scholarly journals A Naturally Occurring Null Variant of the NMDA Type Glutamate Receptor NR3B Subunit Is a Risk Factor of Schizophrenia

PLoS ONE ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. e0116319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hitomi Matsuno ◽  
Kazutaka Ohi ◽  
Ryota Hashimoto ◽  
Hidenaga Yamamori ◽  
Yuka Yasuda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factor ◽  
Glutamate Receptor ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Nr3b Subunit

scholarly journals Mendelian randomisation for psychiatry: how does it work, and what can it tell us?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn E. Wootton ◽  
Hannah J. Jones ◽  
Hannah M. Sallis
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Mendelian Randomisation ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Complementary Approach ◽  
Randomised Control Trials ◽  
Successful Prevention

AbstractThe successful prevention of mental illness relies upon the identification of causal, modifiable risk factors. However, observational evidence exploring such risk factors often produces contradictory results and randomised control trials are often expensive, time-consuming or unethical to conduct. Mendelian randomisation (MR) is a complementary approach that uses naturally occurring genetic variation to identify possible causal effects between a risk factor and an outcome in a time-efficient and low-cost manner. MR utilises genetic variants as instrumental variables for the risk factor of interest. MR studies are becoming more frequent in the field of psychiatry, warranting a reflection upon both the possibilities and the pitfalls. In this Perspective, we consider several limitations of the MR method that are of particular relevance to psychiatry. We also present new MR methods that have exciting applications to questions of mental illness. While we believe that MR can make an important contribution to the field of psychiatry, we also wish to emphasise the importance of clear causal questions, thorough sensitivity analyses, and triangulation with other forms of evidence.

scholarly journals Local avian density influences risk of mortality from window strikes

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e2170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann M. Sabo ◽  
Natasha D.G. Hagemeyer ◽  
Ally S. Lahey ◽  
Eric L. Walters
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factor ◽  
North America ◽  
Turdus Migratorius ◽  
American Robin ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Wood Warblers ◽  
Risk Of Mortality ◽  
Partial Migrant ◽  
Apparent Susceptibility ◽  
Zoological Park

Up to a billion birds die per year in North America as a result of striking windows. Both transparent and reflective glass panes are a cause for concern, misleading birds by either acting as invisible, impenetrable barriers to desired resources, or reflecting those resources over a large surface area. A high number of window strikes occur during migration, but little is known about the factors of susceptibility, or whether particular avian taxa are more vulnerable than others. We report on a study of window strikes and mist-netting data at the Virginia Zoological Park (Norfolk, Virginia, USA), conducted in the autumn of 2013 and 2014. We focused on three factors likely to contribute to an individual’s predisposition to collide with windows: (i) taxonomic classification, (ii) age, and (iii) migrant vs. resident status. Thrushes, dominated by the partial migrant American Robin (Turdus migratorius), were significantly less likely to strike glass than be sampled in mist nets (χ2= 9.21, p = 0.002), while wood-warblers (Parulidae) were more likely to strike than expected (χ2= 13.55, p < 0.001). The proportion of juveniles striking windows (45.4%) was not significantly different (χ2= 0.05, p = 0.827) than the population of juvenile birds naturally occurring at the zoo (48.8%). Migrants, however, were significantly more susceptible to window strikes than residents (χ2= 6.35, p = 0.012). Our results suggest that resident birds are able to learn to avoid and thus reduce their likelihood of striking windows; this intrinsic risk factor may help explain the apparent susceptibility of certain taxa to window strikes.

