scholarly journals Adiponectin as a Potential Biomarker for Pregnancy Disorders

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 1326
Author(s):  
Carmen Pheiffer ◽  
Stephanie Dias ◽  
Babalwa Jack ◽  
Nompumelelo Malaza ◽  
Sumaiya Adam
Keyword(s):  
Pregnancy Complications ◽  
Energy Homeostasis ◽  
Metabolic Diseases ◽  
Early Recognition ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Potential Biomarker ◽  
Mother And Child

Adiponectin is an adipocyte-derived hormone that plays a critical role in energy homeostasis, mainly attributed to its insulin-sensitizing properties. Accumulating studies have reported that adiponectin concentrations are decreased during metabolic diseases, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, with an emerging body of evidence providing support for its use as a biomarker for pregnancy complications. The identification of maternal factors that could predict the outcome of compromised pregnancies could act as valuable tools that allow the early recognition of high-risk pregnancies, facilitating close follow-up and prevention of pregnancy complications in mother and child. In this review we consider the role of adiponectin as a potential biomarker of disorders associated with pregnancy. We discuss common disorders associated with pregnancy (gestational diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia, preterm birth and abnormal intrauterine growth) and highlight studies that have investigated the potential of adiponectin to serve as biomarkers for these disorders. We conclude the review by recommending strategies to consider for future research.

Critical Role of IL-8 Targeting in Gliomas

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (17) ◽  
pp. 1954-1967 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marinos Kosmopoulos ◽  
Anthos Christofides ◽  
Dimitrios Drekolias ◽  
Phaedon D. Zavras ◽  
Antonios N. Gargalionis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Response To Therapy ◽  
Molecular Pathways ◽  
Cns Disorders ◽  
Potential Biomarker

Background: Glioma is a heterogeneous, highly complicated central nervous system (CNS) tumor with uncertain mechanism of initiation and progression, resulting in an unfavorable outcome. An extended network of cytokines is recognized as a major regulator of glioma pathogenesis, either promoting or inhibiting glioma progression based on their type and specificity. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) has been revealed as a critical regulator of CNS function and development with participation in many CNS disorders including gliomas. Objective: The aim of the present review is to address the role of IL-8 in glioma pathogenesis focusing on the implicated molecular pathways as well as on its potential targeting for glioma therapy. Methods and Results: PubMed-Medline, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar databases were searched for pre-clinical and clinical studies related to IL-8 implication in gliomagenesis and IL-8 targeting strategies for gliomas. Literature data indicate that IL-8 participates in glioma angiogenesis and cell migration and it can serve as a potential biomarker, for early diagnosis, follow-up and response to therapy. Conclusion: Several promising approaches that target directly or indirectly IL-8 effects in gliomas are currently in progress while more-in-depth studies are needed to validate its biomarker role and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms.

scholarly journals Vitamin D: Not Just Bone Metabolism but a Key Player in Cardiovascular Diseases

Life ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 452
Author(s):  
Marcello Izzo ◽  
Albino Carrizzo ◽  
Carmine Izzo ◽  
Enrico Cappello ◽  
Domenico Cecere ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin D ◽  
Metabolic Diseases ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Drug Expenditure ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
D Values ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Research Challenge

Vitamin D is the first item of drug expenditure for the treatment of osteoporosis. Its deficiency is a condition that affects not only older individuals but also young people. Recently, the scientific community has focused its attention on the possible role of vitamin D in the development of several chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. This review aims to highlight the possible role of vitamin D in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. In particular, here we examine (1) the role of vitamin D in diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, and obesity, and its influence on insulin secretion; (2) its role in atherosclerosis, in which chronic vitamin D deficiency, lower than 20 ng/mL (50 nmol/liter), has emerged among the new risk factors; (3) the role of vitamin D in essential hypertension, in which low plasma levels of vitamin D have been associated with both an increase in the prevalence of hypertension and diastolic hypertension; (4) the role of vitamin D in peripheral arteriopathies and aneurysmal pathology, reporting that patients with peripheral artery diseases had lower vitamin D values than non-suffering PAD controls; (5) the genetic and epigenetic role of vitamin D, highlighting its transcriptional regulation capacity; and (6) the role of vitamin D in cardiac remodeling and disease. Despite the many observational studies and meta-analyses supporting the critical role of vitamin D in cardiovascular physiopathology, clinical trials designed to evaluate the specific role of vitamin D in cardiovascular disease are scarce. The characterization of the importance of vitamin D as a marker of pathology should represent a future research challenge.

