Yes / Identification of glaucomatous damage and progression by perimetry are limited by measurement and response variability. This study tested the hypothesis that the glaucoma damage signal/noise ratio is greater with stimuli varying in area, either solely, or simultaneously with contrast, than with conventional stimuli varying in contrast only (Goldmann III, GIII). Thirty glaucoma patients and 20 age-similar healthy controls were tested with the Method of Constant Stimuli (MOCS). One stimulus modulated in area (A), one modulated in contrast within Ricco’s area (CR), one modulated in both area and contrast simultaneously (AC), and the reference stimulus was a GIII, modulating in contrast. Stimuli were presented on a common platform with a common scale (energy). A three-stage protocol minimised artefactual MOCS slope bias that can occur due to differences in psychometric function sampling between conditions. Threshold difference from age-matched normal (total deviation), response variability, and signal/noise ratio were compared between stimuli. Total deviation was greater with, and response variability less dependent on defect depth with A, AC, and CR stimuli, compared with GIII. Both A and AC stimuli showed a significantly greater signal/noise ratio than the GIII, indicating that area-modulated stimuli offer benefits over the GIII for identifying early glaucoma and measuring progression.

Charles University Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology Student: Katarína Tripská Supervisor: prof. PharmDr. Petr Pávek, Ph.D. Title of diploma thesis: miRNAs as diagnostic markers after treatment with glucocorticoids in rheumatology MicroRNAs are important class of non-coding RNAs that play important role in modulation of expression of multiple genes at a post-transcriptional level. Their deregulation contributes to many immune disorders including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and systemic sclerosis. This thesis represents the most recent knowledge about functions of microRNAs in pathogenesis of these disorders and results were obtained by review of scientific literature published on PubMed database. The most perspective microRNAs in rheumatoid arthritis seem to be miR-16, miR-21, miR- 146a, miR-150 a miR-223. In lupus miR-148, miR-126, miR-21, miR-155, miR-125a a miR- 146 will probably find their useage as biomarkers. Systemic sclerosis is less examined diseases and we know most about miR-29 in the disease. Since the research of microRNA as diagnostic biomarkers is only at the beginning, it is most likely, that with the time there will be more and more of new microRNAs helping us clarify pathogenesis of each disorder. We can suppose...

Parkinson’s disease (PD) has long been conceptualized as a motor disorder, but significant clinical features arise before motor symptoms are present. Although prospective, longitudinal research offers the most valid approach for determining pre-diagnostic indicators of PD, it is costly and requires a long time-course. Leveraging existing epidemiological datasets offers the opportunity to identify pre-diagnostic features that may predict later PD diagnosis. This project used the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) database of prospective follow-up on a community-based sample that spans over six decades. Regular surveillance identified 156 incident cases of PD. Promising biomarker and other clinical marker candidates were derived from cohort-based samples without prospective follow-up and included cognition, depression, and inflammation. The main hypothesis was that potential markers would discriminate between individuals who did/ did not go on to a later PD diagnosis. The FHS database provided clinical markers (cognition, depression) and fluid biomarkers (levels of plasma inflammation) for interrogation. Cognition was indexed by performance on the Mini-Mental State Examination and a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, including measures of attention, memory, and executive functioning. Depression was derived from scores on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Separate means comparison and logistic regression analyses to maximize sample sizes were conducted on available data for candidate (bio)markers at time-points 1-3 years or 1-5 years pre-diagnosis for PD cases (N=7-33) and control participants (N=28-224), in samples matched for age, sex, and education level. No significant differences were found between PD and control participants on any measure of cognitive functioning 1-3 years pre-diagnosis. No significant differences were found for total CES-D scores or levels of plasma inflammation 1-5 years pre-diagnosis. Higher levels of C-reactive protein and TNF-alpha were significantly correlated with increasing age in the total sample but not for PD specifically. These results indicate that cognition, self-reported depression, and plasma inflammation may not be useful as markers of PD risk, and efforts should likely focus on alternative candidate markers. Detecting PD in the earliest stages is an important goal, as it could lead to treatments that attenuate progression, improve clinical prognosis, and enhance the possibility of disease prevention. / 2021-02-20T00:00:00Z

