Prevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in hemodialysis patients

International Urology and Nephrology -     

Correction to: A four-step mutation at D22S1045 in one complex paternity case when the brother of the alleged father hypothesis is evaluated

International Journal of Legal Medicine - This article was published online with an error. Given names and family names of the authors were interchanged. The correct author names are presented...     

Expression and Function of Dectin-1 is Defective in Monocytes from Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Rheumatoid Arthritis

The aim of this work was to study the expression and function of the innate immune receptor dectin-1 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We studied twenty-six patients with SLE not receiving immunosuppressive therapy, twenty-six patients with RA, and fifteen controls. We found that monocytes from SLE patients showed a diminished expression of dectin-1 compared to healthy controls, and an inverse correlation between percent of dectin-1⁺ cells and the disease activity score was detected. In addition, cells from SLE patients showed an abnormal calcium flux response induced by dectin-1 ligands as well as an enhanced release of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, but not IL-23, upon dectin-1 engagement. Monocytes from patients with RA also showed a diminished expression, and a defective function of dectin-1. Our data suggest that dectin-1 receptor defects could contribute to the pathogenesis of autoimmune inflammatory conditions.     

Systemic microcirculation after complete high and low thoracic spinal cord section in rats

Spinal cord injury (SCI) produces multiple systemic and metabolic alterations. Although some systemic alterations could be associated with ischemic organ damage, little is known about microvascular blood flow (MVBF) in organs other than the spinal cord after acute SCI. We used laser Doppler flowmetry in anesthetized rats to assess MVBF in several tissues before and after complete T-2 and T-9 SCI at 1 h and on days 1, 3, and 7 post-SCI. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), heart rate and hematologic variables also were recorded. MAP changes after T-2 injury were not significant, while MAP decreased significantly 1 h after T-9 injury. Statistically significant bradycardia occurred after T-2 injury at 7 days; statistically significant tachycardia occurred after T-9 injury at 1, 3, and 7 days. Hematocrit significantly increased at day 1 and decreased at days 3 and 7 after T-2 injury. SCI was associated with significant decreases in MVBF in liver, spleen, muscle and fore footpad skin. Changes in MVBF in hind footpad skin and kidney were not significant. Changes were more pronounced at 1 h and 1 day post-SCI. Significant differences between MVBF after T-2 and T-9 SCI occurred only in liver. MVBF significantly correlated with regional peripheral vascular resistances (assessed using the MAP/MVBF ratio), but not with MAP. In conclusion, organ-specific changes in systemic MVBF that are influenced by the level of SCI, could contribute to organ dysfunction.     

Analysis of background EEG activity in patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy

PURPOSE: To analyze background EEG activity of patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) with and without antiepileptic drugs. METHODS: We studied the background EEG activity in 18 patients with JME. The qEEG analysis included absolute power (AP), relative power (RP) and mean frequency (MF) of delta, theta, alpha and beta bands. The Z scores were calculated by comparison with population parameters based on the age-dependent regression function. Seven patients were unmedicated (UM) and eleven medicated (M). RESULTS: The UM group presented 69 (4.32%) abnormal Z scores and 227 (9.05%) in the M group (P<0.001). In the UM group, AP delta abnormal Z scores were identified in frontotemporal and occipital leads. In AP alpha and beta bands an increase in Z scores was encountered in frontoparietal leads in three patients. In addition, in three patients, the AP theta Z scores were below -1.96 and distributed in all regions. In the M group, AP beta Z scores were above 1.96 in frontoparietal leads in 7 of 11 patients. The AP delta increased above 1.96 in frontotemporal and occipital leads in 6 patients of 11. The AP alpha showed an abnormal decrease in Z scores in 5 of 11 patients, whereas other 5 patients presented normal scores. The AP theta presented 7 normal Z scores out of 11; this band exhibited the lowest number of abnormalities of the 4. CONCLUSION: Patients with JME have an increase in AP delta, alpha and beta bands, which is more evident in frontoparietal regions.     

Chrysotile asbestos and health in Zimbabwe: II. Health status survey of active miners and millers.

As part of the effort to establish industrial practice and public policy regarding asbestos in Zimbabwe, we have conducted a cross-sectional study of the chrysotile mines and mills. A stratified random sample of workers with greater than 10 years of exposure has been evaluated by spirometry, chest radiographs, and employment history. The latter was converted to quantitative estimates of exposure dose, using a matrix based on measured and reconstructed fiber levels for each job and facility during the years of work. Based on these data, a clear dose-response between asbestos exposure and functional loss has been demonstrated, with mean losses from predicted of about 400-600 cc in vital capacity in the 10% of the population with heaviest exposures. Low-grade parenchymal radiographic abnormalities (ILO grade greater than or equal to 1/0) were evident in 8.7% of the total study group and were almost 10 times more common in those with more than 100 fibers/cc.years cumulative exposure than in those with 16 fibers/cc.years or less. Pleural disease was relatively rare, occurring in just under 10% of the study group, and was unrelated to exposure dose. Overall, these findings are compatible with results of similar studies in Quebec and Swaziland and suggest that similar control strategies are probably indicated.     

