Identification of World War II bone remains found in Ukraine using classical anthropological and mitochondrial DNA results

International Journal of Legal Medicine - Gyula Ágner was a Royal Hungarian First Lieutenant (1st Lt.) during the World War II and died at 30 years old due to a mine shrapnel injury...     

Post-ischemic administration of diazoxide attenuates long-term microglial activation in the rat brain after permanent carotid artery occlusion

Diazoxide is a putative mitochondrial, ATP-sensitive potassium channel opener that has been implicated in neuroprotection in cerebral ischemia. Administered as pretreatment, diazoxide can attenuate ischemia-related neuronal injury, but little is known about the potential neuroprotective properties of the drug when it is given after the onset of an ischemic insult. In a previous study, we applied diazoxide after imposing chronic cerebral hypoperfusion by means of permanent, bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries (2VO) in rats. We observed that ischemia-induced learning impairment assessed in the Morris water maze, and microglial activation visualized by immunocytochemistry, were prevented by diazoxide as determined at 13 weeks after 2VO. However, dimethyl sulfoxide, the organic solvent of diazoxide also prevented memory deficits, without any effect on microglial activity. Therefore, we have repeated our experiments with the use of an inorganic solvent, aqueous NaOH solution in order to clarify the effect of diazoxide independent of dimethyl sulfoxide. The present results demonstrated that diazoxide alone did not improve learning performance, but it prevented microglial activation in the hippocampus 13 weeks after the onset of 2VO. These data provide evidence that post-treatment with diazoxide is not effective in impeding a long-term memory deficiency, but it can attenuate ischemia-induced microglial activation, independently of the solvent used.     

Comparison of antibody repertoires against Staphylococcus aureus in healthy individuals and in acutely infected patients

The management of staphylococcal diseases is increasingly difficult with present medical approaches. Preventive and therapeutic vaccination is considered to be a promising alternative; however, little is known about immune correlates of protection and disease susceptibility. To better understand the immune recognition of Staphylococcus aureus by the human host, we studied the antistaphylococcal humoral responses in healthy people in comparison to those of patients with invasive diseases. In a series of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analyses performed using 19 recombinant staphylococcal cell surface and secreted proteins, we measured a wide range of antibody levels, finding a pronounced heterogeneity among individuals in both donor groups. The analysis revealed marked differences in the antibody repertoires of healthy individuals with or without S. aureus carriage, as well as in those of patients in the acute phase of infection. Most importantly, we identified antigenic proteins for which specific antibodies were missing or underrepresented in infected patients. In contrast to the well-described transient nature of disease-induced antistaphylococcal immune response, it was demonstrated that high-titer antistaphylococcal antibodies are stable for years in healthy individuals. In addition, we provide evidence obtained on the basis of opsonophagocytic and neutralizing activity in vitro assays that circulating antistaphylococcal serum antibodies in healthy donors are functional. In light of these data we suggest that proper serological analysis comparing the preexisting antibody repertoires of hospitalized patients with different outcomes for nosocomial staphylococcal infections could be extremely useful for the evaluation of candidate vaccine antigens in addition to protection data generated with animal models.     

Investigation of the role of the serotonergic activity of certain subtype-selective alpha1A antagonists in the relaxant effect on the pregnant rat uterus in vitro

