Effect of cigarette smoking upon reproductive hormones in women of reproductive age: a retrospective analysis.

There is continuing debate concerning the relationship between cigarette smoking and premature ovarian failure. The aim of this retrospective data analysis was to investigate whether smoking has a measurable effect on early follicular serum concentrations of inhibin B hormone, FSH and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) in women of reproductive age. A database containing data on age, smoking status and serum concentrations of inhibin B, FSH and AMH was analysed.

Leucine leucine-37 uses formyl peptide receptor-like 1 to activate signal transduction pathways, stimulate oncogenic gene expression, and enhance the invasiveness of ovarian cancer cells.

Emerging evidence suggests that the antimicrobial peptide, leucine leucine-37 (LL-37), could play a role in the progression of solid tumors. LL-37 is expressed as the COOH terminus of human cationic antimicrobial protein-18 (hCAP-18) in ovarian, breast, and lung cancers. Previous studies have shown that the addition of LL-37 to various cancer cell lines in vitro stimulates proliferation, migration, and invasion.

The pro-inflammatory peptide LL-37 promotes ovarian tumor progression through recruitment of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells or multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been shown to engraft into the stroma of several tumor types, where they contribute to tumor progression and metastasis. However, the chemotactic signals mediating MSC migration to tumors remain poorly understood. Previous studies have shown that LL-37 (leucine, leucine-37), the C-terminal peptide of human cationic antimicrobial protein 18, stimulates the migration of various cell types and is overexpressed in ovarian, breast, and lung cancers.

Inhibiting Dickkopf-1 (Dkk1) removes suppression of bone formation and prevents the development of osteolytic bone disease in multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is associated with the development of osteolytic bone disease, mediated by increased osteoclastic bone resorption and impaired osteoblastic bone formation. Dickkopf-1 (Dkk1), a soluble inhibitor of wingless/int (Wnt) signaling and osteoblastogenesis, is elevated in patients with MM and correlates with osteolytic bone disease. In this study, we investigated the effect of inhibiting Dkk1 on the development of osteolytic lesions in the 5T2MM murine model of myeloma.

Active site substitutions delineate distinct classes of eubacterial flap endonuclease.

FENs (flap endonucleases) play essential roles in DNA replication, pivotally in the resolution of Okazaki fragments. In eubacteria, DNA PolI (polymerase I) contains a flap processing domain, the N-terminal 5'-->3' exonuclease. We present evidence of paralogous FEN-encoding genes present in many eubacteria.

Effects of cigarette smoking upon clinical outcomes of assisted reproduction: a meta-analysis.

Background: The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate whether any difference exists in success rate of clinical outcomes of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) between women who actively smoke cigarettes at the time of treatment and those who do not.

Methods: An intensive computerized search was conducted on published literature from eight databases, using search terms related to smoking, assisted reproduction and outcome measures. Eligible studies compared outcomes of ART between cigarette smoking patients and a control group of non-smoking patients and reported on live birth rate per cycle, clinical pregnancy rate per cycle, ectopic pregnancy rate per pregnancy or spontaneous miscarriage rate per pregnancy, and 21 studies were included in the meta-analyses.

Pneumolysin: a double-edged sword during the host-pathogen interaction.

The cholesterol-dependent cytolysins are pore-forming toxins. Pneumolysin is the cytolysin produced by Streptococcus pneumoniae and is a key virulence factor. The protein contains 471 amino acids and four structural domains.

Response of pyromania to biological treatment in a homeless person.

Pyromania has been associated with abnormalities of impulsivity, social estrangement, cognitive flexibility, and executive function. We aim to investigate whether psychopharmacological interventions increase cognitive test performance and decrease frequency of serious clinical incidents during inpatient admission for pyromania. This is a case study of a 20-year-old homeless male who met DSM-IV criteria for pyromania.

Virulence factors in pneumococcal respiratory pathogenesis.

Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is a major global cause of human disease. Since the publication of the entire sequence of TIGR4 in 2001, our understanding of this human pathogen has increased significantly. Genetic studies, and the use of mutant strains have refined our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of classic pneumococcal virulence factors, including the polysaccharide capsule, pneumolysin and surface-expressed proteins.

Salvage therapy for invasive aspergillosis.

