DOCSLIB.ORG

NMRC Annual Report 2004

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
NMRC Annual Report 2004 AAANNNNNNUUUAAALLL RRREEEPPPOOORRRTTT OOOFFF TTTHHHEEE NNNAAATTTIIIOOONNNAAALLL MMEEEDDDIIICCCAAALLL RRREEESSSEEEAAARRRCCCHHH CCCOOOUUUNNNCCCIIILLL (NMRC) 2004 Content C H A P T E R 1 ................................................................................... - 1 - National Medical Research Council .............................................................. - 1 - Council Members.................................................................................................... - 1 - Executive Committee ............................................................................................. - 2 - C H A P T E R 2 ................................................................................... - 3 - Introduction .............................................................................................................. - 3 - NMRC’s Mission and Strategy.............................................................................. - 3 - FY2004 Budget and Expenditure ......................................................................... - 4 - Highlights of FY2004.............................................................................................. - 4 - C H A P T E R 3 ................................................................................... - 6 - Competitive Grants ............................................................................................... - 6 - Introduction .............................................................................................................. - 6 - Individual Research Grant (IRG).......................................................................... - 6 - Competitive Programme Grant (CPG)............................................................... - 11 - Competitive Priority Grant (CPRG).................................................................... - 11 - C H A P T E R 4 ................................................................................. - 12 - Block Grants .......................................................................................................... - 12 - Introduction ............................................................................................................ - 12 - Institutional Block Grant (IBG) ............................................................................ - 13 - Enabling Grant (EG)............................................................................................. - 49 - C H A P T E R 5 ................................................................................. - 62 - Summary of Research Output........................................................................ - 62 - Research Output from Block Grants & Competitive Grants........................... - 62 - C H A P T E R 6 ................................................................................. - 63 - NMRC-STB Medical Research Fellowship/Scientist Awards .......... - 63 - NMRC Medical Research Fellowship/Scientist Award ................................... - 63 - Medical Research Travelling Fellowships......................................................... - 66 - C H A P T E R 7 ................................................................................. - 67 - Financial Report................................................................................................... - 67 - Budget for FY2004................................................................................................ - 67 - Commitments in FY2004 ..................................................................................... - 67 - Research Expenditure for FY2004..................................................................... - 71 - Medical Research Fellowship/Scientist Award ................................................ - 74 - A N N E X E S ........................................................................................... - 75 - Annex 1: Abstracts of IRG & IBG Research Projects Completed in FY2004.. - 76 - Annex 2: Abstracts of Completed Projects under NMRC-STB Medical Research Fellowship/Scientist Award in FY2004 ................................................................ - 123 - Annex 3: Abstracts of Completed Projects under NMRC-STB Medical Research TravellingFellowship in FY2004 ........................................................................... - 128 - Annex 4: Research Projects Approved by NMRC in FY2004.......................... - 135 - Annex 5: Publications arising from Block Grants and Competitive Grants.... - 147 - Annex 6: Acknowledgements................................................................................ - 202 - Local Reviewers.................................................................................................. - 202 - Overseas Reviewers .......................................................................................... - 203 - C H A P T E R 1 National Medical Research Council Council Members Chairman Prof Woo Keng Thye Emeritus Consultant, Department of Renal Medicine Singapore General Hospital Members Assoc Prof Chew Suok Kai Deputy Director of Medical Services (Epidemiology and Disease Control) Ministry of Health Prof Barry Halliwell Head, Department of Biochemistry National University of Singapore Prof Hong Wan Jin Deputy Director Institute of Molecular & Cell Biology Prof Lee Eng Hin Director, Division of Graduate Medical Studies National University of Singapore Assoc Prof London Lucien Ooi Head, Surgical Oncology Department National Cancer Centre Assoc Prof Shazib Pervaiz Vice-Dean (Research), Faculty of Medicine National University of Singapore Prof Soo Kee Chee Director National Cancer Centre Assoc Prof Donald Tan Director Singapore Eye Research Institute Dr Stephen D Wise Director Lilly-NUS Centre for Clinical Pharmacology Prof Yap Hui Kim Head, Division of Paediatric Nephrology Immunology and Urology The Children’s Medical Institute National University Hospital - 1 - Executive Committee Chairman Prof Woo Keng Thye Emeritus Consultant, Department of Renal Medicine Singapore General Hospital Members Prof Barry Halliwell Head, Department of Biochemistry National University of Singapore Prof Soo Kee Chee Director National Cancer Centre Assoc Prof Donald Tan Director Singapore Eye Research Institute Dr Stephen D Wise Director Lilly-NUS Centre for Clinical Pharmacology Prof Yap Hui Kim Head, Division of Paediatric Nephrology Immunology and Urology The Children’s Medical Institute National University Hospital - 2 - C H A P T E R 2 Introduction NMRC’s Mission and Strategy Since its inception in 1994, the National Medical Research Council’s (NMRC) mission has been to engender the growth of research talent, support high quality clinical research, and improve the quality of medical care and human health in Singapore. NMRC is a unit of the Ministry of Health (MOH), and MOH provides secretariat support to the Council. The present Council is chaired by Professor Woo Keng Thye, Singapore General Hospital, and comprises representatives from the universities and leading medical and scientific institutions in Singapore. The Council was appointed by the Minister for Health in Feb 2003 for a 3 year term. Its mission includes: To lead, promote and co-ordinate clinical research nationally. To identify and prioritise areas of clinical research to be undertaken To propose an annual budget for clinical research to MOH. To decide on the allocation of funds for clinical research activities. To co-ordinate and facilitate the efficient use of research facilities, manpower and funds. To evaluate the outcomes of research studies, including the clinical applications of the research findings. The Council is assisted by the Executive Committee, which provides funding recommendations to aid the Council, and the Fellowship Subcommittee and 10 Peer Review Committees which provide scientific inputs. The 10 Peer Review Subcommittees are grouped as follows: 1. Immunology/Microbiology 2. Pathology/Inflammation/Oncology/Nuclear Medicine 3. Biochemistry/Cell and Molecular Biology 4. Epidemiology/Health Sciences/Public Health & Health Services 5. Peripheral, Central, Sensory & Cellular Nervous System/Mental Health 6. Genetics/Paediatrics/Reproduction 7. Cardiovascular/Respiratory 8. Renal/Endocrine/Pharmacology 9. GIT/Liver/Nutrition 10. Dentistry/Surgery/Ophthalmology Together with key stakeholders and partners, the Council set the strategic plan for medical research in Singapore in 2003 for the next 5 years. It also aims to chart the future directions for medical research development in Singapore. - 3 - The NMRC Strategic Plan consists of 3 key elements: 1. Development of research landscape 2. Funding of manpower 3. Development of greater depth and breadth of clinical research expertise. The Council also identified 7 focus areas for research as follows: 1. Vascular 2. Oncology 3. Infectious diseases (include public health) 4. Hepatology 5. Neurobiology and ageing 6. Ophthalmology and visual sciences 7. Child Health FY2004 Budget and Expenditure In FY2004, the NMRC was allocated a total of $54.9 million for research expenditure, out of which $49.9 million was obtained from MOH’s Other Operating Expenses Budget and $5.0 million was received as a generous donation from Singapore Totalisator Board (STB) for research projects and programmes. STB also provided an additional $2.0 milllion in FY2004 for the Medical Research Fellowship and Scientist Award. For this financial year, the expenditures for research programmes and projects i.e. Block Grants and Competitive
