Showing papers by "University of Ioannina published in 2007"
TL;DR: It is argued that, although meta-analyses often measure heterogeneity between studies, these estimates can have large uncertainty, which must be taken into account when interpreting evidence.
Abstract: John Ioannidis, Nikolaos Patsopoulos, and Evangelos Evangelou argue that, although meta-analyses often measure heterogeneity between studies, these estimates can have large uncertainty, which must be taken into account when interpreting evidence
986 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a detailed analysis of the performance of the Large Hadron Collider (CMS) at 14 TeV and compare it with the state-of-the-art analytical tools.
Abstract: CMS is a general purpose experiment, designed to study the physics of pp collisions at 14 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). It currently involves more than 2000 physicists from more than 150 institutes and 37 countries. The LHC will provide extraordinary opportunities for particle physics based on its unprecedented collision energy and luminosity when it begins operation in 2007. The principal aim of this report is to present the strategy of CMS to explore the rich physics programme offered by the LHC. This volume demonstrates the physics capability of the CMS experiment. The prime goals of CMS are to explore physics at the TeV scale and to study the mechanism of electroweak symmetry breaking--through the discovery of the Higgs particle or otherwise. To carry out this task, CMS must be prepared to search for new particles, such as the Higgs boson or supersymmetric partners of the Standard Model particles, from the start-up of the LHC since new physics at the TeV scale may manifest itself with modest data samples of the order of a few fb−1 or less. The analysis tools that have been developed are applied to study in great detail and with all the methodology of performing an analysis on CMS data specific benchmark processes upon which to gauge the performance of CMS. These processes cover several Higgs boson decay channels, the production and decay of new particles such as Z' and supersymmetric particles, Bs production and processes in heavy ion collisions. The simulation of these benchmark processes includes subtle effects such as possible detector miscalibration and misalignment. Besides these benchmark processes, the physics reach of CMS is studied for a large number of signatures arising in the Standard Model and also in theories beyond the Standard Model for integrated luminosities ranging from 1 fb−1 to 30 fb−1. The Standard Model processes include QCD, B-physics, diffraction, detailed studies of the top quark properties, and electroweak physics topics such as the W and Z0 boson properties. The production and decay of the Higgs particle is studied for many observable decays, and the precision with which the Higgs boson properties can be derived is determined. About ten different supersymmetry benchmark points are analysed using full simulation. The CMS discovery reach is evaluated in the SUSY parameter space covering a large variety of decay signatures. Furthermore, the discovery reach for a plethora of alternative models for new physics is explored, notably extra dimensions, new vector boson high mass states, little Higgs models, technicolour and others. Methods to discriminate between models have been investigated. This report is organized as follows. Chapter 1, the Introduction, describes the context of this document. Chapters 2-6 describe examples of full analyses, with photons, electrons, muons, jets, missing ET, B-mesons and τ's, and for quarkonia in heavy ion collisions. Chapters 7-15 describe the physics reach for Standard Model processes, Higgs discovery and searches for new physics beyond the Standard Model
973 citations
TL;DR: This review provides an updated and extensive overview of methods and their applications in natural product matrices and samples of biological origin and critically appraises recent developments and trends.
Abstract: The impetus for developing analytical methods for phenolic compounds in natural products has proved to be multifaceted. Hundreds of publications on the analysis of this category of compounds have appeared over the past two decades. Traditional and more advanced techniques have come to prominence for sample preparation, separation, detection, and identification. This review provides an updated and extensive overview of methods and their applications in natural product matrices and samples of biological origin. In addition, it critically appraises recent developments and trends, and provides selected representative bibliographic examples.
872 citations
TL;DR: A plethora of methods for the synthesis of different NPs have been very recently developed as mentioned in this paper, and this know-how is now available for the generation of a large variety of new hybrid products in combination with CNTs.
Abstract: Due to their large chemically active surface and stability at high temperatures carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been used as a support material for the dispersion and stabilization of metal and semiconductor nanoparticles (NPs). These hybrid materials have found several applications in catalysis, nanoelectronics, optics, nanobiotechnology, etc. Several ways have been described in the literature to immobilize NPs on CNTs and they can be divided into two main pathways: (a) the formation (and stabilization) of metal NPs directly on the carbon nanotube surface, and (b) the connection of chemically modified NPs to carbon nanotubes or to modified CNTs. A plethora of methods for the synthesis of different NPs have been very recently developed. This know-how is now available for the generation of a large variety of new hybrid products in combination with CNTs. A selection of representative examples of the synthesis, properties and applications of NP–CNTs is here reported and discussed.