Acacia saligna is a native species complex with a widespread natural distribution throughout the south west of Western Australia. It is being developed as an agroforestry crop to produce low value, bulk biomass products in the low rainfall agricultural areas of southern Australia. This thesis develops knowledge to assist the domestication and breeding program of A. saligna as an agroforestry cultivar. It also furthers development of a risk management plan for utilisation of the Acacia saligna species complex. Highly informative microsatellite markers for A. saligna were developed for use in mating system studies, paternity analysis and in the development of a diagnostic tool for the identification of individuals and populations at the subspecific level. Microsatellites developed in other Acacia species were also screened for utility in A. saligna. A high level of outcrossing (mean multilocus outcrossing rate of 0.98) and little true selfing was found for a planted stand of A. saligna subspecies saligna. Paternity analysis indicated heterogeneity in pollen clouds experienced by maternal trees and an essentially random pattern of mating within the stand. Inter-subspecific pollen immigration into the stand from trees of subspecies lindleyi was detected for 14% of progeny analysed and occurred over distances greater than 1500 m. Extensive intra-subspecific pollen-mediated gene flow is maintained between remnant natural populations of A. saligna subspecies lindleyi, and a high level of inter-subspecific pollen immigration from trees in the planted stand of A. saligna subspecies saligna was detected in remnant populations of subspecies lindleyi (32% of analysed progeny) occurring over distances greater than 1500 m. Polymorphic microsatellite markers used to investigate genetic structuring within A. saligna revealed a high level of genetic divergence between subspecific entities congruent with a taxonomic reclassification of the species complex. Selected microsatellite markers also proved suitable for use as a rapid diagnostic tool that can be used to characterise populations into one of the proposed subspecies of A. saligna with high probability. These results indicate that high levels of outcrossing and essentially random patterns of mating that maintain genetic diversity in seed crops should be achievable with the suitable management of seed production stands of A. saligna. Appropriate management techniques that limit genetic contamination into seed production stands will need to be employed to achieve this goal. Management techniques will also be required to minimise the risk of genetic contamination from stands planted for agroforestry purposes into remnant natural populations. Isolation distances greater than 1500 m between genetically divergent agroforestry crops and natural populations are suggested in both cases and key areas of further research are suggested. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1336865 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, 2008

<p>This thesis reports on the development of a novel comprehensive database (Dragon Database of Genes Implicated in Esophageal Cancer, DDEC) as an integrated knowledge database aimed at representing a gateway to esophageal cancer related data. More importantly, it illustrates how the biocurated genes in the database may represent a reliable starting point for divulging transcriptional regulation, diagnostic markers and the biology related to esophageal cancer.</p>

<p>This thesis reports on the development of a novel comprehensive database (Dragon Database of Genes Implicated in Esophageal Cancer, DDEC) as an integrated knowledge database aimed at representing a gateway to esophageal cancer related data. More importantly, it illustrates how the biocurated genes in the database may represent a reliable starting point for divulging transcriptional regulation, diagnostic markers and the biology related to esophageal cancer.</p>

The thesis reports on specific language impairment (SLI). First part of the thesis summarizes first the current theoretical knowledge about this issue. It reviews terminology, classification, etiology, symptoms, diagnostic, therapy and association SLI with developmental dyslexia. The thesis then refers about search for diagnostic markers of SLI in pre-school age. The empirical part of the thesis summarizes the research conducted. Three groups of children were compared- 19 children with SLI, 19 peers without SLI (AC) and 19 younger language- matched children (LC). Four diagnostic methods were used - picture vocabulary test, number recall, sentence repetition and non-word recall. In all tests children with SLI performed poorly than AC-group and in some of them also poorly than LC-group. Limitation in sentence repetition and non-word recall, omission of prepositions and clitics and also omission of verbs or using of incomplete infinitive forms in sentences were detected as possible relevant diagnostic markers.