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Probiotics in Gastric and Intestinal Disorders As Functional Food and Medicine Nils-Georg Asp, Roland Mo¨Llby, Lisa Norin and Torkel Wadstro¨M
    æConference summary Probiotics in gastric and intestinal disorders as functional food and medicine Nils-Georg Asp, Roland Mo¨llby, Lisa Norin and Torkel Wadstro¨m The chairman of the first session, Tore Midtvedt, scribed as the dominant indigenous lactobacilli of opened the conference by reminding the audience the human intestine. From 130 intestinal biopsies that since ancient time, food, bowel and health have the following lactobacilli were cultured: 38% L been interrelated medical topics. Microorganisms, gasseri, 20%, L fermentum, 8% L crispatus, 7% L especially lactobacilli and some yeasts, have been rhamnosus, 4.4% L salivarius and 4.4% L mucosae- used as health-promoting agents since ancient time. like probiotic strains (unpublished data). Versalovic Metchnikoff suggested that the long healthy life of stressed that there is a demand for a more detailed Bulgarian peasants resulted from consumption of understanding of the composition of the commensal fermented milk products. The term ‘‘probiotic’’ is intestinal microbiota and their interactions with the still under debate. In all definitions there are two intestinal immune system, which would create prerequisites: 1) the microbes have to be alive, and breakthroughs in probiotic research. Gene and 2) the microbes are given for other than nutritional protein discovery efforts with defined clones of reasons, i.e., it is not the caloric or nutrient content specific intestinal lactobacilli and other lactic acid of the probiotics that counts. ME Sanders’ defini- bacteria would lead to the unravelling of mechan- tion from 1996 says that probiotics, simply defined, isms of probiosis and development of new thera- are microbes consumed for health effects.
    [Show full text]
  • Nutritional Impact on Immunological Maturation During Childhood in Relation to the Environment (NICE): a Prospective Birth Cohort in Northern Sweden
    Open access Protocol BMJ Open: first published as 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022013 on 21 October 2018. Downloaded from Nutritional impact on Immunological maturation during Childhood in relation to the Environment (NICE): a prospective birth cohort in northern Sweden Malin Barman,1,2 Fiona Murray,3 Angelina I Bernardi,4 Karin Broberg,5 Sven Bölte,6 Bill Hesselmar,7 Bo Jacobsson,2 Karin Jonsson,1 Maria Kippler,5 Hardis Rabe,4 Alastair B Ross,1 Fei Sjöberg,4 Nicklas Strömberg,8 Marie Vahter,5 Agnes E Wold,4 Ann-Sofie Sandberg,1 Anna Sandin3,9 To cite: Barman M, Murray F, ABSTRACT Strengths and limitations of this study Bernardi AI, et al. Nutritional Introduction Prenatal and neonatal environmental impact on Immunological factors, such as nutrition, microbes and toxicants, may ► Prospective study design covering a period from maturation during Childhood affect health throughout life. Many diseases, such in relation to the Environment mid-pregnancy to the age of 4 years with biological as allergy and impaired child development, may be (NICE): a prospective birth cohort samples from both the mother, father and child for programmed already in utero or during early infancy. Birth in northern Sweden. BMJ Open evaluation of microbiology, nutrition, immunology, cohorts are important tools to study associations between 2018;8:e022013. doi:10.1136/ environmental toxicants, genetics and epigenetics. bmjopen-2018-022013 early life exposure and disease risk. Here, we describe the ► Interdisciplinary, translational approach and ad- study protocol of the prospective birth cohort, ‘Nutritional vanced analytical methods within the field of al- ► Prepublication history impact on Immunological maturation during Childhood in and additional material for lergology, immunology, nutrition, microbiology, relation to the Environment’ (NICE).
