Age-related patterns of the clustering of cardiovascular risk variables of syndrome X from childhood to young adulthood in a population made up of black and white subjects: the Bogalusa Heart Study

The age-related patterns of clustering of cardiovascular risk variables of Syndrome X from childhood to adulthood were examined in a community-based sample of black and white children (aged 5-10 years, n = 2,389), adolescents (aged 11-17 years, n = 3,371), and young adults (aged 18-37 years, n = 2,115). In the analysis of clustering, insulin resistance index, BMI, triglycerides/ HDL cholesterol ratio, and mean arterial pressure were used either as categorical variables (age-, race- and sex-specific values >75th percentiles) to calculate risk ratios (observed frequency/expected frequency) or as continuous variables (normal scores based on ranks) to compute intraclass correlations. In the total sample, the risk ratio for clustering of adverse levels of all 4 variables was 9.8 for whites (P < 0.01) versus 7.4 for blacks (P < 0.01); the intraclass correlation was 0.33 for whites (P < 0.001) versus 0.26 for blacks (P < 0.001). Both the risk ratio and intraclass correlation were significantly higher in whites than in blacks in the total sample. The intraclass correlations of the 4 variables were significant (P < 0.001) in all race and age-groups, and they were higher during preadolescence and adulthood than during adolescence. Furthermore, unlike risk ratios, intraclass correlations showed a continuous increase with age during adulthood. When BMI was adjusted, the intraclass correlations involving the other 3 variables were reduced by approximately 50%, and the age-related pattern was no longer evident. These results suggest that the degree of clustering of risk variables of Syndrome X varies with age from childhood to adulthood and is likely influenced by the age-related changes in obesity and the attendant insulin resistance.

Hepatic manifestations of autoimmune rheumatic diseases

Hepatic manifestations in autoimmune disease include chronic active hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and nodular regenerative hyperplasia. These diseases are rare and may occur concomitantly or serially. Clinicians must be aware of the possibility of liver disease so that it can be treated as soon as possible.

Prevalence, patterns of disease and outcome in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus who develop severe haematological problems

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the prevalence of major haemolytic disease-severe autoimmune haemolytic anaemia and severe thrombocytopenia-and to assess when these features develop. We also sought to analyse the clinical and serological outcomes of patients with haemolytic anaemia and thrombocytopenia with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) as compared with patients without these cytopenias.

METHODS

We reviewed retrospectively all the available case notes from our lupus cohort of 305 patients followed up between 1978 and 2000 (mean follow-up 7 yr). We identified 30 patients with SLE (9.8%), of whom 20 (6.6%) had severe haemolytic anaemia and 10 (3.3%) had severe thrombocytopenia. Each patient was matched for age, sex and ethnicity with two control patients.

RESULTS

We recorded a total of 42 episodes of severe haematological events: four patients had a second haemolytic episode and eight patients had a second thrombocytopenic episode. Five patients had both thrombocytopenia and haemolytic anaemia. One per cent of patients had severe haemolytic anaemia prior to the diagnosis of SLE and 2.5% of patients presented with these haematological disorders. Haemolytic anaemia and thrombocytopenia were associated with renal involvement (0.01>P>0.001) and anticardiolipin antibodies (ACL) (0.01>P>0.001), but not anti-dsDNA antibodies. Calculation of the BILAG index at the time of severe haematological crisis demonstrated that renal, central nervous system involvement and general symptoms are more frequently present. Forty-one per cent of patients were already on either prednisolone (<10 mg) or an immunosuppressive agent at the onset of the event.

CONCLUSION

Our data demonstrate that both haemolytic anaemia and thrombocytopenia are associated with ACL but not anti-dsDNA antibodies. When faced with a patient with a severe haematological manifestation of lupus, active disease in other organs is likely to be present.

The oocyte population is not renewed in transplanted or irradiated adult ovaries

BACKGROUND

According to conventional theory, the oocyte population is not renewed in mammalian ovaries after birth. A new hypothesis proposes that oocytes are generated continuously from haematopoietic progenitor cells. There is, however, no evidence that they can ovulate, although they may partially restore fertility by organizing 'helper follicles'. The hypothesis that follicles can form de novo in adult ovaries has been tested in a transplant model.

