Gender differences in coping with musculoskeletal pain

Gender differences in coping with musculoskeletal pain were cross-sectionally investigated, using questionnaires (Coping Strategies Questionnaire), in 446 Swedish patients (mean age 46 years, 72% women) seeking care for their ailments. Compared to male patients, women reported more disability, a larger consumption of analgesics, more work strain, higher levels of posttraumatic stress reactions, a lower self-esteem, and higher scores for the Coping Strategies Questionnaire indexes: diverting attention, praying/hoping, catastrophizing, increased behavioural activity, and pain behaviours. All gender differencesin coping were ruled out in multivariate analyses, except for the association between the interaction term Gender x Posttraumatic Stress Reactions and Catastrophizing. Among women, catastrophizing was positively associated with posttraumatic stress reactions, perceived disability, and the number of previous treatments for pain.Nosuch associations were found among men. Women’s poorer capacity to cope with musculoskeletal pain is related to higher level of emotional distress, greater disability, and a history of treatments for pain.     

An identification key for the five most common species of Metastrongylus

Species of the Metastrongylus genus, the lung nematodes of pigs that require an intermediate host (earthworm) to complete their cycle, pose a potential risk to both livestock and humans. This parasite which can result in lung pathology and mixed infections with other pathogens (e.g. viruses) can be fatal to pigs. Although this genus is distributed worldwide, there are no classification keys for identifying this common parasite species. In this work, we take advantage of parasitological surveys of wild boar (Sus scrofa) in northern and central Spain and southern Poland to develop a morphological identification key for the five most common Metastrongylus species (Metastrongylus apri, Metastrongylus pudendotectus, Metastrongylus salmi, Metastrongylus confusus and Metastrongylus asymetricus). In addition, we provide the first record of M. confusus in Spain, probably unidentified until now due to the lack of appropriate identification keys. We hope that this user-friendly identification key will enable parasitologists and veterinary practitioners to avoid further misclassifications of Metastrongylus species.     

Non-Asthmatic Patients Show Increased Exhaled Nitric Oxide Concentrations

OBJECTIVE:

Evaluate whether exhaled nitric oxide may serve as a marker of intraoperative bronchospasm.

INTRODUCTION:

Intraoperative bronchospasm remains a challenging event during anesthesia. Previous studies in asthmatic patients suggest that exhaled nitric oxide may represent a noninvasive measure of airway inflammation.

METHODS:

A total of 146,358 anesthesia information forms, which were received during the period from 1999 to 2004, were reviewed. Bronchospasm was registered on 863 forms. From those, three groups were identified: 9 non-asthmatic patients (Bronchospasm group), 12 asthmatics (Asthma group) and 10 subjects with no previous airway disease or symptoms (Control group). All subjects were submitted to exhaled nitric oxide measurements (parts/billion), spirometry and the induced sputum test. The data was compared by ANOVA followed by the Tukey test and Kruskal-Wallis followed by Dunn’s test.

RESULTS:

The normal lung function test results for the Bronchospasm group were different from those of the asthma group (p <0.05). The median percentage of eosinophils in induced sputum was higher for the Asthma [2.46 (0.45–6.83)] compared with either the Bronchospasm [0.55 (0–1.26)] or the Control group [0.0 (0)] (p <0.05); exhaled nitric oxide followed a similar pattern for the Asthma [81.55 (57.6–86.85)], Bronchospasm [46.2 (42.0–62.6] and Control group [18.7 (16.0–24.7)] (p< 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS:

Non-asthmatic patients with intraoperative bronchospasm detected during anesthesia and endotracheal intubation showed increased expired nitric oxide.     

Differences in virulence factors among clinical isolates of Escherichia coli causing cystitis and pyelonephritis in women and prostatitis in men

Differences in the presence of nine urovirulence factors among clinical isolates of Escherichia coli causing cystitis and pyelonephritis in women and prostatitis in men have been studied. Hemolysin and necrotizing factor type 1 occur significantly more frequently among isolates causing prostatitis than among those causing cystitis (P < 0.0001) or pyelonephritis (P < 0.005). Moreover, the papGIII gene occurred more frequently in E. coli isolates associated with prostatitis (27%) than in those associated with pyelonephritis (9%) (P < 0.05). Genes encoding aerobactin and PapC occurred significantly less frequently in isolates causing cystitis than in those causing prostatitis (P < 0.01 and P < 0.0001, respectively) and pyelonephritis (P < 0.01 and P < 0.0001, respectively). No differences in the presence of Sat or type 1 fimbriae were found. Finally, AAFII and Bfp fimbriae are no longer considered uropathogenic virulence factors since they were not found in any of the strains analyzed. Overall, the results showed that clinical isolates producing prostatitis need greater virulence than isolates producing pyelonephritis in women or, in particular, cystitis in women (P < 0.05). Overall, the results suggest that clinical isolates producing prostatitis are more virulent that those producing pyelonephritis or cystitis in women.     

Seasonal analysis and acaricidal activity of the thymol-type essential oil of Ocimum gratissimum and its major constituents against Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae)

Parasitology Research - The tick Rhipicephalus microplus affects cattle health, with production loss in tropical and subtropical regions. Moreover, the use of commercial acaricides has been reduced...     

Effects of two aerobic exercise training protocols on parameters of oxidative stress in the blood and liver of obese rats

We evaluated the effects of moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) protocols on the alterations in oxidative stress parameters caused by a high-fat diet (HFD), in the blood and liver of rats. The HFD enhanced thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBA-RS) and protein carbonyl content, while reducing total sulfhydryl content and catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities in the blood. Both training protocols prevented an increase in TBA-RS and protein carbonyl content, and prevented a reduction in CAT. HIIT protocol enhanced SOD activity. In the liver, HFD didn’t alter TBA-RS, total sulfhydryl content or SOD, but increased protein carbonyl content and CAT and decreased GSH-Px. The exercise protocols prevented the increase in protein carbonyl content and the MICT protocol prevented an alteration in CAT. In conclusion, HFD elicits oxidative stress in the blood and liver and both protocols prevented most of the alterations in the oxidative stress parameters.     

