Virology of infantile chronic recurrent parotitis in Santiago de Chile

Infantile chronic recurrent parotitis (ICRP) has been attributed to multiple causes, including viral infections, and therefore its treatment remains empirical. Our aim was to evaluate the involvement of respiratory and oropharyngeal viruses in acute episodes of ICRP. Seventy children were studied, 50 patients and 20 age-matched controls, in a 2-year follow-up study. Saliva samples were taken from the parotid duct and analyzed by viral isolation and immunofluorescence for adenovirus (Ad), respiratory sincitial virus (RSV), parainfluenza virus (PI), influenza virus (Flu), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), and herpes simplex virus (HSV). Paired sera samples were tested by ELISA for anti-Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) IgG and anti-mumps IgM and IgG. Viral infections were detected in 7/50 (14%) cases of the ICRP group: one CMV; 2 Enteroviruses isolated in human embryonic lung fibroblast cells; 1 Flu A; and 3 mumps virus. No EBV seroconversions were detected. In the control group, 2 out of the 20 children had an asymptomatic mumps positive IgM titer. Our data indicate that the main respiratory and oropharyngeal viruses are not the cause of acute episodes of ICRP in Chilean children.     

Psychotropic drug use in Italy: national trends and regional differences

Psychotropic drug sales data for Italy were examined for the years 1975-84. The principal findings were of more-or-less consistent annual increases in sales of antidepressants, minor tranquillizers and, to a lesser extent, of neuroleptics. These trends are interpreted in the context of the characteristics of the Italian National Health Service (NHS), and in relation to findings from psychotropic drug utilization studies in other Western countries. Regional differences in psychotropic drug sales for 1983/4 were also examined. Marked differences were found and, in general, levels of use were higher in North/Central Italy than in the South. Factors influencing regional differences were explored using regression analysis. Regional NHS expenditure (excluding that on drugs) was found to influence strongly the sales of all categories of psychotropic drug, whereas there was also a marked urban greater than rural difference in the sales of tranquillizers.     

Prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis in Tucumán,Argentina

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Tucumán, Argentina. METHODS: The study was conducted between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 1999, in Tucumán province in northwest Argentina. Outpatient and hospitalization medical records for all patients with RA aged > or = 16 years were reviewed. Diagnosis was by 1987 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for RA and the population data were based on the 1991 national census. Prevalence rates, with 95% CI, were calculated using the number of San Miguel de Tucumán residents who fulfilled the 1987 ACR criteria for RA as numerator, and the city population aged > or = 16 as denominator. Crude and age-specific prevalence rates were calculated as number of cases/1,000 inhabitants. RESULTS: We identified 695 cases of RA. Sex-specific and overall prevalence rates (per 1,000) were 1.97 (95% CI 1.8-2) for all, 0.6 (95% CI 0.49-0.73) for men, 3.2 (95% CI 2.9-3.5) for women. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of RA is low in residents of Tucumán, Argentina, and comparable with rates observed in epidemiological surveys from Southern European countries.     

Eating Behavior and Glucagon-Like Peptide-1-Producing Cells in Interposed Ileum and Pancreatic Islets in Rats Subjected to Ileal Interposition Associated with Sleeve Gastrectomy

Background

Ileal interposition–sleeve gastrectomy (II–SG) has been developed as a metabolic surgery based on the hindgut hypothesis. The aim of the present study was to test this hypothesis by studying the eating behavior, metabolic changes, and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-producing cells in rat models.

Methods

Male Sprague–Dawley rats were subjected to laparotomy, II, SG, or II–SG. Eating behavior and metabolic parameters were monitored by an open-circuit indirect calorimeter designed for a comprehensive laboratory animal monitoring system. GLP-1-producing cells were examined by quantitative immunohistochemistry.

