Cannabidiol administration after hypoxia-ischemia to newborn rats reduces long-term brain injury and restores neurobehavioral function

Cannabidiol (CBD) demonstrated short-term neuroprotective effects in the immature brain following hypoxia-ischemia (HI). We examined whether CBD neuroprotection is sustained over a prolonged period. Newborn Wistar rats underwent HI injury (10% oxygen for 120 min after left carotid artery electrocoagulation) and then received vehicle (HV, n = 22) or 1 mg/kg CBD (HC, n = 23). Sham animals were similarly treated (SV, n = 16 and SC, n = 16). The extent of brain damage was determined by magnetic resonance imaging, histological evaluation (neuropathological score, 0-5), magnetic resonance spectroscopy and Western blotting. Several neurobehavioral tests (RotaRod, cylinder rear test[CRT],and novel object recognition[NOR]) were carried out 30 days after HI (P37). CBD modulated brain excitotoxicity, oxidative stress and inflammation seven days after HI. We observed that HI led to long-lasting functional impairment, as observed in all neurobehavioral tests at P37, whereas the results of HC animals were similar to those of sham animals (all p < 0.05 vs. HV). CBD reduced brain infarct volume by 17% (p < 0.05) and lessened the extent of histological damage. No differences were observed between the SV and SC groups in any of the experiments. In conclusion, CBD administration after HI injury to newborn rats led to long-lasting neuroprotection, with the overall effect of promoting greater functional rather than histological recovery. These effects of CBD were not associated with any side effects. These results emphasize the interest in CBD as a neuroprotective agent for neonatal HI.

Nigral degeneration correlates with persistent activation of cerebellar Purkinje cells in MPTP-treated monkeys

In the present work we analyze the cerebellum of chronic parkinsonian monkeys in order to clarify whether chronic mesencephalic depletion is associated with long term activation of the cerebellar neurons in chronic Parkinsonism. In our study, we observed a persistent activation of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum of chronic parkinsonian macaques, characterized by the expression of c-Fos, which correlated with dopaminergic degeneration. These results are compatible with the results observed in fMRI in Parkinson's disease patients, and may contribute to the understanding of additional alterations in the brain circuitry in Parkinsonism.

Do protein-protein interaction databases identify moonlighting proteins?

One of the most striking results of the human (and mammalian) genomes is the low number of protein-coding genes. To-date, the main molecular mechanism to increase the number of different protein isoforms and functions is alternative splicing. However, a less-known way to increase the number of protein functions is the existence of multifunctional, multitask, or "moonlighting", proteins. By and large, moonlighting proteins are experimentally disclosed by serendipity. Proteomics is becoming one of the very active areas of biomedical research, which permits researchers to identify previously unseen connections among proteins and pathways. In principle, protein-protein interaction (PPI) databases should contain information on moonlighting proteins and could provide suggestions to further analysis in order to prove the multifunctionality. As far as we know, nobody has verified whether PPI databases actually disclose moonlighting proteins. In the present work we check whether well-established moonlighting proteins present in PPI databases connect with their known partners and, therefore, a careful inspection of these databases could help to suggest their different functions. The results of our research suggest that PPI databases could be a valuable tool to suggest multifunctionality.

Gene ontology function prediction in mollicutes using protein-protein association networks

Background

Many complex systems can be represented and analysed as networks. The recent availability of large-scale datasets, has made it possible to elucidate some of the organisational principles and rules that govern their function, robustness and evolution. However, one of the main limitations in using protein-protein interactions for function prediction is the availability of interaction data, especially for Mollicutes. If we could harness predicted interactions, such as those from a Protein-Protein Association Networks (PPAN), combining several protein-protein network function-inference methods with semantic similarity calculations, the use of protein-protein interactions for functional inference in this species would become more potentially useful.

Results

In this work we show that using PPAN data combined with other approximations, such as functional module detection, orthology exploitation methods and Gene Ontology (GO)-based information measures helps to predict protein function in Mycoplasma genitalium.

Conclusions

To our knowledge, the proposed method is the first that combines functional module detection among species, exploiting an orthology procedure and using information theory-based GO semantic similarity in PPAN of the Mycoplasma species. The results of an evaluation show a higher recall than previously reported methods that focused on only one organism network.

