Genetic epidemiology of familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP)-type I in Póvoa do Varzim and Vila do Conde (north of Portugal)

Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP-type I) was first described in Portugal by Andrade in 1952, a time when 54 among 64 patients (belonging to 25 families) originated from Póvoa do Varzim or its surrounding districts. Since then, a total of 1,233 patients, belonging to 489 pedigrees (so far unrelated), have been diagnosed at Centro de Estudos de Paramiloidose, Porto, Portugal. Although age-of-onset showed a wide range (17 to 78 years), 87% of these 1,233 patients developed symptoms before 40 years of age (mean 33.5, SD 9.4 years). Among all patients, 432 belong to 140 families originating from the area of Póvoa do Varzim/Vila do Conde, 330 of whom lived in that area at the time of diagnosis; age-of-onset was, on average, lower than in the overall group of patients (mean 31.1, SD 6.7 years), and no patient had onset after 57 years (versus 3.3% in the global sample). As in previous studies, women were found to have a later onset (33.7) than men (29.0) years. In 1991, the crude prevalence rate was 90.3 x 10(-5) (one in every 1,108 inhabitants), and the frequency of gene carriers was estimated to be 186 x 10(-5) (one in every 538); about 48.4% of these carriers had manifested symptoms by 1991. Female patients had a significantly higher number of children (mean 3.7, SD 2.6) than male patients (mean 2.7, SD 2.1) and the length of their reproductive period (mean 8.4, SD 5.8 yr) was also greater than for men (mean 5.6, SD 4.4 yr). Altogether, the 122 patients who ever reproduced contributed 457 children to the next generation, a mean fertility of 3.7. Further studies using a control groups may answer the question of whether this is the result of a specific high fertility of these patients or just their belonging to a population in natural expansion.

Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy in Sweden: geographical distribution, age of onset, and prevalence

Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) in Swedish patients is associated with the same transthyretin mutation (TTRMet30) as in Portuguese, Japanese, Brazilian and Majorcan patients. Yet, the age of onset of FAP is much later in Sweden than in other populations. We have studied 239 cases of FAP from northern Sweden, their geographical distribution, differences in age of onset, and estimated prevalence and incidence rates. Cases and families concentrate mainly in two areas, around the towns of Skellefteå and Piteå. Mean age of onset was found to be later in the Piteå (58.8 +/- 10.8) than in the Skellefteå area (54.4 +/- 13.5). Unusually high figures were found for prevalence rates (91 x 10(-5) and 104 x 10(-5), respectively) in 1985. Mean yearly incidences were 3.1 x 10(-5) and 4.4 x 10(-5), respectively, over the period 1985-1989.

Comparison of different histological indexes in the assessment of UC activity and their accuracy regarding endoscopic outcomes and faecal calprotectin levels

OBJECTIVE

Histological remission is being increasingly acknowledged as a therapeutic endpoint in patients with UC. The work hereafter described aimed to evaluate the concordance between three histological classification systems-Geboes Score (GS), Nancy Index (NI) and RobartsHistopathologyIndex (RHI), as well as to evaluate their association with the endoscopic outcomes and the faecal calprotectin (FC) levels.

DESIGN

Biopsy samples from 377 patients with UC were blindly evaluated using GS, NI and RHI. The results were compared with the patients' Mayo Endoscopic Score and FC levels.

RESULT

GS, NI and RHI have a good concordance concerning the distinction between patients in histological remission or activity. RHI was particularly close to NI, with 100% of all patients classified as being in remission with NI being identified as such with RHI and 100% of all patients classified as having activity with RHI being identified as such with NI. These scores could also predict the Mayo Endoscopic Score and the FC levels, with their sensitivity and specificity levels depending on the chosen cut-offs. Moreover, higher FC levels were statistically associated with the presence of neutrophils in the epithelium, as well as with ulceration or erosion of the intestinal mucosa.

CONCLUSIONS

GS, NI and RHI histopathological scoring systems are comparable in what concerns patients' stratification into histological remission/activity. Additionally, FC levels are increased when neutrophils are present in the epithelium and the intestinal mucosa has erosions or ulcers. The presence of neutrophils in the epithelium is, indeed, the main marker of histological activity.

