Glucocorticoids: mediators of vertebrate ontogenetic transitions.

Probabilistic Models for Continuous Ontogenetic Transition Processes

BACKGROUND Probabilistic reaction norms (PRNs) are an extension of the concept of reaction norms, developed to account for stochasticity in ontogenetic transitions. However, logistic regression based PRNs are restricted to discrete time intervals, whereas previously proposed models for continuous transitions are demanding in terms of modelling effort and data needed. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FIN...

Glucocorticoids: mechanisms of action and anti-inflammatory potential in asthma.

GLUCOCORTICOIDS are potent inhibitors of inflammatory processes and are widely used in the treatment of asthma. The anti-inflammatory effects are mediated either by direct binding of the glucocorticoid/glucocorticoid receptor complex to glucocorticoid responsive elements in the promoter region of genes, or by an interaction of this complex with other transcription factors, in particular activat...

Glucocorticoids as Mediators of Developmental Programming

In vivo bone strain and ontogenetic growth patterns in relation to life-history strategies and performance in two vertebrate taxa: goats and emu.

This study examined ontogenetic patterns of limb loading, bone strains, and relative changes in bone geometry to explore the relationship between in vivo mechanics and size-related changes in the limb skeleton of two vertebrate taxa. Despite maintaining similar relative limb loads during ontogeny, bone strain magnitudes in the goat radius and emu tibiotarsus generally increased. However, while ...

Role of glucocorticoids in neutrophil and endothelial adhesion molecule expression and function

Glucocorticoids are very effective inhibitors of both the acute and chronic inflammatory response. In this study the hypothesis that glucocorticoids inhibit an early component of the inflammatory response, neutrophil adhesion to endothelium, by down-regulation of adhesion molecules on neutrophils or endothelium was examined. No effect of dexamethasone on neutrophil adhesion to endothelium or of...