Genetic variation in Glutathione S-Transferase Omega-1, Arsenic Methyltransferase and Methylene-tetrahydrofolate Reductase, arsenic exposure and bladder cancer: a case–control study

Background

Bisphenol A (BPA) and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFCs) are suspected endocrine disrupting compounds known to be ubiquitous in people's bodies. Population disparities in exposure to these chemicals have not been fully characterized.

Methods

We analyzed data from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Using multivariable linear regression we examined the association between urinary concentrations of BPA, serum concentrations of four PFCs, and multiple measures of socioeconomic position (SEP): family income, education, occupation, and food security. We also examined associations with race/ethnicity.

Results

All four PFCs were positively associated with family income, whereas BPA was inversely associated with family income. BPA concentrations were higher in people who reported very low food security and received emergency food assistance than in those who did not. This association was particularly strong in children: 6-11 year-olds whose families received emergency food had BPA levels 54% higher (95% CI, 13 to 112%) than children of families who did not. For BPA and PFCs we saw smaller and less consistent associations with education and occupation. Mexican Americans had the lowest concentrations of any racial/ethnic group of both types of chemicals; for PFCs, Mexican Americans not born in the U.S. had much lower levels than those born in the U.S.

Conclusions

People with lower incomes had higher body burdens of BPA; the reverse was true for PFCs. Family income with adjustment for family size was the strongest predictor of chemical concentrations among the different measures of SEP we studied. Income, education, occupation, and food security appear to capture different aspects of SEP that may be related to exposure to BPA and PFCs and are not necessarily interchangeable as measures of SEP in environmental epidemiology studies. Differences by race/ethnicity were independent of SEP.     

Atrial resting membrane potential confers sodium current sensitivity to propafenone,flecainide and dronedarone

1. Download : Download high-res image (218KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image

     

Rosuvastatin 1.2 mg In Situ Gel Combined With 1:1 Mixture of Autologous Platelet‐Rich Fibrin and Porous Hydroxyapatite Bone Graft in Surgical Treatment of Mandibular Class II Furcation Defects: A Randomized Clinical Control Trial

Background: A wide range of regenerative materials have been tried and tested in the treatment of furcation defects. Rosuvastatin (RSV) is a new synthetic, second‐generation, sulfur‐containing, hydrophilic statin with potent anti‐inflammatory and osseodifferentiation mechanisms of action. Platelet‐rich fibrin (PRF) is a platelet concentrate having sustained release of various growth factors with regenerative potential to treat periodontal defects. Porous hydroxyapatite (HA) bone grafting material has a clinically satisfactory response when used to fill periodontal intrabony defects. This double‐masked randomized study is designed to evaluate the potency of a combination of 1.2 mg RSV in situ gel with a 1:1 mixture of autologous PRF and HA bone graft in the surgical treatment of mandibular Class II furcation defects compared with autologous PRF and HA bone graft placed after open‐flap debridement (OFD). Methods: One hundred five mandibular furcation defects were treated with OFD + placebo gel (group 1), PRF + HA with OFD (group 2), or 1.2 mg RSV gel + PRF + HA with OFD (group 3). Clinical and radiologic parameters (i.e., probing depth [PD], relative vertical and relative horizontal clinical attachment level [rvCAL and rhCAL], intrabony defect depth, and percentage of defect fill) were recorded at baseline and 9 months postoperatively. Results: Mean PD reduction was greater in group 2 (3.68 ± 1.07 mm) and group 3 (4.62 ± 1.03 mm) than group 1 (2.11 ± 1.25 mm), and mean rvCAL and rhCAL gain were greater in group 2 (3.31 ± 0.52 and 2.97 ± 0.56 mm, respectively) and group 3 (4.17 ± 0.70 and 4.05 ± 0.76 mm) compared with group 1 (1.82 ± 0.78 and 1.62 ± 0.64 mm). A significantly greater percentage of mean bone fill was found in group 2 (54.69% ± 1.93%) and group 3 (61.94% ± 3.54%) compared with group 1 (10.09% ± 4.28%). Conclusions: Treatment of furcation defects with 1.2 mg RSV in situ gel combined with autologous PRF and porous HA bone graft results in significant improvements of clinical and radiographic parameters compared with OFD alone. These results imply that the combination of RSV, PRF, and HA has synergistic effects, explaining their role as a regenerative material in the treatment of furcation defects.     

