Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) alleviates sleepiness in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS), but part of OSAS patients keep gaining weight. Leptin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) interact with energy balance, and CPAP therapy has been suggested to influence these endocrine factors. We hypothesised that leptin would decrease during long-term CPAP therapy, and weight gain would associate with OSAS severity, lower CPAP adherence, lower IGF-1, and leptin concentrations.
Methods
Consecutive patients (n?=?223) referred to sleep study with suspected OSAS were enrolled. Patients underwent cardiorespiratory polygraphy at baseline. Questionnaires were completed, and blood samples were drawn both at baseline and after 3 years. A total of 149 (67%; M 65, F 84) patients completed the follow-up. Plasma samples were available from 114 patients, 109 of which with CPAP adherence data (49 CPAP users, 60 non-users).
Results
At baseline, the CPAP users were more obese and had more severe OSAS than the non-users. Leptin concentrations did not differ. After follow-up, leptin concentrations were higher in CPAP users (30.2 ng/ml vs. 16.8 ng/ml; p?=?0.001). In regression analysis, increase in leptin concentrations was independent of age, baseline body mass index (BMI), or the change in BMI. Leptin concentrations increased among females (??8.9 vs. 12.7 ng/ml; p?<?0.001); whereas in men, CPAP did not have an effect, if not opposed the natural decrease in leptin observed in men not using CPAP. Change in IGF-1 levels did not differ.
Conclusions
Our results suggest increase in leptin concentrations during long-term CPAP therapy among females.
AIM: To study of therapeutic activity of local (natamycine) and systemic (fluconasol) antifungal drugs in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) with mycogenic sensitization and candida carriage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 29 patients with severe AD and diagnosed contamination of the skin lesions with yeast fungi have received antifungal treatment with fungicidal drugs in low-dose long-term course. RESULTS: The drugs were effective in 83% of patients: poor effect was in 28%, moderate--in 21% and good--in 34% of cases. 5 (17%) patients did not respond. Mild, moderate and severe AD responded in 87, 36 and 60% of patients, respectively. The highest response was registered in patients without sensitization to yeast fungi (78%) or low sensitization (83%). In high sensitization the effect occurred in 57% of the cases. CONCLUSION: The authors have developed indications for treatment with antifungal drugs in AD patients with mycogenic sensitization. 相似文献
On rare occasions, arteriography of a renal cell carcinoma shows tumor vessels following the course of the renal vein and vena cava. In our cases, surgical exploration and microscopic examination showed that this appearance was due to tumor vessels arising from within the renal tumor and extending intraluminally within the venous system to supply the tumor. 相似文献
In the human ovary, cell growth and differentiation are regulated by members of the TGF-beta superfamily, including growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF9), TGF-beta, and activin. TGF-beta and activin are known to signal via Smad3 activation, and we have recently shown the involvement of Smad3 in cellular responses to GDF9. Recent studies with Smad3-deficient mice have also indicated a key role for this signaling mediator in ovarian folliculogenesis. We now demonstrate the use of a Smad3 reporter (CAGA-luciferase) adenovirus in primary cultures of human granulosa-luteal (hGL) cells to detect GDF9, TGF-beta, and activin responses. In rodent granulosa cells, TGF-beta and GDF9 signal through the TGF-beta type I receptor or activin receptor-like kinase 5 (Alk5), whereas the effect of activin is mediated though the activin type IB receptor, also known as Alk4. We now show that the GDF9 response in hGL cells is markedly potentiated upon overexpression of Alk5 by adenoviral gene transduction, as measured by the CAGA-luciferase reporter activity. A similar response to Alk5 overexpression was observed for TGF-beta, but not for activin. Adenoviral overexpression of the activin type IB receptor Alk4 in hGL cells specifically potentiated activin signaling, but not GDF9 or TGF-beta signaling. Alk5 overexpression in hGL cells also potentiated the GDF9 response when inhibin B production was used as the read-out. These results indicate that the CAGA-luciferase adenovirus can be used to study Smad3 signaling in primary cultures of human cells, and that adenoviral overexpression of wild-type receptors of the TGF-beta superfamily can be used to amplify the cellular response to ligands such as GDF9, TGF-beta, and activin. Furthermore, these studies indicate the involvement of Alk5 in GDF9 signaling in human cells and therefore, along with other recent studies, highlight how a limited number of type I and II receptors cooperate to generate specificity of action within the TGF-beta superfamily. 相似文献
Signal space separation (SSS) is a novel method for processing multichannel biomagnetic data. It is useful for a variety of applications including interference suppression, movement compensation and conversion of measurements between sensor arrays. The performance of SSS has been examined mainly on a 306-channel whole-head magnetoencephalography system. To facilitate the adaptation of the method to other biomagnetometer systems, the effect of various properties of the sensor array on its performance needs to be studied. To this end, we examined the effects of gradiometer imbalance, sensor calibration errors and erroneous sensor geometry information on SSS using simulations. The results indicate that depending on the application, gradiometer balance on the level of 0.1% to 0.5% may be needed for satisfactory SSS performance. For wire-wound gradiometers, this requires very careful attention in manufacturing. Errors in calibration coefficients and geometry information were found to have less significance. 相似文献
During 2008 and 2009, within the framework of the Hungarian monitoring program of antibiotic resistance of zoonotic agents from food-producing animals, a significant number (43 strains) of Campylobacter lanienae were detected for the first time in Hungary. The isolates were genotyped using partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis using three different restriction enzymes. The antimicrobial resistance of the isolates was determined by microtiter broth dilution. C. lanienae isolation was successful only from swine but not from other animal species. According to phylogenetic analysis, clustering of the isolates shows the same extensive genetic diversity as other Campylobacter species. Sequence analysis of the partial 16S rRNA gene showed that additional variations exist in variable regions Vc2 and Vc6. SmaI restriction enzyme proved to be the most efficient for pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis of C. lanienae. A significant tetracycline resistance (60.9%) and the presence of erythromycin-, enrofloxacin-, and multiresistant C. lanienae strains were found. Although the pathogenic potential of C. lanienae in humans is currently unknown, this study demonstrates that C. lanieanae is common in pigs in the country, provides further details on the genotypic and phenotypic properties of C. lanienae, and offers a genotyping method for use in source tracing. 相似文献