Factors influencing the physical characteristics of pellets obtained by extrusion-spheronization

The objective of this work was to analyse the influence of the solubility of the drug and the filler on the physical characteristics of pellets prepared by extrusion/spheronization. Different formulations were prepared according to a statistical plan, using five different drugs and five different fillers selected according to their water solubility. The pellets were then obtained by a standardized extrusion/spheronization process and evaluated in terms of their physical characteristics by measuring the pellet size, density, porosity, mechanical strength, residual moisture after drying and shape. The results were first analysed by the analysis of variance to identify the main factors involved. The results were further assessed by canonical analysis and the significant influence factors were quantified in terms of regression equations. It can be concluded that the solubility of materials used (both drugs and fillers) plays an important role in the quantity of water required to form satisfactory pellets and on the physical characteristics of pellets. Quantitative relationships were identified between (a) the extrusion force required to provide extrudate, which would form pellets and the natural log of the filler solubility; (b) the quantity of the pellets in the size range 1-1.4 and the solubility of both the filler and the drug; (c) the apparent pellet density and both the level of drug and filler plus the solubility of the filler; (d) the pellet porosity and the quantity of drug and the inverse function of the filler solubility; and (e) the mechanical strength of the pellets and the square root of the quantity of drug.

Mesoporous silica/apatite nanocomposite: special synthesis route to control local drug delivery

Synthetic hydroxyapatite is widely used in medicine and dentistry due its notable biocompatibility and bioactivity properties. The hydroxyapatite incorporation into silica has demonstrated excellent bioactivity or biodegradability, according to the content of calcium ions. Procedures to obtain ordered mesoporous silicates rely on the micelle-forming properties of a surfactant, whose chemical composition, size and concentration control the structural dimensions of the final material. This paper reports the synthesis of two types mesoporous materials: pure MCM-41 and a nanocomposite of apatite and mesoporous silica, MCM-41-HA. The samples were charged with atenolol as a model drug and in vitro release essays were carried out. The bioactivity behavior was investigated as a function of soaking time in simulated body fluid. The materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption, FTIR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, dispersive energies spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The influence of the release rate of atenolol molecules from pure MCM-41 mesoporous and containing hydroxyapatite was demonstrated, since it results in a very slowly drug delivery from the nanocomposite system.

Rates of fitness decline and rebound suggest pervasive epistasis

Unraveling the factors that determine the rate of adaptation is a major question in evolutionary biology. One key parameter is the effect of a new mutation on fitness, which invariably depends on the environment and genetic background. The fate of a mutation also depends on population size, which determines the amount of drift it will experience. Here, we manipulate both population size and genotype composition and follow adaptation of 23 distinct Escherichia coli genotypes. These have previously accumulated mutations under intense genetic drift and encompass a substantial fitness variation. A simple rule is uncovered: the net fitness change is negatively correlated with the fitness of the genotype in which new mutations appear—a signature of epistasis. We find that Fisher's geometrical model can account for the observed patterns of fitness change and infer the parameters of this model that best fit the data, using Approximate Bayesian Computation. We estimate a genomic mutation rate of 0.01 per generation for fitness altering mutations, albeit with a large confidence interval, a mean fitness effect of mutations of −0.01, and an effective number of traits nine in mutS⁻E. coli. This framework can be extended to confront a broader range of models with data and test different classes of fitness landscape models.

ONTOFUSION: ontology-based integration of genomic and clinical databases

ONTOFUSION is an ontology-based system designed for biomedical database integration. It is based on two processes: mapping and unification. Mapping is a semi-automated process that uses ontologies to link a database schema with a conceptual framework-named virtual schema. There are three methodologies for creating virtual schemas, according to the origin of the domain ontology used: (1) top-down--e.g. using an existing ontology, such as the UMLS or Gene Ontology--, (2) bottom-up--building a new domain ontology-- and (3) a hybrid combination. Unification is an automated process for integrating ontologies and hence the database to which they are linked. Using these methods, we employed ONTOFUSION to integrate a large number of public genomic and clinical databases, as well as biomedical ontologies.

