ABSTRACT
Graves' disease is an immune system disorder that results in the overproduction of thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism). Thyroid disorders are a societal problem of great public concern because of their high prevalence. This problem can affect the well-being and quality of life of patients. The predisposing factors leading to this disease are not yet fully established and are likely to be interconnected in a complex way. Chemometric analysis allows for the detection of specific relationships between the medical parameter measurements obtained from the patients in an observation group, and the identification of patterns of similarity between these patients. It is not commonly used in clinical trials; however, it can provide reliable information which may help in creating more successful, individualised treatment strategies for established groups (patterns) of patients.The aim of this review is to summarize the latest knowledge about the risk factors for Graves' disease and considerations about using the chemometric analysis in the study of the disease.
Subject(s)
Graves Disease , Hyperthyroidism , Chemometrics , Graves Disease/drug therapy , Humans , Hyperthyroidism/diagnosis , Quality of LifeABSTRACT
The gene EG:22E5.5 or CG4199 (accession number O77266, Q9W529) from Berkeley Drosophila Genome Project (BDGP) was found using the partial amino acid sequences of three tryptic peptides obtained from purified Drosophila virilis diaphorase-1. This gene is located on the X chromosome at position 2C9-2C10. The structure of the gene reveals three exons and two long introns. Using BDGP, we found six transcripts in this gene. The difference between these transcripts is in their 5' ends; the 3' ends of the six transcripts are identical. Thirty-four ESTs from different cDNA libraries were found, most of them from Schneider L2 cell culture (SH) cDNA library. The transcripts are represented at very low level in the cells of different organs and at different stages of Drosophila development. Using RT-PCR, we obtained five of these transcripts in cDNA samples from female adult flies. However, we could not find any of them in cDNA samples from male adult flies. Moreover, we obtained only the third transcript (CG4199-RC) in the sample of testis from adult flies and the fourth transcript (CG4199-RD) in an embryo sample. None of the other five transcripts were found in the samples of different organs and in the samples obtained at different stages of Drosophila development.
Subject(s)
Drosophila Proteins/genetics , Drosophila/enzymology , Drosophila/genetics , Gene Expression Profiling , Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental , Gene Order , Sex Characteristics , Amino Acid Sequence , Animals , DNA, Complementary/genetics , Drosophila/embryology , Drosophila Proteins/chemistry , Drosophila Proteins/metabolism , Exons/genetics , Female , Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic , Introns/genetics , Male , Molecular Sequence Data , Organ Specificity , Polymerase Chain Reaction , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Sequence AlignmentABSTRACT
Toxoplasma gondii is know to have an affinity to lymphatic tissue. The authors studied whether after infection of the child's body T. gondii does or does not determine the chronic course of tonsillitis. In 712 children with chronic tonsillitis serological examinations for toxoplasmosis were carried out by means of RVK, NIR and ELISA. Low titers of toxoplasme antibodies were found in 8.0% of the children examined. In light of the following findings the authors conclude that toxoplasme tonsillitis did not occur in their series: toxoplasma antibodies failed to be increased; their titers in seropositive children were low; toxoplasma was not isolated from tonsillar tissue; no direct microscopic evidence of the parasite could be established in smears of cell aspirate from lymph nodes regional to the palatine tonsils; the same smears failed to present the cytopathologic picture characteristic of nodal toxoplasmosis. In our ecologic conditions T. gondii is presumably not involved in the etiology of chronic tonsillitis, or it may be involved but to an epidemiologically not appreciable extent. (Tab. 10, Ref. 18).