disturbed bladder function and previous urinary tract infection, but only among girls who were over 3 years of age at the time the first episode was diagnosed. PMID:2001110

[Indications and limits to endourologic procedures for endometriosis of the urinary tract].

PubMed

Marino, G; Piras, D; Pedalino, M; Di Primio, O G; Vella, R; Vercesi, E

2010-01-01

The incidence of Urinary tract endometriosis (UTE) ranges from 1% to 3%; bladder is the most affected organ (85% of UTE), followed by ureter (12 - 14% of UTE), for which we distinguish an intrinsic very rare form and an extrinsic variety most frequently occurring in advanced pelvic endometriosis. From 1997 to 2010, 33 surgical procedures for urologic endometriosis were performed, involving the urinary tract, in 28 patients with mean age of 31 years (25-43). The localization of endometriosis were: 7 cases in the bladder, 2 cases in the vesicoureteral tract, and 19 cases of ureteral tract only. Of these, two cases were diagnosed with an intrinsic localization. Overall, we performed 3 TURB, 5 partial cystectomies (2 with open surgical approach and 3 by laparoscopy procedure), 12 laparoscopic ureterolysis and simultaneous protection of the upper urinary tract with stent, 9 cases of ureterocystoneostomy (UCNS) according to Lich-Gregoire procedure, and 3 according to Boari-Kuess procedure. Of the 12 patients who underwent ureterolysis with laparoscopic and stenting procedure, five cases required a UCNS according to Lich-Gregoire technique for persistent ureteral obstruction. The limits of endoscopic procedures in endometriosis of the urinary tract are correlated both to the degree of extension and the localization of the disease. It is mandatory to achieve an interdisciplinary consensus in order to ensure the disease removal and the simultaneous functional results of the upper urinary tract.

An overview of the literature on congenital lower urinary tract obstruction and introduction to the PLUTO trial: percutaneous shunting in lower urinary tract obstruction.

PubMed

Morris, R Katie; Kilby, Mark D

2009-02-01

Congenital lower urinary tract obstruction (LUTO) comprises a heterogeneous group of pathologies causing obstruction to the urethra, the most common being posterior urethral valves. Such pathology is often associated with high perinatal mortality and varying degrees of perinatal and infant morbidity. A high proportion of LUTO may be visualised during routine second trimester (and first trimester) ultrasound giving rise to the possibility of determining individual fetal prognosis and treatments such as vesico-amniotic shunting, with a view to altering pathogenesis. The aims of the percutaneous shunting in low urinary tract obstruction (PLUTO) trial are to determine the effectiveness of these treatments and accuracy of the investigations with the primary outcome measures being perinatal mortality and postnatal renal function.

Axon-Axon Interactions Regulate Topographic Optic Tract Sorting via CYFIP2-Dependent WAVE Complex Function.

PubMed

Cioni, Jean-Michel; Wong, Hovy Ho-Wai; Bressan, Dario; Kodama, Lay; Harris, William A; Holt, Christine E

2018-03-07

The axons of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are topographically sorted before they arrive at the optic tectum. This pre-target sorting, typical of axon tracts throughout the brain, is poorly understood. Here, we show that cytoplasmic FMR1-interacting proteins (CYFIPs) fulfill non-redundant functions in RGCs, with CYFIP1 mediating axon growth and CYFIP2 specifically involved in axon sorting. We find that CYFIP2 mediates homotypic and heterotypic contact-triggered fasciculation and repulsion responses between dorsal and ventral axons. CYFIP2 associates with transporting ribonucleoprotein particles in axons and regulates translation. Axon-axon contact stimulates CYFIP2 to move into growth cones where it joins the actin nucleating WAVE regulatory complex (WRC) in the periphery and regulates actin remodeling and filopodial dynamics. CYFIP2's function in axon sorting is mediated by its binding to the WRC but not its translational regulation. Together, these findings uncover CYFIP2 as a key regulatory link between axon-axon interactions, filopodial dynamics, and optic tract sorting. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How does lower urinary tract dysfunction affect sexual function in men and women? ICI-RS 2015-Part 1.

PubMed

Rantell, Angie; Apostolidis, Apostolos; Anding, Ralf; Kirschner-Hermanns, Ruth; Cardozo, Linda

2017-04-01

The aim of this paper is to review the literature on the effect of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) on sexual function and dysfunction. At the International Consultation on Incontinence-Research Society (ICI-RS) in 2015, a multidisciplinary group presented a literature search of what is known about the effect of lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) on sexual function (SF) in men and women. Wider discussions regarding knowledge gaps and ideal research methodology ensued. A body of evidence supports associations between LUTS/urinary incontinence on SF in both men and women, but the true prevalence of the impact of LUTD on SF remains largely unknown. There is still reluctance among health care professionals (HCP's) to discuss SF with patients and often patients who are not asked will not volunteer their problems. A significant knowledge gap in this area remains. Education among HCP's on assessment and treatment of sexual dysfunction and communication skills are essential to encourage, and engage patients with HCP's. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:949-952, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cell proliferation and apoptosis in the anterior intestine of an amphibious, euryhaline mudskipper (Periophthalmus modestus).

PubMed

Takahashi, H; Sakamoto, T; Narita, K

2006-06-01

In order to replace the diffusive loss of water to the surrounding environment, seawater (SW)-acclimated euryhaline fishes have gastrointestinal tracts with higher ion/water flux in concert with greater permeability, and contrast that to freshwater (FW)-acclimated fish. To understand the cellular basis for these differences, we examined cell proliferation and apoptosis in the anterior intestine of mudskipper transferred from one-third SW to FW or to SW for 1 and 7 days, and those kept out of water for 1 day. The intestinal apoptosis (indicated by DNA laddering) increased during seawater acclimation. TUNEL staining detected numerous apoptotic cells over the epithelium of SW-acclimated fish. Cell proliferation ([3H]thymidine incorporation) in the FW fish was greater than those in SW 7 days after transfer. Labeling with a Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) antibody indicated that proliferating cells were greater in number and randomly distributed in the epithelium of FW fish, whereas in SW fish they were almost entirely in the troughs of the intestinal folds. There were no changes in cell turnover in fish kept out of water. During acclimation to different salinities, modification of the cell turnover and abundance may play an important role in regulating the permeability (and transport capacity) of the gastrointestinal tract of fish.

Wireless Power Transfer to Millimeter-Sized Gastrointestinal Electronics Validated in a Swine Model.

PubMed

Abid, Abubakar; O'Brien, Jonathan M; Bensel, Taylor; Cleveland, Cody; Booth, Lucas; Smith, Brian R; Langer, Robert; Traverso, Giovanni

2017-04-27

Electronic devices placed in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract for prolonged periods have the potential to transform clinical evaluation and treatment. One challenge to the deployment of such gastroresident electronics is the difficulty in powering millimeter-sized electronics devices without using batteries, which compromise biocompatibility and long-term residence. We examined the feasibility of leveraging mid-field wireless powering to transfer power from outside of the body to electronics at various locations along the GI tract. Using simulations and ex vivo measurements, we designed mid-field antennas capable of operating efficiently in tissue at 1.2 GHz. These antennas were then characterized in vivo in five anesthetized pigs, by placing one antenna outside the body, and the other antenna inside the body endoscopically, at the esophagus, stomach, and colon. Across the animals tested, mean transmission efficiencies of -41.2, -36.1, and -34.6 dB were achieved in vivo while coupling power from outside the body to the esophagus, stomach, and colon, respectively. This corresponds to power levels of 37.5 μW, 123 μW and 173 μW received by antennas in the respective locations, while keeping radiation exposure levels below safety thresholds. These power levels are sufficient to wirelessly power a range of medical devices from outside of the body.

Wireless Power Transfer to Millimeter-Sized Gastrointestinal Electronics Validated in a Swine Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abid, Abubakar; O'Brien, Jonathan M.; Bensel, Taylor; Cleveland, Cody; Booth, Lucas; Smith, Brian R.; Langer, Robert; Traverso, Giovanni

2017-04-01

Electronic devices placed in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract for prolonged periods have the potential to transform clinical evaluation and treatment. One challenge to the deployment of such gastroresident electronics is the difficulty in powering millimeter-sized electronics devices without using batteries, which compromise biocompatibility and long-term residence. We examined the feasibility of leveraging mid-field wireless powering to transfer power from outside of the body to electronics at various locations along the GI tract. Using simulations and ex vivo measurements, we designed mid-field antennas capable of operating efficiently in tissue at 1.2 GHz. These antennas were then characterized in vivo in five anesthetized pigs, by placing one antenna outside the body, and the other antenna inside the body endoscopically, at the esophagus, stomach, and colon. Across the animals tested, mean transmission efficiencies of -41.2, -36.1, and -34.6 dB were achieved in vivo while coupling power from outside the body to the esophagus, stomach, and colon, respectively. This corresponds to power levels of 37.5 μW, 123 μW and 173 μW received by antennas in the respective locations, while keeping radiation exposure levels below safety thresholds. These power levels are sufficient to wirelessly power a range of medical devices from outside of the body.

Quasi-real-time telemedical checkup system for x-ray examination of UGI tract based on high-speed network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakano, Toshikazu; Yamaguchi, Takahiro; Fujii, Tatsuya; Okumura, Akira; Furukawa, Isao; Ono, Sadayasu; Suzuki, Junji; Ando, Yutaka; Kohda, Ehiichi; Sugino, Yoshinori; Okada, Yoshiyuki; Amaki, Sachi

2000-05-01

We constructed a high-speed medical information network testbed, which is one of the largest testbeds in Japan, and applied it to practical medical checkups for the first time. The constructed testbed, which we call IMPACT, consists of a Super-High Definition Imaging system, a video conferencing system, a remote database system, and a 6 - 135 Mbps ATM network. The interconnected facilities include the School of Medicine in Keio University, a company's clinic, and an NTT R&D center, all in and around Tokyo. We applied IMPACT to the mass screening of the upper gastrointestinal (UGI) tract at the clinic. All 5419 radiographic images acquired at them clinic for 523 employees were digitized (2048 X 1698 X 12 bits) and transferred to a remote database in NTT. We then picked up about 50 images from five patients and sent them to nine radiological specialists at Keio University. The processing, which includes film digitization, image data transfer, and database registration, took 574 seconds per patient in average. The average reading time at Keio Univ. was 207 seconds. The overall processing time was estimated to be 781 seconds per patient. From these experimental results, we conclude that quasi-real time tele-medical checkups are possible with our prototype system.

Air Pressure Responses to Sudden Vocal Tract Pressure Bleeds during Production of Stop Consonants: New Evidence of Aeromechanical Regulation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zajac, David J.; Weissler, Mark C.

2004-01-01

Two studies were conducted to evaluate short-latency vocal tract air pressure responses to sudden pressure bleeds during production of voiceless bilabial stop consonants. It was hypothesized that the occurrence of respiratory reflexes would be indicated by distinct patterns of responses as a function of bleed magnitude. In Study 1, 19 adults…

Mnemonic function in small vessel disease and associations with white matter tract microstructure.

PubMed

Metoki, Athanasia; Brookes, Rebecca L; Zeestraten, Eva; Lawrence, Andrew J; Morris, Robin G; Barrick, Thomas R; Markus, Hugh S; Charlton, Rebecca A

2017-09-01

Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is associated with deficits in working memory, with a relative sparing of long-term memory; function may be influenced by white matter microstructure. Working and long-term memory were examined in 106 patients with SVD and 35 healthy controls. Microstructure was measured in the uncinate fasciculi and cingula. Working memory was more impaired than long-term memory in SVD, but both abilities were reduced compared to controls. Regression analyses found that having SVD explained the variance in memory functions, with additional variance explained by the cingula (working memory) and uncinate (long-term memory). Performance can be explained in terms of integrity loss in specific white matter tract associated with mnemonic functions. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Postmating sexual selection and the enigmatic jawed genitalia of Callosobruchus subinnotatus

PubMed Central

Rönn, Johanna Liljestrand; Schilthuizen, Menno; Arnqvist, Göran

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Insect genitalia exhibit rapid divergent evolution. Truly extraordinary structures have evolved in some groups, presumably as a result of postmating sexual selection. To increase our understanding of this phenomenon, we studied the function of one such structure. The male genitalia of Callosobruchus subinnotatus (Coleoptera: Bruchinae) contain a pair of jaw-like structures with unknown function. Here, we used phenotypic engineering to ablate the teeth on these jaws. We then experimentally assessed the effects of ablation of the genital jaws on mating duration, ejaculate weight, male fertilization success and female fecundity, using a double-mating experimental design. We predicted that copulatory wounding in females should be positively related to male fertilization success; however, we found no significant correlation between genital tract scarring in females and male fertilization success. Male fertilization success was, however, positively related to the amount of ejaculate transferred by males and negatively related to female ejaculate dumping. Ablation of male genital jaws did not affect male relative fertilization success but resulted in a reduction in female egg production. Our results suggest that postmating sexual selection in males indeed favors these genital jaws, not primarily through an elevated relative success in sperm competition but by increasing female egg production. PMID:28583926

The microbiota continuum along the female reproductive tract and its relation to uterine-related diseases.

PubMed

Chen, Chen; Song, Xiaolei; Wei, Weixia; Zhong, Huanzi; Dai, Juanjuan; Lan, Zhou; Li, Fei; Yu, Xinlei; Feng, Qiang; Wang, Zirong; Xie, Hailiang; Chen, Xiaomin; Zeng, Chunwei; Wen, Bo; Zeng, Liping; Du, Hui; Tang, Huiru; Xu, Changlu; Xia, Yan; Xia, Huihua; Yang, Huanming; Wang, Jian; Wang, Jun; Madsen, Lise; Brix, Susanne; Kristiansen, Karsten; Xu, Xun; Li, Junhua; Wu, Ruifang; Jia, Huijue

2017-10-17

Reports on bacteria detected in maternal fluids during pregnancy are typically associated with adverse consequences, and whether the female reproductive tract harbours distinct microbial communities beyond the vagina has been a matter of debate. Here we systematically sample the microbiota within the female reproductive tract in 110 women of reproductive age, and examine the nature of colonisation by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and cultivation. We find distinct microbial communities in cervical canal, uterus, fallopian tubes and peritoneal fluid, differing from that of the vagina. The results reflect a microbiota continuum along the female reproductive tract, indicative of a non-sterile environment. We also identify microbial taxa and potential functions that correlate with the menstrual cycle or are over-represented in subjects with adenomyosis or infertility due to endometriosis. The study provides insight into the nature of the vagino-uterine microbiome, and suggests that surveying the vaginal or cervical microbiota might be useful for detection of common diseases in the upper reproductive tract.Whether the female reproductive tract harbours distinct microbiomes beyond the vagina has been a matter of debate. Here, the authors show a subject-specific continuity in microbial communities at six sites along the female reproductive tract, indicative of a non-sterile environment.

Hyperammonemia associated with distal renal tubular acidosis or urinary tract infection: a systematic review.

PubMed

Clericetti, Caterina M; Milani, Gregorio P; Lava, Sebastiano A G; Bianchetti, Mario G; Simonetti, Giacomo D; Giannini, Olivier

2018-03-01

Hyperammonemia usually results from an inborn error of metabolism or from an advanced liver disease. Individual case reports suggest that both distal renal tubular acidosis and urinary tract infection may also result in hyperammonemia. A systematic review of the literature on hyperammonemia secondary to distal renal tubular acidosis and urinary tract infection was conducted. We identified 39 reports on distal renal tubular acidosis or urinary tract infections in association with hyperammonemia published between 1980 and 2017. Hyperammonemia was detected in 13 children with distal renal tubular acidosis and in one adult patient with distal renal tubular acidosis secondary to primary hyperparathyroidism. In these patients a negative relationship was observed between circulating ammonia and bicarbonate levels (P < 0.05). In 31 patients (19 children, 12 adults), an acute urinary tract infection was complicated by acute hyperammonemia and symptoms and signs of acute neuronal dysfunction, such as an altered level of consciousness, convulsions and asterixis, often associated with signs of brain edema, such as anorexia and vomiting. Urea-splitting bacteria were isolated in 28 of the 31 cases. The urinary tract was anatomically or functionally abnormal in 30 of these patients. This study reveals that both altered distal renal tubular acidification and urinary tract infection may be associated with relevant hyperammonemia in both children and adults.

High EDSS can predict risk for upper urinary tract damage in patients with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Ineichen, Benjamin V; Schneider, Marc P; Hlavica, Martin; Hagenbuch, Niels; Linnebank, Michael; Kessler, Thomas M

2018-04-01

Neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) is very common in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and it might jeopardize renal function and thereby increase mortality. Although there are well-known urodynamic risk factors for upper urinary tract damage, no clinical prediction parameters are available. We aimed to assess clinical parameters potentially predicting urodynamic risk factors for upper urinary tract damage. A consecutive series of 141 patients with MS referred from neurologists for primary neuro-urological work-up including urodynamics were prospectively evaluated. Clinical parameters taken into account were age, sex, duration, and clinical course of MS and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Multivariate modeling revealed EDSS as a clinical parameter significantly associated with urodynamic risk factors for upper urinary tract damage (odds ratio = 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.06-1.71, p = 0.02). Using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves, an EDSS of 5.0 as cutoff showed a sensitivity of 86%-87% and a specificity of 52% for at least one urodynamic risk factor for upper urinary tract damage. High EDSS is significantly associated with urodynamic risk factors for upper urinary tract damage and allows a risk-dependent stratification in daily neurological clinical practice to identify MS patients requiring further neuro-urological assessment and treatment.

The dimensionality of between-person differences in white matter microstructure in old age.

PubMed

Lövdén, Martin; Laukka, Erika Jonsson; Rieckmann, Anna; Kalpouzos, Grégoria; Li, Tie-Qiang; Jonsson, Tomas; Wahlund, Lars-Olof; Fratiglioni, Laura; Bäckman, Lars

2013-06-01

Between-person differences in white matter microstructure may partly generalize across the brain and partly play out differently for distinct tracts. We used diffusion-tensor imaging and structural equation modeling to investigate this issue in a sample of 260 adults aged 60-87 years. Mean fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity of seven white matter tracts in each hemisphere were quantified. Results showed good fit of a model positing that individual differences in white matter microstructure are structured according to tracts. A general factor, although accounting for variance in the measures, did not adequately represent the individual differences. This indicates the presence of a substantial amount of tract-specific individual differences in white matter microstructure. In addition, individual differences are to a varying degree shared between tracts, indicating that general factors also affect white matter microstructure. Age-related differences in white matter microstructure were present for all tracts. Correlations among tract factors did not generally increase as a function of age, suggesting that aging is not a process with homogenous effects on white matter microstructure across the brain. These findings highlight the need for future research to examine whether relations between white matter microstructure and diverse outcomes are specific or general. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Stimulation Mapping of Myelinated Tracts in Awake Patients

PubMed Central

Duffau, Hugues

2016-01-01

For a long time, although the functional anatomy of human cortex has extensively been studied, subcortical white matter tracts have received little consideration. Recent advances in tractography have opened the door to a non-invasive investigation of the subcortical fibers in vivo. However, this method cannot study directly the function of the bundles. Interestingly, for the first time in the history of cognitive neurosciences, direct axonal electrostimulation (DES) mapping of the neural pathways offers the unique opportunity to investigate the function of the connectomal anatomy. Indeed, this technique is able to perform real-time anatomo-functional correlations in awake patients who undergo brain surgery, especially at the level of the subcortical fibers. Here, the aim is to review original data issued from DES of myelinated tracts in adults, with regard to the functional connectivity mediating the sensorimotor, visuo-spatial, language, cognitive and emotional functions, as well as the interactions between these different sub-networks, leading ultimately to explore consciousness. Therefore, axonal stimulation is a valuable tool in the field of connectomics, that is, the map of neural connections, in order to switch from the traditional localizationist view of brain processing to a networking model in which cerebral functions are underpinned by the dynamic interactions of large-scale distributed and parallel sub-circuits. Such connectomal account should integrate the anatomic constraint represented by the subcortical fascicles. Indeed, post-lesional neuroplasticity is possible only on the condition that the white matter fibers are preserved, to allow communication and temporal synchronization among delocalized inter-connected networks. PMID:29765851

White matter atlas of the human spinal cord with estimation of partial volume effect.

PubMed

Lévy, S; Benhamou, M; Naaman, C; Rainville, P; Callot, V; Cohen-Adad, J

2015-10-01

Template-based analysis has proven to be an efficient, objective and reproducible way of extracting relevant information from multi-parametric MRI data. Using common atlases, it is possible to quantify MRI metrics within specific regions without the need for manual segmentation. This method is therefore free from user-bias and amenable to group studies. While template-based analysis is common procedure for the brain, there is currently no atlas of the white matter (WM) spinal pathways. The goals of this study were: (i) to create an atlas of the white matter tracts compatible with the MNI-Poly-AMU template and (ii) to propose methods to quantify metrics within the atlas that account for partial volume effect. The WM atlas was generated by: (i) digitalizing an existing WM atlas from a well-known source (Gray's Anatomy), (ii) registering this atlas to the MNI-Poly-AMU template at the corresponding slice (C4 vertebral level), (iii) propagating the atlas throughout all slices of the template (C1 to T6) using regularized diffeomorphic transformations and (iv) computing partial volume values for each voxel and each tract. Several approaches were implemented and validated to quantify metrics within the atlas, including weighted-average and Gaussian mixture models. Proof-of-concept application was done in five subjects for quantifying magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) in each tract of the atlas. The resulting WM atlas showed consistent topological organization and smooth transitions along the rostro-caudal axis. The median MTR across tracts was 26.2. Significant differences were detected across tracts, vertebral levels and subjects, but not across laterality (right-left). Among the different tested approaches to extract metrics, the maximum a posteriori showed highest performance with respect to noise, inter-tract variability, tract size and partial volume effect. This new WM atlas of the human spinal cord overcomes the biases associated with manual delineation and partial volume effect. Combined with multi-parametric data, the atlas can be applied to study demyelination and degeneration in diseases such as multiple sclerosis and will facilitate the conduction of longitudinal and multi-center studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Proteomic Analysis of the Body Wall, Digestive Tract, and Reproductive Tract of Brugia malayi

PubMed Central

Morris, C. Paul; Bennuru, Sasisekhar; Kropp, Laura E.; Zweben, Jesse A.; Meng, Zhaojing; Taylor, Rebekah T.; Chan, King; Veenstra, Timothy D.; Nutman, Thomas B.; Mitre, Edward

2015-01-01

Filarial worms are parasitic nematodes that cause devastating diseases such as lymphatic filariasis (LF) and onchocerciasis. Filariae are nematodes with complex anatomy including fully developed digestive tracts and reproductive organs. To better understand the basic biology of filarial parasites and to provide insights into drug targets and vaccine design, we conducted a proteomic analysis of different anatomic fractions of Brugia malayi, a causative agent of LF. Approximately 500 adult female B. malayi worms were dissected, and three anatomical fractions (body wall, digestive tract, and reproductive tract) were obtained. Proteins from each anatomical fraction were extracted, desalted, trypsinized, and analyzed by microcapillary reverse-phase liquid chromatography-tandem-mass spectrometry. In total, we identified 4,785 B. malayi proteins. While 1,894 were identified in all three anatomic fractions, 396 were positively identified only within the digestive tract, 114 only within the body wall, and 1,011 only within the reproductive tract. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed a bias for transporters to be present within the digestive tract, suggesting that the intestine of adult filariae is functional and important for nutrient uptake or waste removal. As expected, the body wall exhibited increased frequencies of cytoskeletal proteins, and the reproductive tract had increased frequencies of proteins involved in nuclear regulation and transcription. In assessing for possible vaccine candidates, we focused on proteins sequestered within the digestive tract, as these could possibly represent “hidden antigens” with low risk of prior allergic sensitization. We identified 106 proteins that are enriched in the digestive tract and are predicted to localize to the surface of cells in the the digestive tract. It is possible that some of these proteins are on the luminal surface and may be accessible by antibodies ingested by the worm. A subset of 27 of these proteins appear especially promising vaccine candidates as they contain significant non-cytoplasmic domains, only 1–2 transmembrane domains, and a high degree of homology to W. bancrofti and/or O. volvulus. PMID:26367142

The Hedgehog Signal Induced Modulation of Bone Morphogenetic Protein Signaling: An Essential Signaling Relay for Urinary Tract Morphogenesis

PubMed Central

Nakagata, Naomi; Miyagawa, Shinichi; Suzuki, Kentaro; Kitazawa, Sohei; Yamada, Gen

2012-01-01

Background Congenital diseases of the urinary tract are frequently observed in infants. Such diseases present a number of developmental anomalies such as hydroureter and hydronephrosis. Although some genetically-modified mouse models of growth factor signaling genes reproduce urinary phenotypes, the pathogenic mechanisms remain obscure. Previous studies suggest that a portion of the cells in the external genitalia and bladder are derived from peri-cloacal mesenchymal cells that receive Hedgehog (Hh) signaling in the early developmental stages. We hypothesized that defects in such progenitor cells, which give rise to urinary tract tissues, may be a cause of such diseases. Methodology/Principal Findings To elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms of upper urinary tract malformations, we analyzed a series of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) deficient mice. Shh−/− displayed hydroureter and hydronephrosis phenotypes and reduced expression of several developmental markers. In addition, we suggested that Shh modulation at an early embryonic stage is responsible for such phenotypes by analyzing the Shh conditional mutants. Tissue contribution assays of Hh-responsive cells revealed that peri-cloacal mesenchymal cells, which received Hh signal secreted from cloacal epithelium, could contribute to the ureteral mesenchyme. Gain- and loss-of-functional mutants for Hh signaling revealed a correlation between Hh signaling and Bone morphogenetic protein (Bmp) signaling. Finally, a conditional ablation of Bmp receptor type IA (BmprIA) gene was examined in Hh-responsive cell lineages. This system thus made it possible to analyze the primary functions of the growth factor signaling relay. The defective Hh-to-Bmp signaling relay resulted in severe urinary tract phenotypes with a decrease in the number of Hh-responsive cells. Conclusions/Significance This study identified the essential embryonic stages for the pathogenesis of urinary tract phenotypes. These results suggested that Hh-responsive mesenchymal Bmp signaling maintains the population of peri-cloacal mesenchyme cells, which is essential for the development of the ureter and the upper urinary tract. PMID:22860096

A Repetitive DNA Element Regulates Expression of the Helicobacter pylori Sialic Acid Binding Adhesin by a Rheostat-like Mechanism

PubMed Central

Vallström, Anna; Olofsson, Annelie; Öhman, Carina; Rakhimova, Lena; Borén, Thomas; Engstrand, Lars; Brännström, Kristoffer; Arnqvist, Anna

2014-01-01

During persistent infection, optimal expression of bacterial factors is required to match the ever-changing host environment. The gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori has a large set of simple sequence repeats (SSR), which constitute contingency loci. Through a slipped strand mispairing mechanism, the SSRs generate heterogeneous populations that facilitate adaptation. Here, we present a model that explains, in molecular terms, how an intergenically located T-tract, via slipped strand mispairing, operates with a rheostat-like function, to fine-tune activity of the promoter that drives expression of the sialic acid binding adhesin, SabA. Using T-tract variants, in an isogenic strain background, we show that the length of the T-tract generates multiphasic output from the sabA promoter. Consequently, this alters the H. pylori binding to sialyl-Lewis x receptors on gastric mucosa. Fragment length analysis of post-infection isolated clones shows that the T-tract length is a highly variable feature in H. pylori. This mirrors the host-pathogen interplay, where the bacterium generates a set of clones from which the best-fit phenotypes are selected in the host. In silico and functional in vitro analyzes revealed that the length of the T-tract affects the local DNA structure and thereby binding of the RNA polymerase, through shifting of the axial alignment between the core promoter and UP-like elements. We identified additional genes in H. pylori, with T- or A-tracts positioned similar to that of sabA, and show that variations in the tract length likewise acted as rheostats to modulate cognate promoter output. Thus, we propose that this generally applicable mechanism, mediated by promoter-proximal SSRs, provides an alternative mechanism for transcriptional regulation in bacteria, such as H. pylori, which possesses a limited repertoire of classical trans-acting regulatory factors. PMID:24991812

Endoscopic Management of Upper Urinary Tract Urothelial Carcinoma.

PubMed

Samson, Patrick; Smith, Arthur D; Hoenig, David; Okeke, Zeph

2018-05-01

Endoscopic management of upper tract urothelial carcinoma has become more popular over the last few decades as there has been an impetus for renal preservation in these patients. While radical nephroureterectomy has been the gold standard in treatment of this disease, ureteroscopic and percutaneous management has become a viable option for select patients. The literature on endoscopic management of upper urinary tract tumors was explored. Different management methods are discussed, both from published literature and experience of the authors of this chapter. We review the indications, details of the procedure, and troubleshooting methods in the endoscopic management of upper tract urothelial carcinoma. Imperative indications as well as controversial indications are discussed. The role and efficacy of adjuvant intrarenal topical agents are examined as well as the protocol for administering these agents. Follow-up protocols are also reviewed. In select patients, endoscopic management with ureteroscopy and/or percutaneous resection of upper tract urothelial tumors is appropriate and can preserve renal function while obtaining comparable oncologic control compared with radical surgery.

[Multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of colorectal cancer, complicated by urinary tract invasion].

PubMed

Likhter, M S; Shelygin, Iu A; Achkasov, S I

2012-01-01

Results of treatment of 277 patients with colorectal cancer stage IV complicated by the urinary tract invasion, were analyzed. Men were 168 (60.7%); women - 109 (39.3%). Patients aged 31-79 years (59.6±5.7) years. All patients were operated on radically with the resection of the invaded parts of the urinary tract en bloc. Both abdominal surgeons and urologists took part in the operation. The study proved that the invasion of the urinary tract by colorectal cancer should not become a reason for the surgery refusal. The subtotal resection of the urinary bladder by its cancer invasion demonstrated the appropriate radicalism and functional postoperative results. The efficacy of such combined operations was proved by the high level of social adaptation of the operated patients - 18 (51.4%) of 35 followed up patients came back to the previous level of social activity. Urinary tracts' resection did not influenced the level of postoperative lethality.

Altered homeostatic regulation of innate and adaptive immunity in lower gastrointestinal tract GVHD pathogenesis.

PubMed

Ferrara, James Lm; Smith, Christopher M; Sheets, Julia; Reddy, Pavan; Serody, Jonathan S

2017-06-30

Lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is the predominant cause of morbidity and mortality from GVHD after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Recent data indicate that lower GI tract GVHD is a complicated process mediated by donor/host antigenic disparities. This process is exacerbated by significant changes to the microbiome, and innate and adaptive immune responses that are critical to the induction of disease, persistence of inflammation, and a lack of response to therapy. Here, we discuss new insights into the biology of lower GI tract GVHD and focus on intrinsic pathways and regulatory mechanisms crucial to normal intestinal function. We then describe multiple instances in which these homeostatic mechanisms are altered by donor T cells or conditioning therapy, resulting in exacerbation of GVHD. We also discuss data suggesting that some of these mechanisms produce biomarkers that could be informative as to the severity of GVHD and its response to therapy. Finally, novel therapies that might restore homeostasis in the GI tract during GVHD are highlighted.

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

Deane, M.; Swan, S.H.; Harris, J.A.

Residents of a census tract that received drinking water from a well contaminated with solvents were previously shown to experience a spontaneous abortion rate over twice that occurring in an unexposed census tract. In addition, the rate of birth defects in the exposed tract was three times that in the unexposed tract. Surprisingly, increased tapwater consumption was associated with higher rates of spontaneous abortions in both the exposed and the unexposed tracts. Subsequent studies in this area have investigated the relation between spontaneous abortions and consumption of tapwater in more detail. In this report, data from the original study havemore » been re-analyzed using methods comparable with those used in more recent studies. These results confirm the association between spontaneous abortions and reported cold tapwater consumption that was seen in the original study. The observed effect was not due to maternal risk factors, nor was it a function of consumption of bottled water. After controlling for bottled water, the odds ratio for consumption of tapwater was 3.4 (95% confidence interval = 0.6-19.4).« less

Histological features of the gastrointestinal tract of wild Indonesian shortfin eel, Anguilla bicolor bicolor (McClelland, 1844), captured in Peninsular Malaysia.

PubMed

Nasruddin, Nurrul Shaqinah; Azmai, Mohammad Noor Amal; Ismail, Ahmad; Saad, Mohd Zamri; Daud, Hassan Mohd; Zulkifli, Syaizwan Zahmir

2014-01-01

This study was conducted to record the histological features of the gastrointestinal tract of wild Indonesian shortfin eel, Anguilla bicolor bicolor (McClelland, 1844), captured in Peninsular Malaysia. The gastrointestinal tract was segmented into the oesophagus, stomach, and intestine. Then, the oesophagus was divided into five (first to fifth), the stomach into two (cardiac and pyloric), and the intestine into four segments (anterior, intermediate, posterior, and rectum) for histological examinations. The stomach had significantly taller villi and thicker inner circular muscles compared to the intestine and oesophagus. The lamina propria was thickest in stomach, significantly when compared with oesophagus, but not with the intestine. However, the intestine showed significantly thicker outer longitudinal muscle while gastric glands were observed only in the stomach. The histological features were closely associated with the functions of the different segments of the gastrointestinal tract. In conclusion, the histological features of the gastrointestinal tract of A. b. bicolor are consistent with the feeding habit of a carnivorous fish.

Relationship of bladder dysfunction with upper urinary tract deterioration in cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Gündoğdu, Gökhan; Kömür, Mustafa; Avlan, Dinçer; Sarı, Ferda Bacaksızlar; Delibaş, Ali; Taşdelen, Bahar; Naycı, Ali; Okuyaz, Cetin

2013-10-01

Although lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) in patients with cerebral palsy (CP) has been previously documented by clinical observations and urodynamic tests, its correlation with upper urinary tract deterioration (UUTD) has not been demonstrated. This paper documents symptoms and urodynamic findings of LUTD and their relationship with UUTD in 33 children with CP. By sonography, 4 of these children were found to have UUTD. Age was found to correlate with UUTD, but gender difference and mental or motor functions did not. When comparing urinary symptoms with UUTD, incontinence (n = 31) did not correlate, but on the other hand symptoms of detrusor sphincter dyssynergia (interrupted voiding, urinary retention, hesitancy; n = 5) and culture proven febrile urinary tract infections (n = 4) did. Abnormal urodynamics findings were not diagnostic. We conclude that, apart from incontinence, dysfunctional voiding symptoms and febrile urinary tract infections are valuable indicators of UUTD. Copyright © 2012 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Expression and Antimicrobial Function of Beta-Defensin 1 in the Lower Urinary Tract

PubMed Central

Becknell, Brian; Spencer, John David; Carpenter, Ashley R.; Chen, Xi; Singh, Aspinder; Ploeger, Suzanne; Kline, Jennifer; Ellsworth, Patrick; Li, Birong; Proksch, Ehrhardt; Schwaderer, Andrew L.; Hains, David S.; Justice, Sheryl S.; McHugh, Kirk M.

2013-01-01

Beta defensins (BDs) are cationic peptides with antimicrobial activity that defend epithelial surfaces including the skin, gastrointestinal, and respiratory tracts. However, BD expression and function in the urinary tract are incompletely characterized. The purpose of this study was to describe Beta Defensin-1 (BD-1) expression in the lower urinary tract, regulation by cystitis, and antimicrobial activity toward uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) in vivo. Human DEFB1 and orthologous mouse Defb1 mRNA are detectable in bladder and ureter homogenates, and human BD-1 protein localizes to the urothelium. To determine the relevance of BD-1 to lower urinary tract defense in vivo, we evaluated clearance of UPEC by Defb1 knockout (Defb1 -/-) mice. At 6, 18, and 48 hours following transurethral UPEC inoculation, no significant differences were observed in bacterial burden in bladders or kidneys of Defb1 -/- and wild type C57BL/6 mice. In wild type mice, bladder Defb1 mRNA levels decreased as early as two hours post-infection and reached a nadir by six hours. RT-PCR profiling of BDs identified expression of Defb3 and Defb14 mRNA in murine bladder and ureter, which encode for mBD-3 and mBD-14 protein, respectively. MBD-14 protein expression was observed in bladder urothelium following UPEC infection, and both mBD-3 and mBD-14 displayed dose-dependent bactericidal activity toward UPEC in vitro. Thus, whereas mBD-1 deficiency does not alter bladder UPEC burden in vivo, we have identified mBD-3 and mBD-14 as potential mediators of mucosal immunity in the lower urinary tract. PMID:24204930

Altered Cortical Thickness and Tract Integrity of the Mirror Neuron System and Associated Social Communication in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Chien, Hsiang-Yun; Gau, Susan Shur-Fen; Hsu, Yung-Chin; Chen, Yu-Jen; Lo, Yu-Chun; Shih, Yao-Chia; Tseng, Wen-Yih Isaac

2015-12-01

Previous studies using neural activity recording and neuroimaging techniques have reported functional deficits in the mirror neuron system (MNS) for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, a few studies focusing on gray and white matter structures of the MNS have yielded inconsistent results. The current study recruited adolescents and young adults with ASD (aged 15-26 years) and age-matched typically developing (TD) controls (aged 14-25 years). The cortical thickness (CT) and microstructural integrity of the tracts connecting the regions forming the classical MNS were investigated. High-resolution T1-weighted imaging and diffusion spectrum imaging were performed to quantify the CT and tract integrity, respectively. The structural covariance of the CT of the MNS regions revealed a weaker coordination of the MNS network in ASD. A strong correlation was found between the integrity of the right frontoparietal tracts and the social communication subscores measured by the Chinese version of the Social Communication Questionnaire. The results showed that there were no significant mean differences in the CTs and tract integrity between the ASD and TD groups, but revealed a moderate or even reverse age effect on the frontal MNS structures in ASD. In conclusion, aberrant structural coordination may be an underlying factor affecting the function of the MNS in ASD patients. The association between the right frontoparietal tracts and social communication performance implies a neural correlate of communication processing in the autistic brain. This study provides evidence of abnormal MNS structures and their influence on social communication in individuals with ASD. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cerebellar peduncle injury predicts motor impairments in preterm infants: A quantitative tractography study at term-equivalent age.

PubMed

Hasegawa, Tatsuji; Yamada, Kei; Tozawa, Takenori; Chiyonobu, Tomohiro; Tokuda, Sachiko; Nishimura, Akira; Hosoi, Hajime; Morimoto, Masafumi

2018-05-15

Cerebellar injury is well established as an important finding in preterm infants with cerebral palsy (CP). In this study, we investigated associations between injury to the cerebellar peduncles and motor impairments in preterm infants using quantitative tractography at term-equivalent age, which represents an early phase before the onset of motor impairments. We studied 64 preterm infants who were born at <33 weeks gestational age. These infants were divided into three groups: CP, Non-CP (defined as infants with periventricular leukomalacia but having normal motor function), and a Normal group. Diffusion tensor imaging was performed at term-equivalent age and motor function was assessed no earlier than a corrected age of 2 years. Using tractography, we measured fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the superior cerebellar peduncles (SCP) and middle cerebellar peduncles (MCP), as well as the motor/sensory tracts. The infants in the CP group had significantly lower FA of the SCP and sensory tract than those in the other groups. There was no significant difference in FA and ADC of the motor tract among the three groups. Severity of CP had a significant correlation with FA of the MCP, but not with the FA of other white matter tracts. Our results suggested that the infants with CP had injuries of the ascending tracts (e.g. the SCP and sensory tract), and that additional MCP injury might increase the severity of CP. Quantitative tractography assessment at term-equivalent age may be useful for screening preterm infants for prediction of future motor impairments. Copyright © 2018 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The digestive system: part 1.

PubMed

Johnstone, Carolyn; Hendry, Charles; Farley, Alistair; McLafferty, Ella

This article, which forms part of the life sciences series and is the first of two articles on the digestive system, explores the structure and function of the digestive system. It is important that nurses understand how the digestive system works and its role in maintaining health. The article describes the gross structure of the gastrointestinal tract along with relevant physiology. It also outlines several disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and their treatment and nursing management. The second article will explain the liver, pancreas and gall bladder and their digestive functions, and provides a brief overview of the disorders of chronic liver disease, pancreatitis and gallstones.

