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Schizophrenia Bulletin Mar 2015The schizotypy construct focuses attention on the liability to develop schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, yet traditionally, the schizotypy models have put more emphasis... (Review)
Review
The schizotypy construct focuses attention on the liability to develop schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, yet traditionally, the schizotypy models have put more emphasis on stress-vulnerability interactions rather than developmental dynamics of emerging risk for psychopathology. Indeed, developmental accounts of this emerging personality trait have rarely been explicitly formulated. In this position article, we wish to convey some of the basic developmental tenets of schizotypy, and how they can inform high-risk research. Firstly, we tackle the state vs trait issue to outline the possible relationship between high-risk states and trait schizotypy. Second, we review the evidence suggesting that the consolidation of schizotypy, encompassing its 3 main dimensions, could be considered as a developmental mediator between very early risk factors and transition into high-risk states. Importantly, developmental dynamics between endophenotypes, as well as transactional and epigenetics mechanisms should enter modern conceptualizations of schizotypy. Finally, we present a developmental psychopathology perspective of schizotypy sensitive to both the multifinality and equifinality of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. We conclude that schizotypy represents a crucial construct in a fully-developmental study of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.
Topics: Disease Progression; Disease Susceptibility; Endophenotypes; Humans; Personality Development; Schizotypal Personality Disorder
PubMed: 25548385
DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbu175 -
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical... Dec 2019Asthma and allergy incidence continue to increase globally. We have made significant strides in treating disease, but it is becoming more apparent that we need to... (Review)
Review
Asthma and allergy incidence continue to increase globally. We have made significant strides in treating disease, but it is becoming more apparent that we need to advance our knowledge into the origins of asthmatic disease. Much recent work has indicated that microbiome composition influences immune regulation and that multiple health care factors have driven a loss in microbiome diversity in modern human populations. Evidence is growing of microbiota-driven influences on immune development, asthma susceptibility, and asthma pathogenesis. The focus of this review is to highlight the strides the field has made in characterizing the constituents of the human gastrointestinal microbiota, such as Helicobacter pylori, other members of the neonatal intestinal microbiota, and microbial peptides and metabolites that influence host immunity and immune response to allergens. As we delve further into this field of research, the goal will be to find actionable and clinical interventions to identify at-risk populations earlier to prevent disease onset. Manipulation of the host microbial community during infancy might be an especially promising approach.
Topics: Allergens; Asthma; Disease Susceptibility; Helicobacter pylori; Humans; Microbiota; Pandemics; Risk Factors
PubMed: 31812180
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2019.10.022 -
American Journal of Epidemiology Jun 2021It is of critical importance to estimate changing disease-transmission rates and their dependence on population mobility. A common approach to this problem involves...
It is of critical importance to estimate changing disease-transmission rates and their dependence on population mobility. A common approach to this problem involves fitting daily transmission rates using a susceptible-exposed-infected-recovered-(SEIR) model (regularizing to avoid overfitting) and then computing the relationship between the estimated transmission rate and mobility. Unfortunately, there are often several very different transmission-rate trajectories that can fit the reported cases well, meaning that the choice of regularization determines the final solution (and thus the mobility-transmission rate relationship) selected by the SEIR model. Moreover, the classical approaches to regularization-penalizing the derivative of the transmission rate trajectory-do not correspond to realistic properties of pandemic spread. Consequently, models fitted using derivative-based regularization are often biased toward underestimating the current transmission rate and future deaths. In this work, we propose mobility-driven regularization of the SEIR transmission rate trajectory. This method rectifies the artificial regularization problem, produces more accurate and unbiased forecasts of future deaths, and estimates a highly interpretable relationship between mobility and the transmission rate. For this analysis, mobility data related to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic was collected by Safegraph (San Francisco, California) from major US cities between March and August 2020.
