Atrazine is the most commonly detected pesticide in ground and surface waters, with seasonal spikes that often exceed the Environmental Protection Agency's “Recommended Water Quality Criterion” of ...350 parts per billion (ppb). Although numerous studies have shown atrazine produces adverse effects on growth, development, immune and endocrine system functions in a wide range of species, few describe gene expression changes concurrent with atrazine-induced changes in phenotype during development. In this report, developing Xenopus laevis tadpoles were chronically exposed to 400ppb atrazine, an environmentally relevant concentration. Affymetrix microarrays and Taqman qRT-PCR were used to define gene expression changes that underlie atrazine-induced phenotypic alterations. Atrazine significantly reduced survival and growth (weight, length and fat body size) in male and female tadpoles. Microarray analysis showed atrazine altered expression of 44 genes in male tadpoles (18 upregulated, 26 downregulated) and 77 genes in female tadpoles (23 upregulated, 54 downregulated). Classification of the genes into functional groups showed the majority of genes were associated with the following biological functions: growth and metabolism, proteolysis, fibrinogen complex formation and immune regulation. Seven genes associated with immune system function, specifically defense molecules present in the skin (e.g. magainin II, levitide A, preprocarulein, skin granule protein), were significantly downregulated in female tadpoles. These results support the idea that environmental contaminants such as atrazine compromise important gene pathways during frog development that may, ultimately, be relevant to global amphibian decline.
Self-efficacy is a person's belief in his or her ability to perform a certain behavior that achieves a desired outcome. Belief in self-efficacy influences the use of pain-coping strategies, physical ...and psychological function, and rehabilitation outcome in chronic pain patients. We conducted this prospective study to validate the psychometric properties of a Chinese version of the Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ-HK).
A previously translated PSEQ-HK was evaluated with the author's consent. Forward-backward translation was conducted, followed by critical appraisal by an expert panel. Reliability was examined by completing the PSEQ-HK twice over a 1-wk interval. One-hundred-twenty Chinese patients with chronic nonmalignant pain were asked to self-complete a set of health-related instruments in Chinese: Numeric Pain Rating Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and Medical Outcome Study Short-Form 36 (SF36) Health Survey.
PSEQ-HK had good retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.75) and high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.93). Exploratory factor analysis showed a one-factor model that accounted for 61% of the total variance, with minimal factor loading of 0.69. It was significantly correlated with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and five domains of SF36 (bodily pain, vitality, social functioning, role emotion, and mental health). Moderate correlations were observed with Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire and two domains of SF36 (role physical, general health). It had no correlation with pain score and medication use.
PSEQ-HK is a reliable Chinese clinical assessment tool with satisfactory psychometric properties. Our results provided preliminary support for the construct validity of PSEQ-HK in a heterogeneous Chinese population with chronic nonmalignant pain.
The present study examined the effects of attachment style and continuing bonds, defined as the extent to which a bereaved individual feels that the deceased remains a part of his/her life, on ...postbereavement adjustment among 71 conjugally bereaved individuals. It was shown that bereaved individuals with an anxious attachment style tended to show more externalized continuing bonds as well as more grief symptoms. An anxious attachment style played a direct and significant role in postbereavement adjustment over and above the contribution of externalized continuing bonds. Interventions to facilitate restoration tasks and to reduce externalized continuing bonds would be discussed.
Background: Verruciform xanthoma (VX) holds two basic pathogenic interests: (1) Why and how do macrophage foam cells accumulate exclusively in the sub‐basal papillae? and (2) What underlies the ...disease chronicity? Moreover, an unsolved question is which came first – epithelial hyperplasia or foam cell collection?
Materials and methods: We analyzed 36 oral mucosal lesions to dissect a series of linked cellular changes in VX using immunohistochemical and ultrastructural techniques.
Results: Macrophage scavenger receptor‐1 (MSR‐1), monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1), CCR2, and oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (ox‐LDL) were all expressed by foam cells. VX epithelium showed reactivity for MCP‐1, HLA‐DR and IL8 in varying degrees, and showed a nearly 40% reduction in Langerhans cell density. In sub‐epithelial inflammatory infiltrates, CD8+ T cells preponderated (>70%), but only a minority were positive for granzyme B (<1%). Keratinocyte/basal lamina complex exhibited disruption of basal lamina, squamatization and cytolysis of basal cells, fragmentation of desmosomes, and intraepithelial migration of macrophages. In severely inflamed papillae, necrotic foam cells were scavenged by adjacent macrophages.
Conclusions: Under synergistic regulation of T cells, MCP‐1/CCR2‐mediated macrophage recruitment in the sub‐basal papillae and the lysosomal engulfment of epithelial lipids by MSR‐1‐bearing macrophages may be central in VX formation. Once developed, ox‐LDL‐induced foam cell necrosis and macrophage‐dependent debris disposal may cyclically perpetuate VX.
Sialadenoma papilliferum (SP) is a benign non-invasive lesion with slow and limited growth. This report describes an unusual SP that enlarged rapidly and presented as an extensive intraoral tumour ...highly suspicious for verrucous carcinoma. Radiographic resorption of the underlying bone was evident in the mandible. This type of destructive growth does not conform to any previously reported SP. Histological features were also atypical: surface verrucous hyperplasia and deeper florid cystic-duct adenoma. Overall, the SP is likely to be considered a borderline lesion with malignant potential. Four published cases of malignancy associated with SP showed completely different clinical and pathological settings, further obfuscating the concept of malignant SP.
