Cerebrospinal Fluid C-Reactive Protein in Parkinson’s Disease: Associations with Motor and Non-motor Symptoms

Parkinson’ disease (PD) is characterized by motor symptoms including bradykinesia, resting tremor, postural instability, and rigidity and non-motor symptoms such as cognitive impairment, sleep disorder, and depression. Neuroinflammation has been recently implicated in pathophysiology of both motor and non-motor symptoms of PD. One of the most notable inflammatory proteins is C-reactive protein (CRP), which is elevated in the conditions of systemic inflammation. Using BioFIND database, we scrutinized the possible association between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of CRP and severity of PD motor and non-motor symptoms. Eighty-four healthy controls (HCs) and 109 PD subjects were entered into this study. A significant correlation was observed between CSF CRP levels and Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Part III (MDS-UPDRS part III) score and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score in PD patients. We found significant correlations between MoCA score and CSF CRP levels in female patients and between CSF CRP and MDS-UPDRS part III score and MoCA score in male patients. In linear regression, CSF CRP could predict 6.9 and 10% of changes in MDS-UPDRS part III score in all PD patients male PD patients, respectively. In summary, we confirmed that CSF concentrations of CRP are in correlation with motor and non-motor severity in PD subjects. Our findings suggest that neuroinflammation plays an important role in the initiation and probably progression of PD motor and non-motor symptoms, which may give us a better insight into the underlying pathologic mechanisms in PD.     

Streptococcus mutans serotypes and collagen‐binding proteins Cnm/Cbm in children with caries analysed by PCR

Streptococcus mutans, a primary bacterium associated with dental caries, has four known clinical serotypes (c, e, fand k). Certain serotypes, the presence of multiple serotypes and strains with collagen‐binding proteins (CBP, Cnm and Cbm) have been linked with systemic disease. Evaluation of S mutans serotype distribution and caries association is needed in the United States. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of S mutans serotypes from two cohorts of African‐American children in rural Alabama using three sample types (saliva, plaque and individual S mutans isolates) by PCR detection for association with caries. Detection of CBP was also performed by PCR. In total, 129 children were evaluated and overall prevalence of serotypes were: serotype c(98%), e(26%), f(7%) and k(52%). Serotype c was statistically associated with higher caries scores in older children (P < 0.001) and serotype k was statistically more likely in females (P = 0.004). Fourteen per cent of children had CBP. Thirteen S mutans isolates from five children tested positive for both CBP. This study is the first to report on the prevalence of S mutans serotypes in a US population using the PCR‐based approach. The frequency of serotype k in this study is the highest reported in any population, illustrating the need for further study to determine the prevalence of this clinically relevant serotype in the US. This is the first study to report S mutans isolates with both Cnm and Cbm in the same strain, and further analysis is needed to determine the clinical significance of these strains.     

The association between coffee consumption and periodontitis: a cross-sectional study of a northern German population

Clinical Oral Investigations - Positive and negative influences on oral health are attributed to coffee consumption. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the association between coffee...     

The effect of photodynamic therapy by gold nanoparticles on Streptococcus mutans and biofilm formation: an in vitro study

Lasers in Medical Science - In this experimental study, we aimed to evaluate the antibacterial and anti-biofilm effects of photodynamic therapy with a photosensitizer in conjunction with Gold...     

Coronary risk in South Asians: role of ethnicity and blood sugar.

BACKGROUND: Studies of South Asian immigrants in different countries have reported an increased predisposition to cardiovascular disease in comparison with the native populations. DESIGN: This study is a systematic review of longitudinal studies investigating differences in established risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) between Caucasians and South Asians. The aim was to develop a practical tool to estimate CHD risk in individuals. Secondarily data from the Health Survey for England 1999 (HSE 1999) were used to explore a possible role of differences in blood glucose in risk variation. METHODS: We used a systematic search to find relevant published papers. Data from the HSE 1999 were employed to study ethnic differences in blood glucose and glycosylated haemoglobin. RESULTS: Only two out of five longitudinal studies reported independent estimates of relative risks of CHD in South Asians compared to Caucasians. Risk in diabetic South Asians was predicted adequately by classical risk factors whilst risk in a non-diabetic study population was 79% greater than predicted. Non-diabetic South Asians have higher fasting blood glucose (FBG) and HbA1c than Caucasians after adjustment for CHD risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: The difference in risk of CHD between non-diabetic South Asian and Caucasians is not explained by differences in the impact of the traditional risk factors. Part may be due to higher blood sugar concentrations in non-diabetic South Asians.     

Efficacy and Safety of Using Amplatzer Ductal Occluder for Transcatheter Closure of Perimembranous Ventricular Septal Defect in Pediatrics

Background:

Perimembranous Ventricular Septal Defect (PMVSD) is the most common subtype of ventricular septal defects. Transcatheter closure of PMVSD is a challenging procedure in management of moderate or large defects.

Objectives:

The purpose of this study was to show that transcatheter closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect with Amplatzer Ductal Occluder (ADO) is an effective and safe method.

Patients and Methods:

Between April 2012 and April 2013, 28 patients underwent percutaneous closure of PMVSD using ADO. After obtaining the size of VSD from the ventriculogram a device at least 2 mm larger than the narrowest diameter of VSD at right ventricular side was chosen. The device deployed after confirmation of its good position by echocardiography and left ventriculography. Follow up evaluations were done 1 month, 6 months, 12 months and yearly after discharge with transthoracic echocardiography and 12 lead electrocardiography.

Results:

The mean age of patients at procedure was 4.7 ± 6.3 (range 2 to 14) years, mean weight 14.7 ± 10.5 (range 10 to 40) kg. The mean defect size of the right ventricular side was 4.5 ± 1.6 mm. The average device size used was 7.3 ± 3.2mm (range 4 to 12 mm). The ADOs were successfully implanted in all patients. The VSD occlusion rate was 65.7% at completion of the procedure, rising up to 79.5% at discharge and 96.4% during follow-up. Small residual shunts were seen at completion of the procedure, but they disappeared during follow-up in all but one patient. The mean follow-up period was 8.3 ± 3.6 months (range 1 to 18 months). Complete atrioventricular block (CAVB), major complication or death was not observed in our study.

Conclusions:

Transcatheter closure of PMVSD with ADO in children is a safe and effective treatment associated with excellent success and closure rates, but long-term follow-up in a large number of patients would be warranted.     

The clinical significance of complete class switching defect in Ataxia telangiectasia patients

Background: Ataxia telangiectasia (AT) is a primary immunodeficiency associated with recurrent infections. We aimed to investigate clinical and immunological classification in AT patients who suffer from a different spectrum of humoral immune defects.

Methods: AT patients were categorized according to the ability of class switching and patients with hyper IgM (HIgM) profile were defined as class switching defect (CSD).

Results: Serum immunoglobulin profile in 66 AT patients showed normal immunoglobulin level (22.8%), IgA deficiency (37.9%) and hypogammaglobulinemia (18.1%) in the majority of patients, while 21.2% had HIgM profile revealing CSD. CSD does not affect the frequency of infections, however, the frequency of lymphoproliferation (p < 0.001), and autoimmunity (p = 0.004) were significantly higher in this group. Neurologic symptoms in CSD patients are mild or appear after recurrent infections, therefore these patients were usually misdiagnosed as HIgM syndrome.

Conclusions: Although most of AT patients have reduced IgA levels or normal immunoglobulin levels, but a fraction of these patients may show CSD ensuing HIgM-profile. CSD poses affected individuals at higher risk of non-infectious complications.