295 research outputs found
Lemierre's syndrome and genetic polymorphisms: a case report
BACKGROUND: Lemierre's syndrome presents a classic clinical picture, the pathophysiology of which remains obscure. Attempts have been made to trace genetic predispositions that modify the host detection of pathogen or the resultant systemic reaction. CASE PRESENTATION: A 17-year old female, with no previous medical history, was admitted to the intensive care unit for septic shock, acute respiratory distress syndrome and Lemierre's syndrome. Her DNA was assayed for single nucleotide polymorphisms previously incriminated in the detection of the pathogen, the inflammatory response and the coagulation cascade. We observed functional variations in her Toll like 5 receptor (TLR 5) gene and two coagulation variations (Tissue Factor (TF) 603 and Plasminogen-Activator-Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) 4G-4G homozygosity) associated with thrombotic events. CONCLUSION: The innate immune response and the prothrombogenic mutations could explain, at least in part, the symptoms of Lemierre's syndrome. Genomic study of several patients with Lemierre's syndrome may reveal its pathophysiology
A First Search for coincident Gravitational Waves and High Energy Neutrinos using LIGO, Virgo and ANTARES data from 2007
We present the results of the first search for gravitational wave bursts
associated with high energy neutrinos. Together, these messengers could reveal
new, hidden sources that are not observed by conventional photon astronomy,
particularly at high energy. Our search uses neutrinos detected by the
underwater neutrino telescope ANTARES in its 5 line configuration during the
period January - September 2007, which coincided with the fifth and first
science runs of LIGO and Virgo, respectively. The LIGO-Virgo data were analysed
for candidate gravitational-wave signals coincident in time and direction with
the neutrino events. No significant coincident events were observed. We place
limits on the density of joint high energy neutrino - gravitational wave
emission events in the local universe, and compare them with densities of
merger and core-collapse events.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, science summary page at
http://www.ligo.org/science/Publication-S5LV_ANTARES/index.php. Public access
area to figures, tables at
https://dcc.ligo.org/cgi-bin/DocDB/ShowDocument?docid=p120000
Performance of the CMS Cathode Strip Chambers with Cosmic Rays
The Cathode Strip Chambers (CSCs) constitute the primary muon tracking device
in the CMS endcaps. Their performance has been evaluated using data taken
during a cosmic ray run in fall 2008. Measured noise levels are low, with the
number of noisy channels well below 1%. Coordinate resolution was measured for
all types of chambers, and fall in the range 47 microns to 243 microns. The
efficiencies for local charged track triggers, for hit and for segments
reconstruction were measured, and are above 99%. The timing resolution per
layer is approximately 5 ns
Performance and Operation of the CMS Electromagnetic Calorimeter
The operation and general performance of the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter
using cosmic-ray muons are described. These muons were recorded after the
closure of the CMS detector in late 2008. The calorimeter is made of lead
tungstate crystals and the overall status of the 75848 channels corresponding
to the barrel and endcap detectors is reported. The stability of crucial
operational parameters, such as high voltage, temperature and electronic noise,
is summarised and the performance of the light monitoring system is presented
Distribution pattern of psoriasis, anxiety and depression as possible causes of sexual dysfunction in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis
BACKGROUND:
Psoriasis may significantly impair sexual function. Depression and organic factors appear to play a key role in this relation. However, beyond genital psoriasis, the importance of the disease's distribution patterns has not been considered.
OBJECTIVES:
To research sexual function in psoriasis patients and investigate the roles of anxiety, depression and psoriasis' distribution patterns in sexual dysfunction.
METHODS:
A comparative study matched for sex and age was performed. Eighty patients with moderate to severe psoriasis and 80 healthy controls were included. The participants completed the Massachusetts General Hospital-Sexual Functioning Questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Self-Administered Psoriasis Area and Severity Index.
RESULTS:
Psoriasis was associated with sexual dysfunction, odds ratio=5.5 (CI 95% 2.6-11.3; p<0.001). Certain distribution patterns of psoriasis, involving specific body regions, were associated with an increase in sexual dysfunction in the group presenting the disease, odds ratio 7.9 (CI 95% 2.3-33.4; p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified anxiety and depression, and the involvement of these specific areas, as possible independent risk factors for sexual dysfunction in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis.
CONCLUSION:
This study identifies body areas potentially related to sexual dysfunction, independently of anxiety and depression, in psoriasis patients. The results suggest that the assessment of sexual dysfunction and the involvement of these body areas should be considered as disease severity criteria when choosing the treatment for psoriasis patients
Dyadic adjustment, family coping, body image, quality of life and psychological morbidity in patients with psoriasis and their partners
Background Psoriasis is an incurable and chronic disease
that includes unpredictable periods of remission and relapse
requiring long-term therapy.
Purpose This paper focuses on the relationship among
family coping, psychological morbidity, body image,
dyadic adjustment and quality of life in psoriatic patients
and their partners.
Method One hundred and one patients with psoriasis and
78 partners comprised the sample. They were regular users
of the Dermatology Service of a Central Northern hospital
in Portugal and a private dermatology clinic. Patients with
psoriasis were assessed on anxiety, depression, body image,
quality of life, dyadic adjustment and family coping.
Partners were assessed on the same measures except body
image and quality of life.
Results A positive relationship among dyadic adjustment,
psychological morbidity and family coping in patients and
their partners was found. Also, patients with lower levels of
quality of life had partners with higher levels of depressive
and anxious symptoms. Better dyadic adjustment predicted
family coping in the psoriatic patient. High levels of dyadic
adjustment in patients and low partners’ trait anxiety
predicted better dyadic adjustment in partners.
Conclusion The results highlight the importance of incorporating
family variables in psychological interventions in
psoriasis’ care, particularly family coping and dyadic
adjustment as well as the need for psychological intervention
to focus both on patients and partners
Risk and predictors of psoriasis in patients with breast cancer: a Swedish population-based cohort study
Different Effect of Proteasome Inhibition on Vesicular Stomatitis Virus and Poliovirus Replication
Proteasome activity is an important part of viral replication. In this study, we examined the effect of proteasome inhibitors on the replication of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and poliovirus. We found that the proteasome inhibitors significantly suppressed VSV protein synthesis, virus accumulation, and protected infected cells from toxic effect of VSV replication. In contrast, poliovirus replication was delayed, but not diminished in the presence of the proteasome inhibitors MG132 and Bortezomib. We also found that inhibition of proteasomes stimulated stress-related processes, such as accumulation of chaperone hsp70, phosphorylation of eIF2α, and overall inhibition of translation. VSV replication was sensitive to this stress with significant decline in replication process. Poliovirus growth was less sensitive with only delay in replication. Inhibition of proteasome activity suppressed cellular and VSV protein synthesis, but did not reduce poliovirus protein synthesis. Protein kinase GCN2 supported the ability of proteasome inhibitors to attenuate general translation and to suppress VSV replication. We propose that different mechanisms of translational initiation by VSV and poliovirus determine their sensitivity to stress induced by the inhibition of proteasomes. To our knowledge, this is the first study that connects the effect of stress induced by proteasome inhibition with the efficiency of viral infection
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