    [Show full text]
  • Health Effects of Probiotics and Prebiotics a Literature Review On
    REPORT Scandinavian Journal of Nutrition/Naringsforskning Vol45:58-75, 2001 Health effects of probiotics and prebiotics A literature review on human studies By Henrik Andersson, Nils-Georg Asp, Ake Bruce, Stefan Roos, Torkel Wadstrom and Agnes E. Wold ABSTRACT Human studies on health effects of probiotics and prebiotics were reviewed and evaluated. The main results can be summaries as follows: Certain probiotic lactobacilli may improve lactose digestion and reduce symptoms of lactose intolerance. The effect of probiotics on serum cholesterol is still inconclusive. Animal studies showing triacylglycerol-lowering effects of prebiotics need confirmation in humans. Data on effects of probiotics on constipation are not convincing, whereas inulin has dose-related laxating effect. Effects of a probiotic drink have been reported on symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome, but more studies are needed for firm conclusions. A significant shortening of acute watery rotavirus-included diarrhoea has been demonstrated for two lactobacilli, whereas possible effects on the risk of getting traveller's diarrhoea need further studies. There are promising indications that probiotics could be useful against antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, and a yeast preparation has been shown to reduce the risk of relapsing Clostridium dificile diarrhoea. Promising results from studies on the effect of probiotic products in the treatment of gastritis and inflammatory bowel disease should encourage further studies with pro-, pre- and synbiotic foods. Certain prebiotic oligosaccharides may increase calcium absorption. Probiotics can be regarded as safe although occasional infections have been reported in immunosuppressed patients. Prebiotics such as fructans may cause dose dependent gastrointestinal side-effects. The documentation of health-promoting effects of probiotic and prebiotic products is rapidly increasing.
    [Show full text]
  • "Allergy Prevention by Raw Cow's Milk
    28/10/18 Allergy prevention by raw cow’s milk - Epidemiological evidence and possible involved mechanisms Agnes Wold Professor of Clinical Bacteriology University of Gothenburg Senior Consultant, Sahlgrenska University Hospital Sweden IgE-mediated (atopic) allergy– our most common disease • ~ 30% of children and young adults affected inWestern countries • Increases globally when living standards improve • Often life-long disease • Significant negative effects on quality of life • Tremendous costs in medications & lost productivity NO effective preventive measures yet found 1 28/10/18 Allergens = common, harmless proteins in environment (food, air) Fel d 1 (cat) Beta-lactoblogulin (cow’s milk) Bet v 1 (birch pollen) Sensitization = presence of allergen-specific IgE antibodies IgE venule Bet v 1 Symptoms = allergy Tissue swelling, mucus histamine production, vasodilatation Hay fever, asthma, atopic eczema, food reactions (vomiting, skin eruption) mast cell ”The atopic marsch” IgE-mediated allergy food allergy allergy to aiborne allergens symtom: eczema asthma GI symptoms hay fever 1 yr newborn 3 yr adult allergens: cow’s milk animals pollens egg 2 28/10/18 A normal, healthy immune system reacts to microbes, but tolerates harmless protein antigens (Oral tolerance) food proteins microbes ? ? Peyer’s patch How? IMMUNITY ACTIVE, ANTIGEN- SPECIFIC TOLERANCE Where? regulatory T cells Which type? As infections decrease, immunoregulatory diseases increase JF Bach The effect of infections on susceptibility to autoimmune and allergic diseases.
    [Show full text]
  • Många Goda Råd Är Rent Nonsens
    2008 SVÅRT ATT RÄKNA KROPPEN I SAMTALET MENTAL HÄLSA Många studenter Maktens gester Beröm får oss | MAJ 3 # ger låg ranking skärskådas att må bra GU JOURNALEN NYHETER FRÅ N G Ö T E B O RG S UN IVERSITET Många goda råd är rent nonsens Rektor har ordet Vår marina profil blir ännu starkare! GU J SÅ KOM DÅ ÄNTLIGEN beskedet om att samhällsvetenskap och humaniora. och spegla likheter och olikheter mel- m a j Göteborgs universitet får ansvaret I sina kommentarer till beslutet tydlig- lan de båda haven. Syftet är att få ett GU JOURNALEN ÄR EN PERSONAL- OCH NYHETSTIDNING för det statliga havsmiljöinstitutet. gör regeringens ansvariga – högskole- vetenskapligt underlag som vägleder de FRÅN GÖTEBORGS UNIVERSITET Regeringens beslut var ingalunda och forskningsminister Lars Leijonborg insatser som fordras. oväntat. En utredning hade redan för och miljöminister Andreas Carlgren – att Regeringens beslut andas inte bara ett och ett halvt år sedan föreslagit valet av Göteborgs universitet när det tvärvetenskaplighet utan också sam- chefredaktör & detta. Men det är ändå en framgång gäller ledning och koordination beror på arbete. Det innebär att Göteborgs uni- ansvarig utgivare att vi fått uppdraget att samordna den vår tydliga marina profil med en omfat- versitet inte bara ska bli värd för det nya Allan Eriksson/Tel: 786 1021 [email protected] svenska forskningen på ett område som tande och bred forskning på området. havsmiljöinstitutet, utan också att vi ska har mycket stor betydelse: miljön och koordinera havsmiljöarbetet med våra redaktör & stf ansvarig utgivare därmed allt levandes välbefinnande. DE BÅDA PÅPEKAR också att det i kollegor vid universiteten i Stockholm Eva Lundgren/Tel: 786 1081 västra Sverige genomförts ett strategiskt och Umeå samt vid Högskolan i Kalmar.