METHODS

Ovaries from adult mice were transplanted under the kidney capsule or into the ovarian bursa of histocompatible, transgenic CAG::H2B-EGFP host animals. Some donors were sterilized before transplantation by X-irradiation to ensure 'empty niches' were available for repopulation. The phenotype of follicular oocytes at 2, 4 and 8 weeks post-transplantation was scored by epifluorescence.

RESULTS

A total of 819 oocytes were examined in 30 ovarian grafts. None expressed green fluorescence, as would be predicted if they had formed de novo from germ cell progenitors in the systemic circulation of the host. Furthermore, small follicles eliminated by irradiation were not replaced in transplanted ovaries, and the few growing follicles present were apparently survivors of the original population.

CONCLUSIONS

No evidence was found to support the hypothesis that progenitor cells from extra-ovarian sources can repopulate the adult ovary. The findings are consistent with the conventional view that a limited number of oocytes are formed before birth and declines with age. The study did not, however, rule out the possibility that germline stem cells may reside in the adult ovary.

Association of Vibrio cholerae O1 with the cyanobacterium, Anabaena sp., elucidated by polymerase chain reaction and transmission electron microscopy

It has been hypothesized that Vibrio cholerae is an autochthonous flora of the estuarine and brackish water environment. Zooplankton and phytoplankton have been considered as possible reservoirs. The present study was carried out in microcosms to confirm the role of a cyanobacterium, Anabaena sp., as a reservoir of V. cholerae O1 using culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunoelectron microscopy. Survival of culturable V. cholerae in microcosms was monitored by using tellurite taurocholate gelatin agar. Culturable V. cholerae were detected for up to 1 h in association with Anabaena sp. from a microcosm. However, viable but nonculturable (VBNC) V. cholerae O1 were detected for up to 25 months using PCR and immunoelectron microscopy. Results also showed that VBNC V. cholerae can multiply and maintain their progeny in the mucilaginous sheath of Anabaena sp. This is the first time that PCR and immunoelectron microscopy have been used to detect nonculturable V. cholerae in association with Anabaena sp. This study further clarifies the role of Anabaena sp. as a possible reservoir of cholera.

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase: correlation with histologic grade, lymph node status and estrogen receptor expression in human breast cancer

Nitric oxide is produced by several isoenzymes which are present in many different tissues. We have recently reported the presence of inducible nitric oxide synthase in a breast cancer cell line. The purpose of this study was to examine the distribution of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in a series of human breast tumours. Immunohistochemical investigations demonstrated immunolabelling of tumour cells with the primary antibody, bovine endothelial anti-nitric oxide synthase. Although there was no correlation between eNOS staining and tumour size, there was a significant (p < 0.005) negative correlation (rho = -0.65) between the percentage of tumour cells staining positive for eNOS and the histologic grade of the tumour; there was also a significant (p < 0.05) negative correlation (rho = -0.40) between the percentage of tumour cells staining positive for eNOS and the number of positive lymph nodes. A significant (p < 0.005) positive correlation (rho = 0.63) between the percentage of tumour cells staining positive for eNOS and estrogen receptor (ER) expression by the tumour was also observed. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that eNOS is expressed by human breast tumours and that its presence negatively correlates with histologic grade and lymph node status and positively correlates with ER expression.

Bionomic equilibrium of two-species system. I

The concept of bionomic equilibrium is used to obtain limits of cost per unit effort and maximum value of effort for the joint harvesting of three types of two-species system: (1) a logistic growth model of two ecologically independent species, (2) a logistic growth model of two species that have competitive interactions, and (3) a Lotka-Volterra model of one prey and one predator. In each case, the existence of feasible bionomic equilibrium points and that of partially feasible bionomic equilibrium points are considered separately. First it is shown that cost per unit effort has both upper and lower threshold values if feasible bionomic equilibrium points occur, whereas it has only the upper threshold values if partially feasible bionomic equilibrium points occur. Further, the threshold values depend solely on the catchability coefficients, the selling prices of unit biomasses, and the parameters of the given model, namely the biotic potentials, carrying capacities, etc. Next, it is proven that for the first type of feasible point, if the cost per unit effort is kept under proper threshold values, then corresponding to each such value, the maximum value of the efforts exerted can be calculated in terms of the given parameters only. Moreover, the set of all such maximum values of the efforts for different choices of cost per unit effort is always bounded and the supremum of these maximum efforts is independent of the choice of cost per unit effort.