Results from recent studies have shown that alpha(1A)-adrenergic receptor (alpha(1A)-AR) antagonists could offer a new alternative in the treatment of preterm delivery. However, members of this group [2-(2,6-dimethoxyphenoxyethyl)aminomethyl-1,4-benzodioxane hydrochloride (WB4101), 5-methylurapidil (5-MU)] are known to influence serotonin (5-hydroxy-tryptamine) (5-HT(1A)) receptors, too. Our objective was to clarify the role of their 5-HT(1A) activities in the uterus relaxant effect. RT-PCR was used to determine mRNA expression of the receptor subtypes in 22 day pregnant rat uteri. Isolated uteri were stimulated by 5-HT or electrical field to investigate the contraction-inhibiting effect and the 5-HT(1A) activity of the alpha(1A) antagonists. Both receptor subtypes are present in rat myometrium. 5-HT induced contractions were inhibited by the alpha(1A) antagonists. Besides shifting the dose-response curve of 5-HT to the right, 5-MU decreased its maximal effect. The alpha(1A) antagonists inhibited electrical field stimulation-induced contractions. 5-HT(1A) blockade increased the maximal effect of 5-MU but did not change that of WB4101. These results suggest that the contraction increase caused by 5-HT is mediated by alpha(1A) receptors. Serotonergic activity of alpha(1) antagonists and especially alpha(1A) antagonists should be investigated as it may alter their efficacy and could interfere with their side-effects. It is proposed that novel alpha(1A) antagonists should be designed with no 5-HT(1A) activity to achieve maximal relaxant effect.     

In-Hospital Patient Education Markedly Reduces Alcohol Consumption after Alcohol-Induced Acute Pancreatitis

Although excessive alcohol consumption is by far the most frequent cause of recurrent acute pancreatitis (AP) cases, specific therapy is still not well established to prevent recurrence. Generally, psychological therapy (e.g., brief intervention (BI)) is the cornerstone of cessation programs; however, it is not yet widely used in everyday practice. We conducted a post-hoc analysis of a prospectively collected database. Patients suffering from alcohol-induced AP between 2016 and 2021 received 30 min BI by a physician. Patient-reported alcohol consumption, serum gamma-glutamyl-transferase (GGT) level, and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of red blood cells were collected on admission and at the 1-month follow-up visit to monitor patients’ drinking habits. Ninety-nine patients with alcohol-induced AP were enrolled in the study (mean age: 50 ± 11, 89% male). A significant decrease was detected both in mean GGT value (294 ± 251 U/L vs. 103 ± 113 U/L, p < 0.001) and in MCV level (93.7 ± 5.3 U/L vs. 92.1 ± 5.1 U/L, p < 0.001) in patients with elevated on-admission GGT levels. Notably, 79% of the patients (78/99) reported alcohol abstinence at the 1-month control visit. Brief intervention is an effective tool to reduce alcohol consumption and to prevent recurrent AP. Longitudinal randomized clinical studies are needed to identify the adequate structure and frequency of BIs in alcohol-induced AP.     

Anxiety and depression symptoms in infertile men during their first infertility evaluation visit

Objective: To assess the psychological condition of men at the start of the infertility work-up.

Methods: Men seeking an infertility evaluation for the first time were recruited. Depression and anxiety symptoms and subjective psychological burden were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and a visual analog scale (VAS).

Results: Data from 113 patients were analyzed. The mean age of the patients was 33.3 (range: 23–54) years, whereas the mean duration of infertility was 16.3 (range: 0–96) months. Results from the BDI and STAI were 2.24 (SD: ±3.18) and 33.74 (SD: ±8.04). Mild depressive symptoms were found in 4.5% of patients, whereas anxiety reached an abnormal level in 4.9%. There were significant correlations between the results from the BDI score and the duration of infertility (p?=?.024), whereas the STAI and VAS scores showed no similar connection (p?=?.142 and p?=?.261, respectively). Among patients with infertility longer than 2 years, mild depressive symptoms occurred in 23.1%.

Conclusion: Among men, the levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms were low at the start of the infertility work-up. Depressive symptom levels increased significantly with the duration of infertility, whereas anxiety levels and VAS scores did not demonstrate a similar correlation.     

