DNA methylation changes in Mexican children exposed to arsenic from two historic mining areas in San Luis potosí

Arsenic is a carcinogen and epimutagen that threatens the health of exposed populations worldwide. In this study, we examined the methylation status of Alu and long interspersed nucleotide elements (LINE‐1) and their association with levels of urinary arsenic in 84 Mexican children between 6 and 12 years old from two historic mining areas in the State of San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Urinary arsenic levels were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and DNA methylation analysis was performed in peripheral blood leukocytes by bisulfite‐pyrosequencing. The geometric mean of urinary arsenic was 26.44 µg/g Cr (range 1.93–139.35). No significant differences in urinary arsenic or methylation patterns due to gender were observed. A positive correlation was found between urinary arsenic and the mean percentage of methylated cytosines in Alu sequences (Spearman correlation coefficient r = 0.532, P < 0.001), and a trend of LINE‐1 hypomethylation was also observed (Spearman correlation coefficient r = ?0.232, P = 0.038) after adjustment for sex and age. A linear regression model showed an association with log‐normalized urinary arsenic for Alu (β = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.67; 1.43, P < 0.001) and LINE‐1 (β = ?0.703, 95% CI: ?1.36; ?0.38, P = 0.038). Despite the low‐level arsenic exposure, a subtle epigenetic imbalance measured as DNA methylation was detected in the leukocytes of Mexican children living in two historic mining areas. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 57:717–723, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Coronary sinus reducer implantation in the middle cardiac vein for the treatment of refractory angina

Coronary sinus Reducer is a current therapeutic treatment for patients with persistent refractory angina. We report a case of successful implantation of the device in the middle cardiac vein of a 65 years old female patient. The singular and unusual site for the Reducer was planned after a careful assessment of the venous drainage of the ischemic territory.     

Hypertension due to an aneurysm of the left renal artery in a patient with neurofibromatosis

Arterial lesions in patients with neurofibromatosis are rarely described and in most cases are stenotic. The aneurysmal changes reported in the literature are usually characterized by multiple microaneurysms due to the dysplastic lesions of the artery. We report a case of a single aneurysm of the inferior hilar branch of the left renal artery of a young female with neurofibromatosis. The patient showed hypoperfusion of the renal pole fed by this branch and was hypertensive. The aneurysm had a diameter of 4 cm and showed the histological findings typical of dysplastic lesions of neurofibromatosis. The hypertension and the renal pole hypoperfusion recovered after surgical excision of the aneurysm and end-to-end anastomosis of the hilar branch stumps.     

Health hazards of fire fighters: exposure assessment

There is growing concern over the detrimental health effects to firefighters produced by exposure to combustion byproducts of burning materials. To assess the types and levels of exposure encountered by firefighters during their routine occupational duties, members of the Buffalo Fire Department were monitored during firefighting activities with personal, portable, ambient environmental sampling devices. The results indicate that firefighters are frequently exposed to significant concentrations of hazardous materials including carbon monoxide, benzene, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen cyanide, aldehydes, hydrogen chloride, dichlorofluoromethane, and particulates. Furthermore, in many cases of the worst exposure to these materials respiratory protective equipment was not used owing to the visual impression of low smoke intensity, and thus these levels represent actual direct exposure of the firefighters. Many of these materials have been implicated in the production of cardiovascular, respiratory, or neoplastic diseases, which may provide an explanation for the alleged increased risk for these illnesses among firefighters.