Common and specific brain responses to scenic emotional stimuli

Processing of emotions has been an enduring topic of interest in neuroimaging research, but studies have mostly used facial emotional stimuli. The aim of this study was to determine neural networks involved in emotion processing using scenic emotional visual stimuli. One hundred and twenty photographs from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS), including ecological scenes of disgust, fear, happiness, and sadness, were presented to 40 healthy participants while they underwent functional magnetic imaging resonance (fMRI). Afterwards they evaluated the emotional content of the pictures in an offline task. The occipito-temporal cortex and the amygdala–hippocampal complex showed a non-specific emotion-related activation, which was more marked in response to negative emotions than to happiness. The temporo-parietal cortex and the ventral anterior cingulate gyrus showed deactivation, with the former being marked for all emotions except fear and the latter being most marked for disgust. The fusiform gyrus showed activation in response to disgust and deactivation in response to happiness or sadness. Brain regions involved in processing of scenic emotion therefore resemble those reported for facial expressions of emotion in that they respond to a range of different emotions, although there appears to be specificity in the intensity and direction of the response.     

The osteogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow stromal cells cultured with dexamethasone-loaded carboxymethylchitosan/poly(amidoamine) dendrimer nanoparticles

There is an increasing interest in developing novel macromolecular vehicles for the intracellular and controlled delivery of bioactive molecules, since they can allow modulation of the cellular functions in a more effective manner ex vivo, and maintain the cellular phenotype in vivo upon re-implantation. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of combining novel dexamethasone-loaded carboxymethylchitosan/poly(amidoamine) dendrimer (Dex-loaded CMCht/PAMAM) nanoparticles and, both HA and SPCL scaffolds (3D system) on the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow stromal cells (RBMSCs) in vitro. A luminescent cell viability assay using RBMSCs was performed for screening cytotoxicity of the developed HA and SPCL scaffolds. Results corroborated previous ones which have demonstrated in vitro, the superior performance of the HA and SPCL scaffolds on supporting cells adhesion and proliferation. Furthermore, this work showed that RBMSCs seeded onto the surface of both HA and SPCL scaffolds differentiate into osteoblasts when cultured in the presence of 0.01 mg ml^?1 Dex-loaded CMCht/PAMAM dendrimer nanoparticles. In addition, results demonstrated that Dex-loaded CMCht/PAMAM dendrimer nanoparticles combined with the HA enhance osteogenesis by increasing ALP activity and mineralization of the extra-cellular matrix. The pre-incubation of stem cells with these kinds of nanoparticles allows the delivery of Dex inside the cells and directly influences their cellular fate, being a promising new tool to be used in cells and tissue engineering strategies.     

Novel hydroxyapatite/chitosan bilayered scaffold for osteochondral tissue-engineering applications: Scaffold design and its performance when seeded with goat bone marrow stromal cells

Recent studies suggest that bone marrow stromal cells are a potential source of osteoblasts and chondrocytes and can be used to regenerate damaged tissues using a tissue-engineering (TE) approach. However, these strategies require the use of an appropriate scaffold architecture that can support the formation de novo of either bone and cartilage tissue, or both, as in the case of osteochondral defects. The later has been attracting a great deal of attention since it is considered a difficult goal to achieve. This work consisted on developing novel hydroxyapatite/chitosan (HA/CS) bilayered scaffold by combining a sintering and a freeze-drying technique, and aims to show the potential of such type of scaffolds for being used in TE of osteochondral defects. The developed HA/CS bilayered scaffolds were characterized by Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, micro-computed tomography, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Additionally, the mechanical properties of HA/CS bilayered scaffolds were assessed under compression. In vitro tests were also carried out, in order to study the water-uptake and weight loss profile of the HA/CS bilayered scaffolds. This was done by means of soaking the scaffolds into a phosphate buffered saline for 1 up to 30 days. The intrinsic cytotoxicity of the HA scaffolds and HA/CS bilayered scaffolds extract fluids was investigated by carrying out a cellular viability assay (MTS test) using Mouse fibroblastic-like cells. Results have shown that materials do not exert any cytotoxic effect. Complementarily, in vitro (phase I) cell culture studies were carried out to evaluate the capacity of HA and CS layers to separately, support the growth and differentiation of goat marrow stromal cells (GBMCs) into osteoblasts and chondrocytes, respectively. Cell adhesion and morphology were analysed by SEM while the cell viability and proliferation were assessed by MTS test and DNA quantification. The chondrogenic differentiation of GBMCs was evaluated measuring the glucosaminoglycans synthesis. Data showed that GBMCs were able to adhere, proliferate and osteogenic differentiation was evaluated by alkaline phosphatase activity and immunocytochemistry assays after 14 days in osteogenic medium and into chondrocytes after 21 days in culture with chondrogenic medium. The obtained results concerning the physicochemical and biological properties of the developed HA/CS bilayered scaffolds, show that these constructs exhibit great potential for their use in TE strategies leading to the formation of adequate tissue substitutes for the regeneration of osteochondral defects.     

Rhinovirus C and Respiratory Exacerbations in Children with Cystic Fibrosis

To investigate a possible role for human rhinovirus C in respiratory exacerbations of children with cystic fibrosis, we conducted microbiologic testing on respiratory specimens from 103 such patients in São Paulo, Brazil, during 2006–2007. A significant association was found between the presence of human rhinovirus C and respiratory exacerbations.