Although the current use of growth hormone (GH) stimulation tests (GHSTs) is still subject to debate, the tests are widely used to diagnose GH deficiency. This literature review evaluates primarily ...the sensitivity, specificity and reliability of GHSTs and secondarily their convenience. Single pharmacological tests typically address only a single pathway in the complex physiological regulation of GH secretion and are therefore characterized by lower sensitivity, specificity and reliability than combined pharmacological tests or physiological tests. In spite of the high levels of sensitivity, specificity and reliability, physiological tests require considerably more effort to perform, from the physician as well as from the child. Therefore, a need for an alternative, convenient, physiological GHST still remains. Oral ingestion of dietary protein is convenient in practice and may induce more physiological stimulation of GH secretion, hence may be a promising valuable addition to the existing GHSTs in GH deficiency.
Acute Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major immunological complication after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation and a better understanding of the molecular regulation of the disease ...could help to develop novel targeted therapies. Here we found that a G/C polymorphism within the human microRNA-146a (miR-146a) gene of transplant recipients, which causes reduced miR-146a levels, was strongly associated with the risk of developing severe acute GVHD (n=289). In mice, deficiency of miR-146a in the hematopoietic system or transfer of recipient-type miR-146a
dendritic cells (DCs) enhanced GVHD, while miR-146a mimic-transfected DCs ameliorated disease. Mechanistically, lack of miR-146a enhanced JAK2-STAT1 pathway activity, which led to higher expression of class II-transactivator (CIITA) and consecutively increased MHCII-levels on DCs. Inhibition of JAK1/2 or CIITA knockdown in DCs prevented miR-146a
DC-induced GVHD exacerbation. Consistent with our findings in mice, patients with the miR-146a polymorphism rs2910164 in hematopoietic cells displayed higher MHCII levels on monocytes, which could be targeted by JAK1/2 inhibition. Our findings indicate that the miR-146a polymorphism rs2910164 identifies patients at high risk for GVHD before allo-HCT. Functionally we show that miR-146a acts as a central regulator of recipient-type DC activation during GVHD by dampening the pro-inflammatory JAK-STAT/CIITA/MHCII axis, which provides a scientific rationale for early JAK1/2 inhibition in selected patients.
The combination of a magnetic spectrometer and ancillary detectors such as silicon detectors is a powerful tool for the study of nuclear reactions and nuclear structure. This paper discusses the ...recently commissioned silicon array called the CAKE which is designed for use with the K600 magnetic spectrometer at iThemba LABS.
Morbid obesity is often associated with gastrointestinal motor disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate gastric motility in morbid obesity, using electrogastrography (EGG) before and 3 ...months after gastric restrictive surgery.
40 morbidly obese subjects (age 40.6+/-10.3 years, BMI 46.4+/-5.7 kg/m2) were studied. VBG and Lap-Band operations were performed in 19 and 21 patients respectively. The following EGG-parameters were determined, both during fasting (f) and postprandially (pp): dominant frequency (DF(f/pp)), dominant power (DP(f/pp)), dominant frequency and power instability coefficient (DFIC and DPIC respectively) and power ratio.
In the Lap-Band group, DF(pp), DP(pp) and DFIC(pp) were significantly higher compared with the preprandial state, both preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively. After VBG, DF(f) and DFIC(pp) were significantly lower and DPIC(f) significantly higher compared with the preoperative state. Furthermore, DF(pp) and DP(pp) were significantly higher than the preprandial values. However, in both types of operations, power ratio did not differ significantly between the preoperative and postoperative situation. Furthermore, no clear difference in EGG-parameters between both operations could be observed.
After gastric restrictive surgery, no major changes in gastric myoelectrical activity occurred, suggesting that if clinical motility problems occur after bariatric surgery, they are not due to gastric myoelectrical dysfunction.
Summary
Seven different samples of goethite with differing crystallinity were prepared and the rate of reaction of six metal ions was measured for up to 4 weeks. The ions used were: Cu2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, ...Mn2+, Ni2+ and Cr3+. For Cu, decreasing goethite crystallinity, and therefore increasing porosity, increased the rate of reaction. In contrast, for Pb there was no effect. Hydrothermal treatment, which was used to induce ‘healing’ in one of the goethites, did not prevent the continuing reaction. It decreased the rate of reaction for Cu, Mn and Cd, but had no effect on Ni and Cr. This suggests that the main route for Ni and Cr is not via pores, but by lattice diffusion. The presence of silicate in the goethite decreased the reaction of Mn and Cd. We suggest that silicate decreased the spaces between goethite domains and that these spaces are the pathways largely used by these two ions. These observations show that metallic cations differ amongst themselves, and differ from anions such as phosphate, in the pathways they follow when they penetrate materials such as goethite subsequent to an initial adsorption reaction.
The \(\mathrm{^{16}O}(\alpha, \alpha^{\prime})\) reaction was studied at \(\theta_{lab} = 0^\circ\) at an incident energy of \(\textrm{E}_{lab}\) = 200 MeV using the K600 magnetic spectrometer at ...iThemba LABS. Proton and \(\alpha\)-decay from the natural parity states were observed in a large-acceptance silicon-strip detector array at backward angles. The coincident charged particle measurements were used to characterize the decay channels of the \(0_{6}^{+}\) state in \(\mathrm{^{16}O}\) located at \(E_{x} = 15.097(5)\) MeV. This state is identified by several theoretical cluster calculations to be a good candidate for the 4-\(\alpha\) cluster state. The results of this work suggest the presence of a previously unidentified resonance at \(E_{x}\approx15\) MeV that does not exhibit a \(0^{+}\) character. This unresolved resonance may have contaminated previous observations of the \(0_{6}^{+}\) state.
