503 research outputs found
Component-Resolved in Vitro Diagnosis in Peach-Allergic Patients
BACKGROUND: The in vitro diagnosis of pollen-related food allergy presents low specifi city and reproducibility with many conventional extracts. This can be improved using natural purifi ed allergens, recombinant purifi ed allergens, or both. OBJECTIVE: We compared specifi c immunoglobulin (Ig) E determination (sIgE), the basophil activation test (BAT), the histamine release test (HRT), and the cellular allergen stimulation test (CAST) using natural and recombinant allergens in the diagnosis of peach allergy. METHODS: Thirty-two peach allergic patients were studied. Skin prick tests were performed with commercial peach and extract with Mal d 1, nPru p 3, and profi lin (nPho d 2). sIgE, BAT, CAST, and HRT were determined using rPru p 3, rMal d 3, rBet v 1, rMal d 1, and rMal d 4. RESULTS: Agreement between the techniques was good with all the allergens, except HRT with rMal d 1 and rMal d 4. With rPru p 3, sIgE, CAST, BAT, and HRT showed sensitivity values of 88%, 81%, 72%, and 69% and specifi city values of 100%, 93%, 97%, and 83%, respectively. In patients with systemic symptoms or contact urticaria, the values were 100%, 85%, 81%, and 81%. In patients with oral allergy syndrome, sensitivity to profi lins or homologues of Bet v 1 was detected in 100% of the cases by all the techniques, except by HRT with rMal d 1, which detected 66% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: The use of single allergens in the in vitro diagnosis of peach allergy by specifi c IgE determination, BAT, and CAST offers high specifi city and sensitivity, with better results than the HRT
Root diseases of wheat in Minas Gerais and Distrito Federal
Este trabalho mostra a ocorrência da podridão comum de raízes de trigo (Triticum aestivum L.) em algumas regiões do Cerrado do Brasil Central, no Estado de Minas Gerais e no Distrito Federal. O principal organismo isolado das raízes infectadas foi o fungo Cochliobolus sativus. A incidência e a intensidade da podridão comum foram baixas nas lavouras de trigo não-irrigado de Minas Gerais, apesar do elevado número de esporos de C. sativus encontrados na maior parte delas. Nas lavouras de trigo irrigado do Distrito Federal, entretanto, populações menores desse organismo foram responsáveis por infecções mais elevadas. As maiores concentrações de esporos de C. sativus nos solos amostrados estavam localizadas na camada superficial, de 0-3 cm de profundidade.This work reports the occurrence of common root rot of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in some regions of the "cerrado" of Central Brazil, in the states of Minas Gerais and Distrito Federal. Cochliobolus sativus was the main organism isolated from rotted roots. The incidence and intensity of common root rot were low in the non-irrigated wheat fields from Minas Gerais, in spite of the high spore populations of C. sativus found in most soils. The irrigated wheat fields from Distrito Federal, however, had a higher incidence and intensity of the disease with much lower spore populations. The highest concentration of spores in the sampled soils was found in the surface layer of 0-3 cm
Mutation analysis of 272 Spanish families affected by autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa using a genotyping microarray
Contains fulltext :
89342.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)PURPOSE: Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder characterized by progressive loss of vision. The aim of this study was to identify the causative mutations in 272 Spanish families using a genotyping microarray. METHODS: 272 unrelated Spanish families, 107 with autosomal recessive RP (arRP) and 165 with sporadic RP (sRP), were studied using the APEX genotyping microarray. The families were also classified by clinical criteria: 86 juveniles and 186 typical RP families. Haplotype and sequence analysis were performed to identify the second mutated allele. RESULTS: At least one-gene variant was found in 14% and 16% of the juvenile and typical RP groups respectively. Further study identified four new mutations, providing both causative changes in 11% of the families. Retinol Dehydrogenase 12 (RDH12) was the most frequently mutated gene in the juvenile RP group, and Usher Syndrome 2A (USH2A) and Ceramide Kinase-Like (CERKL) were the most frequently mutated genes in the typical RP group. The only variant found in CERKL was p.Arg257Stop, the most frequent mutation. CONCLUSIONS: The genotyping microarray combined with segregation and sequence analysis allowed us to identify the causative mutations in 11% of the families. Due to the low number of characterized families, this approach should be used in tandem with other techniques
A new Mean Dynamic Topography of the Mediterranean Sea based on model outputs, drifter data, hydrological profiles and altimeter measurements
Trabajo presentado en la EGU General Assemby 2013, celebrada del 7 al 12 de abril de 2013 en Viena (Austria)Peer Reviewe
Regulation of markers of synaptic function in mouse models of depression: chronic mild stress and decreased expression of VGLUT1
Depression has been linked to failure in synaptic plasticity originating from environmental and/or genetic risk factors. The chronic mild stress (CMS) model regulates the expression of synaptic markers of neurotransmitter function and associated depressive-like behaviour. Moreover, mice heterozygous for the synaptic vesicle protein (SVP) vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (VGLUT1), have been proposed as a genetic model of deficient glutamate function linked to depressive-like behaviour. Here, we aimed to identify, in these two experimental models, mechanisms of failure in synaptic plasticity, common to stress and impaired glutamate function.
First, we show that CMS induced a transient decrease of different plasticity markers (VGLUT1, synapsin 1, sinaptophysin, rab3A and activity regulated cytoskeletal protein Arc) but a long-lasting decrease of the brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) as well as depressive-like behaviour. The immediate early gene (IEG) Arc was also downregulated in VGLUT1+/- heterozygous mice. In contrast, an opposite regulation of synapsin 1 was observed. Finally, both models showed a marked increase of cortical Arc response to novelty.
Increased Arc response to novelty could be suggested as a molecular mechanism underlying failure to adapt to environmental changes, common to chronic stress and altered glutamate function. Further studies should investigate whether these changes are associated to depressive-like behaviour both in animal models and in depressed patients
Larvae quality of blackspot seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo) fed rotifers enriched with marine microalgae (T-ISO) produced in two different systems: bags and photobioreactors (PBRs).
Geometry and material effects in Casimir physics - Scattering theory
We give a comprehensive presentation of methods for calculating the Casimir
force to arbitrary accuracy, for any number of objects, arbitrary shapes,
susceptibility functions, and separations. The technique is applicable to
objects immersed in media other than vacuum, to nonzero temperatures, and to
spatial arrangements in which one object is enclosed in another. Our method
combines each object's classical electromagnetic scattering amplitude with
universal translation matrices, which convert between the bases used to
calculate scattering for each object, but are otherwise independent of the
details of the individual objects. This approach, which combines methods of
statistical physics and scattering theory, is well suited to analyze many
diverse phenomena. We illustrate its power and versatility by a number of
examples, which show how the interplay of geometry and material properties
helps to understand and control Casimir forces. We also examine whether
electrodynamic Casimir forces can lead to stable levitation. Neglecting
permeabilities, we prove that any equilibrium position of objects subject to
such forces is unstable if the permittivities of all objects are higher or
lower than that of the enveloping medium; the former being the generic case for
ordinary materials in vacuum.Comment: 44 pages, 11 figures, to appear in upcoming Lecture Notes in Physics
volume in Casimir physic
Useful Interplay Between Spontaneous ADR Reports and Electronic Healthcare Records in Signal Detection
Background and Objective: Spontaneous reporting systems (SRSs) remain the cornerstone of post-marketing drug safety surveillance despite their well-known limitations. Judicious use of other available data source
The association between serum potassium at hospital admission and the case-fatality rate of leptospirosis in men
Aggregate distribution, stability and release of water dispersible clay for two subtropical Oxisols
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