Search results for " ADR"
showing 10 items of 285 documents
Venerid bivalve Venus verrucosa as a high-resolution archive of seawater temperature in the Mediterranean Sea
2021
Abstract High-resolution stable isotope data (δ18O, δ13C) were used to study growth strategies of the bivalve Venus verrucosa collected from three sites of the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. The principal objectives of this study were to identify the main growing season and to evaluate the potential applicability of δ18Oshell values to reconstruct the seasonal temperature variability. Calcium carbonate for oxygen and carbon isotope analyses was obtained by drilling the outer shell layer. Temporal and spatial variations in temperature and salinity values at the study sites were simulated using the 3D numerical ocean model ROMS. Annual periodicity of growth patterns was confirmed by δ18Os…
Morphological variations of crossed-lamellar ultrastructures of Glycymeris bimaculata (Bivalvia) serve as a marine temperature proxy
2020
Abstract Bivalve shells are among the most promising archives for high-resolution seawater temperature reconstructions. However, despite major research advances in bivalve sclerochronology over the past decades, estimating water temperature from shells remains a challenging task. This is largely because the most frequently used and widely accepted temperature proxy in bivalves, i.e., the shell oxygen isotope (δ18Oshell) value, also requires knowledge of changes in δ18O of the water (δ18Owater) in which the bivalve lived, which is rarely available for ancient environments. According to a few recent studies, the size and shape of individual biomineral units (BMUs) of the shell ultrastructure …
Otolith fingerprints reveals potential pollution exposure of newly settled juvenile Sparus aurata
2020
Abstract Coastal ecosystems are increasingly threatened by a wide range of human activities. Fish otolith chemistry, by creating a unique specific signature, can be used as a natural tag for determining life stage dispersal, spatial connectivity and population structure. In this study, we tested whether differences in otolith composition among juveniles of gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata, could enable their proper allocation to polluted areas based on higher concentrations of elements related to contaminants. Otoliths were embedded, sectioned and analysed by LA-ICP-MS in line scan mode. Multivariate analysis confirmed clear separation between sites and elements. Samples from the site unde…
Non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency revisited: an update with a special focus on adolescent and adult women.
2016
Background Non-classic congenital hyperplasia (NCAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency is a common autosomal recessive disorder characterized by androgen excess. Objective and rationale We conducted a systematic review and critical assessment of the available evidence pertaining to the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of NCAH. A meta-analysis of epidemiological data was also performed. Search methods Peer-reviewed studies evaluating NCAH published up to October 2016 were reviewed. Multiple databases were searched including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, ERIC, EBSCO, dissertation abstracts, and current contents. Outcomes The worldwide prevalence of NCAH amongst women presen…
Do β3-adrenoceptor agonists cause urinary bladder smooth muscle relaxation by inhibiting acetylcholine release?
2017
The mechanisms leading to improvement of overactive bladder syndrome upon treatment with a β3-adrenoceptor agonist remain controversial. New research points to a role of inhibition of neuronal acetylcholine release. Whether this occurs by a direct effect on prejunctional β3-adrenoceptors or indirectly by formation of adenosine and activation of A1 adenosine receptors is being discussed.
β3-Adrenoceptor agonists for overactive bladder syndrome: Role of translational pharmacology in a repositioning clinical drug development project
2016
β3-Adrenoceptor agonists were originally considered as a promising drug class for the treatment of obesity and/or type 2 diabetes. When these development efforts failed, they were repositioned for the treatment of the overactive bladder syndrome. Based on the example of the β3-adrenoceptor agonist mirabegron, but also taking into consideration evidence obtained with ritobegron and solabegron, we discuss challenges facing a translational pharmacology program accompanying clinical drug development for a first-in-class molecule. Challenges included generic ones such as ligand selectivity, species differences and drug target gene polymorphisms. Challenges that are more specific included changin…
β(3)‐Adrenoceptors in the normal and diseased urinary bladder—What are the open questions?
2019
β(3)‐Adrenoceptor agonists are used in the treatment of overactive bladder syndrome. Although the relaxant response to adrenergic stimulation in human detrusor smooth muscle cells is mediated mainly via β(3)‐adrenoceptors, the plasma concentrations of the therapeutic dose of mirabegron, the only clinically approved β(3)‐adrenoceptor agonist, are considerably lower than the EC(50) for causing direct relaxation of human detrusor, suggesting a mechanism of action other than direct relaxation of detrusor smooth muscle. However, the site and mechanism of action of β(3)‐adrenoceptor agonists in the bladder have not been firmly established. Postulated mechanisms include prejunctional suppression o…
Expression and Signaling of β-Adrenoceptor Subtypes in the Diabetic Heart.
2020
Diabetes is a chronic, endocrine disorder that effects millions of people worldwide. Cardiovascular complications are the major cause of diabetes-related morbidity and mortality. Cardiac β1- and β2-adrenoceptor (AR) stimulation mediates positive inotropy and chronotropy, whereas β3-AR mediates negative inotropic effect. Changes in β-AR responsiveness are thought to be an important factor that contributes to the diabetic cardiac dysfunction. Diabetes related changes in β-AR expression, signaling, and β-AR mediated cardiac function have been studied by several investigators for many years. In the present review, we have screened PubMed database to obtain relevant articles on this topic. Our s…
Biophysical and functional characterization of the human olfactory receptor OR1A1 expressed in a mammalian inducible cell line
2014
International audience; Olfactory receptors (ORs) play a crucial role in detecting the odorant molecules present in the surrounding environment. These receptors, which belong to class A G-protein-coupled receptors, constitute the largest transmembrane protein family in the human genome. Functional studies showed that the OR family includes members that are able to respond to a large set of odorants and members that are activated by a relatively small number of related odorants. To understand the molecular mechanisms that govern the receptor-ligand interactions, we overexpressed the human OR hOR1A1 in a stable tetracycline-inducible HEK293S cell line. This receptor was engineered by insertin…
Clinical and hormonal characteristics in heterozygote carriers of congenital adrenal hyperplasia
2020
Abstract Non-classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia (NC-CAH) includes a group of genetic disorders due to a broad class of CYP21A2 variants identifying a disease-causing ‘C’ genotype. The heterozygous carriers of CYP21 mutations are at increased risk of developing clinically evident hyperandrogenism, even though clinical and laboratory characteristics are still underestimated. With the aim of obtaining a more accurate delineation of the phenotype of heterozygous carrier of CAH, we analyzed clinical, biochemical and molecular characteristics in a cohort of Sicilian subjects. Fifty-seven females with biallelic and monoallelic CYP21A2 variants classifying NC-CAH (24) and heterozygous carrier…