Breast radiotherapy: An Australasian survey of current treatment techniques

Prior to the dissemination of evidence‐based quality assurance guidelines, the Australian National Breast Cancer Centre Radiation Oncology Group conducted a process survey of breast radiotherapy treatment delivery throughout Australia. A process survey was conducted in August/September 1998. This survey comprised questions enquiring about treatment positioning, immobilization devices used, planning strategies, simulation and dose computation methods, treatment prescribing and quality assurance. The survey was sent to 123 Australian fellows of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) and to the six directors of New Zealand radiation oncology departments. Fifty‐eight questionnaires were returned of which 38 were received from individuals and 20 represented a reply from a department with a routine breast radiotherapy protocol (representing an average of 4.5 radiation oncologists per reply). The study identified great consistency between departments with respect to dose and fractionation for breast tangents. The study also identified some areas of treatment planning and delivery that varied between individuals or departments. These mainly reflected a lack of evidence in some areas of radiotherapy treatment delivery. The circulation of quality assurance guidelines will perhaps improve consistency of radiotherapy techniques in which studies have identified that technique changes improve outcome. This study identified that these areas include the taking of simulation and port films and the use of off‐axis dosimetry. Further studies are required for areas of radiotherapy treatment delivery that have little evidence for or against their implementation.     

Association between tortilla consumption and human urinary fumonisin B1 levels in a Mexican population.

Fumonisins are mycotoxins produced by Fusarium spp. and commonly contaminate maize and maize products worldwide. Fumonisins are rodent carcinogens and have been associated with human esophageal cancer. However, the lack of a valid exposure biomarker has hindered both the assessment of human exposure and the evaluation of disease risk. A sensitive liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method to measure urinary fumonisin B1 (FB1) following extraction on Oasis MAX cartridges was established and applied to urine samples from women in a cohort recruited in Morelos County, Mexico. Urinary FB1 was compared with dietary information on tortilla consumption. FB1 recovery in spiked samples averaged 94% as judged by deuterium-labeled FB1 internal standard. Urinary FB1 was determined in 75 samples from women selected based on low, medium, or high consumption of maize-based tortillas. The geometric mean (95% confidence interval) of urinary FB1 was 35.0 (18.8-65.2), 63.1 (36.8-108.2), and 147.4 (87.6-248.0) pg/mL and the frequency of samples above the detection limit (set at 20 pg FB1/mL urine) was 45%, 80%, and 96% for the low, medium, and high groups, respectively. Women with high intake had a 3-fold higher average FB1 levels compared with the "low intake" group (F = 7.3; P = 0.0015). Urinary FB1 was correlated with maize intake (P(trend) = 0.001); the correlation remained significant after adjusting for age, education, and place of residence. This study suggests that measurement of urinary FB1 is sufficiently sensitive for fumonisin exposure assessment in human populations and could be a valuable tool in investigating the associated health effects of exposure.     

Black American Maternal Prenatal Choline,Offspring Gestational Age at Birth, and Developmental Predisposition to Mental Illness

Black Americans have increased risk for schizophrenia and other mental illnesses with prenatal origins. Prenatal choline promotes infant brain development and behavioral outcomes, but choline has not been specifically assessed in Black Americans. Pregnant women (N = 183, N = 25 Black Americans) enrolled in a study of prenatal stressors and interactions with prenatal choline. Black American women had lower 16-week gestation plasma choline than Whites. Lower choline was not related to obesity, income, or metabolic genotypes. Pregnant women in rural Uganda have higher choline levels than Black American women. Black Americans’ lower choline was associated with higher hair cortisol, indicative of higher stress. Lower maternal choline was associated with offsprings’ lower gestational age at birth and with decreased auditory P50 inhibition, a marker of inhibitory neuron development. Behavioral development was assessed on the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-R-SF (IBQ-R) at 3 months. Lower Black American maternal gestational choline was associated with lower infant IBQ-R Orienting/Regulation, indicating decreased attention and relation to caregivers. Additional evidence for developmental effects of choline in Black Americans comes from a randomized clinical trial of gestational phosphatidylcholine supplementation versus placebo that included 15 Black Americans. Phosphatidylcholine increased gestational age at birth and newborn P50 inhibition and decreased Social Withdrawn and Attention problems at 40 months of age in Black Americans’ offspring compared to placebo. Inhibitory and behavioral deficits associated with lower prenatal choline in offspring of Black American women indicate potential developmental predispositions to later mental illnesses that might be ameliorated by prenatal choline or phosphatidylcholine supplementation.     

Author’s Response: Targeting Treatments to Health Disparities

These initial data suggest that with prenatal vitamins and choline supplements, we might decrease one risk factor associated with poorer health outcomes disproportionally affecting Black families, ie, preterm birth. Dissemination of this research fulfills the principle of Justice in the Belmont Report, to ensure that participants from different racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups receive benefits from research directed to their specific problems.