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Immunologic Research Sep 2012Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an alphavirus, has been responsible for large epidemic outbreaks with serious economic and social impact during the last 6 years. Transmitted... (Review)
Review
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an alphavirus, has been responsible for large epidemic outbreaks with serious economic and social impact during the last 6 years. Transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, it causes Chikungunya fever, an acute illness in patients with a stooped posture often associated with chronic and incapacitating arthralgia. The unprecedented re-emergence has stimulated renewed interest in CHIKV. This review discusses the advantages and disadvantages of different animal models for CHIKV infections and their importance to study the role of the immune system in different pathologies caused by CHIKV. We also reveal how such studies still present a difficult challenge, but are indispensible for mechanistic studies to further understand the pathophysiology of CHIKV infections.
Topics: Aedes; Alphavirus Infections; Animals; Chikungunya Fever; Chikungunya virus; Disease Models, Animal; Epidemics; Humans; Immunity; Mice; Singapore
PubMed: 22418724
DOI: 10.1007/s12026-012-8266-x -
The Indian Journal of Medical Research Jan 2016Parkinson`s disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease and is characterized by tremor, rigidity and akinesia. Diagnosis is clinical in the majority of the... (Review)
Review
Parkinson`s disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease and is characterized by tremor, rigidity and akinesia. Diagnosis is clinical in the majority of the patients. Patients with PD may have stooped posture but some of them develop different types of postural and striatal deformities. Usually these deformities are more common in atypical parkinsonian disorders such as progressive supranuclear palsy and multisystem atrophy. But in many studies it has been highlighted that these may also be present in approximately one third of PD patients leading to severe disability. These include antecollis or dropped head, camptocormia, p0 isa syndrome, scoliosis, striatal hands and striatal toes. The pathogenesis of these deformities is a complex combination of central and peripheral influences such as rigidity, dystonia and degenerative skeletal changes. Duration of parkinsonism symptoms is an important risk factor and in majority of the patients these deformities are seen in advanced statge of the disease. The patients with such symptoms may initially respond to dopaminergic medications but if not intervened they may become fixed and difficult to treat. Pain and restriction of movement are most common clinical manifestations and these may mimick symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders like rheumatoid arthritis. Early diagnosis is important as the patients may respond to adjustment in dopaminergic medications. Recent advances such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) and ultrasound guided botulinum toxin injection are helpful in management of these deformities in patients with PD.
Topics: Brain; Congenital Abnormalities; Corpus Striatum; Humans; Parkinson Disease; Posture
PubMed: 26997007
DOI: 10.4103/0971-5916.178577 -
Journal of Hazardous Materials Jul 2004Historically, safety has been subjected to a fragmented approach. In the past, every department has had its own responsibility towards safety, focusing either on working... (Review)
Review
Historically, safety has been subjected to a fragmented approach. In the past, every department has had its own responsibility towards safety, focusing either on working conditions, internal safety, external safety, rescue and emergency, public order or security. They each issued policy documents, which in their time were leading statements for elaboration and regulation. They also addressed safety issues with tools of various nature, often specifically developed within their domain. Due to a series of major accidents and disasters, the focus of attention is shifting from complying with quantitative risk standards towards intervention in primary operational processes, coping with systemic deficiencies and a more integrated assessment of safety in its societal context. In The Netherlands recognition of the importance of independent investigations has led to an expansion of this philosophy from the transport sector to other sectors. The philosophy now covers transport, industry, defense, natural disaster, environment and health and other major occurrences such as explosions, fires, and collapse of buildings or structures. In 2003 a multi-sector covering law will establish an independent safety board in The Netherlands. At a European level, mandatory investigation agencies are recognized as indispensable safety instruments for aviation, railways and the maritime sector, for which EU Directives are in place or being progressed [Transport accident and incident investigation in the European Union, European Transport Safety Council, ISBN 90-76024-10-3, Brussel, 2001]. Due to a series of major events, attention has been drawn to the consequences of disasters, highlighting the involvement of rescue and emergency services. They also have become subjected to investigative efforts, which in return, puts demands on investigation methodology. This paper comments on an evolutionary development in safety thinking and of safety boards, highlighting some consequences for strategic perspectives in a further development of independent accident investigation.