Results

After II alone, satiety ratio, i.e., intermeal interval/meal size, was reduced, while calorie intake was increased at 2 and 6 weeks postoperatively. Respiratory exchange ratio, VCO₂/VO₂, was increased to above 1.0 (i.e., carbohydrate metabolism) during both daytime and nighttime at 2 weeks postoperatively. After SG alone, GLP-1-producing cells were increased in the pancreatic islets (in terms of volume density), but not in the ileum (number/mm). After II–SG, the rate of eating was reduced, while meal duration (min) was increased during both daytime and nighttime at 2 weeks postoperatively. GLP-1-producing cells were increased by about 2.5-fold in the interposed ileum and also increased to the same extent in the pancreatic islets as seen after SG alone. The increased GLP-1-producing cells in the pancreatic islets after SG or II–SG were located around the insulin-producing β cells.

Conclusions

The present study provides evidence supporting the hindgut hypothesis. II–SG increased GLP-1 production both in the interposed ileum and in the pancreatic islets, leading to metabolic beneficial effects and altered eating behavior.     

Extragenetic factors and clinical penetrance of DYT1 dystonia: an exploratory study

Factors modifying the clinical penetrance of DYT1 dystonia are incompletely defined. Particularly, the contribution of extragenetic factors has been subject to only limited investigation and remains largely unexplored. A possible effect of childhood infections has been proposed, and the effect of other factors, such as perinatal adversity and trauma, has not been systematically investigated. We performed an exploratory analysis of the exposure to perinatal adversity, childhood infections, general anaesthesia and trauma comparing 39 manifesting carriers of the ?GAG mutation, 23 non-manifesting carriers and 48 non-carriers from a multi-centre European series of 28 families with DYT1 dystonia, by means of a self-completed questionnaire and clinical interview. Detailed information on perinatal adversities (pre-term birth, complications at natural delivery, urgent caesarean section), previous childhood infections, and prior general anaesthesia or physical trauma was recorded. A positive association between a history of complications of vaginal delivery and manifestation of dystonia was detected, which was not confounded by age, gender, or education level (odds ratio 8.47, 95 % confidence interval 1.45–49.4, p = 0.02). We could not observe any significant association between presence of dystonia and the other investigated variables. Comparing non-manifesting carriers to non-carriers, the presence of the ?GAG mutation per se was not associated with any of the environmental exposures explored. Perinatal adversities might modulate the clinical penetrance of DYT1 dystonia; their interaction with known genetic factors modifying penetrance of this condition should be investigated in new, larger collaborative studies.     

Sensory tricks in primary cervical dystonia depend on visuotactile temporal discrimination

A characteristic feature of primary cervical dystonia is the presence of “sensory tricks” as well as the impairment of temporal and spatial sensory discrimination on formal testing. The aim of the present study was to test whether the amount of improvement of abnormal head deviation due to a sensory trick is associated with different performance of temporal sensory discrimination in patients with cervical dystonia. We recruited 32 patients with cervical dystonia. Dystonia severity was assessed using the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale. Patients were rated according to clinical improvement to a sensory trick and assigned to 1 of the following groups: (1) no improvement (n = 6), (2) partial improvement (n = 17), (3) complete improvement (n = 9). Temporal discrimination thresholds were assessed for visual, tactile, and visuotactile modalities. Disease duration was shorter (P = .026) and dystonia severity lower (P = .033) in the group with complete improvement to sensory tricks compared with the group with partial improvement to sensory tricks. A significant effect for group and modality and a significant interaction between group × modality were found, with lower visuotactile discrimination thresholds in the group with complete improvement to sensory tricks compared with the other groups. In primary cervical dystonia, a complete resolution of dystonia during a sensory trick is associated with better visuotactile discrimination and shorter disease duration compared with patients with less effective sensory tricks, which may reflect progressive loss of adaptive mechanisms to basal ganglia dysfunction. © 2013 Movement Disorder Society     

Comparative Analysis of the Morphology,Ultrastructure, and Glycosylation Pattern of the Jejunum and Ileum of the Wild Rodent Lagostomus maximus