A study of 159 Portuguese patients with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) whose parents were both unaffected

We reviewed 1233 cases of familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) from 489 Portuguese families registered at the Centro de Estudos de Paramiloidose, Porto, Portugal. It was found that in 159 cases, neither parent had shown symptoms of this hereditary dominant form of peripheral neuropathy. These cases appear to form a distinct group, with a later age at onset (mean 45.1 years, SD 12.0) than the group of patients with one affected parent (mean 31.2 years, SD 6.9) and a geographical origin not quite in the areas where the disease is most prevalent. Though this group is not significantly different from the general group of patients in clinical presentation at onset and severity of the disease, the average interval between onset and diagnosis (mean 4.5 years, SD 3.2) reflects the difficulties in diagnosing these patients in the absence of a positive family history. From the analysis of pedigrees and in spite of a large number of isolated cases, the occurrence of new mutations could not be proven, and it seems more likely that, in some families, the FAP gene may result in a milder expression or even remain "silent" for several generations. Further investigation of this discrepancy may prove to be important in elucidating the mechanisms involved in the pathogenetic process.

Results of surgery in patients with refractory extratemporal epilepsy with normal or nonlocalizing magnetic resonance findings investigated with subdural grids

PURPOSE

To study the efficacy of extensive coverage of the brain surface with subdural grids in defining extratemporal cortical areas amenable for resection in patients with refractory extratemporal epilepy (R-ExTE) and normal or nonlocalizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.

METHODS

Sixteen patients with R-ExTE were studied. Eleven patients had simple partial, eight had complex partial, and three had supplementary motor area seizures. Seizure frequency ranged from three per month to daily episodes. Interictal EEG showed large focal spiking areas in 11 patients, secondary bilateral synchrony in four, and was normal in one patient. Surface ictal recordings were nonlocalizing in six patients, and in 10, they disclosed large ictal focal spiking areas. MRI was normal in 10 patients, and in six patients, focal nonlocalizing potentially epileptogenic lesions were found. All patients were given an extensive coverage of the cortical convexity with subdural electrodes through large unilateral (n = 13) or bilateral (n = 3) craniotomies. Bipolar cortical stimulation was carried out through the implanted electrodes.

RESULTS

Interictal invasive recording findings showed widespread spiking areas in 13 patients and secondary bilateral synchrony in three. Ictal invasive recordings showed focal seizure onset in all patients. There were six frontal, two parietal, one temporooccipital, four rolandic, and three posterior quadrant resections. Thirteen patients had been rendered seizure free after surgery, and three had > or =90% of seizure-frequency reduction. Pathologic findings included gliosis (n = 10), cortical dysplasia (n = 5), or no abnormalities (n = 1). Six patients had transient postoperative neurologic morbidity.

CONCLUSIONS

Extensive subdural electrodes coverage seems to be an effective way to investigate patients with R-ExTE and normal or nonlocalizing MRI findings.

Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy in Sweden: a pedigree analysis

Extended genealogical studies were performed on the heredity patterns in Swedish patients with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) using Swedish historical archives. The population studied included 239 patients: 109 patients were linked to five large pedigrees and 80 patients belonged to 30 smaller pedigrees or nuclear families. In the remaining 50 cases, no genealogical links were found. Differences in mean ages of onset between the different pedigrees were found, although a considerable variation within the pedigrees was also present. There was a tendency for later ages of onset among older generations than younger ones: descendants of affected mothers seem to be more prone to anticipation in age of onset than descendants of affected fathers. Furthermore, there seems to be a tendency for earlier ages of onset among patients with a carrier mother than a carrier father. Some extended pedigrees, from the Skellefteå and Piteå areas, are presented in detail. The former go back into the middle of the 17th century. One important conclusion is that the mutational event may have occurred in late mediaeval times.