Diffusion tensor tracking of neuronal fiber pathways in the living human brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lori, Nicolas Francisco

2001-11-01

The technique of diffusion tensor tracking (DTT) is described, in which diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) data are processed to allow the visualization of white matter (WM) tracts in a living human brain. To illustrate the methods, a detailed description is given of the physics of DT-MRI, the structure of the DT-MRI experiment, the computer tools that were developed to visualize WM tracts, the anatomical consistency of the obtained WM tracts, and the accuracy and precision of DTT using computer simulations. When presenting the physics of DT-MRI, a completely quantum-mechanical view of DT-MRI is given where some of the results are new. Examples of anatomical tracts viewed using DTT are presented, including the genu and the splenium of the corpus callosum, the ventral pathway with its amygdala connection highlighted, the geniculo- calcarine tract separated into anterior and posterior parts, the geniculo-calcarine tract defined using functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and U- fibers. In the simulation, synthetic DT-MRI data were constructed that would be obtained for a cylindrical WM tract with a helical trajectory surrounded by gray matter. Noise was then added to the synthetic DT-MRI data, and DTT trajectories were calculated using the noisy data (realistic tracks). Simulated DTT errors were calculated as the vector distance between the realistic tracks and the ideal trajectory. The simulation tested the effects of a comprehensive set of experimental conditions, including voxel size, data sampling, data averaging, type of tract tissue, tract diameter and type of tract trajectory. Simulated DTT accuracy and precision were typically below the voxel dimension, and precision was compatible with the experimental results.

The Impact of Alcohol Outlet Density on the Geographic Clustering of Underage Drinking Behaviors within Census Tracts

PubMed Central

Reboussin, Beth A.; Song, Eun-Young; Wolfson, Mark

2011-01-01

Background The regulation of alcohol outlet density has been considered as a potential means of reducing alcohol consumption and related harms among underage youth. Whereas prior studies have examined whether alcohol outlet density was associated with an individual’s alcohol consumption and related harms, this study examines whether it is related to the co-occurrence, or clustering, of these behaviors within geographic areas, specifically census tracts. Methods The Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws Randomized Community Trial provided cross-sectional telephone survey data in 2006 and 2007 from 10,754 youth aged 14–20 from 5 states residing in 1556 census tracts. The alternating logistic regression approach was used to estimate pairwise odds ratios between responses from youth residing in the same census tract and to model them as a function of alcohol outlet density. Results Riding with a drinking driver, making an alcohol purchase attempt and making a successful alcohol purchase attempt clustered significantly within census tracts with the highest off-premise alcohol outlet density while frequent drinking clustered within census tracts with the greatest on-premise density. Driving after drinking and experiencing non-violent alcohol-related consequences clustered marginally within census tracts with the greatest on-premise and off-premise alcohol outlet density, respectively. Conclusions Although youth primarily receive alcohol from social sources, commercial alcohol access is geographically concentrated within census tracts with the greatest off-premise outlet density. A potentially greater concern is the clustering of more frequent drinking and drinking and driving within census tracts with the greatest on-premise outlet density which may necessitate alternative census tract level initiatives to reduce these potentially harmful behaviors. PMID:21463343

Ingestion of microplastics by fish and its potential consequences from a physical perspective.

PubMed

Jovanović, Boris

2017-05-01

The European Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the United States Microbead Free Waters Act are credited for being ambitious in their goals for protecting the marine environment from microplastics pollution. As a result, the microplastic pollution of marine environments and the incidence of microplastic ingestion by fish is rapidly receiving an increase in overdue attention. This commentary summarizes recent discoveries regarding the potential negative effects of micro- and nanoplastic ingestion by fish. Analysis shows that the occurrence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract of fish is ephemeral, with low accumulation potential in the gastrointestinal tract, although translocation to the liver may occur. Nevertheless, the total load of micro- and nanoplastics that will pass through the gastrointestinal tract of a fish in its lifetime is likely high and will keep increasing in the future. This may pose a risk because there is evidence that micro- and nanoplastic ingestion can interfere with fish health. Observed effects of microplastics ingestion include (but are not necessarily limited to) intestinal blockage, physical damage, histopathological alterations in the intestines, change in behavior, change in lipid metabolism, and transfer to the liver. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:510-515. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

Nosocomial bacteremia and urinary tract infections caused by extended-spectrum beta -lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae with plasmids carrying both SHV-5 and TLA-1 genes.

PubMed

Alcantar-Curiel, Dolores; Tinoco, Juan Carlos; Gayosso, Catalina; Carlos, Angeles; Daza, Carlos; Perez-Prado, Maria C; Salcido, Lorena; Santos, Jose I; Alpuche-Aranda, Celia M

2004-04-15

We describe the prevalence and molecular characteristics of extended-spectrum beta -lactamase (ESBL)-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae causing nosocomial bacteremia and urinary tract infections in a Mexican general hospital. We analyzed 82 episodes of bacteremia (approximately 60% of episodes) and urinary tract infection (approximately 40% of episodes) due to K. pneumoniae during a 23-month surveillance period. The neonatal intensive care unit accounted for 49% of all episodes. All strains were imipenem susceptible; 62.2% of the strains were resistant to ceftazidime, cefotaxime, and aztreonam; 69.5% were resistant to amikacin; 58.5% were resistant to gentamicin; and 7.3% were resistant to ciprofloxacin. All strains were associated with 28 pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns, and dissemination of 2 ceftazidime-resistant clones produced 44% of the cases. The ESBL phenotype in these clones was transferred by identical or highly related megaplasmids. The ESBL activity corresponded to SHV-5 and TLA-1. Cross-transmission of 2 ceftazidime-resistant clones and the horizontal spread of identical or highly related megaplasmids explain the high prevalence of ESBL phenotype in these infections.

[Renal staghorn calculi in small children - presentation of two cases].

PubMed

Krzemień, Grażyna; Szmigielska, Agnieszka; Jankowska-Dziadak, Katarzyna; Pańczyk-Tomaszewska, Małgorzata

2016-01-01

Urolithiasis in children occurs with the incidence of 0.1-5%. Risk factors such as metabolic disorders, recurrent urinary tract infections and/or congenital abnormalities of urinary tract are detected in 75-85% of children with urolithiasis. Staghorn calculi is associated with delayed diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infection caused by specific organisms, which produce the enzyme urease, promoting generation of ammonia and hydroxide from urea. We present two boys with staghorn calculi recognized in 8th and 31st month of age. The reason for performing ultrasonography was urinary tract infection in both boys. The younger child was previously healthy, with no symptoms of urolithiasis, the older one had recurrent urinary tract infections caused by Proteus mirabilis, episodes of anxiety and abdominal pain. Laboratory test and imaging studies excluded congenital abnormalities in the urinary tract and typical metabolic causes of urolithiasis in both boys. Treatment of infection-related stones in the younger child included two extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL). In the older child, both ESWL and operation were performed. Staghorn calculi were composed of mixtures of magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite) and calcium carbonate (apatite) and confirmed to be identified as infection-related stones. During follow-up in a nephrology outpatient clinic, values of blood pressure, renal ultrasonography, kidney function test were normal and no symptoms of urinary tract infections were clinically present. In patients with recurrent urinary tract infections, urolithiasis should be taken into consideration. The majority of staghorn calculi is often asymptomatic and can be diagnosed with an ultrasonography study performed routine or during urinary tract infection.

Mass spectrometry imaging reveals new biological roles for choline esters and Tyrian purple precursors in muricid molluscs

PubMed Central

Rudd, David; Ronci, Maurizio; Johnston, Martin R.; Guinan, Taryn; Voelcker, Nicolas H.; Benkendorff, Kirsten

2015-01-01

Despite significant advances in chemical ecology, the biodistribution, temporal changes and ecological function of most marine secondary metabolites remain unknown. One such example is the association between choline esters and Tyrian purple precursors in muricid molluscs. Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) on nano-structured surfaces has emerged as a sophisticated platform for spatial analysis of low molecular mass metabolites in heterogeneous tissues, ideal for low abundant secondary metabolites. Here we applied desorption-ionisation on porous silicon (DIOS) to examine in situ changes in biodistribution over the reproductive cycle. DIOS-MSI showed muscle-relaxing choline ester murexine to co-localise with tyrindoxyl sulfate in the biosynthetic hypobranchial glands. But during egg-laying, murexine was transferred to the capsule gland, and then to the egg capsules, where chemical ripening resulted in Tyrian purple formation. Murexine was found to tranquilise the larvae and may relax the reproductive tract. This study shows that DIOS-MSI is a powerful tool that can provide new insights into marine chemo-ecology. PMID:26324173

The New Era of Treatment for Obesity and Metabolic Disorders: Evidence and Expectations for Gut Microbiome Transplantation

PubMed Central

Jayasinghe, Thilini N.; Chiavaroli, Valentina; Holland, David J.; Cutfield, Wayne S.; O'Sullivan, Justin M.

2016-01-01

Key Points The microbiome has been implicated in the development of obesity.Conventional therapeutic methods have limited effectiveness for the treatment of obesity and prevention of related complications.Gut microbiome transplantation may represent an alternative and effective therapy for the treatment of obesity. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions. Despite a better understanding of the underlying pathophysiology and growing treatment options, a significant proportion of obese patients do not respond to treatment. Recently, microbes residing in the human gastrointestinal tract have been found to act as an “endocrine” organ, whose composition and functionality may contribute to the development of obesity. Therefore, fecal/gut microbiome transplantation (GMT), which involves the transfer of feces from a healthy donor to a recipient, is increasingly drawing attention as a potential treatment for obesity. Currently the evidence for GMT effectiveness in the treatment of obesity is preliminary. Here, we summarize benefits, procedures, and issues associated with GMT, with a special focus on obesity. PMID:26925392

Pathophysiological and Therapeutic Considerations for Non-Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction in Children.

PubMed

Kakizaki, Hidehiro; Kita, Masafumi; Watanabe, Masaki; Wada, Naoki

2016-05-01

Non-neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) in children is very common in clinical practice and is important as an underlying cause of lower urinary tract symptoms, urinary tract infection and vesicoureteral reflux in affected children. LUTD in children is caused by multiple factors and might be related with a delay in functional maturation of the lower urinary tract. Behavioral and psychological problems often co-exist in children with LUTD and bowel dysfunction. Recent findings in functional brain imaging suggest that bladder bowel dysfunction and behavioral and psychiatric disorders in children might share common pathophysiological factors in the brain. Children with suspected LUTD should be evaluated properly by detailed history taking, validated questionnaire on voiding and defecation, voiding and bowel diary, urinalysis, screening ultrasound, uroflowmetry and post-void residual measurement. Invasive urodynamic study such as videourodynamics should be reserved for children in whom standard treatment fails. Initial treatment of non-neurogenic LUTD is standard urotherapy comprising education of the child and family, regular optimal voiding regimens and bowel programs. Pelvic floor muscle awareness, biofeedback and neuromodulation can be used as a supplementary purpose. Antimuscarinics and α-blockers are safely used for overactive bladder and dysfunctional voiding, respectively. For refractory cases, botulinum toxin A injection is a viable treatment option. Prudent use of urotherapy and pharmacotherapy for non-neurogenic LUTD should have a better chance to cure various problems and improve self-esteem and quality of life in affected children. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

DOG-1 Is the Caenorhabditis elegans BRIP1/FANCJ Homologue and Functions in Interstrand Cross-Link Repair▿

PubMed Central

Youds, Jillian L.; Barber, Louise J.; Ward, Jordan D.; Collis, Spencer J.; O'Neil, Nigel J.; Boulton, Simon J.; Rose, Ann M.

2008-01-01

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a cancer susceptibility syndrome characterized by defective DNA interstrand cross-link (ICL) repair. Here, we show that DOG-1 is the Caenorhabditis elegans homologue of FANCJ, a helicase mutated in FA-J patients. DOG-1 performs a conserved role in ICL repair, as dog-1 mutants are hypersensitive to ICL-inducing agents, but not to UVC irradiation or X rays. Genetic analysis indicated that dog-1 is epistatic with fcd-2 (C. elegans FANCD2) but is nonepistatic with brc-1 (C. elegans BRCA1), thus establishing the existence of two distinct pathways of ICL repair in worms. Furthermore, DOG-1 is dispensable for FCD-2 and RAD-51 focus formation, suggesting that DOG-1 operates downstream of FCD-2 and RAD-51 in ICL repair. DOG-1 was previously implicated in poly(G)/poly(C) (G/C) tract maintenance during DNA replication. G/C tracts remain stable in the absence of ATL-1, CLK-2 (FA pathway activators), FCD-2, BRC-2, and MLH-1 (associated FA components), implying that DOG-1 is the sole FA component required for G/C tract maintenance in a wild-type background. However, FCD-2 is required to promote deletion-free repair at G/C tracts in dog-1 mutants, consistent with a role for FA factors at the replication fork. The functional conservation between DOG-1 and FANCJ suggests a possible role for FANCJ in G/C tract maintenance in human cells. PMID:18086896

Neural Control of the Lower Urinary Tract

PubMed Central

de Groat, William C.; Griffiths, Derek; Yoshimura, Naoki

2015-01-01

This article summarizes anatomical, neurophysiological, pharmacological, and brain imaging studies in humans and animals that have provided insights into the neural circuitry and neurotransmitter mechanisms controlling the lower urinary tract. The functions of the lower urinary tract to store and periodically eliminate urine are regulated by a complex neural control system in the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral autonomic ganglia that coordinates the activity of smooth and striated muscles of the bladder and urethral outlet. The neural control of micturition is organized as a hierarchical system in which spinal storage mechanisms are in turn regulated by circuitry in the rostral brain stem that initiates reflex voiding. Input from the forebrain triggers voluntary voiding by modulating the brain stem circuitry. Many neural circuits controlling the lower urinary tract exhibit switch-like patterns of activity that turn on and off in an all-or-none manner. The major component of the micturition switching circuit is a spinobulbospinal parasympathetic reflex pathway that has essential connections in the periaqueductal gray and pontine micturition center. A computer model of this circuit that mimics the switching functions of the bladder and urethra at the onset of micturition is described. Micturition occurs involuntarily in infants and young children until the age of 3 to 5 years, after which it is regulated voluntarily. Diseases or injuries of the nervous system in adults can cause the re-emergence of involuntary micturition, leading to urinary incontinence. Neuroplasticity underlying these developmental and pathological changes in voiding function is discussed. PMID:25589273

Parallel Olfactory Processing in the Honey Bee Brain: Odor Learning and Generalization under Selective Lesion of a Projection Neuron Tract

PubMed Central

Carcaud, Julie; Giurfa, Martin; Sandoz, Jean Christophe

2016-01-01

The function of parallel neural processing is a fundamental problem in Neuroscience, as it is found across sensory modalities and evolutionary lineages, from insects to humans. Recently, parallel processing has attracted increased attention in the olfactory domain, with the demonstration in both insects and mammals that different populations of second-order neurons encode and/or process odorant information differently. Among insects, Hymenoptera present a striking olfactory system with a clear neural dichotomy from the periphery to higher-order centers, based on two main tracts of second-order (projection) neurons: the medial and lateral antennal lobe tracts (m-ALT and l-ALT). To unravel the functional role of these two pathways, we combined specific lesions of the m-ALT tract with behavioral experiments, using the classical conditioning of the proboscis extension response (PER conditioning). Lesioned and intact bees had to learn to associate an odorant (1-nonanol) with sucrose. Then the bees were subjected to a generalization procedure with a range of odorants differing in terms of their carbon chain length or functional group. We show that m-ALT lesion strongly affects acquisition of an odor-sucrose association. However, lesioned bees that still learned the association showed a normal gradient of decreasing generalization responses to increasingly dissimilar odorants. Generalization responses could be predicted to some extent by in vivo calcium imaging recordings of l-ALT neurons. The m-ALT pathway therefore seems necessary for normal classical olfactory conditioning performance. PMID:26834589

Ribonuclease 7, an antimicrobial peptide upregulated during infection, contributes to microbial defense of the human urinary tract.

PubMed

Spencer, John David; Schwaderer, Andrew L; Wang, Huanyu; Bartz, Julianne; Kline, Jennifer; Eichler, Tad; DeSouza, Kristin R; Sims-Lucas, Sunder; Baker, Peter; Hains, David S

2013-04-01

The mechanisms that maintain sterility in the urinary tract are incompletely understood; however, recent studies stress the importance of antimicrobial peptides in protecting the urinary tract from infection. Ribonuclease 7 (RNase 7), a potent antimicrobial peptide contributing to urinary tract sterility, is expressed by intercalated cells in the renal collecting tubules and is present in the urine at levels sufficient to kill bacteria at baseline. Here, we characterize the expression and function of RNase 7 in the human urinary tract during infection. Both quantitative real-time PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbant assays demonstrated increases in RNASE7 expression in the kidney along with kidney and urinary RNase 7 peptide concentrations with infection. While immunostaining localized RNase 7 production to the intercalated cells of the collecting tubule during sterility, its expression during pyelonephritis was found to increase throughout the nephron but not in glomeruli or the interstitium. Recombinant RNase 7 exhibited antimicrobial activity against uropathogens at low micromolar concentrations by disrupting the microbial membrane as determined by atomic force microscopy. Thus, RNase 7 expression is increased in the urinary tract with infection and has antibacterial activity against uropathogens at micromolar concentrations.

Ribonuclease 7, an antimicrobial peptide up-regulated during infection, contributes to microbial defense of the human urinary tract

PubMed Central

Spencer, John David; Schwaderer, Andrew L.; Wang, Huanyu; Bartz, Julianne; Kline, Jennifer; Eichler, Tad; DeSouza, Kristin R.; Sims-Lucas, Sunder; Baker, Peter; Hains, David S.

2012-01-01

The mechanisms that maintain sterility in the urinary tract are incompletely understood; however, recent studies stress the importance of antimicrobial peptides in protecting the urinary tract from infection. Ribonuclease 7 (RNase 7), a potent antimicrobial peptide contributing to urinary tract sterility, is expressed by intercalated cells in the renal collecting tubules and is present in the urine at levels sufficient to kill bacteria at baseline. Here, we characterize the expression and function of RNase 7 in the human urinary tract during infection. Both quantitative real-time PCR and ELISA assays demonstrated increases in RNASE7 expression in the kidney along with kidney and urinary RNase 7 peptide concentrations with infection. While immunostaining localized RNase 7 production to the intercalated cells of the collecting tubule during sterility, its expression during pyelonephritis was found to increase throughout the nephron but not in glomeruli or the interstitium. Recombinant RNase 7 exhibited antimicrobial activity against uropathogens at low micromolar concentrations by disrupting the microbial membrane as determined by atomic force microscopy. Thus, RNase 7 expression is increased in the urinary tract with infection, and has antibacterial activity against uropathogens at micromolar concentrations. PMID:23302724

Revealing the cerebello-ponto-hypothalamic pathway in the human brain.

PubMed

Kamali, Arash; Karbasian, Niloofar; Rabiei, Pejman; Cano, Andres; Riascos, Roy F; Tandon, Nitin; Arevalo, Octavio; Ocasio, Laura; Younes, Kyan; Khayat-Khoei, Mahsa; Mirbagheri, Saeedeh; Hasan, Khader M

2018-06-11

The cerebellum is shown to be involved in some limbic functions of the human brain such as emotion and affect. The major connection of the cerebellum with the limbic system is known to be through the cerebello-hypothalamic pathways. The consensus is that the projections from the cerebellar nuclei to the limbic system, and particularly the hypothalamus, or from the hypothalamus to the cerebellar nuclei, are through multisynaptic pathways in the bulbar reticular formation. The detailed anatomy of the pathways responsible for mediating these responses, however, is yet to be determined. Diffusion tensor imaging may be helpful in better visualizing the surgical anatomy of the cerebello-ponto-hypothalamic (CPH) pathway. This study aimed to investigate the utility of high-spatial-resolution diffusion tensor tractography for mapping the trajectory of the CPH tract in the human brain. Fifteen healthy adults were studied. We delineated, for the first time, the detailed trajectory of the CPH tract of the human brain in fifteen normal adult subjects using high-spatial-resolution diffusion tensor tractography. We further revealed the close relationship of the CPH tract with the optic tract, temporo-pontine tract, amygdalofugal tract and the fornix in the human brain. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatial Mapping of Structural and Connectional Imaging Data for the Developing Human Brain with Diffusion Tensor Imaging

PubMed Central

Ouyang, Austin; Jeon, Tina; Sunkin, Susan M.; Pletikos, Mihovil; Sedmak, Goran; Sestan, Nenad; Lein, Ed S.; Huang, Hao

2014-01-01

During human brain development from fetal stage to adulthood, the white matter (WM) tracts undergo dramatic changes. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a widely used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) modality, offers insight into the dynamic changes of WM fibers as these fibers can be noninvasively traced and three-dimensionally (3D) reconstructed with DTI tractography. The DTI and conventional T1 weighted MRI images also provide sufficient cortical anatomical details for mapping the cortical regions of interests (ROIs). In this paper, we described basic concepts and methods of DTI techniques that can be used to trace major WM tracts noninvasively from fetal brain of 14 postconceptional weeks (pcw) to adult brain. We applied these techniques to acquire DTI data and trace, reconstruct and visualize major WM tracts during development. After categorizing major WM fiber bundles into five unique functional tract groups, namely limbic, brain stem, projection, commissural and association tracts, we revealed formation and maturation of these 3D reconstructed WM tracts of the developing human brain. The structural and connectional imaging data offered by DTI provides the anatomical backbone of transcriptional atlas of the developing human brain. PMID:25448302

Systemic Sclerosis and the Gastrointestinal Tract-Clinical Approach.

PubMed

Braun-Moscovici, Yolanda; Brun, Rita; Braun, Marius

2016-10-31

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a multisystem disease characterized by functional and structural abnormalities of small blood vessels, fibrosis of the skin and internal organs, immune system activation, and autoimmunity. The gastrointestinal tract is involved in nearly all patients and is a source of significant morbidity and even mortality. The aim of this review is to summarize the pathogenesis and to provide a clinical approach to these patients.

Effects of Radiation on the Microbiota and Intestinal Inflammatory Disease

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

focal (GI tract) irradiation of mice on the bacterial and fungal microbiota. We have identified substantial changes in intestinal microbial...minimal acute symptoms, will develop long-term consequences of irradiation including permanent changes to bowel function and intestinal fibrosis, which...mice exposed to total body irradiation (TBI) or focal radiation to the GI tract. Timeline Status Site 1 (Stephen Shiao, MD, PhD) Site 2

Patterns of white matter damage are non-random and associated with cognitive function in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Meijer, K A; Cercignani, M; Muhlert, N; Sethi, V; Chard, D; Geurts, J J G; Ciccarelli, O

2016-01-01

In multiple sclerosis (MS), white matter damage is thought to contribute to cognitive dysfunction, which is especially prominent in secondary progressive MS (SPMS). While studies in healthy subjects have revealed patterns of correlated fractional anisotropy (FA) across white matter tracts, little is known about the underlying patterns of white matter damage in MS. In the present study, we aimed to map the SPMS-related covariance patterns of microstructural white matter changes, and investigated whether or not these patterns were associated with cognitive dysfunction. Diffusion MRI was acquired from 30 SPMS patients and 32 healthy controls (HC). A tensor model was fitted and FA maps were processed using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) in order to obtain a skeletonised map for each subject. The skeletonised FA maps of patients only were decomposed into 18 spatially independent components (ICs) using independent component analysis. Comprehensive cognitive assessment was conducted to evaluate five cognitive domains. Correlations between cognitive performance and (1) severity of FA abnormalities of the extracted ICs (i.e. z-scores relative to FA values of HC) and (2) IC load (i.e. FA covariance of a particular IC) were examined. SPMS patients showed lower FA values of all examined patterns of correlated FA (i.e. spatially independent components) than HC (p < 0.01). Tracts visually assigned to the supratentorial commissural class were most severely damaged (z = - 3.54; p < 0.001). Reduced FA was significantly correlated with reduced IC load (i.e. FA covariance) (r = 0.441; p < 0.05). Lower mean FA and component load of the supratentorial projection tracts and limbic association tracts classes were associated with worse cognitive function, including executive function, working memory and verbal memory. Despite the presence of white matter damage, it was possible to reveal patterns of FA covariance across SPMS patients. This could indicate that white matter tracts belonging to the same cluster, and thus with similar characteristics, tend to follow similar trends during neurodegeneration. Furthermore, these underlying FA patterns might help to explain cognitive dysfunction in SPMS.

White matter tracts associated with set-shifting in healthy aging.

PubMed

Perry, Michele E; McDonald, Carrie R; Hagler, Donald J; Gharapetian, Lusineh; Kuperman, Joshua M; Koyama, Alain K; Dale, Anders M; McEvoy, Linda K

2009-11-01

Attentional set-shifting ability, commonly assessed with the Trail Making Test (TMT), decreases with increasing age in adults. Since set-shifting performance relies on activity in widespread brain regions, deterioration of the white matter tracts that connect these regions may underlie the age-related decrease in performance. We used an automated fiber tracking method to investigate the relationship between white matter integrity in several cortical association tracts and TMT performance in a sample of 24 healthy adults, 21-80 years. Diffusion tensor images were used to compute average fractional anisotropy (FA) for five cortical association tracts, the corpus callosum (CC), and the corticospinal tract (CST), which served as a control. Results showed that advancing age was associated with declines in set-shifting performance and with decreased FA in the CC and in association tracts that connect frontal cortex to more posterior brain regions, including the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), uncinate fasciculus (UF), and superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). Declines in average FA in these tracts, and in average FA of the right inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), were associated with increased time to completion on the set-shifting subtask of the TMT but not with the simple sequencing subtask. FA values in these tracts were strong mediators of the effect of age on set-shifting performance. Automated tractography methods can enhance our understanding of the fiber systems involved in performance of specific cognitive tasks and of the functional consequences of age-related changes in those systems.

Brain microstructural correlates of visuospatial choice reaction time in children.

PubMed

Madsen, Kathrine Skak; Baaré, William F C; Skimminge, Arnold; Vestergaard, Martin; Siebner, Hartwig R; Jernigan, Terry L

2011-10-15

The corticospinal tracts and the basal ganglia continue to develop during childhood and adolescence, and indices of their maturation can be obtained using diffusion-weighted imaging. Here we show that a simple measure of visuomotor function is correlated with diffusion parameters in the corticospinal tracts and neostriatum. In a cohort of 75 typically-developing children aged 7 to 13years, mean 5-choice reaction times (RTs) were assessed. We hypothesised that children with faster choice RTs would show lower mean diffusivity (MD) in the corticospinal tracts and neostriatum and higher fractional anisotropy (FA) in the corticospinal tracts, after controlling for age, gender, and handedness. Mean MD and/or FA were extracted from the right and left corticospinal tracts, putamen, and caudate nuclei. As predicted, faster 5-choice RTs were associated with lower MD in the corticospinal tracts, putamen, and caudate. MD effects on RT were bilateral in the corticospinal tracts and putamen, whilst right caudate MD was more strongly related to performance than was left caudate MD. Our results suggest a link between motor performance variability in children and diffusivity in the motor system, which may be related to: individual differences in the phase of fibre tract and neostriatal maturation in children of similar age, individual differences in motor experience during childhood (i.e., use-dependent plasticity), and/or more stable individual differences in the architecture of the motor system. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of hormones on the lower urinary tract.

PubMed

Robinson, Dudley; Toozs-Hobson, Philip; Cardozo, Linda

2013-12-01

The female genital and lower urinary tracts share a common embryological origin, arising from the urogenital sinus and both are sensitive to the effects of the female sex steroid hormones throughout life. Estrogen is known to have an important role in the function of the lower urinary tract and estrogen and progesterone receptors have been demonstrated in the vagina, urethra, bladder and pelvic floor musculature. In addition estrogen deficiency occurring following the menopause is known to cause atrophic change and may be associated with lower urinary tract symptoms such as frequency, urgency, nocturia, urgency incontinence and recurrent infection. These may also co-exist with symptoms of urogenital atrophy such as dyspareunia, itching, vaginal burning and dryness. Epidemiological studies have implicated estrogen deficiency in the aetiology of lower urinary tract symptoms with 70% of women relating the onset of urinary incontinence to their final menstrual period. Whilst for many years systemic and vaginal estrogen therapy was felt to be beneficial in the treatment of lower urinary and genital tract symptoms this evidence has recently been challenged by large epidemiological studies investigating the use of systemic hormone replacement therapy as primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. The aim of this paper is to examine the effect of the sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone, on the lower urinary tract and to review the current evidence regarding the role of systemic and vaginal estrogens in the management of lower urinary tract symptoms and urogenital atrophy.

Improved vocal tract reconstruction and modeling using an image super-resolution technique.

PubMed

Zhou, Xinhui; Woo, Jonghye; Stone, Maureen; Prince, Jerry L; Espy-Wilson, Carol Y

2013-06-01

Magnetic resonance imaging has been widely used in speech production research. Often only one image stack (sagittal, axial, or coronal) is used for vocal tract modeling. As a result, complementary information from other available stacks is not utilized. To overcome this, a recently developed super-resolution technique was applied to integrate three orthogonal low-resolution stacks into one isotropic volume. The results on vowels show that the super-resolution volume produces better vocal tract visualization than any of the low-resolution stacks. Its derived area functions generally produce formant predictions closer to the ground truth, particularly for those formants sensitive to area perturbations at constrictions.

Contemporary Evaluation and Treatment of Poststroke Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction.

PubMed

Panfili, Zachary; Metcalf, Meredith; Griebling, Tomas L

2017-08-01

Stroke is an extremely common clinical entity, and poststroke incontinence is a major cause of morbidity for stroke survivors. Although patients can experience a wide variety of lower urinary tract symptoms, detrusor overactivity is among the most common clinical findings following stroke. All forms of lower urinary tract symptoms can negatively impact physical and psychosocial function for affected patients and their caregivers and loved ones. Careful evaluation is critical for successful management. Treatment is tailored to the goals and needs of each individual patient. Improvements in continence status can help to enhance overall and health-related quality of life. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Vascular provisions for a local utero-ovarian cross-over pathway in new world camelids.

PubMed

Del Campo, M R; Del Campo, C H; Ginther, O J

1996-10-15

The right uterine horn of alpacas causes luteolysis in the right ovary, whereas the left horn causes luteolysis in both ovaries. Female reproductive tracts were studied in 32 adult llamas, 12 adult alpacas, and 21 mid-gestation female fetuses to determine if there is a dichotomy in the vascular anatomy between the 2 sides. Adult tracts were studied by either injection of colored latex into the veins and arteries followed by tissue clearing or by injection of colored fluids during transillumination. Fetal uteri were studied by transillumination. The angioarchitecture of the ovarian vascular pedicle was similar to that reported for ewes. There was no vessel comparable to the middle uterine artery, which is the largest uterine artery in the other farm species. A striking difference from the uterine vascular of other farm species was the presence of a major branch of the right uterine artery that crossed the cranial intercornual area to supply much of the left uterine horn. A corresponding major vein originated from the left horn, crossed the mid-line, and terminated as a branch of the right uterine vein. Thus, the vascular anatomy indicated that much venous blood from the left horn drained to the right side. This was confirmed by injection of colored fluid into a small venous branch at the tip of the left horn. The prominent cross-over vessels were observed in the fetal uteri, and the diameter of the left uterine fetal horn (6.7 +/- 0.6 mm) was greater (P < 0.001) than the diameter of the right horn (5.8 +/- 0.5 mm). The presence of a large cross-over vein traversing from the left horn to the right side is compatible with the hypothesis that the left horn can exert luteolytic control over the corpus luteum in the right ovary through a veno-arterial pathway. The area of veno-arterial transfer of the luteolysin from a vein containing blood from the left horn into an artery supplying the right ovary was not defined in this study. However, the results provide an anatomical basis for functional testing of the cross-over hypothesis and defining the area of venoarterial transfer in camelids.

Chemometric strategy for modeling metabolic biological space along the gastrointestinal tract and assessing microbial influences.

PubMed

Martin, François-Pierre J; Montoliu, Ivan; Kochhar, Sunil; Rezzi, Serge

2010-12-01

Over the past decade, the analysis of metabolic data with advanced chemometric techniques has offered the potential to explore functional relationships among biological compartments in relation to the structure and function of the intestine. However, the employed methodologies, generally based on regression modeling techniques, have given emphasis to region-specific metabolic patterns, while providing only limited insights into the spatiotemporal metabolic features of the complex gastrointestinal system. Hence, novel approaches are needed to analyze metabolic data to reconstruct the metabolic biological space associated with the evolving structures and functions of an organ such as the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we report the application of multivariate curve resolution (MCR) methodology to model metabolic relationships along the gastrointestinal compartments in relation to its structure and function using data from our previous metabonomic analysis. The method simultaneously summarizes metabolite occurrence and contribution to continuous metabolic signatures of the different biological compartments of the gut tract. This methodology sheds new light onto the complex web of metabolic interactions with gut symbionts that modulate host cell metabolism in surrounding gut tissues. In the future, such an approach will be key to provide new insights into the dynamic onset of metabolic deregulations involved in region-specific gastrointestinal disorders, such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.

The linear synchronization measures of uterine EMG signals: Evidence of synchronized action potentials during propagation.

PubMed

Domino, Malgorzata; Pawlinski, Bartosz; Gajewski, Zdzislaw

2016-11-01

Evaluation of synchronization between myoelectric signals can give new insights into the functioning of the complex system of porcine myometrium. We propose a model of uterine contractions according to the hypothesis of action potentials similarity which is possible to detect during propagation in the uterine wall. We introduce similarity measures based on the concept of synchronization as used in matching linear signals such as electromyographic (EMG) time series data. The aim was to present linear measures to assess synchronization between contractions in different topographic regions of the uterus. We use the cross-correlation function (ƒx,y[l], ƒy,z[l]) and the cross-coherence function (Cxy[ƒ], Cyz[ƒ]) to assess synchronization between three data series of a diestral uterine EMG bundles in porcine reproductive tract. Spontaneous uterine activity was recorded using telemetry method directly by three-channel transmitter and three silver bipolar needle electrodes sutured on different topographic regions of the reproductive tract in the sow. The results show the usefulness of the cross-coherence function in that synchronization between uterine horn and corpus uteri for multiple action potentials (bundles) could be observed. The EMG bundles synchronization may be used to investigate the direction and velocity of EMG signals propagation in porcine reproductive tract. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Role of pelvic floor in lower urinary tract function.

PubMed

Chermansky, Christopher J; Moalli, Pamela A

2016-10-01

The pelvic floor plays an integral part in lower urinary tract storage and evacuation. Normal urine storage necessitates that continence be maintained with normal urethral closure and urethral support. The endopelvic fascia of the anterior vaginal wall, its connections to the arcus tendineous fascia pelvis (ATFP), and the medial portion of the levator ani muscles must remain intact to provide normal urethral support. Thus, normal pelvic floor function is required for urine storage. Normal urine evacuation involves a series of coordinated events, the first of which involves complete relaxation of the external urethral sphincter and levator ani muscles. Acquired dysfunction of these muscles will initially result in sensory urgency and detrusor overactivity; however, with time the acquired voiding dysfunction can result in intermittent urine flow and incomplete bladder emptying, progressing to urinary retention in severe cases. This review will start with a discussion of normal pelvic floor anatomy and function. Next various injuries to the pelvic floor will be reviewed. The dysfunctional pelvic floor will be covered subsequently, with a focus on levator ani spasticity and stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Finally, future research directions of the interaction between the pelvic floor and lower urinary tract function will be discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Computerized Analysis of Acoustic Characteristics of Patients with Internal Nasal Valve Collapse Before and After Functional Rhinoplasty

PubMed Central

Rezaei, Fariba; Omrani, Mohammad Reza; Abnavi, Fateme; Mojiri, Fariba; Golabbakhsh, Marzieh; Barati, Sohrab; Mahaki, Behzad

2015-01-01

Acoustic analysis of sounds produced during speech provides significant information about the physiology of larynx and vocal tract. The analysis of voice power spectrum is a fundamental sensitive method of acoustic assessment that provides valuable information about the voice source and characteristics of vocal tract resonance cavities. The changes in long-term average spectrum (LTAS) spectral tilt and harmony to noise ratio (HNR) were analyzed to assess the voice quality before and after functional rhinoplasty in patients with internal nasal valve collapse. Before and 3 months after functional rhinoplasty, 12 participants were evaluated and HNR and LTAS spectral tilt in /a/ and /i/ vowels were estimated. It was seen that an increase in HNR and a decrease in LTAS spectral tilt existed after surgery. Mean LTAS spectral tilt in vowel /a/ decreased from 2.37 ± 1.04 to 2.28 ± 1.17 (P = 0.388), and it was decreased from 4.16 ± 1.65 to 2.73 ± 0.69 in vowel /i/ (P = 0.008). Mean HNR in the vowel /a/ increased from 20.71 ± 3.93 to 25.06 ± 2.67 (P = 0.002), and it was increased from 21.28 ± 4.11 to 25.26 ± 3.94 in vowel /i/ (P = 0.002). Modification of the vocal tract caused the vocal cords to close sufficiently, and this showed that although rhinoplasty did not affect the larynx directly, it changes the structure of the vocal tract and consequently the resonance of voice production. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in voice parameters after functional rhinoplasty in patients with internal nasal valve collapse by computerized analysis of acoustic characteristics. PMID:26955564

Deposition efficiency of inhaled particles (15-5000 nm) related to breathing pattern and lung function: an experimental study in healthy children and adults.

PubMed

Rissler, Jenny; Gudmundsson, Anders; Nicklasson, Hanna; Swietlicki, Erik; Wollmer, Per; Löndahl, Jakob

2017-04-08

Exposure to airborne particles has a major impact on global health. The probability of these particles to deposit in the respiratory tract during breathing is essential for their toxic effects. Observations have shown that there is a substantial variability in deposition between subjects, not only due to respiratory diseases, but also among individuals with healthy lungs. The factors determining this variability are, however, not fully understood. In this study we experimentally investigate factors that determine individual differences in the respiratory tract depositions of inhaled particles for healthy subjects at relaxed breathing. The study covers particles of diameters 15-5000 nm and includes 67 subjects aged 7-70 years. A comprehensive examination of lung function was performed for all subjects. Principal component analyses and multiple regression analyses were used to explore the relationships between subject characteristics and particle deposition. A large individual variability in respiratory tract deposition efficiency was found. Individuals with high deposition of a certain particle size generally had high deposition for all particles <3500 nm. The individual variability was explained by two factors: breathing pattern, and lung structural and functional properties. The most important predictors were found to be breathing frequency and anatomical airway dead space. We also present a linear regression model describing the deposition based on four variables: tidal volume, breathing frequency, anatomical dead space and resistance of the respiratory system (the latter measured with impulse oscillometry). To understand why some individuals are more susceptible to airborne particles we must understand, and take into account, the individual variability in the probability of particles to deposit in the respiratory tract by considering not only breathing patterns but also adequate measures of relevant structural and functional properties.

Impact of nasopharyngeal microbiota on the development of respiratory tract diseases.

PubMed

Esposito, S; Principi, N

2018-01-01

Knowledge of whether and how respiratory microbiota composition can prime the immune system and provide colonisation resistance, limiting consecutive pathobiont overgrowth and infections, is essential to improving the prevention and therapy of respiratory disorders. Modulation of dysbiotic ecosystems or reconstitution of missing microbes might be a possible measure to reduce respiratory diseases. The aim of this review is to analyse the role of nasopharyngeal microbiota in the development of respiratory tract disease in paediatric-age subjects. PubMed was used to search for all studies published over the last 15 years using the following key words: "microbiota" or "microbioma" and "nasopharyngeal" or "respiratory" or "nasal" and "children" or "paediatric" or "infant". Analysis of the literature showed that respiratory microbiota can regulate health and disease development in the respiratory tract. Like the gut microbiota, the respiratory microbiota is established at birth, and early respiratory microbiota composition determines bacterial succession patterns and respiratory health in children. Protective and dangerous bacteria have been identified, and this can be considered the base for developing new approaches to diseases that respond poorly to traditional interventions. Reconstitution of missing microbes can be achieved by the administration of pre- and probiotics. Modulation of respiratory microbiota by favouring colonisation of the upper respiratory tract by beneficial commensals can interfere with the proliferation and activity of resident pathobionts and is a possible new measure to reduce the risk of disease. However, further studies are needed because a deeper understanding of these and related issues can be transferred to clinical practice.