IFN-γ signaling, with the synergistic contribution of TNF-α, mediates cell specific microglial and astroglial activation in experimental models of Parkinson's disease

To through light on the mechanisms underlying the stimulation and persistence of glial cell activation in Parkinsonism, we investigate the function of IFN-γ and TNF-α in experimental models of Parkinson's disease and analyze their relation with local glial cell activation. It was found that IFN-γ and TNF-α remained higher over the years in the serum and CNS of chronic Parkinsonian macaques than in untreated animals, accompanied by sustained glial activation (microglia and astroglia) in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Importantly, Parkinsonian monkeys showed persistent and increasing levels of IFN-γR signaling in both microglial and astroglial cells. In addition, experiments performed in IFN-γ and TNF-α KO mice treated with MPTP revealed that, even before dopaminergic cell death can be observed, the presence of IFN-γ and TNF-α is crucial for microglial and astroglial activation, and, together, they have an important synergistic role. Both cytokines were necessary for the full level of activation to be attained in both microglial and astroglial cells. These results demonstrate that IFN-γ signaling, together with the contribution of TNF-α, have a critical and cell-specific role in stimulating and maintaining glial cell activation in Parkinsonism.

[Conservative treatment of the pectus carinatum]

INTRODUCTION

Pectus carinatum (PC) is a deformity that involves the protrusion of the anterior chest wall. It is 10 times less frequent than pectus excavatum. It has a progressive growth and is more common with men. There are two different types, the lower or condrocorporal which is the most common one, and the upper or condromanubrial. Most of the time there are no cardio-respiratory symptoms.

OBJECTIVE

We present our experience in the orthopedic treatment of the pectus carinatum.

METHOD

Retrospective review of patients treated in our hospital from 2002 until 2009. Patients were treated with observation, aerobic exercises, postural change and/or compression braces. Literature review was performed of the treatment for this pathology.

RESULTS

18 patients have been diagnosed with PC, 16 were men and 2 women. All were treated in a nonoperative way. Only 11 of them used a compression brace. We missed two follow-ups and another has just yet begun to achieve proper results. All the rest have had excellent results with nonoperative treatment. None of them have had a surgical treatment.

CONCLUSION

The PC is a disease that most often is a cosmetic problem, with no impact on a cardio-respiratory level. Classically it has been a surgical entity. In our experience we have found that the orthopedic method is an effective alternative, safe and with a significant reduction in morbidity. But we need the collaboration of the patient to accept and maintain continuity in the use of the prostheses.

[Laparoscopy as diagnostic-therapeutic method in abdominal traumatism in the pediatric age]

The management of blunt abdominal traumatism with a moderate amount of free peritoneal fluid and without solid organ injury as well as the one of minimal penetrating trauma is controversial. We present three cases of blunt abdominal trauma and two of penetrating trauma that underwent diagnostic laparoscopy in our department. We found a small bowel perforation in one of the cases of blunt trauma that was repaired by externalization of the jejuna loop by one of the ports. In the other two cases we found intestinal and mesenteric contusions and free fluid that were treated by peritoneal drainage. One of the cases of penetrating trauma presented omentum evisceration with no other injuries and the second presented a gastric perforation that needed reconversion to laparotomy. In our experience and according to literature, laparoscopy should be taken into account as a diagnostic procedure and sometimes also therapeutic in selected cases of both blunt and penetrating abdominal trauma in pediatric population.

[Minimally invasive surgery in pediatric patients with ventriculo-peritoneal shunts]

The use of laparoscopy in patients with ventriculo-peritoneal shunts has been controversial. There is concern about the risk malfunction or infection of the shunt as well as about the possibility of adhesions that could make the surgical procedures too difficult to be undertaken by minimally invasive surgery. We present our results in pediatric patients with ventriculoperitoneal shunts that have undergone laparoscopic procedures in our department. We have performed 16 surgical procedures. The most frequent indication was fundoplication. During surgery there were no complications or intracranial hypertension episodes. Two of the procedures were considered by the surgeons more difficult and longer than usual. None of them required conversion to open technique. One shunt had to be replaced after surgery because of infection. According to our experience minimally invasive surgery is feasible and safe in pediatric patients with ventriculo-peritoneal shunts.

