Search results for "ISM [X-rays]"
showing 10 items of 1406 documents
Using Zebrafish to Model Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comparison of ASD Risk Genes Between Zebrafish and Their Mammalian Counterparts.
2020
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a highly variable and complex set of neurological disorders that alter neurodevelopment and cognitive function, which usually presents with social and learning impairments accompanied with other comorbid symptoms like hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity, or repetitive behaviors. Autism can be caused by genetic and/or environmental factors and unraveling the etiology of ASD has proven challenging, especially given that different genetic mutations can cause both similar and different phenotypes that all fall within the autism spectrum. Furthermore, the list of ASD risk genes is ever increasing making it difficult to synthesize a common theme. The use of ro…
Efficient and reproducible experimental infections of rats with Blastocystis spp.
2018
Although Blastocystis spp. infect probably more than 1 billion people worldwide, their clinical significance is still controversial and their pathophysiology remains poorly understood. In this study, we describe a protocol for an efficient and reproducible model of chronic infection in rats, laying the groundwork for future work to evaluate the pathogenic potential of this parasite. In our experimental conditions, we were unable to infect rats using vacuolar forms of an axenically cultivated ST4 isolate, but we successfully established chronic infections of 4 week-old rats after oral administration of both ST3 and ST4 purified cysts isolated from human stool samples. The infection protocol …
Genomic and non-genomic mechanisms of action of thyroid hormones and their catabolite 3,5-diiodo-l-thyronine in Mammals
2020
Since the realization that the cellular homologs of a gene found in the retrovirus that contributes to erythroblastosis in birds (v-erbA), i.e. the proto-oncogene c-erbA encodes the nuclear receptors for thyroid hormones (THs), most of the interest for THs focalized on their ability to control gene transcription. It was found, indeed, that, by regulating gene expression in many tissues, these hormones could mediate critical events both in development and in adult organisms. Among their effects, much attention was given to their ability to increase energy expenditure, and they were early proposed as anti-obesity drugs. However, their clinical use has been strongly challenged by the concomita…
Penalized classification for optimal statistical selection of markers from high-throughput genotyping: application in sheep breeds
2018
The identification of individuals’ breed of origin has several practical applications in livestock and is useful in different biological contexts such as conservation genetics, breeding and authentication of animal products. In this paper, penalized multinomial regression was applied to identify the minimum number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from high-throughput genotyping data for individual assignment to dairy sheep breeds reared in Sicily. The combined use of penalized multinomial regression and stability selection reduced the number of SNPs required to 48. A final validation step on an independent population was carried out obtaining 100% correctly classified individuals. …
Sustained activation of sphingomyelin synthase by 2-hydroxyoleic acid induces sphingolipidosis in tumor cells
2013
The mechanism of action of 2-hydroxyoleic acid (2OHOA), a potent antitumor drug, involves the rapid and specific activation of sphingomyelin synthase (SMS), leading to a 4-fold increase in SM mass in tumor cells. In the present study, we investigated the source of the ceramides required to sustain this dramatic increase in SM. Through radioactive and fluorescent labeling, we demonstrated that sphingolipid metabolism was altered by a 24 h exposure to 2OHOA, and we observed a consistent increase in the number of lysosomes and the presence of unidentified storage materials in treated cells. Mass spectroscopy revealed that different sphingolipid classes accumulated in human glioma U118 cells af…
Mitochondrial CB1 receptors regulate neuronal energy metabolism
2012
The mammalian brain is one of the organs with the highest energy demands, and mitochondria are key determinants of its functions. Here we show that the type-1 cannabinoid receptor (CB(1)) is present at the membranes of mouse neuronal mitochondria (mtCB(1)), where it directly controls cellular respiration and energy production. Through activation of mtCB(1) receptors, exogenous cannabinoids and in situ endocannabinoids decreased cyclic AMP concentration, protein kinase A activity, complex I enzymatic activity and respiration in neuronal mitochondria. In addition, intracellular CB(1) receptors and mitochondrial mechanisms contributed to endocannabinoid-dependent depolarization-induced suppres…
Exploring the profiles of children with autism spectrum disorder: association with family factors.
2019
This study aimed to identify different profiles of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) without intellectual disability (ID) and maternal factors characteristic of these profiles. Participants were 89 children between 7 and 11 years old and their mothers, distributed in two groups, 52 children with ASD and 37 with typical development (TD). Based on the children’s adaptive, behavioral, and pragmatic manifestations, three clusters were obtained in the ASD group. Children with the most serious difficulties in all the domains assessed were assigned to Cluster 1, whereas the children in Cluster 3 were characterized by relatively minor problems. Cluster 2 comprised children with moderate …
Enhancing daily living skills in four adults with autism spectrum disorder through an embodied digital technology-mediated intervention
2019
Abstract Background The acquisition of daily living skills is fundamental in the education of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), especially of those with Intellectual Disability (ID), because this can significantly contribute to their autonomy, self-confidence and overall life satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of an embodied Digital Technology (DT)-mediated intervention, compared to a Treatment-As-Usual (TAU) intervention, for enhancing two daily living skills: washing dishes and doing laundry. Method Four males of between 25 and 37 years old with ASD and ID participated in the study. The two interventions were based on audio and picture prompting ins…
Validation of Using Smartphone Built-In Accelerometers to Estimate the Active Energy Expenditures of Full-Time Manual Wheelchair Users with Spinal Co…
2021
[EN] This study aimed to investigate the validity of using built-in smartphone accelerometers to estimate the active energy expenditures of full-time manual wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI). Twenty participants with complete SCI completed 10 5-min daily activities that involved the upper limbs, during which their oxygen consumption and upper limb activity were registered using a portable gas analyzer and a smartphone (placed on the non-dominant arm), respectively. Time series of 1-min averaged oxygen consumption and 55 accelerometer variables (13 variables for each of the four axes and three additional variables for the correlations between axes) were used to estimate three mu…
A Review of the State-of-the-Art of Assistive Technology for People with ASD in the Workplace and in Everyday Life
2019
Part 8: Digital Divide and Social Inclusion; International audience; Autism, also known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is an incurable brain-based disorder that refers to a wide range of complex neurodevelopment disorders characterised by marked difficulties in communication and social skills, repetitive behaviour, highly focused interests and sensory sensitivity. Autism can present challenges for affected people at the work environment and in everyday life. The barrier for individuals with ASD increases further with changing environmental situations. Individuals with ASD have limited abilities to isolate their Five senses and often experience over- or under-sensitivity to sounds, touch…