Bio-active cardenolides from the leaves of Nerium oleander

A bioactivity directed isolation of the methanolic extract of the fresh, uncrushed leaves of Nerium oleander showing a central nervous system (CNS) depressant effect in mice has been undertaken. As a result, four CNS depressant cardenolides including a new cardenolide, neridiginoside and three known constituents, nerizoside, neritaloside and odoroside-H, have been isolated which exhibited CNS depressant activity in mice at a dose of 25 mg/kg. The structure of neridiginoside was elucidated as 3 beta-O-(D-diginosyl)-5 beta, 14 beta-dihydroxy-card-20(22)-enolide, using spectroscopic methods including one-dimensional and two-dimensional NMR (COSY-45, NOESY, J-resolved, HMQC and HMBC). The known compounds have been indentified through spectral studies and comparison of data with those reported in the literature.

Cardenolides from the methanolic extract of Nerium oleander leaves possessing central nervous system depressant activity in mice

Two new cardenolides, 3 beta-O-(D-2-O-methyldigitalosyl)-14 beta-hydroxy-5 beta-carda-16,20(22)-dienolide (1) and 3 beta-hydroxy-8,14-epoxy-5 beta-carda-16,20(22)-dienolide (2), and two known cardenolides, 3 beta-O-(D-digitalosyl)-14 beta-hydroxy-16 beta-acetoxy-5 beta-card-20(22)-enolide (3) and 3 beta-O-(D-digitalosyl)-14 beta-hydroxy-5 beta-card-20(22)-enolide (4), have been isolated from the leaves of Nerium oleander following a bioactivity-directed isolation of the MeOH extract, which showed central nervous system (CNS) depressant activity in mice at a dosage of 50 mg/kg i.p. Their structures were established on the basis of chemical and spectral data. Compounds 1, 3, and 4 were found to exhibit sedation in mice at a dosage of 25 mg/kg, although 2 had no effect on the CNS of mice at a dosage of up to 50 mg/kg.

Hypoxia modulates the activity of a series of clinically approved tyrosine kinase inhibitors

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Hypoxia in tumours is known to cause resistance to conventional chemotherapeutic drugs. In contrast, little is known about the effects of hypoxia on targeted anti-cancer drugs. This study evaluated the effect of hypoxia on a series of clinically approved tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs).

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

The effect of hypoxia (0.1% oxygen) on the activity of conventional cytotoxic drugs (5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin and vinblastine), the hypoxia-activated prodrug tirapazamine and 9 TKIs was determined in a panel of cell lines. Where hypoxia had a marked effect on chemosensitivity, Western blot analysis was conducted to determine the effect of hypoxia on target expression and the effect of TKIs on cell signalling response under aerobic and hypoxic conditions.

KEY RESULTS

Three patterns of chemosensitivity were observed: resistance under hypoxia, equitoxic activity against hypoxic and aerobic cells, and preferential cytotoxicity to hypoxic cells. Significant hypoxia selectivity (independent of HIF1) was observed in the case of dasatinib and this correlated with the ability of dasatinib to inhibit phosphorylation of Src at tyrosine 530. Sorafenib was significantly less effective under hypoxic conditions but resistance did not correlate with hypoxia-induced changes in Raf/MEK/ERK signalling.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Hypoxia influences the activity of TKIs but in contrast to conventional cytotoxic drugs, preferential activity against hypoxic cells can occur. The search for hypoxia-targeted therapies has been long and fruitless and this study suggests that some clinically approved TKIs could preferentially target the hypoxic fraction of some tumour types.

