Human immunodeficiency virus among people who inject drugs: Is risk increasing in Europe?

In most European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) countries, between 2010 and 2012, reports of new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) diagnoses among people who inject drugs have been stable or declining. HIV outbreaks in Greece and Romania, first reported in 2011, continue and economic conditions hinder provision of effective response coverage. When measured against some established thresholds, prevention coverage remains inadequate in at least one-third of EU/EEA countries. Urgent consideration to scale up prevention efforts is merited.

Identification of genomic deletions spanning the PCDH19 gene in two unrelated girls with intellectual disability and seizures

Recently, missense and truncating mutations in the gene PCDH19 have been reported to cause female-restricted epilepsy with mental retardation (EFMR). EFMR (MIM#300088) is an X-linked disorder characterized by early onset seizures and intellectual disability (ID). Interestingly, unlike typical X-linked mode of inheritance, the phenotype is restricted to females, and males are unaffected carriers. PCDH19 is highly expressed in brain, and the encoded protein belongs to the cadherin superfamily. Here we report two unrelated female patients with deletions spanning PCDH19 identified by copy number variation (CNV) analysis and validated by qPCR. In one, we have identified a 3 Mb interstitial deletion at Xq21.33-q22.1 which spans PCDH19, LOC442459 & TNMD. This patient had her first seizure at 8 months old, and also has ID and aggressive behavior. In another female patient we identified a de novo 603 kb heterozygous deletion in a female patient with fits (since 1 year of age), ID, hyperactivity and aggressive behavior. The deletion spans the entire PCDH19 gene (also TNMD, SRPX2, TSPAN6 and SYTL4). In conclusion, our results suggest that deletions at PCDH19 also cause EFMR.

Effect of Montelukast on bradykinin-induced contraction of isolated tracheal smooth muscle of guinea pig

AIM

To explore the effect of montelukast on bradykinin-induced tracheal smooth muscle contraction of isolated guinea pig trachea.

STUDY DESIGN

To study the effect of bradykinin in the absence and in the presence of montelukast on the isolated tracheal smooth muscle of a guinea pig pretreated with indomethacin (10(-6)M), phentolamine (10(-5)M), and propranalol (10(-6)M), to eliminate the effect of endogenous prostaglandins and catecholamines. The trachealis smooth muscle activity was recorded through the Isometric Force Displacement Transducer on a Four Channel Oscillograph. A cumulative dose-response relationship was demonstrated by adding successive doses of bradykinin on the tracheal strips, starting with 11 μg to 77 μg of 10(-4) concentration. A similar procedure was repeated in the presence of montelukast 0.5 μg/ml, which, was equal to approximate C(max) achieved in vivo with a 10 mg oral dose of montelukast, and in the presence of 1 μg/ml of montelukast.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Data was expressed as mean ± standard error (SEM), and was analyzed using the SPSS version 15. A P value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

Bradykinin produced a dose-dependent, reversible contraction of isolated tracheal smooth muscle. Montelukast significantly reduced the bradykinin-induced tracheal smooth muscle reactivity and shifted the bradykinin curve to the right and downwards, in the presence of both concentrations of montelukast. The mean magnitude of response achieved with 77 μg of bradykinin in the absence of montelukast was 39 mm ± 6.26, in the presence of 0.5 μg/ml of montelukast it was 24.17 mm ± 4.11, and in the presence of 1 μg/ml of montelukast it was 13 mm ± 2.6.

CONCLUSION

It is concluded that montelukast significantly inhibits, in a dose-dependent manner, the bradykinin-induced contraction of the guinea pig tracheal smooth muscle, and alludes to an interaction between the bradykinin and leukotriene mediators.

Hemizygous deletions on chromosome 1p21.3 involving the DPYD gene in individuals with autism spectrum disorder

We describe the identification and clinical presentation of four individuals from three unrelated families with hemizygous deletions involving the DPYD gene at chromosome 1p21.3. DPYD encodes dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase, which is the initial and rate-limiting enzyme in the catabolism of pyrimidine bases. All four individuals described met diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder with severe speech delay. Patient 1's deletion was originally reported in 2008, and more detailed clinical information is provided. Subsequently, this male individual was found to have a missense mutation in the X-linked PTCHD1 autism susceptibility gene, which may also contribute to the phenotype. Patients 2 and 3 are siblings with a novel deletion encompassing the DPYD gene. In their mother, the genomic region deleted from chromosome 1p21.3 was inserted into chromosome 10. A fourth proband had a novel 10-kb intragenic deletion of exon 6 of the DPYD gene detected on a higher resolution microarray. Our study suggests that hemizygous deletions involving the DPYD locus present with variable phenotypes which can include speech delay and autistic features, and may also be influenced by additional mutations in other genes, issues which need to be considered in genetic counseling.

