The N-methyl-D-aspartate-evoked cytoplasmic calcium increase in adult rat dorsal root ganglion neuronal somata was potentiated by substance P pretreatment in a protein kinase C-dependent manner

The involvement of substance P (SP) in neuronal sensitization through the activation of the neurokinin-1-receptor (NK1r) in postsynaptic dorsal horn neurons has been well established. In contrast, the role of SP and NK1r in primary sensory dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, in particular in the soma, is not well understood. In this study, we evaluated whether SP modulated the NMDA-evoked transient increase in cytoplasmic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]cyt) in the soma of dissociated adult DRG neurons. Cultures were treated with nerve growth factor (NGF), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) or both NGF+PGE2. Treatment with NGF+PGE2 increased the percentage of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) responsive neurons. There was no correlation between the percentage of NMDA responsive neurons and the level of expression of the NR1 and NR2B subunits of the NMDA receptor or of the NK1r. Pretreatment with SP did not alter the percentage of NMDA responsive neurons; while it potentiated the NMDA-evoked [Ca2+]cyt transient by increasing its magnitude and by prolonging the period during which small- and some medium-sized neurons remained NMDA responsive. The SP-mediated potentiation was blocked by the SP-antagonist ([D-Pro4, D-Trp7,9]-SP (4-11)) and by the protein kinase C (PKC) blocker bisindolylmaleimide I (BIM); and correlated with the phosphorylation of PKCε. The Nk1r agonist [Sar9, Met(O2)11]-SP (SarMet-SP) also potentiated the NMDA-evoked [Ca2+]cyt transient. Exposure to SP or SarMet-SP produced a rapid increase in the labeling of phosphorylated-PKCε. In none of the conditions we detected phosphorylation of the NR2B subunit at Ser-1303. Phosphorylation of the NR2B subunit at Tyr1472 was enhanced to a similar extent in cells exposed to NMDA, SP or NMDA+SP, and that enhancement was blocked by BIM. Our findings suggest that NGF and PGE2 may contribute to the injury-evoked sensitization of DRG neurons in part by enhancing their NMDA-evoked [Ca2+]cyt transient in all sized DRG neurons; and that SP may further contribute to the DRG sensitization by enhancing and prolonging the NMDA-evoked increase in [Ca2+]cyt in small- and medium-sized DRG neurons.

Oil spill vulnerability assessment integrating physical, biological and socio-economical aspects: application to the Cantabrian coast (Bay of Biscay, Spain)

A methodology has been developed to carry out an integrated oil spill vulnerability index, V, for coastal environments. This index takes into account the main physical, biological and socio-economical characteristics by means of three intermediate indexes. Three different integration methods (worst-case, average and survey-based) along with ESI-based vulnerability scores, V(ESI), proposed for the Cantabrian coast during the Prestige oil spill, have been analyzed and compared in terms of agreement between the classifications obtained with each one for this coastal area. Results of this study indicate that the use of the worst-case index, V(R), leads to a conservative ranking, with a very poor discrimination which is not helpful in coastal oil spill risk management. Due to the homogeneity of this coastal stretch, the rest of the methods, V(I), V(M) and V(ESI), provide similar classifications. However, V(M) and V(I) give more flexibility allowing three indexes for each coastal segment and including socio-economic aspects. Finally, the V(I) procedure is proposed here as the more advisable as using this index promotes the public participation that is a key element in the implementation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (IZCM).

[Septal perforation in cocaine abusers: utility of the computed tomography]

OBJECTIVE

Utility of computed tomography (CT) in the evaluation of the lesions of the sinonasal tract in chronic cocaine abusers.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Eleven young cocaine abusers were included consecutively. A CT of the paranasal sinuses was made by otorhinolaryngological symptoms.

RESULTS

CT showed septal perforation in all of them. There was one nasal cavity and findings of sinusitis. Only a patient had naso-oral fistula.

CONCLUSION

CT is useful in septal perforation in cocaine addicts because it delineates the extension of destructive lesions.