The effects of acoustic trauma that can cause tinnitus on spatial performance in rats

Previous studies have shown that acoustic trauma can disrupt the firing of place cells in the hippocampus and also inhibit hippocampal neurogenesis, suggesting that such trauma might impair spatial memory. In this study, we investigated performance in the alternating T maze and Morris water maze of rats exposed to acoustic trauma (16 kHz, 110 dB SPL pure tone for 1 h), who had elevated auditory brainstem response thresholds and the psychophysical attributes of tinnitus (using a conditioned lick suppression task). To our surprise, we found that rats with tinnitus did not perform significantly differently from sham control animals in either the alternating T maze task or any aspect of the reference or working memory versions of the Morris water maze task except for a faster acquisition in T maze alternation. These results suggest that acoustic trauma and tinnitus may not impair spatial memory in rats.

Urinary levels of nitric oxide metabolites in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to clarify the physiological role of nitric oxide (NO) in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia.

STUDY DESIGN

Thirty normotensive women (1st trimester, n = 7; 2nd trimester, n = 6; 3rd trimester, n = 10; puerperal period, n = 7) and 19 patients with preeclampsia (3rd trimester, n = 9; puerperal period, n = 10) were studied. Urinary and blood samples were obtained from each participant who was designed to be under the same condition. Urinary NOx (nitrate/nitrite) was measured with Greiss method after nitrate reduction. Urinary cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP), creatinine clearance, serum triglyceride, uric acid, albumin and blood cell count were also determined.

RESULTS

1) Urinary NOx levels in 2nd and 3rd trimester of normal pregnancy tended to be higher than those in 1st trimester. There was also a tendency of decreased urinary NOx in puerperal period. Urinary NOx in antepartum preeclampsia was significantly lower than that of normal pregnancy in 3rd trimester. 2). Urinary cGMP was significantly higher in 2nd trimester of normal pregnancy than in 1st trimester. There was also a tendency of decreased urinary cGMP in puerperal period. In preeclampsia the values in 3rd trimester were significantly higher than those in puerperium. 3) A significant positive correlation was observed between urinary NOx and cGMP only in 3rd trimester of normal gestation. 4) In normal pregnancy of 3rd trimester, significant negative correlations were observed between urinary NOx and either of mean blood pressure or serum triglyceride. In preeclampsia of antepartum, urinary excretion of NOx was significantly correlated positively with creatinine clearance and negatively with mean blood pressure or serum uric acid. Urinary excretion of NOx in both of normal pregnant and preeclamptic women in 3rd trimester was significantly correlated with serum triglyceride.

CONCLUSION

It is suggested that NO may modulate the cardiovascular changes during pregnancy and impaired production of the molecule may play a significant role in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia.

In vivo genotoxic effects of mercuric chloride in rat peripheral blood leucocytes using comet assay

DNA damage induced by Mercuric chloride (HgCl2) in leucocytes of Wistar albino male rats has been studied in vivo. The comet assay or the alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assay was used to measure the DNA damage. The rats were administered orally with doses ranging from 0.0054, 0.0108, 0.0216, 0.0432 to 0.0864 mg/kg body weight (b.wt.) of HgCl2. The assay was performed on whole blood at 24, 48, 72 h, 1st and 2nd week. The reason leucocytes were used was to reflect biomarker studies in humans. A significant increase in mean comet tail length indicating DNA damage was observed at all time intervals with HgCl2 except in 2nd week post treatment when compared to controls. The mean comet tail length revealed a clear dose dependent increase from 0.0054 to 0.0432 mg/kg b.wt. A maximum increase in mean comet tail length was observed at 0.0432 mg/kg b.wt. 24 h after treatment. From 48 h post treatment, the mean comet tail lengths of all the doses gradually decreased and by week 2 of post treatment, they had approached control levels, pointing to repair of the damaged DNA. These findings suggest that the comet assay is a highly sensitive technique to study DNA damage caused by metals.

Water stable triazolyl phosphonate MOFs: steep water uptake and facile regeneration

Triazole and phosphonate donors connect Co²⁺ ions to a water stable 3D framework with hydrophilic nanopores featuring water uptake at low relative pressure.