    [Show full text]
  • Global Corruption Report: Education
    Global Corruption Report: Education TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL First published 2013 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2013 Transparency International. All rights reserved. Edited by Gareth Sweeney, Krina Despota and Samira Lindner The right of Transparency International to be identifi ed as author of the editorial material, and of the individual authors as authors of their contributions, has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identifi cation and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record has been requested for this book ISBN13: 978-0-415-53544-1 (hbk) ISBN13: 978-0-415-53549-6 (pbk) ISBN13: 978-0-203-10981-6 (ebk) Illustrations by Agur Paesüld. Typeset in Helvetica by
    [Show full text]
  • Inequality Quantified: Mind the Gender Gap : Nature News & Comment
    Inequality quantified: Mind the gender gap : Nature News & Comment http://www.nature.com/news/inequality-quantified-mind-the-gende... NATURE | NEWS FEATURE Inequality quantified: Mind the gender gap Despite improvements, female scientists continue to face discrimination, unequal pay and funding disparities. Helen Shen 06 March 2013 As INTERACTIVE: Science's gender gap an Female scientists have made steady gains in recent decades but they face persistent career challenges. US universities and colleges employ far more male scientists than female ones and men earn significantly more in science occupations. Gender breakdown: 1973-2008 Median annual salary: 2008 GENDER BREAKDOWN BY FIELD OF STUDY FOR US SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS WITH PHDS EMPLOYED IN ACADEMIA Male 250 Female 200 150 100 Thousands 50 0 1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2006 2008 All positions All fields Adjust scale: DATA SOURCE: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION HTTP://WWW.NSF.GOV/STATISTICS/SEIND12 /APPEND/C5/AT05-17.PDF aspiring engineer in the early 1970s, Lynne Kiorpes was easy to spot in her undergraduate classes. Among a sea of men, she and a handful of other women made easy targets for a particular professor at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. On the first day of class, “he looked around and said 'I 1 of 10 4/1/13 4:29 PM Inequality quantified: Mind the gender gap : Nature News & Comment http://www.nature.com/news/inequality-quantified-mind-the-gende... see women in the classroom. I don't believe women have any business in engineering, and I'm going to personally see to it that you all fail'.” He wasn't bluffing.