Morphological and histochemical analyses were performed to characterize the histology, ultrastructure, and glycosylation pattern of the jejunum and ileum of the wild rodent Lagostomus maximus. Enterocytes, goblet cells, Paneth cells, and enteroendocrine cells were identified in both intestinal epithelia. Two morphological types of enterocytes were identified only in the ileum based on their cytoplasm electron density. Although the histological and ultrastructural examination showed that the epithelia of both anatomical regions were morphologically similar, a certain specialization in their secretory products was evident. The glycosylation pattern of the jejunum and ileum was characterized in situ by histochemical and lectin histochemical methods. Histochemical results revealed the presence of carboxylated and sulfated gycoconjugates in both regions, although sulfomucins were clearly prevalent in the ileum. Sialic acid was highly O‐acetylated and particularly abundant in the jejunum. The KOH/PA*/Bh/PAS technique evidenced a more intense histochemical reaction in the jejunal than in the ileum goblet cells, demonstrating a reduction of neutral mucin secretion in the distal small intestine. Further specific differences were revealed by lectin histochemistry. These data evidenced that the nature of mucus varies at different anatomical regions, probably adapted to physiological requirements. Anat Rec, 299:630–642, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

D-Optimal Design in the Development of Rheologically Improved In Situ Forming Ophthalmic Gel

In situ forming ophthalmic gels need to be fine tuned considering all the biopharmaceutical challenges of the front of the eye in order to increase drug residence time at the application site resulting in its improved bioavailability and efficacy. The aim of this study was to develop in situ forming ophthalmic poloxamer P407/poloxamer P188/chitosan gel fine tuned in terms of polymer content, temperature of gelation, and viscosity. Minimizing the total polymer content while retaining the advantageous rheological properties has been achieved by means of D-optimal statistical design. The optimal in situ forming gel was selected based on minimal polymer content (P407, P188, and chitosan concentration of 14.2%, 1.7%, and 0.25% w/w, respectively), favorable rheological characteristics, and in vitro resistance to tear dilution. The optimal in situ forming gel was proved to be robust against entrapment of active pharmaceutical ingredients making it a suitable platform for ophthalmic delivery of active pharmaceutical ingredients with diverse physicochemical properties.     

Genetic and biochemical biomarkers in the macrophyte Bidens laevis L. Exposed to a commercial formulation of endosulfan

Previous studies in the wetland macrophyte Bidens laevis L have demonstrated that the insecticide endosulfan induces a high frequency of somatic chromosome aberrations in anaphase–telophase (CAAT) but no DNA changes as determined by the single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet) assay. Thus, cytogenetic biomarkers appear to be more sensitive to the toxic effects of the insecticide than the DNA molecule in the studied species. For this reason, the goals of this study were to use cytogenetic biomarkers—CAAT and abnormal metaphase—and defense biomarkers such as the activity of the antioxidant enzymes—guaiacol peroxidases (POD), glutathione reductase, and microsomal and cytosolic (m‐ and c‐) glutathione‐S‐transferase (GST)—to evaluate in B. laevis effects caused by a commercial formulation of endosulfan. The frequency of CAAT was increased at 5, 10, 50, and 100 μg/L endosulfan with respect to the negative controls by 3.1, 2.5, 2.5, and 3.2‐fold, respectively while the frequency of abnormal metaphases was also increased at the same concentrations by 3.5, 2.8, 3.2, and 11.3‐fold, respectively. In addition to these aneugenic effects, other abnormalities such as C‐mitosis and chromosome clumping were observed at 10 μg/L endosulfan. On the other hand, POD induction at 0.02, 0.5, 5, and 10 μg/L and m‐GST inhibition at 0.5, 10, and 50 μg/L in plants exposed during 24 h to endosulfan were observed but all of these responses were highly variable. In conclusion, only cytogenetic biomarkers like CAAT in B. laevis can serve potentially as early warning systems to detect environmentally relevant concentrations of endosulfan in aquatic ecosystems. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 29: 1063–1071, 2014.