Glucocorticoids are pleiotropic hormones, which are involved in almost every cellular, molecular and physiologic network of the organism, and regulate a broad spectrum of physiologic functions essential for life. The cellular response to glucocorticoids displays profound variability both in magnitude and in specificity of action. Tissue sensitivity to glucocorticoids differs among individuals, within tissues of the same individual and within the same cell. The actions of glucocorticoids are mediated by the glucocorticoid receptor, a ubiquitously expressed intracellular, ligand-dependent transcription factor. Multiple mechanisms, such as pre-receptor ligand metabolism, receptor isoform expression, and receptor-, tissue-, and cell type-specific factors, exist to generate diversity as well as specificity in the response to glucocorticoids. Alterations in the molecular mechanisms of glucocorticoid receptor action impair glucocorticoid signal transduction and alter tissue sensitivity to glucocorticoids. This review summarizes the recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms determining tissue sensitivity to glucocorticoids with particular emphasis on novel mutations and new information on the circadian rhythm and ligand-induced repression of the glucocorticoid receptor.
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis plays an important role in the maintenance of basal and stress-related homeostasis. The hypothalamus controls the secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the anterior pituitary, which in turn stimulates the secretion of glucocorticoids from the adrenal cortex. Glucocorticoids, the final effectors of the HPA axis, regulate a broad spectrum of physiologic functions essential for life and exert their effects through their ubiquitously distributed intracellular receptors. Alterations in the activity of the HPA axis may present with symptoms and signs of glucocorticoid deficiency or excess. Detailed endocrinologic evaluation is of primary importance in determining the diagnosis and/or etiology of the underlying condition. We review the most common endocrinologic investigations used in the evaluation of the HPA axis integrity and function.
A realistic assessment of building economic losses and collapse induced by earthquakes requires the monitoring of several response measures, both story-specific and global. The prediction of such response measures benefits from using multiple ground motion intensity measures (IMs) that are, in general, correlated. To allow the inclusion of multiple IMs in the risk assessment process, it is necessary to have a practical tool that computes the vector-valued hazard of all such IMs at the building site. In this paper, vector-valued probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (VPSHA) is implemented here as a post-processor to scalar PSHA results. A group of candidate scalar and vector IMs based on spectral acceleration values, ratios of spectral acceleration values, and spectral accelerations averaged over a period range are defined and their hazard evaluated. These IMs are used as structural response predictors of three-dimensional (3-D) models of reinforced concrete buildings described in a companion paper ( Kohrangi et al. 2016 ).
ABSTRACT Incremental recordwise Latin hypercube sampling (iLHS) and multiple stripe analysis (MSA) are employed to evaluate the seismic performance of low‐rise RC moment‐resisting frames subjected to uncertainties of both the values of the model parameters and the model type itself. The study spans various designs of a given 2‐story frame, from modern seismic‐resistant to older with joint shear deficiencies. It examines fragility curves for global and local behaviors and scrutinizes the selection of intensity measures (IMs). Two levels of fidelity for the beam‐column joint modeling are considered: a high‐fidelity explicit model and a lower‐fidelity implicit model. Findings indicate that model parameter uncertainties have minimal impact for modern frames, while for older frames with joint shear deficiencies, these uncertainties become significant. The study also reveals that no single IM is universally optimal for the ductile or semi‐ductile version of this short‐period frame; the better performing IM fluctuates between average spectral and peak ground acceleration depending on the drift ratio level; for the brittle joint‐deficient one, though, the limited manifestation of plastic behavior makes spectral acceleration at the fundamental period consistently good even close to collapse. The paper concludes with a proposed method for estimating total variance for different limit states, aligning with FEMA P58 guidelines.
Summary Pulse‐like records are well recognized for their potential to impose higher demands on structures when compared with ordinary records. The increased severity of the structural response usually caused by pulse‐like records is commonly attributed to the spectral increment around the pulse period. By comparing the building response to sets of spectrally equivalent pulse‐like and ordinary records, we show that there are characteristics of pulse‐like records beyond the shape of the acceleration response spectrum that affect the results of nonlinear dynamic analysis. Nevertheless, spectral shape together with the ratio of pulse period to the first‐mode structural period, T p / T 1 , are confirmed as “sufficient” predictors for deformation and acceleration response metrics in a building, conditioned on the seismic intensity. Furthermore, the average spectral acceleration over a period range, AvgSA , is shown to incorporate to a good proxy for spectral shape, and together with T p / T 1 , form an efficient and sufficient intensity measure for response prediction to pulse‐like ground motions. Following this latter route, we propose a record selection scheme that maintains the consistency of T p with the hazard of the site but uses AvgSA to account for the response sensitivity to spectral shape.
Introductions| June 29 2009 Neuroimmunomodulation in Asthma: Focus on the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Subject Area: Endocrinology , Immunology and Allergy , Neurology and Neuroscience Kostas N. Priftis; Kostas N. Priftis Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar George P. Chrousos George P. Chrousos Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Neuroimmunomodulation (2009) 16 (5): 263–264. https://doi.org/10.1159/000216183 Article history Published Online: June 29 2009 Content Tools Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Kostas N. Priftis, George P. Chrousos; Neuroimmunomodulation in Asthma: Focus on the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis. Neuroimmunomodulation 1 June 2009; 16 (5): 263–264. https://doi.org/10.1159/000216183 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentAll JournalsNeuroimmunomodulation Search Advanced Search Article PDF first page preview Close Modal This content is only available via PDF. © 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel2009Copyright / Drug Dosage / DisclaimerCopyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements. You do not currently have access to this content.
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There is an endless debate on whether androgens mediate testis descent through developmental changes in the gubernacular or the cranial suspensory ligament.
The Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry has long strived to assess the likely post-earthquake condition of structures. Recently, the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research (PEER) Center has developed an appropriate basis for seismic damage assessment, including cost estimation and scheduling for post-earthquake building rehabilitation. However, without proper visualization, these numbers may fail to communicate the actual operability of the building after an earthquake. The proposed methodology relies on the integration of tools currently available to the AEC industry, such as: Building Information Modeling (BIM), a fourth-generation programming language, a relational database management system and construction management tools within the PEER Center framework. This process is automated through the development of appropriate software and is applied to a one-story reinforced concrete moment-frame (RCMF) building, providing the BIM with data about elements' damage state, 3D damage assessment visualizations, the expected rehabilitation cost and duration for different levels of seismic intensity. Hence, engineers and developers have the unique opportunity to create a holistic picture of any RCMF building's seismic behavior which is comprehensible by non-engineer owners, customers and shareholders.