Molecular cytogenetics (FISH, GISH) of Coccinia grandis : a ca. 3 myr-old species of cucurbitaceae with the largest Y/autosome divergence in flowering plants

The independent evolution of heteromorphic sex chromosomes in 19 species from 4 families of flowering plants permits studying X/Y divergence after the initial recombination suppression. Here, we document autosome/Y divergence in the tropical Cucurbitaceae Coccinia grandis, which is ca. 3 myr old. Karyotyping and C-value measurements show that the C. grandis Y chromosome has twice the size of any of the other chromosomes, with a male/female C-value difference of 0.094 pg or 10% of the total genome. FISH staining revealed 5S and 45S rDNA sites on autosomes but not on the Y chromosome, making it unlikely that rDNA contributed to the elongation of the Y chromosome; recent end-to-end fusion also seems unlikely given the lack of interstitial telomeric signals. GISH with different concentrations of female blocking DNA detected a possible pseudo-autosomal region on the Y chromosome, and C-banding suggests that the entire Y chromosome in C. grandis is heterochromatic. During meiosis, there is an end-to-end connection between the X and the Y chromosome, but the X does not otherwise differ from the remaining chromosomes. These findings and a review of plants with heteromorphic sex chromosomes reveal no relationship between species age and degree of sex chromosome dimorphism. Its relatively small genome size (0.943 pg/2C in males), large Y chromosome, and phylogenetic proximity to the fully sequenced Cucumis sativus make C. grandis a promising model to study sex chromosome evolution.

Usefulness of labial salivary gland biopsy in familial amyloid polyneuropathy Portuguese type

BACKGROUND

The diagnosis of amyloidosis of all types is definitively made by demonstration of Congo red binding material in the affected tissues. Nerve biopsy was classically used to diagnose amyloid polyneuropathy but less invasive alternative types of biopsies have been proposed including labial salivary gland (LSG) biopsy, a minimally invasive procedure.

METHOD

LSG biopsies were done in 87 subjects with molecular diagnosis of TTRVal30Met mutation. The group includes 76 patients in different stages of familial amyloid polyneuropathy and 11 asymptomatic carriers. They were all submitted to a stomatological and a neurological observation to evaluate oral health problems and to determine the neurological stage of the disease. No major oral health problems were found. Mean age of onset of the symptomatic disease was 32.8 years (+/-9.69 SD).

CONCLUSIONS

No significant side effects occurred after the surgical procedure, and adequate material for pathological analysis was always obtained. Amyloid deposition was found in 91% of the patients. Patients with negative biopsies (N = 7) were all in the earlier stage of the disease. Two asymptomatic carriers had biopsies with amyloid deposition. We conclude that LSG biopsy is a useful, sensitive and minimal invasive method to detect amyloid deposition.

VO₂ kinetics and metabolic contributions during full and upper body extreme swimming intensity

PURPOSE

Our purpose was to characterize the oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]) kinetics, assess the energy systems contributions and determine the energy cost when swimming front crawl at extreme intensity. Complementarily, we compared swimming full body with upper body only.

METHODS

Seventeen swimmers performed a 100 m maximal front crawl in two conditions: once swimming with full body and other using only the upper propulsive segments. The [Formula: see text] was continuously measured using a telemetric portable gas analyser (connected to a respiratory snorkel), and the capillary blood samples for lactate concentration analysis were collected.

RESULTS

A sudden increase in [Formula: see text] in the beginning of exercise, which continuously rose until the end of the bout (time: 63.82 ± 3.38 s; [Formula: see text]: 56.07 ± 5.19 ml min(-1) kg(-1); [Formula: see text] amplitude: 41.88 ± 4.74 ml min(-1) kg(-1); time constant: 12.73 ± 3.09 s), was observed. Aerobic, anaerobic lactic and alactic pathways were estimated and accounted for 43.4, 33.1 and 23.5 % of energy contribution and 1.16 ± 0.10 kJ m(-1) was the energy cost. Complementarily, the absence of lower limbs lead to a longer time to cover 100 m (71.96 ± 5.13 s), slower [Formula: see text] kinetics, lower aerobic and anaerobic (lactic and alactic) energy production and lower energy cost.