Coexistence of pneumothorax and chilaiditi sign: A case report

We present a case of 50 year old male patient with coexistence of Pneumothorax and Chilaiditi sign. Chilaiditi sign is an incidental radiographic finding of a usually asymptomatic condition in which a part of intestine is located between the liver and diaphragm; however, the term “Chilaiditi syndrome” is used for symptomatic hepatodiaphragmatic interposition. The patient had no symptoms of abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, or emesis. Incidentally, Chilaiditi sign was diagnosed on chest radiography. Pneumothorax is defined as air in the pleural space. Pneumothoraces are classified as spontaneous or traumatic. Spontaneous pneumothorax is labelled as primary when no underlying lung disease is present, or secondary, when it is associated with pre-existing lung disease. Our case is the rare in the literature indicating the coexistence of Chilaiditi sign and pneumothorax.     

Association studies of Toll-like receptor gene polymorphisms with allograft survival in renal transplant recipients of North India

Organ transplantation itself inevitably activates the innate immune system by Toll-like receptors (TLRs), potentially leading to allograft rejection and graft failure. We evaluated the possible association of TLR2, TLR3, and TLR9 polymorphisms of donor-recipient pairs and acute rejection in renal transplant patients of North India. TLR2 (-196 to -174 del), TLR3 (c.1377C/T; rs 3775290), and TLR9 (+2848 G/A; rs 352140) were genotyped using DNA samples from 200 donor-recipient pairs of live donor kidney transplantation by applying Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) methodology. The variant allele frequency of TLR2 (-196 to -174 del) was significantly different between recipients and donors (7.5% vs. 5.0%; p = 0.049; OR = 3.9; 95% CI = 1.01-15.32). However, no significant association for allograft rejection was observed in transplant recipients for TLR3 and TLR9. Interestingly, a low prevalence of AA genotype of TLR9 + 2848 G>A was observed in rejecters when compared with non-rejecters, demonstrating protective association with allograft rejection (OR = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.12-0.88, p = 0.028). An allele in patients was also observed to be associated with higher rejection-free survival (log-rank = 0.044). These TLR gene polymorphisms, upon further evaluation, may be helpful in elucidation of immunobiological mechanisms associated with renal graft rejection.     

Genetic Diversity of Asian Sea Bass,Lates calcarifer (Bloch) Populations in India Revealed by Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA

The genetic diversity of five feral populations of Asian Sea bass, Lates calcarifer collected from five isolated locations in India viz., Paradeep, Chilka lake, Kakinada, Chennai and Mumbai was studied using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA. Out of 20 primers screened, 5 decamer random primers amplified a total of 373 DNA bands of which 137 bands were polymorphic. The Kakinada population showed the highest polymorphism (65.71 %) whereas the Chennai population showed the lowest (48.28 %). The inter-population genetic similarity (GS) values estimated for the five populations were checked by one-way ANOVA and found to be significantly different at P < 0.01. The highest inter-population GS was found between Paradeep and Chilka (0.909) and lowest was between Kakinada and Chennai (0.800). Genetic distance tree developed by Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean cluster analysis depicted that the Sea Bass of Paradeep, Chilka and Kakinada belong to one cluster while Chennai and Mumbai populations make different cluster. Overall, Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA technique could be used for genetic differentiation of diverse populations of Sea bass to provide information on their population genetic structure.     

Ramping Glucosuria for Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: An Emerging Cynosure

Chronic hyperglycemia is a characteristic feature of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The kidney plays a vital role in maintaining blood glucose homeostasis by recovering glucose from glomerular filtrate which is controlled by SGLT2 cotransporters expressed mainly in proximal tubule. In T2DM patients, inhibition of SGLT2 normalizes glycemic levels by preventing glucose from being reabsorbed through SGLT2 and re‐entering the circulation. Thus, SGLT2 inhibition seems to be a logical approach and pose a novel insulin‐independent mechanism of action for management of T2DM by promoting urinary glucose excretion in the body. Canagliflozin is the first SGLT2 inhibitor approved by US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) followed by dapagliflozin while empagliflozin is under FDA review. Various other drug candidates in late‐stage clinical developments are also expected to hit the global markets in the coming years. In this review, studies on various early‐ and late‐stage SGLT2 inhibitors have been investigated and recent clinical developments summarized.