| 31101. |
- Hart, Andrew McKay, et al.
(författare)
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Systemic acetyl-L-carnitine eliminates sensory neuronal loss after peripheral axotomy : a new clinical approach in the management of peripheral nerve trauma
- 2002
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Ingår i: Experimental Brain Research. - : Springer-Verlag New York. - 0014-4819 .- 1432-1106. ; 145:2, s. 182-189
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Several hundred thousand peripheral nerve injuries occur each year in Europe alone. Largely due to the death of around 40% of primary sensory neurons, sensory outcome remains disappointingly poor despite considerable advances in surgical technique; yet no clinical therapies currently exist to prevent this neuronal death. Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) is a physiological peptide with roles in mitochondrial bioenergetic function, which may also increase binding of nerve growth factor by sensory neurons. Following unilateral sciatic nerve transection, adult rats received either one of two doses of ALCAR or sham, or no treatment. Either 2 weeks or 2 months later, L4 and L5 dorsal root ganglia were harvested bilaterally, in accordance with the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Neuronal death was quantified with a combination of TUNEL [TdT (terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase) uptake nick end labelling] and neuron counts obtained using the optical disector technique. Sham treatment had no effect upon neuronal death. ALCAR treatment caused a large reduction in the number of TUNEL-positive neurons 2 weeks after axotomy (sham treatment 33/group; low-dose ALCAR 6/group, P=0.132; high-dose ALCAR 3/group, P<0.05), and almost eliminated neuron loss (sham treatment 21%; low-dose ALCAR 0%, P=0.007; high-dose ALCAR 2%, P<0.013). Two months after axotomy the neuroprotective effect of high-dose ALCAR treatment was preserved for both TUNEL counts (no treatment five/group; high-dose ALCAR one/group) and neuron loss (no treatment 35%; high-dose ALCAR -4%, P<0.001). These results provide further evidence for the role of mitochondrial bioenergetic dysfunction in post-traumatic sensory neuronal death, and also suggest that acetyl-L-carnitine may be the first agent suitable for clinical use in the prevention of neuronal death after peripheral nerve trauma.
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| 31102. |
- Hart, Gerald W., et al.
(författare)
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Cross Talk Between O-GlcNAcylation and Phosphorylation: Roles in Signaling, Transcription, and Chronic Disease
- 2011
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Ingår i: Annual Review of Biochemistry. - : Annual Reviews. - 0066-4154 .- 1545-4509. ; 50, s. 825-858
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- O-GlcNAcylation is the addition of β-D-N-acetylglucosamine to serine or threonine residues of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins. O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) was not discovered until the early 1980s and still remains difficult to detect and quantify. Nonetheless, O-GlcNAc is highly abundant and cycles on proteins with a timescale similar to protein phosphorylation. O-GlcNAc occurs in organisms ranging from some bacteria to protozoans and metazoans, including plants and nematodes up the evolutionary tree to man. O-GlcNAcylation is mostly on nuclear proteins, but it occurs in all intracellular compartments, including mitochondria. Recent glycomic analyses have shown that O-GlcNAcylation has surprisingly extensive cross talk with phosphorylation, where it serves as a nutrient/stress sensor to modulate signaling, transcription, and cytoskeletal functions. Abnormal amounts of O-GlcNAcylation underlie the etiology of insulin resistance and glucose toxicity in diabetes, and this type of modification plays a direct role in neurodegenerative disease. Many oncogenic proteins and tumor suppressor proteins are also regulated by O-GlcNAcylation. Current data justify extensive efforts toward a better understanding of this invisible, yet abundant, modification. As tools for the study of O-GlcNAc become more facile and available, exponential growth in this area of research will eventually take place.
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| 31103. |
- Hart, Nathan S., et al.
(författare)
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Visual Opsin Diversity in Sharks and Rays
- 2020
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Ingår i: Molecular biology and evolution. - : Oxford University Press. - 0737-4038 .- 1537-1719. ; 37:3, s. 811-827
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The diversity of color vision systems found in extant vertebrates suggests that different evolutionary selection pressures have driven specializations in photoreceptor complement and visual pigment spectral tuning appropriate for an animal's behavior, habitat, and life history. Aquatic vertebrates in particular show high variability in chromatic vision and have become important models for understanding the role of color vision in prey detection, predator avoidance, and social interactions. In this study, we examined the capacity for chromatic vision in elasmobranch fishes, a group that have received relatively little attention to date. We used microspectrophotometry to measure the spectral absorbance of the visual pigments in the outer segments of individual photoreceptors from several ray and shark species, and we sequenced the opsin mRNAs obtained from the retinas of the same species, as well as from additional elasmobranch species. We reveal the phylogenetically widespread occurrence of dichromatic color vision in rays based on two cone opsins, RH2 and LWS. We also confirm that all shark species studied to date appear to be cone monochromats but report that in different species the single cone opsin may be of either the LWS or the RH2 class. From this, we infer that cone monochromacy in sharks has evolved independently on multiple occasions. Together with earlier discoveries in secondarily aquatic marine mammals, this suggests that cone-based color vision may be of little use for large marine predators, such as sharks, pinnipeds, and cetaceans.