Nematicidal constituents of the aerial parts of Lantana camara

Two new constituents, lantanoside (1) and lantanone (2), and the known compounds linaroside (3) and camarinic acid (4) were isolated from the aerial parts of Lantana camara. Compounds 1, 3, and 4 were tested for nematicidal activity against root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and showed 90, 85, and 100% mortality, respectively, at 1.0% concentration. The results were comparable to those obtained with the conventional nematicide furadan (100% mortality at 1.0% concentration). Structures of the new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical techniques.

Intraperitoneal drain placement and outcomes after elective colorectal surgery: international matched, prospective, cohort study

Background

Many surgeons routinely place intraperitoneal drains after elective colorectal surgery. However, enhanced recovery after surgery guidelines recommend against their routine use owing to a lack of clear clinical benefit. This study aimed to describe international variation in intraperitoneal drain placement and the safety of this practice.

Methods

COMPASS (COMPlicAted intra-abdominal collectionS after colorectal Surgery) was a prospective, international, cohort study which enrolled consecutive adults undergoing elective colorectal surgery (February to March 2020). The primary outcome was the rate of intraperitoneal drain placement. Secondary outcomes included: rate and time to diagnosis of postoperative intraperitoneal collections; rate of surgical site infections (SSIs); time to discharge; and 30-day major postoperative complications (Clavien–Dindo grade at least III). After propensity score matching, multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to estimate the independent association of the secondary outcomes with drain placement.

Results

Overall, 1805 patients from 22 countries were included (798 women, 44.2 per cent; median age 67.0 years). The drain insertion rate was 51.9 per cent (937 patients). After matching, drains were not associated with reduced rates (odds ratio (OR) 1.33, 95 per cent c.i. 0.79 to 2.23; P = 0.287) or earlier detection (hazard ratio (HR) 0.87, 0.33 to 2.31; P = 0.780) of collections. Although not associated with worse major postoperative complications (OR 1.09, 0.68 to 1.75; P = 0.709), drains were associated with delayed hospital discharge (HR 0.58, 0.52 to 0.66; P < 0.001) and an increased risk of SSIs (OR 2.47, 1.50 to 4.05; P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Intraperitoneal drain placement after elective colorectal surgery is not associated with earlier detection of postoperative collections, but prolongs hospital stay and increases SSI risk.

Triterpenoidal constituents from Eucalyptus camaldulensis var. obtusa leaves

An investigation on the constituents of the fresh, uncrushed leaves of Ecalyptus camaldulensis var. obtusa has led to the isolation of the triterpenoid amirinic acid and four known triterpenoids ursolic acid lactone, betulinic acid, oleanolic acid and ursolic acid. Amirinic acid transformed into amirolide in deuterated chloroform at room temperature. The new products were characterized by exhaustive spectroscopic studies as 2alpha,3beta,7beta-trihydroxy-11alpha-methoxyurs -12-en-28-oic acid and 2alpha,3beta,7beta-trihydroxyurs-11-en-28,13beta -olide.

Nematicidal natural products from the aerial parts of Lantana camara Linn

Lantanilic acid, camaric acid and oleanolic acid possessing nematicidal activity were isolated from the methanolic extract of the aerial parts of Lantana camara Linn. through bio-assay guided fractionation. These compounds exhibited 98%, 95% and 70% mortality respectively against root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita at 0.5% concentration. Conventional nematicide furadan showed 100% mortality at this concentration.

Redox options in two-dimensional electrophoresis

Two-dimensional electrophoresis is usually run on fully reduced samples. Under these conditions even covalently bound oligomers are dissociated and individual polypeptide chains may be fully unfolded by both, urea and SDS, which maximizes the number of resolved components and allows their pI and M(r) to be most accurately evaluated. However, various electrophoretic protocols for protein structure investigation require a combination of steps under varying redox conditions. We review here some of the applications of these procedures. We also present some original data about a few related samples -- serum from four species: Homo sapiens, Mus musculus, Rattus norvegicus, Bos taurus -- which we run under fully unreduced and fully reduced conditions as well as with reduction between first and second dimension. We demonstrate that in many cases the unreduced proteins migrate with a better resolution than reduced proteins, mostly in the crowded 'alpha-globulin' area of pI 4.5-6 and M(r) 50-70 kDa.