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) makes a marked contribution to the mortality of immunocompromised hosts, especially those who have received cytotoxic chemotherapy for haematological malignancy or allogeneic haemopoietic stem cell transplantation. Salvage therapy, in the case of invasive fungal infection, generally refers to the treatment of infected individuals who are refractory or intolerant to initial therapy administered for at least 7 days. Although clinical trials of salvage therapy of IA have been undertaken, most were non-comparator studies or contained a non-randomized control group, and criteria for patient enrollment and the methods used to assess response were variable.

Influence of genetics on disease susceptibility and progression.

For many chronic diseases, the influence of genetics is complex and phenotypes do not conform to simple Mendelian patterns of inheritance. Discussed here are two types of genetic influences on healthy aging. The first involves variation in the gene sequence itself and how this may influence disease susceptibility, progression, and severity, interacting with other recognized risk factors.

Evidence of a role for osteoprotegerin in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PA-SMC) migration and proliferation are key processes in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Recent information suggests that abnormalities in the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) receptor 2 (BMP-R2) signaling pathway are important in PAH pathogenesis. It remains unclear whether and how this pathway interacts with, for example, serotonin (5-HT) and inflammation to trigger and/or sustain the development of PAH.

The role of the macrophage in lung disease mediated by bacteria.

Respiratory infections are a major cause of human morbidity and a leading cause of death. The lower respiratory tract is a sterile environment and host defense is well developed to clear bacteria. This response includes both humeral factors and resident and recruited cells.

HIV-1 infection and the kidney: an evolving challenge in HIV medicine.

With the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), the incidence of opportunistic infections has declined substantially, and cardiovascular, liver, and renal diseases have emerged as major causes of morbidity and mortality in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Acute renal failure is common in HIV-infected patients and is associated with acute infection and medication-related nephrotoxicity. HIV-associated nephropathy is the most common cause of chronic kidney disease in HIV-positive African American populations and may respond to HAART.

Type 1 von Willebrand disease.

Since its first description in 1926, the precise nature and indeed significance of von Willebrand factor (VWD) in the area of human bleeding has been unsure and often controversial. The recognition of VWD as a distinct entity in blood and the cloning of the von Willebrand factor (VWF) gene in the 1980s encouraged both phenotypic and genotypic studies, culminating in 1994 with the recognition, by the VWF subcommittee of the Scientific and Standardization Committee (SSC) of International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasy (ISTH), of three types of VWD, characterized by severe plasma VWF deficiency (type 3), functionally deficient plasma VWF (type 2) and reduced (below normal) levels of plasma VWF, which is functionally essentially normal (type 1; 70% of all cases). Since then, whereas gene analysis has recognized VWF gene (VWF) mutations in most individuals with type 3 and type 2 disease, the latter mutations correlating well with recognized functional domains within the VWF protein, few mutations have been reported in cases with type 1 VWD.

Molecular interactions of Escherichia coli ExoIX and identification of its associated 3'-5' exonuclease activity.

The flap endonucleases (FENs) participate in a wide range of processes involving the structure-specific cleavage of branched nucleic acids. They are also able to hydrolyse DNA and RNA substrates from the 5'-end, liberating mono-, di- and polynucleotides terminating with a 5' phosphate. Exonuclease IX is a paralogue of the small fragment of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I, a FEN with which it shares 66% similarity.

Executive dysfunction screening test for neuropsychiatric disorders.

The Analogies Understanding Test (AUT) was developed as a brief cognitive screening task of executive problem solving. A few of the test items at the beginning are "facilitated" as a means of engaging patients. Individuals with schizophrenia and mild Alzheimer's Disease (AD) made significantly less correct responses than their control groups.

Relaxed cleavage specificity of an immunoglobulin A1 protease from Neisseria meningitidis.

Respiratory pathogens, such as Neisseria meningitidis, secrete site-specific proteases able to cleave human immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1), the first line of defense at mucosal membranes. Bacterial isolates show wide variability in IgA1 protease activity, and those isolated from patients with clinical infection possess the highest levels of activity. A feature of this enzyme is the self-cleavage required for secretion of the mature extracellular form.

A systematic review of cognition in homeless children and adolescents.

Objectives The cognitive function of homeless children and adolescents may be overlooked, albeit understandably, when societal interventions focus on their immediate housing needs. Nevertheless, homelessness might be hypothesized to carry many risks for the developing mind and brain. We wanted to discover whether this hypothesis had been tested previously.

Association of cigarette smoking and depressive symptoms in a forensic population.

The link between mental health issues and smoking has been an important area of investigation. However, little is known about this association in a general adult, male forensic population. The aim of this study was to identify demographic and clinical (depression and anxiety) variables that predict smoking in a forensic population.