Diploma thesis Assessment of language skills of specific language impaired children deals with children with specific language impairment in preschool and early school age (6-8 years). The thesis is to map the resources that are dealing with this issue and define the concept of specific language impairment in our country and foreign environment, because it is a very problematic term The theoretical part describes the status of speech therapy and special education diagnosis of children with specific language impairment in Czech Republic and foreign countries. It maps out how this developmental disorder speech therapists and special educators diagnose, what tools to use and what diagnostic criteria used in their practices. The aim of our research activities in the framework of this thesis is to determine whether and what value could have a Battery of tests of phonological skills (Seidlová Málková, Caravolas 2013) for the diagnostic process of specific language impairment. And also try to detect whether the battery includes tests to detect potential child with specific language impairment and thus contribute to the differential diagnosis. Keywords: Specific language impairment, language assessment, diagnostic markers, Battery of tests of phonological skills

This thesis deals with specific language impairment. The theoretical part introduces related terminology, classification, etiology, symptomatology and diagnostic issues. The research section analyzes the different linguistic levels in a sample of children and devotes a common specific variations in verbal production that could be designed as diagnostic markers. The qualitative study was an analysis of verbal production of nine children ranging in age from 5.4 to 5.7 years, with specific language impairment. In all the statements were reflected deficits in the use of sibilance, skipping voice in the first position, disruption of understanding to varying extents, incorrect naming and difficulties výbavností words and disturbance of speech and other prosodic factors. Morphology and syntax has always seen the most significant disruption, but was very heterogeneous. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

L’Adénocarcinome Canalaire Pancréatique (ACP), la forme majeure de cancer du pancréas, est un des cancers les plus mortels du fait de son agressivité d’invasion locale et de dissémination vasculaire et de l’absence de méthode de détection précoce de la maladie. Nous avons développé un nouveau modèle d’invasion in vivo, sur la membrane chorio-allantoïdienne de l’embryon de poulet, permettant d’analyser les mécanismes d’interactions entre les cellules tumorales pancréatiques et leur microenvironnement. Nous avons montré que dans ce modèle les gènes codant pour les protéines sécrétées nétrine-1 et CXCL4L1/PF4v1 sont surexprimés dans les cellules tumorales au cours du processus d’invasion et que cette surexpression est également retrouvée dans les échantillons de patients humains. Nos études fonctionnelles ont indiqué que la nétrine-1 et CXCL4L1 pourrait jouer le rôle de régulateurs de la progression tumorale selon le modèle suivant : a) la chimiokine CXCL4L1 exercerait de façon paracrine une activité angiostatique sur les cellules endothéliales de l’ACP alors que b) la nétrine-1 aurait une activité pro-tumorale en agissant à la fois sur les cellules tumorales et sur les cellules endothéliales. Ces résultats ont permis d’une part de valider notre modèle en confirmant que les gènes surexprimés sélectionnés peuvent être impliqués dans la progression tumorale chez les patients. D’autre part, notre étude a permis de démontrer que les protéines CXCL4L1 et nétrine-1 constituent de nouvelles cibles thérapeutiques et/ou diagnostiques potentielles pour le cancer du pancréas. / Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the major form of pancreatic cancer, is one of the deadliest cancers because of its propensity for local invasion and vascular dissemination and the lack of early diagnostic strategy. We have developed a new in vivo invasion model, on the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane, allowing the analyze of mechanisms governing interactions between pancreatic tumor cells and their host microenvironment. We showed in its model that the genes encoding netrin-1 and CXCL4L1/PF4v1 secreted proteins are up-regulated in tumor cells in the course of the invasion process and we confirmed these up-regulation was also observed in human patients. Our functional studies indicated that netrin-1 and CXCL4L1 may play regulator roles in tumor progression according to the following model: a) CXCL4L1 chimiokine may have an angiostatic activity on endothelial cells by a paracrine mechanism of action whereas b) netrin-1 may have a pro-tumoral activity by acting on both endothelial and tumor cells. These results allowed in one hand to validate our model by showing that selected up-regulated genes may be involved in PDAC progression in human patients. On the other hand, our work provided evidence that CXCL4L1 and netrin-1 constitute new potential therapeutic and/or diagnostic targets for pancreatic cancer.