scholarly journals The Role of the Bone Marrow Microenvironment in the Response to Infection

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney B. Johnson ◽  
Jizhou Zhang ◽  
Daniel Lucas
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Bone Marrow Microenvironment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Multipotent Stem Cells ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem

Hematopoiesis in the bone marrow (BM) is the primary source of immune cells. Hematopoiesis is regulated by a diverse cellular microenvironment that supports stepwise differentiation of multipotent stem cells and progenitors into mature blood cells. Blood cell production is not static and the bone marrow has evolved to sense and respond to infection by rapidly generating immune cells that are quickly released into the circulation to replenish those that are consumed in the periphery. Unfortunately, infection also has deleterious effects injuring hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), inefficient hematopoiesis, and remodeling and destruction of the microenvironment. Despite its central role in immunity, the role of the microenvironment in the response to infection has not been systematically investigated. Here we summarize the key experimental evidence demonstrating a critical role of the bone marrow microenvironment in orchestrating the bone marrow response to infection and discuss areas of future research.

scholarly journals Association of the OPRM1 A118G polymorphism and Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer: Clinical relevance for alcohol dependence

2021 ◽  
pp. 026988112199199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Sebold ◽  
Maria Garbusow ◽  
Deniz Cerci ◽  
Ke Chen ◽  
Christian Sommer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Dependence ◽  
Opioid Receptor ◽  
Mechanistic Model ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Opioid System ◽  
Operant Behaviour ◽  
Oprm1 Gene ◽  
Potential Biomarker ◽  
A118g Polymorphism

Background: Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) quantifies the extent to which a stimulus that has been associated with reward or punishment alters operant behaviour. In alcohol dependence (AD), the PIT effect serves as a paradigmatic model of cue-induced relapse. Preclinical studies have suggested a critical role of the opioid system in modulating Pavlovian–instrumental interactions. The A118G polymorphism of the OPRM1 gene affects opioid receptor availability and function. Furthermore, this polymorphism interacts with cue-induced approach behaviour and is a potential biomarker for pharmacological treatment response in AD. In this study, we tested whether the OPRM1 polymorphism is associated with the PIT effect and relapse in AD. Methods: Using a PIT task, we examined three independent samples: young healthy subjects ( N = 161), detoxified alcohol-dependent patients ( N = 186) and age-matched healthy controls ( N = 105). We used data from a larger study designed to assess the role of learning mechanisms in the development and maintenance of AD. Subjects were genotyped for the A118G (rs1799971) polymorphism of the OPRM1 gene. Relapse was assessed after three months. Results: In all three samples, participants with the minor OPRM1 G-Allele (G+ carriers) showed increased expression of the PIT effect in the absence of learning differences. Relapse was not associated with the OPRM1 polymorphism. Instead, G+ carriers displaying increased PIT effects were particularly prone to relapse. Conclusion: These results support a role for the opioid system in incentive salience motivation. Furthermore, they inform a mechanistic model of aberrant salience processing and are in line with the pharmacological potential of opioid receptor targets in the treatment of AD.

scholarly journals Reduced Flow-Mediated Dilatation Is Not Related to COVID-19 Severity Three Months after Hospitalization for SARS-CoV-2 Infection

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1318
Author(s):  
Marianne Riou ◽  
Walid Oulehri ◽  
Cedric Momas ◽  
Olivier Rouyer ◽  
Fabienne Lebourg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vascular Endothelium ◽  
Matched Control ◽  
Acute Infection ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Lung Damage ◽  
Vascular Effect ◽  
Flow Mediated Dilatation ◽  
Artery Flow