Sciatic nerve conditioned medium depleted of pro-NGF modulates sodium currents and neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells

Excitability and axon/dendrite specification are the most distinctive features in the establishment of neuronal polarization. Conditioned medium from rat sciatic nerve (CM) induced a neuronal-like morphology in PC12 cells. Here we show that CM neuritogenic activity is limited to the induction of dendrites in PC12 cells. However, treatment of these cells with CM in combination with a generic inhibitor for tyrosine kinase receptors (k252a) promoted the enhancement of neurite length, development of axons and induction of sodium currents. On the other hand, specific inhibition of TrkA and p75(NTR) receptors in CM-treated cells reduced the neurite length in comparison with cells treated only with CM, although the effect over the induction of sodium currents was continuously observed. These results suggested that CM had some components that, even though are able to start the morphological cell differentiation and produce short neurites (likely acting through TrkA and p75(NTR)), can restrain further neurite extension. Depletion of pro-NGF isoforms from CM produced a similar effect as the exerted by k252a, TrkA and p75(NTR) receptor inhibitors in CM-treated cells, inducing the elicitation of sodium currents. These results suggested that the effect of CM might be mediated through pro-NGF. The difference between the results obtained with the generic inhibitor for Trk receptors and the specific inhibitors for TrkA and p75(NTR) receptors in CM-treated cells, suggested that alternative pathways could be used to regulate neurite elongation, axon specification and sodium currents in PC12 cells. These findings represent important clues to improve the understanding of the initiation of neuronal polarity.

[Smoking-related interstitial lung diseases: findings at high-resolution CT]

OBJECTIVE

To describe the anatomic and radiologic characteristics common to smoking-related interstitial lung diseases use and to evaluate the association between smoking and these diseases.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We reviewed the clinical histories of patients with suspected smoking-related interstitial lung diseases from 2001 to 2005 who underwent high-resolution computed tomography and had radiologic findings of desquamative interstitial pneumonia, respiratory bronchiolitis, histiocytosis X, or pulmonary fibrosis. We analyzed the presence of emphysema, ground glass, centrilobar nodules, cysts, honey combing, and overlap among these findings.

RESULTS

Fourteen patients were included. In desquamative interstitial pneumonia, the most common finding was ground glass (100%); in respiratory bronchiolitis, it was centrilobar nodules (100%); cysts were the most common finding in histiocytosis (85.7%) and honey combing was the most common finding in fibrosis (100%). Furthermore, over 75% of the patients had emphysema, which supported the relation with tobacco use. The patients with bronchiolitis also had signs common to the other three diseases (ground glass, honey combing, and cysts).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a relation between smoking and these interstitial diseases, as well as overlapping in their clinical and radiological manifestations.

OIL SPILL VULNERABILITY ATLAS FOR THE CANTABRIAN COAST (BAY OF BISCAY, SPAIN)

In order to respond rapidly and successfully to an oil spill occurring in a defined geographical area, a contingency plan which includes information and processes for oil spill containment and clean-up is required. An important part of the plan'S development, should involve evaluating oil spill risk based on the identification of vulnerable coastal environments. In this work, a methodology to determine an index that represents the oil spill vulnerability of a specific coast is developed. In order to provide a useful decision-making tool, special emphasis is given to the integration in one single index, of physical, biological as well as socio-economical aspects. To do this, three intermediate indexes which include different indicators are defined. The oil spill vulnerability index, V, is calculated by means of a weighting scheme as a result of the participation of interest groups involved in the decision-making process. The presented methodology is applied to the Cantabrian coast (Bay of Biscay, Spain) which was one of the areas most affected by the Prestige oil spill. The work is based on GIS technology allowing an efficient information management and the generation of updated oil spill vulnerability maps.

Towards an operational system for oil-spill forecast over Spanish waters: initial developments and implementation test

The ESEOO Project, launched after the Prestige crisis, has boosted operational oceanography capacities in Spain, creating new operational oceanographic services and increasing synergies between these new operational tools and already existing systems. In consequence, the present preparedness to face an oil-spill crisis is enhanced, significantly improving the operational response regarding ocean, meteorological and oil-spill monitoring and forecasting. A key aspect of this progress has been the agreement between the scientific community and the Spanish Search and Rescue Institution (SASEMAR), significantly favoured within the ESEOO framework. Important achievements of this collaboration are: (1) the design of protocols that at the crisis time provide operational state-of-the-art information, derived from both forecasting and observing systems; (2) the establishment, in case of oil-spill crisis, of a new specialized unit, named USyP, to monitor and forecast the marine oceanographic situation, providing the required met-ocean and oil-spill information for the crisis managers. The oil-spill crisis scenario simulated during the international search and rescue Exercise "Gijón-2006", organized by SASEMAR, represented an excellent opportunity to test the capabilities and the effectiveness of this USyP unit, as well as the protocols established to analyze and transfer information. The results presented in this work illustrate the effectiveness of the operational approach, and constitute an encouraging and improved base to face oil-spill crisis.