Biological Opinion Compliance Report and Permit Activity Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-03-01

and thermoregulate themselves. Hatchlings will be kept in the brood boxes until their feather tracts are fullyfeathered (approximately 12-14 days) and...they are able to fully thermoregulate . Boxes will be cleaned and disinfected Monday and Thursday of each week using Germacertt"r nontoxic...and are able to feed and thermoregulate themselves, they will be transferred to the outdoor flight pen. The outdoor pen is 48 feet by 60 feet and

Neuromodulation of the neural circuits controlling the lower urinary tract

PubMed Central

Gad, Parag N.; Roy, Roland R.; Zhong, Hui; Gerasimenko, Yury P.; Taccola, Giuliano; Edgerton, V. Reggie

2017-01-01

The inability to control timely bladder emptying is one of the most serious challenges among the many functional deficits that occur after a spinal cord injury. We previously demonstrated that electrodes placed epidurally on the dorsum of the spinal cord can be used in animals and humans to recover postural and locomotor function after complete paralysis and can be used to enable voiding in spinal rats. In the present study, we examined the neuromodulation of lower urinary tract function associated with acute epidural spinal cord stimulation, locomotion, and peripheral nerve stimulation in adult rats. Herein we demonstrate that electrically evoked potentials in the hindlimb muscles and external urethral sphincter are modulated uniquely when the rat is stepping bipedally and not voiding, immediately pre-voiding, or when voiding. We also show that spinal cord stimulation can effectively neuromodulate the lower urinary tract via frequency-dependent stimulation patterns and that neural peripheral nerve stimulation can activate the external urethral sphincter both directly and via relays in the spinal cord. The data demonstrate that the sensorimotor networks controlling bladder and locomotion are highly integrated neurophysiologically and behaviorally and demonstrate how these two functions are modulated by sensory input from the tibial and pudental nerves. A more detailed understanding of the high level of interaction between these networks could lead to the integration of multiple neurophysiological strategies to improve bladder function. These data suggest that the development of strategies to improve bladder function should simultaneously engage these highly integrated networks in an activity-dependent manner. PMID:27381425

Combined Functional Voice Therapy in Singers With Muscle Tension Dysphonia in Singing.

PubMed

Sielska-Badurek, Ewelina; Osuch-Wójcikiewicz, Ewa; Sobol, Maria; Kazanecka, Ewa; Rzepakowska, Anna; Niemczyk, Kazimierz

2017-07-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate vocal tract function and the voice quality in singers with muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) after undergoing combined functional voice therapy of the singing voice. This is a prospective, randomized study. Forty singers (29 females and 11 males, mean age: 24.6 ± 8.8 years) with MTD were enrolled in the study. The study group consisted of 20 singers who underwent combined functional voice therapy (10-15 individual sessions, 30-40 minutes each). Singers who did not opt for vocal rehabilitation consisted of the control group. Effects of rehabilitation were assessed with videolaryngostroboscopy, palpation of the vocal tract structures, flexible fiberoptic evaluation of the pharynx and the larynx, perceptual speaking and singing voice assessment, acoustic analysis, maximal phonation time, and the Voice Handicap Index. After combined functional voice therapy in the study group, great improvement was noticed in palpation of the vocal tract structures (P < 0.001), perceptual voice assessment (P < 0.001), phonetograms (P = 0.002), and singing range obtained from acoustic analysis of glissando (P < 0.001). In the control group, no statistically significant differences were found between the first and the second assessments. Combined functional voice therapy proved to be an efficacious treatment method in singers with MTD in singing. Development of palpation and perceptual singing voice examination protocols enables one to compare results before and after rehabilitation in clinics. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Composition and digestive tract retention time of ruminal particles with functional specific gravity greater or less than 1.02.

PubMed

Hristov, A N; Ahvenjarvi, S; McAllister, T A; Huhtanen, P

2003-10-01

The objective of this study was to determine composition, particle size distribution, and in vivo kinetics of ruminal particles having functional specific gravity (FSG) greater or less than FSG of particles found in the omasum and reticulum of lactating dairy cows. Particles from the reticulum and the omasal had FSG of 1.03 and 1.02, respectively. Particles from ruminal contents with FSG higher (HP) or lower (LP) than 1.02 were isolated and labeled with Er or Dy, respectively. Four ruminally cannulated, lactating Ayrshire dairy cows were fed all-grass silage (AS) or 54% grass silage:46% concentrate (SC) diets in a cross-over design trial and used to study chemical composition and ruminal and total tract kinetics of HP and LP. Labeled particles were pulse dosed into the rumen of the cows and disappearance of the markers from ruminal HP and LP pools and excretion in feces was monitored for 72 and 120 h, respectively. Fecal marker excretion data were fitted using two-compartment mathematical age-dependent/age-independent (Gn-->G1) models. Inclusion of concentrate in the diet (SC) increased (P < 0.05) apparent total tract digestibility of dietary DM, OM and N. Digestibility of fiber fractions, NDF and ADF, was lower (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively) for SC compared with AS. The heavy particles had higher (P < 0.01) indigestible NDF and lower (P < 0.01) N concentration than LP. Particles from the HP pool passed from the rumen more rapidly (P < 0.01) than particles from LP (0.044 and 0.019 h(-1), respectively). Diet had no effect on particle rate of disappearance or pool size in the rumen. Across diets, pool size of LP was consistently larger (P < 0.05) than that of HP. Diet had no effect on total tract mean retention time (MRT) of LP or HP. Total tract MRT of LP was greater (P < 0.05) than MRT of HP (59.6 vs. 49.0 h, respectively). Results from this study support the hypothesis that functional specific gravity is an important factor determining the rate of outflow and residence time of feed particles within the reticulo-rumen and total digestive tract. Our data indicate that digesta particles with functional specific gravity greater or less than 1.02 have different composition and flow characteristics. Heavier particles contain more indigestible fiber and less N and are likely depleted of substrate available for microbial fermentation, are smaller in size, and have a higher passage rate/shorter retention time in the digestive tract than lighter particles.

Diffusion-tensor imaging of major white matter tracts and their role in language processing in aphasia.

PubMed

Ivanova, Maria V; Isaev, Dmitry Yu; Dragoy, Olga V; Akinina, Yulia S; Petrushevskiy, Alexey G; Fedina, Oksana N; Shklovsky, Victor M; Dronkers, Nina F

2016-12-01

A growing literature is pointing towards the importance of white matter tracts in understanding the neural mechanisms of language processing, and determining the nature of language deficits and recovery patterns in aphasia. Measurements extracted from diffusion-weighted (DW) images provide comprehensive in vivo measures of local microstructural properties of fiber pathways. In the current study, we compared microstructural properties of major white matter tracts implicated in language processing in each hemisphere (these included arcuate fasciculus (AF), superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), inferior frontal-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), uncinate fasciculus (UF), and corpus callosum (CC), and corticospinal tract (CST) for control purposes) between individuals with aphasia and healthy controls and investigated the relationship between these neural indices and language deficits. Thirty-seven individuals with aphasia due to left hemisphere stroke and eleven age-matched controls were scanned using DW imaging sequences. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), radial diffusivity (RD), axial diffusivity (AD) values for each major white matter tract were extracted from DW images using tract masks chosen from standardized atlases. Individuals with aphasia were also assessed with a standardized language test in Russian targeting comprehension and production at the word and sentence level. Individuals with aphasia had significantly lower FA values for left hemisphere tracts and significantly higher values of MD, RD and AD for both left and right hemisphere tracts compared to controls, all indicating profound impairment in tract integrity. Language comprehension was predominantly related to integrity of the left IFOF and left ILF, while language production was mainly related to integrity of the left AF. In addition, individual segments of these three tracts were differentially associated with language production and comprehension in aphasia. Our findings highlight the importance of fiber pathways in supporting different language functions and point to the importance of temporal tracts in language processing, in particular, comprehension. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

rTMS: A Treatment to Restore Function After Severe TBI

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

rTMS- induced changes in functional neural activation and whether or not these changes correlate with improving neurobehavioral function. Aim III...will examine the effect of rTMS on white fiber tracts and whether or not the rTMS-related effects correlate with improving neurobehavioral function

Genomics, evolution, and molecular epidemiology of the Streptococcus bovis/Streptococcus equinus complex (SBSEC).

PubMed

Jans, Christoph; Meile, Leo; Lacroix, Christophe; Stevens, Marc J A

2015-07-01

The Streptococcus bovis/Streptococcus equinus complex (SBSEC) is a group of human and animal derived streptococci that are commensals (rumen and gastrointestinal tract), opportunistic pathogens or food fermentation associates. The classification of SBSEC has undergone massive changes and currently comprises 7 (sub)species grouped into four branches based on sequences identities: the Streptococcus gallolyticus, the Streptococcus equinus, the Streptococcus infantarius and the Streptococcus alactolyticus branch. In animals, SBSEC are causative agents for ruminal acidosis, potentially laminitis and infective endocarditis (IE). In humans, a strong association was established between bacteraemia, IE and colorectal cancer. Especially the SBSEC-species S. gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus is an emerging pathogen for IE and prosthetic joint infections. S. gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus and the S. infantarius branch are further associated with biliary and urinary tract infections. Knowledge on pathogenic mechanisms is so far limited to colonization factors such as pili and biofilm formation. Certain strain variants of S. gallolyticus subsp. macedonicus and S. infantarius subsp. infantarius are associated with traditional dairy and plant-based food fermentations and display traits suggesting safety. However, due to their close relationship to virulent strains, their use in food fermentation has to be critically assessed. Additionally, implementing accurate and up-to-date taxonomy is critical to enable appropriate treatment of patients and risk assessment of species and strains via recently developed multilocus sequence typing schemes to enable comparative global epidemiology. Comparative genomics revealed that SBSEC strains harbour genomics islands (GI) that seem acquired from other streptococci by horizontal gene transfer. In case of virulent strains these GI frequently encode putative virulence factors, in strains from food fermentation the GI encode functions that are pivotal for strain performance during fermentation. Comparative genomics is a powerful tool to identify acquired pathogenic functions, but there is still an urgent need for more physiological and epidemiological data to understand SBSEC-specific traits. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abnormal functional connectivity during visuospatial processing is associated with disrupted organisation of white matter in autism

PubMed Central

McGrath, Jane; Johnson, Katherine; O'Hanlon, Erik; Garavan, Hugh; Leemans, Alexander; Gallagher, Louise

2013-01-01

Disruption of structural and functional neural connectivity has been widely reported in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) but there is a striking lack of research attempting to integrate analysis of functional and structural connectivity in the same study population, an approach that may provide key insights into the specific neurobiological underpinnings of altered functional connectivity in autism. The aims of this study were (1) to determine whether functional connectivity abnormalities were associated with structural abnormalities of white matter (WM) in ASD and (2) to examine the relationships between aberrant neural connectivity and behavior in ASD. Twenty-two individuals with ASD and 22 age, IQ-matched controls completed a high-angular-resolution diffusion MRI scan. Structural connectivity was analysed using constrained spherical deconvolution (CSD) based tractography. Regions for tractography were generated from the results of a previous study, in which 10 pairs of brain regions showed abnormal functional connectivity during visuospatial processing in ASD. WM tracts directly connected 5 of the 10 region pairs that showed abnormal functional connectivity; linking a region in the left occipital lobe (left BA19) and five paired regions: left caudate head, left caudate body, left uncus, left thalamus, and left cuneus. Measures of WM microstructural organization were extracted from these tracts. Fractional anisotropy (FA) reductions in the ASD group relative to controls were significant for WM connecting left BA19 to left caudate head and left BA19 to left thalamus. Using a multimodal imaging approach, this study has revealed aberrant WM microstructure in tracts that directly connect brain regions that are abnormally functionally connected in ASD. These results provide novel evidence to suggest that structural brain pathology may contribute (1) to abnormal functional connectivity and (2) to atypical visuospatial processing in ASD. PMID:24133425

A novel modelling approach to energy transport in a respiratory system.

PubMed

Nithiarasu, Perumal; Sazonov, Igor

2017-10-01

In this paper, energy transport in a respiratory tract is modelled using the finite element method for the first time. The upper and lower respiratory tracts are approximated as a 1-dimensional domain with varying cross-sectional and surface areas, and the radial heat conduction in the tissue is approximated using the 1-dimensional cylindrical coordinate system. The governing equations are solved using 1-dimensional linear finite elements with convective and evaporative boundary conditions on the wall. The results obtained for the exhalation temperature of the respiratory system have been compared with the available animal experiments. The study of a full breathing cycle indicates that evaporation is the main mode of heat transfer, and convection plays almost negligible role in the energy transport. This is in-line with the results obtained from animal experiments. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Effects of GH Transgenic Goats on the Microflora of the Intestine, Feces and Surrounding Soil.

PubMed

Bao, Zekun; Gao, Xue; Zhang, Qiang; Lin, Jian; Hu, Weiwei; Yu, Huiqing; Chen, Jianquan; Yang, Qian; Yu, Qinghua

2015-01-01

The development of genetically engineered animals has brought with it increasing concerns about biosafety issues. We therefore evaluated the risks of growth hormone from transgenic goats, including the probability of horizontal gene transfer and the impact on the microbial community of the goats' gastrointestinal tracts, feces and the surrounding soil. The results showed that neither the GH nor the neoR gene could be detected in the samples. Moreover, there was no significant change in the microbial community of the gastrointestinal tracts, feces and soil, as tested with PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and 16S rDNA sequencing. Finally, phylogenetic analysis showed that the intestinal content, feces and soil samples all contained the same dominant group of bacteria. These results demonstrated that expression of goat growth hormone in the mammary of GH transgenic goat does not influence the microflora of the intestine, feces and surrounding soil.

Prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infection

PubMed Central

Trautner, Barbara W.; Hull, Richard A.; Darouiche, Rabih O.

2010-01-01

Purpose of review The underlying cause of catheter-associated urinary tract infection is biofilm formation by uropathogens on the urinary catheter. Biofilm is a relatively new concept in medicine, and current measures to prevent biofilm formation are inadequate. Considerable work is being done in this area, but little clinical progress has been made. The purpose of this review is to analyze recent publications concerning prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infection. Recent findings Several recent studies have elucidated aspects of biofilm formation in catheter-associated urinary tract infection. Other researchers are working on methods to disrupt biofilm formation on catheter surfaces. At the same time, the magnitude of the problem of catheter-associated urinary tract infection has increased awareness of the effectiveness of basic infection control measures. A modern approach to infection control may include computerized ordering systems that minimize unnecessary days of catheterization. Finally, consumption of cranberry juice products and bacterial interference are two novel approaches to urinary tract infection prevention. Summary Biofilm-disrupting strategies offer promise for the future but have little immediate applicability. Implementation of infection control measures to improve catheter function and remove unnecessary catheters can be done at the present time. In general, prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infection remains an elusive goal. More basic research at the level of pathogenesis is needed so that novel strategies can be designed. PMID:15647698

[Urinary tract infections in adults].

PubMed

Michno, Mikolaj; Sydor, Antoni

Review of urinary tract infections in adults including etiology, pathogenesis, classification and the most important therapeutic recommendations. Urinary tract infections are still a common clinical problem occurring more often in sexually active women, pregnancy, elderly , after catherization of a urinary bladder and urological surgery as well as in the co-existence of diabetes or nephrolithiasis. Due to the anatomical differences, women suffer more often than men. The main etiological factor is Escherichia coli, even though it plays a lesser role in the complicated infections, than in non-complicated ones. Apart from that, the infections may also be caused by atypical microbes, viruses and fungi. Relapses as well as reinfections are typical features of urinary tract infections and in some cases prolonged infections can spread from lower to upper urinary tract contributing to pyelonephritis, urosepsis or even death. These long-term infections can progress in a hidden, insidious, oligosymptomatic or asymptomatic manner leading to irreversible, progressive deterioration of renal function. They can also mask other diseases such as tuberculosis or neoplasms of the urinary tract, which leads to the delayed diagnosis and treatment. Diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections is a complex problem, often requiring specialized procedures as well as hospitalization. The choice of a therapy is determined by the type of infection, general condition, age and coexisting diseases. Rapid diagnosis and implementation of proper pharmacotherapy may shorten the time of treatment and hospitalization, preventing serious complications and reinfections.

Delineation of early brain development from fetuses to infants with diffusion MRI and beyond.

PubMed

Ouyang, Minhui; Dubois, Jessica; Yu, Qinlin; Mukherjee, Pratik; Huang, Hao

2018-04-12

Dynamic macrostructural and microstructural changes take place from the mid-fetal stage to 2 years after birth. Delineating structural changes of the brain during early development provides new insights into the complicated processes of both typical development and the pathological mechanisms underlying various psychiatric and neurological disorders including autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and schizophrenia. Decades of histological studies have identified strong spatial and functional maturation gradients in human brain gray and white matter. The recent improvements in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, especially diffusion MRI (dMRI), relaxometry imaging, and magnetization transfer imaging (MTI) have provided unprecedented opportunities to non-invasively quantify and map the early developmental changes at whole brain and regional levels. Here, we review the recent advances in understanding early brain structural development during the second half of gestation and the first two postnatal years using modern MR techniques. Specifically, we review studies that delineate the emergence and microstructural maturation of white matter tracts, as well as dynamic mapping of inhomogeneous cortical microstructural organization unique to fetuses and infants. These imaging studies converge into maturational curves of MRI measurements that are distinctive across different white matter tracts and cortical regions. Furthermore, contemporary models offering biophysical interpretations of the dMRI-derived measurements are illustrated to infer the underlying microstructural changes. Collectively, this review summarizes findings that contribute to charting spatiotemporally heterogeneous gray and white matter structural development, offering MRI-based biomarkers of typical brain development and setting the stage for understanding aberrant brain development in neurodevelopmental disorders. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cytotoxic Escherichia coli strains encoding colibactin isolated from immunocompromised mice with urosepsis and meningitis

PubMed Central

Feng, Yan; Mannion, Anthony; Ge, Zhongming; Garcia, Alexis; Scott, Kathleen E.; Caron, Tyler J.; Jacobsen, Johanne T.; Victora, Gabriel; Jaenisch, Rudolf; Fox, James G.

2018-01-01

Immune-compromised mouse models allow for testing the preclinical efficacy of human cell transplantations and gene therapy strategies before moving forward to clinical trials. However, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing of the Wsh/Wsh mouse strain to create an immune-compromised model lacking function of Rag2 and Il2rγ led to unexpected morbidity and mortality. This warranted an investigation to ascertain the cause and predisposing factors associated with the outbreak. Postmortem examination was performed on 15 moribund mice. The main lesions observed in these mice consisted of ascending urogenital tract infections, suppurative otitis media, pneumonia, myocarditis, and meningoencephalomyelitis. As Escherichia coli strains harboring polyketide synthase (pks) genomic island were recently isolated from laboratory mice, the tissue sections from the urogenital tract, heart, and middle ear were subjected to E. coli specific PNA-FISH assay that revealed discrete colonies of E. coli associated with the lesions. Microbiological examination and 16S rRNA sequencing confirmed E. coli-induced infection and septicemia in the affected mice. Further characterization by clb gene analysis and colibactin toxicity assays of the pks+ E. coli revealed colibactin-associated cytotoxicity. Rederivation of the transgenic mice using embryo transfer produced mice with an intestinal flora devoid of pks+ E. coli. Importantly, these barrier-maintained rederived mice have produced multiple litters without adverse health effects. This report is the first to describe acute morbidity and mortality associated with pks+ E. coli urosepsis and meningitis in immunocompromised mice, and highlights the importance of monitoring and exclusion of colibactin-producing pks+ E. coli. PMID:29554148

Molecular identification and functional characteristics of peptide transporters in the bonnethead shark (Sphyrna tiburo).

PubMed

Hart, Hannah R; Evans, Andrew N; Gelsleichter, James; Ahearn, Gregory A

2016-10-01

Elasmobranchs are considered to be top marine predators, and in general play important roles in the transfer of energy within marine ecosystems. Despite this, little is known regarding the physiological processes of digestion and nutrient absorption in these fishes. One topic that is particularly understudied is the process of nutrient uptake across the elasmobranch gastrointestinal tract. Given their carnivorous diet, the present study sought to expand knowledge on dietary nutrient uptake in elasmobranchs by focusing on the uptake of products of protein digestion. To accomplish this, a full-length cDNA encoding peptide transporter 1 (PepT1), a protein previously identified within the brush border membrane of vertebrates that is responsible for the translocation of peptides released during digestion by luminal and membrane-bound proteases, was isolated from the bonnethead shark (Sphyrna tiburo). A cDNA encoding the related peptide transporter PepT2 was also isolated from S. tiburo using the same methodology. The presence of PepT1 was then localized in multiple components of the bonnethead digestive tract (esophagus, stomach, duodenum, intestine, rectum, and pancreas) using immunohistochemistry. Vesicle studies were used to identify the apparent affinity of PepT1 and to quantify the rate of dipeptide uptake by its H(+)-dependent cotransporter properties. The results of this study provide insight into the properties of peptide uptake within the bonnethead gut, and can facilitate future work on physiological regulation of protein metabolism and absorption including how these processes may vary in elasmobranchs that exhibit different feeding strategies.

Abnormal white matter properties in adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa

PubMed Central

Travis, Katherine E.; Golden, Neville H.; Feldman, Heidi M.; Solomon, Murray; Nguyen, Jenny; Mezer, Aviv; Yeatman, Jason D.; Dougherty, Robert F.

2015-01-01

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious eating disorder that typically emerges during adolescence and occurs most frequently in females. To date, very few studies have investigated the possible impact of AN on white matter tissue properties during adolescence, when white matter is still developing. The present study evaluated white matter tissue properties in adolescent girls with AN using diffusion MRI with tractography and T1 relaxometry to measure R1 (1/T1), an index of myelin content. Fifteen adolescent girls with AN (mean age = 16.6 years ± 1.4) were compared to fifteen age-matched girls with normal weight and eating behaviors (mean age = 17.1 years ± 1.3). We identified and segmented 9 bilateral cerebral tracts (18) and 8 callosal fiber tracts in each participant's brain (26 total). Tract profiles were generated by computing measures for fractional anisotropy (FA) and R1 along the trajectory of each tract. Compared to controls, FA in the AN group was significantly decreased in 4 of 26 white matter tracts and significantly increased in 2 of 26 white matter tracts. R1 was significantly decreased in the AN group compared to controls in 11 of 26 white matter tracts. Reduced FA in combination with reduced R1 suggests that the observed white matter differences in AN are likely due to reductions in myelin content. For the majority of tracts, group differences in FA and R1 did not occur within the same tract. The present findings have important implications for understanding the neurobiological factors underlying white matter changes associated with AN and invite further investigations examining associations between white matter properties and specific physiological, cognitive, social, or emotional functions affected in AN. PMID:26740918

Development and validation of a nomogram predicting recurrence risk in women with symptomatic urinary tract infection.

PubMed

Cai, Tommaso; Mazzoli, Sandra; Migno, Serena; Malossini, Gianni; Lanzafame, Paolo; Mereu, Liliana; Tateo, Saverio; Wagenlehner, Florian M E; Pickard, Robert S; Bartoletti, Riccardo

2014-09-01

To develop and externally validate a novel nomogram predicting recurrence risk probability at 12 months in women after an episode of urinary tract infection. The study included 768 women from Santa Maria Annunziata Hospital, Florence, Italy, affected by urinary tract infections from January 2005 to December 2009. Another 373 women with the same criteria enrolled at Santa Chiara Hospital, Trento, Italy, from January 2010 to June 2012 were used to externally validate and calibrate the nomogram. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models tested the relationship between urinary tract infection recurrence risk, and patient clinical and laboratory characteristics. The nomogram was evaluated by calculating concordance probabilities, as well as testing calibration of predicted urinary tract infection recurrence with observed urinary tract infections. Nomogram variables included: number of partners, bowel function, type of pathogens isolated (Gram-positive/negative), hormonal status, number of previous urinary tract infection recurrences and previous treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria. Of the original development data, 261 out of 768 women presented at least one episode of recurrence of urinary tract infection (33.9%). The nomogram had a concordance index of 0.85. The nomogram predictions were well calibrated. This model showed high discrimination accuracy and favorable calibration characteristics. In the validation group (373 women), the overall c-index was 0.83 (P = 0.003, 95% confidence interval 0.51-0.99), whereas the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.85 (95% confidence interval 0.79-0.91). The present nomogram accurately predicts the recurrence risk of urinary tract infection at 12 months, and can assist in identifying women at high risk of symptomatic recurrence that can be suitable candidates for a prophylactic strategy. © 2014 The Japanese Urological Association.

Combining tractography and cortical measures to test system-specific hypotheses in multiple sclerosis

PubMed Central

Gorgoraptis, Nikos; Wheeler-Kingshott, Claudia AM; Jenkins, Thomas M; Altmann, Daniel R; Miller, David H; Thompson, Alan J; Ciccarelli, Olga

2010-01-01

The objective was to test three motor system-specific hypotheses in multiple sclerosis patients: (i) corticospinal tract and primary motor cortex imaging measures differ between multiple sclerosis patients and controls; (ii) in patients, these measures correlate with disability; (iii) in patients, corticospinal tract measures correlate with measures of the ipsilateral primary motor cortex. Eleven multiple sclerosis patients with a history of hemiparesis attributable to a lesion within the contralateral corticospinal tract, and 12 controls were studied. We used two advanced imaging techniques: (i) diffusion-based probabilistic tractography, to obtain connectivity and fractional anisotropy of the corticospinal tract; and (ii) FreeSurfer, to measure volume, thickness, surface area, and curvature of precentral and paracentral cortices. Differences in these measures between patients and controls, and relationships between each other and to clinical scores, were investigated. Patients showed lower corticospinal tract fractional anisotropy and smaller volume and surface area of the precentral gyrus than controls. In patients, corticospinal tract connectivity and paracentral cortical volume, surface area, and curvature were lower with increasing disability; lower connectivity of the affected corticospinal tract was associated with greater surface area of the ipsilateral paracentral cortex. Corticospinal tract connectivity and new measures of the primary motor cortex, such as surface area and curvature, reflect the underlying white and grey matter damage that contributes to disability. The correlation between lower connectivity of the affected corticospinal tract and greater surface area of the ipsilateral paracentral cortex suggests the possibility of cortical adaptation. Combining tractography and cortical measures is a useful approach in testing hypotheses which are specific to clinically relevant functional systems in multiple sclerosis, and can be applied to other neurological diseases. PMID:20215478

Effects of Radiation on the Microbiota and Intestinal Inflammatory Disease

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

completion of initial experiments investigating the effect of whole body and focal (GI tract) irradiation of mice on the bacterial and fungal microbiota. We...acute symptoms, will develop long-term consequences of irradiation including permanent changes to bowel function and intestinal fibrosis, which can...exposed to total body irradiation (TBI) or focal radiation to the GI tract. Timeline Status Site 1 (Stephen Shiao, MD, PhD) Site 2

[Feto-amniotic shunting for lower urinary tract obstruction (LUTO)--a case report].

PubMed

Lautmann, K; Staboulidou, I; Schippert, C; Hillemanns, P; Wüstemann, M

2007-12-01

Posterior urethral valves are the main cause of fetal lower urinary tract obstruction (LUTO) with typical sonographic signs like urinary tract dilatation and reduction of amniotic fluid. LUTO is associated with a high rate of perinatal mortality and is the main cause of kidney failure in early childhood. In such cases vesico-amniotic shunting is a common but risky procedure of fetal surgery to prevent anhydramnion and lethal lung hypoplasia. This case report demonstrates that lung hypoplasia can be prevented by vesico-amniotic shunting of the fetal megacytis in the 23rd week of gestation in a fetus with lower urinary tract obstruction and anhydramnion. The prenatal measured concentration of cystatin C in the fetal urine correlated with the postnatal impaired kidney function. The indication and therapeutic benefit of vesico-amniotic shunting remain controversially discussed in the literature because until today there is no evidence for a reduction in perinatal or long-term morbidity due to early fetal kidney damage. The earlier ultrasound detection of LUTO during the first trimester of pregnancy proposes the possibility of earlier intervention and protection of nephrogenesis. First case studies about first trimester vesico-amniotic shunting have been published; the influence on the postnatal kidney function merits further well-structured investigation.

Human extrahepatic cytochromes P450: function in xenobiotic metabolism and tissue-selective chemical toxicity in the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts.

PubMed

Ding, Xinxin; Kaminsky, Laurence S

2003-01-01

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes in extrahepatic tissues often play a dominant role in target tissue metabolic activation of xenobiotic compounds. They may also determine drug efficacy and influence the tissue burden of foreign chemicals or bioavailability of therapeutic agents. This review focuses on xenobiotic-metabolizing CYPs of the human respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts, including the lung, trachea, nasal respiratory and olfactory mucosa, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and colon. Many CYPs are expressed in one or more of these organs, including CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP1B1, CYP2A6, CYP2A13, CYP2B6, CYP2C8, CYP2C9, CYP2C18, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2E1, CYP2F1, CYP2J2, CYP2S1, CYP3A4, CYP3A5, and CYP4B1. Of particular interest are the preferential expression of certain CYPs in the respiratory tract and the regional differences in CYP expression profile in different parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Current research activities on the characterization of CYP expression, function, and regulation in these tissues, as well as future research needs, are discussed.

Mechanosensitive Piezo Channels in the Gastrointestinal Tract

PubMed Central

Alcaino, C.; Farrugia, G.; Beyder, A.

2017-01-01

Sensation of mechanical forces is critical for normal function of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and abnormalities in mechanosensation are linked to GI pathologies. In the GI tract there are several mechanosensitive cell types—epithelial enterochromaffin cells, intrinsic and extrinsic enteric neurons, smooth muscle cells and interstitial cells of Cajal. These cells use mechanosensitive ion channels that respond to mechanical forces by altering transmembrane ionic currents in a process called mechanoelectrical coupling. Several mechanosensitive ionic conductances have been identified in the mechano-sensory GI cells, ranging from mechanosensitive voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels to the mechanogated ion channels, such as the two-pore domain potassium channels K2P (TREK-1) and nonselective cation channels from the transient receptor potential family. The recently discovered Piezo channels are increasingly recognized as significant contributors to cellular mechanosensitivity. Piezo1 and Piezo2 are nonselective cationic ion channels that are directly activated by mechanical forces and have well-defined biophysical and pharmacologic properties. The role of Piezo channels in the GI epithelium is currently under investigation and their role in the smooth muscle syncytium and enteric neurons is still not known. In this review, we outline the current state of knowledge on mechanosensitive ion channels in the GI tract, with a focus on the known and potential functions of the Piezo channels. PMID:28728818

Effect of l-tryptophan and its metabolites on food passage from the crop in chicks.

PubMed

Tachibana, T; Kadomoto, Y; Khan, M S I; Makino, R; Cline, M A

2018-07-01

l-tryptophan (l-Trp), an essential amino acid, is well known as a precursor of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and melatonin. In mammals, l-Trp itself has been reported to suppress gastric emptying in mammals. In addition, 5-HT and melatonin are found in the gastrointestinal tract and affect food passage from the digestive tract in mammals. While the function of these factors in mammals is documented, there is little knowledge on their function in the digestive tract of birds. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine if l-Trp and its metabolites affect the crop emptying rate in chicks (Gallus gallus). We also investigated the effects of kynurenic acid (KYNA) and quinolinic acid (QA), which are metabolites of the kynurenine pathway for l-Trp. Oral administration of l-Trp significantly reduced the crop emptying rate in chicks. Among the metabolites, intraperitoneal injection of 5-HT and melatonin significantly reduced the crop emptying rate, whereas KYNA and QA had no effect. The present study suggests that l-Trp, 5-HT, and melatonin inhibit the movement of food in the digestive tract and thereby affect the utilization of nutrients in the diet of chicks. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mycobacterium chimaera pulmonary infection complicating cystic fibrosis: a case report.

PubMed

Cohen-Bacrie, Stéphan; David, Marion; Stremler, Nathalie; Dubus, Jean-Christophe; Rolain, Jean-Marc; Drancourt, Michel

2011-09-22

Mycobacterium chimaera is a recently described species within the Mycobacterium avium complex. Its pathogenicity in respiratory tract infection remains disputed. It has never been isolated during cystic fibrosis respiratory tract infection. An 11-year-old boy of Asian ethnicity who was born on Réunion Island presented to our hospital with cystic fibrosis after a decline in his respiratory function over the course of seven years. We found that the decline in his respiratory function was correlated with the persistent presence of a Mycobacterium avium complex organism further identified as M. chimaera. Using sequencing-based methods of identification, we observed that M. chimaera organisms contributed equally to respiratory tract infections in patients with cystic fibrosis when compared with M. avium subsp. hominissuis isolates. We believe that M. chimaera should be regarded as an emerging opportunistic respiratory pathogen in patients with cystic fibrosis, including young children, and that its detection warrants long-lasting appropriate anti-mycobacterial treatment to eradicate it.

Comparison of LEP and QST and their contribution to standard sensory diagnostic assessment of spinal lesions: a pilot study.

PubMed

Geber, Christian; Baumgärtner, Ulf; Fechir, Marcel; Vogt, Thomas; Birklein, Frank; Treede, Rolf-Detlef

2011-06-01

This study evaluates the additional use of laser-evoked potentials (LEP) and quantitative sensory testing (QST) in the sensory assessment of spinal lesions. Four consecutive patients with spinal lesions verified by MRI and clinical evidence for mild spinothalamic tract involvement were included. The electrophysiological workup [somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) and LEP] was compared to QST. Electrophysiology and QST were reassessed after about 6 months. LEP detected impaired spinothalamic tract function in 7/8 examinations. QST pointed to spinothalamic tract lesions by loss of thermal function (3/8); most frequent positive sensory signs (3/8) were paradoxical heat sensations. LEP and QST results were concordant in 6/8 examinations. SEPs were abnormal in 2/8 examinations. Congruent results between SEP and both LEP and QST were obtained in 3/8 examinations. LEP detected more deficits than any single QST parameter or their combination but additional QST allows the detection of positive sensory signs. The diagnostic gain of SEP was limited.

Structural features of the rice chromosome 4 centromere.

PubMed

Zhang, Yu; Huang, Yuchen; Zhang, Lei; Li, Ying; Lu, Tingting; Lu, Yiqi; Feng, Qi; Zhao, Qiang; Cheng, Zhukuan; Xue, Yongbiao; Wing, Rod A; Han, Bin

2004-01-01

A complete sequence of a chromosome centromere is necessary for fully understanding centromere function. We reported the sequence structures of the first complete rice chromosome centromere through sequencing a large insert bacterial artificial chromosome clone-based contig, which covered the rice chromosome 4 centromere. Complete sequencing of the 124-kb rice chromosome 4 centromere revealed that it consisted of 18 tracts of 379 tandemly arrayed repeats known as CentO and a total of 19 centromeric retroelements (CRs) but no unique sequences were detected. Four tracts, composed of 65 CentO repeats, were located in the opposite orientation, and 18 CentO tracts were flanked by 19 retroelements. The CRs were classified into four types, and the type I retroelements appeared to be more specific to rice centromeres. The preferential insert of the CRs among CentO repeats indicated that the centromere-specific retroelements may contribute to centromere expansion during evolution. The presence of three intact retrotransposons in the centromere suggests that they may be responsible for functional centromere initiation through a transcription-mediated mechanism.

Aggregation of polyglutamine-expanded ataxin-3 sequesters its specific interacting partners into inclusions: Implication in a loss-of-function pathology

PubMed Central

Yang, Hui; Li, Jing-Jing; Liu, Shuai; Zhao, Jian; Jiang, Ya-Jun; Song, Ai-Xin; Hu, Hong-Yu

2014-01-01

Expansion of polyglutamine (polyQ) tract may cause protein misfolding and aggregation that lead to cytotoxicity and neurodegeneration, but the underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated. We applied ataxin-3 (Atx3), a polyQ tract-containing protein, as a model to study sequestration of normal cellular proteins. We found that the aggregates formed by polyQ-expanded Atx3 sequester its interacting partners, such as P97/VCP and ubiquitin conjugates, into the protein inclusions through specific interactions both in vitro and in cells. Moreover, this specific sequestration impairs the normal cellular function of P97 in down-regulating neddylation. However, expansion of polyQ tract in Atx3 does not alter the conformation of its surrounding regions and the interaction affinities with the interacting partners, although it indeed facilitates misfolding and aggregation of the Atx3 protein. Thus, we propose a loss-of-function pathology for polyQ diseases that sequestration of the cellular essential proteins via specific interactions into inclusions by the polyQ aggregates causes dysfunction of the corresponding proteins, and consequently leads to neurodegeneration. PMID:25231079

Impact of Strategically Located White Matter Hyperintensities on Cognition in Memory Clinic Patients with Small Vessel Disease

PubMed Central

Hilal, Saima; Kuijf, Hugo J.; Ikram, Mohammad Kamran; Xu, Xin; Tan, Boon Yeow; Venketasubramanian, Narayanaswamy; Postma, Albert; Biessels, Geert Jan; Chen, Christopher P. L. H.

2016-01-01

Background and Purpose Studies on the impact of small vessel disease (SVD) on cognition generally focus on white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume. The extent to which WMH location relates to cognitive performance has received less attention, but is likely to be functionally important. We examined the relation between WMH location and cognition in a memory clinic cohort of patients with sporadic SVD. Methods A total of 167 patients with SVD were recruited from memory clinics. Assumption-free region of interest-based analyses based on major white matter tracts and voxel-wise analyses were used to determine the association between WMH location and executive functioning, visuomotor speed and memory. Results Region of interest-based analyses showed that WMHs located particularly within the anterior thalamic radiation and forceps minor were inversely associated with both executive functioning and visuomotor speed, independent of total WMH volume. Memory was significantly associated with WMH volume in the forceps minor, independent of total WMH volume. An independent assumption-free voxel-wise analysis identified strategic voxels in these same tracts. Region of interest-based analyses showed that WMH volume within the anterior thalamic radiation explained 6.8% of variance in executive functioning, compared to 3.9% for total WMH volume; WMH volume within the forceps minor explained 4.6% of variance in visuomotor speed and 4.2% of variance in memory, compared to 1.8% and 1.3% respectively for total WMH volume. Conclusions Our findings identify the anterior thalamic radiation and forceps minor as strategic white matter tracts in which WMHs are most strongly associated with cognitive impairment in memory clinic patients with SVD. WMH volumes in individual tracts explained more variance in cognition than total WMH burden, emphasizing the importance of lesion location when addressing the functional consequences of WMHs. PMID:27824925

Pathogenesis of dysplastic kidney associated with urinary tract obstruction in utero.

PubMed

Nagata, Michio; Shibata, Sawako; Shu, Yujin

2002-01-01

Renal dysplasia is the major cause of chronic renal failure in children, and is commonly associated with urinary tract obstruction. There are two phenotypes of renal dysplasia associated with urinary tract abnormality, multicystic dysplastic kidney (MCDK) and obstructive dysplasia (ORD). Previous observations by Potter and co-workers suggested that cystic dilatation of the ureteric bud ampula was the cause of renal dysplasia. In this context, our recent investigation of human fetal dysplastic kidneys provided an alternative explanation for the evolution of renal dysplasia. We suggested that in utero urinary tract obstruction may cause urine retention in functioning nephrons and lead to glomerular cysts in the nephrogenic zone. The mechanism was common to MCDK and ORD, albeit at different sites of obstruction. Expansion of glomerular cysts with tubular dilatation (cysts) disturbs the subsequent nephron induction and may contribute to the abnormal development of fetal kidneys.