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has spread rapidly worldwide, with more than two million deaths. Evidence indicates the critical role of the vascular endothelium in its pathophysiology but, like potential changes in functional vasodilation, the vascular effect of SARS-CoV-2 at a given distance from the acute infection is largely unknown. We assessed brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) in 27 COVID-19 patients needing conventional or intensive care unit hospitalization, three months after SARS-CoV-2 infection diagnosis and in nine age- and sex- matched control subjects. Interestingly, the FMD was lower in COVID-19 patients as compared to controls (8.2 (7.2–8.9) vs. 10.3 (9.1–11.7)); p = 0.002, and half of the hospitalized COVID-19 survivors presented with a reduced FMD < 8% at three months of COVID-19 onset. Impaired FMD was not associated with severe or critical SARS-CoV-2 infection, reflected by ICU hospitalization, total hospitalization duration, or severity of lung damage. In conclusion, reduced FMD is often observed even three months after hospitalization for SARS-CoV-2 infection, but such alteration predominantly appears to not be related to COVID-19 severity. Longer and larger follow-up studies will help to clarify the potential prognosis value of FMD among COVID-19 patients, as well as to further determine the mechanisms involved.

scholarly journals Describing the recovery experiences of not criminally responsible clients living in the community

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene Boldt
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Forensic Mental Health ◽  
Process Of Change ◽  
Recovery Experiences ◽  
Not Criminally Responsible ◽  
Qualitative Descriptive

This study describes the recovery experiences of persons who have been found not criminally responsible on account of a mental disorder (NCRMD). A qualitative descriptive methodology was used to elicit the recovery experiences of five participants. The overarching theme that arose from the data was ‘Experiencing and understanding recovery in the forensic mental health system (FMHS) as a dynamic process of change,’ and the major themes that emerged out of the overarching theme are: ‘Recovering in the FMHS,’ ‘the Critical Role of Medication,’ ‘the Significance of Relationships,’ ‘the Importance of Helping Yourself,’ and ‘Navigating Challenges.’ The results of this inquiry reveal that the participants’ experiences of recovery are greatly influenced by their involvement in the FMHS. This study offers a preliminary understanding of how recovery is experienced by NCRMD clients who reside in the community and suggests implications for clinical practice and education, as well as future research and theory.

scholarly journals PSYCHOGEOGRAPHICAL EXPERIENCE BETWEEN THE SELF AND THE PLACE

2022 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 243-263
Author(s):  
Mohd Fadhli Shah Khaidzir ◽  
Ruzy Suliza Hashim ◽  
Noraini Md. Yusof
Keyword(s):  
Critical Role ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
The Self ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Place Meaning ◽  
Solid Foundation ◽  
Self Discovery ◽  
Attachment Place

Background and Purpose: The absence of psychogeographical awareness is a critical factor contributing to the lackadaisical attitudes towards the place and its environment. As a result, it enables an individual to fully experience a location, both physically and intellectually, while also gaining a feeling of self-discovery and self-realisation.   Methodology: The purpose of this study was to examine the responses of a group of individuals who participated in a field observation. 40 participants from a Malaysian university's foundation level were brought to Malacca to experience the environment's geographical scenery at their own leisure. The survey data was then manually transcribed and analysed in accordance with the study's aim.   Findings: Interactions with individuals and observation of features in the countryside and urban surroundings enabled participants to go on a psychogeographical journey that influenced their way of thinking and behaving. All participants felt that the journey had influenced their experiences and perspectives on their thinking and behaviour, highlighting the critical role of this notion in establishing the connection between place and self.   Contributions:  The findings of this study provide a solid foundation for future research in the field of psychogeography. The data may be used as a baseline for future studies to determine whether a comparable impact exists in other locations, with or without significant features like those found in Malacca.   Keywords: Psychogeography, place attachment, place meaning, self-discovery, Malacca.   Cite as: Khaidzir, M. F. S., Hashim, R. S., & Md. Yusof, N. (2022). Psychogeographical experience between the self and the place.  Journal of Nusantara Studies, 7(1), 243-263. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol7iss1pp243-263

scholarly journals The essential role of sodium bioenergetics and ATP homeostasis in the developmental transitions of a cyanobacterium

