Dental anomalies in cleft lip and palate: A case–control comparison of total and outside the cleft prevalence

This study’s objective was to compare the total and outside the cleft prevalence of dental anomalies (DA) between patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) and a control group. This retrospective cross-sectional study was done under a case–control design. The case group consisted of 192 non-syndromic patients with complete CLP, while the control group included 411 patients. All subjects had orthopantomography, intra, and extraoral photographs. The prevalence of dental agenesis, supernumerary teeth, impacted teeth, dental transposition, and microdontia were compared using a chi-squared test (P < .05). Next, a second test was made, but only the anomalies outside the cleft were considered for this study. Total prevalence was 89.1% for cases, and 20.9% for controls (P < .01). The prevalence of each DA was significantly higher for the case group. In the analysis of DAs outside the cleft, the total prevalence was still significantly associated (P < .01); however, only dental agenesis was statistically significant (P < .01). Further analysis found that a high rate of upper premolar absence (P < .01) could explain this event. Patients with CLP have a higher prevalence of DAs compared to controls. After considering only the DAs outside the cleft, the total prevalence remains significantly higher. However, this phenomenon is explained mainly by the elevated prevalence of upper premolars’ agenesis. This study’s results suggest that environmental factors are behind the high prevalence of DAs in subjects with CLP.     

Pulmonary artery-bronchus fistula treated with coil embolization

Bronchopulmonary arterial fistula consists of an abnormal connection between the bronchus and the vascular tree and is a rare but serious complication associated with a variety of lung interventions. We present a case of a 61-year-old female with a history of metastatic breast cancer treated with lumpectomy and radiation 20 years prior, who was found to have a fistula between the right pulmonary artery and the right mainstem bronchus. Our patient was treated endovascularly with coil embolization in the setting of massive hemoptysis flooding the trachea, which was successful in controlling the acute bleed, although care was withdrawn in the following days following a discussion with the family given the presence of advanced metastatic disease. This case illustrates the use of endovascular techniques to treat an actively bleeding bronchopulmonary arterial fistulae, including a review of the existing literature regarding the optimal endovascular management strategy. Although our patient did not achieve the best outcome, endovascular intervention with stent-placement or embolization can serve to temporarily halt blood flow through the fistula, stabilizing the patient and allowing for more radical therapy after improvement.     

Global Extension and Predominance of Human Metapneumovirus A2 Genotype with Partial G Gene Duplication

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is an important respiratory pathogen and is divided in two main groups (A and B). HMPV strains with partial duplications (111-nt and 180-nt duplication) of the G gene have been reported in recent years. Since the initial reports, viruses with these characteristics have been reported in several countries. We analyzed all complete HMPV G gene ectodomain sequences available at GenBank to determine if viruses with 111-nt or 180-nt duplication have become the leading HMPV strains worldwide, and to describe their temporal and geographic distribution. We identified 1462 sequences that fulfilled study criteria (764 HMPV A and 698 HMPV B) reported from 37 countries. The most frequent HMPV A genotype was A2b2 (n = 366), and the most frequent B genotype was B2 (n = 374). A total of 84 sequences contained the 111-nt duplication, and 90 sequences contained the 180-nt duplication. Since 2016, viruses with a partial duplication comprise the most frequent HMPV A sequences globally and have displaced other HMPV A viruses in Asia, Europe, and South America; no sequences of viruses with partial duplication have been reported in North America or Africa so far. Continued surveillance of HMPV is required to identify the emergence and spread of epidemiologically relevant variants.     

Genome-wide linkage analysis combined with genome sequencing in large families with intracranial aneurysms

Rupture of an intracranial aneurysm (IA) leads to aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (ASAH), a severe type of stroke. Some rare variants that cause IA in families have been identified, but still, the majority of genetic causes, as well as the biological mechanisms of IA development and rupture, remain unknown. We aimed to identify rare, damaging variants for IA in three large Dutch families with multiple affected members with IA (N = 9, 11, and 6). By combining linkage analysis and genome sequencing (GS), we identified six rare and damaging variants for which all cases within one of the families were heterozygous. These variants were p.Tyr87Cys in SYCP1, p.Phe1077Leu in FMNL2, p.Thr754Lys in TBC1D2, p.Arg321His in ZNF782, p.Arg979Trp in CCDC180, and p.Val125Met in NCBP1. None of the variants showed association with IA status in a large cohort of 937 patients from the general IA patient population and 1046 controls. Gene expression in IA and cerebral artery tissue further prioritized FMNL2 and TBC1D2 as potential important players in IA pathophysiology. Further studies are needed to characterize the functional consequences of the identified variants and their role in the biological mechanisms of IA.Subject terms: Stroke, Aneurysm, Genetic linkage study, Next-generation sequencing     

Aluminum Perlite Syntactic Foams

This paper presents the usage of spark plasma sintering (SPS) as a method to obtain aluminum-expanded perlite syntactic foams with high porosity. In the test samples, fine aluminum powder with flaky shape particles was used as matrix material and natural, inorganic, granular, expanded perlite was used as a space holder to ensure high porosity (35–57%) and uniform structure. SPS was used to consolidate the specimens. The structures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and compression tests. Energy absorption (W~7.49 MJ/m³) and energy absorption efficiency (EW < 90%) were also determined.     