CONCLUSION

Despite the short duration of the event, the aerobic energy contribution covers about 50 % of total metabolic energy liberation, highlighting that both aerobic and anaerobic energy processes should be developed to improve the 100 m swimming performance. Lower limbs action provided an important contribution in the energy availability in working muscles being advised its full use in this short duration and very high-intensity event.

Synergy between medical informatics and bioinformatics: facilitating genomic medicine for future health care

In this paper, we review the results of BIOINFOMED, a study funded by the European Commission (EC) with the purpose to analyse the different issues and challenges in the area where Medical Informatics and Bioinformatics meet. Traditionally, Medical Informatics has been focused on the intersection between computer science and clinical medicine, whereas Bioinformatics have been predominantly centered on the intersection between computer science and biological research. Although researchers from both areas have occasionally collaborated, their training, objectives and interests have been quite different. The results of the Human Genome and related projects have attracted the interest of many professionals, and introduced new challenges that will transform biomedical research and health care. A characteristic of the 'post genomic' era will be to correlate essential genotypic information with expressed phenotypic information. In this context, Biomedical Informatics (BMI) has emerged to describe the technology that brings both disciplines (BI and MI) together to support genomic medicine. In recognition of the dynamic nature of BMI, institutions such as the EC have launched several initiatives in support of a research agenda, including the BIOINFOMED study.

The influence of core materials and film coating on the drug release from coated pellets

The objective of this study was to analyse the influence of the composition of the core of the pellets on the in vitro drug release profile. The different materials (drugs and fillers) were chosen according to their relative solubility. Pellets were prepared by a standardised process of extrusion/spheronisation. A selected fraction size (1-1.4 mm diameter) of pellets of each preparation was coated with Surelease (an aqueous dispersion of ethyl cellulose) to give 5% weight gain. The dissolution studies were performed and data analysed in terms of the Area under the Curve (AUC) of the % dissolved as function of time and Mean Dissolution Time (MDT). ANOVA was applied in order to identify the influence factors and the relationship of cross effects. Canonical analysis and multiple regression were employed to quantify these relationships. The film coat was found to be the major factor controlling the drug release. The results however, show that both drug and filler solubility influenced the drug release profile. Some of the unusual results could only be explained if consideration was given to the physical characteristics of both powder and pellets. In particular, the specific surface area of calcium phosphate compared with other fillers played an important role on the release profile of the model drug.

Phase II trial of short-term neoadjuvant docetaxel and complete androgen blockade in high-risk prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

The low probability of curing high-risk prostate cancer (PC) with local therapy suggests the need to study modality of therapeutic approaches. To this end, a prospective phase II trial of neoadjuvant docetaxel (D) and complete androgen blockade (CAB) was carried out in high-risk PC patients. The primary end point was to detect at least 10% of pCRs after chemohormonal treatment.

METHODS

Patients with T1c-T2 clinical stage with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) >20 ng ml(-1) and/or Gleason score >or=7 (4+3) and T3 were included. Treatment consisted of three cycles of D 36 mg m(-2) on days 1, 8 and 15 every 28 days concomitant with CAB, followed by radical prostatectomy (RP).

RESULTS

A total of 57 patients were included. Clinical stage was T1c, 11 patients (19.3%); T2, 30 (52.6%) and T3, 16 (28%) patients. Gleason score was >or=7 (4+3) in 44 (77%) patients and PSA >20 ng ml(-1) in 15 (26%) patients. Treatment was well tolerated with 51 (89.9%) patients completing neoadjuvant therapy together with RP. The rate of pCR was 6% (three patients). Three (6%) additional patients had microscopic residual tumour (near pCR) in prostate specimen. With a median follow-up of 35 months, 18 (31.6%) patients presented PSA relapse.

CONCLUSION

Short-term neoadjuvant D and CAB induced a 6% pCR rate, which is close to what would be expected with ADT alone. The combination was generally well tolerated.

