76 research outputs found
Protein kinase A enhances lipopolysaccharide-induced IL-6, IL-8, and PGE2 production by human gingival fibroblasts
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>Periodontal disease is accompanied by inflammation of the gingiva and destruction of periodontal tissues, leading to alveolar bone loss in severe clinical cases. Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and the chemical mediator prostaglandin E<sub>2 </sub>(PGE<sub>2</sub>) are known to play important roles in inflammatory responses and tissue degradation.</p> <p>Recently, we reported that the protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor H-89 suppresses lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced IL-8 production by human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). In the present study, the relevance of the PKA activity and two PKA-activating drugs, aminophylline and adrenaline, to LPS-induced inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and IL-8) and PGE<sub>2 </sub>by HGFs were examined.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>HGFs were treated with LPS from <it>Porphyromonas gingivalis </it>and H-89, the cAMP analog dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP), aminophylline, or adrenaline. After 24 h, IL-6, IL-8, and PGE<sub>2 </sub>levels were evaluated by ELISA.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>H-89 did not affect LPS-induced IL-6 production, but suppressed IL-8 and PGE<sub>2 </sub>production. In contrast, dbcAMP significantly increased LPS-induced IL-6, IL-8, and PGE<sub>2 </sub>production. Up to 10 μg/ml of aminophylline did not affect LPS-induced IL-6, IL-8, or PGE<sub>2 </sub>production, but they were significantly increased at 100 μg/ml. Similarly, 0.01 μg/ml of adrenaline did not affect LPS-induced IL-6, IL-8, or PGE<sub>2 </sub>production, but they were significantly increased at concentrations of 0.1 and 1 μg/ml. In the absence of LPS, H-89, dbcAMP, aminophylline, and adrenaline had no relevance to IL-6, IL-8, or PGE<sub>2 </sub>production.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results suggest that the PKA pathway, and also PKA-activating drugs, enhance LPS-induced IL-6, IL-8, and PGE<sub>2 </sub>production by HGFs. However, aminophylline may not have an effect on the production of these molecules at concentrations used in clinical settings (8 to 20 μg/ml in serum). These results suggest that aminophylline does not affect inflammatory responses in periodontal disease.</p
Chromosome studies in Orchidaceae from Argentina
The center of diversity of Argentinean orchids is in the northeast region of the country. Chromosome numbers and karyotype features of 43 species belonging to 28 genera are presented here. Five chromosome records are the first ones at the genus level; these taxa are Aspidogyne kuckzinskii (2n = 42), Eurystyles actinosophila (2n = 56), Skeptrostachys paraguayensis (2n = 46), Stigmatosema polyaden (2n = 40) and Zygostates alleniana (2n = 54). In addition, a chromosome number is presented for the first time for 15 species: Corymborkis flava (2n = 56), Cyclopogon callophyllus (2n = 28), C. oliganthus (2n = 64), Cyrtopodium hatschbachii (2n = 46), C. palmifrons (2n = 46), Galeandra beyrichii (2n = 54), Habenaria bractescens (2n = 44), Oncidium edwallii (2n = 42), O. fimbriatum (2n = 56), O. pubes (2n = 84), O. riograndense (2n = 56), Pelexia ekmanii (2n = 46), P. lindmanii (2n = 46) and Warrea warreana (2n = 48). For Oncidium longicornu (2n = 42), O. divaricatum (2n = 56) and Sarcoglottis fasciculata (2n = 46+1B?, 46+3B?), a new cytotype was found. Chromosome data support phylogenetic relationships proposed by previous cytological, morphologic and molecular analyses, and in all the cases cover some gaps in the South American literature on orchid chromosomes
Anxiety and Depression in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are thought to be at disproportionate risk of developing mental health comorbidities, with anxiety and depression being considered most prominent amongst these. Yet, no systematic review has been carried out to date to examine rates of both anxiety and depression focusing specifically on adults with ASD. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the rates of anxiety and depression in adults with ASD and the impact of factors such as assessment methods and presence of comorbid intellectual disability (ID) diagnosis on estimated prevalence rates. Electronic database searches for studies published between January 2000 and September 2017 identified a total of 35 studies, including 30 studies measuring anxiety (n = 26 070; mean age = 30.9, s.d. = 6.2 years) and 29 studies measuring depression (n = 26 117; mean age = 31.1, s.d. = 6.8 years). The pooled estimation of current and lifetime prevalence for adults with ASD were 27% and 42% for any anxiety disorder, and 23% and 37% for depressive disorder. Further analyses revealed that the use of questionnaire measures and the presence of ID may significantly influence estimates of prevalence. The current literature suffers from a high degree of heterogeneity in study method and an overreliance on clinical samples. These results highlight the importance of community-based studies and the identification and inclusion of well-characterized samples to reduce heterogeneity and bias in estimates of prevalence for comorbidity in adults with ASD and other populations with complex psychiatric presentations
Chromosome Homology in the Ceratobium, Phalaenanthe, and Latourea Sections of the Genus Dendrobium
The Dendrobium genus comprises over 1,000
species of epiphytic orchids distributed over a
vast triangular area connecting Indi a, New Zealand,
and Japan, and including most of the
tropical and subtropical land areas between 60
and 180 east longitude. This large genus has
been subdivided into numerous sections on the
basis of morphological characteristics (Holttum,
1957). Members of the Ceratobium, Phalaenanthe,
and Latourea sections are distributed in
New Guinea and surrounding areas. Both Ceratobium
and Latourea are represented by at least
30 species each, while Phalaenanthe includes a
relatively few species. Several species in these
sections have been widely cultivated and extensively
hybridized to produce the improved and
popular horticultural varieties of today
Annual and Proecdysial Variations in Urine Production in Crayfish
The crustacean X organ-sinus gland complex
has been extensively studied and shown to
regulate such diverse activities as molting, integumentary
and retinal pigment movements,
blood glucose levels, ovarian development, and
many others. The elucidation of the controlling
mechanisms of these activities is complicated by
the interdependent relationships among them.
Further complications arise from the fact that
in crustaceans, as in most organisms, seasonal
and life cycles may be superimposed upon daily
cycles and changes
The numerical simulation of the changes of lock-in phenomenon produced from an in-line oscillating circular cylinder by the vortex method
Analysis of Unsteady Characteristics of Flows Through a Centrifugal-Pump Impeller by an Advanced Vortex Method
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