TGFB-induced factor (TGIF): a candidate gene for psychosis on chromosome 18p

Schizophrenia (SC) and bipolar disorder (BP) share many clinical features, among them psychosis. We previously identified a putative gene locus for psychosis on chromosome 18p in a sample from the Central Valley of Costa Rica (CVCR) population. The present study replicated the association to a specific allele of microsatellite marker D18S63 on 18p11.3, using a newly collected sample from the CVCR. A combined analysis of both samples, plus additional subjects, showed that this specific allele on D18S63, which lies within an intron on the TGFB-induced factor (TGIF) gene, is strongly associated (P-value=0.0005) with psychosis. Eleven additional SNP markers, spanning five genes in the region, were analyzed in the combined sample from the CVCR. Only the four SNPs within the TGIF gene were in strong linkage disequilibrium with D18S63 (D'=1.00). A specific haplotype for all five markers within the TGIF gene showed evidence of association (P-value=0.011) to psychosis. A second, distinct haplotype, containing a newly identified nonsynonymous polymorphism in exon 5 of the TGIF gene, showed a nonsignificant trend towards association to psychosis (P-value=0.077). TGIF is involved in neurodevelopment, neuron survival and controls the expression of dopamine receptors. Altogether, our results point to the possible involvement of TGIF in the pathophysiology of psychotic disorders in the CVCR population.

A genome-wide scan for schizophrenia and psychosis susceptibility loci in families of Mexican and Central American ancestry

Schizophrenia is a complex psychiatric disorder, likely to be caused in part by multiple genes. In this study, linkage analyses were performed to identify chromosomal regions most likely to be associated with schizophrenia and psychosis in multiplex families of Mexican and Central American origin. Four hundred and fifty-nine individuals from 99 families, containing at least two siblings with hospital diagnoses of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, were genotyped. Four hundred and four microsatellite markers were genotyped for all individuals and multipoint non-parametric linkage analyses were performed using broad (any psychosis) and narrow (schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder) models. Under the broad model, three chromosomal regions (1pter-p36, 5q35, and 18p11) exhibited evidence of linkage with non-parametric lod (NPL) scores greater than 2.7 (equivalent to empirical P values of less than 0.001) with the peak multipoint NPL = 3.42 (empirical P value = 0.00003), meeting genomewide evidence for significant linkage in the 1pter-p36 region. Under the narrow model, the same three loci showed (non-significant) evidence of linkage. These linkage findings (1pter-p36, 18p11, and 5q35) highlight where genes for psychosis and schizophrenia are most likely to be found in persons of Mexican and Central American ancestry, and correspond to recent linkages of schizophrenia or psychosis in other populations which were formed in part from emigrants from the Spanish empire of the 15th and 16th centuries.

A 2-d active appearance model for prostate segmentation in ultrasound images

In this research we use an active appearance model (AAM) as the core of a robust segmentation algorithm that combines contour and texture information to learn shape variability through a training procedure in trans-rectal ultrasound (TRUS) images of the prostate. Training was carried out using a dataset of 95 images which are preprocessed using gray-level mathematical morphology operators. Preliminary results are promising. The segmentation can provide shapes that have an overlap with respect to a ground truth shape, traced by an expert, of up to 96%, and an average distance from point to curve of up to 1.3 pixels.

Ultrasound-based liver computer assisted surgery

Ongoing research toward development of a computer-assisted, ultrasound-based software/hardware tool to improve instrument positioning in moving organs during minimally invasive abdominal surgery is presented. The main objective of this research is to calculate, in real time and without user intervention, the pre-/intra-operative 3D/2D image misalignment due to patient respiration and the shift induced by the surgical instrument. Our methodology applied to the particular case of the liver, and partial results related to the image registration approach, based on organ segmentation and shape description, are presented. Preliminary results are highly encouraging. Among other benefits, use of this tool will increase surgeon confidence and improve surgery outcomes.

Beach morphodynamics forcements in oiled shorelines: Coupled physical and chemical processes during and after fuel burial

In November 2002, the sinking of the Prestige oil tanker off the Galician coast (N.W. Spain) caused the largest ecological catastrophe in the history of Spain, affecting the coast called the 'Costa da Morte' (Galicia, N.W. Spain). This work is focused on the study of the oil contamination of the intertidal area of two beaches located on this stretch of coast. The study of twenty cores extracted from both beaches has identified fuel embedded in the sedimentary column up to a depth of 2.38 m (this being the maximum depth of extraction). This, along with the presence of oil below the groundwater indicates the existence of a new factor which determines the burial of oil: the morphodynamic behaviour of the beach. Furthermore, this morphodynamic variation conditions the physical appearance of the buried oil. Four different types have been identified: tar-balls (cm), particles (mm), oil coatings on sediment grains and on emulsion, with distribution patterns conditioned by the degree of wave exposure. The analysis of the information obtained have permitted the development of a conceptual model of the burial and oil evolution in the sedimentary column in relation to wave exposure, and thus to the morphodynamic variability of the beach.