The impact of primary health care on malaria morbidity--defining access by disease burden

OBJECTIVES

Primary care facilities are increasingly becoming the focal point for distribution of malaria intervention strategies, but physical access to these facilities may limit the extent to which communities can be reached. To investigate the impact of travel time to primary care on the incidence of hospitalized malaria episodes in a rural district in Kenya.

METHODS

The incidence of hospitalized malaria in a population under continuous demographic surveillance was recorded over 3 years. The time to travel to the nearest primary health care facility was calculated for every child between birth and 5 years of age and trends in incidence of hospitalized malaria as a function of travel time were evaluated.

RESULTS

The incidence of hospitalized malaria more than doubled as travel time to the nearest primary care facility increased from 10 min to 2 h. Good access to primary health facilities may reduce the burden of disease by as much as 66%.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results highlight both the potential of the primary health care system in reaching those most at risk and reducing the disease burden. Insufficient access is an important risk factor, one that may be inequitably distributed to the poorest households.

Immunopathogenesis of sarcoidosis

The immunopathogenesis of sarcoidosis has been difficult to charaterize given the heterogeneity of disease, the elusiveness of the causative antigen, and the lack of an adequate animal model. However, by examining well-defined clinical cohorts, the interplay between genetic predisposition and immunologic response has been increasingly informative. Technological advances in cellular analysis have allowed researchers to characterize the immune responses important in the maintenance of granulomatous inflammation. Finally, "new" clinical observations such as granuloma responsiveness to targeted biological therapies, sarcoid developing during immune restoration, and the relationship between sarcoidosis and Hepatitis C will provide future insight to the immunopathogenesis of sarcoidosis.

Crystal structure of tetrakis[(4-methyl-pyridin-2-yl)-trimethylsilanylamido] zirconium(IV), Zr(C9H15N2Si)4

C36H60N8Si4Zr, triclinic, P1̅ (no. 2), a = 12.0360(6) Å, b = 18.8040(9) Å, c = 21.581(1) Å, α = 69.448(4)°, β = 75.278(4)°, γ = 88.159(4)°, V = 4414.5 Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.035, wRref(F2) = 0.101, T = 191 K.

Crystal structure of (2,6-diisopropyl-phenyl)[N-tris(pentafluorophenyl)- boronyl-pyridin-2-yl]amine, (C6F5)3B(C5H4N)(C12H18N)

C35H22BF15N2, triclinic, P1̅ (no. 2), a = 9.800(1) Å, b = 12.022(1) Å, c = 14.326(1) Å, α = 99.486(5)°, β = 102.673(5)°, γ = 94.591(5)°, V = 1612.3 Å3, Z = 2, Rgt(F) = 0.046, wRref(F2) = 0.124, T = 193 K.

Crystal structure of 6-(carboxymethyl)-2,3,4-trimethoxybenzoic acid, C12H14O7

C12H14O7, orthorhombic, Pbca (no. 61), a = 17.62(1) Å, b = 7.040(4) Å, c = 20.51(1) Å, V = 2544.2 Å3, Z = 8, Rgt(F) = 0.041, wRref(F2) = 0.099, T = 293 K.

Analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in contaminated soil by Curie point pyrolysis coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, an alternative to conventional methods

Curie point pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) has been compared with classical extraction procedures (Soxhlet, sonication, KOH digestion, microwave-assisted) followed by GC-MS analysis for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in contaminated soil. In each case, the efficiency of the technique was examined for 16 PAHs included in the US Environmental Protection Agency Priority Pollutant List. The results indicate that the recovery of PAHs is dependent on the extraction technique. The highest recoveries of PAHs were obtained with Curie point pyrolysis and KOH digestion. Py-GC-MS appeared to be interesting alternative method for the determination of PAHs in contaminated soil. The results were validated by certified soil (CRM 104) analysis.