Displaying all 2 publications

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Genitsaridi E, Dode A, Qirjazi B, Mehdi M, Pryss R, Probst T, et al.
    Int J Audiol, 2021 Jun 28.
    PMID: 34182868 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2021.1933221
    OBJECTIVE: To our knowledge, there is no published study investigating the characteristics of people experiencing tinnitus in Albania. Such a study would be important, providing the basis for further research in this region and contributing to a wider understanding of tinnitus heterogeneity across different geographic locations. The main objective of this study was to develop an Albanian translation of a standardised questionnaire for tinnitus research, namely the European School for Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Research-Screening Questionnaire (ESIT-SQ). A secondary objective was to assess its applicability and usefulness by conducting an exploratory survey on a small sample of the Albanian tinnitus population.

    DESIGN AND STUDY SAMPLE: Three translators were recruited to create the Albanian ESIT-SQ translation following good practice guidelines. Using this questionnaire, data from 107 patients attending otolaryngology clinics in Albania were collected.

    RESULTS: Participants reporting various degrees of tinnitus symptom severity had distinct phenotypic characteristics. Application of a random forest approach on this preliminary dataset showed that self-reported hearing difficulty, and tinnitus duration, pitch and temporal manifestation were important variables for predicting tinnitus symptom severity.

    CONCLUSIONS: Our study provided an Albanian translation of the ESIT-SQ and demonstrated that it is a useful tool for tinnitus profiling and subgrouping.

  2. Kotlarz D, Marquardt B, Barøy T, Lee WS, Konnikova L, Hollizeck S, et al.
    Nat Genet, 2018 Mar;50(3):344-348.
    PMID: 29483653 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-018-0063-6
    Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 (encoded by TGFB1) is the prototypic member of the TGF-β family of 33 proteins that orchestrate embryogenesis, development and tissue homeostasis1,2. Following its discovery 3 , enormous interest and numerous controversies have emerged about the role of TGF-β in coordinating the balance of pro- and anti-oncogenic properties4,5, pro- and anti-inflammatory effects 6 , or pro- and anti-fibrinogenic characteristics 7 . Here we describe three individuals from two pedigrees with biallelic loss-of-function mutations in the TGFB1 gene who presented with severe infantile inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and central nervous system (CNS) disease associated with epilepsy, brain atrophy and posterior leukoencephalopathy. The proteins encoded by the mutated TGFB1 alleles were characterized by impaired secretion, function or stability of the TGF-β1-LAP complex, which is suggestive of perturbed bioavailability of TGF-β1. Our study shows that TGF-β1 has a critical and nonredundant role in the development and homeostasis of intestinal immunity and the CNS in humans.
Related Terms
Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links