Search results for "Biological markers"

Circulating CD34+ cells are decreased in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

2006

Eligibility for treatment with omalizumab in Italy and Germany.

2013

Summary Omalizumab is an add-on therapy for patients with uncontrolled severe allergic asthma. In Europe, patients must fulfil a number of additional criteria to become eligible for omalizumab therapy, creating a challenge for epidemiology studies to quantify the potential patient pool. Thus, and in the absence of robust data, the number of omalizumab-eligible patients has remained unclear. To assess eligible patient numbers, a chart-audit design approach was employed to measure epidemiology variables based on patient-level data. 770 patient charts were reviewed in designated towns in Germany and Italy, in collaboration with >200 primary care physicians (PCPs) and respiratory specialists (R…

A comprehensive evaluation of potential lung function associated genes in the SpiroMeta general population sample

2011

Lung function measures are heritable traits that predict population morbidity and mortality and are essential for the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Variations in many genes have been reported to affect these traits, but attempts at replication have provided conflicting results. Recently, we undertook a meta-analysis of Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) results for lung function measures in 20,288 individuals from the general population (the SpiroMeta consortium). OBJECTIVES: To comprehensively analyse previously reported genetic associations with lung function measures, and to investigate whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in these genomic regions…

Accuracy of cotinine serum test to detect the smoking habit and its association with periodontal disease in a multicenter study

2016

Background The validity of the surveys on self-reported smoking status is often questioned because smokers underestimate cigarette use and deny the habit. It has been suggested that self-report should be accompanied by cotinine test. This report evaluates the usefulness of serum cotinine test to assess the association between smoking and periodontal status in a study with a large sample population to be used in studies with other serum markers in epidemiologic and periodontal medicine researches. Material and Methods 578 patients who were part of a multicenter study on blood biomarkers were evaluated about smoking and its relation to periodontal disease. Severity of periodontal disease was …

Violent and/or delinquent women: a vision from the biopsychosocial perspective

2015

Violence and/or delinquency in women have been masked to some extent by society. Thus, the main goal of this work is to deeply analyse the published works on these matters, in order to understand this phenomenon from a neurobiological perspective. Firstly, the theory of the cycle of violence as a facilitating mechanism of violence in women will be analysed, with a special emphasis on neuroanatomical correlates. Subsequently, the relation between drug consumption and violence in women will be explained. Finally, the main biological correlates known as facilitating mechanisms of violence in women will be exhaustively described. The main risk factors for the facilitation of violence and/or del…

Neuropsychological underpinnings of the dynamics of bipolar disorder

2015

Although we have gained enormous insights into neurobiological and psychological underpinnings of bipolar disorder (BD) symptoms, our knowledge concerning pathogenic mechanisms initiating recurrent affective episodes is still fragmentary. Previous research has highlighted the role of significant life events and social rhythm in recurrent episodes of mania and depression. However, most studies share the drawback of retrospective self-report data, which are prone to recall biases and limited introspective abilities. Therefore, more objective data, such as neuropsychological and neurobiological measures are needed to further unravel the pathogenic mechanisms of the dynamics of bipolar disorder…

Prognostic Impact of let-7e MicroRNA and Its Target Genes in Localized High-Risk Intestinal GIST: A Spanish Group for Research on Sarcoma (GEIS) Study

2020

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level, and they have been described as being associated with tumor prognosis. Here, miRNA profiling was planned to explore new molecular prognostic biomarkers in localized intestinal high-risk GIST. Paraffin tumor blocks of 14 and 86 patients were used in the discovery and expansion sets, respectively. GeneChip miRNA v3.0 was employed to identify the miRNAs differentially expressed between relapsed and non-relapsed patient samples, which were validated in the expansion set, by qRT-PCR. RT2 Profiler PCR Array was used for the screening of let-7e targets. Expression levels were co…

Using exomarkers to assess mitochondrial reactive species in vivo

2014

Background:\ud The ability to measure the concentrations of small damaging and signalling molecules such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vivo is essential to understanding their biological roles. While a range of methods can be applied to in vitro systems, measuring the levels and relative changes in reactive species in vivo is challenging.\ud \ud Scope of review:\ud One approach towards achieving this goal is the use of exomarkers. In this, exogenous probe compounds are administered to the intact organism and are then transformed by the reactive molecules in vivo to produce a diagnostic exomarker. The exomarker and the precursor probe can be analysed ex vivo to infer the identity and a…

Radiation-induced changes in levels of selected proteins in peripheral blood serum of breast cancer patients as a potential triage biodosimeter for l…

2014

The threat of a large scale radiological emergency, where thousands of people may require fast biological dosimetry for the purpose of triage, makes it necessary to search for new, high throughput biological dosimeters. The authors tested an assay based on the quantitative analysis of selected proteins in peripheral blood serum. They were particularly interested in testing proteins that are specific to irradiation of skin, as these can be used in cases of partial body exposure. Candidate proteins were identified in an earlier study with mice, where skin of the animals was exposed to different doses of radiation and global expression of serum proteins was analyzed. Eight proteins were found,…

Zespół słabości - wytyczne diagnostyki, terapii i prewencji

2017

Frailty syndrome is a state of decreased homeostatic capacity against stress. It is an independent risk factor for subsequent mortality, institutionalization, multimorbidity, falls, incontinence, and immobility. Frailty people have a significantly reduced quality of life, as well as being the largest users of health care services. Proven direct link between the increase in the number of people with the frailty syndrome and rising costs in the health and social care in spite of clearly progressive aging process and potential re�versibility of frailty, justifies the use of targeted interventions aimed at early diagnosis of frailty and to identify risk factors. General practitioners play a key…