Topics: Accident Prevention; Disaster Planning; Europe; Government Regulation; Humans; International Cooperation; Safety Management; Systems Analysis; Transportation
PubMed: 15231346
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2004.02.006 -
Current Opinion in Neurobiology Dec 2014The last several years have seen an increasing number of studies that describe effects of oxytocin and vasopressin on the behavior of animals or humans. Studies in... (Review)
Review
The last several years have seen an increasing number of studies that describe effects of oxytocin and vasopressin on the behavior of animals or humans. Studies in humans have reported behavioral changes and, through fMRI, effects on brain function. These studies are paralleled by a large number of reports, mostly in rodents, that have also demonstrated neuromodulatory effects by oxytocin and vasopressin at the circuit level in specific brain regions. It is the scope of this review to give a summary of the most recent neuromodulatory findings in rodents with the aim of providing a potential neurophysiological basis for their behavioral effects. At the same time, these findings may point to promising areas for further translational research towards human applications.
Topics: Animals; Behavior; Central Nervous System; Humans; Neurotransmitter Agents; Oxytocin; Vasopressins
PubMed: 25463629
DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2014.09.012 -
Experimental and Clinical... Dec 2008Drug self-administration methodologies have been developed for use in humans to model naturalistic stimulant drug-taking behaviors. These methodologies use a number of... (Review)
Review
Drug self-administration methodologies have been developed for use in humans to model naturalistic stimulant drug-taking behaviors. These methodologies use a number of schedules of reinforcement, including progressive-ratio schedules. As the name implies, in a progressive-ratio schedule, the response requirement for each subsequent delivery of drug increases, and the primary outcome variable is often the break point (i.e., the last ratio completed to receive a drug delivery). These schedules have been used in a number of human laboratory studies evaluating the reinforcing effects of stimulants. The results of these studies have demonstrated that progressive-ratio schedules are sensitive to manipulation of a pharmacological variable, dose, and to nonpharmacological variables contributing to stimulant drug effects. In addition, findings with progressive-ratio schedules are largely concordant with clinical findings, suggesting that drug self-administration under these schedules has predictive validity in terms of drug abuse and dependence. Future research is necessary, however, to understand better how pharmacological factors like route of administration, onset of effects, and pretreatment influence the reinforcing effects of stimulants under progressive-ratio schedules.
Topics: Central Nervous System Stimulants; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Administration Schedule; Humans; Reinforcement Schedule; Research Design; Self Administration; Substance-Related Disorders
PubMed: 19086771
DOI: 10.1037/a0013657 -
Clinical Radiology Jul 1973
Topics: Adult; Anemia, Pernicious; Cardia; Esophagogastric Junction; Female; Hematemesis; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pancreatitis; Posture; Radiography; Stomach
PubMed: 4730224
DOI: 10.1016/s0009-9260(73)80049-2 -
The British Journal of Ophthalmology Jan 2004
Topics: Animals; Depth Perception; Flight, Animal; Nictitating Membrane; Raptors; Vision, Ocular
PubMed: 14740627
DOI: 10.1136/bjo.88.1.4 -
The Journal of the American Academy of... Feb 2007Distinguishing between the normal gait of the elderly and pathologic gaits is often difficult. Pathologic gaits with neurologic causes include frontal gait, spastic... (Review)
Review
Distinguishing between the normal gait of the elderly and pathologic gaits is often difficult. Pathologic gaits with neurologic causes include frontal gait, spastic hemiparetic gait, parkinsonian gait, cerebellar ataxic gait, and sensory ataxic gait. Pathologic gaits with combined neurologic and musculoskeletal causes include myelopathic gait, stooped gait of lumbar spinal stenosis, and steppage gait. Pathologic gaits with musculoskeletal causes include antalgic gait, coxalgic gait, Trendelenburg gait, knee hyperextension gait, and other gaits caused by inadequate joint mobility. A working knowledge of the characteristics of these gaits and a systematic approach to observational gait examination can help identify the causes of abnormal gait. Patients with abnormal gait can benefit from the treatment of the primary cause of the disorder as well as by general fall-prevention interventions. Treatable causes of gait disturbance are found in a substantial proportion of patients and include normal-pressure hydrocephalus, vitamin B(12) deficiency, Parkinson's disease, alcoholism, medication toxicity, cervical spondylotic myelopathy, lumbar spinal stenosis, joint contractures, and painful disorders of the lower extremity.
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Apraxias; Gait; Gait Disorders, Neurologic; Humans
PubMed: 17277257
DOI: 10.5435/00124635-200702000-00005 -
The British Journal of Radiology Feb 1969
Topics: Cardia; Humans; Posture; Radiography; Stomach Neoplasms; Stomach Ulcer
PubMed: 5773254
DOI: 10.1259/0007-1285-42-494-157 -
The New England Journal of Medicine Jun 2023
Topics: Humans; Health Services Accessibility; Medicaid; Obesity; United States; Health Equity
PubMed: 37339118
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp2303268