Topics: COVID-19; Disease Susceptibility; Disease Transmission, Infectious; Forecasting; Humans; Models, Statistical; Population Dynamics; SARS-CoV-2; United States
PubMed: 33412586
DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwab001 -
Clinical Microbiology Reviews Jul 2015Blood group antigens represent polymorphic traits inherited among individuals and populations. At present, there are 34 recognized human blood groups and hundreds of... (Review)
Review
Blood group antigens represent polymorphic traits inherited among individuals and populations. At present, there are 34 recognized human blood groups and hundreds of individual blood group antigens and alleles. Differences in blood group antigen expression can increase or decrease host susceptibility to many infections. Blood groups can play a direct role in infection by serving as receptors and/or coreceptors for microorganisms, parasites, and viruses. In addition, many blood group antigens facilitate intracellular uptake, signal transduction, or adhesion through the organization of membrane microdomains. Several blood groups can modify the innate immune response to infection. Several distinct phenotypes associated with increased host resistance to malaria are overrepresented in populations living in areas where malaria is endemic, as a result of evolutionary pressures. Microorganisms can also stimulate antibodies against blood group antigens, including ABO, T, and Kell. Finally, there is a symbiotic relationship between blood group expression and maturation of the gastrointestinal microbiome.
Topics: Blood Group Antigens; Disease Susceptibility; Humans; Immunity, Cellular; Immunity, Innate
PubMed: 26085552
DOI: 10.1128/CMR.00109-14 -
Environmental Health : a Global Access... Jun 2017Evidence shows that both the physical and social environments play a role in the development of cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this systematic review is... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND AND METHODS
Evidence shows that both the physical and social environments play a role in the development of cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this systematic review is two-fold: First, we summarize research from the past 12 years from the growing number of studies focused on effect modification of the relationships between air pollution and cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes by socioeconomic position (SEP) and; second, we identify research gaps throughout the published literature on this topic and opportunities for addressing these gaps in future study designs.
RESULTS
We identified 30 articles that examined the modifying effects of either material resources or psychosocial stress (both related to SEP) on associations between short and long-term air pollution exposure and CVD endpoints. Although 18 articles identified at least one interaction between an air pollutant and material resource indicator, 11 others did not. Support for susceptibility to air pollution by psychosocial stress was weaker; however, only three articles tested this hypothesis. Further studies are warranted to investigate how air pollution and SEP together may influence CVD.
CONCLUSIONS
We recommend that such research include thorough assessment of air pollution and SEP correlations, including spatial correlation; investigate air pollution indices or multi-pollutant models; use standardized metrics of SEP to enhance comparability across studies; and evaluate potentially susceptible populations.
Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Cardiovascular Diseases; Disease Susceptibility; Environmental Exposure; Prevalence; Social Class; Stress, Physiological
PubMed: 28615066
DOI: 10.1186/s12940-017-0270-0 -
Current Opinion in Microbiology Feb 2018The human nasal passages host major human pathogens. Recent research suggests that the microbial communities inhabiting the epithelial surfaces of the nasal passages are... (Review)
Review
The human nasal passages host major human pathogens. Recent research suggests that the microbial communities inhabiting the epithelial surfaces of the nasal passages are a key factor in maintaining a healthy microenvironment by affecting both resistance to pathogens and immunological responses. The nasal bacterial microbiota shows distinct changes over the span of human life and disruption by environmental factors might be associated with both short- and long-term health consequences, such as susceptibility to viral and bacterial infections and disturbances of the immunological balance. Because infants and older adults experience a high burden of morbidity and mortality from respiratory tract infections, we review recent data on the bacterial nasal microbiota composition in health and acute respiratory infection in these age groups.
Topics: Adolescent; Age Factors; Aged; Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Child, Preschool; DNA, Bacterial; Disease Susceptibility; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Microbiota; Middle Aged; Nasal Cavity; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Respiratory Tract Infections
PubMed: 29156371
DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2017.10.023 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2018Precision medicine is designing the medical care by taking into account the individual variability for each person. We have tried to address whether the existing data... (Review)
Review
Precision medicine is designing the medical care by taking into account the individual variability for each person. We have tried to address whether the existing data may guide precision medicine in primary systemic vasculitides (PSV). We have reviewed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data, lessons from monogenic mimics of these diseases, and biomarker studies in immunoglobulin A vasculitis/Henoch-Schönlein purpura, Kawasaki disease, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis, polyarteritis nodosa (PAN), Takayasu arteritis, and Behçet's disease (BD). GWAS provide insights about the pathogenesis of PSV while whole exome sequencing studies lead to discovery of monogenic vasculitides, phenotype of which could mimic other types of vasculitis such as PAN and BD. Monogenic vasculitides form a subgroup of vasculitis which are caused by single gene alterations and discovery of these diseases has enabled more specific therapies in these patients. With increasing number of studies on biomarkers, new targets for treatment appear and better and structured follow-up of PSV patients will become possible. Proteomics and metabolomics studies are required to better categorize our patients with PSV so that we can manage them appropriately and offer more targeted therapy.
