Altered excitatory and inhibitory amino acid receptor binding in hippocampus of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy

We examined binding to excitatory amino acid and inhibitory amino acid receptors in frozen hippocampal sections prepared from surgical specimens resected from 8 individuals with medically refractory temporal lobe epilepsy. The excitatory receptors studied included N -methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), strychnine-insensitive glycine, phencyclidine, and quisqualate. The inhibitory receptors studied were gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA A ) and benzodiazepine. Excitatory and inhibitory amino acid receptor binding were differentially altered in the patients with temporal lobe epilepsy in comparison to 8 age-comparable autopsy control subjects, and changes in receptor binding were regionally selective in four areas. Binding to phencyclidine receptors associated with the NMDA channel was reduced by 35 to 70% in all regions in the hippocampi of the patients. In contrast, binding to the NMDA recognition site and its associated glycine modulatory site was elevated by 20 to 110% in the cornu ammonis (CA) 1 area and dentate gyrus of the hippocampus of the patients. Binding to these sites was unaffected in area CA4. Binding to the quisqualate-type excitatory amino acid receptor was unchanged in all regions except the stratum lacunosum moleculare CA1, where it was increased by 63%. GABA A and benzodiazepine receptor binding was reduced by 20 to 60% in CA1 and CA4, but unchanged in dentate gyrus. The data indicate that excitatory and inhibitory amino acid receptors are altered in the hippocampus of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/50343/1/410290513_ftp.pd

Evaluating the Impact of an Integrated Urban Design of Transport Infrastructure and Public Space on Human Behavior and Environmental Quality: A Case Study in Beijing

Urban transport infrastructure can result in the physical, psychological and environmental separation of neighborhoods, public spaces and pedestrian networks, leading to negative impacts on citizens’ daily commutes, social activities and the quality of the ecosystem. An integrated design of transport infrastructure and public space is beneficial for mediating these negative impacts. In this paper, we propose an integrated methodology, which combines urban design, computational scenario evaluation and decision-making processes, based on a conceptual model of human and ecological needs-driven planning. To evaluate the impacts of the road network and public space design on individual outdoor activities, travel behavior and air pollution, an agent-based model is demonstrated. This model is then applied to a case study in Beijing, leading to hourly traffic volume maps and car-related air pollution heat maps of a baseline road network-public space design

Associations between depressive symptoms and disease progression in older patients with chronic kidney disease: results of the EQUAL study

Background Depressive symptoms are associated with adverse clinical outcomes in patients with end-stage kidney disease; however, few small studies have examined this association in patients with earlier phases of chronic kidney disease (CKD). We studied associations between baseline depressive symptoms and clinical outcomes in older patients with advanced CKD and examined whether these associations differed depending on sex. Methods CKD patients (>= 65 years; estimated glomerular filtration rate <= 20 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) were included from a European multicentre prospective cohort between 2012 and 2019. Depressive symptoms were measured by the five-item Mental Health Inventory (cut-off <= 70; 0-100 scale). Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to study associations between depressive symptoms and time to dialysis initiation, all-cause mortality and these outcomes combined. A joint model was used to study the association between depressive symptoms and kidney function over time. Analyses were adjusted for potential baseline confounders. Results Overall kidney function decline in 1326 patients was -0.12 mL/min/1.73 m(2)/month. A total of 515 patients showed depressive symptoms. No significant association was found between depressive symptoms and kidney function over time (P = 0.08). Unlike women, men with depressive symptoms had an increased mortality rate compared with those without symptoms [adjusted hazard ratio 1.41 (95% confidence interval 1.03-1.93)]. Depressive symptoms were not significantly associated with a higher hazard of dialysis initiation, or with the combined outcome (i.e. dialysis initiation and all-cause mortality). Conclusions There was no significant association between depressive symptoms at baseline and decline in kidney function over time in older patients with advanced CKD. Depressive symptoms at baseline were associated with a higher mortality rate in men

Isotachophoretic Analysis of Short-Chain Carboxylic-Acids Produced by Candida-Albicans

Short-chain carboxylic acids produced by C.albicans in glucose supplemented batch cultures and in human denture plaque has been qualitatively and quantitatively analysed using isotachophoresis. This rapid, simple and relatively new technique which has advantages over other conventional methods, such as gas liquid chromatography, could be a valuable tool in the analysis of carboxylic acids produced by other yeasts of clinical and industrial importance.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Growth and Acid Production of Candida-Albicans in Carbohydrate Supplemented Media

Aerobic and anaerobic growth characteristics and acid production of a clinical and a reference laboratory strain of C. albicans in 0.1 M, glucose or sucrose-supplemented batch cultures were examined for 72 h, at 37°C. Both strains gave sigmoid growth curves, aerobically, and the pH dropped from 7.0 to 3.5 in 48 h. Candidal growth or acid production was not observed in submerged, anaerobic cultures. The specific growth rate of the clinical strain of Candida was significantly greater than the reference strain, in both sugar media. The major acidic component initiating and sustaining the pH drop appeared to be acetate, although formate, pyruvate and propionate were detected in varying proportions in glucose or sucrose cultures. These anionic, acidic metabolites of C. albicans, may play a role in the pathogenesis of mucosal candidoses such as chronic atrophic candidosis.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Assessment of the cariogenic potential of Streptococcus mutans strains and its relationship to in vivo caries experience

Strains of Streptococcus mutans isolated from the plaque of 6 subjects were studied using an in vitro model to determine whether differences in their cariogenic potential could be detected, and if so, whether the results correlated with the caries experience of the individuals. Each strain was incubated with a bovine enamel slab and 5% (w/v) sucrose for 24‐h periods. The acidogenic potential was assessed by pH measurement and analysis of acid anion production. Microradio‐graphic and microdensitometric assessment of the enamel, together with measurement of the change in calcium concentration of the reaction mixture were used to determine the demineralizing potential of each strain. Significant differences in cariogenic potential were found between some of the strains tested, and correlations were found between 3 of the test parameters and the decayed‐missing‐filled‐surface score of the individuals. The results suggest that the caries experience of individuals may be related, to some extent, to the cariogenic potential of their S. mutans strains