The advent of systems biology approaches that have stemmed from the sequencing of the human genome has led to the search for new methods to diagnose diseases. While much effort has been focused on the identification of disease-specific biomarkers, recent efforts are underway toward the use of proteomic and metabonomic patterns to indicate disease. We have developed and contrasted the use of both proteomic and metabonomic patterns in urine for the detection of interstitial cystitis (IC). The methodology relies on advanced bioinformatics to scrutinize information contained within mass spectrometry (MS) and high-resolution proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectral patterns to distinguish IC-affected from non-affected individuals as well as those suffering from bacterial cystitis (BC). We have applied a novel pattern recognition tool that employs an unsupervised system (self-organizing-type cluster mapping) as a fitness test for a supervised system (a genetic algorithm). With this approach, a training set comprised of mass spectra and 1H-NMR spectra from urine derived from either unaffected individuals or patients with IC is employed so that the most fit combination of relative, normalized intensity features defined at precise m/z or chemical shift values plotted in n-space can reliably distinguish the cohorts used in training. Using this bioinformatic approach, we were able to discriminate spectral patterns associated with IC-affected, BC-affected, and unaffected patients with a success rate of approximately 84%. 相似文献
Regulation of nuclear factor of activated T cells-c2 (NFATc2) gene expression is not clearly defined. We previously reported reduced NFATc2 protein expression in cord blood T lymphocytes. Here we show that NFATc2 expression in T cells is dependent in part on the presence of IFN-gamma during primary stimulation, as blocking of IFN-gamma blunted NFATc2 protein and mRNA upregulation. Conversely, addition of exogenous IFN-gamma during stimulation resulted in increased expression of NFATc2 in cord blood T lymphocytes. This correlated with rescue of deficient IFN-gamma expression by cord blood T cells. Rescue of IFN-gamma expression in cord blood T cells was dependent on the presence of antigen-presenting cells, as addition of IFN-gamma during stimulation of purified cord blood T cells did not result in an increase of IFN-gamma expression, and depletion of monocytes ablated the rescue of IFN-gamma expression. Our results point to impaired function in the antigen-presenting cell population of cord blood, playing a role in the hyporesponsiveness of T cells. 相似文献
As previously reported, unilateral pyramidotomy in newborn rats results in the development of an aberrant ipsilateral corticospinal tract that originates from the intact side. In the present study, limb preference after unilateral pyramidotomy in adult and neonatal rats was examined in search of differences that might correlate with this aberrant tract. However, no significant differences were observed between the two groups. Postoperatively, adult animals preferred the limb corresponding to the intact corticospinal tract in spite of a pre- and postoperative testing bias toward the opposite limb. Similarly, the animals that sustained neonatal lesion followed by testing at maturity also preferred the limb corresponding to the normal crossed corticospinal tract. 相似文献
We examined the long term predictivity of heart rate reactivity (HRR) and its relation to cardiovascular and biochemical activity during rest and during tasks requiring active and passive coping. HRR was determined in 28 young men by measuring peak heart rate change to cold pressor one year after performing tasks eliciting active and passive coping. Heart rate change to cold pressor was significantly correlated with change to active coping (r= .65, p<.01) and to passive coping (r= .53, p<.01). Responses to the tasks were equivalent for Type A and B subjects. On the other hand, high HRRs were significantly more reactive than low HRRs with the effect being most apparent during active coping. HRR appeared to be a trait stable over one year which predicted enhanced cardiac, neuroendocrine, and neuromuscular response. 相似文献
Maternal and Child Health Journal - The purpose of this study was to explore socio-ecological influences affecting the daily lives of urban, pregnant Puerto Rican women and factors negatively... 相似文献
Sexual minority emerging adults are more likely to engage in suicidal ideation than their heterosexual counterparts. Experiences of homophobic violence are associated with suicidal ideation. Yet, the specific mechanisms linking homophobic violence to suicidal ideation remain unclear. Entrapment and social belongingness were tested to determine their relevance for understanding the link between homophobic violence and suicidal ideation. A sample of sexual minority Dutch emerging adults (N?=?675; ages 18–29, M?=?21.93 years, SD?=?3.20) were recruited through online platforms and flyers. Homophobic violence was expected to be positively associated with suicidal ideation and entrapment. The association between homophobic violence and suicidal ideation was expected to be indirectly linked through entrapment. We explored whether various sources of social belongingness moderated the path between entrapment and suicidal ideation and whether those sources of social belongingness moderated the indirect effect of homophobic violence on suicidal ideation through entrapment. Results showed that homophobic violence and entrapment were positively associated with suicidal ideation and that family belongingness was negatively associated with suicidal ideation. Homophobic violence and suicidal ideation were not indirectly linked through entrapment. The interaction effect between entrapment and family belongingness was significant, suggesting that, on average, the effect of entrapment on suicidal ideation decreased when family belongingness was high. These results suggest that family belongingness may reduce the association between entrapment and suicidal ideation while adjusting for homophonic violence. Reducing entrapment and improving family belongingness may be useful targets for programs aimed at preventing suicidal ideation among sexual minority emerging adults.
Journal of Community Health - The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected racial and ethnic minority groups in the U.S. Over a 7-week period in late 2020, with funding from the NC Office... 相似文献
Objectives : To estimate the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Australia and attributable proportions associated with specific demographic groups at higher risk of infection. Methods : Two methods were used to estimate prevalence of HBV surface antigen (HBsAg): (1) Population-based: results of a national serosurvey using sera collected opportunistically from laboratories across Australia were used for 1–59 year olds, with the HBsAg prevalence for 50–59 years extrapolated to the population aged 60 years and over; (2) Risk group-based: estimates for selected high-risk groups (injecting drug users, homosexual men, Indigenous Australians and people born in high-prevalence countries), using source data from antenatal HBV screening in central Sydney, HBV prevalence studies, and estimates for low-risk groups (first-time blood donors) were combined proportionally to their representation in the population. Results : Prevalence of HBsAg in the national serosurvey increased, with age, from 0.0% for 1–4 and 5–9 year olds to 1.3–1.8% for the 40–49 year age group. Australian population HBsAg prevalence based on minimum and adjusted estimates from this serosurvey were 91,500 (0.49%) and 163,000 (0.87%) infections, respectively. The risk group method estimated an Australian HBsAg prevalence of 88,000 infections (0.47%). Approximately 50% of people with chronic HBV infection were estimated to be immigrants from either South-East Asia (33.3%) or North-East Asia (16.2%). Conclusion : The range of estimates for chronic HBV infection in Australia is broad, reflecting the uncertainty in source data. A national blood survey encompassing a large and representative population sample may help to provide more accurate estimates. A large proportion of people with chronic HBV infection are Asian born. 相似文献