Environmental Baseline Survey Report for the Title Transfer of Land Parcel ED-4 at the East Tennessee Technology Park, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

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

SAIC

2008-05-01

This environmental baseline survey (EBS) report documents the baseline environmental conditions of a land parcel referred to as 'ED-4' (ED-4) at the U. S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP). DOE is proposing to transfer the title of this land to the Heritage Center, LLC. Parcel ED-4 is a land parcel that consists of two noncontiguous areas comprising a total of approximately 18 acres located east of the ETTP. The western tract of ED-4 encompasses approximately 8.5 acres in the northeastern quadrant of the intersection of Boulevard Road and Highway 58. The eastern tract encompasses an areamore » of approximately 9.5 acres in the northwestern quadrant of the intersection of Blair Road and Highway 58 (the Oak Ridge Turnpike). Aerial photographs and site maps from throughout the history of the ETTP, going back to its initial development in the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (ORGDP), indicate that this area has been undeveloped woodland with the exception of three support facilities for workers constructing the ORGDP since federal acquisition in 1943. These three support facilities, which were located in the western tract of ED-4, included a recreation hall, the Town Hall Camp Operations Building, and the Property Warehouse. A railroad spur also formerly occupied a portion of Parcel ED-4. These former facilities only occupied approximately 5 percent of the total area of Parcel ED-4. This report provides supporting information for the transfer of this government-owned property at ETTP to a non-federal entity. This EBS is based upon the requirements of Sect. 120(h) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). In order to support a Clean Parcel Determination (CPD) in accordance with CERCLA Sect. 120(h)(4)(d), groundwater and sediment samples were collected within, and adjacent to, the Parcel ED-4 study area. The potential for DOE to make a CPD for ED-4 is further supported by a No Further Investigation (NFI) determination made on land that adjoins ED-4 to the east (DOE 1997a) and to the south (DOE 1997b).« less

Histological Features of the Gastrointestinal Tract of Wild Indonesian Shortfin Eel, Anguilla bicolor bicolor (McClelland, 1844), Captured in Peninsular Malaysia

PubMed Central

Nasruddin, Nurrul Shaqinah; Azmai, Mohammad Noor Amal; Ismail, Ahmad; Saad, Mohd Zamri; Daud, Hassan Mohd; Zulkifli, Syaizwan Zahmir

2014-01-01

This study was conducted to record the histological features of the gastrointestinal tract of wild Indonesian shortfin eel, Anguilla bicolor bicolor (McClelland, 1844), captured in Peninsular Malaysia. The gastrointestinal tract was segmented into the oesophagus, stomach, and intestine. Then, the oesophagus was divided into five (first to fifth), the stomach into two (cardiac and pyloric), and the intestine into four segments (anterior, intermediate, posterior, and rectum) for histological examinations. The stomach had significantly taller villi and thicker inner circular muscles compared to the intestine and oesophagus. The lamina propria was thickest in stomach, significantly when compared with oesophagus, but not with the intestine. However, the intestine showed significantly thicker outer longitudinal muscle while gastric glands were observed only in the stomach. The histological features were closely associated with the functions of the different segments of the gastrointestinal tract. In conclusion, the histological features of the gastrointestinal tract of A. b. bicolor are consistent with the feeding habit of a carnivorous fish. PMID:25587561

White matter tract integrity predicts visual search performance in young and older adults.

PubMed

Bennett, Ilana J; Motes, Michael A; Rao, Neena K; Rypma, Bart

2012-02-01

Functional imaging research has identified frontoparietal attention networks involved in visual search, with mixed evidence regarding whether different networks are engaged when the search target differs from distracters by a single (elementary) versus multiple (conjunction) features. Neural correlates of visual search, and their potential dissociation, were examined here using integrity of white matter connecting the frontoparietal networks. The effect of aging on these brain-behavior relationships was also of interest. Younger and older adults performed a visual search task and underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to reconstruct 2 frontoparietal (superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculus; SLF and ILF) and 2 midline (genu, splenium) white matter tracts. As expected, results revealed age-related declines in conjunction, but not elementary, search performance; and in ILF and genu tract integrity. Importantly, integrity of the superior longitudinal fasciculus, ILF, and genu tracts predicted search performance (conjunction and elementary), with no significant age group differences in these relationships. Thus, integrity of white matter tracts connecting frontoparietal attention networks contributes to search performance in younger and older adults. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

White Matter Tract Integrity Predicts Visual Search Performance in Young and Older Adults

PubMed Central

Bennett, Ilana J.; Motes, Michael A.; Rao, Neena K.; Rypma, Bart

2011-01-01

Functional imaging research has identified fronto-parietal attention networks involved in visual search, with mixed evidence regarding whether different networks are engaged when the search target differs from distracters by a single (elementary) versus multiple (conjunction) features. Neural correlates of visual search, and their potential dissociation, were examined here using integrity of white matter connecting the fronto-parietal networks. The effect of aging on these brain-behavior relationships was also of interest. Younger and older adults performed a visual search task and underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to reconstruct two fronto-parietal (superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculus, SLF and ILF) and two midline (genu, splenium) white matter tracts. As expected, results revealed age-related declines in conjunction, but not elementary, search performance; and in ILF and genu tract integrity. Importantly, integrity of the SLF, ILF, and genu tracts predicted search performance (conjunction and elementary), with no significant age group differences in these relationships. Thus, integrity of white matter tracts connecting fronto-parietal attention networks contributes to search performance in younger and older adults. PMID:21402431

Evolutionary, ecological and biotechnological perspectives on plasmids resident in the human gut mobile metagenome

PubMed Central

Ogilvie, Lesley A.; Firouzmand, Sepinoud; Jones, Brian V.

2012-01-01

Numerous mobile genetic elements (MGE) are associated with the human gut microbiota and collectively referred to as the gut mobile metagenome. The role of this flexible gene pool in development and functioning of the gut microbial community remains largely unexplored, yet recent evidence suggests that at least some MGE comprising this fraction of the gut microbiome reflect the co-evolution of host and microbe in the gastro-intestinal tract. In conjunction, the high level of novel gene content typical of MGE coupled with their predicted high diversity, suggests that the mobile metagenome constitutes an immense and largely unexplored gene-space likely to encode many novel activities with potential biotechnological or pharmaceutical value, as well as being important to the development and functioning of the gut microbiota. Of the various types of MGE that comprise the gut mobile metagenome, plasmids are of particular importance since these elements are often capable of autonomous transfer between disparate bacterial species, and are known to encode accessory functions that increase bacterial fitness in a given environment facilitating bacterial adaptation. In this article current knowledge regarding plasmids resident in the human gut mobile metagenome is reviewed, and available strategies to access and characterize this portion of the gut microbiome are described. The relative merits of these methods and their present as well as prospective impact on our understanding of the human gut microbiota is discussed. PMID:22126801

Lysophosphatidic Acid (LPA) Signaling in Human and Ruminant Reproductive Tract

PubMed Central

Wocławek-Potocka, Izabela; Rawińska, Paulina; Kowalczyk-Zieba, Ilona; Boruszewska, Dorota; Sinderewicz, Emilia; Waśniewski, Tomasz; Skarzynski, Dariusz Jan

2014-01-01

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) through activating its G protein-coupled receptors (LPAR 1–6) exerts diverse cellular effects that in turn influence several physiological processes including reproductive function of the female. Studies in various species of animals and also in humans have identified important roles for the receptor-mediated LPA signaling in multiple aspects of human and animal reproductive tract function. These aspects range from ovarian and uterine function, estrous cycle regulation, early embryo development, embryo implantation, decidualization to pregnancy maintenance and parturition. LPA signaling can also have pathological consequences, influencing aspects of endometriosis and reproductive tissue associated tumors. The review describes recent progress in LPA signaling research relevant to human and ruminant reproduction, pointing at the cow as a relevant model to study LPA influence on the human reproductive performance. PMID:24744506

Neuropeptides in Lower Urinary Tract (LUT) Function

PubMed Central

Arms, Lauren; Vizzard, Margaret A.

2014-01-01

Numerous neuropeptide/receptor systems including vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide, calcitonin gene-related peptide, substance P, neurokinin A, bradykinin, and endothelin-1 are expressed in the lower urinary tract (LUT) in both neural and non-neural (e.g., urothelium) components. LUT neuropeptide immunoreactivity is present in afferent and autonomic efferent neurons innervating the bladder and urethra and in the urothelium of the urinary bladder. Neuropeptides have tissue-specific distributions and functions in the LUT and exhibit neuroplastic changes in expression and function with LUT dysfunction following neural injury, inflammation and disease. LUT dysfunction with abnormal voiding including urinary urgency, increased voiding frequency, nocturia, urinary incontinence and pain may reflect a change in the balance of neuropeptides in bladder reflex pathways. LUT neuropeptide/receptor systems may represent potential targets for therapeutic intervention. PMID:21290237

5 CFR 351.303 - Identification of positions with a transferring function.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... transferring function. 351.303 Section 351.303 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS REDUCTION IN FORCE Transfer of Function § 351.303 Identification of positions with a transferring function. (a) The competitive area losing the function is responsible for identifying the...

5 CFR 351.303 - Identification of positions with a transferring function.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... transferring function. 351.303 Section 351.303 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS REDUCTION IN FORCE Transfer of Function § 351.303 Identification of positions with a transferring function. (a) The competitive area losing the function is responsible for identifying the...

Engineering extracellular matrix through nanotechnology.

PubMed

Kelleher, Cassandra M; Vacanti, Joseph P

2010-12-06

The goal of tissue engineering is the creation of a living device that can restore, maintain or improve tissue function. Behind this goal is a new idea that has emerged from twentieth century medicine, science and engineering. It is preceded by centuries of human repair and replacement with non-living materials adapted to restore function and cosmetic appearance to patients whose tissues have been destroyed by disease, trauma or congenital abnormality. The nineteenth century advanced replacement and repair strategies based on moving living structures from a site of normal tissue into a site of defects created by the same processes. Donor skin into burn wounds, tendon transfers, intestinal replacements into the urinary tract, toes to replace fingers are all examples. The most radical application is that of vital organ transplantation in which a vital part such as heart, lung or liver is removed from one donor, preserved for transfer and implanted into a patient dying of end-stage organ failure. Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine have advanced a general strategy combining the cellular elements of living tissue with sophisticated biomaterials to produce living structures of sufficient size and function to improve patients' lives. Multiple strategies have evolved and the application of nanotechnology can only improve the field. In our era, by necessity, any medical advance must be successfully commercialized to allow widespread application to help the greatest number of patients. It follows that business models and regulatory agencies must adapt and change to enable these new technologies to emerge. This brief review will discuss the science of nanotechnology and how it has been applied to this evolving field. We will then briefly summarize the history of commercialization of tissue engineering and suggest that nanotechnology may be of use in breeching the barriers to commercialization although its primary mission is to improve the technology by solving some remaining and vexing problems in its science and engineering aspects.

Copulation, genital damage and early death in Callosobruchus maculatus

PubMed Central

Eady, Paul E; Hamilton, Leticia; Lyons, Ruth E

2006-01-01

Antagonistic sexual coevolution stems from the notion that male and female interests over reproduction are in conflict. Such conflicts appear to be particularly obvious when male genital armature inflicts damage to the female reproductive tract resulting in reduced female longevity. However, studies of mating frequency, genital damage and female longevity are difficult to interpret because females not only sustain more genital damage, but also receive more seminal fluid when they engage in multiple copulations. Here, we attempt to disentangle the effects of genital damage and seminal fluid transfer on female longevity in the beetle Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae). Males copulating for the sixth time in succession inflicted greater levels of genital damage, but transferred smaller ejaculates in comparison with virgin males. The number of copulations performed by males was negatively related to female fecundity and positively related to female longevity, suggesting a trade-off between fecundity and longevity. However, inclusion of fecundity as a covariate revealed sperm and/or seminal fluid transfer to have a negative impact on female longevity above that caused by the fecundity–longevity trade-off. The consequences of multiple copulations on female longevity were examined. Females that mated twice laid more eggs and died sooner than those that mated once. However, incorporation of fecundity as a covariate into our statistical model removed the effect of female mating frequency on female longevity, indicating that double-mated females suffer greater mortality owing to the trade-off between fecundity and longevity. Males of this species are known to transfer very large ejaculates (up to 8% of their body weight), which may represent a significant nutritional benefit to females. However, the receipt of large ejaculates appears to carry costs. Thus, the interpretation of multiple mating experiments on female longevity and associated functional explanations of polyandry in this species are likely to be complex. PMID:17035168

Copulation, genital damage and early death in Callosobruchus maculatus.

PubMed

Eady, Paul E; Hamilton, Leticia; Lyons, Ruth E

2007-01-22

Antagonistic sexual coevolution stems from the notion that male and female interests over reproduction are in conflict. Such conflicts appear to be particularly obvious when male genital armature inflicts damage to the female reproductive tract resulting in reduced female longevity. However, studies of mating frequency, genital damage and female longevity are difficult to interpret because females not only sustain more genital damage, but also receive more seminal fluid when they engage in multiple copulations. Here, we attempt to disentangle the effects of genital damage and seminal fluid transfer on female longevity in the beetle Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae). Males copulating for the sixth time in succession inflicted greater levels of genital damage, but transferred smaller ejaculates in comparison with virgin males. The number of copulations performed by males was negatively related to female fecundity and positively related to female longevity, suggesting a trade-off between fecundity and longevity. However, inclusion of fecundity as a covariate revealed sperm and/or seminal fluid transfer to have a negative impact on female longevity above that caused by the fecundity-longevity trade-off. The consequences of multiple copulations on female longevity were examined. Females that mated twice laid more eggs and died sooner than those that mated once. However, incorporation of fecundity as a covariate into our statistical model removed the effect of female mating frequency on female longevity, indicating that double-mated females suffer greater mortality owing to the trade-off between fecundity and longevity. Males of this species are known to transfer very large ejaculates (up to 8% of their body weight), which may represent a significant nutritional benefit to females. However, the receipt of large ejaculates appears to carry costs. Thus, the interpretation of multiple mating experiments on female longevity and associated functional explanations of polyandry in this species are likely to be complex.

A magnetic resonance imaging-based articulatory and acoustic study of “retroflex” and “bunched” American English ∕r∕

PubMed Central

Zhou, Xinhui; Espy-Wilson, Carol Y.; Boyce, Suzanne; Tiede, Mark; Holland, Christy; Choe, Ann

2008-01-01

Speakers of rhotic dialects of North American English show a range of different tongue configurations for ∕r∕. These variants produce acoustic profiles that are indistinguishable for the first three formants [Delattre, P., and Freeman, D. C., (1968). “A dialect study of American English r’s by x-ray motion picture,” Linguistics 44, 28–69; Westbury, J. R. et al. (1998), “Differences among speakers in lingual articulation for American English ∕r∕,” Speech Commun. 26, 203–206]. It is puzzling why this should be so, given the very different vocal tract configurations involved. In this paper, two subjects whose productions of “retroflex” ∕r∕ and “bunched” ∕r∕ show similar patterns of F1–F3 but very different spacing between F4 and F5 are contrasted. Using finite element analysis and area functions based on magnetic resonance images of the vocal tract for sustained productions, the results of computer vocal tract models are compared to actual speech recordings. In particular, formant-cavity affiliations are explored using formant sensitivity functions and vocal tract simple-tube models. The difference in F4∕F5 patterns between the subjects is confirmed for several additional subjects with retroflex and bunched vocal tract configurations. The results suggest that the F4∕F5 differences between the variants can be largely explained by differences in whether the long cavity behind the palatal constriction acts as a half- or a quarter-wavelength resonator. PMID:18537397

Comparison of Magnetic Resonance Imaging-based vocal tract area functions obtained from the same speaker in 1994 and 2002

PubMed Central

Story, Brad H.

2008-01-01

A new set of area functions for vowels has been obtained with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) from the same speaker as that previously reported in 1996 [Story, Titze, & Hoffman, JASA, 100, 537–554 (1996)]. The new area functions were derived from image data collected in 2002, whereas the previously reported area functions were based on MR images obtained in 1994. When compared, the new area function sets indicated a tendency toward a constricted pharyngeal region and expanded oral cavity relative to the previous set. Based on calculated formant frequencies and sensitivity functions, these morphological differences were shown to have the primary acoustic effect of systematically shifting the second formant (F2) downward in frequency. Multiple instances of target vocal tract shapes from a specific speaker provide additional sampling of the possible area functions that may be produced during speech production. This may be of benefit for understanding intra-speaker variability in vowel production and for further development of speech synthesizers and speech models that utilize area function information. PMID:18177162

Functional metagenomics to mine the human gut microbiome for dietary fiber catabolic enzymes.

PubMed

Tasse, Lena; Bercovici, Juliette; Pizzut-Serin, Sandra; Robe, Patrick; Tap, Julien; Klopp, Christophe; Cantarel, Brandi L; Coutinho, Pedro M; Henrissat, Bernard; Leclerc, Marion; Doré, Joël; Monsan, Pierre; Remaud-Simeon, Magali; Potocki-Veronese, Gabrielle

2010-11-01

The human gut microbiome is a complex ecosystem composed mainly of uncultured bacteria. It plays an essential role in the catabolism of dietary fibers, the part of plant material in our diet that is not metabolized in the upper digestive tract, because the human genome does not encode adequate carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZymes). We describe a multi-step functionally based approach to guide the in-depth pyrosequencing of specific regions of the human gut metagenome encoding the CAZymes involved in dietary fiber breakdown. High-throughput functional screens were first applied to a library covering 5.4 × 10(9) bp of metagenomic DNA, allowing the isolation of 310 clones showing beta-glucanase, hemicellulase, galactanase, amylase, or pectinase activities. Based on the results of refined secondary screens, sequencing efforts were reduced to 0.84 Mb of nonredundant metagenomic DNA, corresponding to 26 clones that were particularly efficient for the degradation of raw plant polysaccharides. Seventy-three CAZymes from 35 different families were discovered. This corresponds to a fivefold target-gene enrichment compared to random sequencing of the human gut metagenome. Thirty-three of these CAZy encoding genes are highly homologous to prevalent genes found in the gut microbiome of at least 20 individuals for whose metagenomic data are available. Moreover, 18 multigenic clusters encoding complementary enzyme activities for plant cell wall degradation were also identified. Gene taxonomic assignment is consistent with horizontal gene transfer events in dominant gut species and provides new insights into the human gut functional trophic chain.

Multivalent DNA-binding properties of the HMG-1 proteins.

PubMed Central

Maher, J F; Nathans, D

1996-01-01

HMG-I proteins are DNA-binding proteins thought to affect the formation and function of transcription complexes. Each protein contains three DNA-binding motifs, known as AT-hooks, that bind in the minor groove of AT tracts in DNA. Multiple AT-hooks within a polypeptide chain should contact multiple AT tracts, but the rules governing these interactions have not been defined. In this study, we demonstrate that high-affinity binding uses two or three appropriately spaced AT tracts as a single multivalent binding site. These principles have implications for binding to regulatory elements such as the interferon beta enhancer, TATA boxes, and serum response elements. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 PMID:8692884

The digestive tract of Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed

Lemaitre, Bruno; Miguel-Aliaga, Irene

2013-01-01

The digestive tract plays a central role in the digestion and absorption of nutrients. Far from being a passive tube, it provides the first line of defense against pathogens and maintains energy homeostasis by exchanging neuronal and endocrine signals with other organs. Historically neglected, the gut of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has recently come to the forefront of Drosophila research. Areas as diverse as stem cell biology, neurobiology, metabolism, and immunity are benefitting from the ability to study the genetics of development, growth regulation, and physiology in the same organ. In this review, we summarize our knowledge of the Drosophila digestive tract, with an emphasis on the adult midgut and its functional underpinnings.

Oxidants, antioxidants, and respiratory tract lining fluids.

PubMed Central

Cross, C E; van der Vliet, A; O'Neill, C A; Louie, S; Halliwell, B

1994-01-01

Respiratory tract lining fluids (RTLFs) are a heterogeneous group of substances covering the respiratory tract epithelial cells (RTECs) from nasal mucosa to alveoli. Antioxidant contained in the RTLFs can be expected to provide an initial defense against inhaled environmental toxins. The major antioxidants in RTLF include mucin, uric acid, protein (largely albumin), ascorbic acid, and reduced glutathione (GSH). RTLF antioxidants can be augmented by such processes as transudation/exudation of plasma constituents; RTEC secretory processes, including glandular mucus secretion; and cellular antioxidants derived from lysis of RTECs and of inflammatory cells. The antioxidant composition of RTLFs and their role in modulating normal and pathophysiologic RTEC functions under conditions of oxidative stress are yet to be fully characterized. PMID:7705296

Anatomy and physiology of urinary elimination. Part 1.

PubMed

Pellatt, Glynis Collis

Elimination of urine is an essential bodily function, but independence in this activity may be affected by physical and mental disability. Part 1 of this article discusses the anatomy and physiology of the renal and urinary tract and the production of urine. Urinalysis is a vital nursing assessment and the collection of specimens and the range of tests undertaken are outlined. Assisting patients to use the toilet, commode or bedpan is an essential nursing skill. The importance of sensitivity, empathy and moving and handling risk assessment is discussed, and the assessment and management of urinary tract infection and urinary tract stones are addressed. The importance of prevention of cross infection for nurses and patients is highlighted throughout the article.

Wireless Power Transfer to Millimeter-Sized Gastrointestinal Electronics Validated in a Swine Model

PubMed Central

Abid, Abubakar; O’Brien, Jonathan M.; Bensel, Taylor; Cleveland, Cody; Booth, Lucas; Smith, Brian R.; Langer, Robert; Traverso, Giovanni

2017-01-01

Electronic devices placed in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract for prolonged periods have the potential to transform clinical evaluation and treatment. One challenge to the deployment of such gastroresident electronics is the difficulty in powering millimeter-sized electronics devices without using batteries, which compromise biocompatibility and long-term residence. We examined the feasibility of leveraging mid-field wireless powering to transfer power from outside of the body to electronics at various locations along the GI tract. Using simulations and ex vivo measurements, we designed mid-field antennas capable of operating efficiently in tissue at 1.2 GHz. These antennas were then characterized in vivo in five anesthetized pigs, by placing one antenna outside the body, and the other antenna inside the body endoscopically, at the esophagus, stomach, and colon. Across the animals tested, mean transmission efficiencies of −41.2, −36.1, and −34.6 dB were achieved in vivo while coupling power from outside the body to the esophagus, stomach, and colon, respectively. This corresponds to power levels of 37.5 μW, 123 μW and 173 μW received by antennas in the respective locations, while keeping radiation exposure levels below safety thresholds. These power levels are sufficient to wirelessly power a range of medical devices from outside of the body. PMID:28447624

Identity and transfer of male reproductive gland proteins of the dengue vector mosquito, Aedes aegypti: potential tools for control of female feeding and reproduction

PubMed Central

Sirot, Laura K.; Poulson, Rebecca L.; McKenna, M. Caitlin; Girnary, Hussein; Wolfner, Mariana F.; Harrington, Laura C.

2009-01-01

Male reproductive gland proteins (mRGPs) impact the physiology and/or behavior of mated females in a broad range of organisms. We sought to identify mRGPs of the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, the primary vector of dengue and yellow fever viruses. Earlier studies with Ae. aegypti demonstrated that “matrone” (a partially purified male reproductive accessory gland substance) or male accessory gland fluid injected into virgin female Ae. aegypti affect female sexual refractoriness, blood feeding and digestion, flight, ovarian development, and oviposition. Using bioinformatic comparisons to Drosophila melanogaster accessory gland proteins and mass spectrometry of proteins from Ae. aegypti male accessory glands and ejaculatory ducts (AG/ED) and female reproductive tracts, we identified 63 new putative Ae. aegypti mRGPs. Twenty-one of these proteins were found in the reproductive tract of mated females, but not of virgin females, suggesting that they are transferred from males to females during mating. Most of the putative mRGPs fall into the same protein classes as mRGPs in other organisms, although some appear to be evolving rapidly and lack identifiable homologs in Culex pipiens, Anopheles gambiae, and D. melanogaster. Our results identify candidate male-derived molecules that may have an important influence on behavior, survival and reproduction of female mosquitoes. PMID:18207079

Sampling and Analysis Plan for Verification Sampling of LANL-Derived Residual Radionuclides in Soils within Tract A-18-2 for Land Conveyance

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

Ruedig, Elizabeth

Public Law 105-119 directs the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to convey or transfer parcels of land to the Incorporated County of Los Alamos or their designees and to the Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, in trust for the Pueblo de San Ildefonso. Los Alamos National Security is tasked to support DOE in conveyance and/or transfer of identified land parcels no later than September 2022. Under DOE Order 458.1, Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment (O458.1, 2013) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL or the Laboratory) implementing Policy 412 (P412, 2014), real property with the potentialmore » to contain residual radioactive material must meet the criteria for clearance and release to the public. This Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) is a second investigation of Tract A-18-2 for the purpose of verifying the previous sampling results (LANL 2017). This sample plan requires 18 projectspecific soil samples for use in radiological clearance decisions consistent with LANL Procedure ENV-ES-TP-238 (2015a) and guidance in the Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM, 2000). The sampling work will be conducted by LANL, and samples will be evaluated by a LANL-contracted independent lab. However, there will be federal review (verification) of all steps of the sampling process.« less

The Avian Proghrelin System

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To understand how the proghrelin system functions in regulating growth hormone release and food intake as well as defining its pleiotropic roles in such diverse physiological processes as energy homeostasis, gastrointestinal tract function and reproduction requires detailed knowledge of the structur...

The principles and technical aspects of diuresis renography

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

Conway, J.J.

1989-12-01

It is intuitive that dilation of the urinary tract is most likely caused by obstruction. However, the opposite is more often true. That is, dilation is not associated with obstruction, especially in children. The most common causes for hydronephrosis and hydroureter include infection, vesicoureteral reflux, congenital megacalyces and megaureter, previous obstruction, and bladder noncompliance. Theoretically, one can consider obstruction on the basis of its significance, which is that there may be a loss of renal function with time. Techniques such as intravenous pyelography and ultrasonography, which anatomically document the degree of dilation of the urinary tract, cannot quantitatively determine themore » presence of obstruction or its significance. Radionuclide renography more readily quantifies abnormal renal function. Serial renographic studies with furosemide can document renal function loss and, thus, determine the significance of the obstruction. Diuresis renography with furosemide provides an objective quantitative means for determining the renal function changes over time.« less

Sperm protection in the male reproductive tract by Toll-like receptors.

PubMed

Saeidi, S; Shapouri, F; Amirchaghmaghi, E; Hoseinifar, H; Sabbaghian, M; Sadighi Gilani, M A; Pacey, A A; Aflatoonian, R

2014-09-01

Sperm function can be affected by infection. Our understanding of innate immune system molecular mechanisms has been expanded, by the discovery of 'Toll-like receptors' (TLRs). It seems that these receptors could play a critical role in the protection of spermatozoa. This study seeks to examine the presence and distribution of TLRs in different parts of the human male reproductive tract and spermatozoa. So, TLR gene expression was examined by RT-PCR. Quantitative real-time PCR (Q-PCR) analysis used to compare the expression of TLRs in all sections of the male reproductive tract and TLRs 2, 3 and 4 in testicular sperm extraction (TESE) samples, which contained spermatozoa (TESE+) and those that did not (TESE-). Results showed that all TLR genes were expressed in different parts of the human male reproductive tract and spermatozoa. Moreover, Q-PCR indicated that the relative expression of TLRs did not significantly change in different parts of the male reproductive tract but this technique has shown only relative TLR2 expression in TESE- is lower than TESE+ samples. It could be concluded that TLRs may provide a broad spectrum of protection from infection in the male reproductive tract. Furthermore, TLRs may influence on the developmental process during spermatogenesis. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Heparan Sulfate Biosynthesis Enzyme, Ext1, Contributes to Outflow Tract Development of Mouse Heart via Modulation of FGF Signaling.

PubMed

Zhang, Rui; Cao, Peijuan; Yang, Zhongzhou; Wang, Zhenzhen; Wu, Jiu-Lin; Chen, Yan; Pan, Yi

2015-01-01

Glycosaminoglycans are important regulators of multiple signaling pathways. As a major constituent of the heart extracellular matrix, glycosaminoglycans are implicated in cardiac morphogenesis through interactions with different signaling morphogens. Ext1 is a glycosyltransferase responsible for heparan sulfate synthesis. Here, we evaluate the function of Ext1 in heart development by analyzing Ext1 hypomorphic mutant and conditional knockout mice. Outflow tract alignment is sensitive to the dosage of Ext1. Deletion of Ext1 in the mesoderm induces a cardiac phenotype similar to that of a mutant with conditional deletion of UDP-glucose dehydrogenase, a key enzyme responsible for synthesis of all glycosaminoglycans. The outflow tract defect in conditional Ext1 knockout(Ext1f/f:Mesp1Cre) mice is attributable to the reduced contribution of second heart field and neural crest cells. Ext1 deletion leads to downregulation of FGF signaling in the pharyngeal mesoderm. Exogenous FGF8 ameliorates the defects in the outflow tract and pharyngeal explants. In addition, Ext1 expression in second heart field and neural crest cells is required for outflow tract remodeling. Our results collectively indicate that Ext1 is crucial for outflow tract formation in distinct progenitor cells, and heparan sulfate modulates FGF signaling during early heart development.

Parallel processing in the honeybee olfactory pathway: structure, function, and evolution.

PubMed

Rössler, Wolfgang; Brill, Martin F

2013-11-01

Animals face highly complex and dynamic olfactory stimuli in their natural environments, which require fast and reliable olfactory processing. Parallel processing is a common principle of sensory systems supporting this task, for example in visual and auditory systems, but its role in olfaction remained unclear. Studies in the honeybee focused on a dual olfactory pathway. Two sets of projection neurons connect glomeruli in two antennal-lobe hemilobes via lateral and medial tracts in opposite sequence with the mushroom bodies and lateral horn. Comparative studies suggest that this dual-tract circuit represents a unique adaptation in Hymenoptera. Imaging studies indicate that glomeruli in both hemilobes receive redundant sensory input. Recent simultaneous multi-unit recordings from projection neurons of both tracts revealed widely overlapping response profiles strongly indicating parallel olfactory processing. Whereas lateral-tract neurons respond fast with broad (generalistic) profiles, medial-tract neurons are odorant specific and respond slower. In analogy to "what-" and "where" subsystems in visual pathways, this suggests two parallel olfactory subsystems providing "what-" (quality) and "when" (temporal) information. Temporal response properties may support across-tract coincidence coding in higher centers. Parallel olfactory processing likely enhances perception of complex odorant mixtures to decode the diverse and dynamic olfactory world of a social insect.

Prognostic Value of Ultrasound Grading Systems in Prenatally Diagnosed Unilateral Urinary Tract Dilatation.

PubMed

Scalabre, Aurélien; Demède, Delphine; Gaillard, Ségolène; Pracros, Jean-Pierre; Mouriquand, Pierre; Mure, Pierre-Yves

2017-04-01

We compared the prognostic value of anteroposterior intrasinus diameter of the renal pelvis, urinary tract dilatation and the Society for Fetal Urology grading system in children with prenatally diagnosed unilateral urinary tract dilatation. All newborns with prenatally diagnosed unilateral urinary tract dilatation, normal bladder and anteroposterior intrasinus diameter 10 mm or greater on the first postnatal ultrasonography were prospectively enrolled from January 2011 to February 2015. Indications for surgery were recurrent febrile urinary tract infections and/or decrease of relative renal function more than 10% on serial isotope studies and/or increasing anteroposterior intrasinus diameter greater than 20% on serial ultrasounds. Sensitivity, specificity and ROC curves were calculated to evaluate the accuracy of anteroposterior intrasinus diameter, urinary tract dilatation and Society for Fetal Urology grading system in determining which children would need surgery within 24 months. A total of 57 males and 13 females were included. Of the patients 33 required surgery at a median age of 5 months (IQR 3.8 to 6.4). Urinary tract dilatation remained stable in 14 cases and decreased in 23 with a median followup of 42 months (IQR 25 to 67). Anteroposterior intrasinus diameter, urinary tract dilatation and Society for Fetal Urology scores were all correlated with the need for surgery. Anteroposterior intrasinus diameter with a threshold of 20 mm had the best prognostic value, with a sensitivity of 81.8% and a specificity of 91.7%. Our study confirms that the prognostic value was comparable between anteroposterior intrasinus diameter of the renal pelvis, urinary tract dilatation and Society for Fetal Urology grading system in newborns with prenatally diagnosed unilateral urinary tract dilatation. Anteroposterior intrasinus diameter and abnormal parenchymal thickness are the most important ultrasound criteria to identify children at risk for requiring surgery. Copyright © 2017 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diffusion-Tensor Imaging of the Physes: A Possible Biomarker for Skeletal Growth-Experience with 151 Children.

PubMed

Bedoya, Maria A; Delgado, Jorge; Berman, Jeffrey I; Chauvin, Nancy A; Zurakowski, David; Ramirez-Grueso, Raul; Ntoulia, Aikaterini; Jaramillo, Diego

2017-07-01

Purpose To determine the changes of diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) and tractography in the distal femur and proximal tibia related to age, sex, and height. Materials and Methods Following institutional review board approval, with waiver of consent and with HIPAA compliance, the authors retrospectively analyzed DTI images of the knee in 151 children, 73 girls (median age, 14.1 years; range, 6.5-17.8 years) and 78 boys (median age, 16.6 years; range, 6.9-17.9 years), studied from January 2013 to October 2014. At sagittal echo-planar DTI (20 directions, b values of 0 and 600 sec/mm 2 ), regions of interest were placed in the tibial and femoral physes. Using a fractional anisotropy threshold of 0.15 and an angle threshold of 40°, the authors performed tractography and measured apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and tract length and volume. Changes related to age, sex, and height were evaluated by using fitted nonlinear polynomial functions on bootstrapped samples. Results Femoral tract volume and length increased and then decreased with age (P < .001); the peaks of femoral tract volume are consistent with the growth spurt, occurring earlier in girls (10.8 years) than in boys (13.0 years) (P < .001). Girls had smaller tract volumes in comparison to boys (P = .013). ADC peaks 2 years earlier than tract volume (girls at 9.3 years, boys at 11.0 years). Girls with greater than 50th percentile of height had longer tracts and greater tract volumes compared with girls with less than 50th percentile (P < .020). DTI parameters of boys do not correlate with percentile of height (P > .300). Conclusion DTI of the physis and metaphysis shows greater tract length and volumes in subjects who are at ages when the growth is fastest. ADC and tract length and volume have an earlier and smaller peak in girls than in boys. Femoral tract length and volume are larger in taller girls. © RSNA, 2017.

Pronounced species divergence in corticospinal tract reorganization and functional recovery after lateralized spinal cord injury favors primates

PubMed Central

Friedli, Lucia; Rosenzweig, Ephron S.; Barraud, Quentin; Schubert, Martin; Dominici, Nadia; Awai, Lea; Nielson, Jessica L.; Musienko, Pavel; Nout-Lomas, Yvette; Zhong, Hui; Zdunowski, Sharon; Roy, Roland R.; Strand, Sarah C.; van den Brand, Rubia; Havton, Leif A.; Beattie, Michael S.; Bresnahan, Jacqueline C.; Bézard, Erwan; Bloch, Jocelyne; Edgerton, V. Reggie; Ferguson, Adam R.; Curt, Armin; Tuszynski, Mark H.; Courtine, Grégoire

2017-01-01

Experimental and clinical studies suggest that primate species exhibit greater recovery after lateralized compared to symmetrical spinal cord injuries. Although this observation has major implications for designing clinical trials and translational therapies, advantages in recovery of nonhuman primates over other species has not been shown statistically to date, nor have the associated repair mechanisms been identified. We monitored recovery in more than 400 quadriplegic patients and found that that functional gains increased with the laterality of spinal cord damage. Electrophysiological analyses suggested that corticospinal tract reorganization contributes to the greater recovery after lateralized compared with symmetrical injuries. To investigate underlying mechanisms, we modeled lateralized injuries in rats and monkeys using a lateral hemisection, and compared anatomical and functional outcomes with patients who suffered similar lesions. Standardized assessments revealed that monkeys and humans showed greater recovery of locomotion and hand function than rats. Recovery correlated with the formation of corticospinal detour circuits below the injury, which were extensive in monkeys, but nearly absent in rats. Our results uncover pronounced inter-species differences in the nature and extent of spinal cord repair mechanisms, likely resulting from fundamental differences in the anatomical and functional characteristics of the motor systems in primates versus rodents. Although rodents remain essential for advancing regenerative therapies, the unique response of the primate corticospinal tract after injury re-emphasizes the importance of primate models for designing clinically relevant treatments. PMID:26311729

Effects of Pentobarbital on Respiratory Functional Dynamics in Chronically Instrumented Guinea Pigs

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

inferior cerebellar peduncle; 10, inferior olive; LRN. lateral reticular nu- cleus; NSTTN. nucleus spinal tract of the trigeminal nerve ; STTN, spinal tract...reverse if necessary and identify by block number) FIELD GROUP SUB-GROUP 06 15 sodium pentobarbital; respiration; chronic single unit 06 04 recording...diaphragmatic EMG; guinea pigs 19. ABSTRACT (Continue on reverse if necessary and identify by block number) CHANG. F.-C. T. Effects of pentobarhital

The adenoid as a key factor in upper airway infections.

PubMed

van Cauwenberge, P B; Bellussi, L; Maw, A R; Paradise, J L; Solow, B

1995-06-01

The adenoids (and the nasopharynx) play a key role in the normal functioning and in various pathologies of the upper respiratory tract. In this paper the role of adenoidal pathology and the beneficial effect of adenoidectomy in some upper respiratory tract and facial anomalies and diseases are discussed; otitis media with effusion, recurrent acute otitis media, sinusitis, snoring and sleep apnea and abnormal patterns in the midface growth and development.

Gene therapy and gastrointestinal cancer: concepts and clinical facts.

PubMed

Hauses, M; Schackert, H K

1999-10-01

Principles of the treatment of gastrointestinal cancer with gene therapy evolved from the advent of techniques in molecular biology, from increasing insights into the molecular basis of tumorigenesis and from the need to develop more efficient treatment modalities. Any gene therapy approach has to take two major tasks into consideration: the therapeutic gene has to be delivered into the target cell population with high efficiency, specificity and safety, and has to act in a way that provides a benefit to the patient. Data on 22 clinical trials on malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract are available. They utilize a variety of gene-delivery methods and target cell populations, and there is considerable variety among their strategies. Gene transfer is performed by injection of naked plasmid DNA and by use of DNA-liposome complexes and viral vectors. In some cases, the gene transfer is carried out ex vivo and the patients receive genetically modified cells, whereas other approaches deliver the vector to the target cell population in vivo. The theoretical concepts of gene therapy can be divided into three groups. One approach makes use of suicide genes comprising bacterial or viral genes that convert a nontoxic prodrug into a highly cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent at the tumor site. This approach aims at higher therapeutic specificity and fewer side effects than with the systemic delivery of cytotoxic agents. The second strategy makes an attempt to invoke the immune system to destroy malignant cells. Different strategies, such as immunization with genetically modified tumor cells or transfer of new genes to T cells, are considered to have clinical benefits. The major advantage of these immunotherapeutic approaches is the systemic effect both on the primary tumor and on metastases. The third strategy evolved from the insight that cancer is a genetic disease caused by activation of oncogenes or inactivation of tumor-suppressor genes. Compensation of genetic defects by the downregulation of activated oncogenes or the restoration of tumor-suppressor-gene functions may be able to revert the malignant phenotype of cancer cells. Of the 22 gene-therapy trials, 17 trials focus on immunotherapy. Only two trials make use of suicide genes and, in three trials, a functional copy of the p53 tumor-suppressor gene was reintroduced into malignant cells. Modalities for gene transfer and the strategies underlying gene therapy will be discussed in the context of gastrointestinal malignancies and the potential benefits for patients.

