University of Pittsburgh

About: University of Pittsburgh is a education organization based out in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Transplantation. The organization has 87042 authors who have published 201012 publications receiving 9656783 citations. The organization is also known as: Pitt & Western University of Pennsylvania.

Apathy: a neuropsychiatric syndrome.

Abstract: Traditionally, apathy has been viewed as a symptom indicating loss of interest or emotions. This paper evaluates evidence that neuropsychiatric disorders also produce a syndrome of apathy. Both the symptom and the syndrome of apathy are of conceptual interest because they signify loss of motivation. An apathy syndrome is defined as a syndrome of primary motivational loss, that is, loss of motivation not attributable to emotional distress, intellectual impairment, or diminished level of consciousness. Loss of motivation due to disturbance of intellect, emotion, or level of consciousness defines the symptom of apathy. Neuropsychiatric literature dealing with apathy is reviewed within the framework of three approaches to defining the concept of a syndrome. Clinical and investigative approaches for evaluating apathy when it occurs in association with other syndromes are described.

Gene Expression Deficits in a Subclass of GABA Neurons in the Prefrontal Cortex of Subjects with Schizophrenia

Abstract: Markers of inhibitory neurotransmission are altered in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of subjects with schizophrenia, and several lines of evidence suggest that these alterations may be most prominent in the subset of GABA-containing neurons that express the calcium-binding protein, parvalbumin (PV). To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the expression of mRNAs for PV, another calcium-binding protein, calretinin (CR), and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD 67 ) in postmortem brain specimens from 15 pairs of subjects with schizophrenia and matched control subjects using single- and dual-label in situ hybridization. Signal intensity for PV mRNA expression in PFC area 9 was significantly decreased in the subjects with schizophrenia, predominately in layers III and IV. Analysis at the cellular level revealed that this decrease was attributable principally to a reduction in PV mRNA expression per neuron rather than by a decreased density of PV mRNA-positive neurons. In contrast, the same measures of CR mRNA expression were not altered in schizophrenia. These findings were confirmed by findings from cDNA microarray studies using different probes. Across the subjects with schizophrenia, the decrease in neuronal PV mRNA expression was highly associated ( r = 0.84) with the decrease in the density of neurons containing detectable levels of GAD 67 mRNA. Furthermore, simultaneous detection of PV and GAD 67 mRNAs revealed that in subjects with schizophrenia only 55% of PV mRNA-positive neurons had detectable levels of GAD 67 mRNA. Given the critical role that PV-containing GABA neurons appear to play in regulating the cognitive functions mediated by the PFC, the selective alterations in gene expression in these neurons may contribute to the cognitive deficits characteristic of schizophrenia.

Cytokines in acute and chronic inflammation.

Abstract: Inflammation is mediated by a variety of soluble factors, including a group of secreted polypeptides known as cytokines. Inflammatory cytokines can be divided into two groups: those involved in acute inflammation and those responsible for chronic inflammation. This review describes the role played in acute inflammation by IL-1, TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-11, IL-8 and other chemokines, G-CSF, and GM-CSF. It also describes the involvement of cytokines in chronic inflammation. This latter group can be subdivided into cytokines mediating humoral responses such as IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, and IL-13, and those mediating cellular responses such as IL-1, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, IL-10, IL-12, interferons, transforming growth factor-beta, and tumor necrosis factor alpha and beta. Some cytokines, such as IL-1, significantly contribute to both acute and chronic inflammation. This review also summarizes features of the cell-surface receptors that mediate the inflammatory effects of the described cytokines.

Lack of Effect of a Low-Fat, High-Fiber Diet on the Recurrence of Colorectal Adenomas

Abstract: Background We tested the hypothesis that dietary intervention can inhibit the development of recurrent colorectal adenomas, which are precursors of most large-bowel cancers. Methods We randomly assigned 2079 men and women who were 35 years of age or older and who had had one or more histologically confirmed colorectal adenomas removed within six months before randomization to one of two groups: an intervention group given intensive counseling and assigned to follow a diet that was low in fat (20 percent of total calories) and high in fiber (18 g of dietary fiber per 1000 kcal) and fruits and vegetables (3.5 servings per 1000 kcal), and a control group given a standard brochure on healthy eating and assigned to follow their usual diet. Subjects entered the study after undergoing complete colonoscopy and removal of adenomatous polyps; they remained in the study for approximately four years, undergoing colonoscopy one and four years after randomization. Results A total of 1905 of the randomized subjects (91....