Pathology of Bone Cells in Pigs with Experimental Turbinate Osteoporosis (Atrophic Rhinitis)

1971 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 304-305
Author(s):  
A. W. Fetter ◽  
C. C. Capen
Keyword(s):  
Mucous Membrane ◽  
Bone Cells ◽  
Atrophic Rhinitis ◽  
Infectious Agents ◽  
Metabolic Disturbances ◽  
Progressive Reduction ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Fundamental Cause ◽  
Osteocytic Osteolysis ◽  
Uncertain Etiology

Atrophic rhinitis in swine is a disease of uncertain etiology in which infectious agents, hereditary predisposition, and metabolic disturbances have been reported to be of primary etiologic importance. It shares many similarities, both clinically and pathologically, with ozena in man. The disease is characterized by deformity and reduction in volume of the nasal turbinates. The fundamental cause for the localized lesion of bone in the nasal turbinates has not been established. Reduced osteogenesis, increased resorption related to inflammation of the nasal mucous membrane, and excessive resorption due to osteocytic osteolysis stimulated by hyperparathyroidism have been suggested as possible pathogenetic mechanisms.The objectives of this investigation were to evaluate ultrastructurally bone cells in the nasal turbinates of pigs with experimentally induced atrophic rhinitis, and to compare these findings to those in control pigs of the same age and pigs with the naturally occurring disease, in order to define the fundamental lesion responsible for the progressive reduction in volume of the osseous core.

High Resolution Replication of Organoclay Surfaces

1982 ◽  
Vol 40 ◽  
pp. 576-577
Author(s):  
W. W. Barker ◽  
W. E. Rigsby ◽  
V. J. Hurst ◽  
W. J. Humphreys
Keyword(s):  
Clay Mineral ◽  
Organic Molecule ◽  
Organic Molecules ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
Xrd Pattern ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Silicate Layers ◽  
Mineral Identification

Experimental clay mineral-organic molecule complexes long have been known and some of them have been extensively studied by X-ray diffraction methods. The organic molecules are adsorbed onto the surfaces of the clay minerals, or intercalated between the silicate layers. Natural organo-clays also are widely recognized but generally have not been well characterized. Widely used techniques for clay mineral identification involve treatment of the sample with H2 O2 or other oxidant to destroy any associated organics. This generally simplifies and intensifies the XRD pattern of the clay residue, but helps little with the characterization of the original organoclay. Adequate techniques for the direct observation of synthetic and naturally occurring organoclays are yet to be developed.

SEM study of the morphological effects of kinetin and zeatin on the growth and development of the apical meristem in wheat

1995 ◽  
Vol 53 ◽  
pp. 978-979
Author(s):  
G. M. Hutchins ◽  
J. S. Gardner
Keyword(s):  
Growth And Development ◽  
Furfuryl Alcohol ◽  
Apical Meristem ◽  
Plant Cells ◽  
Triticum Aestivum L ◽  
Morphological Development ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Chinese Spring Wheat ◽  
Sem Study ◽  
Moist Environment

Cytokinins are plant hormones that play a large and incompletely understood role in the life-cycle of plants. The goal of this study was to determine what roles cytokinins play in the morphological development of wheat. To achieve any real success in altering the development and growth of wheat, the cytokinins must be applied directly to the apical meristem, or spike of the plant. It is in this region that the plant cells are actively undergoing mitosis. Kinetin and Zeatin were the two cytokinins chosen for this experiment. Kinetin is an artificial hormone that was originally extracted from old or heated DNA. Kinetin is easily made from the reaction of adenine and furfuryl alcohol. Zeatin is a naturally occurring hormone found in corn, wheat, and many other plants.Chinese Spring Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was used for this experiment. Prior to planting, the seeds were germinated in a moist environment for 72 hours.