A Technique for Facile and Precise Transfer of Mouse Embryos

PubMed Central

Sarvari, Ali; Naderi, Mohammad Mehdi; Sadeghi, Mohammad Reza; Akhondi, Mohammad Mehdi

2013-01-01

Background Successful Embryo Transfer (ET) technique is a fateful step of all efforts to achieve live births from in vitro produced embryos in assisted reproductive techniques or in knockout, transgenic or cloned animal projects. Small reproductive tract of mice and limitation of current techniques may not well satisfy the requirements for mass production of genetically modified mice. Genetic abnormalities of embryos, receptivity and uterine contractions, expulsion of embryos, blood, mucus or bacterial contamination on the transfer pipette tip, technical problems and even animal strain may affect embryo transfer outcome. Methods In this study, two techniques of embryo transfer in mice were compared. In conventional technique the oviduct wall was punctured with a 30-gauge needle and the loaded Pasteur pipette with embryos and medium was inserted into the hole. In new technique, embryos that were loaded in modified micropipette with minimal medium were transferred directly to the oviduct by manual piston micro-pump easily. Embryo viability was evaluated considering the percentage of live healthy newborns. Results Results of the two techniques were compared by t-test within the NPAR1WAY procedure of SAS software (ver. 9.2). The average live birth rates in the novel methods was significantly higher (42.4%) than the conventional method (21.7%, p<0.05). Conclusion In conclusion, using new embryo transfer technique improved birth rate by preventing embryos expulsion from the oviduct, saving time and easy transfer of embryos with minimum volume of medium. PMID:23626878

Can We Define and Characterize the Aging Lower Urinary Tract?—ICI-RS 2015

PubMed Central

Vahabi, Bahareh; Wagg, Adrian S.; Rosier, Peter F.W.M.; Rademakers, Kevin L.J.; Denys, Marie-Astrid; Pontari, Michel; Lovick, Thelma; Valentini, Francoise A.; Nelson, Pierre P.; Andersson, Karl-Erik; Fry, Christopher H.

2017-01-01

The prevalence of lower urinary tract (LUT) symptoms increases with age but the etiology is unknown. This article aims to identify research directions that clarify the basis of this association. The initial question is whether biological age is the variable of interest or a time-dependent accumulation of factors that impact on LUT function at rates that differ between individuals. In particular, the accumulation of conditions or agents due to inflammatory states or tissue ischemia is important. Much of the above has been concerned with changes to bladder function and morphology. However, the outflow tract function is also affected, in particular changes to the function of external sphincter skeletal muscle and associated sacral motor nerve control. Nocturia is a cardinal symptom of LUT dysfunction and is more prevalent with aging. Urine production is determined by diurnal changes to the production of certain hormones as well as arterial blood pressure and such diurnal rhythms are blunted in subjects with nocturia, but the causal links remain to be elucidated. Changes to the central nervous control of LUT function with age are also increasingly recognized, whether in mid-brain/ brainstem regions that directly affect LUT function or in higher centers that determine psychosocial and emotional factors impinging on the LUT. In particular, the linkage between increasing white matter hyperintensities and LUT dysfunction during aging is recognized but not understood. Overall, a more rational approach is being developed to link LUT dysfunction with factors that accumulate with age, however, the precise causal pathways remain to be characterized. PMID:28444710

Neuromodulation of the neural circuits controlling the lower urinary tract.

PubMed

Gad, Parag N; Roy, Roland R; Zhong, Hui; Gerasimenko, Yury P; Taccola, Giuliano; Edgerton, V Reggie

2016-11-01

The inability to control timely bladder emptying is one of the most serious challenges among the many functional deficits that occur after a spinal cord injury. We previously demonstrated that electrodes placed epidurally on the dorsum of the spinal cord can be used in animals and humans to recover postural and locomotor function after complete paralysis and can be used to enable voiding in spinal rats. In the present study, we examined the neuromodulation of lower urinary tract function associated with acute epidural spinal cord stimulation, locomotion, and peripheral nerve stimulation in adult rats. Herein we demonstrate that electrically evoked potentials in the hindlimb muscles and external urethral sphincter are modulated uniquely when the rat is stepping bipedally and not voiding, immediately pre-voiding, or when voiding. We also show that spinal cord stimulation can effectively neuromodulate the lower urinary tract via frequency-dependent stimulation patterns and that neural peripheral nerve stimulation can activate the external urethral sphincter both directly and via relays in the spinal cord. The data demonstrate that the sensorimotor networks controlling bladder and locomotion are highly integrated neurophysiologically and behaviorally and demonstrate how these two functions are modulated by sensory input from the tibial and pudental nerves. A more detailed understanding of the high level of interaction between these networks could lead to the integration of multiple neurophysiological strategies to improve bladder function. These data suggest that the development of strategies to improve bladder function should simultaneously engage these highly integrated networks in an activity-dependent manner. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Structure, Function, and Assembly of Adhesive Organelles by Uropathogenic Bacteria

PubMed Central

Chahales, Peter; Thanassi, David G.

2015-01-01

Bacteria assemble a wide range of adhesive proteins, termed adhesins, to mediate binding to receptors and colonization of surfaces. For pathogenic bacteria, adhesins are critical for early stages of infection, allowing the bacteria to initiate contact with host cells, colonize different tissues, and establish a foothold within the host. The adhesins expressed by a pathogen are also critical for bacterial-bacterial interactions and the formation of bacterial communities such as biofilms. The ability to adhere to host tissues is particularly important for bacteria that colonize sites such as the urinary tract, where the flow of urine functions to maintain sterility by washing away non-adherent pathogens. Adhesins vary from monomeric proteins that are directly anchored to the bacterial surface to polymeric, hairlike fibers that extend out from the cell surface. These latter fibers are termed pili or fimbriae, and were among the first identified virulence factors of uropathogenic Escherichia coli. Studies since then have identified a range of both pilus and non-pilus adhesins that contribute to bacterial colonization of the urinary tract, and have revealed molecular details of the structures, assembly pathways, and functions of these adhesive organelles. In this review, we describe the different types of adhesins expressed by both Gram-negative and Gram-positive uropathogens, what is known about their structures, how they are assembled on the bacterial surface, and the functions of specific adhesins in the pathogenesis of urinary tract infections. PMID:26542038

Evaluation of Renal Function after Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy-Does the Number of Percutaneous Access Tracts Matter?

PubMed

Gorbachinsky, Ilya; Wood, Kyle; Colaco, Marc; Hemal, Sij; Mettu, Jayadev; Mirzazadeh, Majid; Assimos, Dean G; Gutierrez-Aćeves, Jorge

2016-07-01

Renal function following percutaneous nephrolithotomy has long been a concern to urologists, especially in the setting of multi-tract access. We determined whether the risk of renal injury after multi-tract percutaneous nephrolithotomy was greater than after a single access approach. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 307 consecutive patients treated with percutaneous nephrolithotomy from 2011 to 2012 at Wake Forest Health. Perioperative (99m)Tc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine nuclear renogram parameters along with serum creatinine values were assessed within 1 year of the procedure. Patients were stratified by single access vs multi-access (2 or more). We identified 110 cases in which renography was done before and after percutaneous nephrolithotomy. A total of 74 patients (67.3%) underwent single access percutaneous nephrolithotomy while 36 (32.7%) underwent multi-access percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Serum creatinine did not significantly differ between the 2 cohorts postoperatively (p = 0.09). There was a significant 2.28% decrease in renal function based on mercaptoacetyltriglycine nuclear renogram results after percutaneous nephrolithotomy of the affected kidney in patients with multiple accesses (p <0.01). This relationship was not observed when patients were stratified by multiple comorbidities associated with nephrolithiasis. Multi-access percutaneous nephrolithotomy is associated with a small reduction in the function of the targeted kidney compared to a single access approach. Copyright © 2016 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Structural brain and neuropsychometric changes associated with pediatric bipolar disorder with psychosis.

PubMed

James, Anthony; Hough, Morgan; James, Susan; Burge, Linda; Winmill, Louise; Nijhawan, Sunita; Matthews, Paul M; Zarei, Mojtaba

2011-02-01

To identify neuropsychological and structural brain changes using a combination of high-resolution structural and diffusion tensor imaging in pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) with psychosis (presence of delusions and or hallucinations). We recruited 15 patients and 20 euthymic age- and gender-matched healthy controls. All subjects underwent high-resolution structural and diffusion tensor imaging. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM), tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS), and probabilistic tractography were used to analyse magnetic resonance imaging data. The PBD subjects had normal overall intelligence with specific impairments in working memory, executive function, language function, and verbal memory. Reduced gray matter (GM) density was found in the left orbitofrontal cortex, left pars triangularis, right premotor cortex, occipital cortex, right occipital fusiform gyrus, and right crus of the cerebellum. TBSS analysis showed reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) in the anterior corpus callosum. Probabilistic tractography from this cluster showed that this region of the corpus callosum is connected with the prefrontal cortices, including those regions whose density is decreased in PBD. In addition, FA change was correlated with verbal memory and working memory, while more widespread reductions in GM density correlated with working memory, executive function, language function, and verbal memory. The findings suggest widespread cortical changes as well as specific involvement of interhemispheric prefrontal tracts in PBD, which may reflect delayed myelination in these tracts. © 2011 John Wiley and Sons A/S.

[NADPH-diaphorase activity in digestive system of gastropod molluscs Achatina fulica and Littorina littorea].

PubMed

Zaĭtseva, O V; Kuznetsova, T V; Markosova, T G

2009-01-01

Localization and peculiarities of NO-ergic elements were studied for he first time throughout the entire length of digestive tract of the marine gastropod mollusc Achatina fulica (Prosobranchia) and the terrestrial molusc Littorina littorea (Pulmonata) by using histochemical method of detection of NADPH-diaphorase (NADPHd). NO-ergic cells and fibers were revealed in all parts of the mollusc digestive tract beginning from pharynx. An intensive NADPHd activity was found in many intraepithelial cells of the open type and in their processes in intra- and subepithelial nerve plexuses, single subepithelial neurons, granular connective tissue cells, and numerous nerve fibers among muscle elements of he digestive tract wall as well as in nerves innervating the tract. NADPHd was also present in receptor cells of he oral area and in the central A. fulica ganglia participating in innervation of the digestive tract. The digestive tract NO-ergic system ofA. fulica has a more complex organization that that of L. littorea. In the A. fulica pharynx, stomach, and midgut, directly beneath epithelium, there is revealed a complex system of glomerular structures formed by thin NADPHd-positive nerve fibers coming from the side of epithelium. More superficially under the main groups of muscle elements, small agglomerations of NADPHd-positive neurons are seen, which could be considered as primitive, non-formed microganglia. Peculiarities of distribution and a possible functional role of NO-ergic elements in the digestive tract of molluscs are discussed as compared with other invertebrate and vertebrate animals.

Interaction between dietary content of protein and sodium chloride on milk urea concentration, urinary urea excretion, renal recycling of urea, and urea transfer to the gastrointestinal tract in dairy cows.

PubMed

Spek, J W; Bannink, A; Gort, G; Hendriks, W H; Dijkstra, J

2013-09-01

Dietary protein and salt affect the concentration of milk urea nitrogen (MUN; mg of N/dL) and the relationship between MUN and excretion of urea nitrogen in urine (UUN; g of N/d) of dairy cattle. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of dietary protein and sodium chloride (NaCl) intake separately, and their interaction, on MUN and UUN, on the relationship between UUN and MUN, on renal recycling of urea, and on urea transfer to the gastrointestinal tract. Twelve second-parity cows (body weight of 645±37 kg, 146±29 d in milk, and a milk production of 34.0±3.28 kg/d), of which 8 were previously fitted with a rumen cannula, were fitted with catheters in the urine bladder and jugular vein. The experiment had a split-plot arrangement with dietary crude protein (CP) content as the main plot factor [116 and 154 g of CP/kg of dry matter (DM)] and dietary NaCl content as the subplot factor (3.1 and 13.5 g of Na/kg of DM). Cows were fed at 95% of the average ad libitum feed intake of cows receiving the low protein diets. Average MUN and UUN were, respectively, 3.90 mg of N/dL and 45 g of N/d higher for the high protein diets compared with the low protein diets. Compared with the low NaCl diets, MUN was, on average, 1.74 mg of N/dL lower for the high NaCl diets, whereas UUN was unaffected. We found no interaction between dietary content of protein and NaCl on performance characteristics or on MUN, UUN, urine production, and renal clearance characteristics. The creatinine clearance rate was not affected by dietary content of protein and NaCl. Urea transfer to the gastrointestinal tract, expressed as a fraction of plasma urea entry rate, was negatively related to dietary protein, whereas it was not affected by dietary NaCl content. We found no interaction between dietary protein and NaCl content on plasma urea entry rate and gastrointestinal urea entry rate or their ratio. The relationship between MUN and UUN was significantly affected by the class variable dietary NaCl content: UUN=-17.7±7.24 + 10.09±1.016 × MUN + 2.26±0.729 × MUN (for high NaCl); R(2)=0.85. Removal of the MUN × NaCl interaction term lowered the coefficient of determination from 0.85 to 0.77. In conclusion, dietary protein content is positively related to MUN and UUN, whereas dietary NaCl content is negatively correlated to MUN but NaCl content is not related to UUN. We found no interaction between dietary protein and NaCl content on performance, MUN, UUN, or renal urea recycling, nor on plasma urea entry rate and urea transfer to the gastrointestinal tract. For a proper interpretation of the relationship between MUN and UUN, the effect of dietary NaCl should be taken into account, but we found no evidence that the effect of dietary NaCl on MUN is dependent on dietary protein content. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Female Lower Genital Tract Is a Privileged Compartment with IL-10 Producing Dendritic Cells and Poor Th1 Immunity following Chlamydia trachomatis Infection

PubMed Central

Marks, Ellen; Tam, Miguel A.; Lycke, Nils Y.

2010-01-01

While a primary genital tract infection with C. trachomatis stimulates partial-protection against re-infection, it may also result in severe inflammation and tissue destruction. Here we have dissected whether functional compartments exist in the genital tract that restrict Th1-mediated protective immunity. Apart from the Th1-subset, little is known about the role of other CD4+ T cell subsets in response to a genital tract chlamydial infection. Therefore, we investigated CD4+ T cell subset differentiation in the genital tract using RT-PCR for expression of critical transcription factors and cytokines in the upper (UGT) and lower genital tract (LGT) of female C57BL/6 mice in response to C. trachomatis serovar D infection. We found that the Th1 subset dominated the UGT, as IFN-γ and T-bet mRNA expression were high, while GATA-3 was low following genital infection with C. trachomatis serovar D. By contrast, IL-10 and GATA-3 mRNA dominated the LGT, suggesting the presence of Th2 cells. These functional compartments also attracted regulatory T cells (Tregs) differently as increased FoxP3 mRNA expression was seen primarily in the UGT. Although IL-17A mRNA was somewhat up-regulated in the LGT, no significant change in RORγ-t mRNA expression was observed, suggesting no involvement of Th17 cells. The dichotomy between the LGT and UGT was maintained during infection by IL-10 because in IL-10-deficient mice the distinction between the two compartments was completely lost and a dramatic shift to the predominance of Th1 cells in the LGT occurred. Unexpectedly, the major source of IL-10 was CD11c+ CD11b+ DC, probably creating an anti-inflammatory privileged site in the LGT. PMID:21079691

Reduced Volume of the Arcuate Fasciculus in Adults with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Conditions

PubMed Central

Moseley, Rachel L.; Correia, Marta M.; Baron-Cohen, Simon; Shtyrov, Yury; Pulvermüller, Friedemann; Mohr, Bettina

2016-01-01

Atypical language is a fundamental feature of autism spectrum conditions (ASC), but few studies have examined the structural integrity of the arcuate fasciculus, the major white matter tract connecting frontal and temporal language regions, which is usually implicated as the main transfer route used in processing linguistic information by the brain. Abnormalities in the arcuate have been reported in young children with ASC, mostly in low-functioning or non-verbal individuals, but little is known regarding the structural properties of the arcuate in adults with ASC or, in particular, in individuals with ASC who have intact language, such as those with high-functioning autism or Asperger syndrome. We used probabilistic tractography of diffusion-weighted imaging to isolate and scrutinize the arcuate in a mixed-gender sample of 18 high-functioning adults with ASC (17 Asperger syndrome) and 14 age- and IQ-matched typically developing controls. Arcuate volume was significantly reduced bilaterally with clearest differences in the right hemisphere. This finding remained significant in an analysis of all male participants alone. Volumetric reduction in the arcuate was significantly correlated with the severity of autistic symptoms as measured by the Autism-Spectrum Quotient. These data reveal that structural differences are present even in high-functioning adults with ASC, who presented with no clinically manifest language deficits and had no reported developmental language delay. Arcuate structural integrity may be useful as an index of ASC severity and thus as a predictor and biomarker for ASC. Implications for future research are discussed. PMID:27242478

Particle deposition in human respiratory system: deposition of concentrated hygroscopic aerosols.

PubMed

Varghese, Suresh K; Gangamma, S

2009-06-01

In the nearly saturated human respiratory tract, the presence of water-soluble substances in the inhaled aerosols can cause change in the size distribution of the particles. This consequently alters the lung deposition profiles of the inhaled airborne particles. Similarly, the presence of high concentration of hygroscopic aerosols also affects the water vapor and temperature profiles in the respiratory tract. A model is presented to analyze these effects in human respiratory system. The model solves simultaneously the heat and mass transfer equations to determine the size evolution of respirable particles and gas-phase properties within human respiratory tract. First, the model predictions for nonhygroscopic aerosols are compared with experimental results. The model results are compared with experimental results of sodium chloride particles. The model reproduces the major features of the experimental data. The water vapor profile is significantly modified only when a high concentration of particles is present. The model is used to study the effect of equilibrium assumptions on particle deposition. Simulations show that an infinite dilution solution assumption to calculate the saturation equilibrium over droplet could induce errors in estimating particle growth. This error is significant in the case of particles of size greater than 1 mum and at number concentrations higher than 10(5)/cm(3).

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide: a novel peptide with protean implications.

PubMed

Pisegna, Joseph R; Oh, David S

2007-02-01

The purpose of this review is to highlight the importance of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide in physiological processes and to describe how this peptide is becoming increasingly recognized as having a major role in the body. Since its discovery in 1989, investigators have sought to determine the site of biological activity and the function of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide in maintaining homeostasis. Since its discovery, pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide appears to play an important role in the regulation of processes within the central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract, as well in reproductive biology. Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide has been shown to regulate tumor cell growth and to regulate immune function through its effects on T lympocytes. These discoveries suggest the importance of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide in neuronal development, neuronal function, gastrointestinal tract function and reproduction. Future studies will examine more closely the role of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide in regulation of malignantly transformed cells, as well as in regulation of immune function.

Effects of two-handed task training on upper limb function of chronic hemiplegic patients after stroke

PubMed Central

Yang, Byung Il; Song, Bo Kyoung; Joung, Sang Mi

2017-01-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to determine whether two-handed task training is effective on motor learning of injured cerebral cortex activation and upper extremity function recovery after stroke. [Subjects and Methods] Two hemiplegic subjects participated in this study: one patient was affected on the dominant side of the body and the other was affected on the non-dominant side of the body, and both scored in the range of 58–66 in the Fugl-Meyer assessment. The excitability of the corticospinal tract and Manual Function Test were examined. [Results] The excitability of the corticospinal tract and the Manual Function Test showed significant differences in the activation of both sides of the cerebral cortex and in the variation in learning effect of upper extremity motor function recovery in patients with hemiplegic non-dominant hand (left). [Conclusion] The results suggested that two-handed task training had a different influence on dominant hand (right) and non-dominant hand (left) motor recovery. PMID:28210051

A Computerized Tomography Study of Vocal Tract Setting in Hyperfunctional Dysphonia and in Belting.

PubMed

Saldias, Marcelo; Guzman, Marco; Miranda, Gonzalo; Laukkanen, Anne-Maria

2018-04-03

Vocal tract setting in hyperfunctional patients is characterized by a high larynx and narrowing of the epilaryngeal and pharyngeal region. Similar observations have been made for various singing styles, eg, belting. The voice quality in belting has been described to be loud, speech like, and high pitched. It is also often described as sounding "pressed" or "tense". The above mentioned has led to the hypothesis that belting may be strenuous to the vocal folds. However, singers and teachers of belting do not regard belting as particularly strenuous. This study investigates possible similarities and differences between hyperfunctional voice production and belting. This study concerns vocal tract setting. Four male patients with hyperfunctional dysphonia and one male contemporary commercial music singer were registered with computerized tomography while phonating on [a:] in their habitual speaking pitch. Additionally, the singer used the pitch G4 in belting. The scannings were studied in sagittal and transversal dimensions by measuring lengths, widths, and areas. Various similarities were found between belting and hyperfunction: high vertical larynx position, small hypopharyngeal width, and epilaryngeal outlet. On the other hand, belting differed from dysphonia (in addition to higher pitch) by a wider lip and jaw opening, and larger volumes of the oral cavity. Belting takes advantage of "megaphone shape" of the vocal tract. Future studies should focus on modeling and simulation to address sound energy transfer. Also, they should consider aerodynamic variables and vocal fold vibration to evaluate the "price of decibels" in these phonation types. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Screening and identification of proteins mediating senna induced gastrointestinal motility enhancement in mouse colon

PubMed Central

Wang, Xin; Zhong, Yue-Xia; Lan, Mei; Zhang, Zong-You; Shi, Yong-Quan; Lu, Ju; Ding, Jie; Wu, Kai-Cun; Jin, Jian-Ping; Pan, Bo-Rong; Fan, Dai Min

2002-01-01

AIM: To isolate the proteins involved in pharmacologic action of senna extract (SE) from mouse gastrointestinal tract and to explore the molecular mechanism of gastrointestinal motility change induced by SE. METHODS: SE was administrated to mice by different routes. Gastrointestinal motility of mice was observed using cathartic, gastrointestinal propellant movement experiments and X-ray analysis. Mouse model for gastrointestinal motility enhancement was established through continuous gastric administration of SE at progressively increased dose. At 3 h and week 3, 4, 6 and 10, morphological changes of gastrointestinal tissues were found under light microscope. Ultrastructural changes of intestinal and colonic tissues at week 6 were observed under transmission electron microscope. The colonic proteomic changes in model mice were examined by two-dimension polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with immobilized pH gradient isoelectric focusing to screen the differentially expressed proteins, and their molecular masses and isoelectric points were determined. Two N-terminal sequences of the samples were also determined by mass spectrometry. RESULTS: SE (0.3 g) caused diarrhea after gastric administration in 1-6 h and enhanced gastrointestinal propellant (65.1% ± 7.5%; 45.8% ± 14.6%,P < 0.01) in mice, but intramuscular and hypodermic injection had no cathartic effect. X-ray analysis of gastrointestinal motility demonstrated that gastric administration of SE enhanced gastric evacuation and gastrointestinal transferring function. At 3 h and week 3 and 4 after gastric administration of SE, light microscopic examination revealed no apparent change in gastrointestinal mucosal tissues, but transmission electron microscopic examination revealed inflammatory changes in whole layer of intestinal and colonic wall. Twenty differential proteins were detected in the colonic tissues of the model mice by two-dimensional electrophoresis, and the N-terminal amino acid sequences of two proteins were determined. CONCLUSION: SE causes diarrhea and enhances gastrointestinal motility through digestive tract administration. Long-term gastric administration of SE induces inflammatory changes and cell damage in the whole gastrointestinal tract. The differential proteins screened from the colonic tissues of the model mice might mediate the enhancing effect of SE on gastrointestinal motility. PMID:11833095

Testate amoeba transfer function performance along localised hydrological gradients.

PubMed

Tsyganov, Andrey N; Mityaeva, Olga A; Mazei, Yuri A; Payne, Richard J

2016-09-01

Testate amoeba transfer functions are widely used for reconstruction of palaeo-hydrological regime in peatlands. However, the limitations of this approach have become apparent with increasing attention to validation and assessing sources of uncertainty. This paper investigates effects of peatland type and sampling depth on the performance of a transfer function using an independent test-set from four Sphagnum-dominated sites in European Russia (Penza Region). We focus on transfer function performance along localised hydrological gradients, which is a useful analogue for predictive ability through time. The performance of the transfer function with the independent test-set was generally weaker than for the leave-one-out or bootstrap cross-validations. However, the transfer function was robust for the reconstruction of relative changes in water-table depth, provided the presence of good modern analogues and overlap in water-table depth ranges. When applied to subsurface samples, the performance of the transfer function was reduced due to selective decomposition, the presence of deep-dwelling taxa or vertical transfer of shells. Our results stress the importance of thorough testing of transfer functions, and highlight the role of taphonomic processes in determining results. Further studies of stratification, taxonomy and taphonomy of testate amoebae will be needed to improve the robustness of transfer function output. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Transfer function characteristics of super resolving systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Milster, Tom D.; Curtis, Craig H.

1992-01-01

Signal quality in an optical storage device greatly depends on the optical system transfer function used to write and read data patterns. The problem is similar to analysis of scanning optical microscopes. Hopkins and Braat have analyzed write-once-read-many (WORM) optical data storage devices. Herein, transfer function analysis of magnetooptic (MO) data storage devices is discussed with respect to improving transfer-function characteristics. Several authors have described improving the transfer function as super resolution. However, none have thoroughly analyzed the MO optical system and effects of the medium. Both the optical system transfer function and effects of the medium of this development are discussed.

Programmed coherent coupling in a synthetic DNA-based excitonic circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boulais, Étienne; Sawaya, Nicolas P. D.; Veneziano, Rémi; Andreoni, Alessio; Banal, James L.; Kondo, Toru; Mandal, Sarthak; Lin, Su; Schlau-Cohen, Gabriela S.; Woodbury, Neal W.; Yan, Hao; Aspuru-Guzik, Alán; Bathe, Mark

2018-02-01

Natural light-harvesting systems spatially organize densely packed chromophore aggregates using rigid protein scaffolds to achieve highly efficient, directed energy transfer. Here, we report a synthetic strategy using rigid DNA scaffolds to similarly program the spatial organization of densely packed, discrete clusters of cyanine dye aggregates with tunable absorption spectra and strongly coupled exciton dynamics present in natural light-harvesting systems. We first characterize the range of dye-aggregate sizes that can be templated spatially by A-tracts of B-form DNA while retaining coherent energy transfer. We then use structure-based modelling and quantum dynamics to guide the rational design of higher-order synthetic circuits consisting of multiple discrete dye aggregates within a DX-tile. These programmed circuits exhibit excitonic transport properties with prominent circular dichroism, superradiance, and fast delocalized exciton transfer, consistent with our quantum dynamics predictions. This bottom-up strategy offers a versatile approach to the rational design of strongly coupled excitonic circuits using spatially organized dye aggregates for use in coherent nanoscale energy transport, artificial light-harvesting, and nanophotonics.

Impacts of Maternal Nutrition on Vascularity of Nutrient Transferring Tissues during Gestation and Lactation

PubMed Central

Vonnahme, Kimberly A.; Lemley, Caleb O.; Caton, Joel S.; Meyer, Allison M.

2015-01-01

As the demand for food increases with exponential growth in the world population, it is imperative that we understand how to make livestock production as efficient as possible in the face of decreasing available natural resources. Moreover, it is important that livestock are able to meet their metabolic demands and supply adequate nutrition to developing offspring both during pregnancy and lactation. Specific nutrient supplementation programs that are designed to offset deficiencies, enhance efficiency, and improve nutrient supply during pregnancy can alter tissue vascular responses, fetal growth, and postnatal offspring outcomes. This review outlines how vascularity in nutrient transferring tissues, namely the maternal gastrointestinal tract, the utero-placental tissue, and the mammary gland, respond to differing nutritional planes and other specific nutrient supplementation regimes. PMID:25984740

Function Transfer in Human Operant Experiments: The Role of Stimulus Pairings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tonneau, Francois; Gonzalez, Carmen

2004-01-01

Although function transfer often has been studied in complex operant procedures (such as matching to sample), whether operant reinforcement actually produces function transfer in such settings has not been established. The present experiments, with high school students as subjects, suggest that stimulus pairings can promote function transfer in…

Rationale and Design Issues of the Randomized Intervention for Children With Vesicoureteral Reflux (RIVUR) Study

PubMed Central

Keren, Ron; Carpenter, Myra A.; Hoberman, Alejandro; Shaikh, Nader; Matoo, Tej K.; Chesney, Russell W.; Matthews, Ranjiv; Gerson, Arlene C.; Greenfield, Saul P.; Fivush, Barbara; McLurie, Gordon A.; Rushton, H. Gil; Canning, Douglas; Nelson, Caleb P.; Greenbaum, Lawrence; Bukowski, Timothy; Primack, William; Sutherland, Richard; Hosking, James; Stewart, Dawn; Elder, Jack; Moxey-Mims, Marva; Nyberg, Leroy

2010-01-01

OBJECTIVE Our goal is to determine if antimicrobial prophylaxis with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole prevents recurrent urinary tract infections and renal scarring in children who are found to have vesicoureteral reflux after a first or second urinary tract infection. DESIGN, PARTICIPANTS, AND METHODS The Randomized Intervention for Children With Vesicoureteral Reflux (RIVUR) study is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Six hundred children aged 2 to 72 months will be recruited from both primary and subspecialty care settings at clinical trial centers throughout North America. Children who are found to have grades I to IV vesicoureteral reflux after the index febrile or symptomatic urinary tract infection will be randomly assigned to receive daily doses of either trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole or placebo for 2 years. Scheduled follow-up contacts include in-person study visits every 6 months and telephone interviews every 2 months. Biospecimens (urine and blood) and genetic specimens (blood) will be collected for future studies of the genetic and biochemical determinants of vesicoureteral reflux, recurrent urinary tract infection, renal insufficiency, and renal scarring. RESULTS The primary outcome is recurrence of urinary tract infection. Secondary outcomes include time to recurrent urinary tract infection, renal scarring (assessed by dimercaptosuccinic acid scan), treatment failure, renal function, resource utilization, and development of antimicrobial resistance in stool flora. CONCLUSIONS The RIVUR study will provide useful information to clinicians about the risks and benefits of prophylactic antibiotics for children who are diagnosed with vesicoureteral reflux after a first or second urinary tract infection. The data and specimens collected over the course of the study will allow researchers to better understand the pathophysiology of recurrent urinary tract infection and its sequelae. PMID:19018048

Reduced tract integrity of the model for social communication is a neural substrate of social communication deficits in autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Lo, Yu-Chun; Chen, Yu-Jen; Hsu, Yung-Chin; Tseng, Wen-Yih Isaac; Gau, Susan Shur-Fen

2017-05-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with social communication deficits as one of the core symptoms. Recently, a five-level model for the social communication has been proposed in which white matter tracts corresponding to each level of the model are identified. Given that the model for social communication subserves social language functions, we hypothesized that the tract integrity of the model for social communication may be reduced in ASD, and the reduction may be related to social communication deficits. Sixty-two right-handed boys with ASD and 55 typically developing (TD) boys received clinical evaluations, intelligence tests, the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ), and MRI scans. Generalized fractional anisotropy (GFA) was measured by diffusion spectrum imaging to indicate the microstructural integrity of the tracts for each level of the social communication model. Group difference in the tract integrity and its relationship with the SCQ subscales of social communication and social interaction were investigated. We found that the GFA values of the superior longitudinal fasciculus III (SLF III, level 1) and the frontal aslant tracts (FAT, level 2) were decreased in ASD compared to TD. Moreover, the GFA values of the SLF III and the FAT were associated with the social interaction subscale in ASD. The tract integrity of the model for social communication is reduced in ASD, and the reduction is associated with impaired social interaction. Our results support that reduced tract integrity of the model for social communication might be a neural substrate of social communication deficits in ASD. © 2016 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Precision Measurement and Calibration. Volume 1. Statistical Concepts and Procedures

DTIC Science & Technology

1969-02-01

due to growth measure of the loss of radium D and polonium - 210 of polonium - 210 in A. B, and D, on the one hand, in the transfer of June 1930. and in C...tracting the contributions of polonium - 210 and tion to Washington, D. C., of these standards; to nuclear recoils and of radium E from the energy W...event, the balance for the absolute measurement of radiation.w a n rwith applications to radium and its emanation, Proc. polonium - 210 correction will

Development of Gastrointestinal Function: Risk Factors for Necrotizing Enterocolitis

PubMed Central

Clark, David A.; Mitchell, Amy L.

2004-01-01

The intestinal tract of the fetus matures rapidly in the third trimester of the pregnancy. The premature infant has decreased intestinal motility, limited digestion, absorption and excretion, and poor intestinal barrier defense. These limitations place the infant at high risk for acute intestinal injury, necrotizing enterocolitis. This article reviews the development of the gastrointestinal tract in the fetus, the barriers to feeding the high risk, premature infant, and the most serious intestinal disease, necrotizing enterocolitis. PMID:23118695

Alternative approaches to conventional treatment of acute uncomplicated urinary tract infection in women.

PubMed

Foxman, Betsy; Buxton, Miatta

2013-04-01

The increasing resistance of uropathogens to antibiotics and recognition of the generally self-limiting nature of uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI) suggest that it is time to reconsider empirical treatment of UTI using antibiotics. Identifying new and effective strategies to prevent recurrences and alternative treatment strategies are a high priority. We review the recent literature regarding the effects of functional food products, probiotics, vaccines, and alternative treatments on treating and preventing UTI.

Alternative Approaches to Conventional Treatment of Acute Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection in Women

PubMed Central

Foxman, Betsy; Buxton, Miatta

2013-01-01

The increasing resistance of uropathogens to antibiotics, and recognition of generally self-limiting nature of uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI) suggests that it is time to reconsider empirical treatment of UTI using antibiotics. Identifying new and effective strategies to prevent recurrences and alterative treatment strategies are a high priority. We review the recent literature regarding the effects of functional food products, probiotics, vaccines, and alternative treatments on treating and preventing UTI. PMID:23378124

Management of locally invasive well-differentiated thyroid cancer.

PubMed

Ark, Nebil; Zemo, Sessunu; Nolen, David; Holsinger, F Christopher; Weber, Randal S

2008-01-01

Thyroid carcinoma invasion of the aerodigestive tract and recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) are important factors with increase in morbidity and mortality. Primary treatment is surgery; the decision about the extent of surgery is difficult, because preserving function is as essential as removal of the tumor. This article discusses the literature relating to the assessment of disease, surgical management, and adjuvant therapy for invasive thyroid cancer of the aerodigestive tract and RLN and makes suggestions based on the authors' experience.

Longitudinal Study of White Matter Development and Outcomes in Children Born Very Preterm.

PubMed

Young, Julia M; Morgan, Benjamin R; Whyte, Hilary E A; Lee, Wayne; Smith, Mary Lou; Raybaud, Charles; Shroff, Manohar M; Sled, John G; Taylor, Margot J

2017-08-01

Identifying trajectories of early white matter development is important for understanding atypical brain development and impaired functional outcomes in children born very preterm (<32 weeks gestational age [GA]). In this study, 161 diffusion images were acquired in children born very preterm (median GA: 29 weeks) shortly following birth (75), term-equivalent (39), 2 years (18), and 4 years of age (29). Diffusion tensors were computed to obtain measures of fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD), which were aligned and averaged. A paediatric atlas was applied to obtain diffusion metrics within 12 white matter tracts. Developmental trajectories across time points demonstrated age-related changes which plateaued between term-equivalent and 2 years of age in the majority of posterior tracts and between 2 and 4 years of age in anterior tracts. Between preterm and term-equivalent scans, FA rates of change were slower in anterior than posterior tracts. Partial least squares analyses revealed associations between slower MD and RD rates of change within the external and internal capsule with lower intelligence quotients and language scores at 4 years of age. These results uniquely demonstrate early white matter development and its linkage to cognitive functions. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Mechanosensitive Piezo Channels in the Gastrointestinal Tract.

PubMed

Alcaino, C; Farrugia, G; Beyder, A

2017-01-01

Sensation of mechanical forces is critical for normal function of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and abnormalities in mechanosensation are linked to GI pathologies. In the GI tract there are several mechanosensitive cell types-epithelial enterochromaffin cells, intrinsic and extrinsic enteric neurons, smooth muscle cells and interstitial cells of Cajal. These cells use mechanosensitive ion channels that respond to mechanical forces by altering transmembrane ionic currents in a process called mechanoelectrical coupling. Several mechanosensitive ionic conductances have been identified in the mechanosensory GI cells, ranging from mechanosensitive voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels to the mechanogated ion channels, such as the two-pore domain potassium channels K2P (TREK-1) and nonselective cation channels from the transient receptor potential family. The recently discovered Piezo channels are increasingly recognized as significant contributors to cellular mechanosensitivity. Piezo1 and Piezo2 are nonselective cationic ion channels that are directly activated by mechanical forces and have well-defined biophysical and pharmacologic properties. The role of Piezo channels in the GI epithelium is currently under investigation and their role in the smooth muscle syncytium and enteric neurons is still not known. In this review, we outline the current state of knowledge on mechanosensitive ion channels in the GI tract, with a focus on the known and potential functions of the Piezo channels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinical Presentations and Epidemiology of Urinary Tract Infections.

PubMed

Geerlings, Suzanne E

2016-10-01

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common bacterial infections, and the incidence in women is much higher than in men. The diagnosis of a UTI can be made based on a combination of symptoms and a positive urine analysis or culture. Most UTIs are uncomplicated UTIs, defined as cystitis in a woman who is not pregnant, is not immunocompromised, has no anatomical and functional abnormalities of the urogenital tract, and does not exhibit signs of tissue invasion and systemic infection. All UTIs that are not uncomplicated are considered to be complicated UTIs. Differentiation between uncomplicated and complicated UTIs has implications for therapy because the risks of complications or treatment failure are increased for patients with a complicated UTI. Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) is defined as the presence of a positive urine culture collected from a patient without symptoms of a UTI. Concerning the complicated UTI, it is possible to make a differentiation between UTI with systemic symptoms (febrile UTI) and UTI in a host, which carries an increased risk to develop complications of this UTI. Febrile UTIs are urosepsis, pyelonephritis, and prostatitis. A complicated host is defined as one that has an increased risk for complications, to which the following groups belong: men, pregnant women, immunocompromised patients, or those who have an anatomical or functional abnormality of the urogenital tract (e.g., spinal cord-injury patients, renal stones, urinary catheter).

Queue up, please! Spermathecal filling in the rove beetle Drusilla canaliculata (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werner, Michael; Gack, Claudia; Speck, Thomas; Peschke, Klaus

2007-10-01

Most studies on insect sperm motility have been conducted in vitro using artificial environments outside the animal’s body. Only little is known about the function of motile insect sperm at different sites within the male or female genital tracts. We dissected genital tracts of female rove beetles ( Drusilla canaliculata) to show that spermatozoa use their own motility to migrate from the spermatophore into the spermatheca. Our dissection method allowed direct observation and filming of the spermathecal filling process inside the female’s genital tract. Spermatozoa were found to enter the spermatheca individually, sometimes in groups of two or three. Although exhibiting only weak motility and no progressive motion in buffer solution, the spermatozoa inside the female show vigorous lashing and reach an average velocity of 47.5 μm s-1. To gain mobility and speed, the spermatozoa likely utilize the relatively small diameter of the spermathecal duct to push themselves off the duct walls, rather than swimming freely in seminal fluid. The spermatozoa (approximately 1,250 μm) are considerably longer than the distance they have to travel along the spermathecal duct (approximately 800 μm). Our study provides the first direct observation of active sperm migration within the female of an insect stressing the importance of the genital tract as a prerequisite for functional sperm motility.

Phenotypic variation in Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis isolates derived from intestinal tracts of marine and freshwater fish.

PubMed

Itoi, S; Yuasa, K; Washio, S; Abe, T; Ikuno, E; Sugita, H

2009-09-01

We compared phenotypic characteristics of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis derived from different sources including the intestinal tract of marine fish and freshwater fish, and cheese starter culture. In the phylogenetic analysis based on partial 16S rRNA gene nucleotide sequences (1371 bp), freshwater fish-, marine fish- and cheese starter culture-derived strains were identical to that of L. lactis subsp. lactis previously reported. Fermentation profiles determined using the API 50 CH system were similar except for fermentation of several sugars including l-arabinose, mannitol, amygdalin, saccharose, trehalose, inulin and gluconate. The strains did have distinct levels of halotolerance: marine fish-derived strains > cheese starter-derived strain > freshwater fish-derived isolate. Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis showed extensive diversity in phenotypic adaptation to various environments. The phenotypic properties of these strains suggested that L. lactis subsp. lactis strains from fish intestine have additional functions compared with the cheese starter-derived strain that has previously described. The unique phenotypic traits of the fish intestinal tract-derived L. lactis subsp. lactis might make them useful as a probiotics in aquaculture, and contribute to the development of functional foods and novel food additives, since the strains derived from fish intestines might have additional functions such as antibacterial activity.