[Safety of hymenopteran venoms immunotherapy in a cluster schedule. A nursing perspective]

BACKGROUND

The inherent seriousness of IgE mediated hypersensitivity to hymenopteran venoms makes it necessary to reach, in the shortest period of time, the maintenance dose in immunotherapy with poisons. The aim of this article is to evaluate the safety of a cluster schedule of subcutaneous hymenopteran venom immunotherapy, which reduces the time needed to reach the maintenance dose from 12 to 3 weeks.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Thirty patients, 24 men and 6 women with an average age of 46.06 years, who had been diagnosed with hypersensitivity to the poison of hymenopterans and for whom immunotherapy had been prescribed participated in the study. The patients received Pharmalgen (ALK Abelló) immunotherapy against hymenopteran venoms, 13 Apis mellífera, 12 Véspula spp, and 5 Polistes spp, with a cluster schedule that consisted of: day 1 (4 microg + 6 microg), day 8 (10 microg + 30 microg) and day 15 (40 microg + 60 microg). The reactions occurring during the starting phase between April 2005 and February 2008 were evaluated.

RESULTS

Of the 30 vaccinated patients 2 presented an exaggerated local reaction, there were other non-specific symptoms on two occasions, and another 2 presented systemic reaction. One following administration of the dose of 40 microg presented a grade III systemic reaction, and the other after receiving the dose of 60 microg presented a grade II systemic reaction. Both passed to a conventional model of immunotherapy administration and had new grade III reactions, and were therefore kept on immunotherapy with premedication with oral antihistamines.

DISCUSSION

The study confirms that the model employed is safe with a low incidence of adverse reactions, 1.67% presented an exaggerated local reaction, 1.11% had an non-specific reaction and 1.11% a systemic reaction.

DockAnalyse: an application for the analysis of protein-protein interactions

BACKGROUND

Is it possible to identify what the best solution of a docking program is? The usual answer to this question is the highest score solution, but interactions between proteins are dynamic processes, and many times the interaction regions are wide enough to permit protein-protein interactions with different orientations and/or interaction energies. In some cases, as in a multimeric protein complex, several interaction regions are possible among the monomers. These dynamic processes involve interactions with surface displacements between the proteins to finally achieve the functional configuration of the protein complex. Consequently, there is not a static and single solution for the interaction between proteins, but there are several important configurations that also have to be analyzed.

RESULTS

To extract those representative solutions from the docking output datafile, we have developed an unsupervised and automatic clustering application, named DockAnalyse. This application is based on the already existing DBscan clustering method, which searches for continuities among the clusters generated by the docking output data representation. The DBscan clustering method is very robust and, moreover, solves some of the inconsistency problems of the classical clustering methods like, for example, the treatment of outliers and the dependence of the previously defined number of clusters.

CONCLUSIONS

DockAnalyse makes the interpretation of the docking solutions through graphical and visual representations easier by guiding the user to find the representative solutions. We have applied our new approach to analyze several protein interactions and model the dynamic protein interaction behavior of a protein complex. DockAnalyse might also be used to describe interaction regions between proteins and, therefore, guide future flexible dockings. The application (implemented in the R package) is accessible.

Renal embolization and nephrectomy in a single surgical act in high-risk renal tumor pathology

BACKGROUND

Renal artery embolization is a procedure that has been shown to be useful as a concomitant treatment for the resection of large renal tumors. Over the years, preoperative renal artery embolization concomitant with nephrectomy as a treatment option has proved to be useful in reducing morbi-mortality rates; however this procedure is not exempt from significant iatrogenia. Performing this technique in conjunction with nephrectomy in a single surgical act helps to maintain the advantages of this treatment, which in turn considerably reduces the associated morbi-mortality rates.

METHODS

This study presents seven patients selected by the Urology Service in a nonconsecutive manner who underwent renal artery embolization concomitant with nephrectomy in a single surgical procedure for large renal tumors, thus presenting a variation to the usual techniques to improve and simplify the procedure.