Fine structure and properties of defects in naturally occurring silicates and oxides

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 460-461
Author(s):  
David R. Veblen
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Reactions ◽  
High Resolution Electron Microscopy ◽  
Extended Defects ◽  
Single Chain ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Resolution Electron ◽  
Fine Structures ◽  
Image Simulations ◽  
Similar Crystal Structure

Extended defects and interfaces control many processes in rock-forming minerals, from chemical reactions to rock deformation. In many cases, it is not the average structure of a defect or interface that is most important, but rather the structure of defect terminations or offsets in an interface. One of the major thrusts of high-resolution electron microscopy in the earth sciences has been to identify the role of defect fine structures in reactions and to determine the structures of such features. This paper will review studies using HREM and image simulations to determine the structures of defects in silicate and oxide minerals and present several examples of the role of defects in mineral chemical reactions. In some cases, the geological occurrence can be used to constrain the diffusional properties of defects.The simplest reactions in minerals involve exsolution (precipitation) of one mineral from another with a similar crystal structure, and pyroxenes (single-chain silicates) provide a good example. Although conventional TEM studies have led to a basic understanding of this sort of phase separation in pyroxenes via spinodal decomposition or nucleation and growth, HREM has provided a much more detailed appreciation of the processes involved.

Clinical aspects of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species

2004 ◽  
Vol 71 ◽  
pp. 121-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ascan Warnholtz ◽  
Maria Wendt ◽  
Michael August ◽  
Thomas Münzel
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Reactive Oxygen Species ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Endothelial Dysfunction ◽  
Vascular Tissue ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Reactive Oxygen ◽  
Clinical Aspects ◽  
No Production ◽  
Oxygen Species

Endothelial dysfunction in the setting of cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypercholesterolaemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and chronic smoking, as well as in the setting of heart failure, has been shown to be at least partly dependent on the production of reactive oxygen species in endothelial and/or smooth muscle cells and the adventitia, and the subsequent decrease in vascular bioavailability of NO. Superoxide-producing enzymes involved in increased oxidative stress within vascular tissue include NAD(P)H-oxidase, xanthine oxidase and endothelial nitric oxide synthase in an uncoupled state. Recent studies indicate that endothelial dysfunction of peripheral and coronary resistance and conductance vessels represents a strong and independent risk factor for future cardiovascular events. Ways to reduce endothelial dysfunction include risk-factor modification and treatment with substances that have been shown to reduce oxidative stress and, simultaneously, to stimulate endothelial NO production, such as inhibitors of angiotensin-converting enzyme or the statins. In contrast, in conditions where increased production of reactive oxygen species, such as superoxide, in vascular tissue is established, treatment with NO, e.g. via administration of nitroglycerin, results in a rapid development of endothelial dysfunction, which may worsen the prognosis in patients with established coronary artery disease.

Flavonoids in adipose tissue inflammation and atherosclerosis: one arrow, two targets

2020 ◽  
Vol 134 (12) ◽  
pp. 1403-1432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manal Muin Fardoun ◽  
Dina Maaliki ◽  
Nabil Halabi ◽  
Rabah Iratni ◽  
Alessandra Bitto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Metabolic Diseases ◽  
Therapeutic Agents ◽  
Adipose Tissue Inflammation ◽  
Cellular Mechanisms ◽  
Tissue Inflammation ◽  
Cholesterol Levels ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Pro Inflammatory Cytokines

Abstract Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds naturally occurring in fruits and vegetables, in addition to beverages such as tea and coffee. Flavonoids are emerging as potent therapeutic agents for cardiovascular as well as metabolic diseases. Several studies corroborated an inverse relationship between flavonoid consumption and cardiovascular disease (CVD) or adipose tissue inflammation (ATI). Flavonoids exert their anti-atherogenic effects by increasing nitric oxide (NO), reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS), and decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokines. In addition, flavonoids alleviate ATI by decreasing triglyceride and cholesterol levels, as well as by attenuating inflammatory mediators. Furthermore, flavonoids inhibit synthesis of fatty acids and promote their oxidation. In this review, we discuss the effect of the main classes of flavonoids, namely flavones, flavonols, flavanols, flavanones, anthocyanins, and isoflavones, on atherosclerosis and ATI. In addition, we dissect the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms of action for these flavonoids. We conclude by supporting the potential benefit for flavonoids in the management or treatment of CVD; yet, we call for more robust clinical studies for safety and pharmacokinetic values.

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