FANCJ helicase controls the balance between short- and long-tract gene conversions between sister chromatids

PubMed Central

Nath, Sarmi; Somyajit, Kumar; Mishra, Anup; Scully, Ralph

2017-01-01

Abstract The FANCJ DNA helicase is linked to hereditary breast and ovarian cancers as well as bone marrow failure disorder Fanconi anemia (FA). Although FANCJ has been implicated in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by homologous recombination (HR), the molecular mechanism underlying the tumor suppressor functions of FANCJ remains obscure. Here, we demonstrate that FANCJ deficient human and hamster cells exhibit reduction in the overall gene conversions in response to a site-specific chromosomal DSB induced by I-SceI endonuclease. Strikingly, the gene conversion events were biased in favour of long-tract gene conversions in FANCJ depleted cells. The fine regulation of short- (STGC) and long-tract gene conversions (LTGC) by FANCJ was dependent on its interaction with BRCA1 tumor suppressor. Notably, helicase activity of FANCJ was essential for controlling the overall HR and in terminating the extended repair synthesis during sister chromatid recombination (SCR). Moreover, cells expressing FANCJ pathological mutants exhibited defective SCR with an increased frequency of LTGC. These data unravel the novel function of FANCJ helicase in regulating SCR and SCR associated gene amplification/duplications and imply that these functions of FANCJ are crucial for the genome maintenance and tumor suppression. PMID:28911102

On the effect specificity of accessory gland products transferred by the love-dart of land snails.

PubMed

Lodi, Monica; Koene, Joris M

2016-05-13

Sexual selection favours the evolution of male bioactive substances transferred during mating to enhance male reproductive success by affecting female physiology. These effects are mainly well documented for separate-sexed species. In simultaneous hermaphrodites, one of the most peculiar examples of transfer of such substances is via stabbing a so-called love-dart in land snails. This calcareous stylet delivers mucous products produced by accessory glands into the mate's haemolymph. In Cornu aspersum, this mucus temporarily causes two changes in the recipient. First, the spermatophore uptake into the spermatophore-receiving organ, called diverticulum, is probably favoured by contractions of this organ. Second, the amount of stored sperm increases by contractions of the copulatory canal, which close off the tract leading to the sperm digesting organ. However, it has yet to be determined whether these effects are similar across species, which would imply a common strategy of the dart in increasing male reproductive success. We performed a cross-reactivity test to compare the in vitro response of the diverticulum and copulatory canal of C. aspersum (Helicidae) to its own and other species' mucus (seven helicids and one bradybaenid). We found that the contractions in the diverticulum were only induced by dart mucus of certain species, while the copulatory canal responded equally to all but one species' mucus tested. In addition, we report a newly-discovered effect causing the shortening of the diverticulum, which is also only caused by dart mucus of certain species. The advantage seems to be a distance reduction to the sperm storage organ. All these findings are the first to shed light on the evolution of the different functions of accessory gland products in dart-bearing species. These functions may be achieved via common physiological changes caused by the substances contained in the dart mucus, since the responses evoked were similar across species' mucus. Moreover, while these substances can act similarly in separate-sexed species as in simultaneous hermaphrodites, differences may occur in their evolution between the two sexual systems.

The role and regulation of catalase in respiratory tract opportunistic bacterial pathogens.

PubMed

Eason, Mia M; Fan, Xin

2014-09-01

Respiratory tract bacterial pathogens are the etiologic agents of a variety of illnesses. The ability of these bacteria to cause disease is imparted through survival within the host and avoidance of pathogen clearance by the immune system. Respiratory tract pathogens are continually bombarded by reactive oxygen species (ROS), which may be produced by competing bacteria, normal metabolic function, or host immunological responses. In order to survive and proliferate, bacteria have adapted defense mechanisms to circumvent the effects of ROS. Bacteria employ the use of anti-oxidant enzymes, catalases and catalase-peroxidases, to relieve the effects of the oxidative stressors to which they are continually exposed. The decomposition of ROS has been shown to provide favorable conditions in which respiratory tract opportunistic bacterial pathogens such as Haemophilus influenzae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Legionella pneumophila, and Neisseria meningitidis are able to withstand exposure to highly reactive molecules and yet survive. Bacteria possessing mutations in the catalase gene have a decreased survival rate, yet may be able to compensate for the lack of catalatic activity if peroxidatic activity is present. An incomplete knowledge of the mechanisms by which catalase and catalase-peroxidases are regulated still persists, however, in some bacterial species, a regulatory factor known as OxyR has been shown to either up-regulate or down-regulate catalase gene expression. Yet, more research is still needed to increase the knowledge base in relation to this enzyme class. As with this review, we focus on major respiratory tract opportunistic bacterial pathogens in order to elucidate the function and regulation of catalases. The importance of the research could lead to the development of novel treatments against respiratory bacterial infections. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bacterial factors in the formation of renal scars. An experimental study on the role of Escherichia coli P-fimbriation and hydrophobicity.

PubMed

Arnold, A J; Sunderland, D; Rickwood, A M; Hart, C A

1993-11-01

A model capable of comparing the effects of bacterial virulence factors on renal scarring in vivo has been developed using the female piglet. By creating, at open surgery, unilateral vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) and quantifying scarring both by uptake of an isotope bound to functioning renal parenchyma and by planimetry of the surface area scarred, the effects of 2 organisms, a P-fimbriate Escherichia coli and an E. coli K1 have been compared. The P-fimbriate E. coli was shown to express P-fimbriae in freshly voided urine, was more hydrophobic and produced smaller scars. This indicates that neither the hydrophobicity nor P-fimbriation of the organism causing urinary tract infection (UTI) is of prime importance for the development of renal scars and is evidence against the "big bang" theory for the development of renal scars. Studies on the association of UTI with VUR showed that infection with both E. coli under study led to VUR on the side contralateral to the side undergoing surgery. It seems likely that a non-specific effect of UTI, such as bladder oedema, is responsible for this acquired VUR. An effect of the 2 bacteria under study on the lower urinary tract was observed in that infection with the P-fimbriate E. coli allowed the retention of an intravesical wax plug, whereas infection with E. coli K1 did not. Epidemiological data have shown that the majority of upper urinary tract infections in children are associated with UTI by P-fimbriate organisms. Such an association may be explained in part by an effect of P-fimbriate bacteria on lower urinary tract function rather than an effect on the upper urinary tract.

Enteral nutrition volume is not correlated with lower respiratory tract infection in patients on mechanical ventilation.

PubMed

Colomar, A; Guardiola, B; Llompart-Pou, J A; Ayestarán, I; Rodríguez-Pilar, J; Ferreruela, M; Raurich, J M

To evaluate the effect of enteral nutrition volume, gastrointestinal function and the type of acid suppressive drug upon the incidence of lower respiratory tract infections in critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation (MV). A retrospective secondary analysis was carried out. The Intensive Care Unit of a University Hospital. Patients≥18-years-old expected to need MV for more than four days, and receiving enteral nutrition by nasogastric tube within 24h of starting MV. We correlated enteral nutrition volume administered during the first 10 days, gastrointestinal function and the type of acid suppressive therapy with the episodes of lower respiratory tract infection up until day 28. Cox proportional hazards ratios in univariate and adjusted multivariate models were used. Statistical significance was considered for p<0.05. Lower respiratory tract infection episodes. Sixty-six out of 185 patients (35.7%) had infection; 27 patients had ventilator-associated pneumonia; and 39 presented ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis. Uninfected and infected groups were similar in terms of enteral nutrition volume (54±12 and 54±9mL/h; p=0.94) and caloric intake (19.4±4.9 and 19.6±5.2kcal/kg/d; p=0.81). The Cox proportional hazards model showed neurological indication of MV to be the only independent variable related to infection (p=0.001). Enteral nutrition volume, the type of acid suppressive therapy, and the use of prokinetic agents were not significantly correlated to infection. Enteral nutrition volume and caloric intake, gastrointestinal dysfunction and the type of acid suppressive therapy used were not associated to lower respiratory tract infection in patients on MV. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

Ribonucleases 6 and 7 have antimicrobial function in the human and murine urinary tract

PubMed Central

Becknell, Brian; Eichler, Tad; Beceiro, Susana; Li, Birong; Easterling, Robert; Carpenter, Ashley R.; James, Cindy; McHugh, Kirk M.; Hains, David S.; Partida-Sanchez, Santiago; Spencer, John David

2014-01-01

Recent evidence suggests antimicrobial peptides protect the urinary tract from infection. Ribonuclease 7 (RNase 7), a member of the RNase A superfamily, is a potent epithelial-derived protein that maintains human urinary tract sterility. RNase 7 expression is restricted to primates, limiting evaluation of its antimicrobial activity in vivo. Here we identified Ribonuclease 6 (RNase 6) as the RNase A Superfamily member present in humans and mice that is most conserved at the amino acid level relative to RNase 7. Like RNase 7, recombinant human and murine RNase 6 has potent antimicrobial activity against uropathogens. Quantitative real-time PCR and immunoblot analysis indicate that RNase 6 mRNA and protein are up-regulated in the human and murine urinary tract during infection. Immunostaining located RNase 6 to resident and infiltrating monocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils. Uropathogenic E. coli induces RNase 6 peptide expression in human CD14+ monocytes and murine bone marrow derived macrophages. Thus, RNase 6 is an inducible, myeloid-derived protein with markedly different expression from the epithelial-derived RNase 7 but with equally potent antimicrobial activity. Our studies suggest RNase 6 serves as an evolutionarily conserved antimicrobial peptide that participates in the maintenance of urinary tract sterility. PMID:25075772

Inter-individual differences in audio-motor learning of piano melodies and white matter fiber tract architecture.

PubMed

Engel, Annerose; Hijmans, Brenda S; Cerliani, Leonardo; Bangert, Marc; Nanetti, Luca; Keller, Peter E; Keysers, Christian

2014-05-01

Humans vary substantially in their ability to learn new motor skills. Here, we examined inter-individual differences in learning to play the piano, with the goal of identifying relations to structural properties of white matter fiber tracts relevant to audio-motor learning. Non-musicians (n = 18) learned to perform three short melodies on a piano keyboard in a pure audio-motor training condition (vision of their own fingers was occluded). Initial learning times ranged from 17 to 120 min (mean ± SD: 62 ± 29 min). Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging was used to derive the fractional anisotropy (FA), an index of white matter microstructural arrangement. A correlation analysis revealed that higher FA values were associated with faster learning of piano melodies. These effects were observed in the bilateral corticospinal tracts, bundles of axons relevant for the execution of voluntary movements, and the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, a tract important for audio-motor transformations. These results suggest that the speed with which novel complex audio-motor skills can be acquired may be determined by variability in structural properties of white matter fiber tracts connecting brain areas functionally relevant for audio-motor learning. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Investigation into the fungal diversity within different regions of the gastrointestinal tract of Panaque nigrolineatus, a wood-eating fish.

PubMed

Marden, Caroline L; McDonald, Ryan; Schreier, Harold J; Watts, Joy E M

2017-01-01

The Amazonian catfish, Panaque nigrolineatus have several physiological adaptions enabling the scraping and consumption of wood (xylivory), facilitating a detritivorous dietary strategy. Composed of lignocellulose, wood is a difficult substrate to degrade and as yet, it is unclear whether the fish obtains any direct nutritional benefits from wood ingestion and degradation. However, there are numerous systems that rely on microbial symbioses to provide energy and other nutritional benefits for host organisms via lignocellulose decomposition. While previous studies on the microbial community of P. nigrolineatus have focused upon the bacterial population, the role of fungi in lignocellulose degradation in the fish has not yet been examined. This study describes the detection of fungi within the fish gastrointestinal tract. Using next generation sequencing, the effects of diet on enteric fungal populations were examined in each gastrointestinal tract region. Fungal species were found to vary in different regions of the gastrointestinal tract as a function of diet. This study is the first to examine the fungal community in a xylivorous fish and results support the hypothesis that diet influences fungal distribution and diversity within the gastrointestinal tract of P. nigrolineatus .

On the functional anatomy of the nucleus of the optic tract-dorsal terminal nucleus commissural connection in the opossum (Didelphis marsupialis aurita).

PubMed

Vargas, C D; Volchan, E; Hokoç, J N; Pereira, A; Bernardes, R F; Rocha-Miranda, C E

1997-01-01

Immunocytochemical methods revealed the presence of GABA in cell bodies and terminals in the nucleus of the optic tract-dorsal terminal nucleus, the medial terminal nucleus, the lateral terminal nucleus and the interstitial nucleus of the superior fasciculus of the opossum (Didelphis marsupialis aurita). Moreover, after unilateral injections of rhodamine beads in the nucleus of the optic tract-dorsal terminal nucleus complex and processing for GABA, double-labelled cells were detected in the ipsilateral complex, up to 400 microns from the injected site, but not in the opposite. Analysis of the distributions of GABAergic and retrogradely-labelled cells throughout the contralateral nucleus of the optic tract-dorsal terminal nucleus showed that the highest density of GABAergic and rhodamine-labelled cells overlapped at the middle third of the complex. Previous electrophysiological data obtained in the opossum had suggested the existence, under certain conditions, of an inhibitory action between the nucleus of the optic tract-dorsal terminal nucleus of one side over the other. The absence of GABAergic commissural neurons may imply that this inhibition is mediated by an excitatory commissural pathway that activates GABAergic interneurons.

An exploratory analysis linking neuropsychological testing to quantification of tractography using High Definition Fiber Tracking (HDFT) in military TBI.

PubMed

Presson, Nora; Beers, Sue R; Morrow, Lisa; Wagener, Lauren M; Bird, William A; Van Eman, Gina; Krishnaswamy, Deepa; Penderville, Joshua; Borrasso, Allison J; Benso, Steven; Puccio, Ava; Fissell, Catherine; Okonkwo, David O; Schneider, Walter

2015-09-01

To realize the potential value of tractography in traumatic brain injury (TBI), we must identify metrics that provide meaningful information about functional outcomes. The current study explores quantitative metrics describing the spatial properties of tractography from advanced diffusion imaging (High Definition Fiber Tracking, HDFT). In a small number of right-handed males from military TBI (N = 7) and civilian control (N = 6) samples, both tract homologue symmetry and tract spread (proportion of brain mask voxels contacted) differed for several tracts among civilian controls and extreme groups in the TBI sample (high scorers and low scorers) for verbal recall, serial reaction time, processing speed index, and trail-making. Notably, proportion of voxels contacted in the arcuate fasciculus distinguished high and low performers on the CVLT-II and PSI, potentially reflecting linguistic task demands, and GFA in the left corticospinal tract distinguished high and low performers in PSI and Trail Making Test Part A, potentially reflecting right hand motor response demands. The results suggest that, for advanced diffusion imaging, spatial properties of tractography may add analytic value to measures of tract anisotropy.

Symbolic Regression for the Estimation of Transfer Functions of Hydrological Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klotz, D.; Herrnegger, M.; Schulz, K.

2017-11-01

Current concepts for parameter regionalization of spatially distributed rainfall-runoff models rely on the a priori definition of transfer functions that globally map land surface characteristics (such as soil texture, land use, and digital elevation) into the model parameter space. However, these transfer functions are often chosen ad hoc or derived from small-scale experiments. This study proposes and tests an approach for inferring the structure and parametrization of possible transfer functions from runoff data to potentially circumvent these difficulties. The concept uses context-free grammars to generate possible proposition for transfer functions. The resulting structure can then be parametrized with classical optimization techniques. Several virtual experiments are performed to examine the potential for an appropriate estimation of transfer function, all of them using a very simple conceptual rainfall-runoff model with data from the Austrian Mur catchment. The results suggest that a priori defined transfer functions are in general well identifiable by the method. However, the deduction process might be inhibited, e.g., by noise in the runoff observation data, often leading to transfer function estimates of lower structural complexity.

First-and Second-Order Displacement Transfer Functions for Structural Shape Calculations Using Analytically Predicted Surface Strains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ko, William L.; Fleischer, Van Tran

2012-01-01

New first- and second-order displacement transfer functions have been developed for deformed shape calculations of nonuniform cross-sectional beam structures such as aircraft wings. The displacement transfer functions are expressed explicitly in terms of beam geometrical parameters and surface strains (uniaxial bending strains) obtained at equally spaced strain stations along the surface of the beam structure. By inputting the measured or analytically calculated surface strains into the displacement transfer functions, one could calculate local slopes, deflections, and cross-sectional twist angles of the nonuniform beam structure for mapping the overall structural deformed shapes for visual display. The accuracy of deformed shape calculations by the first- and second-order displacement transfer functions are determined by comparing these values to the analytically predicted values obtained from finite element analyses. This comparison shows that the new displacement transfer functions could quite accurately calculate the deformed shapes of tapered cantilever tubular beams with different tapered angles. The accuracy of the present displacement transfer functions also are compared to those of the previously developed displacement transfer functions.

Neuromodulation and Neurorehabilitation for Treatment of Functional Deficits after TBI Plus PTSD

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

or not these changes correlate with improving neurobehavioral function. Aim III will examine the effect of rTMS on white fiber tracts and whether or...not the rTMS-related effects correlate with improving neurobehavioral function. Aim IV addresses the need to confirm rTMS safety for severe TBI. 15

Proteins containing expanded polyglutamine tracts and neurodegenerative disease

PubMed Central

Adegbuyiro, Adewale; Sedighi, Faezeh; Pilkington, Albert W.; Groover, Sharon; Legleiter, Justin

2017-01-01

Several hereditary neurological and neuromuscular diseases are caused by an abnormal expansion of trinucleotide repeats. To date, there have been ten of these trinucleotide repeat disorders associated with an expansion of the codon CAG encoding glutamine (Q). For these polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases, there is a critical threshold length of the CAG repeat required for disease, and further expansion beyond this threshold is correlated with age of onset and symptom severity. PolyQ expansion in the translated proteins promotes their self-assembly into a variety of oligomeric and fibrillar aggregate species that accumulate into the hallmark proteinaceous inclusion bodies associated with each disease. Here, we review aggregation mechanisms of proteins with expanded polyQ-tracts, structural consequences of expanded polyQ ranging from monomers to fibrillar aggregates, the impact of protein context and post translational modifications on aggregation, and a potential role for lipids membranes in aggregation. As the pathogenic mechanisms that underlie these disorders are often classified as either a gain of toxic function or loss of normal protein function, some toxic mechanisms associated with mutant polyQ tracts will also be discussed. PMID:28170216

Microbial Ecology along the Gastrointestinal Tract

PubMed Central

Hillman, Ethan T.; Lu, Hang; Yao, Tianming; Nakatsu, Cindy H.

2017-01-01

The ecosystem of the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract traverses a number of environmental, chemical, and physical conditions because it runs from the oral cavity to the anus. These differences in conditions along with food or other ingested substrates affect the composition and density of the microbiota as well as their functional roles by selecting those that are the most suitable for that environment. Previous studies have mostly focused on Bacteria, with the number of studies conducted on Archaea, Eukarya, and Viruses being limited despite their important roles in this ecosystem. Furthermore, due to the challenges associated with collecting samples directly from the inside of humans, many studies are still exploratory, with a primary focus on the composition of microbiomes. Thus, mechanistic studies to investigate functions are conducted using animal models. However, differences in physiology and microbiomes need to be clarified in order to aid in the translation of animal model findings into the context of humans. This review will highlight Bacteria, Archaea, Fungi, and Viruses, discuss differences along the GI tract of healthy humans, and perform comparisons with three common animal models: rats, mice, and pigs. PMID:29129876

Origins and activation of prophenoloxidases in the digestive tract of the cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus.

PubMed

Joseph, Woodring

2014-10-01

The function of Phenoloxidases (POs) in sclerotization and defense in insects is well understood, but little is known concerning their occurrence, origins, and function in the digestive tract. In Gyrllus bimaculatus gut all of the PO activity is found in the lumen of the digestive tract, and no detectible activity is found in homogenates of the gut epithelium or secretions from incubated epithelial tissues. Prophenoloxidases (PPOs) are synthesized in the hemocytes of  Bombyx mori and are transported into the cuticle. It is suggested that the PPOs in the caecal lumen of G. bimaculatus likewise are synthesized in hemocytes and are transported by unknown means into the caecal lumen, where they are activated to POs by trypsin. Peristalsis transports the POs both forward into the crop and posterior within the peritrophic membrane into the hind gut. The PPOs in the hemolymph consist of a trimer (270-280 kDa) and a tetramer (340-370 kDa). The active POs in the gut lumen consist of a monomer (85-95 kDa) in addition to an activated trimer and tetramer. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Structural white matter asymmetries in relation to functional asymmetries during speech perception and production.

PubMed

Ocklenburg, Sebastian; Hugdahl, Kenneth; Westerhausen, René

2013-12-01

Functional hemispheric asymmetries of speech production and perception are a key feature of the human language system, but their neurophysiological basis is still poorly understood. Using a combined fMRI and tract-based spatial statistics approach, we investigated the relation of microstructural asymmetries in language-relevant white matter pathways and functional activation asymmetries during silent verb generation and passive listening to spoken words. Tract-based spatial statistics revealed several leftward asymmetric clusters in the arcuate fasciculus and uncinate fasciculus that were differentially related to activation asymmetries in the two functional tasks. Frontal and temporal activation asymmetries during silent verb generation were positively related to the strength of specific microstructural white matter asymmetries in the arcuate fasciculus. In contrast, microstructural uncinate fasciculus asymmetries were related to temporal activation asymmetries during passive listening. These findings suggest that white matter asymmetries may indeed be one of the factors underlying functional hemispheric asymmetries. Moreover, they also show that specific localized white matter asymmetries might be of greater relevance for functional activation asymmetries than microstructural features of whole pathways. © 2013.

Aging and recurrent urinary tract infections are associated with bladder dysfunction in type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Lin, Tzu-Li; Chen, Gin-Den; Chen, Yi-Ching; Huang, Chien-Ning; Ng, Soo-Cheen

2012-09-01

The objective of this study was to demonstrate the diversity of urodynamic findings and temporal effects on bladder dysfunction in diabetes as well as to evaluate the predisposing factors that attenuate the storage and voiding function of diabetic women. In this prospective study, 181 women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and lower urinary tract dysfunction underwent complete urogynecological evaluations and urodynamic studies. The patients' histories of DM and the treatment agents used were documented from chart records and interviews. The urodynamic diagnoses were recategorized into two groups for comparison, namely overactive detrusor (detrusor overactivity and/or increased bladder sensation as well as mixed incontinence) and voiding dysfunction (detrusor hyperactivity with insufficient contractility and detrusor underactivity with poor voiding efficiency) in order to evaluate the temporal effect of DM on diabetic bladder dysfunction. The development of bladder dysfunction showed a trend involving time-dependent progression, beginning with storage problems (i.e. advancing from urodynamic stress incontinence to detrusor overactivity and/or increased bladder sensation) and eventually led to impaired voiding function. The duration of DM relative to the urodynamic diagnoses of these women was longer in women with voiding dysfunction (6.8 ± 2.8 years with urodynamic stress incontinence, 7.3 ± 6.5 years with detrusor overactivity and/or increased bladder sensation, and 10.4 ± 8.3 years with women with voiding dysfunction). Notwithstanding these findings, stepwise logistic regression analysis indicated that age and recurrent urinary tract infections were the two independent factors associated with developing voiding dysfunction. The urodynamic study revealed a temporal effect on bladder function, and women with diabetic voiding dysfunction were found to have had a longer duration of DM than women with an overactive detrusor. However, aging and recurrent urinary tract infections are the two independent factors that contribute to impaired voiding function and diabetic bladder dysfunction. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Interfacing 1990 US Census TIGER map files with New S graphics software. [Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER)

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

Rizzardi, M.; Mohr, M.S.; Merrill, D.W.

1992-07-01

In 1990, the United States Bureau of the Census released detailed geographic base files known as TIGER/Line (Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing) which contain detail on the physical features and census tract boundaries of every county in the United States. The TIGER database is attractive for two reasons. First, it is publicly available through the Bureau of the Census on tape or cd-rom for a minimal fee. Second, it contains 24 billion characters of data which describe geographic features of interest to the Census Bureau such as coastlines, hydrography, transportation networks, political boundaries, etc. Unfortunately, the large TIGER databasemore » only provides raw alphanumeric data; no utility software, graphical or otherwise, is included. On the other hand New S, a popular statistical software package by AT T, has easily operated functions that permit advanced graphics in conjunction with data analysis. New S has the ability to plot contours, lines, segments, and points. However, of special interest is the New S function map and its options. Using the map function, which requires polygons as input, census tracts can be quickly selected, plotted, shaded, etc. New S graphics combined with the TIGER database has obvious potential. This paper reports on our efforts to use the TIGER map files with New S, especially to construct census tract maps of counties. While census tract boundaries are inherently polygonal, they are not organized as such in the TIGER database. This conversion of the TIGER line'' format into New S polygon/polyline'' format is one facet of the work reported here. Also we discuss the selection and extraction of auxiliary geographic information from TIGER files for graphical display using New S.« less

Interfacing 1990 US Census TIGER map files with New S graphics software

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

Rizzardi, M.; Mohr, M.S.; Merrill, D.W.

1992-07-01

In 1990, the United States Bureau of the Census released detailed geographic base files known as TIGER/Line (Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing) which contain detail on the physical features and census tract boundaries of every county in the United States. The TIGER database is attractive for two reasons. First, it is publicly available through the Bureau of the Census on tape or cd-rom for a minimal fee. Second, it contains 24 billion characters of data which describe geographic features of interest to the Census Bureau such as coastlines, hydrography, transportation networks, political boundaries, etc. Unfortunately, the large TIGER databasemore » only provides raw alphanumeric data; no utility software, graphical or otherwise, is included. On the other hand New S, a popular statistical software package by AT&T, has easily operated functions that permit advanced graphics in conjunction with data analysis. New S has the ability to plot contours, lines, segments, and points. However, of special interest is the New S function map and its options. Using the map function, which requires polygons as input, census tracts can be quickly selected, plotted, shaded, etc. New S graphics combined with the TIGER database has obvious potential. This paper reports on our efforts to use the TIGER map files with New S, especially to construct census tract maps of counties. While census tract boundaries are inherently polygonal, they are not organized as such in the TIGER database. This conversion of the TIGER ``line`` format into New S ``polygon/polyline`` format is one facet of the work reported here. Also we discuss the selection and extraction of auxiliary geographic information from TIGER files for graphical display using New S.« less

Imaging Findings Associated with Cognitive Performance in Primary Lateral Sclerosis and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Meoded, Avner; Kwan, Justin Y.; Peters, Tracy L.; Huey, Edward D.; Danielian, Laura E.; Wiggs, Edythe; Morrissette, Arthur; Wu, Tianxia; Russell, James W.; Bayat, Elham; Grafman, Jordan; Floeter, Mary Kay

2013-01-01

Introduction Executive dysfunction occurs in many patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but it has not been well studied in primary lateral sclerosis (PLS). The aims of this study were to (1) compare cognitive function in PLS to that in ALS patients, (2) explore the relationship between performance on specific cognitive tests and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics of white matter tracts and gray matter volumes, and (3) compare DTI metrics in patients with and without cognitive and behavioral changes. Methods The Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS), the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (DRS-2), and other behavior and mood scales were administered to 25 ALS patients and 25 PLS patients. Seventeen of the PLS patients, 13 of the ALS patients, and 17 healthy controls underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and DTI. Atlas-based analysis using MRI Studio software was used to measure fractional anisotropy, and axial and radial diffusivity of selected white matter tracts. Voxel-based morphometry was used to assess gray matter volumes. The relationship between diffusion properties of selected association and commissural white matter and performance on executive function and memory tests was explored using a linear regression model. Results More ALS than PLS patients had abnormal scores on the DRS-2. DRS-2 and D-KEFS scores were related to DTI metrics in several long association tracts and the callosum. Reduced gray matter volumes in motor and perirolandic areas were not associated with cognitive scores. Conclusion The changes in diffusion metrics of white matter long association tracts suggest that the loss of integrity of the networks connecting fronto-temporal areas to parietal and occipital areas contributes to cognitive impairment. PMID:24052798

Hemispheric asymmetries in dorsal language pathway white-matter tracts: A magnetic resonance imaging tractography and functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

PubMed

Silva, Guilherme; Citterio, Alberto

2017-10-01

Introduction Previous studies have shown that the arcuate fasciculus has a leftward asymmetry in right-handers that could be correlated with the language lateralisation defined by functional magnetic resonance imaging. Nonetheless, information about the asymmetry of the other fibres that constitute the dorsal language pathway is scarce. Objectives This study investigated the asymmetry of the white-matter tracts involved in the dorsal language pathway through the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) technique, in relation to language hemispheric dominance determined by task-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Methods We selected 11 patients (10 right-handed) who had been studied with task-dependent fMRI for language areas and DTI and who had no language impairment or structural abnormalities that could compromise magnetic resonance tractography of the fibres involved in the dorsal language pathway. Laterality indices (LI) for fMRI and for the volumes of each tract were calculated. Results In fMRI, all the right-handers had left hemispheric lateralisation, and the ambidextrous subject presented right hemispheric dominance. The arcuate fasciculus LI was strongly correlated with fMRI LI ( r = 0.739, p = 0.009), presenting the same lateralisation of fMRI in seven subjects (including the right hemispheric dominant). It was not asymmetric in three cases and had opposite lateralisation in one case. The other tracts presented predominance for rightward lateralisation, especially superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) II/III (nine subjects), but their LI did not correlate (directly or inversely) with fMRI LI. Conclusion The fibres that constitute the dorsal language pathway have an asymmetric distribution in the cerebral hemispheres. Only the asymmetry of the arcuate fasciculus is correlated with fMRI language lateralisation.

A Role for the Chemokine Receptor CCR6 in Mammalian Sperm Motility and Chemotaxis

PubMed Central

Caballero-Campo, Pedro; Buffone, Mariano G.; Benencia, Fabian; Conejo-García, José R.; Rinaudo, Paolo F.; Gerton, George L.

2013-01-01

Although recent evidence indicates that several chemokines and defensins, well-known as inflammatory mediators, are expressed in the male and female reproductive tracts, the location and functional significance of chemokine networks in sperm physiology and sperm reproductive tract interactions are poorly understood. To address this deficiency in our knowledge, we examined the expression and function in sperm of CCR6, a receptor common to several chemoattractant peptides, and screened several reproductive tract fluids for the presence of specific ligands. CCR6 protein is present in mouse and human sperm and mainly localized in the sperm tail with other minor patterns in sperm from mice (neck and acrosomal region) and men (neck and midpiece regions). As expected from the protein immunoblotting and immunofluorescence results, mouse Ccr6 mRNA is expressed in the testis. Furthermore, the Defb29 mRNA encoding the CCR6 ligand, β-defensin DEFB29, is expressed at high levels in the epididymis. As determined by protein chip analysis, several chemokines (including some that act through CCR6, such as CCL20/MIP-3α (formerly Macrophage Inflammatory Protein 3α) and protein hormones were present in human follicular fluid, endometrial secretions, and seminal plasma. In functional chemotaxis assays, capacitated human sperm exhibited a directional movement towards CCL20, and displayed modifications in motility parameters. Our data indicate that chemokine ligand/receptor interactions in the male and female genital tracts promote sperm motility and chemotaxis under non-inflammatory conditions. Therefore, some of the physiological reactions mediated by CCR6 ligands in male reproduction extend beyond a pro-inflammatory response and might find application in clinical reproduction and/or contraception. PMID:23765988

Contemporary Commercial Music Singing Students-Voice Quality and Vocal Function at the Beginning of Singing Training.

PubMed

Sielska-Badurek, Ewelina M; Sobol, Maria; Olszowska, Katarzyna; Niemczyk, Kazimierz

2017-10-03

The purpose of this study was to assess the voice quality and the vocal tract function in popular singing students at the beginning of their singing training at the High School of Music. This is a retrospective cross-sectional study. The study consisted of 45 popular singing students (35 females and 10 males, mean age: 19.9 ± 2.8 years). They were assessed in the first 2 months of their 4-year singing training at the High School of Music, between 2013 and 2016. Voice quality and vocal tract function were evaluated using videolaryngostroboscopy, palpation of the vocal tract structures, the perceptual speaking and singing voice assessment, acoustic analysis, maximal phonation time, the Voice Handicap Index, and the Singing Voice Handicap Index (SVHI). Twenty-two percent of Contemporary Commercial Music singing students began their education in the High School, with vocal nodules. Palpation of the vocal tract structure showed in 50% correct motions and tension in speaking and in 39.3% in singing. Perceptual voice assessment showed in 80% proper speaking voice quality and in 82.4% proper singing voice quality. The mean vocal fundamental frequency while speaking in females was 214 Hz and in males was 116 Hz. Dysphonia Severity Index was at the level of 2, and maximum phonation time was 17.7 seconds. The Voice Handicap Index and the SVHI remained within the normal range: 7.5 and 19, respectively. Perceptual singing voice assessment correlated with the SVHI (P = 0.006). Twenty-two percent of the Contemporary Commercial Music singing students began their education in the High School, with organic vocal fold lesions. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Structural connectivity of the anterior cingulate in children with unilateral cerebral palsy due to white matter lesions

PubMed Central

Scheck, Simon M.; Pannek, Kerstin; Raffelt, David A.; Fiori, Simona; Boyd, Roslyn N.; Rose, Stephen E.

2015-01-01

In this work we investigate the structural connectivity of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and its link with impaired executive function in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP) due to periventricular white matter lesions. Fifty two children with UCP and 17 children with typical development participated in the study, and underwent diffusion and structural MRI. Five brain regions were identified for their high connectivity with the ACC using diffusion MRI fibre tractography: the superior frontal gyrus, medial orbitofrontal cortex, rostral middle frontal gyrus, precuneus and isthmus cingulate. Structural connectivity was assessed in pathways connecting these regions to the ACC using three diffusion MRI derived measures: fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD) and apparent fibre density (AFD), and compared between participant groups. Furthermore we investigated correlations of these measures with executive function as assessed by the Flanker task. The ACC–precuneus tract had significantly different MD (p < 0.0001) and AFD (p = 0.0072) between groups, with post-hoc analysis showing significantly increased MD in the right hemisphere of children with left hemiparesis compared with controls. The ACC–superior frontal gyrus tract had significantly different FA (p = 0.0049) and MD (p = 0.0031) between groups. AFD in this tract (contralateral to side of hemiparesis; right hemisphere in controls) showed a significant relationship with Flanker task performance (p = 0.0045, β = −0.5856), suggesting that reduced connectivity correlates with executive dysfunction. Reduced structural integrity of ACC tracts appears to be important in UCP, in particular the connection to the superior frontal gyrus. Although damage to this area is heterogeneous it may be important in early identification of children with impaired executive function. PMID:26640762

Recrudescence Mechanisms and Gene Expression Profile of the Reproductive Tracts from Chickens during the Molting Period

PubMed Central

Ahn, Suzie E.; Lim, Chul-Hong; Lee, Jin-Young; Bae, Seung-Min; Kim, Jinyoung; Bazer, Fuller W.; Song, Gwonhwa

2013-01-01

The reproductive system of chickens undergoes dynamic morphological and functional tissue remodeling during the molting period. The present study identified global gene expression profiles following oviductal tissue regression and regeneration in laying hens in which molting was induced by feeding high levels of zinc in the diet. During the molting and recrudescence processes, progressive morphological and physiological changes included regression and re-growth of reproductive organs and fluctuations in concentrations of testosterone, progesterone, estradiol and corticosterone in blood. The cDNA microarray analysis of oviductal tissues revealed the biological significance of gene expression-based modulation in oviductal tissue during its remodeling. Based on the gene expression profiles, expression patterns of selected genes such as, TF, ANGPTL3, p20K, PTN, AvBD11 and SERPINB3 exhibited similar patterns in expression with gradual decreases during regression of the oviduct and sequential increases during resurrection of the functional oviduct. Also, miR-1689* inhibited expression of Sp1, while miR-17-3p, miR-22* and miR-1764 inhibited expression of STAT1. Similarly, chicken miR-1562 and miR-138 reduced the expression of ANGPTL3 and p20K, respectively. These results suggest that these differentially regulated genes are closely correlated with the molecular mechanism(s) for development and tissue remodeling of the avian female reproductive tract, and that miRNA-mediated regulation of key genes likely contributes to remodeling of the avian reproductive tract by controlling expression of those genes post-transcriptionally. The discovered global gene profiles provide new molecular candidates responsible for regulating morphological and functional recrudescence of the avian reproductive tract, and provide novel insights into understanding the remodeling process at the genomic and epigenomic levels. PMID:24098561

Involvement of Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 (FGF2) and its receptors in the regulation of mouse sperm physiology.

PubMed

Saucedo, Lucia; Sobarzo, Cristian; Brukman, Nicolás; Guidobaldi, Hector Alejandro; Lustig, Livia; Giojalas, Laura Cecilia; Buffone, Mariano Gabriel; Vazquez-Levin, Monica Hebe; Marín-Briggiler, Clara

2018-06-04

Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 (FGF2) and its receptors (FGFRs) have been described in several tissues, where they regulate cellular proliferation, differentiation, motility and apoptosis. Although FGF2/FGFRs expression in the male reproductive tract has been reported, there is scarce evidence on their presence in the female reproductive tract and their involvement in the modulation of sperm function. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the expression of FGF2 in the female reproductive tract and to assess the role of the FGF2/FGFRs system in the regulation of sperm physiology using the murine model. FGF2 was detected in uterus and oviduct protein extracts, and it was immunolocalized in epithelial cells of the uterus, isthmus and ampulla, as well as in the cumulus oophorus-oocyte complex. The receptors FGFR1, FGFR2, FGFR3 and FGFR4 were immunodetected in the flagellum and acrosomal region of sperm recovered from the cauda epididymis. Analysis of testis sections showed the expression of FGFRs in germ cells at different stages of the spermatogenesis, suggesting the testicular origin of the sperm FGFRs. Sperm incubation with recombinant FGF2 (rFGF2) led to increased sperm motility and velocity, and to enhanced intracellular Ca2+ levels and acrosomal loss compared to the control. In conclusion, this study shows that FGF2 is expressed in tissues of the female reproductive tract. Also, the fact that functional FGFRs are present in mouse sperm and that rFGF2 affects sperm motility and acrosomal exocytosis, suggests the involvement of this system in the in vivo regulation of sperm function.

Recurrent uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women: a review.

PubMed

Nosseir, Sandy B; Lind, Lawrence R; Winkler, Harvey A

2012-03-01

Recurrent urinary tract infections most often present with symptoms of irritative voiding. In most cases, they are caused by reinfection with a previously isolated organism. Patients with one or more symptoms of uncomplicated recurrent urinary tract infection should undergo thorough examination and screening for underlying comorbidities that increase susceptibility. When frequent reinfections, empiric treatment relapse, persistent infections, or risk factors for complicated infections are encountered, patients may benefit from urodynamics, cystoscopy, renal ultrasound, intravenous urogram, or voiding cystourethrogram to evaluate for anatomic, functional, or metabolic abnormalities affecting the urinary tract (e.g., stones, stricture, obstruction, vesicoureteral reflux, lesions, detrusor underactivity). These patients may benefit from culture-guided empiric treatment and further evaluation by urology, nephrology, or infectious disease specialists. In patients with a history of uncomplicated urinary tract infections, empiric treatment guided by local antimicrobial resistance may efficiently treat a suspected recurrence. After successful treatment of the acute infection, postcoital prophylaxis, continuous prophylaxis, or self-start empiric treatment may be selected based on frequency of recurrent infections, temporal relation to intercourse, and patient characteristics. Ancillary measures such as probiotics, cranberry products, or local estrogen replacement may also be considered. This article will review the current definition, epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, work-up, treatment, treatment side effects, and prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections in women. A suggested algorithm for evaluation and treatment based on current literature is provided.