    [Show full text]
  • Old Herborn University Monograph 16
    Old Herborn University Seminar Monograph 16. HOST MICROFLORA CROSSTALK EDITORS: PETER J. HEIDT TORE MIDTVEDT VOLKER RUSCH DIRK VAN DER WAAIJ Old Herborn University Seminar Monograph 16 ISBN 3-923022-27-1 ISSN 1431-6579 COPYRIGHT © 2003 BY HERBORN LITTERAE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL, INCLUDING PHOTOCOPY, RECORDING, OR ANY INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM, WITHOUT PERMISSION IN WRITING FROM THE PUBLISHER EDITORS: Peter J. Heidt, Ph.D., B.M. Department of Animal Science Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC) Lange Kleiweg 139 2288 GJ - Rijswijk The Netherlands Tore Midtvedt, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Medical Microbial Ecology Karolinska Insttute von Eulers väg 5 S 171 77 Stockholm Sweden Volker Rusch, Dr. rer. nat. Institute for Integrative Biology Kornmarkt 2 D-35745 Herborn-Dill Germany Dirk van der Waaij, M.D., Ph.D. Professor emeritus, University of Groningen Hoge Hereweg 50 9756 TJ - Glimmen The Netherlands Verlag wissenschaftlicher Schriften und Bücher Am Kornmarkt 2 Postfach 1664 D-35745 Herborn-Dill Germany Telephone: +49 - 2772 - 921100 Telefax: +49 - 2772 - 921101 Contents ——————————————————————————————————————— Participating authors V I. THE GUT IMMUNE SYSTEM AND THE MUCOSAL BACTERIA (Agnes E. Wold) 1 Summary ……………………………………………………………….. 1 IgA ……………………………………………………………………… 1 T cells…………………………………………………………………... 2 Induction of mucosal immune responses……………………………….. 2 Importance of gut flora on the specific immune system ………………… 3 The transient nature of the response to gut bacteria …………………….. 4 Immune response to food proteins ……………………………………… 5 Oral tolerance …………………………………………………………… 5 Mechanisms for oral tolerance ………………………………………….. 6 The normal microflora and oral tolerance……………………………….. 7 Influence of the commensal flora on innate immunity…………………..
    [Show full text]
  • Cord Blood Levels of EPA, a Marker of Fish Intake, Correlate with Infants' T
    nutrients Article Cord Blood Levels of EPA, a Marker of Fish Intake, Correlate with Infants’ T- and B-Lymphocyte Phenotypes and Risk for Allergic Disease Malin Barman 1 , Hardis Rabe 2 , Bill Hesselmar 3, Susanne Johansen 4, Ann-Sofie Sandberg 1,* and Agnes E. Wold 2 1 Food and Nutrition Science, Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers, University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg, Sweden; [email protected] 2 Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Göteborg, Sweden; [email protected] (H.R.); [email protected] (A.E.W.) 3 Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Göteborg, Sweden; [email protected] 4 Pediatric Clinic, Skaraborg Hospital, 53151 Lidköping, Sweden; [email protected] * Correspondence: ann-sofi[email protected] Received: 1 September 2020; Accepted: 27 September 2020; Published: 30 September 2020 Abstract: Maternal fish intake during pregnancy has been associated with reduced allergy development in the offspring and here, we hypothesized that components of fish stimulate fetal immune maturation. The aim of this study was to investigate how maternal fish intake during pregnancy and levels of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) in the infant’s cord serum correlated with different subsets of B- and T-cells in cord blood and B-cell activating factor (BAFF) in cord plasma, and with doctor-diagnosed allergy at 3 and 8 years of age in the FARMFLORA birth-cohort consisting of 65 families. Principal component analysis showed that infant allergies at 3 or 8 years of age were negatively associated with the proportions of n-3 LCPUFAs (eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid) in infant cord serum, which, in turn correlated positively with maternal fish intake during pregnancy.
    [Show full text]
  • Commensal Microbes, Immune Reactivity and Childhood Inflammatory Bowel Disease
    Commensal microbes, immune reactivity and childhood inflammatory bowel disease Cecilia Barkman Department of Infectious Diseases Sahlgrenska Academy University of Gothenburg Sweden 2009 ISBN 978-91-628-7811-5 Department of Infectious Diseases University of Gothenburg, Sweden Printed by Intellecta Infolog AB Västra Frölunda, Sweden 2009 Commensal microbes, immune reactivity and childhood inflammatory bowel disease. Cecilia Barkman, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Gothenburg Guldhedsgatan 10A, 413 46 Göteborg, Sweden, [email protected] Abstract Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by chronic and relapsing intestinal inflammation of unknown etiology, but immune activation by the commensal microbiota probably plays a major role. The two major categories of IBD are ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. One fifth of the cases present in childhood and Sweden has a high and rising incidence of pediatric IBD. The aim of this thesis was to study the composition of the small and large intestinal microbiota and signs of activation on lymphocyte subsets in the blood circulation in children at the début of IBD, before initiation of treatment. Further, the requirements of commensal Gram-positive bacteria to initiate production of IL-12, a cytokine stimulating Th1 reactions in innate immune cells, was studied using blood obtained from healthy donors. Blood, faecal and duodenal samples were obtained from children referred to a pediatric gastroenterology centre due to suspected IBD. Samples of the microbiota were cultivated quantitatively for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. After establishment of diagnosis, the composition of the microbiota and lymphocyte subsets were compared between children with ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, symptomatic children found not to have IBD (diseased controls) and healthy controls.