Topics: Animals; Biomarkers; Disease Susceptibility; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genome-Wide Association Study; Humans; Precision Medicine; Vasculitis
PubMed: 30154798
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01892 -
Differentiation; Research in Biological... 2016This review presents published and novel results that define the programming window for diethylstilbestrol (DES)-induced abnormal development of the mouse penis. These... (Review)
Review
This review presents published and novel results that define the programming window for diethylstilbestrol (DES)-induced abnormal development of the mouse penis. These data indicate that DES has its greatest effect during the period of most intense penile morphogenesis, namely postnatal days 0-15 (P0-P15). Pregnant mice and their neonatal pups were injected subcutaneously with 200 ng/gbw DES every other day from embryonic day 12-18 (DES E12-E18), postnatal day 0-10 (DES P0-P10), embryonic day 12 to postnatal day 10 (DES E12-P10), postnatal day 5-15 (DES P5-P15), and postnatal day 10-20 (DES P10-P20). Aged-matched controls received sesame oil vehicle. After euthanasia at 10, 15, 20 and 60 days, penises were analyzed by gross morphology, histology and morphometry. Penises of all 5 groups of DES-treated mice were reduced in size, which was confirmed by morphometric analysis of internal penile structures. The most profound effects were seen in the DES E12-P10, DES P0-P10, and DES P5-P15 groups, thus defining a DES "programming window". For all parameters, DES treatment from P10 to P20 showed the most mild of effects. Adverse effects of DES on the MUMP cartilage and erectile bodies observed shortly after the last DES injection reverted to normality in the DES P5-P15, but not in the E12-P10 and P0-P10 groups, in which MUMP cartilage and erectile body malformations persisted into adulthood, again emphasizing a "window of susceptibility" in the early neonatal period.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Diethylstilbestrol; Disease Susceptibility; Estrogens, Non-Steroidal; Female; Humans; Hypospadias; Male; Mice; Morphogenesis; Penis; Pregnancy
PubMed: 26810244
DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2016.01.004 -
Molecular Therapy : the Journal of the... Feb 2021
Review
Topics: Biomarkers, Tumor; Clinical Decision-Making; Disease Susceptibility; Humans; Neoplasms
PubMed: 33472030
DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.01.011 -
Poultry Science Apr 2019Coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis (NE) are among the most significant diseases affecting the poultry industry. These diseases have become more prominent in the wake of... (Review)
Review
Coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis (NE) are among the most significant diseases affecting the poultry industry. These diseases have become more prominent in the wake of policies to reduce the use of antibiotics in animal production. This has led to more research focused on better understanding the immune system and its responses to pathogen challenge, and thus developing informed strategies to exploit immune responses that can support enhanced disease resistance and growth performance. Some chicken breeds and lines show greater resistance or susceptibility to various diseases, and thus these birds maybe able to shed light on immune processes or pathways that contribute to the more resistant/susceptible state. This review attempts to identify potentially important genes that show some consistency in (relative) up or downregulation in key tissues between the resistant and susceptible chickens. For coccidiosis and NE, relative downregulation of IL-10 and (slightly less consistently) upregulation of IFN-γ appear to be features of more resistant birds. Data for IFN-α, IL-12, and IL-17D are currently less consistent. Gene expression data from NE studies have identified some potentially interesting, perhaps less well understood, immune-related genes (e.g., TCF12, BCL2, IRF2, TRAF3, TAB3, etc.,) that maybe associated with the resistant and/or susceptible phenotype. Salmonella and Campylobacter are important foodborne pathogens harbored by the chicken intestinal tract, while infectious bursal disease and infectious bronchitis are also important viral diseases of poultry. We, therefore, consider whether there are consistent features from resistant/susceptible disease models with these pathogens that relate to findings from the coccidiosis and NE studies. It is not anticipated that ideal immune responses to these pathogens will be identical but rather that consistent elements maybe identified that could help inform breeding or alternative strategies to support general disease resistance and enhanced (and efficient) flock productivity.
Topics: Adaptive Immunity; Animals; Avian Proteins; Chickens; Disease Models, Animal; Disease Resistance; Disease Susceptibility; Gene Expression Regulation; Immunity, Innate; Poultry Diseases
PubMed: 30534980
DOI: 10.3382/ps/pey535