Phosphodiesterase inhibitors in clinical urology.

PubMed

Ückert, Stefan; Kuczyk, Markus A; Oelke, Matthias

2013-05-01

To date, benign diseases of the male and female lower urinary and genital tract, such as erectile dysfunction, bladder overactivity, lower urinary tract symptomatology secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia and symptoms of female sexual dysfunction (including arousal and orgasmic disorders), can be therapeutically approached by influencing the function of the smooth musculature of the respective tissues. The use of isoenzyme-selective phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors is considered a great opportunity to treat various diseases of the human urogenital tract. PDE inhibitors, in particular the PDE5 (cyclic GMP PDE) inhibitors avanafil, lodenafil, sildenafil, tadalafil, udenafil and vardenafil, are regarded as efficacious, having a fast onset of drug action and an improved effect-to-adverse event ratio, combining a high response rate with the advantage of an on-demand intake. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent as well as potential future indications, namely, erectile dysfunction, Peyronie's disease, overactive bladder, urinary stone disease, lower urinary tract symptomatology secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia and premature ejaculation, for the use of PDE inhibitors in clinical urology.

Profiles and technological requirements of urogenital probiotics.

PubMed

Nader-Macías, María Elena Fátima; Juárez Tomás, María Silvina

2015-09-15

Probiotics, defined as live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host, are considered a valid and novel alternative for the prevention and treatment of female urogenital tract infections. Lactobacilli, the predominant microorganisms of the healthy human vaginal microbiome, can be included as active pharmaceutical ingredients in probiotics products. Several requirements must be considered or criteria fulfilled during the development of a probiotic product or formula for the female urogenital tract. This review deals with the main selection criteria for urogenital probiotic microorganisms: host specificity, potential beneficial properties, functional specifications, technological characteristics and clinical trials used to test their effect on certain physiological and pathological conditions. Further studies are required to complement the current knowledge and support the clinical applications of probiotics in the urogenital tract. This therapy will allow the restoration of the ecological equilibrium of the urogenital tract microbiome as well as the recovery of the sexual and reproductive health of women. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Long-Term Outcomes of Renal Transplant in Recipients With Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction.

PubMed

Wilson, Rebekah S; Courtney, Aisling E; Ko, Dicken S C; Maxwell, Alexander P; McDaid, James

2018-01-02

Lower urinary tract dysfunction can lead to chronic kidney disease, which, despite surgical intervention, will progress to end-stage renal disease, requiring dialysis. Urologic pathology may damage a transplanted kidney, limiting patient and graft survival. Although smaller studies have suggested that urinary tract dysfunction does not affect graft or patient survival, this is not universally accepted. Northern Ireland has historically had the highest incidence of neural tube defects in Europe, giving rich local experience in caring for patients with lower urinary tract dysfunction. Here, we analyzed outcomes of renal transplant recipients with lower urinary tract dysfunction versus control recipients. We identified 3 groups of kidney transplant recipients treated between 2001 and 2010; those in group 1 had end-stage renal disease due to lower urinary tract dysfunction with prior intervention (urologic surgery, long-term catheter, or intermittent self-catheterization), group 2 had end-stage renal disease secondary to lower urinary tract dysfunction without intervention, and group 3 had end-stage renal disease due to polycystic kidney disease (chosen as a relatively healthy control cohort without comorbid burden of other causes of end-stage renal disease such as diabetes). The primary outcome measured, graft survival, was death censored, with graft loss defined as requirement for renal replacement therapy or retransplant. Secondary outcomes included patient survival and graft function. In 150 study patients (16 patients in group 1, 64 in group 2, and 70 in group 3), 5-year death-censored graft survival was 93.75%, 90.6%, and 92.9%, respectively, with no significant differences in graft failure among groups (Cox proportional hazards model). Five-year patient survival was 100%, 100%, and 94.3%, respectively. Individuals with a history of lower urinary tract dysfunction had graft and patient survival rates similar to the control group. When appropriately treated, lower urinary tract dysfunction is not a barrier to successful renal transplant.

Risk Factors for Urinary Tract Infection following Mid Urethral Sling Surgery.

PubMed

Vigil, Humberto R; Mallick, Ranjeeta; Nitti, Victor W; Lavallée, Luke T; Breau, Rodney H; Hickling, Duane R

2017-05-01

Mid urethral sling surgery is common. Postoperative urinary tract infection rates vary in the literature and independent risk factors for urinary tract infection are not well defined. We sought to determine the incidence of and risk factors for urinary tract infection following mid urethral sling surgery. A retrospective cohort of females who underwent sling surgery was captured from the 2006 to 2014 NSQIP® (National Surgical Quality Improvement Program®) database. Exclusion criteria included male gender, nonelective surgery, totally dependent functional status, preoperative infection, prior surgery within 30 days, ASA® (American Society of Anesthesiologists®) Physical Status Classification 4 or greater, concomitant procedure and operative time greater than 60 minutes. The primary outcome was the incidence of urinary tract infection within 30 days of mid urethral sling surgery. Risk factors for urinary tract infection were assessed by examining patient demographic, comorbidity and surgical variables. Logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the ORs of individual risk factors. Multivariable logistic regression was then performed to adjust for confounding. A total of 9,022 mid urethral sling surgeries were identified. The urinary tract infection incidence was 2.6%. Factors independently associated with an increased infection risk included age greater than 65 years (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.07-2.22), body mass index greater than 40 kg/m 2 (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.23-2.92) and hospital admission (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.37-3.11). Mid urethral sling surgery performed by urologists carried a reduced risk of infection compared to the surgery done by gynecologists (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.40-0.69). The urinary tract infection risk following mid urethral sling surgery in NSQIP associated hospitals is low. Novel patient and surgical factors for postoperative urinary tract infection have been identified and merit further study. Copyright © 2017 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Traffic-related Air Pollution, Lung Function, and Host Vulnerability. New Insights from the PARIS Birth Cohort.

PubMed

Bougas, Nicolas; Rancière, Fanny; Beydon, Nicole; Viola, Malika; Perrot, Xavier; Gabet, Stephan; Lezmi, Guillaume; Amat, Flore; De Blic, Jacques; Just, Jocelyne; Momas, Isabelle

2018-05-01

Although the effects of traffic-related air pollution on respiratory exacerbations have been well documented, its impact on lung function in childhood remains unclear. Our aim was to investigate the associations of prenatal, early, and lifetime traffic-related air pollution exposure with lung function at 8-9 years studying possible effect modification by sex, sensitization at 8-9 years, and early lower respiratory tract infections. We conducted this study among 788 children from the PARIS (Pollution and Asthma Risk: an Infant Study) birth cohort. Lung function tests were performed during the medical examination at 8-9 years. Traffic-related air pollution exposure during each trimester of pregnancy was estimated using nitrogen oxides background measurements. Postnatal traffic-related air pollution exposure was assessed by a nitrogen oxides air dispersion model at both residential and daycare/school addresses. Associations between lung function and traffic-related air pollution exposure were analyzed by multiple linear regression models. Higher prenatal nitrogen oxides levels, especially during the second trimester of pregnancy, were associated with a lower forced expiratory flow at 25-75% of the forced vital capacity, but there were no significant associations between prenatal nitrogen oxide levels and forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume during 1 second, or the forced expiratory volume during 1 second/forced vital capacity ratio overall. Postnatal traffic-related air pollution exposure was associated with lower lung function among children with early lower respiratory tract infections or sensitization at 8-9 years, but not in the full cohort. In children with early repeated lower respiratory tract infections, an interquartile increase in lifetime nitrogen oxides exposure was associated with both a lower forced expiratory volume during 1 second (-62.6 ml; 95% confidence interval = -107.0 to -18.1) and forced vital capacity (-55.7 ml; 95% confidence interval = -109.5 to -1.8), but was not associated with the forced expiratory volume during 1 second/forced vital capacity ratio. There was an association between greater early postnatal nitrogen oxide exposure and a lower forced expiratory volume during 1 second/forced vital capacity ratio among sensitized children (-0.65%; 95% confidence interval = -1.25 to -0.05). This study sheds new light, suggesting associations between postnatal traffic-related air pollution exposure and reduced lung function may be enhanced by early, repeated lower respiratory tract infections or allergic sensitization.

[Status of the upper respiratory tract of workers in the synthetic detergent industry].

PubMed

Artamonova, V G; Barsukov, A F; Galzhiev, A S

1991-01-01

Otorhinolaryngologic examinations and functional studies were performed among 99 workers engaged in the production of synthetic detergents. The studies revealed disorders in the barrier and decontamination functions of the nasal ciliary epithelium caused by synthetic detergent dusts.

Nonparametric Transfer Function Models

PubMed Central

Liu, Jun M.; Chen, Rong; Yao, Qiwei

2009-01-01

In this paper a class of nonparametric transfer function models is proposed to model nonlinear relationships between ‘input’ and ‘output’ time series. The transfer function is smooth with unknown functional forms, and the noise is assumed to be a stationary autoregressive-moving average (ARMA) process. The nonparametric transfer function is estimated jointly with the ARMA parameters. By modeling the correlation in the noise, the transfer function can be estimated more efficiently. The parsimonious ARMA structure improves the estimation efficiency in finite samples. The asymptotic properties of the estimators are investigated. The finite-sample properties are illustrated through simulations and one empirical example. PMID:20628584

Probabilistic atlases of default mode, executive control and salience network white matter tracts: an fMRI-guided diffusion tensor imaging and tractography study

PubMed Central

Figley, Teresa D.; Bhullar, Navdeep; Courtney, Susan M.; Figley, Chase R.

2015-01-01

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a powerful MRI technique that can be used to estimate both the microstructural integrity and the trajectories of white matter pathways throughout the central nervous system. This fiber tracking (aka, “tractography”) approach is often carried out using anatomically-defined seed points to identify white matter tracts that pass through one or more structures, but can also be performed using functionally-defined regions of interest (ROIs) that have been determined using functional MRI (fMRI) or other methods. In this study, we performed fMRI-guided DTI tractography between all of the previously defined nodes within each of six common resting-state brain networks, including the: dorsal Default Mode Network (dDMN), ventral Default Mode Network (vDMN), left Executive Control Network (lECN), right Executive Control Network (rECN), anterior Salience Network (aSN), and posterior Salience Network (pSN). By normalizing the data from 32 healthy control subjects to a standard template—using high-dimensional, non-linear warping methods—we were able to create probabilistic white matter atlases for each tract in stereotaxic coordinates. By investigating all 198 ROI-to-ROI combinations within the aforementioned resting-state networks (for a total of 6336 independent DTI tractography analyses), the resulting probabilistic atlases represent a comprehensive cohort of functionally-defined white matter regions that can be used in future brain imaging studies to: (1) ascribe DTI or other white matter changes to particular functional brain networks, and (2) compliment resting state fMRI or other functional connectivity analyses. PMID:26578930

Bilateral Cervical Contusion Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

PubMed Central

Anderson, Kim D.; Sharp, Kelli G.; Steward, Oswald

2009-01-01

There is increasing motivation to develop clinically relevant experimental models for cervical SCI in rodents and techniques to assess deficits in forelimb function. Here we describe a bilateral cervical contusion model in rats. Female Sprague-Dawley rats received mild or moderate cervical contusion injuries (using the Infinite Horizons device) at C5, C6, or C7/8. Forelimb motor function was assessed using a Grip Strength Meter (GSM); sensory function was assessed by the von Frey hair test; the integrity of the corticospinal tract (CST) was assessed by biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) tract tracing. Mild contusions caused primarily dorsal column (DC) and gray matter (GM) damage while moderate contusions produced additional damage to lateral and ventral tissue. Forelimb and hindlimb function was severely impaired immediately post-injury, but all rats regained the ability to use their hindlimbs for locomotion. Gripping ability was abolished immediately after injury but recovered partially, depending upon the spinal level and severity of the injury. Rats exhibited a loss of sensation in both fore- and hindlimbs that partially recovered, and did not exhibit allodynia. Tract tracing revealed that the main contingent of CST axons in the DC was completely interrupted in all but one animal whereas the dorsolateral CST (dlCST) was partially spared, and dlCST axons gave rise to axons that arborized in the GM caudal to the injury. Our data demonstrate that rats can survive significant bilateral cervical contusion injuries at or below C5 and that forepaw gripping function recovers after mild injuries even when the main component of CST axons in the dorsal column is completely interrupted. PMID:19559699

Individual Differences in Reasoning and Visuospatial Attention are Associated with Prefrontal and Parietal White Matter Tracts in Healthy Older Adults

PubMed Central

Monge, Zachary A.; Greenwood, Pamela M.; Parasuraman, Raja; Strenziok, Maren

2016-01-01

Objective Although reasoning and attention are two cognitive processes necessary for ensuring the efficiency of many everyday activities in older adults, the role of white matter integrity in these processes has been little studied. This is an important question due to the role of white matter integrity as a neural substrate of cognitive aging. Here, we sought to examine the white matter tracts subserving reasoning and visuospatial attention in healthy older adults. Method Sixty-one adults aged 60 and older completed a battery of cognitive tests to assess reasoning and visuospatial attention. In addition, diffusion tensor images were collected to assess Fractional Anisotropy (FA) – a measure of white matter integrity. A principle component analysis of the test scores yielded two components: reasoning and visuospatial attention. Whole-brain correlations between FA and the cognitive components were submitted to probabilistic tractography analyses for visualization of cortical targets of tracts. Results For reasoning, bilateral thalamo-anterior prefrontal, anterior corpus callosum, and corpus callosum body tracts interconnecting the superior frontal cortices and right cingulum bundle were found. For visuospatial attention, a right inferior fronto-parietal tract, and bilateral parietal and temporal connections were found. Conclusions We conclude that in older adults, prefrontal cortex white matter tracts and interhemispheric communication are important in higher order cognitive functioning. On the other hand, right-sided fronto-parietal tracts appear to be critical for supporting control of cognitive processes, such as redirecting attention. Researchers may use our results to develop neuroscience-based interventions for older adults targeting brain mechanisms involved in cognitive plasticity. PMID:26986750

Anatomy of the Limbic White Matter Tracts as Revealed by Fiber Dissection and Tractography.

PubMed

Pascalau, Raluca; Popa Stănilă, Roxana; Sfrângeu, Silviu; Szabo, Bianca

2018-05-01

The limbic tracts are involved in crucial cerebral functions such as memory, emotion, and behavior. The complex architecture of the limbic circuit makes it harder to approach compared with other white matter networks. Our study aims to describe the 3-dimensional anatomy of the limbic white matter by the use of 2 complementary study methods, namely ex vivo fiber dissection and in vivo magnetic resonance imaging-based tractography. Three fiber dissection protocols were performed using blunt wooden instruments and a surgical microscope on formalin-fixed brains prepared according to the Klingler method. Diffusion tensor imaging acquisitions were done with a 3-Tesla magnetic resonance scanner on patients with head and neck pathology that did not involve the brain. Fiber tracking was performed with manually selected regions of interest. Cingulum, fornix, the anterior thalamic peduncle, the accumbofrontal bundle, medial forebrain bundle, the uncinate fasciculus, the mammillothalamic tract, ansa peduncularis, and stria terminalis were dissected and fiber tracked. For each tract, location, configuration, segmentation, dimensions, dissection and tractography particularities, anatomical relations, and terminations are described. The limbic white matter tracts were systematized as 2 concentric rings around the thalamus. The inner ring is formed by fornix, mammillothalamic tract, ansa peduncularis, stria terminalis, accumbofrontal fasciculus, and medial forebrain bundle and anterior thalamic peduncle, and the outer ring is formed by the cingulum and uncinate fasciculus. This paper proposes a fiber-tracking protocol for the limbic tracts inspired and validated by fiber dissection findings that can be used routinely in the clinical practice. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Can we define and characterize the aging lower urinary tract?-ICI-RS 2015.

PubMed

Vahabi, Bahareh; Wagg, Adrian S; Rosier, Peter F W M; Rademakers, Kevin L J; Denys, Marie-Astrid; Pontari, Michel; Lovick, Thelma; Valentini, Francoise A; Nelson, Pierre P; Andersson, Karl-Erik; Fry, Christopher H

2017-04-01

The prevalence of lower urinary tract (LUT) symptoms increases with age but the etiology is unknown. This article aims to identify research directions that clarify the basis of this association. The initial question is whether biological age is the variable of interest or a time-dependent accumulation of factors that impact on LUT function at rates that differ between individuals. In particular, the accumulation of conditions or agents due to inflammatory states or tissue ischemia is important. Much of the above has been concerned with changes to bladder function and morphology. However, the outflow tract function is also affected, in particular changes to the function of external sphincter skeletal muscle and associated sacral motor nerve control. Nocturia is a cardinal symptom of LUT dysfunction and is more prevalent with aging. Urine production is determined by diurnal changes to the production of certain hormones as well as arterial blood pressure and such diurnal rhythms are blunted in subjects with nocturia, but the causal links remain to be elucidated. Changes to the central nervous control of LUT function with age are also increasingly recognized, whether in mid-brain/brainstem regions that directly affect LUT function or in higher centers that determine psycho-social and emotional factors impinging on the LUT. In particular, the linkage between increasing white matter hyperintensities and LUT dysfunction during aging is recognized but not understood. Overall, a more rational approach is being developed to link LUT dysfunction with factors that accumulate with age, however, the precise causal pathways remain to be characterized. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:854-858, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Differential Hemispheric Predilection of Microstructural White Matter and Functional Connectivity Abnormalities between Respectively Semantic and Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia.

PubMed

Meijboom, Rozanna; Steketee, Rebecca M E; Ham, Leontine S; van der Lugt, Aad; van Swieten, John C; Smits, Marion

2017-01-01

Semantic dementia (SD) and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), subtypes of frontotemporal dementia, are characterized by distinct clinical symptoms and neuroimaging features, with predominant left temporal grey matter (GM) atrophy in SD and bilateral or right frontal GM atrophy in bvFTD. Such differential hemispheric predilection may also be reflected by other neuroimaging features, such as brain connectivity. This study investigated white matter (WM) microstructure and functional connectivity differences between SD and bvFTD, focusing on the hemispheric predilection of these differences. Eight SD and 12 bvFTD patients, and 17 controls underwent diffusion tensor imaging and resting state functional MRI at 3T. Whole-brain WM microstructure was assessed to determine distinct WM tracts affected in SD and bvFTD. For these tracts, diffusivity measures and lateralization indices were calculated. Functional connectivity was established for GM regions affected in early stage SD or bvFTD. Results of a direct comparison between SD and bvFTD are reported. Whole-brain WM microstructure abnormalities were more pronounced in the left hemisphere in SD and bilaterally- with a slight predilection for the right- in bvFTD. Lateralization of tract-specific abnormalities was seen in SD only, toward the left hemisphere. Functional connectivity of disease-specific regions was mainly decreased bilaterally in SD and in the right hemisphere in bvFTD. SD and bvFTD show WM microstructure and functional connectivity abnormalities in different regions, that are respectively more pronounced in the left hemisphere in SD and in the right hemisphere in bvFTD. This indicates differential hemispheric predilection of brain connectivity abnormalities between SD and bvFTD.

The microbiota-gut-brain axis: neurobehavioral correlates, health and sociality

PubMed Central

Montiel-Castro, Augusto J.; González-Cervantes, Rina M.; Bravo-Ruiseco, Gabriela; Pacheco-López, Gustavo

2013-01-01

Recent data suggest that the human body is not such a neatly self-sufficient island after all. It is more like a super-complex ecosystem containing trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms that inhabit all our surfaces; skin, mouth, sexual organs, and specially intestines. It has recently become evident that such microbiota, specifically within the gut, can greatly influence many physiological parameters, including cognitive functions, such as learning, memory and decision making processes. Human microbiota is a diverse and dynamic ecosystem, which has evolved in a mutualistic relationship with its host. Ontogenetically, it is vertically inoculated from the mother during birth, established during the first year of life and during lifespan, horizontally transferred among relatives, mates or close community members. This micro-ecosystem serves the host by protecting it against pathogens, metabolizing complex lipids and polysaccharides that otherwise would be inaccessible nutrients, neutralizing drugs and carcinogens, modulating intestinal motility, and making visceral perception possible. It is now evident that the bidirectional signaling between the gastrointestinal tract and the brain, mainly through the vagus nerve, the so called “microbiota–gut–vagus–brain axis,” is vital for maintaining homeostasis and it may be also involved in the etiology of several metabolic and mental dysfunctions/disorders. Here we review evidence on the ability of the gut microbiota to communicate with the brain and thus modulate behavior, and also elaborate on the ethological and cultural strategies of human and non-human primates to select, transfer and eliminate microorganisms for selecting the commensal profile. PMID:24109440

The microbiota-gut-brain axis: neurobehavioral correlates, health and sociality.

PubMed

Montiel-Castro, Augusto J; González-Cervantes, Rina M; Bravo-Ruiseco, Gabriela; Pacheco-López, Gustavo

2013-10-07

Recent data suggest that the human body is not such a neatly self-sufficient island after all. It is more like a super-complex ecosystem containing trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms that inhabit all our surfaces; skin, mouth, sexual organs, and specially intestines. It has recently become evident that such microbiota, specifically within the gut, can greatly influence many physiological parameters, including cognitive functions, such as learning, memory and decision making processes. Human microbiota is a diverse and dynamic ecosystem, which has evolved in a mutualistic relationship with its host. Ontogenetically, it is vertically inoculated from the mother during birth, established during the first year of life and during lifespan, horizontally transferred among relatives, mates or close community members. This micro-ecosystem serves the host by protecting it against pathogens, metabolizing complex lipids and polysaccharides that otherwise would be inaccessible nutrients, neutralizing drugs and carcinogens, modulating intestinal motility, and making visceral perception possible. It is now evident that the bidirectional signaling between the gastrointestinal tract and the brain, mainly through the vagus nerve, the so called "microbiota-gut-vagus-brain axis," is vital for maintaining homeostasis and it may be also involved in the etiology of several metabolic and mental dysfunctions/disorders. Here we review evidence on the ability of the gut microbiota to communicate with the brain and thus modulate behavior, and also elaborate on the ethological and cultural strategies of human and non-human primates to select, transfer and eliminate microorganisms for selecting the commensal profile.

Routine habitat change: a source of unrecognized transient alteration of intestinal microbiota in laboratory mice.

PubMed

Ma, Betty W; Bokulich, Nicholas A; Castillo, Patricia A; Kananurak, Anchasa; Underwood, Mark A; Mills, David A; Bevins, Charles L

2012-01-01

The mammalian intestine harbors a vast, complex and dynamic microbial population, which has profound effects on host nutrition, intestinal function and immune response, as well as influence on physiology outside of the alimentary tract. Imbalance in the composition of the dense colonizing bacterial population can increase susceptibility to various acute and chronic diseases. Valuable insights on the association of the microbiota with disease critically depend on investigation of mouse models. Like in humans, the microbial community in the mouse intestine is relatively stable and resilient, yet can be influenced by environmental factors. An often-overlooked variable in research is basic animal husbandry, which can potentially alter mouse physiology and experimental outcomes. This study examined the effects of common husbandry practices, including food and bedding alterations, as well as facility and cage changes, on the gut microbiota over a short time course of five days using three culture-independent techniques, quantitative PCR, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) and next generation sequencing (NGS). This study detected a substantial transient alteration in microbiota after the common practice of a short cross-campus facility transfer, but found no comparable alterations in microbiota within 5 days of switches in common laboratory food or bedding, or following an isolated cage change in mice acclimated to their housing facility. Our results highlight the importance of an acclimation period following even simple transfer of mice between campus facilities, and highlights that occult changes in microbiota should be considered when imposing husbandry variables on laboratory animals.

Nuclear tracks in lunar samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Price, P. B.

1971-01-01

An attempt is made to relate the appearance of an etched tract to the atomic number and velocity of the ion that left it using 10 MeV/nucleon Kr beams and 6 MeV/nucleon Zn beams. It was found that the etching rate along a tract in minerals and glass is a monototonic function of ionization rate thus, making particle identification possible. Results show the following were present in lunar samples: superheavy elements, cosmic rays with z greater than 26, and solar flare particles in Surveyor glass.

Neuropeptide Y in the human male genital tract.

PubMed

Adrian, T E; Gu, J; Allen, J M; Tatemoto, K; Polak, J M; Bloom, S R

1984-12-24

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) was found in high concentrations in the male genital tract. NPY levels were highest in the seminal vesicles, prostate, corpus cavernosum and vas deferens, where large numbers of immunoreactive nerve fibres were detected. Considerable quantities were also found in the epididymis and spongiosum. Lower concentrations were found in the glans penis, testis and foreskin. The presence of a large number of nerves containing NPY suggest that this active neuropeptide may play a role in control of genital function.

Closed-loop spontaneous baroreflex transfer function is inappropriate for system identification of neural arc but partly accurate for peripheral arc: predictability analysis

PubMed Central

Kamiya, Atsunori; Kawada, Toru; Shimizu, Shuji; Sugimachi, Masaru

2011-01-01

Abstract Although the dynamic characteristics of the baroreflex system have been described by baroreflex transfer functions obtained from open-loop analysis, the predictability of time-series output dynamics from input signals, which should confirm the accuracy of system identification, remains to be elucidated. Moreover, despite theoretical concerns over closed-loop system identification, the accuracy and the predictability of the closed-loop spontaneous baroreflex transfer function have not been evaluated compared with the open-loop transfer function. Using urethane and α-chloralose anaesthetized, vagotomized and aortic-denervated rabbits (n = 10), we identified open-loop baroreflex transfer functions by recording renal sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) while varying the vascularly isolated intracarotid sinus pressure (CSP) according to a binary random (white-noise) sequence (operating pressure ± 20 mmHg), and using a simplified equation to calculate closed-loop-spontaneous baroreflex transfer function while matching CSP with systemic arterial pressure (AP). Our results showed that the open-loop baroreflex transfer functions for the neural and peripheral arcs predicted the time-series SNA and AP outputs from measured CSP and SNA inputs, with r2 of 0.8 ± 0.1 and 0.8 ± 0.1, respectively. In contrast, the closed-loop-spontaneous baroreflex transfer function for the neural arc was markedly different from the open-loop transfer function (enhanced gain increase and a phase lead), and did not predict the time-series SNA dynamics (r2; 0.1 ± 0.1). However, the closed-loop-spontaneous baroreflex transfer function of the peripheral arc partially matched the open-loop transfer function in gain and phase functions, and had limited but reasonable predictability of the time-series AP dynamics (r2, 0.7 ± 0.1). A numerical simulation suggested that a noise predominantly in the neural arc under resting conditions might be a possible mechanism responsible for our findings. Furthermore, the predictabilities of the neural arc transfer functions obtained in open-loop and closed-loop conditions were validated by closed-loop pharmacological (phenylephrine and nitroprusside infusions) pressure interventions. Time-series SNA responses to drug-induced AP changes predicted by the open-loop transfer function matched closely the measured responses (r2, 0.9 ± 0.1), whereas SNA responses predicted by closed-loop-spontaneous transfer function deviated greatly and were the inverse of measured responses (r, −0.8 ± 0.2). These results indicate that although the spontaneous baroreflex transfer function obtained by closed-loop analysis has been believed to represent the neural arc function, it is inappropriate for system identification of the neural arc but is essentially appropriate for the peripheral arc under resting conditions, when compared with open-loop analysis. PMID:21486839

Olfactory learning without the mushroom bodies: Spiking neural network models of the honeybee lateral antennal lobe tract reveal its capacities in odour memory tasks of varied complexities

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The honeybee olfactory system is a well-established model for understanding functional mechanisms of learning and memory. Olfactory stimuli are first processed in the antennal lobe, and then transferred to the mushroom body and lateral horn through dual pathways termed medial and lateral antennal lobe tracts (m-ALT and l-ALT). Recent studies reported that honeybees can perform elemental learning by associating an odour with a reward signal even after lesions in m-ALT or blocking the mushroom bodies. To test the hypothesis that the lateral pathway (l-ALT) is sufficient for elemental learning, we modelled local computation within glomeruli in antennal lobes with axons of projection neurons connecting to a decision neuron (LHN) in the lateral horn. We show that inhibitory spike-timing dependent plasticity (modelling non-associative plasticity by exposure to different stimuli) in the synapses from local neurons to projection neurons decorrelates the projection neurons’ outputs. The strength of the decorrelations is regulated by global inhibitory feedback within antennal lobes to the projection neurons. By additionally modelling octopaminergic modification of synaptic plasticity among local neurons in the antennal lobes and projection neurons to LHN connections, the model can discriminate and generalize olfactory stimuli. Although positive patterning can be accounted for by the l-ALT model, negative patterning requires further processing and mushroom body circuits. Thus, our model explains several–but not all–types of associative olfactory learning and generalization by a few neural layers of odour processing in the l-ALT. As an outcome of the combination between non-associative and associative learning, the modelling approach allows us to link changes in structural organization of honeybees' antennal lobes with their behavioural performances over the course of their life. PMID:28640825

Olfactory learning without the mushroom bodies: Spiking neural network models of the honeybee lateral antennal lobe tract reveal its capacities in odour memory tasks of varied complexities.

PubMed

MaBouDi, HaDi; Shimazaki, Hideaki; Giurfa, Martin; Chittka, Lars

2017-06-01

The honeybee olfactory system is a well-established model for understanding functional mechanisms of learning and memory. Olfactory stimuli are first processed in the antennal lobe, and then transferred to the mushroom body and lateral horn through dual pathways termed medial and lateral antennal lobe tracts (m-ALT and l-ALT). Recent studies reported that honeybees can perform elemental learning by associating an odour with a reward signal even after lesions in m-ALT or blocking the mushroom bodies. To test the hypothesis that the lateral pathway (l-ALT) is sufficient for elemental learning, we modelled local computation within glomeruli in antennal lobes with axons of projection neurons connecting to a decision neuron (LHN) in the lateral horn. We show that inhibitory spike-timing dependent plasticity (modelling non-associative plasticity by exposure to different stimuli) in the synapses from local neurons to projection neurons decorrelates the projection neurons' outputs. The strength of the decorrelations is regulated by global inhibitory feedback within antennal lobes to the projection neurons. By additionally modelling octopaminergic modification of synaptic plasticity among local neurons in the antennal lobes and projection neurons to LHN connections, the model can discriminate and generalize olfactory stimuli. Although positive patterning can be accounted for by the l-ALT model, negative patterning requires further processing and mushroom body circuits. Thus, our model explains several-but not all-types of associative olfactory learning and generalization by a few neural layers of odour processing in the l-ALT. As an outcome of the combination between non-associative and associative learning, the modelling approach allows us to link changes in structural organization of honeybees' antennal lobes with their behavioural performances over the course of their life.

Executive deficits, not processing speed relates to abnormalities in distinct prefrontal tracts in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

PubMed

Pettit, Lewis D; Bastin, Mark E; Smith, Colin; Bak, Thomas H; Gillingwater, Thomas H; Abrahams, Sharon

2013-11-01

Cognitive impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is characterized by deficits on tests of executive function; however, the contribution of abnormal processing speed is unknown. Methods are confounded by tasks that depend on motor speed in patients with physical disability. Structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have revealed multi-system cerebral involvement, with evidence of reduced white matter volume and integrity in predominant frontotemporal regions. The current study has two aims. First, to investigate whether cognitive impairments in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are due to executive dysfunction or slowed processing speed using methodology that accommodates motor disability. This is achieved using a dual-task paradigm and tasks that manipulate stimulus presentation times and do not rely on response motor speed. Second, to identify relationships between specific cognitive impairments and the integrity of distinct white matter tracts. Thirty patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and 30 age- and education-matched control subjects were administered an experimental dual-task procedure that combined a visual inspection time task and digit recall. In addition, measures of executive function (including letter fluency) and processing speed (visual inspection time and rapid serial letter identification) were administered. Integrity of white matter tracts was determined using region of interest analyses of diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging data. Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis did not show impairments on tests of processing speed, but executive deficits were revealed once visual inspection time was combined with digit recall (dual-task) and in letter fluency. In addition to the corticospinal tracts, significant differences in fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity were found between groups in a number of prefrontal and temporal white matter tracts including the anterior cingulate, anterior thalamic radiation, uncinate fasciculus and hippocampal portion of the cingulum bundles. Significant differences also emerged in the anterior corona radiata as well as in white matter underlying the superior, medial and inferior frontal gyri and the temporal gyri. Dual-task performance significantly correlated with fractional anisotropy measures in the middle frontal gyrus white matter and anterior corona radiata. Letter fluency indices significantly correlated with fractional anisotropy measures of the inferior frontal gyrus white matter and corpus callosum in addition to the corticospinal tracts and mean diffusivity measures in the white matter of the superior frontal gyrus. The current study demonstrates that cognitive impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is not due to generic slowing of processing speed. Moreover, different executive deficits are related to distinct prefrontal tract involvement in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with dual-task impairment associating with dorsolateral prefrontal dysfunction and letter fluency showing greater dependence on inferolateral prefrontal dysfunction.

Prediction of acoustic feature parameters using myoelectric signals.

PubMed

Lee, Ki-Seung

2010-07-01

It is well-known that a clear relationship exists between human voices and myoelectric signals (MESs) from the area of the speaker's mouth. In this study, we utilized this information to implement a speech synthesis scheme in which MES alone was used to predict the parameters characterizing the vocal-tract transfer function of specific speech signals. Several feature parameters derived from MES were investigated to find the optimal feature for maximization of the mutual information between the acoustic and the MES features. After the optimal feature was determined, an estimation rule for the acoustic parameters was proposed, based on a minimum mean square error (MMSE) criterion. In a preliminary study, 60 isolated words were used for both objective and subjective evaluations. The results showed that the average Euclidean distance between the original and predicted acoustic parameters was reduced by about 30% compared with the average Euclidean distance of the original parameters. The intelligibility of the synthesized speech signals using the predicted features was also evaluated. A word-level identification ratio of 65.5% and a syllable-level identification ratio of 73% were obtained through a listening test.

Contractile markers distinguish structures of the mouse aqueous drainage tract

PubMed Central

Ko, MinHee K.

2013-01-01

Purpose Structures of the aqueous humor drainage tract are contractile, although the tract is not entirely composed of muscle. We characterized the mouse aqueous drainage tract by immunolabeling contractile markers and determined whether profiling these markers within the tract distinguished its key structures of the trabecular meshwork (TM) and ciliary muscle (CM). Methods Enucleated eyes from pigmented C57BL/6 (n=8 mice) and albino BALB/c (n=6 mice) mice were processed for cryo- and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sectioning. Immunofluorescence labeling was performed for the following: (a) filamentous actin (using fluorescence-conjugated phalloidin), representing a global contractile marker; (b) α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), caldesmon, and calponin, representing classic smooth muscle epitopes; and (c) nonmuscle myosin heavy chain, representing a nonmuscle contractile protein. Tissue labeling was identified by confocal microscopy and analyzed quantitatively. Hematoxylin and eosin staining provided structural orientation. Results A small portion of the TM faced the anterior chamber; the rest extended posteriorly alongside Schlemm’s canal (SC) within the inner sclera. Within the drainage tract, filamentous actin labeling was positive in TM and CM. α-SMA and caldesmon labeling was seen primarily along the CM, which extended from the anterior chamber angle to its posterior termination beyond the SC near the retina. Low intensity, patchy α-SMA and caldesmon labeling was seen in the TM. Myosin heavy chain immunoreactivity was primarily found in the TM and calponin was primarily observed in the CM. C57BL/6 and BALB/c comparison showed that pigment obscured fluorescence in the ciliary body. Conclusions Our strategy of profiling contractile markers distinguished mouse aqueous drainage tract structures that were otherwise indistinguishable by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The mouse TM was seen as an intervening structure between SC, a part of the conventional drainage tract, and CM, a part of the unconventional drainage tract. Our findings provide important insights into the structural and functional organization of the mouse aqueous drainage tract and a basis for exploring the role of contractility in modulating aqueous outflow. PMID:24357924

Diffusion tensor imaging analysis of sequential spreading of disease in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis confirms patterns of TDP-43 pathology.

PubMed

Kassubek, Jan; Müller, Hans-Peter; Del Tredici, Kelly; Brettschneider, Johannes; Pinkhardt, Elmar H; Lulé, Dorothée; Böhm, Sarah; Braak, Heiko; Ludolph, Albert C

2014-06-01

Diffusion tensor imaging can identify amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-associated patterns of brain alterations at the group level. Recently, a neuropathological staging system for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis has shown that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may disseminate in a sequential regional pattern during four disease stages. The objective of the present study was to apply a new methodological diffusion tensor imaging-based approach to automatically analyse in vivo the fibre tracts that are prone to be involved at each neuropathological stage of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Two data samples, consisting of 130 diffusion tensor imaging data sets acquired at 1.5 T from 78 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and 52 control subjects; and 55 diffusion-tensor imaging data sets at 3.0 T from 33 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and 22 control subjects, were analysed by a tract of interest-based fibre tracking approach to analyse five tracts that become involved during the course of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: the corticospinal tract (stage 1); the corticorubral and the corticopontine tracts (stage 2); the corticostriatal pathway (stage 3); the proximal portion of the perforant path (stage 4); and two reference pathways. The statistical analyses of tracts of interest showed differences between patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and control subjects for all tracts. The significance level of the comparisons at the group level was lower, the higher the disease stage with corresponding involved fibre tracts. Both the clinical phenotype as assessed by the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis functional rating scale-revised and disease duration correlated significantly with the resulting staging scheme. In summary, the tract of interest-based technique allowed for individual analysis of predefined tract structures, thus making it possible to image in vivo the disease stages in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This approach can be used not only for individual clinical work-up purposes, but enlarges the spectrum of potential non-invasive surrogate markers as a neuroimaging-based read-out for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis studies within a clinical context. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Interactions between lower urinary tract symptoms and cardiovascular risk factors determine distinct patterns of erectile dysfunction: a latent class analysis.

PubMed

Barbosa, João A B A; Muracca, Eduardo; Nakano, Élcio; Assalin, Adriana R; Cordeiro, Paulo; Paranhos, Mario; Cury, José; Srougi, Miguel; Antunes, Alberto A

2013-12-01

An epidemiological association between lower urinary tract symptoms and erectile dysfunction is well established. However, interactions among multiple risk factors and the role of each in pathological mechanisms are not fully elucidated We enrolled 898 men undergoing prostate cancer screening for evaluation with the International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) and simplified International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) questionnaires. Age, race, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, serum hormones and anthropometric parameters were also evaluated. Risk factors for erectile dysfunction were identified by logistic regression. The 333 men with at least mild to moderate erectile dysfunction (IIEF 16 or less) were included in a latent class model to identify relationships across erectile dysfunction risk factors. Age, hypertension, diabetes, lower urinary tract symptoms and cardiovascular event were independent predictors of erectile dysfunction (p<0.05). We identified 3 latent classes of patients with erectile dysfunction (R2 entropy=0.82). Latent class 1 had younger men at low cardiovascular risk and a moderate/high prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms. Latent class 2 had the oldest patients at moderate cardiovascular risk with an increased prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms. Latent class 3 had men of intermediate age with the highest prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and lower urinary tract symptoms. Erectile dysfunction severity and lower urinary tract symptoms increased from latent class 1 to 3. Risk factor interactions determined different severities of lower urinary tract symptoms and erectile dysfunction. The effect of lower urinary tract symptoms and cardiovascular risk outweighed that of age. While in the youngest patients lower urinary tract symptoms acted as a single risk factor for erectile dysfunction, the contribution of vascular disease resulted in significantly more severe dysfunction. Applying a risk factor interaction model to prospective trials could reveal distinct classes of drug responses and help define optimal treatment strategies for specific groups. Copyright © 2013 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Urogenital consequences in ageing women.

