Huntington's disease is a multi-system disorder.

Huntingtons disease (HD) is one of the most common non-curable rare diseases and is characterized by choreic movements, psychiatric symptoms, and slowly progressive dementia. HD is inherited as an autosomal dominant disorder with complete penetrance. Although brain pathology has become a hallmark of HD, there is a critical mass of new studies suggesting peripheral tissue pathology as an important factor in disease progression. In particular, recently published studies about skeletal muscle malfunction and HD-related cardiomyopathy in HD mouse models strongly suggest their important roles, leading to upcoming preclinical and clinical trials. One might conclude that therapeutic approaches in HD should not be restricted only to the brain pathology but instead major efforts should also be made to understand the cross-talk between diseased tissues like the CNS-Heart or CNS-skeletal muscle axes

Targeted treatment in COPD: a multi-system approach for a multi-system disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a varied condition when examined from a number of different perspectives including factors which influence disease development, pathological process and clinical features. There may be a complex interaction between the degree by which each of these processes influences the development of COPD and the subsequent clinical phenotype with which the patient presents. The varied host response and subsequent clinical phenotype has generated much interest in recent years. It is possible that failure of treatment to impact on mortality and reverse the disease process is because of the heterogeneous nature of the condition. Identification and targeted treatment of clinical and pathological phenotypes within the broad spectrum of COPD may therefore improve outcome. This article will review previous work which has attempted to phenotype COPD and identify if specific treatment for these phenotypes has been shown to be of benefit. It will examine the work on pathological processes and clinical manifestations, both pulmonary and systemic, and will focus on pharmacological therapies

Generalized Limits for Single-Parameter Quantum Estimation

We develop generalized bounds for quantum single-parameter estimation problems for which the coupling to the parameter is described by intrinsic multi-system interactions. For a Hamiltonian with $k$-system parameter-sensitive terms, the quantum limit scales as $1/N^k$ where $N$ is the number of systems. These quantum limits remain valid when the Hamiltonian is augmented by any parameter independent interaction among the systems and when adaptive measurements via parameter-independent coupling to ancillas are allowed.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure. v2 typos correcte

Neurosyphilis presenting with papillitis

Syphilis is one of the oldest described infectious diseases in the world and is caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum[1]. Although now a rare disease, incidence is increasing with the number of diagnoses of the disease rising in England from 1688 to 2713 between 2003 and 2012 (a 61% increase)[2]. Major outbreaks of syphilis have been documented in London, Manchester, Dublin, and Brighton particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM)[3]. Diagnosis remains difficult on account of multi-system symptoms, duration of the condition, and social stigma

Psychiatric Impact of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex and Utilization of Mental Health Treatment

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a multi-system, neurocutaneous disorder with neuropsychiatric features known as TSC-associated neuropsychiatric disorders (TAND). While 90% of individuals with TSC have some TAND features, only 20% receive treatment, leading to a 70% treatment gap. This study evaluated perception of disease severity, presence of anxiety and depression, as well as the utilization and barriers towards mental health services among adults with TSC. Disease severity had a moderate and low-moderate association with anxiety and depression, respectively. Regardless of past utilization, respondents had a positive outlook towards the use of mental health services with the major barrier being cost

The key role of organizational culture in a multi-system view of technology-driven change.

Organizations undergoing technology-driven change must understand that technology is only one of several inter-related components which drive organizational performance. A multi-system perspective of organizations highlights the interdependencies between an organization's technology, structure and culture and how these affect organizational processes and behaviors. Successful technological innovations require that either the technology be designed to fit the organization's current structure and culture or that the organizational structure and culture be reshaped to fit the demands of the new technology. Thus, the desired effects of new technology are most often realized in organizations able to implement the additional changes that are required to maintain overall fit. To illustrate these issues, this paper presents a case study based on a technology-driven change in a Turkish financial organization. Special attention is given to the role of organizational culture, which is often cited as the most critical factor in successful technology assimilationOrganizational culture; Organizational strategy; Technology-driven change; Technology assimilation;

Towards multi-system sociotechnical transitions: why simulate

A number of research frameworks have been developed for studying sociotechnical transitions. These are complex phenomena, particularly those involving multi-system interactions. Given these characteristics, the paper discusses the challenges in studying transitions solely through inductive inference methods. It argues that transition research has reached a point where taking the next step should include modelling and simulation as part of the standard methodological exploratory toolkit for studying the intensity, nature and timing of system interaction that lead to transitions and for producing timely and robust policy recommendations

Community education as a multi-system operation

When I think of a community, I think of people

Transcriptome analysis of Listeria monocytogenes exposed to biocide stress reveals a multi-system response involving cell wall synthesis, sugar uptake, and motility

peer-reviewedListeria monocytogenes is a virulent food-borne pathogen most often associated with the consumption of “ready-to-eat” foods. The organism is a common contaminant of food processing plants where it may persist for extended periods of time. A commonly used approach for the control of Listeria monocytogenes in the processing environment is the application of biocides such as quaternary ammonium compounds. In this study, the transcriptomic response of a persistent strain of L. monocytogenes (strain 6179) on exposure to a sub-lethal concentration of the quaternary ammonium compound benzethonium chloride (BZT) was assessed. Using RNA-Seq, gene expression levels were quantified by sequencing the transcriptome of L. monocytogenes 6179 in the presence (4 ppm) and absence of BZT, and mapping each data set to the sequenced genome of strain 6179. Hundreds of differentially expressed genes were identified, and subsequent analysis suggested that many biological processes such as peptidoglycan biosynthesis, bacterial chemotaxis and motility, and carbohydrate uptake, were involved in the response of L. monocyotogenes to the presence of BZT. The information generated in this study further contributes to our understanding of the response of bacteria to environmental stress. In addition, this study demonstrates the importance of using the bacterium's own genome as a reference when analysing RNA-Seq data.This work was supported by the E.U.7th framework projects PROMISE (project number 265877)and FOODSEG(project number 266061).Aidan Casey was supported by the Teagasc Walsh Fellowship programme