623 citations
TL;DR: A test to explore biases stemming from the pursuit of nominal statistical significance was developed and demonstrated a clear or possible excess of significant studies in 6 of 8 large meta-analyses and in the wide domain of neuroleptic treatments.
Abstract: Background The published clinical research literature may be distorted by the pursuit of statistically significant results.Purpose We aimed to develop a test to explore biases stemming from the pur...
529 citations
TL;DR: Sensory analysis showed that oregano oil at a concentration of 1% imparted a very strong taste to the product for which reason these lots of samples were not scored and a shelf-life extension of breast chicken meat by ca.
458 citations
TL;DR: A method of analysis of EEG signals, which is based on time-frequency analysis, which provides the final classification of the EEG segments concerning the existence of seizures or not.
Abstract: The recording of seizures is of primary interest in the evaluation of epileptic patients. Seizure is the phenomenon of rhythmicity discharge from either a local area or the whole brain and the individual behavior usually lasts from seconds to minutes. Since seizures, in general, occur infrequently and unpredictably, automatic detection of seizures during long-term electroencephalograph (EEG) recordings is highly recommended. As EEG signals are nonstationary, the conventional methods of frequency analysis are not successful for diagnostic purposes. This paper presents a method of analysis of EEG signals, which is based on time-frequency analysis. Initially, selected segments of the EEG signals are analyzed using time-frequency methods and several features are extracted for each segment, representing the energy distribution in the time-frequency plane. Then, those features are used as an input in an artificial neural network (ANN), which provides the final classification of the EEG segments concerning the existence of seizures or not. We used a publicly available dataset in order to evaluate our method and the evaluation results are very promising indicating overall accuracy from 97.72% to 100%.
425 citations
TL;DR: A comprehensive overview of the accumulated knowledge on UV-filter determination in biological and environmental samples can be found in this article, which encourages further research in this new, challenging field of analytical, health and environmental science.
Abstract: Recognition of the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on the skin has triggered development of organic chemicals (commonly referred as UV filters) that can absorb UV radiation and attenuate the negative effects of sunlight exposure. Depending on the properties and the intended degree of protection, a wide array of combinations is being marketed as delivering protection against most kinds of UV-induced skin damage. However, some UV filters have dermatological implications, so maximum applicable concentrations have been established. To monitor to what extent commercial products comply with the mandatory limits, several analytical methods have been used for their determination in cosmetics and related products. Further research on the efficacy of UV filters applied on the skin surface has brought to light a gradual attenuation of their UV-protective capacity that cannot solely be attributed to photo-induced decomposition. Investigations carried out to elucidate the reasons underlying this behaviour concluded that UV filters may be systematically absorbed through the skin surface or even released during bathing and washing activities. These observations gave rise to numerous studies aiming to investigate the magnitude and effects of skin penetration as well as accumulation in the water environment. Because of the need for more in-depth investigation into the behavior of UV filters, the initial demand for product certification has been extended to include reliable analytical methods to determine these substances at low concentration levels and in complex matrices (e.g., biological and environmental samples). Until now, most of the available methods, although designed to cover a large variety of substances, quantify them at only high-mg/L levels; however, recently, researchers have paid special attention to developing more sensitive procedures able to determine these substances in biological tissues and fluids or environmental samples at ng/L levels without matrix interferences. This article gives a comprehensive outline of the accumulated knowledge on UV-filter determination in biological and environmental samples and encourages further research in this new, challenging field of analytical, health and environmental science.
418 citations
TL;DR: The combined effect of modified atmosphere packaging and oregano essential oil, on the shelf-life of lightly salted cultured sea bream fillets stored under refrigeration was studied and inhibition in the TVBN and TMAN values was evident in the order MAP.
385 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the capabilities of the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiment to explore the rich heavy-ion physics program offered by the LHC are presented, and the potential of the CMS experiment to carry out a series of representative Pb-Pb measurements.
