1,062 research outputs found
Recombinant human BMPs 2 and 4 expressed in mammalian cells aiming at bone tissue engineering and stem cell proliferation and differentiation
Sleep disturbances in tension-type headache and migraine
Current research into the pathogenesis of tension-type headache (TTH) and
migraine is focused on altered nociceptive pain processing. Among the potential factors that
influence sensitization mechanisms, emotional stress, depression, or sleep disorders all have
an essential role: they increase the excitability of nociceptive firing and trigger hyperalgesic
responses. Sleep disturbances and headache disorders share common brain structures and
pathogenic mechanisms and TTH, migraine, and sleep disturbances often occur together;
for example, 50% of individuals who have either TTH or migraine have insomnia. Moreover,
insomnia and poor sleep quality have been associated with a higher frequency and intensity
of headache attacks, supporting the notion that severity and prevalence of sleep problems
correlate with headache burden. It should be noted that the association between headaches
and sleep problems is bidirectional: headache can promote sleep disturbances, and sleep
disturbances can also precede or trigger a headache attack. Therefore, a better understanding
of the factors that affect sleep quality in TTH and migraine can assist clinicians in determining
better and adequate therapeutic programs. In this review, the role of sleep disturbances in
headaches, and the association with depression, emotional stress, and pain sensitivity in
individuals with TTH or migraine are discussed
Targeted knock-down of miR21 primary transcripts using snoMEN vectors induces apoptosis in human cancer cell lines
We have previously reported an antisense technology, 'snoMEN vectors', for targeted knock-down of protein coding mRNAs using human snoRNAs manipulated to contain short regions of sequence complementarity with the mRNA target. Here we characterise the use of snoMEN vectors to target the knock-down of micro RNA primary transcripts. We document the specific knock-down of miR21 in HeLa cells using plasmid vectors expressing miR21-targeted snoMEN RNAs and show this induces apoptosis. Knock-down is dependent on the presence of complementary sequences in the snoMEN vector and the induction of apoptosis can be suppressed by over-expression of miR21. Furthermore, we have also developed lentiviral vectors for delivery of snoMEN RNAs and show this increases the efficiency of vector transduction in many human cell lines that are difficult to transfect with plasmid vectors. Transduction of lentiviral vectors expressing snoMEN targeted to pri-miR21 induces apoptosis in human lung adenocarcinoma cells, which express high levels of miR21, but not in human primary cells. We show that snoMEN-mediated suppression of miRNA expression is prevented by siRNA knock-down of Ago2, but not by knock-down of Ago1 or Upf1. snoMEN RNAs colocalise with Ago2 in cell nuclei and nucleoli and can be co-immunoprecipitated from nuclear extracts by antibodies specific for Ago2
Effects of the medicinal plants Curcuma zedoaria and Camellia sinensis on halitosis control
Decision theory applied to image quality control in radiology
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens
National equipment of intraoperatory gamma detection in the identification of sentinel lymph node in animal model
Managed care and patient ratings of the quality of specialty care among patients with pain or depressive symptoms
BACKGROUND: Managed care efforts to regulate access to specialists and reduce costs may lower quality of care. Few studies have examined whether managed care is associated with patient perceptions of the quality of care provided by physician and non-physician specialists. Aim is to determine whether associations exist between managed care controls and patient ratings of the quality of specialty care among primary care patients with pain and depressive symptoms who received specialty care for those conditions. METHODS: A prospective cohort study design was conducted in the offices of 261 primary physicians in private practice in Seattle in 1997. Patients (N = 17,187) were screened in waiting rooms, yielding a sample of 1,514 patients with pain only, 575 patients with depressive symptoms only, and 761 patients with pain and depressive symptoms. Patients (n = 1,995) completed a 6-month follow-up survey. Of these, 691 patients received specialty care for pain, and 356 patients saw mental health specialists. For each patient, managed care was measured by the intensity of managed care controls in the patient's health plan and primary care office. Quality of specialty care at follow-up was measured by patient rating of care provided by the specialists. Outcomes were pain interference and bothersomeness, Symptom Checklist for Depression, and restricted activity days. RESULTS: The intensity of managed care controls in health plans and primary care offices was generally not associated with patient ratings of the quality of specialty care. However, pain patients in more-managed primary care offices had lower ratings of the quality of specialty care from physician specialists and ancillary providers. CONCLUSION: For primary care patients with pain or depressive symptoms and who see specialists, managed care controls may influence ratings of specialty care for patients with pain but not patients with depressive symptoms
- …