Fermentation of dietary fibres by colonic microbes leads to the production of short chain fatty acids (mainly propionate, butyrate and acetate), which are utilized by the colonic mucosa. Previous ...studies showed positive effects of butyrate on parameters of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis. Recent studies in rats, however, showed that butyrate increased visceral sensitivity. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of physiologically relevant concentrations of butyrate on visceral perception in healthy human subjects. Eleven healthy volunteers participated in this randomized double‐blind, placebo controlled cross‐over study. The study consisted of three periods of 1 week each, in which the volunteers daily self‐administered rectal enemas containing 100, 50 mmol L−1 butyrate, or placebo (saline) prior to sleeping. A rectal barostat measurement was performed at the start and the end of each test period for the measurement of pain, urge and discomfort. Butyrate treatment resulted in a dose‐dependent reduction of pain, urge and discomfort throughout the entire pressure range of the protocol. At a pressure of 4 mmHg, 50 and 100 mmol L−1 butyrate concentrations resulted in a 23.9% and 42.1% reduction of pain scores, respectively, and the discomfort scores decreased by 44.2% and 69.0% respectively. At a pressure of 67 mmHg, 50 and 100 mmol L−1 of butyrate decreased the pain scores by 23.8% and 42%, respectively, and discomfort scores 1.9% and 5.2% respectively. Colonic administration of butyrate, at physiologically relevant concentrations, dose‐dependently decreases visceral sensitivity in healthy volunteers.
The epidemiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in Europe and North America was analyzed from published material. The percentage of the population of Western civilisation with IBS symptoms is ...between 10 and 15% in most studies. The proportion of a Western population visiting a doctor for IBS symptoms is around 5%. The prevalence of IBS and the proportion of consulters do not seem to depend on age in an adult population. The female-to-male ratio of IBS in the population is close to 2. It is higher in IBS consulters in primary care and may be as high as 3 or 4 in tertiary referral centers. At least in patients from these centers, the number of physician visits and colonoscopies is considerable. Most of the consulters get a drug prescription.
Recent measurements indicate that the previously established upper limit for
the $\gamma$-decay branch of the $3_{1}^{-}$ resonance in $^{12}\textrm{C}$ at
$E_{x} = 9.641(5)$ MeV may be incorrect. As ...a result, the $3_{1}^{-}$ resonance
has been suggested as a significant resonance for mediating the triple-$\alpha$
reaction at high temperatures above 2 GK. Accurate estimations of the
$3_{1}^{-}$ contribution to the triple-$\alpha$ reaction rate require accurate
knowledge of not only the radiative width, but also the total width. In
anticipation of future measurements to more accurately determine the
$\gamma$-decay branch of the $3_{1}^{-}$ resonance, the objective of this work
is to accurately determine the total width of the $3_{1}^{-}$ resonance. An
evaluation was performed on all previous results considered in the current
ENSDF average of 46(3) keV for the physical total width (FWHM) of the
$3_{1}^{-}$ resonance in $^{12}\textrm{C}$. Significant unaccounted-for
uncertainties and a misstated result were discovered in these previous results,
leading to an invalid ENSDF average. In this work, the new global
\textbf{R}-matrix analysis performed on direct-reaction data yields a formal
total width of $\Gamma(E_{r}) = 46(2)$ keV and an observed total width of
$\Gamma_{\textrm{obs}}(E_{r}) = 38(2)$ keV for the $3_{1}^{-}$ resonance. An
observed total width of $\Gamma_{\textrm{obs}}(E_{r}) = 38(2)$ keV is
recommended for the $3_{1}^{-}$ resonance in $\mathrm{^{12}C}$. This observed
total width should be employed for future evaluations of the observed total
radiative width for the $3_{1}^{-}$ resonance and its contribution to the
high-temperature triple-$\alpha$ reaction rate.
Despite doubling of yields of major grain crops since the 1950s, more than one in seven people suffer from malnutrition (1). Global population is growing; demand for food, especially meat, is ...increasing; much land most suitable for annual crops is already in use; and production of nonfood goods (e.g., biofuels) increasingly competes with food production for land (2). The best lands have soils at low or moderate risk of degradation under annual grain production but make up only 12.6% of global land area (16.5 million km super(2)) (3). Supporting more than 50% of world population is another 43.7 million km super(2) of marginal lands (33.5% of global land area), at high risk of degradation under annual grain production but otherwise capable of producing crops (3). Global food security depends on annual grains- cereals, oilseeds, and legumes-planted on almost 70% of croplands, which combined supply a similar portion of human calories (4, 5). Annual grain production, though, often compromises essential ecosystem services, pushing some beyond sustainable boundaries (5). To ensure food and ecosystem security, farmers need more options to produce grains under different, generally less favorable circumstances than those under which increases in food security were achieved this past century. Development of perennial versions of important grain crops could expand options.
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