Population Genetics of Wild-Type CAG Repeats in the Machado-Joseph Disease Gene in Portugal

OBJECTIVE

To gain insights on the molecular mechanisms of mutation that led to the emergence of expanded alleles in the MJD gene, by studying the behavior of wild-type alleles and testing the association of its distribution with the representation of the disease.

METHODS

The number of CAG motifs in the MJD gene was determined in a representative sample of 1000 unrelated individuals. Associations between the repeat size and the epidemiological representation of MJD were tested.

RESULTS

The allelic profile of the total sample was in the normal range (13-41 repeats), with mode (CAG)23. No intermediate alleles were present. Allelic size distribution showed a negative skew. The correlation between the epidemiological representation of MJD in each district and the frequency of small, medium and large normal alleles was not significant. Further correlations performed grouping the districts also failed to produce significant results.

CONCLUSIONS

The absence of association between the size of the repeats and the representation of MJD demonstrates that prevalence is not an indirect reflection of the frequency of large normal alleles. Globally the results obtained are in accordance with a model that postulates the occurrence of a few mutations on the basis of most of the MJD cases worldwide.

Monte Carlo electron-trajectory simulations in bright-field and dark-field STEM: implications for tomography of thick biological sections

A Monte Carlo electron-trajectory calculation has been implemented to assess the optimal detector configuration for scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) tomography of thick biological sections. By modeling specimens containing 2 and 3 at% osmium in a carbon matrix, it was found that for 1-microm-thick samples the bright-field (BF) and annular dark-field (ADF) signals give similar contrast and signal-to-noise ratio provided the ADF inner angle and BF outer angle are chosen optimally. Spatial resolution in STEM imaging of thick sections is compromised by multiple elastic scattering which results in a spread of scattering angles and thus a spread in lateral distances of the electrons leaving the bottom surface. However, the simulations reveal that a large fraction of these multiply scattered electrons are excluded from the BF detector, which results in higher spatial resolution in BF than in high-angle ADF images for objects situated towards the bottom of the sample. The calculations imply that STEM electron tomography of thick sections should be performed using a BF rather than an ADF detector. This advantage was verified by recording simultaneous BF and high-angle ADF STEM tomographic tilt series from a stained 600-nm-thick section of C. elegans. It was found that loss of spatial resolution occurred markedly at the bottom surface of the specimen in the ADF STEM but significantly less in the BF STEM tomographic reconstruction. Our results indicate that it might be feasible to use BF STEM tomography to determine the 3D structure of whole eukaryotic microorganisms prepared by freeze-substitution, embedding, and sectioning.

Observation of muon neutrino disappearance with the MINOS detectors in the NuMI neutrino beam

This Letter reports results from the MINOS experiment based on its initial exposure to neutrinos from the Fermilab NuMI beam. The rates and energy spectra of charged current nu(mu) interactions are compared in two detectors located along the beam axis at distances of 1 and 735 km. With 1.27 x 10(20) 120 GeV protons incident on the NuMI target, 215 events with energies below 30 GeV are observed at the Far Detector, compared to an expectation of 336+/-14 events. The data are consistent with nu(mu) disappearance via oscillations with |Delta(m)2/32|=2.74 +0.44/-0.26 x10(-3)eV(2) and sin(2)(2theta(23))>0.87 (68% C.L.).

Oxidative stress in toadfish (Halobactrachus didactylus) cardiac muscle. Acute exposure to vanadate oligomers