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| 31104. |
- Hartini, TNS, et al.
(författare)
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Energy intake during economic crisis depends on initial wealth and access to rice fields : the case of pregnant Indonesian women
- 2002
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Ingår i: Health Policy. - 0168-8510 .- 1872-6054. ; 61:1, s. 57-71
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Starting in August 1997, Indonesia experienced a radical and rapid deterioration in its economy. Between 1996 and 1998, dietary intake during the second trimester was measured in 450 pregnant women in Purworejo, Central Java, Indonesia. Using six 24 h recalls we describe the consequences of the economic crisis on the energy intake of pregnant Indonesian women. Depending on the date of data collection, women were grouped into 'before crisis', 'transition' and 'during crisis'. Mean energy intake among groups was compared using ANOVA and Student's t-test. All groups of pregnant women already had a mean energy intake before the emerging crisis that was lower than the Indonesian recommended dietary allowances (RDA). Nevertheless, energy intake differed significantly among women with different education levels (P = 0.00) and from different socio-economic groups (P = 0.00). 'During transition', a significant decrease in energy intake was experienced by urban poor women (P = 0.01). Poor women with access to rice fields had a higher rice consumption than other groups throughout the period. Our results most likely reflect the effect of higher rice price on income and welfare. 'During crisis', energy intake improved among vulnerable groups, perhaps reflecting government intervention.
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| 31105. |
- Hartini, TNS, et al.
(författare)
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Food pattern during economic crisis among pregnant women in Purworejo District, Central Java, Indonesia.
- 2003
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Ingår i: Food and Nutrition Bulletin. - 0379-5721 .- 1564-8265. ; 24:3, s. 256-267
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A cross-sectional study was conducted between 1996 and 1998. Six 24-hour recalls were performed during the second trimester of pregnancy among 450 women in Purworejo District, Central Java, Indonesia. The objectives of the study were to assess the food intake and food pattern among pregnant women before and during the economic crisis. Before the crisis, rich women had the highest intakes of animal foods, fats and oils, and sugar. Food intake among the urban poor and the rural landless poor subgroups was influenced by the emerging economic crisis. Although the price of rice increased, the intake of rice also increased among all subgroups. Rural poor women with access to rice fields increased their intake of rice and decreased their intake of nonrice staple foods (p < .05). There were significant decreases in the consumption of chicken by rich women and rural poor women with access to rice fields (p < .05). Rice was a strongly inferior good and remained an important supplier of energy, protein, and carbohydrate. Nuts and pulses were important suppliers of calcium and iron, and vegetables were an important supplier of vitamin A. Rich women increased their intake of nuts and pulses, vegetables, fats and oils, and sugar when their intake of rice increased (p < .05). The food patterns were based on rice, nuts and pulses, and vegetables, i.e., plant food. All but the rich women decreased their intake of nutritious foods such as meat, chicken, and fruits. The intake of nuts and pulses and of vegetables increased, whereas the intake of cooking oil and sugar remained constant.
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| 31106. |
- Hartini, TNS, et al.
(författare)
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Nutrient intake and iron status of urban and rural poor without access to rice fields are affected by the emerging economic crisis : the case of pregnant Indonesian women
- 2003
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Ingår i: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0954-3007 .- 1476-5640. ; 57:5, s. 654-666
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the adequacy of nutrient intake in comparison with the Indonesian Estimated Average Requirement (EARs) among pregnant Indonesian women and explain the short-term effect of economic crisis on nutrient intake and iron status. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Purworejo District, Central Java, located 60 km west of Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia. SUBJECTS: During the period from 1996 to 1998, up to six 24 h recalls were performed during the second trimester of pregnancy among 450 women. Nutrient intake and iron status was evaluated in relation to date of data collection relative to the economic crisis that emerged in August 1997. A computer program (Inafood) was developed to calculate nutrient intake. RESULTS:: Forty percent of the pregnant women were at risk of inadequate intake of energy and protein, and 70% were at risk of inadequate intake of vitamin A, calcium and iron even before the crisis. Our results also demonstrate an effect of short-term economic crisis on nutrient intake and iron status. When the crisis emerged, urban poor experienced a decrease in intake of most nutrients. During the crisis, rich women experienced a significant decrease in fat (P<0.05). Negative changes in fat density during crisis were experienced by the rich and the rural, poor, and access to rice field subgroups (P<0.01). A significant increase in carbohydrate densities was seen for the rich and rural, poor, and access to rice fields groups (P<0.05). Urban poor experienced decreased serum ferritin concentration (P<0.05), whereas rich women experienced a significant increase (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Urban poor and rural poor landless women were most directly affected by the emerging economic crisis.
