Vitamin D reduces the differentiation and expansion of Th17 cells in young asthmatic children

Vitamin D [25(OH)D3] deficiency has been associated with asthma as in many inflammatory and autoimmune pathologies; however, there is still a lack of data about the effects of administration of vitamin D in immune regulation in young asthmatic patients. In this study, we investigated its inhibitory effect on the immune response in young asthmatic patients and the possible mechanisms involved.     

Characterization of ST80 Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clone in Tunisia

The spread of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) has been reported in communities worldwide. In this study, we characterized 64 Tunisian CA-MRSA by agr typing, polymerase chain reaction assay for 20 virulence genes, staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec (SCCmec) typing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and protein A gene (spa) typing. All our isolates were lukS-PV-lukF-PV positive, etd positive, and edin positive. They harbored SCCmec type IV and belonged to agr group 3. PFGE typing showed that our isolates were distributed in 11 different pulsotypes. spa typing and MLST, performed with isolates representative of each PFGE pattern, revealed that all isolates had a unique spa type (t044) and a common sequence type (ST80). The isolates showed susceptibility to the majority of antibiotics, and resistance to kanamycin, erythromycin, and tetracycline, but intermediate resistance to fusidic acid. Full analysis of our results revealed that our isolates were nonmultiresistant and belonged to a single clonal type ST80.     

Antioxidant and α-amylase inhibitory activities of extract and isolates from Zygogynum pancheri subsp. arrhantum

One new sesquiterpenoid (5R^*,8R^*,9R^*,10R^*)-cinnamolide (8), and seven known compounds, 5-hydroxy-7-methoxyflavonone (1), 8-hydroxy-3-(4′-hydroxyphenyl)-6,7-(2″,2″-dimethylchromene)-tetralone (2), 8-hydroxy-3-(3′,4′-dihydroxyphenyl)-6,7-(2″,2″-dimethylchromene)-tetralone (3), 1β-E-O-p-methoxycinnamoyl-bemadienolide (4), 1β-O-(E-cinnamoyl)-6α-hydroxy-9-epi-polygodial (5), 1β-O-(E-cinnamoyl)-6α-hydroxypolygodial (6), and 1β-O-E-cinnamoylpolygodial (7) were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of barks of Zygogynum pancheri subsp. arrhantum (Winteraceae). The structures of these molecules were assigned predominantly based on spectral data. The structure of compound 8 was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Compounds 2 and 3 exhibited significant antioxidant activity, whereas compounds 1 and 4–7 showed significant α-amylase inhibitory activity.     

Relationships between Common and Novel Interleukin-6 Gene Polymorphisms and Risk of Cervical Cancer: a Case-Control Study

We investigated the association between six common and novel interleukin-6 (IL-6) polymorphisms with the risk of cervical cancer (CC) among Tunisians. Study subjects comprised 112 CC cases and 164 control women. Genotyping of IL-6 rs2069845, rs2069840, rs1474348, rs1800795, rs1800797, rs2069827 variants was done by real-time PCR, with defined clusters. The allelic and genotypic distributions of the tested IL-6 SNPs were comparable between CC patients and control women. Stratification according to FIGO staging revealed that rs1800795 homozygous major allele genotype (P = 0.033; OR =0.49(0.25–0.95)) and major allele (P = 0.037; OR = 0.57 (0.33–0.97)) were protective of CC. Moreover, carriage of rs1474348 major allele was also protective of CC (P = 0.014; OR = 0.53(0.32–0.88)), while higher rs1474348 minor allele frequency was seen in CC patients with early FIGO stage (P = 0.044; OR = 0.39 (0.15–1.00)), thus implicating rs1474348 in CC evolution and progression of angiogenesis. Haploview analysis demonstrated high linkage disequilibrium (LD) between rs2069845, rs2069840, rs1474348 and rs1800795, and 6-locus haplotype analysis identified GACCCA haplotype to be positively associated with increased CC, while GAGGGG haplotype was negatively associated with CC, thus suggesting a protective role for this haplotype in CC. Furthermore, there was a significant association between the incidence of CC and the use hormonal contraception (P = 0.047; OR = 1.97 (0.94–4.13)) and smoking (P < 0.001; OR = 7.12 (2.97–17.04)). The IL-6 variants rs1800795 and rs1474348, and haplotypes GACCCA and GAGGGG, along with use of hormonal contraceptives and smoking, are major risk factors of CC susceptibility and evolution among Tunisian women.     

Massive hemoperitoneum caused by rupture of an aneurysm of the marginal artery of Drummond

Aneurysms of visceral arteries are uncommon and their rupture is rare. We report a case of an aneurysm of the marginal artery of Drummond, which was complicated by rupture leading to massive hemoperitoneum. A selective superior mesenteric arteriogram suggested the possibility of segmental arterial mediolysis (SAM) as a possible etiology and this was confirmed by histological examination. This is the first report of symptomatic SAM of the marginal artery of Drummond to date. This case demonstrates that the marginal artery of Drummond should be considered during the angiographic explorations for the source of hemoperitoneum. Management options are discussed.     

Endarterectomy versus stenting in patients with prior ipsilateral carotid artery stenting

Objective

In-stent restenosis is a recognized complication of carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS), and it is associated with an increased risk of stroke. Few case series have reported outcomes separately following carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and CAS for the treatment of in-stent restenosis. In this study, we perform an evaluation of redo-CAS vs CEA in a large contemporary cohort of patients who underwent prior ipsilateral CAS.

Cardiac denervation evidenced by MIBG occurs earlier than amyloid deposits detection by diphosphonate scintigraphy in TTR mutation carriers

Purpose

Cardiac involvement in familial transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis is of major prognostic value, and the development of early-diagnostic tools that could trigger the use of new disease-modifying treatments is crucial. The aim of our study was to compare the respective contributions of ^99mTc-diphosphonate scintigraphy (DPD, detecting amyloid deposits) and ¹²³I-MIBG (MIBG, assessing cardiac sympathetic denervation) in patients with genetically proven TTR mutation referred for the assessment of cardiac involvement.

Methods

We prospectively studied 75 consecutive patients (classified as symptomatic or asymptomatic carriers), using clinical evaluation, biomarkers (troponin and BNP), echocardiography, and nuclear imaging. Patients were classified as having normal heart-to-mediastinum (HMR) MIBG uptake ratio 4 h after injection (defined by HM4?≥?1.85) or abnormal HM4?<?1.85, and positive DPD uptake (grade?≥?1 of Perugini classification) or negative DPD uptake.

Results

Among 75 patients, 49 (65%) presented with scintigraphic sympathetic cardiac denervation and 29 (39%) with myocardial diphosphonate uptake. When MIBG was normal, DPD was negative except for two patients. Age was an independent predictor of abnormal scintigraphic result of both MIBG and DPD (HR 1.08 and 1.15 respectively), whereas echocardiographic-derived indicators of increased left ventricular filling pressure (E/e’ ratio) was an independent predictor of abnormal MIBG (HR 1.33) and global longitudinal strain of positive DPD (HR 1.45). In asymptomatic patients (n?=?31), MIBG was abnormal in 48% (n?=?15) among whom 50% had a normal DPD; all those with a normal MIBG (n?=?16) had a normal DPD.

Conclusions

In TTR mutation carriers, cardiac sympathetic denervation evidenced by decreased MIBG uptake is detected earlier than amyloid burden evidenced by DPD. These results raise the possibility of a diagnostic role for MIBG scintigraphy at an early stage of cardiac involvement in TTR-mutated carriers, in addition to its well-established prognostic value.