311 research outputs found
Factors underlying cognitive decline in old age and Alzheimerâs disease: the role of the hippocampus
There are many factors that strongly influence the etiology, development, and progression of cognitive decline in old age, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimerâs disease (AD). These factors include not only different personality traits and moods, but also lifestyle patterns (e.g., exercise and diet), and awareness levels that lead to cognitive decline in old age. In this review, we discuss how personality traits, mood states, and lifestyle impact brain and behaviour in older adults. Specifically, our review shows that these lifestyle and personality factors affect several brain regions, including the hippocampus, a region key for memory that is affected by cognitive decline in old age as well as AD. Accordingly, appropriate recommendations are presented in this review to assist individuals in decreasing chances of MCI, dementia, AD, and associated symptoms
Cancer Rehabilitation Indicators for Europe
Little is known of cancer rehabilitation needs in Europe. EUROCHIP-3 organised a group of experts to propose a list of population-based indicators used for describing cancer rehabilitation across Europe. The aim of this study is to present and discuss these indicators. A EUROCHIP-3 expert panel reached agreement on two types of indicators. (a) Cancer prevalence indicators. These were proposed as a means of characterising the burden of cancer rehabilitation needs by time from diagnosis and patient health status. These indicators can be estimated from cancer registry data or by collecting data on follow-up and treatments for samples of cases archived in cancer registries. (b) Indicators of rehabilitation success. These include: return to work, quality of life, and satisfaction of specific rehabilitation needs. Studies can be performed to estimate these indicators in individual countries, but to obtain comparable data across European countries it will be necessary to administer a questionnaire to randomly selected samples of patients from population-based cancer registry databases. However, three factors complicate questionnaire studies: patients may not be aware that they have cancer; incomplete participation in surveys could lead to bias; and national confidentiality laws in some cases prohibit cancer registries from approaching patients. Although these studies are expensive and difficult to perform, but as the number of cancer survivors increases, it is important to document their needs in order to provide information on cancer control
POLAR study revisited: Therapeutic hypothermia in severe brain trauma should not be abandoned
Screening for Mutations of 21-Hydroxylase Gene in Hungarian Patients with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is a group of autosomal
recessive disorders, causing impaired secretion of cortisol and
aldosterone from the adrenal cortex, with subsequent
overproduction of adrenal androgens. The most common enzyme
defect causing CAH is steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency. To
determine the mutational spectrum in the Hungarian CAH
population, the CYP21 active gene was analyzed using PCR. A
total of 297 Hungarian patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency
are registered in the 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Budapest,
Hungary, and their clinical status was evaluated. Blood samples
for CYP21 genotype determination could be obtained from 167
patients (representing 306 unrelated chromosomes and 56.2% of
the total group of patients). Eight of the most common mutations
were screened [In2 (intron 2 splice mutation), I172N, Del (Del:
apparents large gene conversion), Q318X, R356W, 1761Tins,
ClusterE6, V281L] using allele-specific amplification. The most
frequent mutation in the Hungarian CAH population was found to
be In2. Our results have shown a good genotype/phenotype
correlation in case of most mutations; the In2 mutation is
associated mostly with the severe form of the disease, whereas
I172N was expressed in a wide spectrum of phenotypes. 1999
Academia Europaea position paper on translational medicine: the cycle model for translating scientific results into community benefits
ntroduction: Translational science has gained prominence in medicine, but there is still much work to be done before scientific results are used optimally and incorporated into everyday health practice. As the main focus is still on generating new scientific data with financial resources primarily available for that purpose, other activities that are necessary in the transition from research to community benefit are considered less needy. The European Statistical Office of the European Commission has recently reported that 1.7 million people under 75 years of age died in Europe in 2016, with around 1.2 million of those deaths being avoidable through effective primary prevention and public health intervention. Therefore, Academia Europaea, one of the five Pan-European networks that form SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies), a key element of the European Commissionâs Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM), has launched a project to develop a model to facilitate and accelerate the utilisation of scientific knowledge for public and community benefit. Methods: During the process, leaders in the field, including prominent basic and clinical researchers, editors-in-chief of high-impact journals publishing translational research articles, translational medicine (TM) centre leaders, media representatives, academics and university leaders, developed the TM cycle, a new model that we believe could significantly advance the development of TM. Results: This model focuses equally on the acquisition of new scientific results healthcare, understandable and digestible summation of results, and their communication to all participants. We have also renewed the definition in TM, identified challenges and recommended solutions. Conclusion: The authors, including senior officers of Academia Europaea, produced this document to serve as a basis for revising thinking on TM with the end result of enabling more efficient and cost-effective healthcar
Discovery of Inhibitors of Leishmania ÎČ-1,2-Mannosyltransferases Using a Click-Chemistry-Derived Guanosine Monophosphate Library
Leishmania spp. are a medically important group of protozoan parasites that synthesize a novel intracellular carbohydrate reserve polymer termed mannogen. Mannogen is a soluble homopolymer of ÎČ-1,2-linked mannose residues that accumulates in the major pathogenic stages in the sandfly vector and mammalian host. While several steps in mannogen biosynthesis have been defined, none of the enzymes have been isolated or characterized. We report the development of a simple assay for the GDP-mannoseâdependent ÎČ-1,2-mannosyltransferases involved in mannogen synthesis. This assay utilizes octyl α-d-mannopyranoside to prime the formation of short mannogen oligomers up to 5 mannose residues. This assay was used to screen a focussed library of 44 GMP-triazole adducts for inhibitors. Several compounds provided effective inhibition of mannogen ÎČ-1,2-mannosyltransferases in a cell-free membrane preparation. This assay and inhibitor compounds will be useful for dissecting the role of different mannosyltransferases in regulating de novo biosynthesis and elongation reactions in mannogen metabolism
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