The diagnostic usefulness of AUDIT and AUDIT-C for detecting hazardous drinkers in the elderly

We compare the diagnostic usefulness of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the AUDIT alcohol consumption questions (AUDIT-C) for detecting hazardous drinkers between the populations over and less than 65 years in primary care settings. To assess weekly alcohol intake an interview on quantity-frequency was administered to 602 patients. Hazardous drinking was defined as a level of consumption of 280 g of alcohol per week for men and 168 g for women. The participants received AUDIT, AUDIT-C and CAGE questionnaires. Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) values were also determined. Average weekly alcohol intake among the population aged 65 and older was 83 g, and 10% were hazardous drinkers. In this age group, the sensitivities of AUDIT and AUDIT-C for detecting this type of drinkers were 67% and 100%, whereas specificities were 95% and 81% respectively. In the younger patient group, the sensitivities were 84% and 100% and the specificities 95% and 79% respectively. In conclusion, both AUDIT and AUDIT-C perform well at detecting hazardous drinkers in the group older than 65 years and that their sensitivities and specificities are comparable to those in younger ages.

Seasonal changes in clinical status in bipolar disorder: a prospective study in 1000 STEP-BD patients

OBJECTIVE

To investigate seasonal and regional effects on bipolar I and II patients.

METHOD

The Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD) patients were prospectively examined for monthly change in prevalence rates of depressed and recovered clinical status over the year. General Estimating Equation modeling was used to assess the effect of season on prevalence rates. Additionally, patients were stratified by bipolar subtype and by region.

RESULTS

A significantly higher prevalence rate of depression is observed in the northern sites, a significant prevalence by month effect is found only in the bipolar II patients.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of depression is greater in patients from the northern vs. southern STEP-BD sites. Seasonal peak prevalence rates of depression differ by region. Bipolar II patients were more ill year-round and demonstrated greater monthly fluctuation in prevalence rates of being ill than did bipolar I patients. We conclude that seasonal effects upon bipolar patients vary by region and bipolar subtype.

Association analyses of the neuregulin 1 gene with schizophrenia and manic psychosis in a Hispanic population

OBJECTIVE

This study used the population of the Central Valley of Costa Rica (CVCR) and phenotyping strategies alternative to DSMIV classifications to investigate the association of neuregulin 1 with schizophrenia.

METHOD

Using 134 family trios with a history of psychosis, we genotyped six of the seven markers originally identified to be associated with schizophrenia in Iceland.

RESULTS

The neuregulin Icelandic haplotype was not associated with schizophrenia in the CVCR population. However, a novel haplotype was found to be overrepresented in subjects with functional psychosis (global P-value > 0.05). Stratification of the sample by history of mania suggests that this haplotype may be preferentially over-transmitted to persons with a history of manic psychosis.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that the neuregulin 1 gene is unlikely to play a major role in predisposing to schizophrenia in the CVCR. Further studies in the CVCR and other Latin American populations should be performed in order to corroborate these findings.

Tight binding between a pool of the heterodimeric α/β tubulin and a protein kinase CK2 inTrypanosoma cruziepimastigotes

Tubulin is the predominant phosphoprotein inTrypanosoma cruziepimastigotes and is phosphorylated by a protein kinase CK2. Interestingly, the presence or absence of divalent cations affected the solubilization of a pool of the parasite tubulin and the CK2 responsible for its phosphorylation. This fraction of tubulin and its kinase co-eluted using phosphocellulose, DEAE-Sepharose and Sephacryl S-300 chromatographies. Anti-α tubulin antibodies co-immunoprecipitated both tubulin and the CK2 responsible for its phosphorylation, and anti-CK2 α-subunit antibodies immunoprecipitated radioactively labelled α and β tubulin from phosphorylated epimastigote homogenates. Additionally, native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified and radioactively labelled fraction containing tubulin and its kinase demonstrated the phosphorylation of a unique band that reacted with both anti-CK2 α-subunit and anti-tubulin antibodies. Together, these results establish a strong interaction between a pool of the heterodimeric α/β tubulin and a CK2 in this parasite. Hydrodynamic measurements indicated that theT. cruzitubulin-CK2 complex is globular with an estimated size of 145·4–147·5 kDa.