PubMed

Doumouchtsis, Stergios K; Chrysanthopoulou, Eleftheria L

2013-10-01

Various anatomical, physiological, genetic, lifestyle and reproductive factors interact throughout a woman's life span and contribute to pelvic floor disorders. Ageing affects pelvic floor anatomy and function, which can result in a variety of disorders, such as pelvic organ prolapse, lower urinary tract symptoms, dysfunctional bowel and bladder evacuation, and sexual dysfunction. The exact mechanisms and pathophysiological processes by which ageing affects pelvic floor and lower urinary and gastrointestinal tract anatomy and function are not always clear. In most cases, it is difficult to ascertain the exact role of ageing per se as an aetiological, predisposing or contributing factor. Other conditions associated with ageing that may co-exist, such as changes in mental status, can result in different types of pelvic floor dysfunction (e.g. functional incontinence). Pelvic organ dysfunction may be associated with significant morbidity and affect quality of life. These groups of patients often pose difficult diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas owing to complex medical conditions and concurrent morbidities. In this chapter, we summarise the current evidence on the management of pelvic floor disorders, with emphasis on elderly women and the associations between the ageing process and these disorders. Clinicians with an understanding of the affect of ageing on the pelvic floor and lower urinary and gastrointestinal tract anatomy and function, and the complex interplay of other comorbidities, will be able to investigate, diagnose and treat appropriately there women. A holistic approach may result in substantial improvements in their quality of life. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Definitions and Outcome Measures in Pediatric Functional Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Disorders: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Nassar-Sheikh Rashid, Amara; Taminiau, Jan A; Benninga, Marc A; Saps, Miguel; Tabbers, Merit M

2016-04-01

Functional disorders of the upper gastrointestinal tract are frequently diagnosed in children. Four different clinical entities are addressed by the Rome III committee: functional dyspepsia (FD), cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS), adolescent rumination syndrome (ARS), and aerophagia. Management of these disorders is often difficult leading to a wide variety in therapeutic interventions. We hypothesize that definitions and outcome measures in these studies are heterogeneous as well. Our aim is to systematically assess how these disorders and outcomes are defined in therapeutic randomized controlled trials (RCTs). CENTRAL, Embase, and MEDLINE/PubMed were searched from inception to February 25, 2015. Search terms were FD, CVS, ARS, and aerophagia. Therapeutic RCTs, or systematic reviews of RCTs, in English language including subjects ages 4 to 18 years (0-18 years for CVS) were evaluated. Quality was assessed using the Delphi list. A total of 1398 articles were found of which 8 articles were included. Seven concerned FD and 1 concerned CVS. In all of the studies, Rome criteria or similar definitions were used; all the studies however used different outcome measures. Seventy-five percent of the trials were of good methodological quality. Only 57% used validated pain scales. Different outcome measures are used in therapeutic trials on functional disorders of the upper gastrointestinal tract. There is a clear paucity of trials evaluating different treatment regimens regarding CVS, ARS, and aerophagia. Uniform definitions, outcome measures, and validated instruments are needed to make a comparison between intervention studies possible.

Long Noncoding RNA in Digestive Tract Cancers: Function, Mechanism, and Potential Biomarker

PubMed Central

Zeng, Shuo; Xiao, Yu-Feng; Tang, Bo; Hu, Chang-Jiang; Xie, Rei; Yang, Shi-Ming

2015-01-01

Digestive tract cancers (DTCs) are a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Current therapeutic tools for advanced stage DTCs have limitations, and patients with early stage DTCs frequently have a missed diagnosis due to shortage of efficient biomarkers. Consequently, it is necessary to develop novel biomarkers for early diagnosis and novel therapeutic targets for treatment of DTCs. In recent years, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), a class of noncoding RNAs with >200 nucleotides, have been shown to be aberrantly expressed in DTCs and to have an important role in DTC development: the expression profiles of lncRNAs strongly correlated with poor survival of patients with DTCs, and lncRNAs acted as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes in DTC progression. In this review, we summarized the functional lncRNAs and expounded on their regulatory mechanisms in DTCs. Implications for Practice: Digestive tract cancers (DTCs) are a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. It is necessary to exploit novel biomarkers for early diagnosis and novel therapeutic targets for treatment of DTCs. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), a class of noncoding RNAs with approximately 200 nucleotides to 100,000 bases, participate in the progression of a variety of diseases. This review summarizes functional lncRNAs, which were shown to serve as novel biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of DTCs and to act as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes in DTC development. In addition, the potential mechanism of functional lncRNAs in DTCs is highlighted. PMID:26156325

Ipsilateral hemiparesis in ischemic stroke patients.

PubMed

Inatomi, Y; Nakajima, M; Yonehara, T; Ando, Y

2017-07-01

To investigate clinical characteristics of ipsilateral hemiparesis in ischemic stroke patients. Patients with acute ischemic stroke were prospectively examined. Ipsilateral hemiparesis was defined as hemiparesis ipsilateral to recent stroke lesions. Patients with ipsilateral hemiparesis were examined with functional neuroimaging studies including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and functional MRI. Of 8360 patients, ipsilateral hemiparesis was detected in 14 patients (0.17%, mean age 71±6 years, eight men). Lesions responsible for the recent strokes were located in the frontal cortex in three patients, corona radiata in seven, internal capsule in one, and pons in three. These lesions were located along the typical route of the corticospinal tract in all but one patient. Thirteen patients also had a past history of stroke contralateral to the recent lesions; 12 of these had motor deficits contralateral to past stroke lesions. During TMS, ipsilateral magnetic evoked potentials were evoked in two of seven patients and contralateral potentials were evoked in all seven. Functional MRI activated cerebral hemispheres ipsilaterally in eight of nine patients and contralaterally in all nine. Most patients with ipsilateral hemiparesis had a past history of stroke contralateral to the recent one, resulting in motor deficits contralateral to the earlier lesions. Moreover, functional neuroimaging findings indicated an active crossed corticospinal tract in all of the examined patients. Both findings suggest the contribution of the uncrossed corticospinal tract contralateral to stroke lesions as a post-stroke compensatory motor system. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Primary vesicoureteral reflux with renal failure in adults].

PubMed

Hagen, R H; Klevmark, B

1991-05-30

The present article describes the case of two men, 18 and 30 years respectively, in whom renal insufficiency was discovered incidently. In the two cases renography showed 46 and 30% of expected function given two healthy kidneys. They had neither experienced clinical symptoms of urinary tract disorder, been operated upon, nor endoscopically examined. Micturition was normal without any sign of vesicourethral dysfunction. Micturition cystography revealed severe vesicoureteral reflux in both patients. They were treated by bilateral ureterovesical reimplantation. The cases presented here show that primary vesicoureteral reflux complicated by impaired renal function can be revealed in adults who have had no symptoms of urinary tract disorder. In these cases the probable cause of renal damage is the mechanical effect of reflux ("water-hammer effect") alone.

[The microbial flora in the digestive tract and diabetes].

PubMed

Svačina, Štěpán

2015-04-01

The microbial flora in the digestive tract has been recently studied in relation to metabolic diseases. There are relations to both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. The intestinal flora is affected by diet, physical exercise and it significantly changes after bariatric surgeries. Giving birth by caesarean section affects the gut flora development and increases the risk of type 1 diabetes in further life of the child. Obese patients with type 2 diabetes may lack protective microbes which improve glucoregulation in the experiment or on the contrary their patogenous microbes may grow which have been proven to even be able to penetrate into abdominal adipose tissue and play a role, inter alia, in the hepatic impairment and systemic inflammation. Also vaccination against these microbes is under consideration. Microbiome can be also positively affected by metformin treatment. The transfer of intestinal flora by means of fecal transplantation can improve glucoregulation. The influencing of intestinal flora is likely to become a new mechanism of diabetes treatment.

Gap junctional communication in the male reproductive system.

PubMed

Pointis, Georges; Fiorini, Céline; Defamie, Norah; Segretain, Dominique

2005-12-20

Male fertility is a highly controlled process that allows proliferation, meiosis and differentiation of male germ cells in the testis, final maturation in the epididymis and also requires functional male accessory glands: seminal vesicles, prostate and corpus cavernosum. In addition to classical endocrine and paracrine controls, mainly by gonadotropins LH and FSH and steroids, there is now strong evidence that all these processes are dependent upon the presence of homocellular or heterocellular junctions, including gap junctions and their specific connexins (Cxs), between the different cell types that structure the male reproductive tract. The present review is focused on the identification of Cxs, their distribution in the testis and in different structures of the male genital tract (epididymis, seminal vesicle, prostate, corpus cavernosum), their crucial role in the control of spermatogenesis and their implication in the function of the male accessory glands, including functional smooth muscle tone. Their potential dysfunctions in some testis (spermatogenic arrest, seminoma) and prostate (benign hyperplasia, adenocarcinoma) diseases and in the physiopathology of the human erectile function are also discussed.

A Novel Approach of Groupwise fMRI-Guided Tractography Allowing to Characterize the Clinical Evolution of Alzheimer's Disease

PubMed Central

Preti, Maria Giulia; Makris, Nikos; Papadimitriou, George; Laganà, Maria Marcella; Griffanti, Ludovica; Clerici, Mario; Nemni, Raffaello; Westin, Carl-Fredrik; Baselli, Giuseppe; Baglio, Francesca

2014-01-01

Guiding diffusion tract-based anatomy by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we aim to investigate the relationship between structural connectivity and functional activity in the human brain. To this purpose, we introduced a novel groupwise fMRI-guided tractographic approach, that was applied on a population ranging between prodromic and moderate stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The study comprised of 15 subjects affected by amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), 14 diagnosed with AD and 14 elderly healthy adults who were used as controls. By creating representative (ensemble) functionally guided tracts within each group of participants, our methodology highlighted the white matter fiber connections involved in verbal fluency functions for a specific population, and hypothesized on brain compensation mechanisms that potentially counteract or reduce cognitive impairment symptoms in prodromic AD. Our hope is that this fMRI-guided tractographic approach could have potential impact in various clinical studies, while investigating white/gray matter connectivity, in both health and disease. PMID:24637718

Metagenomic evidence for taxonomic dysbiosis and functional imbalance in the gastrointestinal tracts of children with cystic fibrosis

PubMed Central

Manor, Ohad; Levy, Roie; Pope, Christopher E.; Hayden, Hillary S.; Brittnacher, Mitchell J.; Carr, Rogan; Radey, Matthew C.; Hager, Kyle R.; Heltshe, Sonya L.; Ramsey, Bonnie W.; Miller, Samuel I.; Hoffman, Lucas R.; Borenstein, Elhanan

2016-01-01

Cystic fibrosis (CF) results in inflammation, malabsorption of fats and other nutrients, and obstruction in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, yet the mechanisms linking these disease manifestations to microbiome composition remain largely unexplored. Here we used metagenomic analysis to systematically characterize fecal microbiomes of children with and without CF, demonstrating marked CF-associated taxonomic dysbiosis and functional imbalance. We further showed that these taxonomic and functional shifts were especially pronounced in young children with CF and diminished with age. Importantly, the resulting dysbiotic microbiomes had significantly altered capacities for lipid metabolism, including decreased capacity for overall fatty acid biosynthesis and increased capacity for degrading anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids. Notably, these functional differences correlated with fecal measures of fat malabsorption and inflammation. Combined, these results suggest that enteric fat abundance selects for pro-inflammatory GI microbiota in young children with CF, offering novel strategies for improving the health of children with CF-associated fat malabsorption. PMID:26940651

PCB and organochlorine pesticides in northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) from a High Arctic colony: chemical exposure, fate, and transfer to predators.

PubMed

Foster, Karen L; Mallory, Mark L; Hill, Laura; Blais, Jules M

2011-09-01

Organochlorine contaminant concentrations, associated fugacities, and stable isotopes of nitrogen (δ(15) N) are reported for liver, whole body homogenate, and opportunistically collected samples of prey (amphipods), stomach oils, digestive tract contents, and guano for northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) collected at Cape Vera, Devon Island in the Canadian High Arctic. Liver concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (ΣPCB) and ΣDDT were on average 49.9 ± 35.4 ng g(-1) and 29.9 ± 25.2 ng g(-1) wet weight, respectively. Whole body homogenate concentrations of ΣPCB and ΣDDT were 637 ± 293 ng g(-1) and 365 ± 212 ng g(-1) wet weight, respectively. A mass and energy balance showed that whole body contaminant concentrations, which are seldom reported for Arctic seabirds, are critical in determining contaminant exposure and associated risk to predators such as the Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus). Biomagnification in the fulmars is evident, because concentrations and fugacities of contaminants were generally one to three orders of magnitude higher than those of likely prey items. The fate of diet-derived contaminants along the digestive tract is discussed, in particular with respect to stomach oils, which are used to feed chicks and for defensive purposes. The benefits of considering both concentrations and fugacities are demonstrated and provide information on the absorption and distribution of chemicals within the fulmars and contaminant transfer to offspring and predators. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

Ciprofloxacin and statin interaction: a cautionary tale of rhabdomyolysis.

PubMed

Goldie, Fraser Charles; Brogan, Amy; Boyle, James Graham

2016-07-28

A 62-year-old woman presented to hospital, on general practitioner (GP) advice, with a 15-day history of slowly progressing muscle weakness. Results showed newly deranged liver function and creatine kinase (CK) of >24 000. Prior medical history includes previous myocardial infarction and recurrent urinary tract infection. 4 days prior to symptom onset, the patient developed typical urinary tract infection symptoms, treated with ciprofloxacin. The patient had been taking simvastatin (40 mg nocte) for 13 years and had never previously taken ciprofloxacin. Initial management included intravenous crystalloid fluids and discontinuation of simvastatin. CK level fell, liver function slowly improved and renal function remained stable. Muscle weakness improved and the patient became independently able to perform activities of daily living. While the interactions between statins and other antibiotics are well documented, the interaction between statins and ciprofloxacin is less so. The consequences of this interaction can have potentially serious outcomes. 2016 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

Development and Function of the Mucosal Immune System in the Upper Respiratory Tract of Neonatal Calves.

PubMed

Osman, Rahwa; Malmuthuge, Nilusha; Gonzalez-Cano, Patricia; Griebel, Philip

2018-02-15

Respiratory infections remain the second most common cause of clinical disease and mortality in newborn calves, which has led to increased interest in using vaccines early in life to mitigate this risk. Intranasal vaccination of neonatal calves can be an effective strategy to circumvent vaccine interference by maternal antibody, but this raises questions regarding onset of immune competence in the upper respiratory tract (URT) following birth. Little is known, however, about the development and function of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) in the URT of newborn calves and what factors, including the commensal microbiome, contribute to this early development. We review the structure, development, and function of MALT in the bovine URT during the first six weeks of life and identify knowledge gaps regarding this early developmental time. This information is critical when designing vaccination programs for young calves, especially when targeting respiratory pathogens that may reside within the commensal microbiome.

Sensory Function and Chronic Pain in Multiple Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Scherder, Rogier J.; Kant, Neeltje; Wolf, Evelien T.; Pijnenburg, Bas C. M.

2018-01-01

Objective To examine whether hypoesthesia and chronic pain are related in patients with MS. Methods Sixty-seven MS patients with pain and 80 persons without MS were included. Sensory functioning was tested by bedside neurological examination. Touch, joint position (dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathway), temperature sense, and pain (spinothalamic tract) were tested. Pain intensity was measured by the Colored Analogue Scale (CAS Intensity) and the Faces Pain Scale (FPS); pain affect was also measured by CAS Affect and Number of Words Chosen-Affective (NWC-A). Mood was assessed with the SCL-90 anxiety and depression subscales and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results A significant negative relationship was found between pain intensity and the function of the dorsal column-medial lemniscal pathway, but not with the spinothalamic tract. Conclusion In addition to the already known relation between hyperesthesia and pain, hypoesthesia for touch and joint position also seems to be related to chronic pain in MS patients. PMID:29849839

Transfer of function and prior derived-relations testing.

PubMed

Doughty, Adam H; Best, Lauren

2017-10-01

This experiment assessed transfer of function through equivalence relations with and without prior derived-stimulus-relations (DSR) testing. In a DSR-Testing Group, eight college students learned A-B and A-C discriminations in baseline. They then derived the B-C and C-B equivalence relations before being exposed to a transfer-of-function manipulation and test. Eight participants in a No-DSR Testing Group were exposed to the transfer-of-function manipulation and test immediately after learning the baseline discriminations (i.e., B-C and C-B testing were omitted). In the transfer-of-function manipulation, participants learned to respond differently in the presence of B1 and B2 to avoid money loss. In the transfer-of-function test, responding in the presence of C1 and C2 was measured in the absence of differential consequences. Transfer of function occurred reliably only in the DSR-Testing Group (i.e., participants responding to C1 and C2 in the manner they learned to respond to B1 and B2, respectively). These findings support the notion that prior DSR testing can be critical to observing transfer of function. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

System and method of active vibration control for an electro-mechanically cooled device

DOEpatents

Lavietes, Anthony D.; Mauger, Joseph; Anderson, Eric H.

2000-01-01

A system and method of active vibration control of an electro-mechanically cooled device is disclosed. A cryogenic cooling system is located within an environment. The cooling system is characterized by a vibration transfer function, which requires vibration transfer function coefficients. A vibration controller generates the vibration transfer function coefficients in response to various triggering events. The environments may differ by mounting apparatus, by proximity to vibration generating devices, or by temperature. The triggering event may be powering on the cooling system, reaching an operating temperature, or a reset action. A counterbalance responds to a drive signal generated by the vibration controller, based on the vibration signal and the vibration transfer function, which adjusts vibrations. The method first places a cryogenic cooling system within a first environment and then generates a first set of vibration transfer function coefficients, for a vibration transfer function of the cooling system. Next, the cryogenic cooling system is placed within a second environment and a second set of vibration transfer function coefficients are generated. Then, a counterbalance is driven, based on the vibration transfer function, to reduce vibrations received by a vibration sensitive element.

Transfer Function Identification Using Orthogonal Fourier Transform Modeling Functions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morelli, Eugene A.

2013-01-01

A method for transfer function identification, including both model structure determination and parameter estimation, was developed and demonstrated. The approach uses orthogonal modeling functions generated from frequency domain data obtained by Fourier transformation of time series data. The method was applied to simulation data to identify continuous-time transfer function models and unsteady aerodynamic models. Model fit error, estimated model parameters, and the associated uncertainties were used to show the effectiveness of the method for identifying accurate transfer function models from noisy data.

Multiconfiguration Pair-Density Functional Theory Outperforms Kohn-Sham Density Functional Theory and Multireference Perturbation Theory for Ground-State and Excited-State Charge Transfer.

PubMed

Ghosh, Soumen; Sonnenberger, Andrew L; Hoyer, Chad E; Truhlar, Donald G; Gagliardi, Laura

2015-08-11

The correct description of charge transfer in ground and excited states is very important for molecular interactions, photochemistry, electrochemistry, and charge transport, but it is very challenging for Kohn-Sham (KS) density functional theory (DFT). KS-DFT exchange-correlation functionals without nonlocal exchange fail to describe both ground- and excited-state charge transfer properly. We have recently proposed a theory called multiconfiguration pair-density functional theory (MC-PDFT), which is based on a combination of multiconfiguration wave function theory with a new type of density functional called an on-top density functional. Here we have used MC-PDFT to study challenging ground- and excited-state charge-transfer processes by using on-top density functionals obtained by translating KS exchange-correlation functionals. For ground-state charge transfer, MC-PDFT performs better than either the PBE exchange-correlation functional or CASPT2 wave function theory. For excited-state charge transfer, MC-PDFT (unlike KS-DFT) shows qualitatively correct behavior at long-range with great improvement in predicted excitation energies.

Disparities in TKA Outcomes: Census Tract Data Show Interactions Between Race and Poverty.

PubMed

Goodman, Susan M; Mandl, Lisa A; Parks, Michael L; Zhang, Meng; McHugh, Kelly R; Lee, Yuo-Yu; Nguyen, Joseph T; Russell, Linda A; Bogardus, Margaret H; Figgie, Mark P; Bass, Anne R

2016-09-01

Race is an important predictor of TKA outcomes in the United States; however, analyses of race can be confounded by socioeconomic factors, which can result in difficulty determining the root cause of disparate outcomes after TKA. We asked: (1) Are race and socioeconomic factors at the individual level associated with patient-reported pain and function 2 years after TKA? (2) What is the interaction between race and community poverty and patient-reported pain and function 2 years after TKA? We identified all patients undergoing TKA enrolled in a hospital-based registry between 2007 and 2011 who provided 2-year outcomes and lived in New York, Connecticut, or New Jersey. Of patients approached to participate in the registry, more than 82% consented and provided baseline data, and of these patients, 72% provided 2-year data. Proportions of patients with complete followup at 2 years were lower among blacks (57%) than whites (74%), among patients with Medicaid insurance (51%) compared with patients without Medicaid insurance (72%), and among patients without a college education (67%) compared with those with a college education (71%). Our final study cohort consisted of 4035 patients, 3841 (95%) of whom were white and 194 (5%) of whom were black. Using geocoding, we linked individual-level registry data to US census tracts data through patient addresses. We constructed a multivariate linear mixed-effect model in multilevel frameworks to assess the interaction between race and census tract poverty on WOMAC pain and function scores 2 years after TKA. We defined a clinically important effect as 10 points on the WOMAC (which is scaled from 1 to 100 points, with higher scores being better). Race, education, patient expectations, and baseline WOMAC scores are all associated with 2-year WOMAC pain and function; however, the effect sizes were small, and below the threshold of clinical importance. Whites and blacks from census tracts with less than 10% poverty have similar levels of pain and function 2 years after TKA (WOMAC pain, 1.01 ± 1.59 points lower for blacks than for whites, p = 0.53; WOMAC function, 2.32 ± 1.56 lower for blacks than for whites, p = 0.14). WOMAC pain and function scores 2 years after TKA worsen with increasing levels of community poverty, but do so to a greater extent among blacks than whites. Disparities in pain and function between blacks and whites are evident only in the poorest communities; decreasing in a linear fashion as poverty increases. In census tracts with greater than 40% poverty, blacks score 6 ± 3 points lower (worse) than whites for WOMAC pain (p = 0.03) and 7 ± 3 points lower than whites for WOMAC function (p = 0.01). Blacks and whites living in communities with little poverty have similar patient-reported TKA outcomes, whereas in communities with high levels of poverty, there are important racial disparities. Efforts to improve TKA outcomes among blacks will need to address individual- and community-level socioeconomic factors. Level III, therapeutic study.

Investigating Colonization of the Healthy Adult Gastrointestinal Tract by Fungi.

PubMed

Auchtung, Thomas A; Fofanova, Tatiana Y; Stewart, Christopher J; Nash, Andrea K; Wong, Matthew C; Gesell, Jonathan R; Auchtung, Jennifer M; Ajami, Nadim J; Petrosino, Joseph F

2018-01-01

A wide diversity of fungi have been detected in the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract with the potential to provide or influence important functions. However, many of the fungi most commonly detected in stool samples are also present in food or the oral cavity. Therefore, to recognize which gut fungi are likely to have a sustained influence on human health, there is a need to separate transient members of the GI tract from true colonizers. To identify colonizing fungi, the eukaryotic rRNA operon's second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) was sequenced from the stool, saliva, and food of healthy adults following consumption of different controlled diets. Unlike most bacterial 16S rRNA genes, the only fungal ITS2 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) detected in stool DNA across multiple diets were also present in saliva and/or food. Additional analyses, including culture-based approaches and sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene, ITS2 cDNA, and DNA extracted using alternative methods, failed to detect additional fungi. Two abundant fungi, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans, were examined further in healthy volunteers. Saccharomyces became undetectable in stool when a S. cerevisiae-free diet was consumed, and the levels of C. albicans in stool were dramatically reduced by more frequent cleaning of teeth. Extremely low fungal abundance, the inability of fungi to grow under conditions mimicking the distal gut, and evidence from analysis of other public datasets further support the hypothesis that fungi do not routinely colonize the GI tracts of healthy adults. IMPORTANCE We sought to identify the fungi that colonize healthy GI tracts and that have a sustained influence on the diverse functions of the gut microbiome. Instead, we found that all fungi in the stool of healthy volunteers could be explained by their presence in oral and dietary sources and that our results, together with those from other analyses, support the model that there is little or no gastrointestinal colonization by fungi. This may be due to Westernization, primate evolution, fungal ecology, and/or the strong defenses of a healthy immune system. Importantly, fungal colonization of the GI tract may often be indicative of disease. As fungi can cause serious infections in immunocompromised individuals and are found at increased abundance in multiple disorders of the GI tract, understanding normal fungal colonization is essential for proper treatment and prevention of fungal pathogenesis.

Urinary tract infections in pregnancy: old and new unresolved diagnostic and therapeutic problems.

PubMed

Matuszkiewicz-Rowińska, Joanna; Małyszko, Jolanta; Wieliczko, Monika

2015-03-16

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in pregnant women and pose a great therapeutic challenge, since the risk of serious complications in both the mother and her child is high. Pregnancy is a state associated with physiological, structural and functional urinary tract changes which promote ascending infections from the urethra. Unlike the general population, all pregnant women should be screened for bacteriuria with urine culture, and asymptomatic bacteriuria must be treated in every case that is diagnosed, as it is an important risk factor for pyelonephritis in this population. The antibiotic chosen should have a good maternal and fetal safety profile. In this paper, current principles of diagnosis and management of UTI in pregnancy are reviewed, and the main problems and controversies are identified and discussed.

Urinary tract infections in pregnancy: old and new unresolved diagnostic and therapeutic problems

PubMed Central

Małyszko, Jolanta; Wieliczko, Monika

2015-01-01

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in pregnant women and pose a great therapeutic challenge, since the risk of serious complications in both the mother and her child is high. Pregnancy is a state associated with physiological, structural and functional urinary tract changes which promote ascending infections from the urethra. Unlike the general population, all pregnant women should be screened for bacteriuria with urine culture, and asymptomatic bacteriuria must be treated in every case that is diagnosed, as it is an important risk factor for pyelonephritis in this population. The antibiotic chosen should have a good maternal and fetal safety profile. In this paper, current principles of diagnosis and management of UTI in pregnancy are reviewed, and the main problems and controversies are identified and discussed. PMID:25861291

Urinalysis: case presentations for the primary care physician.

PubMed

Sharp, Victoria J; Lee, Daniel K; Askeland, Eric J

2014-10-15

Urinalysis is useful in diagnosing systemic and genitourinary conditions. In patients with suspected microscopic hematuria, urine dipstick testing may suggest the presence of blood, but results should be confirmed with a microscopic examination. In the absence of obvious causes, the evaluation of microscopic hematuria should include renal function testing, urinary tract imaging, and cystoscopy. In a patient with a ureteral stent, urinalysis alone cannot establish the diagnosis of urinary tract infection. Plain radiography of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder can identify a stent and is preferred over computed tomography. Asymptomatic bacteriuria is the isolation of bacteria in an appropriately collected urine specimen obtained from a person without symptoms of a urinary tract infection. Treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria is not recommended in nonpregnant adults, including those with prolonged urinary catheter use.

Racial disparities in travel time to radiotherapy facilities in the Atlanta metropolitan area

PubMed Central

Peipins, Lucy A.; Graham, Shannon; Young, Randall; Lewis, Brian; Flanagan, Barry

2018-01-01

Low-income women with breast cancer who rely on public transportation may have difficulty in completing recommended radiation therapy due to inadequate access to radiation facilities. Using a geographic information system (GIS) and network analysis we quantified spatial accessibility to radiation treatment facilities in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area. We built a transportation network model that included all bus and rail routes and stops, system transfers and walk and wait times experienced by public transportation system travelers. We also built a private transportation network to model travel times by automobile. We calculated travel times to radiation therapy facilities via public and private transportation from a population-weighted center of each census tract located within the study area. We broadly grouped the tracts by low, medium and high household access to a private vehicle and by race. Facility service areas were created using the network model to map the extent of areal coverage at specified travel times (30, 45 and 60 min) for both public and private modes of transportation. The median public transportation travel time to the nearest radiotherapy facility was 56 min vs. approximately 8 min by private vehicle. We found that majority black census tracts had longer public transportation travel times than white tracts across all categories of vehicle access and that 39% of women in the study area had longer than 1 h of public transportation travel time to the nearest facility. In addition, service area analyses identified locations where the travel time barriers are the greatest. Spatial inaccessibility, especially for women who must use public transportation, is one of the barriers they face in receiving optimal treatment. PMID:23726213

Racial disparities in travel time to radiotherapy facilities in the Atlanta metropolitan area.

PubMed

Peipins, Lucy A; Graham, Shannon; Young, Randall; Lewis, Brian; Flanagan, Barry

2013-07-01

Low-income women with breast cancer who rely on public transportation may have difficulty in completing recommended radiation therapy due to inadequate access to radiation facilities. Using a geographic information system (GIS) and network analysis we quantified spatial accessibility to radiation treatment facilities in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area. We built a transportation network model that included all bus and rail routes and stops, system transfers and walk and wait times experienced by public transportation system travelers. We also built a private transportation network to model travel times by automobile. We calculated travel times to radiation therapy facilities via public and private transportation from a population-weighted center of each census tract located within the study area. We broadly grouped the tracts by low, medium and high household access to a private vehicle and by race. Facility service areas were created using the network model to map the extent of areal coverage at specified travel times (30, 45 and 60 min) for both public and private modes of transportation. The median public transportation travel time to the nearest radiotherapy facility was 56 min vs. approximately 8 min by private vehicle. We found that majority black census tracts had longer public transportation travel times than white tracts across all categories of vehicle access and that 39% of women in the study area had longer than 1 h of public transportation travel time to the nearest facility. In addition, service area analyses identified locations where the travel time barriers are the greatest. Spatial inaccessibility, especially for women who must use public transportation, is one of the barriers they face in receiving optimal treatment. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Gastro-intestinal tract perforation in neonates.

PubMed

Kuremu, R T; Hadley, G P; Wiersma, R

2003-09-01

Gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) perforation in neonates is a serious problem associated with high mortality due to resulting sepsis. Co-morbid factors, eg. prematurity, respiratory problems, low birth weight, and nutritional factors, negatively affect the outcome. To review the management outcome of gastro-intestinal tract perforation in neonates in KwaZulu-Natal and identify factors that require attention for better survival of neonates with GIT perforation. Retrospective study of consecutive complete data sets of patients presenting with a diagnosis of GIT perforation. Department of Paediatric Surgery, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa. Fifty four neonates treated for gastro-intestinal tract perforation between January 1998 and January 2003. Morbidity as determined by complications and mortality. More males (69%) were affected than females (31%). The median birth weight was 2.3 kg and median age at presentation was four days. Eighty nine percent were referred from peripheral hospitals. Abdominal distension was the leading symptom and sign (74%). Co-morbid factors were present in 89%, with prematurity as the leading factor (52%). Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) was the main cause of perforation (33%) and the terminal ileum was the most common site. Most (56%) were treated by excision and primary repair of perforations. Sepsis was the leading complication (44%) and major cause of death (72%). Mortality was highest (56%) in perforations due to other primary pathology followed by NEC (53%). Overall mortality was 46%. It is essential to prevent secondary perforations by early recognition and management of primary pathology. Management of pneumoperitoneum in neonates with respiratory difficulties should be included in resuscitation before transfer. Rectal temperature monitoring and herbal enemas should be strongly discouraged.

The Goddard and Saturn Genes Are Essential for Drosophila Male Fertility and May Have Arisen De Novo

PubMed Central

Gubala, Anna M.; Schmitz, Jonathan F.; Kearns, Michael J.; Vinh, Tery T.; Bornberg-Bauer, Erich; Wolfner, Mariana F.

2017-01-01

New genes arise through a variety of mechanisms, including the duplication of existing genes and the de novo birth of genes from noncoding DNA sequences. While there are numerous examples of duplicated genes with important functional roles, the functions of de novo genes remain largely unexplored. Many newly evolved genes are expressed in the male reproductive tract, suggesting that these evolutionary innovations may provide advantages to males experiencing sexual selection. Using testis-specific RNA interference, we screened 11 putative de novo genes in Drosophila melanogaster for effects on male fertility and identified two, goddard and saturn, that are essential for spermatogenesis and sperm function. Goddard knockdown (KD) males fail to produce mature sperm, while saturn KD males produce few sperm, and these function inefficiently once transferred to females. Consistent with a de novo origin, both genes are identifiable only in Drosophila and are predicted to encode proteins with no sequence similarity to any annotated protein. However, since high levels of divergence prevented the unambiguous identification of the noncoding sequences from which each gene arose, we consider goddard and saturn to be putative de novo genes. Within Drosophila, both genes have been lost in certain lineages, but show conserved, male-specific patterns of expression in the species in which they are found. Goddard is consistently found in single-copy and evolves under purifying selection. In contrast, saturn has diversified through gene duplication and positive selection. These data suggest that de novo genes can acquire essential roles in male reproduction. PMID:28104747

A Hypothesis for Examining Skeletal Muscle Biopsy-Derived Sarcolemmal nNOSμ as Surrogate for Enteric nNOSα Function

PubMed Central

Chaudhury, Arun

2015-01-01

The pathophysiology of gastrointestinal motility disorders is controversial and largely unresolved. This provokes empiric approaches to patient management of these so-called functional gastrointestinal disorders. Preliminary evidence demonstrates that defects in neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) expression and function, the enzyme that synthesizes nitric oxide (NO), the key inhibitory neurotransmitter mediating mechano-electrical smooth muscle relaxation, is the major pathophysiological basis for sluggishness of oro-aboral transit of luminal contents. This opinion is an ansatz of the potential of skeletal muscle biopsy and examining sarcolemmal nNOSμ to provide complementary insights regarding nNOSα expression, localization, and function within enteric nerve terminals, the site of stimulated de novo NO synthesis. The main basis of this thesis is twofold: (a) the molecular similarity of the structures of nNOS α and μ, similar mechanisms of localizations to “active zones” of nitrergic synthesis, and same mechanisms of electron transfers during NO synthesis and (b) pragmatic difficulty to routinely obtain full-thickness biopsies of gastrointestinal tract, even in patients presenting with the most recalcitrant manifestations of stasis and delayed transit of luminal contents. This opinion attempts to provoke dialog whether this approach is feasible as a surrogate to predict catalytic potential of nNOSα and defects in nitrergic neurotransmission. This discussion makes an assumption that similar molecular mechanisms of nNOS defects shall be operant in both the enteric nerve terminals and the skeletal muscles. These overlaps of skeletal and gastrointestinal dysfunction are largely unknown, thus meriting that the thesis be validated in future by proof-of-principle experiments. PMID:26284245

Computer method for identification of boiler transfer functions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miles, J. H.

1971-01-01

An iterative computer method is described for identifying boiler transfer functions using frequency response data. An objective penalized performance measure and a nonlinear minimization technique are used to cause the locus of points generated by a transfer function to resemble the locus of points obtained from frequency response measurements. Different transfer functions can be tried until a satisfactory empirical transfer function to the system is found. To illustrate the method, some examples and some results from a study of a set of data consisting of measurements of the inlet impedance of a single tube forced flow boiler with inserts are given.

Can Clays in Livestock Feed Promote Antibiotic Resistance and Virulence in Pathogenic Bacteria?

PubMed Central

Rodríguez-Rojas, Alexandro; Rodríguez-Beltrán, Jerónimo; Valverde, José Ramón; Blázquez, Jesús

2015-01-01

The use of antibiotics in animal husbandry has long been associated with the appearance of antibiotic resistance and virulence factor determinants. Nonetheless, the number of cases of human infection involving resistant or virulent microorganisms that originate in farms is increasing. While many antibiotics have been banned as dietary supplements in some countries, other additives thought to be innocuous in terms of the development and spread of antibiotic resistance are used as growth promoters. In fact, several clay materials are routinely added to animal feed with the aim of improving growth and animal product quality. However, recent findings suggest that sepiolite, a clay additive, mediates the direct transfer of plasmids between different bacterial species. We therefore hypothesize that clays present in animal feed facilitate the horizontal transfer of resistance determinants in the digestive tract of farm animals.

Proteinase-activated receptor 2 (PAR-2) in gastrointestinal and pancreatic pathophysiology, inflammation and neoplasia.

PubMed

Søreide, Kjetil

2008-08-01

Of all the body systems, the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the most exposed to proteinases. Proteolytic activity must thus be tightly regulated in the face of diverse environmental challenges, because unrestrained or excessive proteolysis leads to pathological GI conditions. The protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) is expressed in numerous cell types within the GI tract, suggesting both multiple functions and numerous modes of receptor activation. Although best known as a pancreatic digestive enzyme, trypsin has also been found in other tissues and various cancers. Of interest, trypsin and PAR-2 act together in an autocrine loop that promotes proliferation, invasion and metastasis in neoplasia through various mechanisms. Trypsin and PAR-2 seem to act both directly and indirectly through activation of other proteinase cascades, including metalloproteinases. PAR-2 activation can participate in inflammatory reactions, be protective to mucosal surfaces, send or inhibit nociceptive messages, modify gut motility or secretory functions, and stimulate cell proliferation and motility. Several studies point to a role for the PARs in disease processes of the GI tract and pancreas ranging from inflammatory bowel disease, symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome, pain in pancreatitis, development of colon and other GI cancers, and even infectious colitis. Proteinases should not only be considered from the traditional view as digestive or degradative enzymes in the gut, but additionally as signalling molecules that actively participate in the spectrum of physiology and diseased states of the GI tract.

The development and validation of a multidimensional sum-scaling questionnaire to measure patient-reported outcomes in acute respiratory tract infections in primary care: the acute respiratory tract infection questionnaire.

PubMed

Aabenhus, Rune; Thorsen, Hanne; Siersma, Volkert; Brodersen, John

2013-01-01

Patient-reported outcomes are seldom validated measures in clinical trials of acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) in primary care. We developed and validated a patient-reported outcome sum-scaling measure to assess the severity and functional impacts of ARTIs. Qualitative interviews and field testing among adults with an ARTI were conducted to ascertain a high degree of face and content validity of the questionnaire. Subsequently, a draft version of the Acute Respiratory Tract Infection Questionnaire (ARTIQ) was statistically validated by using the partial credit Rasch model to test dimensionality, objectivity, and reliability of items. Test of known groups' validity was conducted by comparing participants with and without an ARTI. The final version of the ARTIQ consisted of 38 items covering five dimensions (Physical-upper, Physical-lower, Psychological, Sleep, and Medicine) and five single items. All final dimensions were confirmed to fit the Rasch model, thus enabling sum-scaling of responses. The ARTIQ scores in participants with an ARTI were significantly higher than in those without ARTI (known groups' validity). A self-administered, multidimensional, sum-scaling questionnaire with high face and content validity and adequate psychometric properties for assessing severity and functional impacts from ARTIs in adults is available to clinical trials and audits in primary care. Copyright © 2013, International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc.

Plasticity of vagal brainstem circuits in the control of gastrointestinal function

PubMed Central

Browning, Kirsteen N; Travagli, R. Alberto

2010-01-01

The afferent vagus transmits sensory information from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and other viscera to the brainstem via a glutamatergic synapse at the level of the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). Second order NTS neurons integrate this sensory information with inputs from other CNS regions that regulate autonomic functions and homeostasis. Glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons are responsible for conveying the integrated response to other nuclei, including the adjacent dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV). The preganglionic neurons in the DMV are the source of the parasympathetic motor response back to the GI tract. The glutamatergic synapse between the NTS and DMV is unlikely to be tonically active in regulating gastric motility and tone although almost all neurotransmitters tested so far modulate transmission at this synapse. In contrast, the tonic inhibitory GABAergic input from the NTS to the DMV appears to be critical in setting the tone of gastric motility and, under basal conditions, is unaffected by many neurotransmitters or neurohormones. This review is based, in part, on a presentation by Dr Browning at the 2009 ISAN meeting in Sydney, Australia and discusses how neurohormones and macronutrients modulate glutamatergic transmission to NTS neurons and GABAergic transmission to DMV neurons in relation to sensory information that is received from the GI tract. These neurohormones and macronutrients appear to exert efficient “on-demand” control of the motor output from the DMV in response to ever-changing demands required to maintain homeostasis. PMID:21147043