Technologies to Better Serve the Millions of Diabetic Patients: A Holistic, Interactive and Persuasive ICT Model to Facilitate Self Care, in Extremely Poor Rural Zones of Central America

Health indicators express remarkable gaps between health systems at a world-wide level. Countries of the entire world are overflowed by the need of new strategies, methodologies and technologies to better serve the millions of patients, who demand better medical attention. The present archaic and ephemerally systematized systems widen the gap even more than the quality of medical services that should be provided for the millions of diabetic patients. It is therefore necessary to develop highly familiar environments with diabetic patients and their care needs. A Holistic, Interactive and Persuasive ICT model to facilitate self care of patients with diabetes (hIPAPD), is proposed as an innovative technological development in Panama to health optimized treatment for diabetic patients. Three health centers located in the District of Aguadulce, Province of Cocle, located on Panama’s Pacific Coast, were selected to validate the model; the area presents extremely poor population, mostly with one daily meal, without any health insurance and with a high illiteracy rate. A series of experiences in the application and validation process are presented and analyzed in order to confirm the application, value and contribution of ICTs in health care in poor regions of Central America.     

Subacute toxicity study of the methanolic seed extract of Buchholzia coriacea (Capparaceae) in rats

The methanol extract of Buchholzia coriacea seed has shown some anti-trypanosomal activity against Trypanosoma brucei brucei. The acute toxicity test of this extract showed no signs of toxicity. This present study was designed to assess its sub-acute toxicity in rats. Rats of both sexes were dosed daily with 125, 250 and 500?mg/kg body weight of the extract by oral gavage for 28?days. Dosing with the extract showed no significant effect on body weights. The temperatures of extract-treated rats were significantly (p?<?0.05) higher during the first and last weeks of the experiment. There were also significant reductions (p?<?0.05) of red and white blood cell counts, packed cell volumes and haemoglobin concentrations in the extract-treated animals. Blood biochemistry revealed no significant changes. On necropsy, pale mucous membranes, bile stains on spleen, congestion of the lungs and caudal lobes of the liver were evident in the extract-treated rats. There were significant (p?<?0.05) reductions in relative liver weights of the extract-treated male rats. Twenty-eight days dosing of rats with the methanol extract of B. coriacea seed caused signs of toxicity at the tested doses.     

What does detection of Mycobacterium ulcerans DNA in the margin of an excised Buruli ulcer lesion tell us?

We determined by real-time PCR the distribution of Mycobacterium ulcerans DNA in the excised lesion of a Buruli ulcer patient. A new lesion developed adjacent to the site of excision in the patient. The excised margin around the primary lesion contained a small amount of mycobacterial DNA in the area where the secondary lesion developed. These results suggest that a relatively small number of infiltrating mycobacteria can lead to the development of a recurrence.     

Effect of oseltamivir on catecholamines and select oxidative stress markers in the presence of oligoelements in the rat brain

The effect that osteltamivir has on the metabolism of catecholamines and oxidative damage in the brains of young patients remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of oseltamivir, in the presence of oligoelements, on biogenic amines and select oxidative biomarkers in the brains of uninfected, young rats under normal conditions. The study was conducted using male Wistar rats intraperitoneally treated for three days with either a control dose of 0.9 % NaCl, oseltamivir (50 mg/kg), oligoelements (50 μL/rat), or oseltamivir (50 mg/kg) and oligoelements (50 μL/rat). The brain tissue extracted from the treated rats was used to determine the concentrations of adrenaline, noradrenaline, and dopamine, as well as the levels of GSH, lipid peroxidation, and ATPase activity. An increase in the concentration of adrenaline and noradrenaline and in the level of GSH in the group treated with oligoelements (p < 0.001) was observed, while the group treated with oseltamivir and oligoelements, the levels of dopamine increased (p < 0.001), and in the groups treated with oligoelements alone or combination with oseltamivir a decrease in lipid peroxidation was observed (p < 0.001). The results of this study suggest that the consumption of oseltamivir and oligoelements induce biphasic changes in the metabolism of catecholamines; thereby, inducing a protective mechanism against oxidative damage in the brains of young rats.     