Antiprotozoal and cytotoxic activities in vitro of Colombian Annonaceae

Ethnobotanical and chemotaxonomical studies for antiparasitic activity of Colombian Annonaceae were carried out. In vitro antiprotozoal activity of 36 extracts obtained from six different species was determined against promastigotes of three Leishmania species, epimastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi and both chloroquine sensitive (F32) and resistant (W2) Plasmodium falciparum. Cytotoxic activity was evaluated in U-937 cells. Active extracts were selected according their selectivity index (SI). Extracts from Annona muricata, Rollinia exsucca, Rollinia pittieri and Xylopia aromatica were active against Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma cruzi showing IC50 values lower than 25 microg/ml. Hexane extract from Rollinia pittieri leaves was the most selective against Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. (IS=10 and 16, respectively). The extracts from Desmopsis panamensis, Pseudomalmea boyacana, Rollinia exsucca and Rollinia pittieri showed good antiplasmodial activity (IC50 < 10 microg/ml). No correlation between antiplasmodial activity and inhibition of beta-hematin production was found. The present study gives specific and useful information about antiprotozoal and cytotoxic activities of some Annonaceae extracts. Results presented here also demonstrate which plants and/or plant parts could be useful in the treatment of leishmaniasis, Chagas' disease and malaria.     

Cellular pharmacology of P-ethoxy antisense oligonucleotides targeted to Bcl-2 in a follicular lymphoma cell line

A P-ethoxy oligonucleotide (oligo), 20 bases long and specific for the translation initiation site of human Bcl-2 mRNA, was incorporated into liposomes to increase its intracellular delivery. This oligo selectively inhibited Bcl-2 protein expression and induced growth inhibition in t(14;18)-positive transformed follicular lymphoma (FL) cell lines. We studied the inhibitory effects of shorter liposomal P-ethoxy oligos (7, 9, 11 or 15 mer) in order to determine the activity of different oligo chain lengths targeted to the same Bcl-2 mRNA. At 12 μM, all the oligos inhibited the growth of a FL cell line. We compared the 7-mer oligo with the 20-mer oligo. The two oligos inhibited Bcl-2 protein expression similarly: 66% and 60% for the 7- and 20-mer, respectively. The uptake and retention of both oligos were also very similar. Our results indicate that the Bcl-2 inhibitory activity is maintained with P-ethoxy antisense oligos ranging from 7 to 20 bases.     

Freeze-dried primate sperm retains early reproductive potential after intracytoplasmic sperm injection

Oocytes inseminated by intracytoplasmic sperm injection using fresh ejaculated or freeze-dried rhesus macaque sperm showed similar activation, sperm aster assembly, and male-female pronuclear apposition rates.     

CA 125 regression after two cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy as prognostic factor in patients with advanced ovarian cancer and primary peritoneal serous cancer who underwent interval surgical cytoreduction

OBJECTIVES: The aim of our study was to assess the prognostic role of CA 125 regression during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in patients with ovarian cancer (OC) or primary peritoneal serous carcinoma (PPSC) that underwent interval debulking surgery (IOC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty one patients with advanced OC or PPSC (FIGO stage IIIC and IV) who underwent initial exploratory surgery, followed by NAC containing platinum analogs, have been analyzed, retrospectively. We have used a regression coefficient (RCA 125), which was calculated as following: log10 (CA 125 level measured after two cycles of NAC/baseline CA 125) for statistical analysis. The median value of RCA 125 reached -0.788 and has been used to dichotomize. Optimal IOC has been performed in 67.74% (21/31) patients, suboptimal in 25.81% (8/31) patients and 6.45% (2/31) of patients did not undergo IOC due to the progression of the disease. RESULTS: We have noted significant correspondence between time to progression and RCA 125 in univariate analysis, which we have also confirmed in multivariate analysis (HR 0.27; 95% CI, 0.15-0.96; p = 0.0178). Similarly, we have observed significant relationship between overall survival, RCA 125 and extension IOC in univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis confirmed that RCA 125 was independent prognostic factor, HR-0.18 (95% CI, 0.07-0.56; p = 0.004). In case of patients with high RCA 125, a greater rate of optimal debulking cytoreduction (p = 0.0278, U = 50.0) has been observed. CONCLUSIONS: RCA 125 after two courses of NAC appears to be an important prognostic factor in patients with OC or PPSC, who underwent IOC High RCA 125 during NAC seems to be a good predictive factor in order to achieve optimal IOC.