Search Results - (Author, Cooperation:C. A. Stewart)

2012-10-05

Nature Publishing Group (NPG)

0028-0836

1476-4687

Biology

Chemistry and Pharmacology

Medicine

Natural Sciences in General

Physics

Adenoma/genetics/immunology/*microbiology/*pathology ; Animals ; Bacteria/metabolism/pathogenicity ; Cell Division ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/*pathology ; Colitis/complications ; Colorectal Neoplasms/genetics/immunology/*microbiology/*pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Disease-Free Survival ; Genes, APC ; Humans ; Inflammation/genetics/immunology/microbiology/pathology ; Interleukin-17/genetics/*immunology ; Interleukin-23/deficiency/genetics/*immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Myeloid Cells/immunology/metabolism ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88/immunology/metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Toll-Like Receptors/immunology/metabolism ; Tumor Microenvironment ; beta Catenin/metabolism

2013-11-23

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

0036-8075

1095-9203

Biology

Chemistry and Pharmacology

Computer Science

Medicine

Natural Sciences in General

Physics

Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/administration & dosage ; Antigen Presentation/genetics ; Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use ; Bacteria/drug effects ; Bacterial Physiological Phenomena/drug effects ; Down-Regulation ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Germ-Free Life ; Immunotherapy ; Inflammation/genetics ; Intestines/*microbiology ; Melanoma, Experimental ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Microbiota/drug effects/*physiology ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Neoplasms/*immunology/microbiology/*therapy ; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides/therapeutic use ; Organoplatinum Compounds/therapeutic use ; Phagocytosis/genetics ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism ; Symbiosis ; Tumor Microenvironment/*immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism

1365-3083

Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005

Medicine

Complement subcomponent C1q has been recently implicated in the modulation of autocrine binding of TNF-α to murine macrophages for induction of nitric oxide synthase. In the present study, the putative role of C1q in increasing TNF-α binding to L929 cells to mediate cytotoxicity was explored. TNF-sensitive L929 cells (L929-S) had higher total endogenous cellular and surface C1q levels and bound correspondingly more phycoerythrin-labelled rTNF-α (PE-TNF) than did a TNF-resistant L929 variant (L929-R). Pretreatment of L929-S with soluble C1q increased their sensitivity to TNF-mediated cytotoxicity coincident with increased binding of PE-TNF, but similar treatment of L929-R had no effect. Pretreatment of L929-S with an inhibitor of C1q secretion, 3,4 dehydro-D,L-proline (DHP), resulted in a decrease in their TNF-mediated cytotoxicity, as well as reduced binding of PE-TNF. Subsequent exposure of DHP-treated L929-S with exogenous soluble C1q restored their TNF-mediated cytotoxicity and binding of PE-TNF. These results provide evidence for the modulation of TNF-α binding to TNF sensitive tumour targets L929 by either endogenously synthesized or exogenously added C1q to promote TNF-mediated cytotoxicity by mechanisms which remain to be elucidated.

Electronic Resource

1365-2036

Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005

Medicine

Background: The proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole and lansoprazole) are the drugs of choice for the medical management of gastric acid hypersecretion in Zollinger–Ellison syndrome (ZES). These drugs are safe for long-term therapy but are acid-labile and high doses are expensive. The recommended starting dose of omeprazole is 60 mg/day. However, it has been shown in recent studies that the maintenance dose of omeprazole could be safely reduced to 20 mg once or twice a day in more than two-thirds of patients with ZES. The purpose of this study is to determine if an initial starting dose of omeprazole 20 mg/day is safe and effective in patients with ZES. Methods: Forty-nine consecutive patients with ZES being treated with ranitidine for at least 2 weeks were admitted to the NIH. Omeprazole 20 mg was started on day 1 of the admission and ranitidine discontinued 4 h after the first dose. Gastric acid output was measured for 1 h prior to the next omeprazole dose on day 2, then on day 3 if the value was 〉 10 mmol/h on the previous day. If acid-peptic symptoms developed or the gastric acid output remained 〉 10 mmol/h on day 3, the patient was considered to have failed omeprazole 20 mg/day initial therapy and the dose titrated daily to achieve adequate control of acid-peptic symptoms and gastric secretion. Results: In 33 of the 49 patients (68%) omeprazole 20 mg/day was successful as initial therapy. Sixteen patients (32%) failed this initial omeprazole dose (eight patients owing to persistent peptic symptoms and eight patients owing to inadequate acid control). The final daily omeprazole dose required in these patients was 40 mg in eight patients (16%), 60 mg in one patient (2%) and 80 mg in seven patients (14%). Basal acid output (BAO) was the only clinical or laboratory feature that was significantly different between the two groups in which low dose initial omeprazole therapy was or was not successful: all patients with basal acid output 〈 20 mmol/h had a successful outcome. Conclusions: Because of the need to rapidly control gastric acid hypersecretion owing to the high risk of complications from peptic ulcer disease, patients with ZES should continue to be started on omeprazole 60 mg/day and the dose adjusted by acute titration methods as is currently recommended. After a maintenance dose is established, attempts should be undertaken to reduce the dose to 20 mg/day once or twice a day. Only the minority of patients with ZES in whom basal acid output is known to be 〈 20 mmol/h (20% of patients) should be started on a low initial omeprazole dose.

Electronic Resource

1432-2072

Key words Depressive disorder ; Electroconvulsive stimulation ; Fluoxetine ; Long-term potentiation ; Learning ; Watermaze

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Medicine

Abstract  Rationale: Recent studies have implicated intracellular transduction pathways and neurotrophic factors in the action of antidepressants. Adaptation in these pathways may ultimately affect electrophysiological and morphological properties of neurones. We have previously shown that repeated electroconvulsive stimulation, a safe and effective antidepressant treatment, has profound effects on hippocampal synaptic connectivity and plasticity in the rat. Here, we investigated whether these electrophysiological properties were shared by the chemical antidepressant, fluoxetine. Objectives: To compare the electrophysiological and cognitive effects of two very different antidepressant treatments: repeated electroconvulsive stimulation (rECS); and chronic administration of the serotonin specific re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI), fluoxetine. Methods: Rats were exposed to either rECS or daily fluoxetine administration for 15 days. The animals were then anaesthetised and dentate field excitatory post-synaptic potential (fEPSP) characteristics were measured before and after the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) by high frequency perforant path stimulation. In a separate experiment, the effects of rECS and chronic fluoxetine administration on acquisition and retention of a spatial learning task in the Morris watermaze were determined. Results: Chronic fluoxetine administration and rECS produced equivalent increases in dentate fEPSP compared to respective control groups. LTP induction was attenuated in both groups. Spatial learning was, in contrast, unaffected by fluoxetine treatment but significantly impaired following rECS. Conclusions: Given that fluoxetine and rECS share antidepressant properties, but differ in their effects on learning and memory, we propose that the common effects on dentate connectivity and synaptic plasticity described here are more likely to relate to affective rather than cognitive function. This result is consistent with other experiments showing that a reduction in dentate connectivity correlates with stress susceptibility in animals.

Electronic Resource

1432-136X

Minimal thermal conductance ; Basal metabolic rate ; Evaporative water loss ; Hamster, Mesocricetus auratus

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Biology

Medicine

Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine diurnal variation in several thermal and metabolic parameters of the golden hamster, Mesocricetus auratus. Metabolic rate, core temperature, and evaporative water loss were measured during night and day at several ambient temperatures. Wet minimal thermal conductance, dry minimal thermal conductance, basal metabolic rate, minimal net heat production and the lower critical temperature difference were estimated from these measurements. Wet and dry minimal thermal conductance, evaporative water loss, core temperature, basal metabolic rate, and lower critical temperature difference were greater during the active phase than during the resting phase. The diurnal variation in wet minimal thermal conductance was much smaller than that predicted from published allometric equations. The diurnal variation in wet minimal thermal conductance was 9% of the 24-h mean. The diurnal variation in dry minimal thermal conductance was 26% of the 24-h mean. The higher active-phase core temperature and basal metabolic rate may function to enhance peak metabolic performance during the active phase. The lower resting phase metabolism and core temperature may reduce energetic costs. The greater active-phase lower critical temperature difference may be a result of the greater active-phase basal metabolic rate. Diurnal variation in minimal thermal conductance may be caused by changes in peripheral circulation.

Electronic Resource