    [Show full text]
  • Why Is There Still Confusion About the Impact of Breast-Feeding on the Risk of Allergy Development? Agnes E
    æEarly nutrition and future health Why is there still confusion about the impact of breast-feeding on the risk of allergy development? Agnes E. Wold Department of Clinical Bacteriology, Go¨teborg University, Sweden Abstract The incidence of allergies has tripled in Sweden and other highly developed countries in the past 20 years. Allergies are now the most common chronic disease in childhood, affecting approximately one-third of Swedish schoolchildren. In response to this development, Swedish authorities formulated advice to parents on how to reduce the risk of their children becoming allergic. One such recommendation was to breast-feed exclusively for 4 (or 6) months and postpone the introduction of solid foods. Since the early 1970s, breast- feeding has tripled in Sweden, but simultaneously, allergies have also tripled in Sweden and other wealthy Western countries. There is reason to examine the foundations for the advice to breast-feed to hinder allergy development. What is allergy? potent inflammatory mediators, and are situated Allergy is defined as immune-mediated hypersen- around blood vessels and in the airways and sitivity. The allergic individual mounts an immune gastrointestinal mucosa. Upon renewed exposure response to harmless substances, termed allergens, to the sensitizing allergen, small amounts of intact present in the environment. Renewed exposure allergen are taken up via the mucosal surfaces and produces symptoms that are caused by an activation reach tissue mast cells armed with IgE antibodies to of immunological and inflammatory reactions. the allergen. Binding of the allergen to IgE leads to Development of an immune response to an allergen activation of the mast cell becomes activated and is termed sensitization and is a prerequisite for the release of first histamine and later leukotrienes and development of allergy.
    [Show full text]
  • The Gastrointestinal Tract/Canal
    Bacterial colonization of the infantile bowel and the ileal pouch with focus on Escherichia coli Anna Östblom Department of Infectious Medicine, Clinical Bacteriology Section Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Sweden 2010 © Anna Östblom 2010 Bacterial colonization of the infantile bowel and the ileal pouch with focus on Escherichia coli Doctorial thesis. Department of Infectious medicine, Clinical Bacteriology Section, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without written permission. ISBN 978-91-628-8210-5 E-published: http://hdl.handle.net/2077/22936 Printed by Intellecta Infolog AB Göteborg, Sweden 2010 ABSTRACT The colonic microbiota is a source of inflammatogenic and potentially pathogenic bacteria, but also a source of immune maturation signals to the infant. Here, we have investigated the normal colonic microbiota, with focus on E. coli in Swedish and Pakistani newborn infants, as well as the microbiota of the ileo-anal pouch in colectomized patients. The aim was to identify factors that contribute to long-term persistence of E. coli strains in the microbiota. E. coli strains can be divided into four phylogenetic groups, of which most strains causing extraintestinal infections belong to the B2 group. These strains also carry an array of virulence-associated genes often located on chromosomal regions, termed pathogenicity- associated islands (PAIs). We have previously showed that B2 strains carrying certain adhesins and virulence markers have increased capacity to persist in the microbiota of Swedish infants. Patients colectomized due to ulcerative colitis who received a continent pouch constructed from ileum were followed for 3 years with respect to adaptation of the microbiota.
    [Show full text]