RESULTS

General data were obtained from all patients including age, gender, characteristics of the tumor, and symptomatology at the time of diagnosis. For all the cases, use of resources was analyzed in terms of duration of surgery, the amount of iodinated contrast medium used during the embolization procedure, and the mean duration of hospital and intensive care unit stay. Complications were evaluated with respect to general morbi-mortality associated with the complete procedure, hematic losses during the procedure, transfusion requirements, and renal function (calculated by measuring preoperative and 48-hour postoperative serum creatinine levels). All patients reported having symptoms at the time of diagnosis, all of them had tumors measuring >13 cm in diameter (major). In all the cases, 100% technical success was obtained with the embolization and nephrectomy. The mean duration of surgery in the case of embolization with coils was 45 minutes, and 25 minutes in the case of embolization with Amplatzer. A mean volume of 115 mL of contrast medium was used in the case of embolization with coils, whereas for the other cases, a mean volume of 71 mL of iodinated contrast was used. Among all the patients, only two of them required to be cared at the intensive care unit during 24 hours. On an average, reported blood loss was 380 mL. During the procedure, two patients (28.6%) required a transfusion of two units of red cells. No cases of perioperative or postoperative mortality were reported. With respect to morbidity, only one patient (14.3%) experienced a complication in the form of a superficial infection of the surgical wound, which was later resolved by antibiotic therapy. One patient (14.3%) presented a slightly higher preintervention level of creatinine (1.42). Two patients (28.6%), both of whom underwent embolization by using coils, experienced deterioration of postoperative renal function.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative embolization of the renal artery as a coadjuvant treatment option in high-risk renal neoplasia has clear technical benefits for the subsequent nephrectomy and also medical benefits for the patients. Performing both the procedures concomitantly as a single surgical act seems to retain the advantages of the embolization procedure, by reducing mortality rates and producing little associated morbidity. Technically, embolization with Amplatzer plugs seems to be faster and easier as compared with embolization with coils.

Specific pattern of flea antigen recognition by IgG subclass and IgE during the progression of papular urticaria caused by flea bite

BACKGROUND

Papular urticaria caused by flea bite presents clinical symptoms of a hypersensitivity reaction accompanied by skin lesions. However, the pattern of recognition by different antibody isotypes during the progression of the disease is unknown. This study evaluated variations in immunoglobulin E and immunoglobulin G subclass antibody responses to flea antigens during the progression of papular urticaria caused by flea bite

METHODS

Twenty-five patients clinically diagnosed with papular urticaria due to flea bite were included. Ten healthy children were included as controls. Recognition of antigens from complete flea body extract by patients and healthy controls was determined using immunoblot assays.

RESULTS

The results revealed that patients with 2-5 years of papular urticaria evidenced more IgE bands than those with shorter or longer durations of symptoms. In contrast, healthy children showed a predominance of immunoglobulin G1 and immunoglobulin G3. The majority of the recognised antigens were low molecular weight proteins (<90 kDa). Proteins with molecular weights between 16-20, 21-25, and 31-35 kDa showed different patterns of recognition between patients and healthy children.

CONCLUSION

The predominant specific antibody isotypes vary according to the time elapsed since the onset of symptoms in papular urticaria caused by flea bite.

[Ten years of laparoscope hernia repairs. Indications and results]

INTRODUCTION

The inguinal hernia surgery is common in the pediatric population although laparoscopic management today, is not considered the standard technique. The aim of this study is to review the results of our study and evaluate the contralateral side in patients with unilateral hernia.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Retrospective study of laparoscopic herniorraphy at our hospital since the beginning of the art in 1999 with a total of 348 patients. The indications of laparoscopy have been the availability of umbilical hernia associated, doubt diagnosis, recurrence of open surgery, bilateral tumor and casual diagnosis. We analyzed the following parameters: sex, age, weight, associated diagnosis, intra and postoperative complications, recurrence and follow-up.

RESULTS

474 hernias were repaired laparoscopically in 348 patients. A predominance of males against females (30%). In 37 patients (11%) the diagnosis was made during another operation. 39 patients with recidive open surgery were operated by laparoscopy. We had only 2% intraoperative complications and 2% of recurrences. The follow-up period is 10 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic herniorraphy may be a routine procedure with results comparable to open surgery. Laparoscopy offers a good overview of the anatomy, easily identifying the defect, with a technique increasingly used in the field of pediatric surgery.