The Ultra-Processed Food Content of School Meals and Packed Lunches in the United Kingdom

British children have the highest levels of ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption in Europe. Schools are posited as a positive setting for impacting dietary intake, but the level of UPFs consumed in schools is currently unknown. This study determined the UPF content of school food in the UK. We conducted a pooled cross-sectional analysis of primary (4–11 years, n = 1895) and secondary schoolchildren (11–18 years, n = 1408) from the UK’s National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2008–2017). Multivariable quantile regression models determined the association between meal-type (school meal or packed lunch) and lunchtime UPF intake (NOVA food classification system). We showed that on average, UPF intake was high in both primary (72.6% total lunch Kcal) and secondary schoolchildren (77.8% total lunch Kcal). Higher UPF intakes were observed in packed lunch consumers, secondary schoolchildren, and those in lower income households. This study highlights the need for a renewed focus on school food. Better guidance and policies that consider levels of industrial processing in food served in schools are needed to ensure the dual benefit of encouraging school meal uptake and equitably improving children’s diets.     

Alterations of the thrombin generation profile in rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder resulting in the erosion of the cartilage and bone. Systemic involvement including the cardiovascular system with the risk of atherosclerosis may also occur. Calibrated automated thrombogram (CAT), a commercially available thrombin generation assay is suitable for the general assessment of the functionality of coagulation system. In this study we performed CAT assay in RA patients and in non-affected control subjects (matched for age, sex and comorbidities). Among the CAT parameters Velocity Index increased (from 60 to 83 nM/min), Lag Time and Time to Peak decreased (from 3.47 to 2.83 min and from 6.98 to 5.58 min respectively) in RA. On the other hand, Endogenous Thrombin Potential values decreased (from 1242 to 1108 nM min). The observed alterations were not associated with the applied therapy. These results indicate that the velocity of thrombin formation is increased, while the thrombin generating capability is reduced in RA.     

Different administration schedules of darbepoetin alfa affect oxidized and reduced glutathione levels to a similar extent in 5/6 nephrectomized rats

Background

The development of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) with extended serum half-lives has allowed marked prolongation of the administration intervals. The level of oxidative stress is increased in chronic kidney disease, and is reportedly decreased after long-term ESA treatment. However, the effect of different dosing regimens of ESAs on oxidative stress has not been elucidated.

Methods

Five-sixths nephrectomized (NX) rats received either 0.4 μg/kg darbepoetin alfa (DA) weekly or 0.8 μg/kg DA fortnightly between weeks 4 and 10. NX animals receiving saline and a sham-operated (SHAM) group served as controls. The levels of oxidized and reduced glutathione (GSSG, GSH) were followed from blood samples drawn fortnightly.

Results

During the follow-up, the ratios GSSG/GSH showed similar trends in both DA groups, levels being significantly lower than those in the SHAM group at weeks 8 and 10. GSSG levels were lower than the baseline throughout the study in all groups except for NX controls. The GSH levels were increased in all three NX groups (weeks 6–10) compared with both the baseline and the SHAM group

Conclusion

Our results suggest that the extent of oxidative stress is similar in response to different dosing regimens of DA in 5/6 NX rats when comparable hemoglobin levels are maintained. These findings remain to be confirmed in chronic kidney disease patients.     

Impact of maternal obesity on the fetal electrocardiogram during labor

Objective: Maternal obesity affects one in every five women giving birth worldwide. This condition is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes, as well as increased morbidity and mortality for mother and offspring.

Methods: We carried out a prospective study at the University of Pecs Medical Center, Pecs, Hungary, between 1 January 2013 and 1 January 2014. We enrolled 60 obese (body mass index >30?kg/m²) low-risk pregnant women and 108 age-, ethnicity-, and parity-matched nonobese pregnant control subjects. The ST segment of the fetal electrocardiogram was assessed by STAN® monitoring. Neonatal outcomes and cord gas analysis of the umbilical vessels were evaluated after birth.

Results: No infant with definitive metabolic acidosis was delivered in either group. We observed 32 and 106 ST events in the obese and control group, respectively, but this difference was not statistically significant. To date, none of the infants delivered as part of this study have demonstrated developmental insufficiency.

Conclusions: Obesity might not influence the fetal electrocardiogram during labor as an independent risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Studies with larger cohort sizes are needed to confirm our findings.