Signaling through prostaglandin E EP3 receptor (EP3) actively contributes to the β-cell dysfunction of type 2 diabetes (T2D). In T2D models, full-body EP3 knockout mice have a significantly worse metabolic phenotype than wild-type controls due to hyperphagia and severe insulin resistance resulting from loss of EP3 in extra-pancreatic tissues, masking any potential beneficial effects of EP3 loss in the β cell. We hypothesized β-cell-specific EP3 knockout (EP3 βKO) mice would be protected from high-fat diet (HFD)-induced glucose intolerance, phenocopying mice lacking the EP3 effector, Gα, which is much more limited in its tissue distribution.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPolyparasitism, involving soil-transmitted helminths. and Schistosoma blood flukes, is common in low to middle income countries. These helminths impact on the gut environment and can cause changes to the gut microbiome composition.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Greater psychological resilience may protect against developing depression in a growing geriatric population. Identifying the neural correlates of resilience in geriatric depression could provide neurobiologic targets to inform clinical interventions. However, most prior neuroimaging studies have only considered the presence or absence of resilience and have not addressed the multifactorial nature of resilience.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Huntington Disease-like 2 (HDL2) is a neurodegenerative disorder similar to Huntington Disease (HD) in its clinical phenotype, genetic characteristics, neuropathology and longitudinal progression. Proposed specific differences include an exclusive African ancestry, lack of eye movement abnormalities, increased Parkinsonism, and acanthocytes in HDL2.
Objective: The objective was to determine the similarities and differences between HD and HDL2 by establishing the clinical phenotype of HDL2 with the published cases.
Background: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved a four-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4-PCC) for warfarin reversal.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a master regulator of metabolism. While muscle-specific AMPK β1β2 double-knockout (β1β2M-KO) mice display alterations in metabolic and mitochondrial capacity, their severe exercise intolerance suggested a secondary contributor to the observed phenotype. We find that tibialis anterior (TA), but not soleus, muscles of sedentary β1β2M-KO mice display a significant myopathy (decreased myofiber areas, increased split and necrotic myofibers, and increased centrally nucleated myofibers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: This study aimed to evaluate serum-only four-marker first trimester (1T-Quad) Down syndrome screening, alone or contingently to select 10-20% with highest risk for nuchal translucency (NT) or cell-free (cf)DNA.
Methods: Stored maternal serum samples (-80 °C) from 90 pregnancies with fetal Down syndrome and 1607 controls were retrieved and measured for placental growth factor, α-fetoprotein, pregnancy-associated plasma protein and free β-human chorionic gonadotropin. Samples were from singleton pregnancies (9-13 + 6 weeks), and NT was measured between 11 and 13 + 6 weeks.
Purpose: Amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques are a major pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The noninvasive detection of Aβ plaques may increase the accuracy of clinical diagnosis as well as monitor therapeutic interventions. While [(11)C]-PiB is the most widely used Aβ positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer, due to the short half-life of (11)C (20 min), its application is limited to centers with an on-site cyclotron and (11)C radiochemistry expertise.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To determine if the addition of uterine artery (UA) Doppler pulsatility index (PI) at 18 and 22 weeks of gestation improves the predictive accuracy of low first trimester pregnancy associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) in the detection of adverse obstetrical outcomes.
Methods: This was a prospective interventional study. All women undergoing first trimester combined screening (FTS) at a single center, with a low maternal serum PAPP-A level (<0.
Seventy-eight Cotswold piglets weaned from sows receiving 0% or 2% conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)-supplemented rations from day 85 of gestation through lactation were allocated to nursery diets (ND) according to their dam's lactation ration (LR) as follows (1) 0%-0% (0% CLA LR: 0% CLA ND, n = 17); (2) 0%-2% (0% CLA LR: 2% CLA ND, n = 17); (3) 2%-0% (2% CLA LR: 0% CLA ND, n = 23); and (4) 2%-2% (2% CLA LR: 2% CLA ND, n = 21). At 28 ± 2 days of age all piglets received an oral Escherichia coli K88+ (enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, ETEC) challenge and were subsequently monitored for scour development and overall health until 36 ± 2 days of age, after which blood and tissue samples were collected. Piglet BW was not affected by dietary CLA supplementation to LR (P > 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAust N Z J Public Health
February 1998
A universal neonatal hepatitis B vaccination program was introduced in the Northern Territory in 1990. We compared live births with vaccine usage to determine the uptake of the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine under this new policy and to identify hospital factors that influenced this rate. Attitudes and vaccine administration practices were determined through interviews, using standard questions with midwifery and paediatric nursing staff at both hospitals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPediatr Infect Dis J
May 1997
Objective: To adapt, implement and evaluate a model of scabies control in an Australian Aboriginal community.
Methods: After initially examining the population, we offered all residents treatment with 5% permethrin cream. Visits were made during the ensuing 25 months to rescreen and to treat new-cases of scabies and contacts.