155 research outputs found
Inhibition of Toll-Like Receptor 2-Mediated Interleukin-8 Production in Cystic Fibrosis Airway Epithelial Cells via the α7-Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disorder characterised by chronic inflammation of the airways. The lung manifestations of CF include colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus leading to neutrophil-dominated airway inflammation and tissue damage. Inflammation in the CF lung is initiated by microbial components which activate the innate immune response via Toll-like receptors (TLRs), increasing airway epithelial cell production of proinflammatory mediators such as the neutrophil chemokine interleukin-8 (IL-8). Thus modulation of TLR function represents a therapeutic approach for CF. Nicotine is a naturally occurring plant alkaloid. Although it is negatively associated with cigarette smoking and cardiovascular damage, nicotine also has anti-inflammatory properties. Here we investigate the inhibitory capacity of nicotine against TLR2- and TLR4-induced IL-8 production by CFTE29o- airway epithelial cells, determine the role of α7-nAChR (nicotinic acetylcholine receptor) in these events, and provide data to support the potential use of safe nicotine analogues as anti-inflammatories for CF
Associations Between Maternal Prenatal C-Reactive Protein and Risk Factors for Psychosis in Adolescent Offspring:Findings From the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986
Hallucinations in the general population across the adult lifespan:Prevalence and psychopathologic significance
Background: Community studies have found a relatively high prevalence of hallucinations, which are associated with a range of (psychotic and non-psychotic) mental disorders, as well as with suicidal ideation and behaviour. The literature on hallucinations in the general population has largely focused on adolescents and young adults. Aims: We aimed to explore the prevalence and psychopathologic significance of hallucinations across the adult lifespan. Method: Using the 1993, 2000, 2007 and 2014 cross-sectional Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey series (N = 33 637), we calculated the prevalence of past-year hallucinations in the general population ages 16 to ≥90 years. We used logistic regression to examine the relationship between hallucinations and a range of mental disorders, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Results: The prevalence of past-year hallucinations varied across the adult lifespan, from a high of 7% in individuals aged 16-19 years, to a low of 3% in individuals aged ≥70 years. In all age groups, hallucinations were associated with increased risk for mental disorders, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, but there was also evidence of significant age-related variation. In particular, hallucinations in older adults were less likely to be associated with a cooccurring mental disorder, suicidal ideation or suicide attempt compared with early adulthood and middle age. Conclusions Our findings highlight important life-course developmental features of hallucinations from early adulthood to old age
Inhibition of Toll-like receptor 2-mediated interleukin-8 production in cystic fibrosis airway epithelial cells via the alpha7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
Two Rare Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables with Extreme Cyclotron Features Identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
Two newly identified magnetic cataclysmic variables discovered in the Sloan
Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), SDSSJ155331.12+551614.5 and SDSSJ132411.57+032050.5,
have spectra showing highly prominent, narrow, strongly polarized cyclotron
humps with amplitudes that vary on orbital periods of 4.39 and 2.6 hrs,
respectively. In the former, the spacing of the humps indicates the 3rd and 4th
harmonics in a magnetic field of ~60 MG. The narrowness of the cyclotron
features and the lack of strong emission lines imply very low temperature
plasmas and very low accretion rates, so that the accreting area is heated by
particle collisions rather than accretion shocks. The detection of rare systems
like these exemplifies the ability of the SDSS to find the lowest accretion
rate close binaries.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal, vol. 583,
February 1, 2003; slight revisions and additions in response to referee's
comments; 17 pages, 6 figures, AASTeX v4.
A core outcome set for localised prostate cancer effectiveness trials
Objective:
To develop a core outcome set (COS) applicable for effectiveness trials of all interventions for localised prostate cancer.
Background:
Many treatments exist for localised prostate cancer, although it is unclear which offers the optimal therapeutic ratio. This is confounded by inconsistencies in the selection, definition, measurement and reporting of outcomes in clinical trials.
Subjects and methods:
A list of 79 outcomes was derived from a systematic review of published localised prostate cancer effectiveness studies and semi-structured interviews with 15 prostate cancer patients. A two-stage consensus process involving 118 patients and 56 international healthcare professionals (HCPs) (cancer specialist nurses, urological surgeons and oncologists) was undertaken, consisting of a three-round Delphi survey followed by a face-to-face consensus panel meeting of 13 HCPs and 8 patients.
Results:
The final COS included 19 outcomes. Twelve apply to all interventions: death from prostate cancer, death from any cause, local disease recurrence, distant disease recurrence/metastases, disease progression, need for salvage therapy, overall quality of life, stress urinary incontinence, urinary function, bowel function, faecal incontinence, sexual function. Seven were intervention-specific: perioperative deaths (surgery), positive surgical margin (surgery), thromboembolic disease (surgery), bothersome or symptomatic urethral or anastomotic stricture (surgery), need for curative treatment (active surveillance), treatment failure (ablative therapy), and side effects of hormonal therapy (hormone therapy). The UK-centric participants may limit the generalisability to other countries, but trialists should reason why the COS would not be applicable. The default position should not be that a COS developed in one country will automatically not be applicable elsewhere.
Conclusion:
We have established a COS for trials of effectiveness in localised prostate cancer, applicable across all interventions which should be measured in all localised prostate cancer effectiveness trials
Photodynamic versus white light-guided treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: a study protocol for a randomised trial of clinical and cost-effectiveness
Bladder cancer is the most frequently occurring tumour of the urinary system. Ta, T1 tumours and carcinoma in situ (CIS) are grouped as non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), which can be effectively treated by transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT). There are limitations to the visualisation of tumours with conventional TURBT using white light illumination within the bladder. Incomplete resections occur from the failure to identify satellite lesions or the full extent of the tumour leading to recurrence and potential risk of disease progression. To improve complete resection, photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) has been proposed as a method that can enhance tumour detection and guide resection. The objective of the current research is to determine whether PDD-guided TURBT is better than conventional white light surgery and whether it is cost-effective.This article is freely available via Open Access. Click on the publisher URL to access the full-text from the publisher's site
TESS Duotransit Candidates from the Southern Ecliptic Hemisphere
Discovering transiting exoplanets with long orbital periods allows us to
study warm and cool planetary systems with temperatures similar to the planets
in our own Solar system. The TESS mission has photometrically surveyed the
entire Southern Ecliptic Hemisphere in Cycle 1 (August 2018 - July 2019), Cycle
3 (July 2020 - June 2021) and Cycle 5 (September 2022 - September 2023). We use
the observations from Cycle 1 and Cycle 3 to search for exoplanet systems that
show a single transit event in each year - which we call duotransits. The
periods of these planet candidates are typically in excess of 20 days, with the
lower limit determined by the duration of individual TESS observations. We find
85 duotransit candidates, which span a range of host star brightnesses between
8 < < 14, transit depths between 0.1 per cent and 1.8 per cent, and
transit durations between 2 and 10 hours with the upper limit determined by our
normalisation function. Of these candidates, 25 are already known, and 60 are
new. We present these candidates along with the status of photometric and
spectroscopic follow-up.Comment: 25 pages, 16 figures, submitted to Monthly Notices of the Royal
Astronomical Societ
Photodynamic versus white-light-guided resection of first-diagnosis non-muscleinvasive bladder cancer:PHOTO RCT
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