Anellovirus loads are associated with outcomes in pediatric lung transplantation

Anelloviruses are DNA viruses ubiquitously present in human blood. Due to their elevated levels in immunosuppressed patients, anellovirus levels have been proposed as a marker of immune status. We hypothesized that low anellovirus levels, reflecting relative immunocompetence, would be associated with adverse outcomes in pediatric lung transplantation. We assayed blood samples from 57 patients in a multicenter study for alpha‐ and betatorquevirus, two anellovirus genera. The primary short‐term outcome of interest was acute rejection, and longer‐term outcomes were analyzed individually and as “composite” (death, chronic rejection, or retransplant within 2 years). Patients with low alphatorquevirus levels at 2 weeks post‐transplantation were more likely to develop acute rejection within 3 months after transplant (P = .013). Low betatorquevirus levels at 6 weeks and 6 months after transplant were associated with death (P = .047) and the composite outcome (P = .017), respectively. There was an association between low anellovirus levels and adverse outcomes in pediatric lung transplantation. Alphatorquevirus levels were associated with short‐term outcomes (ie, acute rejection), while betatorquevirus levels were associated with longer‐term outcomes (ie, death, or composite outcome within 2 years). These observations suggest that anelloviruses may serve as useful biomarkers of immune status and predictors of adverse outcomes.     

About the importance of being desulfated

Sulfated proteoglycans have important structural and signaling functions in the growth plate. In the October 1, 2008, issue of Genes & Development, Settembre and colleagues (2645-2650) report that lack of SUMF1, a crucial enzyme in the activation of sulfatases, causes a severe chondrodysplasia by augmenting fibroblast growth factor signaling and by hampering the autophagic process, which the investigators show is constitutively on in chondrocytes. The findings highlight the essential role of desulfation in cartilage biology and organogenesis.     

Clinical relevance of proliferation biomarkers and p53 expression in rectal mucosa and sporadic colonic adenomas: a prospective study

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Prospective study to evaluate 1) the pattern of proliferation biomarkers and p53 expression in rectal mucosa and adenomatous tissue, and 2) the clinical relevance of these biomarkers as predictors for adenoma recurrence. METHODOLOGY: 40 patients with sporadic adenomas underwent colonoscopic polypectomy and rectal biopsies. Assessment of proliferation biomarkers--Ornithine decarboxylase, PCNA and Ki-67--was done in adenomas and rectal mucosa, while p53 was performed in adenomas. After polypectomy, 34 adenoma patients were followed for 36 months to detect metachronous polyps. 20 controls underwent colonoscopy and rectal biopsies, with assessment of proliferation biomarkers. RESULTS: Mean values of ornithine decarboxylase, PCNA and Ki-67 in rectal mucosa from adenoma patients were not significantly different when compared with the control group. The expression of these biomarkers was significantly increased in adenomas versus rectal mucosa. Only 6 (15%) out of 40 adenomas were found to overexpress p53 protein. During follow-up, recurrent polyps were detected in 12 patients (relapsing group). Mean values of ornithine decarboxylase, detected at index colonoscopy, were not significantly higher in relapsing group versus non-relapsing group. Mean values of PCNA and Ki-67 detected in adenomas at index colonoscopy were significantly higher in relapsing group when compared with non-relapsing group. Adenoma recurrence was observed in all patients with p53 overexpression. CONCLUSIONS: Ornithine decarboxylase, PCNA and Ki-67 expression in rectal mucosa did not show clinical relevance. Yet, increased expression of PCNA or Ki-67 in adenomatous tissue may be a predictor of adenoma recurrence. Positive p53 might have the same predictive value.     

Haplotype frequencies and linkage disequilibrium analysis of four frequent polymorphisms at the PTH/PTH-related peptide receptor gene locus

The parathyroid hormone (PTH)/PTH-related peptide receptor is a critical component in the control of mineral ion metabolism and in bone development. This receptor is encoded by a single gene (PTHR1) on chromosome 3p21.1-p24.2, and mutations in this gene have been found in several clinical disorders of bone and mineral metabolism. To facilitate future genetic studies of this important gene, we determined haplotype frequencies and performed linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis of four different polymorphisms at the PTHR1 locus. Combined analysis of Caucasian, African-American and Asian individuals indicated that LD exists between all but one pair of the four polymorphisms. However, the pattern of LD differed substantially among the three subpopulations; for example, LD between two closely spaced (154-bp apart) single nucleotide polymorphisms appeared to be present only in Asians. Depending on the population under study, genetic association studies may need to test even more closely spaced polymorphic markers when screening the PTHR1 locus. These findings may thus affect the design and interpretation of future genetic studies involving PTHR1.