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| 31107. |
- Hartley, M G, et al.
(författare)
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Protection afforded by heat shock protein 60 from Francisella tularensis is due to copurified lipopolysaccharide.
- 2004
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Ingår i: Infection and Immunity. - 0019-9567 .- 1098-5522. ; 72:7, s. 4109-13
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Heat shock proteins (Hsps) have attracted significant attention as protective antigens against a range of diseases caused by bacterial pathogens. However, more recently there have been suggestions that the protective response is due to the presence of peptide components other than Hsps. We have shown that mice that had been immunized with purified heat shock protein 60 (Hsp60) isolated from Francisella tularensis were protected against a subsequent challenge with some strains of the bacterium. However, this protection appeared to be due to trace amounts of lipopolysaccharide, which were too low to be detected by using the Limulus amoebocyte lysate assay. This finding raises the possibility that the protection afforded by other bacterial Hsp60 proteins may be due to trace quantities of polysaccharide antigens carried by and acting in conjunction with the Hsps.
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| 31108. |
- Hartley, Roger, et al.
(författare)
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Heterogeneous demand responses to discrete price changes : an application to the purchase of lottery tickets
- 2006
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Ingår i: Computational Statistics & Data Analysis. - : Association for Computing Machinery. - 0167-9473 .- 1872-7352. ; 50:3, s. 859-877
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- During the survey period of any household expenditure survey price variations may occur. Such variation can be used to identify heterogeneous demand responses to price changes. This is feasible because expenditure surveys usually contain a large number of observations. The principal difficulty for estimation arises because of the sampling process which generates the data. An estimable model of individual purchase is presented and is estimated in the case of the demand for lottery tickets. This model allows identification of heterogeneous responses to changes in the rollover state (i.e. whether last week's jackpot has been added to the current jackpot). The distribution of heterogeneous responses, in the form of a bivariate mixing distribution, is shown to be identified from the available data. The EM algorithm is used to estimate the parameters of the mixing distribution. The estimates imply that there is substantial heterogeneity in the population both in the normal expenditure levels and in the reaction to a jackpot rolled over.
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| 31109. |
- Hartley, Roger, et al.
(författare)
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On the design of lottery games
- 2003
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Ingår i: Journal of the Operational Research Society. - : Palgrave Macmillan. - 0160-5682 .- 1476-9360. ; 54:1, s. 89-100
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We describe a model of participation in lottery games designed to address the optimisation of tax revenue in state-sponsored lotteries. The model treats participants dynamically and examines a long-run equilibrium. A novel high frequency approximation is used to turn the problem into a static, state-contingent deterministic programming problem. We demonstrate that the solution of this problem has qualitatively plausible properties and then calibrate the model against the United Kingdom National Lottery (UKNL). The results suggest that the current design of the UKNL may not be maximising tax revenue.
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| 31110. |
- Hartling, Svend G, et al.
(författare)
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Elevated proinsulin in healthy siblings of IDDM patients independent of HLA identity
- 1989
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Ingår i: Diabetes. - : American Diabetes Association. - 0012-1797 .- 1939-327X. ; 38:10, s. 1271-1274
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Based on the recent demonstration of elevated serum proinsulin levels in cystic fibrosis patients with impaired glucose tolerance, it was hypothesized that proinsulin could be an indicator of altered β-cell function. We therefore analyzed fasting proinsulin levels in 99 siblings of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) patients, most of them discordant for diabetes for >6 yr. The results from this group were compared with the results from 41 healthy age- and sex-matched control subjects with no family history of diabetes. Median (range) fasting proinsulin in siblings was 8.9 pM (1.7–58 pM) vs. 3.8 pM (<1.2–28 pM) in control subjects (P < .00001). There was no difference between the groups in fasting blood glucose concentrations. Both groups had fasting insulin concentrations within the normal range with a tendency toward lower values in the siblings: 108 pM (60–237 pM) vs. 118 pM (71–175 pM) (P = .07). The 99 siblings were subdivided into groups according to HLA sharing with their diabetic proband. The concentration of proinsulin, insulin, and blood glucose among the groups of 33 HLA-identical, 40 HLA-haploidentical, and 26 nonidentical siblings did not differ significantly. The fasting proinsulin level did not correlate with fasting levels of insulin, blood glucose, age, or body weight. We conclude that fasting proinsulin is elevated in healthy siblings of IDDM patients, whereas fasting insulin is normal or slightly decreased independent of HLA identity with their diabetic sibling. Elevated proinsulin levels could represent a family trait, perhaps mirroring a β-cell more vulnerable to destruction, or it could reflect previous β-cell damage that does not lead to IDDM.
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