Abstract: This report presents the capabilities of the CMS experiment to explore the rich heavy-ion physics programme offered by the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The collisions of lead nuclei at energies , will probe quark and gluon matter at unprecedented values of energy density. The prime goal of this research is to study the fundamental theory of the strong interaction ? Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) ? in extreme conditions of temperature, density and parton momentum fraction (low-x).This report covers in detail the potential of CMS to carry out a series of representative Pb-Pb measurements. These include bulk observables, (charged hadron multiplicity, low pT inclusive hadron identified spectra and elliptic flow) which provide information on the collective properties of the system, as well as perturbative probes such as quarkonia, heavy-quarks, jets and high pT hadrons which yield tomographic information of the hottest and densest phases of the reaction.
361 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate the priors required for cosmological observations to favor crossing of the phantom divide and find that a low Ω0m prior (0.2 <Ω 0m<0.25) leads, for most observational probes (except of the SNLS data), to an increased probability (mild trend) for phantom divide crossing.
Abstract: If the dark energy equation of state parameter w(z) crosses the phantom divide line w = −1 (or equivalently if the expression d(H2(z))/dz−3Ω0mH02(1+z)2 changes sign) at recent redshifts, then there are two possible cosmological implications. Either the dark energy consists of multiple components with at least one non-canonical phantom component or general relativity needs to be extended to a more general theory on cosmological scales. The former possibility requires the existence of a phantom component which has been shown to suffer from serious theoretical problems and instabilities. Therefore, the latter possibility is the simplest realistic theoretical framework in which such a crossing can be realized. After providing a pedagogical description of various dark energy observational probes, we use a set of such probes (including the Gold SnIa (supernovae type Ia) sample, the first-year SNLS (Supernova Legacy Survey) data-set, the three-year WMAP CMB (Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe cosmic microwave background) shift parameter, the SDSS (Sloan Digital Sky Survey) baryon acoustic oscillations peak (BAO), the x-ray gas mass fraction in clusters and the linear growth rate of perturbations at z = 0.15 as obtained from the 2dF (Two-Degree Field) Galaxy Redshift Survey) to investigate the priors required for cosmological observations to favour crossing of the phantom divide. We find that a low Ω0m prior (0.2<Ω0m<0.25) leads, for most observational probes (except of the SNLS data), to an increased probability (mild trend) for phantom divide crossing. An interesting degeneracy of the integrated Sachs–Wolfe effect in the CMB perturbation spectrum is also pointed out.
TL;DR: Evidence is accumulating that oxidative stress is involved in the pathophysiology of several predisposing factors and cardiovascular disorders that correspondingly associated with AF, and preliminary studies using dietary antioxidants such as vitamin C have shown promising results.
TL;DR: Data is used from three GWA studies on type 2 diabetes and their replication efforts where meta-analyses of all data using fixed effects methods (not incorporating between-study heterogeneity) have already been published to highlight potential explanations for between- study heterogeneity.
Abstract: Background
Meta-analysis is the systematic and quantitative synthesis of effect sizes and the exploration of their diversity across different studies. Meta-analyses are increasingly applied to synthesize data from genome-wide association (GWA) studies and from other teams that try to replicate the genetic variants that emerge from such investigations. Between-study heterogeneity is important to document and may point to interesting leads.
Methodology/Principal Findings
To exemplify these issues, we used data from three GWA studies on type 2 diabetes and their replication efforts where meta-analyses of all data using fixed effects methods (not incorporating between-study heterogeneity) have already been published. We considered 11 polymorphisms that at least one of the three teams has suggested as susceptibility loci for type 2 diabetes. The I2 inconsistency metric (measuring the amount of heterogeneity not due to chance) was different from 0 (no detectable heterogeneity) for 6 of the 11 genetic variants; inconsistency was moderate to very large (I2 = 32–77%) for 5 of them. For these 5 polymorphisms, random effects calculations incorporating between-study heterogeneity revealed more conservative p-values for the summary effects compared with the fixed effects calculations. These 5 associations were perused in detail to highlight potential explanations for between-study heterogeneity. These include identification of a marker for a correlated phenotype (e.g. FTO rs8050136 being associated with type 2 diabetes through its effect on obesity); differential linkage disequilibrium across studies of the identified genetic markers with the respective culprit polymorphisms (e.g., possibly the case for CDKAL1 polymorphisms or for rs9300039 and markers in linkage disequilibrium, as shown by additional studies); and potential bias. Results were largely similar, when we treated the discovery and replication data from each GWA investigation as separate studies.
Significance
Between-study heterogeneity is useful to document in the synthesis of data from GWA investigations and can offer valuable insights for further clarification of gene-disease associations.
