Search results for "growth"
showing 10 items of 5134 documents
Postnatal weight change is influenced by mother-newborn pair leptin levels
2000
We investigated serum leptin levels in 103 mother-newborn-pairs; Cord leptin was significantly higher than mother's leptin (5.7 ± 5.5 vs. 22.1 ± 19.9 ng/ml; p <0.001). Cord leptin was significantly higher in females than males (6.9 ± 6.3 vs. 3.9 ± 3.6 ng/ml respectively; p <0.001), and correlated with maternal leptin (r = 0.24; p = 0.001), gestational age (r = 0.54; p <0.001), and birth weight (r = 0.56; p <0.001). Neonatal leptin at the 4(th) day significantly correlated with percent weight loss in the first four days of life. These observations shed light on the origin of cord leptin and on the role of leptin in postnatal weight loss. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc.
Prosthetic strap system for simplified ventral hernia repair. Its results in a porcine experimental model.
2010
Abstract: Introduction Aiming to achieve a simplified ventral hernia repair, a proprietary shaped mesh was experimentally tested in the porcine model. The mesh is structured with a large central body and radiating straps. The friction of the straps passing through the tissues are hypothesized to be adequate to maintain the mesh in place during tissue ingrowth, avoiding classic point fixation while ensuring a wide coverage of the abdomen. Methods The mesh, having 6 radial straps, was placed using a sublay preperitoneal technique in 4 pigs. All straps were passed laterally through the abdominal wall and exteriorized from the skin. The straps were trimmed at the level of the skin, allowing the…
Developmental and tumoral vascularization is regulated by G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2
2012
Tumor vessel dysfunction is a pivotal event in cancer progression. Using an in vivo neovascularization model, we identified G protein–coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) as a key angiogenesis regulator. An impaired angiogenic response involving immature vessels was observed in mice hemizygous for Grk2 or in animals with endothelium-specific Grk2 silencing. ECs isolated from these animals displayed intrinsic alterations in migration, TGF-β signaling, and formation of tubular networks. Remarkably, an altered pattern of vessel growth and maturation was detected in postnatal retinas from endothelium-specific Grk2 knockout animals. Mouse embryos with systemic or endothelium-selective Grk2 ablation …
Neuroprotective Actions of Estradiol and Novel Estrogen Analogs in Ischemia: Translational Implications
2010
This review highlights our investigations into the neuroprotective efficacy of estradiol and other estrogenic agents in a clinically relevant animal model of transient global ischemia, which causes selective, delayed death of hippocampal CA1 neurons and associated cognitive deficits. We find that estradiol rescues a significant number of CA1 pyramidal neurons that would otherwise die in response to global ischemia, and this is true when hormone is provided as a long-term pretreatment at physiological doses or as an acute treatment at the time of reperfusion. In addition to enhancing neuronal survival, both forms of estradiol treatment induce measurable cognitive benefit in young animals. Mo…
Diacylglycerol kinase α mediatses 17-β-estradiol-induced proliferation, motility, and anchorage-independent growth of Hec-1A endometrial cancer cell …
2011
Increased levels of endogenous and/or exogenous estrogens are one of the well known risk factors of endometrial cancer. Diacylglycerol kinases (DGKs) are a family of enzymes which phosphorylate diacylglycerol (DAG) to produce phosphatidic acid (PA), thus turning off and on DAG-mediated and PA-mediated signaling pathways, respectively. DGK α activity is stimulated by growth factors and oncogenes and is required for chemotactic, proliferative, and angiogenic signaling in vitro. Herein, using either specific siRNAs or the pharmacological inhibitor R59949, we demonstrate that DGK α activity is required for 17-β-estradiol (E2)-induced proliferation, motility, and anchorage-independent growth of …
The COMT val158met Polymorphism Is Associated with Early Pubertal Development, Height and Cortical Bone Mass in Girls
2005
Estrogens are involved in accretion of bone mass during puberty. Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT) is involved in the degradation of estrogens. In this cross-sectional study we investigated associations between the COMT val158met polymorphism, which results in a 60-75% difference in enzyme activity between the val (high activity = H) and the met (low activity = L) variant, and skeletal phenotypes in 246 healthy pre/early pubertal girls. Girls with COMT(LL) were 5.4 cm taller than COMT(HH) girls. Dual x-ray absorptiometry showed higher values of bone mineral content (BMC), and larger areas of total body, femur and spine in COMT(LL). Cortical BMC, measured by peripheral quantitative compute…
Comparison of Postural Features and Muscle Strength between Children with Idiopathic Short Stature and Healthy Peers in Relation to Physical Exercise
2020
Previous research has reported that children with idiopathic short stature (ISS) showed functional and cognitive impairments. The purpose of this study was to compare muscle strength and body posture between children with ISS treated with growth hormone (GH) and healthy peers (healthy children, HC), and to analyze whether these parameters were affected by physical exercise. Eighteen children for the ISS group (mean age: 10.96 ± 1.68 years) and 26 children for the HC group (mean age: 10.19 ± 1.06 years) were recruited for the study. All participants performed the following assessments: handgrip and Sargent test for the muscle strength evaluation; baropodometric and stabilometric test for the…
Trajectories of motor coordination in 4–7-years-old children: A latent growth curve analysis
2014
Introduction For being able to take part in physical activities typical to the given age, children need proficiency in several motor tasks. Gross motor coordination (MC) is a basis for executing motor tasks and for learning new movement patterns. This study aimed to identify different MC trajectories in children aged 4–7-years-old. Methods Motor coordination of children ( n = 94, mean age 6.1 ± 1.3 years at baseline) was measured at 0, 6 and 12 months by KTK-test battery [1] . To identify different MC trajectories, developmental trend of the mean score of KTK was analyzed by using a latent growth curve and growth mixture analysis. Results In general, MC developed significantly over the yea…
Normal-weight obesity and cardiometabolic risk: A 7-year longitudinal study in girls from prepuberty to early adulthood
2017
Objective To study whether normal-weight obesity in childhood is associated with increased cardiometabolic risk in early adulthood. Methods This study assessed data for 236 girls followed from prepuberty to early adulthood. Growth chart data were obtained from birth to 18 years. Body composition was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and cardiometabolic risk by calculating continuous clustered risk score (at ages 11, 14, and 18). The association of body weight status with cardiometabolic risk from childhood to early adulthood was examined. Results Subjects with normal-weight obesity were virtually indistinguishable from their normal-weight lean peers in terms of relative body weig…
New Melanocortin 1 Receptor Binding Motif Based on the C-Terminal Sequence of ?-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone
2006
The C-terminal tripeptide of the alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH11-13) possesses strong antiinflammatory activity without known cellular target. In order to better understand the structural requirements for function of such motif, we designed, synthesized and tested out Trp- and Tyr-containing analogues of the alpha-MSH11-13. Seven alpha-MSH11-13 analogues were synthesized and characterized for their binding to the melanocortin receptors recombinantly expressed in insect (Sf9) cells, infected with baculovirus carrying corresponding MC receptor DNA. We also tested these analogues on B16-F1 mouse melanoma cells endogenously expressing the MC1 receptor for binding and for abili…