Vanadate solutions as "metavanadate" (containing ortho and metavanadate species) and "decavanadate" (containing mainly decameric species) (5 mM; 1 mg/kg) were injected intraperitoneously in Halobatrachus didactylus (toadfish), in order to evaluate the contribution of decameric vanadate species to vanadium (V) intoxication on the cardiac tissue. Following short-term exposure (1 and 7 days), different changes on antioxidant enzyme activities-superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), selenium-glutathione peroxidase (Se-GPx), total glutathione peroxidase (GPx), lipid peroxidation and subcellular vanadium distribution were observed in mitochondrial and cytosolic fractions of heart ventricle toadfish. After 1 day of vanadium intoxication, SOD, CAT and Se-GPx activities were decreased up to 25%, by both vanadate solutions, except mitochondrial CAT activity that increased (+23%) upon decavanadate administration. After 7 days of exposure, decavanadate versus metavanadate solutions promoted different effects mainly on cytosolic CAT activity (-56% versus -5%), mitochondrial CAT activity (-10% versus +10%) and total GPx activity (+1% versus -35%), whereas lipid peroxidation products were significantly increased (+82%) upon 500 microM decavanadate intoxication. Accumulation of vanadium in total (0.137+/-0.011 microg/g) and mitochondrial (0.022+/-0.001 microg/g) fractions was observed upon 7 days of metavanadate exposure, whereas for decavanadate, the concentration of vanadium increased in cytosolic (0.020+/-0.005 microg/g) and mitochondrial (0.021+/-0.009 microg/g) fractions. It is concluded that decameric vanadate species are responsible for a strong increase on lipid peroxidation and a decrease in cytosolic catalase activity thus contributing to oxidative stress responses upon vanadate intoxication, in the toadfish heart.

Purification of human papillomavirus 16 E6/E7 plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid-based vaccine using an arginine modified monolithic support

The development of efficient plasmid DNA (pDNA) purification processes has fostered therapeutic applications like gene therapy and DNA vaccination. In fact, monolithic supports have emerged as interesting approaches to purify pDNA due to their excellent mass transfer properties and high binding capacity for large biomolecules. The present study describes a method that combines the high selectivity of arginine affinity ligands with the versatility of monoliths to efficiently purify the supercoiled (sc) plasmid HPV-16 E6/E7. Quality control tests indicated that the level of impurities (proteins, endotoxins, gDNA and RNA) in the final plasmid sample was in accordance with the guidelines proposed by regulatory agencies. Breakthrough experiments were designed to compare the dynamic binding capacity of pDNA in the conventional arginine-agarose matrix with the modified monolithic support. The arginine monolith capacity was substantially higher than the conventional arginine-agarose matrix at 10% of breakthrough under the flow rate and pDNA concentration used. Overall, given that the pDNA final product complies with regulatory specifications, this combined support can be the key to obtain an adequate non-viral vaccine against a HPV infection.

Endoscopic management of postoperative stapled colorectal anastomosis hemorrhage

Rectal bleeding following colorectal anastomosis is common but usually self-limited. Continuous hemorrhage is rare, and when it occurs, often requires further treatment. The most frequently used strategies for treatment of stapled anastomotic hemorrhage are clinical observation with or without blood transfusion, rectal packing, angiographic identification of the bleeding site with vasopressin infusion or embolization, and endoscopic eletrocoagulation. We report the case of a 49-year-old man with uncomplicated diverticular disease who was treated by laparoscopic sigmoidectomy, with double-stapled colorectal anastomosis. Six hours later, the patient presented intense rectal bleeding and was taken to the operation room for urgent colonoscopic examination. After complete removal of blood clots inside the rectum, a bleed localized at the anastomotic site was identified and submucosal peri-anastomotic injection of 10 ml adrenaline (1:200 000) in saline was performed with immediate bleeding control.

Vitreous involvement in familial amyloidotic neuropathy: a genealogical and genetic study

Extended genealogical studies stretching back to the 17th century were performed concerning the heredity patterns of vitreous involvement in Swedish patients with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP). FAP is an autosomal dominant inherited disorder, characterized by extracellular deposition of amyloid and a clinical syndrome of peripheral and autonomic neuropathy. In addition, some patients show typical vitreous opacities. All patients had their origin in a restricted geographical area. Some main patterns arose from this study: 1) Patients who had vitreous opacities as the first symptom of FAP seem to form a separate group, with a distinct age of onset distribution; 2) The familial occurrence of vitreous opacities raises the possibility that other familial factors modify the expression of the FAP gene; 3) The mean age of onset for vitreous opacities is lower for homozygous than for heterozygous patients.