TL;DR: In this article, an experimental investigation and analysis of the energy and environmental performance of a green roof system installed in a nursery school building in Athens is presented and analyzed, while in the second one the energy savings were examined through a mathematical approach by calculating both the cooling and heating load for the whole building as well as for its top floor.
TL;DR: The colectomy rate in UC in the first decade after diagnosis was found to be lower than that in previous publications, but there was a difference between northern and southern Europe.
TL;DR: Compared to cytology, the HC2 and PCR are substantially more sensitive for prevalent CIN2 or worse but significantly less specific; however, reduction of the incidence of or mortality from invasive cervical cancer among HPV screened subjects compared to cytologically screened subjects has not yet been demonstrated.
TL;DR: Two phloroglucinols were detected for the first time, which have been previously reported to be precursors in the biosynthesis of hyperforin and adhyperforin.
TL;DR: It is concluded that, because of its high pre-concentration factor, LPME can be introduced with benefit into water analysis for several pesticide groups, and other pre-Concentration techniques may be a good alternative if an analytical problem cannot be sufficiently dealt with L PME.
TL;DR: Almost all articles on cancer prognostic marker studies highlight some statistically significant results, suggesting that under strong reporting bias, statistical significance loses its discriminating ability for the importance of prognostic markers.
TL;DR: To better understand theOverall burden of bacterial infections on cirrhotic patients' survival, more data on preventive efficacy of pneumococcal vaccination, on the overall burden of tuberculosis, and the relative incidence of specific infections as endocarditis are warranted.
TL;DR: Claims from highly cited observational studies persist and continue to be supported in the medical literature despite strong contradictory evidence from randomized trials.
Abstract: ContextSome research findings based on observational epidemiology are contradicted by randomized trials, but may nevertheless still be supported in some scientific circles.ObjectivesTo evaluate the change over time in the content of citations for 2 highly cited epidemiological studies that proposed major cardiovascular benefits associated with vitamin E in 1993; and to understand how these benefits continued being defended in the literature, despite strong contradicting evidence from large randomized clinical trials (RCTs). To examine the generalizability of these findings, we also examined the extent of persistence of supporting citations for the highly cited and contradicted protective effects of beta-carotene on cancer and of estrogen on Alzheimer disease.Data SourcesFor vitamin E, we sampled articles published in 1997, 2001, and 2005 (before, early, and late after publication of refuting evidence) that referenced the highly cited epidemiological studies and separately sampled articles published in 2005 and referencing the major contradicting RCT (HOPE trial). We also sampled articles published in 2006 that referenced highly cited articles proposing benefits associated with beta-carotene for cancer (published in 1981 and contradicted long ago by RCTs in 1994-1996) and estrogen for Alzheimer disease (published in 1996 and contradicted recently by RCTs in 2004).Data ExtractionThe stance of the citing articles was rated as favorable, equivocal, and unfavorable to the intervention. We also recorded the range of counterarguments raised to defend effectiveness against contradicting evidence.ResultsFor the 2 vitamin E epidemiological studies, even in 2005, 50% of citing articles remained favorable. A favorable stance was independently less likely in more recent articles, specifically in articles that also cited the HOPE trial (odds ratio for 2001, 0.05 [95% confidence interval, 0.01-0.19; P < .001] and the odds ratio for 2005, 0.06 [95% confidence interval, 0.02-0.24; P < .001], as compared with 1997), and in general/internal medicine vs specialty journals. Among articles citing the HOPE trial in 2005, 41.4% were unfavorable. In 2006, 62.5% of articles referencing the highly cited article that had proposed beta-carotene and 61.7% of those referencing the highly cited article on estrogen effectiveness were still favorable; 100% and 96%, respectively, of the citations appeared in specialty journals; and citations were significantly less favorable (P = .001 and P = .009, respectively) when the major contradicting trials were also mentioned. Counterarguments defending vitamin E or estrogen included diverse selection and information biases and genuine differences across studies in participants, interventions, cointerventions, and outcomes. Favorable citations to beta-carotene, long after evidence contradicted its effectiveness, did not consider the contradicting evidence.ConclusionClaims from highly cited observational studies persist and continue to be supported in the medical literature despite strong contradictory evidence from randomized trials.
TL;DR: It is proposed that all the intracellular symbionts known to cluster closely with the type strain of W. pipientis, including those in the currently recognized supergroups (A-H), are officially given this name.
