Obesity is a risk factor for sepsis morbidity and mortality, whereas the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis plays a protective role in the body's defence against sepsis. Sepsis induces a profound systemic immune response and cytokines serve as excellent markers for sepsis as they act as mediators of the immune response. Evidence suggests that the adipokine leptin may play a pathogenic ro...

Maternal social stress during late pregnancy programs hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hyper-responsiveness to stressors, such that adult prenatally stressed (PNS) offspring display exaggerated HPA axis responses to a physical stressor (systemic interleukin-1β; IL-1β) in adulthood, compared with controls. IL-1β acts via a noradrenergic relay from the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) to c...

Hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been reported in Huntington's disease (HD). In non-HD populations, alterations in HPA axis activity have been associated with depression and suicidality. The present study aims to compare HPA axis activity between HD mutation carriers and controls, and examine its association with depressive symptoms and suicidality. To this end...

The interactions of human genotype AO erythrocytes (red blood cells) (RBCs) with N-acetylgalactosamine-reactive lectins isolated from Helix pomatia (HPA) and from Dolichos biflorus (DBA) were studied. Binding curves obtained with the use of tritium-labeled lectins showed that the maximal numbers of lectin molecules capable of binding to human genotype AO RBCs were 3.8 X 10(5) and 2.7 X 10(5) mo...

The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is the major neuroendocrine stress response system. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons in the parvocellular paraventricular nucleus (pPVN) play a key role in coordinating responses of this system to stressors. The cytokine interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), mimicking infection, robustly activates these CRH neurons via a noradrenergic input ari...

Automatic irrigation scheduling based on real-time measurement of soilless substrate water status has been recognized as a promising approach for efficient greenhouse irrigation management. Identification of proper irrigation set points is crucial for optimal crop performance, both in terms of yield and quality, and optimal use of water resources. The objective of the present study was to deter...

BACKGROUND Despite the robust and widely replicated finding of elevated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity in depressed adults, studies of depressed children have yielded ambiguous findings. Animal models of early depression and studies of children experiencing early psychosocial deprivation have suggested that alterations in HPA axis reactivity are evident in early "depressiv...

A neonate presented with hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA), with a persistently elevated phenylalanine/tyrosine ratio. The HPA was responsive to tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4). His clinical course was dominated by liver failure, associated with perinatal hemochromatosis. He also developed renal tubulopathy. HPA has not previously been reported in association with any of these features. We investigated the...

BACKGROUND The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulates stress responses and HPA dysfunction has been associated with several chronic diseases. Low birthweight may be associated with HPA dysfunction in later life, yet human studies are inconclusive. The primary study aim was to identify genetic variants associated with HPA axis function. A secondary aim was to evaluate if these varia...

Objective Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), a specific form of macular degeneration, has been reported as presenting manifestation of Cushing's syndrome. Furthermore, CSC has been associated with both exogenous hypercortisolism and endogenous Cushing's syndrome. It is important to know whether CSC patients should be screened for Cushing's syndrome. Although hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal ...