An insight into the sialotranscriptome of Triatoma matogrossensis, a kissing bug associated with fogo selvagem in South America

Triatoma matogrossensis is a Hemiptera that belongs to the oliveirai complex, a vector of Chagas' disease that feeds on vertebrate blood in all life stages. Hematophagous insects' salivary glands (SGs) produce potent pharmacologic compounds that counteract host hemostasis, including anticlotting, antiplatelet, and vasodilatory molecules. Exposure to T. matogrossensis was also found to be a risk factor associated with the endemic form of the autoimmune skin disease pemphigus foliaceus, which is described in the same regions where Chagas' disease is observed in Brazil. To obtain a further insight into the salivary biochemical and pharmacologic diversity of this kissing bug and to identify possible allergens that might be associated with this autoimmune disease, a cDNA library from its SGs was randomly sequenced. We present the analysis of a set of 2,230 (SG) cDNA sequences, 1,182 of which coded for proteins of a putative secretory nature.     

Inflamación y apoptosis en la hipertensión arterial. Importancia de la extensión de la lesión de órgano diana

Introduction and objectives

To investigate the relationship between inflammatory and apoptotic parameters and the severity and extent of target organ damage in patients with essential hypertension.

Methods

We studied 159 consecutive patients with treated essential hypertension. An exhaustive evaluation of damage to heart, kidney, and blood vessels was performed and plasma levels of inflammatory (interleukin 6 and soluble receptor of tumor necrosis factor-alpha type 2) and apoptotic markers (soluble receptor of tumor necrosis factor-alpha type 1 and soluble Fas receptor) were determined. Patients were categorized into four groups: a) no organ damage (33 patients); b) 1 organ damaged (52 patients); c) 2 organs damaged (44 patients), and d) 3 organs damaged (30 patients).

Results

Serum levels of interleukin 6, soluble receptor of tumor necrosis factor-alpha type 1 and soluble receptor of tumor necrosis factor-alpha type 2 were higher in patients with target organ damage than in hypertensive patients without organ damage. Increasing levels of these molecules were progressively associated with an increase in the number of organs damaged, and the highest levels were observed in the group with damage to 3 organs (heart, kidney, and blood vessels). There were no differences in soluble Fas receptor levels between groups. Logistic regression analysis showed that age, smoking, diabetes mellitus, abdominal circumference, interleukin 6, and soluble receptor of tumor necrosis factor-alpha type 1 were independently related to the number of target organs damaged.

Conclusions

Extensive hypertensive disease with involvement of more target organs was associated with greater inflammatory and apoptotic activation in these hypertensive patients.Full English text available from:www.revespcardiol.org     

A meta-analysis of cortical inhibition and excitability using transcranial magnetic stimulation in psychiatric disorders

ObjectiveTo evaluate transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) measures of inhibition and excitation in obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), major depressive disorder (MDD) and schizophrenia (SCZ).MethodsParadigms included: short-interval cortical inhibition (SICI), cortical silent period (CSP), resting motor threshold, intracortical facilitation, and motor evoked potential amplitude. A literature search was performed using PubMed, Ovid Medline, Embase Psychiatry and PsycINFO 1990 through April 2012.ResultsA significant Hedge’s g was found for decreased SICI (g = 0.572, 95% confidence interval [0.179, 0.966], p = 0.004), enhanced intracortical facilitation (g = 0.446, 95% confidence interval [0.042, 0.849], p = 0.030) and decreased CSP (g = ?0.466, 95% confidence interval [?0.881, ?0.052], p = 0.027) within the OCD population. For MDD, significant effect sizes were demonstrated for decreased SICI (g = 0.641, 95% confidence interval [0.384, 0.898], p = 0.000) and shortened CSP (g = ?1.232, 95% confidence interval [?1.530, ?0.933], p = 0.000). In SCZ, a significant Hedge’s g was shown for decreased SICI (g = 0.476, 95% confidence interval [0.331, 0.620], p = 0.000).ConclusionInhibitory deficits are a ubiquitous finding across OCD, MDD, SCZ and enhancement of intracortical facilitation is specific to OCD.SignificanceProvides a clear platform from which diagnostic procedures can be developed.     

Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 Inhibitors as Potent Therapeutic Agents for the Treatment of Parkinson Disease.

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High HIF-1α expression genotypes in oral lichen planus

Objective

The aim of this study is to assess whether C1772T and G1790A hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1)α polymorphisms are associated with risk of oral lichen planus (OLP).

Material and methods

Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was used to investigate HIF-1α C1779T and G1790A polymorphisms in 32 OLP and 88 individuals without OLP.

Results

The frequency of the CC, TT, GA, and AA genotypes was higher in patients with OLP. Notably, individuals carrying the C and A, and T and A haplotypes showed a significant association OLP risk.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated that the C1772T and G1790A polymorphisms of HIF-1α gene increased the risk of OLP. C1772T and G1790A polymorphisms of HIF-1α gene had differing patterns of allelic imbalance in the normal samples and subsequent chronic lesions. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the HIF-1α pathway in OLP, which would facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the prevention and treatment of OLP.

Clinical relevance

These results, in conjunction with previous studies, suggest that HIF-1α may play important roles in the chronicity of oral mucosa lesions of OLP patients. Taken together, we suggest that HIF-1α polymorphisms enhance its target genes, thereby altering the microenvironment and supporting sequential release of inflammatory mediators or cellular events in OLP. It appears unlikely that inhibition of a single proinflammatory mediator will prove useful in clinical practice, but several ways to reprogram mediators engaged in a wide array of roles simultaneously are encouraging.     

Implementation of a pre-hospital network favoring primary angioplasty in STEMI to reduce mortality: the Algarve Project

ObjectiveTo analyze the impact of reperfusion by either primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) or fibrinolysis, and mortality rates of a pre-hospital fast-track network for treating patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).Methods and ResultsA pre-hospital network for STEMI patients, designated the Green Lane for Acute Myocardial Infarction (GL-AMI), has been implemented in the southern region of Portugal – the Algarve Project. We performed an observational study based on a prospective registry of 1338 patients admitted to Faro Hospital between 2004 and 2009, classified in two groups according to the method of admission: emergency department group (EDG) and GL-AMI group (GLG). More patients from GLG were reperfused (p < 0.0001). PPCI was the preferred method of reperfusion, 73.1% in GLG and 45.3% in EDG. Time delays were significantly shorter in GLG, except for pre-hospital delay: pre-hospital delay (p = 0.11); door-to-needle (p < 0.0001); door-to-balloon (p < 0.0001); and delay between symptoms and reperfusion (p < 0.0001). In-hospital mortality (4.3% vs 9.2%, p = 0.0007) and 6-month mortality (6.3% vs 13.8%, p < 0.0001) were significantly lower in GLG.ConclusionsThe Algarve Project significantly reduced the time delay between onset of symptoms and reperfusion, significantly increased the rate of reperfusion, and significantly reduced in-hospital and six-month mortality.