Abstract: Wolbachia pipientis is a maternally inherited, intracellular bacterium found in more than 20 % of all insects, as well as numerous other arthropods and filarial nematodes. It has been the subject of a growing number of studies in recent decades, because of the remarkable effects it has on its arthropod hosts, its potential as a tool for biological control of arthropods of agricultural and medical importance and its use as a target for treatment of filariasis. W. pipientis was originally discovered in cells of the mosquito Culex pipiens and is the only formally described member of the genus. Molecular sequence-based studies have revealed a number of phylogenetically diverse strains of W. pipientis. Owing to uncertainty about whether W. pipientis comprises more than one species, researchers in the field now commonly refer to W. pipientis simply as Wolbachia. In this note, we briefly review higher-level phylogenetic and recombination studies of W. pipientis and propose that all the intracellular symbionts known to cluster closely with the type strain of W. pipientis, including those in the currently recognized supergroups (A-H), are officially given this name.
TL;DR: This article summarizes the analytical characteristics of the different methods of sample-preparation for determination of pesticide residues in a variety of food matrices, and surveys their recent applications in combination with chromatographic mass spectrometric analysis.
Abstract: Much progress has been made in pesticide analysis over the past decade, during which time hyphenated techniques involving highly efficient separation and sensitive detection have become the techniques of choice. Among these, methods based on chromatographic separation with mass spectrometric detection have resulted in greater likelihood of identification and are acknowledged to be extremely useful and authoritative methods for determination of pesticide residues. Even with such powerful instrumental techniques, however, the risk of interference increases with the complexity of the matrix studied, so sample preparation before instrumental analysis is still mandatory in many applications, for example food analysis. This article summarizes the analytical characteristics of the different methods of sample-preparation for determination of pesticide residues in a variety of food matrices, and surveys their recent applications in combination with chromatographic mass spectrometric analysis. We discuss the advantages and the disadvantages of the different methods, address instrumental aspects, and summarize conclusions and perspectives for the future.
TL;DR: In this paper, a new energy classification technique based on intelligent clustering methodologies is proposed for school buildings, which provides specific information on their energy consumption and efficiency relative to other buildings of similar nature and permits a better planning of interventions to improve its energy performance.
TL;DR: QCA does not predict the functional significance of coronary lesions and FFR shows modest concordance with noninvasive imaging tests, and the prognostic implications of discordant FFR and imaging results need further study.
Abstract: We performed a meta-analysis of 31 studies comparing the results of fractional flow reserve (FFR) against quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) and/or noninvasive imaging of the same lesions. Studies were retrieved from PubMed (last search February 2006). Across 18 studies (1,522 lesions), QCA had a random effects sensitivity of 78% (95% confidence interval [CI] 67 to 86) and specificity of 51% (95% CI 40 to 61) against FFR (0.75 cutoff). Overall concordances were 61% for lesions with diameter stenosis 30% to 70%, 67% for stenoses >70%, and 95% for stenoses <30%. Compared with noninvasive imaging (21 studies, 1,249 lesions), FFR had a sensitivity of 76% (95% CI 69 to 82) and specificity of 76% (95% CI 71 to 81) by random effects. Summary receiver-operator characteristic estimates were similar. Most data addressed comparisons with perfusion scintigraphy (976 lesions, sensitivity 75%, specificity 77%), and some data were also available for dobutamine stress echocardiography (273 lesions, sensitivity 82%, specificity 74%). In conclusion, QCA does not predict the functional significance of coronary lesions. FFR shows modest concordance with noninvasive imaging tests. The prognostic implications of discordant FFR and imaging results need further study.
TL;DR: An aggregate Air Quality Index based on the combined effects of five criteria pollutants taking into account the European standards is developed, revealing the Athenian population exposure reaches high levels and during last years a gradual increase of days with unhealthy conditions was detected.
TL;DR: ACL reconstruction with the ST/G graft and with current techniques did not restore tibial rotation to previous physiological levels during an activity with increased rotational loading at the knee, although abnormal anteroposterior (AP) tibIAL translation was restored.
