2,849 research outputs found

    The incidence of liver injury in Uyghur patients treated for TB in Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region, China, and its association with hepatic enzyme polymorphisms nat2, cyp2e1, gstm1 and gstt1.

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    BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Of three first-line anti-tuberculosis (anti-TB) drugs, isoniazid is most commonly associated with hepatotoxicity. Differences in INH-induced toxicity have been attributed to genetic variability at several loci, NAT2, CYP2E1, GSTM1and GSTT1, that code for drug-metabolizing enzymes. This study evaluated whether the polymorphisms in these enzymes were associated with an increased risk of anti-TB drug-induced hepatitis in patients and could potentially be used to identify patients at risk of liver injury. METHODS AND DESIGN: In a cross-sectional study, 2244 tuberculosis patients were assessed two months after the start of treatment. Anti-TB drug-induced liver injury (ATLI) was defined as an ALT, AST or bilirubin value more than twice the upper limit of normal. NAT2, CYP2E1, GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes were determined using the PCR/ligase detection reaction assays. RESULTS: 2244 patients were evaluated, there were 89 cases of ATLI, a prevalence of 4% 9 patients (0.4%) had ALT levels more than 5 times the upper limit of normal. The prevalence of ATLI was greater among men than women, and there was a weak association with NAT2*5 genotypes, with ATLI more common among patients with the NAT2*5*CT genotype. The sensitivity of the CT genotype for identifying patients with ATLI was 42% and the positive predictive value 5.9%. CT ATLI was more common among slow acetylators (prevalence ratio 2.0 (95% CI 0.95,4.20) )compared to rapid acetylators. There was no evidence that ATLI was associated with CYP2E1 RsaIc1/c1genotype, CYP2E1 RsaIc1/c2 or c2/c2 genotypes, or GSTM1/GSTT1 null genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: In Xinjiang Uyghur TB patients, liver injury was associated with the genetic variant NAT2*5, however the genetic markers studied are unlikely to be useful for screening patients due to the low sensitivity and low positive predictive values for identifying persons at risk of liver injury

    A high-risk study of bipolar disorder. Childhood clinical phenotypes as precursors of major mood disorders

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    CONTEXT: The childhood precursors of adult bipolar disorder (BP) are still a matter of controversy. OBJECTIVE: To report the lifetime prevalence and early clinical predictors of psychiatric disorders in offspring from families of probands with DSM-IV BP compared with offspring of control subjects. DESIGN: A longitudinal, prospective study of individuals at risk for BP and related disorders. We report initial (cross-sectional and retrospective) diagnostic and clinical characteristics following best-estimate procedures. SETTING: Assessment was performed at 4 university medical centers in the United States between June 1, 2006, and September 30, 2009. PARTICIPANTS: Offspring aged 12 to 21 years in families with a proband with BP (n = 141, designated as cases) and similarly aged offspring of control parents (n = 91). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Lifetime DSM-IV diagnosis of a major affective disorder (BP type I; schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type; BP type II; or major depression). RESULTS: At a mean age of 17 years, cases showed a 23.4% lifetime prevalence of major affective disorders compared with 4.4% in controls (P = .002, adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, and correlation between siblings). The prevalence of BP in cases was 8.5% vs 0% in controls (adjusted P = .007). No significant difference was seen in the prevalence of other affective, anxiety, disruptive behavior, or substance use disorders. Among case subjects manifesting major affective disorders (n = 33), there was an increased risk of anxiety and externalizing disorders compared with cases without mood disorder. In cases but not controls, a childhood diagnosis of an anxiety disorder (relative risk = 2.6; 95% CI, 1.1-6.3; P = .04) or an externalizing disorder (3.6; 1.4-9.0; P = .007) was predictive of later onset of major affective disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood anxiety and externalizing diagnoses predict major affective illness in adolescent offspring in families with probands with BP

    Midwest vision for sustainable fuel production

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    This article charts the progress of CenUSA Bioenergy, a USDA-NIFA-AFRI coordinated agricultural project focused on the North Central region of the US. CenUSA’s vision is to develop a regional system for producing fuels and other products from perennial grass crops grown on marginally productive land or land that is otherwise unsuitable for annual cropping. This article focuses on contributions CenUSA has made to nine primary systems needed to make this vision a reality: feedstock improvement; feedstock production on marginal land; feedstock logistics; modeling system performance; feedstock conversion into biofuels and other products; marketing; health and safety; education, and outreach. The final section, Future Perspectives, sets forth a roadmap of additional research, technology development and education required to realize commercialization

    Consensus statement on surgical pathology of the aorta from the Society for Cardiovascular Pathology and the Association for European Cardiovascular Pathology: I. Inflammatory diseases

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    Abstract Inflammatory diseases of the aorta include routine atherosclerosis, aortitis, periaortitis, and atherosclerosis with excessive inflammatory responses, such as inflammatory atherosclerotic aneurysms. The nomenclature and histologic features of these disorders are reviewed and discussed. In addition, diagnostic criteria are provided to distinguish between these disorders in surgical pathology specimens. An initial classification scheme is provided for aortitis and periaortitis based on the pattern of the inflammatory infiltrate: granulomatous/giant cell pattern, lymphoplasmacytic pattern, mixed inflammatory pattern, and the suppurative pattern. These inflammatory patterns are discussed in relation to specific systemic diseases including giant cell arteritis, Takayasu arteritis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's), rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, ankylosing spondylitis, Cogan syndrome, Behcet's disease, relapsing polychondritis, syphilitic aortitis, and bacterial and fungal infections

    Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit variants are associated with blood pressure; findings in the Old Order Amish and replication in the Framingham Heart Study

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Systemic blood pressure, influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, is regulated via sympathetic nerve activity. We assessed the role of genetic variation in three subunits of the neuromuscular nicotinic acetylcholine receptor positioned on chromosome 2q, a region showing replicated evidence of linkage to blood pressure.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We sequenced <it>CHRNA1</it>, <it>CHRND </it>and <it>CHRNG </it>in 24 Amish subjects from the Amish Family Diabetes Study (AFDS) and identified 20 variants. We then performed association analysis of non-redundant variants (n = 12) in the complete AFDS cohort of 1,189 individuals, and followed by genotyping blood pressure-associated variants (n = 5) in a replication sample of 1,759 individuals from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The minor allele of a synonymous coding SNP, rs2099489 in <it>CHRNG</it>, was associated with higher systolic blood pressure in both the Amish (p = 0.0009) and FHS populations (p = 0.009) (minor allele frequency = 0.20 in both populations).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p><it>CHRNG </it>is currently thought to be expressed only during fetal development. These findings support the Barker hypothesis, that fetal genotype and intra-uterine environment influence susceptibility to chronic diseases later in life. Additional studies of this variant in other populations, as well as the effect of this variant on acetylcholine receptor expression and function, are needed to further elucidate its potential role in the regulation of blood pressure. This study suggests for the first time in humans, a possible role for genetic variation in the neuromuscular nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, particularly the gamma subunit, in systolic blood pressure regulation.</p

    Addition of four doses of rituximab to standard induction chemotherapy in adult patients with precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (UKALL14): a phase 3, multicentre, randomised controlled trial

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    BACKGROUND: Treatment for adults with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia requires improvement. UKALL14 was a UK National Cancer Research Institute Adult ALL group study that aimed to determine the benefit of adding the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, rituximab, to the therapy of adults with de novo B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. METHODS: This was an investigator-initiated, phase 3, randomised controlled trial done in all UK National Health Service Centres treating patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (65 centres). Patients were aged 25-65 years with de-novo BCR-ABL1-negative acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Patients with de-novo BCR-ABL1-positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia were eligible if they were aged 19-65 years. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to standard-of-care induction therapy or standard-of-care induction therapy plus four doses of intravenous rituximab (375 mg/m2 on days 3, 10, 17, and 24). Randomisation used minimisation and was stratified by sex, age, and white blood cell count. No masking was used for patients, clinicians, or staff (including the trial statistician), although the central laboratory analysing minimal residual disease and CD20 was masked to treatment allocation. The primary endpoint was event-free survival in the intention-to-treat population. Safety was assessed in all participants who started trial treatment. This study is registered with ClincialTrials.gov, NCT01085617. FINDINGS: Between April 19, 2012, and July 10, 2017, 586 patients were randomly assigned to standard of care (n=292) or standard of care plus rituximab (n=294). Nine patients were excluded from the final analysis due to misdiagnosis (standard of care n=4, standard of care plus rituximab n=5). In the standard-of-care group, median age was 45 years (IQR 22-65), 159 (55%) of 292 participants were male, 128 (44%) were female, one (<1%) was intersex, and 143 (59%) of 244 participants had high-risk cytogenetics. In the standard-of-care plus rituximab group, median age was 46 years (IQR 23-65), 159 (55%) of 294 participants were male, 130 (45%) were female, and 140 (60%) of 235 participants had high-risk cytogenetics. After a median follow-up of 53·7 months (IQR 40·3-70·4), 3-year event-free survival was 43·7% (95% CI 37·8-49·5) for standard of care versus 51·4% (45·4-57·1) for standard of care plus rituximab (hazard ratio [HR] 0·85 [95% CI 0·69-1·06]; p=0·14). The most common adverse events were infections and cytopenias, with no difference between the groups in the rates of adverse events. There were 11 (4%) fatal (grade 5) events in induction phases 1 and 2 in the standard-of-care group and 13 (5%) events in the standard-of-care plus rituximab group). 3-year non-relapse mortality was 23·7% (95% CI 19·0-29·4) in the standard-of-care group versus 20·6% (16·2-25·9) in the standard-of-care plus rituximab group (HR 0·88 [95% CI 0·62-1·26]; p=0·49). INTERPRETATION: Standard of care plus four doses of rituximab did not significantly improve event-free survival over standard of care. Rituximab is beneficial in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia but four doses during induction is likely to be insufficient. FUNDING: Cancer Research UK and Blood Cancer UK

    From Creating Spaces for Civic Discourse to Creating Resources for Action

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    In this paper, we investigate the role of technology to address the concerns of a civil society group carrying out community-level consultation on the allocation of £1 million of community funds. We explore issues of devolved decision-making through the evaluation of a sociodigital system designed to foster deliberative virtues. We describe the ways in which this group used our system in their consultation practices. Our findings highlight how they adopted our technology to privilege specific forms of expression, ascertain issues in their community, make use of and make sense of community data, and create resources for action within their existing practices. Based on related fieldwork we discuss the impacts of structuring and configuring tools for ‘talk-based’ consultation in order to turn attention to the potential pitfalls and prospects for designing civic technologies that create resources for action for civil society
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