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofia Doello ◽  
Markus Burkhardt ◽  
Karl Forchhammer
Keyword(s):  
Energy Homeostasis ◽  
Nitrogen Starvation ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Quiescent State ◽  
Bacterial Survival ◽  
Bacterial Populations ◽  
Photoautotrophic Growth ◽  
Available Energy ◽  
Atp Levels

The ability to resume growth after a dormant period is an important strategy for the survival and spreading of bacterial populations. Energy homeostasis is critical in the transition into and out of a quiescent state. Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, a non-diazotrophic cyanobacterium, enters metabolic dormancy as a response to nitrogen starvation. We used Synechocystis as a model to investigate the regulation of ATP homeostasis during dormancy and unraveled a critical role for sodium bioenergetics in dormant cells. During nitrogen starvation, cells reduce their ATP levels and engage sodium bioenergetics to maintain the minimum ATP content required for viability. When nitrogen becomes available, energy requirements rise, and cells immediately increase ATP levels employing sodium bioenergetics and glycogen catabolism. These processes allow them to restore the photosynthetic machinery and resume photoautotrophic growth. Our work reveals a precise regulation of the energy metabolism essential for bacterial survival during periods of nutrient deprivation.

scholarly journals ‘They just don’t understand us’: The role of felt understanding in intergroup relations

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew G Livingstone ◽  
Lucía Fernández ◽  
Adrian Rothers
Keyword(s):  
Intergroup Relations ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Identity Threat ◽  
Powerful Predictor ◽  
Unique Role ◽  
Intergroup Interactions ◽  
Unique Predictor ◽  
Ingroup Outgroup

We report five studies examining the unique role of felt understanding in intergroup relations. In intergroup terms, felt understanding is the belief that members of an outgroup understand and accept the perspectives of ingroup members, including ingroup members’ beliefs, values, experiences, and self-definition/identity. In Studies 1 (Scotland-UK relations; N = 5033) and 2 (UK-EU relations; N = 861) felt understanding consistently and strongly predicted outcomes such as trust, action intentions, and political separatism, including participants’ actual ‘Brexit’ referendum vote in Study 2. These effects were apparent even when controlling for outgroup stereotypes and meta-stereotypes. Felt understanding was a unique predictor of outgroup trust and forgiveness in Study 3 (Catholic-Protestant relations in Northern Ireland; N = 1162), and was a powerful predictor of political separatism even when controlling for specific, relational appraisals including negative interdependence and identity threat in Study 4 (Basque-Spanish relations; N = 205). Study 5 (N = 190) included a direct manipulation of felt understanding, which had predicted effects on evaluation of the outgroup and of ingroup-outgroup relations. Overall, the findings provide converging evidence for the critical role of felt understanding in intergroup relations. We discuss future research possibilities, including the emotional correlates of felt understanding, and its role in intergroup interactions.

scholarly journals Knockout of inositol-requiring enzyme 1α in pro-opiomelanocortin neurons decreases fat mass via increasing energy expenditure

Open Biology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (8) ◽  
pp. 160131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuzhong Xiao ◽  
Tingting Xia ◽  
Junjie Yu ◽  
Yalan Deng ◽  
Hao Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Expenditure ◽  
Metabolic Diseases ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Liver Steatosis ◽  
Leptin Resistance ◽  
Hormone Production ◽  
Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone ◽  
Diet Induced Obesity ◽  
Brown Adipose

Although numerous functions of inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α) have been identified, a role of IRE1α in pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus is largely unknown. Here, we showed that mice lacking IRE1α specifically in POMC neurons (PIKO) are lean and resistant to high-fat diet-induced obesity and obesity-related insulin resistance, liver steatosis and leptin resistance. Furthermore, PIKO mice had higher energy expenditure, probably due to increased thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue. Additionally, α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone production was increased in the hypothalamus of PIKO mice. These results demonstrate that IRE1α in POMC neurons plays a critical role in the regulation of obesity and obesity-related metabolic disorders. Our results also suggest that IRE1α is not only an endoplasmic reticulum stress sensor, but also a new potential therapeutic target for obesity and obesity-related metabolic diseases.

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