Abstract: Recent research suggests ACL reconstruction does not restore tibial rotation to normal levels during high demand activities when a bone-patellar tendon-bone graft is used. We asked if an alternative graft, the semitendinosus-gracilis (ST/G) tendon graft, could restore tibial rotation during a high demand activity. Owing to its anatomic similarity with the normal ACL we hypothesized the ST/G graft could restore excessive tibial rotation to normal healthy levels along with a successful reinstatement of the clinical stability of the knee. We assessed tibial rotation in vivo, using gait analysis. We compared the knees of ACL reconstructed patients with an ST/G graft to their intact contralateral and healthy controls during a pivoting task that followed a stair descent. We also evaluated knee stability after ACL reconstruction with standard clinical tests. ACL reconstruction with the ST/G graft and with current techniques did not restore tibial rotation to previous physiological levels during an activity with increased rotational loading at the knee, although abnormal anteroposterior (AP) tibial translation was restored.
TL;DR: It is hypothesised that the development of new surgical procedures and grafts, such as a more horizontally oriented femoral tunnel or a double-bundle ACL reconstruction, could possibly restore tibial rotation to normal levels and prevent future knee pathology.
Abstract: Excessive tibial rotation has been documented in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficiency during walking. ACL reconstruction has been unable to correct this abnormality in activities that are more demanding than walking and involve both anterior and rotational loading of the knee. These findings persist regardless of graft selection for the ACL reconstruction (bone-patellar tendon-bone or semitendinosus gracilis). Based on this research work, we propose a theoretical perspective for the development of osteoarthritis in both the ACL-deficient and the ACL-reconstructed knee. We propose that excessive tibial rotation will lead to abnormal loading of the cartilage areas that are not commonly loaded in the healthy knee. Over time, this abnormal loading will lead to osteoarthritis. We hypothesise that the development of new surgical procedures and grafts, such as a more horizontally oriented femoral tunnel or a double-bundle ACL reconstruction, could possibly restore tibial rotation to normal levels and prevent future knee pathology. However, in vivo gait analysis studies are needed to examine the effects of these surgical procedures on tibial rotation. Prospective in vivo and in vitro studies are also necessary to verify or refute our theoretical proposition for the development of osteoarthritis.
University of Ioannina1, Kyoto University2, Saitama Medical University3, University of Pittsburgh4, Polish Academy of Sciences5, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences6, University of Birmingham7, Kurume University8, Medical University of Warsaw9, Showa University10, Chang Gung University11, Kaohsiung Medical University12, Tufts University13, Foundation for Research & Technology – Hellas14
TL;DR: The CT60 polymorphism of CTLA-4 maps an important genetic determinant for the risk of both GD and HT across diverse populations.
Abstract: Context: Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) polymorphisms have been widely examined for their associations with autoimmune thyroid diseases [Graves’ disease (GD) and Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT)], but their relative population effect remains unclear. Objective: The aim was to generate large-scale evidence on whether the CTLA-4 polymorphisms (A49G and CT60) and haplotypes thereof increase the susceptibility to GD and/or HT. Design, Setting, and Participants: Meta-analyses of group-level data were reviewed from 32 (11,019 subjects) and 12 (4,479) published and unpublished studies for the association of the A49G polymorphism with GD and HT, respectively (PubMed and HuGeNet search until July 2006). There were 15 (n = 7246) and six (n = 3086) studies available for the CT60 polymorphism, respectively. Meta-analyses of individual-level data from 10 (4906 subjects) and five (2386) collaborating teams for GD and HT, respectively, were also reviewed. Main Outcome Measures: Association of gene varian...
Journal Article•
TL;DR: The present review article regarding the kinin system-bradykinin is dealing with the biological effects of the abovementioned entity mediated by specific B1 and B2 receptors as well as with its clinical implications known nowadays.
Abstract: The present review article regarding the kinin system-bradykinin is dealing with the biological effects of the abovementioned entity mediated by specific B1 and B2 receptors as well as with its clinical implications known nowadays. The activation of the kinin system-bradykinin is particularly important in blood pressure regulation and in inflammatory reactions, through bradykinin ability to elevate vascular permeability and to cause vasodilatation in some arteries and veins. Recent data on bradykinin formation and release, synergy with ligands, receptors for bradykinin as well as on bradykinin participation in the mitogenesis process, are given in detail. Therapeutic potentials and future applications in many clinical situations including respiratory allergic reactions, septic shock, hypertension and its treatment, hypotensive transfusion reactions, heart diseases, pancreatitis, hereditary and acquired angioedema, Alzheimer disease and liver cirrhosis with ascites, are discussed in brief. Its role as a neuromediator, regulator of several vascular and renal functions, and its participation in signaling pathways, is also discussed in some detail.